is very suspiâ—â—ous of it self and so willing to know the worst of it self it bemoans and afflicts it self and thinks better of others then of it self the 3 Col 12. As the Elect of God put on the bowels of meekness loving-kindness and humility this must be done as the elect of God We read in Numbers that the Nazarites as they were to drink no wine so they were to drink no vinegar Now a Nazarite was a Type of one set apart for God such are all believers whom God hath set apart for himself God expects they should drink no vinegar that is they should not be of froward peevish waspish and sowr spirits But on the contrary of sweet meek and gentle spirits which is of great price both with God and man and of great advantage to us both in relation to our souls bodies I have been the larger in this having been here in speaking to my own soul O had I had the acquaintance with this grace formerly which the Lord hath been teaching me in the Wilderness I should certainly have been more watchful of those floods of passions then I was I should have known that nothing could be well done in anger or passion I should have considered my own frailty and laboured to have turned the stream of my affections another way I should certainly have set a higher price on the grace of meekness then I did and have made it more my business to have been humbling my soul for what had been past been mindful of renewing my Covenant daily and thereby kept my peace with my God I must beg your pardon for giving you the trouble of so many scribed lines one of thine to me excells all I can write but the excellency of the grace of meekness together with the usefulness of it at all times but more especially at such a time as this Indeed when I set pen to paper I intended anothâ—r subject but having had occasion to make tryal of the usefulnes of this Transcendent grace I could not pass it by but was enforced to present you a last of those full drafts the Lord hath been pouring forth into me even in the Wilderness of the Wilderness this I shall unridle to you hereafter But if this grace of meekness be of so transcendent excellency and usefulness then how much doth it concern us to labour both to get and keep it which that we may do the first and principâ—l means is certainly to study the word more and therein of a more full knowledge of God and Christ and of our selves Of our selves consider what once we were what we might have been and what it cost Christ to bring us out of that condition and what we would be if God should leave us to our selves but for a very little space in what condition should we then certainly be in one day Let these and the like consideratieons cause us to rise and be doing and to labour to get and keep our hearts in a ready frame and temper for every duty the Lord shall call us forth to either to do or suffer and not only so but to get our hearts in love with the duty love makes hard and difficult things light and easy and heâ— let us not loose our former encouragements nor continue in the guilt of any one sin but be careful to preserve all our former Experience to be very careful to order the duties of our present condition and conversation to beware of disturbing passions and entertain all opportunities of enjoying communion with the Saints let us be much in the exercise of faith and alwayes labouring after strength of grace indeavouring as much as in us lies to make all the wayes of Christ easie that so they may be delightful to us and when we have done all to leave the successe and issue to the Lord all whose wayes are even and none of them crooked or contrary one to the other they certainly bring strength and in all of them there is good success for that a gracious soul hath all the passages of Gods Providence to help him they being eases to the soul for that they ease the soul from care yea they make all other things easy in the wayes of Christ a gracious soul is alwayes receiving its wages in its work Psalm 110. Thy people are a willing people in the day of thy power the heart of a Christian doth readily embrace Christ because there is something in a Christians heart like Christ and from hence it is that the wayes of the Lord become strength to the righteous it must needs be easie yea even at that time when others may look upon them as most rough difficult and hard A skilful Sailor will make way to his desired port with a three quarter wind yea if he have Sea-room he will lay hold on some Tack or other though the wind blow directly against him The way from Egypt to Canaan was not long nor difficult but behold through unbelief together with a murmuring and repining spirit The constant Hand-Maids what windings and turnings did they meet with in the Wilderness before they came to Canaan the same spirit is and will be at work in every one of us and if the Lord give us not strength will exceedingly trouble us therefore we must take heed of vinegar spirits and consider that a gracious heart accounts his duty his priviledge and the reason is because the word that commands it is sweet and therefore it is he would rather come under any other burden then cast off the Yoke of Christ for that this is to him easie Now if we will follow Christ we must not think of following the World for that is at continual enmity with Christ yea those that follow the World are natural Enemies to themselves being at emnity with God To follow the World is a slighting of Christ by leaving the example of Christ and his Saints It is also below the excellency of a Christian for the Mysteries of Godliness are above the riches of the Word again it puts the soul upon a necessity of miscarrying to follow the World crosses all our prayers it hinders us from the receiving of good and deprives us of the good we had before But I must abruptly break off and take my leave of you I am Yours J. B. Another Letter of Col. Barksteads written to a Christian Friend in London MY Dear Friend I am very sensible of my great neglect of that duty which is incumbent upon me to you-ward in the Relation I stand to you that I had not long before this given you an Account how it hath been with me and what the Lord hath done for me his poor unworthy servant since I last saw you that I have been a Stranger in a strange Land I need not tell you I am perswaded you will judge favourably of me till you understand how it hath pleased the Lord to deal with me The truth is my condition in some
Friends told him Well now the time draws nigh who answered I am ready I am ready Then came the Order for his going to the Sled upon which he went with all chearfulness and so went forward with undaunted courage to meet Death in the face like a Christian Souldier indeed who through the Lord's assistance presently obtained more than a Conquest over all his Enemies As he was in the Sled and drew near to the place of Execution a Friend came to him and said Sir I have a great desire to know how it is with you and how the Lord is pleased to manifest himself unto you in the condition you are now in The Colonel replyed Friend I thank you I bless the Lord I have great cause to praise and magnifie his great and glorious Name for his unspeakable goodness towards me especially in this present dispensation for I can truly say and that by experience that the Goodness of the Lord endures for ever and praised be God for this present tryal The same Friend further replyed and said I pray Sir are you not at all dejected in your spirits are you not cast down in your mind have you not hard thoughts of God for this his strange providence towards you The Colonel replyed Friend I shall endeavour to satisfie you as well as I can in this matter and I let you know that I have not the least trouble upon my heart nor the least burden upon my spirit upon the account of my Sufferings neither have I any hard thoughts of God but on the contrary can speak to the praise of his Grace that his Goodness hath carried me forth above the fear of all these things And my Friend let me tell you further That I have had more experience of God and more acquaintance with God within these three or four dayes than ever I had in all my life and at this present I am so far from being dejected or cast down in my spirits as that I am so much elevated and lifted up in my soul that I am not able to tell you how it is with me And when he was ready to rise out of the Sled another Friend came to him and asked him how he did To whom he answered I bless the Lord I am very well and do no more value what I am now going about than this straw taking up a piece of a straw in his hand I have sayes he made many a Charge in my time but now I have but one Charge more to make and then I shall be at rest Here followeth two Letters of his to two of his old faithful Friends eminent persons in the City of London A Letter from Col. John Okey directed to a Relation of his to be by him communicated to some Christian Friends of his acquaintance about the City of London SIR HAving a little time in this place before I am removed to Newgate where I am to go as I am informed I thought good to give you some account how it is with me concerning my better part I bless the Lord I never found so much spiritual joy some years before as I have in Prison it is according as the Apostle speaks 2 Cor. 1.3 4 5. And therefore let the People of God not fear a Prison or to suffer in the Cause of God I shall give you a touch but of three things viz. 1. How it is with me in my spiritual condition 2. I shall speak something of the Cause for which I suffer the loss of all things which are near and dear unto me in this evil world 3. In the last place What a Mercy it is when the Lord is pleased to call forth a creature to suffer for the Truths of our Lord Jesus Christ in such a day as this is I believe you have heard these from some other of the Servants of the Lord that have gone before in whole dishes but you are like to have them in a broken dish and but a few scraps in comparison to that great feast you have had before from them that are now with the Lord. Our Afflictions sanctified are good Cordials to the soul and therefore it is no marvel that David said It is good for me that I have been afflicted And as one observeth and saith well a Prison being the place where wanting other Books a man may there best study the Book of the knowledge of himself being separated from all business but praying and praising the Lord God in Christ by the Spirits assistance And since I have by the help of the Lord looked in some measure into my heart I could not have thought there had been so much ignorance and impatience pride inordinate affection to creature-comforts revenge difidence of God self-love and iniquity of all kinds in me as I now find there is and although the Lord in great mercy hath kept me by his mighty power and restraining grace from those Jayl-bird sins as Swearing Drunkenness Lying Uncleanness and hating of his People yet I find a mass of corruption in me and a multitude of transgressions so that my sins are as the hairs of my head which cannot be numbred for the multitude of them and all this darkness and filthiness of spirit is only discovered by the light of Christ By his lowliness in washing the Apostles feet I see the height of pride in my own spirit and want of condescention when I was in prosperity and my unfruitfulness under the means of Grace and little good I did when I had an opportunity thereunto and therefore I adore and acknowledge the Justice of God that he hath most righteously deprived me of my Liberty and Estate truly now I am thereby brought nearer to Christ whereby I find through Grace that Christ is become very precious to me And more to be desired than Gold yea 1 Pet 2.7 than fine Gold and sweeter than the Honey or the Honey-comb And this I can say through Mercy I do desire to love the good Word of the Lord before my appointed food I have begged of the Lord that he would enable me more and more that I may lay open before him all my sins known or unknown and to loath my self for them and that not only for the shame which sin bringeth but rather because I should sin against so good a God and loving Father in Christ Jesus as I have done and especially for my actual known sins committed against so much Love Light Promises and Covenants from a gracious God that will not destroy me for all my abominations blessed be his holy Name for ever and for ever I desire continually to go out of my self and to rely on the Righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ who only is the Fountain of Life and in his Light we shall see light Oh! what Mercy is it that the Lord should be pleased out of his great Love and Compassion to cast the mantle of his free Grace upon such a poor worm as I am and
