Mr. Love being brought upon the Scaffold by the Sheriffe, Mr Sheriff Titchburn shewed him the Warrant directed to the Sheriffs of London for his Execution, telling him that he took no pleasure in this Work, but it was a Duty laid upon him. To which Mr. Love reply'd. ‘ I believe it, Sir.’

I have done my duty for you.

The Lord bless you:

The Lord shrengthen you in this hour of your Temptation.

Sir, I am: I bless God my heart is in heaven; I am well.

I desire you to consider we have the other to execute afterwards, and 6 a clock is our hour; but we shall give you as much time as we can.

I shall be the briefer.

BEloved Christians, I am this day made a Spectacle unto God, Angels and Men; and among men I am made a grief to the godly, a laughing-stock to the wicked, and a gazing-stock to all; yet blessed be my God not a terrour to my self: although there be but a little between me and Death, yet this bears up my heart, there is but a little between me and Heaven: it comforted Dr Taylor the Martyr when he was going to Execution, That there were but two stales between him and his Fathers house; there is a lesser way between me and my Fathers house; but two steps between me and Glory; it is but lying down upon the Block, and I shall ascend upon a Throne: I am this day sayling towards the Ocean of Eternity, through a rough passage to my Haven of rest; through a Red-sea to the Promised Land. Me thinks I hear God say to me as he did to Moses, Go up to Mount Nebo and die there; so go thou up to Tower-hill and die there. Isaac said of himself that he was old, and yet he knew not the day of his death; but I cannot say thus : I am young, and yet I know the day of my death, and I know the kind of my death also, and the place of my death also; it is such a kind of death as two famous Preachers of the Gospel were put to before me, John the Baptist, and Paul the Apostle, they were both be­headed; ye have mention of the one in Scripture story, and of the other in Ecclesiastical History: And I read in the 20. of the Revelation, and the 4. The [Page 2] Saints were beheaded for the Word of God, and for the Testimony of Jesus. But herein is the disadvantage which I am in in the thoughts of many, who judge that I suffer not for the Word, or for Conscience, but for medling with State-matters. To this I shall briefly say; That it is an old guise of the Devil, to impute the cause of Gods Peoples sufferings, to be Contrivements against the State, when in truth it is their Religion and Conscience they are persecuted for. The Rulers of Israel they would put Jeremiah to death upon a Civil account, though indeed it was onely the truth of his Prophesie made the Rulers angry with him: yet upon a Civil account they did pretend he must die, because he fell away to the Caldeans, and would have brought in forreign forces to invade them: the same thing is laid to my charge, of which I am as innocent as Jeremiah was. I find other instances in the Scripture, wherein the main causes of their sufferings were still imputed to medling with State-matters; Paul, though he did but preach Jesus Christ, yet he must die, if the people might have their will, under the pretence that he was a mover of Sedition. Upon a civil account my life is pretended to be taken away, whereas indeed it is because I pursue my Covenant, and will not prostitute my Principles and Conscience to the ambition and lusts of men. Beloved, I am this day to make a dou [...]le exchange, I am changing a Pulpit for a Scaffold, and a Scaffold for a Throne; and I might add a third, I am changing this numerous multitude, the presence of this numerous multitude upon Tower-Hill, for the innumerable company of Angels in the holy Hill of Zion; and I am changing a guard of Soldiers for a guard of Angels, which will receive me, and carry me into Abrahams bosom. This Scaffold is the best Pulpit I ever preached in; for in the Church-Pulpit, God through his Grace, made me an Instrument to bring others to heaven, but in this Pulpit he will bring me to heaven. These are the last words that I shall speak in this world, and it may be this last Speech upon a Scaffold may bring God more glory, then many Sermons in a Pulpit. Before I lay down my neck upon the block, I shall lay open my Case unto the people that hear me this day; and in doing it I shall avoid all rancour, all bitternesse of Spirit, animosity and revenge; God is my record whom I serve in the spirit, I speak the truth and lie not; I do not bring a revengeful heart unto the Scaffold this day; before I came here, upon my bended knees I have beg'd Mercy for them that denied mercy to me, and I have prayed God to forgive them who would not forgive me: I have forgiven from my heart the worst Enemy I have in all the world, and this is the worst that I wish to my Accusers and Prosecutors who have pursued my blod, that I might met their souls in heaven, I shall divide my speech into three parts; speak something concerning my Charge, and a word con­cerning my Accusers, and touching my Judges, without any animosity at all, and then something concerning myself for my own vindication, and then a word of Ex­hortation; and so I shall commit my soul to God. Concerning my Charge, it is black [Page 3] and hideous, many things falsly suggested but nothing capital sufficiently proved by any one act that I am consc [...]ous to my self, proved against me thatI did. The charg was h [...]gh and full, but the Proof empty and low: though there were 8 Witnesses that came in against me, yet none of them did prove that ever I writ any Letter, or di­rected any man to write a Letter into Scotland, or into forein parts. No man pro­ved, that I sent away any Letter, that I received any Letter, that I collected, or gave, or lent any money to assist or promote the Scotish War. This is all that was sworn against me, that I was present when Letters were read, that I made a moti­on for money to give to Massey so that Beloved, my presence at, and concealment of Letters that were received and sent from forreign parts.

