Part 31 (2/2)
Cuningham's elders, being much offended thereat, told Mr. Peden on Monday what he had said. Mr. Peden, taking a turn in his garden, came back and charged him to go tell Mr. Cuningham from him, That before Sat.u.r.day's night he should be as free of a meeting-house as he was.
Which accordingly came to pa.s.s, for he got a charge that same week not to enter his meeting-house under pain of death.
One time travelling alone in Ireland, being a dark mist, and night approaching, he was obliged to go to a house belonging to a quaker, where he begged the favour of his roof all night. The quaker said, Thou art a stranger, thou art very welcome, and shalt be kindly entertained, but I cannot wait upon thee, for I am going to the meeting. Mr. Peden said, I will go along. The quaker said, Thou mayest if thou pleasest, but thou must not trouble us. He said, I shall be civil. When they came to the meeting (as their custom was) they sat for some time silent, some with their faces to the wall, and some covered; and, there being a void in the loft above, there came down the appearance of a raven, and sat on one man's head, who rose up and spoke with such vehemence, that the foam flew from his mouth. It went to a second, and he did so likewise. Mr.
Peden, sitting next the landlord, said, Do you not see? You will not deny yon afterward. He answered, Thou promised to be silent. From a second it went to a third man's head, who did as the former two. When they dismissed, on the way home, Mr. Peden said to his landlord, I always thought there was devilry amongst you, but I never thought that he had appeared visibly till now I have seen it. O! for the Lord's sake, quit this way, and flee to the Lord Jesus, in whom there is redemption thro' his blood, even the forgiveness of all your iniquities. The poor man fell a-weeping and said, I perceive that G.o.d hath sent you to my house, and put it in your heart to go along with me, and permitted the devil to appear visibly among us this night. I never saw the like before; let me have the help of your prayers, for I resolve, through the Lord's grace, to follow this way no longer. After this he became a singular Christian; and when dying, blessed the Lord that in mercy he sent the man of G.o.d to his house.
Before he left Ireland, he preached in several places, particularly one time near the forementioned Mr. Vernon's house in 1685, where he had made a most clear discovery of the many hards.h.i.+ps his fellow-sufferers were then undergoing in Scotland; and of the death of king Charles, the news of which came not to Ireland till twenty-four hours thereafter.
After this he longed to be out of Ireland; what through the fearful apprehension of that dismal rebellion that broke out there about four years after, and what from a desire he had to take part with the sufferings of Scotland. And before his departure from thence, he baptised a child to one John Maxwel a Glasgow-man (who had fled over from the persecution) which was all the drink-money (as he expressed it) that he had to leave in Ireland.
After he and twenty Scots sufferers came aboard, he went above deck, and prayed, (there not being then the least wind) where he made a rehearsal of times and places when and where the Lord had heard and helped them in the day of their distress, and now they were in a great strait. Waving his hand to the west (from whence he desired the wind) he said, Lord, give us a loof-full of wind; fill the sails, Lord, and give us a fresh gale, and let us have a swift and safe pa.s.sage over to the b.l.o.o.d.y land, come of us what will. When he began to pray, the sails were hanging all straight down, but ere he ended they were all blown full, and they got a very swift and safe pa.s.sage over. In the morning, after they landed, he lectured ere they parted on a brae side; in which he had some awful threatening against Scotland, saying, The time was coming, that they might travel many miles in Galloway, Nithsdale, Ayr and Clydesdale, and not see a reeking house or hear a c.o.c.k crow; and further added, My soul trembles to think what will become of the indulged, backslidden and upsitten ministers of Scotland; as the Lord lives, none of them shall ever be honoured to put a tight pin in the Lord's tabernacle nor a.s.sert Christ's kingly prerogative as Head and King of his church.