quiet night nor day for while on the one hand these carnal fears and disturbed thoughts pulled him from his duty so he called it yet on the other hand it pleased God more strongly to draw him to it by often bringing and setting home upon his heart that Scripture in Revel 21.8 The fearful and unbelieving shall have their part in the Lake that burneth with fire and brimstone This Text did so work and work in his mind and so powerfully prevail with him that though he had deferred to appear at the High Court of Justice till the very last day of the Tryal yet then he durst stay no longer but made haste to come in and sit among them come what would come of it in this world lest the aforesaid punishment of the fearful should hereafter for ever befall him And what he now did he said he did it with a free and resolved mind and he blessed God that had conquered his cowardly spirit and enabled him at last though late first to come in and do his part and in some measure to prove himself faithful and obedient to God's as well as the Nations Call herein And further said that upon the grounds before alledged if all that hath been done were to be acted over again he would do as he had done and would not abate an inch of it which words he spake with great soberness and setledness of mind but the very day before his Execution Lastly as to the whole business he said he could and did appeal to God the righteous Judge of all things that what he did as far as he could discern himself was not out of any ill spirit towards the late King's Person nor out of any the least malice or disaffection to him nor yet out of any unworthy end or design of his own for as to the said King's Lands or Goods or other publick Title he never desired nor endeavoured to get any of them but alwayes by good Providence kept himself free that neither himself nor any of his might grow rich or make the least advantage that way And as for that necessary and publick Act of Justice as he called it he did never repent at all that he had a hand in it nor after all the searchings of heart about it did see cause so to do when at any time he had the most serious and calm reflexions upon it though he did confess as to the circumstances of that Act the substance whereof he said he must alwayes own he had been compassed about with many sinful weaknesses and infirmities in the managing of it as he had before in part hinted which he hoped and believed were all washed away in the Blood of Christ. This is a careful and true Collection of what at several times he said about this business to several persons and more than once too and as near as possibly can be remembred in his own very words and syllables especially in those passages that are of the greatest weight To which let this expression of his be also added That what he had now lived to see in the late amazing Changes and over-flowing Wickednesses of all kinds rather to be trembled at than reckoned up did give no small confirmation and justification to those former Proceedings which are now so much condemned On Thursday night late when tydings were brought to him of his suffering the Saturday following some persons came to convince him of the Sin for which Execution was to pass upon him and to exhort him to Repentance aggravating the heinousness of it but the next morning he told his Friends that they left him as they found him not at all altered by what they had said in his opinion about that business which he said he had examined as thorowly as he could and believing that he had a good Warrant both from God and man for what he did he was satisfied as to that whatever others did judge of it here and therefore left it to be judged over again by the Righteous Judge of all at the last and great day He said he found no consternation of spirit at all upon him when he was before the Kings Bench Court Being asked how he had slept that night after such heavy newes To this he smilingly answered he blessed God he had slept well much after the rate as he used to do and that he found not any consternation or fear at all upon his spirit for it was no more he said than what he expected and as far as God was pleased to enable him had been preparing for A little after speaking of the Journey he was to take I am going saith he where all good souls would be glad to be The Terminus à quo the place I am going from is this present evil world even this evil world and if ever it were evil sure now it is and now more than ever so evil as I never thought to see it and the Terminus ad quem the place I am going to is Mount-Zion the City of the living God the living God saith he doubling and putting an Emphasis on that word Living and to the heavenly Jerusalem which he also repeated again putting the like Emphasis on the word Heavenly Ah! saith he this living God and this heavenly Jerusalem how sweet is the thought of it the God that I am going to is the living God the God that lives that still lives that lives alwayes whatever persons die or whatever Cause or Interest seems to die yet He lives and can make what he will to live yea and to live again too even after it hath lain for dead And the Jerusalem that He lives in is an heavenly Jerusalem an heavenly that hath nothing of earthliness no dross no corruption nothing of impurity weakness mutability or instability Ah! this heavenly Jerusalem Thus he descanted on the words and even fed upon them Then he proceeded after the same manner to what follows And to an innumerable company of Angels to the general Assembly and Church of the first-born which are written in Heaven and to GOD the Judge of all the Judge of all repeating that word and to the Spirits of Just men made perfect and to JESUS the Mediator of the New Covenant which last words he staid long upon doubling and trebling them again and again and to the Blood of sprinkling which also he dwelt upon Seeming to speak all with a very great fervor and inward joy upon his heart Scarce an hour passed in the day wherein he did not touch upon this Scripture in discourse with such new Friends as still came in upon him it being the last whole day of his life When he saw the Room begin to fill for now none were restrained he said it comforted him to see the faces of so many Servants of Christ together and that they should express such love and tenderness as he perceived was in their hearts towards him and truly saith he I take it as a token
should make choice of such a poor Creature as I am to be employed in his Work I must further say that the Lord hath made crooked things straight and rough wayes plain and hard and difficult things easie to me through the Free and Rich Love of Christ Oh he hâ—th made death nothing unto me now but yet I have no strength of my own no my strength lies in my weaknesse and it is Christ alone that can renew my strength which he doth daily by setting upon my heart these following Scriptures which have been a constant relief to me The Lord is my Light and Salvation whom shall I fear The Lord is the Rock of my life of whom should I be afraid Psal. 28.14 Wait on the Lord be of good courage and he shall strengthen thy Heart wait I say on the Lord. Psalm 33.11 The Counsel of the Lord stands for ever and the thoughts of his Heart to all Generations Blessed be the Soul that hath the Lord for its inheritance Psalm 138. vers 8. The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me the Mercies of the Lord endureth for ever forsake not the works of thine own hands Prov. 16. vers 9. A mans heart deviseth his way but the Lord directeth his steps in the day when I cryed thou answeredst me and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul commit thy wayes to the Lord and thy thoughts shall be established Prov. 28. vers 28. When the wicked arise men hide themselves but when they perish the Righteous increase But now thus saith the Lord that created thee O Jacob and he that formed thee O Israel fear not I am he that blotteth out thy Transgressions for my own sake and will not remember thy sins Esaiah 63. vers 9. In all their afflictions he was afflicted and the Angel of his presence saved them in his love and in his pitty he redeemed them and he bare them and carried them all the dayes of old Lam. 3. vers 24. and 2.5.2.6 37. vers 38. The Lord is my portion saith my soul therefore will I hope in him The Lord is good unto them that wait for him to the souls that seeketh him it is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the Salvation of the Lord. Who is he that saith it cometh to passe when the Lord commandeth it not out of the mouth of the most High proceedeth not evil and good Psal. 34.9 Oh fear the Lord ye his Saints for there is no want to them that fear him Psal. 11.22 Though hand joyne in hand the wicked shall not be unpunished but the seed of the Righteous shall be delivered Some Experimental Passages in Discourse with a Friend A Friend coming to him the week of his Tryal and Suffering did partake of many choice breathings from him some of them which he could call to mind are here faithfully collected We are to esteem Sufferings the better when they are in the Wayes of God and we must not esteem the Wayes of God the worse because they are accompanied with Sufferings in this world A Believing Souls Sufferings for Christ do confirm him the more in the wayes of Christ. A Principle of Faith finds three sorts of Promises in the Gospel First The Promise of Assistance Secondly The Promise of Acceptance Thirdly The Promise of Reward Then he proceeded