At their Return, he went to the School, and afterwards to the Univerfity, where he made great Profici ency beyond many of his Equals. When he had finished his Course there, he entred Chaplain to a noble Family, where one that had been his School-fellow, and had runk in the Principles of the Deifts, began to attack him on that Side, which obliged him in the Beginning of his Studies to read that Controverfie carefully; and what Progrefs he made in this, will appear from his Book against the Deifts. He could not attend Leffons of Divinity in any of our Colleges, while in that Funily; and tho' he had read Divinity only two Years, the Presbytery of Kirkaldie importun'd him to enter on Trials, and he was licensed by them to preach, June 22, 1699.

He was fettled Minifter in Ceres Parish, May 1, 1700. In 1791, he was married with fanet Watfon a virtuous and pious Gentlewoman, Daughter to Mr. David Watfon 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 furvives with fix Children, ་ one Son, and five Daughters, befide two Sons and a Daughter that died.

Some few Years after his Settlement at Ceres, his Health broke, and his Indifpofition daily increafed, fo that he was hardly able to go through his minifterial Work in that large Parish.

In April 1710, having received a Patent from Her Majefty, and an Invitation from the Presbytery, he was tranfported by the Synod of Fife, to be Profeffor of Divinity in the new College of St. Andrews.

In September 23, at 7 in the Morning 1712, he flept in JESUS, and him will the LORD bring with

him.

He was of low Stature, his Body but thin and small, his Hair black, but his Complexion pretty clear and p fair.

In April 1711, a dangerous Sickness seized on him, which obliged the Phyficians, at feveral Times, to take from him about 44 Ounces of Blood: He recovered and went abroad again, but his wafted Body never attained the fmall Strength he had before this Sickness; fhortly A 2 after

after his Arms and Legs became a little benumm'd and infenfible, as alfo fwelled, which at his Death increased greatly.

But O! How noble a Spirit, how great a Soul dwelt in this weak and frail Body!

He was naturally of a very pleasant and defirable Temper. He had an equal and cheerful Spirit, which he retained under furprizing Viciffitudes. This Evenness of Temper appeared much in his frequent and dangerous Sickness. He had a calm, peaceable, healing Difpofifition, and yet bold as a Lion in his Mafter's Caufe. He had a peculiar Talent for compofing Differences: How afflicting the Profpect of Divifions was to him, the following Sheets will teftifie: And had fome others been bleffed with more of this Spirit, his and our Fears had been utterly disappointed.

He was Mafter of a confiderable Stock of Prudence, he ftudied walk in Wisdom toward them that are without, and them that are within, and to become all Things to all Mer.

He was dextrous in obferving Tempers, and in addreffing and managing Perfons. How wifely he carried in Church Judicatories, whereof he was a Member, others can witness.

He abhorred that unedifying Converse,that is spent in frequent and unfeasonable Jefting and Drollery, fo common with many; tho' he was abundantly facetious in Company, when and where he faw it expedient, and this Way fometimes he has dropt what tended to edifie. Thole who converfed moft with him, will own, They feldom enjoyed his Company without fome Profit by it. He oft was uneafie after much Converse with others, if he was not edified himself, or thought he did not edifie others; How circumfpect and tender was the Strain of his Walk in this! He oft regreted the Difficulty there was to retain Integrity in the moft Part of Company in this degenerate Age; he reckoned fuch Company a great Hardship, and loth would he be to have let any Thing offenfive in Converse go without a Check.

The following Memoirs will witness his walking with GOD in his Family and Clofer: But fome Things here I cannot pass; It was his ordinary, except he had

been

been neceffarily hindred, to come from his Clofet to Family-worship, especially if the LORD had given him Inlargement of Heart,and if his Spirit was in a due Frame; he would then have been very uneafie, if any Interruption fell in berwixt Closet and Family-Duties. He allo commonly expounded the Word of GOD, at leaft once a Day in his Family. The Night before Family-fafts, which he kept, or National-fafts, he always directed his Servants how to manage that Work, and on the Faft-days themselves difcourfed them about their Souls Condition and Concerns.

