A

RECOMMENDATORY PREFACE,

BY THE

LATE REV. MR. ROBERT TRAIL.

THIS little book, having past so many impressions, 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, peedeth 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 heard 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

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study, he was called to preach, and quickly af ter was settled in a congregation in the West of Scotland, and did shine in that place, till a few months before his death, that he was driven away by the persecution in 1665. In this place he laboured with great diligence, and with no less success, as himself owned to the Lord's praise, when he said that there was hardly any under his charge but were brought to make a fair profession of godliness, and had the worship of God in their families: and it was well known that many of them were sincere, and not a few of them eminent christians. The love he had to his people made him stifly refuse all calls and invitations to Glasgow, or Edinburgh, or Stirling, where his own cousin, grave Mr. James Guthrie, was minister (afterwards Christ's faithful martyr, whom I saw die in and for the Lord, at Edinburgh, June 1st, 1661,) and pleaded much in a general assembly, that he might have his ministry in that city which was malignant and profane at that time; but all to no purpose. In this place, though an obscure one, but by his ministry, he spent all his few days. I have heard several judicious ministers and christians observe this of him, that whereas many worthy ministers have out-lived their zeal, the vigour of their gifts, and their acceptance with the godly, this blessed man rather increased in all these to the last.

His stature was tall and slender, his aspect grave. His natural temper was cheerful, witty, and facetious, yet tempered with gravity becoming a minister of Christ. I have seen somewhat

of this rare mixture in him myself, and have heard from many who had a great intimacy with him, that they have admired this in him, that immediately after his recreations, and singular salFies of wit and innocent mirth, when called to pray, he would speak to God with that holy awe, and faith, and love, and life, as if he had come down from the mount.

His gifts were great, strong natural parts, a clear head, and a sound heart. His voice was of the best sort; loud, and yet managed with charming cadencies and elevations. His oratory singular, and by it he was master of the passions of his hearers. His action in preaching was more than ordinary; yet was it all decent and taking in him. I have oft thought him in this the likest to the famous Mr. John Rogers, of Dedham, in Essex, by the character I had of him by many; and especially from his kinsman, Mr. William Jenkyn, who died Christ's prisoner, in Newgate, 1684.

In preaching, praying, dealing with distressed consciences, and in pleading for the cause of God in the assemblies of ministers, he was eminent, and generally so esteemed in his day, which I do well remember.

I have heard many passages of God's presence with him, and of his blessing of his labours, which I forbear to mention; both because it is unfit to give a long preface to a short book, and because I am not without hope that some will think it fit to make this great man better known.

The main humbling thing that attended him (next to the apostasy in the land, and cruel per

secution of the church of Christ in it,) was a crazy body, afflicted much with the stone, and at last with an ulcer in his kidneys, which brought him to his grave, in 1665, when he had lived little above forty-two years.

This, was the man that the rulers in Scotland could not then bear: but though the love and esteem that most of the neighbouring nobility and gentry bare to him did prevail, for a year or two, to preserve him in his place, after many of his brethren were cast out; yet at length a party of the king's guards was sent to turn him out, and to put a stranger in his place. Unto which violence he gave way; and went on a visit to his friends, where he was quickly seized with a fit of his distemper, and died, in 1665, in Angus. I have oft seen him, conversed with him, and have heard him preach; and if my youth then did make me an unfit judge of his real great worth, yet his name was so famous, his ministry so followed, especially in his last two or three years, by many ejected ministers, and so many desolate congregations (and both were multiplied in fatal 1662,) that I do but declare what was then the common sense of thousands in Scotland, that Mr. Guthrie was every way an eminent gospel minister. I had also a special advantage for knowing the spirit of this great man. My own honoured father and he, kept, for many years, a constant weekly correspondence by letters; many of which from Mr. Guthrie to my father I did peruse, and several of them I have still by me, writ by his own hand.

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