And as I have lived in the faith of this, that the three kingdoms are married lands; so I die in the faith of it, that there will be a resurrection of his name, word, cause, covenants, and of all his interests therein, though I dare not determine the time when, nor the manner how, but leave all these things to the infinitely wise God, who hath done, and will do all things well. O that he would return to this land again, repair our breaches, take away our backslidings, and appear for his work! O! that he were pacified towards us. O! that he would pas、 by Scotland again, and make our time a time of love: come Lord Jesus, come quickly,-himself hasten it in his own time and way. The Lord is my light, and my life; my joy, my song, and my salvation!' The God of his chosen be my mercy to-day, and the enriching comforts of the Holy Ghost keep me up, and carry me fair through, to the glory of his grace, to the edification of his people, and to my own eternal advantage! Amen.

Sic Sub.-JOHN KID."*

XXVI. JOHN KING.

[It appears that Mr. King had officiated for some time as chaplain to Lord Cardross, and that in 1674, and the following year, he was apprehended in his lordship's house. In the former instance he was liberated on a bond of security, and on the latter was rescued by the interference of some country people who had benefited by his ministry. About a month before the battle of Bothwell he was, with seventeen others, again seized in the neighbourhood of Hamilton, and being carried by Claverhouse to Drumclog, was there retaken by the victorious covenanters. Some days after the defeat at Bothwell, he was taken at the Laird of Blairs, in Dalry, Ayrshire, and being forthwith marched to Edinburgh, he was examined and tried, condemned and executed, along with Mr. Kid. They enjoyed much peace and joy in their last moments, and delivered their testimonies with perfect composure and serenity of mind. Their heads and right hands were cut off, and affixed on the Netherbow Port of Edinburgh, beside that of Mr. Guthrie, as new monuments of the injustice of this period.]

"Men and Brethren :-I do not doubt, but many that are spectators here, have some other end than to be edified by what they may see in the behaviour, and hear in the last words of one going into eternity. But if any of you have ears to hear, which I nothing doubt but some of this great gathering have, therefore I desire your ears and attention, if the Lord shall help, and permit, to speak a few things.

"I. I bless the Lord, since infinite wisdom and holy providence hath so carved out my lot to die after this manner, that I die not unwillingly, neither by force. It is true, I could not do this of myself,

Naphtali, pp. 424-435.

nature having always an inclination to put the evil day far away, but through grace I have been helped, and by his grace hopeful, yet shall; and though possibly I might have shunned such an hard sentence, if I had done things, that, though I could, I durst not do-no not for my soul—yet, I durst not, God knoweth, redeem my life by the loss of my integrity and honesty. I bless the Lord, that since I have been apprehended, and a prisoner, God hath very wonderfully upholden me, and made out that comfortable word, Fear not, be not dismayed, I am with thee, I will uphold thee by the right hand of my righteousness,' Isa. xliii. 10. I thank the Lord, he never gave me leave so much as to have a thought, much less to seek after any shift that might have been in the least sinful. I did always, and yet do judge it better to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season: therefore I am come hither to suffer, and to lay down my life. I bless the Lord, I die not as a fool: though I acknowledge I have nothing to boast of myself; I acknowledge I am a sinner, and one of the chiefest that have gone under the name of a professor in religion, yea, amongst the unworthiest of those that have preached the gospel; my sins and corruptions have been many, and have defiled me in all things, and even in the doing and following of duty, I have not wanted my own sinful infirmities and weakness: so that I may justly say, I have no righteousness of mine own, all is vile like filthy rags. But blessed be God, that there is a Saviour for sinners,—and an advocate, Jesus Christ the righteous; and I do believe, 'Jesus Christ is come into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief;' and that through faith in his righteousness I have obtained mercy; and that through him, and him only, I desire to hope for, and have a happy and glorious victory over sin, Satan, hell, and death; and that I shall attain to the righteousness of the just, and be made partaker of eternal life. I know in whom I have believed, and that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him against that day.' I have in my poor capacity preached salvation in his name, and as I have preached, so do I believe; with all my soul I have commended, and yet I do commend to all of you, the riches of his grace, and faith in his name, as the alone and only way whereby ye can be saved.

