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

ANDREW PITTILLOCH,
131
I cannot commend him to you, his sweetness is without
compare! Take him, and be restless till ye get him to
“your mother’s house, and to the chamber of her that bare
you!” Pray much for your mother-church, which minis¬
ters and others have wronged. I witness and testify against
them, for their unrighteousness, both first and last.
1. For leaving of their kirks, without a public testimony
against enemies, at the incoming of Prelacy. 2. For their
conniving at one another’s sins. 3. For their leaving the
fields when there was so much need of preaching; when
wrath and judgment were coming on the land, they did not
set the trumpet to their mouth, and give the people a faith¬
ful warning. They say, we have cast them off, but they are
mistaken ; for they have cast themselves off, by changing
their head; and the scriptures have cast them off, and I
cannot join with them. I would with all my heart, have a
ministry, but I would have it according to the word of
God,—men who will preach in season, and out of season,
whether people will hear, or whether they will forbear; who
will be faithful in preaching against sin of all sorts, and
will hide nothing of the mind of the Lord* But they that
do play fast and loose in the matters of a holy God, and will
not witness against enemies, I own none of these, but leave
my testimony against them for their unfaithfulness. They
will preach to poor things to stand for God and his truths,
and not yield a hair, for the saving of their lives : and yet
they yield and comply themselves ; and when they come
before enemies, never a word of a testimony before them,
but pass the sworn covenant and work of reformation in
silence; and for fear of their lives, will not hit them on
the sore. Indeed they choose their words so as not to give
their enemies offence. You condemn us, because we do that
which once you would have accounted it your honour to
do ; and say, that we are all distracted, and have distracted
notions in our heads. And say you so ? Wilt thou tell me,
man, if thou thinkest that a distracted notion, to confess the
covenant and work of reformation 1 But you will say, it is
not for that I lay down my life, but for the subscribing of
that paper. Now I do think it well worth the sealing with my
blood; and will you tell me what less we could do ? You ran
away and left the work, and the enemies were carrying all
before them ; and we durst not but leave a testimony