"Mr.
William Guthrie, minister at Fenwick, was a man of a most ready wit,
fruitful invention, and apposite comparisons, qualified both to awaken
and pacify conscience, straight and zealous for the cause of Christ,
and a great light in the west of Scotland."--And elsewhere says, "Mr.
Guthrie, in his doctrine, was as full and free as any man in Scotland
had ever been; which, together with the excellency of his preaching
gift, did so recommend him to the affection of his people, that they
turned the corn-field of his glebe into a little town, every one
building a house for his family on it that they might live under the
drop of his ministry."

Mr. Crawford, in a MSS. never published, says, "Mr. Guthrie was a
burning and a shining light, kept in after many others, by the favour of
the old earl of Eglinton, the chancellor's father-in-law.--He converted
and confirmed many thousands of souls, and was esteemed the greatest
preacher in Scotland."

And indeed, he was accounted as singular a person for confirming those
that were under soul-exercise, as almost any in his age, or any age we
have heard of.----Many have made reflections on him, because he left off
his ministry, on account of the bishop's suspension; his reasons may be
taken from what hath been already related. It is true indeed, the
authority of the Stuarts was too much the idol of jealousy to many of
our worthy Scots reformers; for we may well think (as a late author
says, tho' no great enemy unto these civil powers) that it was a wonder
the nation did not rise up as one man, to cut off those who had razed
the whole of the presbyterian constitution; but the Lord, for holy and
wise ends, saw meet to do otherwise, and cut off those in power by
another arm, after they had all been brought to the furnace together;
altho' they might well have all the while seen as Mr. Guthrie has
observed, "That the civil power laid the foundation for the other."

So far as can be learned, Mr. Guthrie never preached in Fenwick again,
after the intimation of the bishop's sentence to him; and it is well
known, that he, with many of his people in Fenwick, upon a time, went to
Stuarton, to hear a young presbyterian minister preach, and when coming
home, they said to him, that they were not pleased with that man's
preaching (he being of a slow delivery);--he said, They were all
mistaken in the man, he had a great sermon; and, if they pleased, at a
convenient place, he should let them hear a