〈…〉ove his Speech on the Scaffold on Tower Hill on Friday laſt, being accompanied by the Sheriffs, Mr. Calamy (the Miniſter) and other Gentlemen of quality; With the manner of his Deportment; upon the preaching of his Funerall Sermon, and his Exhortation to the People worthy of peruſal.

Beloved Chriſtians, I am made this day a ſpectacle to God, Angels, and Men. I am made a grief to the Godly, a laughing ſtock to the wicked,〈◊〉a gazing ſtock to all, yet bleſſed be God not a terror to my ſelf, al­though there be but a little between me and death; yet that which•eares up my heart is, that there is but a little between me and Heaven ▪ it com­•orted Dr. Taylor that famous Martyr, going to his execution, to think th•••was but two ſtiles between him and his Fathers Houſe, there is a leſſer way between me and my Fathers houſe; but two ſteps between me and glory: it is but lying down upon the Block and I ſhall aſcend upon a Throne ▪•am this day fa•ling towards the Ocean of eternity, through a rough paſſage to•y Haven of reſt, through the red Sea unto the promiſed Land: methinks〈…〉God ſp•••as he ſaid to Moſes go up to Mount Nebo and die there; ſo to me go up to Tower Hill and die there ▪ Jacob was old, yet knew not the day of his death, yet I am young, and know the day of my death, the kind of my death, and the place of my death. Alſo ſuch a kind of death is it, that two famous Preachers of the word of God ſuffered it before me. John the Baptiſt, and Paul the Apoſtle, both beheaded, mention being made of one in Scripture ſtory, the other in Eccleſiaſti­•all Hiſtory ▪ theſe and other Saints as I have read were beheaded for the Word, and for the〈…〉but herein is my diſadvantage, men think that I ſuffer not for Religion or Conſcience but for medling with State-matters an old guiſe of the D〈…〉the cauſe of death to the intermedling with State-affairs, the Rulers of Iſrael would put Ieremy to death upon a civil account, be­cauſe he fell away from the Chaldeans, & (as the people ſaid) would have brought〈◊〉forraign force to invade••em, which thing is laid to my charge, and〈…〉thereof as Ieremiah was ▪ I find the cauſe of mens ſufferings in Scripture,〈…〉mputed to State-matters. Paul m•ſt die, if the people have their will, though he preache•Chriſt Ieſus, yet by them accounted a mover of ſedition•pon a civil ac­count is my life taken away; y〈…〉proſecuted nothing againſt th•preſent pow­er. I am this day making a double exchange, a Pulpit for a Scaffold and a Scaf­fold for a Thro••, and may alſo trade a numerous multitude for the innumerable Company of Saints on Tower-Hill, for the holy Hill of Sion, and this Guard of Souldiers2 for a Guard of Angels to carry my ſoule•nto Abraham〈…〉this is the beſt Pulpit I ever came into, in my former God made me an inſtrument to〈◊〉others to Heaven, hereby God brings me to Heaven. Theſe are the laſt words I ſhall ſpeak, and perhaps this laſt ſpeech of mine may bring more glory to God, then my former Sermons. Before I lay down my neck to the block, I ſhall lay o­pen my cauſe to the people, I ſpeak the truth and lie not, God is my witneſs whom•ſerve in my ſpirit, I do not bring a revengeful heart to the Scaffold, but avoid­ing all rancor and mallice, I have bagged mercy for them that denied mercy to mee ▪ and have prayed God to forgive them that would not forgive me; and the worſt I wiſh to them is, that I may meet their ſoules in Heaven. Concerning my charge which is black and hiddeous, wherein many things were falſly ſuggeſted, but nothing ſufficiently proved by any one Act. The Charge high and full, but the proof empty and lowe, though there were eight Witneſſes againſt me, yet none proved that I ever wrote any Letter, or directed any to write, no man prov­ed that I ſent away any Letter that I collected any mony for King, Queen, or any of the Scottiſh Nation, as concerning my accuſers, I have forgiven them, and I pray God forgive them alſo; they not all agree amongſt themſelves; for ſome being terrified before-hand, would not bear witneſs againſt me. Another ſent to me un­der his own hand, deſiring to forgive him for the wrong he had done me, and told me that day I ſhould die a violent death, his life would be no comfort to him, becauſ••e was an inſtrument of taking away mine. As concerning my accuſers, I wil not judge them, neither will I juſtifie them. I believed what moved Herod to put off Iohn Baptiſts, was the cauſe of my death, for telling Herod of his herd inceſt, and for his Oaths ſake Command was given to behead Iohn; to avoid, perjury, he would commit murther: had Iohns head continued on his ſhoulders, he would have been guilty of〈…〉. Concerning my ſelf who have gone through many and various••po•ts, ſome have been ready to bury my name before my friends were ready to bury my body. God will not only wipe off teares from mine eyes after death, but will one day wipe of blots from my name; my hope is, my name will not rot above ground when this body of mine ſhall rot under ground ▪ and be re­ſolved into duſt. I am not ignorant what calumnies are caſt〈◊〉me, the verynight before I was to ſuffer the laſt moneth, an inſulting Letter came to my hand, inti­mating that ſomething would be written againſt me after my death; but I hope you are more ingenuous then to give credit to it, ſeeing I cannot then ſpeak for my ſelf ▪ I am aſperſed, both as to practice and principles, there are 5 aſperſions laid upon me, firſt to matter of practice that I am a liar. I hope you will believe a dying man that dares not look God in the face with a lie in his mouth, I denyed nothing ▪ that was true before the Court what I denyed before that, I confeſſed afterwards ſay ſome, that I never wrote Letter to the King or Queen, Church or State of Scotland, that I never received any letter wrote to me from any one of them; that I never collected, gave or lent one penny to this or that particular per­ſon, or to any of the Scottiſh Nation; it is true I confeſs, and herein lies the mi­ſtake; but it was〈◊〉proved againſt me that I ſent either money on Letters to Maſſey, he was of the Engliſh, not of the Scottiſh Nation, I am accuſed of moving to ſend money•o the King and State of Scotland, which I never did, and therefore that I ſaid at the〈◊〉after my ſentence, I ſay〈◊〉that for the things I am con­demned,3 neither does God not my own conſcience condemne me ▪ The next particular I am accuſed of is to be an extortioner, I am charged as to have recei­ved 30.l. of the loane of 300.l. which in the preſence of God and of you all is a notorious fable; I am accuſed likewiſe to be an adulterer: but as Luther in ano­ther caſe ſaid he was not tempted to covetouſneſſ•, ſo may J ſay that through the grace of God, I was not tempted to uncleaneſſs in all my life, it doth not much grieve mee though theſe ſl•nders lie upon me, When as Athenaſius was ac­cuſed by two H•rlots that he had committed folly with them, though he was very chaſt but that which comes neareſt my heart is this, that I am accuſed to be a murtherer, alſo charged with the guile of all the blood that hath been ſhed in Scotland were I gu•lty of one drop of it; I could not be filled with ſo much tranquility and peace of mind, ſo much ſerenity and joy of ſpirit as now I am. I bleſs God, I am free from the blood of all men, they do to me as Nero did to the Chriſtians, he ſet Rome on fire, and charged the Chriſtians with it: they put Eng­land and Scotland in a fl•me, and l•y the charge upon me, which only the ambiti­on and luſts of wicked men have kindled. Did I ever invite or incourage our Eng­liſh Army to invade Scotland? his I have done, and ſtand too, I have as a private man prayed to God, wherein I have beſought him, that there might be an agree­ment between the King and the Scots upon intereſts of Religion.

