rejoicing this day, their joy will be like the crackling of thorns under a pot, it will foon be turned into mourning, this will be the woefulleft fight that the poor Church of Scotland ever faw."

This extremely enraged his enemies against him, fo that being hotly purfued, he was obliged to abfcond; remaining fome times in private houses, and fome times being obliged to lay all night in the open air among the broom near the city: yet he never omitted any opportunity of private preaching, vifiting of families, and other minifterial duties. But when the Prefbyterian minifters were turned out of all the Churches, then a band of foldiers were fent to apprehend him, who coming to his church, could not find him, as by the kind providence of God, he had gone out at one door about a minute before they came in at the other; whereupon they took the keys of the church door with them and departed. In the mean while the council paffed an act of confinement, and banished him to the north-fide of the Tay, under penalty of being imprisoned and profecuted as a feditious perfon: But this fentence he never regarded.

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During this time, partly through grief for the ruin of the cause of God, and partly through the extreme hardships which he endured, his voice was fo broken that he could not be heard but only by a fmall company, which was a fore exercife to him, and a very great difcouragement on account of his being obliged to preach in the fields. But one day Mr. Blackater 'preached near Glasgow, and Mr. Cargil on the fame day lectured upon Ifa. xliv. 3. "I will pour water upon him that is thirfty," &c. It pleafed the Lord fo to restore his voice, that very few could exceed him and not only his voice, but his fpirit was alfo enlarged, and such a door of utterance was given him, that Mr. Blackater faid to the people, "You that have fuch preaching as this, have no need to invite ftrangers to preach to you: make good ufe of your mer cies." After this he continued to preach without the city for fome time, a great multitude generally attending, and many profitted much by the bleffed Truths they heard. He was wonderfully preferved in the midst of dangers, the enemy feveral times fending out to watch him and to catch fomething from his mouth whereof they might accuse him.

In the month of October 1665, they made a public fearch for him in the city: But he being informed of it, took horse and rode out of the town; and at a narrow pass of the road he met a large number of foldiers. As he paffed them, turning another way to the right-hand, one of them faid, " pray, fir, what is it o'clock." He answered, "It is fix." "It is fix." Another of the foldiers who knew his voice faid, "There is the man we are feeking!" Upon hearing this, he put fpurs to his horfe, and fo escaped that time.

For about three years, he ufually refided in the house of one Margaret Craig, a very pious woman, where he preached morning and evening to fuch as came to hear him. And though his perVOL. XIX. August 1796.

Lecutors

fecutors fearched flrictly for him here, yet Providence fo ordered it, that he was always out of the way when they came: For the Lord was fo gracious to him, that he left him not without fome notice of approaching danger. One Sabbath, when he was going to Woodfide to preach, as he was about to mount the horse, he faid to his man, "I must not go to yonder place to day." A party of the enemy came there that day in fearch of him, and when they found him not, they fell upon the people, and imprisoned feveral of them. At another time, a fearch was made for him in the city, and they came to his chamber, but providentially he was in another houfe that night. At another time he was preaching privately in the house of one Mr. Calender, and the enemy befet the house, but the people put him and another man in a window, and closed it up with books. The fearch was fo strict that they fearched the very ceiling of the house. Had they moved but one of the books they would certainly have found him. But the Lord fo ordered it, that they did not; for as a foldier was about to take up one of the books, the fervant maid cried out to the commander, "The man is going to fteal my mafter's books;" and he was order. ed to let them alone: So narrowly did he escape at that time.

On the 23rd of November, 1668, the council having heard that Mr. Cargil had broke his confinement, ordered him to appear before them on the 11th of January following. He was accordingly apprehended and appeared before them, when he was fingu. larly frengthened to bear a faithful teftimony, to his Master's honour, his perfecuted caufe and truth. Yet through the interpofition of fome perfons of quality, his own friends, and his wife's relations, he was difmiffed, and returned to Glasgow; and there performed all minifterial duties, as when in his own church, notwithstanding the diligent fearch that was made for him. For eighteen months together he preached every Sabbath to multitudes who flocked to hear him, within little more than a quarter of a mile of the city, fo that the finging was heard in different parts of it, yet all the while they never molefted him.

