Reformation! Reformation! Reformation!

No King But CHRIST!

Conclusions of the General Meeting at Crawfordjohn, April 21, 1697. "That a true and exact account of all the persecutors within the several quarters; of the remarkable judgments and deaths, or what hath befallen to their families or estates; be made up and brought to the next general meeting."

CRAWFORDJOHN, April 5, 1699. "That all the respective Societies send an index of all the late martyrs' testimonies, not in 'Naphtali,' to the next general meeting."

CRAWFORDJOHN, Oct. 29, 1701. "First concluded, that all the correspondences provide and make ready stones as signs of honor to be set upon the graves of our late martyrs has soon as possible; and all the names of the foresaid martyrs, with their speeches and testimonies, and by whom they were martyred or killed in house or fields, country or city, as far as possible to be brought to the next general meeting, in order for the epitaphs; and likewise an account of those martyrs' carriage and behavior in the time of their martyrdom."
"Secondly concluded, a review of the former conclusions concerning the remarkable judgments of the persecutors, and the diligence of the correspondences and Societies to be diligently brought to the next general meeting."

CRAWFORDJOHN, Oct. 21, 1710.

"That an index of all the martyrs' testimonies that are not in 'Naphtali,' who were martyred in Scotland, be had from all quarters against the next general meeting; likewise an account of all the martyrs' names that suffered in this kingdom."

CRAWFORDJOHN, February 23, 1711

"The martyrs' testimonies were given into Mr. Alexander Marshall and Hugh Clark their hands, to be by them compared, and the correctest transcribed for the general meeting, and the copies to be returned to the several correspondences from whom they were collected, and the said persons were appointed to go to the [Rev.] Mr. Linning [of Lesmahagow], and require a sight of the testimonies that he had from Mr. Alexander Shields, belonging to the general meeting, and their diligence to be returned to the next general meeting."

CRAWFORDJOHN, Oct. 6, 1711

"The several correspondences were appointed to take a copy of the epitaphs engraven upon the martyrs' gravestones in their several bounds, to be brought to the next General meeting, and that they be inquisitive what account can be had of any remarkable instances of God's judgments upon persecutors in their several bounds, and to have an account as well warranted as can be."

CRAWFORDJOHN, June, 1713.

"It is enjoined to the several correspondences to be careful to see what money may be advanced for printing the martyrs' testimonies, and an account, to be brought from each, of the quotas they think they can advance."

CRAWFORDJOHN, Oct. 26, 1713.

"The several correspondences are appointed to take care to get a true list of the martyrs who were shot or otherwise killed without process of law, their names, abodes, time and place of their deaths, who killed them, and any other particulars about them, with a true duplicate of the elegies on all the gravestones, against the 1st of January, to be sent to Edinburgh."

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Preface

An Econium on the Following Martyrs

Donald Cargill

Walter Smith

James Boig

David Hackston

Archibald Alison

John Malcolm

James Skene 

Archibald Stewart

John Potter

Isabel Alison

Marion Harvie

William Gouger, Christopher Miller, and Robert Sangster

Laurence Hay

Andrew Pittilloch

William Thomson

William Cuthill

Robert Garnock

Patrick Forman

David Farrie

James Stuart

Robert Gray

James Robertson

John Finlay

William Cochran

Andrew Guilline

John Cochran

John Wharry

James Smith

John Nibet, the younger

John Wilson

George Martin

John Main

John Richmond

Archibald Stewart

Captain John Paton

James Nisbet

Arthur Tacket

Thomas Robertson

James Nicol

John Dick

Thomas Harkness, Andrew Clark, Samuel M'Ewen

James Lawson, Alexander Wood

George Jackson

John Watt, John Semple

James Graham

Robert Pollock

Robert Miller

Margaret Lauchlane and Margaret Wilson

Thomas Stodart

Edward Marshall

John Nisbet

James Renwick

Appendix, containing some particulars relating to the foregoing testimonies, and other sufferings of that time:

Richard Cameron

Donald Cargill

Henry Hall

A [partial] list of the banished

A [partial] list of those killed in the fields

A [partial] short account of oppresive exactions

Some epitaphs and inscriptions related to the presbyterian martyr graves of that era

PREFACE CHRISTIAN READER, the glorious frame and contrivance of religion, revealed by the ever-blessed Jehovah in the face or person of Jesus Christ, for the recovery of lost mankind into a state of favor and reconcilement with Himself, is so excellently ordered in the counsels of Infinite Wisdom, and exactly adjusted to the real delight, contentment, and happiness of the rational world; that it might justly be wondered why so many men in all ages, otherwise of good intellectuals, have not only had a secret disgust thereat themselves, but labored to rob others of the comfort and benefit of it, and make the world a chaos of confusion by persecutions raised against it; had not the Holy Spirit in the Scriptures laid open the hidden springs of this malice and enmity, which exerts itself in so many of the children of men.
We are told in these Divinely inspired writings, that the first source of this opposition that the true religion meets with in the world, flows originally from Satan, that inveterate enemy of God's glow and man's happiness; who, having himself left his original state of obedience to, and enjoyment of God his creator, hath no other levamen of his inevitable miseries, but to draw the race of mankind into the like ruin, which is the only satisfaction that malicious spirit is capable of. This restless adversary perceiving that, through the grace and love of God manifested in Christ, a great number of these whom he thought he bad secured to his slavery are redeemed, and called by the Gospel out of that intolerable servitude into a glorious liberty, and secured by faith to salvation, labors, by two great engines, open force and secret fraud, to keep them in, or regain them to his obedience; hence the sacred Scriptures describe him both as a dragon for cruelty and a serpent for subtlety.
But because he either cannot, or thinks not fit, to do this visibly in person; therefore he does it more invisibly, and so more successfully, by his agents in whom he works, who, because of their unreasonable unbelief, are called children of impersuasion. These he acts and animates, as it were so many machines, to endeavor by crafty seduction, or violent persecution, to draw or drive the followers of the Lamb from their subjection, obedience, and loyalty to the Captain of their salvation, that he may drown them in perdition and destruction. This is the latent origin of all persecution, the mint where all the other more visible causes of the bloody violence which the people of God meet withal, are struck and framed. This is the grand design to which they tend to root out the obedience of faith out of the world, and deprive the Son of God of His rightful dominion over His subjects, whom He hath chosen, redeemed, and sanctified for Himself. As this holds true of all the persecutions raised against the Church and truths of God, whether in the persons of the Jews or Christians, by whatever hands, Pagan or Anti-Christian, so it is eminently verified of the persecutions of the Church of Scotland, prosecuted by a profane, wicked generation of malignant Prelatists, during the reigns of the late King Charles II and James VII. For, as the other persecutions were all leveled against some point of truth or other wherein the obedience of faith was concerned, respecting either the existence and worship of the true God, or the person, natures, or offices of Jesus Christ, etc.; so this persecution was directly bended against that office and authority of Jesus Christ, whereupon His formal claim to the obedience of His Church is founded, viz., His headship over His Church. This was the peculiar depositum concredited to the Church of Christ in Scotland, and her distinguishing dignity, to have the royal supremacy of the King of Zion to defend against the kings of the earth, who, not content with the princely authority of ruling the persons of their subjects, according to the laws of God and the realm, would needs usurp a blasphemous sacrilegious prerogative of ruling the Church and consciences of men in room of the Mediator, by what laws and statutes they pleased, and found most subservient to their lust, for advancement of Popery and arbitrary government.
JESUS CHRIST, the only begotten of the Father, having received the Church of Scotland, as one of the utmost isles of the earth, for His possession, by solemn grant from Jehovah, was pleased, as to call her from the deplorable state of Pagan, and reform her from the ruinous condition of anti-Christian darkness, so to dignify her, in a peculiar manner, to contend and suffer for that truth, "that He is a King and Lawgiver to His Church;" having power to institute her form of government, to give her laws, officers, and censures, whereby she should be governed; and hath not left it ambulatory and uncertain, what government He will have in force for the ordering of His house, but hath expressly determined in His Word every necessary part thereof, and hath not put any power into the hands of any mortal, whether Pope, Prelate, prince, or potentate, as a vicarious head in His personal absence, whereby they may alter the form of government at their pleasure, and make what kind of officers, canons, and censures they please; but all the power that this King hath left in His Church, concerning her government, is purely and properly ministerial, under the direction and regulation of His sovereign pleasure, revealed in His written Word. This, this is the most radiant pearl in the Church of Scotland's garland; that she hath been honored valiantly to stand up for the headship and royal prerogative of her King and Husband, Jesus Christ, in all the periods of her Reformation. For no sooner had she thrown off the yoke of the Pope's pretended jurisdiction and authority, but presently, while she was laboring, by means of these censures which Christ had instituted, to root out the damnable heretics which that enemy had sown, all on a sudden King James VI., naturally ambitious, and instigated by interested and projecting counselors, attempts a rape upon her chastity and loyalty to her Husband and Lord, and by his royal order stops her freedom of sitting, voting, and acting in her Supreme Courts, imprisons some of her most zealous and faithful ministers, calls them before his Council, indicts them of treason and lese majesty for their making use of the freedom Christ had given them, and, after their declining his and his Council's usurped authority in spiritual matters, and so witnessing a good confession for the royal dignity of their Master, banishes them their native country; See "Calderwood's History," from page 491 to page 536, and downward. [Wadrow Society Edition, vol. 6., p. 590.] Upon the same bottom of a pretended royal jurisdiction over the Church, he attempted, and in a great measure effected, the establishment of a Popish hierarchy and Romish ceremonies, by setting up Prelates, and bringing in the Perth articles, flattering some, and overawing others of the ministry into a compliance therewith, persecuting the zealous and faithful contenders for Christ's headship, and the government of His Divine institution, with vexatious prosecutions before High Commission Courts, suspensions from their office, wanderings, confinements, etc. And in like manner, Charles I, following his father's example and instructions, endeavored, upon pretense of the same prerogative, to improve upon what his father had begun, and complete the Church's slavery, by obtruding upon her a liturgy and canons, formed a la made d' Angleterre, collected out of the Romish mass-book and canon law, which put the faithful sons of the Church of Scotland to much wrestling and contending, partly by humble and submissive, yet zealous and faithful addresses, supplications, remonstrances, and representations, partly by more bold and daring protestations and associations for mutual defense, even till they were forced to take arms for defense of religion and the liberties of their country. Which contendings for Christ's royal authority, and His Church's liberties, at length, by the blessing of God, issued in a glorious Work of Reformation through Britain and Ireland, wherein the Churches of Christ in these lands not only revived their former beautiful order, shining purity, and precious liberty, but also had several degrees of new attainments in purity and uniformity of religion added thereto. But the Church's sun of prosperity is soon at the tropic. Scarce was that spring-time well begun to blossom and bud, when, behold, a world of malignant vapors, arising out of the earth, clouded all her sky again, and turned her spring to a deplorable winter. Various heresies in England, growing Popery in Ireland, public resolutions for advancing malignants to places of power and trust in Scotland, like so many inundations breaking in upon the Church of Christ, laid all her pleasant things waste. And no sooner was Charles II advanced to the exercise of the royal authority, but, drowning the sense of all sacred obligations with a glut of sensual pleasures, he authorized a malignant crew of statesmen to persecute and destroy the people of God for their adherence to the Covenants which himself had entered into as the fundamental stipulation of government, and to that Reformation which he had sworn to maintain and practice, and for their bearing witness against the grand principle and foundation upon which he built his power of overthrowing religion, and setting up a new frame thereof in Britain, namely, the blasphemous headship of Ecclesiastical Supremacy.
Hence it is evident to a demonstration, that the grand state of the quarrel upon which the martyrs laid down their lives during the late tyrannical reigns, was really one and the same with that for which the zealous and faithful ministers suffered such hardships in the time of King James VI, and afterwards; this being the precise foundation upon which all the other acts and oaths were built, which the enemies made a handle of to involve honest people into the crime of treason and rebellion against the State, as it was then determined by their iniquitous laws. For, as this was still the principal question put to them, "Own ye the king's authority?" and the chief article of indictment if they either answered in the negative or kept silence, so it is evident that, by this question, they really meant not his civil authority only, but also his pretended claim to supreme headship over the Church.
For no sooner had he authorized a Parliament to meet at Edinburgh, under the inspection of that malignant wretch, John Earl of Middleton, anno 1661, but that generation of enemies to the work of God, intending the utter ruining thereof, set up this Dagon of the Royal Prerogative, not only with respect to things civil, as "in the choice of his officers of State, counsellors and judges" (Act 2), in "the calling and dissolving of Parliaments, and making laws" (Act 3) in "the militia, and in making peace and war" (Act 5); which were great invasions upon the national liberties of the subjects; but also in things sacred, "in making of leagues, and the conventions of the subjects" (Act 4), wherein all the former work of Reformation is condemned, and the Covenants made for its defense are declared treasonable and rebellious actions against the royal prerogative; and in consequence hereof, it is declared that the League and Covenant is not obligatory upon this kingdom, nor doth infer any obligation on the subjects thereof, to meddle or interpose in anything concerning the religion and government of the Churches of England and Ireland; and all the subjects are discharged "to renew the same, as they will answer at their highest peril" (Act 7); and in the oath of allegiance and acknowledgment of his majesty's royal prerogative (Act 11 of the said Parliament), all persons, of whatsoever trust, post, office, or employment, are obliged to swear, that they "acknowledge the king only supreme governor of this kingdom, over all persons and in all causes;" and that they "do with all humble duty acknowledge his majesty's royal prerogative, in all the particulars, and in the manner aforementioned." And to make the matter clearer, what they meant by the King's authority, in the preamble of the first Act of the second session of the same first Parliament, they assert, that "the ordering and disposal of the external government and policy of this Church doth properly belong unto his majesty, as an inherent right of the crown, by virtue of his royal prerogative and supremacy in causes ecclesiastical." And upon this bottom, he, with advice and consent of the estates of Parliament, sets up the Episcopal form of Church-government, the jurisdiction of bishops and archbishops over the inferior clergy with their concomitant of patronages, and "doth rescind, cass, and annul all Acts of Parliament, by which the sole and only power and jurisdiction within this Church doth stand in the Church, and in the general, provincial, and presbyterial Assemblies, and Kirk Sessions, and all Acts of Parliament or Council, which may be interpreted to have given any church power, jurisdiction or government, to the office-bearers of the Church their respective meetings, other than that which acknowledgeth a dependence upon, and subordination to, the sovereign power of the king as supreme." And in pursuance hereof, in the second Act of the foresaid session, entitled, "Act for preservation of his majesty's person, authority, and government," he doth, with the advice of his estates of Parliament, declare, "That the assembly kept at Glasgow in the year 1638, was in itself (after the same was by his majesty discharged, under the pain of treason), an unlawful and seditious meeting;" and "that all these gatherings, convocations, petitions, protestations, and erecting and keeping of Council Tables, that were used in the beginning, and for carrying on of the late troubles (thus they call the work of Reformation) were unlawful and seditious; and particularly that these oaths, whereof the one was commonly called the National Covenant, and the other a Solemn League and Covenant, were, and are in themselves unlawful oaths;" and therefore declares their obligations void and null, and "annuls all acts or constitutions, ecclesiastic or civil, approving them." Nor does it suffice them to rescind these covenants and other proceedings for carrying on the work of Reformation, as contrary to this royal prerogative of ecclesiastic supremacy, and to inhibit all persons to speak, write, or act anything in defense of the same, and against the said prerogative; but likewise, in the fifth Act of the foresaid session, all persons in any place, office, or trust, are obliged to swear all the particulars contained in the foresaid Acts, in that most impious oath, commonly called the Declaration. And again, in the fifth Act of the third session of the foresaid Parliament, entitled "Act for the establishment and constitution of a National Synod," it is declared, that "the ordering and disposal of the external government of the Church, and the nomination of the persons by whose advice matters relating to the same are to be settled, doth belong to his' majesty, as an inherent right of the crown, by virtue of his prerogative royal, and supreme authority in causes ecclesiastical." And in the first Act of the second Parliament, holden by that apostate, John Earl of Lauderdale, entitled, "Act asserting his majesty's supremacy over all persons, and in all causes ecclesiastical," commonly called the Act Explanatory, it is expressly declared, "that his majesty hath the supreme authority and supremacy over all persons, and in all causes ecclesiastical within this kingdom; and that, by virtue thereof, the ordering and disposal of the external government and policy of the church, doth properly belong to his majesty and his successors as an inherent right to the crown; and that his majesty and his successors may settle, enact, and emit such constitutions, acts, and orders, concerning the administration of the external government of the church, and the persons employed in the same, and concerning all ecclesiastical meetings, and matters to be proposed and determined therein, as they in their royal wisdom shall think fit." FROM all which Acts, it plainly appears, that the true sense of that authority, which they would have their private thoughts about, was really, as the martyrs understood it, his ecclesiastic supremacy, and that no less than a recognition hereof would serve their turn; and though some of the martyrs offered a distinction between the two, professing to own his civil authority abstract from the ecclesiastical (as for instance, Mr. John Dick), yet they were not absolved, because they would not own his authority in gross. And besides their including the supremacy over church matters into the formal notion of the king's authority, they could be pleased with no less, from any that they called before them, than an owning the whole acts and laws, and entire exercise and administration of things in Church and State, which was an implicit condemning of all the preceding Reformation, and consenting to the persecution and murder of the saints who stood up for its defense.

It is true, indeed, these things were so impious and abominable, that, had they been proposed without mask, they would presently have begot an horror in the mind of any, who was not entirely lost to all conscience and goodness; and therefore these children of the old serpent had so much of their father, that they made it their work to hide these horrid hooks with some specious baits, that they might the more easily entice simple people into that snare they had laid for them; and hence, knowing how much it is the effect of true religion to make men loyal, and that the Presbyterians were of all others the readiest to yield all lawful subjection to their rightful princes, they still made use of the specious title of authority as a blind to hide the ecclesiastical supremacy and bloody exercise of their government, from these whom they labored to ensnare. They saw the supremacy they intended to fix in the king was such a "Monstrum horrendum, informe, ingens, Hecate atque Erebo ortum," that, without some veil of this nature, no man would be so mad as to embrace it.
But when this would not do, but that still its ill-favored face appeared through the vizor; and all good men saw, that the authority which sought no other way to maintain itself, but by blood and rapine, was really degenerated into tyranny; then they pretended to come some steps lower, and said, that they required no more at the hands of people, in order to dismiss them, but that they would at their desire pray for the king, in their prescribed form of words, viz., "God save the king," or that they would drink the king's good health. These were by them represented to be so very minute and easy things, and by a great many professors looked upon as so trivial and indifferent, that they were in the fair way either to ensnare, or with more opportunity to expose such as refused to the contempt of indifferent spectators, as being such scrupulous fools and brain-sick persons, as were transported with an extravagant wild zeal without knowledge, who had rather have a hand in their own death, than do so small and indifferent a thing in order to prevent it. And hence not the persecutors only, but even a great many who professed presbyterian principles, stood not to call them murderers instead of martyrs. But all this notwithstanding, it is certain they had nothing else before them, but to bring people to a tame submission and slavish compliance with the whole course of their Christ-dethroning and land-enslaving constitutions and administrations; for they intended the same thing, by urging people to say "God save the king," as by the Oath of Allegiance, Declaration, or Test; namely, an acknowledgment of that authority, wherewith they had vested him in the forementioned articles and others of like nature. Less than this could never serve their design, which was still the same, whatever alterations might appear to be in their way of prosecuting it.
For either these things were so insignificant and indifferent as they gave them out to be, and as others conceived of them; or they were not. If we say the former, then what monsters of mankind were these persecutors, who pursued poor innocent people to death, and inflicted such cruel tortures upon them, for trifles and things of indifferency. This is, what themselves (I suppose) would never admit, to be reckoned a degree further lost to humanity than a Nero or Caligula, so as to torment and destroy men for sport. Nay, they still pretended that all these persecutions were made upon weighty and just causes. If then we say the latter, namely, that they were not so very inconsiderable things as some conceived; wherein could the moment and weight of them consist, but in this, that they were an owning of the authority as it was contained in the laws, and what else was the scope of the most openly impious Oaths, Tests, and Bonds, but this? And besides, when any yielded this much, they were still urged further, till they had debauched them out of all conscience and integrity as much as themselves. The rest of the questions put to them, and made causes of their indictment, were all but so many branches from this root, and rivulets from this spring. The chief was that about defensive arms, which their laws had declared rebellion; which all the martyrs, without the least jar or discord, did steadfastly maintain as being a thing so very consonant, not only to the positive commands of God in His Word, but also to the very law of nature stamped on the heart, and to the laws and practices of all kingdoms, and undertaken upon so necessary grounds as the defense of the Gospel and lives of the innocent in consequence of their Covenant engagements; which, however, these wicked persecutors had declared void and null, and the adhering to them capital; yet all such as had any love for God and zeal for His cause believed to be perpetually obligatory upon them and the nation, and therefore adhered to them with a steadfastness and courage invincible, against the most bloody opposition. And it is observable, that, whatever any of the martyrs had not so much light in as others, or differed from others anent, or was silent when interrogated upon it, yet they all agreed perfectly and were clear abundantly in owning, and bold, harmonious, and courageous in asserting the lawfulness, and avouching the obligatory force, of the Covenants. NATIONAL COVENANTS were the means that God had constantly from the beginning of the Reformation made use of and blessed, to cement and strengthen His people in Scotland in their adherence to the truth. By means of these His church was as a strong city and incorporation, all prosecuting the same common cause of religion and liberty, so that by that common bond the injury offered to any one of her members was taken as done to all; and beside the express command of the Word, this was a blessed tie and engagement to every one in their place and station to stand up for the purity of the doctrine, simplicity of the worship, beauty and order of the government and discipline of Christ's house, and His royal supremacy over the same. And hence malignant and disaffected persons, perceiving that there was nothing so conducive to the advancement and preservation of national reformation as these mutual bonds and sacred Covenants, set themselves chiefly to destroy these, and in an ignominious manner burnt them, declared them treasonable and seditious, made the owning of them criminal, and persecuted such as adhered to them; and, on the other hand, God was pleased mightily to animate His suffering saints both with light and zeal in the defense of them against all the efforts of hellish violence, Wherefore, when this alone was not like to effectuate their design, these persecutors betook themselves to another stratagem, and fell upon more mild but more successful measures of giving out indemnities and indulgences, so restricted and limited, as the acceptors should be gained to a peaceable compliance with and submission to their impious laws, and taken off from their zeal in maintaining the work of Reformation, and divided from their Covenanted brethren. By this means they weakened the remnant that had not complied with Prelacy, set them at variance one against another, allured the one to sit quietly still till they had made an end of their brethren, and in short, rent and almost quite ruined the poor Presbyterian Church of Scotland; and hence, as the suffering remnant, which was by far the smaller part, were much opposed and reproached by these ministers and professors who accepted or made use of these pretended favors, so it became a necessary head of testimony to witness against the Indulgence, and acceptance thereof, or sinful connivance thereat. The particular disposition of this affair is not consistent with the narrow limits of a preface. Wherefore the reader may see for his satisfaction therein, "The History of the Indulgence," "Informatory Vindication," "Hind let Loose," etc.
Afterwards, when the persecution became sore and violent against the remnant that refused these deceitful baits, and stood to their Covenanted religion and liberty, and that both by the open violence of the enemies, and false slanders and calumnies of pretended friends, they were obliged to emit several Declarations of their principles, and to defend themselves from these unjust slanders and calumnies; which Declarations so soon as the persecutors got into their hands, thinking they had got a good handle therein for taking away the lives of all such as should adhere to them, (in regard that therein they had more explicitly and fully cast off the authority of the tyrant Charles II and specified the reasons why they could not own his authority), they never failed on all occasions to make that a part of their examinations. "Own ye the Sanquhar Declaration, the papers found at Queensferry?" etc. And many were indicted upon their adherence to these Declarations and other papers. I conceive it is not necessary to swell this preface with a particular defense of these Declarations, that being so well done by themselves in the "Informatory Vindication," which the reader may have recourse to; and as for the paper found upon Mr. Hall of Haughhead, when he was murdered at Queensferry, the reader shall see it, with a short relation concerning that worthy gentleman's death, in the Appendix to this book.
Another question commonly put to sufferers was, Whether they owned the Excommunication at the Torwood? which they did with much freedom; as a necessary duty, and lawfully performed, so far as that broken state of the Church would permit, and upon most weighty and sufficient grounds. The form and order of which Excommunication is also added by way of Appendix to this book.
But their finest topic, wherein they insulted and glorified most, was the death of James Sharp, Archbishop of St. Andrews, which they reckoned a cruel murder, and therefore hoped that, if the sufferers should approve of the same, they would have a color to destroy them, as being men of assassinating and bloody principles, deserving to be exterminated out of any well-governed commonwealth; and therefore it was still one of their questions - "Was the Bishop's death murder?" To which question some answered directly that it was a just and lawful execution of God's law upon him, for his perjurious treachery and bloody cruelty; others were silent, or refused to answer anything directly to the point, as, conceiving that it being no deed of theirs, they were not obliged by any law, Divine or human, to give their judgment thereupon, especially when they could not exactly know the circumstances of the matter of fact, and saw that the question was proposed with a design to ensnare them, or take away their life. Yet was their very silence or refusal to give their opinion made a cause of their indictment, and ground of their sentence, and some were put to torture to make them give their sentiments anent it. If any would be further satisfied on this head, let him see "Hind let Loose," head 6 page 633.
[Edition 1744, page 646. - ED.]
But however these murderers of the servants and people of God made use of such questions as these to entangle timre, yet still the grand state of the quarrel was, "Whether Christ alone or King Charles should be owned as head and lawgiver to the Church; and whether the Divine form of government and discipline which Christ had instituted should continue in her; or if an usurper should have leave to mould it, as he pleased, and conform it to the pompous dress of the Romish whore?" And hence it is also evident, that the state of the sufferings before the engagement at Bothwell was really one and the same with that which was after it (as to the main, though things came to be clearer after it), concerning the civil authority, when by that and many other instances it was made evident, that the pretended rulers were setting themselves directly to ruin the whole interests of the subjects, as well civil as sacred, and that it was in vain to be any longer in suspense, waiting for a satisfactory redress of grievances, or opportunity to represent the same. So that the charge of rebellion, laid against them not only by our Episcopal passive-obedience men, but also by the Indulged and such as tread their steps, is a most groundless imputation; for King Charles had violated all the conditions of government, and manifestly degenerated into a tyrant, long before they rejected his authority; and had refused all claim to the subjects' allegiance, upon the account of the contract which he entered into at his coronation, and had no other pretense to authority but hereditary right, and bloody force, with the consent of such profligate noblemen and gentlemen as sat in these packed and pretended Parliaments; which could never, in law or reason, oblige the honest and faithful subjects of the kingdom to comply with these tyrannical courses, and submit to him, who had as really forfeited his right to be king of Britain, as did his brother afterwards by his abdication.
But it is no new thing for the followers of Christ to meet with this charge of rebellion. If a Jezebel wants a Naboth's vineyard, and he stands up for his property, she will not want sons of Belial to bear witness that he "blasphemed God and the king." Do the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin intend to stop the building of Jerusalem, they'll not want a Rehum the chancellor, and Shimshai the scribe to write, "That this city is a rebellious city, and hurtful unto kings and provinces, and that they have moved sedition within the same of old time." Would Haman have all the Jews destroyed, because Mordecai will not honor him, this is the charge he lays against them; as most likely to effectuate his purpose, that "their laws are diverse from all people, neither keep they the king's laws." Have the presidents a purpose to be rid of Daniel, this is the engine, "that Daniel, which is of the children of the captivity of Judah, regardeth not thee, O king! nor the decree that thou hast signed." Is a Tertullus to employ his eloquence against Paul, here's the artifice - "We have found this man a pestilent fellow, and a mover of sedition among the Jews." Were the Romans desirous to have the Christians exterminated out of the empire, what shift took they? Why, truly this was it, "The Christians are rebellious and seditious; they won't swear by the life of Caesar, nor adore his image!" and therefore Christianos ad Leones. If we look through the whole ecclesiastic history, we shall scarce find a persecution raised, but this is an article of the charge. But it is no paradox, "the servant is not greater than his Lord;" even Christ himself was accused and condemned as an enemy to Caesar, and a mover of sedition. But I shall not enter into this argument; the sufferers for Christ in Scotland have been frequently vindicated from the charge of rebellion by more learned pens, and yet still we have a generation of absurd men, who will not fail to renew it; nor can the strength of argument silence them, while they have brow enough to return railing in the room of reason.

