THE

Life and Prophecies

C F

Mr. Alexander Peden,

Late Minider of the Gospel

At NEW GLEN LUCE, is GALLOWAY.

In Two Parts.

T9 WHICH IS ADDED,

His R emarkable Letter to the Prisoners

in Dunnotar Castle, July 1685.

FiLKJRK: MINTED BY T. JOHNS fON.

P.io. 1

ifc ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ '•f* %

THE

LIFE AND PROPHECIES

OF

Mr. Alexander Peden.

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M'

'R. ALEXANDER PEDEN was br>rn In ttie pafifh Sot ft» in the ShcrilPdom

rf-Avr ^Atur thst he paft hla conrfe at 'he College, »e was employed for feme time to be Scho.h Mafter, P-eceuter, atid SefTiott - Cl«rk, to Mr Jubo Gu'h:ie, M&er of the Gofpel at Tarboltoo. When he wa« about to enter on the Minia.y, a young woman fell with child, in adultery, to a fervant in the houfe where he ftayed: when flic found herfelf to be fo, fte told the father of it; who faid. I’ll run for it, and go to Ireland ; fathcr t on *h

r°p±n he Ms more to help you to bring it up (he fa i^ a fmallheritage) than I have. The fame dat that

. f t V u ;-,-r to hcence Mr. Peoen to be tcry and fa-.d, I hear r u _ bini. sMlnifter; but do it not, for 1 flm.Morfe_ He being without at the 'ime, was cahe ' V ’ ;

r.or: Li prifed, I car not fp;^ ? ^ ,et

fr^f it ,rd God will thought of me, .or I am t R hr

vindicate me in his own ^ waj « ^ ^ ,.t walked at a water-fide , w got what I

-ither eat nor drink, but faid, 1 ' . f n. , and I Will be Vindicated, and that P ^

; will pay dear for-it in her ’me, and will mak .

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a difnial enl; and for this furfeif of grief that fh? hath given oie, there fhall never one of her fex come into my bofom. And, accordingly, he never mirried. There are various reports of the way that he was vindicated : Some fay, the time the was in child-bwth, Mr. Guthrie charge! her to give account who was the father of that child i and difcharged the women to be helpful to her, until (he did it. Some fay that (lie confeffed ; others, that <he re- mained obftinate. Some of the people, when I made enquiry about it in that cocntryfide, affirmed, that after the Pn-fbytery had been at all pains about it, and could get no fatufaftion, they appointed Mr. Guthrie to give a full relation of the whole before the congregation, which he did ; and the fame dayfather cf the child being prefeni, when he heard.Mr. Gutittle begin to reatt, he ftood up, and debred him to halt, and faid, “ I am the father of that child, and l deured her to father it on Mr. Peden, which has been a great trouble of ccnfci- cuee to me; and I could not get reft, tii! I came home to declare it.” However, it is certain, that after 2j: v.ai married, every ttiirg crcfs to them ; and they went from place to place, and were redeer*' to great poverty. At iaft ILe came to that fame fpot of ground where he flayed upwards of hours, and made away with hrrfeif.

a. Af.er this he was three t ears fettled minifter at Kew Giehtdce in Galloway; and when he wa« obliged, by the violence and tyranay of that tmu, to leave that parith, he ieftured upon Aits x:<. 17, to the end. and preached upon the rid. vtrle in the forenopc, “ There- foie watch, and remcntibcr, that for the fpace of tbyj^ yeais, I ceafed not to warn every one, night and «ay, with tears.” AlfertiGg that he had declared ',{j< wbola counfel of God, and had kept nothing back; . pf0. ftlled that he was free of the bio.'d of ail fouls. ^acj vathe afternoon, he preached on the jad verfe, “ .ad row, brethrea, I ccmnoeod you to God, .. nd to the . ord of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give

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( 4 ) you an inheritance among ail them that are fandliged »>

.ncm.ebcfita,,; b»t the, forrowe/JiT/ij’ he told them that they fcoald never fee his (ace in that pulpit agam. He continued until nifeht, and when he clofed the puipit daor, he knocked hard upon it three tmteit w.th hss Efbfc, faying three times over, I arreft in jny Matter $ name, that never one enter there, but fuch ^ come in by the,doc*r, as I did. Accordingly, neither curate nor indulged mihifter ever entered that pulpit, unM after the Revolution, that a Preftyteriau Minifter opened. It. I had the account from old perfona in that panth, who were witodTes to it, worthy of all credit.

. 3,V f-f!er Ithi8« he Jain^ tiat haneft and zealous

iandful, in the year 1666, that was broken at Pentlaud hills, and came the length of Clyde with them, where be had a melancholy view of their euS, and parted with them there. James Cuhifon, of Paluchamits, my in- former, to whom he told this, he laid to him, “ Sir, you d'd well that fraets-d witii them, feeing you was perfuadcd they would fall and flee before the enemy. Glory, gl0i y to God, that he fent me not to hell immediately ! for i ftould have ftayed-with them, though I thould have been cut all in p'eces.,,

4- That night the Lord’s people fell, and 3ed before the enemy at Pentland hilis, he was in a friend’s hpufe in Carrick, 60 miles from Edinburgh ; his landlord feeing bim mightily troubled, enquired how it-was vvithubim ? He faid. To-morrow I will fpcak with you ^ and defired fome candle. That night he went to bed ; the next morning calling early to his landlord, laid, f have fad news to tell you, onr friends that were together in arms, ap- pearing for Chrift’s intereft, are now broken, killed, taken and fled every man. He faid, Why do you fpeak fo.’ There is a great partef ourfriends prifoe’ers in Edinburgh. About forty-eight hours thereafter, they were fully pQa’ 'armed in the truth of it.

( 5 ) 5. In June ii73. vras taken by Major Cnckbum,

in the hoirfe of Hugh Fergufon, of Koockdow, in Carrick, who conftra'.nrd him to tarry ail night. Mr. Peden told him, that it would be a dear night's quarters to them both. Accordingly, they were carried prifoners to Edinburgh. Hugh Fergufon was fined in aihoufaud merks, for relet- ting harbouring, and convening with him. The Council ordered fifty pounds fterling to be paid to the Major, out of the fines, and ordained him to divide ay pounds fter. among the party that apprehended him. Some time after examination, he was fent prifoner to the Bafs, where, and at Edinburgh, he remained until December i6f$, that he was baalihed.

6. While prifoaer in the Bafs, one Sabbath morning, being about the p-ib ic worihip of G d, a young lals, aoout 15 or i4 years of age, came to the chamber door, tnockiag with loud laughter: He laid, Poor thing, them mocks and laughs at the woriinp of God, but, ere long, Gao lltail wr te loch a fudden and furprifing judgment on thee, tnat ifcail ftay thy laughing, and thou fhalt not c cape it. Shortly ai:er, flie was walking upon the rtscb, an a th._re came a Wall of wind, which fweeped her info t. - <ea, where Ihe periihed. While prifoher there, one oay wa.k.ng upon the rock fome foldiera paffing by him, one ot them faid, Efevil take him i Fy, fy, poor roan, faid Ee, thou knoweft not what thou art ftymg; but them wilt repent that. At which word the foldier fiord aftonifbed ! a*d went to the guard diftratfed, crying out alcud for

r lMea> hfwg, Tae devil would immediately take im a\/ay . lie came to him again, and found him in bit

tight caind, under deep convictions of great guilt t he guaru being to change, the yde fired him to goto hi* arms-

c rctufed, aud faid, he would lift no arms a gain ft Tefiis nritt a caufe, and per&cute his people, he had done that

too long f ne governor threatened him with death next day uy tea of the clock; he coufideniiy faid, three times, though it: Ibould tear all his body in pieces, he (houid

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...v,r nft arms tV,t w*y. A'bout three day* after, the Eonvnor put r.tro out of the garrlfoa, letting h.ra adiore. Me havin ’ a wife atid-children, took a houte in E. fc Lothian, where he became a lingular Chrituaa Mr Peuen told theft aftonifliing tbinga to the fore laid John Cubilon, and othera, wio ir.fotmed me.

7 When brought from the 3rf3 to Edinburgh, and feotence of banilhment pzSid upon him in Dec. Ul*- and Gsty more fellow prifoners, fur the fame csuie t. go to America, never to be teen in Scotland ngam, uudci the pain of death ; after .this feutence was pr ded he fa.d i'tvi.ral titnea, that the ihip was not pet buut ‘^at Ihou^ take him and thefe prifoners to Virginia, or any o.her oi the Engliih plantations in America. One James Kay, n fol -S and grave Chriftian, b^iug one of them, Vib° 1,'eJ

fttbr about the Water of Leith, told me, that Mr. Pedca raid to him, James, when your wife comes in, let me lee her- which he did. After feme diioourfe, he ca..ed for a drink ; andwhen he fought a buffing, he fdd. Good Lord, let not James Kay’s wife mifs her hufband, till thou return him to her in peace and faiety ; which we j.re iure will be fooner than e tlier he orffie is looking fcr. Accordingly, the fame day month that he parted with her i Ldth, he came home to her at the Water of Leith.

g. When they were on ffiipboard, at the Water cf Leith, ♦her- was a report, that the enemies were to fend down thumbkins, to keep them from rebelling; at the report of which, they were greatly difeouragtd : Mr Peden caroa above the deck, and faili. Why are ye d.fccuraged t You need not fear, there will neither thusnbkins cor boo-kins come here : Lift up your hearts and heads, for the day of vour redemption draweth near; if we were once up at London, we will be all let at liberty And, when on the voyage, praying publicly, he fa:d, Lord, luch is the enemies’ hatred at thee, and mshce at us. for thy fake, that they will not let us ftay m thy land of Scotland, to ierve th,e tho’ fottw of us have nothing but the canopy

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( 7 ) of thy haver's abov-s us, and the earth to tread upon j but. Lord, we bkfs thy ria.ut, woo will cut ihort our voyage, and ft nurate thy eEeinit«s oi tircir wicked deiigri, that they wi 1 not get us where they intend ; and foies of us ihaU go richer home, taau we came from home. James Pride, who lived in Kite, an acueit man, being oce cf them, he laid many times, he could alVert the truth of this, for be came faiciy home; aud be fids,other things, be bought two cor.vs : and before that, he never had one. I had tbefe accounts both from the ioteiaid James Kay, and Robert Punton, a known public man, worthy of all credit, who tea? aifo u d;r the fame fenter.ee, who lived in the parifh of Daimcny, near Queeasfcrry.

9 When they arrived at London, the Skipper who receded them at iysith, was to carry them i.o further: the Skipper who was to receive them tnere, and carry them to Virgii ia, came to tec them, they being repref^nt- ed so him as thieves, robbers, and evd doers; but when he found they were ali grave Chriftian men, banilhed for Prefbyserian principles, he faid he would fail the fea with none Inch. So, as the one Skipper would cot receive them, and the other would keep them no longer, it being very expenfive to maintain them, they were all fet at liberty. Others reported, that both the Skippers got compliments from friends at London ; however, it is certain, they all were fafely fet free, without any impofition of bonds or oaths; and friends at London, and in their way home- wards thro England, the wed much kindnefs unto them.

10 That difinal day, June aad. 1679, at Bothwel- bridge, that the Lord’s people fell, and fled before the enemy, he was 40 milrs dittact, near the border, and kept himfelf retired until the middle of the day, that fume . friends fatd to him, Sir, the people are waiting forfermon. He faid, Let the people go to their prayers: for me, I neither can nor will preach any this day; for our friends are fallen, and fled before ahe enemy at Hamilton; aad

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and they ar« and haftiiag -theia down, and ttea blood is runmcs TiWt waler.

ii. After thU, b: was pieaebtag in GiHoway. In the fdrenoon he prayed esrne/Uy tor the prifoners taken at and about Both wit; but in the afternoon, when he began to pray for them, he ha'.'.ed and faid, Sirs, our nenca at Edinburgh, the prifoners, have done foraething to fave their lives, that Hr U not do with them, fcr the fea b\. owa Ciall be many of tkeir winding fh;ets,'ird tie iv wo t em

that ihall efcape, fhail not be ufcful to God in their gene- ration. Which was fadly verified there~!tvi, Th jtw ici the greateft part of theft prifoners did, was the taking o, that bond, commonly called the clack B-md, a..cr o. wel, wherein they acknowledged their appearance in arms for the defence of the gofpel and their owe lives to be rebellion ; and engaged taemfetves never to make any moreoppofition , upon the doing of which, there per fid,- cue enemies ptomifcd them life and liberty. This, with the curfed and fubtil arguments aad advices of raimders, who went into the New Yard, where they were pnfoners, particularly Mr. Hugh Kenedy, Mr. William Crighton, Mr. Edward jamiefon, and Mr. George JahnftoD ; thefc took their turn in ihe yard, where the pnfoners were, together with a letter that was feat from that Eraftiau meeting of Minifters, met at Edinburgh in Auguft 1679, for the acceptance of a third indulgence, with a Caution- ary Bond. Notwithftanding of the enemies’ promife, and the onlwtppy advice of Minifters not indulged, after they were enfnared in this foul compliance, they banilhed

thereof 105 periflied in the *-.‘rkney fea. This f''ul *ep, as fome of them told, both in their life, and when dying, lay heavy upon them all their days; and that thefe unhappy arguments and advices of Minifters. pre- vailed more with them, than the enemies’ promile of life and liberty. In Auguft 16;?. Fifteen of the Bothwei prifoaers got indictments ot death. Mr. Edward Jamie- fon, a worthy Prcfbytaiaa minifter, as Mr. Woodrow

