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

LAST SPEECH AND TESTIMONY
formality ; and there cannot be zeal, liveliness, and godliness,
where people meet with persecution, and want renovation of
heart. My soul trembles to think how little of regeneration
there is amongst the ministers and professors of Scotland.
O the ministers of Scotland, how have they betrayed Christ’s
interest, and beguiled souls ! “ They have not entered in
themselves, and them that were entering in they hindered.”
They have sold the things of Christ, and liberties of his
church, for a short and cursed quiet to themselves, which
is now near an end : they are more at one, and at peace
with God’s enemies, now that they have done all their
mischiefs, than they were at first, when they had only put
hand to them. And I much fear, that though they were
not one godly minister on the earth, Christ would make
no use of them : but there will be a dreadful judgment upon
them, and a long curse upon their posterity.
As to our professors, my counsel to them is, that they
would see well to their own regeneration, for the most of
them have that yet to do ; and yet let none think he is in
the right exercise of true religion, who has not a zeal for
God’s public glory. There is a small remnant in Scotland,
from whom my soul has had its greatest comfort on earth.
I wish your increase in holiness, number, love, religion, and
righteousness. Wait, and cease to contend with these men
that are gone out from us ; for there is nothing that shall
convince them, but judgment. Satisfy your consciences,
and go forward ; for the nearer you are to God, and the
farther from all others, whether stated enemies, or lukewarm
ministers and professors, it shall be the better. My preach¬
ing has occasioned great persecution, but the want of it,
will, I fear, occasion worse. I have, however, preached the
truths of God to others : “I believed, And so I preached
and I have not an ill conscience in preaching truth whatever
has followed. This day I am to seal with my blood all the
truths that ever I preached : and what is controverted of
that which I have been professing, shall, ere long, be mani¬
fested by God’s judgments in the consciences of men.
I had a sweet calmness of spirit, and great submission as
to my apprehension, the providence of God was so eminent
in it; and I could not but think, that God judged it neces¬
sary for his glory, to bring me this end, seeing he loosed me
from snch a work. My soul would be exceedingly troubled