Ministery from the annoynting that doth beare witness to the Lord Jesus and hath his holy Spirit That testimony I desire to beare and that testimony I desire to stand faithfull in with integrity to the Lord Jesus as King of Saints and King of Nations And therefore it is I say to have a Majestracy as at the first and Counsellors as at the beginning men fearing God and hating covetousness And that Ministery as doth preach the everlasting Gospell Here Mr. Sheriffe interrupted him saying 't is desired that you spend the rest of your time in preparing your selfe Another said you spend your self Sir in this discourse Another said it raines Then Mr. Carew said I will pray Mr. Carew his Prayer O most holy and most glorious and blessed God the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of all Glory The God of the spirits of all Flesh unto thee unto thee doth my soule desire to come through the new and living way even through Christ my Righteousnesse And in him and through him to be offered up by the Eternall spirit a living and acceptable Sacrifice in which thy soul delighteth O Lord thou knowest my frame and thou knowest my life and what a passage this is and what a wonderfull thing it is to enter into Glory And what a wonderful thing it is to stand before thee and to stand in thy presence O Father father let my soul be filled with thy joy and with peace in Believing O Let my heart be in heaven while my body is here and O Let me be joyned unto the Lord through thine own spirit before this separation be O Lord thou only art able to take hold of my Heart and Spirit poor Creatures may speak words to thee but Oh! it is thine own power and it is thine own spirit that must take hold of the heart it is thine own spirit that must carry through all and it hath heen thy spirit Blessed be thy Name that hath carryed me through many Tryals and many Temptations and many Difficulties that thy poor Worme hath met with in this Pilgrimage for many Years O Blessed by thy Name for all the Goodnesse and for all thy Grace and for all thy presence that hath been with thy poor Creature far and neer Oh! Blessed be thy Name that thou hast kept me in any measure faithful to â—…to thee and made me willing to lay down my life for thy â—…ous Work and Cause Oh Blessed be thy Name that the Lord and Christ that is at thy right hand hath bought me with his own most precious bloud He hath Redeemed me indeed Therefore it is but my reasonable service that I should be offered up a sacrifice to him my joy is in him and my confidence is in him that I shall be presented by him to my heavenly father O father when thy servant is to be presented before thee let him know what it is to finde mercy Let him know what it is to have Jesus Christ an Advocate and what it is to be presented before thee by such a Redeemer O that Jesus Christ might bid me welcome into the presence and may say to my soule Well done good and faithfull servant enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. O blessed Father it is not that I doe expect any thing from thee upon any account below the account of the Lord Jesus and wherein soever thou hast been glorified by thy poor servant it hath been by thine own power and thine own working O nothing unto thy poore creature is due but unto thy holy name be praise and glory O holy father behold thy work in the Kingdomes and behold the cause and interest of all thy people O doe thou revive it in thine own appointed time O doe thou strengthen the starts of thy poor Saints O scatter all clouds speak comfortably to their soules that they may be able to stand under all storms faithfull into the death and receive a Crown of life and glory O blesse the poor Saints in the City and blesse thy Saints in the Country and blesse thy Saints in the West O blesse thy sonnes and thy daughters O blesse all the meetings of thy people let the blessing of the Lord appear unto them let the glory of the Lord make haste let the glory of the Lord be upon these Nations O remember thy promise to thy ancient people the Jewes O let thy people be taught of thee O let these drie bones live O let the Spirit of life breath upon them O dear father let the fulnesse of the Jewes and of the Gentiles be brought in Let multitudes be gathered out of every Kindred and Tongue and Nation unto the Kingdome of Jesus Christ O Father Father advance thy Sonne set him as King upon the mountaine of thy holinesse give him all glory and power and dominion over the whole Heavens that thou hast promised according to thy word and covenant to give unto him that he may raigne in thine own word and law through his own Spirit for ever and ever Lord lord I desire thou wouldst gather up my soul O gather up my soule O Lord make this passage sweet O make it comfortable Lord Jesus thou hast taken away the sting of death and born the burden of all this shame and of all this reproach And thou hast given thy poor servant something of thy presence through the riches of thy grace this day O Lord now receive O open thine everlasting armes O now let me enjoy thy presence O God which I have desired to behold and see and to behold thy face in Jesus Christ O and now let me enjoy what thou hast prepared for me and fill me with the joyes that are at thy right hand and those pleasures that are in thy presence for ever more O thou lamb of God lead me to the everlasting Fountain that living fountain that is able to supply all our wants O Lord blesse blesse thy poor people O comfort them in this day Poure out sevenfold of thy Spirit for what thou dost take away in any of thy servants for thy holy Names sake O let the cause and kingdome of Christ be deare and precious in thy sight and live alwaies Lord little doe these poor creatures know or these Nations know what a controversie thou hast with them O that thou wouldest be pleased gratiously to spare this people spare thy people however and let them that love Zion and favour thy righteous cause be glad for ever and ever O now Father be neer to me doe thou receive my spirit take me into thine own glory take me into thine own glory let me know it is my portion let me know there is a Crown in the hand of Christ prepared for my soul O blessed Lord thou hast honoured thy poore creature and brought him hitherto O reward all the labours of love in any to him in bonds or death and give them a double reward into their own bosomes Reward it
so to them and theirs Blessed be thy name that thou hast brought thy poor own hither to suffer in thy cause And O Lord let thy spirit be powred forth upon the Nations until the whole Earth be filled with the knowledge of thy Glory And that Christ Jesus may have all the Honour and Praise and Glory and Dominion for Ever and Ever Amen I am so exceeding Dry that my Tongue is ready to stick to my Mouth But I would fain speak a little more Oh blessed be God! oh how many are the Refreshments I have had from the presence of my God and Father sweet and secret Communion betw'xt him and my soul to day And for that my soul hath seen of his Riches and Kindnesse O that I might be more like Christ for I have been very unlike to Jesus Christ very unlike to my Father But I shall leave all that is unlike Christ behind And all his own Work manship he will purifie and perfect through this passage into Glory O my Dear Father receive my soul O! make this passage sweet for now I am coming to thee Lord Help Lord Spirit me fill me with thy Spirit let me be ever with thee let me know what it is to have thee at my Right Hand that I may not be moved that in my soul going out of the Flesh I may be let into the presence of God and into the Arm of Jesus Christ Oh! That my soul may be breathed forth into the Arms of God into the Bosome of Jesus Christ through the Anointing of the Spirit A Friend that stood by said it is expected you should speak something to the matter of your suffering The under Sheriff said 't is not to be suffered What are you that you put on men to speak What are you Sir Mr. Carew said Farewell my dear Friends Farewell the Lord keep you faithfull The Friend said we part with you with much Joy in our Souls Mr. Carew said to the Executioner stay a while I will speak one word and then said very solemnly and with a loud voyce Lord Jesus receive my Soul Lord Jesus into thy Armes I Commend my Spirit And so fell a Asleep Some occasionall Speeches and Memorable passages of Mr. Justice Cooke during his Imprisonment in the Tower and Newgate With his Speeches and prayer upon the Ladder HIS Wife coming to visit him in the Tower of London but not having Admittance to him he saw her forth of his Window and said to home to thy Friends my Dear Lamb I am well Blessed be God they cannot keep the Comforter from me His wife asking the Gentleman Jaylor to see him another time He answered she might see him suddenly in Newgate her Husband hearing of this said If the way to the new Jerusalem be thorough Newgate blessed be God for Newgate the King of Glory will set open his Everlasting Gates to receive me shortly and then I shall for ever be with the Lord. A Note sent by him from the Tower My D. L. chear-up Heaven will make amends for all blessed be God I am full of spiritual Joy and do must God to make what bargain for me he pleaseth for he knoweth the appointed time of my Composition and Dissolution let us look to Jesus Heb. 12. After Mr. Cooke was brought to Newgate discoursing with some Friends there he said I am now going to my Tryal wherein the Lord strengthen me If I be attainted yet my Estate in Ireland is not thereby Forfeited without an Act of Parliament to that purpose and indeed it is much set upon my heart that if my small Estate be taken away from my poor Wife and Child it will prove as poyson to those that enjoy it and Consumptive to the rest of their great Estates for I blesse God I never Acted Malitiously or Covetously but in a spirit of Simplicity and Integrity however the good will of the Lord be done I commit and commend my Dear Loving and Faithful Wife and Child to their blessed Husband and Father with three scriptures especially for their portion The Widdows cruse and barrel of meal 1 King 17. Isa 54. ver 5. to 10. Jer 49.11 Earnestly desiring that my Child may be Religioussy Educated in the fear of the Lord. Thus if God hath appointed it I shall go from the Cross to the Crown Speaking to some in prison for the clearing of himself from false Aspertions said whereas some say I have done them wrong they do much wrong me in so saying I have relieved many so far as by law I could knowing that the worst of men ought to have Justice I blesse God I durst not wrong any man for I know that I shall meet them at the last day before the Bar of Christs Judgement where I can with boldnesse look all men in the Face as to matter of Justice for which I have great cause to blesse the Lord Holy be his Name Some in the prison speaking of the Differences in Religion Mr. Peters said pray talk not of controversies now we have but a little time to live and cannot spend it in such discourses Whereupon Mr. Cooke said Blessed be God brother Peters we are going to Heaven where the Saints are all of one mind which my soul hath long desired to see it rejoyceth my heart to think what a perfect happinesse I shall have there the best condition here is but mixed but in Heaven there is no sorrow nor trouble neither have I one drame of trouble upon my spirit at this time blessed be God he hath wiped away all tears and I could with Paul and Silas sing in prison for Joy Blessed be the Comforter Discoursing after he came into the Dungion he said when a poor Creature comes about so Solemne a work as to Dye what a blessed thing is it to have a Helper and what can help but the holy spirit blessed be the Comforter for I am full of spiritual Consolation if one of you was to have a Thousand pounds a year after the death of an Old man Consumptive that would not live three dayes how would you rejoyce this is my Condition through Grace I must in a little time put off the Old man and enter into the possession of Heavenly Glory Let no good people fear a prison for it is the only place wanting other books to study the book of self A Friend going about to comfort Mr. Cooke from the consideration of the brevity and uncertainty of mans life using some expressions of love c. Mr. Cooke replyes what dost thou speak thus for if I were sick of a Feavour this might be a sutable discourse but we must talk at a higher rate then this now were I to chuse I would rather chuse this death then to Dye of a Feavour for there is much pains and sometimes distractions but here a man is well when he goes upon the Ladder and out of all pains in a quarter of an hour And speaking to a Friend said I
was not come saying why staieth the wheeles of his chariot why doe they drive so heavily I am ready blessed be God I have nothing to due but to die Word being brought that the Sheriffe was come he makes hast to be gone and his wife stepping after him tooke him by the arme whereupon he said O doe not hinder me from going to Jesus Christ And then with a chearfull countenance taking leave of his friends he went to the sledge that carried him whereon was also carried the head of Major Gen. Tho. Harrison with the face bare towards him and notwithstanding that dismall sight he passed rejoycingly through the streets as one born up by that Spirit which man could not cast down Being come to the place of execution when he was taken out of the sledge he said this is the easiest chariot that ever I rid in in all my life Being come upon the ladder and the rope put about his neck he rejoyced saying Blessed be the name of God that I am bound for the sake of Christ Then his work was to addresse himself to God and to that end said if you please I shall speak a few words to God in prayer Mr. Cookes prayer before his speech Most glorious Majesty this day is a representation of that great day when all thy poore people shall meet together multitudes multitudes in the valley of derision Thy poor poor servant is now come to pay the debt which he oweth to nature blessed be thy name that thou hast prepared him for it blessed be thy name sweet Jesus blessed be thy name O that all thy poor people that are here if possible may feel something of that divine power and assistance of God that thy poore servant now feels at this time blessed be thy name I am a poor creature a poor sinner and the Lord might justly withdraw from me and leave me to horrour and fearedness if he should deale with me in justice But this hath not been his method blessed be his name to leave and forsake his poor servant Lord let thy blessing be upon us at this time and let thy blessing be upon England and let thy blessing be upon all these Nations and let thy blessing be upon all that are here Assist O Lord by thy divine power give us to see much of thy power and let not this meeting be in vain but let every one here receive benefit thereby to the praise and glory of thy great name and the everlasting salvation of all our soules if it be thy blessed will through Jesus Christ our Lords Having ended his first prayer he applies himselfe to the Shieriffe and spectators in this following speech Mr. Shieriffe and Gentlemen The most glorious sight that ever was seen in the world was our Lord Jesus Christ upon the Crosse and the most glorious