Mr. Cargil being in company with the party which rose in defence of the Gofpel at Bothwell, was taken prifoner. He was ftruck down to the ground with a fword, and faw nothing but death before him, having received feveral dangerous wounds in his head. One of the foldiers afked his name; he told him it was Donald Cargil: another asked him, if he was a minifter? He answered he was; whereupon they let him go. When his wounds were examined, he feared to afk if they were mortal, as he then defired, in fubmiffion to the will of God, to live a little longer, being led to think that the Lord had yet further work for him to do.

Soon after this, he was put fued from his own chamber out of the town, and was forced to run through feveral thorn hedges. He was no fooner out, but he saw a troop of dragoons juft oppofite to him. He could not return back, the foldiers being posted

every where, laying in wait for him: Upon which he went forward, and passed by the troop, who looked upon him, but did not moleft him. When he got to the river, he faw another troop on the other fide, waiting for him, who called to him, but he made them no answer. He travelled about a mile by the river fide and fo escaped. Next Lord's-day he preached at Langfide without interruption. At another time, being in a houfe befet with foldiers, he walked through the midst of them, they fuppofing him to be the owner of the houfe: fo wonderfully did the Lord preserve his perfecuted fervant.

There was a certain woman about two miles from Glasgow, who through fear of fuffering, perfuaded her husband to hear the curate; but afterwards fhe fell into extreme diftrefs of mind, being forely tempted to question her intereft in Chrift, and all that had formerly paffed between God and her foul, and was often tempted to destroy herself. Being well known to be a truly pious woman, fhe was vifited by many chriftian friends, but without fuccefs: She still cried out, "I am undone! for I have denied Christ, and he has denied me." Mr. Cargil at laft vifited her feveral times, but ftill the continued in the deepeft diftrefs. He fet apart feveral days to wrestle with the Lord in her behalf, and then vifited her again, but found her as bad as ever, upon which he took out his Bible, and looking seriously at her, faid, "I have this day a commiffion from my Lord and Mafter, to renew the marriage contract between you and him; and if you will not consent, I am to require your fubfcription upon this Bible, that you are willing to quit all right and title to him;" and then he offered her pen and ink for that purpose. She was filent for fome time, but at last cried out, "O Salvation is come to this houfe: I take the Lord on his own terms, as he is offered to me by his faithful fervant." And from that time her foul was fet at liberty.

In the beginning of the year 1680, he retired towards the Frith of Forth, and continued there till he and fome others were attacked by a party of foldiers at Queensferry, where fome of them were killed, and he was forely wounded, but escaped with his life. A certain woman found him in a private place, and bound up his wounds with her head-clothes, and conducted him to the house of one Robert Pontins, where a furgeon dreffed his wounds. Mr. Pontins gave him a little warm milk, and he lay in their barn all night. From thence he went to the South, and the next Lord'sday, notwithstanding his wounds, he preached at Cairn hill near Loudon. For no danger could prevent him from the good work in which he was engaged. At night fome perfons faid to him, "We think, fir, that preaching and praying go the best with you, when your danger and trials are the greatefl." He answered,

It has been fo, and I hope it will ftill be fo: the more the enemies of religion thruft at me to make me fall, the more fenfibly the Lord fupports me:" and added, "The Lord is my strength and my fong, and he is become my Salvation."

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After

After this, he and Mr. Richard Cameron met and preached together in Darmeid-muir and other places, till Mr. Cameron was killed at Airs-mofs. From thence Mr. Cargil went north, and in the month of September had a numerous meeting near Sterling, where he pronounced fentence of excommunication against fome of the most violent perfecutors of that day, as formally as the prefent ftate of things would admit. Some time before this, he appeared very low, and faid but little in company: Only to fome of his friends he faid, "I have a blaft to give the trumpet which the Lord has put into my hand, that will found in the ears of many in Britain." When he began, fome of his friends feared that he would be fhot. His landlord, in whofe houfe he had lodged that night, was fo frightened, that he cast off his coat and ran away with all speed. In the forenoon Mr. Cargil lectured upon Ezek. xxi. 25, and preached on 1 Cor. v. 13. He enlarged on the nature of excommunication, and then pronounced the fentence. In the afternoon he preached on Lam. iii. 31, 32, “The Lord will not caft off for ever."