in some further Spiritual Discourse Although I find I have no strength to encounter with those great Tryals I am to meet with yet I will labour to quit my heart through the Spirit of Faith from that Scripture Esa. 30.7 Your strength is to sit still and indeed I find it so Then one present did ask him if he thought the Cause in which he had been engaged would ever arise again He said The Cause lies in the Bosom of Christ and as sure as Christ arose the Cause will arise again and we die but to make way for it for when John the Baptist came to prepare the way for Christ he must be beheaded for it so we by our death do but make way for the next comming of Jesus Christ personally to raign a thousand years with his Saints And although we die the Cause will certainly live The Thursday before his Suffering he entertained some Friends who came to visit him with very sweet and Heavenly Discourse to this purpose That although God had given him a sight of his Eternal happines yet Satan would have brought all his sins before him yea the very sins of his youth as unpardoned yea sayes he I my self also would fain have set them before me but God out of his free love through his Son was stronger then them both and would not suffer it but gave me in a full assurance that all my sins were freely forgiven and blotted out and never to be remembred against me any more which caused such unspeakable Joyes that he was not able to utter nor was he to the best observation of Friends then present ever seen so chearful in the greatest of his prosperity At noon one desired him that he would eat he answered him that he was above that kind of meat for the Lord saith he hath fed me with the fat things of his own Spirit The night before he Suffered he was exercised with some fears least he should want strength to go through the great work he was now suddenly to engage in he took his Bible and opened it at an adventure and God gave him in such a word that was so sutable for him at the time that he rejoyced and said Blessed be his Name that never leaves me without a Word the Scripture which Providence then presented him with was Isa. 54.10 For the mountains shall depart and the hills be removed but my kindness shall not depart from thee neither the Covenant of my Peace be removed from thee saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee Oh sayes he to his Friends and Relations then with him You are the Mountains and the Hills that must depart from me now and so took his leave of them all with much chearfulness saying Go seek the Lord for me for I cannot go one hairs breadth in my own strength At another time he thus spake to some near Friends and Relations who were with him Certainly saith he if I had known the comforts of this sweet communion with God in a Prison before I had run to a Prison long ago If I had suffered when my Brethren did suffer I had had little or no blood in my body to have spilt for Jesus Christ in this good Cause but God carried me into Germany and there made us to sow a good Seed which will never dye and now God hath brought me back again with more strength to suffer for his Name and Cause Indeed the Lord hath made me in some measure now fit to go through Sufferings for him and it is indeed He alone who hath done it Upon hearing the news of his Tryal which he knew was
respect may resemble the Dove that Noah sent out of the Ark that could find no place to set the foal of her foot on thus hath it been for some moneths with me so that I could not with any conveniency because of those that bear an evil will to Zion write to you but my Dear Friend though I have been absent from you in the body yet I can say truly I have not been so in my Spirit the Lord knows how my Soul hath both night and day longed after you and all the rest of my Christian Friends in Christ Jesus and in all my approaches to the Throne of Grace I have made it my earnest request to the Lord Jesus Christ that the Father of all glory would give unto you more and more the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the knowledge of Christ And that you may walk worthy of the Lord unto all well pleasing being fruitful in all good works increasing in the blessed knowledge of our God and that you may be filled with all the love of God to his glory and your everlasting comfort I know you are ignorant why I left my Native Country and all that was near and dear unto me in this world but which is most of all the pretious Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ and the communion of his people a losse of losses not to be made up but in Christ and in him alone and therefore my dear Friend though now you enjoy the light yet you do not know how soon it may be taken from you or you from it it is and shall be my continual prayers that it may not be for it is indeed the Judgement of all Judgements The Lord God pardon unto me in the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ that great neglect of it whereof I was guilty while I was with you that I did not improve it more to the comfort of my own soul. Oh my Dear Friend did you but see and hear that which I have seen and heard in my Travels especially among those that profess Popery it would make your hearts to tremble that blaspheming the Blessed Name of the Lord all manner of wickedness the horrid prophanation of the Lords day and other abominations and Oh that I could have said that I had not seen and heard too much of the same even among those that term themselves of the Reformed Religion Alas alas the best of what they enjoy here is but as the bran to the wheat in comparison to what the Lord hath bestowed on you and therefore I beseech you prize the Gospel more and more and those Godly Ministers that it hath pleased the Lord to send among you for the Lord hath not done for other people as he hath done for you I am verily perswaded it is one great cause among many others that the Lord hath dealt so severely with his own people as to give them up into the hands of his and their enemies hath been the slighting despising contemning and undervaluing the precious Gospel and the faithful Ministers of Jesus Christ the Lord in great mercy pardon it not only to his own people but to the whole Nation if it be his blessed will that they may yet know the things that concerns the glory of God and their own everlasting â—â—st before they be hid from their eyes Oh the pretious Jewel of the Gospel to which all the other enjoyments even the quintessence of whatever this world can afford are not to be compared What is there in this base world but vanity of vanities what is there in great men or great things a sparkle of fire or a storm at Sea or a treacherous Friend brings all to nothing in a moment As we have seen by sad experience every day do witness the Truth of it Therefore saith the Apostle love not the World not the things of the World a little grace is worth ten thousand worlds It was a notable saying of that worthy Marquess that he was not worthy of Christ that would not give the whole World for one dayes Communion with him Oh it is a good thing to have a heart established in grace it is good in times of prosperity it is good in dayes of adversity Oh it is good in such a day as this when one wave comes on the neck of another yet the Lord even then remembers those whom he hath promised he will never leave nor forsake yea though their troubles be many yet the Lord will deliver them out of all in his blessed time for all things shall certainly work for the glory of God and the good of his own people And now my Dear Friend do I most humbly beg in the Name of the Lord Jesus the continuance of your Prayers to the Lord for me that he would be pleased to give me more and more of his Holy Spirit that while he is pleased to give a being in the Land of the living I may in some measure live answerable to the many unexpected mercies he hath bestowed on me his poor and unworthy Servant both in relation to my soul and body and that too since I came into a strange land and truly as I want a heart to be thankful to the Lord so I want expressions to let you know it I shall onely at present say it was good for me that I have been Afflicted and if the Lord gives me life I shall not fail to let you know the goodness of the Lord to me in this day of my greatest of troubles which have not been a few And as I humby desire your Prayers for me so do I also beg your thanks to the Lord for me who hath been so gracious to me every way And oh that now with a chearful heart I might honour the Lord in this day of very great troubles and that I might be very humble and thankful and be fitted to live or to dye as the Lord shall be pleased to call me forth That which lyeth with some waite on my Spirit is not so much the losse of these outward things for I praise the Lord he hath carried me in some measure above them but that I should sin against so blessed a God and loving a Father as I have done and that I should with many of his own People provoke the Lord to give up so many of his People so far into the hands of his and their enemies as he hath done at this day would an ordinary chastisement have prevailed certainly the common Enemy had not had their will over them the good Lord sanctifie his present hand of affliction to all his more and more and oh that now in this day of his East wind he would be pleased for his Name sake to stay his rough wind and that that may be the fruit to purge them from their sin and that his People may yet live to praise him in the great Congregation and there to declare the goodness of the Lord to them in the