sight next to that is to see any poor creature suffer for him in his cause I desire to speake a few words briefly to let you understand what a glorious worke the Lord hath been pleased to accomplish upon my spirit I blesse the Lord I have ransacked into every corner of my heart and I have searched into all my sinnes actual and original secret and open known and unknown so farre as the Lord hath discovered them to me and I have confessed them all with a penitentiall bleeding heart and contrite spirit blessed be his name he hath been pleased to come in abundant manner and hath been pleased to shew me that the onely remedy is the blood of Christ and I have blessed be the Lord applied that precious blood to my poor soul and have laid hold upon a Christ by a true and lively faith and there is a sweet calme and serenity in my soul and conscience blessed be thy name I desire to glorifie God and to give him the glory of all and to take shame unto my selfe for any sinnes that I have ever committed that I know to be sinne and therefore I desire to rejoyce in the God of my salvation as Isai 61 10. I will greatly rejoyce in the Lord my soul shall be joyfull in my God for he hath cloathed me with the garment of salvation he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness as a Bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments and as a Bride adorneth her self with Jewels Even so the Lord delighteth in me And as the earth bringeth forth her buds and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth so the Lord will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all Nations And Isaiah 43.9 10. Ye are my witnesses saith the Lord I doe desire to bear a testimony unto God and to Jesus Christ for justice and truth and righteousness and holinesse The Lord knows I have no malice upon my heart against any man or woman living upon the face of the earth neither against Jury that found me guilty nor Court that passed sentence I desire freely to forgive every one from the bottom of my heart And as concerning this great dispensation you may it may be desire to hear something of it Truly I say as to the Kings Majesty I have not any hard thoughts concerning him my prayer shall be for him that his Throne may be upheld by truth and by mercy for by mercy as Prov. 23. the Throne is upheld But I must needs say that poore we have been bought and sold by our brethren as Joseph was Brother hath betrayed brother to death and that Scripture is in a great measure fulfilled Matth. 10.21 The father against the sonne and the sonne against uhe father and brother shall deliver up brother to death I desire for my own part to kisse the rod and I doe desire if it may please the Kings Majesty that no more blood may be shed after miae it may be the Lord wil put it into his own breast Here is a poor brother comming I am afraid that he is not fit to die at this time I could wish that his Majesty might shew some mercy The Shieriffe interrupted in words to this effect let that alone for the Kings Majesty hath clemency enough for all but his fathers murtherers Mr. Cooke replied then I shall proceed to speak something concerning my profession and faith which I bless the Lord is founded upon the rock Christ Jesus I doe not expect salvation for any thing I have ever done but onely lay hold upon Christ as a naked Christ and there to bottome my soule I can say to the praise and glory of God that I have endeavored in my place and to my power to doe that which might be to Gods glory according to the best of my understanding I have stood for a Gospel Magistracy and Ministry and that many delays in the law might be removed and that thing I have much suffered for I say its good both for King and people that many delays in matter of justice should be removed and that publique justice
his most precious blood and had not by that blood gone to heaven our Salvation had not been Lord let it be well with England the Lord hear me for my poor Friends and Relations for my poor Wife and Child unto thee Lord I commend the cause of God and of Jesus Christ And remember poor Ireland wherein I had a lot and interest the Lord remember them all and help thy poor Children to continue Faithfull unto Death that so we may receive a Crown of life for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ and so I come Lord Jesus Oh receive my soul Send down a Guard of Angells to convey my soul into Abrahams Bosome Receive my soul O Lord into thy hands I commend my Spirit And I desire to appeal to thee O lord thou art the great God of Heaven and Earth before whom all controversies must come I believe there is not a man in the world what ever he be but hath some reverentiall feare of death but for any sinfull vitious fear I bless the Lord I have not the hundredth part of a dram upon my conscience if it were my wedding day I could not more rejoyce in the Lord because it is a consummation of that blessed marriage that my Lord Jesus hath made up with me Blessed be thy name me thinks I doe see with Stephen even by the eye of faith Heaven open and the Lord Jesus ready to receive my poor soule And oh that I may with Ezekiel see the glory of God and see with Isaiah the Lord sitting on his Throne of glory And oh that the love of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Spirit may warme my heart and carry me up from the beginning of this passage to the end and close of it Lord Jesus come and receive my spirit and sweeten this cup and let me say The cup which my Father hath given me shall I not drink of it And I leave all into the hands of the Lord that if it be the Lords will every one that belongs to the election of grace my meet with comfort at the great day and that we may shake hands together where no office of love shall be unrewarded nor any unkindness shewed to the people of God But within a few hours I shall be in the harbour I am just now entring into it I would not goe backe againe for all the world Blessed be the Lord I despise the shame and am willing to endure the crosse for Christs sake because the Lord Jesus who is the author and finisher of my salvation did it for me The Lord pitty those that follow and bear up their hearts The Lord helpe his poore people that finde any thing upon their soul that they should stand fast unto the truths of Jesus Alas we shall be but a few daies here and Heaven will make amends for all and we shall glorifie God in eternity where we shall enter into a sinlesse timelesse and temptationless estate and never meet with sorrow or troubles any more but the Lord will receive us to himselfe and then the innocency of thy poor servants shall be vindicated and we shall be ever with the Lord blessing and praising his holy name When Elijah was taken away the spirit of Elijah rested on Elisha who stood up in his stead And when John the Baptist was cut off the Lord had his Apostles to supply that office The Lord will have profit in the Death of his Children I believe that an Army of Martyrs would willingly come from Heaven to suffer in such a cause at this that I come here to suffer for I desire to bewaile that I have not had so much love to the Glory of God therein as I ought But as to the thing I come to suffer for I have not had any thing or act come to my mind with lesse regret and greater comfort then this And as for those that brought me hither I do forgive them I have not one hard thought concerning them the blessing of the Father Son and Spirit be with them Oh that the Lord would grant that no more might suffer and so Dear and Blessed Father I come into the bosome of thy love and desire to enter into that Glory which is Endlesse and Boundlesse through Jesus Christ A Letter written from the Tower to a Christian friend by Mr. Justice Cooke Sir NOw in answer to your loving inquiry how it fares with my better part I blesse God I never found so much internall spirituall solice and unmixt joy and comfort as I have experimented in these five moneths indurance 2 Cor. 1.3 4 5. Let never any Christian fear a prison it being the onely place where wanting other books a man may best studdy the book of the knowledge of himselfe having a long vacation from all business but praying unto and praising God in Christ by the spirits assistance I cannot take Marthas part for none must come to me nor Marys part to wait upon the ordinances which my soul thirsts after therefore my chamber is like the sanctum sanctorum where wittingly none may enter but the high Priest of our profession the Lord Jesus I did not think that there had been so much ignorance impotence impatience ingratitude pride inordinate affection to creature comforts revenge diffidence of God self-love and iniquity of all sorts in me as I finde there is who am not onely a poor sinner but sin it selfe a very masse of sin I find it very hard to rely nakedly on Gods goodness not to feel the heat of persecution nor to be carefull when all is taken away Jer. 7.17 Lo so this darkness and filthiness of spirit is onely discovered by the light of Christ by whose lowliness in washing the Apostles feet I see my loftiness and want of condescention when I had power by his patience my many passions and heart-risings against instruments by his obedience to the death my reluctancies by his faithfulness my former backslidings by his fruitfulness and doing good Act. 10.38 my barrenness the little good I did when I had opportunity and by his liberality my penuriousness whereby I adore and acknowledge his justice that he hath most righteously deprived me of my liberty estate all which drives me neerer to Christ and makes me take faster hold of his righteousness I now understand through grace how precious he is 1 Pet. 2.7 if it were not for Christ what a miserable condition were I now in that might suddenly be sent to contend with the wrath of God in everlasting burnings and this makes me love Christ the more having forgiven me more then others and having had ten thousand talents forgiven me I would forgive any wrong doers and this keeps me humble and from censoriousness I bless God I have ransackt into every corner of my soule I have with David Job Esay and Paul bewailed my hereditary disease and heart-corruption I feel it is as a rotten tooth that akes would fain be
from preaching for I preach twice every day to my selfe and yesterday blessed be the Comforter my heart was brimfull of joy and consolation from Psal 73.25 26. wherein I observed three points or doctrinall conclusions 1. That a Saint should love and esteem nothing but God and for God all discourse is vain but what aims and tends to Gods glory 1 Cor. 10.31 a husband wife child friends and all creature comforts are to be loved so far as we see God in them as the creatures doe not serve us but God susteines us in them and by them so our affections and desires must not be fixed upon them but terminate in God as the waters in the river never rest till they return to the Sea so our loves must onely passe by the creatures and settle in God and the more wel see the image of God in any one there our love is to be most in the Lord and for his sake this love is the greatest weight of our soules and transforms into the nature of the thing beloved let us endeavour to put out more acts of love to God in Christ Cant. 1.16 2. From those words my flesh and my heart faileth me but God is the strength of my heart the chiefe residence of the soul being in the heart I observe That there is something more dear to a Saint then his own soule which is the soule of his soule and the life of his life and that is Jesus Christ who dwelleth in our soules by his spirit Rom. 8 10 11. for as the body is dead when the soul leaves it so the soule is dead without Christ which may teach us two lessons 1. To love Christ more then our own lives or relations because he is the soul of our soules this did Moses Exod. 32.32 and Paul Rom. 9.3 they preferred the glory of God in the salvation of their brethren before their own soules if it could have been which is a Christian duty though very hard and if divine justice should say to us at the great day the soul that sins must die we may say why then did God punish our Lord Jesus who is the soule of our soules more dear to us then our souls and if God had seen it good we had rather have suffered in our own persons to have saved him but we not being able to undergoe the wrath of God that innocent and immaculate lambe was put to death who is the heart of our hearts the soule of our soules and the spirit of our spirits for justice is more then abundantly satisfied much more then if our wils soules and bodies had suffered and the debt was all paid together which had alwaies been paying if we had gone to hell for as to Christ our salvation is all pure strict justice who felt nothing but extremity the father would not spare him Rom. 8.32 but as to us it is all mercy that his satisfaction should be accepted for us and that thee and me and deare Daâ—tâ—… and sweet love I trust should be vessels of that mercy and free grace O blessed be his glorious name for ever 3. My meditations were principally carried out from the joyes of heaven and from those words Whom have I in heaven but thee and thou art my portion forever I was ravished with this consideration that the joyes of Heaven are eternal or thus The Saints pleasures have a beginning but no ending No doubt but this is infinite matter of joy to Abraham and all the Saints in heaven to think that they shall continue in their joy and glory not 100. or 10000 millions of years onely but for ever that when they have been there 100000 millions of millions of years as to what remaines it wil not be a minuit but then we begin our felicity therfore Christ cals it a life eternal Matth. 25 〈◊〉 Therefore if a man could live here 1000000 millions of years and enjoy his hearts desire and all the variety of pleasures which 〈◊〉 world can afford and afterwards be deprived of Paradise 〈◊〉 damned what a sad bargain would that be for the Sâ—…its 〈…〉 that while in heaven and shall be there for ever and 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 might 〈◊〉 its â—ounger and live here for ever if such a 〈…〉 possibl 〈…〉 not that content him because he is capaâ—… of go 〈…〉 and 〈…〉 to the choice of an illuminate Christiâ—… whether to 〈…〉 â—000 years in health wealth and all the 〈…〉 to be in heaven but one day he ought to choose the lat 〈…〉 40. so one minuits being in heaven is to be preferred before a perpetuity of all worldly pleasures for to be absent from the Lord is more grievous then all humane delights can be comfortable if it were but a pretty good condition if men were sure alwaies so to continue it would be comfortable therefore to think of an everlasting crown of Glory is a soul-melting consideration If then this life be not a minuit in comparison of the perpetual life of the blessed soules in heaven how greatly are they to be blamed that for a little vain honour flattering pleasure or the momentany sinfull delights of this evil world squander away their precious soules 2 As the joyes of Heaven are eternal so they are exceeding great If the men of the world which have their portion here Psa 17.14 have such stately horses and pleasant palaces and delights shall we not think that God hath provided inestimable treasures and pleasures in the world to come for his children for whom doe earthly parents treasure up but for their children but if we could hut apprehend what they are they are not the joyes of Heaven for no heart can conceive what God has prepared for them that love him 1 Cor. 29. the eye hath seen much and the eare heard more and the heart may conceive much more but eternal pleasures are inconceivable yet the spiritual eye hath some glamps of it a poor Saint findes more solid and zeal joy in a crucified Christ poore and naked and despised in the world then all the Dukes of Edome in their rich and glorious pomp and magnificence but all the Saints living here have not so much joy and splendour as the least Saint hath in heaven The Scripture mentions three heavens where the Fowles are the starry Heaven and the Heaven of heavens 1 Kings 8.27 the sun is conceived to be 300 times bigger then the Earth and every starre bigger then this lower world and that all the earth it but as mote and not so big as a flee in comparison of the Emperiall coelestiall Heavens where the souls of the Saints are with God and Christ and by the largeness of the place we may guess at the greatness of the joys pleasures that the Elect are but few in comparison of those who shal be turned into hell Psa 9.17 as it were thrust into a hole together Matth. 25.23 our Lords joy can be no little joy and it is too big to