THE reader having thus briefly seen the causes upon which they laid down their lives, it were necessary to proceed to a short delineation, both of the cruelty of the persecutors inflicting, and of the courage, patience, and cheerfulness of the martyrs suffering these severities; but as for the former, what tongue can express, what pen can describe the barbarous cruelty and hellish rage of these sons of wickedness? One might write a volume upon their cruelties, and after all fall short of drawing them to the life, or giving any just idea of them; they were so extremely inhuman and brutish. At first they began with noblemen, gentlemen, and ministers, who had been eminent for the cause of God; beheading some, and placing their heads on the ports [i.e., gateways] of Edinburgh, in token of the highest contempt; banishing others, ejecting all from their charges, but such as would subject to Prelacy, and the blasphemous Supremacy; and vitiating all the springs and seminaries of learning. Next, they fell to compel the common people to hear curates, by vast and exorbitant fines, extorted by troops of soldiers, plundering, quartering, beating, wounding, binding men like beasts; chasing them away from their houses; compelling them, though sick, to go to church; consuming and wasting their provisions with dogs; and promiscuously abusing, as well those that conformed, as them that refused; and if any testified their resentment at these vermin of ignorant and scandalous curates, or refused to give them their titles, they were imprisoned, scourged, stigmatized [i.e., branded with a hot iron], and banished to Barbados or other foreign parts. Any that were hearing their own ministers in private houses were seized, dragged to prisons, and close kept there in great hardship; and that of every age and sex. These were their tender mercies, and but the beginnings of sorrows; for, after the defeat at Pentland Hills, beside what were killed upon the spot, such as surrendered upon quarter and solemn parole to have their life, were, contrary to the law of nature and nations, treacherously and bloodily murdered, to the number of forty; one of them, a much reverenced young minister [Hugh M'Kail] had his leg squeezed to pieces in the Boot, and was afterwards hanged, though he was not in the fight, but had only a sword about him. Soldiers were ordered to take free quarters in the country to examine men by tortures; to compel women and children to discover their husbands and fathers, by threatening death, wounding, stripping, torturing by fire-matches, etc.; crowding into prisons so thick that they could scarce stand together, in cold, hunger, and nakedness; and all this, because they would not or could not discover who were at that expedition. Likewise many ensnaring bonds, oaths, and tests were framed, and imposed with rigor and horrid severity; people obliged, to have passes declaring they had taken them, or swear before common soldiers, under pain of being presently shot dead. Severe laws were made against ministers that came to Edinburgh for shelter; they and their wives were searched for, by public search, crowded into prisons, and sent to foreign plantations to be sold as slaves. Dragoons were sent to pursue people that attended fieldpreachings, to search them out in mosses, moors, mountains and dens of the earth. Savage hosts of Highlanders were sent down to depopulate the western shires, to the number of ten or eleven thousand, who acted most outrageous barbarities, even almost to the laying some countries desolate. After the overthrow of the Lord's people at Bothwell they doubled their severities; issued out more soldiers, imposed cess, localities, and other new exactions, forced people to swear super inquirendis, and delate upon oath all that went to field-preachings; they set up extraordinary circuit courts, enlarged their Porteous rolls, [i.e., lists of persons summoned to appear before the Justiciary Courts], pressed bonds of compearance to keep the peace, to attend the church, refrain from field-meetings, etc.; examining country people upon several questions which they had no occasion to understand, concerning the death of King Charles I and the Archbishop of St. Andrews, and condemning them to death for not answering; quartering some alive, cropping their ears, cutting off the hands of some, and then hanging them, cutting their bodies in pieces after they were dead, and fixing them upon poles in chains, and upon steeples and ports of exiles, beating drums at their executions, that they might not be heard speak; detaining others long in prison, laden with chains and fetters of iron, and exposed to greater tortures than death itself, and, after all, sent to be sold as slaves, to empty the prisons; exercising all these bloody deaths and cruelties upon poor country people, which had no influence to do hurt to their government, though they had been willing; yea, upon women of tender age, whom they hanged and drowned, for refusing their oaths and bonds, and resetting the Lord's suffering people.
It would be endless to enumerate all the barbarities exercised upon particular persons, only for a swatch [i.e., specimen], take these inflicted upon that excellent gentleman, David Hackston of Rathillet. He was taken out from the place of judgment to his execution, and his body, which was already wounded, was tortured while he was alive, by cutting off both his hands, which was done upon a high scaffold prepared for the purpose; thereafter being drawn up by a pulley to the top of the high gallows by the rope which was about his neck, and suffered to fall down a considerable way upon the lower scaffold three times with his whole weight; then he was fixed at the top of the gallows, and the executioner, with a big knife, cutting open his breast, pulled out his heart while he was yet alive (as appeared both by the body contracting itself, when it was pulled out, and by the violent motion of the heart when it dropped upon the scaffold), which the executioner, taking up upon the knife, showed to the people upon the several corners of the stage, crying, "Here is the heart of a traitor!" and then threw it in a fire prepared for the purpose upon the stage, together also with his other inward and noble parts; and having quartered his body, fixed his head and hands on a port at Edinburgh, and the other quarters at Leith, Cupar of Fife, and other places. Such was the size and proportion of their persecutions, while yet they pretended to bring them to the knowledge of assizes and color of law. But being now weary with these persecutions, according to the tenor of their own laws, the Councilors, to rid themselves of this trouble, gave out an edict for killing them, wherever they might be found, immediately upon the spot, unless they would take the oaths, and show their pass (which they behooved to swear that it was not forged), and if they found any arms or ammunition upon them of any sort. By means of which edict, many were suddenly surprised and shot dead by the brutish and merciless soldiers, who were either peaceably living at home, following their lawful employments, or wandering in mountains to hide themselves from their bloody enemies, not being allowed time to recommend their souls to God; and the country was engaged by oath to raise the hue and cry against them, in order to deliver them up to the hands of these burriors [i.e., executioners.] The chief contrivers and framers of this horrid murdering edict, were the Earl of Perth, chancellor, Duke of Queensberry, Marquis of Athole, and, particularly, the Viscount of Tarbat, now Earl of Cromarty, who invented this murdering device, wherein yet he carried so cunningly, that he procured the despatch of the Act to the king with such suddenness, that he found a way to shift his own subscribing it; and though he wants power now to practice such bloody mischief, yet, it is evident, he has not repented thereof; but is, as yet, a contriver of the present encroachments made upon the Established Church, by the late mischievous Acts of Parliament [i.e., the Act of Toleration, requiring the taking of the Oath of Abjuration, the Act restoring Patronage, etc. - ED.] But I must not launch any further into the relation of these cruelties, the true history of which would commence into a volume. I own indeed, that a fuller narration of these things, with pertinent observations thereupon, would have been proper enough for the intended work; but, hoping that the Lord may yet raise up some of better abilities for such an undertaking, to set these sufferings in a true light, and give an impartial recital thereof, this short hint, together with some account of these cold blood murderers in the Appendix, may suffice at present.
LET us next view a little, with some attention and concern, with what undaunted courage, holy resolution, and greatness of mind, with what unshaken steadfastness and constancy, those worthy sufferers underwent all these bloody severities. Those disciples of Jesus had been so trained up in His school, and learned the great Christian doctrines of bearing the cross, mortifying the flesh, and contemning the world they had been so thoroughly instructed by this great Master of assemblies, who teaches to profit, and leads the blind in a way they know not, to discern the exceeding preciousness of truth, and excellency of the knowledge of Christ that they were made willing, yea, cheerfully willing, to forego riches, honors, pleasures, liberty, and life itself, when they came in competition with a steady adherence to the truth and honor of their lovely Lord. Love to Jesus Christ was the great spring which set all the wheels of their affections in motion, to do and suffer for Him whatever He called them to. Everyone of them could say to their persecutors, what Chrysostom said to the Empress Eudoxia, who sent him a threatening message, "Nil nisi peccatum timeo," I fear nothing but sin. They saw so much of the evil of sin, and beauty of holiness, that they would rather undergo the severest of suffering than stain their consciences with the least sin, or lose the smallest filing of this fine gold of truth. Many of the things for which they suffered were reckoned small by the indifferent world, but to them they appeared in their just magnitude.
Tertullian, in his book, "De Corona Militis," tells us, that when a certain Christian soldier in the emperor's army refused to wear a crown of bays upon his head, as all the rest of the soldiers did upon a day sacred to one of the heathen idols, he was not only mocked by the infidels for his nicety, but even by many of the Christians; conceiving it a folly that this one man, for such a small and indifferent thing, should endanger both himself and other Christians; but Tertullian defends him, and says, "This soldier was more God's soldier, and more constant than the rest of his brethren, who presumed they might serve two Lords, and, for avoiding persecution, comply with the heathen in their superstitious rites." And when some Christians, who, like our Indulged people, would rather comply than endure the hazard, objected, "Where is it written in all the Word of God, that we should not wear bays upon our heads?" Tertullian answers, "Where is it written that we may do it? We must look into the Scriptures to see what we may do; and not think it enough that the Scripture doth not forbid directly this or that very particular."
They knew, with the same Tertullian, in the forecited book, "that the state of Christianity doth not admit the excuse of necessity. There is no necessity of sinning to them, to whom it is only necessary not to sin." And hence they would not so much as seem to call in question any of the truths of Christ; when the enemies would have given them time to deliberate, and advise anent them, they were so confirmed in the present truth, that they answered their adversaries as Cyprian once did his, "In materia tam justa non est deliberandum," In so just a cause there needs no deliberation. When they were urged with the example of other Presbyterians, ministers and professors, who had complied, and were far wiser and better than they; this did not shake them, but rather heightened their zeal. As Chrysostom tell us, these two holy martyrs, Juventius and Maximus, when they were urged by their persecutors with this argument, "Do not ye see others of your rank do thus?" answered, "for this very reason we will manfully stand and offer ourselves as a sacrifice for the breach that they have made." So the sad defections of their brethren made them the more emulous to witness for Christ, when so many, Demas-like, had forsaken Him, having loved this present world. These martyrs had such large discoveries of Christ's love, especially under the cross, that their hardest trials were accounted light. As Stephen the protomartyr got the fullest view of Christ while before the council, so these had most lively sights of Him under their sharpest sufferings; and hence they could not find in their heart to deny so kind a Master. As Polycarp, that holy minister of Christ at Smyrna, answered the proconsul bidding him defy Christ and he should be discharged: "Fourscore and six years (said he) have I been His servant, yet all this time He hath not so much as once hurt me; how then may I speak evil of my King and Sovereign who hath thus preserved me?" so they were under a lively sense of their vows and obligations to Christ, personal and national, and therefore durst not, could not, deny His name, nor break His bonds, and east away His cords, as the wicked had done. They were of the resolute disposition of Victorianus, who, being solicited by the Emperor to turn Arian, told him, "You may try all extremities, torture me, expose me to wild beasts, burn me to ashes; I had rather suffer anything than falsify my promise made to Christ my Savior in baptism." And as Christ had been very kind to them, so they trusted much to Him, and depended on Him for strengthening influence, being very sensible of their own weakness; and they durst promise much on Christ's head; they could say, as Vincentius to the tyrant Decius, "Rage, and do the utmost that the spirit of malignity can set you on work to do; you shall see God's Spirit strengthen the tormented more than the devil can do the tormentors." And as Zuinglius to the Bishop of Constance, "Truth is a thing invincible, and cannot be resisted."
As they were well instructed in the necessity, so in the usefulness and benefit of the cross; they knew that, as the church and nation had deserved to be chastened and punished of God, so it was far more eligible to be chastened by sore adversities, inflicted by a loving father, than by severe impunities of an incensed and just judge. They knew that the grief they suffered was medicinal, not penal; the correction of a father, not the indignation of an enemy; and that they needed such merciful files and furnaces of adversity to scour off the rust they had contracted in prosperity. Nay, they were not only content to undergo these fatherly corrections, but accounted it a singular kindness and condescension that what they deserved should be their punishment, was made their glory, crown, and honor; that they, who had merited to be scattered into corners, and have their remembrance made to cease from among men, for their lightly prizing the precious and glorious Gospel, should be gathered into such a cloud of witnesses, and have their remembrance made everlasting as honored martyrs for Christ and the defense of His Gospel; that when they had provoked God by their sinful lusting after a malignant to be their king, they should be dignified to contend for the kingly prerogatives of such a glorious and good sovereign as the King of Kings. And as they had a good understanding in the doctrine of the cross, so likewise in the promise of the crown that is upon the back of the cross; they had their eye at the recompense of reward, and therefore endured, because by faith they saw Him who is invisible. It was their looking unto Jesus, who endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself, that made them bear all these reproaches, slanders, scoffs, and jeers, from enemies and professed friends, with such invincible patience.
THOU hast here, Christian reader, the dying speeches of some of these noble heroes, and, as the speeches of dying men are remarkable, the speeches of dying Christians more remarkable, how remarkable must the speeches of dying witnesses for Christ be? It is reasonably expected that dying men, much more dying Christians, and most of all, dying martyrs, should speak best at last. They are immediately to give in their last account; they are disinterested from all the worldly views that use to darken our understandings and bias our affections, while living in health and prosperity; they are upon the borders of eternity; and, as the motions of nature are the stronger the nearer they are to the center, so saints are most lively and heavenly when nearest heaven. Martyrs have a special promise "that it shall be given them in that hour what they shall speak." The last speeches of Christ's dying witnesses have extorted even from heathens acknowledgments to the honor of God; "Vere magnus est Deus Christianorum," Truly great is the Christians' God! They have been made the means of conversion to many thousands of sinners; as Justin Martyr testifies of himself, that the dying words of the Christians made him fall in love with the life of Christianity. [" Second Apology" chap. 12]. I own they are not bedecked with the embellishments of oratory and fine language; who can expect that from people of so mean education? But they are full of the language of heaven, which is many degrees more forcible than all our artificial rhetoric. One will find several mistakes in grammar, no doubt, in them; but they were never intended for the reflections of critics, but for the instruction of Christians; and their plain rude discourses may, through God's blessing, do more good to the latter, than the most elaborate composures can do to the former. They may serve both as a comfort and encouragement to sufferers, and as an instruction and example to saints. Herein, as in a glass, we may both see our blemishes, wherein we come short of them, and learn to dress ourselves with the like Christian ornaments of zeal, holiness, steadfastness, meekness, patience, humility, and other graces.
But, alas! How can the best of us read these Testimonies, without blushing for our low attainments and small proficiency in the school of Christ! How unlike are we to them! how zealous were they for the honor of Christ! How lukewarm are we of whatever profession or denomination! How burning was their love to Him, His truths, ordinances and people! How cold is ours! How self-denied and crucified to the world were they! How selfish and worldly are we! How willing were they to part with all for Christ, and what an honor did they esteem it to suffer for Him, to be chained, whipped, haltered, staked, imprisoned, banished, wounded, killed for Him! How unwilling are we to part with a very little for Him, much less to endure such hardships, and account them our glory! Alas! are we not ashamed of what they accounted their ornament, and account that our glory, which they looked upon as a disgrace! How easy was it for them to choose the greatest sufferings rather than the least sin! How hard is it for us not to choose the greatest sin, before the least suffering! Oh that their Christian virtues could upbraid us out of our lethargy of supine security, - that their humility, meekness, and patience could shame us out of our pride, haughtiness, and impatience! They were sympathizing Christians, active for the glory of God and good of souls, diligent to have their evidences for heaven clear; and, having obtained assurance of God's love to their persons, and approbation of their cause, they went cheerfully on their way, fearless of men, who can only kill the body, and ready to die the most violent death at God's call. But, oh! how little fellow-feeling is there now among Christians; but instead thereof, bitterness, emulation, wrath, envy, contentions and divisions! How little concern for the work and cause of Christ! how dark are the most part, both as to their spiritual state, and their proper and pertinent duty! And how much is the fear of man prevailing above zeal for the glory of God!

I KNOW it is objected by some, that they much wanted that virtue which is the greatest ornament of Christians, and truest character of martyrs, namely, a forgiving disposition; because they lay their blood at the door of the principal contrivers and executors of their death, which the objectors suppose not to have been done by any of the former sufferers for Christ.
But to this I oppone:
1. Granting, for argument's sake, that they had expressed themselves with some more fervency on that head, than others formerly have done, and that this was a piece of their infirmity, it will not follow that we should presently admit the invidious inference, that therefore they were no martyrs for Christ; for as neither the many gross failings of the Old Testament saints, nor the mistakes of the primitive Christians about the truths for which they suffered, could deprive either of the honor of saintship or martyrdom, so neither ought any infirmity of theirs to be improven against them for that end. Solomon tells us, that oppression makes a wise man mad; and they met with it in the highest degree, and that not from the hands of Pagans, Turks, or Papists, but of those who had been their covenanted brethren by profession; and when a holy selfresigned David had much ado to bear reproaches from the hand of one that had been his equal, guide, and acquaintance, with whom he had formerly sweet fellowship, it was not to be wondered, if they were put upon some vehemency of expression by their severe sufferings from such hands; and should rather be favorably constructed of.
- "Si quid,
Intumuit pietas, si quid flagrantius actum est."
But, 2. More directly, I am bold to deny the charge; for they everywhere distinguish betwixt the injuries done to them, considered simply in themselves, and the injuries done to Christ, and to His image in them. The former they declare they forgive as they desire forgiveness of God themselves; the latter they leave to God's sovereign disposal, withal wishing that God might give them repentance. Nor is the thing unprecedented; for, beside the example of Jeremiah, who laid his innocent blood at the door of the princes, if they should take his life, there might be several more recent parallels adduced. It shall suffice to instance one of our own nation, imprisoned for bearing witness to the same truth, namely, worthy Mr. John Welch, who, in his letter to Lady Fleming, hath these express words: "The guilt of our blood shall lie upon bishops, councilors, and commissioners, who have stirred up our prince against us, and so upon the rest of our brethren, who either by silence approve, or by crying peace, peace, strengthen the arm of the wicked, that they cannot return, and in the meantime make the heart of the righteous sad. Next, upon all them that sat in council, and did not bear plain testimony of Jesus Christ and His truth, for which we suffer. And next, upon these that should have come and made open testimony of Christ faithfully, although it had been to the hazard of their lives. Finally, all those that counsel, command, consent, and allow, are guilty in the sight of God." Sure I am, this is as full as anything they have on this head, and proves that what they did was consistent with a Christian and forgiving temper of spirit.
And as they went off the stage both with magnanimity and meekness, so it has been observed concerning many of their persecutors, that they departed this world with visible symptoms of God's wrath and judgments, especially with hell in their souls. I mean, the horror of an awakened conscience, under the sense of God's indignation, than which there can be no greater torment in this life.
"Siculi non invenere tyranni
Tormenturn rnajus." -
Well, these martyrs are now in heaven, in Abraham's warm bosom, enjoying the crown laid up for them, confirmed in an unchangeable state of rest and blessedness: we are yet in the stage of action and place of probation, we have our trials before us; let us imitate the Cloud of Witnesses, and contend for the faith once delivered to the saints. We know not what storms are abiding us; the Canaanite and the Perizzite are yet in the land. A restless Popish and Jacobite party, projecting a new revolution of affairs; as sanguinary and cruel yet as ever, and retaining as much of the old malignity and enmity against the Covenanted work of Reformation as ever, only waiting an opportunity to exert it; [the Jacobite insurrection in favor of the Pretender took place in 1715 - the year after these words were written. - ED.]; and many things in the present aspect of affairs portending, that they may be our scourge in the hand of our displeased Lord, for our misimproving mercies and deliverances, satisfying ourselves with our own things, not minding the things of Christ; chiefly for our undervaluing the offers of the blessed Son of God in the Gospel, and visible breach of national obligations to be for Him and His cause. Seeing then such clouds are gathering, and threatening a dismal tempest, let us arm ourselves with the same mind, to stand up for the truth upon all hazards, whether we be called of God to do, or to suffer, for the joint interest of true religion and national liberty; for these, like Hippocrates's twins, weep or laugh, live or die together. Righteousness exalteth a nation, said the wise Solomon; and Theodosius the Emperor owned that the establishment of a Christian state depends chiefly upon piety towards God. On the other hand, civil liberty is an excellent bulwark to religion, without which its purity cannot long be preserved; for, as the same Emperor said, "Multa inter ecclesiam et rempublicam cognatio intercedere solet; ex se invicem pendent, et utraque prosperis alterius successibus incrementa sumit;" there is a great sibness [i.e., close relationship], betwixt the Church and the Commonwealth; they depend the one upon the other, and either is advanced by the prosperity and success of the other. It is to be feared, that this time of ease and outward peace has so effeminated and softened our spirits, that we'll find it hard to face a storm; we may complain with Eusebius, "Res nostrae nimia libertate in mollitiem et segnitiem degenerarunt;" too much liberty has made us soft and sluggish. The vigorous exercise of Christian discipline has been much intermitted, and therefore we have ground to expect severe correction from the hand of God. Cyprian observes, that this was the procuring cause of God's correcting the Church in his time: "Quia traditam nobis divinitus disciplinam pax longa corruperat, jacentem fidem, et pene dixerim dormientem, censura coelestis erexit;" because long peace had corrupted the divinely instituted discipline, therefore, there needed heavenly chastisement to awaken the faith of the Church, which was lying low, and almost fast asleep. All these dying witnesses assure us of judgments abiding this Church and nation, and our present condition seems to say, that we are the people that are to meet with them; how much need then had we of the Christian armor, the divine panoplia, which made these Christians proof against all the fiery darts of Satan and the wicked; and of the holy submission which made them bear the indignation of the Lord patiently, because they had sinned against Him?
HAVING thus briefly ushered thee into the following sheets, Christian and candid reader, I shall detain thee no longer from perusing them, save only by the way to take notice of these few advertisements:
1. It is not pretended that here are all the Speeches and Testimonies of those that suffered in Scotland since the year 1680. For many of them, which no doubt are extant, have not come into the hands of the publishers of this collection, and some of them, that were in their hands, did so far coincide with others in matter and phrase, that they left them unpublished, with some remark upon them, to keep up the memory of these honorable sufferers; being desirous that the book should not swell to such a bulk, as might make it less useful to country people, who have not much money to buy, nor leisure to read bulky volumes. And if encouragement be found in this attempt, there may more of them come to be published afterwards. Only this the collectors of these testimonies can say, that they have left out none which were in their hands, that they conceived might be for the benefit of the public, upon any sinistrous view or account. And if any shall find any alteration in any of them from their own manuscripts (except it be in the grammar, wherein they took some little freedom, where necessity required it), they are to impute it to the variety of copies, whereof they had several, and chose that which they conceived most genuine.
2. As for the Testimonies of the Banished, they being much the same as to all material points with these of the dying witnesses, they are omitted, and a list of their names added in the Appendix.
1 The Last Speeches of those who suffered on account of the Earl of Argyle's attempt, in the year 1685, are advisedly pretermited, both because some of them are already published in a book entitled, "The Western Martyrology," and likewise because it is the opinion of the encouragers of this work, that their testimony was not so directly concerted, according to the true state of the quarrel, for the Covenanted interest of the Church of Christ in Scotland, as it ought to have been; though they intend not hereby to rob them of the glory of martyrdom for the Protestant religion. Nor can this be any prejudice to others, who may incline more fully to publish the transactions of these times.
May the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who enabled His people to witness so good a confession for His truth and cause, make these dying speeches useful to animate all the lovers of the reformed religion, with the like Christian magnanimity and resolution, to stand up for its defense against a Popish, Prelatic, and Jacobitish faction, endeavoring its overthrow! May He unite us in the way of truth and duty, to strive together for the valuable interests of our religion and liberty!

AN ENCOMIUM ON THE FOLLOWING MARTYRS.

LO! here of faithful Witnesses a Cloud,

For Christ their King resisting unto blood,

Lo! here upon their Pisgah top they stand,

Just on the confines of Emmanuel's Land:

Leaving the ungrateful world, longing to be

Possess'd of blessed immortality.

Lo! here they stand, accosting cruel death

With Christian braveness, to their latest breath;

The views they have of heav'n's eternal joys,

So far eclipse all sublunary toys,

Their souls are only charm'd with things above,

Exulting in their sweet Redeemer's love.

Lo! here they stand, and will not quit the field,

They'll die upon the spot, before they'll yield.

Lo! with what courage and brave resolution

They bear the shock of bloody persecution.

Hell's rage, Rome's fury, or the scorn of those

Pretending friendship, though the worst of foes,

Could never shake their steady loyalty

To Zion's King, for whose supremacy

Over His Church thus boldly they contend,

And by His grace endure unto the end;

Refusing e'er to make a base surrender

Of Christ's regalia to a vile pretender,

Who, swoll'n with more than Luciferian pride,

Could not in his own princely place abide,

But would usurp the spiritual pow'r and throne

By God JEHOVAH giv'n to Christ alone.

And having thus 'gainst heav'n display'd a banner,

The Covenant he swore in solemn manner

He broke and burnt; Divine and human laws

Trod under foot; and, to advance his cause,

Made bloody violence the only claim,

Whereby he wore the royal diadem:

Being serv'd with beasts devoid of human sense,

Much more of honor and of conscience;

Who slew God's dearest saints in field and city,

'Gainst law and reason, without sense of pity;

Whose sharpest sufferings could not assuage,

Nor death itself allay their hellish rage;

As if their bodies dead felt sense of pains,

Cut all in parts, they hung them up in chains;

Heads, legs, and arms, they plac'd on every port

Of burghs, or other places of resort,

As standing trophies of their victory

O'er Divine truth and human liberty.

Well, have they kill'd, and ta'en possession too?

Is this the utmost that their rage could do,

Only to send Chrises loving subjects home,

To their dear country where they long to come!

What matter where their dusty parts do ly,

Interr'd in earth, or lifted up on high,

While as their souls eternal anthems raise,

In sweet accents to their Redeemer's praise!

And will not Zion's King regain His crown?

Throwing such vain aspiring mortals down

Into that direful pit, from whence did flow

These mists of pride which did enchant them so.

Come, then, behold these noble Witnesses

Adorn'd with holy zeal and faithfulness;

Who like a Cloud do us environ round,

Viewing (as 'twere) what way we'll stand our ground.

Let's run our race with equal patience,

With eyes intent upon our recompense.

[These prisoners were twenty-six women, followers of John Gib, of Borrowstounness. Cargill, when preaching at Darmead, heard that Gib and his followers were in the neighborhood, and, sending for them, had a long conference with them as to their opinions. Its sum and substance, according to Patrick Walker, is contained in the following letter. Gib and about thirty adherents had forsaken their homes, and had taken up their abode in the moors, under the persuasion that they would thus be more free from all snares and sins. Their extravagances attracted the notice of the government, and in the spring of 1681, they were taken by a troop of dragoons, and carried to Edinburgh. Gib and three male associates were imprisoned in the Canongate Tolbooth, and the twenty-six women in the Correction House, usually filled with the loose and abandoned of the city. Gib and his male adherents gave in a statement of their opinions to the Council, which will be found in Wodrow; and Donald Cargill seems to have come to the conclusion that they were so wedded to their errors as to be irreclaimable. Of the women he entertained better hopes, and hence sent them the following affectionate appeal. It says much for his kindness of heart, and for his patient and earnest desire to reclaim them. His efforts were not without success, for the greater part of them, according to Patrick Walker, came to their right mind after they had tasted the bitter fruits of these demented delusions. Gib himself was shortly after set at liberty, but in 1684 was again apprehended, and banished to America. After a Fife of much misery and wretchedness, he died in 1720. - ED.] "DEAR FRIENDS, - I think ye cannot but know that I am both concerned and afflicted with your condition, and I would have written sooner, and more, if I had not feared that you might have been jealous, under your distempers, that I had been seducing you to follow me, and not God and truth.
"It had been my earnest and frequent prayer to God, as He Himself knows, to be led in all truth, and I judge I have been in this graciously answered; but I desire none, if they themselves judge it not to be truth, to adhere to anything that I have either preached, written, or done, to any hazard, much more to the loss of life. "But I have been afflicted with your condition, and could not but be more, if God's great graciousness in this begun discovery, and your sincerity and singleness, gave me not hope that God's purpose is to turn this to the great mercy of His poor Church and yours, if ye mar it not; and yet the great sin, and pillar of Satan, that is in this snare, makes me tremble. It was God's mercy to you, that gave you such convictions; that made you, at least some of you, once to part with these men. And it was undoubtedly your sin, that you continued not so; but after convictions, did cast yourselves in new temptations; for convictions ought to be tenderly guided, lest the Spirit be grieved, from whom they come; but this second discovery, though it be with a sharper rebuke, as it makes God's mercy wonderful, so it shall render your perseverance in that course sinful and utterly inexcusable; for God has broken the snare; and it will be your great sin, if you go not out with great haste, joy, and thankfulness, when God's wonderful discovery has made such a way for your delivery. For God, having now shown you the ringleaders and authors of these opinions to be persons of such abominations, calls you not only to deny credit to them, but also to make a serious search of their tenets; which will, I know, by His grace, bring you undoubtedly to see, that these things are contrary both to God's glory and truth, that they so much pretend to.
"And now, dear friends, I cannot be tender enough of you, who in your zeal and singleness have been misled. For though this did bewray a great simplicity and unwatchfulness, yet it did also betoken some zeal and tenderness; that being beguiled, it was in things that were veiled and busked [i.e., adorned] with some pretense to God's glory, and public reformation. And on the other hand, I cannot have great enough abhorrence of the persons, who, knowing themselves to be of such abominations, did give out themselves to be of such familiarity with God, and of so clear illumination, to make their delusions more passing with devout souls. Let nothing make you think this is malignity, or natural enmity against the power of Godliness, or progress in reformation, that is venting itself in me: For though I cannot win [i.e., get] forward as I ought, yet I have rejoiced to see others go forward. "And I am sure, there lies in this bed within you, a viper and a child. Satan, transforming himself into an angel of light, has put these two together, to make it passing with some, and to be spared of others who are of tenderness. But my soul's desire is, to kill the serpent and keep the child alive; and God is calling you loudly to sever the good from the bad, that the wit of Satan's subtlety has mixed together, and to deliver yourselves speedily, as a roe from the hand of the hunter; and not only return, but bitterly mourn for your high provoking of God, in offering such foul sacrifices to His glory, and sewing your old clouts upon that new garment; in your making the enemy more to despise that cause and company who are enough despised already, and discouraging those who were following and going forward with you in that which was right; so that now, neither have they heart nor hand for the work, nor can they look out till God recover them again.
"There is much in the whole of this, that may, and does weight and overwhelm some spirits: but there is nothing in all their cogitations about it that they find comfortable; unless it be, that He is cleared in afflicting us, and continuing to afflict, because there were such persons among us. I speak this but of some of you, and beloved by us, though ignorantly; and we wish that this be the last and great stop that was to be removed, before His coming to revenge Himself, and reign. I would not say but by this also He showed His tenderness, of preserving integrity of doctrine, and sound reformation, and His purpose not to suffer errors and heresies to prosper.