I was only at one meeting where ſuch things were propoſed, namely to promote the agreement between the King and Scots: I do declare againſt the Commiſſions as they called them, and it is an Act of high preſumption and of notorious falſe­hood to ſay it was a plot of the Presbyterian party; it was the ſubtilty of a poli­tique party to raiſe this thereby to make the Presbyterians odious, who are the beſt ordered perſons for a Government in the World.

I am ſaid to be a man of A turbulent ſpirit, and an enemy to the peace of this Nation,•ndeed I am borne a man of contention, not active but paſsive•many ſtrive and contend with mee, I ſtrive with no man, the greif of my heart hath been for diviſions, and the deſire of my ſoule for a union among Gods people, I do not mean a State union to ingage againſt the preſent power, that is rather a combination & a confedracy then a union: Thoſe that have gotten power by pol­licy and uſe it with cruelty, ſhall loſe it with Ignominie; I remember an obſer­vation of holy Greenwood, giving his judgment upon State, Government he fea­red the comming in of Popery; I feare Atheiſme, Blaſphemy, and all manner of H•reſie is ruſhing in upon this Land; that as to my practiſe, A word now to my principles. I am accuſed to be an apoſtate, to be this, to be that, to be any thing, but what I am: A high Court, A long Sword, and a bloody Scaffold, hath not made me to change my principles, what I ſhall ſay is not to provoke any; I die with my judgement ſet againſt malignity; I doe not count the covenanting Godly party in Scotland to be Malignants for defending their Land againſt invaders though againſt malignitie, not againſt a mixt Monarchy: I did oppoſe the forces of the late King in my place and calling, and ſhould he live now and were I to live longer, ſhould do it ſtill; I did oppoſe his forces, but〈◊〉never againſt the Office of a King; I was againſt Court Paraſites that would ſcrue up Monarchy to Tyrannie, as againſt thoſe that pull it down to bring in Anarchie, I was never for putting him to death, nor did I ever endeavour to deſtroy his perſon, there4 is a ſpeech upon the preaching a Sermon by me at Vxbridge, that all would not he well till the King was let blood in the neck-veine, but this report as many o­ther is full of vanity and folly.

I die with my judgement not ſatisfied to take the ingagement, God preſerve thoſe that refuſe it: I would not in the next place be lookt upon as owning this preſent Government, I die with my judgment againſt it: it was in the caſe of life, I did petition, giving them the titles as other men do. Huſha gave the title to Abſalom though David was the lawfull King, Calvin gave a title to the French King Rex. Chriſtianiſſimus, and we to Henry the 8th. ſt•ling him defender of the Faith, he had no right to the•itle, becauſe given him upon an ill ground by the Pope for oppoſing the doctrine of Luther, which none did ſcruple afterwards to give him. In the laſt place, to provoke none my judgement is againſt the invaſion of the Engliſh Army into the Scottiſh Nation that joyned with us, I drew their ſwords in our quarrell; and now be〈◊〉they would not be a Commonwealth, they ſhall not be a people, becauſe they would not lay their Conſciences waſte, their Land muſt be laid waſte; I die cleaving to all thoſe Oathes, Vowes, and Pro­teſtations, and that ſolemne League and Covenant that were impoſed by the two Houſes of Parliament, and I had rather die a Covenant keeper then live a Co­venant breaker.