notice that God gives me power to receive this with thanksgiving and he helped the Sarjeant to put on the rope Then a friend came weeping to him to take her leave of him he said hinder me not for I am going about a work for my master Then looking about him said Sirs It s easie to follow God when he makes a hedge about us and makes liberall provision for us but its hard for most to follow him in such a dispensation as this and yet my Lord and Master is as sweet and glorious to me now as he was in the time of my greatest prosperity He also said this I can say for my self That according to the light that God hath given me I have served him and my Countrey with integrity and uprightnesse of heart not willingly nor wittingly wronging any But this have I done with much infirmity and weaknesse One telling him that he did not know how to understand the mind of God in such a dispensation as this He said wait upon the Lord for you know not what the Lord is leading to and what the end of the Lord will be After this addressing himself to a Gentleman he said I dare not nor cannot be a pleaser of men a friend answered it appeared so by your declining Cromwell's Interest which words he assented to and further said the manner of my speaking before the Court may seem strange to some but my Design was not to approve my self before Men but God and what I said was according to my conscience And as the Rope was tying on he repeated Isaac's words to Abraham Father here is the wood but where is the Sacrifice and also said if the Lord see good he can provide another sacrifice he can deliver those that are appointed to die but his will be done Death is not terrible to me yea it is no more to me then a Rush I have learnt to die long ago And was often heard to say concerning the Lord's dispensation to him and his people Shall not the Lord do with his own what it pleaseth him And so parting with his Friend went down stairs to the Sledge and askt which my must I sit for I am not acquainted with this Good is the Lord in all his waies Then he was carried away in the Sledge having a sweet smiling Countenance with his eyes and hands lifted up to Heaven his countenance never changing in all the way as he went to he place of Execution but was mighty cheerful to the astonishment of many He called several times in the way and spoke aloud I go to suffer upon the account of the most glorious Cause that ever was in the world As he was going to suffer one in a Derision called to him and said Where is your Good Old Cause He with a cheerful smile clapt his hand on his Brest and said Here it is and I am going to seal it with my bloud And when he came to the sight of the Gallows he was transported with joy and his servant askt him how he did he answered never better in my life his servant told him Sir there is a Crown of glory ready prepared for you Oh yes said he I see it when he was taken off the Sledge the Hangman desired him to forgive him I doe forgive thee said he with all my Heart as it is a sin against me and told him he wish't him all happinesse And further said alas poor man thou dost it ignorantly the Lord grant that this sin may not be laid to thy charge and putting his hand into his pocket gave him all the money he had and so parting with his Servant hugging of him in his arms and went up the Ladder with an undaunted countenance M. Gen. Harrison's Speech upon the Ladder Gentlemen I did not expect to have spoken a word to you at this time but seeing there is silence commanded I will speak something of the work God had in hand in our dayes Many of you have bean Witnesses of the Finger of God that hath been seen amongst us of late years in the deliverance of his people from their Oppressors and in bringing to Judgement those that were guilty of the precious bloud of the dear servants of the Lord And how God did witness thereto by many wonderful and evident testimonies as it were immediatly from Heaven insomuch that many of our Enemies who were persons of no mean quality were forc'd to confess That God was with us And if God did but stand newter they should not value us And therefore seeing the Finger of God hath been pleading this Cause I shall not need to speak much to it In which work I with others were engaged for the which I do from my soul blesse the name of God who out of the exceeding riches of his grace accounted me worthy to be instrumentall in so glorious a work and though I am wrongfully charged with murder and bloudshed yet I must tell you I have kept a good conscience both towards God and towards man I never had malice against any man neither did I act malitiously towards any person but as I Judged them to be Enemies to God and his people And the Lord is my witnesse that I have done what I did out of the sincerity of my heart to the Lord I blesse God I have no Guilt upon my conscience but the spirit of God beareth witnesse that my Actions are acceptable to the Lord through Jesus Christ though I have been compassed about with manifold Infirmities Failings and Imperfections in my Holiest duties but in this I have comfort and consolation that I have pace with God and do see all my sins wash't away in the blood of my dear Saviour And I doe declare as before the Lord that I would not be guilty wittingly nor willingly of the blood of the meanest son no not for ten thousand Worlds much lesse of the blood of such as I am charged with I have again and again besought the Lord with Tears to make known his will and mind unto we concerning it and to this day he hath rather confirmed me in the justice of it and therefore I leave it to him and to him I commit my wayes but some that were eminent in the work did wickedly turn aside themselves and to set up their Nests on High which caused great dishonour to the name of God and the profession they had made And the Lord knows I could have suffered more then this rather then have fallen in with them in that iniquity though I was offered what I would if I would have joyned with them my Aime in all my proceedings was the glory of God and the good of his people and the wellfare of the whole Commonwealth The people observing him to tremble in his hands and leggs he taking notice of it said Gentlemen By reason of some scoffing that I do hear I Judge that some do think I am afraid to dye by the shaking I have in
to break the Spirit by putting us to death for I am confident That God will give his Spirit seven-fold unto those that are left but the enemy the Lord hath set their feet in slippery places so that when they come to their measure they must be cast down Therefore 't is the the duty of the Lord's people to wait patiently and he that shall come will come and will not tarry 'T is a trying time and none but those that are endued with power from on High will be able to hold out One asking him where his Chain was he said here it is and though I have worn it so long that it hath entred into my flesh yet it was not as Joseph's it had not entred into his soul He was highly raised up in admiring the grace of God That he should be accounted worthy to wear a Chain for Christ saying They have been blessed Chains to me adding that the Lord had crowned him beyond many of his Brethren being counted worthy to seal Gods work with his bloud admiring that God should accept of such a crasie body much of his strength being already spent yet That God should so honour it in the end he much admired the depths of the love of God to such an unworthy worme The Lord will bring my bloud saith he to cry with the rest of the Martyrs How long O Lord Holy and True c. As for death or the fears of it I am got above them in and through the beholding of the glory of our God into which I am entring which glory shall be shortly for the reviving of the spirits of his Saints and destroying his Enemies A friend speaking to him the night before he died of this dispensation he said he was perswaded That their bloud would be of much advantage to the Cause in Foraign Nations Two Friends that came to visit him being as he thought under some trouble of spirit he directed his speech to them as follows Be not troubled there is nothing stands between me and the Father for I go with all clearnesse and freedome and I know That Jesus Christ is my compleat Righteousnesse and this is my crown of Rejoycing That I die not in the Lord onely but for the Lord And think not that this blessed Cause shall be lost for it shall reach to the end of the Earth Think not your prayers lost for your prayers and tears with our bloud shall come down shortly upon Babylon although they think to heale her yet they shall give her a greater blow then ever we could have given her in our persons Those who have been pleading for suffering who so ready to run away from it While the Lord hath given us a little of the spirit of Rejoycing that hath made us willing to be giving up our selves unto him And although the Enemy think to Conquer us they shall never do it for we are got above them in the Spirit of the Kingdome we trample upon them and they are under our feet and this bloud that now shed shall warm the bloud that hath bin shed before and shall come down and doe notable Execution upon the Enemy The Lord hath in much wisdome hid this death from us and hath alured into it but he hath fitted us for it and be not troubled that he hath taken away two or three drops of the spirit for he will in the room thereof pour it out upon you The day he suffered and the hour being come The Rope being tyed about him he rejoyced exceedingly saying Oh! what am I that I should be bound for the Cause and Interest of the Son of God And when he was coming down Newgate-stairs to go into the Sledge in a very smiling cheerful manner his countenance shining with great glory uttered words to this effect My Lord Jesus for the joy that was set before him endured the Crosse and despised the shame and is now set down on the right hand of God whose steps desire to follow It was also observ'd that the cheerfulness of his countenance all the way as he went to the Gibber remained to the encouragement of the Faithfull and admiration of enemies uttering by the way many chearfull expressions setting forth his joy in the Lord. When he was brought to the gibbet before he went up the ladder his hands being bound he exhorted severall friends standing by to be faithfull unto death and not to be ashamed of the cause for which they suffered and they should receive a Crown of life And further said to a friend that stood by That he hoped the Truths of the Kingdom which he had preached up and down would not be the lesse esteemed for that he now came to seale it with his blood Mr. Carew's Speech upon the Ladder TRuly it is not words nor that which I have to speake in mine own spirit will glorifie God or give any advantage to your soules or unto me but it is if I may speak a few words in the Spirit of the Lord and in the power of his might and from an unfeigned love unto Jesus Christ that would indeed give me an open entrance and make my passage very sweet and a blessing may be left behind even upon you The first thing indeed that hath been very weighty and I desire to leave it upon all upon Saints as well as upon those that are not acquainted with Jesus Christ that Eternity Immortality and Eternall life it is a wonderfull thing the thoughts and apprehensions of it are able to swallow up a poor soul we little think what it is he that knows most of God and most of Christ and hath the greatest measure of the anoynting he little little knows what it is to appeare before the holy the most glorious the most righteous God of Heaven and Earth to stand before his judgement seat before Jesus Christ that is at his right hand and where all the holy Angels are so ashamed because of the glory of God that they fall down and cover their faces and cry Holy holy Lord God Almighty which art and wast and art to come And therefore if such glorious creatures if such excellent Spirits as these Seraphins and Cherubins be if they do fall down before the glory and Majesty of this most excellent and wonderfull God how should dust and ashes doe and how should they feare and tremble to appeare before him And therefore I say think of this and of the righteousness of God as well as of his glory and Majesty and of his justice that when for one sinne he threw down the Angels those glorious Spirits into hell and he would take no ransome or redemption for them and though he hath mercy on the sons of men according to his own election and purpose and according to that that he hath purchased for himself in Christ Jesus before the foundations of the World was laid yet in time he made his Sonne a Sacrifice before men and Angels to bring