"This I told you, when I met with you, that there were some things ye were owning which were highly approved of God; such as, an inward heart-love and zeal to God's glory, which I perceived to be in some of you, so far as it can be perceived; and setting up that before you, as your end, in pursuing it always as your work, and a forgetting of all other things in regard of it; excepting only these things without which we cannot glorify Him; as a workman that intends his work must mind his tools; even our own salvation, and the salvation of all others, as if they were not things wherein He is greatly glorified; for His glory is in righteousness and mercy, and in, and by these, is the salvation of man infallibly advanced, and to these it is inseparably connected.
"Next, I would advise you to set apart more, yea, much more of your time, for humiliation, fasting, and prayer, in such an exigence, when the judgments of God appear to be so near and so great; so that it be done without sin; for God cannot be glorified by sin, 'for if my lie hath more abounded to His glory, why am I judged as a sinner?' I was against such as deny nature, and others their right dues; for He that allows dues to others, allows them to be paid also. And we must be like prisoners, who are of great debt and honest hearts, who know they cannot pay every one their full sums, yet are resolved to give every one some, and to the greatest most, and to the rest accordingly. And as there cannot be a total abstinence from meat without self-murder, so there cannot be a total denying others their dues, such as the benevolence of husband to wife, and a total abstaining from work, without a transgression of God's commandments and laws; which can never be a glorifying of Him; which the more impartially they are kept, the more He is glorified.
"Next, ways are allowed of Him, that ye may make yourselves free, so much as in you lies, of all the public defections, whatever may involve you in these, or contribute to their upholding, without either an overpowering force, or an indispensable necessity; for I may buy meat and drink in necessity, whatever use the seller make of that money I give for my meat and drink.
"Next, He allows these particulars of reformation, such as change of the names of days, of weeks, of terms of the year, and such like, warranted by the word and example of the Christians in Scripture, that have been neglected before in our reformation; so that there be not too much religion placed in these things, and other things more weighty, which undoubtedly have more moral righteousness in them, made little in regard of them; but in these good things Satan will quickly (if it be not already), overdrive you in your progress, and leave you only to hug a spurious birth.
"But there are other things that ye maintained when I spoke with you (and the viper has more since appeared), as truths and parts of God's glory, that are utterly contrary to, and inconsistent with the glory of God. As first, laying aside of public preaching, some of them saying no less, nor [i.e., than that] they had no missing of it; so that ye thought, 'Ye had reigned as kings without us, and would to God ye had reigned.' Your flourishing should have delighted, though we had not been the instruments and means thereof. But, alas! this your liberty, that you so much bragged of, would have lasted but a little while, and was among your other beguiles, and was nothing else but Satan stirring you about to giddiness, and raising of fantastic fumes to the tickling of the imagination, but leaving you altogether without renovation of heart, or progress in sanctification; so that I cannot compare this your liberty to anything else, but to an enchanted fabric; where the poor guests, only placed in imagination, imagine themselves to be in a pleasant place, and at royal entertainment; but when God comes, and delusion evanisheth, they will find themselves cast in some remote wilderness, and left full of astonishment and fears. "I told you, while I was with you, that the devil was sowing tares amongst your thin wheat; but I was not long from you, exercised in thoughts about you, but I saw clearly there was sorcery in your business; and now, I tell you, I fear sorcerers also. I know I have spoken this against my own life, if they get the power they desire; but I am in a defiance of them, and I know also in a defense by Him who hath preserved, and I know will preserve me, till my work be finished. But if your liberty that you talked of had been true, it would at least have stayed till it had brought you to other thoughts, other works, and other comforts; and it might have been easily discerned not a true liberty, but a temptation that led you from public preaching, the great ordinance of God's glory and men's good; as the apostle has that word, 'forbidding us to preach to the Gentiles;' but especially to leave public ordinances at this time, when they are the only standards standing which shows Satan's victory against Christ's kingdom in Scotland not to be complete. "Yet, dear friends, when you hear this, let not Satan cast you as far to the other side, for it is rare to see the most devout souls altogether out from under his delusions and temptations, as to make you believe that it is impossible to attain unto anything of certitude of truth, liberty, manifestations, and communion with God, if that which seemed to be so firm be delusions. But shall Satan have such power to make men believe lies, and shall not God go infinitely beyond him, in making men to see and believe truth? There were many that thought themselves at the height of assurance, when under the greatest temptations - as Psalm 53, 'Verily I have cleansed my hands in vain;' and yet they have a greater certainty when they come to see that there is no such unquietness of spirit under this, as they found in the former. And seeing it is so, rest not till ye attain that assurance of your own interest, and of His main truths, which is both above doubt and defect, that ye may be able to say, Now we believe, and are sure.' "But in the next place, ye will join with none in public worship, but those who have infallible signs of regeneration. This seems fair, but it is both false and foul. False, because of its false foundation, viz., that the certainty of one's interest in Christ may be known by another. Whereas the Scripture says, 'That none knows it, but he that has it' Foul also, for this disdain has pride in it, and pride is always foul; and though there be a difference amongst men, and though we should have regard of repentance and brokenness of heart, yet those who have well fought and seen their own filthiness, will judge themselves the persons of any that should be thrust out of the assemblies of God's people, and that not only in regard of what they have been, but also in regard of what they daily are.
"Next, ye would have all to be prayed to eternal wrath, who have departed and made defection in this time. Alas! we need not blow them away; the great part is going fast enough that way; but this, I am sure, is not to give God His glory, but to take from Him, and limit Him in His freedom and choice in the greatness of His pardon. It is remarkable that the angels, in their glory to God, joined also with it good-will to men.
"Next, you have rejected the Psalms, with many other things, by a paper come from some of you; and I cannot see upon what account; except it be, because it is man's work, in turning the Psalms out of prose into metre. Then ye must reject all the other Scriptures, because the translation of them is of man's work; ye have not yet learned the original languages; ye must betake yourselves altogether to the Spirit, and what a spirit will that be, that is not to be tried by the Scriptures? I told some of you, when I last saw you, that ye were too little led by the Scriptures, and too much by your own thoughts and suggestions; which, indeed, opens a wide door to delusion, and alas! lays yourselves open to Satan's temptations.
"As for the rest of your denying all your former covenants and declarations, this cannot be from God, they containing nothing but lawful and necessary duties; and, suppose they did not contain and include a complete reformation, yet they did not exclude it; so that still holding them, we might have passed on to more perfection, and they might be inviolable obligations with us.
"And next, your cutting off all that were not of your mind, and delivering them up to devils, was not justice and religion; it being done neither in judgment nor righteousness, upon conviction of their crimes, but in unbridled rage and fury. But these things I cannot fully speak to now; yet there is somewhat that I cannot pass, but must tell you, that I fear there shall remain some of the leaven within, which shall not only spoil an orthodox Protestant, but also a true, tender, and humble Christian, and give us nothing instead of it but a blown bladder; for I am persuaded, if Satan should have the tutory but a while, he should bring it to this; for it has been his way with some - first, to make them saint-like, and afterwards to settle them at atheism; like a cunning fisher, running a fish upon an angle, who at last casts it on dry ground. God is my witness, my soul loves to see holiness, tenderness, and zeal in such a generation, where there is nothing but untenderness, unconcernedness, and lukewarmness; and, by His grace, I shall ever cherish it.
"I desire you then, in the bowels of Christ, to retain your zeal; but see well to this, that it be for His glory. Indeed, the more ye are zealous, and the further ye go forward, so that the word of God direct your course, ye are the more pleasing to God, and shall be the dearer to us. Alad persuade yourselves, that though I cannot equal or go before, yet it is the sincere desire of my heart to follow such. And my soul wishes you well, though, it may be, I cannot here point nor lead you the way to well-being; yet this I must say, that if I could lead you the way that He has led me, I should let you see eternal life, without these things that I am desiring you to relinquish.
"Hold truth, glorify God, be zealous to have Him glorified; but think not to desire the condemnation of any man, simply on that account, that they dare not come and continue where you are; or that to put a bar by prayer between them and a return, is a glorifying of God. We glorify Him in this kind, when, as He Himself desires, we acquiesce in His sentence when it is past, though we wrestle against it before it be known to us. "I cannot bid you go forward in all, but I desire you to go forward in that which is surer and better. And dear friends, let not the world have it to say, that when ye are become right, ye are become the less zealous; only take the right object, and let your zeal grow. O let not your sufferings be stained with such wildness; and think it not strange that ye have not such liberty in your return, as ye seemed to have before; if you take the right way, and hold on, ye shall find it, in His time, greater, and better, and surer. "I shall only add, that there must be an express disowning of your errors and evils, and an express owning of His truths; whereof ye have been persuaded before now, but which now are either denied or doubted; otherwise you will come to nothing of religion, or worse; this will either state your sufferings right, or be a mean to obtain a cleanly liberty from God in His due time. Grace, mercy, and peace be with you. Amen!
"DONALD CARGILL."

"Fourthly, That except a man be born again, he cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven. My friends, this is the new birth, this is regeneration that I am speaking of, to which the great part, even of professors, I fear, will be found strangers.
"Fifthly, I set to my seal to the truth of that precious promise, Joshua 1:5, etc.; repeated, Hebrews 13:5: 'For He hath said, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee; together with all the other promises to that purpose; and, I am sure, He hath carried me through divers conditions of life, many various and singular difficulties, and damping discouragements. But omitting these filings, whereof the profane persecutors may as much boast as to the outward as any, He hath led me through the several steps of soul exercise, and the pangs of the new birth, into Himself! This, this, my friends, is the cognizance and distinguishing character of a saint indeed; and by this, and this only, we pass from death to life. "And, as I adhere to the Confession of Faith and work of reformation (as I shall afterwards speak to), so particularly, I set to my seal to these truths, in the 18 chapter thereof, anent the assurance of grace and salvation. Alas! the ignorance of this generation is great. My dear friends, I leave this as my last advice to you, make use of that book which contains the Confession of Faith, Catechisms, Sum of Saving Knowledge, Practical Use of Saving Knowledge, Directory for Worship, the Causes of God's Wrath, etc. And let none think this work below them; for the spiritual enlightening of the mind, which requires the literal with it, is the first work of the Spirit, after we first begin to come to ourselves, or rather to what we were in innocency, and ought to be by grace. But as to this, I do confidently refer you to Shepard's 'Sound Believer,' which, in my poor apprehension, is the soundest and surest ye can meet with.
"And Sixthly, I set to my seal to the Covenant of Grace, particularly that clause of it (Isaiah 39:21), 'As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the Lord; my spirit that is upon thee,' etc. And here I leave my testimony against all atheists, speculative (if there be any such) and practical, and all mockers at godliness, all forrealists and hypocrites, Quakers and enthusiasts, who either pretend to the Spirit, neglecting the word, or lean upon the word, neglecting the teaching of the Spirit. And what shall I more say, but by what of truth I have in experience seen, I am bold to believe what I have not seen; His testimony is a ground sufficient, and there can be no deceit under it.
"And now I am to die a martyr; and I am as fully persuaded of my interest in Christ, and that He hath countenanced me in that for which I am So lay down my life, as I am of my being. And let the world and biassed professors say their pleasures, I am here in no delusion. I have the free and full exercise of reason and judgment; I am free of passion and prejudice, and, excepting that I am yet in the body, I am free of Satan's fire and fury. I have no bitterness nor malice at any living, so that what I am owning and dying for, I am solidly and firmly persuaded to be truth and duty, according to my mean capacity. And this is the main point this day in controversy, upon which I was peremptorily questioned, and desired positively to answer, yea or nay, under the threatening of the Boots, viz.:
Whether I owned the King's authority as presently established and exercised; which I did positively disown, and denied allegiance to him, as he is invested with that supremacy proper to Christ Jesus only. And who knoweth not that at first he was constituted and crowned a covenanted King, and the subjects sworn in allegiance to him, as such, by the Solemn League and Covenant? This was the authority wherewith he was clothed; and the exercise of it was to be for God, religion, and the good of the subjects. And is not all this, as to God and His people, overturned and perverted? But secondly, The whole of this pleaded-for authority at present, is established on the ruin of the land's engagements to God, and to one another. But I say no more as to this. Consider things seriously, and ponder them deeply; zeal for God is much gone. Look to it, and labor to recover it; your peace shall be in it, as to duty; though Christ's righteousness, I see, is the only sure foundation.
"I leave my testimony against malignancy, ungodliness, and profanity, and whatsoever is contrary to sound doctrine, professed and owned by the reformed anti-erastian presbyterian party in Scotland, whereof I die a member and professor, being fully satisfied and content with my lot. And as to my apprehending; we were singularly delivered by Providence into the adversaries' hand, and, for what I could learn, were betrayed by none, nor were any accessory to our taking, more than we were ourselves; and particularly let none blame the Lady St. John's Kirk in this. [It was the lady St. John's Kirk who persuaded Smith and Boig, against Cargill's judgment, to leave the house where Cargill would have passed the night, and go to Covington Mill, where all three were taken. Patrick Walker blames her very much. - ED.] I have no time to give you an account of the Lord's kindness and tenderness to us, in restraining the adversaries' fury. For they began very brisk, by making us lie all night bound, and expressly refused to suffer us to worship God, or pray with one another, until we came to Linlithgow. But the Lord hasteneth to come. Beware of going back. Wait for Him. Be not anxious about what shall become of you, or the remnant. He is concerned; His intercession is sufficient.
Get Him set up, and kept up in His own room in your souls, and other things will be the more easily kept in theirs. Be tender of all who have the root of the matter, but beware of compliance with any, whether ministers, or professors, or adversaries. "As to my judgment, insignificant as it is, I am necessitate to refer you to the draught of a paper which I drew at the desire of some societies in Clydesdale, entitled, 'Some Steps of Defection,' etc. Beware of a spirit of bitterness, peremptoriness, and ignorant zeal, which hath been the ruin of some, and will be the ruin of more, if mercy prevent not. I was withdrawn from by some, as having given offense to them by my protesting against their way in a particular, wherein I am sure as to the manner they were wrong; and though they had been right, it was not a ground to have made such a separation from me, much less from those who joined with me. And if any division be longer kept up upon that account, they will find it a great iniquity, if rightly considered.
"I can get no more written, nor see I great need for it; for the testimonies of martyrs are not your rule. Farewell. "From the Tolbooth of Edinburgh, July 27, 1681 "Sic subscribitur, "WALTER SMITH."
BEING come to the scaffold, Walter Smith accosted the multitude to this purpose:
"All ye beholders who are come here upon various designs, I entreat you, be not mistaken anent the cause of our suffering this day; for however ye may be misinformed, yet it is of verity that we are brought here upon the matters of our God; because we testified against the supremacy, and would not consent to the setting of Christ's crown upon the head of him who had by usurpation aspired thereto, contrary to his former engagements." Upon this they caused beat the drums, which obliged him a little to silence; but, beckoning with his hand, he said,
"I shall only say something to three particulars: And first, Anent that which some are apt to believe, that we are against authority; but we detest that, and say that we own all the lawful exercise of authority; and we hope there are none that are Christians who will allow us to own the unlawful exercise, or rather tyranny of authority."
At this the drums were again beat, and so he sung a part of the 103d Psalm from the beginning, and prayed; which done, he turned his face to the Cross, and said, "I bless the Lord I am not surprised, neither terrified, with this death, or the manner of it. I confess the thoughts of death have been sometimes very terrible to me, when I have been reflecting upon my misspending of precious time; yea, sometimes the strength of temptation, and my own weakness, have made me herein to raze the very foundation of my interest; but my God builds faster than He permits the devil and my false heart to cast down. I have had some clouds even since I came to prison; but blessed be God, these are all removed; for my God hath said to my soul, 'Be of good cheer, thy sins are forgiven thee.' And the faith of this makes me not to fear grim death, though it be called the king of terrors, yet it is not so to me, for this that you think a cruel and sudden death, is but an inlet to life, which shall be eternal. Let none be offended at Christ and His way, because of suffering; for I can persuade you there is more of Christ's help, and supporting grace, and strength, in a suffering lot, than all that ever I heard of by the hearing of the ear. But now I am made to find it in my own experience; and I can say, 'He is altogether lovely.' "But a second thing that I promised to speak to is, that I detest and abhor all popery, prelacy, erastianism, and all other steps of defection from the truths of God, and turning aside to the right and left hand. Also, I testify against all errors, as Quakerism, Arminianism, and all that is contrary to sound doctrine; who walk not according to the Scriptures, and make not the Word and Spirit of God their rule to walk by. I have lived, and now am ready to die, a Christian, a Protestant, and a Presbyterian in my judgment;therefore let none hereafter say that we walk not by the Scriptures, for once Britain and Ireland, and especially Scotland, were deeply sworn to maintain what now they disown; therefore beware of standing in the way of others, seeing ye will not go in yourselves. "Thirdly, I exhort all you that are the poor remnant, to be serious in getting your interest cleared; you that are in the dark with your case, take not flashes for conversion; study a holy conversation. Be at more pains to know the Scriptures, and believe them. Be serious in prayer. Slight not time. Take Christ in His own terms, and resolve to meet with thais, and that shortly. Slight not known duties: commit not known sins, whatever suffering ye may meet with for your cleaving to duty. Lippen [i.e., trust] to God, and you will not be disappointed. Construct well of Him under all dispensations. Weary not of suffering. Lie not at ease in a day of Jacob's trouble.
"I have one word more to speak, to all that are going on in persecuting the way and friends of Christ, and it is in the very words of our Lord; remember, 'Whatever ye do to one of these little ones, ye do it unto Me.' I pray the Lord that He may open the eyes of all the elect, who are yet strangers to regeneration, and also convince such of them as are fallen from their first love. "Now, my friends, I have this to say in my own vindication, that however I have been branded by some, and misconstrued by others, yet I can say in the sight of the Lord, before whom I am now to appear, that I am free of any public scandal; I say I am free of drunkenness, I am free of whoredom, thefts, or murder; therefore, let none say that we are murderers, or would kill any, but in self-defense, and in defense of the Gospel. I truly forgive all men the wrongs they have done to me, as I desire to be forgiven of the Lord; but as for the wrongs done to a holy God, I leave these to Him who is the avenger of blood; let Him do to them as He may be glorified. Now, I say no more, but pray that all who are in His way may be kept from sinning under suffering, and that every one may prepare for a storm, which I do verily believe is not far off." Then stooping down, he saluted some friends, and said, "Farewell all relations and acquaintances; farewell all ye that are lovers of Christ and His righteous cause."
And beckoning to the multitude, he said
"Farewell also."
And so he went up the ladder with the greatest discoveries of alacrity and magnanimity, and seating himself upon it, he said, "Now, this death of mine I fear not, for my sins are freely pardoned; yea, and I shall sin no more, for I am made, through my God, to look hell, wrath, devils, and sin eternally out of countenance. Therefore, farewell all created enjoyments, pleasures, and delights; farewell sinning and suffering; farewell praying and believing, and welcome heaven and singing. Welcome joy in the Holy Ghost; welcome Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; into thy hands I commend my spirit."
When the executioner was about to untie his cravat, he thrust him away, and untied it himself, and, calling for his brother, threw it down, saying,

"This is the last token you will get from me."

After the napkin was drawn over his face he uncovered it again, and said,

"I have one word more to say, and that is, to all that have any love to God, and His righteous cause, that they will set time apart, and sing a song of praise to the Lord for what He has done to my soul, and my soul says, to Him be praise."
Then letting down the napkin, he prayed a little within himself, and the executioner doing his office, threw him over.

HIS INTERROGATIONS AND ANSWERS BEFORE THE PRIVY COUNCIL, SATURDAY, JULY 26, 1680.
1. Whether or not had you any hand in the murdering of the late Archbishop of St. Andrews?
Answered, He was not obliged to answer that question, nor be his own accuser.
2. What he would declare as to the King's authority?
Answered, The authority that disowns the interest of God, and states [i.e., sets] itself in opposition to Jesus Christ, is no more to be owned; but so it is, the King's authority is now such, therefore it ought not to be owned.
3. Whether the killing the Archbishop of St. Andrews was murder, yea or not?
Answered, That he thought it no sin to dispatch a bloody monster.
4. If he owned the New Covenant, taken at the Queensferry, from Mr. Cargill, one of their preachers?
Answered, That he did own it in every particular thereof, and would fain see the man that in conscience and reason would debate the contrary.
5. If he were at liberty, and had the power to kill any of the King's council, and murder them as he did the Archbishop of St. Andrews, whether he would do it, yea or not?
Answered, That he had no spare time to answer such frivolous and childish questions.
The Chancellor told him, that if he were not more ingenuous in his answers, he would presently be tortured. He answered, "That is but a little addition to your former cruelties, and I have that comfort, that though you torture my wounded body, yet ye cannot reach my soul."
The Chancellor urged him with several other questions, which he refused to answer. But, said he, "I would gladly speak a little, if I could have liberty;" which was allowed him.
Then he said:
"Ye know that youth is a folly, and I acknowledge that., in my younger years, I was too much carried down with the spate [i.e., flood] of it; but that inexhaustible fountain of the goodness and grace of God, which is free and great, hath reclaimed me, and, as a firebrand, hath plucked me out of the claws of Satan; and now I stand here before you as a prisoner of Jesus Christ, for adhering to His cause and interest, which hath been sealed with the blood of many worthies, who have suffered in these lands, and have witnessed to the truths of Christ these few years bygone. And I do own all the testimonies given by them, and desire to put in my mite among theirs, and am not only willing to seal it with my blood, but also to seal it with the sharpest tortures that you can imagine." Then, being interrogated by the Bishop of Edinburgh, what he would answer to that article of the Confession of Faith, that difference of religion doth not make void the Magistrate's right and authority? He answered, that he would not answer any perjured Prelate. The Bishop replied, he was in the wrong to him, because he never took the Covenant, therefore he was not perjured, and so deserved not that name. But some of them asking him how he would answer that question, he answered, "That question was answered long ago, by the Solemn League and Covenant, which binds us only to maintain and defend the King in the defense of the true religion: but now the king having stated himself an enemy to religion, and all that will live religiously, therefore it is high time to shake off all obligation of allegiance to his authority."
These interrogations were all read to him in the face of the council, and he owned all. The next day he was arraigned before the council. They asked if he had any more to say. He answered, that which he had to say, was said already in every particular thereof, and, said he, "I will not only seal it with my blood, but with all the tortures you can imagine."