The third and laſt part of my Speech is with a word of exhortation to this great City; and then I commit my ſoule to God that gave it. I have wiſhed it both af­••ence and confluence of all happineſſe: London, London, God is ſtaining the pride of all thy glory, contempt of the Miniſtry, oppoſition againſt Reformation hath brought London low, and I feare will yet bring it lower. I tremble to think what•vils are comming upon it for as Commodities have been ſpread from hence into all the corners of the Land, ſo Hereſies and Blaſphemies in all parts of this Nation have their riſe from hence; firſt let me beg you to love the painefull and godly Miniſters if they be taken away; you are like to have worſe come in their roome; Miniſters are now the great eye ſores, when before counted the Chariots and Horſe-men of Iſrael. After Junius was taken away, Arminius that peſtilent••e­retique came in his roome: Anabaptiſts, Arminians, nay Jeſuits are like now to ſpread•pace. Submit to Church government that would lay reſtraint upon your luſts. A golden yoak if not ſubmitted to, God may lay an iron yoak upon you; Take heed of thoſe Doctrines that come under the notion of new lights, when the brothers the•eof ſay it is new, it is to be queſtioned whether they be true. In 3•. Deut. •7. it is ſaid, there they ſacrifice•to Devills, not to God, to gods whom they knew not, to now gods that came newly up: their new gods, what were they but old Devills ▪ many of thoſe things going under the notion of her••ghts, are but old darkneſſe raked out of the dunghill of error that hath been•aſt out, and by the Church buried with reproach. 4. Bewaile the great leſſe you have of the taking away your Miniſters, already ten Miniſters at once, thoſe burn­ing and ſl•ining lights in their particular Candleſticks, and bright Star•es in their ſeveral Oths, though I am not worthy of the world, yet I am take•ou•of it; but as for my ſuffering Brethren, which are under bonds and•aniſhments in the world, of them the world is not worthy. Take heed of ingaging the Wa••e with〈◊〉friends, I have oppoſed the Tyranny of a King, but I never oppoſed the5 Ti•le take heed what you do, to ſpeak to the〈◊〉Miniſters of this City; were〈◊〉a dying, I would ſay nothing, for multitude of years teach wild in, and therefore would be ſilen•: I deſire God to ſhew them mercy. I would begg but〈◊〉of them as they have not been aſhamed of my chaines, ſo now that they would wax confident by my bonds and blo•d, Acts. 29. Now Lord behold their threatnings: and grant unto thy Servants, that with all boldneſs they may ſpeak thy word, though I am but young I will offer my young experience to my grave Fathers and Brethren, now I am to d•e I have abundance of peace in my own Con­ſcience, that I have ſet my〈◊〉againſt ſin and apoſtacy by purchaſing•ll wil from ſuch, I have procured peace from God, I have lived••pe•••, and I ſhall die in peace, the Government of the Church, will ſtand: and of all〈◊〉with this per­ſwaſion, that the Presbyterian Government makes moſt for purity and unity throughout the Churches of the Saints: take heed of too general admiſſions to the Lords Supper, and be not to prodigal of the blood of Chriſt. Now ſpeaking to them I ſhall ſpeak a word of them, and ſo finiſh, Many〈◊〉there, as if all the City Miniſters did ingage in this deſign; for which I a•now con­demned as a dying man; I tell you, all the Miniſters that were pre­ſent at the meeting,•or had any hand in that buſineſs, they are ei­ther in priſon or diſcovered already: therefore upon my death, I free all the Miniſters elſe, and in which my conſcience doth tell me I have not ſinned: I have done immediatly; for I would fain be at my Fathers houſe: I would ſpeak to my own Congregation, to give praiſe to God for them, and to return thanks to them; for they have afforded me a great deal of love (ex•ept a few) and liberall maintenance: This is all I deſire of them to chooſe a Learned, Godly, and Ortho­dox Miniſter to ſucceed; and it would be a great comfort to me before I go to Heaven if ſuch a one filled the place; where he ſhall have a good livelyhood, and much love; I had never