his chosen ones to glory That he should take pleasure to send his own Sonne out of his bosome who was the delight of his soule and bruise him for our sinnes yet it pleased the Father to bruise him The most holy and righteous God that had but one Sonne one onely begotten Sonne that was the delight of his soule and should take pleasure to bruise him that we might be healed and laid stripes upon him that we might be healed oh the height and depth oh the length and bredth of the love of God in Christ Jesus unto poor souls Oh! this is that the Angels do desire to stoope down and looke into and to know more of this great mystery of the love of God in Christ and that God should take upon him the nature of man and put him into that glorious union with his own Sonne and that he should leave the Angels though Christ was made a little lower then they for suffering death for us yet now because the nature of man is united to the Godhead by vertue of that marriage and unâ—on we become the sonnes of God and heirs of glory Those that are adopted by Jesus Christ are brought neer to the Throne of glory are in a high and glorious communion and fellowship with the Father and Spirit owned of all the holy Angels And therefore they doe stand without the Throne as in severall places of the Revelations and round about the Elders and round about those that were given to the Lambe as in the fifth of the Revelations and many other Scriptures they stand without but there is another company within which is the 24 Elders and four living creatures they fall down and worship God they are neerer then the Angels Oh! who hath credited who hath believed this report and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed Oh! how many professors are there in this day in this Nation that call upon the name of Christ and that say they shall be saved by Christ and doe live and trust most in their awn works and righteousness and never come to the knowledge and understanding of this great mystery of the love of God in Christ who never received those teachings from the Anointing and according to the new covenant where it is promised that they shall be all taught of God all the children of God shall be taught of him and there is no one can teach these but the Father none can draw them to the Sonne but the Father and no man can come to the Father but through the Sonne and this great mysterie is both by the light and opperation of the holy Spirit who makes the new creature in the soule o that God would poure out of his holy Spirit that God would poure out the Spirit of the new Covenant and the spirit of the Gospel and the spirit that can declare the mystery of Gods word in the Spirit and that he hath made manifest through Jesus Christ oh there is much talking and speaking in the name of Christ and how many men spend little time in getting evidences in the power and demonstration of the Spirit and come to apprehend God in Christ that speake of him Oh! time are few of these the Lord knows O that the annoynting may be poured out more now according to this faith in the way of this grace and in this love of God even in the electing love of the Father and in the redeeming blood of Jesus Christ according to the purchased possession that he hath obtained through his own righteousnesse wherein God hath been just also in justifying the ungoldy and among them such a poore simple piece of dust and ashes as I have been and have to this day little glorified my father and yet I can call him father through some measure of his spirit and father according to the spirit of adoption to and can say the Lord Jesus hath given himselfe for me and I take the Lord Jesus Christ as the great gift of the Father desiring to bear witnesse of that love and of that wonderfull grace and glory that he hath made me partaker of in and through him Oh! blessed be the God and Father of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ who hath called me to this hope and who hath made me partaker of this glory that the Saints an enlightned in And now I long to see the face of this father and of his Sonne though I have such a number of sinnes in me and though I have an interest in him and can call him Father at any time without doubt and in full assurance of faith in the holy Spirit yet if Jesus Christ were not there to present me faultlesse before the presence of God I should be afraid to appear e before him but he is able to doe it and therefore saith the Apostle Now unto him that is able to save you and to present you faultlesse before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy c. I am a poore sinfull piece full of iniquity laden with many burdens that have a body of death that I carry about me and I am now about to lay it down and my soule shall enter into eternall life and be made perfect in a moment through the mighty power of God that hath wrought that glorious work of raising Christ from the dead Oh! all my strength and all my joy and all my life is in Christ and in him alone and I have a righteousnesse already of his working according to his owne grace and according to his own mighty power and according to his own mercy that he hath been pleased to worke in me and so hath been pleased to keep me in a very wicked and in a very evill day by the power of his grace And I desire to glorifie my father and many years have I been in that worke that hath been of late in this Nation few and evill have been the daies of my pilgrimage but I have desired to serve the Lord with faithfulnesse and in the integrity of my soule without prejudice against any creature and it hath been the desire of my soule to approue my selfe faithfull towards God and towards man and what I have done I have done it in obedience to the Lord that I had in my eye and in my heart There are many things laid upon many of those that professe the Kingdome and glorious appearane of Jesus Christ as if they were enemies to Magistracy and Ministery and as if so be we were for the destruction of the Lawes and properties of mankind therefore shall I speak a few words unto that And if indeed we were such we were fit to be turned out of the World as some now think they should doe God good service in sending such poore creatures quickly from hence There is no such thing I desire to beare witnesse to the true Majestracy that Majestracy that is in the Word of the Lord. And that true Ministery which Ministery is a
might be speedily and cheaply administred And as for my profession I am of the Congregational way I desire to own it and am for liberty of conscience and all that walk humbly and holily before the Lord and desire to walk in the fear of the Lord and I believe it is a truth and there can be nothing said against it I doe confess I am not convinced of any thing I have done amisse as to that I have been charged with I am not indeed neither did I understand the plea of the Court that if the Lords and Commons had brought the King to the Bar and set him over them again their bringing him to the barr had been treason I desire never to repent of any thing therein I have done but I desire to own the cause of God and of Christ and am here to beare witness to it and so far as I know any thing of my selfe I can freely confess it Here the Sheriffe interrupted him again desiring him to forbeare any such expressions Mr. Cooke replied it hath not been the manner of English men to insult over a dying man nor in other countries among Turks or Galliasses The Lord bless every one of us and help us that we may look more to the honour and glory of God then the concernments of our own lives for alass what is a poor miserable life to us but that therein we might give honour and glory to the God of all our mercies And if there be any here of that Congregation to which I was related in the time that I lived here I would commend to them that Scripture Phil. 2.17 18. Yea and if I be offered up upon the sacrifice and service of the faith I joy and rejoyce with you all for the same cause also doe ye joy and rejoyce with me And Deut. 18.11 The Lord God of your Fathers make you a thousand times more then you are and blesse you as be hath promised The Lord be pleased to speake comfort to them and to all them that feare the Lord. The Lord keepe England from popery and from superstition and keep it from prophaneness and that there may not be an inundation of Antichrist in the land And that is all the harm I wish unto it The Lord hath forgiven me many thousand talents and therefore I may wel forgive those few pence that are owing unto me I bless the lord I have nothing lying upon my conscience but I can unbosome my selfe to every one and to the throne of free grace in the simplicity of my spirit I have endeavoured to doe nothing but with a good conscience and through the integrity of my heart though accompanied with many frailties I desire to blesse the Lord my lot was rather in Ireland then here here I have been more known where I have given the Offence The Sheriffe again interrupted him Mr. Cooke replyes Sir I pray take notice of it I think I am the first man that ever was Hanged for demanding of Justice therefore I hope you will not interrupt me I suppose yon were there and doe bear me witnesse in your conscience that there was not any thing then that I did not communicate to the Court that I now speak upon the Ladder If you will believe the words of a dying man I say as I must give an account I have nothing lyeth upon my conscience We must all meet together at the great day of the Lord to give an account of all our Actions and then it will appear the Lord grant we may meet with Joy and Comfort I have a poor Wife and Child and some Friends left I desire you that came along with me to commend to them Esa 54.4.5 and 10. ver I hope the King and Parliament will consider our poor Friends as to their Estates you know that those Lords that formerly suffered under the Parliament did not loose all their Estates I hope there will be some consideration as to Justice least that our small Estates prove a poyson amongst their great deal and my poor Wife and Relations suffer The Lord grant that mercy may be shewed that mercy and righteousnesse may magnifie and exalt it self above Justice I shall not hold you long I shall desire in the fear of the Lord to give my self as in the 12 Rom. 1. A living Sacrifice Holy and Acceptable unto God which is but a reasonable service And so doe intreat that I may have a little time to call upon the Lord unlesse there be any thing more desired or any one to would ask me a question Truly I forgive all from my heart I have nothing upon my heart to accuse any of them withal I blesse the Lord I have a cleare Conscience I say it in the integrity and simplicity of my heart I doe now appeale to the great God to whom I must give an account of what I have done knowing that all my Guilt is washed away in the blood of Jesus Christ and before him I hope to appear and have nothing else to plead any thing at all for me And so I hope that I have declared my self with simplicity and integrity in a few words that you may understand my mind I shall speak a few words to the lord in prayer and shall not trouble you further Mr. Cookes Prayer MOst Glorious Majesty I beseech thee so to warm my Heart and fill it so full of the love of Jesus Christ that it may never be cool any more Oh that the Lord would now appear Graciously to shew himself a wonder working God in bearing up the Heart and Spirit of thy poor creature it is no matter how bitter the Cup is if the Lord give strength to drink it and no matter how heavy the Burden be if the Lord be at one End and uphold the other and bear the burden himself or lay no more upon his poor Children then they are able to bear the Lord give strength to all that are to bear this burden the Lord be with all that are yet to suffer in this cause and double and treble seven-fold of thy Spirit upon us let us not stand it out against our Reasons and Judgements and Consciences If any did pursue power and interest and did not look after the good of Gods poor People and the good of the Nations the Lord forgive them The Lord knows the Simplicity of the Hearts of his poor Servants that are gone before and of those that are to come after I desire that all thine may have hearts willing to suffer for thee to make confession of Faith in Christ Jesus I know is nothing I know it is not enough onely to confesse in Words to confesse in Doctrinall Evangelicall Truths and to confesse by a holy life and conversation and if the Lord call any of his poor Children to seale the truth with their blood yea their precious blood it is their duty also if the Lord Jesus had come down from the Crosse and had not shed
rid of it have condemned my selfe for it cried out aginst it as the ravished damsel Deut. 22.26 The like for sins done in my inclination which by preventing grace are secret and onely known to God and I haue mourned over my secret sinnes onely known to God and my selfe over the sinnes of my youth which were committed faster then can be named for those which I did not know to be sin and those that I have forgotten and especially for my actually known sins committed against love and light promises and covenants I have confest them all with a heavy bleeding broken and contrite spirit and O that I had all sin as sin in a greater execration my griefe is for having offended so gracious a father that wil not damn me for it if there were no hell nor judge I would rather dye then willingly offend him any more and I cannot satisfie divine justice for one vain thought therefore I flie to Christ and close with him upon a free promise as a poor penitent sinner no merits but the merits of my Saviour I take in whole Christ and not one drop of my pudled water shall be mingled with the ocean of his pure and perfect righteousness I give up my self wholly to him as by a deed of gift to be at his dispose and I know he hath received me I am my beloveds and my beloved is mine and all is mine 1 Cor. 3.22 death it selfe I have a sweet certificate from Heaven of the pardon of sin justification reconciliation and adoption I know Gods heart and his eyes are upon me perpetually 2 Chro. 2.15 that no tender father or mother can have so special a care of any sick imprisoned child as he hath of me I believe that God who hath given a property to the needle to keep fixt though the ship overturn wil keep me faithful to the death and that I shal receive the crown of life and stand with as much confidence at the great day as if had never sinned and herein I am confirmed by the testimony of the spirt and Scripture evidences Blessed be God I doe love the Saints every one that suffers in this cause is at deare to me as my own soule my sighs have been many and my heart faint since I came hither not for my own condition for it is happy but for the afflictions of Joseph scarce a poor Saint permitted to breathe in Irish ayre those that wil not sweare and be drunke or have prayer in their families are counted Fanaticks Esay 50.15 I have a dear respect to all Gods commandements spiritual joy is no stranger to me I love the Word and Ordinances more then my appointed food I desire that all my thoughts words and actions may please God and that all that he does may please me and I doe freely forgive my adversaries the Lord herein encrease my faith Luke 17.5 and I bless God I have a quiet conscience as to the world and which is good also for being justified by Christ apprehended by faith I have peace with God Rom. 5.1 and so I descend to the cause for which I am in bonds which is as good as ever it was and I believe there is not a Saint that hath engaged with us but wil wish at the last day that he had sealed to the truth of it with his blood if thereunto called for I am satisfied that it is the most noble and glorious cause that has been agitated for God and Christ since the Apostolical times being for truth holiness and righteousness for our liberties as men and as Christians for removing of all yokes and oppressions for a gospel Magistracy and Ministery and not onely for the Priestly and Prophetical offices of Christ Jesus but for his Kingly also the peculiar light and worke of this generation being to discover and oppose the Civil and Ecclesiastical tyrannies intended upon the Nations by the Popes Leger demain to exalt Christ as Lord and King over mens consciences to magnifie and make the law of God honourable and authentique every where and to give justice and mercy the upper hand As I hear nothing what they intend to doe with me so I am not much sollicitous about it I doe freely trust God to make