EXTRACT OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE PRIVY COUNCIL, EDINBURGH, JULY 29, 1680.
In presence of the Lords, Justiciary Clerk, and Commissioners of Justiciary, compeared David Hackston of Rathillet, and declines the King's Majesty's authority, the authority of the Commissioners of Justiciary as his judges, and absolutely refuses to sign this declaration, as being before persons who are not his judges. He refuses to answer concerning the murder of the late Archbishop of St. Andrews, and says the causes of his declinement are, "because they have usurped the Supremacy over the Church, belonging alone to Jesus Christ, and have established idolatry, perjury, and other iniquities; and, in prosecuting their design in confirming themselves in this usurped right, have shed much innocent blood." Therefore the said David, adhering to Christ His rights and kingly office over the Church, declines them that are His open enemies and competitors for His crown and power as competent judges; refuses, as formerly, to sign this his declaration, dated from his own mouth; whereupon his Majesty's Advocate takes instruments, and requires the Commissioners of Justiciary to sign the same in his presence as for him; and his Majesty's Advocate takes instruments, that the said David has declined his Majesty's authority and the authority of his commissioners, and refused to deny the murder of the late Archbishop of St. Andrews, and requires Mr. John Vass, James Balfour, and the men of the court witnesses to the foresaid declaration. Sic subscribitur, SIR ROBERT MAITLAND, JAMES FOULIS, DAVID BALFOUR, DAVID FALCONER, RODGER HODGE. UPON Friday, July 30, being again brought before the council, it was asked of him if he had any other thing to say. He answered "That which I have said, I will seal it."
Then they told him they had something to say to him, and commanded him to sit down and receive his sentence, which willingly he did; but told them, they were all murderers, for all that power they had was derived from tyranny, and that these years bygone they have not only tyrannised over the Church of God, but have also grinded the face of the poor, so that oppression, bloodshed, perjury, and many murders were to be found in their skirts. Upon which he was incontinent [i.e., instantly] carried away to the scaffold at the Market Cross of Edinburgh, where he died with great torture inflicted upon his body, not being permitted to leave any testimony to the world; except what is comprehended in these missives, directed to some of his Christian acquaintance from his prison in the Tolbooth of Edinburgh, which are as follows:
COPY OF A LETTER WRITTEN BY DAVID HACKSTON OF RATHILLET, To his Christian friend N. Dated from the Tolbooth of Edinburgh, July 25, 1680.
"DEAR ACQUAINTANCE, - I know this late dispensation of Providence will occasion much sadness to you, and other lovers of God's truth; now in this day, when so few by their practice prove themselves to be zealous for God, or lovers of His truth, but, instead of that growth in the graces of God's Spirit, and steadfastness which should be in Christians, have made defection from the truth, and are fallen from their first love, to the strengthening the hands of usurpers of the crown of Christ, in their unlawful encroachments on the privileges of the Son of God. "Wherefore, I entreat you, and all others, as you would not offend God, and provoke Him to more anger, do not murmur, but bless and praise Him, and submit to Him in all humility; for if this be one of the steps to Zion's deliverance, and God's glory, why should not we praise Him for everything? If we had the manner of our delivery at our carving, we would spill [i.e., mar] it. He is the wisdom of the Father, who sits at the helm, and orders all affairs. The faith of this should silence all suggestions from Satan, our own hearts, and misbelief.
"I desire you will discharge all that have love or affection to me, not to be sad on my account, but rather to rejoice on my behalf, that God hath so honored me in all I have been trysted [i.e., tried] with. For as He took me, when I was a slave to Satan and sin, and cast His love upon me, and plucked me as a brand out of the fire, and brought me into covenant with Him, to promote and carry forward His work without fear of what man could do unto me; and as He helped me to make the bargain with Him in good terms; which was a renouncing of my own strength, and a resolution to do all in His strength; so now He hath been faithful in all things to me, and hath furnished me sufficiently for what He hath called me to, and hath passed by my many gross failings, and breaches of my conditions to Him, and hath done to me above what I could ask of Him.
"Oh! that I could commend Him to all, and stir up all to fear, admire, and praise Him, and believe on Him! But the lukewarmness and want of love to God, and indifferency in Christ's matters (which, in His condescendency to His Church He hath reserved as His declarative glory), and neutrality in these things, are come to so great a height amongst professors, that I think God is laying stumbling-blocks before them, one after another; that, when they are fallen whom He will have to fall, He may be glorified in His justice, by bringing that stroke of vengeance that seems to be hanging over these lands, because of their fearful idolatry, perjury, bloodshed, blasphemy, and other abominations which the whole land is this day guilty of.
"Think it not strange that I say all are guilty. There are none free, nor shall be reputed free in the sight of God, but mourners in Zion. Lord grant repentance and a spirit of mourning! Brokenness and contrition of spirit are the only sacrifices well-pleasing unto God; and I prove all guilty; first, our representatives, and so we in them, established these sins in our national decrees, which we have homologated in owning them ever after, and much more have we homologated their sins, in contributing, one way or other, to the strengthening of their hands against God; as, alas! but few be free of this, this day. Oh! that preachers would preach repentance, and professors would exhort one another to mourn in secret, and together, because of sin; and with their mourning would believe; for these are very consistent together.
"I find flesh and blood great enemies to faith, and friends, yea fosterers, of sinful fears. It is above nature to believe, especially when dispensations seem to contradict our faith. But if any had faith towards God concerning me, let not this brangle [i.e., weaken] their faith, but rather strengthen it. There is nothing can contradict what God hath determined; but over the belly of all opposition He will perfect His work in and by me, either to a remarkable delivery, or through-bearing [i.e., upholding] me as He sees most for His own glory.
"Wherefore, let us submit to His will, and lie before His throne in behalf of Zion and her children. And oh! that ye yourselves would, and that ye would desire others that are faithful, to hold up my case to Zion's God, that He would glorify Himself in me; and let your prayers be in faith. 'To him that believeth, all things are possible.' There are many feckless [i.e., worthless] misbelieving prayers, that prevail not with God, because of unbelief. I know these sufferings will be a great stumbling to many otherwise gracious; but let it not be to you. I bless God it is not, as yet, so to me but rather the power, yea, the love of God to me; for it was not altogether unexpected unto me.
"For (not to reflect upon any that have sealed that truth and cause, as we stated it, with their blood), I cannot deny but it was over the belly of conscience that I joined with some of our party; - [referring to the discussions and fatal divisions immediately previous to the battle of Bothwell Bridge. - ED.] - for some of them had not their garments clean of their late defections, and there was too much of pride amongst us. Neither dare I allow that taking of satisfaction for practices, which are the homologating of the public sins, which we did about half-an-hour before our break; which checked me exceedingly in the time. I think real sorrow would make men, like the prodigal, to think themselves not worthy to be employed in that work. Real evidences of reconciliation with God should be seen before admission to such an employment. "Oh! that all would take warning, by my reproof, not to venture to follow any man over conscience! There were choice, godly men amongst us, but one Achan will make Israel to fall. I fear the want of faith among us, first and last, and all along our late business. I know many mouths will be opened against me, because of what I did before this business. But I dare not but speak it; this is a stumbling-block laid to drive them to more sin; and alas! that I did not do more to purge us of every sin, especially known sin among us. These that abode within, and came not out with us, let them remember Meroz' curse. I am afraid that God thinks them not free of our blood, for not joining to our help.
"And now, knowing ye will be anxious to know how it was then [at Airsmoss], and how it hath been since with me: First, we getting notice of a party out seeking us, sent two on Wednesday night late to know their motion, and lay on a muir side all night, and Thursday about ten hours [i.e., ten o'clock], we went to take some meat; and sent out other two, and desired them to consult with the first two, who had not come to us, but were lying down to sleep; who all four returned and told us, it was unnecessary to send any for intelligence, they having secured it.
"Whereupon, after we had gotten some meat, we came to a piece of grass, and lay down, and presently we were all alarmed that they were upon us; and so making ready, we saw them coming fast on, and that about three or four hours [i.e., three or four o'clock] in the afternoon; and each one resolving to fight, I rode off, to seek a strength [i.e., a piece of rising or commanding ground] for our advantage, and being desired by a countryman to go into such a place for the best strength, I went, and they followed; but, coming to it, I found we could go no further, and so running and drawing up quickly eight horse on the right hand with R. D[ick], and fifteen on the left with me, being no more; the foot not being forty, and many of them ill armed in the midst; I asked all if they were willing to fight, who all said yes, especially J[ames] G[ray].
"The enemy advanced fast, whom I took to be above an hundred and twelve, well armed and horsed; who sent first about twenty dragoons on foot to take the wind of us, which we seeing, sent a party on foot to meet them, and the rest of us advanced fast on the enemy, being a strong body of horse coming hard on us; whereupon, when we were joined, our horse fired first, and wounded and killed some of them, both horse and foot. Our horse advanced to their faces, and we fired on each other, I being foremost after receiving their fire, and, finding the horse behind me broken, I then rode in amongst them, and went out at a side, without any wrong or wound. I was pursued by several, with whom I fought a good space; sometimes they following me, and sometimes I following them.
"At length my horse bogged, and also the foremost of theirs, which was David Ramsay, one of my acquaintance. We both being on foot, fought it with small swords, without advantage to one another, but at length closing, I was stricken down with three on horseback behind me, and receiving three sore wounds on the head, and so falling, he saved my life, which I submitted to. They searched me, and carried me to their rear, and laid me down, where I bled much; where were also brought several of their men sore wounded. They gave us all testimony of brave resolute men. What more of our men were killed, I did not see nor know, but, as they told me after, the field was theirs. [Nine were killed in all. The inscription on the monument erected where they fell is in the Appendix.] I was brought towards Douglas. They used me civilly, and brought me drink out of a house by the way. At Douglas, Janet Cleland was kind to me, and brought a chirurgeon [i.e., a surgeon] to me, who did but little to my wounds, only stanched the blood. "Next morning I was brought to Lanark, and brought before Dalziel, Lord Ross, and some others, who asked many questions at me; but I not satisfying them with answers, Dalziel did threaten to roast me, and carrying me to the tolbooth, caused me to be bound most barbarously, and cast me down; where I lay till Saturday morning, without any, except soldiers, admitted to speak to me, or look to my wounds, or give me any ease whatsoever. And next morning they brought me and John Pollock, and other two of us, two miles on foot, I being without shoes, where that party which had broken us at first received us. They were commanded by [Bruce of] Earlshall. We were horsed, civilly used by them on the way, and brought to Edinburgh, about four in the afternoon, and carried about the north side of the town to the foot of the Canongate, where the town magistrates were, who received us; and setting me on a horse with my face backward, and the other three bound on a goad of iron, and Mr. Cameron's head carried on a halbert before me, and another head in a sack, whose I knew not, on a lad's back, we were so carried up the street to the Parliament Close, where I was taken down, and the rest loosed. All was done by the hangman.
"I was carried up to the Council, and first put up into a room alone, where the Chancellor [the Duke of Rothes] came, and asked if I knew him. I answered yes. He, after some protestations of love, to which I answered nothing, went his way, and then I was brought in before the Council, where the Chancellor read a dittay [i.e., indictment] against me.
"First, anent the Archbishop's murder, to which I answered, I was obliged by no law, either of God or man, to answer to it, and neither to accuse myself nor reveal others, by vindicating myself, or any other way.
"The Advocate asked where I was the third day of May was a year; to whom I answered, 'I am not bound to keep a memorial where I am or what I do every day.'
"The Chancellor asked if I thought it murder; to which I answered, though I was not bound to answer such questions, yet I would not call it so, but rather say, it was no murder.
"The Advocate said, 'sir, you must be a great liar, to say you remember not where you were that day, it being so remarkable a day.' I replied, 'sir, you must be a far greater liar, to say I answered such a thing.'
"Whereupon the Chancellor replied, 'My Lord Advocate, he said only he was not bound to keep in memory every day's work.' "The Chancellor asked if I adhered to Mr. Cargilrs papers, which they called the New Covenant, taken at the Queensferry? I answered I would know what any would say against them. "He asked if I owned the king's authority? I told, though I was not bound to answer such questions, yet, being permitted to speak, I would say somewhat to that. And first, that there could be no lawful authority but what was of God; and that no authority, stated [i.e., set up] in a direct opposition to God, could be of God, and that I knew of no authority nor judicatory this day in these nations but what were in a direct opposition to God, and so could neither be of God, nor lawful; and that their fruits were kything [i.e., manifesting] it, in that they were setting bougerers, murderers, sorcerers, and such others, at liberty from justice, and employing them in their service, and made it their whole work to oppress, kill, and destroy the Lord's people.
"The Chancellor and all raged, and desired me to instance one of such so set at liberty and employed. I answered to that, though it were enough to instance any such, when I saw a judicatory to execute justice, yet I would instance one, and I instanced a bougerer, liberated at the sheriff court of Fife, and afterwards employed in their service, at which the Chancellor raged, and said I behooved to be a liar; but I offered to prove it. "Bishop Paterson asked if ever Pilate and that judicatory, who were direct enemies to Christ, were disowned by Him as judges? I answered that I would answer no perjured prelate in the nation. He answered that he could not be called perjured, because he never took that sacrilegious Covenant. I answered, that God would own that Covenant, when there were none of them to oppose it. They all cried that I was prophesying. I answered, I was not prophesying, but that I durst not doubt but God, who had such singular love to these lands as to bring them into Covenant in so peculiar a manner with Him, would let it be seen that His faithfulness was engaged to carry it through, in opposition to His enemies.
"Some asked what I answered to that article of the Confession of Faith, concerning the king? I answered, it was cleared in these two Covenants. The Advocate asked, what I said of that article of the Covenant, wherein we are bound to maintain and defend the king? I desired Him to tell out the rest of it, which was in defense of religion, but not in the destruction of religion. "The Chancellor threatened me with the Boots, and other terrible things, and said that I should not have the benefit of a sudden death. To which I answered, it would be but an addition to their cruelties used against God's people before, and that I was there a prisoner of Christ, owning His truths against His open enemies; and referred it to their own Acts of Parliament and Council, to let their cruelty and opposition to God and His people be seen. "After this, they called for a chirurgeon, and removed me to another room, where he dressed my wounds, in which time the Chancellor came and kindly asked, If ever I said to a shepherd, on the Mounthill, that, if I thought they would not put me to an ignominious death, I would refer myself to the Chancellor? I said, No. He said that a shepherd came to him and said so. I said, That he, or any other that said so to him, were liars. I was asked by some concerning our strength; to which I told how few we were, and how surprised by such a strong party, and, knowing with what cruel orders they came against us, were forced to fight. "After dressing of my wounds, I was brought back to them, and these things, being written, were read oyer to me, to which I adhered; and being asked if I would sign them, I said, Not. The Chancellor said, He would do it for me. Some one of them asked at the first time, concerning my being at some other business. To whom I answered, That though I was not obliged to answer to such questions, yet I adhered to all that had been done in behalf of that cause against its enemies. After which, I was sent to the Tolbooth, and have met since with all manner of kindness, and want for nothing. My wounds are duly dressed, which, I fear, may prove deadly, they being all in the head. The rest of my body is safe. "In all these trials, I bless the Lord, I was staid, unmoved; no alteration of countenance in the least, nor impatience appeared. Some of them have come to me, and regretted that such a man as I should have been led away with Cameron. I answered, He was a faithful minister of Jesus Christ and as for me, I desired to be one of these despicable ones whom Christ choosed. They said, It was a Quaker-like answer. I told, It was the words of Christ and His apostles. Bishop Paterson's brother (unknown to me), had a long reasoning with me, but I think not to truth's disadvantage. He told me, That the whole Council observed, that I gave them not their due titles; at which I smiled, and made no reply. He said, I was ill to the Bishop. I told that I asserted the truth. He said, That he never took the Covenant, and so could not be perjured. I answered, Prelacy itself was abjured by the whole nation. He told me, That the whole Council found I was a man of great parts, and also of good birth. I replied, For my birth, I was related to the best in the kingdom, which I thought little of; and for my parts, they were small; yet I trusted so much to the goodness of that cause, for which I was a prisoner, that, if they would give God that justice, as to let His cause be disputed, I doubted not to plead it against all that could speak against it.
"It was cast up to me, both at the Council and here, that there were not two hundred in the nation to own our cause. I answered, at both times, that the cause of Christ had been often owned by fewer. I was pressed to take advice. I answered, I would advise with God, and my own conscience, and would not depend on men; and refused to debate any more, since it was to no purpose, being troublesome to me, and not advantageous to the cause. At the Council, some said, I was possessed with a devil; some one thing, some another; the Chancellor said, I was a vicious man. I answered, While I was so, I had been acceptable to him; but now when otherwise, it was not so. He asked me, If I would yet own that cause with my blood if at liberty? I answered, Both our fathers had owned it with the hazard of their blood before me. Then I was called by all, a murderer. I answered, God, to whom I refer it, should decide it betwixt us, who are most murderers in His sight, they or I.
"Ye have an account, as near as I can give, of what passed among us. Be ye, and desire all others to be, earnest with God in my behalf; for I am weak, and cannot stand without constant supplies of the graces of His Spirit. Oh! I am afraid lest I deny Him. I have rich promises; but I want faith. Pray and wrestle in my behalf, and in behalf of the rest. And show this to my friends in that cause with me, especially D. K. Let all lie before the Lord, that He would show us the cause of His anger against us; and let me know with the first occasion, who of us were slain [at Airsmoss]. "Commend me to all friends; and let none stumble at the cause, because of this. It was often in my mouth, to almost all, 'That if we purged not ourselves of the public and particular sins among us, God would break us, and bring a delivery out of our ashes.' Let none murmur at what we should think our glory. And let ministers and others be afraid to be more tender of men, than God's glory; and however it be a stumbling to some, let it be a token of the love of God to His Church, to you, and all that love His truth. Pray for the out-lettings of all the graces of God's Spirit to me, and all the rest. I have need of patience, submission, humility, love to, and zeal for God; hope and faith above all, without which I am but a frail worm, and will fall before these enemies of mine, inward and outward.
"And thus recommending you to His grace, who hath bought us with His precious blood, and remembering my love to all friends, - I am, "Yours in our sweet Lord and Sympathizer in our afflictions, " Sic subscribitur, "DAVID HACKSTON.
"P.S. - You may let others see this, but have a care of keeping it; because I have no double, and it may be all my testimony. Send nothing to me; for I am fully seen to, and have met with kindness from all sorts; only, friends have not liberty to see me. My love to you and all friends. I said to Clerk Paterson, that I should have seen Mr. Cargilrs papers, before I had answered anent them."
COPY OF ANOTHER LETTER WRITTEN BY DAVID HACKSTONOF RATHILLET, To a Gentlewoman of his acquaintance, dated from the Tolbooth of Edinburgh, July 28, 1680.
"MADAM, - The bearer shows me, that your ladyship desires to know what I mean by the Achan I mentioned in my other, which I shall explain. And alas! that I have such a wide field to walk in, when I name such a thing; for I know not how to find out the man that is free of the accursed thing among us, for which God is contending against the land; especially against such as would be most free of the public sins, and most downright for God. Only I desire both to reverence and admire the holy wisdom and lovingkindness of God, who is by these dark-like dispensations purging His people, that He may bring forth a chaste spouse to Himself in Scotland. These are tokens of His fatherly love; and I fear a delivery, while we stand guilty of such things as are so open whoredoms against our married husband, might rather be looked upon as a bill of divorce, than joining again in the married relation. And first, I must explain the national sins according to the light God hath bestowed upon me out of His free grace; who is not tied to any, but chooseth and revealeth Himself to whom He will, and often glorifies His free grace, in making use even of the greatest sinners, as I confess I have been one; which national sins are contained in our national decrees.
"And first, The whole land is become guilty of idolatry, as it is established by the Acts of Supremacy, especially the Act Explanatory [i.e., 1st Act of Second Parliament of Charles II, Nov. 16, 1669, asserting his Majesty's supremacy over all persons, and in all causes ecclesiastical, and the first act that was rescinded in the second session of the first Parliament of William and Mary. - ED.], wherein all the declarative glory and prerogatives of Jesus Christ are given to the king; which is fearful idolatry, in ascribing that which He hath purchased with His precious blood, and received from the Father as His gift, and hath reserved as His peculiar glory; giving this, I say, unto a creature, whom by this blasphemous decree, we have set up in the room of Jesus Christ, as governor and absolute head and judge in all ecclesiastic affairs. And by the same decree, all acts and laws contrary to it are rescinded; and the whole word of God contained in the Scriptures both of the Old and New Testament are a law contrary to it, and so by this are rescinded.
"Now, besides this sin of idolatry, by the Act Recissory, [Act 15 of the First Parliament of Charles II, entitled 'Act rescinding and annulling the pretended Parliaments in the year 1640, 1641, etc.' In virtue of this Act, there is a blank in the editions of the Scots Acts from 1639 to 1650. The original register of these Acts has been recently found in Her Majesty's State Paper Office in London, and has been transcribed, and is about to be published by her Majesty's Government, uniform with the other Acts of the Parliament of Scotland. - ED.], all other acts, oaths, covenants, and engagements that the lands are lying under, sworn to God, and in His name, are rescinded and declared null; and, in contempt of God, to whom, and in whose name they were so solemnly sworn and so often renewed, are burned by the hands of the hangmen, through several places of these covenanted kingdoms. This is a legal perjury, and breach of covenant, without a parallel in sacred or profane history. Besides, in contempt of the presence of God, seen at the meetings of His people convened in His name, they have declared them rendezvouses of rebellion [Act against Conventicles. Act 5, Second Session of Second Parliament of Charles II - ED.]; and by another Act, have accounted it presumption for any minister to preach without doors [this is done in the Act just mentioned, and also in Act 17 of the Third Session of Scottish Parliament of Charles II - ED.]; thus contemning the call of Christ, whereby they set themselves above God. "I could instance many horrid things, acted and done by them, in their prosecuting their design of having that idol of theirs fixed in the usurpation of the prerogatives of Jesus Christ. Yet not doubting but your ladyship knows many of them, I shall for brevity's sake omit; only the land is filled from the one end to the other with innocent blood shed on that account, and with other terrible abominations, detestable among Turks and heathens. I think, in God's righteous judgment, these men are given up thereto, for the upfilling of the measure of their iniquity, that He may be glorified in the stroke of His justice upon all ranks, which is fast hastening, and that inevitably.
"But next, to mention who are guilty hereof. I know not how to do it, only, I may say, I know none can be called free; and a freeing of any of ourselves thereof, is but a hardening ourselves against God, and a defending sin against Him, who is a swift witness and will not be mocked, but will bring forth the hidden things of dishonesty to light. And, therefore, not to mention the idol of the Lord's jealousy, or those that are prosecuting his wicked commands under him, nor Prelates, and their adherents, I judge, and I fear, God will esteem all guilty of these aforementioned sins, that have any way owned any of these after their wickedness was discovered; and much more such, as have by their personal deeds homologated these wicked decrees; and that either by paying cesses for strengthening them in their down-bearing of the meetings of God's people for His worship, met in opposition to these wicked decrees, which is their consent to, and contribution for the strengthening them in all their wickedness against God; or yet by subscribing any manner of bonds to them, which is an acknowledging them in that relation wherein they stand, and are designing to fix themselves, when they are pursuing, taking, imprisoning, and letting them out on these bonds again. For their end, in all their prosecutions of this nature, is to confirm themselves in this usurpation of the crown of Christ, as Head of the Church; and a subscribing any manner of bond prescribed by them is, and will be, in the sight of God, an acknowledging them as head of the Church, in the several stations wherein they have stated themselves, the King as head, and they as factors under him, prosecuting his will, and putting in execution his commands. And an acknowledging any other head, any manner of way, over the Church, is directly a denying of Christ before men in His kingly office, which is a plain denying of Him, and hath forethreatenings annexed thereunto.
"I could mention many other circumstances wherein this generation has touched the accursed thing, and has bowed the knee to that Baal-like idol of the Lord's indignation and anger; but I shall only mention, beside these two, a third, of some who have appeared in arms against God, for, and in company with His enemies. Now, that way of giving and taking satisfaction for these sins, which some are for, I cannot consent to.
"For first, these sinful practices being practices immediately against God and the first table of the law, no satisfaction to man can be sufficient. I close not that door which God hath opened in mercy to the really penitent; but I say, real evidences that God has forgiven should be, before adjoining with such in society. I know the Gospel should be preached to all, that they may repent; that being the means which God hath appointed for conversion, when men have sinned. But oh! when men, after light, fall into these things, and others counsel and advise them to such things, fearful shall their doom be, if God prevent them not in His mercy! "Now, madam, there were some such among us; and, as I have observed, God has still punished that party which has been appearing for Him, when they have taken in and joined with the men of these abominations, and has, as it were, laid by such as have complied with the time's apostasy, I doubt not reserving them to the general stroke He is threatening the whole lands with. Oh! that one and all were making their soul's interest sure with God! "Madam, I shall not mention the several steps of apostasy and defection from God in these lands, in complying, one way or other, with the stated enemies of the living God, to the strengthening them in their usurpations of Christ's crown and privileges, and hardening them in their sin; in shedding, so many ways, so much innocent blood, and their other wicked courses. Neither shall I mention that idolizing of men that is amongst us, to the provoking of God to let, yea, cause them fall; neither that selfishness that is among us, in our appearances for God, which cannot away with [i.e, be endured by] a holy, spotless, and jealous God, who will not give His glory to another. Oh! that one and all were mourning for, and acknowledging our own and the land's guiltiness in these things, and were seeking brokenhess of spirit, which is a sacrifice well pleasing to God; that God might yet be reconciled to us, and set up by His spirit His standard, and gather in His own people thereto, and might let out His spirit to one and all, that are called by His name. I doubt not but God will save a remnant; but it will be of such in whom His free grace will be glorified, and not of the great ones that have not rendered to the Lord according to the talents He bestowed on them.
"Remember me to my fellow-prisoners, especially such as are keeping their garments clean of these pollutions; and be earnest with God in my behalf, that He would keep me standing, by His free grace, in this trial, in patience, humility, and godly fear; and I am,
"Madam,
"Your Ladyship's, in all humility in Jesus Christ, "DAVID HACKSTON."
COPY OF A THIRD LETTER WRITTEN BY DAVID HACKSTON
During his imprisonment, to his Christian Friend N. Dated July 28, 1680. "DEAR AND CHRISTIAN ACQUAINTANCE, - My love being remembered to you and all friends in Jesus Christ; these are to show you and all others that I know, and [who] love the truth, as it is this day owned by the smallest handful that pretend thereto, that I was yesterday before the Lords of Justiciary. They charged me with several things.
"I declined the king's authority as a usurper of the prerogatives of the Son of God, whereby he hath involved the lands in idolatry, perjury, and other wickednesses; and I declined them, as exercising under him the supreme power over the Church usurped from Jesus Christ, who, in carrying on their designs of confirming themselves in their usurpations of the crown of Christ, had shed so much innocent blood throughout the land; and that therefore I, as an owner of Christ's right and His kingly office which they by their wicked decrees had taken from Him, durst not, with my own consent, sustain them as competent judges, but declined them as open and stated enemies to the living God, and competitors for His throne and power belonging alone to Him. Whereupon I was dismissed, and at night my indictment to cornpear tomorrow before an assize was intimated.
"Therefore I entreat ye will, (for I know ye have moyen [i.e., power] with God,) and cause other faithful friends, to set time apart, and inquire the Lord's mind concerning me, and be earnest with Him in my behalf, that He will glorify Himself in me. You may send your letter to ______ ______ with a sure hand, who will give it to me. Wherever M[r.] D[onald] C[argill] is, acquaint him with my case, or send him this line, for I know the mind of God is with him, and desire him to write to me. I think I dare not misbelieve, but when fear assaults me, I think there is a voice saying to me, Fear not. Let none stumble at our cause, because of the late dispensation; it is God's cause; which was, and is, in our hands, though He has punished us with His fatherly chastisements, because of sin amongst us. Every tree that bringeth forth fruit, He purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit; but that which decayeth and goeth backward, is laid by as useless. "John Pollock has been in the Boots, but I am informed, he is not discouraged, but is likely to be well again. My wounds are very sore, but, blessed be God, He keeps me in a good temper, both of body and mind. I am kindly enough used, wanting nothing.
"I recommend you, and all the faithful, to the protection of Him, who is the Almighty God, and Everlasting Father. No more, but rest,
"Yours in our sweet Lord Jesus Christ,
"DAVID HACKSTON."
LETTER WRITTEN BY DAVID HACKSTON

To his sister:
"LOVING SISTER, - I received yours, and the other with it, both to my contentment and satisfaction.
"It makes me afraid, that the eyes of many should be on me. Let all look to God. I am frail, but Christ is strong. I have His promise of through-bearing, and assurance that He should honor me in His cause, before this. Lie low before the Lord, and let others that are yet faithful be earnest on my behalf, and do it in faith. The prayers of the faithful avail much.
"Have you nothing, and tell all friends to have nothing, to do with such, as have ado with these that are sitting in that seat, and exercising that power which belongs alone to Christ. The stroke of the Lord's anger is ready to be poured forth; and these that have received greatest talents from God, and have made use of them, to strengthen enemies' hands by bonds, or otherwise owning them, shall be most remarkable in the stroke, and shall not be honored to testify for Christ-despised Christ- robbed Christ-contemned Christ by this generation.
"Remember me to all relations and friends; and give warning to all to cleave to Christ's truth and interest. If the free grace of God be glorified in me, ought not all to praise Him? Christ came not to call the righteous, but sinners. Many of this generation think they have 100 so much grace that they cannot sin; but I must tell them, grace doth not warrant from sin, and they may so think of it.
"Sic subscribilur,
"David Hackston."

"Upon the 4th of August, I find other two men who had been taken at Airsmoss before the Justiciary; John Malcolm, of the parish of Dairy, in Galloway, and Archibald Alison, of the parish of Evandale, in Clydesdale. Their indictment runs in common form. They confess they were at Bothwell Bridge, and at Airsmoss; and received their sentence to be hanged at the Grassmarket upon the 11th of August. That day, or, as other papers make it, the 13th, they were executed, and died in great assurance and comfortable hopes of well-being."
The Rutherglen Declaration, referred to in Alison's testimony, was the earliest indication of the position which the societies soon afterwards took up, of direct opposition to the Government. It was, however, never owned by the societies. It will be found at the close of the Informatory Vindication. Its substance is well stated in the Vindication: "The Lord stirred up a handful to publish the Testimony at Rutherglen, May 29, 1679, bearing witness against the sacrilegious Supremacy, the Declaration condemning our covenants, the Act for keeping the 29th of May as an holy anniversary day of thanksgiving for the upsetting of the tyrant, and against other nefarious Acts of Parliament, and all prejudices done to the interest of Christ in the land. And for confirmation of their testimony, they did burn the aforesaid Acts, according as the adversary had burnt our holy Covenants, and did extinguish the bonfires upon the same anniversary day."
The first Indulgence, also referred to in Alison's testimony, was issued June 7th, 1669. It permitted those outed ministers, that had lived peaceably and orderly in the places where they had resided, to exercise the functions of the ministry in their former parishes, but forbade persons from other parishes to come and hear them, and declared all who preached at or frequented conventicles to be seditious persons. The second was made up of three acts, issued September 2d and 3d, 1672. It was of the same Erastian character as the former, although it seemed to give more liberty. It was the cause, as no doubt it was designed by its framers, of much division among the Presbyterians.
The spot where so many of the martyrs suffered in the Grass-market is at a central part in the east end. Robert Chambers, writing in 1823, says, that at this spot there remained till very lately a massive block of sandstone with a square hole in the middle. It was the stone which served as a socket for the gallows when it was the common place of execution. At the present day the spot is marked out by an arrangement of the paving-stones in the form of a St. Andrew's Cross.
Criminals of a higher class suffered at the Cross in the High Street of Edinburgh. Here Donald Cargill, David Hackston, Walter Smith, and others, were executed. - ED.]
THE DYING TESTIMONY OF ARCHIBALD ALISON, Who lived in the parish of Evandale in Clydesdale, and suffered at the Grassmarket of Edinburgh, August 13, 1680.

"There have been many such sights seen in this place of execution since the year 1660, for this interest and cause, for which I have received the sentence of death; and here I am, in your presence, to lay down my life this day; for which I charge thee, oh! my soul, and all that is within me, to bless and magnify the name of the Lord, who can perfect His praise, and bring a testimony out of the mouths of babes or sucklings. Yea, before He want some to seal His testimony, even if it were from the beasts of the field, He will not want; as in Balaam's days, the dumb ass, speaking with man's voice, gave a testimony against the madness of the prophet. Wherefore, unworthy as I am, I am come here, and beg your ear and attention, ye who are spectators and auditors, if the Lord shall permit me to speak a few words; and I shall be but brief.

"There are many come here this day, to hear and see me lay down this tabernacle of mine, that have various ends; but our Lord knows you all, and your ends both. It is true, God is my witness, that I judge myself the unworthiest person of any that have lost their blood for this honorable cause. He has been pleased to take a testimony from noblemen, gentlemen, ministers, and poor ploughmen lads, and tradesmen of several sorts; which is a token for good, that He has yet a kindness for these covenanted lands. And I bless the Lord with all my heart, that ever He called me with His heavenly calling. I bless the Lord, that I have a life to lay down for His sake. Glory to the Lord, that I shall have blood and wounds in His cause.
"But to come more particularly to the purpose in hand, the articles of my indictment were these: First, they charged me with rebellion for joining with these whom they call rebels, and declared enemies to the king, and enemies to all good government. For my own part I never called them so. I declare here where I stand, before Him who will be my judge within a little, that my design in coming forth with arms, was to hear the Gospel preached truly and faithfully; and I know it was the design of that poor handful to defend the Gospel, and to keep up a witness and testimony against the abounding corruptions that this land is filled with from end to end, and to plead with the Lord that He would not make a total removal therefrom. Yea, I heard Mr. Richard Cameron say:
"'My friends, we are not to compare ourselves with a Gideon's 300 men. No, not at all. Our design is to have you examined how ye are, and what ye are; to choose two or three of the foot, and two or three of the horse, that are found fittest qualified for elders; to try your principles, to try your life and conversation, and to have you being [i.e., living] Christians. Our number was more the last day, and we gave them free leave to go home, and only but a few handful to stay; for we design not to fall upon any party of the forces, except they be few in number, and oppose us in keeping up the Gospel in the fields; for I am persuaded that one meeting in the fields has been more owned and countenanced by His presence with His people, than twenty house meetings, as they are now bought [by the Indulgences]; and therefore make no strife among yourselves about officers, because they are but men; yea, I think there is not a man amongst you all meet for it. We are not meet to be a Minister to you; only we are to wait till the Lord provide better; and, ye that are not satisfied to stay in defense of the Gospel, good morrow to you, whatsoever ye be.' "And so I thought it was rational and warrantable, both from the word of God, and our solemn vows and covenants, which you and the whole land are engaged unto. Now ye see what was my motive to join with that handful, and in this I have peace, and on this ground I lay down my life.
"There is a Second motive I had, for which I thought myself bound to own that persecuted cause and interest of my blessed Lord and Master, Jesus Christ. I being about two years ago in Carrick, and, hearing the precious Gospel of Jesus Christ (in these glorious days the shining of the countenance of our Lord was discernibly seen there, both upon His ministers and people), I thought it my duty to mark it. The Lord did so soften and animate my heart at that time, that I made it my work, how I might win [i.e., get] to clearness how to state [i.e., declare] myself, being among the deceitful indulged Ministers; and finding several places of Scripture calling me out from them, as these known Scriptures, 'If the Lord be God, follow Him: but if Baal then follow Him.' 'Come out from among them my people, and touch not the unclean thing.' 'Touch not, taste not, handle not, which are all to perish with the using;' I thought it was dreadful to be halting between two opinions. On the other hand, I had some Scriptures concerning the cross that attends pure religion and undefiled. The Lord who has called me here today, to seal these truths, wrought, with an irresistible power on my heart, that good word of His;
'The Lord liveth; and blessed be my Rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted. It is God that avengeth me, and subdueth the people under me. He delivereth me from mine enemies: yea, thou liftest me up above those that rise up against me: thou hast delivered me from the violent man' (Psalm 18:46-48).

This makes me rejoice.
The Lord of hosts is upon my side; the God of Jacob is my defense. Oh! so strongly as this binds and obliges me to suffer, and count all joy now to go up this ladder! And I had occasion to be at several other meetings, I bless the Lord for it; I bless the Lord, that ever He made choice of me, who was a miserable sinner, to lay down my life for His cause. And so I die not by constraint or force; but willingly at His command.
"There is another clause in my indictment, and sentence of death. They say, 'That I walked up and down the country, murdering, destroying, and oppressing the subjects:' But I say, I did never mind [i.e., intend] the like. And so they have, as they have done to many an one, assized and sentenced me wrongously; for I did never mind to murder or rob any man. Therefore I am clear to charge them guilty of my blood, and to give my testimony against them, as murderers of the servants and people of God, in their being about the service and worship of God; as I was.
"In the next place -
"1. I believe that all the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are the word of the eternal and ever living God, given by divine inspiration; and that every duty commanded therein ought to be obeyed and performed upon the greatest peril and hazard; and that every crooked and false way should be avoided and guarded against, whatever be the seeming advantages which may accompany the embracing of it; under the pain of being led forth with the workers of iniquity, when He shall pronounce peace on His Israel.
"2. I give my witness, and join my adherence to the Confession of Faith, the Larger and Shorter Catechisms, National and Solemn League and Covenant, with. our Solemn Acknowledgment of sins and Engagement to duties.
"3. I adhere to the Church government by General Assemblies, Synods, Presbyteries, and Kirk Sessions, according as it was established in the year 1648.
"4. I give my testimony to that faithful declaration at Rutherglen, the 29th of May 1679.
"5. I adhere and give my testimony to the Declaration at Sanquhar, June 22, 1680, together with the paper gotten at the Queensferry upon Henry Hall, June 3, 1680.
"6. I give my testimony, and set to my seal, to all the former testimonies sealed by the blood of them who have been murdered on scaffolds, in the fields, and in the sea, from the year 1660, to this day; by all the imprisonments and banishments of exiled and wandering ones; and by all the spoilings and robbings, oppression, stigmatizing, scourging, and booting, and other horrid cruelties, which have been committed by the enemies of our Lord Jesus Christ.
"On the other hand -
"1. I enter my protestation before the Judge of all, both living and dead, before whom I am to appear within a little time, against all the encroachments made upon the prerogatives of our Lord Jesus Christ, particularly against Popery, Quakerism, and Prelacy, and all their underlings and the joiners with them; and against all Supremacy, which is contrary to the word of God; and against all Erastianism; and against both the Indulgences, first and last; and all the joiners with, connivers at, and supporters of it; and against the silence in watchmen at this day, in not giving faithful warning, according to that in Isaiah 38:1: 'Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and show my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins;' and against their ambiguous and dark applications, so that the sin of the times is not touched, lest they irritate the magistrate, and bring themselves in hazard of our Lord's cross; which was an evil, creeping in long ago, which the Assembly condemned in the ministers, and ordered them to be suspended, if they did not amend, and, seeing no humiliation for such a great sin, they were to be deposed.
"2. I enter my protestation against all those who have declared themselves opposite to our Lord Jesus Christ, and have displayed a banner for Satan; not only tolerating, but acting and committing all manner of abominations, and horrid cruelties in things civil and ecclesiastical.
"3. I enter my protestation against all declarations, proclamations, bonds, cess, and militia money, for keeping standing forces with a displayed banner against our Lord; and against all profanity, looseness, and lukewarmness, and all the backslidings of the Church of Scotland, since our entering into covenant with God, to this day.
"Now, sirs, I have given you but a short hint of my faith and principles, and also of the motives which moved me to join with the serious seekers of God, and also the grounds of my indictment, and sentence of death; also some little glance at the corruptions of the times. I have here joined my testimony to the sufferings of the people of God, and I have entered my protestation against some open sins, which are obvious to all who have not willingly yielded themselves to work wickedness. Oh! It is but little that I can say; it would take a long summer day to rank them up, and not win [i.e., get] at them all. For my part, I am but ignorant; my capacity can but reach little things. It may be, ye will take but little notice of what the like of me says, but I cannot help it. Now, as a dying man, I leave all these things to your consideration; if this prelatic and indulged party be the party to be meddled with and owned, pleaded for and defended, what think ye of them that have gone before us? What think ye of Argyle, and Mr. Guthrie, that were men of understanding? What think ye of Mr. Kid, and Mr. King, and that gentleman that suffered last at the cross [Hackston of Rathillet]? Nay, what think ye of religion and the cost of it? What think ye of heaven and glory, that is at the back of the cross? The hope of this makes me look upon pale death as a lovely messenger to me. I bless the Lord for my lot this day.
"I shall come shortly to a close, only I beg leave to speak a word or two to three sorts of folks; and, I think all may be comprehended under these three. I entreat you, take heed; I wish I may not be a stumbling-block to any one that is looking on me this day. 'Blessed is he,' says Christ, 'that shall not be offended in Me and my followers.'
"1. To the seekers of God. I have a word to you. Ye have Kirk and State upon your top [i.e., seeking your ruin]; ye get leave to weep a long night, and have none to comfort you. And if you cry, 'Watchman, what of the night?' the watchmen are drunk and fallen asleep; they cannot tell. Can these dry bones live? Lord, thou knowest. Ye are seeing the godly cut off, one way and another. Ye are hearing them, that have the root of the matter in them, crying up a sinful union, and ministers will not tell you what is your duty or danger. Oh! my dear friends, cast not away your confidence. Ye must come through many tribulations; but there is a begun heaven for you at night. Seek ye the Lord, ye meek of the earth; ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord's anger. There is no persecution in heaven, where your Lord's enemies shall never come. I shall not take upon me to say, who of them will not come to heaven; but this I may say; if they come, it will be more than ordinary humiliation they must have; as it is said of Manasseh, that 'he humbled himself greatly before the Lord God of his fathers.' Friends, give our Lord credit; He is aye [i.e., always] good; but oh! He is good in a day of trial, and He will be sweet company through the ages of eternity. There is none like the God of Jeshurun, that rides upon the heaven in thy help, and in His excellence on the sky. And underneath are everlasting arms, and He will save His people.

