fearful apprehensions of that dismal day of rebellion in Ireland,
that came upon it four years thereafter, and that he might take
part with the sufferers in Scotland. He came near the coast one
morning: John Muirhead came to him; lying within a hedge: he said,
Have you any news, John? John said, There is great fear of the
Irish rising. He said, no, no, John, the time of their arising is
not yet; but they will rise, and dreadful will it be at last. He
was long detained waiting for a bark, not daring to go to public
parts, but to some remote creek of the sea. Alexander Gordon of
Kinstuir, in Galloway, had agreed with one, but Mr. Peden would
not sail the sea with him, having some foresight of what he
did prove afterwards.--In the beginning of August before this,
Kinstuir was relieved at Enterken-path, going from Dumfries to
Edinburgh prisoner; when the news of it came to Ireland, our Scots
sufferers, their acquaintance, were glad of the news, especially
that Kinstuir had escaped. Mr. Peden said, What means all this
Kinstuiring?--There is some of them relieved there, that one of
them is worth many of him; for ye will be ashamed of him ere all be
done. Being in this strait, he said to Robert Wark, an old worthy
Christian, worthy of credit, Robert, go and take such a man with
you and the first Bark ye can find, compel them, for they will be
like the dogs in Egypt, not one of them will move their tongue
against you. Accordingly Robert and his comrade found it so and
brought her to that secret place where he was. When Robert and his
comrade came and told him, he was glad and very kind and free; but
he seemed under a cloud at that time. He said lads, I have lost
my prospect wherewith I was wont to look over to the bloody land,
and tell you and others what enemies and friends were doing; the
devil and I puddles and rides time-about upon one another: but
if I were uppermost again, I shall ride hard, and spurgaw well.
I have been praying for a swift passage over to the sinful land,
come of us what will: and now Alexander Gordon is away with my
prayer-wind; but it were good for the remnant in Scotland he never
saw it; for as the Lord lives, he shall wound that interest ere he
go off the stage.--This sadly came to pass in his life, and was
a reproach to it at his death. A little before they came off, he
baptised a child to John Maxwell, a Glasgow man, who was fled ever
from the persecution: in his discourse before baptism, he burst
out into a rapture, foretelling that black day that was to come
upon Ireland, and sad days to Scotland, and after all there was to
come good days. Mrs. Maxwell, or Mary Elphingston, the mother of
the child, yet alive in Glasgow, told me this, That in the time
he was asserting these things, she was thinking and wondering what
ground of assurance he had for them, when he cried aloud shaking
his hand at her, woman, thou art thinking and wondering within
thyself, whether I be speaking these things out of the visions
of my own head, or if I be taught by the Spirit of God; I tell
thee, woman, thou shalt live and see that I am not mistaken. She
told me, that she was very lately delivered, and out of her great
desire to have her child baptised before he came off, that she
took travail too soon; and being weak, and so surprised with his
telling her the thoughts of her heart, that she was in danger of
falling off the chair. At this exercise also he told them, that
he could not win off till he got this done, and this was all the
drink-money, he had left in Ireland, and to the family (pointing
to the landlord) for all the kindness he had met with from them.
After baptism they got breakfast; there was plenty of bread upon
the table, seeking a blessing, he put his hand beneath the bread,
and holding it up with much affection and tears, said, “Lord there
is a well covered table, and plenty of bread: but what comes of the
poor young, kindly, honest hearted lad Renwick, that shames us all,
in starving and holding up his fainting mother’s head, when of all
the children she has brought forth, there is none will avowedly
take her by the hand: and the poor, cold, hungry lads on the hills?