what bargain for me he pleases I believe they are as angry with me as any man in the nations because litera scripta manet but their cause requires rather silence then eloquence as for that against Monarchy unaccountable they will be ashamed to oppose it that which nettles them is the stating the Case for which I had Vouchers and Warrants for every word but now they plow with our Heffer yet great is the truth and that will prevail as for Petitioning there is not any I cannot confesse any guilt it is such a Cause that the Martyrs would gladly come again from Heaven to suffer for if they might though too many object against me 1 Pet. 4.15 Let none of you suffer as a Murtherer I look upon it as the most noble and high Act of justice that our Story can parallel and so far as I had a hand in it never any one action in all my life comes to my mind with lesse regret or trouble of conscience then that does for the bloud must lie upon Him or the Parliament and I am sure I had no more malice in my heart then when I was in my Cradle all that I can be sorry for is that I had not such pure and unbyast Aims at the glory of God exaltation of Christ therin as I should have had I neither said nor did any thing dubitante or reluctante conscientiae I was so far from a rainsaying conscience in any thing I acted that I never scrupled in the least and the generality of the people have since owned it I was in mercy a poor Advocate for Christ and the people of England and if by my bloud their cause may be watered I say as Phil. 2.17 18. to you and the rest of the Church of Christ if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith let us rejoyce together it has been counted shamefull for Souldiers to run from their Colours or desert their Masters and Principles but it is more odidus for a Councellor to prevaricate and betray his Clients Cause I am perswaded that all those that have had a chief hand and are now giving Judgement against themselves and all good people in all those points which they formerly contended for against the King as the lawfulnesse of the War which was granted both here and at Edenburgh The Militia Negative Voyce power to dissolve Parliaments conferring great Offices as King James said so long as I make Bishops and Judges I will have what Religion and Laws I please As they are most abominable prevaricators of the honest interest for they will wish at the last day that they had been Jewes Turks or Indians for the greater light the greater is their
have some trouble upon me concerning the losse of my temporal estate especially for my poor tender loving wife and child I was a purchaser and had a stock of cattel being wrongfully made prisoner two moneths before any speech of a King I was surprized and could save nothing nor get 20 l of my estate since Michaelmas last They promised to beare my charges to London but at Chester I was forced to borrow money or must have come a foot therefore pray be earnest with the Lord that we may take the spoyling of our goods more joyfully knowing that we have in heaven better and an enduring substance Heb. 10 34. and that we may not faint at these momentany afflictions which work so wel for us wherein riches and honours are not so according to that passage 2 Cor. 4 3 last verses and be affected with eternal joyes It is said that I shall be put down into the hole for non-payment of great Fees my comfort is that God will be with me there they cannot shut out Gods spirit from me which is an everlasting spring and Jubile nor will that be so bad as Jeremiah's Dungeon nor as Joseph's Irons which entered into his soule though indeed we are sold by our brethren as Joseph was that the scripture may be fulfilled The brother shall deliver up the brother to Death Matthew 10.21 I know not how to conclude not knowing when I may have another opportunity to converse with you I am overjoyed to think they cannot reach my soule and that our cause is invincible and it will be a happinesse if God see it good that none might suffer death but such whose souls are out of danger but being upon the account of civil liberties as well as spiritual our onely wise Father will order all for his own Glory and this onely silences all murmurings and master save thy selfe that what he pleases must needs be least for us he being Infinite Wisdome Love Power and Goodnesse Had the King made his way by the Sword we might expect his sorest strokes but for the men of Keilah to deliver us up for the Parliament to sacrifice us these men that sit by a Commonwealth Writ for whose priviledges we adventured our all and who cannot condemne us but must give up the Cause and give Judgement against themselves and all the good people in the Nation let the Indians judge of it if any of the Elect think hardly of us that we do not cry peccavi make our recantations it will not last long and it is no matter what others say for they must receive their Judgement at the Bar of Christ and we shall Judge our Judges therefore let us not entertaine damps of dispondencies My rejoycing is in a good God a good Cause a good Conscience I have the Justice of Heaven on my side and Gods loving kindnesse which is better then life if we find injustice and cruelty here mens Law at Westminster will be adjudged Treason in Heaven it will not be long before all tears shall be wiped from our Eyes and if our innocencies be not vindicated and cleared up in this life as Jobs Mordecas Josephs and Daniels and Susannas were yet at the revelation of the righteous judgement of God it will appeare before men and Angels that we are not Traytors nor Murtherers nor Phanatiques but true Christians and good Commonwealths men fixt and constant to the principles of sanctity truth justice and mercy which the Parliament and Army declared and engaged for and to that Noble principle of preferring the Universality before Particularity that we sought the publique good and would have infranchised the people and secured the welfare of the whole groaning Creation if the Nation had not more delighted in servitude then in freedom And if we now suffer a martyrdom of body we shal be some of the souls under the Altar crying How long O Lord holy true and though we can patiently digest their Tortures and leave all vengance to whom it belongs yet who knows but that our blood may be their poyson but then after all unjust sentences of men how sweet and honourable will the Judgement of Christ be Matth. 25. Euge bone serve of entring into our master joy when the Kings of the Earth and the chief Captaines and Dukes of Edom shall wish the Mountaines and Rocks to fall upon them Rev. 5.16 I blesse God my poor Wife 〈◊〉 much encourage me to be faithful to the Death and she is a 〈…〉 who helps her Husband so to Heaven as in a Fiery Charoit she is one who bears an unfeigned love to Christ and all the Saints I intreat your tender care of her and my Child providebit Deus Ier. 49.11 I shal leave her that Scripture and Esa 54.5 to 8. while they cannot take away by confiscation when we were in the storm we took our leaves each of the other * See the relation of his passage by sea from Wexsoâ—d to Kingsale and though we have not paid our Vowes at Pethell yet I trust as was then promised we shal be willing to go to Christ if he call through a Sea of bloud But O the infinite wisdome and love of God and the unsearchable riches of his Grace that if I had been drowned the Malignants would have said though he escaped by Land yet Divine Vengance over took him at 〈…〉 ow he should vouchsafe me poor me as Gideon said 〈…〉 15. one of the meanest Lawyers in Wesminster-Hall 〈…〉 of bonds and an affectual if not effectual Martyrdome for being an Advocate for my blessed Advocate and the good people of England I have been the larger not knowing what use this may be of if my mouth should be stop't if you hear any report of me contrary hereunto believe it not so you have my heart and I had rather be buried alive then my Tongue or Hand should differ from it O pray much for me and pray again and mend your prayer as I have great need to doe if you know what pittiful poor short and confused prayers I make in a day yet Father into thy hands I commend my spirit is a prayer no period better then prayer therefore now unto him that is able to keep you and me from falling and to present you and me faultlesse before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy To the only wise God our Saviour be Glory and Majesty Dominion and Power now and for Ever Amen Your for ever in our Dear Redeemer John Cooke A Letter written by Mr. Justice Cooke from the Tower to his Wife MY deare lamb blessed be God for Jesus Christ and for a prison where I finde much of his comforting presence tell sister Jones that she keeps but two or three Sabbaths in a weeke but in prison every day is a Christian Sabbath not onely to cease from sinne but to praise God singing Hosannaes and Hallalujahs I can but smile to think that they cannot hinder me
enter into us we must enter into it Next I consider wherein the substance and essence of heavenly joyes does properly consist by 1 Cor. 13.12 it seems much to be in sight and knowledge 1 For sight to see God face to face to see the beautifull person of our deare Lord Jesus to see all the blessed saints and Angels and to be one of them how joyfull is the thought of it for if the damned between whom and the saints there is a great gulph fixed Luk. 16.26 shall see Abraham and the prophets in the Kingdome of God Luke 13.28 when themselves are thrust out poor saint-haters that now persecute the heirs of glory scorn their companies would then fein crowd into heaven with them much more the Elect themselves but the difficulty is how we can see spirits with bodily eyes and bodies with spiritual eyes I rather think that Job 19.25 27. is to be understood of Jesus Christ whom Job shall see with the Eyes of his hody and by the Eyes of our soules we shall see God the Father and the blessed spirits and our comfort is that we shall for ever be with the Lord. But here the Scripture has no Tongue to speak we must not too curiously inquire for knowledge it is a wonderful expression we shall know even as we are known God knows us perfectly and what shall be our last thoughts Psal 139.1 2. All the saints upon Earth do not know so much as one saint in Heaven where faith is turned into Vision and hope into Fruition then shall we know the love of Christ which passeth all knowledge here below Eph. 3.19 how all the love that ever God vouchsafed to the world is but as a spark to the Oven red hot in comparison of giving Christ but I believe we shal never know God comprehensively but apprehensively that is so much of his glory as we shall never know more for there will he new springs and fresh discoveries of his infinite Grace Glory Goodnesse and perfections streaming forth continually to us that will be as everlasting fountaines of joy and glorious rejoycing to our soules and bodies as one at sea sees a great way but not to the end or bottome of the sea for we shall know as much of God as our heads can hold and love God as much as our hearts can containe and no doubt but there are different degrees of Glory in Heaven as the Saints know more or less of God here as when Vessels of several sizes are cast into the sea they are all full but some hold more then others 2 Cor. 5.4 God works upon our Hearts as ingravers upon Gold or Marble and the more of his image he stamps upon us in this life the liker shall we be to him in Glory but every saint shall have his own fulnesse of knowledge 3. I think that heavenly joy does much consist in the will in the transformation of our wills into the will of God for as we heard an excellent sermon from 1 Cor. 6.17 at Northampton he that is joyned unto the Lord is one spirit for I believe that mistical onenesse which our dear Lord so sweetly prayed for Joh. 17.11 21 22. is meant of onenesse in will and affections when the soul shall have all that it can desire and nothing but what it does desire and shall will nothing but what God wills and not onely to be satisfyed with the wil of God but but to taste a sweet complecency and delight in it that it is infinitely best to be there 4. This transforming of the will proceeds from the apprehension of divine love where the soul finds that God has loved it from all Eternity that his eye and his heart are perpetually upon it for good and knows that it is a free pure unchangeable and eternal love this causes an eternity of joy a love is the sweetest grace in the heart the very sugar of the soul that makes a Heaven upon Earth where it is without dissimulation and spiritual so heavenly joy will consist much in love which must needs flow from sight and knowledge for as Paul saies 1 Cor. 2.8 it is onely ignorance of God that makes so many to oppose the way of truth and holiness so the sight of divine glorious beauty and the knowledge of infinite wisdome power love and goodness in Christ causes the soul to love God and Christ and the Spirit much better then it self for if the Spouse be sick of love here Cant. 5.8 and if the fire of love constrain militant Saints not to live to themselves 2 Cor. 5.14 ingenuity being the great principle of the Gospell not to work for life but from life and to doe all from a spirit of love much more the Saints triumphant but the more I think of this blessed state of glorification the more I am at a losse in it Psal 16.11 in Gods presence there is fullnesse of joy and at his right hand there are pleasures for evermore and David saies Psal 123. that they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the Firmament and as the Stars for ever and ever but one Star differeth from another in glory and Matth. 13.43 the righteous shall shine as the Son in the Kingdome of their Father And our Lord saies in my Fathers House are many mansions and Paul calls it a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory 2 Cor. 4.17 and a building of God a House not made with hands eternal in the Heavens where we shall be so soon as the soul parts from the body 2 Cor. 5.1 8. and that it is an inheritance in light all light and no darknesse 1 Coloss 12. and that the Saints shall judge the world and when Christ shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is 1 John 3.2 the New Jerusalem there shall be no sorrow no crying no pain Rev. 21.4 and the gates of the City are pearls and the street is pure gold ver 21 the glory of God lightens it and the Lamb is the light thereof v. 22. in it there is a pure river of water of life and a tree of life which bears fruit every month Rev. 22.1 2. and there shall be no Curses there and there shall be no night and we shall reign for ever and ever ver 5. All these are soul ravishing considerations and I have suckt much comfort from Psal 17.15 I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likenesse and 1 Thess 5.10 who died for us that whether we wake or sleep we should live together with him therefore let us comfort our selves and edifie one another with these words and Mr. Burton's Text Heb. 12.22 23. it is sweet also to consider of the glory of the body 1 Cor. 15.42 43. it shall be an incorruptible glorious powerfull spiritual body there will be charity agility penetrability impossibility no hunger no cold it shall be fashioned like unto Christs glorious Body Phil.