"2. I have a word to say to you that are godly; but, alas! you have wronged the cause; for which I fear you have lost the countenance of God, and will not get it again in haste. Ye have waxed fat and kicked. Ye have flung at God, so to speak. Ye have laid a confederacy with enemies for a false peace. Ye have been crying peace and union with the indulged; because they are godly men. I say before the Lord, that ye and these godly men have most basely betrayed the Kirk of Scotland. Ye shall go to heaven in a fiery chariot. Ye shall hardly get leave to suffer, but go away in a stink [i.e., as an offense], for your complying and shunning the cross.
"3. A word to the ungodly. Oh! ye atheists and ungodly magistrates, full of perjury, and bloodshed, ye have nourished your hearts as in a day of slaughter. The blood of the Lord's martyrs, that has been shed these eighteen or nineteen years within this city, will be charged home upon you, as well as upon the assizers. Ye counsellots, your work will be rewarded. Ye criminal lords, remember; 'the saints shall judge the earth,' and shall shortly be in equal terms with you; and they shall stand upon Mount Zion with the Lamb, and give their consents against you; and shall shortly cry, Hallelujah, hallelujah, to your condemnation! And therefore I obtest you, in the bowels of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you will desist from your wicked courses, and lie in the dust, and mourn for all your abominations. Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish! Ye ignorant and profane drunkards, swearers and Sabbath breakers, repent, or else ye shall likewise perish! "And now, I take my farewell of all the serious seekers of God, for a short time. And you that are calm, prudent professors, I leave you under process, till you repent for casting off Christ, and His cross, and for bringing up an evil report on the good land, and for your wronging of the cause. And ye rulers, farewell for ever more, without repentance, and deep humiliation, for wronging of Christ and His people! Return, my soul, unto thy quiet rest. Farewell all created comforts in time; and welcome Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; into Thy hands I commit my spirit.
"Sic subscribitur,
"ARCHIBALD ALISON."

"I desire the audience of you, who are here spectators and auditors, to hear some words of a dying man, ready to offer up this tabernacle in your sight. I would have it among my last wishes, that you would consider your ways and your doings, that are not good; and not harden your hearts as in the provocation; for ye have to do with an holy God, who is quickly about to come, in flaming fire, to take vengeance on all the ungodly profane persons who are living at ease in Zion, and rejoicing in the afflictions of the people of God. I would obtest you in the bowels of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you would break off your pernicious ways, and make peace with God, while He would make peace with you, lest ye be destroyed in the overflowing flood of His wrath.
"There have been flockings and gatherings to see others who are gone before me, that have been wonderfully countenanced and owned with the evident presence of God; convincingly helping some to go through the jaws of death, rejoicing and looking profane onlookers out of countenance, and have given their testimonies against the abominations committed in the land. And I am come hither, who am the unworthiest of any that has gone before me. "Now, before I come further, I would ask you what you think of religion? What, think ye, can it be that makes men go to death with so great peace and sweetness? Ye have heard what malefactors have had to say. Think ye not strange that a rational man can enter in upon eternity leaving such a testimony as ye have heard? And I hope the Lord will help me, in less or more, to be faithful and free in leaving my testimony in the sight and presence of Him, who is the Sovereign Judge of all the earth, before whom I must stand in a short time.

"The cause of my coming here this day is, because I was found with that poor persecuted handful, which is the people that was singly adhering to the honor and glory of God; now when He is threatening to bring in His sore plagues upon this apostate Church, that has played the harlot with other lovers, for which He will bring on indignation, wrath, and pain upon many.

"1. But this is ground of encouragement to the seekers of God; that He is keeping up a party in the lanct that see it their duty to contend for His cause and interest, and shall overcome through the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; who are not loving their lives unto the death, to contend for His cause and interest. For He hath said, in the seventh chapter of Ezekiel, 16th verse, 'But they that escape of them shall escape, and shall be on the mountains like doves of the valleys, all of them mourning, every one for his iniquity.' Now, I seeing and considering upon the one hand, what treacherous dealings are hatched up among ministers and professors in this poor Church; and on the other hand, considering what the Lord had done formerly; I thought I was convinced in conscience, and from respect to the honor of God, which I had before mine eyes, and the good of mine own soul; I was constrained by an influence of the Spirit bearing in that word upon my heart, which we have in 1 Kings 18:21, 'And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? If the Lord be God, follow Him; but if Baal, then follow Him.'
"The Lord determined me to join myself with that party, and I do not repent it this day. I count it my duty, and no sin nor rebellion. I think it my credit to serve such a noble Master; and, indeed, I wonder at His condescendency, that ever He sought service from such a wretched sinner as I have been, who lived a stranger to Him all my days. But, O wonderful love! Oh! I wonder at the matchless acts of the Lord's condescendency and incomprehensible ways with me! that He has made choice of such a poor, weak, frail pickle of dust as I am, and has led me out and in, and has brought me to this place of execution to give my testimony to His work, cause, and interest; and has passed by the eminent, wise, and prudent in the land, and has made choice of such a feckless [i.e., worthless] nothing as I am. But blessed be His glorious name, that will have His word made out, that out of the mouth of babes and sucklings He can perfect His praise.
"2. And this, likewise, is a ground of hope to you that are weak and cannot venture on suffering, being sensible of your own weakness - 'To the weak He increaseth strength.' And this is another ground of hoped That He takes the blood and wounds of poor weak things to seal His truths.
"It cannot be expected that I shall be very formal in what I say, I being no scholar, nor yet old in experience. And besides, after I had received my sentence, I was taken out of a private room and put in the irons among bad company, except two days before this. "The ground of my indictment was, 1. 'That I came against the King's forces, under the command of [Bruce of] Earlshall, and fired upon them.' I declare, I intended not to resist, but being put to it in defense of the Gospel, and my own defense, I did resist them to my power.
"3. 'That I had been with that party in the months of April, May, and June.' I was but two days with them, intending no other thing but to hear the Gospel, and for this I suffer; I bless the Lord, not as an evil doer, but for my duty; for ye know we are all bound in covenant, both Kirk and State, according to the Coronation-oath, and the Covenants were owned and sworn, both by the supreme magistrate, the nobles, gentry, and commons of all sorts. The Lord did wonderfully shine upon this land, so that it became the glory of the whole world; the fame of it went abroad, and was renowned through the nations. I have heard, that if a stranger of another kingdom had come into a church in this land, there was such a frame of spirit among the people, that the stranger would have thought that they had been all saints. The Church then was fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners. But we have not been content with these days. Then the swearer was bound up from oaths, and the drunkard's throat ran dry; iniquity stopped her mouth. The Lord was with His people in those days; the Gospel was successful.
"And yet I can say, there have been as great days of the Gospel in the west of Scotland in the foresaid months, in the fields, as were in Scotland, since it was Scotland. I am sure, the Gospel preached by Mr. Richard Cameron especially was backed with the power and presence of Christ. As much of Christ and heaven were found, as finite creatures on earth were able to hold, yea, and more than they could hold; the streams of the living waters ran through among His people, at these meetings, like a flood upon the souls of many, who can witness, if they were called to it, that they would not have been afraid of ten thousands; 'The shout of a king was heard among them.'
"The fruits of it, I am hopeful, shall appear after this; all the troopers and dragoons in the three kingdoms, will never get that fire of love quenched that is kindled in the breasts of some in that country; it will never be quenched. It will not rot; the fathers will be telling the children of it, when they are old men, who are not taken away with the wrath that is coming on, to avenge the quarrel of a broken Covenant. They will be telling, that 'in the year 1680 there were as great days, as there are now; when there were prelates through these lands, upon the mountains up and down this west; it was then that I got on the zeal of God upon my soul.' And they shall say, 'who were they that preached in mosses and mountains, and not in the kirks nor houses? Did not all the godly ministers, when the apostate prelates were in the land, go out and witness and testify against them, with their lives in their hands?' And the fathers will say,' Know, my children, they had run well for a season; but they wearied, and yielded up the Church's liberties to a tyrant king, of the name of Charles; and he set up the prelates, and they made the land full of curates under them; and after that, some, that stayed off a while, then turned councilcurates, and these council-curates beguiled the rest of them; and Erastianism was universal; but the moderate indulged in judgment would have silenced Mr. Richard Cameron from preaching; but the Lord had said to him, "Go, and I will go with thee;" and so he was wonderfully helped. Indeed, the Lord countenanced him after that, and deserted them; and he died a martyr, and had his head set up upon a port [i.e., gateway], beside other three of his brethren, and many of these that wrote against him, and had him in derision, went away with a stink.' They will have this to say, and tell to the young ones yet unborn. 'The righteous man shall be had in everlasting remembrance.' Indeed, my friends, if any such be hearing me, I may say, truly a great man in our Israel fell at Airsmoss, the 22d of July 1680.
"And now, if I were set at liberty, with a provision that I were not found with Mr. Donald Cargill (whom I pray the Lord may keep from sinning), I would yet again join with that persecuted party, although they should use me as they did that eminently worthy gentleman that suffered before us [Hackston of Rathillet]. "So I am not in the dark, how and for what I suffer. I am clear that I was in my duty, and I have peace in it since, and I grow still clearer in it; glory to His name; for it is true that after I got my indictment and received my sentence, I wanted the countenance of God; for I never knew that the Lord loved me, but since that time; but I was never in the dark about the righteousness of the cause. I knew it would bear a suffering unto blood and death. And now, I am clear of my interest, and clear as to the grounds that I am laying down my life for this day. I could wish that every hair of my head were a life for His sake, and His persecuted cause. "I die in the faith of the true Protestant religion, in doctrine, discipline, and worship, as it was received in the year 1638 and in the year 1649. I join my adherence to the government of this Church, as it was reformed from Popery, Prelacy, Erastianism, and Supremacy. And I join my cordial testimony to the Church's laws and statutes at that time, as she was governed by general assemblies, synods, presbyteries, visitations and sessions; and to days of humiliation for sins, solemn days of thanksgiving in receipt of mercies bestowed, and censures for trying out persons of erroneous principles, either ministers or private persons. I adhere to the Confession of Faith; the Larger and Shorter Catechisms; the solemn Acknowledgment of Sins and Engagement to Duties; the National and Solemn League and Covenant; and the protestation at St. Johnstoun [i.e., Perth]. I join my testimony to, and approbation of these papers at Queensferry, the third of June 1680. I adhere to that faithful testimony at Rutherglen, the 29th of May 1679. I join my testimony to that last testimony or declaration, affixed upon the market-cross of Sanquhar, the 22d of June 1680. I witness my testimony to the late appearance at Airsmoss, the 22d of July 1680, where the Lord's worthies fell. Likewise I witness my testimony, and set to my seal against that horrid murder of that eminently worthy and famous godly gentleman, David Hackston of Rathillet. Likewise against all the bloodshed in fields, scaffolds, and the sea, these 19 years. And I enter my protestation against Popery, Quakerism, Supremacy, Erastianism, Indulgences first and last, and against arbitrary power over civil and ecclesiastic matters, further than the bounds appointed in the word of God.

"Likewise I witness my testimony against the pleaders for union, siding, joining, halving with usurpers of Christ's crown; silence in watchmen; and all their contrivances, impositions, instructions, or limitations they put upon the young men to be licentiate; prescribing a rule to them, to order their ministry so and so; their papers and pamphlets they have put out lately, to lead men over to that woful Indulgence, under the fair pretext of union; which is dreadful underhand dealing, to bring the people under the shadow of the Lord's adversaries. I enter my protestation against that national declaration put forth in the year 1661 [i.e., the act asserting the royal prerogative], and all their declarations since, and all their bonds and oaths imposed upon the Lord's people. Likewise, against the paying of the cess and militia money; and against their imprisonments, stigmatizing, booting and burning with fire-matches, fining and confining, robbing and spoiling, banishment, oppression, rigor of masters of tolbooths. "And because of that mistake, which they say in my indictment - that Presbyterians, and I amongst the rest, had cast off all fear of God and are against all good order and civil law; I declare I adhere to kingly government, but not to perjury and tyranny, turning upside down Church and State, contrary to the word of God, our Covenants, and the laws of the nation, and contrary to the declaration at Dunfermline, the coronation-oath, and the acts of general assembly, and acts of Parliament ratifying Presbytery, and abjuring this prelatic hierarchy, which is now re-established, and Presbytery rescinded. And I bear my testimony against those that have been and yet are pleading for the favor (as they call it) of the Act of Indemnity, after the murdering of Mr. King and Mr. Kid, who were executed on the day that the proclamation was read over the Cross, the 14th day of August 1679; and against their Justiciary Courts, to ensnare and pannel the poor people of God in the west of Scotland.
"I shall draw to a close shortly; but I might, if I had time, enlarge further upon these. I will say only this to you, who are looking upon rhe this day, that my lot is hard, but I bless the Lord for it. The Captain of my salvation was made perfect through suffering. No man has wronged me by counsel or advice, for I am persuaded that the cause is the Lord Jesus Christ's cause, and He will own it. And whoso touches any of His people, touches the apple of His eye. For He sends none a warfare upon their own charges, and in His own time He will make inquisition for the blood of all His saints, because it is right precious in His sight. And when He makes inquisition after their blood, and searches them out that troubled His people, I would not be the king of Britain, nor a counselor, prelate, nor malignant, for a world; and whatever I be, yet I am persuaded, that they have the blood of His dear saints in their skirts, which are this day under the altar, crying, 'How long, O Lord, holy and just, wilt Thou not avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?'
"You got Mr. King's advice on the scaffold, to be more sparing of shedding more blood; for within a short time he told you, he would be on equal terms with you, that judged him guilty of death; but that doth not warn the rulers of this kingdom. Do not think that I am quarrelling for the taking of my blood. No; it is love for your souls that obliges me to speak thus. Oh! what can be expected but that the Lord has His sword furbished for blood, and He will have a day of nobles' blood. The Lord has been smiting and wounding His Church and people, and blood has touched blood. Pentland hills hath touched Mr. Guthrie's blood: and Bothwell touched Pentland, and the drowned in the sea touched Bothwell; and Airsmoss the drowned in the sea; and our blood toucheth that which was spilt the 22d of July last. Oh! that at last ye would be persuaded to desist and spill no more blood; Oh! that the Lord himself would stop the effusion of more innocent blood, if it may stand with His honor. But if any more may be for His honor and service, Lord, keep Thy people, when they are called to it, to say with David, 'Here am I, let Him do with me as seemeth Him good!'

"I am also apprehensive, that the Lord hath a great sacrifice of the bodies of multitudes, and that He will give the flesh and blood of many to the fowls of the air; and He minds to give the fowls and birds a feast of flesh and blood. O Scotland, wilt thou never be made wise, until thou be betrayed into the hands of thine enemies? Truly I think, it is incredible, that this land will get leave to pass long, and not be swept with the besom of justice; the Lord is really angry with this land; for I know no person, no, not one, but He has a just ground of controversy with. It is astonishing to me to think on the sparing mercies of God towards these lands. For my part, I am glad that He calls me away after this manner, for which I desire with my soul to bless Him for His kindness to me, in taking this method and way with such a wretched sinner as I am, who deserve nothing but wrath, and only wrath. But glory to the riches of His free grace, 'who came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the chief!' He is a noble High Priest indeed!
"I must draw to a close: I entreat your patience a little, and I shall say but these three or four things shortly.
"1. I would entreat you, that are strangers to God, make haste and flee in unto God for your life; from this consideration, that all who had union and communion with God, and are now landed in glory, have died in the faith of it, that there are glorious days coming, and that the Lord will reckon with His enemies, and pay them liberally for all the wrongs done unto His cause and people. 'And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall punish the host of the high ones, that are on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth. And they shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison, and after many days shall they be visited. Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the Lord of Hosts shall reign in mount Zion and in Jerusalem, and before His ancients gloriously.' You may read it at your leisure, in the 24th chapter of Isaiah, from the 21st verse to the end. There is another word in the 36th chapter of Job, 18th verse. It is a word of advice, given by Elihu to Job: 'Because there is wrath, beware lest He take thee away with His stroke; then a great ransom cannot deliver thee.'
"2. It is my comfort this day, that my enemies are God's enemies. It is the allowance He bestows on poor things, in the following of their duty; though they have not much knowledge in religion, nor great experience, yet if they be faithful in the little, He helps them to be faithful in much. Ye know He says, 'Because thou hast been faithful in what I committed to thee, have thou rule over five cities.' I know that it is commonly reported, that they have not much grace, that adhere to this persecuted way; as I take in myself among them, who never had great gifts, nor parts, nor heart experience; yet He has told me, since I received the sentence of death by men who are the Lord's sword, that faithfulness in this juncture of time, in not denying His name, shall be an excuse for many infirmities. Among all the strong contenders, none get the prize but the sincere man, the resolute man, and they who are determined, as Esther was, to go, though it should cost them their life. And this is the time that the people of God should be at holding and drawing, rugging and tiring [i.e., earnestly struggling] ere the enemies of our Lord possess His crown, and bruik [i.e., enjoy] it with peace. And this I must add to these that are biased: I shall be a dying witness against ministers and professors that made it their work to brand and clothe that faithful minister [i.e., Mr. Richard Cameron] and martyr of Jesus Christ, with odious names and notorious lies, in calling him a Jesuit, and saying that he received the Pope's gold, and that he was a great favorite of the Duke of York, a declared papist; while I know, and many eminent Christians know, that he hated him as a limb of Satan; and also they said, that the troopers had commission to pass him by rather than any man, even after the declaration came out; to give 5000 merks for him, dead or alive! Go and lie in the dust for what ye have said of him, and what ye have said of Mr. Kid; I bless the Lord, that ever I saw his face, and that ever I heard him preach.

"3. Give me leave to say this much; I am afraid the apostasy of Scotland, the neutrality and formality that are among both ministers and professors, have shapen out this Church and land of Britain, in length and breadth, with the Church of Laodicea, whom the Lord threatens to spew out of His mouth as a loathsome thing, and then He will have pleasure in His Zion. Yet ye see He is snedding down [i.e., lopping off] a Guthrie, a Wellwood, a King, a Kid, a Brown, and a Cameron, and the like of a Henry Hall and a Robert Dick, that were contending for the truth, and for restoring the privileges of the Church. And these were counted disturbers of your sinful union with the enemies of the Lord! Lay it to heart; now their blood is shed for the cause, and ye are not free of it; but ye can wipe your mouth, and say ye are innocent I Remember that in the 50th Psalm and 18th verse, 'When thou sawest a thief, then thou consentedst with him.' And this the Lord hath seen, and kept silence; remember and mourn for it, lest He tear you in pieces when there is none to deliver. The court favor is too short a covering, it will not hide you; therefore, as a dying man, I warn you as from the Lord; consider your ways and your doings that have not been good, and cast yourselves out of the court favor, otherwise, I declare, ye shall not get the favor of God.
"4. If ye will set about some days of humiliation before the Lord, and take with you your sins and the sin of crying up this clatty [i.e., dirty] liberty, which is the price of blood; if ye will return unto the Lord, then return with all your heart; for He is merciful and gracious, and repents Him of the evil that He threatens, neither will He give way to His anger. He did so to me. I no sooner began to look to Him but He made me welcome, and put me to work, though I be but young, and know nothing. He was tender of me. He took me to Bothwell Bridge to own His cause; and I had many temptations to stay; what from my mother, and from one hand and another; but I durst not for my soul stay behind. I thought it my duty to join myself with that party against the Lord's enemies, and the Lord was good to me there, many ways. He covered my head in the day of battle, and suffered not one hair of my head to fall to the ground, and He suffered many, better than me a thousand times, to fall on all hands of me. So I thought then I held my life of Him; and the Lord brought me to the Greyfriars Churchyard; though I came almost naked, yet He mounted me better than ever I was before with clothes, and wonderfully provided for me beyond many others. I bless the Lord, my mother's sickness did not keep me from Bothwell Bridge; and when I was in the Greyfriars Churchyard, I was threatened with death by the Justice-General, who swore a great oath that I should die if I would not take the Bond. I told him, as it was true, that many better than I had been hanged; but I was brought out of his hand, and the Lord took me to the sea, and did deliver me from the ragings thereof, when He suffered many better to lose their lives. And when He laid His hand upon me by sickness, He made me to be favored by all my enemies. He healed me, and brought me home, and then He called me out to hear the Gospel, for which I desire to bless Him, and within a little while I shall praise Him for it. The Lord was so seen amongst His persecuted handful there, that He did engage me to join with them, who were hazarding their lives upon the fields for Him. I was at that late engagement [Airsmoss], and the Lord took some work off my hand there, and has brought me to this place this day to lay down my life for His sake. And this is the last combat I shall have. I shall work no more; I shall suffer no more; I shall fear no more; I shall sin no more. I must take my leave of you all, and so rest in His love. I go where all tears shall be wiped away; where the servant is made free from his master; to the land where the inhabitants shall not say they are sick.
"Now be not discouraged at the ways of God's providence to me, for I can assure you the cause is His own, and He will own it. 'For lo, thine enemies shall perish.' I would have every one of you seeking the favor of God, for ye will have ado with it at death and judgment. The greatest persecutor or malignant will have sore missing of His favor in that day. O seek Him in time! and the Lord help His poor young wrestling people well through their trials! The Lord help them to be faithful, and to endure to the end, for they have the proraise of being saved. Join with His people, and cast in your lot with them, and do not stand on the other side; let His cause be your cause in weal and woe. O noble cause! O noble work! O noble heaven! O noble Christ, that makes it to be heaven! And He is the owner of the work. O noble Mediator of the new covenant! O noble Redeemer, who is powerful to help in time of need, and will help such as trust in Him! There was never one that trusted in Him that came to loss. He made them aye up [i.e., always recompensed them] sometimes with an hundred-fold in this life, and heaven after. I lay down my life, not as an evil-doer, but as a sufferer for Christ.
"I shall say no more, but a word or two. One is, anent that which some would be informed in; whether I took the Bond that was tendered to the prisoners [taken after Bothwell Bridge]? I acknowledge there was a supplication drawn up containing two articles; one was, craving the benefit of the Act of Indemnity; the second was, that I should not lift arms against the king or any lawful authority; but because it was not authority only, but lawful authority, it was not granted. And at that time there were pains taken by some persons of note, that persuaded men to take the Bond as it was tendered by the bloody Council. Indeed, it hath been a thing heavier than the sand to me, and hath made me groan. I think for that and for many other private failings the Lord did not give me His countenance. The Lord pardon, as I hope He will, that I should have put my hand to a pen, and blacked paper in that supplication; but for the Bond, I bless the Lord I did not subscribe it!
"The second thing I am reputed guilty of is, that I supplicated for a delay some short time, and that I called it rebellion that I was at Airsmoss. Indeed, I subscribed no such thing; but it was only this, that it might please them to grant us some more time, for we were in confusion, because of the shortness of the time. We desired some more time, that we might get our souls' case laid to heart, and our peace made with God through Jesus Christ.
"I shall say no more, but wish that ye would all seek repentance in time, before it be hid from your eyes. I recommend my spirit to Him that is able to save to the uttermost all that come to Him through Christ, and desire to take my leave of all created comforts. Farewell all relations; farewell world; farewell sin! Welcome Christ, welcome heaven, and glory for evermore!
"Sic subscribitur,
"JOHN MALCOLM."

['In charity, I shall believe that Mr. Skene was informed that the Rev. Mr. Carstairs had said so; but the same charity, and Mr. Carstairs' known tenderness and temper, forbid me to believe that he said so.' - Wodrow.]
"I leave my testimony against the receiving that accursed traitor, James Duke of York, and all Papists, Quakers, prelates, curates, latitudinarians, indulged ministers, and their favorers, the Hamilton Declaration, and other papers and acting, directly or indirectly against the truth. I leave my testimony against the lukewarm professors, who write and speak grievous things to reproach the truly godly, and who keep silence when God calls them to give a free and full testimony for His despised Covenant and whole work of Reformation, against a traitorous, backsliding, and adulterous generation; and as in this place, or any other of my papers, I could not have designed God's enemies any otherwise, than by their pretended offices. Thus far, dear people, I crave your liberty, and let none think that thereby I own them in the least point. "Likewise, whereas my sufferings were delayed; the Lord, in whose presence I must appear erelong, knows what a soul-grief it is to me to remember it. When the day I was sentenced to die for my dear Lord's interest came, I expected vainly that my relations, that were great in court, who had seen me, should have procured a reprieval for me; but being disappointed, a fear of death surprised me, hearing that all were presently making ready for my execution; and then my carnal relations, almost weeping on me, engaged me by their insinuations to supplicate that bloody crew for it myself. A carnal well-wisher drew lit up in these terms: 'James Skene, prisoner, earnestly desires your lordships to grant him a reprieval for some days, till he canvass these things he was sentenced for with learned and godly men; and your lordships answer.'

"After I subscribed it, a great confusion and horror of spirit fell on me. I went to prayer, wishing in my heart it were not granted; but such was my trouble, I could not say anything but nonsense. My heart was afflicted sore with this straitening, and the more when the reprieval was granted. I thought, I, having shifted the cross, my Lord might deny me that credit again, and put a worse on me in requital of my slighting Him. I judge, the Lord left me thus to slip, to humble me, and that He hid His face to make me exemplarily punished for untender carrying under His cross, which He had chosen for me; to warn others under the cross, that they would be circumspect and zealous for keeping from being polluted with any compliance with the defections of the times, that they may have a cleanly suffering. From this backsliding I recovered not for two clays after; but found it sad for my soul; the Lord hid His face from me. But now my God has had compassion on me; and, this time of the eight days' reprieval, He has preserved me from such a backsliding, when the devil by his emissaries has had much artifice to turn me aside from the way of the Lord. Yet I will say this far; all I have done was not in order to own that wicked Council as lawful rulers; but my life being in their tyrannous hands, I thought then I might desire as much favor of them as of a robber that had the dagger at my breast; and I truly look on all their actings in courts, either higher or lower judicatories, in matters civil or ecclesiastic, that they act as murderers, oppressors, and tyrants only.
"And now these bloody oppressors say, because I will not sinfully renounce my Lord and His interest, and look on them as magistrates, and say I spake rashly what I did (on which terms, craving them pardon, I would soon get remission and be at liberty,) that they look on me as guilty of my own blood. But I hope my God will not account me guilty, who knows I dare not so sinfully disown Him, for all the hazard of my poor life. There being a dilemma in my case, either I must sin or suffer; I have found it my only peace with my Lord, to choose suffering, and hate the way of sinning. And this I thought good to insert in my dying testimony, that others may beware of an untender walk with God, 'who is a consuming fire to all impenitent sinners.' Now, my Lord has sealed my remission for this extravagance, and has entered into a new covenant with me, and I have resigned myself wholly to Him, to be at His disposal; and it is my rejoicing, that He is calling me out to honor me so much as to suffer for His sake. A poor countryman with us, would think it his credit to be called to signify his loyalty to a nobleman, who was his master, whose courage obliges him to fight for his safety to the loss of his life. But oh! what a disparity is in my case! I am but a base, wretched, sinful worm, and I am called to signify my love and loyalty to the King of Glory, before these treacherous and perfidious powers that sit at ease, and disown, yea, declare against my Lord, that He is not our covenanted King and Lord. And the two despised Covenants are not despicable, but our glory. I will first declare they are traitors, and ought to be disowned as magistrates or lawful rulers; and so many of them as have imbrued their hands in the blood of the saints, either by commissions, or votes in councils, or other courts; or have lived, oppressing God's people, in adultery, uncleanness, wickedness, and witchcraft; they are guilty of death. And when there are no other magistrates who will duly punish these impieties, it is my duty, out of zeal to the Lord (I say it again), if the Lord would employ me, to cut them off; as that zeal of Phineas, though mocked at by them in their proclamation, is a good example.
"Thus I end, wishing that what I have here penned for a testimony to the Lord's despised interest, may have weight with any who consider, that, what I have written, I must erelong reckon for; and so I have labored to be single-hearted before the Lord in it. "Now, I have touched everything I can remember concerning my judgment of things controverted, as also some reasons of my principles, asserted in face of a great council, and twice before the Justiciaries; which I gladly sign with my subscription, glorying in the Lord who owned me, so that I was not ashamed, but judged it my glory to give my full and free testimony for my blessed Lord's despised interest, against that wicked and treacherous pack of my God's declared enemies.
"Now, farewell, all dear friends! I hope the Lord will have a glorious Church in Scotland, and that He will raise His glory out of the ashes of a burnt Covenant. Now, farewell sun, moon, and stars! Farewell, holy Scriptures! Oh! I am going to a life where I shall no more be troubled with a body of sin or death. Oh! I am going to a mansion of glory that my Lord has prepared for me. I shall have a crown of life; because I have been, by my blessed Lord's assistance - though I slipped aside - made faithful to the death. "Now, welcome Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, thou hast redeemed me by thy price, and by thy power. Oh! Lord God of Hosts, into thy hands I commit my Spirit!
" Sic subscribitur,
"JA. SKENE.
"In the close prison of Edinburgh, November 30,1680; being the day before my execution, according to the unjust sentence of a perfidious court."

Footnotes:
1 Let none mistake this sentence as if this worthy gentleman thereby disowner, that unshaken principle of the Protestant religion; viz., that infidelity or difference in religion does not make void the magistrate's just and legal authority; for it is plain, he rejects only the false sense that was then put upon it, to make it an argument for defense of tyranny and arbitrary power. [Note by the compilers of the "Cloud," in the first edition.]
2 These and the like sentences, which may possibly be met with in some other testimonies, ought not to be mistaken as the effects of a revengeful ungospel Spirit, but rather as a simple declaration of their being guilty of blood in condemning them; to serve as a warning to the persecutors, not to proceed further in these wicked courses, and to waken them to repentance (if possible) for what they had already done; and is much parallel in its nature with that of Jeremiah, in his apology before the princes, chap. 26:15. [Note by the original compilers of the "Cloud."]

The Declaration stigmatizing the Covenants, testified against by John Potter, was ordained by the fifth Act of the second session of the first Parliament of Charles II, 1662. All persons in public trust were required to sign it. It was the cause of much of the suffering of the following twenty six years. The Covenants had been solemnly sworn, and it really made perjury a necessary qualification in all admitted to office in Church and State. It was the first of a long course of ensnaring declarations, bonds, or oaths. Indeed, scarcely a year of the persecuting times passed by without some new form of oath. The Declaration, after a short introduction, was -
"I do sincerely affirm and declare...particularly that these oaths, whereof the one was commonly called the 'National Covenant,' as it was sworn and explained in the year 1638, and thereafter; and the other, entitled 'A Solemn League and Covenant,' were, and are in themselves, unlawful oaths." - ED.]

THE TESTIMONY OF JOHN POTTER, A Farmer, who lived in the parish of Uphall in West Lothian, and suffered at the Cross of Edinburgh, December 1, 1680.