For honour of thine own cause, let them not starve: thou caused a
ravenous bird, greedy of flesh itself, to feed Elijah: and thou fed
thy people in the wilderness with angel’s food: and blessed a few
loaves and small fishes, and made them sufficient for many; and had
experience of want, weariness cold and hunger, and enemies daily
hunting for thy life, while in the world; look to them, and provide
for them.” The Waiters being advertised of the bark being in that
place, they and other people came upon them, which obliged them
that were to come off, to secure the Waiters and people altogether,
for fear of the garrison of Carrickfergus apprehending them, being
near to it, which obliged them to come off immediately, twenty-six
of our Scots sufferers came aboard, he stood upon the deck and
prayed, there being not the least wind, where he made a rehearsal
of times and places, when and where the Lord had heard and answered
them in the days of their distress and how they were in a great
strait.--Waving his hand to the west, from whence he desired the
wind, he said, ‘Lord give a loof-full of wind: fill the sails Lord
and give us a fresh gale, and let us have a swift passage over to
the bloody land, come of us what will.’--John Muirhead, Robert
Wark, and others who were present, told me, that when he began to
pray, the sails were all hanging straight down, but ere he ended,
they were all like blown bladders. They put out the Waiters and
other people and got a very swift and safe passage.--The twenty-six
Scots sufferers that were with him, having provided themselves
with arms, and being designed to return to Scotland, there being
then such a noise of killing; and the report was no greater than
the deed, it being then in the heat of killing time, in the end of
Febuary 1685. when at exercise in the bark, he said, ‘Lord thou
knowest these lads are hot spirited, lay an arrest upon them, that
they may not appear; their time is not yet; though Monmouth and
Argyle be coming, they will work no deliverance.’ At that time
there was no report of their coming, for they came not for ten
weeks thereafter.--In the morning after they landed, he lectured
before they parted, sitting upon a brae-side, where he had fearful
threatenings against Scotland saying, the time was coming that
they might travel many miles in Galloway and Nithsdale, Ayr and
Clydesdale, and not see a reeking house, nor hear a cock crow.
28. When the day of his death drew near, and not being able to
travel, he came to his brother’s house, in the parish of Sorn,
where he was born. He caused dig a cave with a saughen bush
covering the mouth of it, near to his brother’s house and the
enemies came and searched the house narrowly many times. In the
time that he was in this cave, he said to some friends, 1. That
God shall make Scotland a desolation. 2. There shall be a remnant
in the land, whom God should spare and hide. 3. They should lie
in holes and caves of the earth, and be supplied with meat and
drink: And when they come out of their holes, they shall not have
freedom to walk, for stumbling on the dead corpses. 4. A stone
cut of a mountain, should come down, and God shall be avenged on
the great ones of the earth, and the inhabitants of the land, for
their wickedness, and then the church should come forth with a
bonny bairn-time of young ones at her back. He wished that the
Lord’s people might lie hid in their caves, as if they were not in
the world, for nothing would do it, until God appeared with his
judgments, and they that wan through the bitter and sharp, short
storm, by the sword of the Frenches, and a set of unhappy men,
taking part with them, then there would be a spring-tide day of
the plenty, purity and power of the gospel: Giving them that for a
sign, If he were but once buried, they might be in doubts; but if
he were oftener buried than once, they might be persuaded that all
he had said would come to pass: And earnestly desired them to take
his corpse out to Airdsmoss, and bury them beside Richy (meaning
Mr. Cameron) that he might get rest in his grave, for he had gotten
little through his life; but he said he knew they would not do it.
29. Within forty-eight hours he died, January 28th. 1686, being
past sixty years; and was buried in the Laird of Afflect’s Isle.
The enemies got notice of his death and burial, and sent a troop of
dragoons, and lifted his corpse and carried him to Cumnock-gallows
foot, and buried him there (after being forty days in the grave)
beside others. His friends thereafter laid a grave-stone above him,
with this inscription:
HERE LIES
MR. ALEXANDER PEDEN,
A Faithful Minister of the Gospel,
at Glenluce,
Who departed this life January 28, 1686,
And was raised after six weeks
Out of his Grave,
And buried here out of contempt.
FINIS.
THE LIFE
AND
WONDERFUL PROPHECIES
OF
DONALD CARGILL.