( 9 ) ' calls him. wag feat from that Eraftian meeting of Minifters. into the Tolbooth to theft 15, who urged the Uwfumefa of taking the Bend to fare their lives, and the refufal of it would be a reflection on religion, and the caufe they had appeared for, asd a throwing away their lives, for which their friends would not be able to vindicate them He prevailed with ij of them, which foured iu the ftomacha of Tome of thofe 13, and lay heavy upon them, both in their life and death. The prifonera taken at and ab<*it the tithe of Bsthwel, were reckoned about ijoo The faithfai Mr. John Blackader did write to thefe pri oners, diffaadiog them from that foul compliance t and feme worthy perfona of tfcefe prifoners, whom he wrote to, faid to me with tears, that they flighted his advice, and Jwallowed the unhappy advices of Ihefe MinifLcra who were making peace with the enemies of Gad, and fol- lowed their foul fteps, for which they would go mosrn- big to their graves, I heard the fame Mr. Blackader preach his laft public fermon, before hia falling into the enemies’ hands, in the night time, in tqe fields, in in the parifli of Livingflone, upon the fide cf the Muir, 2! Newjatfufe, on the 93d. of March, after Bothwel, where he ledtured upon Mtcah iv. from the 9th verfe, where he aflerted, That the nearer the delivery, our puns and Ihowere would come thicker and fortr upon us; and that we had been long in the fields, but ere wc were delivered, we would go down to Babylon : That either Pepery would cverfpread this land, or be at the breaking ia upon ua, like an inundation of water. And preached upon that tr.:t, “ Let no man be moved with

tbc.e aiTufLons; for ye yourf Ives know, that ye are :i appointed thereunto ” Where he infixed on what moving and lL«l..ng dilpenfations the Lord had exer- citcd kia people with in former ages,, cfpecialiy that r.an of God, tnat went to Jeioboacn at Bethel, aJV^ telivcreri his conim tfion faithfu ly, and yet was turned rut cf the way by an old king prophet; bow ajovics

( io ) the manner of his death was to all Ifrael! And earneftiy requeued us, fo take good heed to wba’ Minifters we heard, and vyhat advice we followed When he prayed, %e bleffed the Lord that he was free of both band and. rope; and that be was ae efearlr willing, to hold up the public bleft ftanriard of the Gofpel as ever: And faid, The Lord rebuke, give repentance and forgivenefs to thefe Minifters that perfuaded thefe priioners to take that bond For their perilhing by fes, was more mov- ing and fljpcking to him, than if thoufiods of them had been fla'n in the field. He was thereafter taken, the 6th. of April, by Major J ihnfton, in Fdinburgh,' and de- tained prifoner in the Bafs. where he died. As the intereft of Cbrift lay near his heart through bis life,* amongft his laft words be f«id, The Lord would defend his own caufe.

After the public murdering of thefe two worthy women-martyrs, Jfobtl Allifon ar.cj Miiion Harvie, in the Grafsmarket of Edinburgh, January 1681, he wat in Galloway; a profeffor of fome note, who had more carnal wit and policy, than to fufter hips to be boneS and faithful, alter reafoning up m she .grounds of theii fafferings, afiirmed that they would never be reckoned among the mrr.ber of the martyrs. Mr. Pedtn faid after tnufing a li tie, Let alone, you will never be hon- oured with fcch a death: A.nd for wtat you have fait again* thefe two worthy laflVs, your death will be botfc. fjdden and furprilmg. Which came to patsvery hereafter: for the man tin riding bef-re the fire, fmoakinj bis pipe* dropt down dead, without fpeaklr.g more.

ry In the roonJh of June i^Ra- be was in the hour of James Brown, in Pnddockholm, Shove Douglas; Job’ •Wilfaa in Lana k was with him who fuffered tnartyrdor in the Grafs market of Edittbsirgb the nex' year. May t68j He leftured at night upon Amos vin. and repeater 'hej • words in the g‘h verfe three times, ‘ And f ’’1 ’’i agaieft the bnu'e of Jeroboam v. iti the fwurd.” He las

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fci» hand on the faid John, and faid, Encourage yourfelf in the Lord, and bold him faft, John, for you will win up yonder thortly, and get on your brswp. That night he went to the fields, and to-morrow, about 6 o’clock, John went to feek him, and found him coming to the houfc. He faid, John, let ns go from this houfe, for the devil is about it, and wilt take his prey with him. John faid, We will take breakfaft ere we go, it is a queftion when we will get the offer again. He anfwered, No, no, 1 will not eat bread in this place, our landlord is an unhappy man, the devil will get him (hortly, for be will hang him- frff. Which foon after came to pafa; for his daughter, lean Brown, was the firft that get him in her arms, hang-

ing in the ft -ble. She was reckoned by all, to be a grave Chriftian lafs j but from that day never had her health, and died of a decay at laft, after fire had been fome time in prifon for her principles. Tcia paffage the lame John Wilfoa reported federal times to many, and fome alive can bear witnefs to the truth of it.

x4. In the year 1680, a little after the murdering of Mr. Cameron, a^d theft worthies with him, at Airdlmofs, he was near Machiine, in the (hire of Ayr; • r.e ffobert Brown, of Cfofshoufe, who lived near Newmills, and one Hugh Pinaneve, factor to the Earl of Lothian, ftabled their horfes in that boufe where he was, and went to a tair in Machiine ; and, in the afternoon, when they came to take away their horfes, they got a diink, and in the time of it, the faid .Ingh, a wicked wretch, both in principle and practice, broke out in a railing againft !uffe*ers, par- tic.uit.Tly againft Mr. Cameron: Mr Peden being in ano- ther room over hearing all, was fo grimed, that he came

p chamber <}oor. and faid to the fatd Hugh, Sir, hold t0 th' 1c- ere twelve o’clock thou (halt know whs' for TCm^nMr. Cameron was; God fhall punifh that b’afphem-

or, mouth and curfed tongue of yours^m fnch a manner ° V b-afeoniihing to all that Qiall fee you, and ftiall LVycu u? as a beacon to all railing Rabfhakebs. Robert

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Brown knowing Mr. reden, h«1eJ to hi* borfe, being perfuaded that Mr. Peden’a words would not fall to ground, and fearing that fotne mifchief might befal h.m for being in the faid Hogh’e company, he rooe hard hoi u. Robert went to his own houfe, and Hug to , e_‘^r

houfe ; and calling cffhia boots, he was ftruc. vvah fuca a ficknefs and pain through his body, with his mouth io wdde, and his tongue hanging fofar out, in a fear u maa- n'er, that they fent for the faid Robert. Being u.cu o draw blood, he drew fome from him, but all in vain, for he died before nvdnight The faid Robert, an old man, told me this paflage when in prifon together.

J5. In the year 16B2, he was in Kyle, and preached upon"that text, “The plowers plowed up™*nybacU, and dr™, long .Srir farrow.” Wborr b tod. Wo»U vou know who firft yoked this plow ? It was curfed Ca n, when he drew his furrows fo long deep, t a. - « out the heart-blood of his brother Abel; and Ins cur.ed feed has, and will ga'S fummer and winter, froft 2"d trel“ weather, till the world’s er.d; and at the found of the Isft trumpet, when ail are in a flame, their theets wid burn, and their fwingletrees will fall to the ground ; the p.ow- mtn will lofe their grips of the plow, and the gadmen will throw away their gads; and then, O the ycll ng anu fhrieking that will be among all this curfed feed, dapping their hands, and crying to the hills and mountains to cover them from the face of the Lamb, and of him that fits upon the tnrone, for their hatred of him, and raihce at his people. After fermon, when marrying a pair of folks, when the man had the woman by the hand, he faid. Indeed, man, you nave a bonny bride by the hand, I fee a covetous devd in her; ihe is both a thief and a whore, let her go, you will be alharaed of her. The man keeping {aft her hand, he faid, You will not take my advice, but it will tend to thy diigrace. After marriage, when pay- ing, he faid, Good Lord, many a plow bath been yoked|

on fte back of tfre Churc’i of Scotlarid, Pagan? yoked theirs, Anticbiitt yoked his, and Prelacy hers, and now tiv*.plagued ErafUan indulged they have yoked theirs, and it ill becomes them; Gnod Lord, cut their theetr that the fw'.ng’c trees may fail to the ground. Enfign Jolin Kirkland was witnefa to this feraioo and marriage; he was my dear acquaicstance. who toid me fevcral timea of this, and more cf that feriTTon.

16. About the fame time, he was marrying two pair of folks; he faid to the one, Stand by, I will not marry you this day. The bridegroom was anxious to know the reafen ; after enquiring privately, he faid, You will thank me for this afterwards, and think yourfelf well quat of her, for fire is with child to another wife’s burband : Which was matter of faR, as time afterwards difeovered.;

17 Shortly after that fad droke at Bothwel, he went to Ireland, but d:d not, ttay long at' that time. In hia travels through Galloway he came to a bcu/e, and look- ing in the goodman’s face, he faid. They call y .u ant hooefl man, but if you be fo, you look not like jt; you will nit loeg keep that name, but will difeover yourfelf to be what you are. And (hor !y after, he was made to flee for iheep dealing. In that ihort time he w^in i-e

land, the Governor required of all Prefbyteriaa.toinifterk that were m Ireland, that they fhould give it under their hard, that they had no acctfiion to the late rebellion »■ Bothwel bridge, in Scotland, sod that they did not ah p; ove of it; which the moft part did, and fent ftt. Thoml' Cowans, a Scotfmatn, and one Mr. Patou .'rom the nr,rfu ot Ireland to Dublin, to prefer t to the Lord the which, whe; M' Pt dec heard, he faid Mr r J

and his^otber Mr ^ m

errand but God w,li arreft them by the cafe A J

ir? g; *-m b’ *■7 »4k ficknefs and Mr Paten ,el) ^rom his horfe, and broke or trufted his leg, and both cHhem were detained beyond

( U ) fTpe&ation. I had tb s account from fotne worthy Cliriftiana when I was in Inland.

j8. In the year 1681, he married j -ha Brown in Kyle, at his own botife in Priefthall, that Gcgular Cariftian, upon Mai ion Weir; after marriage he faid to the bride, Marion, you have got a good man to be your imfband, but you will not enjoy him long; prize his company, and keep linen by you for bis winding fheet, for you will have nred of it, when you are not looking for it, and bis death will be ablioJyone. This came fidly to pal's in the beginning of May i68j, as afterwards Qiall appear.

19. After tb's, in the year i68a, be went to Ireland again, and came to the houfe of William Steel, in Gk n- wharry, in the eounty of Antrim ; where be enquired at Mrs Steel, if fhe wanted a fervant for threlhing '•iftual? She faid they did, and enquired wiat his w ges were a-day, or a-weefe? Ie faid, the common rate was a com- mon rule; to wfcich flic afiTented At nigtt he was put to the barn to bed, with the fervant lad . and that night he fpent in prayer and groaning, up and down the barn. Tomorrow he thrtlbed vidfual with thdlad, and the next ihght he fpent the fame way. The fecond day, in the morC'Dg, the lad faid to his miftrefs, This man deep- none, but groans and prays all night; I get no Beep for him. He threfhea very well, and is not fparing of himfelf, tho* I think he has not been ufed with it; for he can do noth- ir- to the boUeling and ordering of the barn ; and when I put the barn in order, he goes to fucli a place, and there he prays for the afflidled Church of Scotland, and names fo many people in the furnace. He wrought the fccond day, and his raiftrefs watched and overheard him praying, as the lad had faid. At night fbe defired her hufband to enquire ifhe was a Minifter, which be did, and defired

him to be free with him, and he ftouid not only be no enemy, but a friend to him. Mr. Peden faid, be was not afhamed of his office, and gave an account of hia csrcutn-

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?arces. He was do more- fet to work, nor to lie with helaJ; and he ftald a c^nfiderable time io that place, .od was a b'.cfied ioftruxtiU in the converfion of fame, od civihi ng of ethers, though that place w-’s noted for * t wild, rude people, and the fruit of his labour appears into this day. There was a fervaot lafs in that boufe, hat he coul J not lor-k upon but with frowns'; and fome- iimes, when at fani'iy-wurjfcip, he faid, pointing to her irith a frowning countenance. Yen com: fiom the barn nd from the bvre reeking ia your 1 jUs, and uts down maong u^, we do r.ot want you nor none fuch.- At la.l ie fad to William Steel and hie wife, Put that uaharpy lafs from your boufe, for fire wJ! be a 0 air, to your rtVf

or (be is with coiid, aad will murdtrif, aniw. ig iiUQtfheJ for the fame. Which accordingly came to p>a!s ; nd Cne was burut at Craig-Fcrgus, which is the ufual unifhmenC of murderers of children' there. I had this

If count from John Muirhead, who flaal much in that [oufe, and ..ther Chnftiaa pcogic, when I was in Ireland.

as. On the fecond of Augu», he wts in a hriftiac Srots woman's Itoufe, called Margaret Lumber- lor ; that day there was an extraordinary fhower of .big oil, fuch as he had ceser feen the I ke. Sec laid, what m be the messing of this extraordiostry hail? He laid, fiifcir. a few years there will m aa extraordinary gorta id ihewer of judgment pouted cut upon Ireland ; but Urgaref, yon lhali not live to fee it. And acccrdmcly e died before that .rebellion: and the reft bad a fad icompltfhmeut at Derry1, and t1\e wafer of Soym

it. (Jj the l.-eoud. of Febrotry be >xss in i ate of t>.is Mr. Vercor at n-ghU be and foha-K.Ipatrlcir,

s. Vs.oo.*’«fa'.tier,.a. very old worthy Ccntiao ; he nid hj.Tr!, John, the woriii may well vrsat y»d and me,

)hu fa>J, Sr, 1 line been very fruitle,"‘i and ufdtfs a>i y days, and the wotid miy well want me ; but yeor •ath will be a great iota. Well John, (aid he, you and l

IS 2

I

( ^ )

fliall bs bot*' in bpsven.fbortly ; but though you be much older tbi-e a y fpu'i wllt.gai ‘^f-Tcftart of yours, tor I will b~ . body will get-tl»e ad* vantag! of ro < #Ul.get reft in your grave uctil therefurreftioj ; but tor :ne, 1 muft go to the bt jody land (this was his ordinary way ol fpeaking, bloody or liaful iaad, when he fpake of Scotland) and die there; and the enemies, out of their great wickedatfs. will lift utf cprjtie onto anot.her,place; but I avri very indifferent, jeim, tor i know ray .body fhall lie among the daft of the tnaityrs ; and though .they ihould take my old bones and make whiffles of them, they will all b: gathered together, iu the morning of the refurrrffliou; and then, Joljn, you and I, and all that will be found haying on CLrift’e rigliteo^i- iiefs, will get day-about with them, and give our hearty afl'ruf to Uriir eternal lenience of damnation. The fame ;;sght after this difeourfe, ,while about family wotfljjp, slept ten ot eleven o’clock, explaining the portion cf of Seriftture be, read, he fuddenly halted and hearkened, and uud three times over, What’s thial hear ? Andbeark-

eurd apain a tittle,, and clapt his hands and faid, I hear a dead lh.ut'at the thfone of Britain, let him go yonder,

ire has been a black, light to thefe lands, efpecialiy to poor Scotland ; we a;e all quit of him : There has been many a wafted prayer wared on him. And it was concluded by all, the fame night, tlia;.i abappy man Charles H. died. I had this account from John M urhesd, and others, who were prefect, and conftrrntd in the truth of it, by fon-.e worthy Chriftians when I was mirtlatrfd.