"All you spectators and auditors, I desire your art n 'o words, and I shall be brief. And before I begin, I must tell you, you must not expect such a testimony from me as ye have had from some of them that went before me, I not being a learned man, as some of them have been. However, I desire to look to God; who not only can give me what to speak, but can also bless what I speak, so as it may be for His glory, and the good of them that love Him, and wait for His coming; which is the desire of my soul. Now, I being to step out of time into eternity, I hope you will not think that I shall say anything now but what my conscience binds me to say. "In the first place, I must tell you for what I am come here this day, to lay down my life; it is for owning and adhering to my sworn principles. I am a Presbyterian, and herein I do rejoice that I am to suffer for His cause only; for adhering to the Word of God; our Confession of Faith; Larger and Shorter Catechisms; our Covenants, National and Solemn League, together with our solemn Acknowledgment of Sins and Engagement to Duties; wherein all Scotland were once engaged, and thought it their duty and honor to be so. And this is the reason for which I am sentenced to death by men; but God, to whom vengeance doth belong, will avenge Himself for all the wrongs done to His glory, cause, interest, and people. I was born under the pure light of the Gospel, and was taught to own Christ as king in Zion only, and head of His own Church; and this I own to be my duty.
"But I am here charged with rebellion; which I deny, because I was never of that opinion, that it was rebellion to hear the Gospel; for the word of God binds us to it as our duty; otherwise, why should God have told us, 'That we should go from sea to sea to seek the word of the Lord, and should not find it?' And the practice of our Lord and His apostles, in preaching of the Gospel to the people that heard them, is a sufficient ground to prove it to be duty to hear the Gospel, whether in fields or houses, when it cannot be had elsewhere; and if it be duty to hear the Gospel as it is, then certainly it is duty to defend the Gospel when preached in purity; according to the word of God, and according to the sixth article of the Solemn League and Covenant, wherein we are bound to assist and defend all that enter into covenant with us, and to the utmost of our power, with our lives in our hands; much more to defend the Gospel, which teaches us the fundamental principles of our holy Religion.
"And to take away that vile and malicious aspersion, which they cast upon us; charging us with an intention to have murdered the Duke of York and others with him; I declare I had never such a principle as to murder any man, neither did I ever hear of it till the Council told me; which I knew to be a vile and hell-hatched aspersion cast upon the way and people of God; but they judge others by themselves, for that is their principle - to murder the people of God, as they also do.
"Next I was charged, whether or not I adhered to Sanquhar Declaration? I answered, I not only adhered to it, but also will lay down my life cheerfully and willingly, as I do this day, for adhering thereto; yea, if every hair of my head were a life, and every drop of my blood were a man, I would willingly lay them all down for Him and His cause.
"I come here to tell you -
"1. That I adhere to all the written will and word of God; and I adhere to the Confession of Faith, and our Catechisms, Larger and Shorter, and to our Covenants, National and Solemn League, and to the solemn Acknowledgment of Sins and Engagement to Duties, and to all the Covenants made betwixt God and us, wherein I stand engaged.
"2. I adhere to all the testimonies that have gone before me.

"3. I adhere to all that has been done for maintaining and defending the Gospel against a tyrannising and bloody enemy, when the actors thereof had the glory of God before their eyes as the chief motive that drove them thereto; whether at Pentland, Drumclog, Glasgow, Bothwell, Airsmoss, or any other place in Scotland, where there has been any tencounter of that kind.

"4. I adhere to that action of Excommunication at the Torwood; it being according to the word of God, and done by a faithful minister of the Gospel, and in as legal a way as the present dispensation and circumstance of time could permit; and also, the persons excommunicate being guilty of such crimes as justly do deserve that act to be passed against them.
"5. I adhere to the testimonies of all that have borne testimony against silent and unfaithful ministers; by their withdrawing from them, which is a declaring that they do not own them as faithful ambassadors of Jesus Christ, because of their unfaithfulness; and I hope none will condemn me for saying, that I have not had clearness to join with them, while they remain so unconcerned with the cause of Christ and the oppression of His people.

"6. I adhere to the way of salvation agreed upon betwixt the Father and the Son before the creation of the world, that through the Son we should be made perfect; which I hope to obtain before this body of mine be cold, and in His perfection I shall be made perfect, and through His suffering I shall be conformed to Him who suffered without the gate, bearing His reproach. And I am well pleased with my lot this day. Oh! my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name, for all that He hath done for my soul, and for His way of bringing me here this day, to lay down my life for Him. I am not afraid of grim death; I know that God has taken away the sting of death through the sufferings of His Son. "In the next place, being here as a dying witness for Christ and His cause, I do therefore leave my testimony against all abominations done in the land against a holy God, and in contempt of His image particularly:

"1. I testify against all that woeful and hell-hatched Act of Supremacy, wherein they acknowledge the king to be head of the Church, and thereby have invested a mortal creature with Christ's crown, sword, and scepter.
"2. I bear witness and testify against the breaking of the National and Solemn League and Covenant, and making them to be burnt by the hand of the hangman at the Market Cross of Edinburgh, and elsewhere through Scotland, so contrary to their solemn engagement.
"3. I witness and bear my testimony against the reception of Prelacy, so contrary to the word of God, and our Covenants; for then it was that the Covenanters in Scotland should have withstood both king and Council, and all that joined with them in that head, and should have testified against them with their swords in their hands until they had resisted unto blood, according to the sixth article of the Solemn League and Covenant. Oh! that all that are alive this day that were men when the Covenant was burnt, were taking with [i.e., confessing] their sin, and were lying in the dust; every one for his share in that sin, and every one for the land's guiltiness.
"4. I leave my testimony against all the horrid bloodshed that has been in this land, whether of noblemen, gentlemen, ministers, or any others, that have suffered in Edinburgh, or any other place, whether on scaffolds, on gibbets, in open fields, or on the sea; particularly that horrid act of murdering so many men [at Pentland. - ED.] after they had taken them prisoners and promised them their lives; which was done by Thomas Dalziel, called General; who took them prisoners, and after promising to set them at liberty, delivered them to the bloody Council, who most cruelly murdered them against and without all law and reason, never speaking of conscience; for they had lost all of that they ever had, when they burned the Covenant and murdered the Marquis of Argyle, and my Lord Warriston, and that eminent minister Mr. James Guthrie; who were murdered against the very acts of their own laws.

"5. I bear witness, and testify against the cutting off heads and hands, and setting them up upon the ports [i.e., gateways] of Edinburgh, and elsewhere through the kingdom of Scotland, as if they had been thieves or malefactors.
"6. I testify and bear witness against all the imprisonments, finings, and confinings, of the people of God, for adhering to His word and our Covenants.
"7. I testify and bear witness against the pressing of the Declaration against our Covenants upon the consciences of the Lord's people.
"8. I testify and bear witness against the imposing and paying of cess and militia money, both for oppressing the consciences, and grinding the faces of the poor.
"9. I testify and bear witness against that cruel and hell-hatched act of sending the Highland host, and the rest of that cabal, to oppress and plunder the people of God.
"And lastly, I bear witness against all the oppression, spoiling, robbing, and hunting of the people of God, and that against all manner of law or reason. I shall be a standing witness against them, ay, and while [i.e., until] they repent. Oh! that the Lord would pour out of His spirit upon all that have so grievously turned aside, and make them to lie in the dust, and to take with [i.e., confess] their sins; but I fear, a holy God has given them up to themselves, and sealed their hearts with obduration, and so they are become proof against all dispensations; but sure, such as will not bow to God, shall be broken by the mighty rod of iron, that is in His hand to bruise the nations.
"I have here left my testimony against the perjury, bloodshed, and oppression of the people of God, which has been done by him who is called the King of Britain and Ireland; and the perjury and bloodshed acted by noblemen and gentlemen, who have been assisting and strengthening his hand in bloody and cruel courses; and therefore I leave my testimony against them, and my blood upon their heads, and especially against such as were present in the Council, when I was examined, and these perjured lords of the criminal court, where I was sentenced to die here in this place of execution; and also I leave my blood upon the head of the assizers and all others, who said amen to my sentence, whatever they have been, and yet are; except they repent, my blood shall be charged upon them. Likewise I leave my testimony against all who carried arms to guard me to this scaffold; they shall be found guilty of my blood, if mercy and grace prevent it not.
"Likewise I bear witness, and leave my testimony against the reception [October 1679, or October 1680] of the Duke of York, first and last; that professed papist, who has been laying out himself to carry us back to Rome, and that not only by the bloody Council and other perjured noblemen and gentlemen, but also by the city of Edinburgh, who went out of the port [i.e., city gate] to receive him, as though he had been a king, with shooting of guns, sounding of trumpets, beating of drums, and kindling of bonfires, which is contrary to the Word of God and our Covenant, after he had been cast off justly by the other kingdom of England. [The bill, October 1680, for excluding him from the throne, passed through the House of Commons without difficulty, but, by the influence of the king was rejected by the Lords. - ED.] I shall be a witness against that action in the great day; and, particularly, I leave my blood upon that wretch and bloody tyrant the Duke of York; for it is to satisfy him and to quench his implacable thirst after blood that I am brought hither this day. The last time he came to Scotland, he got a sacrifice of the blood of these five that suffered at Magus Moor, who were indeed highly honored, and nothing short of these that went before them [Thomas Brown, Andrew Sword, John Clyde, James Wood, John Waddell, were taken at Bothwell. They were condemned to be taken to Magus Moor, where Sharp was killed, and there hanged, November 1679. Their testimonies are appended to "Naphtali." - ED.]. And now, he must have this, our blood, to quench his thirst upon; but that heart of his that is so rejoicing at the hearing and seeing of our death; erelong my heart shall sing Hallelujah to the Lamb of God, and join in my note, and pass my sentence with the Great Judge against him, and all the enemies of God, if great repentance and free grace prevent it not.
"And, with respect to that for which I am sentenced to death, because of many mistakes, even among the godly, through wrong information; I here, as a dying man, declare I had before me no design but only the glory of God, and the coming of Christ's kingdom, and His reigning as King in Zion. And for this I am sentenced, and for this I lay down my life this day, and I do it willingly and cheerfully, and not by constraint; for if I had been left of a holy God so far as to quit one hoof of His truth, I might have redeemed my life; as some have done, that were as deeply engaged to stand by the truth, even to the resisting unto blood, as I was, and seemed to be as deeply concerned as I was. How they have come out of prison I know not; but God knows, and to Him they will and must give account thereof, and to Him I leave it; but I think there are few that came out of prison that now can say, they have neither touched, tasted, nor handled the abominations of these times wherein they live. Therefore, I leave my testimony and witness against all that have come out of prison, by taking of the Bond, if it were but to cornpear before these bloody enemies of God, in as far as they were convinced that it was sin; as some of them were, otherwise their tongue and pen have lied; which I leave to God and their own consciences to determine, whether or not they sinned in so doing.
"Next, I here as a dying man do declare, that if the blotting of paper to them would save my life, I would not do it at that rate; for I see they are setting themselves to ensnare poor things, and I see neither ministers nor professors to give their advice in this matter, if it be not to make them take the Bond, as they did to these poor things in the churchyard [of Greyfriars, to the prisoners taken at Bothwell Bridge. - ED.] Also, I leave my testimony and bear witness against all the unfaithfulness of ministers and professors.
"1. I bear witness against the unfaithfulness of these ministers that were with the Public Resolutions, to bring in, or keep in, any of these men that were open and avowed malignants and enemies to God, so contrary to our Covenants.
"2. I bear testimony against that act at Glasgow [October 1, 1662. By it, all ministers ordained since 1649, who had not been presented by the patron, and collated by the bishop, were banished from their parishes. Nearly four hundred were affected by it. The six hundred were those who submitted to the yoke of erastian supremacy. - ED.] wherein six hundred ministers and upwards did quit their charge, and turn their back upon their flock; and since, many of them are turned ravening wolves and greedy dogs that cannot bark, according to that word, Ezekiel 13:4, 5, 'O Israel, thy prophets are like the foxes in the deserts. Ye have not gone up into the gaps, neither made up the hedge for the house of Israel to stand in the battle in the day of the Lord.' Had it not been their duty to have stood by their charge until they had been driven out of their pulpits?
"3. I leave my testimony against both Indulgences, first and last, and against all that comply and go on with them in that sinful course; ay, and while [i.e., until] they repent, I shall be a standing witness against them. Surely, if they be found with clean fingers when God comes to inquire after blood, I am mistaken. But, oh! what will they answer when Christ shall say, 'Come here, sir, give me an account of your talent. What did ye with your ministry? Laid ye it aside at the command of Charles Stuart and the bloody Council? And had ye more delight to be a doctor or chamberlain than ye had to be minister?' Oh! let the unfaithful minister remember that word in the 33 of Ezekiel, verse 6, 'But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman's hand.' I fear that the blood of many souls will be required at the hands of the most part of the ministers of Scotland.
"4. I bear witness and leave my testimony against the unfaithfulness of many ministers, who have left their wonted love and burning zeal which they had when they ventured upon the high places of the earth in preaching the Gospel.
"And now, in the last place, I bear testimony against all that have preached, written against, or reproached that poor party, that were occasionally met at Airsmoss, only for the hearing of the Gospel; and now, when I am stepping out of time into eternity, I declare that I adhere to all the doctrines that ever I heard Mr. Richard Cameron or Mr. Donald Cargill preach; and my soul blesseth God that ever I heard either of them; for my soul has been refreshed to hear the voice and shouting of a king among these field-meetings, wherein the fountain of living waters has been made to run down among the people of God, in such a manner that armies could not have terrified us. Oh! I am sure the blood that has been shed in the fields, and on scaffolds, in Scotland, for the cause and interest of Jesus Christ, will have a glorious crop, in spite of devils and men; and I am sure the seed sown at Airsmoss will have as glorious a vintage as ever any seed in Scotland had.
"And now, oh! ye that are the poor remnant that are to stay behind, who are the butt of the fury, not only of the open and bloody enemies, but also of many ministers and professors, who have gone out of the way themselves, and will not suffer others to walk in it; I have this to say to you; be earnest and constant in kything [i.e., showing] of love to Christ; walk with more fear, lest ye offend a holy and jealous God. Oh! beware that ye quit not your integrity; there are many waiting for your halting, yea, and longing for it. Cast not off the way of Christ because of suffering. If ye knew what of His love and comforting presence I had, since I was called to witness for Him against these bloody traitors that are thirsting after the blood of the Lord's people, ye would long for such proofs of His love; seek Him early and ye shall find Him. Be not troubled because of our death; it is not a death unto the soul, but an inlet of life to it; for to be dead to the world, is to be alive to Christ. Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: they rest from their labors, and their works do follow them.
"And rejoice, oh! ye poor of the flock, that wait with fear and trembling, and with faith and love in exercise; it is to you that He will come. He meeteth him that rejoiceth in and worketh righteousness. Blessed are ye that weep now; for ye shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek; for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are the merciful. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness; for they shall be filled. Blessed are the pure in heart; for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers; for they shall be called the children of God. Blessed are they that are reproached for righteousness sake; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you for My sake. Oh friends! it is only you that have ground to rejoice; if ye by Him be helped to keep the word of His patience, He will keep you in the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the face of the earth.
"Oh I dear friends and followers of Christ, hold on your way, weary not, faint not, and ye shall receive the crown of life. It is those that overcome by the blood of the Lamb, and the word of their testimony, that shall stand, being clothed in white robes, before the throne, for these are they that came out of great tribulation. Remember that there is a book of remembrance written, and the names of these are written in it, that speak often one to another. Oh! my friends, let it be your study to keep up private fellowship meetings, wherein so much of the power and life of religion is to be found. Remember that here I, as a dying sufferer for Christ, leave this charge to every one of you that have any love to Christ; set about this and other duties with more fervent love and zeal than heretofore hath been done; and be much in private prayer; wrestle with God upon the account of Jacob's trouble. I will say this, that the more ye seek for Zion, the more ye will get for yourselves. Let not the reproaches cast upon the way of God, stumble you. And see that when ye are reviled, ye revile not again; but rather with meekness and love, in the fear of the Lord, study ye to gain others; but if they will not hearken, when this is done, then be free and faithful in testifying against them. for so doing; but especially let your conversation testify your dislike of these sinful courses. And now, my dear friends in Christ, I leave you to Him, who has promised to be with you in the fire and water, and bear the weight of all your reproaches, and is afflicted in all your afflictions.
"As for you that are lying in black nature, I exhort you to repent of your sins, and come out of that woful estate wherein ye are now lying, and close with a slain Mediator upon His own terms. Oh! fall in love with the way of salvation. Oh! can ye think of the way of redemption, and not stand and wonder at the condescendency of free grace? I tell you, except ye repent, ye shall all perish. "I have a word to speak to you that are cruel and open enemies to Christ and His cause. Remember, the saints shall judge the world; and then we shall not get leave to stand on equal terms with you; but we shall be set on thrones, with crowns on our heads, and harps in our hands, to sing praise to the Lamb. And then we shall pass our sentence, with the great Judge, upon all the enemies of God; and ye shall be turned into hell, with all the nations that forget God, if ye repent not. I pray that the Lord would open your eyes, that ye may see your sins, and turn from them and live. "I forgive all men the wrongs they have done, or can do to me. But for the wrongs done to Christ, in robbing Him of His right over His church and people, I know vengeance belongs to God, and He will repay them. Therefore I leave them under process, ay, and while [i.e., until] they repent.
"And now I begin to enjoy Him who is invisible; for it is but little we can see of Him now; but this I am sure of, that I shall be made conform to Him through His sufferings. Therefore I take my leave of all the world, and the enjoyments thereof. I leave my wife and child to my covenanted God, who gave them to me, and willingly quit and give them up to Him, hoping that He will be a husband to the widow, and a father to the fatherless, according to His promise. I hope that the friends of the Lord will remember the living for the dead's sake.
"Farewell wife and child, parents and relations, and all friends and acquaintances. Welcome heaven, angels, and saints! Welcome God and Father! Welcome lovely Jesus Christ! Welcome Holy Spirit of Grace; into Thy hands I commend my soul and spirit.
"Sic subscribitur,
"JO. POTTER."

ACCOUNT OF MR. ARCHIBALD RIDDELL'S EXAMINATION Of ISABEL ALISON and MARION HARVIE.

"About seven of the clock at night the goodman [i.e., governor] of the Tolbooth caused call us down, against our will, to be examined by Mr. Riddell at the Council's order. So we came down and were brought to the west side of the house, to an empty room, where they brought him into us, the goodman of the Tolbooth being present, and the keepers, and some gentlemen with them; and they caused us sit down.
"The goodman of the Tolbooth said, 'Mr. Riddell, the Council caused me bring you to confer with these women, to see if you can bring them to repentance.'
"Then we protested and said, As for repentance, we know not what fault we have done.
"Then said they, You cannot be the worse to have one of your ministers to confer with. We told them, These ministers being their servants, we looked no more upon them as ministers of Jesus Christ; and therefore he is no minister to us.
"Mr. Riddell asked, If the Council would send Mr. Cargill to us, would we not confer with him? We said, He was not at their command; but if Mr. Cargill would do as ye and the rest of you have done, we would do the like with him.
"So he offered to pray. We said, We were not clear to join with him in prayer.
"He said, Wherefore? We said, We know the strain of your prayers will be like your discourse.
"He said, I shall not mention any of your principles in my prayer, but only desire the Lord to let you see the evil of your doings. We told him, we desired none of his prayers at all. "They said, Would we not be content to hear him? We said, forced prayers had no virtue.
"Then we said, What means he to pray with us more than he did with our brethren that have gone before us? Mr. Riddell said, Mr. Skene conversed with Mr. Robert Ross.
"We said, He did not send for him, but he intruded himself upon him.
"The goodman of the Tolbooth said, He conversed with Mr. Meldrum; and we smiled at that, and said, He might talk to him of his perjury, but for no other thing.
"So they urged prayer again. We said, It would be a mocking of God.
"They said, Why so? We said, Because we cannot join with it. "So Mr. Riddell began to debate with us, and said, We would not find it in all the Scripture, nor any history, to disown the civil magistrate. We answered, There were never such magistrates seen as we have.
"He instanced Manasseh, who made the streets of Jerusalem to run with the blood of the prophets. We said, It was a question, if he came the length in perjury.
"He instanced Joash. We answered, He was but a child when that covenant was sworn, and it was not so with these that he now pleaded for.
"He then instanced Nero, how he set the city on fire and robbed the churches; and yet, notwithstanding, the apostle exhorteth submission to the magistrates then being. We answered, It was in the Lord, and as they were a terror to evil doers. "He said, Although they were wicked, yet they should not be altogether east off. We said, Before their Excommunication we would not have been so clear to cast them off. "He said, There were but only seven in the Excommunication, then why do you cast at all the rest? We answered, These seven carried the great sway, and the rest came in under them. "He said, How can one man take upon him to draw out the sword of excommunication; for the like was never heard tell of in any generation? We answered, Why not one man, since there were no more faithful? and the Church hath power to cast out scandalous persons, be they high, be they low.
"He said, Who is the Church? We said, If there was a true Church in the world, that little handful was one, though never so insignificant, of which handful we own ourselves a part; and though our blood go in the quarrel, yet we hope it will be the foundation of a new building, and of a lively Church.
"He said, Thought we all the ministers wrong? We answered, We desire to forbear, and not to add; for we desire not to speak of ministers' faults. And we desired him to forbear, and let us be gone; but he urged his discourse, and fell on upon the papers that were taken at the Queensferry, chiefly on that part of them: 'When God gives them power, it is a just law to execute justice upon all persons that are guilty.'
"And he came to us, and laid by his coat, and said, Would ye stab me with a knife in my breast, even now? And we smiled, and said, We never murdered any.
"But, said he, They swore to do so. We said, Why did he not debate these things with men, and not with lasses? For, we told him, we never studied debates.
"He said again, Thought we all the ministers wrong? We answered, They were wrong; and forbade him to put us to it, to speak of ministers' faults; for, if he knew what we had to say of them, he would not urge us. So we desired to be gone.
"And he said, If ye come to calm blood, and desire me, or any other of the ministers, to speak to you; ye may tell the keepers, and ye may have them.
"And there was a chirurgeon among them, and the goodman of the Tolbooth said, He might draw blood of us, for we were mad. We said, Saw ye any mad action in us?
"This is all we can mind at present."
THE DYING TESTIMONY AND LAST WORDS OF ISABEL ALISON.
"I, being sentenced to die in the Grassmarket of Edinburgh, January 1681, thought fit to set down, under my hand, the causes wherefore I suffer. I being apprehended at Perth, in my own chamber, by an order from the Council, and brought to Edinburgh with a strong guard, and there put in prison, and then being examined first by a committee, and then by the criminal court, the manner of my examination was:
"First, If I conversed with David Hackston and others of our friends? Which I owned upon good grounds.
"Second, If I owned the Excommunication at the Totwood, and the papers found at the Queensferry, and Sanquhar Declaration, and a paper found on Mr. Cameron at Airsmoss? All which I owned. Likewise, I declined their authority, and told them that they had declared war against Christ, and had usurped and taken His prerogatives, and so carried the sword against Him, and not for Him.
"So I think none can own them, unless they disown Christ Jesus. Therefore, let enemies and pretended friends say what they please, I could have my life on no easier terms, than the denying of Christ's kingly office. So I lay down my life for owning and adhering to Jesus Christ, He being a free King in His own house, for which I bless the Lord that ever He called me to that. "Now, in the first place, I adhere to the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament; and likewise I adhere to the Confession of Faith, because according to the Scriptures; the Larger and Shorter Catechisms; and our Solemn Covenants, both National and Solemn League, as they were lawfully sworn in this land; and I adhere to the Acknowledgment of Sins and Engagement to Duties; I adhere likewise to these aforementioned papers, and to the Excommunication at Torwood, they all being according to the Scriptures of Truth, and so both lawful and necessary; likewise I adhere to the Rutherglen Testimony, and to all the testimonies of our worthies, who have suffered in Edinburgh, and elsewhere.
"In the next place, I enter my protestation against all the violation done to the work of God these twenty years bygone. First, The burning of the Covenant made with God, and the "Causes of God's Wrath," and the thrusting in of prelates into the Lord's house, contrary to the Word of God, and our sworn Covenants. I leave my testimony against Popery, which is so much countenanced at this day, and against the receiving that limb of antichrist, the Duke of York. Likewise I leave my testimony against all the blood shed both on scaffolds, and in the fields, and seas; and against all the cruelty used against all the people of the Lord. And I leave my testimony against the paying of that wicked tess, for maintaining of these profane wretches, to bear down the work of God. I leave my testimony against all unlawful bonds; and likewise against the shifting of a testimony, when clearly called by the Lord to give it. "I leave my testimony against all profanity of all sorts; and likewise against lukewarmness and indifferency in the Lord's matters. I leave my testimony against the unfaithfulness of ministers, first and last; their silence at the first, when their Master's work was broken down; for the most part they slipped from their Master's back, without so much as giving one word of a testimony against the wrongs clone to Him and now are become a snare to the poor people in going to hear the curates; and poor things, following their example, are ensnared. My finding the sad experience of it, brings it the more into my memory. Yet, notwithstanding of their being convinced of their error in this, many of them carry now, as if they rued that ever they came forth to the fields to proclaim their Master a free King in His own house. And now they are fallen in under the shadow of the sworn enemies; and, alas! they are become profound to lay snares, yea, they are a trap upon Mispeh, and a net spread upon Tabor! Oh! for the sad defection both of ministers and professors in Scotland! It is like, our carriage may make many of our carcasses lie in the wilderness.

"I leave my testimony against the Indulgences, first and last, and against all that comply therewith, or connive thereat. I leave my testimony against the censuring of worthy Mr. Cameron, or any other whom God raised up to declare the whole counsel of God, and to witness against the evils of this generation. I fear, when God makes inquisition for blood, ministers' hands will not be found free thereof.
"As for charging my blood on any particular person, I cannot, for I have never gotten the certainty of what hath brought me to the stage [i.e., to trial]; but if any have done it willingly, I leave it to God and their own conscience. But I may warrantably charge it upon all the declared enemies of God within the land. "And first, I leave it on the bloody Council, that sent an order to take me, for they are guilty of it.
"Secondly, the sheriff-clerk of Perth, and these that were with him when he took me, are guilty of it; the sheriff-clerk of Kinross, and the men that guarded me, are all likewise guilty of my blood. "And I leave my blood on Sir George Mackenzie, and the rest of that bloody court, and I take the Lord to witness against them, whether or not it was on easy terms, that they offered me my life; they said only, they would not trouble me with their bishops; but I said that Supremacy was as evil as Prelacy. And they said that I behooved to say, that the king was not a usurper, and pass from all my former confession, and that it was my duty to obey authority. I told them that they were sworn enemies to God, so that it was impossible to obey God and them both; so I told them I would not retract an hair-breadth. They said, Thought I ever that he [Charles II] was our lawful king? I said, Yes; for he entered into covenant with God and with the land; but he hath broken and cast off that tie, and hath exercised so much, both tyranny and cruelty, that I had just ground to decline him and them both. Then they bade my blood be upon my own head; but I told them they would find it would be on their heads, for it was for owning of Christ's kingly office that they put me to suffer, say the contrary who will. Now I bless the Lord I am free from Jesuitical principles. The Scripture is my rule, and when obedience to men is contrary to obedience to God, I am clear to disown them.
"I leave my testimony against Mr. Riddell, for his obeying these wicked men to ensnare us, and to hold out to us, before these accursed enemies of Christ that were seeking our lives for our adhering to the truth, that it was all delusion that we held. I many times rued that I bare so well with him, and now I hear that he denies that which we wrote. But if ye will believe me, who am within a little to appear before God, there was nothing added, but rather wanting; I wish the Lord may forgive him. I bless the Lord, what strikes against myself only I can very heartily forgive; but what strikes against God and His truths, I leave that to God, who is the Judge of all.
"Now I would only say this to you who are seeking to keep your garments dean; be sober, be vigilant, for your adversary the devil goes about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. And as I would have you to be zealous for the truth, and not to quit one hoof, so I would have you labor against a spirit of bitterness; beware of self; and be more ready to mourn for the slips of others than to make them the subject of your discourse; and labor to make earnest of religion, for I find there is need of more than a good cause when it comes to the push. Oh! the everlasting covenant is sweet to me now!
"And I would also say; they that would follow Christ need not scar [i.e., be alarmed] at the cross, for I can set to my seal to it, 'His yoke is easy and His burden is light.' Yea, many times hath He made me go very easy through things that I have thought I would never win [i.e., get] through; He is the only desirable Master; but He must be followed fully. Rejoice in Him, all ye that love Him. Wherefore lift up your heads, and be exceeding glad, for the day of your redemption draweth nigh. Let not your heart faint, nor your hands grow feeble. Go on in the strength of the Lord, my dear friends, for I hope He will yet have a remnant both of sons and daughters that will cleave to Him; though they will be very few, even as the berries on the top of the outmost branches. As for such as are grown weary of the cross of Christ, and have drawn to a lee-shore that God never allowed; it may be, ere all be done, it will turn like a tottering fence, and a bowing wall to them, and they shall have little profit of it, and. as little credit.

"But what shall I say to the commendation of Christ and His cross? I bless the Lord, praise to His holy name, that hath made my prison a palace to me; and what am I that He should have dealt thus with me? I have looked greedy-like to such a lot as this, but still thought it was too high for me, when I saw how vile I was; but now the Lord hath made that Scripture sweet to me, in the sixth of Isaiah, 'Then flew one of the seraphim unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.'

"Oh! how great is His love to me, that hath brought me forth to testify against the abominations of the times, and kept me from fainting hitherto, and hath made me to rejoice in Him! Now I bless the Lord that ever He gave me a life to lay down for Him. "Now, farewell all creature comforts; farewell, sweet Bible; farewell, ye real friends in Christ; farewell, faith and hope; farewell, prayers and all duties; farewell, sun and moon; within a little I shall be free from sin, and all the sorrows that follow thereon. Welcome everlasting enjoyments of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, everlasting love, everlasting joy, everlasting light. "Edinburgh Tolbooth, Jan. 26, 1681.
"Sic subscribitur,
"ISABEL ALISON."
BEING come to the scaffold, after singing the eighty-fourth Psalm, and reading the sixteenth of Mark, she cried over the scaffold, and said, "Rejoice in the Lord, ye righteous; and again, I say, rejoice." Then she desired to pray at that place, and the Major came and would not let her, but took her away to the ladder foot, and there she prayed.
When she went up the ladder, she cried out,
"Oh! be zealous, sirs, be zealous, be zealous! Oh! love the Lord, all ye His servants, oh! love Him, sirs! for in His favor there is life."
And she said,
"Oh! ye His enemies, what will ye do, whither will ye fly in that day? For now there is a dreadful day coming on all the enemies of Jesus Christ. Come out from among them, all ye that are the Lord's own people."
Then, she said,
"Farewell all created comforts. Farewell, sweet Bible, in which I delighted most, and which has been sweet to me since I came to prison. Farewell, Christian acquaintances. Now, into thy hands I commit my spirit, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost." Whereupon the hangman threw her over.

Footenote:
1 This paper being taken from him at his death by the enemies who slew him, no copy thereof, for what I know, has ever been procured, and hence it cannot be certainly known what was the nature of it. Notes by Compiler of "Cloud." [The paper referred to seems to be the Bond of Mutual Defense which follows the Short Relation concerning the Rev. Mr. Richard Cameron, contained in the Appendix. - ED.]

