Page:History of John Brown of Priesthill.pdf/23

 to have seen John Brown's soul from "insult springing," at the moment his body fell a mangled corpse, he would have seen himself changed from a powerful oppressor, like Haman, to a mean servant, only fit, as an instrument, to clothe the humble sitter at the king's gate in royal robes and a glorious crown, and usher him into the city of Shushan as a man whom the King delights to honour. It was not granted that his eyes should be opened by a miracle, or by faith in God's written testimony, to see himself as he really was; but God's vicegerent, conscience, even in this life, speaks out awful things of righteousness and judgment to come. "He afterwards acknowledged that John Brown's prayer made such an impression on his spirit, that he could never get altogether worn off, when he gave himself liberty to think." Thus, mischief haunts the violent man, and the "bloody and deceitful man shall not live half his days." This was eminently exemplified in the lives and death of the persecutors of that age; and in none more than in Graham of Claverhouse.

His maxim, of terror being true mercy, if it prevented or put an end to war, like every other attempt to do evil that good may come out of it, proved fallacious; and acting up to it was the means of bringing on the Revolution of 1688, and of "banishing James VII. from the throne and hearts of the people of Scotland." Claverhouse, for various reasons, had no alternative than to follow the fortune of his benefactor. When he found a large majority in the Scots Convention on the side of William, he left Edinburgh with the determination of exerting himself in the cause of James, in the field.