Traill, Robert

Traill, Robert an eminent divine of the Church of Scotland, was born at Ely, May, 1642. He was educated at the University of Edinburgh, and pursued the study of divinity with great ardor for several years. In 1666 he was obliged to secrete himself, because some copies of An Apologetic Relation, etc., were found in his mother's house; and the following year, being suspected of opposing the king, he was obliged to join his father in Holland. In 1670 he went to England, and was ordained by Presbyterian divines in London. In 1677 Mr. Traill was imprisoned for preaching privately, but was released in October of the same year. He then located at Cranbrook, in Kent, but for many years afterwards was pastor of a Scotch congregation in London. He was warmly attached' to the Calvinistic doctrines, and took a zealous concern in the doctrinal controversies. He died in May, 1716. He published a number of theological treatises and discourses, which for many years were printed separately, but collectively after his death (Edinb. 1745, 4 vols. 12mo; 1754, 2 vols. 12mo; Glasgow, 1776-3 vols. 8vo; best ed. 1806, 4 vols. 8vo). See Chalmers, Biog. Dict. s.v.; Allibone, Dict. of Brit. and Amer. Authors, s.v.