e he was gladly received by many.

Being come to the town of Air, he began to preach the gospel with great
freedom and faithfulness. But Dunbar, the then arch-bishop of Glasgow,
being informed of the great concourse of people who crouded to his
sermons, at the instigation of cardinal Beaton, went to Air with the
resolution to apprehend him; the bishop first took possession of the
church, to prevent him from preaching in it. The news of this brought
Alexander earl of Glencairn, and some gentlemen of the neighbourhood,
immediately to the town; they offered to put Mr. Wishart in the church,
but he would not consent, saying, "The bishop's sermon would not do much
hurt, and that, if they pleased, he would go to the market-cross:" which
he did, and preached with such success, that several of his hearers,
formerly enemies to the truth, were converted on that occasion. During
the time Mr. Wishart was thus employed, the bishop was haranguing some
of his underlings and parasites in the church; having no sermon to give
them, he promised to be better provided against a future occasion, and
speedily left the town.

Mr. Wishart continued with the gentlemen of Kyle after the arch-bishop's
departure, and being desired to preach next Lord's day at the church of
Mauchlin, he went thither with that design; but the sheriff of Air had,
in the night-time, put a garrison of soldiers in the church to keep him
out. Hugh Campbel of Kinzeancleugh with others of the parish were
exceedingly offended at such impiety, and would have entered the church
by force; but Mr. Wishart would not suffer it, saying, "Brethren, it is
the word of peace which I preach unto you, the blood of no man shall be
shed for it this day; Jesus Christ is as mighty in the fields as in the
church, and he himself, while he lived in the flesh, preached oftener in
the desart, and upon the sea-side, than in the temple of Jerusalem."
Upon this the people were appeased, and went with him to the edge of a
muir on the south-west side of Mauchlin, where having placed himself
upon a ditch-dyke, he preached to a great multitude who resorted to him;
he continued speaking for more than three hours, God working wondrously
by him, insomuch that Laurence Rankin the laird of Sheld, a very profane
person, was converted by his means; the tears ran from his eyes, to the
astonishment of all present, and the whole of his after-life witnessed
that his profession was without hypocrisy. While in this