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

JOHN WILSON.
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will not miss stumbling-blocks to be laid before them. I
say this to them who have sinned, and yet continue in the
furnace ; I fear that be their doom, “ they shall go from
their native land and return no more.” Jer. xxii. 10. As
for you that have tested, that which has been a terror to me,
maybe now a terror to you; “ It is impossible for those
who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly
gift if they fall away,” &c., by putting Christ to open shame,
“ to renew them to repentance.” As for unconcerned folk,
I shall only say this, think ye nothing of men’s choosing
death before life. I know I have had Roman gallantry
cast up to me, since I came to prison ; but for my own part,
I could never hear tell, that it set up the head of it in the
world to face a gallows, since the word of hell became so
rife in the world. But let me tell you this one thing, that
though I have read of some single ones dying for opinion,
not truth, yet could I never read of a track of men, such as
has been in Scotland these twenty-two years, laying down
their lives for a naked opinion, so calmly, so solidly and
composedly, with so much peace and serenity. As for my
own part, I am a man naturally most timorous, yet the
Lord has made sufferings easy. It might do you good to
enquire into the cause of our sufferings, so owned by God.
It is a bad cause that is defended with swords, and beating
of drums on sufferers. Besides, the Lord has forced a tes¬
timony from the mouths of several of our dying adversaries,
and from the mouths of executioners and apprehenders.
Yea, in this place, some Psalms, being clear of the appli¬
cation thereof to themselves, they would not suffer them to
be sung. And as to oppressed Presbyterians, to many of
you for your unconcernedness, I am sure the Lord says, ye
shall drink of another sort of cup, that is brewing for you,
shun it as you will, by your compliance. As for our really
concerned friends, I pray the Lord to protect you, and
multiply his grace towards you ; I am confident, when you
are beneath the rod, ye shall find it an ease to your own
smart, however great a lift you have taken of other’s suffer¬
ings.
Next, f say to all that come under the rod, let no terrors
of men, nor temptations of Satan, anent eternity, come into
your mind ; but go to God with them, acknowledging your
unworthiness of his protection and counsel, and you will find