time of their affliction and to say it was good for them they were afflicted And oh my dear Friend I do again beg your prayers for I am very sensible I am at present but as a brand pul'd out of the fire and am very confident it is for the sakes of the Lords People that I am alive at this day The Lord grant that while I live I may live to the glory of his most holy Name I hope you will excuse me for being so tedious to you I shall therefore no further trouble you but only present my due respects to you and all the rest of my Christian Friends wishing you from my soul all good here and glory hereafter in that World which is to come And now the God of all praise that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ the great Shepherd of his Sheep through the blood of the Everlasting Covenant make you perfect in every good work and work in you that which is wel-pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ. I am your loving friend in the Gospel of our Lord Christ J. B. Another Letter written by Col. Barkstead to a dear Friend INdeared and endearing Friend Thine of the fourth instant came to my hands which I blesse the Lord was as seasonable as welcom and as welcom as seasonable it was to me as Apples of Gold in Pâ—ctures of Silver very Pleasant and Beautiful Dear Friend I being now a close Prisoner in the Tower in one of the as they conceive meanest and securest Prison lodgings in which when it rains I have no place to fit dry but in a high window being attended with a Life-guard of two Warders and two Souldiers day and night and denied the use of Pen Ink and Paper so that what I write is so by stealth and that so by bits that I am sore't sometimes before I have writ two lines to tear what I have written and with much trouble to secure my Paper ink and pen but yet I have adventured on a line or two to you to let you know that I received your welcom Letter every line of which was being filled with that spirit in by which my soul hath been through free mercy born up by to this very moment far beyond and above what I am here able to express Oh the infinit and Eternal Riches of the free Grace of our good God in and through the Lord Jesus Christ to poor unworthy creatures it is he and he alone that hath and doth make hard things easie soft and pleasant bitter things sweet crooked rough ways plain and pleasant this hath through mercy been his way towards me unworthy man since I became mans bond-man He even he alone out of the free riches of his never-failing Mercie in Jesus Christ hath made me his free-man He hath set my feet in large and fresh pastures He hath not only taken out the blots and blurs that my sins have made in my old Evidences since the old Record and Assurance I had many years of his Eternal and Everlasting Love to my poor soul in Jesus Christ but he even since I came within this my Palace for so I can truly and chearfully call it I say through the free Grace He hath not onely cleared up my old Assurance but hath also given me fair new Copies together with such Inlargements that are unutterable In the Deeps I cryed when and where none could hear but He and He alone who heard and answered blessed be his Name When my heart and my strength failed He then heard so that as a return of prayer yea of yours and the People of the Lord together with the breathing of his own Spirit in the hearts of his People here He hath made such gracious and full returns that I through mercy can say from the first of my being in bonds notwithstanding the weakness of my body and present want of health through extream Colds yet the Dungeon Chains Bolts and Manacles have not had the least of hardness in them no I must say it again through free Grace the Lord hath not only made them easie but pleasant yea kickings and buffetings when in Irons by some of Downing's men yet the Lord strengthened me Pray mistake me not I do not write this as having here any thing to boast of from my self or from any strength of mine no no I have not been without my buffetings though in them the Lord hath been wonderful gracious to me and he hath made me a very great gainer by them Three times since I came into this Room or Palace Satan who may be truly said to go about like a roaring Lion seeking whom he may devour waiting his opportunity I having been for a very very little space drawn off my Out-Sentinels and begining to hold a Parly with Sence and reason with flesh and blood to look backward and forward on the right and left hand in which work I do not remember I exceeded above half an hour but I perceived a general discomposure and unsettlement in all my former settlements and immediately found Satan with a full Body ready to surprize my Main-guards but the Lord was merciful and made good his Promise to me He in the instant of time came in and shewed me where my weakness lay and where my strength I cryed out to Him as a ravished Damosel He heard and strengthened me with strength in my soul blessed O blessed be for ever his most great and glorious Name My dear Friend I hint these things only to let you know how seasonable through mercy the Lord hath made me and doth keep me off my own weakness and nothingness and unworthiness indeed I dare not be off the Watch or from going the Rounds to see if all the Sentinels be watchful every moment I do now very well understand that Command Pray alwayes Pray continually watch and pray pray and watch are and must be a Christians constant and continual and unseparable Companions at all times and in all places Now that the Lord hath thus far answered the prayers of his People what I shall be able to undergo the next hour I know not I therefore do heartily again and again beg that you would with me continually be blessing and praising the Lord for those blessed Returns he hath hitherto made to your former Prayers and lay them before you as encouragements and spread them before the Lord as Arguments for his hearing your Prayers for the future for what is yet to come for though I can say the Dungeon Bolts Chains and Manacles with kickings and buffetings have been nothing and therefore can comfortably and confidently desire the People of the Lord not to fear any of them but to fear sin only for that the least sin hath more terror in it than the greatest evil or trouble that can befall a Child of God here therefore fear O fear sin I say I do not know what a Sled a Gibbet a Halter Ax or
Knife are I have often set them before me and have been often going up the Ladder to see if they would terrifie me but blessed be the Lord they have not hitherto given me the least disturbance no no in all that is past I could never yet suffer so much as such a wish to pass through my thoughts Oh that I had not been engaged in this thing or that I had before 1648 deserted this Cause no the Lord would not to this day suffer such a thought to pass through my thoughts much less through my heart no I have over and over gone through the Cause from first to last even from the Blood of Rochel to Irelands Massacres the Blood of Scotland and the Blood of both the Wars in England My dear Friend and reconciled Friends on the best account I must at present leave you earnestly begging the constant continuance of yours and the People of the Lord's Prayers with and for me that as he hath so would continue to support and bear up the spirit of his unworthy Creature and in those few dayes or hours he hath yet to remain on this side Eternity he may neither do nor speak any thing wherein or whereby he should in the least dishonour God grieve the Spirit of Jesus Christ or give the least trouble to any of the meanest of the Saints or desert that Glorious Cause that the Lord doth and will own and will raise up at his appointed time in despite of all the Devils in Hell and all the Kings Princes and Great-men of the Earth whose flesh must become meat to the fowls of the Air and their Carcasses dung to the Earth for the Kingdoms of the Earth or of this world are to become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall reign for ever and ever This from your truly reconciled Friend J. B. Praise and pray pray and praise and above all watch unto prayer pray alwayes and watch continually Several occasional Passages Speeches and Letters of Col. John Okey during the time of his Imprisonment in the Tower till the day of his Suffering ON Wednesday the 16th of April 1662. being the day that Col. Barkstead Col. Okey and Mr. Corbet had Sentence passed upon them at the Kings-Bench Bar after which a Friend went to visit Col. Okey and found him in a sweet and blessed frame of spirit and very chearful not in the least under any discouragement but acquainted the said Friend that they had been up at Westminster and that Sentence was given against them and declared he was not in the least disquieted at it but thankfully owned the Providence of God in bringing them from the place where they were beyond Sea to their present condition wherein he professed himself to be much satisfied and declared he had rather lay down his Life here than to have been buried in another Nation and expressed further that for what he was charged withal and condemned he had not the least trouble upon his spirit He also told this Friend that he desired to bless God for the Prayers of the Lord's People for he found the benefit and advantage of them in this time of his Tryal And with much chearfulness of spirit afterwards he did bless the Lord for his Goodness to him declaring he had got more benefit and advantage in the time of these his troubles than in many years before and one day especially since his coming into the Tower he said he was reading some verses in the 16th chapter of John and the Lord did so set home upon his spirit ver 26 27. especially that word The Father himself loveth you that he was so much refreshed in his soul that for an hour together he was as it were ravished with the Joy of the Lord the sight of which was much comfort to his dear Wife and did much refresh and chear her spirit And upon Friday the day before his Suffering several Friends went unto him about one of the clock and were with him some hours he several times spake to them saying Well Friends I shall now get to Heaven before you and shall go out of a sinful evil world into that place where I shall sin no more nor sorrow any more I bless the Lord he is good to me in all his dispensations and I could not have been without any of these afflictions Then he mentioned divers choice places of Scripture as 2 Cor. 4.8 9 and the 17 verse explaining the words to sweet advantage As for afflictions said he they are but slight and momentary and that they work to glory yea an exceeding yea a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory And much strengthening himself with the Promises of God Isa. 43.1 2. upon which Scripture he did thus descant Though Jacob was but a worm and so trodden upon by every one yet the Lord would be with him and so with all his Saints and People in their sufferings He insisted also upon that Scripture Heb. 13.5 6. together with many others which were proper to his condition and the Lord was pleased to make every one of them a strengthening cordial to him The next day being the day of Execution several Friends went again to Col. Okey by six of the clock in the morning where they found him ready dressed and with a sweet chearful spirit bid them welcome They asked him how he did he said Never better in his life and had found the benefit of prayers and it had been a sweet night unto him being sweetly refreshed which also did much appear by his chearful and fresh countenance for it was observed that he never looked better in all his dayes He declared he had much quietness in his spirit and said As for the loss of his Estate it did not in the least trouble him Then a Friend hinted to him the parting with his Wife and Relations he answered she had been a very tender Wife to him and had exprest her abundant love and tenderness in this his distress but he was not in the least troubled at their parting being assured the Lord would be better to her than he could be And also said that though his Wife had lost much since she knew him as to outwards yet she had gained much as to the better concernments for so his Wife had declared unto him which doubtless well considered will out-weigh all other losses Some of these Friends spent some time in prayer with him also the Colonel himself went to prayer and the Lord appeared very much in carrying forth his spirit to own his hand and to see his goodness in all his dispensations and to implore further assistance and between the times of prayer they had much sweet conference with him in all which he manifested a very gracious and holy frame of spirit and often declared with great chearfulness that he was ready to be offered up He was heard often to ask whether his Chariot was yet come or no and some