parted from them, but that Death ſeparated me; to which I do ſubmit with all Chriſtian-meekneſs, and cheerfulneſs: I am now drawing to an end of my Speech, and to an end of my Life together: But before I expire my laſt breath, I come to juſtifie God, and condemn my ſelf; for God is righteous, be­cauſe I have ſinned, though he doth cut me off in the midſt of my dayes, and of my Miniſtry; I cannot take up that complaint in the 44 Pſalm, That thou ſelleſt thy people for nought: My bloud ſhall not be ſpilt for nought; I may do more good by my death, and glorifie God more upon a Scaffold, then in dying upon my Bed: Bleſſed be God I have not the leaſt trouble in my mind; I ſhall quietly lay my ſelf down upon the block; I ſee men hunger after my fleſh, and thi•ſt after my bloud; which will heighten my happineſs, and haſten their ruine: Though my bloud be not as the bloud of Nobles; yet mine is Chriſtian bloud; nay, Miniſters bloud; nay more innocent bloud alſo: My dead-body will be a morſel hardly to be digeſted, and but•ad food for this Infant Common-wealth (as Mr. Prideaux cals it) to ſuck upon; but••od is juſt, that he hath not made the Priſon Hell, and this Scaffold the bottomleſs if; it is of his mercy: I do not onely juſtifie God, but muſt alſo magnifie the riches of his grace towards me, that I who was born in Wales (an obſcu•e Countrey, of obſcure Parents) ſhould be ſingled out. For 14 years I never heard one Sermon; yet in the•5 year it pleaſed God to convert me: Bleſſed be God that hath not onely made me a Chriſtian, but a Miniſter alſo ▪6 and judging me faithful hath put me into the Miniſtery; it is my glory I die ſo; I had rather be a Preacher in a Pulpit, then a Prince upon a Throne; I had rather be an inſtrument of bringing ſouls to heaven, then that all Nations ſhould bring in tribute to me, what ever men judge of me, I am a Martyr, would I have injured my Conſcience, and ventured my ſoule, there had been more hope of ſaving my life: bleſſed be God, I have not ſined, but choſen affliction rather then ſin; wellcome death, wellcom Axe, wellcom Scaffold, wellcom all, becauſe they will ſend me to a manſion in my Fathers houſe; thanks be to God he hath ſtood by me in all my impriſonment, he hath ſtrengthened and ſupported me, though I now come to an untimely end; death is not a terror to me, God is not a terror, therefore death is not dreadful. I have formerly been under a ſpirit of bondage, and had more fear in the drawing of a tooth, then now for the cutting off my head: when fear was upon me, death was not near; now death is near, fear is vaniſhed. I bleſs God, though men judge me to be caſt out of the world, God hath not caſt me out of his own people: ſome think I am not worthy to live, yet others judge I do not deſerve to die. I have done, having no more to ſay, but to deſire the help of your prayers, that God would give me continual ſupplies of di­vine grace to carry me through this great work I am to do, that doing a work I neer did, I may have that ſtrength I never had, that I may put off this body with as much comfort of mind, as ever my Clothes to go to reſt. Now I am to com­mend my ſoule to God, and to receive my fatal blowe: though men thruſt me out of the world, they cannot ſhut me out of Heaven ▪ I am going to my long home, and you are g•ing to your ſhort home; but I tell you, I ſhall be at home before you, I am going to the Heavenly Jeruſalem, to an innumerable Compa­ny of Angels, to the ſpirits of juſt men made perfect, and to God the Judge of all, in whoſe preſence I ſhall have fulneſs of joy, and pleaſure for evermore. I conclude with that Speech of the Apoſtle in 2 Tim. 4.6.7. I am ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand, I have fought a good fight, I have finiſhed my courſe, and I have kept the faith henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of righte­ouſneſs, which the Lord the righteous Judge ſhall give me at that day, and not to me only, but unto all them alſo that love his appearing, through whoſe blood, when I have ſhed my blood ▪ I do expect full remiſſion of all my ſins, and ſo the Lord bleſſe you all.

