The Protestant Martyrs, Floating text 4
The Earl of Argyle.
WE muſt now take a Step over into Scotland, that poor Country, which has been haraſs'd and tired for theſe many Years, to render them perfect Slaves, that they might help to enſlave England, to prevent which, and ſecure the Proteſtant Religion, which 'twas grown impoſſible to do, but by Arms; this good Lord embarkt from Holland about the ſame Time with the Duke, and arrived in Scotland with what Forces he could make; to which were added ſome others who joined him; which after ſeveral Marches and Counter-marches, were at length led into a Boggy ſort of a Place, on Pretence, or with Intention to bring him off from the other Army then upon the Heels of 'em, where they loſt one another, diſperſed and ſhifted for themſelves; the Earl being taken by a Country-man, and brought to Edinburgh, where he ſuffered for his former unpardondable Crime—requiring Care ſhould be taken of the Proteſtant Religion, and explaining his taking the Teſt conformable thereto; for the Legality of which he ha… the Hands of the moſt eminent Lawyers about the City. He ſuffered at Edinburgh the 30th of June, 1685. His Speech has a great deal of Piety and Religion, nor will it be any Diſgrace to ſay, 'twas more like a Sermon.—'Tis as follows.
The Earl of Argyle's laſt Speech, June 30. 1685.
JOB tells us, Man that is born of a Woman, is of few Days, and full of Trouble; and I am a clear inſtance of it. I ſhall not ſay thing of my Sentence, or Eſcape about three years and a half ago; nor of my Return, leſt I may thereby give Offence, or be too tedious: Only being to end my Days in your Preſence, I ſhall, as ſome of my laſt Words, aſſert the Truth of the Matter of Fact, and the Sincerity of my Intentions, and Profeſſions that are publiſhed.
That which I intend mainly now to ſay, is, To expreſs my humble, and (I thank God) chearful Submiſſion to his Divine Will; and my Willingneſs to forgive all Men, even my Enemies; and I am heartily well ſati…fied there is no more Blood ſpilt, and I ſhall wiſh the Stream may ſtop at me: And that (if it pleaſe God) as to Zerubbabel, Zech. 4. 6. Not by Might, nor by Power, but by my Spirit, ſaith the Lord of Hoſts. I know Afflictions ſpring not out of the Duſt: God did wonderfully deliver and provide for me, and has now by his ſpecial Providence brought me to this Place; and I hope none will either inſult or ſtumble at it, ſeeing they ought not; for God Almighty does all Things well, for Good and holy Ends, tho' we not always underſtand it. Love and Hatred is not known by what is before us, Eccleſ. 9. 1. & 8. 11, 12, 13. Afflictions are not only foretold, but promiſed to Chriſtians; and are not only tolerable, but deſirable. We ought to have a deep Reverence and Fear of God's Diſpleaſure; but withal, a Hope and Dependance on him for a bleſſed Iſſue, in Compliance with his Will; for God chaſtens his own, to refine them, and not to ruin them, whatever the World may think, Heb. 12. 3. to 12. Prev. 3. 11, 12. Mat. 10. 18. to 40. Mat. 16. 24. to 28. We are to imitate our Saviour in his Sufferings, as x Pet. 2. 23. and 1 Pet. 16. to 20. We are neither to deſpiſe our Afflictions, nor to faint under them; both are Extreams. We are not to ſuffer our Spirits to be exaſperated againſt the Inſtruments of our Trouble; for the ſame Affliction may be an Effect of their Paſſion, and yet ſent to God to puniſh us for our Sin: Though 'tis a Comfort when we may ſay to them with David, Pſal. 59. 3. Not for my Tranſgreſſio, nor for my Sin, O Lord. Nor are we, by fraudulent, puſillanimous Compliances in wicked Courſes, to bring Sin upon our ſelves: Faint Hearts are ordinary falſe Hearts; chuſing Sin rather than Sufferings, and a ſhort Life with eternal Death, before temporal Death and a Crown of Glory. Such ſeeking to ſave a little, loſes all; and God readily hardens them to proceed to their own Deſtruction. How many, like Hazael, 2 Kings 8. 13. run to Exceſſes they never thought they were capable of! Let Rulers and others read ſeriouſly, and weigh Prov. 1. 10. to 20. 2 Chr. 28. 6. to 17. Prov. 24. 11, 12. and Prov. 28. 10. and avoid what is bad, and follow what is good.
For me, I hope by God's Strength to join with Job, Chap. 13. 15. and the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 22. 4. and 16. 7. and ſhall pray, as Pſal. 74. 19. to 24. and Pſal. 122. 6. to 9. and Luke 1. 74. 75. and ſhall hope, as Pſal. 94. 14, 15. I do freely forgive all that directly or indirectly have been the Cauſe of my being brought to this Place, firſt or laſt; and I pray God forgive them. I pray God ſend Truth and Peace in theſe Three Kingdoms; and continue and increaſe the Glorious Light of the Goſpel, and reſtrain the Spirit of Prophanity, Atheiſm, Superſtition, Popery and Perſecution, and reſtore all that have back ſlidden from the Purity of their Life or Principles; and bleſs his whole People with all Bleſſings, ſpiritual and temporal, and pnt an End to their preſent Trials. And I intreat all People to forgive me wherein I have offended, and concur with me to pray, Toat the great, good, and merciful God would ſanctify my preſent Lot, and for Jeſus Chriſt his ſake pardon all my Sins, and receive me to his Eternal Glory. It is ſuggeſted to me, That I have ſaid nothing of the Royal Family; and it remembers me, that before the Juſtices at my Trial about the Teſt, I ſaid, That at my Death I would pray, That there ſhould never want one of the Royal Family to be a Defender of the True, Ancient, Apoſtolick, Catholick, Proteſtant Faith, which I do now: And that GOD would enlighten and forgive all of them that are either luke-warm, or have ſhrunk from the Profeſſion of it. And in all Events, I pray GOD may provide for the Security of his Church, that Antichriſt, nor the Gates of Hell may never prevail againſt it.