Who was Executed at the Cross
of Edinburgh, on the 26th July, 1680.
For his adherence to the Covenant,
and Work of
REFORMATION
[Illustration]
GLASGOW:
PRINTED FOR THE BOOKSELLERS.
THE
LIFE OF
MR DONALD CARGILL.
Mr Cargill seems to have been born some time about the year 1610.
He was eldest son of a most respected family in the parish of
Rattray. After he had been some time in the schools of Aberdeen,
he went to St Andrew’s, where having perfected his course of
philosophy, his father pressed upon him much to study divinity,
in order for the ministry; but he thought the work was too great
for his weak shoulders, and requested to command him to any other
employment he pleased. But his father still continuing to urge
him, he resolved to set apart a day of private fasting, to seek
the Lord’s mind therein. And after much wrestling with the Lord by
prayer, the third chapter of Ezekiel, and chiefly these words in
the first verse, “Son of man, eat this roll and go speak unto the
house of Israel”, made a strong impression on his mind, so that he
durst no longer refuse his father’s desire, but dedicated himself
wholly unto that office.
After this, he got a call to the Barony Church of Glasgow, It
was so ordered by Divine providence, that the very first text
the presbytery ordered him to preach upon, was these words in
the third of Ezekiel, already mentioned, by which he was more
confirmed, that he had God’s call to this parish. This parish had
been long vacant, by reason that two ministers of the Resolution
party, viz. Messrs Young and Blair, and still opposed the
settlement of such godly men as had been called by the people. But
in reference to Mr Cargill’s call, they were in God’s providence,
much bound up from their wonted opposition. Here Mr Cargill,
perceiving the lightness and unconcerned behaviour of the people
under the word, was much discouraged thereat, so that he resolved
to return home, and not accept the call, which, when he was urged
by some godly ministers not to do, and his reason asked, he
answered they are a rebellious people. The ministers solicited him
to stay, but in vain. But when the horse was drawn, and he just
going to begin his journey, being in the house of Mr Durham, when
he had saluted several of his Christian friends that came to see
him take horse, as he was taking farewell of a certain godly woman,
she said to him, “Sir, you have promised to preach on Thursday,
and have you appointed a meal for poor starving people, and will
you go away and not give it? If you do, the curse of God will go
with you.” This so moved him, that he durst not go away as he
intended; but sitting down, desired her and others to pray for him.
So he remained and was settled in that parish, where he continued
to exercise his ministry with great success, to the unspeakable
satisfaction both of his own parish, and all the godly that heard
and knew him, until that, by the unhappy Restoration of Charles
II. Prelacy was again restored.
Upon the 26th of May following, the day consecrated in
commemoration of the said Restoration, he had occasion to preach in
his own church, it being his ordinary week-day’s preaching, when
he saw an unusual throng of people come to hear him, thinking he
had preached in compliance with that solemnity. Upon entering the
pulpit, he said, ‘We are not come here to keep this day upon the
account for which others keep it. We thought once to have blessed
the day, wherein the King came home again, but now we think we
shall have reason to curse it; and if any of you come here in
order to the solemnizing of this day, we desire you to remove.’
And enlarging upon these words in the 9th of Hosea, Rejoice not, O
Israel, &c. he said, ‘This is the first step of our going a-whoring
from God; and whoever of the Lord’s people this day are rejoicing,
their joy will be like the crackling of thorns under a pot, it
will soon be turned to mourning; he (meaning the king) will be
the wofullest sight ever the poor church of Scotland saw; wo,
wo, wo unto him, his name shall stink while the world stands for
treachery, tyranny, and lechery.’
