A compleat history of the most remarkable providences both of judgment and mercy, which have hapned in this present age extracted from the best writers, the author's own observations, and the numerous relations sent him from divers parts of the three kingdoms : to which is added, whatever is curious in the works of nature and art / the whole digested into one volume, under proper heads, being a work set on foot thirty years ago, by the Reverend Mr. Pool, author of the Synopsis criticorum ; and since undertaken and finish'd, by William Turner...

14. Mr. John Hicks's Last Speech, 1685.

I Suppose the Spectators here present may expect I should speak something before I leave this Sanguinary Stage and Passage through my Bloody Sufferings, by which my Immortal Spirit will be speedily transported into an invisible and eternal World, and I conclude, that they have different Resentments hereof. Some resent them with much Joy, high Exultation, and Triumph, others with equal Grief and Sorrow; that to the one I am a most pleasant Spectacle, that they behold me with high complacency and delight; but to the other I am a mournful and unplea∣sant one, and they behold me with no less pity and compassion. Concerning the first, I can say, I freely and heartily forgive them, and heartily pray that God would most mercifully and gra∣ciously

prevent their mourning through Misery, not only here, but eternally hereafter. Con∣cerning the other, I will say, Weep for your own sins, and for the sins of the Nation, for the highest Rebellions that ever were committed against the great and eternal God; lament bitterly for those sins that have been the meritorious Cause of the late terrible Judgment, that which I fear will cause God to break in upon this Nation with an overflowing Deluge of Judgments, which are far more tremendous and dreadful. As for Sympathizing with me, in drinking this bitter Cup appointed for me, I return you most humble and hearty thanks, earnestly desiring God to come unto you, and fill your Souls with all Coelestial Comforts, and Spiritual Conso∣lations. Something I must say to purge and clear my self from a false Accusation laid to my Charge; as that I was engaged with Col. Blood in Rescuing Col. Mason near Boston, when he was sent down with a Guard from London to York, to be Tryed for High Treason; and that I was the Man that killed the Barber of that City; and that also I was with him when he stole the Crown. Now, as I am a dying Man, and upon the very brink of a very stupendous Eternity, (the truth and reality whereof I firmly believe) without any Reservation, or the least Equivo∣cation, I do declare in the Presence of the All-seeing God, that Impartial Judge, before whom in a very little time I must appear, I never saw nor conversed with Mr. Thomas Blood, from 1656, till after he stole the Crown, which was in 71, or 72; nor was ever engaged with him in any of his Treasonable Plots and Practices. 'Tis true, I being involved in great trouble of another Na∣ture, (of which I have given to the World a Narrative, and which is notoriously known in the Country where I then lived, by some that were Enemies to me for my Preaching) I was per∣swaded to apply my self to Mr. Blood, to procure by his Intercession his late Majesty's Gracious Favour: Accordingly he brought me into his Royal Presence; while I was there, his Majesty carried it with great Clemency, without expressing one word of that which I am now charged with. Mr. Blood continued with his Majesty a little longer than I did; then he told me, that he had granted me a Pardon, which I did thankfully accept of, knowing it would free me from all Penalties and Troubles that I was obnoxious to, and were occasioned to me by my Nonconfor∣mity. Then engaging him to take out my Pardon, he told me, That he got it out with several others that had been engaged with him in several Treasonable Designs and Actions; at which I was troubled, supposing it might be imputed to me thereby; yet, God knows, I have often since reflected upon it with great regret and dissatisfaction. If Mr. Blood did inform the late King, to make himself the more considerable, and to bring as many of his Party as he could to accept of their Pardons, that he might be rendered utterly incapable of Plotting any further Mischief against his Government, or any other ways that I was engaged with him in any of his Treaso∣nable Attempts; I now appeal to God, as a dying Man, concerning it, that he hath done me an irreparable wrong. I also in the same manner do declare, That I was never engaged with any Party in Plotting, or Designing, or Contriving any Treason or Rebellion against the late King; and particularly, that I was altogether unconcerned in, and unacquainted with that for which my Lord Russel and others suffered, and as much a stranger to any against the present King. And whereas it is reported of me, That at Taunton I perswaded the late Duke of Monmouth to assume the Title of King; I do once more selemnly declare, That I saw not the said Duke, nor had any Converse with him till he came to Shipton-Mallet, which was Thirteen Days after he landed, and several days after he had been at Taunton. And 'tis as false, that I rid to and fro in the West, to stir up and perswade Men to go into his Army, and Rebel against his present Ma∣jesty; for I was in the East Country when the Duke landed, and from thence I went directly to him, when he was at Shipton-Mallet, not one Man accompanying me from thence. But hitherto as I lived, so now I die, owning and professing the true Reformed Christian (commonly called the Protestant) Religion, which is founded on the pure written Word of God only, and which I acknowledge likewise to be comprehended in the Articles of the Doctrine of the Church. This Religion I have made a reasonable and free choice of, and have heartily embraced, not only as it protests against all Pagan and Mahometan Religion, but against the Corruption of the Christian; and I humbly and earnestly pray to God that by his Infinite Wisdom, and Almighty Power, he will prevent not only the utter extirpation but diminution thereof, by the heighth and influence of what is contrary thereto; and for that end the Lord make the Professors of it to live up more to its Principles and Rules, and bring their Hearts and Conversations more under the Government and Power of the same. I die also owning my Ministry, Non-conformity, for which I have suffered so much, and which doth now obstruct the King's Grace and Mercy to be manifested and extended to me: For as I chose it not constrainedly, so I appeal to God as a dying Man, not moved from Sullenness or Humour, or Factious Temper, or Erroneous Principles of Education, or from Secular Interests, or Worldly Advantages, but clearly from the Dictates of my own Conscience, and as I judged it to be the Cause of God, and to have more of Divine Truth in it than that which is contrary thereto; so now I see no Cause to repent of it, nor to recede from it; not questioning but God will own it at the last Judgment-day. If no more had been required after the late King's Restauration to qualifie Ministers for Publick Preaching, than was after the first Restauration from the time of Charles the First, probably I might have satisfied my self therewith, and not scrupled Conformity thereto; but the Terms and Conditions thereof by a particular Law made in 1662. being not only new, but so strict and severe, that I could never have satisfaction in my own Conscience, after all Endeavours used for a Complyance therewith, and a Conformity thereto: To say nothing of the Covenant, which I never took, but the giving my Assent and Consent, have been too difficult and hard for me to comply with. And I very well remember, that about Fourteen Years ago, entring into a Discourse with Mr. Patrick Held••re, an Irish-man, who was contemporary with me in Dublin, concerning Conformity, which he much endeavoured to perswade me to; I urged the severity of the fore-mentioned Conditions against it, and after some Debates and Reasons with him, I told him, I did believe they were

