ime of the Lord's day together,
when deprived of the public ordinances[193]. Mr. Cargil said, That
these society-meetings would increase more and more for a time; but when
the judgment came upon these sinful lands, there would be few standing
society-meetings, when there would be most need, few mourners, prayers,
pleaders, &c. what through carnality, security, darkness, deadness and
divisions.

But he was now well nigh the evening of his life, and his labours both.
For having been with Mr. Cargil, when he preached his last sermon on
Dunsyre common, betwixt Clydesdale and Lothian, he was next morning, by
wicked Bonshaw (who had formerly traded in fine horses betwixt the two
kingdoms), apprehended at Covington-mill. He was, with the rest of the
prisoners, carried from Lanerk to Glasgow, and from thence taken to
Edinburgh, where, upon the 15th of July, he was brought before the
council, and there examined if he owned the king and his authority as
lawful? He answered, "He cannot acknowledge the present authority the
king is now invested with, and the exercise thereof, being now clothed
with a supremacy over the church." Being interrogate, If the king's
falling from the covenant looses him from his obedience, and if the king
thereby loses his authority? He answered, "He thinks he is obliged to
perform all the duties of the covenant, conform to the word of God, and
the king is only to be obeyed in terms of the covenant." Being further
interrogate anent the Torwood excommunication, he declared, He thought
their reasons were just.

On the 19th he was again brought before them and interrogate, If he
owned the Sanquhar declaration? It was then read to him, and he owned
the same in all its articles, except that he looked not upon these
persons as the formal representatives of the presbyterian church, as
they called themselves. And as to that expression, The king should have
been denuded many years ago, he did not like the word _denuded_, but
said, What the king has done justifies the peoples revolting against
him. As to these words, where the king is called an usurper and a
tyrant, he said, Certainly the king is an usurper, and wished he was not
a tyrant.

Upon the 20. he was with the rest, brought before the justiciary, where,
being indicted in common form, their confessions were produced as
evidences against them, and they all brought in guilty of high treason,
and condemned to be hanged at the cross of Edinburgh upon the 27.