22. Upon the 4th of February 1685. he preached at t a woodftde near the laid Mr. Vernor’s houfe ; read, t the whole of the 49th Plalm after reading, he cha-^d . bis hearers, that none of thtro open their mouths to Bug, but thofc that could do it knowingly and believingly ; fo; 1

fome few lines few opened their mouths^ but as jhhi Muiibead and John Waddel, who were p t f; n», (two folit >/ Qhriftians and great fu litre ip, who ItrSd died in th1 i

i

{ *7 ) pariftiee of Cimbufnstben and Shots,) f^iJ to me, tbey and fome others could not contain and forbear finding, but broke out with their whole hearts and fhength fo, that they \7ere never witnefs fuch loud finding, through the whole pfalm. After the tinging, in prefacing, he cried out, Pack, and let us go to Scotland, let us flee from one devouring fword, and go to another; the poorheneft lads m Scotland, are running upon the hills, and have tittle cf Other meat or drink but cold and hunger; and the bloody enemy are parfuing and murdering them, wherever they find them, their h ood is running like water upon IcaiTolda and fields; rife, go and tase part with them, for wn fear they bar ue out,of heaven. Oh 1 fecure Ireland, a dreadful day is coming upon thee within a few years, that 'hey fliall ride many miles, and fliall not fee a recking honfe ia thee ! Oh ! hunger, Derry; many a paleface {hall be in thee! And fire, fre upon—(a town whole name I have forgot,) which was ail burnt to afhes! This h-’.d an exaii nccompiifnment four years thereafter. And fer the oro- fanity of Engknd, the formality and fecuritycf Ireland, for the loathing and contempt of the gofpel, ccvecant- fcreakit,^' and innocent fcioodlhed in Scotland, none of thefe lands fhail ef«.?pe ere aii be done. But notwitc- ftanding of ail this, 1.2 tell you good news, Keep in mind this year, month and day, and remember that I tcid you, that the enemies have got afhot beneath their right winy, aad they may rife and fiy like a foot bird, but ere this day feven years, the ftrongeft of them alt iliail fail. Then upoa the fixth, he was in that wood ail d,;y; and at night he came to the faid Mr. Vernot’s houfe, where fevera! of our Scots i’ufterers were, he faid, Why are ye fodifeourag- cd ? I know ye hat£ got i!l news of the dreadful nu: dec of our friends in Scotland ; but I will tell you good news, that unhappy, treacherous, ieacherons man, vvh< h.,s

made the Lord’s people rn Scotland tremb'e thefe •' -ersl -years bygore, has got his laft glut in a lordly Uilh from his brother, and he is lying with his tongue cold in bi* month. The asv?3 of this came not to Ireland for 34 iewa

^3

{ IS;)

\r(er;aftr;. The fortfa'.d John Mairhead and Jahu Wad- del, and others of our Scots fiiferers, who had heard him preach the Sabbath day before, concltfded this was the ftiot beneath the ri^ht v vio-^that he fpokt oi, Chatks ii, d; h<$ the Friday’s night b-.uire.

25. After this he longed to be cut cflrehrid, through the fearful appreheafions of that difmai day oftebellion in Ireland, that came upon it four years thereafter, and tha he might take part vyilh the fafferers of Scotland. Com;ng near the coaft one morning, John Mairhead came to him l.iag vvi: bin a hedge : He faid, Have ye any news, John? John faid, There is great fear of the Iriih riling, He faid, No, no J rhn; the time of their rificg is not yet; but they will rife, and dreadful will it be at laft. He yvas long detained waiting for a' bark, not daring to go to public ports, but to feme remote creek of the fea. Alexander Gordon of Kiattuir, in Galloway, had agreed with one, but Mr Peden would not fail the fea with him, having foue. fore fight of what he did prove afterwards. In the begiuning of Auguft beforethis, K.nftuir was re- lieve : at Thterken p th, going from Dumfries to Edin- burgh prifoner; When the news of it came to Ireland, our Scots fuffercs, their acquaintance were glad of the news, efpecially that Ktnftnir had efcaped. He faid. What mean all this Kinftuiring ? ftiere is fome of them

' relieved there, ’that one of them is worth many of him; for ail will be afhamed of him ere all be don”. Being in this ft ait, he faid to Robert Wark, an old worthy Cbrif- tian, worthy of credit, 'Robert, go, and take fuch a matt with you, and the fitft barb you can find, compel them, for they will be like the dogs in Egypt, not one of them will move their tongue againft you Accordingly, Robert and bis comrade f und it out fo, and brought her to that fecret place where he was. Whei: Robert and his com- rade came and told him, he vra| glad, ^ sd v oy kind and fiee ; but he feemed un.ler a c outi at • me. He fail., Eads, I have loft roy profpeft, wherewith I was wont to

—: ^^ —J [

rook over to the b’oody land, and tell you ar.d oth.'”, what enemies and friends were doing ■. the devil and I puddles and rt'cs li-r.e about upon oi^e another ; but if I were uppemvolt again, fhalfride hard and femr-gaw well. ♦1 have been praying for a fwift puTage over to the fintui land, cotne of 113 what will: And now Alexander Gordon ie away with my prayer v/iad but it were good for the remnant in Scotlard, he never faw it; for as the Lord lives, he fliall wound that intereft ere he go off the ftsge. This fad'y came to pafs in his life, and was a reproach to it at his death. A Irttle before they came off, he baptifed a chilli to John Maxweil, a Glafgow roan, who was fled over from the perfccutipn : In his dife urfe before baptifm, he burft out into a rapture, foretelling that black day that was to come upon Ireland, and fad days to Scotland, _and after all this, was to come good days. Mrs. Maxwell, or ^ir/Llphiugftnn, the mefther of the child, yet alive iu Glafgow, told me this, that in the time he was afferliag thefe things, fh; was thinking and wondering what ground cf aflurance he had for them, he cried aloud, (baking hia hand at her, and (aid, Woman, thou art thinking and wondering within thyftlf, whether I be fpeaking thofe things out or the vilionS of ray own head, or if I be taught by the Spirit of God ; I tell thee, woman, thou (halt live and fee that I am not miftaken. She told me, that fhe was very lately del vere-ft, and out of her great dtftre to have her chi1..! bapfzed before he came off, that (he took travail toofoon; and being weak, and fo furpriied with telling her the thoughts of her heart, that fhe was in danger of falling off the chair. At this exercife alfo he told them, that he could not win off till he got this done, and thi* was all the drink-money he had left in Ireland, and to the family (pointing to the landlord) for all the kiednefs he had met with from them. After baptifm, they got breakfatt; and there was plenty of bread upon the table: A' ftekiog a blcflinir, he put his hand beneath the.bread, ho’ding it up wi : much affeftion and teara, faid. Lord, here is a well covered table, aud plenty of bread; but what

{ 20 ) canies of the poor yooa,; kindly hoceft lad Renwicfe, that Ihatnes us all, in (laying and holding up his fsinting mo- ther’s head, whenof a;l the children (he hat brought forth, there is coas will avowedly fake her by the hand, and the poor, cold, hungry lads upou the hills? i?or the honour of thine own cauie, let them notftarve; thou caufed a ravenous bird, greedy of flelh itfelf, to feed Elijah; and thou fed thy people to the wiidernefs with angels’ food ; and bleffed a few loaves and final! fithes, and made them fofucient for many; and had experience of want, rvearinefa, cold and hunger, and enemies daily hunting for thy life, while in the wnrld; look to them, and provide for them: VTe will get the black (tone fqr leaving him and them. The Waiters being advertifed of the bark being in that place, they and other people came on them, which obliged them that were to come off, to fecure the Watters and people all-together, for fear of the garrifon of Cirrickfergus apprehending them, being near to it, which obliged them to come off immediately, however it might be with them. After that he and a6 of our Scots fuffererers eame aboard, he flood on the deck and prayed, there being not the lead wind, where he made a rehearfal of times and places, when and where the Lord had heard tod anfwered them in the day of their diftrefs, and now they were in a great /trait. Waving his hand to the weft, from whence he defired the wind, be laid, Lord give us aloof-full of wind: Fill the fails, Lord, and give us a frefli gale, and let us have a fwift pafiage over to the bloody land, come of us what will, John Muirhead, Robert Wark, and others who were prefen?, told me, that when he began to pray, the fails were all hanging ftraight down; but ere he ended, ifu-y were all like blown blad- ders. They put out the Waiters and other people and goi a very fwiff and fafe paffage. The z6 Scots fufterera that were with him, having provided themfelves with arms, and being designed to return to Scotland, there feeing then fuch a noife cf killing; and indeed the d'ta

( 21 ) was no greater.than the deed, it being then in the heat of kilting liii.e, in tfc? end of February i«8y, when at exercife in the Bark, be,.. •, Ljfd thou ktioweft thefe iads are bet fpwited, lay ah arieft -upon them, /that they may not

-appear; their time is noi yet* though Monmouth and Argyle be cmiiing. theywili woik no deiiTcranre. 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 ledtured before they parted, fitting upon a braefide, where he had fearful threatnir.ge againft Scotland, faying. The time was coming that they might travel many miles in Galloway and Nitbfdale, Ayr and Clydefdale, and not fee a reeking houfe, nor hear a cock crosv. And further faid. That his fou! trembled to think, what would become of the indulged,' backflidden and uplitten mini- fters of Ssotland; as the Lord Uvea, none of them fhall ever be honoured to put a right pin in the Lord's taber- nacij, nor afiert Chrilt's kingly prerogative, as head and king of his church. To the fame puipofe faid the never- to-be-forgotten Mr Donald Cargill, within eight hours cf his martyrdom, that he feared though there were not another tolniftry in all the earth, be would make no more ufe of them in a national reformation,' bat fend dreadful

judgments upon themfelves, and a long curfe upon their pofterity. And Mr. Rutherford faid, in his day, 1656, That fad and heavy were the judgments and indignation from the Lord, that was abiding the uofaiihful watchmen of Scotland ; meaning tbe unhappy Refoluiioners. When ended, he prayed earneftiy for many things, particularly, that all the firs they had committed in Ireland, might be buried in that place, and might not fpread w'itb them through’the finful land. * •*-

24. When the greater part took their farewell of him, be faid £0 the reft, To what hotife or place ftia'l we go? One Hugh K'n'^edy’ faift, We will go to fuch a iioufe. He laid, -Htwie, we will not get in cur note there t for t^e devi; and ir,s bairns are there. Notwithftandingy

( 22 ) Hugh wen', and found the houfe full of the enemies; and that night a woman in the houfe made away with herfelf. Hugh came quickly back and told him. tit laid, we will go to fuch a houl’e, I have an errand there When they went, the goodwife was dying, under great doubts and ' fears, where he was made a blelT-fo iefoument of comfort to her. He faid to Hugh, Hewie, this is nay errand here.

ay. They went eaftward. fomewhat contrary to his in- clination : when they came to the top of an hill, upwards of t wo miles diffentffom the place they defigned, he halt- ed and faid, I wi 1 not go one foot further this way; there b undoubtedly danger before us. A herd l^d being there,

fhe gave him a groat, and defired him to go to that boufe, and fetch him meat and news. When the lad came to the honie, the goodwife hafted, and gave him fome meat to them, faying, Lad, run hard, and tell them, that the enemies are fpread ; and we are looking for them here every minute. As the lad was going fiom the houfe, eighteen of the eaenrrcs foot appeared, who cried to him, Stand dog ! But the lad ran, and fix of them purfaed half a mile, and fired hard upon him ; a ball went clofe by his head: All that time Mr. Peden cor tinned in prayer for him alone, and with the reft, being twelve men. When praying with them, he laid, Lord, fhali the poor lad, that is gone our errand, feeking bread to fupport our lives, lofehis? I3:re>3: the ballet* by his head ; hovr-ever near, let them not touch him. Good Lord, Tpread the lap of thy cloak, and cover the poor lad. And in this he was heard and anfwered, in that there was a dark mUty Cloud parted him and them.

cS About this time there wa? an horeft poor woman brought him and them force bread and milk : When feek- ing a blcffiop, he fbd, Now, in this bloody land, this poor i Woman has endangered her hfc, in bringing bread to lup- • port ours; we cannot pay her for ft, but Lord, it is for \ thy fake (he has brought it: and there is no need that ;

tfiae fhouki be a loo Ter at thy hand : Thou giveft plenty or .

( 23 ) bread to many that arc not f j worthy of it. Giving does not impovenfh thee ; and w:th holding doesn^t enrich thee : Give this poor Wife 20 boimcks for thefe few. This Woman faid fevera! times, die was never afterwardj fo ftraitened for bread as before.

