m men, nor by the
will of men. He said, lay by these: but what is the reason you will not
hear others? I said, I desire to hear none of these gaping for the
indulgence, and not faithful in preaching against it."

After some conference anent Messrs. Cameron and Cargil, in which he said
Mr. Cameron was no minister; and Mr. Cargil was once one, and had
quitted it; that they received their doctrines from men, their hearers,
who said, you must preach such and such doctrines, and we will hear you.
To all which the martyr gave pertinent answers. He said, "Robert, do not
think I am angry that you come not to hear me; for I desire not you, nor
any of your faction to come and hear me; for I cannot preach to all your
humours. I said, it was all the worse for that. He said, none of these
faults would cast off a minister. They were but failings, not
principles. I said I could not debate, but I should let any Christian
judge, if it was no principle for a minister to hold Christ head of the
church. I told him, there was once a day I would have ventured my life
at his back for the defence of Christ's gospel; but not now; and I was
more willing to lay down my life now for his sweet and dear truths than
ever I was. He said, the Lord pity and help me. I said, I had much need
of it. And so he went away, and rendered me odious. This, amongst other
things, made me go to God and to engage in covenant with his Son never
to hear any of those who betrayed his cause, till I saw evidences of
their repentance. And I would have been willing to have quitted all for
that chiefest among ten thousands."

Thus he continued, till, he says, he got bad counsel from some of his
friends to supplicate for his liberty; and they prevailed so far as to
draw up a supplication and brought him to subscribe. But when they had
got him to take the pen in his hand. "The Lord bade me hold, (says he)
and one came and bade me take heed. So I did it not, for which I bless
his holy name. But this lets me see, there is no standing in me. Had it
not been his free love, I had gone the blackest way ever one did, &c."

The night before gallant Hackston was executed, being down stairs, and
hearing of the way and manner he was to be executed, he went up stairs,
(though it was treason to speak to him) and told him of it; which he
could scarcely believe: But the keepers hearing came up to persuade him
to the contrary, and to put Robert in the irons. However they got eight
gray coat