This did exceedingly enrage the malignant party against him, so
that being hotly pursued, he was obliged to abscond, remaining
sometimes in private houses, and sometimes lying all night without,
among broom near the city, yet never omitting any proper occasion
of private preaching, catechising, and visiting of families, and
other ministerial duties, but at length, when the churches were
all vacated of Presbyterians by an act of Council, 1662, Middleton
sent a band of soldiers to apprehend him, who, coming to the
church, found him not, he having providentially just stepped out of
the one door 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 passed an act of confinement banishing
him to the north side of the Tay, under penalty of being
imprisoned, and prosecuted as a seditious person.--But this
sentence he no ways regarded.
During this time, partly by grief for the ruin of God’s work in the
land, and partly by the toils and inconveniences of his labours
and accommodation, his voice became so broken, that he could not
be heard by many together, which was a sore exercise to him, and
discouragement to preach in the fields; but one day Mr Blackatter
coming to preach near Glasgow, he essayed to preach with him, and
standing on a chair, as his custom was, he lectured on Is. xliv.
3. “I will pour water on him that is thirsty, &c.” The people were
much discouraged, knowing his voice to be sore broken, lest they
should not have heard by reason of the great confluence. But it
pleased the Lord to loose his tongue, and to restore his voice to
such a distinct clearness, that none could easily exceed him; and
not only his voice, but his spirit was so enlarged, and such a door
of utterance given him, that Mr Blackatter, succeeding him, said to
the people, ‘Ye that have such preaching, have no need to invite
strangers to preach to you; make good use of your mercy.’ After
this he continued to preach without the city, a great multitude
attending and profiting by his ministry, being wonderfully
preserved in the midst of dangers, the enemy several times sending
out to watch him, and catch something from his mouth whereof they
might accuse him, &c.
In October 1665, they made a public search for him in the city.
But he, being informed, took horse, and rode out of town, and at
a narrow pass of the way, he met a good number of musqueteers. As
he passed them, turning to another way on the right-hand, one of
them asked him, Sir, what o’clock is it? he answered, It is six.
Another of them knowing his voice, said, There is the man we are
seeking.--Upon hearing this, he put spurs to his horse, and so
escaped.
For about three years he usually resided in the house of one
Margaret Craig, a very godly woman, where he lectured morning
and evening to such as came to hear him. And tho’ they searched
strictly for him here, yet providence so ordered it, that he
was either casually or purposely absent, for the Lord was often
so gracious to him, that he left him not without some notice of
approaching hazard. Thus, one Sabbath, as he was going to Woodside
to preach, as he was about to mount his horse, having one foot in
the stirrup, he turned about to his man, and said, I must not go
yonder to-day.--And in a little a party of the enemy came there in
quest of him; but missing the mark they aimed at, they fell upon
the people, by apprehending and imprisoning several of them.
Another of his remarkable escapes was at a march made for him in
the city, where they came to his chamber, and found him not, being
providentially in another house, that night.--But what is most
remarkable, being one day preaching privately in the house of one
Mr Callander, they came and beset the house; the people put him and
another into a window, closing the window up with books. The search
was so strict, that they searched the very ceiling of the house,
until one of them fell through the lower loft.--Had they removed
but one of the books, they would certainly have found him. But the
Lord so ordered that they did it not; for as one of the soldiers
was about to take up one of them, the maid cried to the commander,
that he was going to take her master’s books, and he was ordered to
let them be. Thus narrowly he escaped this danger.
Thus he continued until the 23d of November 1667, that the Council,
upon information of a breach of his confinement, cited him to
appear before them on the 11th of January thereafter. But when he
was apprehended, and compeared before the Council and strictly
examined, wherein he was most singularly strengthened to bear
faithful testimony to his Master’s honour, and his persecuted cause
and truths; yet by the interposition of some persons of quality,
his own friends, and his wife’s relations, he was dismissed,
and presently returned to Glasgow, and there performed all the
ministerial duties.
Some time before Bothwell, notwithstanding all the searches
that were made for him by the enemy, which were both strict and
frequent, he preached publicly for eighteen Sabbath-days to
multitudes, consisting of several thousands, within a little more
than a quarter of a mile of the city of Glasgow; yea, so near it,
that the psalms, when singing, were heard through several parts, of
it; and yet all this time uninterrupted.
