both to its avowed enemies and secret
betrayers, brought the remnant that were left into very melancholy
circumstances, their enemies having in a great measure extinguished the
light of the gospel, by apprehending and shedding the blood of their
faithful pastors, who used to hold forth the word of life unto them, as
a light whereby they might discern between sin and duty; and others who
had formerly been helpful unto them, in strengthening their hands, and
encouraging their hearts, in the way of their duty, were overtaken and
overborne with fainting and discouragement; so that, in respect of
public guides, they wore at this time as sheep without a shepherd. Yet,
in this disconsolate and scattered state and condition, CHRIST, the
chief shepherd, had compassion on them, and raised up those two faithful
ministers and zealous contenders for the faith once delivered to the
saints, Messrs. _Richard Cameron_ and _Donald Cargill_, to come forth
for the help of the LORD against the mighty, and to jeopard their lives
along with his people in the high places of the field, in bearing
faithful testimony for his noble truths and cause, and against all the
sins and defections of the time. The first of these, soon after he had
showed his activity and zeal in that banner displayed against the
church's enemies, in the declaration published at _Sanquhar, June 22d_,
1080, did honorably and bravely finish his course, among many others of
Zion's true friends, in the defeat they again sustained at _Airsmoss_,
where, in imitation of his princely Master, he valiantly fought his way
to the incorruptible crown. The latter afterward narrowly escaped his
enemies' hands (by means of Mr. _Henry Hall_, of _Haughhead_, that
honest sufferer for truth, who, to save his minister's life, lost his
own; on whom the _Queensferry_ paper, a draft of a covenant engagement
unto certain duties, was found), and was, by the power and providence of
GOD, preserved, until he accomplished that signal piece of generation
work in drawing forth the sword of excommunication against the tyrant
_Charles_ II, and some others of the chief actors in that bloody
tragedy. And that, because of their bloodshed, perjury, heaven-daring
profaneness, debauchery, inhuman and savage cruelty acted upon the
people of GOD. The which sentence stuck fast in the hearts of these
enemies of Zion's king unto the day of their death, and, by some of
their own acknowledgments, would through eternity.