Last Speech and Prayer
The source for this document is https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo2/A64807.0001.001
Project Note
This is licensed under Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND. This license allows reusers to copy and distribute the material in any medium or format in unadapted form only, for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator.
The source of this document is the Early English Books Online (EEBO-TCP) website. Those books were transcribed in a character for character manner and can be very cumbersome to read since there was no standard spelling during that time. Many spelling variations such as "unlesse", "vnlesse", and "vnles" regularly appear.
This project was conceived to clean up those books as much as possible and make them more accessible to the interested reader, leading to the creation of a massive list of variant spellings and their corrections. This was used to clean up the text, but is of course only as complete as the list itself. Because of the nature of the original transcription, some words have missing characters or places where the original language (e.g., Greek) was not transcribed. This effort does not change that. Be aware that the original transcription can also be faulty and in some cases entire sentences may be missing.
Although this is no substitute for a properly compared, proofed, and scholarly edition, I believe that the result is a document which is far more accessible, particularly for searching for terms using standard spelling. The document has been cleaned and presented in what I hope is a pleasing and useful format for the vast majority of Christian brothers and sisters who just want access to read these spiritually nourishing works.
However, a word of warning: The Puritans were a very diverse group of people and their age was characterized with godliness, but also much upheaval, disputation and strife. They disagreed on many doctrines and some of these works contain less orthodox or Scriptural views than others. The reader is strongly advised to read with discernment, particularly if it is unknown whether author is trustworthy.
This project took a huge amount of time and skill to bring to fruition. I would particularly like to thank David Jonescue for the initial list of Puritans he found on EEBO and the concept behind this project as well as the continuous, unceasing efforts toward seeing this complete. Without his labor, this would not be available. Alex Sarrouf was invaluable in providing the initial list of over 7,000 spelling variations he had identified and corrected, as well as continuing to review more than 16,000 additions to that list for any typos.
Logan West
(with David Jonescue and Alex Sarrouf)
www.puritansearch.org
The last Speech and Prayer with other Passages of Thomas Venner
The Chief Incourager and Promoter of the late Horrid Rebellion, immediately before his Execution in Colemanstreet on Saturday last being the 19th of January, 1660.
Together with the names of the rest that were condemned for the same Fact.
LONDON, Printed in the year, 1660.
The last Speech and Prayer, with other passages of Tho. Venner.
O N Saturday the nineteenth of January one thousand six hundred and sixty, in persuance of the judgment of the Court at the Sessions house in the Old Bailey, whereby sixteen of the late Rebels were condemned to be hanged, drawn, and quartered.
Thomas Venner formerly a Cooper in London, but of late a pretended Preacher of a private Congregation in Coleman street, was with Roger Hoskins a Button-seller in Clements Lane, and a member of his Church drawn from Newgate unto Colemanstreet aforesaid upon a Hurdle, where two Gibbets were erected for their execution, being the place where they had first contrived, and where the said Master Venner had first promoted, encouraged and at last unanimously agreed upon the late Rebellion and Insurrection.
Being come to the Gallows, by reason of his many wounds he was taken out of the Sledge by two of the Sheriffs Officers, and led to the Ladder, being come to the foot thereof, one met him that was a brother preacher of his in former time, but of late times better instructed, spake unto him saying,
I now speak as I said before, that what I did was according to the best light I had, and according to the best understanding that the Scripture will afford.
But with all God's people before death there must be confession of sin according to the Scripture.
There must be conviction before there can be confession, which I cannot find in my own conscience.
But David says, that we should pray against blood-guiltiness, and desires God to deliver us from it, and this surely must needs lie upon your spirit.
Do not be an instrument of Satan to take away that comfort I have within me now I am going to die.
Upon which, command was given that they should not speak any farther to him.
As he went up the Ladder, he used this expression.
And being upon the Ladder, with the Rope about his neck, he spake as followeth.
Friends,
I Desire in the fear of the Lord to acknowledge why I am brought to this place at this time: What I did was from the Word of the Lord, you ought to believe that the Fourth Monarchy is come, and that it is the duty of the people of God to look for liberty: And there is one thing that lies upon my spirit for the Testimony of King Jesus, which is, and I do here declare it, that I have done nothing but what was for the propagation of his Government and Rule, and for the advancement of his Kingdom, according to the light which I had given me: I have been very much wounded, and for five or six days before I came hither I thought I should have died, but God's providence hath brought me hither that I might declare unto you and to all the world that I die for the testimony of his truth.
Now the Lord help you and the Lord help us all to consider really that there is no standing against God, for he will be too hard for you: now if you be of his party it will hold and none shall resist you, but if not, know that he can raise Servants out of the dust to do his own work.
And therefore Oh Friends do not rise against God, these are the last words I must say; but the Lord will speak more by my death then by my life. Therefore all that I have to say to you is this, All the Doctrines that ever I have preached are truth, every word thereof was by the spirit of Truth, according to the word and the best light which I had within me, and the same I now seal with my Blood.
And therefore the Lord help you to lay it to heart and to your consciences, and therefore Oh that I could speak it, for I am faint, and indeed I cannot speak.
Here one told him again that David desired to be cleansed from blood-guiltiness, to which Master Venner said, how! a man blood-guilty in the service of King Jesus?
Here he was desired now he was going out of the World, to make some kind of confession to show some sign of Repentance of his fault.
To which he answered and said, that he had no fault to confess, end if what he did for the glorification of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, he was there ready to suffer for it.
At last he was bid to prepare himself for death, for he had but a few minutes to live.
I will pray first
and so began.
A List of the names of those that are condemned to die.
- Roger Hoskins.
- Leonard Goaler.
- John Allen.
- John Pym.
- William Gotsingham.
- William Ashton.
- Giles Pritchard.
- Rich. Martin.
- John Smith.
- Tho. Hopkins.
- Will. Corbet.
- John Elstone.
- Tho. Harris.
- John Gardener.
- John Wells,
- Robert Brierly.