He was an affectionate and dutiful Husband, a conscientious and kind Parent, a faithful and eafie Mafter.

Such as knew him, will own, he had a clear Head, a very ready and rare Invention, and an uncommon Memory; he read little after his Health broke, and oft owned his greateft Improvement was more by Think=ing than Reading.

He had a very ready Way of expreffing his Thoughts; he was far from a vain, airy Affectation of Language in preaching,(a prevailing Evil in this Time) he had ftudied an even, neat and fcriptural Stile, and this became Natural, tho fome thought in the End, his deep Thinking made it a little more abftrufe than formerly, to a popular Auditory.

He had choice Pulpit Gifts, he was an accurate and - pathetick Preacher, a great Textuary, clofs in handling any Truth he difcourfed, and in the Application, he was home, warm and fearching; and in this he fhewed himself usually a skilful Cafuift. He oft complained, That fome worthy Men were too general and bare in the Application of their Doctrines.

He ordinarly wrote his Sermons very exactly, when

Health and Bufinefs would allow; He used to when

A

lazie Minifter in his younger Years, would make a poor old Man. It were to be wifhed, That this Example were more followed than it is. He oft adventured to preach under great Indifpofition, when he was not able to write fo much as the Heads of his Sermon, yea, even at Sacraments, and he has been fingularly affifted, to the Conviction of all that heard him. In his laft two Years he wrote little, his Health then was fo low,

His Experience of the Power of Godliness, with his other Gifts mentioned, made him very fkilful to deal with wounded Spirits, according to the Variety of their Cafes; and this Converse he owned was extremely useful to himself. Few Minifters have taken a more cautious and confirming Way of dealing with People, than he did before he admitted them to the Sacrament; and while in Health, he was diligent in the other Parts of his minifterial Work.

He was no lefs fingularly fitted for the Schools; he spoke elegant Latine promptly, tho' he had been long in the Difufe of it, and was scarce at any Pains to recover it, which was much admired: He was very expert in the Greek, but his Sickness broke his Defign to accomplish himself in the reft of the oriental Languages.

In Controverfies, especially thofe of the Time, he excelled many. It was ftrange to fee how quickly he would have taken up the State of a Controverfie, the Strength of an Adversary, feen through their deceitful Sophiftry and Pretences, and how clofs and nervous his reasoning was ufually.

Now on the whole, what a Lofs, especially in this Juncture, may we justly reckon the Death of this great little Man to the poor wreftling Church of Scotland, to the Place he lived in, and to his Family? Alas! what fhall we fay? What great Thoughts of Heart may it caufe, when fuch a green Olive-tree, fair, and of goodly Fruit is cut down, when fuch bright Stars fet, yea, even. Conftellations of them in our Day? May we not juftly fear, when fuch Wreftlers with GOD are taken off, as he on his Death-bed comments on fuch damping Providences, That the Confumption decreed fhall overflow in Righteoufnefs? Ifai. 10. 22.

Me

MEMOIRS

OF THE

LIFE

OF

Mr: THOMAS HALYBURTON

WRITTEN

By himself fome Tears before his Death. INTRODUCTION.

T

HE common Occurrences of the Life of one in all Refpects fo inconfiderable, are not Worth recording; and if recorded, could be of little Ufe eitner to my felf, or others. Wherefore it is none of my Defign to wafte Time or Paper with thefe. But if I can recount the LORD's gracious Conduct toward me, the State of Matters before and under the LORD's special Dealings with me, in a Way of Conviction, Illumi nation, Converfion, Confolation and Edification; and compact them fo, as to difcover, not only the Parts of this Work, the feveral Advances it made, the Oppofition made to it, its Victory over the Oppofition of my

own