GEORGE WISHART, the eminent and pious martyr, who was burnt at the stake, near the old castle of St. Andrew’s, in the year 1546, after sentence was pronounced, falling upon his knees said:—
“O Immortal God, how long wilt Thou suffer the rage and great cruelty of the ungodly men to exercise their fury upon Thy servants, which do further Thy word in this world; whereas they on the contrary seek to destroy the Truth, whereby Thou hast revealed Thyself to the world? O Lord, we know certainly that Thy true servants must needs suffer for Thy name’s sake, persecutions, afflictions, and troubles in this present world; yet we desire that Thou wouldest preserve and defend Thy Church, which Thou hast chosen before the foundation of the world, and give Thy people grace to hear Thy word, and to be Thy true servants in this present life.”
On the morning of his execution two friars met him, persuading him to pray to “our lady” to mediate for him, to whom he meekly said, “Cease; tempt me not, I entreat you.” And so with a rope about his neck, and a chain about his body, he was led to the fire; then falling upon his knees, he thrice repeated, “O Thou Saviour of the world, have mercy upon me; Father of heaven, I commend my spirit into thy holy hands.” Then turning to the people he said, “I beseech you, Christian brethren and sisters, be not offended at the Word of God, for the torments which you see prepared for me; but I exhort you that ye love the Word of God, your salvation, and suffer patiently, and with a comfortable heart for the Word’s sake, which is your undoubted salvation and everlasting comfort. I pray you also show my brethren and sisters, who have heard me oft before, that they cease not to learn the Word of God, which I taught them, according to the measure of grace given me, for no persecution or trouble in this world, which lasteth not; and show them that my doctrine was no wives’ fables, after the constitutions made by men, and if I had taught men’s doctrine I should have had greater thanks from men. But for the Word’s sake and true gospel I suffer this day by men, not sorrowfully, but with a glad heart and mind. For this cause I was sent, that I should suffer this fire for Christ’s sake. Consider and behold my face; you shall not see me change my colour; this grim fire I fear not; and so I pray you to do if any persecution come to you for the Word’s sake, and not to fear them that slay the body, and have no power to hurt the soul,” etc.
Then he prayed for them who accused him, saying, “I beseech Thee, Father of heaven, forgive them that have, of any ignorance or of any evil mind, forged lies of me: I forgive them with all my heart; I beseech Christ to forgive them that have condemned me to death this day ignorantly.” Then turning to the people again, he said, “I beseech you, brethren, to exhort your prelates to the learning of the Word of God, that they at the last may be ashamed to do evil, and learn to do good, and if they will not convert themselves from their wicked errors, there shall shortly come upon them the wrath of God, which they shall not escape.” (Cardinal Beaton, in his malicious haste to proceed against Wishart, had exceeded the bounds of the law by putting him to death merely on ecclesiastical authority. Shortly after, for his lawless conduct, several leading characters united to execute what they considered was a just vengeance upon Beaton—had him slain and hung from the window of the castle where he sat to witness the burning of George Wishart, so that the people might see that he was dead.)
He added many other faithful words, taking no heed to the cruel torments prepared for him. Then the executioner, upon his knees, said, “Sir, I pray you forgive me, for I am not the cause of your death.” Wishart, calling him, kissed his cheek, saying, “Lo, here is a token that I forgive thee: my heart, do thine office.” He was then tied to the stake, and the fire kindled. The captain of the castle, coming near him, bade him be of good courage, and to beg for him the pardon of his sin, to whom Wishart said, “This fire torments my body, but no whit abates my spirits.”
Thus did George Wishart pass from time to eternity, from death to life, from misery to bliss, from shame to everlasting glory. “What are these which are arrayed in white robes and whence came they? . . . These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the Throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them” (Rev. vii. 13-15).