"II. It may be, many may think, but I bless the Lord withou any solid ground, that I suffer as an evil-doer, and as a busybody in other men's matters, but I reckon not so much on that (having the testimony of my conscience), for it was the lot of our blessed Lord Jesus himself, and also the lot of many of his eminent precious servants and people, to suffer by the world as evil-doers; yea, I think, I have so far ground not to fear at such a lot, that I count it my nonsuch honour. And oh! what am I, that I should have been honoured so, when so many Worthies have panted after the like, and have not come at it; and my soul rejoiceth in being brought into conformity with my blessed Lord and Head, and such blessed company, in this way and lot; and I desire to pray, that I may be to none of you today a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence: and blessed is he

that shall not be offended in Christ and his poor followers and members, because of being condemned by the world as evil-doers.

"As for these things for which sentence of death was passed against me,-I bless the Lord, my heart doth not condemn me. Rebellious I have not been, neither do I judge it to be rebellion, for me to have endeavoured, in my capacity, what possibly I could, for the ruined and borne-down interest of our Lord and Master, and for the relief of my poor brethren afflicted and persecuted, not only in their liberties, privileges, and persons, but also in their lives;-therefore it was that I joined with that poor handful.* The Lord knows,-who is the searcher of hearts, that neither my design nor practice was against his majesty's person and just government; but I always intended to be loyal to lawful authority in the Lord. I thank God, my heart doth not condemn me of any disloyalty: I have been loyal, and do recommend it to all to be obedient to higher powers in the Lord. And, that I preached at field meetings, which is the other ground of my sentence; I am so far from acknowledging that the gospel preached that way, was a rendezvousing in rebellion, as it is termed, that I bless the Lord that ever counted me worthy to be a witness to such meetings, which have been so wonderfully countenanced and owned, not only to the conviction, but even to the conversion of many thousands; yea, I do assert, that if the Lord hath had a purer church and people in this land than another, it hath been in and among these meetings in fields and houses, so much now despised by some, and persecuted by others. That I preached up rebellion and rising in arms against authority,-I bless the Lord, my conscience doth not condemn me in this, it never being my design: If I could have preached Christ and salvation in his name, that was my work, and herein have I walked according to the light and rule of the word of God, and as it did become, (though one of the meanest,) a minister of the gospel.

"III. I have been looked on by some, and misrepresented by others, as having been of a divisive and factious humour, and one that stirred up division in the church; but I am hopeful, that ye will

• Mr. King here refuses the term rebellion, as the proper designation of the rising, in which he had participated, and he assigns to himself, two motives, for having joined his persecuted brethren :-namely, the restoration of their civil, as well as their religious liberty. Whether the latter of these ought ever to be made a ground of war, has by some been questioned; but there can be no hesitation in admitting, as such a ground, the recovery or defence of civil and political freedom. Even, therefore, keeping out of view "the ruined and borne. down interests of his Lord and Master," which also, Mr. King has mentioned as a reason for the rising, it must be plain, that the state of his brethren, afflicted and persecuted in their liberties, persons, and lives, affords a reason quite sufficient, to justify the conduct of those who engaged in that enterprise. This might be made to appear, even on the general ground of that supposed contract, to which, philosophers have attempted to trace the mutual obligations of sovereign and subject; but allowing the purely fictitious nature of such a contract, it is certainly put beyond all doubt, when we consider the terms of that real and actual compact which took place between King Charles and the people of Scotland, when they respectively swore allegiance to the solemn league and covenant.

give me charity, being within a little to stand before my Judge, and I pray the Lord that he will forgive them that did so misrepresent me: and I thank the Lord, whatever men did say of me concerning this, that, upon the contrary, I have often dissuaded from such ways, and of this my conscience bears me witness. But here I would not have any to mistake me, as if I did approve of ways and practices contrary to the word of God, and our covenanted reformed religion. As I ever abhorred division and faction in the church, as that which tends to its utter ruin, if the Lord prevent it not; so I would in the bowels of my Lord and Master (if such a feckless one as I may presume) persuade and exhort both ministers and professors, If there be any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels of mercy;-that ye be like minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind;-in lowliness of mind et each esteem others better than himself,' Phil. ii. 1-3. Harmoniousness and oneness in the things of God can never enough be sought after, and harmony and unitedness in things that tend to the prejudice and hurt of Christ's interests, can never enough be fled from and avoided. And, as I am willing to lay down my tabernacle, so also I die in the faith of the holy scriptures, and in the faith of the apostles and primitive Christians, and protestant reformed churches, and particularly of this church of Scotland, whereof I am a poor member, that hath been so powerfully carried on against so much opposition, by the mighty power and goodness of God.