men made perfect O blessed Lord thou hast called him forth as a publick Spectacle to some in a condition of Shame and Reproach to others of Comfort and to thy Blessed Self as one that is a Witness for Thee that hath served Thee with all faithfulness in his trust and publick capacity and imployment O Lord thy Dispensation to thy poor Creature hath been wonderful gracious and merciful and he must say to the praise of thy Free-grace Here the Hangman stooping down to take Drink which was reached up to him upon the Ladder interrupted him Upon which Mr. Scot said prethee let me alone I have not done and then proceeded in Prayer as followeth That this very Condition to which he is now brought he acknowledgeth is the answer of his Prayer before his going out of England Thou knowest Lord he did many times in prayers and tears seek thy blessed Majesty for Counsel and for Advice whether it were his duty to stay and suffer or to shelter himself abroad And if it were thy will to take more honour to thy self by his Suffering than his Living thou wouldest be pleased to Remand him back again and bring him hither And he hath observed thy Providence checking of his way and in preserving him all along until he came to this O blessed Lord thy poor Creature doth acknowledge that thy ways to his poor Soul have been of wonderful grace and mercy It was a great mercy to him that having had by reason of many sinful temptations and many incumbrances and many incessant Businesses in the World whereof he hath been a perpetual drudge many years past and he hath not had the conveniency though his duty The Lord knowes he had not the conveniency nor the heart so to improve and keep his own vineyard while he had been looking after or keeping others vineyard Thou didst therefore all along while he was abroad give sweet opportunities and precious seasons while he was abroad of seeking thy face and studying his Souls good concerning Eternity and the Eternnal pleasure of thy holy will And he blesseth thy name that thou hast been pleased to open to him both the Scripture and his understanding and so to answer the one by the other as that he is through the grace of God comfortably perswaded that his eternal estate is out of hazard But O Lord thou hast been pleased all the while that his condition hath been doubtful to make his Comforts to his poor soul doubtful also sometimes fear and sometimes hope have been mixed Again and again wanting those Consolations that might support his soul to such an issue But blessed be thy glorious Name the great God of Heaven and Earth he hath been pleased to bear him witness to himself to Angels and to all that hear me this day this very day thy poor Servant that now stands to suffer had joy and much Consolation from God and from his Cause more than ever he had before I say again to the praise of the Free-Grace of God I bless his Name he hath engaged me in a Cause not to be repented of I say in a Cause not to be repented of Here the Sheriff interrupted him saying Is this your Prayers Mr. Scot desiring him to forbear those kind of Expressions Others also told him that he contradicted himself and spoke Blasphemy Then Mr. Scot said I shall say no more but this The Lord I do acknowledge that this very morning in the Dark Chamber I had very much of the presence of God and from thence I take Consolation to my self that his Spirit is with me and that he hath sealed unto my soul the Decrees of Heaven at least perswaded my soul that it will be well with me and that I am out of all danger as to my Eternal Condition and that I shall live and reign with him there where all sin shall be done away which is the growing glory of my soul and all tears wipt away also In the mean time I pray thee O Lord that thou wouldest remember England and remember thy Cause in England and remember me with the joyes of thy Salvation in the instant of my departure O Lord it is an narrow entrance it is a strait passage it is an entrance into Eternity O Lord thou hast once to day shewed me something beyond it something of the glory of God I pray thee forsake me not while I am here and sensible or afterwards in the passage of my soul to thee I leave it and to thy Providence and do acknowledge thy goodness to my soul in fitting me to receive that good which thou in thy infinite pleasure dost think fit for me And therefore O Lord into thy hands I commend my Spirit Lord I desire to have some more testimony of thy Love if it be thy blessed will It is enough that I live upon what I had to day but if it be agreeable to thy holy will I would honour and eternally bless thee if thou wouldst be pleased to shine upon me with some more particular immediate discoveries of thy presence but not my will but thy will be done The Lord be pleased to settle the Nation in peace and in the power and purity of Religion and thy Ordinances in purity And Lord for thy Son that is the darling of thy Soul Be thou pleased to give him a glorious entertainment in the world and let the Kingdoms of the world become the Kingdoms of Jesus Christ Lord thou hast a Cause in the world dear unto thee I pray thee own it though it may not be owned in all places and by all persons yet Religion is the Interest of them all O Lord Remember the price of Blood that hath been shed for the purchasing of the Civil and Christian Liberties And remember thy Enemies that are not incorrigible Enemies to thy Truth and Holiness and give them understanding to see their Error and to turn to thee a heart broken and with humiliation that they may seek God with their whole heart that they may be a Holy or Immanuel Nation A Chosen Generation A peculiar People zealous of good Works careful to shew forth the virtue of him that hath Called them from Death to Life The Lord call in all that belong to the Election of Grace speedily into that Number Let no Weapon formed against thy Church prosper But Lord Remember Zion if it be thy good pleasure and repair the Walls of thy Jerusalem O Lord thy CAUSE lies near the hearts of thy People And I bear thee Witness that I have this Income from thee as the Return of their Prayers And that we are Supported to bear Witness for thee very chearfully and with satisfaction I desire to be found of thee in Jesus Christ I do now abhor all my sins and renounce my Services and do account them all as dung Lord thou knowest I have desired to live that I might serve thee better and love thee more but that I may be with thy self
behold the Lord Jesus Christ in glory with comfort and fulnesse of joy Col. JONES his Prayer BLessed Lord God Thou art the great Opener open unto my soul the Lord Jesus Christ who will lead me into the wayes of truth and life O God save me make good all the pledges of thy love unto my soul Oh make all the Promises which I have believed all the days of my life make them now good unto my soul giving me the full enjoyment of thy self I desire to bless and praise thy Name for this hour that thou hast brought me to Oh what am I poor worm that thou shouldest give me this oportunity to suffer for thy Name and to acknowledg thy Mercies before so great a Congregation at this place Holy Father Holy Father Oh that thou wouldest now rain down Blessings from Heaven upon thy poor creatures that do hear and behold this Action this day Oh that thou wouldest sanctifie this thing to them and let poor England be a Land of truth and happiness O Lord let England flourish And oh that thou wouldest make thy Angel of Light to go before thy people Good God we pray thee keep off those great Judgments that hang over the heads of these Nations because they have sinned against thee Through thy Name sanctifie us let not thy Name be reproached Dear Father receive my soul I am ready to come unto thee Blessed Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit thou hast redeemed me blessed be thy Name in that thou hast opened the treasures of thy love unto my poor soul Thou hast given me this hope whereof I need not be ashamed Blessed be thy Name my Spirit is full of joy Oh Holy Father holy Father I pray thee let thy blessing come down upon thy poor people Look upon me Holy Father Stretch out thine armes to carries me over this brook I pray thee stand by me Dear Father I cast my self into thy hand I commit my soul unto thee Then speaking to the Sheriff said Mr. Sheriff I must needs return you many Thanks for your Civility Sher. Repl. I am glad to hear such an Ingenuous Confession and that you make such an end and that you have not gone into any reviling language as some others have done before After this he committed his soul to God and so departed Something as to Mr. Gregory Clements take as followeth PErhaps some may think it strange that there is so little said as to Mr. Gregory Clement who suffered with the rest Therefore this only is to be saâ—… more which is known to many That Mr. Clement was very silent both in the time of his Imprisonment at Newgate and at the time and place of his Execution at Charing-Cross only this it is said that he exprest his trouble to some Friends in the Prison for yeelding so far to the Importunity of his Relations as to plead guilty to the Indictment And though he spoke little at the place of Execution yet so far as could be judged by some descerning persons that was near him he departed this life in peace Some Additional Passages of Col. Scroopes Col. Jones and Mr. Cooks with his Letter to his Daughter Some more Passages of Col. Scroope COl Scroope when a Friend asked him at parting the same day how he did answered him Better and better I thank God every moment my life doubles upon me and multiplies He also heard him say when mention was made that there was some Endeavours for his Pardon That only would prove a snare to him but he was fully satisfied what to do and should not to save his Life do any thing to prejudice his Conscience He also heard him when one was discoursing to him the Happiness of Heaven and telling him it consisted in three Things viz. A perfect Communion with God A perfect Conformty to God And a perfect Enjoyment of God He made this reply Those three Things you mention are but one we are entring into it and can tell And that Friend asking him futher about it he said That God was but one pure Act and in whom there was no succession nor distinction of Acts and that Souls led forth in his Spirit were in a manner made like to him for their Injoying was their Conformity and Communion and one was all In which he seemed to be swallowed up and even then gat so far into Heaven that all seemed to be but one Act with him Some Friends being present heard both him and Col. Jones say You can say God is better than all the World and say it truly but you cannot say it with so much feeling and experience as we now can we find he is so indeed Some more Passages of Col. Joh. Jones in Prison COL Jones the night before he suffered told a Friend he had no other Temptation upon him but this Lest he should be too much transported and carryed out to neglect and slight his Life so greatly was he satisfied to die in that Cause The day he suffered he grasped a Friend in his arms and said to him with some expressions of Endearedness Farewel I could wish thee in the same condition with my self that thou mightest share with me in my joyes Some more Passages of Mr Cook MR Cook speaking to his Wife a little before his Death said My Lamb now I am going where I shall meet the Saints all of one mind which thou knowest was the desire of my heart to see At another time saith he Truly my Lamb if I might have my choice now I would not desire Life for I could not live where I might not enjoy the Liberty of my Conscience and when I can do nothing for God what should I live for O welcome sweet Death thy sting is out blessed be God I do imbrace thee with rejoycing thou art a good Potter that will suddenly open to me the Gates of Eternity O those Everlasting Gates will my Father set open to receive me O blessed be God for Jesus Christ the fountain of all Mercies Lord Jesus I come flying to thee upon the wings of Faith I come Lord full-sail to thee Lord Jesus receive me That which the world counts shame saith he I count it my Joy my Crown and my Glory A little before he parted with his Wife she laying her head in his bosom and wept whereat he said My dear Lamb let us not part in a shower God hath wiped away all tears from my eyes blessed be the Lord. Mr. Cook 's Letter to his Daughter Octob. 15. 1660. A little before his Death To my dear Child Free-love Cook These with my most Fatherly endeared Love My dear sweet Child LEt thy Name Free-love put thee in mind of the free Love of God in Christ in giving thee to me and thy dear Mother and know so soon as God gives thee any understanding That thou art the Child of one whom God counted worthy to suffer for his sake and to seal to the Truth of his