I am amused, I must break off, things are true.

As concerning my Accusers I shall not say much, I do forgive them, and I pray God forgive them also: yet what the Evangelist observes concerning Christs Accu­sers, I may without vanity or falshood say of mine, that they did not agree among themselves; yea not onely contradicting one another, but sometimes a Witnesse contradicted himself. And though their testimony did condemn my person, yet I have condemned their testimony; and truly there are many remarkable Ciocumstances that I might take notice of, either in, or before, or since the tryall, that might be worthy of observation; but I will not insist upon them, onely is the general, some of them have sent to me to pray me to forgive them the wrong they have done me. One of them hath written to me under his own hand, to pray me to forgive him the wrong he hath done me; and told me withall, that that day I should die a violent death, his life would be no comfort to him, because he was an instrument in taking away mine. Others of my Witnesses, they were some terrified before they would te­stifie, some hired, some fined before they would bear witness against me; but I will forgive them. As concerning my Judges, I will not judge them, and yet I will not justifie them, I believe that what moved Herod to cut off John Baptists head, mo­ved them to cut off mine, and that was for his Oaths sake, John Baptists [meaning Herod] to avoid perjury, he would commit murther, whereas if John Baptists head had been upon his shoulders, he would have been guilty of neither.

I have something in the second place to speak concerning my self, and then I shall come briefly to a conclusion. Concerning my self, I have gone through various reports : There are many sons of slander, whose mouths are as an open Sepulchre to bury my name before my friends can bury my body. My com­fort is, there will be a Resurrection of Names as well as Bodies at the last Day; God will not onely wipe off tears from mine eyes this day, but wipe off all blots and reproaches from my Name before many dayes be over; and though my body will soon rot under ground, yet my hope is my name will not rot above it : I am not ignorant what Calumnies are cast upon me, and [Page 4] more likely to be after I am dead and gone. The very night before my inten­ded execution the last moneth, there was an insulting Letter written to me to tell me, That after I was dead there should be something published against me to my shame I hope you will have so much charity as not to believe Re­proaches cast upon a dead man, who will be silent in the grave, and not able to speak a word in his own justification. I am aspersed both as to my Practices and as to my Principles.

I shall begin with the first : There are five Aspersions as to my practices that are laid upon me : First, that I am a Lyar, that I am an Extortioner, that I am an Adulterer, that I am a Murtherer, and that I am a turbulent person; crimes scandalous in any man, but much more abominable in a Minister.