but be faithful to the death and you shall receive a Crown of life Oh my dear Friends it is better to fall with Christ than to stand with Caesar let us be willing to follow our Captain the Lord Jesus who is gone before as also the blessed Saints and Martyrs of Christ. We use to say He is not worthy the name of a Souldier that will not follow his Leader Let us then follow Christ the Captain of our Salvation who hath said to us Fear not him that can but kill the body and can do no more Oh let us I pray you fear the Lord and take heed of all sin for let me tell you there is more evil in the least sin than there is good in any thing this base world can afford And although here we may suffer and be condemned of men as evil-doers as our Lord Jesus and was called Beelzebub and the like yet this will be our comfort that although men do condemn us the Lord doth acquit us You know what Christ saith to his Disciples Blessed are ye when men speak all manner of evil of you for my Name sake and the Gospel then do ye rejoyce and be exceeding glad Thus I have given you to know in a few words my thoughts concerning those three things I spake of in the beginning of this Paper I had thought to have been more large but am strangely prevented by my Keeper and for want of time Only one word to let you know that blessed be the Lord for his great mercy towards me I am at present in a peaceable and comfortable condition although sometimes fainting fits do seem to seize upon me for when I look on my self then I have cause to mourn for my unworthy walking but when I look up to the Lord I have cause to rejoyce and to be glad and do desire to praise his holy Name Oh it is good to have our portion in the Lord who is our only Good for one smile of his Countenance is better than Life And therefore my dear Friends above all things labour to give your selves up to the Lord and appear for his Cause and Glory and for the Gospel and stand up for the Truth for all Truth and for the poor Saints at such a day as this is so that you may with the Apostle say experimentally I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the Faith henceforth is laid up for me a Crown of Glory and not only for me but for all those also that love the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. And now my dear Brethren in the Lord I bid you farewel and commit you and yours to Him that is able to keep you from falling and to present you faultless before the presence of his Glory with exceeding joy Now to the only wise God be glory for evermore Yours for ever in our Lord Jesus Christ. J. O. Post-script Oh my Brethren I have one request to you that is That you would beg of the Lord that the Saints may dwell more together in Love And although they be not of one form yet let them labour to be of one mind in the things of the Lord and love as Brethren and take heed of judging one another which hath been a great fault Give no offence to those that are within nor to those that are without as near as you can That those that are out of the way may be won by your holy conversation in Christ Jesus Another Letter of Col. John Okey's directed to an intimate Friend and old Acquaintance of his in London Hon. Friend I Do much rejoyce to hear of your good health with your dear Wife and that the Lord doth so much comfort and strengthen you in the day of your trouble it is a great honour that he hath put upon you in this backsliding time wherein iniquity doth so much abound and most men are making shipwrack of Faith a good Conscience in this day of Jacob's sorrows now that wickedness is established by a Law Now the worse the times are the Lord grant we may be the better Oh Sir suffering-times are very glorious when the Lord is pleased to come in by his holy Spirit into the heart of a poor worm there can be no restraint where the Spirit of the Lord is for there is liberty for the loving-kindness of the Lord is better than any thing that this base world can afford My dear Friend what a favour hath the Lord been pleased to cast upon you and me that we should be called forth to bear witness to and for the Old Cause the Lord himself hath so often owned by fighting our Battels and in destroying of the proud Enemies of God and his Saints so that the sound of it is gone through the whole World And now I shall trouble you with a word to let you know how it is with me at the present concerning the inner man I do humbly desire to speak to the glory of the Lord 's free Grace that although I am in trouble on every side yet not distressed something perplexed but not in dispair persecuted but not forsaken cast into Prison but not destroyed and therefore blessed be the Lord I faint not for our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory 2 Cor. 4.16 We reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the Glory which shall be revealed Rom. 8.18 and therefore the Lord grant that we may watch and stand fast in the Faith quit our selves like men be strong in his strength and in the power of his might and as Joab said Be of good Courage let us behave ourselves valiantly for our People and for the Cities of our God and let the Lord do that which is good in his sight 1 Chron. 19.13 Sir I hear my time is short and I am in some measure through much mercy ready to be offered up and if I be offered up upon the sacrifice of the Faith of the Lords People I shall joy and much rejoyce Alas you know I am a poor worm and of my self can do nothing but in the strength of the Lord I shall be able to do what the Lord shall be pleased to call me to for he hath promised to lay no more upon me than he will enable me to bear and therefore I do humbly beg your prayers for me and the rest of my suffering Brethren that are in trouble with me here or elsewhere that the Lord would be pleased to stand by us so that we be not ashamed of the Cause of the Lord and his poor People it would have been better we had never made a profession of the Gospel than for to deny any of the Truths of the Lord or the Cause of his People What are our lives in comparison of the Glory of God better ten thousand of us should dye than the Gospel
Corbet's Speech WE are now dying Men and upon dying ground we are now in the presence of the great God to whom we are now going Truly I desire to speak in His Fear touching that which we are here come to suffer for I will only say this Mr. Sheriff both the Levying of the War and that Act that we are now accused and condemned for if they had been done without Authority they had been abominable and to justifie that Authority I do not come here to do it The Parliament the Wisdom of the Nation that now is hath decryed it down and said 't is void and the Court of Justice where we have been in pursuance of their Judgement have given Judgement against us Truly so long as that Act of Parliament stands on foot Judges must give Judgement accordingly But there hath been many Appeals about that Authority and the Nation hath been governed by it and the Nations about us have owned it and we are now going to God who is the Righteous Judge and that Word is upon my heart Isa. 33.22 Truly Men may judge and they may make Laws and it is our duty to submit to the Laws of the Nation or leave it if we think them too hard But whatsoever Laws are made God is our Judge and he will Judge this Cause and God is our Law-giver It is a Scripture phrase God is our Law-giver and He is also our King and he will save us He will Judge the Cause of his People And I hope that the minds of sober Men will wait for that Judgment Truly Mr. Sheriff as concerning that common aspersion laid upon us that we should be against Magistrates and Ministers the Lord knows it is my Principle and I desire there may be a standing setled Government a godly Magistracy and likewise a godly Ministry in this Nation And I pray God grant that his People may be blessed under them and truly for the Magistrate that now is the hand of God hath brought him into the Throne while I have been in other Nations I have blessed God and desired the Lord that he may Rule for God and be a terror to evil doers and countenance the true Professors of the true Protestant Religion that he may defend both Religion it self and the Professors of it Truly there have been many as they call them Sects and Heresies that have sprung up in these later times but blessed be God there have been also great appearances of God and much Light is broken out more in this Nation than I could ever hear of or see in the Nations round about though they profess the same Religion I have been among many whom they call Reformed Protestants but of true Protestants such as hold out their Profession in their Lives there are more in this Nation than else-where and they are not to be compared for number blessed be God and the Lord increase them and multiply them daily For the glory of the Nation is not in a Multitude of People onely but of such as Fear the Lord and Worship God and lift up his Name and truly my desire and Prayer is That the Gospel the true and glorious Gospel of God the Gospel of Jesus Christ may have a free course in this Nation and may be glorified in the Lives of men as well as in their Words As for the particular Way of Worship that I am of I shall onely say that in my Judgment and Conscience I have and do understand that which is called the Congregational way to be nearest to the Word of God and I do freely bear my Testimony to the Confession of it that is extant which was made at the Savoy But with this that also of the Assembly of Divines that was made in the time of the Long Parliament and the Declaration they made concerning Religion saving only as to the discipline-part As to the other I do fully subscribe unto it for I think that the said Confessions are the most clear of any Protestant Confessions whereof I have seen divers that are extant And in Forreign parts they will confesse as much Mr. Sheriffs As to what I shall desire for the Nation for truly we are taking our leaves of it and we shall see your faces no more that which I upon the knees of my soul do beg for this Nation is That as they are Protestants in Name and take that upon them in Profession so their Lives may be answerable Truly nothing doth more dread my spirit and cause me to fear the Wrath of God to come upon this Nation then when I hear that amongst those which bear the Names of Protestants there is such Prophaneness Drunkenness Swearing and such Abominations that are not to be named no not among Moral men The Lord stop the course of them as also the growth of Popery and Superstition and that the Truth of God may break forth and that men may love it for truly the Gospel is worth the loving the Truths of God are worth loving And if we love them then truly God will love us and bless us Mr. Sheriffs For my own part if there were any here that I knew I had wronged I would ask them pardon and forgiveness if I knew them I must confess I have been in many publick actions I have been of all the Parliaments since the late King's Reign and in the beginning of this Parliament I must confess I being called to it did think it was my duty to act according to the ability God gave me and to deny my self I thank God for it I came with an Estate to the Parliament and I bless God for it I spent it while I sat in the Parliament And truly I thank God they cannot find any Estate that I have forfeited for I have none to forfeit This business that we are here for I was very far from being a Contriver of When the Bill came into the House I must confess I being a Member of the Parliament did somewhat wonder at it and I did speak against it but when it was past and I was named to be a Commissioner truly it being done by that that was then called the Authority of the Nation I did think I was bound to obey in that respect I will say no more I never sat but once in that they called the High Court of Justice but for that I 'le say no more I do not come to condemn that Authority and Power neither will I now because the Parliament and the Nation and the Spirits of Men are against it justifie it And being a little interrupted he said I will not speak to offend any man Truly I thank God I never got any thing either of Kings Lands nor Bishops nor Dean Chapters Lands I never knew what belonged to the Trade of Buying or Selling Lands I thought I was in a better way looking to that Station which God had called me to And as my Brother said let men hold to their
