Loves Case, Speech
Mr. Love's Speech made on the Scaffold on Tower-Hill, Auguſt 22. 1651.
Mr. Love being brought upon the Scaffold by the Sheriffs, Mr. Sheriff Titchburn ſhewed him the Warrant directed to the Sheriffs of London for his Execution, telling him that he took no pleaſure in this Work, but it was a Duty laid upon him.
To which Mr. Love replyed, I believe it, Sir.
Sheriff Titchburn.
I have done my duty for you.
Mr. Love.
The Lord bleſs you.
Lieutenant of the Tower.
The Lord ſtrengthen you in this hour of your Temptation.
Mr. Love.
Sir, I am. I bleſs God my heart is in heaven. I am well.
Sheriff Titchburn.
I deſire you to conſider we have the other to execute afterwards, and ſix a clock is our Hour; but we ſhall give you as much time as we can.
Mr. Love.
I ſhall be the briefer.
Then putting off his Hat two ſeveral times to the people, he ſpake as followeth;
SECTION I.
BEloved Chriſtians, I am made this day a Spectacle unto God, Angels and Men, and among men I am made a Grief to the Godly, a Laughingſtock to the wicked, and a Gazing-ſtock to all, yet bleſſed be my God not a Terror to my ſelf, although there be but a little between me and Death, yet this bears up my heart, there is but a little between me and Heaven. It comforted Doctor Tailor the Martyr when he was going to Execution, that there were but two Styles between him and his Fathers houſe; there is a leſſer way between me and my Fathers houſe; but two ſteps between me and Glory, it is but lying down upon the Block, and I ſhall aſcend upon a Throne: I am this day ſayling towards the Ocean of Eternity, through a rough Paſſage, to my Haven of Reſt; through a Red-ſea to the Promiſed Land. Me thinks I hear God ſay to me as he did to Moſes, Go up to Mount Nebo and die there, ſo go thou up to Tower-hill and die there. Iſaac ſaid of himſelf that he was old, and yet he knew not the day of his death, but I cannot ſay thus: I am yong, and yet I know the day of my death, and I know the kinde of my death alſo, and the place of my death alſo; it is ſuch a kinde of death as two famous Preachers of the Goſpel were put to before me, John the Baptiſt, and Paul the Apoſtle, they were both beheaded; ye have mention of the one in Scripture Story, and of the other in Eccleſiaſtical Hiſtory: And I read in the 20th of the Revelation and the 4th, The Saints were beheaded for the Word of God, and for the Teſtimony of Jeſus.
SECTION II.
But herein is the diſadvantage which I am in in the thoughts of many, who judge that I ſuffer not for the Word, or for Conſcience, but for medling with State matters. To this I ſhall briefly ſay, That it is an old guiſe of the Devil, to impute the cauſe of Gods Peoples Sufferings, to be Contrivements againſt the State, when in truth it is their Religion and Conſcience they are perſecuted for. The Rulers of Iſrael, they would put Jeremiah to death upon a Civil account, though indeed it was onelyonly the truth of his Propheſie made the Rulers angry with him; yet upon a Civil account they did pretend he muſt dye, becauſe he fell away to the Caldeans, and would have brought in Forreign Forces to Invade them: The ſame thing is laid to my charge, of which I am as innocent as Jeremiah was. I finde other inſtances in the Scripture, wherein men the cauſe of their Sufferings were ſtill imputed to medling with State-matters; Paul, though he did but Preach Jeſus Chriſt, yet he muſt dye, if the People might have their will, under the pretence that he was a m…ver of Sedition. Ʋpon a civil account my life is pretended to be taken away, whereas indeed it is becauſe I purſue my Covenant, and will not proſtitute my Principles and Conſcience to the Ambition and Luſts of men.
SECT. III.
Beloved, I am this day to make a double exchange, I am changing a Pulpit for a Scaffold, and a Scaffold for a Throne; and I might adde a third, I am changing this numerous multitude, the preſence of this numerous multitude upon Tower-Hill, for the innumerable company of Angels in the holy Hill of Zion; and I am changing a guard of Soldiers for a guard of Angels, which will receive me, and carry me into Abrahams boſom. This Scaffold it is the beſt Pulpit I ever preached in; for in the Church-Pulpit, God through his Grace, made me an Inſtrument to bring others to Heaven, but in this Pulpit he will bring me to Heaven. Theſe are the laſt words that I ſhall ſpeak in this world, and it may be this laſt Speech upon a Scaffold may bring God more glory, then many Sermons in a Pulpit.
SECT. IV.
Before I lay down my Neck upon the Block, I ſhall lay open my Caſe unto the people that hear me this day, and in doing it I ſhall avoid all rancer, all bitterneſs of Spirit, animoſity and Revenge, God is my record whom I ſerve in the ſpirit, I ſpeak the truth, and lye not; I do not bring a revengeful heart unto the Scaffold this day; before I came here, upon my bended knees I have begged Mercy for them that denyed mercy to me, and I have prayed God to forgive them who would not forgive me; I have forgiven from my heart the worſt Enemy I have in all the world, and this is the worſt that I wiſh to my Accuſers and Proſecutors who have purſued my blood, That I might meet their ſouls in Heaven.