The next Lord's-day he preached near Livingston. In his introduction he faid, "I know that I am, and fhall be condemned by many, for excommunicating those wicked men. But whofo

ever may condemn me, I know that the Lord approves of me; and I am perfuaded that what I have done on earth is ratified in heaven; for if ever I knew the mind of God, or was clear in any part of the work he has called me to, it was in that. And I will

give you two figns that you may be fatisfied that I am in no delufion : 1. If fome of these men do not find that sentence binding upon them before they go off the ftage of life, and be obliged to confefs it, &c. 2. If these men die the common death of all men, then God hath not fpoken by me."

About the 22d of October, a very fevere proclamation was published against him, offering a reward of five thoufand marks to any one that would apprehend him. A few weeks after, Governor Middleton laid the following plot for him; he prevailed upon one Henderfon to write letters in the name of Mr. Adam, in Culrofs, and fome other ferious Chriftians in Fife, defiring Mr. Cargil to come over and preach to them at the Hill-ofBaith. Henderfon went to Edinburgh with the letters, and found him in the Weltbow. Mr. Cargil being willing to answer the call, Henderfon propofed to go before, and to get a boat ready at the ferry again ft Mr. Cargil came; and in order that he might know him, he defired to fee Mr. Cargil's clothes that he fhould then wear. In the mean while Henderfon had a company of fol diers laying in wait for Mr. Cargil on the road. Several of Mr. Cargil's friends went before on foot, while he and fome others. were to follow on horfe-back. When they came to the place where the foldiers were, they faw the danger, and one of the company escaped and told Mr. Cargil, fo he fled back to Edinburgh.

After

After this remarkable escape, Mr. Cargil feeing nothing but the violent flames of perfecution before him, retired for about three months into England, where his pious labours were very much bleffed to many fouls who attended on his miniftry. He then returned to Scotland and preached at Cambufnethan on the 11th of May, and after baptizing fome children, he preached again in the afternoon. In the mean time his enemies at Glasgow getting notice of this meeting, they feized upon all the horses they could meet with, and came in queft of him. Such was their hafte, that one of the foldiers, who was a little behind the rest, riding furiously down the street, although it was mid-day, rode over a child and killed it on the fpot. Juft as Mr. Cargil was concluding with prayer, a lad alarmed him of the enemies approach. The people were feized with great fear, fo that fome of the women caft away their children. Mr. Cargil was running directly among his enemies, but fome of his friends feeing his mistake, called him back to the mofs, unto which they fled. "The foldiers fired hard upon them, but none were either killed or taken that day.

About this time fome of the people fpoke to Mr. Cargil about his preaching and praying fo fhort. They faid, O fir, it is long between meals, and we are in a starving condition; all is exceed ing good, sweet, and wholefome, that you deliver; but why do you give us fo fmall a portion? He anfwered, "Ever fince I bowed a knee in good earnest to pray, I never durft preach or pray with my own gifts; and when my heart is not properly affected, I always think it is time to give up. For what does not come from the heart, I have very little hope will go to the hearts of others."

After this he took a tour through Airfhire, where he preached, and baptized fome children. He stayed not long but returned to Clydefdale. He defigned to have preached at Tinto-hill, but the lady of St. John's kirk, gave it out to be at Home-common. He being in the houfe of John Leddal near Tinto, went out to spend the Sabbath morning by himself, and feeing the people paffing by, asked what it meant, which being told, he rofe and followed them about five miles. The morning being warm and the hills fteep, he was much fatigued before he got to the place, where a man gave him a drink of water out of his bonnet, and another between the fermons; this was all the entertainment he got that day; for he had tafted nothing in the morning. Here he lectured upon the 6th of Isaiah, and preached on, "Be not high-minded but fear." Mr. Cargil had run very faft, for fome time, but the end of his painful race was now drawing near. He preached his laft fermon at Dunfyre-common, upon Ifaiah xxiv. 20, "Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers,-and hide thyfelf for a little moment, until the indignation be over-paft." Some time that night, through the perfuafion of his friends, he came to Covington-mill to the houfe of Andrew Fisher. In the mean time James Irvin the laird of Bonfhaw, having got a general commiffion, marched