therefore I do desire that all that fear the Lord would make it their work and their business to study to love God and to love one another and to love the Nation wherein they live and to give no disturbance to it For certainly Sir I should leave this as that which the Lord hath setled upon my heart their work is to sit still yea their strength is to sit still for the Lord will do his work in his own time and when he comes to do the work there is none shall hinder I think you have had all experience of it in the late works which the Lord hath done for I must own it his Indeed Sir I am sorry that my weakness of body doth prevent me from speaking more to you yet I do bless God that I have this opportunity All I shall say further is That there is a Truth and I hope I may speak it without offence that is much upon my spirit and I am confident I shall speak it without any offence at all I think we are all here Christians and there is none here I think but saith the Lord's Prayer and sayes Thy Kingdom come Thy Will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven c. and I hope they go through the Prayer and say why they do pray that Prayer also say For thine is the Kingdom the Power and the Glory for ever and ever Amen God hath given the Kingdoms of the Earth to JESUS CHRIST He shall Reign and happy and blessed is that King and Nation that hath Him for their King And certainly for his Majesty that now is to reign under Jesus Christ is no dishonour at all to him For CHRIST doth and shall Rule over all the Kings Princes and Nations in the World And therefore indeed this is that Kingdom that is most certain and that we do desire and all pray that it may come and I do wish that all persons would have a tenderness and not to be at enmity with nor hate nor as much as they can cut the throats of those that own that Kingdom and the coming of that Kingdom As to other things there hath been so much said that I shall forbear speaking only this as to the business of the King I bless God I can say it I was no Actor or Contriver either within or without I was many miles from this place when that was doing I was put in by the Authority that then sat and I was called and chosen to that work and truly what I did I did without any Malice without any Contrivement in the least and did even to the very last pray for him And since his Majesty that now is came to the Throne I have as I have prayed for my own soul prayed for him and that he may reign in Peace and Righteousness to the Glory of God and the good of all the people of the Nation I shall not trouble you with more because I see your time is past and my weakness is such that I am necessitated to break off Then Col. Okey spake further as followeth Mr. Sheriff It is not only our Judgments now but it was our Practice when we were beyond the Seas we did shun any Disputes nay we avoyded occasions of seeing our own Countrymen because we would have nothing to do with the affairs in England but to pray for them and to perswade to be quiet and to sit still so that we may say as Paul did in another case They neither found us in the Temple disputing or wrangling or stirring up the People only our work was to pray for them Then Mr. Corbet said Now we have done speaking to men we may now speak unto our God truly he must help us and give us his own Spirit men may say prayers and reade them but to pray in the Spirit and to pray so as to be accepted with God requireth much strength and assistance from Him Then Mr. Corbet addressed himself to Prayer Mr. Corbet's Prayer O Lord our God our dear and heavenly Father Thou that art the great and mighty God the God of Glory all the Nations of the World are unto thee as the drop of the bucket and as the dust of the ballance O Lord what are we then that are dust and ashes sinful dust and ashes O! look upon us look upon us in our Lord Jesus Christ that great Mediator O we desire to come to thee in the Name of that blessed Mediator we pray thee let us have acceptance through Him O that we might come unto the Throne of Grace through Him and obtain Mercy at thy merciful hand and finde Grace and Help now in this time of need Truly Lord it is a day a day of need for thy poor Worms that stand in thy presence that are despised of men that are condemned of men as not worthy to live in the world O our God thou mayest also justly destroy us and thou mayest justly condemn us and then wo be to us Oh! Forgiveness belongs unto thee Mercies belong unto thee O Lord we acknowledge our Iniquities here in thy presence and in the face of this great People O Lord against thee against thee only have we sinned our Iniquities are gone over our heads they are a mighty burden too heavy for us O Lord we desire especially to bewail our Gospel-sins our walking unworthy of the Gospel our Barrenness under all the means of Grace that we have enjoyed our Unthankfulness for those Glorious Appearances of our God in these dayes in these Nations O we have withheld thy Truth in unrighteousness O we desire to bewail our sins against Love and our sins against Light and our sins against thy Mercies though we have professed the Gospel and the Truths of Jesus Christ yet O Lord where is that Love and that Fruitfulness that should have been found among us O how much dishonour hath thy holy Majestie had from us in all our stations O we desire also to be humbled for our Family-sins and the sins we committed in our stations that thou our God didst call us to O Lord we desire to acknowledge that thou art just and righteous in all thy Chastisements thy great Chastisements that have been upon the Nation and upon us and our Families We desire Lord to humble our selves before thee and to cover our faces with shame here in thy presence and in the presence of this great Assembly Wo unto us for we have sinned against thee But Lord are there not Mercies with thee are there not tender Mercies multitudes of tender Mercies that thou mayest be feared Truly such poor Wretches as we are coming in unto thee have Mercy from thee through Jesus Christ. O these sins of ours and of every one of us and those multitude of sins that thy poor Worm that now speaks is guilty of in thy sight our Lord Jesus Christ he hath born He was made sin for us Now Lord where sin is there is shame and grief and
the Fountain of Life now let it come flowing upon our poor souls that we may be presented before thee with exceeding Joy Lord let us hear that same joyful Sound Come ye blessed of my Father O though we be despised of men and some they reproach us ô but Lord forgive them and the Lord pardon them whosoever hath done us any wrong the Lord pardon them through Jesus Christ we beg it And blessed Father we pray thee let us hear this joyful sound Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you O there is a Crown of Life laid up for them that love the Lord. Thou knowest thy poor Worms desire to love thee ô dear Lord shed abroad thy Love in our hearts and though we be now dying yet we desire to love thy Name though thou art now correcting us yet we have cause to love thee and bless thee ô shed abroad thy Love in our poor souls O Lord we pray thee come and accept us and let our cry come and pierce the heavens ô Lord let us now be looking for and hastening to the glorious appearing of that blessed hope our Lord Jesus Christ. He that shall come will come and will not tarry Come quickly Lord. O that thy Servants could see thee as thy Servant Stephen in much-what such a condition as we are in he saw Jesus Christ standing at thy Right-hand Though we cannot look upon thee with our bodily eyes yet we desire to see thee with the eye of faith O we pray thee look down upon us and Lord strengthen our Faith and that our Faith may not fail O let us obtain the end of our Faith the salvation of our Souls And ô that thou wouldst strengthen us according to thy Glorious Power with all Patience in this hour O Lord though our hearts would faint and flesh faint ô Lord thou art the God of our strength come lay hold upon us lead us by thy Righteousness and let thy Everlasting Arms be under us O dear Lord let us taste of Love in this bitter Cup ô we pray thee let us see thee in Mercy do not correct us in thy Wrath. O we bow our knees to thee let not this Affliction be in thy Wrath We are under the wrath of men but Lord do thou forgive and let us be under thy Love and lay no more upon thy poor Worms than the strength that thou shalt now give us through Jesus Christ will enable us to bear and come and take us into those Mansions that our Lord Jesus Christ hath prepared Is it not thy promise to go and provide Mansions for us our fore-runner is gone to appear for us in Heaven now before the Throne of Grace O hear us now in him and dismiss us now with a blessing And the Lord blesse this Nation the Lord blesse the Government the Lord continue thy Truth keep the Gospel still in this Nation which hath been the glory of it O let thy poor People glorifie the Gospel in their lives 't is that we beg of thee for the Lord's sake and do thou prevent those heavy Judgements that hang over our heads Lord pardon those great Abominations that thine eyes do see that Prophanation of the Sabbath O the spirit of Prophaneness is broken out among us O we desire to be humbled and mourn for it Lord turn from thy Wrath and dear Father continue thy Gospel in the purity of it O the Lord forgive the sins of those that bear thy Name thy Wrath is kindled against us and therefore it is that thou dost rebuke us but we pray thee give thy People a Spirit of returning to thee and do thou