At Bothwell, being taken by the enemy, and struck down to the
ground with a sword, seeing nothing but present death for him
having received several dangerous wounds in the head, one of the
soldiers asked his name; he told him it was Donald Cargill; another
asked him, if he was a minister? He answered, he was; whereupon
they let him go. When his wounds were examined, he feared to ask if
they were mortal, desiring, in admission to God, to live, judging
that the Lord had yet further work for him to accomplish.
Some time after the battle at Bothwell, he was pursued from his
own chamber out of town, and forced to go through several thorn
hedges. But he was no sooner out, than he saw a troop of dragoons
just opposite to him; back he could not go, soldiers being posted
every where to catch him; upon which he went forward, near by
the troop, who looked to him, and he to them, until he got past.
But coming to the place of the water at which he intended to go
over, he saw another troop standing on the other side, who called
to him but he made them no answer. And going about a mile up the
water, he escaped, and preached at Langside next Sabbath, without
interruption. At another time, being in a house beset with
soldiers, he went through the midst of them, they thinking it was
the goodman of the house and escaped.
After Bothwell, he fell into a deep exercise anent his call to the
ministry; but, by the grace and goodness of God, he soon emerged
out of that, and also got much light anent the duty of the day,
being a faithful contender against the enemy’s usurped power,
and against the sinful compliance of ministers, in accepting
the indulgence, with indemnities, oaths, bonds, and all other
corruptions.
There was a certain woman in Rutherglen, about two miles from
Glasgow, who, by the instigation of some, both ministers and
professors, was persuaded to advice her husband to go but once to
hear the curate, to prevent the family being reduced; which she
prevailed with him to do. But going the next day after to milk her
cows, two or three of them dropt down dead at her feet, and Satan,
as she conceived, appeared unto her; which cast her under sad and
sore exercises and desertion; so that she was brought to question
her interest in Christ, and all that had formerly passed betwixt
God and her soul, and was often tempted to destroy herself, and
sundry times attempted it: Being before known to be an eminent
Christian, she was visited by many Christians; but without success:
still crying out she was undone; she had denied Christ, and he had
denied her. After continuing a long time in this exercise, she
cried for Mr Cargill, who came to her, but found her distemper
so strong, that for several visits he was obliged to leave her
as he found her to his no small grief. However, after setting
some days apart on her behalf, he at last came again to her; but
finding her no better, still rejecting all comfort, still crying
out, that she had no interest in the mercy of God, or merits of
Christ, but had sinned the unpardonable sin; he, looking in her
face for a considerable time, took out his Bible, and naming her,
said, “I have this day a commission from my Lord and Master, to
renew the marriage contract betwixt you and him; and if ye will
not consent, I am to require your subscription on this Bible, that
you are willing to quit all right, interest in, or pretence unto
him:” and then he offered her pen and ink for that purpose. She was
silent for some time; but at last cried out, “O! salvation is come
unto this house. I take him; I take him on his own terms, as he is
offered unto me by his faithful ambassador.” From that time her
bands were loosed.
One time Mr Cargill, Mr Walter Smith, and some other Christian
friends, being met in a friend’s house in Edinburgh, one of the
company told him of the general bonding of the Western gentlemen
for suppressing field meetings, and putting all out of their
grounds who frequented them. After sitting silent for some time, he
answered, with several heavy sighs and groans, “The enemy have been
long filling up the cup; and ministers and professors must have
time to fill up their’s also; and it shall not be full till enemies
and they be clasped in one another’s arms; and then, as the Lord
lives, he will bring the wheel of his wrath and justice over them
altogether.”
