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

OT THE REV. DONALD CARGIL.
Letter to John Malcolm and Archibald Alison, Prisoners.
Dear Friends.—Death in Christ, and for Christ, is never
much to be bemoaned, and less at this time than any other;
when those who survive have nothing to live for but miseries,
persecutions, snares, sorrows, and sinning; and where the
only desirable sight, viz. Christ reigning in a free and flour¬
ishing church, is wanting, and the greatly grieving and of¬
fensive objection to devout souls, viz. devils, and the worst
of the wicked, reigning and raging, is still before our eyes.
And though we had greater things to leave, and better times
to live in, yet eternity so far exceeds and excels these things
in their greatest perfection, that they who see and are sure
(and we see indeed being made sure) will never let a tear
fall, nor sigh at the farewell, but would make a slip to get
death rather than to shun it, if both were not equally detes¬
table to them on account of God’s commandments, whom,
they neither dare, nor are willing to offend, even to obtain
heaven itself. There are none who are his, but must see
themselves infinitely advantaged by the exchange; and ac-
i cordingly hasten, if sin, the flesh, and want of assurance,
do not prevent; and there is no doubt, that those must be
weak and poor spirits, who are bewitched or enchanted,
either with the hopes or fruitions of the world. As earth has
nothing to hold a resolute and reconciled soul, so heaven
wants nothing to draw it. To some to live here has been
always wearisome, since their peace was- made, Christ’s
sweetness known, and their own weakness and unusefulness
experienced; but now it is become hatefully loathsome, since
| devils and the worst of men, are become the head, and
dreadful by their stupendous permissions, loosings and
lengthenings^ in their reigning. Friends are become un-
| comfortable, because they will neither bear and wait like
[ Christians nor go forward to effectuate their own delivery.
But for you, there is- nothing at this time (if you yourselves
be sure with God, which, X hope, you either are, or will
ji'' be) which can make me bewail your death, though the cause
j of it both increases my affection to you, and indignation
against your enemies. Yet for you, notwithstanding of
i the unjustness of the sentence on your own account, go not to
eternity with indignation against them. Neither trust in the
I goodness of the cause ye suffer for;—found your confidence
and hope of"well-being in God, for were the action never so