After his arrival in Scotland, in the beginning of the year 1683, he met with several remarkable deliverances from the enemy. One time fleeing from them on horseback, he was obliged to ride a water where he was in eminent danger. After he got out, he cried, Lads, do not follow me, for I a.s.sure you, ye want my boat, and so will drown; and consider where your landing will be, &c.--which affrighted them from entering the water. At another time, being also hard pursued, he was forced to take a bog and a moss before him. One of the dragoons, being more forward than the rest, run himself into that dangerous bog, where he and the horse were never seen more.
About this time he preached one Sabbath night in a sheep-house (the hazard of the time affording no better). That night he lectured upon Amos vii. 8. _And I will set a plumb-line in the midst of my people the house of Israel,_ &c. On this lecture he said, I'll tell you good news--Our Lord will take a feather out of Antichrist's wing, which shall bring down the duke of York, and banish him out of these kingdoms----And there shall never a man of the house of Stuart sit upon the throne of Britain after the duke of York, whose reign is now short; for their lechery, treachery, tyranny, and shedding the precious blood of the Lord's people.--But oh! black, black! will the days be that will come upon Ireland! that they shall travel forty miles, and not see a reeking house or hear a c.o.c.k crow, &c. When ended, he and those with him lay down in the sheep-house, and got some sleep; and early next morning went up a burn-side and stayed long. When he came back, he sang the 32d psalm from the 7th verse to the end; and then repeated that verse,
_Thou art my hiding-place, thou shalt from trouble keep me free; Thou with songs of deliverance about shalt compa.s.s me._
Saying these and the following are sweet lines which I got at the burn-side this morning, and will get more to-morrow; and so will get daily provision.----He was never behind any who put their trust in him, and we will go on in his strength, making mention of his righteousness, and of his only. He met with another remarkable deliverance, for the enemy coming upon him, and some others, they were pursued by both horse and foot a considerable way. At last, getting some little height between them and the enemy, he stood still and said, Let us pray here; for if the Lord hear not our prayers and save us, we are all dead men, &c.
Then he began, saying, Lord, it is thy enemy's day, hour and power, they may not be idle: But hast thou no other work for them, but to send them after us? send them after them to whom thou wilt give strength to flee, for our strength is gone. Twine them about the hill, Lord, and cast the lap of thy cloke over old Sandy and their poor things, and save us this one time; and we'll keep it in remembrance, and tell it to the commendation of thy goodness, pity and compa.s.sion, what thou didst for us at such a time. And in this he was heard; for a cloud of mist interveened immediately betwixt them; and in the mean time a post came to the enemy to go in quest of Mr. Renwick and a great company with him.
At this time it was seldom that Mr. Peden could be prevailed on to preach; frequently answering and advising people to pray much, saying, It was praying folk that would get through the storm; they would yet get preaching, both meikle and good, but not much good of it, until judgment was poured out to lay the land desolate, &c.
In the same year 1685, being in Carrick, John Clark of Muirbrook, being with him, said, Sir, what think ye of this time? Is it not a dark and melancholy day? Can there be a more discouraging time than this? He said, Yes, John, this is a dark discouraging time, but there will be a darker time than this; these silly graceless creatures the curates shall go down, and after them shall arise a party called presbyterians, but having little more but 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 shall be darkness and dark days, such as the poor church of Scotland never saw the like, nor ever shall see if once they were over; yea, John, this 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 time, he shall not find one. John asked, Where the testimony should be then? He answered, In the hands of a few, who should be despised and undervalued of all[221], 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 at his burial, shall be distracted and mad with fear, not knowing 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.
About this time as he was preaching in the day-time, in the parish of Girvin, and being in the fields, one David Mason, then a professor, came in haste trampling upon the people, to be near him. At which he said, There comes the devil's rattle-bag; we do not want him here. After this, the said David became officer and informer in that bounds, running through rattling and summoning the people to their unhappy courts for non-conformity, at which he and his got the name of the devil's rattle-bag.----Since the revolution, he complained to his minister, that he and his family got that name.----The minister said, Ye weel deserved it, and he was an honest man that gave you it; you and yours must enjoy it; there is no help for that.
