M r. LOVE His Funeral SERMON, PREACHED By himself on the Scaffold on Tower Hill, in the hearing of many thousand people, on Friday the two and twentieth day of this instant August.
Divided into three parts;
- 1. The Matter for which he suffered,
- 2. The Cleering or Justifying of himself.
- 3. His Exhortation to the People.
WITH His Prayer immediately before his head was severed from his body; and other Remarkable Passages about his Death.
Published for general satisfaction.
LONDON, Printed by Robert Wood, 1651.
BEfore I enter upon the substance of Mr Love's last Sermon or Speech upon the Scaffold, thou art to take notice of the Parliaments lenity, in respiting his Execution near upon 6 weeks after the time first limited or appointed for him to suffer. During which time (though much means was used to save his life by others) himself continued in his former way of justification of his own innocency, notwithstanding the testimony of 8 Witnesses at his trial, against whom could be no exception. So that for his own part in stead of using laudable means to preserve his life, he rather (to outward appearance at the least) did chuse to die without without giving reall satisfaction to the world, that it was not as well to satisfie his own obstinate will, as justly to suffer the sentence renounced against him.
On Tuesday last the Parliament ordered that Mr. Love should be no longer reprieved, and that the High Court of Justice should have notice of this order, whereupon the High-Court of Justice met on Wednesday signed warrants. for his execution on Fryday following, between the hours of twelve at noon, and six at night.
[Page 2] In pursuance of which Warrants, the Lievtenant of the Tower this present Friday being the twenty two of August, delivered him to the Sheriffs of London at the Tower Gate, from whence being accompanied along by Mr. Calomy, he came to the Scaffold on the Tower Hill; and being upon the Scaffold, after he had saluted many friends thereon, he turned himself to the people, and leaning over the Rayle amongst others, he uttered these words following.
Mr. LOVE his Funeral Sermon, or an abstract of his last words upon the Scaffold on Tower Hill immediately before his Execution on Friday the twenty two of August, 1651.
BEfore I lay my Neck upon the Block, I shall say some thing concerning the occasion of my coming hither as you see this day. Then he said he should divide that which he had to declare into three parts.
[Page 3] First, touching the matter for which he suffered.
Secondly, the cleering of himself.
And thirdly, The discharging of himself of all kind of ranker or hatred against any; with some Exhortations to the people.
He persisted in the same way as he was in dureing his Tryall, taking God to record, That he wrote no Letters, or gave direction for any to be written; Yet it was proved, and acknowledged by himself, That he did see Letters written, and was privy to their sending away.
He likewise called God to Record, That he collected no money for the Scots design; yet was there money collected and laid down before him, and afterwards sent away: and if this kind of equivocating can cleer him of the guilt, let any indifferent man judge; yet he said there was not any one thing prooved against him which was capital.
He instanced many Scriptures, and compared himself by way of Innocency, to Ieremiah, saying, That he was as guiltlesse as that Prophet who was charged (though in another case) with Conspirancy. He said it had been the lot of many of the Saints of God to be beheaded, and freely forgave all his prosecutors, saying, That the worst he wisht to any of them, was, That their soules might meet him in heaven.
[Page 4] Mr, Love also said that the Scaffold was the best Pulpit that ever he preached in, in all his life; for that from thence he should not descend but ascend and mount up into heaven.
One thing more very observable is that although he denied compliancy with the Scots by writing or supply of money; yet he confessed that he had both written to Major Gen. Massey, and sent money to him.
He exhorts the people in a general way, to the service of God, and so concluded with this prayer. Mr. Love having ended his speech or sermon, began his prayer standing at the rail thus.
‘O Lord God I thy unwor [...]hy creature being at the last g [...]sp of breath do here humbly prostrate my self unto thee hoping in the merits of Jesus Christ my Saviou [...] [...]d Redeemer that thou wilt have mercy on m [...], [...]nd [...] beseech thee not onely for my self but for him that is to die with me, and I hope my prayers will prevail as our saviour did for the theef upon the Crosse, and that thou wilt be so mercifull to us, that we may both meet in thy eternal Kingdome I do here declare as a dying man that I have always been for magist [...]acy and government, and do humbly beseech thee that thou wilt not lay to the charge of this people their slightning of the [Page 5] Ministry of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and trampling down his Ministers, I do freely from my soul forgive all the world, as I desire God for Christs his sake to forgive me.’
Much more to this effect was uttered by him; and his prayer being ended, he immediately began t [...] unbutton the collor of his Doublet, and turning about, came to the Sheriff, bowed very low to him, and shaking him by the hand, took his leave of him: He then laid his hand, upon the Executioner, saying, Friend, I forgive thee. Then his Doublet being off, he put up his hair under his Cap, and at once settling himself down on the Block, he presently (without raising himself again) gave the signal, with which the Executioner severed his head from his body at one blow.
His body was presently taken up, and put into a Coffin ready prepared, and carried to his own house: Mr. Dun the Chirurgian went with it, and afterwards sowed the Head to the body.
After th [...]s Mr. Gibbons was brought upon the Scaffold, he was about four or fi [...]ve and twenty years of age, and he formerly [Page 6] had been servant to Mr. Hollis, he made a speech to the people confessing and saying, that he had been misled by wicked councellors, and seemed very pennitent and sorrowful that he had falsly betrayed his trust; he made many stops, the tears trickling down his c [...]eek [...], he made this confession of his henious crime and guilt, (as he said) to clear his conscience, and to the end that the world might take notice thereof, and take warning, and that no aspersion fall on himself or or others after his death. He took notice of Mr. Loves being executed before him, and said, that he was confident he was with his Saviour, with whom he had sure and confident hopes to be within few minuits: Yet towards the conclusion of his speech, some words passed from him which savored of ranckor, for which he was gently admonished by the Shreiff, and when had made an end of his speech he made a short prayer, recommending his soul into the hands of Jesus Christ and so committed himself to the block.