Imatges de pàgina
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directly by aiding, assisting, or pleading for him, or for his interest; for he has openly and avowedly seated himself against King Christ; and these that plead for him, who have taken the crown off our blessed Lord's head; I say, they will be found pleading against Christ: 'When thou sawest a thief, then thou consentedst with him, and hast been partaker with the adulterers' (Ps. l. 18).

"5. I leave my testimony against the Oath of Supremacy.

"6. I leave my testimony against that Bond that was taken in the Greyfriars' Churchyard.

"7. I leave my testimony against that bond called the Bond of Regulation, and against that bond and engagement to keep the kirk, as they call it; which is a binding to keep a place, put in it what they like, and it were even Popery the next day; and I warn you of it, that you shall have it ere long, except the Lord wonderfully prevent it; I say, it is a binding to the kirk, and not a following of our Lord Jesus Christ: For where is the house ye build to me? saith the Lord.'

"8. I leave my testimony against that Bond, pressed by the Highland host on the west country.

"9. I leave my testimony against that dreadful, abominable thing called the Test.

"10. I leave my testimony against all coming out of prison upon bond and caution, being a shifting of the cross of Christ, and making themselves the prisoners of men, and not the prisoners of Christ, and yielding unto men, while we are called to another thing, as it is said in the sixth of Romans, verse 16th, 'To whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are.'

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"11. I leave my testimony against all compearances at their courts, because they are unjust judges, and have forfeited their right; and their judgment and sentence is contrary to the Word of God, and is stated for the ruin of the Church of God, and for oppressing the consciences of men, to sin against God.

"12. I leave my testimony against all cess and locality, for the maintaining of the enemies of God, to kill and murder God's people, and bear down the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: 'But ye are they that forsake the Lord, that forget my holy mountain, that prepare a table for that troop, and that furnish the drink-offering unto that number' (Isa. lxv. 11).

"13. I leave my testimony against hearing of curates, because they are the ministers of men; yea, I may say, rather of Satan, for

the flourishing of his kingdom; for they are thieves and robbers, and not the true ministers of Christ, for they are not entered by Him, and are set there for the maintaining of damnable heresy-viz., they preach another head of the Church than our blessed Lord Jesus Christ.

"14. I leave my testimony against all Indulgences, first and last, because they have rent the bowels of Christ's Church, by exercising their power and liberty under that Supremacy, yea, and exercising the very function of their ministry by the directions of men, by receiving their instructions from men; and so are no more the ministers of God, but the ministers of men; and there is this black effect that has followed, and been the fruit of their ministry and preaching, that never one according to my knowledge, that was indulged in their judgment, that wan [i.e., got], the length of a scaffold for the cause of Christ, but did yield and go on with the abominations of the times.

"15. I leave my testimony against these ministers, who once appeared fair, and went a good length in bearing up the standard and banner of our blessed Lord; but when the persecution rose somewhat hot, then biding [i.e, remaining] by Christ and declaring of His message became out of season to them; they quitted the Lord's commission and precept by Paul to preach the Word in season and out of season, and so soon as ever they saw the wolf coming, they ran and hid themselves, and suffered the poor sheep of Christ to be scattered, torn, and destroyed, both in body and conscience. This I dare assert, they cannot say with Paul, that they are free from the blood of all men, and have declared the whole counsel of God.

"Now, as I said before, I am to lay down my life this day, for the defence of the Gospel at Drumclog, and for the defence of the Gospel at Hamilton, and for hearing of Mr John King preach upon the Greenhill End, being the east end of Galston Moor, and for being in company with John Nisbet; and of all the four articles, I am not ashamed this day; these counted criminal by the enemies of my Lord, whose Gospel-standard I desire to defend with life and fortune. I say, these being counted criminal, witness being led, proved the same, and witnessed me to death. If these had been enemies, I could have borne it; but it was they, mine acquaintance, mine equal, my guide, and we took sweet counsel together, and went into the House of God together (Psalm lv. 12-14). So it was these that

went a good length, and were also as deeply engaged as I was, yea, to defend my life, and not to have witnessed me to death; for what they have witnessed, I am not ashamed of; but this I leave behind me, my testimony against them; and my blood will be charged home upon them, and, without repentance prevent it, both upon them and their posterity; and I set down their names, that they may stand on record, and their names be known to aftercoming generations, their names being these-John Loudon in Mill of New Milns, John Paterson in Slacks, John Fram in Tonslen, James Connel in Bankherd.* I set them down here, that their names may be a stink and illsavour to aftercoming generations, as apostate from the way of God, Demas-like, have forsaken the way of God, and chosen a present world; and now have not holden them there, but have become followers of the people of God to the death, by their engagement and oaths to the enemies, taking that hell-hatched thing called the Test.

"Now, as I leave my testimony to the truth of God in part, so I have left my testimony against some of the prevailing sins of the times; and as I this day desire, with heart and soul, to adhere to all the truths of God, named and not named, so I also desire with my whole soul to disown, detest, and abhor, and loathe all manner of sin and defection, public and private; and I also leave my testimony against and disown all profanation and loose living, and vain speeches that are not for the use of edifying; and also against lukewarmness, and lying by as at ease in Zion, when she is in trouble now, when she is tossed upon the turbulent sea of affliction.

