Religion & morality > Cloud of witnesses, for the royal prerogatives of Jesus Christ, or, The last speeches and testimonies of those who suffered for the truth in Scotland, in the years 1681-1688, with an appendix, containing the Queensferry paper, Torwood excommunications, &c

XXIV
PREFACE.
and encouragement to sufferers, and as an instruction and1
example to saints. Herein, as in a glass, we may both see
our blemishes, wherein we come short of them, and learn to
dress ourselves with the like Christian ornaments of zeal,
holiness, stedfastness, meekness, patience, humility, and other
graces.
But alas ! how can the best of us read these testimonies,
without blushing, for our low attainments and small pro¬
ficiency in the school of Christ ? How unlike are we to
them ? How zealous were they for the honour of Christ ?
how lukewarm are we, of whatever profession or denomina¬
tion ? How burning was their love to him. his truths, or¬
dinances, and people ? how cold is ours ? How self-denied
and crucified to the world were they; how selfish and
worldly are we ? How willing were they to part with all
for Christ ? and what an honour did they esteem it to suffer
for him, to be chained, whipped, haltered, staked, impris¬
oned, banished, wounded, killed for him ! how unwilling are
we to part with a very little for him ; much less to endure
such hardships, and account them our glory ? Alas ! are
we not ashamed of what they accounted their ornament, and
accounting that our glory, which they looked upon as a dis¬
grace ? How easy was it for them to choose the greatest
sufferings, rather than the least sin ? how hard is it for us
not to choose the greatest sin, before the least suffering ?
Oh that their Christian virtues could upbraid us out of our
lethargy of supine security ! That their humility, meekness,
and patience, could shame us out of our pride, haughtiness,
and impatience : they were sympathizing Christians, active
for the glory of God, and the good of souls, diligent to have
their evidences for heaven clear, and having obtained assur¬
ance of God’s love to their persons, and approbation of their
cause, they went cheerfully on in their way, fearless of men,
who can only kill the body; and ready to die the most
violent death at God’s call. But oh ! how little fellow-feel¬
ing is there now among Christians ? but instead thereof,
bitterness, emulation, wrath, envy, contentions, and divisions.
How little concern for the work and cause of Christ ? how
dark are the most part, both as to their spiritual state, and
their proper and pertinent duty ? and how much is the fear
of man prevailing above zeal for the glory of God ?
I know it is objected by some, that they much wanted