Now I hope you will believe a dying man, who dare not look God in the face with a lie in his mouth. I am accused of lying, that what I denied before the high Court of Justice, that afterwards I should confess, or else was proved against me: Now in the presence of God I tell you, as I would confess nothing that was criminal, so I did deny nothing that was true, and that I might it seal to you with my bloud; what I did deny, the Protestations I made before the Court, I make them briefly now, That I never writ Letter to the King, Queen, Church or State of Scotland, or to any particular person of the Scot­tish Nation since the wars began to this day : That I never received any Let­ter writ to me, either from the King, Queen, Church or State of Scotland, or from any particular person of the Scottish Nation : That I never collected, gave, or lent any money either to the King, Queen, or State of Scotland. It is true, I confessed though it was not proved, and haply upon that ground the mistake might rise, I did give money to Massey, but he is of the English, not of the Scottish Nation, and I did write a Letter to him, but he is of the English not of the Stottish Nation. That for which I here come, is for moving onely for money for him, and for being present when Letters were read from him and others; and I am so far (though man hath condemned me) from think­ing that either God or my own Conscience condemnes me for a sin in what I am condemned for, that God and my own Conscience acquits me; and what I said at the Bar when I received my Sentence that now is to be execu­ted, I shall say now upon the Scaffold. That for the things I am condemned, neither doth God or my own Conscience condemn me.

The next particular, I am accused to be an Extortioner, and this is in the mouthes, I am loth to name them because I would not shew rancour, but I am charged as if I should be a grievous Extortioner, to receive 30 l. for the loan of 300 l. besides 8 l. in the hundred for interest, which in the presence of God, and of you all, I do declare to you, is a most notorious and abominable [Page 5] falshood. I am accused likewise to be an Adulterer; and that this Report is not in the mouthes of mean men, but in the mouthes of those that sit at stern, as if I were a debauched person, and were guilty of uncleanness. Now I tell you through the grace of God, as Luther said of himself in another case, That he was not tempted to covetousness, through the grace of God I can say, I was not tempted in all my life to uncleanness. It doth not much grieve me though these slanders lye upon me: I know my betters have been worse accused before me. Athanasius he was accused by two harlots that he had committed folly with them, and yet the man was chast and innocent. Beza was charged not onely of Drunkenness, but of Lasciviousnesse also.

But that which goes nearest my heart, I am accused to be a Murtherer also and this is a Charge high indeed; I am charged with the guilt of all the blood of Scotland, whereas if I did lye under the guilt of one drop of blood, I could not look upon you with so chearfull a countenance, and could not be filled with so peaceable a Heart and Conscience as I am at this day, I blesse my God I am free from the blood of all, indeed those that lay this to my charge, they do to me as Nero did to the Christians, he put Rome on fire, and then charged the Christians with it, so they put England and Scotland into a flamt, and charge me with the guilt of that blood, who have poured teares to God night and day to quench the burning which some mens ambi­tion and Lusts have kindled.

I would faine 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 Englandd, 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 p [...]ivate 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 K. 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 Scotlands blood; For my part, I was but only at one Meeting where that Question was proposed (Fasts onely 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 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 Prhsbyterian Party, when none knew of it as I know, but [Page 6] onely those few that were then present. Now this is onely 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.

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 Congregationall and my Dome­mesticall 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 witnesse, my judgement hath put me up­on endeavors after all honourable and just wayes, 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 Union amongst Gods People. And when I speak of a Union I would not be misunderstood: I do not meane a State-union to engage to the pre­sent Power, that is against my Principle, that is to say, a Confedracy with them that say a Confedracy 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.

Sir, be modest : I am not able to endure this, indeed I am not.

Sir, I shall look God in the face with what I say. (Beloved) I am afraid of your union 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 feare God might walk hand in hand in the fellowship of the Gospel, both in truth and love : if this Union be not, I am afraid through our divisions a company of loose Libertines will rise, who will rise, who will endeavour not onely to overthrow Doctrines of Faith and Religion and Maners but then correcting, himself, he said) Doctrines of Faith and the power of Godlinesse, but even good manners also.

I remember an observation of Holy Greenham, giving his judgement up­on the State of England, he said thus, There is a great feare of Popery com­ming 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 feare also. Thus a: to my practises.

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 Generall I will tell you, That I blesse my God, an high Court, a long Sword, a bloody Scaffold, hath not made me in the least to [Page 7] alter my Principles, or to wrong my Conscien [...]. And that I might discover to you my Principles, I hope I shall do it with freedome, I will irritate and provoke none: what I shall say, shall not be an irritation, or provocation of others, (at least not intended by me) but onely as a genuine and clear Manifestation of my principles how they stand.