It is very remarkable, that being sick, and the landlord, where he stayed, being afraid to keep him in his house (the enemy being then in search of hiding people), made him a bed among the standing corn; at which time a great rain fell out, insomuch that the waters were raised, and yet not one drop to be observed within ten feet of his bed, while he lay in that field.
Much about the same time he came to Garfield, in the parish of Mauchlin, to the house of one Matthew Hog (a smith to trade). He went to his barn, but thought himself not safe there, foot and horse of the enemy searching for wanderers (as they were then called). He desired the favour of his loft, being an old waste house two story high. This he refused. He then said, Weel, weel, poor man, you will not let me have the shelter of your roof, but that same house will be your judgment and ruin yet. Some time after this, the gable of that house fell and killed both him and his son.
His last sermon was preached in the Collimwood at the water of Air, a short time before his death. In the preface before this sermon, he said, There are four or five things I have to tell you this night; and the 1_st_ is, A b.l.o.o.d.y sword, a b.l.o.o.d.y sword, a b.l.o.o.d.y sword for thee, O Scotland, that shall pierce the hearts of many. 2_dly_, Many miles shall ye travel and see nothing but desolation and ruinous wastes in thee, O Scotland. 3_dly_, The fertilest places in Scotland shall be as waste as the mountains. 4_thly_, The women with child shall be ript up and dashed in pieces. And 5_thly_, Many a conventicle has G.o.d had in thee, O Scotland, but ere long G.o.d will make a conventicle that will make Scotland tremble. Many a preaching hath G.o.d bestowed on thee, but ere long G.o.d's judgment shall be as frequent as these precious meetings were, wherein he sent forth his faithful servants to give faithful warning of the hazard of thy apostacy from G.o.d, in breaking, burning and burying his covenant, persecuting, slighting and contemning the gospel, shedding the precious blood of his saints and servants. G.o.d sent forth a Welwood, a Kid, a King, a Cameron, a Cargil and others to preach to thee, but ere long G.o.d shall preach to thee by fire and a b.l.o.o.d.y sword.
G.o.d will let none of these mens words fall to the ground, that he sent forth with a commission to preach these things in his name, &c. In the sermon he further said, That a few years after his death there would be a wonderful alteration of affairs in Britain and Ireland, and Scotland's persecution should cease; upon which every one would believe the deliverance was come, and consequently would fall fatally secure; but you will be all very far mistaken, for both England and Scotland will be scourged by foreigners, and a set of unhappy men in these lands taking part with them, before any of you can pretend to be happy, or get a thorough deliverance, which will be more severe chastis.e.m.e.nt than any other they have met with, or can come under, if once that were over.
After much wandering from place to place, through Kyle, Carrick and Galloway (his death drawing near), he came to his brother's house, in the parish of the Sorn, where he was born, where he caused dig a cave, with a willow bush covering the mouth thereof, near to his brother's house. The enemy got notice, and searched the house narrowly several times, but him they found not. While in this cave, he said to some friends[222], 1_st_, That G.o.d would make Scotland a desolation. 2_nd_, There would be a remnant in the land, whom G.o.d would spare and hide, 3_dly_, They would be in holes and caves of the earth, and be supplied with meat and drink; and when they came out of their holes, they would not have freedom to walk for stumbling on dead corpses. And 4_thly_, A stone cut out of the mountain would come down, and G.o.d would be avenged on the great ones of the earth, and the inhabitants of the land for their wickedness; and then the church would come forth with a bonny bairn-time at her back of young ones; and he wished that the Lord's people might be hid in their caves as if they were not in the world, for nothing would do until G.o.d appeared with his judgments, &c.; and withal gave them this sign, That if he be but once buried, they might be in doubt, but if oftener than once, they might be persuaded that all he had said would come to pa.s.s, and earnestly desired them to take his corpse out to Airs-moss, and bury him beside Richie (meaning Mr. Richard Cameron) that he might have rest in his grave, for he had got little during his life. But he said, bury him where they would, he would be lifted again; but the man that would first put hands to his corpse, four things would befal him, 1_st_, He would get a great fall from a house.