"There were hanged at Edinburgh, two women of ordinary rank, for their uttering treasonable words and other principles and opinions contrary to all our government; the one was named Janet [Isabel] Alison, a Perth woman, the other [Marion] Harvie, from Borrowstounness. They were of Cameron's faction, bigot and sworn enemies to the king and the bishops; of the same stamp with Rathillet, Skene, Stewart, and Potter; of whom supra, where we debate how far men (for women are scarce to be honored with that martyrdom, as they think it), are to be punished capitally for their bare perverse judgment without acting. Some thought that threatening to drown them privately in the North Loch, without giving them the credit of a public suffering, would have more effectually reclaimed them than any arguments which were used; and the bringing them to a scaffold but disseminates the infection. However, the women proved very obstinate, and for all the pains taken would not acknowledge the king to be their lawful prince, but called him a perjured bloody man. At the stage, one of them told, so long as she followed and heard the curates, she was a swearer, Sabbath-breaker, and with much aversion read the Scriptures; but found much joy upon her spirit since she followed the conventicle preaching."

Mr. George Johnston, referred to in the questions, was minister in Newbattle. He was deprived of his charge by the Act of Council at Glasgow, 1662. In April 1670, he was seized in Edinburgh on the charge of frequently keeping conventicles, and confined to the parish of Borthwick during the Council's pleasure. In August 1675 his name, along with Donald Cargill, James Frazer of Brea, and many others, occurs in the Letters of Intercommuning issued by the Council. Some time previous to the trial of Marion Harvie he must have accepted the Indulgence. He survived the Revolution.
As to the "rock, cod, and boboons" spoken of in her answers before the Privy Council, the rock was a distaff, the staff around which the flax is arranged, and from which it is drawn for spinning; the cod, i.e., the pincushion or pillow; and boboons, i.e., bobbins, the small pieces of wood with a head on which the thread is wound, in making lace. The phrase is thus equivalent to spinning and lace-making.
Marion Harvie leaves her testimony on "Andrew Cunningham, that gave me my doom." The Doomster, or Dempster, was at that time an officer of the Court of Justiciary, whose duty it was to proclaim formally the extreme sentence of the law on the prisoner at the bar. This odious office was usually held by the public executioner, - ED.]
THE LAST SPEECH AND TESTIMONY OF MARION HARVIE, Who lived at Borrowstounness, and suffered at Edinburgh the 26th of January 1681.
An Account of her Answers before the Privy Council.
"They asked first, How long is it since ye saw Mr. Donald Cargill? I said, I cannot tell particularly when I saw him.

"They said, Did ye see him within these three months? I said, It may be I have.
"They said, Do ye own his Covenant? I said, What Covenant?

"Then they read it to me; and I said, I did own it.
"They said, Do ye own the Sanquhar Declaration? I answered, Yes.

"They said, Do ye own these to be lawful? I said, Yes; because they are according to the Scriptures and our Covenants, which ye swore yourselves, and my father swore them.
"They said, Yea; but the Covenant does not bind you to deny the king's authority. I said, So long as the king held by the truths of God, which he swore, we were obliged to own him; but when he brake his oath, and robbed Christ of His kingly rights, which do not belong to him, we were bound to disown him and you also.

"They said, Do ye know what ye say? I said, Yes.

"They said, Were ye ever mad? I answered, I have all the wit that ever God gave me. Do you see any mad act in me?

"They said, Where were you born? I answered, In Borrowstounness.
"They asked, What was your occupation there? I told them I served.
"They said, Did ye serve the woman that gave Mr. Donald Cargill quarters? I said, That is a question which I will not answer.

"They said, Who did ground you in these principles? I answered, Christ, by His word.
"They said, Did not ministers ground you in these? I answered, When the ministers preached the word, the Spirit of God backed and confirmed it to me.
"They said, Did ye ever see Mr. John Welch [i.e., of Irongray]? I said, Yes; my soul hath been refreshed by hearing him.

"They asked, If ever I heard Mr. Archibald Riddell? I answered, Yes; and I bless the Lord that ever I heard him.

"They said, Did ever they preach to take up arms against the king? I said, I have heard them preach to defend the Gospel, which we are all sworn to do.
"They asked, If ever I sware to Mr. Donald Cargill's Covenant? I said, No; but we are bound to own it.
"They said, Did ye ever hear Mr. George Johnston? I said, I am not concerned with him. I would not hear him, for he is joined in a confederacy with yourselves.
"They said, Did ye hear the Excommunication at the Torwood? I said, No; I could not win [i.e., get] to it.
"They asked, If I did approve of it? I answered, Yes.

"They asked, If I approved of the killing the Lord St. Andrews? I said, In so far as the Lord raised up instruments to execute His just judgments upon him, I have nothing to say against it; for he was a perjured wretch and a betrayer of the Kirk of Scotland.

"Then they asked, What age I was of? I answered, I cannot tell.

"They said among themselves that I would be about twenty years of age, and began to regret my case, and said, Would I cast away myself so? I answered, I love my life, as well as any of you do; but would not redeem it upon sinful terms; for Christ says, 'He that seeks to save his life, shall lose it.'
"They said, A rock, the cod and boboons, were as fit for me to meddle with as these things. Then one of them asked when the assize should sit? and some other of them answered, on Monday.

"Then they asked, If I could write? I answered, Yes.

"Will you subscribe, said they, what you have said? I answered, No. They bade the clerk set down that I could write, but refused to subscribe.
"Then they asked, If I desired to converse with any of our ministers? I said, What ministers?
"They said, Mr. Riddell. I said, What would ye have me to do with him?
"They said, He might convince you of that sin. I said, What sin?

"They said, The sin of rebellion. I smiled, and said, If I were as free of all sin as the sin of rebellion, I should be an innocent creature.

"They asked, If they should bring Mr. Riddell to me. I said, It was an evidence he was not right, since they had him so much at their will. And I told them, I would have none of their ministers. This is all I can remember at this present."
MARION HARVIE'S DISCOURSE BEFORE THE JUSTICIARY COURT:
"First, I was brought and set in the pannel [i.e., at the bar], with the murderers, and they read over my indictment, and asked me, If I did confess with these things? I answered, Yes.

"Then they read the Sanquhar Declaration, and asked, If I owned it? I answered, Yes.
"They read that paper which they call the New Covenant, and asked, If I owned it? I answered, Yes.
"Then I protested they had nothing to say against me, as to matter of fact; but only because I owned Christ and His truth, and persecuted Gospel and members, 'of which [I said] ye have hanged some, others you have beheaded and quartered quick' [i.e., alive, as Hackston of Rathillet]. To that they replied nothing; but called the assizers, [i.e., jurymen], who had no will to appear, till they were about to fine them, and then they came forward. "One of them said, he did not desire to be one of the assize, but they would have him. He bade them read our confession; for he knew not what they had to say against us. They bade him hold up his hand, and swear that he would be true, and he could not, but fell on trembling.
"The Advocate bade the assizers look if I had anything to say against them. I said I knew none of them but what were all bloody butchers together. And when the assize were set in a place by themselves, I said to them, 'Now, beware what ye are doing; for they have nothing to say against me, but only for owning Jesus Christ and His persecuted truths; for ye will get my blood upon your heads.' So that man that fell on trembling before, desired them to read my confession to him, and they read it.

"And after that the Advocate had a discourse to them, and said, 'Ye know these women are guilty of treason.' The assize said, 'They are not guilty of matters of fact.' He said, 'But treason is fact,' and taking [i.e., correcting] himself again, he said, 'It is true, it is but treason in their judgment; but go on according to our law, and if ye will not do it, I will proceed.' And when they had read my confession, they had set down that I had said, The ministers had taught me these principles. I said, 'That is a lie, and it is like the rest of your lies;' so I said, that it was Christ by His Word that taught me. They answered nothing to that, but said, Would I own the rest of my confession? I answered, Yes.
"The Advocate said, 'We do not desire to take their lives; for we have dealt with them many ways, and sent ministers to deal with them, and we cannot prevail with them.' I said, 'We are not concerned with you and your ministers.'
"The Advocate said, 'It is not for religion, that we are pursuing you; but for treason.' I answered, 'It is for religion that ye are pursuing me; for I am of the same religion that ye are all sworn to be of; but ye are all gone blind. I am a true Presbyterian in my judgment.'
"So they put the assize into a room by themselves, and removed me without the guard into another room; then they read the delay till Friday at twelve of the clock, And I charged them before the tribunal of God, as they should answer there; for, said I, 'ye have nothing to say to me, but for my owning the persecuted Gospel,'

THE DYING TESTIMONY AND LAST WORDS OF MARION HARVIE

"CHRISTIAN FRIENDS AND ACQUAINTANCES, I being to lay down my life on Wednesday next, January 26, 1681, I thought fit to let it be known to the world wherefore I lay down my life, and to let it be seen that I die not as a fool or as an evil-doer, or as a busybody in other men's matters; no, it is for adhering to the truths of Jesus Christ, and avowing Him to be King in Zion, and head of His Church; and the testimony against the ungodly laws of men; and their robbing Christ of His rights, and usurping His prerogative royal, which I durst not but testify against; and I bless His holy name, that ever He called me to bear witness against the sins of the times, and the defections of upsitten [i.e., callous] ministers and professors.
"1. I adhere to the holy and sweet Scriptures of God, which have been my rule in all I have done, in which my soul has been refreshed.
"2. I adhere to the Confession of Faith, because agreeable to the Scriptures.
"3. I adhere to the Larger and Shorter Catechisms.
"4. I adhere to the Covenants, National and Solemn League, and the work of Reformation.
"5. I adhere to all the faithful testimonies which have been left by our faithful ministers of Jesus Christ, either on scaffolds or fields.

"6. I adhere to the papers found at the Queensferry, on Henry Hall.
"7. I adhere to the Declaration at Sanquhar, and the testimony at Rutherglen, and the papers found on worthy Mr. Richard Cameron.
"8. I adhere to the Excommunication at the Torwood.
"9. I adhere to the excommunication of the bishops and their underlings [The bishops were deposed and excommunicated by the General Assembly, at Glasgow, session 20, December 13, 1638. - ED.]; and I die in the faith of it, that the Lord hath ratified that in heaven, which His faithful servants have done on earth, as to the casting out these traitors to God out of the Church.

"And now I desire to bless the Lord for my lot. My lot is fallen to me in pleasant places, and I have a goodly heritage.

"I leave my blood upon the traitor that sits upon the throne; then on James, Duke of York, who was sitting in the Council when I was examined the first day. And I leave my blood on the bloody crew that call themselves rulers. And I leave it on James Henderson in the North Ferry, who was the Judas that sold Archibald Stewart and Mr. Skene, and me, to the bloody soldiers for so much money. I leave my blood on Sergeant Warrock, who took me, and brought me to prison. I leave my blood on the Criminal Lords, as they call themselves, and especially that excommunicate tyrant George Mackenzie, the Advocate, and the fifteen assizers, and on Andrew Cunningham that gave me my doom; and on that excommunicate traitor Thomas Dalziel, who was porter that day that I was first before them, and threatened me with the Boots.

"I give my testimony against the burning of the Covenants, which were solemnly sworn by the three nations with uplifted hands to the great God of heaven and earth. I leave my testimony against all the bloodshed and massacres of the Lord's people, either on scaffolds or in the fields. I protest against banishings and finings, and cruel murderings, especially the inhuman murder of worthy David Hackston. I leave my testimony against the paying of the cess, employed for the bearing down the preaching of the Gospel, and the taking and killing the poor followers of Jesus Christ. I leave my testimony against the professors that say this is not the truth of God for which I suffer, and call the way of God delusion. "I leave my testimony against Mr. Archibald Riddell, who became servant to the bloody lords, and made it his work to make me deny Christ, and betake myself to the ungodly laws of men, and to call the truths of God delusions, which I am to seal with my blood; and I rejoice that ever He counted me worthy so to do. Oh! I may say, What am I, or what is my father's house, that He should have called me out to seal His truths with my blood? - which truths, both ministers and professors have counted prudence to disown and deny; for which the land will be made to mourn, and sorely to smart ere all be done. I leave my testimony against Mr. John Blair, that said I had no more grace than his staff had, and was witness to my sentence that day I got it; and his wife, that said I had no more grace nor [i.e., than] her old shoes, as if grace were not free, and as though Christ had not enough to give me. I leave my testimony against both ministers and professors that have joined themselves in any of these courses of defection with the enemies, and are fast in their camps.
"I leave my testimony against Popery, Prelacy, Quakerism, and Indulgency, and desire to mourn for it that ever I joined with them in hearing them, or any of those that connive at them. I leave my testimony against all Jesuitical principles, although our professors say that I adhere to them; I deny it; and I take God to be my witness that I hate all opinions that are contrary to the sound truths of God. And since ever God called me to follow His persecuted Gospel, it was still my desire to stick close by Him, and the rule He has set down for poor sinners to walk by; and it was always my rejoicing to serve Him, and to act and do for His truth, and to vindicate it. And many a sore heart I have had with them, in vindicating His truths, when they have been denying them, and casting dirt in the faces of faithful witnesses of Jesus Christ; and I desire all these that are endeavoring to contend for Christ and His truths, that they would be faithful in their witnessing for Him, and eschew the least appearance of sin. For I, a dying witness of Christ, obtest you, as you will answer when ye stand before Him in the day of your appearance, that ye be faithful in owning Him in all His truths, and not yield a hoof to these ungodly, perjured, bloody and excommunicate traitors and tyrants; for there is much advantage to be had in faithfulness for Christ, and that I may set to my seal to the truth of. And I think Christ is taking a narrow [i.e., close] view of His followers at this time; for there are few that yield a hairbreadth of the truths of God that readily win [i.e., get] to their feet again, but go from one degree of defection to another. "And again, I desire to bless and magnify the Lord for my lot, and may say, He hath brought me to the wilderness to allure me there, and speak comfortably to my soul. It was but little of Him I knew when I came to prison; but now He has said to me, because He lives, I shall live also; and He has told me, 'I am He, that hath blotted out thine iniquity for my own name's sake.' Kind has He been to me since He brought me out to witness for Him. I have never sought anything from Him that was for His glory, since I came to prison, but He granted me my desire. For the most part, I have found Him in everything that hath come in my way, ordering it Himself for His own glory. And now I bless Him that thoughts of death are not terrible to me. He hath made me as willing to lay down my life for Him as ever I was willing to live in the world.

"And now, ye that are His witnesses, be not afraid to adventure upon the cross of Christ, for His yoke is easy and His burden is light. For many times I have been made to think strange what makes folk cast at [i.e., object to] the cross of Christ, that has been so light to me that I found no burden of it at all; He bore me and it both. Now, let not the frowns of men and their flatteries put you from your duty. Keep up your societies and the assembling of yourselves together, for there is much profit to be found in it. Many times hath it been found comfortable to me to hear of the few in Scotland in which Christ was delighting; and that there was much love to God's glory and zeal for His honor amongst them.

"Now, be humble and lie in the dust, and never give over crying in behalf of the Church, which is so small that it can scarcely be discerned, and never give over till He appear, for I think He is near at hand. Oh! watch, and double your diligence, and hold fast till He come, and let none take your crown, for He is good to the soul that seeks Him. If I were to live again, I would let that perjured crew see that I should be more guilty of that which they call rebellion, in serving my lovely King, and in acting and doing for Him and His glory, if He called me to it; and it is my grief that I have not been more faithful for my master Christ. All His dealings with me have been in love and in mercy. His corrections have been all in love and free grace. Oh! free love! Oh! I am oft made to wonder what it was that made Him take a blasphemer to witness for Him and His truths. I may say, I am a brand plucked out of the fire; I am a limb of the devil plucked out from his fireside. Oh! I am made to wonder and admire at His condescending love.
"Now I leave my testimony against Jean Forrest, for saying that I was going to the grave with a lie in my right hand, and charging my blood on my own head. Oh! my friends, come out from among them, and touch not the unclean thing. It will never be well till there be a separation from sin. I bless the Lord that ever I heard Mr. Cargill, that faithful servant of Jesus Christ; I bless the Lord that ever I heard Mr. Richard Cameron; my soul has been refreshed with the hearing of him, particularly at a communion in Carrick, on those words in Psalm 65, ver. 8:
'The Lord will speak peace to His saints and people, but let them not return to folly.'
"Now, I leave my testimony against all the backsliding ministers, who, when I began to hear the Gospel, preached the same truths which I am to lay down my life for at this time, but now they are joined in a combination against God, and for the most part are all at the enemies' will; for when I got my sentence, the bloody traitors promised to bring any of our own ministers to us, when before them; and so this gives me ground to say, they are become their servants. Now, the Lord knows I have a sore heart to mention these things; but when I saw some of them there, and they offering us any of the rest, it gives me ground to set it down with a sore heart.
"Now, what shall I say? I have sinned against Him, and I am guilty of the defections, for which my Carcase must lie in the wilderness, and not see the King come home to His habitation. But oh! I am content, and heartily content, that He gives me my soul for a prey; and well is me for it; I think myself not behind. Oh! my love; Oh! my love; Oh! my love; my altogether lovely Christ! "The common report through the country is, that I might have had my life on very easy terms; but I could have it on no easier terms than the denying of my Lord and Master, Christ. First, they asked, if I would retract my former confession, and particularized all the papers I had owned before, and if I would not call Charles Stuart a usurper and the devil's vicegerent. I told them I would not go back in anything, 'for ye have nothing,' said I, 'to lay to me but for the avowing Christ to be King in Zion, and head of His own Church." And they said, they did not usurp Christ's crown. But I said they were blinded and did not see. They said there were but a few of us for these principles. I said they had all the wyte [i.e., blame] of it, 200 and it was most bitter to us, that our ministers had spoken against these truths.
"And, indeed, I think they had not been so cruel to me, were it not these ministers. And so I think our ministers are not free of our blood; for when they spake against us and the way, it hardened these bloody traitors, and emboldened them to take our lives. I leave my testimony against them, for they have caused many poor things to err from the way of God, and many have made ministers their rule, and so the blind have led the blind, and both have fallen into the ditch together. And some think and say: 'Oh! can we quit so many godly ministers? We dow not [i.e., cannot bring ourselves to] quit them.' But I assure you ye shall get a share of the wrath and stroke which God hath prepared for these backsliders and betrayers of their trust. Oh! I wonder what is the reason that men count it their wisdom to deny God, who has been so kind to them, and who have many a day delighted to commend His love to me, with the hazard of their lives; for which I shall be a witness against them.
"Now, I have no more to say: be faithful unto death, or else, woe! woe I woe! to you that are owning Him at this day, if ye do not own Him in all His offices, as King, Priest, and Prophet. Oh! my dear love! well is me that ever He let me know that His love was better than life. Woe to that creature that will not love my lovely Lord Jesus Christ.
"Now, farewell holy and sweet Scriptures, which were aye my comfort in the midst of all my difficulties. Farewell faith, farewell hope, farewell wanderers, who have been comfortable to my soul, in the hearing them commend Christ's love. Farewell brethren, farewell sisters; farewell Christian acquaintances; farewell sun, moon, and stars! And now, welcome my lovely and heartsome Christ Jesus, into whose hands I commit my spirit throughout all eternity. I may say - 'Few and evil have the days of the years of my pilgrimage been,' I being about twenty years of age.

"From the Tolbooth of Edinburgh, the women-house on the east side of the prison, Jan. 11th, 1681.

"MARION HARVIE."
THIS martyr, though both young in years and of the weaker sex (which heightens the discovery how brutally furious and mad these persecutors were), was so singularly assisted of the Lord in His cause, and had such discoveries of His special love to her soul, that she was nothing terrified by her adversaries when she was brought from the tolbooth to the Councilhouse to be carried to her execution. As she came out of the tolbooth door, several friends attending her, she was observed to say, with a surprising cheerfulness and air of heavenly ravishment:
"Behold, I hear my Beloved saying unto me, Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away."
And being brought to the Council, Bishop Paterson being resolved, seeing he could not destroy her soul, yet to grieve and vex it, said, "Marion, you said you would never hear a curate, now you shall be forced to hear one;" upon which he ordered one of his suffragans, whom he had prepared for the purpose, to pray. So soon as he began, she said to her fellow-prisoner, Isabel Alison:
"Come, Isabel, let us sing the twenty-third Psalm," which accordingly they did - Marion repeating the Psalm, line by line, without book - which drowned the voice of the curate, and extremely confounded the persecutors.
Being come to the scaffold, after singing the eighty-fourth Psalm and reading the third of Malachi, she said:
"I am come here today for avowing Christ to be head of His church and King in Zion. Oh! seek Him, sirs; seek Him and ye shall find Him. I sought Him and found Him; I held Him and would not let Him go."
Then she briefly narrated the manner how she was taken, and recapitulated in short the heads of her written testimony, saying to this effect - "I was going out of Edinburgh to hear the persecuted Gospel in the fields; was taken by the way with soldiers, and brought in to the guard; afterwards I was brought to the Council, and they questioned me if I knew Mr. Donald Cargill, or if I heard him preach. I answered, I bless the Lord I heard him, and my soul was refreshed with hearing him, for he is a faithful minister of Jesus Christ.
"They asked, if I adhered to the papers gotten at the Ferry. I said I did own them, and all the rest of Christ's truths. If I would have denied any of them, my life was in my offer; but I durst not do it, no, not for my soul. Ere I wanted an hour of His presence, I had rather die ten deaths. I durst not speak against them lest I should have sinned against God.
"I adhere to the Bible and Confession of Faith, Catechisms and Covenants, which are according to this Bible (whereupon she clapped her hands upon the Bible).
"I also adhere to the testimonies given by the faithful witnesses of Christ, that have gone before us on scaffolds and in the fields. "I leave my testimony against all Quakers, Jesuits, Indulgences and all profane and ungodly persons, and mainly all covenant-breakers, and persecutors of His way and truths, which I am here to seal with my blood; against all payers of cess, and bonders, and against all oppression or murdering. They say I would murder; but I declare I am free of all matters of fact. I could never take the life of a chicken but my heart shrinked. But it is only for my judgement of things I am brought here.
"I leave my blood on the Council and the Duke of York." At this the soldiers interrupted her and would not allow her to speak any. But she cried out: "I leave my blood on all ungodly and profane wretches."
The most of her discourse was of God's love to her, and the commendation of free grace; and she declared she had much of the Lord's presence in prison, and said: "I bless the Lord the snare is broken and we are escaped."
And when she came to the ladder foot she prayed; and going up the ladder, she said:
"Oh! my fair one, my lovely one, come away;" and sitting down on the ladder she said:
"I am not come here for murder, for they have no matter of fact to charge me with, but only my judgment. I am about twenty years of age. At fourteen or fifteen I was a hearer of the curates and indulged; and wylie I was a hearer of these I was a blasphemer and Sabbath-breaker; and a chapter of the Bible was a burden to me; but since I heard this persecuted Gospel I durst not blaspheme, nor break the Sabbath, and the Bible became my delight."

With this the major called to the hangman to cast her over; and the murderer presently choked her.
[Wodrow adds: "I am informed they were executed with some three or four wicked women, guilty of murdering their own children, and other villanies, which was very grievous to these two. One of the Episcopal ministers of the town, who waited upon the others on the scaffold, railed bitterly upon these sufferers, and assured them they were in the road to damnation; while he, without any evidence of penitence, was sending the other wicked wretches straight to heaven. However, Isabel Alison and Marion Harvie were not commoved, but sang some suitable Psalms on the scaffold, and prayed, and died with much composure and joy." - ED.]

"The Lord, in His holy providence, having singled us out of that shire to seal His controverted truths with our blood, we could not but leave a line behind us (we being Stirlingshire men), to let you know wherefore we are come here this day, to this place of execution; that it is for adhering to that which ministers and professors are disowning. And the Lord seeing it fit to honor us beyond others, now in this day of defection and back-drawing from the truth, we tell you that it is truth we are to suffer for. Although ye condemn us in it, and say that we have a hand in our own death, yet we durst not, for our souls, do otherwise, or else we would have been sure of the broad curse of God on us and our lives both. You may think that it is a novelty of our own head, that we are brought hither for; but if any of you had that love to the Lord that you seemed to have once-a-day, you would count it your duty, as well as ours, to contend for the sweet truths of God, when you see Him so wronged, and His rights so usurped and taken from Him; who was both sweet and kind to poor things at hill-sides, and especially among you of that shire.
"Oh sirs! you may take shame to you, for all that you have done against the honor of God; that have seen His goings so stately among the meetings of His people; that will not contend for lovely Christ. Oh! do ye not think that a sad day will come on you for joining with God's enemies, who have broken Covenant with Him, and shed the blood of the saints, and trampled on the honor of God? And ye will not fear to join with them for all the blood they have shed; you will still go on with them; and, though you profess that you have love to the Son of God, and that your zeal for the Lord God of Hosts is not abated, yet you will go on with them, and bond and comply in paying of cess and militia money, to maintain a party against God and His work, which once in a day you were fortyard to maintain, and would have ventured your life in the maintaining of it against all the Lord's enemies. You may justly take shame to yourselves, for your preferring the things of time to the sweet cross of lovely Christ. Oh sirs! what think ye will your doom be, that have done so much against the honor of a holy God? Indeed you may look out for wrath, and that of the saddest sort.
"Now, as dying men, we tell you that there are sad days abiding you, for what you have done to the honor and glory, of God, if ye get not speedy repentance. Therefore, as you would answer in the great day, make conscience of what ye do. Remember that you will count and reckon for all that you have done, and wall be reckoned as guilty of the blood of the saints - as the worst enemies amongst them all. Therefore, as dying men, we charge you take with [i.e., acknowledge] guilt, or else it will be worse for you. "Oh sirs! fear the Lord's wrath, and fall to and mourn for what you have done. Oh! cry mightily for repentance, or else you will get Judas's reward; for you are the persons that have betrayed the Son of God, and expelled Him out of your coasts. You were thinking that He was like to prove a costly Christ, and therefore you of that shire would give consent to banish Him away from among you. You would not hear tell of a field preaching for fear of hazard. "Oh sirs! take it to consideration, and lay to heart what a hand you have in banishing Christ and the Gospel out of Scotland; and we are sure, it was not your parts to have done so. No, no! it was not your part to have given lovely Christ such an affront; the sweet days that you have had long since, might have made you give Royal Jesus better quarters, though you should go to the gibbet for it, and lose your gear. For, your doing as you have done, is a denying of Him before men.
"Take it as ye will, we must tell you, as in the sight of the living God, before whom we are now to appear, and get our sentence for all that we have done, you are the only shire that has denied lovely Christ quarters; for He sent an offer to you to the Torwood, and ye would not hear it. Well, it is likely there are many of you that will never get another; there are some of you that would not go to hear, but forbade others to go, and thought it was duty not to go; and some of you were at that preaching, and made a bad use of it. Oh remember, sirs! you have rejected Christ. We tell you it as dying men, you will count for it ere it be long; for our Lord did not send the Gospel to the Torwood for naught,. but it will accomplish that for which it was sent.
"Oh sirs! be afraid and tremble, for judgment is at the door; and indeed your sentence will be sore to bide [i.e., endure] - it will be more tolerable for open enemies in the day of judgment, than for you. We are afraid when we think what judgments will be on you shortly; for, considering what pains have been taken on you of that shire, and how tender the Lord has been of you, in training you up for suffering; and has given you trials, and you have endured them; and He has taken them off again, and given you sorer trials, and He has delivered you out of these; it had been better for you that you had been at that preaching, though you should have gotten the gallows the very next day, than to have done what ye did; and that you will find ere it be long.
"Oh! what of His kindness have you met with at such places! You dare not say, that He has been a barren wilderness or a land of drought to you. Testify against Him, if He was not kind to you; so long as ye abode by Him, He abode by you; and He was tender of you, so long as ye kept faithful to Him; but after ye turned into the enemies' camp, then He turned to be your enemy, and fought against you; and in all that you do, God will be seen to be against you. You may thrive in the world, but it will be a dear thriving to you; you will get the wrath of God with it. But ye have done with thriving in the worship of God; indeed, there are many of you that hold your life no more of God. Remember, we tell you of it, who are within a few hours to eternity.
"Now, it is like, you will not notice what the like of us say, but will allege that we are dying as fools, and have no Presbyterian principles, but notions; but we say the contrary. We say, we are not fools as to that, however the world may think and look on us as such. We say, we have Presbyterian principles, and are Presbyterians in our judgments, and will make it appear, that we die as Christians, and as those that own the truths of God, and are standing to what ministers once taught us; although this day they are turned to the contrary, and condemning us, and saying, that we have nothing but notions of our own heads, that make us do such things. But they will not find it so in the Day of Accounts.

"1. You may say, that it is not a Presbyterian principle to cast off magistrates.
"We grant with you; but where are the magistrates? Indeed, they were once placed such; but they cast out themselves, when they brake the Covenant, and set up a cursed Supremacy, insulting over the Lord's inheritance; and when they have done that, we think they are no more to be owned as magistrates by Presbyterians; but to be cast off, and witnessed against; and when it comes to that part of the play, do ye not think, that it was our part to contend for truth?
"Oh sirs! do ye not believe Jesus Christ to be the eternal Son of God, and that all things were made for Him, and by Him, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers? What is not His; and that by free gift and donation - by an eternal decreemintimated to us in the second Psalm, where, in more particular manner, He is declared to be King in Zion, and all the heathen promised to the enlargement of His kingdom? Oh sirs! do ye not believe, that Scotland became His, with its own consent, as the product of that decree, and the fruit of His intercession and purchase; and that He allows no authority to be owned, and submitted unto in Scotland, but only in so fax as they keep the line of subordination to the Son of God? Or do you believe, that Scotland should have no other magistrates but such as should be of God's choosing, men of truth, able. men, fearing God, hating covetousness; and that the land was bound by Covenant to have such, under the pains contained in the law, and danger both of soul and body, in the day of the Lord's fearful appearance to judgment? We believe many a man's wit in that day shall be counted foolishness.
"Then, if this be a ground, we are sure ye must say, that day that Charles Stuart was crowned, perjury became national; only prolessors as to this point were free. Do ye think we would, without perjury and treachery to God, own Charles Stuart's authority any longer, when he held not his authority of God? But it being manifest, that in Middleton's Parliament [held at Edinburgh, January 1661, in the Acts asserting the king's majesty to be supreme in all causes, civil or ecclesiastical, and denying the obligation of the Solemn League and Covenant. - ED.] he disclaimed that title to authority, we think we were bound to witness our loyalty to Another, and that we were freely absolved from obedience and fidelity to him then, and could not own his authority without gross perjury; he declaring, 'he would have no homage upon the account of the Covenant.' Would ye not count him a distracted man that would cleave to him on that account, whether he would or not? Yea, and whoever do it, we know they will find themselves fools. Do you believe, that in the day that Covenant was taken, any within the nation was not bound to perform and prosecute it, and that God will [not] punish the destroyers of that Covenant? Do ye think that Act explanatory of the Supremacy is not a plain renunciation of the word of God, the law of nature, the Covenant, and human society, and setting up devilism and confusion, without a full, free, and direct public testimony to the contrary? We are sure, that every public breach of Covenant requires public repentance. We think there can none be absolved without this; for in express terms our Lord says, 'Whosoever denies me before men, him will I deny before my Father which is in heaven.' Now, there should not only be a testimony given, but a walking according to it afterwards. "Oh sirs! would you have none to witness against the abominations of this day? Indeed you are all mistaken, for our Lord will not want witnesses to witness for Him, however few and reckless [i.e., feeble] they be; yet He will make the things that are not confound the things that are. Oh sirs! I think you it not a sin, to join with them who have rejected the living God, and will not have Him to reign over them? Do ye not think it duty to protest against them, that are trampling our Lord's glory under foot? Oh sirs! do ye not think yourselves guilty of breach of Covenant, that have connived at these men, that have their hands reeking in the blood of the saints, when you are strengthening their hands in the doing of it? We think you guiltier nor [i.e., than] these wretches; because you join with them in sin, whereas you should have protested against them in the committing of such acts. We wot [i.e., know] well, if ye read the Bible, ye will count yourselves as guilty as they are, and the guiltlest of the two; for it was your part to have contended for the truth, and stood in defense thereof, unto the losing of lives and liberties, and all that you had. The Lord has cast them off, and yet you will do what in you lies to hold them up, who shed the blood of those who were once in a day your dear brethren!
"It may be, you will say, that Samuel knew that Saul was rejected of God, and yet he did not cast him off. We answer, he did what lay in his power to get him cast off; for he went and anointed David in his stead, and durst not do it publicly, but secretly, for fear of Saul; neither did Samuel converse much with Saul after that.

