upon the heathen, and upon the families that call not upon thy name.' We had need to know what we shall answer, when we shall come before him, with whom we have to do; for he is a holy God, and 'a consuming fire to the workers of iniquity,' Wherefore, dear friends, study holiness in all manner of conversation; make it your earnest care to have your conversation as becomes the gospel, and then he will be forthcoming unto you. My friends, I leave you with the Lord, who hath promised to be the God of his people. He is given of the Father to be a leader and commander to his people, and he will lead them. And I entreat every particular person, never to be at rest till they give away themselves personally in covenant to God, and promise through his grace, to be for him, and not for another. I leave you to him, who leads Joseph like a flock.' If you would have him speaking peace to you in your life, and in your end, cleave to the Son of God and his truths. And remember, if speedy repentance do not prevent, you will utterly ruin your immortal souls. Now, my dear friends, ye that are desiring singly to stand for God, hold on your way, and wait for the Lord, and quit not a hoof of the truth: he will be an up-making God to you, and he has promised to be a present help in the time of your need. "There is a great confluence come here at this time: I would wish with all my heart they would get good by it. I am come here to lay down my life. I declare I die not as a murderer, nor as an evil-doer; although this covenant-breaking, perjured, murdering generation lay it to my charge, as though I was a murderer, on account of the justice that was executed on that Judas who sold the kirk of Scotland for 50,000 merks a year. And we being bound to extirpate Popery and Prelacy, and that to the utmost of our power, and we having no other that were appearing for God at that day, but such as took away his life, therefore I was bound to join with them, in defending the true religion, and all the land. Every man was bound in covenant, when he had sold the church,-they were bound, I say, to meet him by the way, when he came down from London, and have him presently put to the edge of the sword, for that heinous indignity done to the holy Son of God. But it is, alas! too apparent that men have never known God rightly, nor considered that he is a holy God. O terrible backsliding! they will not believe that God will call them to an account for what they owed to God: but assure yourselves, as he is in heaven, he will call every one to an account, how they have stood to that covenant and work of reformation. I need say no more; but I would have you consider, that in breaking the covenant, we have trampled under foot the precious truths of Jesus Christ. : Now, being straitened of time, I must leave off writing. Wherefore, farewell holy Scriptures, wherewith my soul hath been many a day refreshed farewell sweet societies with whom I have been, and whose company was so refreshful to me; farewell my mother, brethren, sisters, and all other relations; farewell all earthly pleasures; farewell sun, moon, and stars. Welcome spirits of just men made perfect; welcome angels; welcome Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,-into whose hands I commit my spirit. Sic sub.-ANDREW GUILLAN."* The inhuman treatment this martyr met with ought not to be forgotten, as a pregnant instance of the hellish rage and fury of the persecutors, and of the Lord's rich grace, who wonderfully countenanced and strengthened him to endure the tortures inflicted upon him, with an undaunted braveness of spirit: for besides the tortures he suffered in prison, they ordered both his hands to be cut off, while he was alive: and it was observed by onlookers, though (by reason the executioner was drunk) he received nine strokes in cutting them off, yet he bore it with invincible patience. And after the right hand was cut off, he held out the stump in view of the multitude, saying, "As my blessed Lord sealed my salvation with his blood, so am I honoured this day to seal his truths with my blood."-C. W. XXXIII. JOHN COCHRAN. [This was one of Three countrymen, who suffered together on the 30th of November, 1683. He was by trade a shoemaker, and belonged to the parish of Lesmahagow. With his two companions he was indicted in the usual form, for treason, as having been in the rising at Bothwell. They were brought before the council on the 26th; and their confession there emitted was all that was adduced as evidence at their trial, on the 28th of said month. They were, of course, condemned,—and two days after, hurried into eternity. "They were persons," says Wodrow, "from whom the government had nothing to fear, and their blood was shed (for what I can see) merely out of love of blood." It appears that John Cochran confessed his having been both at Drumclog and Bothwell-bridge, armed with a fork, and that he refused to own or pray for the king, or to give his opinion of the Archbishop's death. His