First, Then my Principles; as to Civill 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.

Secondly, I am of this judgement (though I am against Malignity) yet I am not against, but for a regulated Monarchy; a mixt Monarchie, 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 againe, 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 doe as much hate Court-Parasites, who would screw up Monarchy into Tyranny, as those who pull it down to bring in Anarchy: 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 endeavour to de­stroy his Person. There is a scandall 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 in the Neck-veine] Which in the presence of God, and of you all, I never spoke 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 Politicall head. 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 cuse of Life, I did petition the present Power, and did give them the Titles they take to themselves, and other men give them; but here in I did not wrong, nor crosse my Principles: There are many instances in the Scripture to justifie this, Hushai did give the Title to Absolon, though Absolon had no right to the Title: David was the lawfull King, and David himselfe gave him the Title as well as Hushai : And Calvin he gave a Title to the French King, [Page 8] calling him Rex Christianissimus, The most Christian King; yet he knew he was a Papist: And we gave a Title to King Henry the Eighth, to call him, The Defender of the Faith; and yet he had no right to the Title, he was an oppo­ser, not a Defender of the Faith: The Title was given him upon an evill ground, because he opposed the Faith; he opposed the Doctrine of Luther, and therefore the Pope gave him the Title [The Defender of the Faith] and yet none did scruple to give him the Title that was then commonly given him.

In the next place, I discover my judgement; I provoke none, only tell you what my own thoughts are, That so after I am dead and gone, I might not be belied, for I dare not now bely my Principles: My judgement is against the invasion of the Scottish Nation by our English Army: They who gave us a friendly Assi­stance, who were joyned with us in the same Covenant, who drew a Swo [...]d with us in the same quarrel should I live a thousand yeares, I should never draw a Sword against them in all my life. Scotland may say as it was said of Edem, The men of my Confedracy that were at Peace with me, have risen up against me, deceived me and prevailed against me. Because Scotland well not be a Commonwealth they shall not be a people; because they will not break Covenants, some men would have them broken; because they will not lay their Consciences waste, their Land must be laid waste.

Lastly, And so I have done, onely with a word of Exhortation. I die cleaving to all those Oathes, Vowes, Covenants and Protestations, that were imposed by the Two Houses of Parliament, as owning them, and dying with my judgement for them; The Vow and Covenant, the Protestation, The Solemn League and Co­venant: And this I tell you all, I had rather die a Covenant keeper, then live a Covenant breaker.

I have one word more to say I am come to the third and last part of my Speech, and so I shall have done, and commit my soul unto God who gave it, My Exhortationit shall be to this great City, unto the Godly Ministry of it, and unto my owne Congre­gation, from whom Death hath parted me, which nothing else could.

To the City, I wish an affluence and a confluence of all blessings, and yet I fear gray hairs as the Symtoms of a Declension, are here and there upon it: yet she knows it not: O London London: God is staining the pride of all thy Glory, thy Glory is flying awaylike a Bird, contempt of the Ministry▪ opposition against Reformation generall Apostacy, Covenant breaking have brought London low, and I feare will bring it lower, I tremble to think what evils are coming upon it. This City: it is the Receptacle of all Errors. That as your Commodities have been vented and spread from hence in every corner of the Land, so have Heresies and Blasphemies had their first rise from this great and populus City and spread into all the Country.

To the Inhabitants of this City, I commend but these few Particulars.

[Page 9] First, Let me beg you to love your painful and your godly Ministers, if they be taken away, you are like to have worse come in their rooms: I know the Presbyterian Ministers are the great eye sore, who have for­merly been counted the Chariots, and the Horsmen of Israel. But I will say to London, as was said to Leyden, That after Junius was taken away (an Orthodox Minister) Arminius that pestilent Heretick came in his room; if your godly Ministers (as there are ten already at one blowe taken from you) if they be taken away, Arminians, Anabaptists, nay Jesuits are like to supply their rooms, if God in mercy prevent not.