"Next, you say, That David's heart smote him, for taking and cutting off the lap of Saul's garment, and said, that he would not stir [i.e., hurt] the Lord's anointed. Now, we say, he had two reasons, which we have not. First, he had that reason, that he was the Lord's anointed. Secondly, it was his own particular quarrel; because he was to reign in his stead. So we say, that Charles Stuart is not the Lord's anointed, neither is it our particular quarrel, but in defense of the Gospel, and in so far as he is an enemy to God and the way of salvation; which is sufficient ground to east any person out of the Church, and witness against him, in the defense of the Gospel, unto the losing of life and liberty, and all other things.

"And, believe us as ye will, we do not think them Christians, that will not contend for lovely Christ and His sweet truths, in witnessing against this bloody excommunicate traitor, and not owning them as rulers; seeing they have disowned the just and holy One, and are trampling on His sweet truths, and would never have them to rise again, but would have the stone sealed, that there might be no more mention made of the honor of God.

"And you have a deep hand in this, because ye are not faithful and free in witnessing for His despised glory. And if ye will not do it, delivery to the Church sitall come from another airt [i.e., quarter], and you shall all be destroyed; for He will be up again in spite of all your hearts; and He will make your fears and theirs both come on you, for He will make inquisition for all His truths; and when He comes indeed, we would not abide the reproof that you, the professors of Stirlingshire, will get, for all the gold in Europe. There will be no excuse heard then; your wife and children, or lands, will be no excuse; for He hath told us in express terms, that whosoever will not forsake all, and follow Him, cannot be His disciple. Wife and children, houses and lands, must all go for Him. And you must take up His cross daily, and wander through at His back; it may be, hard bestead, with a borrowed bed, and a borrowed fireside, and live upon providence. We wot [i.e., know] well, there are some of you that can say, to your sweet experience, that you never lived better than on God's providence; although now you have rejected and betaken yourselves to the world. Have you done so? Well, you may be doing; but ere long you will rue it. Remember we told you it, when we were going into eternity, that you would meet with much woe and sorrow, for what you have done against the honor of God, if you repent not.
"2. You say, It is not a Presbyterian principle to own that party that is jeoparding their lives for the honor of God, and witnessing for His despised truths, that this day is so abused, and nicknamed by you and others.
"But we say, It is; and maintain it to be a Presbyterian principle, to own that despised party; for they are the party that are only designing the glory and honor of God, and have no other view before them but His sweet truths, which are dear to them; and they will quit with life and liberty, before they quit with an hoof of truth, which has been made out by their valiant sufferings. Oh! but truth has been sweet and dear to them! They have not counted their lives dear unto them, on the account of it. They have cheerfully gone to the scaffold for truth, and have been honorably carried through, and the Lord's presence seen in their throughbearing; as we hope, shall be made out on us, ere it be long. Also, they study to spend their time and strength for God. When all other means have failed them, they study to keep up that mean of reading, singing, and praying, as the Lord will assist and help them: although the Indulged and their comforts have a great envy at them, and do what they can to get them off the earth. For they are the main actors in taking of that poor party. And all is, because their practices condemn theirs; although they take the Scripture for their rule, and study to walk so as they may get God's approbation in the day of accompts [i.e., accounts].

"3. You say, It is not a Presbyterian principle to own these papers, that our worthies have set out, or the work that they have done, which many of them have sealed with their blood. "But we say that it is a Presbyterian principle; because all that they did was agreeable to the Word of God, and our Covenants. For, consider these papers when you please, you will find them consonant to the Scriptures, and just and lawful for Presbyterians to own. And, say the contrary who will, we do not think them Presbyterians, nor yet Covenanters, that will not own them; for there is nothing in them, but what we will with all our hearts seal with our blood as Presbyterians, and as having these principles.

"4. You say, It is not a Presbyterian principle, to confess all these things.
"But we say it is a Presbyterian principle to confess and avouch Him and His truths, before this adulterous generation. Now, when the quarrel is thus stated, we should not put them to prove what is truth. Stephen made a free confession of his faith, and so have all our worthies. And now, seeing we own these things, and they being the controverted truths of the day, and the Lord calling us to own and maintain them, we never thought it our part to smother and hide them, but with courage to avouch them, to the losing of our lives in the quarrel; we seeing our dearest Lord's truths so trampled on, and a pack of you that seemed to be fair before the wind for owning of truth, and witnessing for Him, never so much as puffing to your hand to help, but turning your back on truth and the way of God. Indeed, we fear, that ye shall never be honored to witness for God any more. It is like you care not for that honor. But we tell you that you will rue it, when you will not get it mended. And remember, we tell you here, as dying witnesses for truth, you will meet with as sad a judgment as ever a shire met with, if you repent not; your judgment will be unparallelable for your denying Him before men.
"We are come here this day to witness freely and faithfully against you and all others, for their complying with the enemies against the work of God. And we say, as in the sight of a living God, you will count for it ere it be long. Oh! but we think it a sweet thing to be honored this day to contend for truth, and to be overcomers by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of our testimony. Indeed, we are called to it, to contend for the faith once delivered to the saints. And we think, if we had not been free and faithful before these bloody wretches, we would have held our life no more of God, if we did not speak for His troths before them, when He bade us speak; for He sought a proof of our love to Him, and His nicknamed, despised way, and to poor Zion, whom no man is seeking after.
"And think you that we durst hold our tongue and not speak when He bade us? Indeed, our life was not dear to us when His truth came in question. We might have gone away with our life, and the broad curse of God upon it to go with us; if we had denied Him at this time, we would have held our lives no more of Him, of whom we held it all our days; and now we might cheerfully lay it down at His command and bidding: for this we knew, that devils or men could not stir a hair of our head, without our Lord's determination, and therefore we are the less afraid of what they could do. "And now, as dying men, we charge you not to speak of that poor party, that this day is so reproached and spoken against by a party of them that are called ministers and professors. Oh! take shame to you altogether; and as you will be answerable in the day of accounts, we tell you not to have a wrong thought of them, for all the reproaches that can be said against them; for they are a godly people, and have much of His mind.
"And if you go on with enemies and others that have turned their backs on the way of God, go your ways; but it were better that a millstone were hanged about your neck, and ye east into the midst of the sea, than that ye should speak at such a rate as ye do; for let you and others reproach as ye will, they design nothing but the honor of God, and have the Scripture to be their rule, and walk as becomes the Gospel; and they study a holy carriage. "Although there be many among them that have an unsuitable carriage, by reason of whom the way of God is evil spoken of; yet the way of God is not an hair the worse to be liked. It may be there is a Judas among the twelve; and what of that? We say the rest are not to be cast at [i.e., objected to] for all that, seeing they keep the truth. We know there are many of you who say that we do not keep by the Scriptures. But we declare the contrary, for with all our heart we set to our seal and testimony to the holy Scriptures, which have been sweet to us; and our testimony to the National and Solemn League and Covenant, and to the Confession of Faith, as agreeable to the word of God; and to the Catechisms, Larger and Shorter, and to all that our worthies have done in the defense of the Gospel. We join our hearty testimony to all their appearances in the fields, both first and last.
"And we protest against all the acfings of the enemies against the Lord's people in all their proceedings, both first and last, and everything that they have done against our worthies, when they were in defense of the Gospel; and we abhor and testify against Popery, Prelacy, Quakerism, Erastianism, Indulgency, and all the connivers with them, be who they will; and against Jesuitish principles, which you say we hold, which sect we most basely abhor, and give our testimony against all such erroneous sects and principles. We give our testimony against all you that say we have such principles, and that we have got new principles and new light. But we do say the contrary; and declare that we do hold by these principles which ministers did teach both you and us to stand to in the defense of, until we had lost our lives and all in that quarrel.

"Now, you that say such things of us, we exhort you to repent, or else you will meet with a sore day of wrath; for it is not a light thing to speak of sufferers, as you do. Therefore, we obtest you in the bowels of Jesus Christ, to be sober in your speeches against that party, and make a right choice, and fairly side yourselves, and come out from among the tents of the wicked, and be separated from among them, and join yourselves to the poor suffering remnant, and be not at ease now in the day of Zion's trouble. Do not think that you will enjoy your ceiled houses, and your warm firesides, in such a day as this. If you be single for God, He will have you out from all these things, and denied to them all; for woe to him that is at ease when Zion is in trouble, and is not concerned in all the afflictions of Joseph! You must either now get awakening, or else you will get a wakening when the wrath of an angry God comes on the land for sin.
"Indeed, sirs, we think that religion has not cost you much heart work. We think you have not been at much pains in seeking of God, for as fair a show as ye seem to have. Indeed, when the Gospel was in its purity, and many seeking to preachings, the Lord seemed to be kind to you, and you seemed to have much love to Him and His despised way, and you seemed as if you would have ventured your life in the defense of the Gospel. But when we would have looked through you at preachings, and going to them, and in coming from them, it would have made some of us a sore heart to see your unconcernedness and unsuitable carriage, even among you that seemed to be the heads of them. And when we would have been in some of your companies, either coming or going, your talk did aye [i.e., always] smell of the world, and so is come of it. Oh! repent and come out from among your lusts and idols that you are so wedded to, and take hold of a Mediator and seek the Lord with all your heart.
"Oh! you town of Stirling and the shire, repent; for sentence is passed against you for what you have done, although it be not put in execution yet. But it will be put in execution ere long, if you repent not, though the Lord is seeing it fit to take us away from the evils which are coming on this land, for breach of Covenant and a slighted Gospel. We tell you, it may be you will find it when we are gone; it is better to endure all the torments that devils and men can inflict on you here, than to endure one drop of the wrath of an angry God, that will be poured out without mixture on all ranks that have not the work of the day upon their spirits, be who they will, ministers or professors, indulged or not indulged; for, if they be not taken up and concerned with the case of the Church of God this day, as it is stated, He will come and reckon with them all, and count them all turners aside, and will lead them forth with the workers of iniquity, when peace shall be on Israel. Therefore, we would desire you to have a care, and look well about you what you are doing, and beware of speaking against that party.

"There are some of you that say, they are of bloody principles. You should beware of speaking these things, for the contrary is known that they are not murderers, nor have any such intentions, as some of yourselves know, although you be speaking the contrary; for you never heard of their killing any, except it was in the defense of the Gospel, and their own defense. "Likewise you say that we are cursers and criers for vengeance on the land. Now we must not stay to argue this out, we being this day to lay down our lives; but we think any that has tender love to the Son of God, and His cause, cannot but be grieved to see ministers and professors so avowedly betray the truth that is sweet and dear to us; yea, dearer than our lives. And, when we think on what you have done to the sweet truths of God, we cannot but pray against your courses. As for anything ye can do to us, we heartily forgive you. But the wrongs you have done to a holy God, we cannot get them bome, for they are weighty to us. If it were our enemies, we would bear with it; but when it comes from the like of you, we cannot get it borne.
"Truly, sirs, we think ye will embrace Popery ere it be long. Your entertaining of that excommunicate Duke of York, a professed Papist, says that you would do more yet. There was not one of you all in town or shire that moved your tongue against him; but, as if you had all been professed Papists, you let him come in among you, and kindly entertained him. We leave our testimony against your so doing.
[In the preceding month - the beginning of February 1681 - the Duke of York visited Linlithgow and Stirling, and was "entertained in the best manner the country could afford." - ED.]

"But we break off, having no more time; and request you to take these things to your consideration, and lay sin to heart, and mourn bitterly before the Lord for what you have done. We here obtest you to come off these ways of yours, and make conscience of duty, as in the sight of a holy God, before whom ye must shortly appear. Slight not time, for it is precious. Wrath is at the door. Oh! make haste, and lay these things to heart, and study to have a more tender respect to the honor of God. We desire to leave it on you now, when we are going into eternity, that you would mind your engagements and vows to God. And so we bid you farewell, and bid you mind the poor groaning Kirk that we are to leave behind us, which was dear to us.
"Now we bid farewell to poor desolate Zion, and pray the Lord may mind her case. Farewell all things in time, and welcome Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
"Subscribed at the Iron House, a little before we went out to the scaffold, March 11, 1681.
"WILLIAM GOUGER.
"CHRISTOPHER MILLER.
"ROBERT SANGSTER."
IT is remarkable that this martyr, William Gouger, had a little paper in his Bible, which he minded to throw over the scaffold; but when he was taken into the Council House with the other two, it was someway got by the murderers, who, having read it, commanded the executioner to tie him straighter nor [i.e., than] ordinary, so that he could scarce go up the ladder; and afterwards they stopped him from praying. When he was upon the ladder, he began to speak, and said: "I am come here for owning Christ to be head and king in Zion." Whereupon they caused beat the drums, seeking to damp and astonish him, that they might trample upon his conscience; and when they offered him his life upon condition he would own the king, he replied, "I will own none but Christ to be king in Zion." Then they said, "Will ye not retract anything, sir?" He answered, "No, no; I own all; I adhere to all." Upon which they immediately called to the executioner to throw him over which he did incontinent [i.e., immediately], not allowing him to recommend his spirit to the Lord.
There are extant particular testimonies of these three martyrs; but, because it is doubted that they may not be genuine, but vitiated by John Gib, or some of these that were tainted with his errors, therefore they are here omitted. And moreover, whereas some are suspicious that these three martyrs themselves, or at least the two last, were in some danger from the errors of John Gib, yet in regard that it was not upon any such account they suffered, but for testifying against the Ecclesiastical Supremacy, they ought to be recorded among the rest, as dying witnesses for Jesus Christ.

"Therefore, I am called to suffer this day, in this place, for the following of my duty; and for that in particular, in giving a testimony against the dreadful defections of these times, by the means of these backsliding ministers, who have left our sweet Lord Jesus, with His back at the wall, and His poor flock scattered upon the mountains, as sheep having no shepherd. But, dear friends, comfort yourselves in this, that in His own time, He will search His sheep and find them out; although, alas! I fear lest they shall be sorer scattered than yet they are. But wait on Him; for He that shall come, will come, and will not tarry. And His reward is with Him, and His work is before Him. And the Lord whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to His temple, even the messenger of the covenant.
"But oh! dear friends, labor to be steadfast and unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord. And give all diligence to make your calling and election sure; for if you do these things, you shall never fall. And commit the keeping of your souls to Him in well-doing as unto a faithful Creator; for He is able to keep that which is committed to Him against that day, and to present it spotless before the Father. Although, alas! I was loath to adventure or to credit in His hand; but now He hath discovered to me that He is the best hand that I can venture on, and has gained my consent, and has become the surety for me of a better covenant, well ordered in all things and sure.
"Therefore, considering my engagements unto Him, I leave my testimony to the holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament and the version of the Psalms in metre, and to the work of Reformation, Covenants, National and Solemn League, the Solemn Acknowledgment of Sins and Engagement to Duties, the Causes of God's Wrath, the Confession of Faith, as being conform to the Scriptures, and the Catechisms Larger and Shorter. I give my adherence to all the faithful testimonies given by the worthies, to the maintenance of the work of Reformation, from the year 1660, until this day, either by their appearances in the fields, or on scaffolds, or in the seas. I adhere to the Sanquhar Declaration, and the Torwood Excommunication, and the papers found at the Queensferry, and to that joint testimony given in the shire of Fife by that society whereof I was a member (though a worthless one), and I adhere to all things contained therein, because they are according to the Scriptures. And I give my testimony to the faithful preachings in the fields, and to the keeping up of societies and Christian fellowships commanded in the word of God; 'Not forsaking the assembling of yourselves together, as the manner of some is, and so much the more as you see the day approaching; ' especially now when His glory is at the stake, which is of more worth than our souls: and when men are seeking to get His work razed and the name of Israel blotted out, that it may be no more in remembrance.
"Likewise I leave my testimony against all these who have joined with the declared enemies of the Lord Jesus Christ, both ministers and professors; and against all these who maintain any principle contrary to the Word of God; especially these who deny the authority of the Scriptures, and all the work of reformation, and have razed the fundamentals of true Christianity; some of whom the Lord has given up to strong delusions, to believe lies, and deny Jesus Christ to be the Son of God, and maintain new lights, in meddling with the decrees of God, which His word never approved; and against every' one of their principles.

"Likewise, I leave my testimony against all who brand us with an implicit faith; which one declared to myself in my hearing, in the room below where I was prisoner; which I questioned, if he durst in conscience say, that I lived by an implicit faith, or the example of others. So he said, that there were some in the room with me, that had been murderers of others who had suffered. And I told him, that the 15th Psalm reached him a very sad reproof, for speaking evil against his neighbor; and also I said, 'We speak what we do know, and testify what we have heard.' And I declared, that I had seen no such thing of any that was in the room with me; but you have wronged, said I, God and His cause, by shifting His cross, and therefore you will not stand [i.e., hesitate] to wrong your neighbor.
"And as for our being branded that we hold our principles of men, and are dying to please men; I altogether abhor such aspersions, for I hold my principles of none, but of God and His word; and that which carries the sway with me is the controverted truths of Jesus Christ, that are this day in debate, betwixt Him and His enemies; especially His kingly office, on which I dare venture life and liberty, and my salvation also, because the Father hath declared Him to be king on His holy hill of Zion, by an unalterable decree; and there to reign till all His enemies be brought under His feet. Therefore as I have left my testimony against all who cast such aspersions on me, or any other who have suffered in this manner, I leave my blood also to witness against them, who will adventure to do it, whether enemies or pretended friends.
"Likewise I leave my testimony against the encroachments made upon the rights of our Lord Jesus Christ and the privileges of His Church, by that usurper Charles Smart, and all the bloody crew under him. Likewise I leave my testimony against that excommunicate traitor, the Duke of Monmouth, for his appearance against the work of God and His people, joined for the defense of the Gospel and interest of Jesus Christ, and all that joined with him. Likewise, I leave my testimony against that avowed Papist York. Also, I leave my testimony against that designed Parliament to put power in his hand. Also, I leave my testimony against these abominable wretches that sat in these associations, and falsely accused and sentenced me to death; and against these fifteen assizers, who gave me my sentence, and against that wretch called the Clerk, and Andrew Cunningham who gave me my doom.

"Likewise I leave my testimony against all who have joined with the declared enemies, whether ministers or professors, especially in the shire of Fife, who have delivered up the testimony to these abominable wretches; particularly Balgrumma and Vederstar.

"Likewise I leave my testimony against Popery, Prelacy, and that woeful Erastian Supremacy, and Indulgences first and last, which have been the dagger, the helve whereof hath gone in after the blade, and hath wounded the Church in the innermost part of the belly, and the dart that hath stricken her through the liver. Oh! how sharp are the wounds of a friend! They go down to the innermost parts of the belly. If it had been an enemy, I would have borne it. And it is evidently seen, that our mother Church hath been, and is this day, wounded in the house of her friends; for which the Lord will sadly reckon with all such as have done so, if they do not repent and mourn for it.
"Likewise I leave my testimony against all them that are any way instrumental in bearing down our poor mother-church, either by appearance in arms, or furnishing of others for that effect; by paying of cess or militia-money; or any other way homologating the acts, or strengthening the hands, of her declared and avowed enemies.
"Now, dear friends, being straitened for want of time, I am forced to draw to a close; only desiring you to be earnest in contending for the broken-down work of Reformation, that this day is brought very low. But be not discouraged, although His ark be tossed this day upon the waters, and the poor ship in the midst of the sea, and the poor disciples afraid lest they should sink, and the Master asleep, as it were upon a pillow; yet go to Him and cry, Master, Master, save us, else we perish; for He is easy to be entreated, and He likes well to have His poor people coming to Him, in the time of their distress; for He is a present help in time of need, a God rich in mercy, and near to all that call upon Him in truth. "But, oh dear friends I beware of backdrawing, for He hath said, If any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. And he that putteth his hand to the plough and looketh back, is not fit for the kingdom of heaven; but he that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved. Be not ashamed of Him, for if any man be ashamed of Him, or His words, of him also will He be ashamed before the Father and the holy angels. Oh! dear friends, the more that you see a perverse generation crying Him down, be ye the more at that work of crying Him up; for He is well worth the commendation of all that can commend Him. Oh! dear friends, in all things let Him have the pre-eminence, and count all things loss and dung that ye may win Christ; and press forwards towards the mark, for the prize of the high calling of God that is in Christ Jesus; looking unto Jesus, who is the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. Strive to enter in at the strait gate; for many shall seek to enter in, and shall not be able.
"Now, friends, beware of sinning and beware of snares; for they are at this day very thick and many; but our God has promised that He will not suffer His poor people to be tempted above what they are able, but will, with the temptation, make a way that they may escape.
"So I bid you all farewell; desiring you to be kind to my wife and children when I am gone. Farewell sweet Bible, by His blessing. Farewell sun moon and stars; farewell meat and drink; farewell all created comforts and enjoyments, wherewith I have been abundantly supplied. Farewell, my dear wife and children; the Lord be better to you than ten husbands, when I am gone. Farewell mother, brethren and sisters. Farewell sweet societies, and preached Gospel, whereby I have been begotten by the seed of the Word. Farewell sweet prison, and reproaches for sweet Christ, and His cause. And welcome Father, Son, and Holy Ghost! Welcome everlasting life, and the spirits of just men made perfect! Lord, into thy hands I commit my spirit!
"At the Iron-house, July 13, 1681.
"LAURENCE HAY."

"Now I being straitened for want of time (it being short), I forbear, and bid you be strong in the Lord, and the power of His might. Now, farewell my dear friends. Farewell holy and sweet Scriptures. Farewell sun, moon, and stars. Farewell sweet reproaches and crosses for my sweet Lord Jesus. Farewell all things in time; reading, praying, and all duties. Farewell relations. Farewell my dear wife; the Lord be to you better than ten husbands. Glory be to His great name, that made me so sweetly to submit to His will, whatever He trysted [i.e., visited] me with. Farewell mother and sisters, and all relations. Farewell all my Christian acquaintances for a while. Farewell sweet society in Fife; the Lord's blessing be on you all. And now, welcome Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Welcome sweet company of angels, and the spirits of just men made perfect. Welcome everlasting songs of praise. Now into thy hands, holy Father, I commit my spirit.
"Sic subscribitur,
"ANDREW PITTILLOCH."

"I was charged with being guilty of rebellion against their prince. I answered, I was not so, for I was there a prisoner of Jesus Christ and for His sake, and told them, I adhered to His covenant, and all things in it. I am not convicted from the word of God of any crime as to him whom they call king; who is not my king; nor of anything worthy of death committed against any man, either in thought, word, or deed; so my blood shall cry, with the rest of the innocent blood shed in the land, for vengeance from heaven on the inhabitants of the earth, great or small, who are in the least accessory thereto, ay, and while [i.e., until] they repent.

"It is not my doing, but their own, that hath procured it; and God is just to seek after them for the same; neither is it in any man's power to forgive that, as being a breach of God's holy law, without repentance, nor then neither; for the furthest they can come is but to declare unto them from God's word, that this and their other sins shall never be charged upon them, if they have truly received Christ upon His own terms, and walked worthy of the Lord unto all well-pleasing. But now the thing is clear; the ground whereon they intend to take away my life is, the disowning Charles Stuart for my king, because he will have no homage upon the account of the Covenant from me, or any other; and God only requires the performing of vows, and keeping and fulfilling the Covenants, Psalm 1. So in this case, I cannot serve two masters; and I resolve to obey God rather than man.
"Now, I here, as a dying man, ready to step into eternity, having health and strength, and being in my right mind, declare:
"I adhere to the Protestant religion, as that which is God's true religion, and the Christian religion.
"I adhere to the holy rule of the word of God, the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament, containing the will of God to man, and anent man; and that the Scriptures are a full rule of faith and manners to us.
"I adhere to the work of Reformation in Scotland, to the Covenants, National and Solemn League, the Solemn Acknowledgment of Sins and Engagement to Duties; the Confession of Faith, in regard it agrees with the foresaid writings; the Larger and Shorter Catechisms, as most seasonable, sound, and according to the Scriptures, and well worth the reading, considering, and practicing what is therein held forth.
"I adhere to the Rutherglen Testimony; to the paper commonly called Mr. Donald Cargill's covenant, of the date June 1680; I say, I adhere to the original copies of these papers, as they were corrected and revised by the authors.
"And, likewise, I adhere to every sound paper, tending to the good of religion, as the Directory for Worship and Catechising; and I adhere unto the doctrine, discipline, worship, and government of the Church of Scotland.
"I bear my testimony unto all the lawful wrestlings of the people of God for truth, and in the defense and preservation of their civil, natural, and divine rights and privileges, contained and held forth in the foresaid papers, against all encroachers thereupon and betrayers thereof; especially by the sword, as a mean most lawful and commanded of God, to be made use of in that quarrel; which is to be carried to preachings, and other assemblies of the Lord's people, and so much the more, as the enemy discharges it, as the case now stands.
"In the last place, I give my testimony and protestation against all wrongs and injuries done to God and His people throughout the whole world this day; and more particularly against all that hath been done in Scoffand since the beginning of the work of Reformation unto this day, in prejudice to God's glory, His work and people, and especially these crying sins:
"1. The corruption of the worship of God, profanation of His holy things, mocking, misbelieving and belying of God, and carrying, as if there were no God; yea, which is worse, saying He approves of all that they do. Oh, this heaven-contemning generation!

"2. Against the defrauding, mocking, murdering, and oppressing the people of God, in their bodies, consciences, and estates, and punishing them as evil doers; yea, as the vilest monsters of cruelty; and that only for following their duty, and making them to stink, as it were, above the ground, and making their names to rot by calumhies and reproaches, and doing all they can to drive them to sin; and then blaming them, as the main instruments of all the mischievous villahies and abuses in the land; so that it is come to that with it, 'The man that departs from iniquity makes himself a prey.' And scarcely can these, who design honestly, get a night's quarters in any house of the land; so that the people of God are become a scorn to their foes, and a fear to their friends, and especially reproached of those who are their nearest neighbors, as the Psalmist complains.
"3. I leave my testimony against all that make peace with the stated enemies of God, these Christ-despisers, these heavencontemners, and none-such fighters against God; whether by bonds, oaths, or promises; they being persons worthy of no credit, nor trust; who will not keep faith, nor trust upon any account, but where it may contribute for fulfilling their lusts, and prosecuting their wicked designs, and hell-hatched enterprises. If. they were brought to straits, possibly they might feign themselves; but he is unwise that will give them so much trust as a dog. As Solomon says, 'When he speaks fair, believe him not, for there are seven abominations in his heart:' which I have a proof of, in my taking by a poor wretch who had mid soul and conscience to the lust and arbitrament of a faithless apostate wretch like himself. "And if ye will not be persuaded to leave off seeking their peace, and covenanting with them by bonds, oaths, and promises, well, see what David, the king of Israel, says, by the Spirit of God, when he is making his testament, 2 Samuel 23:6, 7: 'But the sons of Belial shall be all of them as thorns thrust away, because they cannot be taken with hands: but the man that shall touch them must be fenced with iron, and the staff of a spear; and they shall be utterly burned with fire.' But ye, that are much more seeking peace with enemies than with God; think with yourselves to which of them are ye most beholden, and which of them have done you most good which of them have most power over you? Which of the two hath the best quarrel by the end? Which of the two is most precious and lovely? And which of the two will be your judge at the last day? Well, if ye have done well in seeking the peace of enemies with the loss of the peace of God; then rejoice ye in them, and with them, and let them do so with you. And if otherwise, the Lord, no doubt, will reward you, as the cause requires, for what ye have done to God's work, cause, covenant, and people.
"4. I leave my testimony against all that contribute of their means for the down-bearing of God's work and people, and upholding His and their enemies (seeing it is so expressly against the Covenant; and in that case they, being called to suffer, and not to sin, to which practice is annexed a gracious promise, He that loseth life, land, goods, or relations, for Christ's sake and the Gospel's, shall receive an hundredfold in this life, and in the world to come life everlasting); and against all that otherwise waste and abuse them to God's dishonor, but only using this world, as not abusing it; for all within the nation being dedicate and given away by Covenant to God j and this being often renewed, calls all men to be tender of the oath of God, and to see how they administer their stewardship, for to Him they must be accountable. But alas! for that account which many of them have to make!
"I leave my testimony against the rendering up the power of the Kirk and State into the hands of malignants. I do really think, they have been all dreaming, or willfully and wickedly sinning against the light of their own consciences. Well, God hath discovered them since, in an ugly manner; and now they sin more and more. They hold fast deceit; they refuse to let it go, and will not return. It is the old professors and ministers I mean in a special manner; but more particularly the ministers; for, when the time was to speak, they held their peace, and slipped from their Master's back, without so much as once testifying against the horrid sins then committed, and did never to this day make up the hedge, and build that which they brake down. And, as I am informed, a great part have been dreadful complyers with, and conformers to the sinful courses of this apostatising generation; yea, open persecutors of their more godly and faithful brethren, ministers, and professors; and now they are the greatest opposers of the work, and persecutors of the godly, both underhand and to their face; and, instead of edifying and binding up the weak strive to break all they can, and especially when they are among the enemy's hands.
"In the last place, I bear my testimony to the cross of Christ, as the only desirable upmaking and rich lot of the people of God this day in Scotland. Oh! it is the portion of poor things, who desire to seek God, and design honesty in the land! I think they want a good bargain of it that want it, and I think they want nothing that have it, and get leave to carry it heartsomely, and His presence under it;
I would advise you all to take it on. I dare say this much for your encouragement, that it is easy and sweet. There is no better way to carry the cross right, than to cast all our care upon Christ, and trust Him for all things, and use our single endeavors in the matter, and speak what He bids us, and when He bids us, and obey His voice in all things.
"Now, I declare I hate all ungodliness. Now, farewell all things wherein I have been troubled with; a wicked world, and evil heart of misbelief, a subtle, powerful, and malicious devil, and tempted with a company of men who have shaken off the fear of God. Now, welcome Lord Jesus! into thy hands I commit my spirit.
"Sic subscribitur,
"WILLIAM THOMSON."