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was preaching and persuading men in that country to go to Argyll's assistance. After sermon, he said to Mr. George, Now, Argyll is in the enemies hands and gone; tho he was many miles distant. I had this account from some of these his bairns, who were present; and the last from Mr. George Barclay's self.
39. After this, he was to preach at night at Pengaroch in Carrick; the mistress of the house was too open minded to a woman, who went and told the enemy, and ⟨came⟩ back to the house that she might not be suspected; Mr, Peden being in the fields, came in haste to the ⟨door⟩, and called the mistress, and said, Ye've played a ⟨bonny⟩ sport to yourself, by being so loose tongued; ⟨the⟩ enemy is informed that I was to drop a word this ⟨night⟩ in this house, and the person who has done it, is ⟨in⟩ the house just now, you'll repent it; to morrow morning the enemy will be here: Farewel, I'll stay no ⟨longer⟩ in this place. To morrow morning, both foot ⟨and⟩ horse were about the house.
40. In the same year, within the bounds of Carrick, ⟨John⟩ Clark in Muirbrock, being with him, said, Sir, ⟨what⟩ think ye of this present time? Is it not a dark melancholy day? And can there be a more ⟨discouraging⟩ time than this? He said Yes John, this is indeed a dark ⟨discouraging⟩ time; but there will be a darker time than ⟨this⟩; These silly, graceless, wretched creatures the ⟨curates⟩, shall go down, and after them shall arise a ⟨party⟩ called Presbyterians, but having little more than the ⟨name⟩; and these shall as really as Christ was crucified ⟨without⟩ the gates of Jerusalem on mount Calvary, ⟨bodily⟩; I say, they shall as really crucify Christ in his ⟨cause⟩ and interest in Scotland, and shall lay him in his ⟨grave⟩, and his friends shall give him his winding-sheet, ⟨and⟩ he shall ly as one buried for a considerable time. O ⟨then⟩, John, there will be darkness, and dark days, such ⟨as⟩ the poor church of Scotland never saw the like of ⟨them⟩, nor shall see, if once they were over; yea, John, ⟨they⟩ shall be so dark, that it a poor thing would go ⟨between⟩ the east sea-bank and the west sea-bank, seeking ⟨a minister⟩ to whom they would communicate their case, ⟨or tell⟩ them the mind of the Lord concerning the times, ⟨he should⟩ not find one. John asked, Where the testimony ⟨should be then⟩? He answered, In the hands of a few, ⟨who will be⟩ despised and undervalued by all, but especially by these ministers who buried Christ; but after ⟨that he shall get up upon them⟩; and at the crack of his ⟨winding-sheet⟩, as many of them as are alive, who were
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