the more they
opposed, the more they grew and increased.

In 1684, his difficulties from enemies, and discouragements from friends
opposite to him, and manifold vexations from all hands, began to
increase more and more; and yet all the while he would not intermit one
day's preaching, but was still incessant and undaunted in his work;
which made the ministers inform against him, as if he had intruded upon
other men's labours; alledging, that when another minister had appointed
to preach in a place, he unexpectedly came and preached in the same
parish, and for that purpose instanced one time near Paisley; whereas he
went upon a call from severals in that bounds, without knowing then
whether there was such a minister in that country. It is confessed, that
he hath sometimes taken the churches to preach in, when either the
weather, instant hazard at the time, or respect to secresy or safety did
exclude from every other place. But, could this be called intrusion, to
creep into the church for one night, when they could not stand, nor
durst they be seen without.

This year, in prosecution of a cruel information, the soldiers became
more vigilant in their indefatigable diligence to seek and hunt after
him; and from whom he had many remarkable deliverances: particularly in
the month of July, as he was going to a meeting, a country man, seeing
him wearied, gave him a horse for some miles to ride on, they were
surprized with lieutenant Dundass and a party of dragoons. The two men
with him were taken and pitifully wounded. He escaped their hands, and
went up Dungavel hill, but was so closely followed (they being so near
that they fired at him all the time), that he was forced to leave the
horse (losing thereby his cloak-bag with many papers) and seeing no
other refuge, he was fain to run, in their sight, towards a heap of
stones, where, for a little moment getting out of their sight, he found
a hollow place into which he crept; and committing himself by earnest
ejaculation to God, in submission to live or die; and believing, that he
should yet be reserved for greater work, that part of scripture often
coming into his mind, Psalm vi. 8. _Depart from me all ye workers of
iniquity_, together with these words, Psalm xci. 11. _For he shall give
his angels charge_, &c. In the mean time, the enemy searched up and down
the hill, yet were restrained from looking into that place where he was.
Many such sore and desperate chaces he and those