2ly, Submit your selves to Church government, that would lay a curb and restraint upon your lusts, it is a golden, and an easie yoke, to which if you do not submit, God may lay an heavier, an iron yoke up­on your necks.

3ly, Take heed of those Doctrines that come under the Notion of New Lights; I have judged that those Doctrines you ought to suspect whether they be true, when the brocher of them saith it is New; for Truth, it is as old as the Bible: A remarkable passage I would suggest unto you, in Deut. 32. it is said there, They chose them new gods, that were newly sprung up; what were these new gods? the next words tell you, they were old devils, they sacrificed to devils, not to God: Now their Sacri­ficing to the old Devil, it was called a Sacrificing (to deceive the people) to new gods that were newly come up; new gods, they were but the old devils: So I say of many of those things that go under the notion of New Lights, it is but old darkness, old Heresies raked out of the Dung­hil, which were buried in former ages in the Church, with contempt and reproach many hundred years ago. Again,

Fourthly, Bewail your great losse that you have in the taking away of so many Ministers out of your City: there are ten Ministers (if I mistake not) that are taken away and removed in one blow; those who were burning and shining Lights in their sevreall Candlesticks, and Bright Stars in their severall Orbs; though I am not worthy of the world, therefore I am taken out of it; yet as for my suffering Brethren who are now in Bonds & Banishment, the world is not worthy of them.

Again, in the next place, take heed how you be forward in ingaging in a War with your godly Brethren in the Scottish Nation; for my part, I have opposed the Tyrany of a King, but I never opposed the Title: take heed what you do.

I have something in the next place to speak to the godly Ministery of this City, were it not that I were a dying man, I would not speak to such reverend and grave men; I would, as Elihu being but a yong man, [Page 10] I would say, Multitudes of yeers should teach wisdom, and I would hold my tongue; but the words of a dying man take, whether they be discreet or no, or so well ordered and managed or no; for them, I would first desire God to shew them mercy, they that have begged for mercy for me at the day of my death, I will beg but this of them, That as they have not been ashamed of my Chain, so they would now wax confident by my Bonds and by my Blood; I know they are maligned and threatned, yet my Prayer is for them, that in Act. 4. 29. Now Lord, behold their threat­nings, & grant that thy Servants may Preach thy word with all boldness: Though I am but yong, yet I will offer my yong experience to my grave Fathers and Brethren, and that is this; Now I am to dye, I have abundant peace in my own Conscience, that I have set my self against the Sins and Apostacies of this present Age : It is true, my faithfulnesse hath procu­red me ill will from men, but it hath purchased me peace with God, I have lived in peace, and I shall dye in peace: That which I have to be­seech of the Ministers is this, To beg them to keep up Church govern­ment: Whatsoever God doth with the governments of the world, turn­ing Kingdoms upside down, yet the Government of the Church will stand; And of all Governments, I dye with this perswasion, That the Presbyterial Government makes most for Purity and Unity through­out the Churches of the Saints: I would beg them therefore to keep up Church Government; That they would not let their Elderships fall; That they would take heed of too generall Admissions to the Lords-Supper; That they be not too prodigal of the Blood of Christ, by too generall Admissions of men to partake of the Supper, that Sealing Or­dinance: And now I am speaking to them, I shall speak a word of them, and so I have done.

I have heard many clamors since I came to Prison, as if that Plot (which it is called) that I am condemned for, as if all the City Mini­sters they were engaged in this Design, which as a dying man I tel you, That all the Ministers that were present at the meeting, and had a hand in that business for which I am to be put to death, all those Mi­nisters, they are either in Prison, or they are discovered already; and therfore, I do here upon my death free the Ministers of the City, That those who are not yet in trouble, nor discovered to the Committee of Examinations, none of them had a hand in that business in which I was ingaged, in which my conscience doth tell me I have not sinned.