testimony, in which the other two concurred, is as follows.] "BEING brought before the lords of Justiciary, they asked, Where I went in to the rebels? I answered, I went in to the people of God, whom ye call so, at Drumclog. They asked, If I had arms? I told them, I had a fork. They asked, If I thought it rebellion? I said, No. And they said, What was it then? I told them, It was in defence of the gospel. They asked, If I did own the authority? I told them, As far as it did agree with the word of God. Then they asked, If I would pray for the king? I told them, That prayer should be gone about in decency and order. Then they asked, If I would say 'Go save the king ?' And I refused. Then they said, Was I not bound to • Cloud of Witnesses, pp. 263-264 pray for him? I told them, That I was bound to pray for all that were within the bounds of election. Then they said, Was the Bishop's death murder? I told, I was no judge. Then they asked, If I was at Bothwell? I told, I was. They said, Was it rebellion? I said, No. Then I was taken back to prison again, and the irons laid on me but blessed be the Lord, that was no discouragement to me; for when the storm blew hardest the smiles of my Lord were at the sweetest. It is matter of rejoicing unto me, to think how my Lord hath passed by many a tall cedar, and hath laid his love upon a poor bramble-bush, like me. And O! that I could bless the Lord for it, and say, Come all ye that fear the Lord, and I will tell you what he hath done for my soul.' And now I am made to say, That the Lord doth all things well, and holy is his name.' And as for my part, I have good cause to bless the Lord, that ever I was a hearer of the persecuted gospel; and however the world think of us, that our lot is hard in a world, yet remember, that he saith in his holy word, that whosoever will live godly, must suffer persecution; and whosoever will not take up his cross, and follow me, is not worthy of And fear not him that can kill the body,' but said he, I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear; fear him that can kill both soul and body, and cast both into hell.' And If judgment begin at the house of God, where shall the wicked and ungodly appear in that day, when he shall take vengeance on them that fear him not, and obey not the gospel?' And now, alas! I am afraid, that even much of the gospel amongst us, will be a witness against us; for it was the judgment of Capernaum, that so many mighty works were done in it, and yet they believed not: and yet, for all that came upon it, it was said to be exalted up to heaven; and then we hear of its being thrust down to hell: even so, I fear the having so much light will be the plague of our land: for it was once a praise to all the earth; but now a mocking, even among the heathens. me. "And now as a dying man, I do heartily declare my adherence unto all the holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments; and preaching of that blessed gospel, by a faithful, sent, presbyterian gospel ministry. As also, I do, with all my soul and heart, agree with, and assent unto the Confession of Faith, Larger and Shorter Catechisms, the Sum of Saving Knowledge; the National and Solemn League and Covenants, Directory for Worship, the Solemn Acknowledgment of public Sins and Breaches of the Covenant, and Engagement to all Duties, together with all and whatsoever is contained within the foresaid book. And likewise I do hereby heartily witness and testify against popery, prelacy, Erastianism, heresy, and other errors, especially quakerism, and whatsoever is disconform and disagreeable to the holy Scriptures, and these other sound writings above-mentioned. And likewise, I witness and testify my abhorrence and detestation of that abominable and blasphemous Test, which is now so violently pressed upon the people, tending to the destruction of their souls. Moreover, I leave my wife and six small children to the care and protection of Almighty God, who hath promised to be a father to the fatherless, and an husband to the widow,'-and my soul to God who gave it, for whose cause I now willingly lay down my life: and now I bid farewell to all earthly and carnal comforts. Farewell all Christian acquaintance: and welcome Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, into whose bands I commit my spirit! Sic sub. JOHN COCHRAN."* At the same time also suffered upon the same heads of truth, and adhering to the same testimony, these two pious martyrs, John Whitelaw, and Arthur Bruce, who were interrogated upon the same things before the Council or Lords of Justiciary, and agreed with the foregoing martyr in every respect, and expressed in their testimonies the like satisfaction with their lot, and cheerfulness under the cross, and their adherence to the same principles, and abhorrence of the same errors.