Dr Cotton Mather, in his Student and Preacher, when mentioning Scottish writers, reckons Mr Rutherford among the champions for the doctrines of Grace. And an eminent late writer, speaking of Mr Rutherford, refers us to his Lex Rex, and to his posthumous work, entitled, Examen Arminianismi, as containing decisive proof of his erudition. Respecting the latter work, that writer adds: " It is spoken of by Nethenus, Voetius, and Essenus, theological Professors, at Utrecht, in terms of the highest commendation. And, indeed, on looking into it, any competent judge must at once be satisfied that it deserves all the praises which those divines have be stowed upon it. The Reviewers expressed a most favour able opinion of the "Refutation of Calvinism," and of course heaped upon its author all the laudatory epithets which reverence for a bishop could suggest. And yet we will venture to affirm, that, in point of knowledge of the subject discussed, fairness of statement, and conclusive. ness of reasoning, the bishop of Lincoln's Refutation of Calvinism, is inferior by many degrees, to Mr Rutherford's Examen Arminianismi." With Latin, Greek, and Hebrew, he was very familiar. And he employed these languages as means of procuring useful information to himself, and of communicating it to others. And it has been observed, that "even were he to be judged of by his faculty in making Latin verses, the judgment would be favourable; for we might produce verses of his composition, in which we could challenge the Quarterly Reviewers to detect one false quantity or one unclassical word." He seems to have been much above the level of ordinary men. He had a liberal education, and his attainments were proportionate to his advantages. He was eminently distinguished for talent, learning, fervent piety, and indefatigable industry and zeal in his Royal Master's service. Mr Rutherford's writings are numerous.-1. Exercí. tationes Apologeticæ pro Divina Gratia, Contra Jesuitas et Arminianos. Amsterdam, 1636. This is a book of a small size, containing above 400 pages. A vindication of the orthodox doctrine of the divine decrees, of the efficacy of divine grace, and of man's free-will, against the Jesuits and Arminians. It is written in Latin-2. A Peaceable and Temperate Plea for Paul's Presbytery in Scotland, 4to, pp. 326, London, 1642.-3. The True Right of Presbyteries. 4to. pp. 780, or thereabout, London, 1644. 4. Lex Rex. 4to. London, 1644, and again in 1648. pp. 467.-5. A Sermon preached from Dan. vi. 26, to the House of Commons, at their solemn Fast, Jan. 1644. 4to. pp. 64, London, 1644.-6. A Sermon preached from Luke viii. 22-25, to the House of Lords, in the Abbey Church, Westminster, 25th of June, 1645. 4to. London, 1645. These Sermons were also printed seve ral times with his Trial and Triumph of Faith, and be side, reprinted, Edinburgh, 1709.-7. The Trial and Triumph of Faith, London, 1645; both in 4to. and in a small size; and London, 1652; and Edinburgh, 1721; and Glasgow, 1743. I do not recollect to have seen any more editions of this book, though it may perhaps have passed through more.-8. His Divine Right of Church-government and Excommunication. 4to. Lon. don, 1646.-9. Christ Dying, and Drawing Sinners to Himself. 4to. pp. 598, London, 1647: and Edinburgh, 1727: and Glasgow, 1803, in 8vo. pp. 730.-10. A Survey of the Spiritual Antichrist, in two parts. P. I. pp. 354. P. II. pp. 239. 4to. London, 1648.—11. A Free Disputation against Pretended Liberty of Conscience. 4to pp. 410, London, 1649.-12. Disputatio Scholastica De Divina Providentia. 4to. pp. 620. Edinburgh, 1649. This learned and elaborate book respecting Divine Provi dence, against Jesuits, Arminians, and Socinians, is written in Latin; and contains the substance of several Lectures delivered to the Students of Divinity in the University of St. Andrew's.-13. The Covenant of Grace Opened. 4to. pp. 368. Edinburgh, 1655.3 14. A Survey of the Survey of that Sum of Church Discip ine, by Mr Thomas Hooker; 4to. above 500 pages, London, 1658.-15. Influences of the Life of Grace. 4to. pp. 438. London, 1659.