among his own people, and of the glorious successes wherewith God blessed his zealous love and unwearied diligence; but this was not the sole character which he excelled in; for in every other capacity he gave equal proofs of his superior accomplishments.

He was distinguished in the judicatures of the church, from which he never allowed himself to be absent, by a thorough knowledge of our constitution, an heroic courage and firmness whenever the cause of truth and holiness was concerned; and that modest regard for others, and affection to his brethren, which endeared him to them, and qualified him for the business and duties of society.

When that unhappy distinction between the public Resolutioners and the Protestors found place in the church, Mr. Guthrie thought it his duty to be of the last denomination; yet he took care that his angry passions did not embitter his zeal, which he tempered with a constant moderation, and sweetened with an ardent love to peace. He preached with his brethren of different sentiments; and warmly entertained every thing. that had a tendency to union, and could give a prospect of an accommodation. The power of divine grace, and his native genius and temper, with united force engaging him to healing measures, and inspiring him with an abhorrence for such as were factious and divisive; so that, during a season of so great difficulties and hazards, he avoided every extreme, and became a bright example of a zealous moderation, whereby he was of more than ordinary usefulness to the church on all public occasions.

In the year 1645, when a young man, he was appointed by the assembly to attend the army; a happy conjunction of all the endowments which could qualify a person for that station, soon determining the church to make him their choice. Being newly married, he was then in such circumstances, as under the Mosaical economy, would have afforded him a dispensation from that service; and his affectionate wife was not a little frightened at the dangers he might be exposed to; which increased her aversion to such a degree, that her reluctant affection struggled with her duty; but the voice of providence soon gave the last principle the superiority. When he was preparing for his departure, a violent fit of the gravel reduced him to the greatest extremity of pain and danger; his religious spouse understood and improved the divine chastisement; she saw how easily God could put an end to a life she was too apprehensive about; and this wrought her up to a fixed resolution never to oppose her inclinations to his centering upon any employment whereby he might Konour his Master, how formidable soever the hazards were which attended it. While he was with the army he was in a remarkable manner preserved, when in very dangerous circumstances, upon a defeat of a party which he was then with. He ever after retained a grateful sense of the divine goodness; and after his return to the parish, was animated thereby to a more vigorous diligence in the work of the ministry, and propagating the kingdom of the Son of God, both among his own people, and all who were round

i

about him; his public preaching, especially at the administration of the Lord's supper, and his private conversation, conspiring for those noble purposes.

And, indeed, in other respects also, his shining piety, wisdom, and good breeding, made him universally useful in the country where he liv ed. The just value which the nobility and gentry in the neighbourhood had for him, and the interest which this gave him with them, enabled him to improve successfully frequent opportunities he had to do good offices to particular persons, to compose differences and remove feuds, which were ready enough to prevail in the country, and to assist the judicatures of the church, by procuring the consent and support of those concerned in planting vacant congregations with men worthy of the sacred character.

The prevailing of the English sectarians under Oliver Cromwell, and the variety of attempts which they made while in Scotland, upon the constitution and discipline of the church, was one of the difficulties which the ministry had then to struggle with; and it, among others, gave a discovery of the excellent qualities of Mr. Guthrie. His pleasant facetious conversation, and masterly reasoning, procured him an universal respect from the English officers, and made them fond of his company, while at the same time, his courage and constancy, did not fail him in the cause of his great Master, and were often useful to curb the extravagancies of the sectarians, and maintain order and regularity. One instance hereof happened at the sacrament of the

Lord's supper, celebrated at Glasgow, byoure and Andrew Gray. Several of the English officpoor had formed a design to put in execution the dis-orderly principle of a promiscuous admission to the Lord's table, by coming to it themselves, without acquainting the minister, or being in a due manner found worthy of that privilege. Mr. Guthrie, to whose share it fell to dispense the sacrament at that table, spoke to them, when they were leaving their pews in order to make their attempt, with such gravity, resolution and zeal, that they were quite confounded, and sat down again without occasioning any further disturbance.

The Quakers also endeavoured about this time to sow tares in Mr. Guthrie's parish, improving for this end his absence for some weeks, during which he was detained in Angus about his private affairs; but he returned before the poison had sunk deep, recovered some that were in hazard of being tainted by its fatal influences"; and in conference so confounded those heretics, that they despaired of ever attacking with success a flock guarded by so watchful and skilful a shepherd, whereas they had made too many proselytes to their wild allusions in Kilbride, and some other neighbouring parishes.

It may be easily imagined, that the eminent gifts and graces of this excellent person would engage parishes of greater character and importance than Finwick to desire his ministry, and earnestly labour for success in their attempts to obtain it; and indeed his people and himself were frequently_exposed to the trouble of pro

16 about b the

17

Mr.

that the

rtion, and vexed with fears as em, Renfrew, Linlithgow, Sterand Edinburgh, having all of m. But beside the indifferent rtained of the method of supplyby transportations in general, and d diversions of a country life were of use to him in maintaining a healthy constitution; his love to his flock was so warm and constant, that he put an invincible obstinacy against all designs of separating him from them. A relation is indeed founded on the noblest bottom, and sinks deepest into the soul, when it is animated by the principle of the spiritual life; and therefore it must in the highest degree endear a minister to his people, and engage their affection and esteem by the most powerful tie, when his labours have been successful in reclaiming them from sin, their ruin, and persuading them to enter upon a religious life; and so they owe to him, as far as they can do to an instrument in the hand of God, the salvation of their immortal souls, which is the incomparably strongest obligation that one man can have to another, and the most flowing source of gratitude; and on the other hand, a minister can scarce miss to have a peculiar tenderness and warmth of divine affection for those whose father he is after the spirit, and hath been honoured by God in bringing them to the kingdom of his Son, and begetting them through the gospel, whose heavenly birth is now the highest pleasure and brightest triumph of his life, and will be one day his crown of glory and rejoicing. A friendship that had such a