I have now (I have done immediately, for I would fain be at my Fa­thers house) but a word to speak to my own Congregation, and I do return praises unto God, and thanksgiving unto him, for the love I have [Page 11] had from them; I found them a solid and a judicious people, and many of them Religious: The Ministery of that learned man Mr. Anthony Burges did much good amongst them, though I have cause to be hum­bled, my weak Ministery did but little; they afforded me a great deal of love, and a liberal maintenance: And this is all I desire of them, That they would chuse a godly, learned, and an Orthodox Minister to suc­ceed; it would be a great comfort to me before I go to Heaven, if I had this perswasion, that a learned, Orthodox, godly man should fill that Pulpit. And for encouragement to any godly Minister, whose lot it shall be to succeed me, I will say this to him, That he will have as com­fortable a livelihood, and as loving a people, as any people in London, (a few only excepted;) I had as much satisfaction amongst them, as ever I had in any condition in all my life, and should never have parted from them, had not now death parted us, to which I do submit with all Christian meekness and cheerfulness.

I am now drawing to an end of my Speech, and to an end of my life together : But before I do expire my last breath, I shall desire to justifie God, and to condemn my self. Here I come to that which you call an untimely end, and a shameful death; but blessed be God, it is my glory, and it is my comfort; I shall justifie God; he is righteous, because I have sinned; he is righteous, though he doth cut me off in the midst of my dayes, and in the midst of my Ministry. I cannot complain that Com­plaint in the Psalmist, in the 44 Psalm, Thou sellest thy people for nought, and dost not increase thy wealth by their price. My blood it shall not be spilt for nought; I may do more good by my death, then by my life, and glori­fie God more in dying upon a Scaffold, then if I had dyed of a Disease upon my bed. I bless my God I have not the least trouble upon my spi­rit; but I dye with as much quietness of mind, lie down I hope I shall upon the Block, as if I were going to lie down upon my Bed to take my rest. I see men hunger after my flesh, and thirst after my blood, which will hasten my happiness, and their ruine, and greaten their guilt: For though I am a man of an obscure Family, of mean Parentage, so that my blood is not as the blood of Nobles; yet I will say, mine is a Chri­stians blood, a Ministers blood, yea it is innocent blood also : My blood, my body, my dead body, it will be a morsel which I believe will hardly be digested, and my blood it will be bad food for this Infant Com­mon-wealth (as Mr. Prideaux called it) for this infant Common-wealth to suck on: Mine is not Malignant blood, though here I am brought as a grievous and notorious Offender.

Now Beloved, I shal not only justifie God (as I do without a Comple­ment,) [Page 12] for he is very Just, that my Prison was not my Hell, that this Scaffold is not the bottomless pit, I have deserved both, I have deserved it: I do not only justifie God, but I desire this day to magnifie God, to magnifie the riches of his grace, that such a one as I, born in an obscure Country in Wales, of obscure Parents, that God should look upon me, and single me out from among all my kindred, single me out to be an Object of his everlasting Love; that when for the first fourteen years of my life I never heard a Sermon, and yet in the fifteenth year of my life, God through his grace did convert me : and I here speak it without va­nity (what should a dying man be proud of?) for these twenty yea [...]s, though I am accused of many scandalous evils, I speak it to the praise and glory of my God, for these twenty years God hath kept me, I have not fallen into a scandalous sin; I have laboured to keep a good Conscience from my youth up: I magnifie his grace, that he hath not only made me a Christian but made me a Minister, judged me faithful, and put me into the Ministry; & though the Office be troden upon, and disgraced, yet it is my glory, that I dye a despised Minister: I had ra­ther be a Preacher in a Pulpit, then a Prince upon a Throne; I had ra­ther be an instrument to bring Souls to Heaven, then to have all the Nations to bring in tribute to me. I am not only a Christian, and a Preacher, but, what ever men judg me, I am a Martyr too, I speak it without vanity: Would I have renounced my Covenant, and debauch­ed my Conscience, and ventured my Soul, there might have been more hopes of saving my life, that I should not have come to this place: but blessed be my God, I have made the best choice, I have chosen affliction rather then Sin; and therefore welcome Scaffold, and welcome Ax, and welcome Death, welcome Block, welcome all, because it will send me to my Fathers House.