27- At thia time, upon a Sabbath night, be preached in a fiiieid, cr fheep houfe, in a defart place ; a man ftand- i0g at the door as he came in, he gripped him, and faid, Where are you going, f.r ? Go home, you have neither art nor part with us; there will be a black account heard

^ of you ere long. Accordingly, vety fhortly thereafter, he went to Edinburgh, and took the black Tcft. That eight he lectured on Amos vii. “ And 1 will fet a plumb line in the raidft of my people Ifrad.” He cried out, Oh ! how few of the minifters of Scotland will anfwer the plumb- line? Lord, fend us * We; wood, a Cargil, and a Cameron, and fuch as they, and make us quit cf the reft. “ And I will ri 'e againft the boufe of Jeroboam with the fword.” Pie faid, ,1 will tell ycu gcodnew^, our Lord will take a feather out of Antichrift’s wing, which fhai! bring dowa the Ouke of York, and bsnifh him out of thefe kingdoms, and w:M remove the bloodv fword from above the beads of his people ; And there will never a man of the name of Stewart fit upon the throne of Britain after the Duke of York, whofe reign is now ftiort, for their lechery, treachery, tyranny, and fheddiug the precious blood of the Lcrd’s people: But, oh ! black, black, black will the day be that will come upon Ir eland l fo, ihat one may tra- vail 40 miles, and not fee a reeking boufe, nor bear acock crow. At this he ftarteri up to his feet, and ciapt his hands, and with a raviftiing voice cried aloud, Glory, glory to the Lord, that has accepted a bloody lacrifice of a fealed ttftimony off Scotland’s hand ! We have a bloody clout to held up, and the lads that got the bullets through their heads the laft day at Glentrol; their blood has made-the clout redder. When cur Lord looks on the bloody clout, he will keep the fword of his avenging juftice in tbefheath

( 24 )

for a time ; but if Scotland fi a’l cot,consider the merciful day of their visitation, nor Ms iong-fuft'ering, patience, and forbearance brad them to repenta'nd^ as we fear it will not, but harden them in their fin, and the greater part turn gofpel proof and judgment-proof, and wax worfe and Worfe, then Will the Lord accomplifh all that he has threatened his weil-deferred, forefee’n and foretold day of vengeance: When he begins, be 'will m ke an end cfp?cla'!y again'ft the houfe of Eli, for the iniquity which they cannot 6ut know. When ended, he, and thofe that were vvith him, hy down in the Sheep houfe, and. got fonie Sleep : He rofe early, and went up to the burn-fide, and Stayed Song * when he came in to them, he gave out the 3ad. Pialm, from the 7th. verfe to tjie end. When ending, he repeated the 7th. verfe.

Thou art my hiding- place ; thou Shalt from trouble keep me free :

Thou, with Songs of deliverance, about (halt compafs me.

Saving, Thefe and the following are Tweet lines, which I got at the burn fide this morning; and we will get more to-morrow, andfo v.ve will get daily provision : He was never behind vykh any that put their truft in him ; and he will not be in our common, nor none who neediiy de- pen is on him, and So we will go on in his Strength, mak- ing m muon of his righteoufneis, and of his only. The forelavd Jimss Cubifon went eight pallet with him; w.jen he took good night, he faid, Sir, I think Til never fee you again He anfwered, James, you apd I will never meet again in time, And two fevcral times he went to Ireland before, when they parted, he told them that they would meet again. The faid James, John. Muirbead, and other fufferers, who were prefsat, gave me thefe accounts.

28. Shortly after they landed from Ireland in Gallo- tyay, the'eriemy got notice, they being thifn in garrifons, foot and horfe, and it being killing time, the alarm came

( 2J ) to them m a morning, that foot and horfe were coming upon them, the forefaid John Mu'uhead being ftrnck with a violent pain in his forehead, they ftarted up to run for it: He fdd, Stay, fi»y lade! let us pray for old John tre we go. Ke Rood up and faid, Lord, we hear tell that thy enemies and ours are conrng up m ua, and thou haft laid thy hand of affliftion on old John ; have pity upon him, for thy enemies will hare none ; his blood will run where he lies! fpare him at this time, we know not if he be ready to die. And, as John told me, with tears in his eyes, the pain in h s head, and the indifpofition of his body quite left him, and he darted up and ran with the reft. The enemies feeing them, pu-fued them hard, fometimes the horfe, and forortimes the foot being near them; mofTy, boggilh ground did caft about the borfes. After they had run fome confiderable way, they got upon a little height between the enemy and them : Mr. Peden Rood {till, and faid, Let us pray here ; fvrr, if the Lord do not bear our prayers, and fave us, we are dead men, and our blood will run 1 ke water : If we die, Lt the enemy kill us, let our blood fill up their cup, that the day of vengeance that is coming on them n.ay be haftened. Then he began, and faid, L rn, it is iLy t nen,iet>’ day, hour and power; they may not be idle, but baft theu uo other work for them, but to fend th-m after us ? Send them after them, to whom thou wilt give ftrength to flee, for our {Length is gone ; twire them about the hill, Lord, and caft the lap t f thy cloak over auld Sandy, and thir poor things, and Lve us this one time, and we will k.epit in remembrance, and tell it to the commends'ion of thy goodinefs, pity and cor. pafiion, what th: u didft for us at fuch a time. In the meantime, there was a dark cloud of mift came betwixt them. After prayer, he ordered two of them to give notice of the enemy** motion, and the reft to go alone, and cry nughtily to the Lord for deliverance. In the meantime that they weie thus txerciied, there came pefts to the enemy, for them to go and pursue after Mr. Renwick, apd a great company whfc him. After tfic cacmiea were

c

( >s )

pf»n«, he called them tegeth i and faid, Let ua not forget to return th ink* to the Lori, for hearing and anfwering

U3 in the day of our diftrefs, And charged the whole creation to praise the Lord ; and also adjured the clouds topraifehim. Then he fit down at the fide of a wed, and" enquired if they had any crumbs of bread f Some of them bad a few crumbs; and when feeking a We ding, he faid, Lord, th'u who blessed the few loaves and fiihes, and made them sufficient for many, bless this wa*er and theseCumbs to us.; for we thought we ftould never have needed any more of these creature-comforts.

19 A few days after this, 4he aforesaid John Muir- head was in a house alone, at a distance from thr rest, and in the morning was a dark m.st, and be km w not whether logo, or where to find them, only be heard hum fpeak of the name of a place where he was to baptise fome children ; he gave a tixpence to a lad to com oft him to that place, which was fix miles dntant = When he came, he was praying. After baptism, be came to John, and faid, Poor ftraying foeep, how came you to ttray frem he rest? I bad a troubled morning for you. Do not thus again, otherwise it will fare tbe worse with you.

-o About this time he and John CTaik,wbo ordinarily vacs called Little John, were in a ca*e in Galloway, and bad wanted meat and drink long: He fam, John, better be thrust through with tbe fword, than fone away with banger ; the earth and the fulness thereof b^s to tty Master, and . have a right to ae much of it as vnH keep rive from fainting under his fervice; go to 3 , and tell them plainly that I have wanted meat Iblon^ andthey will wi’lirgly give *'. S^d ^ h,vC

wiiKng: to leave you 10 th.. pla ro Tohn

Sr rV: ?^S. my J*. >«- *»* T -Wr «»«

him fov adinr^, John went, and * . , -. is

him fome meat. When he came b3cfc,the J

abcv’e thc

very hard liviny n this v^orld, lunate dev.s above the

{ 27 )

earth, anJ devils beneath the earth ! The devil has been here Snce you went away ; 1 have lent him off in hafte,

wc will be no more troubled with him this n.gi.;* *«*«•.

3t. A little time after this, he being yet in Gal'oway, John Muirhead, and fope others, being with him, John faid to him, This (J a very melinchGly weary time ; it being killing time. Ke replied, There are more dark weary days to coupe, when your pulpits will beluli ot iVesbytctian micistera, and it will turn that dark on you. that many Ml not fcnpw what to do, whether td hear or forbear; and they ihiil then be reckoned happy tn.u wan well through at PectUnd, B uhwel, and At duaoss and wan fairly offth-; ftage, and g’t martyrdom iur Chriit: for the minrftera will cut off many of the most ferioua and zealous godly at the web’s end ; bat I will be hid in a grave- They etujuiced what w*>uld become ot thr ttft'j* m.iny of the Church of Scotland ? Then be plucked th; bonnet off his head, and threw it from him, faying, Seeyc how my bonnet lies? The fwom to, and (haled testimOa/ of the Caorcli of Scotland will Tall from among the hands „r all parties, and w.ll lie alt doss tsa the ground as ye pe iaj bonnet lies H -w lamentably is this acccmpliihed, to the obaervation o ' all who fee with half an eye!

At this time •£ was fdiom that Mr Peden could be p eya.lyd with to preach, frequently answering and advising people to pray tncikl?, faying, li was praying folk that would win through the ftorm: and that they would get preaching, both msikle and good, but not me:We good of it, until judgments be poured out. to make the land desolate. And at other times, We needed not to look fer a great or good day of the gospel, until the fword of the Frenches were amongst us, to makd a dreadful (nughter; and after that, braw goad days. He, and Mr. Danald Cargo faw as it had been with one eye, and fpake with one breath ; and, frequently, when they presaed him to pteach, be had the fame expressions in bb answers.

C 2

( *3 )

33 There were three lads murdered at Wigtown, and at the fame time he was praying at Criigmyrte, maWy miles dist . He cried out, There ia a bloody ifscriGce put up this day at iVigtcuvn. These were the hda of Klrkeily: And these who lived near, knew not cf it, till it was past. I had this account from William M'Dougal, aa old man in Ferrytowa, near Wigtown, werthy of credit, who was present at the fame time.

34. After this, io Auchetgrooch tnuirp, in Nithtdal*, Captain John MaUhison, and oifceis, being with him. they were alarmed that the enemies were condag fast on them: They designed to put frim into fame hole, and cover him with heather, he not hieing able to run hard, by reason of bis age : He desired them to forbear a little till he prayed, where he faid, Lord, wears ever needing at thy hand; hed if we had not thy command ;o call on thee in the day of our distress, we wot net what would became of us: 5,f{liou hast any moie work for us in the world, allow us the lap of thy cloak this day again : And if : his be the day of our going off the ftsge, let us win comfortably through, and honeftly off, and our fouls will fing forth thy praires thro’eternity, for what theu hast done to Us ar.d for us. When cnifhf, lie went a’ou'e a little, and came quickly back, faying, Lids, the bitterness of this blast'is over; we will be'no more troubled with them to-day. Foot and horse eltne the length of A ndrew Clark’s, iu AchVn|i-oocii, where tie/ were covered with ad.v.k mist: IVoeo'chey' faw it, they rwa'sed like fleshly devilf, and cried put, There Is the confounded m st again i we cannot get these damned whig* pursued for it. 1 had this account from the faid Captain John Mat this cm

35'. Abdtit this time, he wis h a ho-.r>.e fn 'h-diiiee of Ayr (James Nisbet, yet living in the Castle of •Sdifeb'urjjti, can bear witness to the tnt.h of this) and’ on- night be was Itanding before the fire, where he uttered fome im- precations on those cursed iotclligencers, who had told

( *9 ) th* enemy S>. it hn waa come oat of la-iand. When Jime* took him co ih.? place where he was to rest a little, Jamea and, t. ue fetvanu took notice of your imprecation a \;pou the ioteliigencera. He Hid,. Ye will know to morrow, about rotw o’clock, what ground I have for it: I w;jh thy head mi” be preserved, fer it will be in danger for me. 1 wi!! take my own time, and be gone from this hoase. Some time that night, he went to a desart place, and darned himself in s moss-hag ; the next mornicj; James ■waj goiiig at the harrows, and about eight of the clock tuere waa a troop of the qpemies furraanding the hosw; when James faw them, he ran for it, and they pursued aim hard, till he wan to a moss, where they could psrrue b’m no further with horses: Then they fired Upon him, and be having knot* upon his bair,on each fide of hi« head, one of their bullets took away one of the knots. He ran where Mr. Prdrn was, who fait!, Uh 1 Jamie, Jrurtie, i ana glad your bead ie fafe, for 1 Knew it would be iu tiaegter. He took his knife, and cut awey the other knot.

;6. 4bout this time be and James Wilson in Douglas, a fmgularly known man to many, was at Airdr.n&ss; and being together Come time, without fpeaking, asMr-Pedeti’» ordinary was, when there was any extraordinary thing in his head, they ctn.c tp Jlr. Camcron’k grare, where he and other eight were buried. After ntiiug fome lime oi> the grave, he gave |imes a clap ou the ihoi/ldcr with b,s heavy hand, and laid, I am going to tell ypa a ftrange tak! James faid, I am willing to hear it He laid, This is a ftrapgc day, both cf firming and lutieriag i (as indeed it was, it being killing time, wherein many fainted, and could not endure the fcorehing heat of the persecution ; but to fome the Lord, in his love, gave gourds pfjtrength, fopport and comfut, that keepeu them from feiutiug.) But, faid he, tho’ it be a dreadful day. it w 11 not last long; this perfecution will be ftopt u ithin theje few year*, but I will not fee it; and ye are all longing ami praying for that day, but wheu it comes, ye will not craek fo ouch

c3

wtU is »e trow. And ye are a vain man, James, and in iii7 (ithera. with your bi'8 of paper aad drops of bl »od! 5sat vhcn that day ocmes, there will be a bike of indulged. • U&fcWM in naiui> tera from Holland, England, and Ireland,, Mgothcr with * Wise of (he n at home, and fome young. .'.hijKr.B that know nothing, and they will all hyve together1

lu 5 General Assembly,, and the,red bands w;th blood, and the black hands of Jefect oo, will be joined, and the h^iKi given them by t.ur Ministers; and ye will not ken who has been the persecutor, compiler, or fuiferer; and your bits of paper and drops of blond will be Hint to the door, and never a word muse cf them; and ye and the like of you, will get their backtide. He guve him another Fore clap upon the fhoulder, faying, Keep mind of this, Jamea Wilson 1 for, aa the Lord lives, it will furelycome to pa s- James Wilson told me th;s, ihortiy thereafter, and re-, peated it again the first General Assembly, when he and T, and many others, few the accomplishment ol this, in every particuiar, to our great grief.

