As they were preparing to go into the cart, he faid, “Come my dear friends, let us go on joyfully, for the Lord is making ready to receive us into everlasting habitations." Then turning to the fpectators he said, " My friends, God be your guide! God direct you in the right way to eternal glory! It is but a fhort time and we fhall be where all forrow and fighing fhall flee away. Turn from the evil of your ways, and you alfo with us fhall ftand with the innumerable company on Mount Sion." As they went along, he frequently spoke to the people, exhorting them to repentance. To fome he faid, "Ye poor creatures, you do not know where. I am going. See that you love Chrift; fee that you follow Chrift; and then you will come there too." He likewise gave out and fung feveral hymns; particularly that, with which he was always deeply affected, All the people who faw them, feemed to be amazed; but much more when they came to the place of execution. A folemn awe overwhelmed the whole multitude. As foon as the Executioner had done his part with Lancafter and the two that were with him, he called for a hymn-book, and gave out a bymn with a clear, ftrong voice. And after the Ordinary had prayed, he gave out and fung the fifty-first pfalm. He then took leave of his fellow-fufferers with all poffible marks of the moft tender affection. He bleft the perfons who had attended him, and commended his own foul to God. Even a little circumftance that followed feems worth' obferving. His body was carried away by a company hired of the furgeons; but a crew of failors purfued them, took it from them by force, and delivered it to his mother, by which means it was decently interred, in the prefence of many who praised God on his behalf. One thing which occafioned fome amazement, was, that even after death there were no marks of violence upon him; his face was not at all bloted and disfigured; no, nor even changed from its natural colour. But he lay with a calm, fmiling countenance, as one in a sweet sleep. : He died on Friday, Oct. 28, and was buried on Sunday the 30th. Sarah Peters, having now finished her work, felt her body fink apace. On Wednesday, Nov. 3, fhe took her bed, having the fymptoms of a malignant fever, fhe praised God in the fires for ten days, continually witneffing the good confeffion, "I have fought the good fight, I have kept the faith: I am going to receive the crown." And a little after midnight, on Sunday 13, her spirit also returned to God. An Account of fome remarkable Deaths. J. W. HURSDAY, Dec. 8, 1748, I faw one crying out (in a THU high fever) "O Sir, I am dying, without God, without Chrift, without Hope." I fpoke ftrongly of the mercies of, God in Christ, and left him a little revived. The next night he told me, "For fome time after you were here, I was, I know not how; fo light and eafy! I had no doubt but God would have mercy upon me; but now I am dark again, I fear left I fhould perifh at the laft." He then broke out into prayer. I left him a little eafier, beginning again to caft his care upon God. Sunday Sunday 11. Several of our brethren called upon him and found his hope gradually increafing. Monday 12, He expreffed a ftrong confidence in the mercy of God, and said, he feared nothing but left he should live and turn back into the world. Before noon he was a little delirious; but as foon as any one spoke of God, he recovered himfelf and prayed so vehemently, as to fet all that heard him in tears. I called once more about fix in the evening, and commended his foul to God. He was fpeechlefs, but not without fenfe, as the motion of his lips plainly fhewed; though his eyes were generally fixt upwards, with a look which faid, "I fee God." About half an hour after I went away, his foul was fet at liberty. Thus, in the ftrength of his years, died Francis Butts, one, in whose lips was found no guile. He was an honest man, fearing God, and earnestly endeavouring to work righteousness. Saturday 24. I buried the body of William Turner, who, towards the close of a long illness, had been removed into Guy's Hospital, though with fmall hope of recovery. The night before his death he was delirious, and talked loud and incoherently, which occafioned many in the ward to gather round his bed, in order to divert themselves. But in that hour it pleased God to restore him at once to the full use of his understanding; and he began praifing God and exhorting them to repent, fo as to pierce many to the heart. He remained for fome time in this laft labour of love, and then gave up his foul to God. Tuesday 27. Mr. Glanvile died. He was at the burial of Frances Butts, and was then saying, "What a mercy it is, that I am alive? that I was not cut off a year ago?" The fame night he was taken ill, and was for the most part delirious. In his lucid intervals he seemed intent on the things of God, I saw him not till the night before his death; he answered me fenfibly once or twice, faying, "He hoped to meet me in a better place." Then he raved again; fo I used a short prayer, and commended his fpirit to God. J. W. Some Some Account of Mr. WISHART. [Concluded from page 98.] N Feb. 1546, Mr. Wishart was fent for by cardinal Beton, I to give an account of his doctrine: the cardinal called all his retinue to come armed to the place of their fitting, which was the abbey church. When Mr. Wifhart was brought, there was a poor man lying at the door, that asked his alms, to whom he flung his purfe; when he came before the cardinal, there was a dean appointed to preach; whose fermon being ended, Wishart was put up into the pulpit to hear his charge: and one Lawder, a prieft, ftood over againft him, and read a fcrowl full of bitter accufations and curfes, fo that the ignorant people thought the earth would have opened and fwallowed up Wishart quick: but he flood with great, patience without moving, or once changing his countenance: the pricft having ended his curfes, fpit at Mr. Wifhart's face, faying, What anfwereft thou? thou runnagate, traitor, thief. Then Mr. Wifhart fell upon his knees, making his prayer unto God; after which he faid, Many horrible fayings; many words abominable to hear, have ye fpoken here this day: which, not only to teach, but even to think of, I ever though a great abomination. He then gave them an account of his doctrine, anfwering to every article as far as they would give him leave to fpeak; but they, without having any regard to his answers, prefently condemned him to be burnt. After which fentence, falling upon his knees, he faid, O immortal God! how long wilt thou fuffer the ungodly to exercise their fury upon thy fervants, who further thy word in this world? while they, on the contrary, feek to deftroy the truth, whereby thou haft revealed thy felf to the world. O Lord, Lord, we know certainly that thy true fervants muft fuffer for thy fake, perfecutions, afflictions, and troubles; yet we desire that thou wouldst preferve and defend thy church, and give thy people grace to hear thy word, and to be thy true fervants in this prefent life. Then were the common people put out, the bishops not defiring that they should hear the innocent man fpeak, and so they sent him again to the caftle, till the fire should be made ready; two friars came to him in the castle, requiring him to make his confeffion to them, to whom he said, I will make no confeffion to you, but fetch me that man who preached even now, and I will speak with him; then was the fub-prior brought, with whom he conferred a pretty while, till the fub-prior wept, who going to the cardinal, told him that he came not to intercede for Mr, Wishart's life, but to make known his innocency to all men; at which words the cardinal was very angry, faying, We know long ago what you are. The captain of the caftle, with fome friends, coming to Mr. Wishart, asked him if he would break his faft with them: yea,, faid he, very willingly, for I know you are honeft men in the mean time he defired them to hear him a little; and fo he difcourfed to them about the Lord's fupper, his fuffering and death for us, exhorting them to love one another, laying afide all rancour and malice as becomes the members of Chrift, who continually intercedes for us to his Father. Afterwards he gave thanks, and blessing the bread and wine, he took the bread and brake it, giving it to every one, faying, eat this; remember that Chrift died for us, and feed on it fpiritually; then taking the cup, he bade them. remember that Chrift's blood was fhed for them. He then gave thanks and prayed for them, and fo retired into his chamber. Prefently after, two executioners came from the cardinal. One of whom put on him a black linen coat; the other brought bags of powder, which they tied about several parts of his body, and fo they brought him forth to the place of execution. Juft oppofite to it, the cafle windows' |