was their heart engaged in the attendance they gave to these sacred administrations. A remark able blessing accompanied ordinances that were dispensed to people who came with such a dis position of soul; great numbers were converted unto the truth, and many were built up in their most holy faith. A divine power animated the gospel that was preached, and exerted itself in a holy warmth of sanctified affections, a ravishing pleasure in divine fellowship, and a noble joy and triumph in their king and Saviour, which were to be visibly discerned in the hearers; ma ny were confirmed in the good ways of the Lord, strengthened and comforted against temporal fears and discouragements; and the fruits of right eousness, discovering their beauty and excellen cy in a holy conversation, were a glorious proof of the sincerity of their profession, and the won. derful success of Mr. Guthrie's ministry; some of whom did attest afterwards much more than hath been just now said, and never could think, without an exultation of soul, and emotion of revived affections, upon the memory of their spir itual father, and the power of that victorious grace which, in those days, triumphed so gloriously.

During these few years, while Mr. Guthrie was connived at, the dangers of the time never frightened him from his duty; but, with a becoming boldness, fortified his people in a zealous adherence to the purity of our reformation, warned them of the defection that was then made by the introduction of prelacy, and instructed them in the duties of so difficult a season; while he recommended by his own steadiness what he

taught in the pulpit, he constantly maintained fellowship with his ejected brethren, and never making the least compliance with the prelatical schemes. And yet in his sermons he governed his courage and faithfulness by christian prudence; and with reference to civil affairs, confined himself so much to the language of the sacred oracles, and expressed himself with such a just regard to lawful authority, that his enemies could find no occasion against him.

The extraordinary reputation and usefulness of Mr. Guthrie, who was admired and followed by all the country, provoked the jealous and angry passions of the prelates; and his excellent merit became one of the causes of his being attacked. Intercessions were indeed made in his behalf, but without success, particularly by the earl of Glencairn, then chancellor, who made a visit to the archbishop of Glasgow, at his house there, and, at parting, asked it as a particular favour from him that Mr. Guthrie might be overlooked, he knowing him to be an excellent man, and well affected to the civil government: but the bishop not only refused him, but did it with a haughty and disdainful air, telling him, "that cannot be done, it shall not; he is a ringleader and keeper up of schism in my diocese:" and then pretty abruptly left the chancellor. Rowallan, Cunninghamhead, and some other Presbyterian gentlemen who were waiting on him, ob. serving the chancellor discomposed when he left the archbishop, presumed to ask what the matter might be? To which the earl answered, LC we have set up these men, and they will tread

us under their feet." In consequence of this resolution of the inexorable archbishop Burnet, upon the 24th of July, 1664, Mr. Guthrie was, by a commission from him, suspended, discharged the exercise of his ministry, and his church declared vacant, and he himself by an armed force, obliged to remove from it: a large account of which will be given by the Rev. Mr. Wodrow, in that useful and much desired work, the History of the Sufferings of the Church of Scotland, which will be shortly published.* He was, notwithstanding allowed to live in his manse at Finwick, where he continued some more than a year; during which he was exceeding useful to his people in a private character.

His brother, to whom he had made over his paternal estate of Pitforthy, dying in the summer, 1665, Mr. Guthrie's presence there was necessary for ordering private affairs, which made him and his wife take a journey for Angus about that time. He had not been long in that country till he was seized by a complication of distempers; the gravel, with which he had been frequently tortured, the gout, and a violent heartburning, at once attacking him with great fury; the agonies which those three terrible engines of pain occasioned, were almost insupportable; and were therefore a scene prepared for a brighter appearance of the constancy, patience and resignation of this worthy minister. In the midst of his heavy afflictions he still adored the meas

*These memoirs of the life of Mr. William Guthrie, were wrote in the year 1720, before Mr. Wodrow's history was published.

ures of divine providence, though at the same time he longed for his dissolution, and expressed the satisfaction and joy with which he would make the grave his dwelling place, when God should think fit to give him rest there. His compassionate Master at last indulged the pious breathings of his soul: after eight or ten days illness he was gathered to his fathers, and died in the house of his brother in law, Mr. Lewis Skinner, minister at Brechin, upon Wednesday the 10th of October, 1665, afternoon, in the forty-fifth year of his age, and was buried in the church of Brechin, under Pitforthy's desk. And as he himself died in the full assurance of faith, as to his own interest in the covenant of God, and un ́der the pleasing hopes that God would return in glory to the church of Scotland; so we have no doubt that his better part, his soul, was carried by angels to those peaceful regions, none of the inhabitants whereof ever say they are sick; and is now shining amidst the dazzling glories of those superior orbs, which are destined for the heroes of christianity, who have turned many unto righteousness, and have borne a distinguished part in the battles and triumphs of the king of saints.

During his sickness he was visited by the bishop of Brechin, and several Episcopal ministers, his relations and acquaintances; who all had an high value for him, notwithstanding he, with an ingenuous freedom, expressed to them his sorrow for their compliance with the corrupt establishment in ecclesiastical affairs, which was then made.

C

This short and imperfect account of his life may, in some measure, let the reader into the character of this excellent person: but we hope it will not be unacceptable, if without repeating what hath been already represented, we in a very plain and simple manner, give some farther account of his character, as we have it from persons of undoubted reputation, who were themselves well acquainted with him.

His person was stately and well shaped, and his features comely and handsome. And while he was raised above an effeminate delicacy, which was unworthy the dignity of the ministerial character, he abhorred a slovenly meanness, as very far below it, and was therefore neat and cleanly in his apparel: and in his whole behaviour, as well as in his dress, there was nothing that could give the least disgust to gentlemen of the politest education and nicest taste. An awful gravity dwelt upon his countenance, and never gave way to levity in conversation, or those freedoms which were unbecoming his sacred office, however allowable they might be to persons of a different order: but he knew how to sweeten and manage his temper so as never to degenerate into an affected solemnity, or inconversable austerity, but was usually extremely cheerful and facetious in his conversation, which made it universally agreeable, and added to the esteem of a minister the endearments of a friend and comrade; though indeed, which is generally the case of great spirits, there was in his temper an intermixture of thoughtfulness and melancholy, which sometimes gained the superiority,