37. In the beginning of May, 168;, he came to the house of John Biown and Marion Weir, whom he married before, he went to Ireland, where he Hayed all night; and, in the ;mormOg, when he took farewel, he came out at the door, faying to himself, Poor wc,man, a fearful morning ! 1

twice over: A dark, inisty morning ! The next morning, . betwixt five and fix, the fa id John Brown, having gone about the worship of God in his family, was going with t. Ipade in his hand, to make readyfome peat-ground; the mislbcitjg very dark, he knew not till cruel and bloody i Ciaverhouse compassed him with three troops of horse, , and brought him to hia house, and there examined him ; ; who, though he was a man of a hammering fpcech, yet t answered him diatinftly and folidly; which made Claver- - house to ask those whom ke had taken to be his guides i through the muire, if ever they heard him preach l They answered, No, no, be was never a preacher. He Lid, If he f. has never pieached me>k!e, he has prayed in his time. He (

( 3i ) laid to Joho, Go to your prayers, for yon flnll tmiij*3’Ve- ly die. When he vras praying, C'i7-rhou8e inteiruptstl

him three times: One time that he ftojtped him, he was peacJ uj that the Lord would fpare h remnant, and not make a full end in the day of his amrer; Clav- th-use fai<j, I fare you time to p ay, and y. are be/un t6 preach • He turned about tjpon bis ’tare?, and iaid, 8;r, you know

* e:!^er W? natttre of praying fior ;v-ei: h:ng, that calls tWs prskchtngl Then continued without cPnfusioa. When tnded, Cia-rerhou-r faid, T<kf flood-night of yo,)r Wife and children. Mis Wife ftaad og- by, with her child in ',er a[fw’ r*1 fts h*d brcaght forth to Mm, and anbfher eb’tdofajS -Tort wife**, he came to her ahJTaid, ^ow Mancn,^ the’ day is come that I told you -vouid come' arhen [ ipake I'rst to you of marrying me, She faij, }-,! deed fobn f can widingly part with you. Then he faid,

na, '.a dll l de?ire, I have uo more to do but ore. 'faen he kifstd bis Wife and bairns, and wished purchased and promised b.'esaints to be mu?t pbed upon them, and gave th .m b:s b^essmg. Claverhouec ordered lijt foldiers to flioo% and the most pan of the bullets c,me on his head, and Scattered his brains on the ground. Claverboase faid to h.s Wife, Wiat thinkest than of-thy tfurbacd now, W oman : She faid, f thought ever much of him, and now a? much as ever. He faid, It were justice to lay thee be- fiuc him. She Lid, If ye were permitted, I doubt not b”t your cruelty would go that length Hut bow will you' answer tor this morning's work? Hsfaid. To man I can be answerable, and for God, I will take him in ray own own hand! Claverhouse mounted his horse and ma-ched and left her with the dead corpse ef her husband lying there- She fet the bairn on the ground, and gathered his brains, and tied up his head, and ftraighted his body, and covered him with her plaid, and fat down 4nd wept over him. It beittg a yen' depart place, vhere never visual grew, and far from neighbours, it was fame time before auy of their frtends came to her: The first that came, was a very fit hand, that old fingular Woman, in the C"mmsp'

r

( 32 )

h^.d, named Elasibeth MenzicS, three m:!e*<i»Uat> who hid b.'en tried with the violent death of her hiUband at Pe-idand, af'erward^ of two worthy tons, Thomas Weir, who was killed-at Drumclog, and David 5teel, who was fuddenly foot afterwards when taie^. The faid Muhni Weir, fiUioR upon her huafouv-i’s grave, toid. me, that before that, the coaid fee uo blood bat foe was in .linger to faint, and yet foe was heiped to be a Witney to all thi-, without either fatatws or contiwtoa, eztept v«ht» thefhots were let oif, her eye* dazzled- tiia corpse were buried at-the end ot his house* where ne waafLtio, and the folfovvlng ioeeription put oa lus grave stc?,i.

In earth’s cold btd/the dusty part here !i*s. Of oce who did the earth as dust despise; Here, in this place, from earth he took departti e ; Movv be has got tbe garland of a Martyr.

This murder vw comnaitted betwixt fix and feven in the morning: Mr. Pedto was about ten miles distant, having been iu tue fields ail night; he came to the house about eight, and desired to ca’.l in the family, that he ni ght pray amougjt them. When praying,, he -aid, ‘ Lopd, •when wilt thou avenge Brown’s blood ? Oh! let Brown a blood be precious in thy sight; and hasten the day when ’ thou wilt aveuge it, with Cameron’s, Cargil’s, and many others of ear Martyrs’names: And oh ! for that day, when the Lord wi« avenge all their blood ’’ When ended, John Mulrhead enquired, what he meant by Brown i blood? He said, twice over, What do i mean ! Ciaver- bouse ha* been at the Preshill this morning, aud has auut cruelly murdered. John Brown ! his corpse is lying at the end of his botif?, aad b'9 Poar wife 8itting wetplDS be.s,d2

them, and not a sou! to speak comfortably to her. Th;a morning, after the sun-rising, I saw a strange apparition in the firmament, the appearance of a very bright dear- ehiaing star fill from heaven to the earth; and, indeed,

there is a clear-shining light fallen this day, the greatest Christian that ever I conversed with.

( 33 ) 38. After this, two days before Argyle was broken

and uken, be war near Wigtown in Galloway ; a con- siderable nutnbrr of men were gathered together in arms, to go for his asaisavace they pressed him to preach, but he positively refused, and slid, be.would.only pray with them : whe'e he continued long, and spent some part af that time in praying for Ireland, pleading that the Lord would spare a remnant, and not make a full end in the day of his anger; and would ‘•put it in the hearts of his own to fiei over to this bloody land, where they would find safety for a time. After prayer, they got some meat, and he gave every one of his old parishonersj who were there, a piece out tf his own hand, calling them his bairns. Then he advised all to go no further : But, said he, for you that are my bairns, I discharge you to go your foot- length, for, before you can travel that length, he will be broke: and though it were not so, God will honour neither him nor Monmouth to be instruments of a good turn to his church, they hav« dipt their hands so far in the peesecutioa. And the same day that Argyte was taken, Mr- George Barclay was preaching, and persaad- irg the men in that country to go to Argyll assistance: After Serai m, he said to Mr, George, Now Argy’e is in the enemy’s hand, and gone ! Tho’ he was many miles diit^nr. I hfd thii account from some of these his bairns, who were present j ard thelast from Mr. Barclay’s felf.

J9-':Vfter thir he was to preach at night at Pcrgarocb, fn Cerri k : but the mistress cf the house was too open- minded to a woman, who went and toki the eremy, and Same bar1: to the house, that she might not be suspended: Mr. Peden beijig in the fields, came in haste to the door, and called the mistress, and said. Ye have played a bonny (port t;< you1 self, by being too.loore tongped ; nr-y the enemy is informed that 1 was to drop ?. word this night n this house, and the person who has done it, is in the icuse just now, and you will repent it j for to tnbrrbvv

7

( 34.)

morning the enem? will be bere. Farewel, I w: 1 stay no longer in this place. To morrow morning both foot and borge were about the house.

40. Ta the same year, within the bounds or Carnes, John Cla-k, in Muirbro'k, being with him, slid,Sir, what think ye of thia present time ? Is it not a dark, melancholy day? And can there be a more discouraging tme than this? Lie said. Yes, John, this i» indeed a dark, discou. raging time; but there will be a darker time than .hii. These silly, graceless, wretched creaturca the Curates, shall go down; and after them shall arise a party callvd Presbyterians, having no more than the name ; and .^e.e shall as really crucify Christ, as ever he was cruciued without the gates of Jerusalem, upon Mount-Calvary, bodily; I say, they shall as really crucify Christ, m bis cause and interest ia Scotland ; and shall lay him in h:3 grave, and his friends shall give him his wind ng sheet, and he shallif, as one buried, for aconsid'nble time. O then, John, there will be darkness and dark days, such as the poor Church of Scotland never srw the like of them, nor shall see, if once they were ever ! Yea, John, they -shall be so dark, that if a poor thing would go between the East tea bank aud the West, sea bank, cerkiog a mini- ster, to wh .m they would conmiun catc tbdr case, or tell them the a»i«d of the L td, concerning the tiroes, he shil not find one. Jobs asked him where the testimony should be then ? Me answered, To the feanua o* a fe .v, ^ ‘t°!

shall be despised and undervalued by all, butespeua,,/ by these ministers who buried Chr,s 1 But at" 1 tba,, shad get up on them : and, at the crack of U;a wir.ding- shCet, as many of them as are alive, who were at his burial, shall oe d etracted aud mad for fear, not knowing what to do. Then, John, there shall be btave days, such as the Church of Scotland .never .aaw ihe like ! But I shad < Dot see them, but you may,-

(.35 )

^r. In the same year 16S-5, he wsg preachicg in the night-time in a barn at Garrick, cn that text, Paal.’xxxvi. 1. “ Let God arite ! and let his enemies be scattered 1 Let them that hate him flee before him ! As smoke is driven, sb drive thou them !” So insisting how the enemies and haters of God and goodness were tofs#d and driven as emoke or chaff by ’ae wind of God’s vengeance, while on ejr'h ; and that wind would b!ow them all to hell in the end Stooping down, there being chaff among hts feet, he took a handful of it, and said The Duke of York, and now King of Britain, a known enemy of God and gopd~ ness, it was by the vengeance of Gi>d that he ever got that name ; bm, as you see me throw away that chaff, so the wind of that vengeance shall blow and drive him off that throne; and he, oor any of that namg, shall ever come on it again.

41. About this time, when preaching in Garrick, in the parish of Girvan, in the day-time, it) the fields, one David Mason, then a professor, came in haaie, 1 rampling on the people, to be near him; he said. There comes .he devil's rattling bag, we do not want him here After this, the said David became officer in that bounds, and an in- former, running thro’ rattling hie bag, and sutnmoriing the people to their unhappy Courts, for their non confor- mity j for that, he, and his, gat the name or the devil’s rattle bag to this day. Since the Revolution, he com- plained to his minister, that he and hie got that name; the minister said, Ye well deserve it, and he was an honest msn that gave it you; you arid ycur'e must enjoy it, there is no help for it.

43. A’little before hie death, he was in Auobindeicb, where be was born, in the house of John Richraan; there being two bedr in the room, one for him, and one for Andrew , who dwelt in and about the New-milns ; when Andrew was going to his bed, he beard him vet y importunate with the Lord, to have pHy upon the West

( 3<> )

of ScollaiJ, aad spare a remnant, and not make a fall end in the day of his anger : And when he was off his knees, he walked up and down the chamber, crying ont, Ob ! the monales, the French rnor.fciee f See how they run i How long will they run ? Lord cut their houghs and stay their rannbg. Thus he continued all night, some times oa his knees, and some times walking: In the morning the enquired what he hneant by the tnonzies ? He said} O sirs! ye will h?ve a dreadful day by the French morzies, and a set of wicked tnen ia these hnds, who will take part with them r The'West of Scotland will pay dear for it. They v ill.ruo thicker on the *?,ter ct Ayr and Clyde, than f7er the Highlandmeri did. I lay in that chamber about three years ago, and the said John Richman and his wife told. me thU the9e were his wo-ds. At other times, to the same purposef saying, O ! the mar.zles, the monzies will be through the breadth and length of the South and West of Scotland! O! I tain r I see them at our fife sMes, claying man, wife and children. The remnant will get a breathing, but they will be driven to the wilderness again, and their sharpest hours wii! be last. To the same purpose spoke the two following ministers, Mr. ThoniSs Luodiej a godly minisier in the north of Rotray. Hia sister, a lady in that cou itry, who died in 'he year 1683, gave the following account: That the said ?*Ir. Lundie, after some sickness and seeming recovery again, which comforted them, one morning staying longer than ordi- nary in his chamber, the foresaid !?.dy knocked at his chamber door; on opening it, found him more than ordi- nary weighted : Che asked him the reason, seeing he was now better ? Whereupon, smiling, he said, Within a few hours I will be taken from you ! But alas! for the day that I see coming upon Scotland; tne Lord has letten ms see the Frenches marching with their armies through the breadth and length of the land, marching to their bridle-reins in the b ood of ail racks, and that fora broken, burnt and buried covenant! But neitber ye nor I will live to see it. As also, one Mr. Douglas, a godly

C 37 ) minister in Galway, a little before as slumbering in hie bed, bn wife and other friers stand: ,ng by, wnen he awakened, heieemrd more than ordinary weighted, nadgToaned heavily, r«yiog, gad Jay9f0T Scot- 1M; F.S wdc asked htta What will be the indumenta ? He sa.u, » s»ords of foreign enemies: Taer will be heavy and sharp, but not long; but they wid oa be vet but n^ long to lb;m. Sat O the gbriona days on the bacc of them, to poor wasted Scotland l The fate worthy Mr. R chard Cameron spoke to the same parpo-ej when preaching at the Grass-water-side, South from Cumnock, July aoth. 1680, about eighteen days before his death, viz There are three or four things that I have to tell you this day, which | must cot omit, because I will be but a break- fast, some hour or another, to the enemy; and my work

“n.d ti:r5C w“'‘ b£ First, As for King Charts, ^ Who .3 new upon the throne, after his death there sbA

^ the D*mC °f StCU2rt in Secondly, There shall cot bean old Covenanter's head

SnM-ff d'h !? SCMand> th3t 8worc Covenant. Thlrr^v A m tn ^ ^ ^ ^ ‘^^(on set up.' in hr I,' A fV fide 3 ^ramer-day'ojourney with- ore ot yr, and shall not see a house reck, or

A coctr crow ere ye get reformation; and several other

th 7 m,SC0It aDd

uaI,al! bc as i!1- Fourthly. The rod that

^d^e FrTnctTt ,Bfl'rUrn''mSOf’ ^ be the French, and the French king,, together with a party in this land joining with them : But ve that »tan/r .« • in that k C tCat staci° to the testimony ."Lb-r 'is r ■ d‘,C0“r-S-d « ttefc-Mi of .(J

Sir S b'‘ m'lk-na^^ it .^.nd' tw-dl s7y

of you thal are my hearers this day, that shall live to see ihe?e thirvH accomplished : And after thefe desolations are oyfr, ye shaljsee the noblemen and gentlemen’s houses, so ru tted, that the settles sha'I be growing out of their bed chambers, or ye die: and their memory and pofterity •hail oerisb from the earth.

