sweet love to me, I might have been a sufferer for the worst of crimes: for there is in me what is in the worst of creatures; a remarkable instance of which I was trysted with long since, which, while I live, I will not forget. Being at home working with my father, and having mended a chest-lock to an honest woman, I went home with it to put it on. The woman not being at leisure, there was a gun standing beside me; and I oft-times having guns amongst my hands to dress, took it up, and, not adverting that it was loaded, thinking the gun not good, tried to fire it; whereupon it went off, and the ball went up through a loft above, and had almost killed a woman and a child; and had not Providence directed that shot, I had suffered as a murderer: and am I not obliged to follow and suffer for the chiefest among ten thousand, that has so honoured me a poor wretch? for many other things have escaped me; but I may not stay to mention what the Lord has done for me, both at field-preachings and other places.

"I have had a continued warfare, and my predominants grew mightily on my hand, which made my life sometimes heavy; but among the many sweet nights and days I have had, was that 23d in the evening, and 24th in the morning, of August 1681. The Lord was kind to me. That was the beginning of mornings indeed, whereon I got some of the Lord's love, and whereon I got an open door, and got a little within the court, and there was allowed to give in what I had to say, either as to my own soul's case, or the case of the church, which is low at this day. Í have indeed had some sweet days since: but I have misguided them, and could not keep in with him; for my corruptions are so mighty, that sometimes I have been made to cry out, Woes me that ever I was born a man of strife and contention to many! O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? But the Lord maketh up all again with his love; so that I have many ups and downs in my case. I have forgotten some things particularly worthy remark; such as, one night I was set upon by a French captain, when out of town; but the Lord remarkably delivered me, and brought me back again. So the Lord has let me see, I might have suffered for worse actions. So that I have no ground but to be for God while I live, and bless his name that ever honoured me with this dignity of suffering for his name and honourable cause.

"What will become of me, is yet uncertain; but upon some considerations what the land was doing in bringing in Popery, the love I bear to the Lord, and his righteous cause, made me give in my protestation against the parliament, which this present year, 1681, has made laws for the strengthening of Popery: and I could do no less; for the glory of God was dearer to me than my life.

"And now, for any thing I know, I will be tortured, and my life taken, and so will get no more written. As to any that read it, I beg of them to shun all that is evil in my life, as they wish to shun hell; and if there be any thing in it that is for use, I request the Lord that he may bring it home upon them when I am gone, and make it useful for them that read it. So I bid you all farewell, desiring none of you may slight your time or duty as I have done; but shun the appearances of evil, cleave to that which is good, and spend much of your time with God. Be not idle night nor day; and give not ever much sleep unto yourselves.-O! Sirs, if you would be prevailed with to spend time for God, it would be the sweetest and most desirable service ever you took in hand. O be persuaded to fall in love with him, who is, without compare, the chiefest

among ten thousand, yea, altogether lovely.-Take him for your all, and bind yourselves hand and foot to his obedience. Let your ears be nailed to the posts of his doors, and be his servants for ever.

"And now, seeing I get no more time allowed me here on earth, I close with my hearty farewell to all friends; and pray the Lord may "guide them in all truth, and keep them from dreadful snares that are coming through this covenanted land of Scotland. So I bid you all farewell, and be faithful to the death. I know not certainly what may become of me after this; but I look and expect, that my time in this world is now near an end, and so desire to welcome all that the Lord sends. Thinking presently to be called in before God's enemies, I subscribe it,

Sept. 28. 1781.

ROBERT GARNOCK."

And having now with pleasure heard somewhat of the life and exer. cises of Robert Garnock, we come now to notice somewhat anent his trial, death, or martyrdom, which now hastens apace. So, according to his own expectation above narrated, he was brought before the Council, October 1, where he disowned the King's authority, refused them as his judges, and on the 7th was brought before the Justiciary, and indicted, "That he did before the Council, on the 1st of October, decline the an thority of the King and Council, and called the King and Council tyrants, murderers, perjured, and mansworn; declaring it was lawful to rise in arms against them; and gave in a most treasonable paper, termed, A Protestation and Testimony against Parliamenters; wherein he terms the members of parliament idolaters, usurpers of the Lord's inheritance; and protests against their procedure in their heli-hatched acts; which paper is signed by his hand, whereby he is guilty of treason. And further, gave in a declaration to the Council, wherein the said Robert Garnock disown! the King's authority and government, and protests against the Council as tyrants. Therefore," &c. By such an explicit confession, his own papers being turned to an indictment, without any matters of fact against him, there was no difficulty of probation, his own protest and declinature being produced before the Justiciary and assize to whom he was remitted. But before the assize were enclosed, Robert Garnock, and other five who were indicted with him, delivered a paper to the inquest, containing a protestation and warning, wherein " they advise them to consider what they are doing, and upon what grounds they pass a sentence upon them. They declare they are no rebels; they disown no authority that is ac cording to the word of God, and the covenants the land is bound by They charge them to consider how deep a guilt covenant-breaking is and put them in mind they are to be answerable to the great Judge of all for what they do in this matter; and say they do this, since they are in hazard of their lives, and against them. It is a dangerous thing to pass a sentence on men merely because of their conscience and judgment, only because they cannot in conscience yield to the iniquitous laws of ment that they are free subjects, never taken in any action contrary to the pre sent laws. Adding, that those whom they once thought should or would rule for God, have turned their authority for tyranny and inhumanity and employ it both in destroying the laws of God, and murdering his people against and without law, as we ourselves can prove and witness when brought in before them. After two years imprisonment, one of

