s light of the gospel may shine forth in purity, and
with such power and success as in former times, with an enlargement of
the Mediator's kingdom,--_That his large and great dominion may be
extended from the river to the ends of the earth,_ when all these heats,
animosities and breaking divisions, that now prevail and increase among
Christ's professed friends and followers, may be healed; that being
cemented and knitted to one another, they may join heart and hand
together in the matters of the Lord, and the concerns of his glory;
_when Ephraim shall no more envy Judah, and Judah shall no more vex
Ephraim, but both shall fly upon the shoulders of the Philistines_, Isa.
xi. 13.; with a further accomplishment of these with other gracious
promises,--_And thine officers shall be peace, and thine exactors
righteousness_, &c.; _and they shall see eye to eye, when the Lord shall
bring again the captivity of Zion._--And that when we are endeavouring
to perpetuate the memory of these worthies, or commemorate what the Lord
did for and by our forefathers, in the days of old, we may be so
auspicious as to have somewhat to declare of his goodness and wonderful
works done for us in our day and generation also.

And if the following sheets shall in the least through divine grace,
under the management of an over-ruling providence (which claims the care
of directing every mean to its proper end) prove useful to the
reclaiming of neutrals from backsliding courses, to the confirming of
halters, and the encouraging of others to the like fortitude and
vigorous zeal, to contend for our most valuable privileges (whether of a
civil or a religious nature), then I shall think all my pains
recompensed, and the end gained. For that many may be found _standing in
the way, to see and ask for the good old paths, and walk therein,
cleaving to the law and to the testimony,_ would be the joy, and is the
earnest desire of one, impartial reader, who remains thy friend and
well-wisher in the truth,

JOHN HOWIE.
LOCHGOIN,
_July_ 21, 1775.

_N. B._ If any person or persons have or shall object to this or the
former edition, that in transcribing these lives (particularly those who
were formerly in print) I have curtailed them in favours of my own
particular sentiment; I must here let them know, that it is entirely
false; for I never omitted any thing to my knowledge, that I thought
would be for the benefit of the public, where