44 The following are some notes of Mr. Peden’a last Serir' n to the Colom- wood, at the Water of Ayr, a little be for. ijigaicath. My Master is the rider, and I am the horse ; J never love to ride, but when I find the spurs- I kpo-.y^pot what I have to do amongst you this night; Twi; h it may Ire fo.r your good, far it will be the last. IV ia long since. it was our deeire to God, tq have you taken off opr hand, and now he is granting us our desire. There are four,or fiv« thip^31 ^ave t0 y°u i^'9 nigi'f- Firs' A bloody sword, a bloody ewordlfor thee, O Scot- land, that shall tear the hearts of many. Secondly Many milea shall you travel, and shall jee nothing bui desolati- ons ahd ruinous wastes in thee, O Scotland ! Thirdly, The fertilest places in Scotland shall he as waste and de- solate as'the mountains. Fourthly, The women with child, thall' be ript up, and dashed to pieces. Fifthly, Many a conventicle has God bad m thee, O Scotland ■ but, ere long, God will have a conventicle that;-w-tf make Scotland to tremble. Many a preaching has Qod/t wared upon thee, but ere long God's judgments shall fre- quent as these precious, meetings were, wherein he. sent, forth his.ftiU6|ul servants,, to give faithful .warnipp^of bazard of .thy apostney from God, in break ng, burning, and burying his,Covenant; per3“cutiag, «'i :( ling, and cootierrfmog the gospd { .-shedding ihe-precious blood of b'i* ^unts apd ^ryaptisl GoJ sect forth a Welwood, a

fP.13 fVfng» Q Cameron, and aCargU) and others, 'n^af^Jtpibee; but, ere long, God shall preach to ift.’r F,y.6re and a bloody sword b God tv,ill let none of »i’rsc men’s words.fall to the ground, that- hc'sent forth

a cemmisiion to preatb Ibese things iu his name t

( 39 )

He will not let oae sentence fall to the ground, but they &ha!l have a sad accompli.ament, to the aid experience of many. In his prayer after sermon, he said, Lord, thou hast been both good and kind to auld Sandy, thro’ a long traft of time* and given him many years in tby service, which has been but as an many months; bat now he is tired of thy world, and hath done all the good in it that tc will do; let him win away with the honesty hc ija3

for he will gather no more.

45. When the day of Lis death drew near, and not being able to travel, he came to bis brother’s house, ia the parish of Sorn, where he was born ; and caused dig a cave, with a saaghen bush covering the mouth of it,

i near to his brother’s house: and the enemies came and searched the house narrowly many times. la the time that he was in this cave, he said to some friends, j. That God shall make Scotland a desolation, j. There shall be

. a remnant in the lani, whom God should spare aud hide 3. They should lie in holes and caves of the earth, and be

1 sapplied with meat and drink : And when tbey come out 1 of their boles, they shall not have freedom to walk, for 1 stumbling on the dead corpses! 4. A stone cet out cf 1 a mountain, sh .uld ceme do *n, and Cod shall be avenged l on the great ones of the earth, and the inhabitants cf the I faad, for their wickedness; and then the Church should 1 come forth with a bonny bairn time of young ones ar i her back. lie wished that the Lord’s people might ly 1 hid in their caves, ad if they were not in the world; for i nothing mMild do it, until God appeared with his judg- ( ments; and they that wao fbroogh the bitter and sharp,

short storm, by the sword of the Frenches, and a set cf j unhappy jnen taking part with them, then there would

be a spring-tide day of ptenty, purity and power of tb-- t gospel j giving them this for a sign, If he were but once

buried, they might be in doubts ; but if he were offner buried than once, they might be persuaded that all be had said would come to pats: And earnestly desired them

Di

( 40 ) to take hi a corpse out to -\irdsnaoas, and bury tlem be- tide Rieiiy (meaning Mr. Cameron) that be might get reft in his grave, for be had getten iittle through hie life; but he said, h Kixw they would not do it. lie told them, that bury him where they would, he would be lifted up again ; but the mau that put 5rst to his hand, to lift his corpse, 1'ottr thing-ahotfd befal him : i. Me should get a gre t fall from a horse. / a. He should fall in adu’tery. 3- Int> theft; and for this, he should leave the land. <• Make a melaucholy end, abroad far murder. Which accordingly came to pass There was one Murdoch, 3 mason to h s trade, but then in the military service, Who first put hands to his corpse. A little before hia death he said. Ye shall be angry where I shall be buried at last, but f discharge you all, to lift my corpse again. At last, one morning early, he came to-the door, and left Ms cave; hia brother’s Wife said, AVbere are you going ? the enemy will be here. He said, I know that. Alas 1 Sir, said she, what will became ofyou ? You must go back to the cave again. He said, I hare done with that, for it

fa discovered r but there is no matter, fur', within forty- eight hours, I wiii be beyond lift? reach of all the devil’s temptation?, and hb instruments, ia hell o-V on the earth ; and they shall trouble me n® more. Abb lit three horns after he emcrc*! the bouse, th-e enemy came and found •him not in the cave ; then'they seafebed the barn nar- rowly, casting the unthreshen corn; afd Searched the tiousr, stabbing the beds, bnl'erit'er&d not isito tne pkhe where he by. Within 48 hdfts Fc died; jau W, Utd. being pas' 60 years, and was bunfd'in T.slrd AlTleift's isle. The entmicaigct notice of hij death and burial, and sent: a troop of dragoons, and lifted his corpse, and carried bim to, Cunuioeh gallows-fool, ahd buried him there (after being forty days in the grave) beside others. His ftknds, thereafter, laid a grave stone above him, with tiiivinwriptioa': *•

( 4t )

11EKE LIES

Mr ALEXANDER PEDEN,

A faithful Minister of the Cospei at GLENLUCE,

Who departed this Life, Jan. a8, 168&.

And was raieed, after Six Weeks, out of hi- Grave, And buried here cut of cooieoapt.

After this, that troop of dn^oons came to quarter in • the parish ef Cambusoethen : Two of them were qu if-

tered in the house of Jamee Gray, my acquaintance; they being frigtited in their sleep, started up, and clapped

f their hands, crying, Peden, Peden !' Tirse'two dragoons ; afBrrned, that out of their curiosity they opened biSeofiin, t to tee bis co'-pse, and yet he had no emell, tbo’ he had I been forty days dead. All the foregoing articles I was . assured of, except the 40th. which is said he spoke to ' John Ciark in Muirb.-ocfe, within the bound- of Carriefc*

»n 'he year 1685 an,) haa been paesing from hand to band ' writ. I seat a frien,d ao mile to him for the certa'nty’ 1 of it; aad, altho’ he was my old acquaintance, he delayed ! togite iL 8ut I am informed, that some o±er IVicnda ( enquired at the said John, who owned that the 40th, pas*, t *age was all one, for substance, with what Mr. Pi-den said | to him There are other two passages I have often,beard, 5 and doubt nothing-of the truth of them, though the times ; and places be not mentioned, viz. One-day preaching ia I the fields, ia his prayer he prayed earncBtly for the pre* 1 serration of the people r and again and again he prayed I for that man that was to Me his fife. The enemk* came 1) upon them the same day, and fifed upon the people*: and ^ there was none of rhem either wounded or ktHcd.. 0\ve ii one man, and he was shot dead. Another time be waa H preaching, and giving a very large offer of Christ, in the

( 41 ) ’paipj tfrs; au o’<i woman being eittirg before him, be iaij ai« banJa on ea;b 3;de of her head, and rocked her *;om tide to side, and said. Thou witch-wife, thou witch- wife, thou witch-vyitc, I offer Christ to thee ! Quit the cevii’s stivisc, th.ou hast a bad master; thou wilt never, make thy piac.k a babce of him: But if thou wilt break off and renounce the devil’s service, i promise th^e, in my Master** name, that he winjure thee falvations After this, fircre was a discernable change in her pradtice; and whea the was a-dying, she ccnfcssed that she was either engag- ed iu (he devil’s service, or was engaging ; a' >1 enpres^ed her thankfuloese, that she had the happiness of hearing Mr. Pcden at that time-

^oooo©jooooocoocor ooocooocooooooooococo) i—i—y,—i—r~v—i—i—li—v—v—i—k—i!—1*~»—if r i; i—a

PART II.

Containing Thirty New Additional Passages.

S. Tn the year s666, when the Lord’s persecuted and oppressed people were gathered together for their vwn defence, who were broken at Pentland-hills, he, with Mr. Welch and the Laird of Glorover, in the parish of Saleurrea, were riding together in the same parish, and tret upon the way a party of the enemy’s horse, and no twrieg of them t the Laird fa'nted, fearing they would *11 betaken M>- Peden seeing this, said. “Keep «P 7cur courage Jffld confidence) for God liath laid as arrest

( 43 ) opon tbess men, tint they shall not harm us,” When they met, they were courteous, and asked the way; Mr. Pedcn went off the way, and shewed them the ford of the water of Tit. When he returned, the Laird said.

Why did you go with them ? You might have sent «be lad with them.” He raid, “ Nc, no ; it was more safe lor me; for they might have as!ted questions at the lad, and he might have fainted and discovered u«. For my- *«ir, 1 knew tuey would be like the Egyptian dogs, they vvenid hot move a tongue against me ; for my hour of taliuig into their hands and the day of trial is not come that is abiding hkv’ There is an old Christian gentle- woman yet alive in Edinburgh, a daughter of the said Laird’s, who told me of late, that she had several times hesid herfsthergivean account of this. She also told me, that since Bothwel-bridge fight she heard him preach in the held a in the foresaid parish; and a wArnkn fitting before the tent looking up to him, he s.dd, “ How have you the confidence to Jock up ? Look down to bell, where you ai e going ; the devil has a fait grip of yon, and will not lose it." That woman lived and died under the tftaln fa?na of a witch, and presumptions of the same.

a. About the year 1670, he was in Armagh in Ireland. One John Goodale with his wife, two serious zealous Christians living in Armagh, who had gone from Scotland, who was a wheel-wright to his employment; his zeal was such against the superstitious worship and keeping to many holy days, that when the people were going and coming by his shop door he wrought most hard, for wd.cq he was excommunicated: When he told Mr.Peden, he said, “ Rejoice John that you are cast out of the devil’* coum-book” After this, he was preaching privately in J hn’s house; in his preface he said, “ Our Lord has been taking great pains on you in Ireland, to gel you to learn your lesson per quire; and few of you have been brought to say your ksuga off the book. He has got

r

( 44 )

t-goodly comply in Scotland that he is learning to eay their lessen off the book, and they are brave scholars: But ere long be will try sora? of you with it also. Ke will say, Come out thou man in Armah., and thou man in Bcnburb, and say your knson off the book.” The Bishop of Aitr.ah (whereof the great Mr. Usher was formerly Bishop) and bis underling was so enraged against the said John that he r-*te twenty niile? to D jbHn, to get an order of Cap‘ioa from the Lord Lieutenant there, for apprehending the said jo ho. and also George FJeeming in Btnbutb, which he easily obtained, and came quickly; back, and was in such haste to deliver bia order, that upon horseback he called for the Aief magistrate; Wbett delivering bis commi -s.on, his horse cast up his head and gave him ssch a-stroke on the breast that bedied the 4th. or 5tb. day thereafter. George Fleeming went out cf the way, who was father to the late Mrs Fleemiog, that Christian motherly woman wao kept a school in the Castle-hill and died there. The aforesaid John w,s im- mediately puv in prison: His wife and other friends came to v.sit him ; his wife said, “ Now my clear, iearn to say your lesson off the book” He answered, “lam much obliged to you for your kindne.-s, that mind* me of that note.” The Jaylor at night, said,* John, you are called an honest man, if you will premia to re urn to m rrow, 1 will let yon home to your bed.” John said, “ That 1 will J»Ot do,” The Keeper said, “ Will you rgn for it ?” He said, *‘ No, no ; I have done no ill thing that needs make me either afraid or ashamed Well, said the Keeper, go home to your bed. and I will send a servant for you the mofrow’s morning- When he went h-me,

at family worship be fang the following line* id the icytb. JJs&lro,

Few be his days, and in bis room ilia charge^nother take, &e.

( 45 )

When ended he said to his wife, I never fcmd eucb a gafe upon my s-pi.it as in the singing of these lines. She said it was so with her also. Weil, said he, let us commit cur case and cause to the Lord, and wad on Lim, and we shall know the nearing of this afterwards. The unhappy man fell immediately ill> and said that all this r • sebief had come upon him lor what he had done against John Goodale; and caused write and signed a discharge and sent it to the said John, that he might not be troubled for the expence he bad been at in getting of that caption. He died under great horror of conHience 1 Notwith- standing John was detained three years prisoner, working at his employment in the Tolbooth in the day-time, but got home to his bed at night. The said John and bis wife returned to Scotland, and died since the Revolution. His wife whin dying at Leith gave this relation.

