THE DYING TESTIMONY AND LAST WORDS OF MARION HARVIE

"CHRISTIAN FRIENDS AND ACQUAINTANCES, I being to lay down my life on Wednesday next, January 26, 1681, I thought fit to let it be known to the world wherefore I lay down my life, and to let it be seen that I die not as a fool or as an evil-doer, or as a busybody in other men's matters; no, it is for adhering to the truths of Jesus Christ, and avowing Him to be King in Zion, and head of His Church; and the testimony against the ungodly laws of men; and their robbing Christ of His rights, and usurping His prerogative royal, which I durst not but testify against; and I bless His holy name, that ever He called me to bear witness against the sins of the times, and the defections of upsitten [i.e., callous] ministers and professors.

"I give my testimony against the burning of the Covenants, which were solemnly sworn by the three nations with uplifted hands to the great God of heaven and earth. I leave my testimony against all the bloodshed and massacres of the Lord's people, either on scaffolds or in the fields. I protest against banishings and finings, and cruel murderings, especially the inhuman murder of worthy David Hackston. I leave my testimony against the paying of the cess, employed for the bearing down the preaching of the Gospel, and the taking and killing the poor followers of Jesus Christ. I leave my testimony against the professors that say this is not the truth of God for which I suffer, and call the way of God delusion. "I leave my testimony against Mr. Archibald Riddell, who became servant to the bloody lords, and made it his work to make me deny Christ, and betake myself to the ungodly laws of men, and to call the truths of God delusions, which I am to seal with my blood; and I rejoice that ever He counted me worthy so to do. Oh! I may say, What am I, or what is my father's house, that He should have called me out to seal His truths with my blood? - which truths, both ministers and professors have counted prudence to disown and deny; for which the land will be made to mourn, and sorely to smart ere all be done. I leave my testimony against Mr. John Blair, that said I had no more grace than his staff had, and was witness to my sentence that day I got it; and his wife, that said I had no more grace nor [i.e., than] her old shoes, as if grace were not free, and as though Christ had not enough to give me. I leave my testimony against both ministers and professors that have joined themselves in any of these courses of defection with the enemies, and are fast in their camps.
"Now, be humble and lie in the dust, and never give over crying in behalf of the Church, which is so small that it can scarcely be discerned, and never give over till He appear, for I think He is near at hand. Oh! watch, and double your diligence, and hold fast till He come, and let none take your crown, for He is good to the soul that seeks Him. If I were to live again, I would let that perjured crew see that I should be more guilty of that which they call rebellion, in serving my lovely King, and in acting and doing for Him and His glory, if He called me to it; and it is my grief that I have not been more faithful for my master Christ. All His dealings with me have been in love and in mercy. His corrections have been all in love and free grace. Oh! free love! Oh! I am oft made to wonder what it was that made Him take a blasphemer to witness for Him and His truths. I may say, I am a brand plucked out of the fire; I am a limb of the devil plucked out from his fireside. Oh! I am made to wonder and admire at His condescending love. ....

"Now, I leave my testimony against all the backsliding ministers, who, when I began to hear the Gospel, preached the same truths which I am to lay down my life for at this time, but now they are joined in a combination against God, and for the most part are all at the enemies' will; for when I got my sentence, the bloody traitors promised to bring any of our own ministers to us, when before them; and so this gives me ground to say, they are become their servants. Now, the Lord knows I have a sore heart to mention these things; but when I saw some of them there, and they offering us any of the rest, it gives me ground to set it down with a sore heart.

"Now, what shall I say? I have sinned against Him, and I am guilty of the defections, for which my Carcase must lie in the wilderness, and not see the King come home to His habitation. But oh! I am content, and heartily content, that He gives me my soul for a prey; and well is me for it; I think myself not behind. Oh! my love; Oh! my love; Oh! my love; my altogether lovely Christ! "The common report through the country is, that I might have had my life on very easy terms; but I could have it on no easier terms than the denying of my Lord and Master, Christ. First, they asked, if I would retract my former confession, and particularized all the papers I had owned before, and if I would not call Charles Stuart a usurper and the devil's vicegerent. I told them I would not go back in anything, 'for ye have nothing,' said I, 'to lay to me but for the avowing Christ to be King in Zion, and head of His own Church." And they said, they did not usurp Christ's crown. But I said they were blinded and did not see. They said there were but a few of us for these principles. I said they had all the wyte [i.e., blame] of it, 200 and it was most bitter to us, that our ministers had spoken against these truths.

"And, indeed, I think they had not been so cruel to me, were it not these ministers. And so I think our ministers are not free of our blood; for when they spake against us and the way, it hardened these bloody traitors, and emboldened them to take our lives. I leave my testimony against them, for they have caused many poor things to err from the way of God, and many have made ministers their rule, and so the blind have led the blind, and both have fallen into the ditch together. And some think and say: 'Oh! can we quit so many godly ministers? We dow not [i.e., cannot bring ourselves to] quit them.' But I assure you ye shall get a share of the wrath and stroke which God hath prepared for these backsliders and betrayers of their trust. Oh! I wonder what is the reason that men count it their wisdom to deny God, who has been so kind to them, and who have many a day delighted to commend His love to me, with the hazard of their lives; for which I shall be a witness against them.

"Now, I have no more to say: be faithful unto death, or else, woe! woe I woe! to you that are owning Him at this day, if ye do not own Him in all His offices, as King, Priest, and Prophet. Oh! my dear love! well is me that ever He let me know that His love was better than life. Woe to that creature that will not love my lovely Lord Jesus Christ.

"Now, farewell holy and sweet Scriptures, which were aye my comfort in the midst of all my difficulties. Farewell faith, farewell hope, farewell wanderers, who have been comfortable to my soul, in the hearing them commend Christ's love. Farewell brethren, farewell sisters; farewell Christian acquaintances; farewell sun, moon, and stars! And now, welcome my lovely and heartsome Christ Jesus, into whose hands I commit my spirit throughout all eternity. I may say - 'Few and evil have the days of the years of my pilgrimage been,' I being about twenty years of age.

From the Tolbooth of Edinburgh, the women-house on the east side of the prison, Jan. 11th, 1681. Excerpts from A Cloud of Witnesses
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