I have great cause to magnifie Gods Grace, that he hath stood by me during my imprisonment : It hath been a time of no little temptation to me, and yet, blessed be his grace, he hath strengthened, and stood by me: I magnifie his grace, that though now I come to dye a violent death, yet that death is not a terror to me; through the blood of sprinkling the fear of Death is taken out of my heart: God is not a terror to me, therefore Death is not dreadful to me. I bless my God (I speak it without vanity) I have formerly had more fear in the drawing of a tooth, then now I have in the cutting off my Head. I was for some years, five or six, under a spirit of bondage, and did for Death exceed­ingly; but then when the fear of Death was upon me, Death was not neer me: but now Death is neer me, (blessed be my Saviour) he hath [Page 13] the sting of Death in his own sides, and so makes the grave a bed of rest to me; and makes Death, the last Enemy, to be a friend, though he be a grim friend. I bless God further, that though I am to be cast out of the world; I bless my God, though men judg me to be cast out of the world; yet that God hath not cast me out of the hearts and prayers of his people. I had rather be cast out of the world, then be cast out of the heart of any godly man. Some think me (is true) not worthy to live, and yet others Judg, I do not deserve to dye; but God will judg all men, I will judg none.

I have now done; I have no more to say, but to desire the help of all your prayers; that God would give me the continuance and supply of divine grace to carrying through this great work I am now to do; That I, who am to do a work I never did, I may have a strength that I never had; That I may put off this Body with as much quietness and comfort of mind, as ever I put off my clothes to go to bed. And now I am to commend my Soul to God, and to receive my fatal blow: I am com­forted in this, though men kill me, they cannot damn me; and though they thrust me out of the world, yet they cannot shut me out of Heaven. I am now going to my long home, and you are going to your short homes: but I will tell you, I shall be at home before you, I shall be at Heaven, my Fathers House, before you wil be at your own Houses. Now I am going to the Heavenly Jerusalem, to the innumerable company of Angels, to Jesus Christ the Mediator of the new Covenant, to the spi­rits of all men made perfect, to God the judg of all; in whose presence there is fulness of Joy, and at whose right hand there are pleasures for evermore. I shall conclude.

But when Mr. Sheriff Tichburn telling him, that the words were, the spi­rits of just men made perfect.

To the spirits of just men made perfect, and to God the Judg of all; in whose presence there is fulness of joy, and in whose rrght hand the eare pleasures for evermore.

I conclude with that speech of the Apostle: I am now (in 2 Tim. 4. 6, 7. I am now) to be offered up, and the time of my departure is at hand; but I have fi­nished my course, I have kept the Faith; Henceforth there is a crown of righteous­ness laid up for me; and not for me only, but for all them that love the appearing of our L [...]rd Jesus Christ; through whose blood (when I have shed my blood) I expect salvation, and remission of sins. And so the Lord bless you all.

May I pray?

Yes: but consider the time.

I have done Sir.

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:

the House is risen, and therefore—

I, I, Sir. After which he prayed with an audible voice, saying,

You make a Christian end I hope.

I, I, blesse God.

Then turning to M. Sheriffe Tichburn, said, ‘I thanke you for this kind­nesse; Sir, you have expressed a great deal of kindnesse to me: Well, I go from a block to the bosome of my Saviour.’

Then he asked, ‘Where is the Executioner?’

When the Executioner came forward, he said, ‘Art thou the Officer?’

Yes.

O blessed Jesus, that hath kept me from the hurt of death, and from the fear of death. O blessed be God, blessed be Cod.

And taking his leave of the Ministers, he said,

The Lord be with you all:

And taking leave of Sheriffe Tichburn, he kissed his hand.

[Page 16] Then he kneeled down, and made a short prayer privately.

Then after rising up, he said, ‘Blessed be God I am full of joy, and peace in believing; I lie down with a world of comfort, as if I were to lie downe in my bed. My bed is but a short sleep, and this death is a long sleep, where I shall rest in Abrahams bosome, and in the embraces of the Lord Jesus.’

And then saying, ‘The Lord blesse you,’ he laid himselfe down upon the Scaffold, with his head over the block: And when he stretched forth his hands, the Executioner cut off his head at one blow.