3. When Mr Pcden was prisoner in Edinburgh, coder sentence of banishment, James Millar, merchant in Kirkcaldy, was under the same sentence, and his wife <aisie to visit him; Mr. Peden said to her, It is no wosder you be troubled with your husband’s going to the planta- tions, bat if any of us go there at this time the Lord never ipake by me.

4. In their voyage to London they had the opportuaity to command the Sh p and make thtir escape, but would jjpt adventure upon it without his advice: He said. Let alone, for the Lord will set u« all at liberty in a way more for bis own glory and our safety.

5 About tb’s lime, ,cn their voyage, on t^e S-bbath the prisoners pressed him to preach,, the wmd blowing very haul: in that Sermon he said, Up .yviir hearts lads .and be not discouraged, for this man thought he had got a prize when he got the giit of us from the wicked bloody Council; but in s few dsys he shall be as glad to be quit

I

( 46 ) ef ua as e«r he was to get us. A little time ag« I bad a loog scroll p^mapy accounts about Mr. Peden from an old Christiau KnglUh gpntlem.n, who was much in fiis company, and gave me many Notes of his Sermons • and asserted the truth of many things I have said about him that he was witness to, and some other persons of great integiity. He assured me, the only instrument the Lord raised up for the relief of Mr. Peden and the other six prisoners with him was Lord Shaftesbury, who was always friendly to Presbyterians: He went to Charles II. and upon his knees begged the release ef these prisoner* but could not prevail Then he went to the master of the Ship and told him that if he did not set these prisoners at liberty hr should never sail in Englbh seas. At length he came down to Gravesend and set them at liberty. After that the Scots and English shewed more than ordi- nary kindoefs to them, which should be kept in remem- braace, with thanksgiving to the Lord, for fsTcnrinjr «ur outcasts, 6 wur

«. After they were set at liberty he slaved st London and through England until June s6r9. Upon the aid. of June he was come to the south m Scotland, being Saturday the day before the Lord’s people fell and fled before the enemy at Bothwel bridge, la hi8 exercise in a family he cried out, I will tell you sirs, our deliverance will never come by the sword : many thought when the Bishops were first set up that they would not continue Beven years, but I was never of that mind ; it is now near three gevens, bat they wdl not see the fourth seven, but l fear they will come near toi'. Which sadly came to pass.

7. He went th.r-- ight to the fields, and came in on the Sabbath-morning about the Sun rising Weeping and wringing his hands ! One John Simpson, a godly man, enquirea what the matter wis that made him weep ? He said, I have been wrestling all night with God, for o'ur friends that are iu the west, but cannot prevail 1 gave

an account in the former pasrages, about the middle of that day many people were waiting for Sermon ; when

! ®on;e to]d he eaid. Let P«ple go to their prayers tor t can preach Bone; our friends are all fled and failea before the enemy, and they are bagging and hashing them down, and their blood is running like water! At night he was called to supper, having ta ted nothing that day,

! tcveral frirnds being present; in teekiog a blessing he 1 broke out m a rapture of weeping and lamentations for that sad stroke upoij the bodies of the Lord’s people; but

i much more for the dead-stroke the greatest part had got upon their spirits, that few of the ministers and professors'

: of Scotland should ever recover ; which sadly held true, I as I formerly mentioned in the scrape* of writings of that : bla.t oOast withering wind. He also insisted in prayer I f°r 'he wounded, who were wallowing to death in their (blood; and for tite many prisoners. When ended, he i went off and all others without tasting of their supper tho’ it was upon the table. At this time he was forty or

i fifty miles distant from Bothwel-bridge

About this tirpe be was preaching in the south on i that tpjtt, ‘.But they.ate notgrieved for the affliftii ns 0* 1 Joseph.’ He, had many edifying remarks upon the pre- : ceding verses, especially upon that; ‘ Wo unto them that i arp.at.ease iqr«Sfon<J He insisted uoon the True nature of ; grieving ; and lamented that there was so little grieving i for the present great afflictions of the Church of Scotland. - One woman standing amongft the people, pointing to her he said, ^Somc of you will grieve and greet more for the drowning of a bit of a calf or stirk than ever ye did for all tb£ tyranny and defedfions of Scotland. The woman had a calf drowned a few days before, for which she made a gteat noise. She challenged hia landlady for telling the

• minister that she grat for her calf-* the replied, r could I net tell him that which I knew not, and as littledidhe- At the same time he faw some of the people turning weary he said, Ye are not taking notice; some of you are think-

( 43 )

ins upon one tbiog, and some upaa acothfr. The Lad? Huaddsop sitting aear him, but knew her.not, b? turned to her and aaid ; And ye are thinking on greeting jock at Bhe fire-side. This was a son of her’s called John, that 1m tft«*>•»«* »f ‘**1 aI

i couch. She :o(? se.cr.l af;cr»a,d., th.t .he cer, ..me there was a drew of anxiety overwhelmed her about bun.

<3 In the year x6Si he went to Ireland. Peter Aird, who lived in the parish of Galstoun, who was taken w.th me, and imprisoned together, told me that he lo.lowed him some coed piece of the way to detain him untd be got his child baptized ; He said, I resolve to comeback shortly, and I hope the Lord will preserve your child. Which accordingly he did: And after baptism he said to Peter, if the man of the parish (Mr. James Veitcb, one of the actually indulged) had baptized ycur child, you would have got vour horned beasts kept, and now you will Jose them. Which came to pass in a few days after. The enemy came and took away his cattle every hocf, but he fled with bis horses.

io In the same year i6$z, he married John Kirkland and fanet Lindsay, both my very acquaintances, who told me,‘that when they were standing before him, he e ghed deeply and said, First one husband killed, and then ano- ther, anp must have a third ! If it must be so, let ber say. Good is the will of the Lord ! Which did come to pass. Her husband, Thomas Weir in Cumberbead, was deadly wounded at Drumdog by Claverhcuse. the first day of Jan; 1679, being the Sabbath day, and died the fifth day; aad Ensign John Kirkland was ki ted in Flanders. Kers- Und Fullerton and he were ail buried in one grave; and since, William Spence, Raillie in Coulter, who also was nvy intimate acquaintance, married her. They are both bow in their graces.

( 49 )

ii. In the year 1684 be was in Ireland, io the house of John Slowan, in the parish of Conert, in the county of Antrim. About ten o’clock at night, fitting at the fire side, discoursing with some people, he started to bis feet and said, Flee auld Sandie and h de yourself, for Colonel *— is coming to this house to apprehend you ; and I advise you all to do the like, for they will be here within an hour. Which came to pass. And when they

1 had made a very narrow search within and without the [ bouse, and went round the thorn bush under which he > was lying praying, they went off without their prey. He 1 came in and said, And has this gentleman (designing him I by his name) given poor Sandie and thir poor things fucit

a fright ? For this night’s work God shall give him fuch a blow within a few days that all the physicians on earth shall not be able to cure it. Which came to pass; for he died in great misery, vermin flowing from all the parts of his body, Mitb such a noisome stink that few could enter the 100m wheie he lay.

sa. About the same time he was in the same parish and county. One Mr, David Cunn.ngbam, minister there, in the meeting house on a Sabbath day broke out in very great rtflt&ions on Mr Ptdrn and those that heard hina> One Mr. Vtrnor, one of Mr. Cunningham’s elders, was very much offended at the same He told Mr. Peden oa Monday what Mr. Cun Inglum had said. Mr. Pedtn, walking in his garden, took a turn about and came back and charged him to go and tell Mi. Cunningham from him that before Saturday’s night he should be as free of a meeting-house as he was; which came to pass, for he was charged that same week not to enter bis meeting- house under the pain of oeath This account i« given by ne John M'George in the parish of OrHn Galloway, who was there present.

E

( 5° )

ij. About tbc same time fcc was in the bouse of the foresaid John Slowao, who was a great friend to our Scots Sufferers who fled there from the persecution here, 93 I have heard John Muirhead and others give account. His son John Slowan, gave me this and several other distina accounts. The foresaid Mr. Cunningham carried over miny of the Reviews of the History of the Indulgence to spread in Ireland, in defence of the Indulgence here. When Mr. Peden heard of them, he said to some friends. Be not discouraged, for there Socks will do hurt in this country, for I saw the sale of them spilt this last night. And ep it came to pass, for the most of them was returned to Scotland.

14. He was preaching on a Sabbath-night in the said John Slowan’s house, and a great nund'er both within and without hearing him ; whfe be insisted on the great need and usefulness of seeking and getting spiritual riches. He brought in this example, That if any man was going to Belfast or Bellimony, he would be looking his pockets for what he had to bear bis charges. One man standing without, said quietly. Lord help me, for I have nothing to bear mine. Mr. Peden said immediately, pointing to the door. Poor xjian do not fear, for I have it frotn he aven as with an audible voice, thy charges snail be borne, and that in a remarkable manner. Tbit man has been very mercifully and remarkably eupportec ever since, and that in the way of his duty.

Jo the same place, in a Sabbath-morning’s family- worsh’p. he sang Ps?!m xi 11. He said. Sirs, l charge you to sing this Psalm in faith, for we will ha»e a room-throne belive. some one hath given him a deadly blow, though ppor Monmouth bath no hand in it- A fowler, when be shoots a bird, it m-ty rise and flee, but not fat. for there is some of the shot in it. Within ten days after, the news of Charles ad'a death was confirmed.

( 51 )

16. About the same time he said to James Slowan, We muft go to another house this night, for I am mi taken if there be not a very narrow search made this night. They went to William Craig’s, and James went with them to the house, and returned to his own bed. When he awaked, the hou e was full of people, Constables and others, making search for prisoners who had broke prison and were Ced, but found none.

17. Mr's. Maxwel, or Mary Elphingston, yet alive, whom 1 mentioned in the former passages, whose heart s thoughts Mr. Peden told, when her child was baptized s that child is now a married woman, and has children of her own, whom I spoke with about three months ago. She came far (from Kilmarnock) to public occasions, about fifty miles distance. Mrs. Maxwel told me since, when last in Glasgow, that when she told me that, she forgot to tell me also, that when the child was in her father’s arms, Mr Peden said, That child’s coming here at this time, is a tes.'.mo&y against the unfaithfulness of the ministers of Ireland. Ireland thinks that Carolina in America will be a refuge for them; but, as the Lord lives, it shall be no shelter them. And these of them designing to go there at this time, many of them shall lose their lives, and the rest of them sha'i come home ia great distress. Aad at that time there were two Ships setting out from Ireland to Carolina, one of them was oast away near Carolina, and seven score cf people in her» the one half of them was lost. Mr James Brown, one of the ministers of Glasgow since the Revolution, was one cf the seventy who were preserved. The other Ship was driven back to Ireland, shattered and disabled, and the jvcvp'e greatly distressed.

18. One time travelling himsdf alone in Ireland, the night came oa, and a daik mist, which obliged him to go into a house belonging to a Quaker t Mr. Pedea said, I must beg the favour of the roof of yoar house all eight.

JEz

( 5- ) The Quaker eaid, Thou art a stranger, thou art very welcome, and shait be kindly entertained ; but I cannot wait upon thee, for I am going to the meeting Mr, Peden said, I will go along with you. The Quaker said, Thou may, if thou pkase j but thou roust not trouble u*. He said, I will be civil Wtun they came to tde meeting, as their ordinary is they sat for some time silent, some with their faces to the wall, aod others covered. There being a void in the loft above them, there came down the appearance of a raven, and sat upon one man's head, who started i>p immediately, and spoke with such vehe- mence that the froth flew from his mouth : It went to a second, and he did the satn't ; and to a third, who did as the former two. Mr. Peden sitting near to his landlord, said, Do you not see that ? Ye will not deny it afterwards ? When they dismissed, going home, Mr. Peden said to bis landlord, I always thought there was devilry among you, but never thought that bever thought he did appetr visibly among you till now that 1 have seen it- O ! for the Lord’s sake quite this way, and flee to the Lord jtscs, in whom there is redemption, through his blood, even the forgive- ness of all your iniquities. The poor man fell a weeping, and said, I perceive that God hath sent you to my home, and put it in your heart to go along with me, and permit- ted the devil to appear vi ibly among us this night! I never saw the like before. Let me have the help of your prayers, for I resolve, thro* the Lord’s grace, to follow this way nodonger. After this, be breame a singular Christian ; and, when he was dving, blersed the Lord that in mercy sent the maa of God to h:* house.