And then taking his leave of them, ſaid; Beloved Chriſtians I deſire your Chriſti­an aſſiſtance in this great work; I beſeech you joyn with me in prayer: And ſo imme­diately (ſtanding at the Rail) expreſſed himſelf as followeth:

Having ended his prayer, he turned himſelf about to the Executioner, ſaying;

Friend, Are all things in readineſſe: Yes ſir, Replyed the Exe­cutioner:7 whereupon, he unbraced his Doublet, and gave it to a friend and than pulled out a Red Scarf out of his pocker, and gave it to the Executioner, ſaying, Diſpoſe of this upon the block as thou thinkeſt convenient, which accordingly he did, ſpreading it upon the Sawduſt, and laying it upon the Block; Then Mr. Love put his hand in his pocket and took out 3. l. wrapt up in a white paper, and gave it to the Executioner ſaying; Friend, here is three pieces for thee, do thy Of­fice, and I beſeech God to forgive thee, as I freely do ▪ then Mr. Love kneeled down, and laid his Neck upon the Block; and by the ſign of lifting up his left ha••the executioner immediatly let fall the ax, and at one blow ſevered his••ad from his shoulders: which being done, be took up the head in his hand, and preſently after laid both body & head in the black coffin together ▪ which was ſoon carryed off, having a mourning cloth over it, Doctor Dun (the chyrurgeon) attending the ſame, for the uniting of both together again.

That thinking upon the ſeparation of his Head from his Body, it was a ſweet contemplation to him, to conſider the conjunction of his ſoule with his head in Heaven, being as ready to die as Moſes was, when there was no more between God and him, but Moſes go up and die, with an heroical alacrity tempered with a gracious humility, did he give up his ſoule to God, and bid farewel to the world.

No ſooner was his Corps carried down to the Scaffold ſtaires, but immediate­ly Mr. Gibbins (formerly Secretary to Col. Hollis) was guarded up by ſome of the Sheriffs Officers, who came in•Coach from the Preſs-gard at Newgate, to the place of execution on Tower-Hill. He deported himſelf with a great deal of reſo­luteneſs and gallantry, and after an indifferent copious Speech, to this effect, That he was innocent of what he was b•ought thither for that day; but yet notwith­ſtanding would not change his condition of laying his neck to the Block for an Emperors Throne, if he might get ten thouſand worlds by it: then immediately going to prayer, (having ended the ſame) he unbraced himſelf, and gave his Cloak, Doublet, and two Rings to his Uncle, and two pounds to the Executio­ner, and then laying his neck upon the Block, the Executioner did his Office by receiving the ſign, and lifting up his left hand, ſevered his head from his ſhoul­ders at one blow, and a little〈◊〉.