was obliged to depart his native country, and go over the border into England in the year 1665. where he was fo much renowned for his fingular zeal in propagating the gospel among that people, who, before his coming among them, were very rude and barbarous; but many of them became famous for piety after. In the year 1666, he was taken in his way to Pentland, coming to the affiftance of his covenanted brethren, and was imprifoned with fome others in Seaford caftle, but by the divine goodness he foon escaped thence, through the favour of the Earl of Roxburg, to whom the caftle pertained, the faid Earl being his friend and relation, from which time till about the year 1679, he lived peaceably in England, much beloved of all that knew him for his propagating the knowledge of Chrift in that country; infomuch that his blameless and fhining Christian conversation drew reverence and efteem from his very enemies. But about the year 1678, the heat of the perfecution in Scotland obliging many to wander up and down through Northumberland and other places; one collonel Struthers intended to feize any Scots-men he could find in those parts, and meeting with Thomas Ker of Hayhope, one of Henry Hall's nearest intimates, he was engaged in that encounter upon the account of the faid Thoma Ker, who was killed there; upon which account he was forced to return to Scotland, and wandred up and down during the hottest time of the perfecution, moftly. with Mr. Richard Cameron and Mr. Donald Cargil, during which time, befides his many other Chriftian virtues; he fignalized himself for a real zeal in defence of the perfecuted gofpol preached in the fields, and gave several proofs of his valour and courage, particularly at Rutherglen, Drumclog Glasgow and Bothwel-bridge, whereupon being forfeited and violently purfued, to efchew the violent hands of his indefatigable perfecutors, he was forced to go over to Holland; where he had not ftayed long, when his zeal for the perfecuted interest of Chrift, and his tender fympathy with the afflicted remnant of his cove nanted brethren in Scotland, then wandering through the defolate caves and dens of the earth, drew him home, chufing rather to undergo the utmost efforts of perfecuting furys than to live at cafe, when Joseph was in affliction; making Mofes's generous choice, rather to fuffer affliction with the people of God, that he might be a partaker of the fellowship of Chrift's fufferings, than to enjoy what momentary pleasure the ease of the world could afford; nor was he much concerned with the riches of the world, for he stood not to give his ground to hold the prohibited field-preachings upon, when none else would do it; he was a lover and follower of the faithfully preached gofpel, and was always against the indulgence, he was 1 with Mr. Richard Cameron, at thefe meetings where he was cenfured. About a quarter of a year after his return from Holland, being in company with the reverend Mr. Donald Cargil, they were taken notice of by two blood hounds the Curate of Borrowftounnefs and Carrine, who went to Middleton governor of Blackness castle, and informed him of them; who having confulted with thefe blood-thrifty ruffians, ordered his foldiers to follow him at a distance by two or three together, with convenient intervals for avoiding fufpicion, and he, (the faid Middleton) and his man riding up obferved where they alighted and ftabled their horfes, and coming to them pretended a great deal of kindness and civilities to Mr. Donald Cargil and him, defir-' ing that they might have a glafs of wine together; when they were fet and had taken each a glass, Middleton laid hands on them, and told them they were his prifoners, commanding in the king's name all the people of the houfe to affift, which they all refufed fave a certain waiter, through whofe means the governor got the gates thut, till the foldiers came up, and when the women of the town rifing to the refcue of the prifoners, had broke up the outter gate, Henry Hall, after fome fcuffle with the governor in the house, making his escape by the gate, received his mortal blow upon his head with a Carabine by Thomas George waiter, and being conveyed out of the town by the affiftance of the women, walked fome pretty fpace of way upon his foot, but unable to fpeak much, fave only that he made fhort reflection upon a woman, that interpofed between him and the governor, hindred him to kill the governor, and so to make his escape timeoufly; fo foon as he fainted, the woman carried him to a houfe in the country; and notwithstanding the care of Chirurgeons, he never recovered the power of speak ing more. General Dalziel being advertised, came with a par ty of the guards, and carried him to Edinburgh, he died by the way. His corps they carried to the Cannon gate Tolbooth, and kept them there three days without burial, though a number of friends conveened for that effect, and thereafter they caused bury him clandeftinely in the night. Such was the fury of these limbs of Antichrift, that having killed the witneffes, they would not fuffer their dead bodies to be decently put in graves. There was found upon him a rude draught of a paper containing a mutual engagement to ftand to the neceffary duty of the day, against its ftated enemies; which was called by the perfecutors, Mr. Cargil's covenant, and frequently in the forgoing teftimonics, The Queens-ferry paper, because there it was feized by the enemies. The paper divine providence feems to have Bbb made as it were the dying words and teftimony of that worthy Gentleman, and the enemies made it one of the captious and enfnaring questions they conftantly put to the fufferers; and therefore it will not be impertinent here to infert the heads of it, as they are compendized by the learned author of the Hind let Loofe, Page 133. For it was ftill owned by Mr. Donald Cargil, that the draught was not digefted and polifhed, as it was intended, and therefore it will not be fo far from being a wrong, to recite the heads of it only, that 'tis really a piece of juftice done him, who never intended it fhould fee the world as it was when the enemies foumd it. I shall not pretend to justify every expreffion in it, but rather fubmit it intirely to better judgments, nor did the fufferers for moft part adhere to it, without the limitation (fo far as it was agreeable to the word of God, and our national covenants) and in fo far as it seems to import a purpose of affuming to themselves magiftratical authority, their practice declares all along, that they did not understand it in that fenfe. The tenor of it was an engagement. I. "To avouch the "only true and living God, to be their God, and to close with his way of redemption by his Son Jefus Chrift, whofe righ"tequfnefs is only to be relyed upon for justification: And to "take the Scriptures of the Old and New Teftament, to be "the only object of faith, and rule of converfation in all things. ་ 2. To eftablifh in the land, righteoufnefs and religion, in the "truths of its doctrine, purity aud power of its worship, dif"cipline and government: And to free the church of God of "the corruption of Prelacy on the one hand, and the thraldom "of Eraftianifm on the other. 