and felf-defence, viz. Pentland, Drumclog, Bothwel-bridge, and the declaration given at Rutherglen, the 29. of May, 1679. and Sanquhair, and to the papers found upon Henry Hall at the Queens-ferry, and to that declaration put forth at Lanerk, by the fuffering remnant. We alfo join our hearty teftimony to the Chriftian fellowship meetings, whereby our fouls have fometimes been refreshed.

Now likewife, We fhall fhew you what we difown, Firft, We difown and leave our teftimony against Popery and Prela cy, Quakerifm, Eraftianifm, and all other errors, that are con try to the word of God. Likewife we leave our teftimony a gainft all the indulgencies, both firft and laft; because they have difowned Chrift from being head of the church, and have taken their liberty from a mortal man. Likewife we leave our teftimony against all these that have left the standard of Chrift and taken themselves to a finful quietnefs, to fhun fuffering; and alfo their condemning of these faithful practices and preach ing of these two worthies, who fealed the truth with their blood, viz. Mr. Donald Cargil, Mr. Richard Cameron, who declared the whole counfel of God faithfully. We defire to bless the Lord, that ever we heard them preach. Likewife we leave our teftimony against the declaration at Hamilton; becaufe of the taking in of that tyrant's intereft. Likewife against Charles Stewart, because he hath feated himself in Chrift's room, and has taken to himself the prerogative. of our Lord, to be head of the church, which belongs to no mortal man on earth, but to Chrift only, Likewife we leave our teftimony against that hell-hatched teft, and against that oath called the oath of allegiance, against compearing at courts, coming out of prison upon bond and caution. Ye will find the unlawfulness of it in the viii. of John and 34. Verily, verily, I fay unto you, whofoever committeth fin, is the fervant of fin.' And in the vi. of the Romans and 20. For when ye were the fervants of fin, ye were free from righ teousness. What fruit had ye in these things, whereof ye are now afhamed? for the end of these things is death. And 2 Pet. i. 19. While they promife you liberty, themselves are the fervants of corruption; for of whom a man is overcome of the fame is he brought into bondage,' And againft the ceis and locality, or any paying or militia-money, or any other thing, which may itrengthen the hands of thefe open and avowed enemies of Jous Chrit Likewie we leave our testimony against thete wicked men called judges, who ought not be cal-' led judges, but rather tyran, because they are thritting for blood; for they charge us in one of theic articles of our indictment, with murder, and thaking off all the fear of Godą

But we blefs the Lord, we are free of all fuch crimes as murder.

Now dear friends, we exhort you to cleave clofs to Chrift, keep his way, and do not fear at it, because of suffering; for we can affure you, that the cross has not been troublesome to us, but eafie: for he paves the crofs all over with rofes, and never lays a grain weight of affliction more upon his people than he gives fufficient ftrength to bear: and this we can fay by experience, He fends none a warfare upon their own charges,' but he gives ftill fufficient ftrength to carry them through: Therefore it is our carneft defire and requeft, that ye will follow on to know the Lord; for if ye follow on to know him, he has promised, That ye fhall know him;' Therefore we defire you to follow his way, and fear not man, whose breath is in his noftrils, but fear God and keep his ways,, Keep at a distance from the least of fin, for the least fin deferveth death; but his love hath been great and condefcending to us, who were the vileft of finners, for we had destroyed ourselves, by original fin, and corrupt nature; but now he hath redeemed us, and plucked us out like fire brands out of the midst of the burning. Now we may fay, He hath letten out fuch a gale of his condefcending love, that he hath gained our fecklefs love; fo that we dare fay, That if every hair of our head were a man and every drop of our blood a life, we would willingly lay them all down for Chrift, and his caufe, if he called for theat at our hand; For he is altogether lovely, the chief among ten thousands,' he is without compare, he is incomprehenfible, glorious and mighty; therefore it is our defire to all friends, That ye would ware your love on him, and credit him, and labour to get the inheritance made fure, that Jefus Chrift hath purchased. Now cleave clofs to him, and clofe with him, and then lofe what ye will in this world, ye fhall be noble gainers, and no lofers.

Now, we heartily forgive all men any wrong they have done us, or can do to us, as we defire to be forgiven of the Lord; but what they have done againft God, and his caufe, we leave that to himself, to do in it as may oft glorify himself. Now, we bid farewel to all earthly comforts and enjoyments. Fare wel all Chriftian friends and acquaintances in the Lord. Farewel fweet focieties and Chriftian fellowship-meetings: Farewel hearing of the gracious goipel: Farewel reading, finging, praying and believing: Farewel fweet prifon and irons for our lovely Lord: Farewel holy Scriptures: Farewel fun, moon and ftars, and all created comforts in time: Welcome finging of prailes; Welconte ipirits of just men made perfe&;

Welcome Father, Son and Holy Ghost, into whose hands we comit our fpirits.

Sic fubcribitur

JAMES LAUSON.

ALEXANDER WOOD,

The Interrogations of GEORGE JACKSON. Tenant in Pollock, Who was apprehended at Glasgow, and fuffered at the Gallowlee, December 9th 1684.