"IV. I bear my witness to the doctrine and worship, discipline and government of the church of Scotland, by kirk sessions and presbyteries, synods and general assemblies. As also, I bear my witness

and testimony unto our solemn covenants, national and solemn league betwixt the three kingdoms, which sacred and solemn oaths, I believe, cannot be dispensed with, or loosed by any person or party upon the earth, but are still binding upon these nations, and will be so for ever hereafter. Also I bear my witness and testimony unto our public confessions of sins, and engagement to duties, and that either as to what concerns the reformation of our families or persons, or the reformation of the whole land in general; as also the causes of God's wrath, the rejecting of which is to be feared to be one of the greatest causes of God's wrath this day against our land. I also do bear witness and testimony to the protestation given in against the controverted assemblies in their public resolutions, for bringing in the malignant party into places of power and trust, contrary to our solemn engagements and obligations to God. I also adhere to our Confessions of Faith, Shorter and Larger Catechisms. I bear witness and testimony against popery, which is so greatly increased; yea, so much countenanced and professed openly by many, and that without the least punishment. I bear witness against that antichristian prelacy, now established by a law, contrary to our vows to the almighty God; and against the rescinding of our solemn engagements and oaths, as a thing that calls for divine vengeance, and against all oaths and bonds contrary to our covenant and engagements, especially the oath of supremacy, the declaration against our covenant, and that bond called

the bond of peace; and that horrid bond so frequently imposed against the meetings of his people in houses and fields, intended for the downbearing of the gospel and interest of our Lord and Master, with all these bonds, public and private, contrary to our obligations and oaths to God. Also, against all such as connive at, complies with, or strengthens the hands of the malignant, prelatic, and persecuting party : against all schism and heresy, contrary to our engagements with God, and especially against that ruining and soul-deluding evil, or rather devilry,-Quakerism, so much connived at, if not allowed and countenanced by many, whose office it is to restrain it: as also, against all the steps and courses of backsliding and defection, which has been and now is on foot in this land, and against all the branches and parts thereof, under whatsoever name or notion.

"V. Moreover, I bear my testimony to all the testimonies given both formerly and of late by our suffering and banished witnesses, and to all the testimonies of our first witnesses, noblemen, gentlemen, and others, that have suffered in this city and kingdom, who cheerfully laid down their lives with admirable divine assistance, and to all these who have laid down their lives, either formerly, or of late in the fields. As also, to all these who have sealed their testimonies either with forfeitures, imprisonment, or banishment, on this account, score, ard quarrel. And particularly I bear my testimony against that horrid violation done to our Lord Jesus Christ, and that by usurping upon his royal prerogatives, and in spoiling him of his crown, sceptre, sword, and royal robe, by taking the princely ornaments to invest a man, whose breath is in his nostrils, through that woful supremacy so much applauded, and universally owned, even by those, of whom better things might be expected; I mean the indulged, and such as countenance them in that way, even to the ruining and renting of the church, which is also, too too evident by sad and doleful experience. As also, I leave my testimony against this cess imposed by the late convention of estates, whereby the enemies of Christ and his church are supplied with all necessaries, for the utter extirpating of the interest of Christ in this church.

"VI. There is one thing more I would say, the Lord seems to be very wroth with this land; the causes are many. 1. The dreadful slights our Lord Jesus has received in the offers of his gospel. 2. The horrid profanity that has overpassed the whole land, that not only religion in its exercise, but even common civility is gone. 3. The horrid perjury in the matters of our vows and engagements; it is to be feared, the Lord will bring his sword on the land, which shall avenge the quarrel of his covenant. 4. There is a dreadful formality and supineness in the duties of religion, which is introductive to that wo which came upon the careless daughters. 5. Horrid ingratitude; what do we render to him for his goodness? Is it not the most of all that we do, to work wickedness, and strengthen our hands to do evil? 6. The want of humility under all our troubles; we are brought low, yet we are not low in the sight of God. 7. Dreadful covetousness and minding of our own things, more than the things of God, and this amongst all ranks; would to God that there were not too much