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

JAMES NISBET.
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Head over his own church and people, yet though the most
part of the men of this generation, is counting it death to
call him so, I, as a dying man, live and die in the faith of
it, that he shall appear to their confusion, and for his own
glory, now trampled upon, and lying so low; for he has said
in Isa. xlii. 8, “ I am the Lord ; that is my name : and my
glory will I not give to another,” &c. Now, I am to lay
down my life, and indeed I do it willingly, and not by con¬
straint ; and I bless him, that ever he carved out my lot
such, as to" be a sufferer for him, who am such a poor
unworthy creature. For if I would have acknowledged
Charles Stuart to be supreme over all causes, civil and
ecclesiastic, as they have now set him up, (which belongs to
no mortal man upon earth,) and have prayed for him, I
might have retained my life. And shall I pray for that man,
I in lus person and government, who hath broken down the
work of the Lord, and has laid waste the sanctuary of our
God ? who hath all things put under his feet, and is given
lo be head over all things to the church ? see Eph. i. 22,
and Ps. ii. Now, I die for the hope of Israel, and as a wit¬
ness for the name of Jesus Christ, of which hope I am not
ashamed. Now, I invite all who love his name, and the
welfare of Zion, to praise him, for I may set my seal to it,
that he is a good master to ail who will come to him ; for I
may say he hath been good to me, and hath let me see a
sight of my sins, and a sight of the remedy that he has pur¬
chased by his blood, through his death for me, who was born
an heir of hell and wrath, by nature. Glory be to his great
name, who has made me free from my sin, and made me as
if I had never sinned. O glory and praise be to himself. But
what shall I say, for heart cannot conceive, hand cannot write,
tongue cannot express! Surely, if I could say any thing to the
praise and commendation of my lovely Lord Jesus Christ, I
have many things for which to do it. 1. That he has not
,1 allowed me to deny his truths and cause, and his persecuted
work; for there is nothing in me, as I am of myself,but I might
have been amongst those who have displayed a banner against
God, and have made the blood of his people to run in the
streets, and have dyed their garments with their blood. 2.
That he has carved out my lot in a land where he hath set
up his pure ordinances, both in doctrine, worship, discipline,
and government; for indeed he might have trysted it to