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of it wholly upon himself, and he conducted it so
successfully, that at the age of ten years, Gilbert was
sufficiently acquainted with the Latin tongue, as to
be entered a student in the college of Aberdeen,
where he perfected himself in Greek, went through
the common methods of the Aristotelian logic and
philosophy, and took his degree of M.A. before he
was fourteen. After this, much to the regret of his
father, who had all along intended him for the
church, he commenced the study of the law, both
civil and feudal, in which he made very considerable
progress. In the course of a year, however, he
altered his resolution, and, agreeably to the will
of his father, devoted himself wholly to the study
of divinity, in which, with indefatigable diligence,
studying commonly fourteen hours a day, he made
a rapid progress, having gone through the Old and
New Testaments, with all the commentaries then in
repute, as well as some of the most approved systems
of school divinity, before he was eighteen years of
age; when, having passed the usual routine of pre-
vious exercises, which at that time were nearly the
same in the Presbyterian and Episcopalian churches,
he was licensed as a probationer or preacher of the
gospel. His father was about this time appointed a
lord of session, and his cousin-german, Sir Alexander
Burnet, gave him the presentation to an excellent
benefice, which lay in the very centre of all his re-
lations. He refused to accept of it, however, on
account of his youth, notwithstanding the impor-
tunities of all his friends, his father excepted, who
left him entirely to his own discretion. His father
dying shortly after this, and one of his brothers,
Robert, having become famous at the bar, his mo-
ther's relations eagerly desired him to return to his
former studies, the law, in which they assured him
of the most flattering encouragement; but he was
immovably fixed in his purpose of devoting his life
to the service of the church. In this resolution he
was greatly confirmed by the Rev. Mr. Nairn, who
at that time filled the Abbey church of Edinburgh,
and took a deep interest in him. Mr. Nairn was
reckoned one of the most eloquent of the Scottish
preachers, and afterwards became well known in the
west of Scotland as one of "Archbishop Leighton's
Evangelists." He was remarkable in his discourses
for accuracy of style, strength of reasoning, and lofty
flights of imagination; yet he always preached ex-
tempore, considering the task of writing his dis-
courses as a loss of time. Young Burnet was his
great admirer, and learned from him to preach
extemporaneously, which he did all his life with
great ease, by allotting a part of every day to medi-
tation on all sorts of subjects, speaking all his
thoughts aloud, and studying to render his expres-
sions fluent and correct. To Mr. Nairn, also, he
was indebted for his acquaintance with various cele-
brated works, particularly Dr. More's works, the
writings of Plato, and Hooker's Ecclesiastical Polity,
by the principles of which he professed to be guided
through life. In 1662 he became acquainted with
Bishop Leighton, who, conceiving a great affection
for him, took a particular delight in overlooking his
studies. Through this amiable divine, he became
acquainted with the primitive writers, going through
all the apologies of the fathers of the three first cen-
turies, and Binnius' Collections of Councils, down
to the second council of Nice. He had the good
fortune, about this same time, to contract an in-
timacy with Mr. Laurence Charteris, a man of great
worth and gravity, who was not only a solid divine,
but an eminent master of history, both ancient and
modern, well acquainted with geography, and a
profound mathematician, and who also took a deep
interest in finishing the education of his young friend,
which had been so happily begun, and so success-
fully carried on.
In 1663 Burnet made an excursion into England,
taking Cambridge and Oxford in his way. At the
first of these, he had the pleasure of being introduced
to Drs. Cudworth, Pearson, Burnet (author of the
Theory of the Earth), and More. At the latter place
he met with great attention, particularly from Drs.
Fell and Pocock, on account of his ready knowledge of
the fathers and ancient councils. Here he improved
his mathematics by the instructions of Dr. Wallis,
who gave him a letter of introduction to that great
philosopher and Christian, Mr. Robert Boyle, at
London. In London he was introduced to all the
eminent divines of that period, Tillotson, Stilling-
fleet, Patrick Lloyd, Whitchcot, and Wilkins, all of
whose characters he lived to draw in his history.
Here also he had the advantage of the conversation
of Sir Robert Murray, who introduced him into the
first circles of society, acting at the same time the
part of a faithful monitor, in pointing out to him
those errors and indiscretions into which he was in
danger of falling from his youth and inexperience.
After spending six months in this agreeable man-
ner, he returned to his native country, where he was
again pressed to enter into orders, and to accept of
a charge in the west, which he could not be pre-
vailed on to do. Hearing of his great fame, Sir
Robert Fletcher of Salton, who had been acquainted
with, and had received many obligations from, his
father at Paris, sent for him at this time to his
country-seat, and after hearing him preach, offered
him that parish, the minister having just been
nominated to one of the bishoprics. Burnet would
have excused himself, as he intended travelling to
the Continent, and solicited the place for his friend
Nairn; but Sir Robert would take no denial, being
resolved to keep the place vacant till his return.
In 1664 the subject of this memoir went over to
Holland, and after seeing what was most remarkable
in the Seven Provinces, fixed his residence at Am-
sterdam, where, under the care of a learned rabbi,
he perfected himself in the Hebrew language. He
also became acquainted here with the leading men
of many different sects, among all of whom he de-
clared he found so much real piety and virtue, that
he became fixed in a strong principle of universal
charity, and conceived an invincible abhorrence of
all severities on account of differences in the profes-
sion or forms of religion. From Holland, by the
way of the Netherlands, he passed into France,
where, at Paris, he had the pleasure of conversing
frequently with Daillê and Morus, the two Protestant
ministers of Charenton, the former renowned for his
learning and judgment, the latter for shining abilities
and unrivalled eloquence. His stay in France was
prolonged on account of the kindness with which he
was treated by Lord Hollis, then ambassador at the
French court. Towards the end of the year, how-
ever, he returned to Scotland by the way of London,
where, by the president, Sir Robert Murray, he was
introduced as a member of the Royal Society. On
arriving at Edinburgh, he was waited upon by Sir
Robert Fletcher, who carried him down to Salton,
and presented him to the parish, which he declined
taking absolutely, till he should have the joint request
of all the parishioners. This he very soon obtained
without one single exception, and was ordained a
priest by the Bishop of Edinburgh in the year 1665.
At Salton he remained for five years, a bright
example of what parish ministers ought to be. He
preached twice every Sabbath, and once through the
week. He catechized three times a week, so as to