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⟨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, having no more than the name; and theſe ſhall as really crucify Chriſt, as ever he 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 if 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, ſhe ſhall not find one." John aſked where the teſtimony ſhould be then? He anſwered, "In the hands of a few, who ſhall be deſpiſed and undervalued by all, but eſpecially by theſe miniſters who buried Chriſt! But after that, he ſhall get up on them; and, at the crack of his winding-ſheet, as many of them as are alive, who were at his burial, ſhall be distracted and mad for fear, not kuowing what to do. Then, John, there ſhall be brave days, ſuch as the Church of Scotland never ſaw the like! But I ſhall not ſee them, but you may."
41. In the ſame year 1685, preaching in the night-time in a barn at Carrick, upon that text, Pſal. lxviii. 1. Let God ariſe! and let his enemies be ſcattered! Let them that hate him flee before him! As ſmoke is driven, ſo drive thou them! So inſiſting how the enemies and haters of God and goodneſs were toſſed and driven as ſmoke or chaff by the wind of God's vengeance, while on earth; and that wind would blow them all to hell in the end: ſtooping down, there being chaff among his feet, he took a handful of it, and ſaid, "The Duke