them most cruelly and tyrant-like rose from the place of judgment, and drew a sword, and would have killed one of us ;* but Providence ordered it otherwise; however, the wound is yet to be shewn. The like action was never heard or read of. After reminding them of David Finlay, murdered at Newmills, Mr. Mitchell's case, and James Lermond, who was murdered after he was three times freed by the assize, they added that after such murders as deserve death, they cannot see how they can own them as judges, charging them to notice what they do; assuring them their blood will be heavy upon them: concluding with Jer. xxvi. 15; and charging them not to take innocent blood on their heads." Subscribed at Edinburgh, October 7, 1681..

ROBERT GARNOCK, D. FARRIE, JA. STEWART, ALEXR. RUSSELL, PAT. FORMAN, and G. LAPSLY.

Notwithstanding all this, they were brought in guilty, and sentenced to be executed at the Gallow-lee, betwixt Leith and Edinburgh, upon the 10th instant; Forman's hand to be cut off before, and the heads and hands of the rest after death, and to be set upon the Pleasance Port.

What his deportment and exercises were, at the place of execution, we are at a loss to describe; but, from what is already related, we may safely conclude, that, through divine grace, his demeanour was truly noble and Christian. But, that the reader may guess somewhat of his exercises, temper and disposition, about that time, I shall extract a few sentences of his own words from his last speech and dying testimony.

"I bless the Lord, that ever he honoured the like of me with a bloody gibbet, and bloody winding-sheet, for his noble, honourable, and sweet cause. O, will ye love him, Sirs? O, he is well worth the loving, and quitting all for. O, for many lives to seal the sweet cause with: if I had as many lives as there are hairs on my head, I would think them all little to be martyrs for truth. I bless the Lord, I do not suffer unwillingly, nor by constraint, but heartily and cheerfully. I have been a long time prisoner, and have been altered of my prison. I was amongst and in the company of the most part who suffered since Bothwell, and was in company with many ensnaring persons; though I do not question their being godly folk; and yet the Lord kept me from hearkening to their counsel. Glory, glory to his holy and sweet name. It is many times my wonder how I have done such and such things; but it is he that has done it: he hath done all things in me and for me: holy is his name. I bless the Lord I am this day to step out of time into eternity, and I am no more troubled, than if I were to take a match by marriage on earth, and not so much. I bless the Lord I have much peace of conscience in what I have done. O, but I think it a very weighty piece of business to be within twelve hours of eternity, and not troubled. Indeed the Lord is kind, and has trained me up for this day, and now I can want him no longer. I shall be filled with his love this night; for I will be with him in paradise, and get a new song put in my mouth, the song of Moses and the Lamb: I will be in amongst the general assembly of the first-born, and enjoy the sweet presence of God and his Son Jesus Christ, and the spirits of just men made perfect: I am sure of it.

"Now, my Lord is bringing me to conformity with himself, and ho

* Probably this was R. Garnock, who, though a private man, was honoured of the Lard to be a public witness, which was most galling to them.

nouring me with my worthy pastor Mr. James Guthrie: although I knew nothing when he was alive, yet the Lord hath honoured me to protest against Popery, and to seal it with my blood; and he hath honoured me to protest against Prelacy, and to seal it with my blood. The Lord has kept me in prison to this day for that end. Mr. Guthrie's head is on one port of Edinburgh, and mine must go on another. Glory, glory to the Lord's sweet name, for what he hath done for me.

"Now I bless the Lord, I am not, as many suspect me, thinking to get to heaven by my suffering. No, there is no attaining of it but through the precious blood of the Son of God. Now, ye that are the true seekers of God, and the butt of the world's malice, O be diligent, and run fast. Time is precious: O make use of it, and act for God; contend for truth; stand for God against all his enemies; fear not the wrath of man; love one another; wrestle with God; mutually, in societies, confess your faults one to another; pray one with another; reprove, exhort, and rebuke one another in love. Slight no commanded duty: be faithful in your stations, as you will be answerable at the great day; seek not counsel from men; follow none further than they hold by truth.

