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smote himself with fore fickness, of which he died, and went to his place.

Immediately after he was thus perfecuted, that choice and pious gentleman, the fole heretor of the said parish, who was one among a thousand in fuch an evil time, and afterward fuffered much for non-conformity, gave him a house to dwell in at Duplin, befide himself, was his ordinary hearer, and, while he lived, shewed no small kindness to him, which deferves a thankful rememberance from his relations.

His father never repented his faithfulness in adhering to the covenanted work of reformation, but rejoiced that he had been honoured to fuffer on that account; and when he fell afleep in the Lord, in the year 1682, in the 55 year of his age, he died in the faith of this, that God would deliver this church from the then fore persecution it was under.

His mother was daughter to Mr. Andrew Playfere, the first minister of Aberdalgy parish after the reformation from Popery, to whom her husband fucceeded a little before the restoration of Prelacy. She was allied to fome of the best families in the kingdom, by the mother; of which here I shall forbear a particular account: but, which was their far greater glory, both of them from their youth up, were truly religious. His mother excelled many of her own sex for knowlege of the principles of religion,

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and an uncommon memory of the fcriptures; she would have exactly repeated many of: the choicest chapters of the bible.

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They had a numerous family, no less. than eleven children, and very fickly; all of them died young, except their eldeft: daughter Janet, and this their son Mr. Thomas; but to sweeten these trials, they had peculiar comfort in the death of their chil dren; some, even of the youngest of them, gave fingular evidences of their dying in the Lord, which some yet alive well mind.

When his father died, he was happy to be under the care of fuch a mother: the episcopal persecution for non-conformity daily growing, she, with her fon in-law, and daughter, were forced, for their safety, to withdraw to Holland, took him along with them while he was very young: he quickly learned the Dutch, and went to Erasmus' school to learn the Latin: there they sojourned till August 1687, at which time they returned home, narrowly escaping shipwrack.

At their return, he went to the school, and afterwards to the university, where he made great proficiency beyond many of his équals. When he had finished his course there, he entered chaplain to a noble family, where one that had been his school-fel low, and had drunk in the principles of the Deifts, began to attack him on that fide, which obliged him, in the beginning of his studies,

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studies, to read that controversy carefully; and what progress he made in this, will appear from his book against the Dents. He could not attend lessons of divinity in any of our colleges, while in that family; and tho' he had read divinity only two years, the presbytery of Kirkaldie importuned him to enter on trials, and he was licensed by them to preach, June 22d, 1699.

He was settled minifter in Ceres parish, May ift, 1700.

In 1701, he was married with Janet Watson, a virtuous and pious gentlewoman, daughter to Mr. David Watson, an heretor in the parish of St. Andrews, a zealous good man, and one that fuffered much in the late times for non-conformity. His relict survived him, with fix children, one fon, and five daughters, beside two fons and a daughter that died.

Some few years after his settlement at Ceres, his health broke, and his indifpofition daily increased, so that he was hardly able to go through his ministerial work in that large parish.

In April 1710, having received a patent from her majesty, and an invitation from the presbytery, he was transported by the fynod of Fife, to be professor of divinity in the New College of St. Andrew's.

Being admitted professor, he enjoyed not much found health in the exercise of that office; for in the beginning of April 1711,

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he was suddenly seized with a dangerous fickness and pleurify, which obliged the phyfi. cians, at several times, to take from him about 44 ounces of blood: he recovered and went abroad again, but his wasted body never attained the small strength he had before this sickness: shortly after his arms and legs became a little benummed and insensible, as also swelled, which, at his death, increased greatly.

To his successor in the parish he was tranf ported from, he said, "I have this to say, "as to my congregation, That people were "my choise: with much peace and pleasure "I preached as I could, though not as I "should, the gospel of Jesus Christ; though " in all things I own myself to have finned " exceedingly before the Lord; yet I have peace, that I aimed, with concern, at leading them to the Lord Jesus; and another "foundation can no man lay. I hope you "will build on thar fame foundation: and " as you will in that way fave your own "foul, so it is the way to save them that "hear you. From experience. I can fay, "That the pursuing this fincerely is the

way to salvation. Signify to them, That " if it please the Lord to take me away, I die rejoicing in the faith and profession of "what I oft preached to them under a low "state of body; and without this I could have no relief. I would have my folk

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" understand, That that gospel which I re" commended to them, if it is not received, "it will be a witness against them."

His fuccessor said, "I am perfuaded you " have seals to your ministry in that parish." He answered, "We are like our master, " fet for the fall and rising again of many.Though we can reach no more, if we are "faithful, they shall know that a prophet has " been among them."

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When he was desired to ly quiet, and try if he could get rest, he answered, "No, no : "should I ly here altogether uselefs? should " not I spend the last bit of my strength to "shew forth his glory." He held up his hands and faid, "Lame hands and lame legs, " but see a lame man leaping and rejoicing."

Finding himself very low, he took farewel of his wife and children, saluting them all one by one, and spoke particularly to each of them. Then he faid, "A kind and affectionate wife "you have been to me, the Lord bless you, " and he shall bless you. I am no more thine, "I am the Lord's. I remember on the day I "took you by the hand, I thought on part"ing with you; but, O! I wist not how to " get my heart off you again, but now I "got it done. Will not you give me to the " Lord, my dear?" Then seeing her very sad, he faid, My dear, do not weep; you should rather rejoice: Rejoice with me, and let us exalt his name together. O wait