2_dly_, He would fall in adultery. 3_dly_, In theft, and for that he should leave the land. 4_thly_, Make a melancholy end abroad for murder.
All which came to pa.s.s. This man was one Murdoch, a mason to trade, but then in the military service, being the very first man who put hands to his corpse.
Mr. Peden had for some time been too credulous in believing the obliquous misrepresentations of some false brethren concerning Mr. James Renwick, whereby he was much alienated from him; which exceedingly grieved Mr. Renwick, stumbled some of his followers, and confirmed some of his adversaries, who boasted that now Mr. Peden was turned his enemy[223]. But now, when dying, he sent for him, who came to him in all haste, and found him lying in very low circ.u.mstances. When Mr. Renwick came in, he raised himself upon his elbow, with his head on his hand, and said, Are you the Mr. James Renwick there is so much noise about? He answered, Father, my name is James Renwick, but I have given the world no ground to make any noise about me, for I have espoused no new principles or practices, but what our reformers and covenanters maintained, &c. He caused him sit down and give him an account of his conversion, principles and call to the ministry. All which Mr. Renwick did in a most distinct manner. When ended, Mr. Peden said, Sir, You have answered me to my soul's satisfaction; I am very sorry that I should have believed any such ill reports of you, which not only quenched my love to, and marred my sympathy with you, but made me express myself so bitterly against you, for which I have sadly smarted. But, Sir, ere you go, you must pray me, for I am old and going to leave the world. Which he did with more than ordinary enlargement. When ended, he took him by the hand and drew him to him, and kissed him, saying, Sir, I find you a faithful servant to your Master; go on in a single dependence upon the Lord, and ye will get honestly through, and clear off the stage, when many others who hold their heads high will ly in the mire and make foul hands and garments. And then prayed that the Lord might spirit, strengthen, support and comfort him in all duties and difficulties[224].
A little before his death he said, Ye will all be displeased where I will be buried at last, but I discharge you all to lift my corpse again.
At last one morning early he left the cave and came to his brother's door. His brother's wife said, Where are you going, the enemy will be here? He said, I know that. Alas! Sir (said she), what will become of you, ye must go back to the cave again. He said, I have done with that, for it is discovered; but there is no matter; for within forty-eight hours I will be beyond the reach of all the devil's temptations, and his instruments in h.e.l.l and on earth, and they shall trouble me no more.
About three hours after that he entered the house, the enemy came, found him not in the cave, searched the barn narrowly, casting the unthreshen corn, searched the house, stabbing the beds, but entered not into the place where he lay. After a weary pilgrimage, within forty eight hours he became an inhabitant of that land, where the weary are at rest, being then past sixty years of age.
He was buried in the laird of Affleck's isle; but a troop of dragoons came and lifted his corpse, and carried it[225] two miles, to c.u.mnock gallows-foot (after he had been forty days in the grave) where he lies buried beside other martyrs.
Thus died Mr. Alexander Peden so much famed for his singular piety, zeal and faithfulness, and indefatigableness in the duty of prayer; but especially who exceeded all we have heard of in latter times, for that gift of foreseeing and foretelling future events, both with respect to the church and nation of Scotland and Ireland, and particular persons and families, several of which are already accomplished. A gentleman of late, when speaking in his writings of Mr. Peden, says, Abundance of this good man's predictions are well known to be already come to pa.s.s[226]. And although these things are now made to stoop or yield to the force of ridicule and the sarcasms of the profane, and fas.h.i.+ons of an atheistical age and generation, yet we must believe and conclude with the Spirit of G.o.d, that the secrets of the Lord both have been, are, and will be with them who fear his name.
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