454. ANNUAL R E G IS T E R, 1812. 



ruption ; his firmness proof equally 

 against the solicitations of friends, 

 and the threats of enemies. Though 

 his impetuosity and courage led 

 him frequently to expose himself 

 to danger, we never find him 

 neglecting to take prudent precau- 

 tions for his safety. The confi- 

 dence reposed in him by his coun- 

 trymen shews the high opinion 

 which they entertained of his sa- 

 gacity as well as of his honesty. 

 The measures taken for advancing 

 the reformation were either adopt- 

 ed at his suggestidn, or submitted 

 fo his advice; and we must pro- 

 nounce them to have been as wise- 

 1;^ planned, as they were boldly 

 executed. ■ • : > 



The rhost d^Mnti^te'sted of the 

 nobility, who were embarked with 

 him in the same cause, sacrificed 

 on some occasions the public good 

 to their private interests, and dis- 

 appointed the hopes which he had 

 formed of them. The most up- 

 right of his associates in the minis- 

 try relaxed their exertions, or suf- 

 fered themselves at times to be 

 drawn into measures that were un- 

 suitable to their station, and hurt- 

 ful to the reformed religion. Good- 

 inan, after being adopted by the 

 ch<ii-ch of Scotland, and ranked a- 

 mong her reformers, yielded so far 

 to the love of his native country as 

 to desert a people who were warm- 

 ly attached to him, and return to 

 the bosom of a less pure church 

 which received him with coldness 

 and distrust, Willock, after ac- 

 quitting himself honourably from 

 the commencement of the interest- 

 ing conflict, withdrew before the 

 victory was completely secured, 

 and, wearied out with the succes- 

 sive troubles in which his country 

 waS involved, sought a retreat for 



himself in England. Craig, being 

 left without the assistance of his 

 colleague, and placed between two 

 conflicting parties, betrayed his 

 Kars by having recourse to tempo- 

 rizing measures. Douglas, in his 

 old age, became the dupe of per- 

 sons whose rapacity had impove- 

 rished the protestant church. And 

 each of the superintendents was, 

 at one time or another, complained 

 of for neglect or for partiality, in 

 the discharge of his functions. But 

 from the time that the standard of 

 truth was first raised by Knox in 

 his native country, till it dropped 

 from his hands at death, he never 

 shrunk from danger, never con- 

 sulted his own ease or advantagCi 

 never entered into any compromise 

 with the enemj', never was bribed 

 or frightened into cowardly silence; 

 but keeping his eye singly and 

 steadily fixed on the advriiicement 

 of religion and of liberty,— sup- 

 ported throughout the character of 

 the Reformer of Scotland . 



His itiinisterial functions were 

 discharged with the greatest assi- 

 duity, fidelity, and fervor. No 

 avocation or infirmity prevented 

 him from appearing in the pulpit. 

 Preaching was an employment in 

 which he delighted, arid for which 

 he was qualified, by ait extensive 

 acquaintance with the scriptures, 

 and by the happy art of applying 

 them, in the most striking manner, 

 to the existing circumstances of 

 the church and of his hearers. His 

 powers of alarming the conscience, 

 and arousing the passions, have 

 been frequently mentioned ; but 

 he also excelled in unfolding thfe 

 consolations of the gospel, and in 

 calming the breasts of those who 

 were either agitated by a iitise of 

 guilt, or suffering under the ordi- 

 nary 



