answered, "we have set up these
men, and they will tread us under their feet." In consequence of this
resolution of bishop Burnet, Mr. Guthrie was, by a commission from him,
suspended; and the bishop dealt with several of his creatures, the
curates, to intimate the sentence against him, and many refused, for
(saith Wodrow), "There was an awe upon their spirits, which feared them
from meddling with this great man." Be as it will, at last he prevailed
with the curate of Calder, and promised him five pounds sterling of
reward. Mr. Guthrie, being warned of this design of the bishop against
him, advised with his friends to make no resistance at his deposition
from the church and manse, since his enemy wanted only this as a handle
to persecute him criminally for his former zeal and faithfulness.

Accordingly, on Wednesday July 20, he, with his congregation, kept the
day with fasting and prayer. He preached to them from Hos. xiii. 9. _O
Israel! thou hast destroyed thyself_, &c. From that scripture, with
great plainness and affection, he laid before them their own sins, and
the sins of the land and age they lived in; and indeed the place was a
_Bochim_----At the close of this day's work, he gave them intimation of
sermon on the next Lord's day, very early; and accordingly his people,
and many others, met him at the church of Fenwick, betwixt four and five
in the morning, when he preached to them from the close of his last
text, _But in me is thine help._----And as he used on ordinary Sabbaths,
he also now had two sermons, and a short interval betwixt them, and
dismissed the people before nine in the morning. Upon this melancholy
occasion he directed them unto the great Fountain of help, when the
gospel and ministers were taken from them; and took his leave of them,
commending them to God, who was able to build them up, and help them in
time of need.

Upon the day appointed, the curate came to Fenwick, with a party of
twelve soldiers, on the sabbath-day; and, by commission from the
arch-bishop, discharged Mr. Guthrie to preach any more in Fenwick,
declared the church vacant and suspended him from the exercise of his
ministry.

The curate left the party without, and came into the manse; and
declared, That the bishop and committee, after much lenity shewed to him
for a long time, were constrained to pass the sentence of suspension
against him, for not keeping of presbyteries and synods with the rest of
his brethren, and his un