-16, His Religious Letters, which breathe a spirit of ardent and elevated piety, have been often printed. The first edition is said to have been printed, in the year 1664; but I have not seen a copy of that, nor of the 2d edit. I have seen a copy of the 3d edit. printed in the year 1675. An advertisement is prefixed to this edition, intimating that the Author had begun a large Commentary on Isaiah, and completed sevecal chapters, when the troubles of the times and his last sickness seized him; but the manuscript could not be found after his death. The 4th edit. of his Letters was printed in 1692; of which I have seen several copies. The 5th edit. Edinburgh, 1724: and Edinburgh, 1738, said to be the 6th edit. of which I have seen 5 copies. These Letters were printed at Glasgow, 1765. This is said to be the 9th edit, and unto it is added, the Author's Testimony to the Covenanted work of Reformation, and some of his Dying words, with a large Preface and Postscript, which had been left out in some former editions. The 10th and 11th editions, Glasgow, 1783, and 1796: and the 12th edit. Aberdeen, 1802, price 5s. where a considerable number of those extraordinary Letters were first conceived and written. Beside the above-mentioned editions, I have seen copies of an edition, said to be the 6th, Edinburgh, printed by E. & J. Robertson, 1761, in 2 vols. Some of the editions which have been noticed are in 8vo. others in a lesser size, and are well known in this country. Some of those very valuable Letters have been printed separately, for the accommodation of poor persons; as that to his Parishioners, and the one to the Professors of Christ and of his Truth, in Ireland: Glasgow, 1771. We are informed, that Mr Ruther ford's Letters were habitually read and greatly valued, by the late Rev. Mr Cecil, an English Episcopal Clergyman, eminently distinguished both for fervent piety and intellectual vigour." And the Rev. Robert Traill, some time minister of the Gospel in London, in a letter to his wife, under his banishment, says-Next unto your Bible, read some good godly books, as worthy Mr Rutherford's Letters, a book which has done much good to some souls, and will do good to more."-17. Examen Arminianismi, formerly mentioned was reviewed and published by Ne thenus, Professor of Divinity at Utrecht in Holland, and was printed there, in the year 1668. Mr Traill, already mentioned, when he retired to his father in Holland, 1667, was employed some time in assisting Nethenus, in the publication of this book of Mr Rutherford's.—18, A Practical Discourse, on Mat. ix. 27-31, respecting the Power and Prevalence of Faith and Prayer; printed in the year 713 Small piece. Several Sermons have been printed separately, under Mr Rutherford's name, beside those formerly mentioned; as the Lamb's Marriage, from Rev. xix. 7, &c. Glasgow, 1775.-Heav. enly Salutations, with pleasant Conferences between Christ and his people, preached from Cant, ii, 14-17, at Anwoth, before the Communion, in 1630. Glasgow, 1778-Glad Tidings to the People of God; or, Com. fort afforded in views of Death, from Rev. xxi. 4-8, preached in Kirkcudbright, at the Communion, May Oth, 1633. Glasgow, 1779.-The Cruel Watchmen. Glasgow, 1784-Christ's Love to his Church, Cant. ii. 8-12. Glasgow, 1798. And a small collection of his Sermons, preached at Sacramental Occasions, was first published at Glasgow, 1802; of which I have dispersed some dozens, in the South of Scotland. I have also seen An Exhortation at a Communion, to a Scots Congregation in London, by Mr Rutherford. Second edition, Glasgow, 1804. Price Two-pence. I have seen all his above-mentioned Writings, in different parts of Scotland, except that on Church Discipline, which I saw in Lon don, with a great part of his other Writings. ADONIRAM BYFIELD, A. M. ONE OF THE SCRIBES TO THE ASSEMBLY OF DIVINES AT WEST MINSTER. ADONIRAM BYFIELD received his education in Emanuel. College, Cambridge. He came to be particularly known, in the year 1642, by being chosen chaplain to Sir Henry Calmly's regiment, in the army of the Parliament, under the Earl of Essex. In the following year, he was appointed Scribe to the Assembly of Divines at Westminster, being according to Wood," a most zeal. ous Covenanter." W Upon the first publication of the Directory, by order of the Parliament, the profits arising from the sale of it were bestowed upon Messrs Byfield and Roborough, who sold the copy, it is said, for several hundred pounds. In the year 1646, when the "Confession of Faith" was drawn up by the Assembly of Divines at Westminster, Messrs Byfield, Thomas Wilson, and Stanley Gower, were appointed as a Committee to collect proofs of the various articles from the Holy Scriptures; all of which, upon the examination of the Assembly, were inserted in the margin. And the year following, when the Confession of Faith was printed,, Mr Byfield, by appointment of the House of Commons, delivered a copy to each member of the House with Scripture proofs, signed, Mr Byfield was some Charles Herle, Prolocutor, Herbert Palmer, Henry Roborough, Assessors, Scribes. Adoniram Byfield, S time Rector of Fulham in the county of Middlesex; and after the wars, he became minister of Collingborn-Ducis, in Wiltshire. Upon his a Neal's Puritans, vol. iii. chap. viii. * |