-C. W. XXXIV. GEORGE MARTIN. [It appears that this good man who had for some time practised as a Notary at Dailly in Ayrshire, endured with exemplary patience, a long tract of sufferings. He was apprehended towards the end of 1679, and for upwards of four years-remained under great severities. He was for a great part of that time, day and night, in irons; and mostly without fire and other necessaries,—even during the most inclement weather. Why he was so long detained in prison, we have no account. It was, however, not till the 18th of February, 1684, that he was brought to trial, after having been previously examined on the 11th of that month. He was found guilty, of course; and that on the usual grounds of refusing to pray for the king, to renounce the covenant, to declare the rising at Bothwell rebellion, and the bishop's death, murder. He was executed, in pursuance of his sentence, on the 22d of February following— leaving behind him the testimony which is subjoined.] "MY DEAR FRIENDS,--After four years' and nearly four months' captivity and bondage, for this glorious and honourable cause of Jesus Christ, -for which I have been kept sometimes in bolts and fetters, night and day, without fire and other necessaries; and now at the end of the foresaid space, being sentenced to die, I thought it fit to signify to you why I was so sentenced, as the adversaries gave it forth and it is thus; I could not own nor allow of the king's authority, as it is now established, nor pray for him in a superstitious and idolatrous manner, nor call the late prelate of St. Andrews', and the late king's death murder, nor Bothwell-bridge rebellion, and abjure the Covenant: all which I refused, and could do upon no terms. "As to the first, I could not own nor allow of the present • Cloud of Witnesses, pp. 265, 267. government, as it is now established, because it is derogatory to the crown and kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ, in robbing him of his royal prerogatives; in their setting of their threshold by his threshold, and their posts by his posts, and the wall between him and them, they have even defiled his holy name, by their abominations that they have committed.' Ezek. xliii. 8. And, Ezek. xliv. 6, 7, 8. ' And thou shalt say to the rebellious house, even to the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord God, O ye house of Israel, let it suffice you of all your abominations, in that ye have brought into my sanctuary strangers, uncircumcised in heart, and uncircumcised in flesh, to be in my sanctuary to pollute it, even my house, when ye offer my bread, the fat and the blood, and they have broken my covenant, because of all their abominations. And ye have not kept the charge of mine holy things but ye have set keepers of my charge in my sanctuary for yourselves.' Shall even he that hateth right govern? and wilt thou condemn him that is most just ?' Job xxxiv. 17. Who durst do it and be guiltless? and moreover, Which say to the seers see not, and to the prophets, prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits. Get ye out of the way, turn aside out of the path, cause the holy One of Israel cease from before us,' Isa. xxx. 10, 11. And I cannot, nor dare not pray for him so superstitiously. 1st, Because it imports a set form of prayer, which is most superstitious, and that which is their dreadful design. 2dly, It imports idolatry, like unto the cry of the people made mention of, Acts xix. 34. who had a cry for the space of two hours, of that idol, Great is Diana of the Ephesians,' which was rejected by some of their own sort, with some kind of reason, though heathens, and much more ought it here. 3dly, Another reason why I cannot pray after such a manner, is, I find when prayer is rightly discharged, and seriously gone about, in the manner, time, and place, as is warranted by the word of God; God is thereby worshipped and honoured; and if irreverently gone about, he is dishonoured, and his name profaned, and taken in vain, which is abomination to him,-which he saith, his enemies do, and for which he will not hold them guiltless. 4thly, I dare not pray so superstitiously for him, because I find Jeremiah expressly forbidden to pray for a people, not guilty of all the things that he is guilty of, though he be guilty of all their sins, and many others also. See for this, Jer. vii. 16. where it is said,Pray not thou for this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer for them, neither make intercession to me; for I will not hear thee.' Jer. xi. 14. Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up a cry or prayer for them; for I will not hear them in the time that they cry unto me for their trouble.' And Jer. xiv. 11, 12. Then said the Lord unto me, Pray not for this people for their good: when they fast, I will not hear their prayer.' Psalm xliv. 20, 21. If we have forgotten the name of our God, or stretched out our hands to a strange god; shall not God search this out; for he knoweth the secrets of the heart.' 1 John v. 16. If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death; I do not sav, that he shall pray for it.' I fear some |