contrived and designed on purpose to prevent our Publick Preaching, and to keep us out of the Church: To which he ingenuously reply'd, He judged it was so: For, said he; a Bishop in Ireland (whose Name I have forgot) told me the very same.

But though I could not wade through and conquer this Difficulty, yet I censure not those that did it; and I believe after all the hottest Disputes, and most vehement Debates, and violent Contests between Conformist and Nonconformist, there are of both Parties will be glorified in Heaven hereafter•• According to the 29th. Article of the Church of England, a visible Church is a Congregation 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Faithful Men, in the which the pure Word of God is preached, the Sa∣craments of the Lord duly administred, according to Christ's Ordinance, and all those things that of necessity are requisite and necessary to Salvation; so with such a Church have I held the most intimate Communion, and with such (did I live) could hold it: I would not therefore be so incorporated with any Church, as to exclude me from, and render me uncapable of hold∣ing Communion was other Churches; I was never strongly bound up to any Form of Eccle∣siastical Government, but that under which a pure and undefiled Religion doth flourish, and that which contains and really practises Holiness, and advances the Kingdom of God in the World, that can I approve of, and willingly live under, were I to live.

I did approve of the ancient and present Form of Civil Government English Monarchy. I am fully satisfied with, and do also declare, That it is not warrantable for any Subject to take up Arms against, and resist their Lawful Soveraigns, and Rightful Princes: And therefore, had I not been convinced by several things that I have read and heard, to believe that the late Duke of Mon∣mouth was the Legitimate Son of his Father, Charles the Second, I had never gone into his Army, judging that without this, I could not be freed from the guilt of Rebellion, which I always resolved to keep my self clear from: And though his Father deny'd he was marry'd to his Mo∣ther, I thought it might be answer'd with this; That Kings and Princes, for State-Reasons, often cannot be fathomed by their Subjects, affirming and denying things, which otherwise they would not do, and make even their Natural Affections to truckle and stoop thereto. I exhort all to abhor all Treasonable Plots, and Pretences of all Rebellion, with the highest Detestation, and to take the plain Text of Sacred Scripture to walk by, in honouring and obeying, and living in subjection to Rightful Kings, and not readily to receive, or suddenly to be impress'd with evil Reports and Defamations of them, also not rashly to be Propagators of the same.

