Page:Life and prophecies of Mr Donald Cargill.pdf/34

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been validated.

34

came lightly esteemed. This was the last marriage he performed; in which both he. Mr. Peden, Mr. Cameron, and Mr. Renwick, took as little delight, as in any piece of their ministerial work, although they would neither dissuade or refuse, having such a deep concern upon their spirits, and looking upon it as an evidence of unconcernedness about the many grievous things in that day, and of such a tendency to increase their afflictions, Some of them shortly thereafter were taken, hanged, shot, and banished; their wives and children put from their houses, having no certain dwelling-place; all which I can instruct, some of all these being my acquaintance. When Marion was pressing him to eat, he said, Let alone, I cannot be pressed; for I took not that meal of meat these thirty years, but what I could have taken as much when I rose as when I sat down.

I had the happiness to hear blest Mr. Cargill preach his last public Sermon (for which, while I live, I desire to bless the Lord) in Dunsyre Common, betwixt Clydesdale and Lothian; where he lectured on the first chapter of Jeremiah, and preached upon that soul-refreshing text, Isa. xxvi. two last verses, Come, my people, enter into your chambers, &c. Wherein he was short, marrowy, and sententious, as his ordinary was in all his public Sermons and Prayers, with the greatest evidences of concernedness, exceeding all that ever I heard open a mouth, or saw open a Bible to preach the gospel, with the greatest indignation at the unconcernedness of the hearers. He preached from experience, and went to the experience of all that had any of the Lord's gracious dealings with their souls. It came from his heart, and went to the heart; as 1 have heard some of our common hearers say, He spake as never man spake, for his words went through them—He insisted what kind of chambers of protection and safety these were: and exhorted us all earnestly to dwell in the clifts of the rock, to hide ourselves in the wounds of Christ, and to wrap ourselves in the believing application of the promises, flowing therefrom; and to make our refuge under the shadow of his wings, until these sad calamities pass over and the dove come backwith