19. There is an old Cbristhn woman living it, the Water of Leith, that in the beginning of 1685 went to Ireland, to the foresajd panab of Copert (being big with child) to an aunt’s house, who lived there : Shortly after, she was safely delivered, and Mr Peden baptised her child After she was recovered she went on a S lb- bath-morning to the foresaid John Slowan’s house (where

( S3 } Mr. Pc Jen wa&) expert, ng Sermo»: t’acrt being siiow, the and others sat down in the kitchen at the fire-tide; then Mr. Peden came and called forwa.tr (owathi.it hands: When he saw them, he said, For what do >oti come here, without you Lad been advertised ? for 1 have liothing prepared ior you. They said. 0 Sir you must not send ss away empty, for we are in a starving condi- tion. lie said, I caoaoi promise you; tu. if J can get any thing, ye shall not want it. A little while thereafter, be called aad said, Let cot th.se people away, for 1 will

• come to them sbor.ly. Waicb he did, and preached : upon that Ux:, “The day being forspent, they cocsttaiued

ij h.m to tarry all night.“ Where he broke out in s. range raptures, expressing his fears of the Lord’s departure from these lands. lie said, England for superstition apd pr 3-

l faaity, Ireland for security and formality, great shall thy i stroke be ! For, in a few years, ye may travel f vty tnixs E in Ireland, and n.,t get a light to your pipe ! Which eacae

to pass four years thereafter, in the list rebellion, lie said also, O Scotland ! many, long and great shall thy judgments be, of all kind;, especially the West and South,

: far loathing and contempt of the gospel, covenant break- j ing, burning and burying, and shedding of innocent) pre- j clous dear fel rod ! OS all ye that cac pray, tell ad the i Lord’s people to try, by mourning and prayer, to teagle ! bim. O! see if ye can teagle him, teagle him, tesglc him, j especially in Scotland; for we fear he w ill depart from it. !’ When ended, he said, Take ye that among you, and make

a good use of it; for I have gotten it new and fiesfc cut of heaven, having nothing of it this morning. The fore- said John Muirhead, and the said old woman, and others* told me, they were never witnesses to such a day, for many tears, both from preaehere and hearers-

*o. After this, this old woman longed to be home tn Scotland, her husband (whose name was Pator) being ia

Kiager, aud hea.iog of such a killing in Scotland; bdayg

^ 3

- - , -

( 54 ) the ysw 16*5, one of the bioody ye*r‘, npon scaifoldit 9nd in t^e tkliift (and indeed the dm wat. uo greater than the deed), a bark being to go off with p i68erigera,g she resolving to go along, went to take her leave of Mr. Peden, 2nd found him in a wood with J< bn Muirbea.i, and others of cur Scots sulTcrere. She told him her design, and he mooed a little, and then aaid, Go not away tid I speak with you. He lock a turn tnrough the wned, and when he came back, he said, Janet, go back to your aunt’s, for you will not ere Scotland these five months; the e will strange things go through Scotland ere you go to it, you will see a remarkable providence in your being etopt. The bark went off, and was cast away, and 1 j passengers’ corpse were cast odt at the place where they took ship; John Muirfaead gave me this account also.

ai. Ader he came to Scotland, in the beginning of March 1685, flying trom the enemy on horseback, and they pursuing, he was forced to ride a water, where he was in great danger of being lost: When be get out, he cried. Lads follow not me, for I assure you ye want my boat, and so will certainly drown. Consider where your landing wdl be ! ye are fighting for hell, and running post to it, Wnicfe affrighted them to enter the water.

aa At another time, being hard pursued, he was forced to take a dangerous bog and a moss before him : One of the Dragoons nmre forward than the rest, run himself into the bog, and he and his horse were never #eeo mota. •

aj. Lying sick in a village near Cumnock, he told his landlord who was afraid to keep him in his house, he sokiicra being to travel thro* that town the next day. Ye need not fear to let me stay in your house, for sctr.c of these soldiers shall keep Gentry at this door, but shall not conre in. Which came to pass. Hia landlord beirg digging stones at the end of <bat village, trld the officer* that he was afraid the soldiers would plunder his ci>tta£««

( 55 5 I They said, Pai r ieso, 700 des’C-ve encouragement fof , i your virtue ; be not afraid of your bou.-e, vve srill order I two soldiers to stand'at your door, tiai no mar, enter 1 to wrong yrji. VVtbcb they did.

14- He lying tick about tbe same lime, his landlord was aiiaid to ke p him in his houce. The enemy being in search of hiding people, he was obliged to make a bed for him among the stand ng corn ; at which time tb«re

1 wa a great rising of the wa er, but not one drop to be i observed within Uu foot ot his bed.

ay- About this time he came to Garfield, in the p ;rith ! of Mauchiin, to the house of Matthew Hog, a smith. 1 He went to hi* barn, but thought hirmelt rot safe, foot I and horse of the enemy being starching for wanderers, I as they were then called. He dtfured the favour of bis '' loft, which Matthew refuted : He eaid. Well, well, poor

ru&fi, you will not let me have the siieiter of your roof; but that ■bouse shall be your ju dgment and ruin. Some time after, the gavel of that house fell, and fcrlfed both him aad his son ! Their bodies were severely crushed.

i6. About the same time he came to Andrew Nor- t mand’s house, in the parish of Alloway, and shire of Ayr, c being to preach at night in his barn. After he came iu, a he halted a little, leaning on a chair-back, with his face 3 covered. When fcc lifted up his head, he said, They are | in this house that I have not one word of salvation unto 1 i He halted a little again, saying, This is strange that the l devil will not go out, that we may begin our work! Then I there was a woman went out, ill looked upon for a witch. J John Muirhead {formerly mentioned) told me. that when the came from Ireland to Galloway, he was at familj- < worship, and giving some not's upon the Scripture read, Sthere was a very ill-locking man came in and sat down tsritiiia the door. He halted and said. There ij soae bh-

t 5'> )

*►■•>??? bodyjun now come into this honse, I charge him to go cut, aad not stop my month. The man went off, and he iosisied j but he sa.v him neither come in nor go cut.

17. In thit bloody year 16^5, he came to a house ia the shire of Ayr; Captain John Matthisoa and other twelve of our wanderers being in the house, he said, l.sds ye must go the fields and seek your beds, for the enemy will be here this rnght, and i’ll go to my cave. They said, Some of us will stay with you, for you will weary alone. No, said he, I will not weary. For a siga that the enemy will be here -this night, a godly eminent Christian man, whom I often heard of, but never saw, tv id come and lie with me this night. Ail which came to pass; for the men fled, and he entered the cave, and fell asleep; and a little thereafter the sail hiaa cornin'' to the family, asked for Mr. Peden, and desired access to the cave to lie with him When ia bed, he found Mr. Peden slumbering, but in a lirtle he awoke, and naming toe maa asked hm how he did i The saidiei® came that night, but missed their prey. The neat morn- ing when these said men returned, he said, Lads it was well I came to this house yesternight, otherwise you had been among their bloody hands this day.

a8. In the said year 1695. he came to Welwood to Captain John Campbell’s he having escaped out of Canongate • Tolbooth, in the month of August 16S4. Being in danger every day, he resolved to go to America,* and took farewei of bis friends, and went aboard of a ship’ Mr. Peden said to his mother, Mistress what is become of John? She said, He is gone to America He said. No, n:>, he is not gone, send for him, for he will never ®ee America. Accordingly i was so ; a storm aro e, and be was in great danger, but was preserved, and yet alive.

®9- Since the publishing cf the former passages of Mr Peden’s life and death. 1 received two leiters from Sir Alexander Gordon of Earlstoun, in the year 171$ and *726, since gone to his grave, shewing that he was not only fully satisfied, but much refreshed with the passages, requesting me not to delay the publishing of ail that I prppo.ed; aad that fac longed to see then*

( 57 ) I before be went off the stage j knowing that my day is far 1 spent, being long since 1 was his feilow-p-noner, and 1 taught him from my own experience, bow to manage I the great weight of irons that was upon his legs; and i wishing tbit all the Lord’s peop'e, who have any zeal | for tbe swcyi-to and sealed testimony, and savoury re- i membracce of the came* of Christ’s slato witnesses^ for I the same, and of the Lord’s signal manifestation^ of his 1 faithfulness and a'l-sufficiency to them, in thtT life and i death, would give me all encouragement in such a piece I of good and great generation work, which may be useful i and edifying, when he and I would be mouldering in I the dust. For himself, he willingly would, and sstnetime i a-day could, but now being 74 years of age, and 7 years i !h imprisonment, and ohea-times in irons, and many 1 other troubles thro’ his life, his memory and judgment

were much broke, and therefore he could make me little ( help. Only he remembered, be was once sent from the ' Societies in Galloway to Garrick, to call Mr. Peden to

preach: When he told him for what end he was come, Mr. Peden went for sotr-e time alone; and when he eamc back, he said, I am sorry, Earlstoun, you are cots? ao far in vain, for 1 cannot answer your desire ; I can get no- thing to say to your people : Nothing will convince this generation but judgments, and a surprising lump of them upon the West of Scotland. Earletoun said, Sir, you was once legally ordajned and authorised to preach the gofpel, and the Lord’s people’s call is fofficieDt; I think you are under a temptation cf enthufiafm. Mr. Peden fiid, he fometimes feared that ; but iince he was driven from his people at Gtenluce, his Master, in mercy ard goodt efs, gave him more encouragement ; and gave che inftance, That one time he was cailtd, and refnlv- d, at-d prepared to go, as he thought; bet, when his horl'e was drawn, be went into the barn once more, where he w»a ftript bare of all h s thoughts, and a c*arke'nav< damping cloud overwhelmed him, which ftept him And he Sf‘er- waide faw a reir.a kable pr, vidence in it, and need be for it. And, fiiTtber, he'fmd, The lai’ time that he faw Mr. Pedm, it was with Mr Catgtl, v.hcn they continu- d along time tog thcr conp ring notes; feeing with one eye, thinking with one m nd, and fpeafcir.g with cne’breath of ail Uings, paid, prelent, and whit was to "befal th.i church and aaiLa.

30 In h:a laft fermon, which, as I laid before, waa in the Colm-woo.d, be ('aid, That in a few years after his *ieath, there would be a wonderful alteration of affairs ‘n Britain and Ireland, and the perfecution in Scotland

' '-‘d ceafe ; upon which every body (hould believe the deliverance was come, and confequently would fall fatally fecu e. But I tell you, (aid he. you will be all very far miltaten; for both England and Scotland will be fcourged by foreigners, and a fet of unhappy men in thefe lands taking part with them, before any of you can pretend to be happy, or get a thorough deliverance, which will be a more (cvere chaftifement than any other they have met with, or can come under, if that were once over.

A

let t e r, from

MR. ALEXANDER PEDEN, To the PRISONERS in DUN NOTAR-CASTLE,

July iCSj.

Dear Fkiesds,

X Long to hear from you, how you fpend your time, and how the grace of God grows in your hearts 1 know ye and other of the Lord’s people, by reafon of the pre- fent trial, have got up a faihion cf complaining upon thrift, but 1 defy you to fpeak aft ii! word bf him, ualefg ye wrong him. Sneak as you can, and fpare not; only 1 requeft that your expreffions nfChrii! he fjitabie to your cxper cnce of him. L ye think Curilr ^ houfc be bare and iil-provid.’d, and harder than ye looked for, allure your* Lives Chrift mindt only to diet you, and not to hunger you : Our S eward kena when to fpend and when to spare. Chrift knows well whether heaping or ftraiking agrees heft with our narrow vdEls, for both are alike to him; Sparing J

( 59 ) Lit! not enrich him, nor will fpending impoTerilh him. jHe thinks it ill-won t’nst i? hoidea off hie people. Grace and glory comes out of CHrfl’s lucky hand. Our veflels Bre but fecklefe, and contain little : His fulnefs is moft ftraitned when it wants a vent. It is eafy for Chrift to be Holder, bufy in dividing the fulnefs of his Father’s houfe to his poor friends : He delights not to keep mercy over- sight. He is the eafieft merchant ever the people of God groked wiih : If ye be pleafed with the wares, what of his praces makes bel for you, he and you will foon fort on Ie price; he will fell goods cheap, that ye may fpier

r his fhop again ; and he draws all the fale to himfelf. :ounrel yen to go no farther than Chrift. And now hen it is come to your door, either 'o fin or fuficr, eounfel you to lay your account with fufferitrg ; for an it-ga.e cotniag from any other airth, will be orejudicial 1 your foul’s intereft. And for your encouragement, member he feuds none a warfsie on their own charges, nd bteft is the man that gives Chrift all his rboney. It ill be bet. with you to block with him, when you want

■band money. And the let's you have, he has the mure heart to truft you. And fo it Is beft with you to keep in with your old acquaintance Chrift. New acquaintance with Grange lords, is ti e ready way to make a wound in grace’s fide, which will not heal in hafte; the fore may clofe before the wound dry up, for grace is a tender place, and is very eafily d'ftempered with the backfiidings of our prefect time. And if the whee's of it be once broken with fin, all the money in the world will pot make it to go about, until it be put in Chrift’s hand. I hope I have fat'd more on this matter than is needful, for T hdve feen ithe marks of tendernefs deeply drawn r.n vour carriage. ’The fafefl way to fhift the (hr.wer, is to hold out of God’s <,ate, and keep within his doors, until the violence of ithe ftorm begin fo ebb, which is not yet full tide; Chrift Ideals tenderly with his young plants, and waters them oft, sleft they go back; be painful, and lofe not life for the ifeeking. Grace, mercy and peace be with you.

( 6o )

EPITAPH

Upon the Martyrs’ MONUMENT in the Grey-Friar's Church-yard, Enmburgh.

Upon the Head of the Tomb there is the Figure of an open Btfre cut out, with the e Scripture cita >ons, Rev. vi. 7 lOi II. “ And when he had opened the

fifth Seal, I saw under the altar the Souls of them “ that had been siain for the Word of GOD, and for « the Testimony which they held, &c.”—Rxv. vii. 14.

Also the following Lines. Ha it passengers, take heed what you do see. This Tomb doth shew for what some men did die j Here lies inter’d the dust of those who stood ’Gainst p rjury, resisting unto blood ; Adhering to the Covenants, and Laws Estabh Iting the same ; which was the cause Their lives were sacrific’d unto the lust Of Prelatists abjur’d.— Fho’ here their dust Lies mix’d with murderers, and other crew, Whom Justice did to death pursue ; But as for these, no cause in them was found Worthy of death, but only they were sound. Constant and stedfast, z alous, witnessing For the prerogatives of Christ their Ki rg : Which Truths were serl’d by famous Guthrie’s bead, And all along to M-. Renwick’s blood. They did endure the wrath of enemies, Reproaches, torments, deaths and injuries; But yTt they’re eheee who from such trouble came, And now triumph in Glory with the Lamb.

From May 17th 1661, that the noble Marquis of Argyle suffered, to Feb. ay 1688 that Mr. James Renwick suffered iso Nobemcn. Gentlemen, M niaers and others, were executed at Edinburgh, noble Martyrs for Jesus Christ t he nv ft part of them ire here. It is also said, that 48.000 suffered in the late persecu- tion in Scotland.

END. THE