I desire God to forgive all mine Enemies, and to give me an heart to forgive them, which are many, some mighty, and all most malicious: Particularly, Barter of Lisael, who betrayed me, and proved such a Traytor to James Duke of Monmouth, his old and intimate Friend. I am grievously afflicted that I should prove the occasion of the great Sufferings of so many Persons and Families: But this hath fallen under the Just and Wise ordering of Divine Providence, as David's going to Abimelech, when he proved the occasion of the Death of all the Persons, Men, Women, and Children in the City: But who shall say unto God, What doest thou? The care of my most dear Wife, and a great many Children, I cast upon God, who I hope will be better than the best of Husbands unto her, and the best of Fathers unto them. God knows how Just and Legal Right my Wife hath unto her Estate; to him therefore I commit her, to defend her from the Violence and Oppression of Men, particularly from a most inhumane and unnatural Brother: But no wonder if he will lay violent hands upon his Sister's Estate, that hath so often laid them on his own Father. I die a deeply humbled, self-judging, and self-condemning Sinner, loathing and abhorring my many and great Iniquities, and my self for them, earnestly desiring full Redemption from the Bonds of Corruption, under which I have groaned so many Years, long for a most perfect Conformity to the most holy and glorious God, the only infinite pure Being; thirsting for a perfect diffusion of his Grace through all the Powers and Faculties of my Soul, panting after perfect Spiritual Life and Liberty, and a consummate Love to my dearest Jesus, who is an All comprehensive Good, and to be satisfied with his Love for ever: A vigorous and vehement Zeal for the Protestant Religion, with a Belief I had of the Duke's Legitimacy, hath involved me in this ignominious Death; yet blessed be God, that by sincere Repentance, and true Faith in the Blood of Jesus, there is passage from it to a Glorious Eternal Life, and from these bitter Sorrows to the fulness of sweetest Joys that are in his Presence; and from these sharp bodily Pains to those most pure Pleasures, that are at his Right-hand for evermore. And blessed be God, that such a Death as this cannot prevent and hinder Christ's changing of my vile Body, and fashioning it like his Glorious Body, in the general Resurrection-day.

I am now going into that World, where many dark things shall be made perfectly manifest and clear, and many doubtful things fully resolved, and a plenary satisfaction given concerning them; all Disputes and Mistakes concerning Treason, Rebellion, and Schism, shall be at an end, and cease for ever: Many things that are innocent, lawful, and laudable, which have foul Marks, and black Characters stampt and fix'd upon 'em here, they shall be perfectly purified, and fully cleansed from there; where at one view, more shall be known of them, than by all wrangling Debates, and eager Disputes, or by reading all Polemical Books concerning them here. I greatly deplore and bewail the greedy Appetite, and insatiable Thirst, that Professing Protestants have after the Blood of their Brethren, and the high pleasure they take in the effusion thereof. But what will not Men do, when they are either Judicially blinded, or their secular Worldly Interest insensibly insinuates and winds it self into their Religion, is so twisted and incorporated with it, that it animates and acts it, is the Life and Soul, the vital Form and Power, and made wholly subservient thereunto?

I bless God for all my Sufferings, and particularly for this last; for the benefit and fruit of it, by God's sanctifying of them to me, have been great; hereby I have been effectually con∣vinced of the Vanity of the World, and my own sinfulness by Nature and Practice, and to see that to be sin which I never saw before; and to be more throughly humbled for what I know to