3. To perfevere in the doctrine "of the reformed churches, efpecially that of Scotland, and in "the worship prescribed in the Scriptures, without the inven❝tions, adornings, and corruptions of men; and in the Pref"byterian government exercised in feffions, Prefbyteries, Sy"nods, and general Aflemblies, as a distinct government from "the civil, and diftinctly to be exercised, not after a carnal "manner, by plurality of votes, or authority of a fingle perfon "but according to the word of God, making and carrying the ❝ fentence. 4. To endeavour the overthrow of the kingdom of darkness and whatfoever is contrary to the kingdom of "Chrift, especially Idolatry and Popery in all its articles, and "the overthrow of that power that hath established and up"held it.---And to execute righteous judgment imparti ally, according to the word of God, and degree of offences, upon the committers of these things, efpecially, to wit, Blafphemy, Idolatry, Atheism, Buggery, Sorcery. Perjury, Uncleannefs, Profanation of the Lord's day, oppreffion and 66 "malignancy.5. Seriously confidering,-there is no more "speedy way of relaxation from the wrath of God, that hath "ever lyen on the lands fince it engaged with thefe rulers, "but of rejecting them, who have fo manifeftly rejected God "-difclaiming his covenant-governing contrary to all right laws, divine and human-and contrary to all the ends of government, enacting and commanding impieties, injuries, "and robberies, to the denying of God his due, and the fub"jects theirs; fo that inftead of government, godliness and "peace, there is nothing but rapine, tumult, and blood, which "cannot be called a government, but a luftful rage-and they "cannot be called governors, but public graffators and land"judgments, which all ought to fet themfelves againft, as "they would do against peftilence, fword, and famine, raging "amongst them-Seeing they have ftopped the course of law "and juftice against blafphemers, idolaters, atheifts, bugge"rers, murderers, incestuous and adulterous perfons-And "have made butcheries on the Lord's people, fold them as "flaves, imprifoned, forfeited, etc. and that upon no other 66 account, but their maintaining Chrift's right of ruling over "their confciences, against the ufurpations of men. Therefore, "eafily folving the objections. 1. Of our ancestors oblig-2 ❝ing the nation to this race and line: That they did not buy their liberty with our thraldom, nor could they bind their "children to any thing fo much to their prejudice, and againft "natural liberty (being a benefit next to life, if not in fome "regard above it) which is not as an engagement to moral things; they could only bind to that government, which "they esteemed the beft for common good; which reafon " ceafing, we are free to choose another, if we find it more " conducible for that end. 2. Of the covenant binding to de"fend the king: That that obligation is only in his maintain"ance of the true covenanted reformation,-which homage "they cannot now require upon the account of the covenant " which they have renounced and difclaimed; and upon no ❝ other ground we are bound to them,-the crown not being "an inheritance, that paffeth from father to fon, without the ❝ confent of tenants,3. Of the hope of their returning " from these courfes, whereof there is none; feeing they have" "fo often declared their purposes of perfevering in them. And "fuppofe they should diffemble a repentance-fuppofing alfo "they might be pardoned for that which is done from whofe guiltinfs the land cannot be cleanfed, but by executing God's " righteous judgments upon them yet they cannot now be "believed after they have violated all that human wildoni could "devife to bind them. - "Upon thefe accounts they reject that king, and thofe affo "ciate with him in the government ad declare them hence"forth no lawful rulers, as they have declared them to be no "lawful fubjects-they having destroyed the established religion, overturned the fundamental laws of the kingdom, taken away Chrift's Church-government, and changed the civil unto tyranny, where none are affociate in partaking of "the government, but only thefe who will be found by justice guilty as criminals. And declare they fhall, God giving. them power, fet up government and governors according to the word of God, and the qualifications required, Exoda « xviii. 20. And fhall not commit the government to any fingle perfon or lineal fucceffion, being not tyed as the Jews were to one fingle family, and that kind being liable to moft inconveniences, and apteft to degenerate into tyranny. And moreover, that these men fet over them, fhall be engaged to govern principally by that civil and judicial law, « not that which is any way typical) given by God to his people Ifrael-as the beft, fo far as it goes, being given by God-efpecially in matters of life and death, and other things fo far as they reach, and are confiftent with Chriftian liberty -exempting divorces, and polygamy, etc.-6. Seeing the greatest part of minifters not only were defective in preaching against the rulers for overthrowing religion-but hindred others alfo who were willing, and cenfured fome that ་་ did it and have voted for acceptation of that liberty, founded upon and given by virtue of that blafphemously arrogate and ufurped power and appear'd before their courts to accept of it, and to be enacted and authorized their minifters-whereby they have become ministers of men, and bound to be answerable to them as they will-And have preached for the lawfulness of paying that tribute, declared to be impofed for the bearing down of the true worship of God-And advised poor prifoners to fubfcribe that bondwhich if it were univerfally fubfcribed-they should close that door, which the Lord hath made ufe of in all the churches of Europe, for cafting off the yoke of the whore-and stop all regrets of men, when once brought under tyranny, to recover their liberty again -They declare they neither can, nor will hear them, etc. nor any who encouraged and ftrengthned their hands, and pleaded for them, and trafficked for union with them. 7. That they are for a standing "gofpel ministry. rightly chofen and rightly ordained-and that none fhall take upon them the preaching of the word, &c. funlels called and ordained thereunto, . ་ |