estates, where
indeed his greatest strength lay. In the meanwhile several who had been
in the plot fearing punishment, got together under Middleton's command.
General Leslie marched towards them, and the king wrote to them to lay
down their arms. The committee sent an indemnity to such as should
submit, and while the dates were thus dealing with them, the commission
of the assembly were not wanting to shew their zeal against such as
ventured to disturb the public peace, and it is said that Mr. Guthrie
here proposed summary excommunication, as a censure Middleton deserved,
and as what he thought to be a suitable testimony from the church at
this juncture. This highest sentence was carried in the commission by a
plurality of votes, and Mr. Guthrie was appointed the next sabbath to
pronounce the sentence. In the mean time the committee of estates (not
without some debates) had agreed upon an indemnity to Middleton.--There
was an express sent to Stirling with an account how things stood, and a
letter desiring Mr. Guthrie to forbear the intimation of the
commission's sentence. But this letter coming to him just as he was
going to the pulpit, he did not open it till the work was over, and
though he had, it is a question if he would have delayed the
commission's sentence upon a private missive to himself. However the
sentence was inflicted, and although the commission of the church Jan.
3, 1651. (being their next meeting) did relax Middleton from that
censure, (and laid it on a better man, col. Strachan[106]) yet it is
believed Middleton never forgave or forgot what Mr. Guthrie did upon
that day, as will afterward be made more fully to appear.

Mr. Guthrie about this time wrote several of the papers upon the
protestors side, for which, and his faithfulness, he was one of those
three who were deposed by the pretended assembly at St. Andrews 1657.
Yea, such was the malice of these woeful resolutioners, that upon his
refusal of one of that party, and accession to the call of Mr. Rule, to
be his colleague at Stirling (upon the death of Mr. Bennet _anno_ 1656)
they proceeded to stone this seer in Israel with stones, his testimony
while alive so tormented the men who dwell upon the earth.

And as Mr. Guthrie did faithfully testify against the resolutioners and
the malignant party, so he did equally oppose himself to the sectaries
and to Cromwell's usurpation; and although he went up to London _anno_
1657, when the marquis of Argyle