be ••n, not only of Commission, but of Omission also: Hereby I have been brought to a more thorough, deep, inward sense and feeling of the absolute necessity of the Righteousness of Christ to justifie me, and he hath been made much more dear and precious to my Soul, than ever he was before. Hereby my Soul hath been more refin'd from the Dross of Sensuality, wrought into a more Heavenly Frame, raised up to a higher pitch of Spirituality; hereby I am made more meek and humble, and so judge more charitably of others that differ from me in Opinion and Judgment: So though by God's most Righteous Judgment I have been ••••prehended, and most justly and deservedly undergo this Suffering for my Sins, yet I hope th•••• have wrought for me a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory, fitting and preparing me, making me a better qualified Subject for, and far more meet to be a Partaker of the same. By the Grace and Strength of God, I will not purchase my Life by the Death and Blood of my Prote∣stant Brethren, but choose to die rather than be a Betrayer of them; the impetuous and violent Assault of this, I dreaded more than Death it self. Blessed be God I was not exposed unto it, and conquered by it, as some have been: Having such full bodily vigour and strength, being in such perfect Health, notwithstanding my Age, predominating in me, it hath made it more difficult to die, than if I had been clogged and incumbred with Infirmities, made to bow and stoop under them by prevailing Diseases and Distempers, gradually worn out therewith, which many times makes Men weary of Life, and to desire to die; and this in Conjunction with many things (which I forbear to mention) highly gratifying and pleasing to Sense, which I must leave for ever, strengthens and heightens the Difficulty, and begets a great Regret and Re∣luctancy in my Will, to have the Earthly Tabernacle of my Body dissolved, and my Soul to dislodge and quit the same. But now when the black and gloomy Shades of Death do overspread me, I can say, to the Glory of God's most Free and Powerful Grace, True Faith in some mea∣sure hath changed the Difficulty into a Facility, and easiness of dying: It hath very much sub∣dued the reluctancy of my Will against it; for it makes future things present, and invisible things visible, and doth realize and substantiate the same to me; and as by it I penetrate and pierce into Eternity, and behold invisible and immortal things; so hereby, blessed be God, I have obtained a greater Victory over Sense: The World is crucified to me, and I to the World, and all the most pleasant and delightful Objects therein, all finite, fading Creatures, Comforts, and Enjoyments, are become minute and small, despicable and contemptible to me, in comparison thereof, being infinitely contained and comprehended therein: Shall my Soul clasp and cling about these Mortal and perishing things? Shall it cleave and be glued to them? Shall it be con∣fined and captivated into what is kept in the narrow bounds of Time, and in this lower World? Shall it earnestly desire and thirst for muddy Streams, yea, Rivers of Flesh-pleasing good; when by an Eye of Faith I can look into the indeficient, inexhaustible purest Fountain; the immense, immensurate Ocean of Divine Good; hoping to drink thereof, to swim and bathe my Soul therein for ever and ever? And when I consider how long my Ears have been bound up, and tyed to their innumerable and horrid Oaths, and cursed Blasphemies, and mine Eyes to see the Profa∣nation of the Day of God; and when I beheld such an overflowing Flood of most prodigious Impiety, such an inundation of most monstrous Iniquity, and so much Hell upon Earth, and that there is so much decay of holy Zeal, and true Piety, and Christian Religion among the Professors of it, such seeming incurable Breaches and Divisions, such expiring Love and Charity and partings among 'em; it hath powerful influence on my Soul to reconcile it more to Death, and makes it electively, and from choice to leave this present World, and to take up my abode in that which is unseen and future, where there shall be nothing but perfect Love and Holiness; a sinless state, and serving God with all unweariedness, and perfection, with the highest com∣placency and delight that immortal Souls can be capable of: There is perfect Peace and Concord the innumerable Company of Angels, and the Spirits of Just Men made perfect, all fastened together with indissoluble and uninterrupted Chains of most pure Love, and all continually wrapt up in, and transported with the highest Admiration of God's Love, his infinite and in∣comprehensible Excellencies and Perfections, singing Hallelujahs to him without ceasing, and triumphing in his Praise for ever and ever. The Consideration also, that I know so little of these Sublime, Profound, and Divine Mysteries; of the most Glorious Mystery of Salvation by Jesus Christ; that I am so uncapable to Fathom the depth of the Providences of God, whose ways are in the Sea, and whose paths are in the deep Waters, and whose foot-steps are not known, and particularly in the late stupendous and amazing one; and that I am so ignorant of the Nature of Angels and Spirits, with their Offices and Operations, and of their high and glo∣rious Excellencies; and that I am so little acquainted with the Nature of my own Soul, as at present dwelling in, and united to my Body, and as disunited and separated from it; how with∣out Corporeal Organs, it shall most vivaciously and vigorously perform all its proper Functions and Offices, and more than ever strongly and indefatigably serve the Lord Jesus, most fervently and abundantly love him, and delight in him, every way, much more obtain the supream and highest end of its Creation and Being; and this makes me much more willing to die, that I may have the knowledge thereof, with innumerable other things, that I am now either ignorant of, or do but imperfectly know, and so be made happy by a plenitude of fulness of enjoying intellectual Pleasures, which are of all other most suitable, sweet, and satisfactory to immortal Souls. And also I see that he that departs from iniquity, makes himself a Prey; and so many plunging themselves into the ways of Iniquity, lest they should be accounted odious and vile, which makes them so much degenerate not only from Christianity, but from Humanity it self, as if they were scarce the Excrement of either; contemning even that most Noble, Generous, Heroick Spirit that dwelt in many Heathens, who accounted it most honourable and glorious to contend for their Rights and Liberties; yea, to suffer Death, and the worst of Deaths, in De∣fence of the same; and judge them accursed, and most execrable in the World that do so;