SECT. V.
I ſhall divide my Speech into three parts; ſpeak ſomething concerning my Charge, and a word concerning my Accuſers, and touching my Judges, without any animoſity at all, and then ſomething concerning my ſelf for my own vindication, and then a word of Exhortation; and ſo I ſhall commit my ſoul to God.
Concerning my Charge, it is black and hideous, many things falſly ſuggeſted, but nothing capital ſufficiently proved by any one act, that I am conſcious to my ſelf, proved againſt me that I did. The Charge was high and full, but the Proof empty and low: Though there were eight Witneſſes that came in againſt me; yet none of them did prove, That ever I writ any Letter, or directed any man to write a Letter into Scotland or into Forreign parts: No man proved, That I ſent away any Letter, that I received any Letter, that I collected, or gave, or lent any Money to aſſiſt or promote the Scotiſh War. This is all that was ſworn againſt me, That I was preſent when Letters were read, that I made a motion for Money to give to Maſſey; ſo that Beloved, my preſence at, and concealment of Letters that were received and ſent from Forreign parts.
There being a diſturbance amongſt the people, he ſaid, I am amuſed, I muſt break off, things are true.
But the tumult being appeaſed, he went on, ſaying,
SECT. VI.
As concerning my Accuſers I ſhall not ſay much, I do forgive them, and I pray God forgive them alſo; yet what the Evangeliſt obſerves concerning Chriſts Accuſers, I may without vanity or falſhood ſay of mine, that they did not agree among themſelves; yea not onelyonly contradicting one another, but ſometimes a Witneſs contradict himſelf. And though their Teſtimony did condemn my perſon, yet I have condemned their Teſtimony; and truly there are many remarkable Circumſtances that I might take notice of, either in, or before, or ſince the Trial, that might be worthy obſervation; but I will not inſiſt upon them, onelyonly in the general; I will name none of them, in the general ſome of them have ſent to me to pray me to forgive them the wrong they have done me. One of them hath written to me under his own hand, to pray me to forgive him the wrong he hath done me; And told me withal, That that day that I ſhould die a violent death, his life would be no comfort to him, becauſe he was an Inſtrument in taking away mine. Others of my witneſſes, they were ſome terrified before they would teſtifie, ſome hired, ſome fined before they would bear witneſs againſt me, but I will forgive them.
SECT. VII.
As concerning my Judges, I will not judge them, and yet I will not juſtifie them, I believe (I will ſay but this of them) That what moved (John Baptiſt what moved) Herod to cut off John Baptiſts head, moved them to cut off mine, and that was for his Oaths ſake John Baptiſt [meaning Herod] to avoid perjury, he would commit murther, whereas if John Baptiſts head had been upon his ſhoulders, he would have been guilty of neither.
SECT. VIII.
I have ſomething in the ſecond place to speak concerning my ſelf, and then I ſhall come briefly to a Concluſion. Concerning my ſelf, I have gone through various reports: There are many Sons of ſlander, whoſe mouths are as open Sepulchres to bury my Name before my friends can bury my body. My comfort is, there will be a Reſurrection of Names as well as Bodies at the laſt Day; God will not onelyonly wipe off tears from mine eyes this day, but wipe off all blots and reproaches from my Name before many days be over; And though my Body will ſoon rot under ground, yet my hope is, my Name will not rot above it: I am not ignorant what Calumnies are caſt upon me, and more likely to be after I am dead and gone. The very night before my intended Execution the laſt monethmonth, there was an inſulting Letter written to me to tell me, that after I was dead there ſhould be ſomething publiſhed against me to my ſhame; I hope you will have ſo much charity as not to believe Reproaches caſt upon a dead man, who will be ſilent in the grave, and not able to ſpeak a word in his own juſtification. I am aſperſed both as to my Practices, and as to my Principles.
SECT. IX.
I ſhall begin with the firſt: There are five Asperſions as to my practices that are laid upon me; Firſt, That I am a Lyar, that I am an Extortioner, that I am an Adulterer, that I am a Murtherer, and that I am a turbulent perſon; crimes ſcandalous in any man, but much more abominable in a Miniſter.
Now I hope you will believe a dying man, who dare not look God in the face with a lye in his mouth. I am accuſed of lying, that what I denied before the High Court of Juſtice, that afterwards I ſhould confeſs, or elſe was proved againſt me: Now in the preſence of God I tell you, as I would confeſs nothing that was criminal, ſo I did deny nothing that was true, and that I might ſeal it to you with my blood; what I did deny, the proteſtations I made before the High Court, I make them briefly now, That I never writ Letter to the King, Queen, Church or State of Scotland, or to any particular perſon of the Scotiſh Nation ſince the Wars began to this day: That I never received any Letter writ to me, either from the King, or from the Queen, or from the Church or State of Scotland, or from any particular perſon of the Scotiſh Nation ſince the Wars began to this day: That I never collected, gave or lent one peny of money, either to the King, Queen, Church or State of Scotland, or to any particular perſon to ſend into Scotland, to any particular perſon of the Scotiſh Nation to this day. It is true, I confeſſed though it was not proved, and happily upon that ground the miſtake might riſe, I did give money to Maſſey, but he is of the Engliſh not of the Scotiſh Nation, and I did write a Letter to him, but he is of the Engliſh not of the Scotiſh Nation. That for which I here come, is for moving onelyonly for money for him, and for being preſent when Letters were read from him and others; and I am ſo far (though man hath condemned me) from thinking that either God or my own Conſcience condemns me for a ſin in what I am condemned for, that God and my own Conſcience acquits me; and what I ſaid at the Bar when I received my Sentence that now is to be executed, I ſhall ſay now upon the Scaffold, That for the things I am condemned, neither doth God nor my own Conſcience condemn me.