sweetly born up under his suffering and had a very comfortable assurance that God had pardoned and accepted him in the blood of Christ he had been a professor of Religion many years in the Presbyterian way and a great lover of godly Ministers a man of just and honest conversation amongst men and one that desired to walke blameless in the sight of God his fellow prisoner did say he did believe that Col. Hacker had an interest in Jesus Christ Col. Hacker declared to severall of his own friends a little before he suffered that the greatest trouble he had upon his spirit was that he had formerly born too great a prejudice in his heart towards the good people of God that differed from him in judgement And then broke forth into this admiration O what am I poore vile worme that God should count me worthy to suffer with such precious soules as these are against whom I have been formerly so much prejudiced And thus these two gracious persons having finished their course and the time of their departure being at hand were both brought forth of prison the sledge being ready for them they took their leave of some friends that stood at the door and Col. Axtell desired them to be at the place of execution and both entring the sledge they cast up their eyes toward that God to whom they were comming then with a chearfull countenance setting themselves down they were drawn to Tyburne the place of execution where a cart was set ready into which they both ascended their countenance not at all changed though now the King of terror stared them in the face the Ropes being then put about their necks and a burning fire kindled before their faces and being there ready to receive that sentence which nature would have sunk under if grace had not supported first Col. Axtel applies himself to the Sheriffe in these following words Col. Axtels speech at Tyburne Octob. 19. 1660. Mr. Shieriffe I am now as you see come to the place of execution according to my sentence I desire your leave that I may speak freely and without interruption first to this people and then to God for it is the last that I shall speak in this world and I hope it will redowne to your account Mr. Shieriffs reply Sir you know what the Court prohibited you to speak and what was spoken at the barre of the Court was there desided therefore t is needless to repeat it here I hope you will keep to the present businesse that concerns you and not goe out into impertinences and because you have but a little time spend it to your best advantage and the good of the people and then you shall not be interrupted Or to the same effect Col Axtel begins I say the very cause for which I have engaged is contained in this book of God having the Bible in his hand both in the civil and religious rights of it which I leave to you giving the book to Mr. Knowles You see a dead man living and yet I hope I shall live to all eternity through the mediation of Jesus Christ the Mediator of the covenant of free grace I must truly tell you that before 〈◊〉 late wars it pleased the Lord to call me by his grace through the work of the Ministery and afterwards keeping a day of humiliation in fasting and prayer with Mr. Simeon Ash Mr. Love Mr. Woodcocke and other Ministers in Laurence-lane they did so clearly state the cause of the Parliament that I was fully convinced in my own conscience of the justness of the warre and thereupon engaged in the Parliament service which as I did and doe believe was the cause of the Lord I ventured my life freely for it and now die for it Then Mr. Shieriffe said to this purpose Sir remember your selfe Col. Axtell proceeds And after the work of the Lord was done in England my lot cast me in the service of Ireland and I thank the Lord I was serviceable to the English Nation in that Country and have discharged my duty fully according to the trust committed to me there As for the Fact for which I now suffer it is for words onely for words and but for words and the sentence is already reversed in my own conscience and it will be reversed by Jesus Christ by and by I pray God from the very bottome of my soul to forgive all that have had any hand in my death both Witnesses and Jury and the Court that passed sentence for considering the Doctrine of our Lord Jesus Christ as he hath laid it down Matth. 5.44 It hath been said of old time love your Neighbours and hate your Enemies But I say unto you love your Enemies and pray for them that hate and despitefully use you that you may be the Children of your Father which is in Heaven I desire according to this Doctrine from the bottome of my heart that God would give them true repentance and not lay their sin to their charge nor my blood which by Gods law and mans I think could not justly have been brought here to suffer But I blesse God I have some comfortable assurance that I shall be embraced in the Arms of Christ and have cause to hope that his spirit shall carry my soul into the Fathers hands And if the Glory of this Sunshine be so great the Sun then shining bright how much more is the glory of the Son of God who is the Son of righteousnessse I thinke it convenient to give you some Account of my Faith I believe all things written in the Old and New Testament as the principles and doctrine of a believers Faith I believe the blessed Ordinances of Christ that it is our duty to hear the word preached to seek unto God in prayer and to performe Family duties and to walk in the Communion of Saints and for my own part I am a Member of a Congregation which I judge to be the way of Christ and were it for that only I were to dye I could witnesse to it which is a company of men born again by his grace that walk in the ways of Christ blamelesse and harmlesse I believe Jesus Christ dyed for poor sinners of whom I am chief as the Apostle Paul saith this is a faithfully saying and worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am chiefe And if the Apostle might say so much more may I. My friends and Countreymen I have reason to bewail my own unprofitable life having been very unfruitful unto the people of the Lord the Lord knows I have much fault upon my heart were it not for the blood of Christ that cleanseth and washeth me according to his promise saying I loved you and washed away your sins in own blood For there is no remission of sins without the blood of Christ I desire you all to loath and cast off sinne it were better to suffer then
to sinne it is beter to die then to sinne nothing could grive our Saviour but sinne and therefore have a care of that you and I must meet one day at the bar of Christ the Son of God shal be our Judge for God hath committed all judgement to the Son that all men should honour the Son as they honour the Father This day is a resemblance of that day therefore be serious beg as much good to your immortal souls as I expect to enjoy by and by I beseech you beg of God that he would save your soules and omit no opportunity through the strength of the Lord to believe and put your trust in the Lord Jesus Christ be sure to labour after assurance of your interest in him or else you wil be of all men most miserable for I of all men were most miserable if I had not believed to see the goodnesse of the Lord in the land of the living Blessed be the Lord that brings me into this state let the way or means be what it wil it is Gods soveraignty who made these creatures so to dispose of them how he pleaseth and God hath ordeined this death for me from all eternity The Lord Christ often prayed thy will be done this is the Lords wil. He hath numbred my daies and my times are in his hand Many seek the Rulers favor but every on s judgement is from the Lord. When Pilat said unto Christ Knowest thou not that I have power to crucifie thee Christ answered him thou couldest have no power against me except it were given thee from aboue Therefore I acknowledge the righteous hand of God he is righteous but I am sinful Therefore will I beare Gods indignation because I have sinned against him It is said of Jesus Christ that for the joy set before him he endured the cross and despised the shame and is set down at the right hand of God where I hope to see him by and by in glory and Majesty and to see his Angels and believers worshipping of him and therefore I despise the shame Our Saviour died upon the cross without sinne I am a sinful creature a wretched sinner and shall I expect better then he that was my master he who was holy and never had a sinful thought in all his life and died not for himselfe but for us that we might live through his death that through his poverty we might to made rich And Christ having done this for his people it should not be in their eyes thought a despicable thing that we should suffer for him having been engaged in the work of God But Christ must prevail in righteousness and he wil prevaile Now Mr. Sheriffe I thank you for your civillity and for this leave After this Col. Hacker spoke something privately to him whereupon Col. Axtel said Mr. Shieriffe must we both die together Mr. Shieriffe answered Yes Then Col. Hacker read a paper which he had in his hand a coppy whereof followeth FRiends Country-men all that have known me in my best estate have not known me to have been a man of Oratory and that God hath not given me the gift of utterance as to others therefore I have onely this briefly to say unto you that are spectators As the Parliament stated the war I did out of judgment and conscience joyn with them in the common cause and have through grace been faithfull to it according to my measure And as for that which now I am condemned for I do freely forgive both Judges Jury and Witnesses and all others And I thank the Lord to whom I am now going at whose tribunall I must render an account I have nothing lies upon my conseience as guilt whereof I am now condemned and doe not doubt but to have the sentence reverst I doe now apply my selfe unto God by prayer and doe desire the hearty prayers of all that fear God that I may have a sweet passage from this mortall life to that immortal life which God hath prepared for all that are in Christ Jesus Francis Hacker After the reading of this he desired that Col. Axtell would be both their mouths to God in prayer And then Col. Axtell said I desire all that fear the Lord to hear me with patience and to lift up their hearts to seek the Lord with me that we may have his strength and the presence of his spirit from this world to everlasting life And with a wonderful composed frame of spirit and with an audible voice entred upon the following duty wherein the Lord helped him with excellent expressions suitable to both their conditions The prayer followeth OH blessed Lord the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who art the great God of heaven and earth heaven is thy throne and the earth thy foolstool thou upholdest all things with and by the word of thy power The issues of life and death are in thy hand oh God Blessed Lord we pray thee let us have communion with thy selfe and the glory of thy face let the shining rayes of Christ shine continually upon our souls Lord let there be no interruption between the brightness of thy glory and our souls til we come into the fulness of the possession of it Blessed Lord we desire to take shame before thee and this multitude for all our iniquities and transgressions we were born and came great sinners into the world the root of bitterness was in us that flowed from that bitter fountain Adam but thou O Lord hast been pleased to send the second Adam that as by the sinne of one man death entred into the world so by the obedience and righteousness of one Jesus Christ many should be made righteous Blessed Lord thou knowest all our original guilt all upon our hearts and upon our consciences all our personal defilements and transgressions we pray thee Lord wash them all away in the blood of Jesus Christ Lord we have nothing of our own to rely upon but a Christ for all our goodness and righteousness is but as polluted rags and menstruous cloaths Therefore O Lord thou hast said by the workes of the Law no man shall be justified but by the righteousnesse of Christ Jesus Therefore oh Lord hold out the covenant of grace to poor believers and make Jesus Christ the Mediator of the covenant to perform Gods part to us and our part towards God Oh lord in thee are all our spring thou art the fountain of all grace let us have mercy and pardon from thee Lord it is by grace that any here are saved Thou shouldst be a righteous God if thou shouldest not only suffer us to lye under the condemnation of man but to exclude us from heaven and glory for ever But Lord if thou shouldst be strict to mark iniquity who should stand in thy presence but there is mercy with thee that thou mayst be feared Lord thou hast said Who is a God like unto thee pardoning iniquity and passing by
the transgressions of the remnant of thy people for thine own names sake Lord it is thy covenant that thou wilt put thy spirit into our hearts and erect thy law in our inward parts and our sins and transgressions thou wilt remember no more Blessed be the Lord for the Lord Jesus Christ for had it not been for a Christ we were undone forever Blessed be our Lord that hath written our names in heaven and given us a portion in Christ in whom we have believed and trusted We humbly beg of thee the pardon of all our personal and family guilt the sins of our publique imployments which thou knowest we have not willingly committed though it may be through infirmity and temptation and the sins of our nature Lord we humbly pray thee let us see our selves justified in the blood of our Lord Jesus that we may say with the Apostle Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect It is God that justifieth us it is Christ that died yea rather that is risen again for our justification He is risen that he might be our advocate intercessor and mediator He is filled with all the fulness of the Godhead to distribute to us according to our need Thou hast promised by the Apostle that God shall supply all our wants according to the riches of his own grace Lord thou wilt have the passover eaten with sowre hearbs and Lord we are contented but Lord thou hast provided sweet Wine for us and hast thou not kept the best Wine and the best of thy divine comforts until now til now to carry us over this bridge and passage from earth to heaven sanctifie this our passage for it is best to have the crosse with the crown they goe together and are inseparable therefore saith our Lord they that wil suffer with me shal also raign with me Deare Lord we pray thee give us a full experience and let thy holy Spirit witness to our souls that we are the children of God and reconciled to thee in the covenant and that we shal through thy Son be glorified with thee Strengthen our faith that we may be purged washed and cleansed and for our justification sanctification and acceptation with the Father Glorious lord we desire to leave our requests with thee on the behalfe of this poor people as the last request we have to beg of thee on this side heaven if there be any here not belonging to Christ and not friends to him Lord convert them and shew them their own undone and miserable estate and give them the pardon of a dying Saviour thy poor servants would not part with a Christ for ten thousand lives Lord make Christ precious to their immortal souls Lord convince them of the evil of their sins and the evil of their own ways and break them off from them and cause them to close with Jesus Christ Thou hast promised that those that come unto him thou wilt not cast off Remember all thy people and help them to persevere in thy grace and love and make them able to hold fast the truth till thou come and to quit themselves like men to stand fast in the faith Blessed Lord we humbly pray thee to have mercy upon that great City the place from whence we came When thou resolvedst to destroy Sodom thy servant Abraham expostulated with thee and thou saidst if there were but ten righteous thou wouldst save it but Lord there are many tens of righteous ones in that City It hath been a place where thou hast been glorified and where many godly Ministers have been encouraged O Lord let it goe wel therefore with that great City and let thy Gospel have free passage in the publique worship of it Bless the government and governours thereof and make them instruments to thy glorious praise We pray thee have respect to the chief Magistrates that are come here by command to see execution done Oh Lord we beg mercy for their soules O that Christ would evidence himself more to their soules and that we might meet in Heaven together and be imbraced in the arms of our Lord Jesus Christ And him that shal be the Executioner must now wash his hands in our blood doe thou wash his soul in the blood of Jesus Christ O lord we pray thee that thou wouldest have pitty upon his soul and let him know what it is to be washed in the blood of Christ that fountain set open for him and for uncleanness Blessed Lord help us thy poor creatures with strength for we have no strength of our own Thy word saith that death is the King of terrours but blessed be thy Name thou hast taken the sting out of it and the poyson from it and therefore as faith the Apostle Oh death then where is thy sting oh grave where is thy victory Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ that hath given us the victory Thou hast said by the Apostle We have the sentence of death in our selves and therefore should not trust in our selves but believe in Christ that raiseth the dead Lord we will not trust in our selves but in the living God Oh my God that art the God of Abraham and Isaac and of Jacob strengthen and support our poor souls Stephen when he was stoned to death saw the Heavens opened and the glory of the Father and of his throne Shall we but see the Face of Jesus Christ bearing up our hearts under all and we shall go through Thou hast promised that thou wilt never never never leave us nor forsake us Thou hast said Who can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus Come life come death or what can separate a believer from Jesus Christ let thy Angels come downe we are perswaded that the Angels are ready to receive our soules and to carry them into thy bosome and into the company of Abraham Isaac and Jacob and of the blessed Apostles and Martyrs and witnesses of Jesus and just men made perfect in thy Kingdome Blessed lord thou art our support and comfort support us with the cordials of thy love Blessed lord before we make an end of praying O thou father of mercies and God of all consolation we beg one request for the chief Magistrate of this Nation That thou wouldest give him a glorious Christ into his poor soul and magnifie thy grace towards him that he may become a friend unto Christ and a friend to the people of Christ and raigne in righteousnesse and may be a terrour to evill doers and a praise to them that doe wel that he may cast away iniquity with his eye rule for God before whom he and all others must render an account in the day of judgement Lord hear us for him And blessed lord doe the like for all that had any uncharitableness towards us we would have none towards them but we beg their souls might live in thy presence make them to see their sins and let them receive
