The Captain’s Last Words

The Captain’s Last Words

He was victorious in death.

BY THE 1600s, Scotland had fallen under English rule. For Scottish Presbyterians, their loss of religious freedom was even more galling than their loss of political freedom. The king of England was the head of the Church of England, yet to Scottish Presbyterians like John Paton, the true head of the church was King Jesus. This was no mere theological distinction. The Anglican Church in that day asserted its authority over individual conscience. In response, John Paton and many other Presbyterians in Scotland covenanted together to uphold and defend the principles of the Reformation and became known as the Scottish Covenanters.

Captain John Paton was born in the 1620s on a farm in rural Fenwick Parish in Ayer, Scotland. He became a professional soldier and fought under Gustavus Adolphus in Germany and with the Covenanters at the battles of Marston Moor (1644), Rullion Green (1667), and Bothwell Bridge (1679).

Since he was a Covenanter, Paton spent most of his retirement in hiding. Finally in August 1683 he was arrested. He was tried and sentenced to death by hanging for treason against the Crown. But Paton remained fiercely loyal to a higher King. On May 9, 1684, from the scaffold, he read his last testimony:

Dear Friends and Spectators—

You are come here to look upon me a dying man. . . . I am a poor sinner, and could never merit anything but wrath, and have no righteousness of my own; all is Christ’s and His alone; and I have laid claim to His righteousness and His sufferings by faith in Jesus Christ; through imputation they are mine; for I have accepted of His offer on His own terms, and sworn away myself to Him, to be at His disposal, both privately and publicly; and now I have put it upon Him to ratify in Heaven all that I have purposed to do on earth, and to do away with all my imperfections and failings, and to stay my heart on Him. . . .

I now leave my testimony, as a dying man, against the horrid usurpation of our Lord’s prerogative and crown-right . . . for He is given by the Father to be the head of His Church. . . .

Oh! Be oft at the throne, and give God no rest. Make sure your soul’s interest. Seek His pardon freely, and then He will come with peace. Seek all the graces of His spirit, the grace of love, the grace of holy fear and humility. . . .

Now I desire to salute you, dear friends in the Lord Jesus Christ, both prisoned, banished, widow and fatherless, or wandering and cast out for Christ’s sake and the Gospel’s; even the blessings of Christ’s sufferings be with you all, strengthen, establish, support, and settle you. . . .

Now as to my persecutors, I forgive all of them . . . but I wish they would seek forgiveness of Him who hath it to give. . . .

Now I leave my poor sympathizing wife and six small children upon the Almighty Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, who hath promised to be a father to the fatherless, and a husband to the widow, the widow and orphans’ stay. Be Thou all in all to them, O Lord. . . .

And now farewell, wife and children. Farewell all friends and relations. Farewell all worldy enjoyments. Farewell sweet Scriptures, preaching, praying, reading, singing, and all duties. And welcome, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. I desire to commit my soul to Thee in well-doing. Lord, receive my spirit.

Reflection

If you were about to be executed for your faith, what do you think would be your last words? God promises to give his children the words to say when the time comes.

You must stand trial before governors and kings because you are my followers. This will be your opportunity to tell them about me—yes, to witness to the world. When you are arrested, don’t worry about what to say in your defense, because you will be given the right words at the right time. For it won’t be you doing the talking—it will be the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

Matthew 10:18-20