SECT. X.
The next particular, I am accuſed to be an Extortioner, and this is in the mouths, I am loth to name them becauſe I would not ſhew rancor, but I am charged as if I ſhould be a grievous Extortioner, to receive 30 l. for the loan of 300. beſides 8 l. in the hundred for intereſt, which in the preſence of God, and of you all, I do declare to you, is a moſt notorious and an abominable falſhood. I am accuſed likewiſe to be an Adulterer: and that this Report it is not in the mouths of mean men, but in the mouths of thoſe that ſit at ſtern, as if I were a debauched perſon, and were guilty of uncleanneſs. Now I tell you through the grace of God, as Luther ſaid of himſelf in another caſe, That he was not tempted to Covetouſneſs, through the grace of God I can ſay, I was not tempted in all my life to uncleanneſs. It doth not much grieve me though theſe ſlanders lye upon me: I know my betters have been worſe accuſed before me. Athanaſius he was accuſed by two harlets that he had committed folly with them, and yet the man was chaſte and innocent. Beza was charged not onelyonly of Drunkenneſs, but of Laſciviouſneſs alſo, and many others have been accuſed with the ſame, if not worſe ſlanders then I have been.
SECT. XI.
But that which goes neareſt my heart, I am accuſed to be a Murtherer alſo, and this is a Charge high indeed; I am charged with the guilt of all the Blood of Scotland, whereas if I did lie under the guilt of one drop of blood, I could not look upon you with ſo chearful a Countenance, and I could not be filled with ſo peaceable a Heart and Conſcience as I am at this day, I bleſs my God I am free from the blood of all: indeed thoſe who lay this to my charge, they do to me as Nero did to the Chriſtians, he put Rome on fire, and then charged the Chriſtians with it: ſo they put England and Scotland into a flame, and yet charge me with the guilt of that Blood, who have poured tears to God night and day to quench the burning which ſome mens Ambition and Luſts have kindled. I would fain know of any man what act it is I have done, what was it was proved in the High Court againſt me to make me guilty of Scotland's blood? Did I ever invite the Scots to invade England? what man did lay that to my charge? Did I ever encourage our Engliſh Army to invade Scotland? what action is it that I have done that makes me guilty of the blood? Indeed this I have done, and this I own, and this I ſtand to; I have as a private man prayed unto God many a day, and kept many a Faſt, wherein I have ſought God, that there might be an Agreement between the King and the Scots upon the intereſt of Religion, and the terms of the Covenant. Now by what conſequence can this be ſtrained to charge me with Scotland's blood? For my part, I was but onelyonly at one Meeting where that Question was propoſed (Faſts onelyonly excepted) what ſhould be thought fit to be done to promote the Agreement between the King and the Scots, and that was moved in my houſe, and to that end when there were ſome things there produced which they called a Commiſſion and Inſtructions to ſend to Holland; as ſoon as ever I heard them, I did declare againſt them: I did declare that private perſons, it was an act of high preſumption for private perſons to commiſſionate, and an act of notorious falſhood to ſay, it was in the Name of the Preſbyterian Party, when none knew of it as I know, but onelyonly thoſe few that were then preſent. Now this is onelyonly a politique Engine to make the Presbyterian Party odious, who are the beſt friends to a wellordered Government of any ſort of people in the world.
SECT. XII.
I am accuſed likewiſe to be a man of a turbulent ſpirit, to be an enemy to the Peace and Quiet of the Nation. Now to this I would be judged, let my Congregational and my Domeſtical Relations judge for me, whether I am not a man that would fain have lived quiet in the Land: I am, as Jeremy was, born a man of contention, not actively, I contend, I ſtrive with none, but paſſively, many ſtrive and contend with me; God is my witneſs, my judgement hath put me upon endeavors after all honorable and juſt ways, for peace and love among the godly. The grief of my heart hath been for the Diviſion, and the deſire of my ſoul for a Ʋnion amongſt Gods People. And when I ſpeak of a union, I would not be miſunderſtood: I do not mean a State-union to engage to the preſent Power, that is againſt my Principle, that is to ſay, a Confederacy with them that ſay a Confederacy, that is rather a Combination then a Gospel-union. Thoſe who have gotten Power into their hands by Policy, and uſe it by Cruelty, they will loſe it with Ignominy.
Sher. Titchhurn.
Sir, be modeſt: I am not able to endure this, indeed I am not.
Love.
