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for this is not your reft, because it is polluted. As Paul fays, 2 Cor. v. 1. For we know, if this earthly house of this tabernacle were diffolved, we have a building not made with hands, etc.

And as Paul fays, 1 Cor xv. 5o. Now this I fay, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, neither doth corruption inherit incorruption I can clearly fay by my experience, that through Jefus Chrift, whom I defire to take for my King, Priest and Prophet, and my only Lord and law-giver; I have been made more than a conqueror over death, hell and the grave, and all things in this life. Now to come to fhew you the only head that my fentence of eth is founded upon by men it is mainly for being in arms at Bothwel; which was merely in defence of ourselves, and in defence of the gospel preached, and franding to the defence of the coves nant of God, which the whole of the land was folemnly fworn and engaged to, with hands lifted up to the most high God, and fo bound to ftand to the defence thereof: For which I am unjustly fentenced to death by men, of which fentence. I am not alhamed this day, but counts it my only glory, honour and dignity, whilft he paffed by fuch tall cedars, which is a mat ter of wonder and admiration to me. But as he has faid in his word, In nothing be ye terrified by your adverfaries, which is to them an evident token of perdition; but to you of falva, tion, and that of God; fat it is not only given you to believe, but also to suffer for his fake' fo fuffering is a gift, not given to every one; and 1 defire to blefs his name with my whole heart and foul, that he has counted fuch a poor thing as I am, worthy of the gift of fuffering

Now, this is to let you all know, worthy and daar Chriftian friends, that are defiring to keep the way of the Lord, that there was not one word of all they interrogate me upon, in the fentence of death, that these bloody tyrants past against me: But only tor being in arms at Bothwel bridge. And let none think That I am fentenced to death, upon that head (that I was fo cruelly threatned with torture by these bloody tyrants for), which was, for being at the black-loch, and becaufe 1 would not declare who was the Minifter, and what perfons I knew: And although men have by a permiffive, and limited power paffed a léntence of death against me, to take away my natural life, this I know, and am perfuaded of, that there is a judge above who has paffed a fentence of life in heaven unto my foul this day, which fhall never be recalled, or, ranverfed again, which is my only encouragement, and this he has promifed to as many as believe in him, to give them everlasting life. Thefe that tuffer with him, thall reign with him; and thefe that be

dead with him, fhall live with him alfo; as Paul fays in Rom x. y. If thou fhalt confefs with thy mouth the Lord• Jefus, and shalt believe in thy heart, that God hath raised him from the dead, thou fhalt be faved. ver o. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confeffion is made unto falvation.' For the Scripture faith, • Whosoever believeth on him fhall not be ashamed?” which is my only comfort, and a noble fweet encouragement for me, and this he has promised in his word, That he shall feed his "flock like a fhepherd, he thall gather the lambs in his arms, and carry them in his bofom, and fhall gently lead thefe that are with young.' I have found by my experience, that the Lord my God has fweetly and gently led me through the greateft difficulties, that I have been tryfted with fince he made choice of me to fuffer for his noble caufe: O if ye knew what of his love I have met with, and what sweet ingredients of the Lord's matchlefs love has been intermixed and put in my cup, ye would not be af aid to venture upon the fweet cross of Chrift, which has been made fweet and easy unto me.

Because the heads of truth he gives his teftimony to, and the defections he witneffeth against, are much the fame with the preceeding teftimonies; therefore to avoid all impertinent re➡ petition, they are omitted. He is both full and accurate, paffing by nothing of the heads of fin and duty, which at that time were controverted: Particularly (which hath not been met with in any of the former) He gives his hearty teftimony to that faithful and called Minifter of Jefus Chrift, Mr James Renwic's for his holding up the fallen down banner of our Lord, and jeoparding his life in the open fields; although some are pleased to fay, that he is not lawfully called and ordained to the miniftry, but that he was admitted by the Eraftian ministers of Hol land, fuch as Coccians and Labadeans; but it is faithfully wit neffed, that he was admitted without them, and by the pureft of the Minifters of the Church of Holland, according to the Church of Scotland's difcipline and government, covenants and confeffion of faith: And he dies with a fpirit of meekness, declaring that he forgives his enemies all the wrongs they had done him, perfonally confidered, though witneffing against the indignities which they had done to Chrift, and him as a mem ber of that body whereof Chrift is the head. And whereas he was branded with difowning magistrates, he declares before God and the world, That he owns and allows of all magiftrates, fu-: perior or inferior, as they are conform to the written word of God, and our folemn covenants, and as they are a terror to evil doers, and a praise to them that do well.

The laft Speech and Teftimony of THOMAS ROBERTSON, who lived at New-caftle, and was put in prison there, for refufing the Oath of Allegiance, and having made his escape thence to Edinburgh, was taken at a public fearch there, November 29. 1684. and fuffered at the Gallowlee, the 19th of day December thereafter.