"Now, farewell, sweet reproaches, for my lovely Lord Jesus, though once they were not joyous but grievous, yet now they are sweet. And I bless the Lord for it; I heartily forgive all men for any thing they have said of me; and I pray it may not be laid unto their charge in the day of accounts: and for what they have done to God and his cause, I leave that to God and their own conscience. Farewell, all Christian açquaintance, father, mother, &c. Farewell, sweet prison, for my royal Lord Jesus Christ, now at an end. Farewell, all crosses of one sort or another: and so farewell, every thing in time, reading, praying, and believing. Welcome, eternal life, and the spirits of just men made perfect: welcome, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost: into thy hands I commit my spirit.— Sic subscribitur.

"ROBERT GARNOCK.”

Accordingly, the foregoing sentence in all its parts was executed upon them all, except Lapsly, who got off. And so they had their passage from the valley of misery to the celestial country above, to inhabit the land where the inhabitants say not, I am sick, and the people that dwell therein are forgiven all their iniquities.

Thus ended Robert Garnock in the flower of his youth; a young man, but old in experimental religion. His faithfulness was as remarkable as his piety, and his courage and constancy as both. He was inured into tribulations almost from his youth, wherein he was so far from being dis couraged at the cross of Christ, that he, in imitation of the primitive martyrs, seemed rather ambitious of suffering. He always aimed at honesty; and notwithstanding all opposition from pretended friends and professed foes, he was, by the Lord's strength, enabled to remain un shaken to the last: for, though he was nigh tripped, yet with the faithful man he was seldom foiled, never vanquished. May the Lord enable many in this apostate, insidious, and lukewarm generation, to emulate the martyr, in imitation of him who now inherits the promise, Be thou faithful unto the death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

N. B. The faithful and pious Mr. Renwick was present, and was much affected at the above execution: after which, he assembled some friends, and lifted their bodies in the night, and buried them in the West Kirk

They also got their heads down; but, day approaching, they could not make the same place, but were obliged to turn aside to Laurieston's yards, in whom one Alexander Tweedie, then in company with them, was gardener, it is said, planted a white-rose bush above them, and a red one below them a little; which proved more fruitful than any bushes in all the garden. This place being uncultivated for a considerable time, they lay till October 7, 1728, that another gardener, trenching the ground, found them. They were lifted, and by direction were laid on a table in the summer house of the proprietor; and a fair linen cloth cut out and laid upon them, where all had access to come and see them; where they beheld a hole in each head, which the hangman broke with his hammer, when he drove them on the pikes, On the 19th, they were put in a full coffin, covered with black, and by some friends carried into Grayfriars church-yard, and interred near the martyrs tomb, being near forty-five years since their separation from their bodies: they were reburied on the same day, Wednesday, about four o'clock afternoon, the same time that at first they went to their resting place: and attended, says one present, "with the greatest multitude of people, old and young men and women, ministers and others, that ever I saw together." And there they lie, awaiting a glorious resurrection on the morning of the last day, when they shall be raised up with more honour, than at their death they were treated with reproach and ignominy.

MR. ROBERT M.WARD.

MR. ROBERT M'WARD was born in Glenluce. After he had gone through his course of learning at the university, he was ordained minister of the gospel at Glasgow, where he continued for sometime, in the faithful discharge of his duty, until the year 1661, that this good man and affectionate preacher began to observe the design of the then managers to overturn the whole covenanted-work of reformation. In the month of February that year, he gave a most faithful and seasonable testimony against the glaring defections of that time, in an excellent sermon in the Trone Church of Glasgow, upon a week-day; which sermon was afterWards the ground of a most severe prosecution. His text was in Amos iii. 2. You have I known of all the families of the earth, &c. He had preached apon it for sometime upon the week-days; and, after he had run through personal abounding sins, and those of the city, he came to the general and national sins, that were then abounding; and, having enlarged upon these things in scriptural eloquence, in a most moving way, he gives a good many pertinent directions to mourn, consider, repent, and return, to wrestle and pour out their souls before the Lord, and encourag eth them to these duties from this, "That God would look upon these duties as their dissent from what is done, prejudicial to his work and interest, and marked them among the mourners of Zion." But what was most noticed, was that with which he closeth this sermon," As for my part, (saith he.) as a poor member of this church of Scotland, and an unworthy minister in it, I do this day call you who are the people of God to witness, that I humbly offer my dissent to all acts which are w shall be passed against the covenants and the work of reformation in