Sir, I ſhall look God in the face with what I ſay. (Beloved) I am afraid of your Ʋnion which I plead for, to wit, a Church-union (I am ſtopped in many things) a Church union, to wit, love among the Godly. This is it the deſires of my ſoul have been ever for, that thoſe that fear God might walk hand in hand in the fellowſhip of the Gospel, both in truth and love: if this Ʋnion be not, I am afraid through our diviſions a company of looſe Libertines will riſe, who will endeavor not onelyonly to overthrow Doctrines of Faith and Religion and Maners (but then correcting himſelf, he ſaid) Doctrines of Faith and the power of Godlineſs, but even good Maners alſo. I remember an obſervation of Holy Greenham, giving his judgement upon the State of England, he ſaid thus, There is a great fear of Popery coming into England; I fear that too; but I fear more the coming of Atheiſm into England, then the coming in of Popery; and truly that is my fear alſo. Thus as to my practices.
SECT. XIII.
A word now as to my Principles.
I am accuſed to be an Apoſtate, to be a Turn-coat, to be this, to be that, to be any thing, but what I am. In the General I will tell you, That I bleſs my God, an High Court, a long Sword, a bloody Scaffold, hath not made me in the leaſt to alter my Principles, or to wrong my Conſcience. And that I might diſcover to you my Principles, I hope I ſhall do it with freedom; I will iritate and provoke none; what I ſhall ſay, ſhall not be an iritation, or provocation of others, (at leaſt not intended by me) but onelyonly as a genuine and clear Manifeſtation of my Principles how they ſtand.
Firſt, Then my Principles; As to Civil and Religious Affairs, I declare, That I die with my Judgement ſet againſt Malignity, I do hate both name and thing; I ſtill retain as vehement a deteſtation of a Malignant Intereſt, as ever I did; yet I would not be miſunderſtood: I do not count the Godly party, our Covenanting Brethren in Scotland, I do not count them a Malignant party; nor their defending their Nation, and Title to their King, to be a Malignant Intereſt, but an honeſt and a juſtifiable Cauſe.
SECT. XIV.
Secondly, I am of this Judgement (though I am againſt Malignity) yet I am not againſt, but for, a Regulated Monarchy; a mixt Monarchy, as ours was, I judge to be one of the beſt Governments in the world: I did (it is true) oppoſe in my Place and Calling, the Forces of the late King, and were he alive again, and ſhould I live longer, the Cauſe being as then it was, I ſhould oppoſe him longer. I did oppoſe his Forces, but never was againſt the Office: I do as much hate Court Paraſites, who would ſcrew up Monarchy into Tyranny, as thoſe who pull it down to bring in Anarchy: I was never.
Thirdly, I was never for putting the King to death, whoſe Perſon I did promiſe in my Covenant to preſerve. It is true, I did in my Place and Calling, oppoſe his Forces, but I did never endeavor to deſtroy his Perſon. There is a ſcandal raiſed of me, That in a Sermon at Windſor I ſhould have theſe words, [That it would never be well with England, till the King were let blood upon the Neck-Vein] Which in the preſence of God, and of you all, I never ſpake ſuch words, as relating to him, though my judgement then was, and ſtill is, for bringing Malignants, who did ſeduce him and draw him from the Parliament, to condign puniſhment. I deem it an ill way to cure the Body Politique, by cutting off the Political Head.
SECT. XV.
Fourthly, I die with my Judgement not ſatisfied to take the Ingagement, I pray God forgive them that impoſe it, and ſubſcribe it, and preſerve thoſe that refuſe it.
I would not (in the next place) be looked upon (now I am a dying man) I would not be looked upon as a man owning this preſent Government, I die with my Judgement againſt it. It is true, in a Caſe of Life, I did Petition the preſent Power, and did give them the Titles they take to themſelves, and other men give them; but herein I did not wrong, nor croſs my Principles: There are many Inſtances in the Scripture to juſtifie this; Huſhai did give the Title to Abſolon, though Abſolon had no right to the Title: David was the lawful King, and David himſelf gave him the Title as well as Huſhai: And Calvin he gave a Title to the French King, calling him Rex Chriſtianiſſimus, The moſt Chriſtian King; yet he knew he was a Papiſt: And we gave a Title to King Henry the eighth, to call him, The Defender of the Faith; and yet he had no right to the Title; he was an Oppoſer, not a Defender of the Faith: The Title was given him upon an evil ground, becauſe he oppoſed the Faith; he oppoſed the Doctrine of Luther, and therefore the Pope gave him that Title [The Defender of the Faith] and yet none did ſcruple to give him the Title that was then commonly given him.
SECT. XVI.
In the next place, I diſcover my Judgement; I provoke none, onelyonly tell you what my own thoughts are, That ſo after I am dead and gone, I might not be belied; for I dare not now bely my Principles: My Judgement is againſt the Invaſion of the Scotiſh Nation by our Engliſh Army: They who gave us a friendly Aſſiſtance, who were joyned with us in the ſame Covenant, who drew a Sword with us in the ſame Quarrel; ſhould I live a thouſand years, I ſhould never draw a Sword againſt them in all my life. Scotland may ſay as it was ſaid of Edom, The men of my Confederacy that were at Peace with me, have riſen up againſt me, deceived me and prevailed againſt me. Becauſe Scotland will not be a Commonwealth, they ſhall not be a people; becauſe they will not break Covenants, ſome men would have them broken; becauſe they will not lay their Conſciences waſte, their Land muſt be laid waſte.
