hey will to the
contrary), a generation who have not set God before them. With the
malignant are to be joined the profane and scandalous, from all which,
as from heresy and error, the Lord, I trust, is about to purge his
church. I have often comforted myself (and still do) with the hopes of
the Lord's purging this polluted land. Surely the Lord hath begun and
will carry on that great work of mercy, and will purge out the rebels. I
know there will be always a mixture of hypocrites, but that cannot
excuse the conniving at gross and scandalous sinners, &c. I recommend
to them that fear God, seriously to consider, that the holy scriptures
do plainly hold forth, 1. That the helping of the enemies of God,
joining or mingling with wicked men is a sin highly displeasing. 2. That
this sin hath ordinarily insnared God's people into divers other sins.
3. That it hath been punished of God with grievous judgments. And, 4.
That utter destruction is to be feared, when a people, after great
mercies and judgments, relapse into this sin, Ezra ix. 13, 14.

"Upon these and the like grounds, for my own exoneration, that so
necessary a truth want not the testimony of a dying witness of Christ,
altho' the unworthiest of many thousands, and that light may be held
forth, and warning given, I cannot be silent at this time, but speak by
my pen when I cannot by my tongue, yea now also by the pen of another
when I cannot by my own, seriously, and in the name of Jesus Christ,
exhorting and obtesting all that fear God, and make conscience of their
ways, to be very tender and circumspect, to watch and pray, that he be
not ensnared in that great and dangerous sin of compliance with
malignant or profane enemies of the truth, &c. which if men will do,
and trust God in his own way, they shall not only not repent it, but to
the greater joy and peace of God's people, they shall see his work go on
and prosper gloriously. In witness of the premises, I have subscribed
the same. At Kircaldy December 5th, 1648, before these witnesses, &c."
And in about two days after, he gave up the ghost, death shutting his
eyes, that he might then see God, and be for ever with him.

Thus died Mr. George Gillespie, very little past the prime of life. A
pregnant divine, a man of much boldness, and great freedom of
expression, He signalized himself on every occasion where he was called
forth to exercise any part of his ministerial function. No man's death,
at that time, was more