Page:Cry from the dead, or, The ghost of Mr James Guthrie appearing.pdf/22

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MR GUTHRIE'S LAST SPEECH

All that are neutral, and indifferent, and lukewarm profeſſors, be zealous and repent, leſt the Lord 'ſpue you out of his mouth.' You that lament after the Lord, and mourn for all the abominations that are done in this city, and in the land, and take pleaſure in the ſtones and duſt of Zion, caſt not away your confidence, but be comforted, and encouraged in the Lord; he will yet appear to your joy: God hath not caſt away his people, nor work, in Britain and Ireland, I hope it ſhall once more revive by the power of his Spirit, and take root downward, and bear fruit upward, and of this I am now confident. There is yet a holy feed and precious remnant, whom God will preſerve and bring forth; but how long or dark our night may be, I do not know, the Lord ſhorten it for the ſake of his choſen. In the mean while, be ye patient, and 'ſtedfaſt, unmoveable always abounding in the work of the Lord,' and in love one to another; beware of ſnares which are ſtrawed thick; cleave to the covenant and work of reformation; do not decline the croſs of Chriſt; 'chooſe rather to ſuffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleaſures of ſin for a ſeason,' and 'account the reproach of Chriſt greater riches, than all the treaſures of the world.' Let my death grieve none of you, it will be more profitable and advantageous both for me and for you, and for the church of God, and for Chriſt’s intereſt and honour, than my life could have been. I forgive all men the guilt of it, and I deſire you to do ſo alſo; 'Pray for them that perſecute you, and bleſs them that curſe you; bleſs, I ſay, and curſe not.' I die in the faith of the apoſtles, and primitive Chriſtians, and proteſtant reformed churches, particularly of the church of Scotland, whereof I am a member and miniſter. I do bear my witneſs and teſtimony to the doctrine, worſhip, diſcipline, and government of the church of Scotland, by kirk ſeſſions, preſbyteries, ſynods, and general aſſemblies; popery and prelacy, and all the trumpery of ſervice and ceremonies, that wait upon them, I do abhor. I do