Laſtly, And ſo I have done, onelyonly with a word of Exhortation. I die cleaving to all thoſe Oaths, Vows, Covenants and Proteſtations, that were impoſed by the Two Houſes of Parliament, as owning them, and dying with my Judgement for them: The Vow and Covenant, The Proteſtation, The Solemn League and Covenant: And this I tell you all, I had rather die a Covenant keeper, then live a Covenant breaker.
SECT. XVII.
I have onelyonly, now I am come to the third and laſt part of my Speech, and ſo I ſhall have done, and commit my Soul unto God who gave it, My Exhortation, it ſhall be to this great City; unto the Godly Miniſtry of it, and unto my own Congregation, from whom death hath parted me, which nothing elſe could.
To the City, I wiſh an affluence and a confluence of all Bleſſings upon it; and yet I fear gray hairs, as the Symptoms of a Declenſion, are here and there upon it; yet ſhe knows it not. O London, London! God is ſtaining the pride of all thy Glory; thy Glory is flying away like a Bird; contempt of the Miniſtry; oppoſition againſt Reformation; general Apoſtacy; Covenant breaking hath brought London low, and I fear will bring it lower: I tremble to think what evils are coming upon it. This City, it is the Receptacle of all Errors, That as your Commodities have been vented and ſpread from hence into every corner of the Land, ſo hath Hereſies and Blasphemies had their firſt riſe from this great and populous City, and ſpread into all the Country.
SECT. XVIII.
To the Inhabitants of this City, I commend but theſe few Particulars.
Firſt, Let me beg you to love your painful and your godly Miniſters, if they be taken away, you are like to have worſe come in their rooms: I know the Preſbyterian Miniſters are the great eye-ſore, who have formerly been counted the Chariots, and the Horſmen of Iſrael. But I will ſay to London, as was ſaid to Leyden, That after Junius was taken away (an Orthodox Miniſter) Arminius that peſtilent Heretick came in his room; if your godly Miniſters (as there are ten already at one blow taken from you) if they be taken away, Arminians, Anabaptiſts, nay Jeſuits are like to ſupply their rooms, if God in mercy prevent not.
Secondly, Submit your ſelves to Church-Government, that would lay a curb and reſtraint upon your luſts, it is a golden, and an eaſie yoke, to which if you do not ſubmit, God may lay an heavier, an iron yoke upon your necks.
SECT. XIX.
Thirdly, Take heed of thoſe Doctrines that come under the Notion of New Lights; I have judged that thoſe Doctrines you ought to ſuspect whether they be true, when the brocher of them ſaith it is New; for Truth, it is as old as the Bible: A remarkable paſſage I would ſuggeſt unto you, in Deut. 32. it is ſaid there, They choſe them new gods, that were newly sprung up; what were theſe new gods? the next words tell you, they were old devils, they ſacrificed to devils, not to God: Now their Sacrificing to the old Devil, it was called a Sacrificing (to deceive the People) to new gods that were newly come up; new gods, they were but the old devils: So I ſay of many of thoſe things that go under the notion of New Lights, it is but old darkneſs, old Hereſies raked out of the Dunghil, which were buried in former ages in the Church, with contempt and reproach many hundred years ago. Again,
SECT. XX.
Fourthly, Bewail your great loſs that you have in the taking away of ſo many Miniſters out of your City: there are ten Miniſters (if I miſtake not) that are taken away and removed in one blow; thoſe who were burning and ſhining Lights in their ſeveral Candleſticks, and bright Stars in their ſeveral Orbs; though I am not worthy of the world, therefore I am taken out of it; yet as for my ſuffering Brethren who are now in Bonds and Baniſhment, the world is not worthy of them.
Again, in the next place, take heed how you be forward in ingaging in a War with your godly Brethren in the Scotiſh Nation; for my part, I have oppoſed the Tyranny of a King, but I never oppoſed the Title: take heed what you do.
SECT. XXI.
I have ſomething in the next place to ſpeak to the godly Miniſtery of this City, were it not that I were a dying man, I would not ſpeak to ſuch reverend and grave men; I would, as Elihu being but a yong man, I would ſay, Multitudes of years ſhould teach wiſdom, and I would hold my tongue; but the words of a dying man take, whether they be diſcreet or no, or ſo well ordered and managed or no; for them, I would firſt deſire God to ſhew them mercy, they that have begged for mercy for me at the day of my death, I will beg but this of them, That as they have not been aſhamed of my Chain, ſo they would now wax confident by my Bonds and by my Blood; I know they are maligned and threatned, yet my Prayer is for them, that in Acts 4. 29. Now Lord, behold their threatnings, and grant that thy Servants may Preach thy word with all boldneſs: Though I am but yong, yet I will offer my yong experience to my grave Fathers and Brethren, and that is this; Now I am to dye, I have abundant peace in my own Conſcience, that I have ſet my ſelf againſt the Sins and Apoſtacies of this preſent Age: It is true, my faithfulneſs hath procured me ill will from men, but it hath purchaſed me peace with God, I have lived in peace, and I ſhall dye in peace: That which I have to beſeech of the Miniſters, is this, To beg them to keep up Church-Government: Whatſoever God doth with the Governments of the world, turning Kingdoms upſide down, yet the Government of the Church will ſtand; And of all Governments, I dye with this perſwaſion, That the Preſbyterial Government makes moſt for Purity and Ʋnity throughout the Churches of the Saints: I would beg them therefore to keep up Church-Government; That they would not let their Elderſhips fall; That they would take heed of too general Admiſſions to the Lords-Supper; That they be not too prodigal of the Blood of Chriſt, by too general Admiſsions of men to partake of the Supper, that Sealing Ordinance: And now I am ſpeaking to them, I ſhall ſpeak a word of them, and ſo I have done.