heal our back-slidings and give us a Spirit of Love to Thee and to thy Truths and one to another and take away the Envy betwixt Ephraim and Judah Thou seest these bitter Contests we pray thee put a stop to them and let thy People be of one heart and one mind and let them minde the great things of Jesus Christ and those Truths that are after Godliness let those be more and more enquired after and imbraced by the People of these Nations and the Lord grant that those Superstitions and Idolatries that are a provocation in thy sight may not be brought into the Nation for thou art a jealous God and if we go that way thy Wrath will be kindled once more but Lord shew Mercy to England and do not take away the Gospel nor remove thy Golden Candlestick from the midst of us And the Lord bless the Government and the King thou hast set over us that which we beg of thee for him is That he may rule righteously and let him hate whom thou hatest and love those whom thou lovest And blesse the Ministers of the Word them that are faithful to thee Lord continue them in their Liberties and let not our Teachers be removed into corners blesse them that are faithful to thee and make them more faithful Being interrupted after a while he proceeded as followeth O Father we have many Suits to put up unto thee but we now commit our selves unto thee here we are Lord we will roul our souls upon thee and rest and wait for thy Salvation We pray thee accept of us forgive the sins of this duty O sprinkle the Blood of the Lord Jesus upon us and take us into thy Arms. Father of Mercy that comfortest us in all our Tribulations come and comfort us in this hour and do thou accept of us in Christ for through him we offer up ourselves our souls a sacrifice Father accept of us and our sacrifice c. The Conclusion was omitted because of a busling among the horses Then Col. Okey addressed himself to Prayer as followeth Colonel Okey's Prayer MOst Glorious most Holy Eternal and most blessed Lord God who art the glorious Creator and the blessed Maker of all things who art from Everlasting to Everlasting blessed for evermore Thou art worthy to be praised from the rising of the Sun to the going down thereof Thou art the mighty God that art cloathed with Glory and Honour and Majesty as with a garment and Thou art the Fountain of all that 's good and the Well-spring of Everlasting-life O Lord we are once more in thy glorious Presence the Lord hath been pleased to give us this opportunity that we may once more pour out our souls to thee in the Name of Jesus Christ before we go hence and be seen no more Now we pray Thee for the Lord Jesus sake as thou hast been pleased to put a price into our hands so O Lord we pray thee for Jesus Christs sake give us hearts to improve it O Lord we pray thee convince us in whose glorious presence we are and of the great work we are now about we are before Thee the Eternal and Unchangeable Lord who searchest the hearts and knowest our thoughts and Thou knowest with what intents we pour out our souls before Thee at this time
O blessed Father we beseech Thee for Christs sake draw nigh to us that we may draw nigh to Thee our God O that Thou wouldst pour down Thy holy Spirit that we may pour out our souls before Thee O Lord we pray Thee for Christ's sake give us the Spirit of Wisdom and the Spirit of Understanding and the Spirit of Knowledge and the Spirit whereby we may cry Abba Father We are not now come to tell long stories of our Iniquities time and strength would fail us they are as the hairs of our heads and as the sands of the Sea-shore but O Lord we are before Thee in the Name of Jesus Christ humbly to intreat and beseech Thee O for the Lord's sake to look upon us there was never any more unworthy of Mercy than we are yet never any poor Wretches stood in more need of Mercy than we do We humbly pray thee for the Lord's sake extend Mercy to us O Lord do not remember against us what we have done but remember what the Lord Jesus Christ hath suffered and when Thou hast look'd upon thy dear Son then look upon thy poor Worms O Lord we humbly pray Thee for Jesus sake forgive whatever is past cover us with the Righteousness of Jesus Christ let none of our nakedness appear we beg for the Lord's sake O that the Lord would be pleased to speak Peace now to our souls Blessed Father we have in some measure blessed be thy Name the assurance of thy Love sealed to our Souls by thy glorious Spirit we humbly pray Thee O Lord we beseech Thee for Christ's sake look upon us and come and pour down thy glorious and holy Spirit upon us and let us we beseech thee have yet more Assurance that our Sins are pardoned that Thou hast found out a Ransom for us that our Names are written in the Book of Life and that we shall not die but live for evermore because we are washed with the Blood of Christ even with the Blood of thy dear Son who hath loved us and died for us and washed us with his own Blood O that the Lord would be pleased now to come and warm our souls with thy Love that they may never be cold more O Lord we beseech thee receive us into the Everlasting Arms of thy Mercy O Lord we beseech Thee for Christs sake that Thou wouldst now let us see as Stephen once did by the eye of Faith even Heaven opened and the Lord upon the Throne and Jesus Christ at his Right-hand and the glorious Angels receiving our souls into thy everlasting Mercy Blessed Father we beseech thee for the Lord sake that Thou wouldst be with us and bless us and the Lord shew us Mercy onely upon the account of our Lord Jesus Christ. And we pray Thee bless us and with us all Thine all the World over Remember thy Churches from the rising of he Sun to the going down of the same Think upon this Nation wherein we live we humbly beg for the Lord's sake that England Scotland and Ireland might live in thy Glorious Presence and that England may be a quiet Habitation for thy People to dwell in O for the Lord's sake as Thou hast given them a Name and a Gospel above any other Nations that we have heard of or seen So pour down abundance of thy Spirit and give them Grace and hearts that they may walk answerable to the Gospel and be a Nation for thy Glory more zealous than any other Nation And Lord we humbly pray Thee continue the Mercies they yet enjoy and remove and divert any Judgements that they feel or fear And for the Lord's sake bless him that Thou hast been pleased to set over us let the King live in Thy sight we humbly beg that he may reign so here that he may reign in Glory for ever that he may be a nursing father to thy Israel and that he may be a Friend to those that are thy Friends and an Enemy to those that are thy Enemies and Enemies to thy Gospel let him remember that he is but a Steward and he must ere long give an account and the Lord grant that he may do it with much joy and not with grief and bless the Council do thou pour down thy Spirit upon them and guide and direct them to do the things that may be for thy Glory and for the Comfort of their own souls And bless the Faithful Ministers of the Gospel O that the Lord would double his Spirit upon them and that the Lord would be pleased abundantly to encrease the number of them let not that Judgment come upon the Nation that the Godly Faithful and Holy Ministers should be removed from us that their eyes should not behold their Teachers Lord let us not have a famine of thy Word for the Lord's sake but that the Gospel may continue in more splendor and glory than ever it hath done heretofore O that the Lord would be pleased to keep Idolatry out of this Nation O let not that Judgement befall this poor Nation for the Lord's sake And we humbly beg for thy Name sake that the Lord would be pleased to look upon this great City Thou hast made them famous for Religion and for owning the Gospel but Lord grant that they may not decline but that they may abundantly improve their gifts and graces and that they may walk humbly and thankfully and O that the Lord would be pleased to bless the City and the Nation from one end to another and that he would give them the blessings of the right hand and the blessings of the left that they may have the dew of Heaven and the fatness of the Earth and that they may provoke and stir up one another to praise thy holy Name and to live in Love Unity and Peace O Lord we pray thee for Jesus sake look upon us in thy presence and shew Mercy to us and look in love and mercy upon any that are near unto us we leave them with Thee we commit them into thy hands we beg for the Lord's sake shew Mercy to us and be with thy poor Servants and Lord we pray thee accept of us and our services in Jesus Christ and pardon our deadness and pardon our weakness our wanderings and all our sins even for our Lord Jesus Christ's sake since we came into Thy glorious presence and we pray Thee to accept of us and do us good and receive us to Mercy and Glory and all only for the glory of thy Name and for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ who died for us and rose again and lives for ever at Thy right hand to whom be all Honour and Glory and Praise for evermore Then Col. Barkstead addressed himself to Prayer having first spoken to the Sheriffs these few words following Mr. Sheriff I do see your time is spent and we are drawn up into a very narrow compass And I hope you will take my word now as before I
dye to day who answered To dye I die to live quoting that Scripture He that believes in me shall never die The reason of his laughter being as himself said because he was exceedingly transported with joy in the evidence of Christ's love to his soul. And indeed nothing but Joy was daily seated in this dying-man's countenance as did evidently appear to all the Spectators The morning being far spent in discoursing with his Friends the Sleds about eight of the clock came into the Tower which making a great noise upon the stones he ran to the window with a smiling countenance to view them and said Oh our Chariots are now come A little while after the Sleds came the Gentleman-Porter or some other Officer in the Tower came to acquaint him with it desiring him to prepare for his Departure to which he rejoycingly answered That blessed be God it was not then to do and so with much chearfulness he committed his Wife into the hands of the Lord God Almighty resting upon his Promise That he will be a Father to the Fatherless and a Husband to the Widow A little before his Departure he desired his Wife to button on his Cloak which accordingly she did and presently the Gentleman-Jaylor and a File of Souldiers came by the Lieutenants Order and received him at which time he parted with his Wife and Relations as himself professed with as much joy as ever he received them Now being brought by the Jaylor to the Lieutenants Door that being the place appointed for the Sleds to receive them and although it was the place and house in which he lived in plenty and honour yet he had so much estranged himself unto it that he did not so much as cast his eye upon it and no wonder if his treasure were in Heaven that his heart was there also He was appointed the first that should enter