covenant; who has so deeply corrupted your ways, and seem to reflect on the whole work of reformation from popery these hundred years past, by intimating that the church had need of pardon for the same.

"As for you, gentlemen," added he, directing himself to the soldiers, "I wish the Lord may pardon you for countenancing of this man in this business." One of them scoffingly replied, "I wish we never do a greater fault.' Well said Mr. Guthrie, "a little sin may damn a man's soul."

Mr. Guthrie's civilities to the soldiers.

When this had passed, Mr. Guthrie called for a glass of ale, and craving a blessing himself, drank to the commander of the soldiers: and after they had been civilly entertained by him, they left the house. I have it confidently reported, that Mr. Guthrie, at parting, did signify to the curate, that he apprehended some evident mark of the Lord's displeasure was abiding him for what he was now doing, and seriously warned him to prepare for some stroke coming upon him very soon.

The curate died a little after.

Mr. Guthrie's relations, and a worthy old minister yet alive when I wrote this, who was that day at Finwick with him, from whom I have part of this account, do not mind to have heard any thing of this denunciation; but it might have

been without their hearing, since none of them were present at parting. Whatever be in this, I am well assured the curate never preached more after he left Finwick. He came into Glasgow, and whether he reached Calder, but four miles from it, I know not; but in a few days he died in great torment of an iliac passion, and his wife and children died all in a year, or thereby; and none belonging to him were left so hazardous a thing it is to meddle with Christ's sent serv

ants.

The Kirk declared vacant.

When they left the manse, the curate went into the church of Finwick with the soldiers, his guard, and now his hearers, and preached to them not a quarter of an hour, and intimated from the pulpit the bishop's sentence against Mr. Guthrie. Nobody came to hear him but the party who came with him, and a few children and boys, who created him some disturbance, but were chased off by the soldiers.

Mr. Guthrie continues in the parish till October 1665, when he died in Angus.

Mr. Guthrie continued in the parish, but preached no more in the church, where, as far as I can learn, there was no curate ever settled. Upon the 10th of October, next year, this excellent person died in Angus whither he went to settle some affairs relating to his estate of Pitforthy there. Thus by the malice of the prelates, this bright and eminent light of the West of Scotland was put under a bushel, yea, extinguished.

Mr. William Guthrie dies, October, 10.

By this time many of the old Presbyterian ministers, who had seen the glory of the former temple, were got to their rest. The 10th day of October this year, brought the Rev. Mr. William Guthrie to his Father's house. I shall only add the remark made upon his lamented death, by the worthy minister his contemporary, whom I cited before, when I spoke of him." "This year the Presbyterians in Scotland, lost one of their pillars, Mr. William Guthrie, minister of the gospel, at Finwick, one of the most eloquent, successful, popular preachers that ever was in Scotland. He died a sufferer; for he was deposed by the bishop, but in hopes, that one day the Lord would deliver Scotland from her thraldom." Many others of the old ministers of this church died about this time in peace, being taken away from the evil to come, which was fast. coming on in great measures, and departed under the solid and firm hope of a glorious deliverance coming to this poor church.

RECOMMENDATORY PREFACE,

BY THE

LATE REV. MR. ROBERT TRAIL.

THIS little book, having past so many im. pressions, both in Scotland and England, within the last fifty years, (for it is near that time since it first was printed,) and being commended by the acceptance of the saints, needeth nothing more, especially from so obscure a hand, to recommend it. But having known the author, I would willingly acquaint the world with somewhat of his character, after one hint about his book. It is to this author we owe the first motion of personal covenanting with God. We have hear d more, far more, of making national covenants for reformation, and of church covenants for mutual gospel-fellowship, than we have seen of the keeping of them. But Mr. Guthrie first wrote of personal covenanting, as far as ever I can learn; and that, not till he had consulted many, both ministers and christians. He having opened the door, several have followed, but non passibus æquis; and by the length and artificial method in their schemes of such covenants, have put the practisers thereof in no small danger of running the matter into a dry formality,

the bane of all holy things. But it is plain, that this author designed nothing, in his short form of words, but to close the act of saving faith in Christ in such expressions as suit the experience of every believer.

Mr. William Guthrie was the eldest son of a country gentleman in the shire of Angus, in Scotland, of a good family, and of a competent estate. After he had passed his course of philosophy at the university of St. Andrew's, he went to the new college there, where theology and the Hebrew are taught by several professors. And it was then no rare thing for young gentlemen, that had no design of engaging themselves in any of the three learned professions, of law, physic, or divinity, to spend some time at that college. Then, and there, it pleased the Lord, who had separated him from his mother's womb, to call him by his grace, by the ministry of excellent Mr. Samuel Ruthford, and this young gentleman became one of the first fruits of his ministry at St. Andrew's. His conversion was begun with great terrors of God on his soul, and was completed with that joy and peace in believing that did accompany him through his life. Upon this blessed change wrought in him, he did immediately resolve to obey the call of God, to serve him in the ministry of the gospel, which was given him with the Lord's calling him effectually to grace and glory. And he did for this end so dispose of his outward estate (of which he was born heir,) as not to be entangled with the affairs of this life. After some time spent in