Now, dear Friends,

Teternity! It is, and has been the butt of my defire, this IME feems to me, to be but fhort, O now welcome long

i

confiderable time, to eye God's glory, and I preferred it to my own foul's falvation; yet when I heard my indictment, it had a ftrange effect upon me; and although death hath sometimes been my defire for the cause of Chrift; yet it seemed not a little terrible unto me, and that for the space of fix or seven hours; fo that fometimes it had fuch a prevalency, that I was afraid, 1 should have turned back: and I was fo put to it, that I had nothing to hold by but former purpofes and determinations and from the confideration of Christ's faithfulness, I grapled like a man more than half drowned: At laft I got hold, a fmall hold of him whom I could not fee: And that small grip which I got, through his mercy, I kept until I got more: So that now he has difcovered himself unto me, and he was pleased to ftay, and make with me a new contract; fo that now through his grace, I am refolved not to let him go, let the cost be what it will. Now, my friends, I fay not this, for the difcouragement of any that is beginning to follow Chrift or any that is already begun; only I do it, as a warning; I would fain have poor things, to make fure work, and to get fure hold of him; for although he feems to cover himself, and that when poor things think they stand in most need, yet he will return unto them, in his own appointed time, and that for the greater advantage of them that are thus tried. O for hearts to love him! It hath been my great trouble, that I could never love him much, nor fall upon the right way of worshipping him. O to have my foul foundly knit to him! O for ftrength! O for ftrength to be carried ftraight and cleanly through, fo that I may lose neither hair nor hoof of the truths of Chrift! In fo far, as I am able to understand, it hath been my great care always to know what was fin, and what was duty, I think I have not been out of my duty, in fo doing and I think it is the duty of all perfons to be concerned in that matter; for how can perfons know, how to avoid the one, and cleave to the other, except they diftinguish betwixt the two. Now I fhall fay no more to that, but only, O

that folk would make it a great part of their work, to distinguish betwixt the two.

Now, I adhere to the covenant of redemption, betwixt the Father and the Son, before the foundation of the world, for redemption of poor things, that he has chofen out of the world. O for love to him! O for love to him! O now to be with him! that I may experience the benefit of that covenant which cost him his precious blood! and now feeing he is calling me to give a teftimony, I think, if every hair of my head were a man, it is all too little to lay down for him. O for love to this none-fuch Jefus Chrift. 2dly, I adhere and leave my teftimony to the word of God, the Scriptures of the Old and New Teftament, by which I must be judged; for if we take any other way, we will be fure to go wrong, for the Spirit of God witneffeth with our fpirits, that the word of God is the only rule. by which we ought to walk. 3dly, I leave my teftimony to the work of reformation once glorious in our land; although alas now defaced, and the hedge and government of Chrift's houfe bro ken down; and the kingly office of Chrift ufurped, by a cruel and blood-thirfly man, to whom I could with repentance, if it were the will of God; and to all that affociate and join with him; but alas! I think it is hid from their eyes. Now, I leave my teftimony to the national and folemn league and covenant, confeffion of faith, larger and fhorter catechifms, fum of saving knowledge and the feveral parts of reformation to this day of my death: Alfo I leave my teftimony to all the faithful ambaf fadors, and fent fervants of Jefus Chrift, and to the preached gofpel itself, to Mr. Donald Cargil, that worthy fervant of Je fus Chrift, who kept up the ftandard and banner of Jefus Chrift, when the reft fled from him, and the Lord's standard Alfo I leave my teftimony to Mr. James Renwic, as a faithfully and lawfully ordained and called fervant of Jefus Chrift. And I leave my teftimony to all the teftimonies of the faithful Martyrs and witneffes of Jefus Chrift, that have laid down their lives for the cause of Chrift, and are banifhed to foreign lands for the name of Chrift, and his moft noble caufe. And alfo I difown, difclaim and witness against all this evil and adulterous generation, a generation of revolter's backfliders and evil doers, that will meet with fevere punishment, great wrath and judg ments, and eternal death befides, except they repent. And now in a special manner, being convinced of my fin and folly in adhering to Prelacy, and fpending the most part of my time in hearing of Curates, and thereby approving of them and their corruptions, and corrupt doctines, notwithstanding that I came always away from hearing them, with more hardness of heart, than when I went to hear them; but at laft I began to confider

that matters werd not right with me in this cafe, and hearing that there was a people in the place, that were hearers of Prefbterian Minifters, but not being acquainted with them, I knew mor what to do to be acquainted; however, I prefumed to tell my cafe to one of them, who took me to the place where I heard a Prefbyterian Minifter preach, which left a conviction upon my confcience of my former courfes, and that I was out of the way of the Lord for salvation and eternal life; After which time I went no more back to follow them, that are in direct oppofition to the way of the Lord, our covenants and work of reformati on; and by degrees came to fee clearly, that the Minifters that were moft even down for God, and against the defections and abominations of the time,and this adultrous generation,were on ly they that the Lord honoured with the revealing of his fecrets to, and his mind concerning the duty of the day; as Mr. Do nald Cargil and thefe that were faithful to the death, and fealed the caufe with their blood. And O! how did I love and long to be a witnefs for him, both againft my own former ways and the ways of that abominable Prelacy, which now I hate, and to get leave to lay down my life for Chrift and his precious truths. And now he has granted me my hearts defire, and I feal this with my blood that this is the way of God, and his truth, which I now lay down my life for. Now having time, I fhalt fay no more, but leaves my wife to the good guiding of the Lord, and commends him and his way for her to follow, and my love to her and all my dear friends in Newcastle. Farewel, farewel in our bleffed Lord Jefas. And welcome Lord Jefus for whom fuffer, and whofe love I long to have in poffeffion. Welcome heaven and holy angels, and the fpirits of just men made perfect, through the blood of the Lamb. Welcome Father, Son and Holy Ghost, into whofe hands I commit my Spirit.

Dic fubfcribitur

THOMAS ROBERTSON,

The Teftimony of JAMES NICOL, Merchant Burgess of Feebles, who fuffered at the Grass-market of Edinburgh, Auguft 27th, 1684.. A

... His Interrogations before the Privy Council, August 16.

FIRST

FIRST, I was interrogate by two in a room"privately thus
Queft. Was you at Bothwel bridge? A. I am not bound
Bothwel-bridge?
to be my own accuser: I am not (faid one of them) to defire

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