SECT. XXII.
I have heard many clamors ſince I came to Priſon, as if that Plot (which it is called) that I am condemned for, as if all the City Miniſters they were engaged in this Deſign, which as a dying man I tell you, That all the Miniſters that were preſent at the meeting, and had a hand in that buſineſs for which I am to be put to death, all thoſe Miniſters, they are either in Priſon, or they are diſcovered already; and therefore, I do here upon my death free the Miniſters of the City, That thoſe who are not yet in trouble, nor diſcovered to the Committee of Examinations, none of them had a hand in that buſineſs in which I was ingaged, in which my conſcience doth tell me I have not ſinned.
SECT. XXIII.
I have now (I have done immediatly, for I would fain be at my Fathers houſe) but a word to ſpeak to my own Congregation, and I do return praiſes unto God, and thanksgiving unto him, for the love I have had from them; I found them a ſolid and a judicious people, and many of them Religious: The Miniſtery of that learned man Mr. Anthony Burges did much good amongſt them, though I have cauſe to be humbled, my weak Miniſtery did but little; they afforded me a great deal of love, and a liberal maintenance: And this is all I deſire of them, That they would chuſe a godly, learned, and an Orthodox Miniſter to ſucceed; it would be a great comfort to me before I go to Heaven, if I had this perſwaſion, that a learned, Orthodox, godly man ſhould fill that Pulpit. And for encouragement to any godly Miniſter, whoſe lot it ſhall be to ſucceed me, I will ſay this to him, That he will have as comfortable a livelihood, and as loving a people, as any people in London, a few only excepted;) I had as much ſatisfaction amongst them, as ever I had in any condition in all my life, and ſhould never have parted from them, had not now death parted us, to which I do ſubmit with all Chriſtian meekneſs and cheerfulneſs.
SECT. XXIV.
I am now drawing to an end of my …peech, and to an end of my life together: But before I do expire my laſt breath, I ſhall deſire to juſtifie God, and to condemn my ſelf. Here I come to that which you call an untimely end, and a ſhameful death; but bleſſed be God, it is my glory, and it is my comfort; I ſhall juſtifie God; he is righteous, becauſe I have ſinned; he is righteous, though he doth cut me off in the midſt of my days, and in the midſt of my Miniſtry. I cannot complain that Complaint in the Pſalmiſt, in the 44 Pſalm, Thou ſelleſt thy people for nought, and doſt not increaſe thy wealth by their price. My blood it ſhall not be ſpilt for nought; I may do more good by my death, then by my life, and glorifie God more in dying upon a Scaffold, then if I had dyed of a Diſeaſe upon my bed. I bleſs my God I have not the leaſt trouble upon my ſpirit; but I dye with as much quietneſs of mind, lie down I hope I ſhall upon the Block, as if I were going to lie down upon my Bed to take my reſt. I ſee men hunger after my fleſh, and thirſt after my blood, which will hasten my happineſs, and their ruine, and greaten their guilt: For though I am a man of an obſcure Family, of mean Parentage, ſo that my blood is not as the blood of Nobles; yet I will ſay, mine is a Chriſtians blood, a Miniſters blood, yea it is innocent blood alſo: My blood, my body, my dead body, it will be a morſel which I believe will hardly be digeſted, and my blood it will be bad food for this Infant Commonwealth (as Mr Prideaux called it) for this Infant Commonwealth to ſuck on: Mine is not Malignant blood, though here I am brought as a grievous and a notorious Offender.
SECT. XXV.