Some time after the beginning of the year 1680, he retired toward
the Frith of Forth, where he continued until that scuffle at
Queensferry, where worthy Haugh-head was killed, and he sorely
wounded. But escaping, a certain woman found him in a private
place, to the south of the town, and tying up his wounds with her
head-cloths, conducted him to the house of one Robert Runtens, in
Carlowrie, where a surgeon dressed his wounds and Mrs Puntens gave
him some warm milk, and he lay in their barn all night. From thence
he went to the south, and next Sabbath preached at Cairnhill,
somewhere adjacent to Loudon, in his blood and wounds; for no
danger could stop him from going about doing good. His text was in
Heb. xi. 32. And what shall I more say, for time would fail me to
tell of Gideon, &c. At night, some persons said to him, We think,
Sir, preaching and praying go best with you when your danger and
distress are greatest. He said, it had been so, and he hoped it
would be so, the more that enemies and others did thurst at him
that he might fall, the more sensibly the Lord had helped him; and
then (as it had been to himself) he repeated these words, The Lord
is my strength and song, and has become my salvation, in the 118th
Psalm, which was the psalm he sung upon the scaffold.
After this, he and Mr Richard Cameron met and preached together in
Dermeid-muir, and other places, until that Mr Cameron was slain
at Airs-moss, and then he went north, where, in the month of
September following, he had a most numerous meeting at the Torwood,
near Stirling, where he pronounced the sentence of excommunication,
against some of the most violent persecutors of that day, as
formally as the present state of things could then permit. Some
time before this, it is said, he was very remote, and spoke very
little in company; only to some he said, he had atout to give with
the trumpet that the Lord had put in his hand, that would sound in
the ears of many in Britain, and other places in Europe also. It is
said, that no body knew what he was to do that morning, except Mr
Walter Smith, to whom he imparted the thoughts of his heart. When
he began, some friends feared he would be shot. His landlord, in
whose house he had been that night, cast his coat and ran for it.
In the forenoon, he lectured on Ezek. xxi. 25. &c. and preached
on 1 Cor. v. 13. and then discoursed some time on the nature of
excommunication, and then proceeded to the sentence: after which,
in the afternoon, he preached from Lam. iii. 31, 32. For the Lord
will not cast off for ever.
The next Lord’s day, he preached at Fallowhill, in the parish
of Livingstone. In the preface, he said, “I know I am and will
be condemned by many, for excommunicating those wicked men, but
condemn me who will, I know I am approven of by God, and am
persuaded, that what I have done on earth, is ratified in heaven;
for, if ever I knew the mind of God, and was clear in my call to
any piece of my generation-work, it was that. And I shall give you
two signs, that ye may know I am in no delusion; (1.) If some of
these men do not find that sentence binding upon them, ere they go
off the stage, and be obliged to confess it, &c. (2.) If these men
die the ordinary death of men, then God hath not spoken by me.”
About the 22d of October following, a long and severe proclamation
was issued out against him and his followers, wherein a reward
of 5000 merks was offered for apprehending him, &c.--Next month,
Governor Middleton, having been frustrated in his design upon Mr
Cargill at Queensferry, laid another plot for him, by consulting
one James Henderson in Ferry, who, by forging and signing letters,
in the name of Bailie Adam in Culross, and some other serious
Christians in Fife, for Mr Cargill to come over, and preach to them
at the hill of Beith. Accordingly, Henderson went to Edinburgh
with the letters, and, after a most diligent search, found him
in the West Bow. Mr Cargill being willing to answer the call,
Henderson proposed to go before, and have a boat, ready at the
Ferry when they came; and that he might know them, he desired to
see Mr Cargill’s cloth, Mr Skeen and Mr Boig being in the same
room. In the mean time, he had Middleton’s soldiers lying at the
Mutton-hole, about three miles from Edinburgh. Mr Skeen, Archibald
Stuart, Mrs Muir, and Marion Hervey, took the way before, on foot:
Mr Cargill and Mr Boig being to follow on horseback. Whenever they
came to the place, the soldiers spied them; but Mrs Muir escaped
and went and stopped Mr Cargill and Mr Boig, who fled back to
Edinburgh.