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.  Shortly after this, that faithful minister crowned his work with martyrdom, and entered into his Master’s joy.

This murdering period spared neither pastor nor people, age nor sex; while gross transgressors, and deluded enthusiasts, as Gib and his faction, were screened from condign punishment, though some of them had arrived at that prodigious length in wickedness as to commit the Holy Scriptures and Confession of Faith to the flames.

10.  So many of these once living and lively witnesses for CHRIST being, now slain, and what was yet surviving of the scattered flock deprived of their painful shepherds, and not being able to drink of the sanctuary waters, so muddied by their former pastors, who had defiled the same by sinful compliance with the time’s defections, they resolved, under divine direction, to gather themselves together into a general meeting,