Now Beloved, I ſhall not only juſtifie God (as I do without a Complement,) for he is very Just, that my Priſon was not my Hell, that this Scaffold is not the bottomleſs pit, I have deſerved both, I have deſerved it: I do not only juſtifie God, but I deſire this day to magnifie God, to magnifie the riches of his glorious grace, that ſuch a one as I, born in an obſcure Country in Wales, of obſcure Parents, that God ſhould look upon me, and ſingle me out from among all my kinred, ſingle me out to be an Object of his everlaſting Love; that when for the first fourteen years of my life I never heard a Sermon, and yet in the fifteenth year of my life, God through his grace did convert me: And I here ſpeak it without vanity (what ſhould a dying man be proud of?) for theſe twenty years, though I am accuſed of many ſcandalous evils, I ſpeak it to the praiſe and glory of my God, for theſe twenty years God hath kept me, I have not fallen into a ſcandalous ſin; I have laboured to keep a good Conſcience from my youth up: I magnifie his grace, that he hath not only made me a Christian, but made me a Miniſter, judged me faithful, and put me into the Ministry; and though the Office be troden upon, and be diſgraced, yet it is my glory, that I dye a despiſed Miniſter: I had rather be a Preacher in a Pulpit, then a Prince upon a Throne; I had rather be an Inſtrument to bring Souls to Heaven, then to have all the Nations to bring in tribute to me. I am not only a Chriſtian, and a Preacher, but, what ever men judg me, I am a Martyr too, I ſpeak it without vanity: Would I have renounced my Covenant, and debauched my Conſcience, and ventured my Soul, there might have been more hopes of ſaving my life, that I ſhould not have come to this place: but bleſſed be my God, I have made the best choyce, I have choſe affliction rather then Sin; and therefore welcome Scaffold, and welcome Ax, and welcome Death, welcome Block, welcome all, becauſe it will ſend me to my Fathers Houſe.
SECT. XXVI.
I have great cauſe to magnifie Gods Grace, that he hath ſtood by me during my impriſonment: It hath been a time of no little temptation to me; and yet, bleſſed be his grace, he hath ſtrengthened, and ſtood by me: I magnifie his grace, that though now I come to dye a violent death, yet that death is not a terror to me; through the blood of ſprinkling the fear of Death is taken out of my heart: God is not a terror to me, therefore Death is not dreadful to me. I bleſs my God (I ſpeak it without vanity) I have formerly had more fear in the drawing of a tooth, then now I have in the cutting off my Head. I was for ſome years, five or ſix, under a ſpirit of bondage, and did fear Death exceedingly; but then when the fear of Death was upon me, Death was not neer me: but now Death is neer me, (bleſſed be my Saviour) he hath the ſting of Death in his own ſides, and ſo makes the grave a bed of reſt to me; and makes Death, the laſt Enemy, to be a friend, though he be a grim friend. I bleſs God further, that though I am to be caſt out of the world; I bleſs my God, though men judg me to be caſt out of the world; yet that God hath not caſt me out of the hearts and prayers of his people. I had rather be caſt out of the world, then be caſt out of the heart of any godly man. Some think me (it is true) not worthy to live, and yet others judg, I do not deſerve to dye; but God will judg all men, I will judg none.
SECT. XXVII.
I have now done; I have no more to ſay, but to deſire the help of all your prayers, that God would give me the continuance and ſupply of divine grace to carry me through this great work that I am now to do; That I, who am to do a work I never did, I may have a ſtrength that I never had; That I may put off this Body with as much quietneſs and comfort of minde, as ever I put off my clothes to go to bed. And now I am to commend my Soul to God, and to receive my fatal blow: I am comforted in this, though men kill me, they cannot damn me; and though they thruſt me out of the world, yet they cannot ſhut me out of Heaven. I am now going to my long home, and you are going to your ſhort homes: but I will tell you, I ſhall be at home before you; I ſhall be at Heaven, my Fathers houſe, before you will be at your own Houſes. Now I am going to the Heavenly Jeruſalem, to the innumerable company of Angels, to Jeſus Chriſt the Mediator of the new Covenant, to the ſpirits of all men made perfect, to God the judg of all; in whoſe preſence there is fulneſs of joy, and at whoſe right hand there are pleaſures for evermore.
I ſhall conclude.
But then Mr Sheriff Tichburn telling him, that the words were, the ſpirits of juſt men made perfect.
Love. He then corrected himſelf, ſaying, To the ſpirits of juſt men made perfect, and to God the Judg of all; in whoſe preſence there is fulneſs of joy, and in whoſe right hand there are pleaſures for evermore.
SECT. XXVIII.
I conclude with that ſpeech of the Apoſtle: I am now (in 2 Tim. 4. 6, 7. I am now) to be offered up, and the time of my departure is at hand; but I have finiſhed my courſe, I have kept the Faith; Henceforth there is a crown of righteouſneſs layd up for me; and not for me onelyonly, but for all them that love the appearing of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt; through whoſe blood (when I have ſhed my blood) I expect Salvation, and remiſſion of ſins. And ſo the Lord bleſs you all.
Then turning to Mr Sheriff, he ſaid;
May I pray?
Sheriff Tichburn.
Yes: but conſider the time.
Love.
I have done Sir.
Then turning to the people, he ſaid; Beloved, I will but pray a little while with you, to commend my Soul to God, and I have done.
Then Mr Aſh told him:
Mr Aſh.
The Houſe is riſen, and therefore—
Love.
To which Mr Love anſwered, I, I, Sir.
After which he prayed with an audible voyce, ſaying,
SECT. XXIX. Mr Love's Prayer.