"But to you that desire to have your portion and stock in that ship, I desire to leave this word of comfort, that the Master shall awake and rebuke the storm, and make it calm, that such a calmness has not been yet. Look Isa. xliv. from the beginning to the 9th verse, and assure yourselves, that His faithfulness will not fail, nor His promise come to nought; for this day I set to my seal to the faithfulness of His promises to poor me, and what concerned

*N.B.-That the above-mentioned John Loudon became poor, and his posterity are now reduced to beggary, notwithstanding they had of heritage six oi seven thousand merks' worth. John Paterson died at Edinburgh of the Frenchpox. John Fram was broke, and fled to Ireland, and, as it is commonly reported, he was hanged there for stealing of horse. James Connel became miserable, and his posterity are in want. They were in fellowship with John Richmond, and were equally guilty with him in everything for which he was condemned; but their falling from the truth, the enemy made use of them to witness him to death. -Note by the editor of the third edition of the "Cloud," in 1730.

my salvation; and oh! how much shall He not own His own inheritance, and His poor Church, which is given Him of the Father, to be King thereof and will He give that which He hath purchased by His own blood and sufferings to the hands of man? No; Heaven and earth shall pass away, but one jot, or one tittle shall not pass, till all be fulfilled. Although that men be this day employing their power and strength for the down-bearing of the Church of God, yet all that burden themselves with her shall be dashed in pieces, and the snares and gins they have laid for the poor people of God, they shall be taken therein themselves; and although the whole generality, yea, all except a poor and contemptible and afflicted remnant, be joined hand in hand, to uphold the tyrannical power of a man, yet they and all that is against King Christ, shall be brought to ruin. 'Though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not be unpunished' (Prov. xi. 21). And as for that abominable race and family, I mean the tyrant upon the throne of Britain, that race and that family shall fall under that command given from the Lord to Jeremiah, chap. xxii. beginning at the 25th verse to the close, but especially the last verse, 'Thus saith the Lord, Wri e ye this man childless, a man that shall not prosper in his days: for no man of his seed shall prosper sitting upon the throne of David, and ruling any more in Judah.'

"And now, my dear friends-I mean the poor wrestling remnant, or any who shall follow the footsteps of them hereafter-scar not at [i.e., be not afraid of] the cross of Christ, though that the afflictions and bondage of His poor people shall be lengthened out; for I say, yet again the Lord shall come and shall not tarry, to make good His promise, for the relief of His poor Church; 'for the Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness, but is long-suffering,' waiting for the outcoming of His people, and separating them from the people of these abominations; and not only public abominations, but His people must be separate from every heart-idol and every private sin, walking as in the sight of a Holy God, in all holy conversation, as the sons and daughters of the Living God. And also be encouraged to wait upon Him till He finish His own work; look that of Micah, vii. 8th and 9th verses, 'Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy; when I fall I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me. I will bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against Him, until He plead my cause, and execute judgment for me; He will bring me forth to the light, and I shall behold His righteousness.'

So the poor Church comforts herself under all the indignation and correction she was under, that the Lord would plead her cause, and execute judgment for her; and then in the 13th verse, 'Notwithstanding the land shall be desolate, because of them that dwell therein, for the fruit of their doings.' Therefore, my dear friends, wait upon the Lord, weary not until He works His own work; for it is very likely that this land must be laid desolate, before He comfort His people, and restore His church to her wonted privileges; yea, and I say, as a dying witness of Christ, that God's judgments shall be poured out upon Scotland till it be laid desolate. My dear friends, hold fast till He come, and be upon your watch-tower, and have oil in your lamps, that your light may be shining, and your lamps burning, for the bridegroom will come in an hour when ye are not aware, and in a way that ye are not looking for. Now I shall say no more upon

this head.

"Now I leave my testimony against these called our judges, and against these assizers, both these that sat upon my brethren, and upon myself; my blood and my brethren's blood shall be required at their hands; and my blood shall be charged upon John Balfour, who took me, for he declared to me that he knew me by my garb, that I was one of the persecuted men, and so it was the ground he apprehended me upon, because I was a sufferer for the name of Christ. Now, as I am of myself, I can freely forgive them and all others, for what they have done to me, and do freely forgive them; but as they have done it against the image of God in me, and in despite against the work, cause, and interest of Jesus Christ, that is not mine to forgive; I leave that to Himself.

"And now, dear friends, I having little time, my sentence being passed upon the 17th day of March, at eight o'clock at night, to die the 19th day of the same, at two in the afternoon; and now this day I am to suffer martyrdom, and my head to be stricken off and to be fixed upon the Tolbooth, for the name of Jesus. Now, scar not at [i.e., be not afraid of] the cross of Christ, for oh! if ye knew what I have met with since I came to prison, what love, what matchless love, from my sweet and lovely Lord, ye would long to be with Him, and ye would count it naught to go through a sea of blood for Him. Oh, I invite you, dear friends, to stick to the truths of God, and bide by Him, that the name of Israel may not be rooted out; but this I desire to live and to die in the faith of, that the blood shed and spilt in Scotland shall have a glorious crop and vintage.

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