the Sled and so to be drawn the foremost of the three through the City Having thus entred the Sled he sat down and looking about him with a chearful countenance and speaking comfortable words to such Friends as were near him after a while the Sleds were ordered to be drawn away which accordingly was performed and coming down the Church-hill opposit to his Prison alius his Palace his Wife with some other Friends standing at the window took her Handkercheif out of her Pocket and shook it at him which he perceiving took off his Hat and several times shaking it over his head cryed out with an astonishing chearfulness To Heaven to Heaven to Heaven my Love and leave you in the Storm Thus passing along he came to the Tower-Gate where some reviled him in words and carriages not only his Enemies but his former intimate Friends which he rather smiled than was troubled at Near Holborn there came a young woman to him being very earnest to speak to him which the Sheriffs Officers permitted all that she told him she had to say to him was this That whatsoever he did she begged of him to go on chearfully in so Glorious a Cause Several spake to him in the same manner And though he met with some Revilers in the way yet the number of his Frieâ—ds and of such as blessed him and the rest in the Name of the Lord far exceeded them As he passed along several times a Friend that accompanied him asked him how he did who told him he was never better in all his life and that he grew stronger and stronger every moment And going up Holborn being in discourse with the same Friend he with a smiling countenance told him That he evidently saw Jesus Christ coming down the Hill to receive and imbrace him and that this hours difficulty that he was now to go through was not to be mentioned with that Glory he was to enjoy When he came near the place of Execution the multitude of people increasing they could not bring the Sled near the Gallows so the Sheriff ordered that he should be brought on foot which accordingly was performed and a Cart standing ready under the Gallows he chearfully got into it before which some of his Friends took their leaves of him he leaving this word of Counsel with them To trust in that God that hath promised Never to leave nor forsake those that trust in him Being entred the Cart the Executioner tyed his hands with black Ribbons taking off his Perriwig and putting on his Cap the Sheriff told him that he would permit him to say any thing between God and himself but nothing in justification of the Act but he refused to say any thing till Col. Okey came which was immediatly after Several reviled him at the place of Execution among the rest the Lord bidding him in a scoffing way Good buoy Barkstead good buoy To which with a smile he returned this Answer Sir you are no Gentleman to triumph over a dying-man Another thing observable was That a Courtier by way of derision told him O Barkstead you have got the Comforter meaning a little Strongwater-bottle that he had in his hand to which he replied That blessed be God he had a better Comforter than that or else he should not be able to stand there so chearfully as he did To conclude all his carriages and actions were exceeding chearful going through those Difficulties he met with with an undaunted resolution to the admiration and astonishment of his Enemies and the great rejoycing of his Friends who had before earnestly besought the Lord to vouchsafe his comforting and assisting presence to him A Letter of Col. Barksteads sent when he was beyond the Seas to a near Friend of his in London My dear Friend YOurs of the last of April I received the twelfth of June The first sight of your hand-writing filled my eyes with such floods of tears that for some hours I could not recover my sight to reade it yet at last to reading I went but then every line yea every word called back my tears and so overwhelmed my affections that I could not get thorow it till between one and two of the clock that night though the refreshing Comforts I found therein and received thereby I trust will never get thorow my heart but have ever a place there while I have a being in this dying vain and miserable world to which I desire we may get our hearts mortified and dead and alive onely to our God in and thorow our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Now if we be mortified and dead to the World then nothing in this World con trouble us were all the Mountains in the World thrown on a dead man they would not trouble him because he feels none of their weight Christ's boxes were not broken on the Crosse because he was dead before but the bores of the two Thieves were So let afflictions and Troubles find us with mortified and dead hearts to the World and they will never break our bones No no the bones of those were broken which were
alive Our desires wil be hankring after the World but surely our businesse is to labour after Poverty of Spirit and as the Lord hath by his Wise and Over-ruling Providence emptied us of the Creature and so of those empty comforts we may labour to get our hearts filled with the fulnâ—sse of him in whose fulness there is joy and at whose right hand are pleasures for ever more one drop of whose fulness is worth ten thousand Worlds Ah alas alas content doth not alwayes go cloâ—thed in silk neither is it the company of rich men and women No no they and they alone are the contented rich men and women in this World whose desires are satisfied I mean whose desires are satiâ—fied in God or whose desires God satisfies such a poor Soul looks on its present condition best because God sees it best I cannot here but cast a weeping eye and a bleeding heart back on those our many dayes and years of mercy the Lord was pleased to entrust me with both in relation to my Soul and Body but I did not honour the God of my mercies He gave me health but I abused it and therefore the Lord brought and continued sickness I neglected those precious Ordinances I did or might have enjoyed behold the Lord hath cast me into a Wildernesse where no water no bread is I neglected the communion of the Saints and have been I had almost said shut out from the society of men but more of that when I see you I neglected the society of the living and have been and am shut up as among the dead under these and many other considerations of the like nature hath the Lord been at work with my poor Soul in this my Wildernesse condition the particulars of which would be too large a volume for a letter under all which he who is who was who is to come who is the chosen faithful and true he even he hath said I will never never never leave thee nor forsake the and he that hath said it is faithful and will not lye he cannot lye Now if I can truly say the Lord is mine and I am his what care I if all the Wâ—rld forsake me If the Lord takes away the World and the things of the World and friends of the World and gives me himself I have enough It was an excellent note in yours to me God loves to the end and there is no end of that love the World and the men of the World cannot do so No no they are a lye they are empty dying vanities they are not while they seem to be nor what they seem to be Man a buble a vapour a shadow all nothing then for riches they are as uncertain riches take to themselves wings and fly away Now if man riches be thus uncertain nothings what must their dependents be but less then nothing as honour pleasure great things yea great men all a shaddow that makes no stay put passâ—s away and immediately they are not O is it not then below a rational Creature to lay out himself his precious time his strength his all upon such pittiful poor nothings but for a Christian a child of God an heir of Heaven to engage his Soul in such pittiful underling vanities O let it not be Hath the Lord broken our estates let us beg of him to break our hearts too for a broken estate and a whole and a hard heart will never agree together and there can be no content But on the contrary a broken estate and a broken heart doth very often bring much more content then the full enjoyment of the Creature I blesse the Lord I can thorow mercy seal to this truth in the Wilderness Ah my Friend my Friend a naked dying Christ is above and beyond all the honours profits and pleasures of this World An evennesse and Proportion between our hearts and our conditions brings content hath God made our estates low let not us lift up our head above our condition for this will bring bitterness in the end it is thorow the wise and over-ruling Providence of Almighty that our condition is for the present changed now if we in our present condition desire to serve the Counsel of God in our condâ—tion it will certainly exceedingly tend to our advantage See what the Spirit of the Lord sayes the 54. of Isaiah 17. When thou passest thorow the fire and thorow the water I will be with thee and so on Now if God be ours and we his he will be with us and then what will harm us what will or can our losse be or rather what will not our advantage be that it is a gallant thriving time with the People of God with you I much rejoyce and with you desire to bless the Lord for that to me is an assured sign that the Lord is at work with them and for them and when he hath fitted his people for mercies he will come and will not tarry where he gives a returning heart he is not far from healing that heart see the 3. Jer. 22. Return you back-sliding Children the very next words and I will heal your back-slidings and where the Lord comes to heal see how ready the Soul is to close with the Lord. For the following words we come to whom to thee why so For saith they thou art the Lord our God our businesse is to get an assurance that the Lord is our God and Salvation and deliverance is certainly near or at least a sutable spirit to our present condition which is all one My Friend I doubt not before this you understand the reason of my not writing I am not angry I shall never have more to do with anger as formerly No the Lord hath made me thorow mercy sensible of that evil yea of my great evil and sin therein and therefore I trust that I shall never be angry more but with sin which is and ought to be the onely object of our anger No no it is a meek and quiet Spirit that is most sutable for a Christian at all times but especially at such a time as this See Mat. 11 19. Learn of me saith Christ for I am meek and lowly Meekness signifies humility or sweetness it is the bridle of anger it is the glory of a Christian it graces his calling it keeps the soul in a continual peace it makes all other graces shine it is a grace that a Christian hath constant use of and so is of continual use in all places and on all occasions but of exceeding use in this our day for that to a humble heart all crosses are small because it admires your least mercy looking on it self as unworthy of it it is a convincing grace a grace on which the Lord sets a very high price it brings rest to the Soul and so makes 〈◊〉 life comfortable it keeps our heads and hearts lower then our conditiâ—â—â— and so frees the Soul from being destitute in the world it