MOſt Glorious and Eternal Majeſty, Thou art righteous and holy in all thou dost to the ſons of men; though thou haſt ſuffered men to condemn thy ſervant, thy ſervant will not condemn thee; He juſtifieth thee, though thou cutteſt him off in the midſt of his days, and in the midſt of his Miniſtry; bleſſing thy glorious Name, that though his name be taken away from the Land of the Living, that yet he is not blotted out of the Book of the Living. Father, my hour is come; thy poor creature can ſay without vanity and falſhood, he hath deſired to glorifie thee upon Earth; glorifie thou now him in Heaven. He hath deſired to bring the Souls of other men to Heaven; let his Soul be brought to Heaven. O thou bleſſed God, whom thy Creature hath ſerved, who hath made thee his hope, and his confidence from his youth; forſake him not, now he is drawing nigh to thee; now he is in the valley of the ſhadow of death, Lord be thou life to him; ſmile thou upon him, while men frown on him. Lord, thou haſt ſetled this perſwaſion in his heart, That as ſoon as ever the blow is given, to divide his Head from his Body, he ſhall be united to his Head in Heaven. Bleſſed be God that thy ſervant dyes in thoſe hopes. Bleſſed be God, that thou haſt filled the ſoul of thy ſervant with joy and peace in beleeving. O Lord, think upon that poor Brother of mine, that is a companion in tribulation with me, who is this day to loſe his life as well as I: O fill him full of the joy of the Holy Ghoſt, when he is to give up the ghoſt: Lord, ſtrengthen our hearts, that we may give up the ghoſt with joy, and not with grief. We intreat thee, O Lord, think upon thy poor Churches: O that England might live in thy ſight; and O that London might be a faithful City to thee; that righteouſneſs might be amongst them: that ſo peace and plenty may be within their walls, and righteouſneſs within their habitation. Lord, heal the breaches of this poor Nation. Make England and Scotland as one ſtaff in the Lords hand; that Ephraim might not envy Judah, nor Judah vex Ephraim; but that both might flee upon the ſhoulders of the Philiſtins: that men of the Proteſtant Religion, engaged in the ſame Cauſe and Covenant, might not delight to ſpill each others blood, but might engage againſt the common Adverſaries of our Religion and Liberties. God ſhew mercy to all that fear him.
SECT. XXX.
Think upon our Covenant-keeping Brethren in the Kingdom of Scotland, keep them faithful to thee, and let not them that have invaded them overspread their whole Land: Prevent the ſhedding of more Chriſtian Blood, if it ſeem good in thine eyes. God, ſhew mercy to thy poor Servant who is here now giving up the ghost. O bleſſed Jeſus, apply thy Blood, not only for my Juſtification unto life, but alſo for my comfort, for the quieting of my Soul, that ſo I might be in the joys of Heaven before I come to a poſſeſſion of Heaven. Hear the prayers of all thy people that have been made for thy Servant: and though thou haſt denyed prayer as to the particular requeſt concerning my life, yet let herein the fruit of prayer be ſeen, that thou wilt bear up my heart againſt the fear of death. God ſhew mercy to all that fear him: Shew mercy to all that have engaged for the life of thy Servant, let them have mercy at the day of their appearing before Jeſus Christ. Preſerve thou a godly Miniſtry in this Nation, and reſtore a godly Miniſtry, and cauſe yet good days to be the heritage of thy people, for the Lords ſake. Now Lord into thy hands thy Servant committeth his ſpirit: And though he may not with Steven ſee the Heavens opened, let him have the Heavens opened; and though he may not ſee upon a Scaffold the Son of God ſtanding at the right hand of God, yet let him come to the glorified Body of Jeſus Chriſt, and this hour have an intellectual ſight of the glorified Body of his Saviour. Lord Jeſus receive my ſpirit, and Lord Ieſus ſtand by me thy dying Servant, who hath endeavored in his life time to ſtand for thee. Lord hear, pardon all his infirmities, wipe away his iniquities by the blood of Chriſt, wipe off reproaches from his name, wipe off guilt from his perſon, and receive him pure, and ſpotleſs, and blameleſs before thee in love: And all this we beg for the ſake of Ieſus Chriſt. Amen and Amen.
SECT. XXXI.
Mr Aſh.
You make a Chriſtian end I hope.
Mr Love.
I, I, bleſs God.
Then turning to Mr Sheriff Tichburn, ſaid, I thank you for this kindneſs; Sir, you have expreſſed a great deal of kindneſs to me: Well, I go from a Block to the boſom of my Saviour.
Then he asked, Where is the Executioner?
When the Executioner came forward, he ſaid, Art thou the Officer?
Executioner.
Yes.
Love.
Then lifting up his eyes, he ſaid, O bleſſed Ieſus, that hath kept me from the hurt of death, and from the fear of death. O bleſſed be God, bleſſed be God.
And taking his leave of the Miniſters, he ſaid;
Love.
The Lord be with you all.
And taking leave of Sheriff Tichburn, he kiſſed his hand.
Then he kneeled down, and made a ſhort prayer privately.
Then after riſing up, he ſaid, Bleſſed be God, I am full of joy and peace in beleeving; I lie down with a world of comfort, as if I were to lie down in my Bed. My Bed is but a ſhort ſleep, and this Death is a long ſleep, where I ſhall reſt in Abrahams boſom, and in the embraces of the Lord Jeſus.
And then ſaying, The Lord bleſs you, he layd himſelf down upon the Scaffold, with his Head ove the Block: And when he ſtretched forth his hands, the Executioner cut off his Head at one blow.