Page:Cry from the dead, or, The ghost of the famous Mr James Guthrie appearing.pdf/24



EN and brethren, I fear many of you are come hither to gate, rather than to be edified by the carriage and laſt words of a dying man: but if any have an ear to hear. I hope ſome of this great confluence have, I deſire your audience to a few words. I am come hither to lay down this earthly tabernacle and mortal fleſh of mine, and I bleſs God, through his grace, I do it willingly and not by conſtraint. I ſay, I ſuffer willingly, if I had been ſo minded, I might have made a diverſion, and not been a priſoner; but bring conſcious to myſelf of nothing worthy of death, or of hands, I would do it in my innocency with the ſuſpicion of guiltineſs, by withdrawing: neither have I wanted opportunities and advantages to eſcape ſince I was a priſoner, not by the fault of my keepers, God knoweth, but otherwiſe; but neither for this had I light or liberty, leſt I ſhould reflect upon the Lord's name and offend the generation of the righteous; and if ſome men have not been miſtaken, or dealt deceitfully in telling me ſo, I might have avoided not only the ſeverity of the ſentence, but alſo had much favour and countenance, by complying with the courſes of the times. But I durſt not redeem thy life with the loſs of my integrity: God knowith, I durſt not; and that ſince I was a priſoner, he hath ſo holden me by the hand, that he never ſuffered me to bring it in debate in my inward thoughts, much leſs to propone or hearken to any overture of that kind. I did judge it better