A

T Glasgow after he was taken, and had been asked fome few questions by them who apprehended him, he was brought before the Bishop of Glafgow, who innterrogate him, thus. QWhat now Mr. Jackfon? A. I was never a scholar. Q Can you read the Bible? A. Yes Q Was you at Bothwel-bridge? A. Yes. Q What arms had ye? A. A halter staff

you

Was ye an officer? A. No. I was but fixteen years of age. QWho was your captain? A A young man. Q How clled! A I am not bound to give an account to you Q Was you at Bothwel rebellion, or not? A. I allow myself in no rebellion against God. Q. Whether was it rebellion against the king or not? A, I have anfwered that question already. Q. Would you go to it again? A, The question is like yourself I know not. Will ye fay, God fave the king? A It's not in my power to fave or condemn. Q. Will ye pray for him? A. I will pray for all within the election of free grace. Q Whether is the king within the election or not? A. If were the man you profefs to be, you would not ask fuch a queftion at me; it belongs only to God. Q Do you own the authority as it is now established? A No; But I own all authority, fo far as it is according to the written word of God. Q Do you own the king and inferior magiftrates? A. In fo far as they are a terror to evil doers, and praise to them that do well. Are they not that? A. When the Lord Jefus Chrift fhall fit judge, they and ye, and the like of you will. count for it, whether ye be or not? Q Is the Bishop's death murder or not? A. If your questions be upon these matters that I am not concerned with, I will keep filence Then the bishop afhed him concerning fome papers that were found in the room where he was apprehended; he refused to answer any further anent them, having answered the fame question in the guard to thefe who took him. Whereat the bishop enraged

faid, fir, the boots will make you free. To which the faid George replied, If my Mafter think me worthy of them, I will get them, and if not, it is in his power to preferve me. Q Will ye fubfcribe what ye have laid? A No. Q Wherefore will ye not? A. Because it's an acknowledgment of your unjuft laws. After this, he was tranfported from Glasgow to Evandale on the Lord's day. He relates in his letters, what fweet joy and confolation he had by the way. After his hav ing gone about the worship of God, in presence of the foldiers, who at firft kept on their hats, but afterwards ere he had - done, difcovered In came one Bonfay, their commander, and faid, Prepare you for a bare horfe back to-morrow, and your head and feet fhall be bound hard and fat together. George anfwered, It is not in your power to do it. Bonfay faid. I will let you know, it fhall be in my power, and offered him the king's health; he refufed, faying, I am not dry to drink healths, especially, on the Lord's night. To-morrow when they were fet on horfe- back, Boniay caufed found the trumpet, holding it to George's ear, and said, Sound him to hell, at which the Martyr fmiled. So they came to Edinburgh upon the 13th of May, 1684. Being called before a committee of the council, he came with his Bible in his hand. The advocate jeeringly faid, There's him and his Bible. Come away, let's fee where the text is. George answered, I was never a feeker out of texts, that is the proper work of a Minifter. Then the advocate faid, Put up your Bible, for we are not for preaching at this time. He anfwered, I am not come to preach, for L never could, but fir, this is the word of God, whereby I am come here to be judged, and I charge you, and not only you, but all of you, That as ye fhall anfwer in one day before our Lord Jefus Chrift, when he fhall fit and judge betwixt the just and the unjust, that ye judge me by what is written in this noly Bible, otherwife remember ye, and the rest of you fhall make account for it in that day, when our Lord fhall fit as judge, and ye fhall ftand naked and bare before him; and if ye do it not, I fhall be a witness against you To this they : answered, That he was come to be judged, not to judge, and \ after a whiles filence, when he demanded who were his accufers, the advocate replied, I am your accufer. And interrogate him thus. Q. Was you at Bothwel? A. I have answered this in my first examination. Q But (faid the advocate) you must answer it now. A. It being criminal by your law, you must prove it. Q Do you hold thefe, that were there, as rebels? A. I allow my felf to be among no rebels, but whom call you rebels? The advocate faid, Thefe that are rebels to the king. George answered, If they be not rebels to God, the matter is

i

the lefs. Q Do you approve of them? A. Yes, in as far as they were for Chrift and his caufe. Q Do you allow your felf to rife in arms against the king? A No. Q. Wherefore then did ye rife in arms? A. I have warrant in the word of God to rife in arms in defence of the gospel and work of reformation, according to our folemn engagements, wherein we are fworn to uphold and defend, to the utmoft of our power, the work of reformation. Q What? are you engaged, to be against your king? A. You heard not me fay that, but I faid, I am for the king and all authority, as far as they are for the work of God, and no further. Q Do you own the present authority? A. Lown no unlawful authority. Q Will you take the bond of regulation, and you thall win your way. A I will have nothing to do with you or your bonds either Being defired to fubfcribe what they had wrote down as his confeffion, he refused. At his fecond compearance before the council, after they had read to him, and feveral prifoners, the declaration emitted at Sanquhair, they afked, if he approved of that paper, which caft off the king, and all his authority and laws, and declares open war against him, and approves to murder his foldiers, militia, gentlemen or intelligencers, whenever they can have the occafion? He anfwered, I difown all murder. Q. But do you approve of that paper? A. As far as it owns truth. Q Knew ye of it before? A. I knew not of it this morning when I arofe, no more than the child unborn Q. Who fet it out? A. You have it there, perhaps it has been your felves for ought I know. Q. Was you never in these meetings called focieties or general correfpondences? A. Since ever the Lord made me to hate fin and follow duty, it was my defire to be in the company of the godly, and to go where I might have edification to my foul. Q Would you think it lawful to kill the foldiers, if they were coming to take you? A. Yes, in felf-defence.

This account is abstracted out of his own letters. As for his large teftimony, it hath not been thought neceffary to publish it; for these anfwers, which he gave, were his teftimony beifore enemies; thefe were the grounds of his indictment and fentence of death, these are the chief points of truth upon which be enlarges in his teftimony; and moreover, it appears from. the many repetitions of the fame matter, that the severity of his perfecutors has occafioned his large teftimony to be writ with lefs accuracy than he would. He infifts much in praising God, for calling him to, and strengthning him upon his fufferings, profeffes, a great cheerfulness in laying down his life for the caule of Chrift; exhorts others to forfake the love of the world,