and not only so, but, for their own Profit and Advantage, have many of them enslaved their Posterity by it, and are most industrious and laborious, most fierce and furious to destroy them, whereby they are become as unnatural as Children that seek the ruine of their Parents that begot them, and brought them forth; or them that lay violent hands upon themselves, dashing out their own Brains, cutting their own Throats, hanging and drawing themselves, ripping up their own Bellies, tearing out their own Bowels, they being in different senses Children and Members of that Body Politick they design and attempt the Destruction of; and when I know not how long the Duration and Continuance of these things shall be, or a Conclusion or End by God shall be put thereto, who by Divine and Unerring Wisdom Governs the World; why shall my Soul be unwilling to take its flight into the unseen and eternal World? Where no sullied, sordid, or impious thing, most incongruous and unbecoming Nature, shall be seen and found, and where I shall behold no narrow, conclusive, contracted Soul there, habitually preferring their private before a publick good, but all most unanimously and equally centre in one common universal good, and where the sighs, and groans, and cries of the afflicted and persecuted, shall be heard no more for ever.

I earnestly exhort all most highly to prize and value Time, and diligently improve it for Eternity; to be wise, seriously and seasonably to consider of their latter End: For by the irre∣pealable and irreversible Law of Heaven we must all die, yet we know not how, where, or when Live with your Souls full of solicitude and care, with a most deep concernedness, and most diligent industriousness, whilst you have time and opportunity, and the means of Grace, Health, and Strength, make sure of these two great things, viz.

1. What merits for you a Right and Title to Eternal Life and Glory, and the future unchange∣able Blessedness, as the Redeemer's most precious Blood and Righteousness; that thereby a real Application and Imputation may be unto you by sincere Believing. (2.) That that which makes you qualified Subjects for it, is the great work of Regeneration, wrought in your Souls, being renewed in the Spirit of your Minds, the Divine Nature being imprest upon them, repairing of the depraved Image of God in you; that being transformed into his own likeness, thereby in the World you may mind and savour more the things of the Spirit than the things of the Flesh, Coelestial and Heavenly more than Terrestrial and Earthly, Superiour more than Inferiour things: And therewith have a holy Life and Conversation conjoyned, that results and springs from the same, as Fruit from the Root, and Acts from the Habits. Let all, in order thereto, seriously consider these few Texts of Sacred Scripture, let them predominately possess you; let them be deeply and indelibly Transcribed upon your Souls; let them be assimilated thereunto, and made the written Epistles, the lively Pictures thereof, Matth. 5.8, 20. Blessed be the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Vers. 20. For I say unto you, except your Righteousness exceed the Righte∣ousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. John 3.3. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God. 1 Cor. 6.9, 10, 11. Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God, &c. Gal. 5.19, 20, to 23. Now the works of the Flesh are manifest, which are these, Adultery, &c. James 1.18. Of his own Will begat he us with the Word of Truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits of his Creatures. 1 Pet. 1.3. Blessed be the God and Fa∣ther of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant Mercy, hath begotten us again to a lively hope by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Vers. 13. Wherefore gird up the loyns of your Minds, &c. Colos. 3.1, 2. If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things that are above: Set your affections on things above, not, &c. Gal. 5.24. And they that are Christ's have crucified the Flesh with the Affections and Lusts, &c. Ephes. 2.1. And you hath he quickned, who were dead in trespasses and sins, Rev. 20.6. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first Resurrection, on such the second Death hath no power. Rom. 8.1. There is therefore now no Condemnation, &c. 1 Pet. 1.15. But as he that hath called you is holy, so be ye, &c. Vers. 23. Being born again, not of cor∣ruptible Seed, &c. Psal. 4.3. But know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself, &c. I shall mention now no more the whole Bible abounds with these Texts, with what a Reno∣vation and Change of our Carnal and Corrupt Hearts and Natures, there must be, with Holiness of Life and Conversation, before we can be capable of a future and blessed Immortality, and of inheriting the Kingdom of God for ever and ever. Amen.