Oh it is infinitely better and to confirm that Testimony that is concerning thy glorious Will And thy Will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven by me and all thine from henceforth and for evermore Amen Some Memorable Passages of Col. Adrian Scroope after his Condemnation and in his Imprisonment at Newgate which though they are but few may discover the excellent christian frame of his heart and how he was born up under so great Sufferings AFter his Condemnation one of his Children hanging upon him and weeping over him he said Peace Child peace be still not a word thou hast a blessed Portion Who would be troubled to dye for can any one have greater honour than to have his Soul carried up to Heaven upon the wings of the Prayers of so many Saints When the Jaylor called him and Mr. Scot Mr. Jones and Mr. Clement to go to the Dungeon saying Gentlemen you must got to the Room where Mr. Harrison was Sayes Colonel Scroop Must we all go He repleyed Yes At which laying his hand on his breast and elevating his eyes with a serious countenance said Blessed be God that we are not parted As he sate at Dinner he spoke to a Minister that was with them saying I would speak it for glory of God's Free-grace and and comfort of you all That my sins are all pardoned not one and in the strength of this will I go to Heaven Speaking to some Friends that came to visit him said I desire all the People of God to look at the Lords hand in this Dispensation and own his Soveraignity speak well of him what-ever he doth lie at his feet with their mouthes in the dust and live more in love and unity one with another A tall Gentleman coming into the Dungeon to see Col. Scroop the night before he dyed said to him Uncle I am sorry to see you in this condition and would desire you to repent of the Fact for which you are brought hither and stand to the Kings mercy and more words so the same effect Whereupon Col. Scroop put forth his hand and thrust him from him using these words AVOID SATAN When the time approached for his Execution Mr. Scot and Mr. Clement were first carried away in the Sleds and the same Sleds was afterwards to come and carry Col. Scroop and Col. Jones during that time sayes Col. Scroop Well Brother Jones do you spend your time as the Lord shall direct you I intend to take a little steep for I slept not well the last night and my Countenance is not so fresh as I would have it Thereupon he laid him down and slept so soundly that he snored very loud and so continued until the Sled came for him whereupon being awakened he riseth up and a Friend taking him in his Arms asked him how he did he answers Very well I thank God never better in all my life And now saith he will I wash mine hands in Innocency So will I compasse thine Altar O Lord And so with great chearfulness went to Execution Colonel Adrian Scroop and Colonel John Jones two comely ancient Gentlemen were both drawn upon that Sled which carried Mr. Scot and being come to Charing-Crosse the place of Execution Col. Scroop was first brought up to the Ladder where he spake as followeth Col. Scroop's Speech at Execution Octob. 17. 1660. YOu see an Object here that hath been in a better place but howsoever the Lord Jesus Christ hath sent me to this place that in this place I should die I have no Animosity nor Malice against any man nor ever had I neither have I any evil will to those that brought me hither nor to the Jury that found me guilty nor Judges that passed Sentence nor to him through whose means I was brought here to suffer I say once more the Lord forgive him I shall not name him for I come not hither to reflect upon any mans person I will not tell you what my Breeding hath been because it is not good for any man especially at such a time as this to boast of his Linage or Breeding But this I shall say that I was born and bred a Gentleman As for my Carriage it may be some that looks upon me here knows what it hath been Howsoever the Lord knows all and the Lord God is Judge of all and he will judge I shall submit my self to his Judgment which is a Righteous Judgment The judgement of men may go wrong but Gods Judgement is right I shall submit to his way The Lord he is the Rock of Ages and my Support under this great Weight that is now upon me I look up to him alone the Lord Jesus Christ is my Saviour and my Redeemer I am going into his Arms blessed be his Name I follow him he is gone before me the same way Therefore it is no reproach or shame to follow the Lord Jesus Christ to die in his Cause for that is it which I judge I am now going to do That which I do desire of you here are a great many Spectators both on the right hand and on the left is That this day may represent to you the general Day of the Judgement of Christ where you must appear and there every man must receive according to their works And at that time it will be known I say at that time it will be known and seen whose works are righteous and whose are not Therefore I would wish you and desire you to judge charitably of me Col. Scroop having given a brief account of himself to the People his last work was to give up himself to God in Prayer as follovveth O Lord thou art my Father a present help in trouble Thou art my Father I believe in Thee I come unto thee Lord Jesus that went unto thy Father and my Father thy God and my God and this is that which doth support my spirit and enable me to undergo this Death with chearfulness and readiness Lord thou knowest my heart and affections and my desires Oh deal not with me according to my sins I am a miserable wretched sinner If thou enter into Judgment who is able to stand before thee but there is forgiveness with thee that thou mayest be feared O Lord let it be known and seen that there hath not been any heart in me to do any thing with Malice or Revenge or that might shew any Revenge If there be any Revenge on the other side the Lord lay it not to their charge The Lord blesse those in Authority the Lord blesse his Majesty that he may reign prosperously and that he may receive a blessing from the hand of the Lord. O Lord thou seest my failings my infirmities and weaknesses O Lord I beseech thee that thou wouldst bear with me thou art a tender-hearted Father Thou art my strength When my heart and my strength faileth then thou art the strength of my heart and my portion for ever O Lord be with me in
this hour of Temptation and carry me through it for thou art my God and my Father into whose hands I commend my spirit for thou hast redeemed me The Copy of a Letter sent from Col. John Jones when Prisoner in the Tovver of London to a Relation I Am very much grieved to find by the Note I received from you such dark and sad Apprehensions upon your Spirit concerning me VVe are in the hands of the Lord and what he hath appointed for us will be our portion and no man can frustrate his holy purpose concerning us which I question not will be found to be in love what ever appearance it may have to men My Advice is to you and all that love me That in case I be removed from you you do not neither in reallity nor outward garb mourn for me but rather rejoyce that my Portion is in Heaven and that my Dissolution or Removal out of this earthly Tabernacle is but in order to my Cloathing with Immortality and possessing my Eternal Mansion and to my being for ever with Christ to behold his glory And therefore that you do not behave your self as those that have no hopes but of this life Secondly That you take off your mind from me and fix it unmovably upon your eternal Relation the Lord Jesus Christ in whose glorious and blessed presence we shall meet ere long to our Eternal Rejoycing It is the goodness of the Lord to us to remove all Creature Comforts from us that our Souls might have no resting-place to delight in or to promise them safety until we return to the Ark of his Testimony the bosome of his love manifested and exhibited for us in our blessed Lord Jesus Christ I write in hast therefore excuse my abruptness Thine in Sincere Love JOHN JONES Tower Sept. 19. 1660. Let the First and last Verses of Psalm 27. be constantly fixed upon thy mind Ver. 1. The Lord is my light my salvation whom shall I fear The Lord is the strength of my life of whom shall I be afraid Vers 14. Wait on the Lord be of good courage and he shall strengthen thy heart wait I say on the Lord. Some few living Sentences that fell from a Dying Man Col. Joh. Jones when he was in his Chains in Newgate OBserving one of Col. Scroopes children weeping he takes her by the hand saying to her You are weeping for your Father but suppose your Father were to morrow to be King of France and you were to tarry a little behind would you weep so why he is going to reign with the King of Kings in everlasting Glory Speaking to a Friend that was to have accompanied him into Ireland Ah! dear heart sayes he thee and I were in that storm together going to Ireland and if we had gone this journey then we had been in Heauen to have welcomed honest Harrison and Carew but we will be content to go after them we will go after Speaking of those that were gone beyond the Seas O dear hearts sayes he in what a sad condition are our dear Friends beyond Sea where they may be hunted from place to place and never be in safety nor hear the voice of the Turtle how much have we gotten the start of them for we are at a point and are now going to Heaven Speaking of the Sled in which he was to be carryed to Execution it is said he like Elija's Fiery Charriot only it goes through Fleetstreet The time of his departure being come this Aged Gentleman was drawn in one Sled with his Aged Companion Col. Scroop whose grave and graceful Countenances accompanied with courage and chearfulness caused great Admiration and Compassion in the Spectators as they passed along the Streets to Charing-Crosse the place of their Execution And after the Executioner had done his part upon three others that day he was so drunk with Blood that like one surfeited he grew sick at stomack and not being able himself he set his Boy to finish the Tragedy upon Col. Jones who coming up the Ladder with the like chearfulness that his Brethren did before him and being placed fit for Execution he proceeds to speak as followeth Col. Joh. Jones his Speech upon the Ladder Oct. 17. 1660. THere is two things that are necessary now I am going through this narrow gate or passage to the Eternal Majesty I say two things are necessary as to the occasion of my coming hither to receive my Fathers good pleasure First Peace with God Secondly Peace with Man I shall speak something to each of these and in the first place speak something of the Court wherein I received the Sentence It hath been reported as I was told that I confessed this Fact and confessed that I were guilty of Murther as under those several expressions that are in the Indictment Viz. I desire to clear my self before the Lord and before the world in that particular for should I grant that I was guilty in reallity and truth of Murther and Malice Viz. I should belie my own Conscience and draw upon me a greater weight than I could bear But this far I do confesse I was willing to make the work as short as I could And because I would not stand so long I told them I would take the first Jury that came And when a Jury was called then I did confess so much as I was convinced of as to the matter of Fact I desire you will judge charitably of this that I speak at this time as in the presence of the Lord that it is not so really viz. that I acknowledged my self guilty of Murder I had no such thing in my heart I must confess I very freely quit his Majesty considering what he doth in this case is the part of a loving Son to a Father especially the Judges telling him that it is the Law and I conceive that the Court did nothing but what they to their best understandings judged right as to Law Therefore I freely acquit the Court though there was not enough said to satisfie such a poor Creature as I am in so great and deep a point as that was As for all others I do not know any man on the Earth to whom I do bear any Malice but I am in perfect charity with all men and I hope the Lord is in charity with me And therefore as I desire to have forgiveness my self from all those that I have offended even so I do freely forgive all those that have in any measure offended me The next thing is towards God and it is that which should be last upon my heart It is not expected that I should give an Account here of my state and condition for that is betwixt God and my own soul And I do through the Grace and Goodness of God firmly believe that my Redemption is wrought and my Pardon is sealed and that I shall be immediately in my Fathers armes and that I shall be translated and brought to