Mr. LOVE His Funeral SERMON, PREACHED By himſelf on the Scaffold on Tower Hill, in the hearing of many thouſand people, on Friday the two and twentieth day of this inſtant Auguſt.
Divided into three parts;
WITH His Prayer immediately before his head was ſevered from his body; and other Remarkable Paſſages about his Death.
Publiſhed for general ſatisfaction.
LONDON, Printed by Robert Wood, 1651.
BEfore I enter upon the ſubſtance of Mr Love's laſt Sermon or Speech upon the Scaffold, thou art to take notice of the Parliaments lenity, in reſpiting his Execution near upon 6 weeks after the time firſt limited or appointed for him to ſuffer. During which time (though much means was uſed to ſave his life by others) himſelf continued in his former way of juſtification of his own innocency, notwithſtanding the teſtimony of 8 Witneſſes at his trial, againſt whom could be no exception. So that for his own part in ſtead of uſing laudable means to preſerve his life, he rather (to outward appearance at the leaſt) did chuſe to die without without giving reall ſatisfaction to the world, that it was not as well to ſatisfie his own obſtinate will, as juſtly to ſuffer the ſentence renounced againſt him.
On Tueſday laſt the Parliament ordered that Mr. Love ſhould be no longer reprieved, and that the High Court of Juſtice ſhould have notice of this order, whereupon the High-Court of Juſtice met on Wedneſday ſigned warrants. for his execution on Fryday following, between the hours of twelve at noon, and ſix at night.
2In purſuance of which Warrants, the Lievtenant of the Tower this preſent Friday being the twenty two of Auguſt, delivered him to the Sheriffs of London at the Tower Gate, from whence being accompanied along by Mr. Calomy, he came to the Scaffold on the Tower Hill; and being upon the Scaffold, after he had ſaluted many friends thereon, he turned himſelf to the people, and leaning over the Rayle amongſt others, he uttered theſe words following.
BEfore I lay my Neck upon the Block, I ſhall ſay ſome thing concerning the occaſion of my coming hither as you ſee this day. Then he ſaid he ſhould divide that which he had to declare into three parts.
3Firſt, touching the matter for which he ſuffered.
Secondly, the cleering of himſelf.
And thirdly, The diſcharging of himſelf of all kind of ranker or hatred againſt any; with ſome Exhortations to the people.
He perſiſted in the ſame way as he was in dureing his Tryall, taking God to record, That he wrote no Letters, or gave direction for any to be written; Yet it was proved, and acknowledged by himſelf, That he did ſee Letters written, and was privy to their ſending away.
He likewiſe called God to Record, That he collected no money for the Scots deſign; yet was there money collected and laid down before him, and afterwards ſent away: and if this kind of equivocating can cleer him of the guilt, let any indifferent man judge; yet he ſaid there was not any one thing prooved againſt him which was capital.
He inſtanced many Scriptures, and compared himſelf by way of Innocency, to Ieremiah, ſaying, That he was as guiltleſſe as that Prophet who was charged (though in another caſe) with Conſpirancy. He ſaid it had been the lot of many of the Saints of God to be beheaded, and freely forgave all his proſecutors, ſaying, That the worſt he wiſht to any of them, was, That their ſoules might meet him in heaven.
4Mr, Love alſo ſaid that the Scaffold was the beſt Pulpit that ever he preached in, in all his life; for that from thence he ſhould not deſcend but aſcend and mount up into heaven.
One thing more very obſervable is that although he denied compliancy with the Scots by writing or ſupply of money; yet he confeſſed that he had both written to Major Gen. Maſsey, and ſent money to him.
He exhorts the people in a general way, to the ſervice of God, and ſo concluded with this prayer. Mr. Love having ended his ſpeech or ſermon, began his prayer ſtanding at the rail thus.
Much more to this effect was uttered by him; and his prayer being ended, he immediately began t•unbutton the collor of his Doublet, and turning about, came to the Sheriff, bowed very low to him, and ſhaking him by the hand, took his leave of him: He then laid his hand, upon the Executioner, ſaying, Friend, I forgive thee. Then his Doublet being off, he put up his hair under his Cap, and at once ſettling himſelf down on the Block, he preſently (without raiſing himſelf again) gave the ſignal, with which the Executioner ſevered his head from his body at one blow.
His body was preſently taken up, and put into a Coffin ready prepared, and carried to his own houſe: Mr. Dun the Chirurgian went with it, and afterwards ſowed the Head to the body.
After th•s Mr. Gibbons was brought upon the Scaffold, he was about four or fi•ve and twenty years of age, and he formerly6 had been ſervant to Mr. Hollis, he made a ſpeech to the people confeſſing and ſaying, that he had been miſled by wicked councellors, and ſeemed very pennitent and ſorrowful that he had falſly betrayed his truſt; he made many ſtops, the tears trickling down his c•eek•, he made this confeſſion of his henious crime and guilt, (as he ſaid) to clear his conſcience, and to the end that the world might take notice thereof, and take warning, and that no aſperſion fall on himſelf or or others after his death. He took notice of Mr. Loves being executed before him, and ſaid, that he was confident he was with his Saviour, with whom he had ſure and confident hopes to be within few minuits: Yet towards the concluſion of his ſpeech, ſome words paſſed from him which ſavored of ranckor, for which he was gently admoniſhed by the Shreiff, and when had made an end of his ſpeech he made a ſhort prayer, recommending his ſoul into the hands of Jeſus Chriſt and ſo committed himſelf to the block.
(EEBO-TCP ; phase 2, no. A88582)
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