Page:Testimony to the work of reformation in Britain and Ireland (1).pdf/15

Rh miniter at Stirling, (afterward bihop of Dunkeld) againt private ociety-meetings, (which were then abounding in the land) on which enued much reaoning, the one ide yielding that a paper before drawn up by Mr. Henderon hould be agreed unto, concerning the order to be kept in thee meetings, &c. but Guthrie and his adherents oppoing this, Mr. Rutherfoord, with was never much dipoed to peak in judicatories, threw in this yllogim, What the criptures do warrant, no aembly may dicharge, but private meetings for religious exercies the criptures do warrant, Mal. v. 16. Then they that feared the Lord pake often one to another, &c. James v. 6. Confes your faults one to another, and pray one for another, &c. Thee things could not be done in public meetings, &c.' And altho' the earl of Seaforth there preent, and thoe of Guthrie's faction, upbraided this good man for this, yet it had influence upon the majority of the members, o that all the oppoite party got done, was an act anent the ordering of family-worhip.

He was alo one of the Scots comiioners appointed anno 1643, to the Wetminter aembly, and was very much beloved there for his unparalleled faithfulnes and zeal in going about his Mater's buines. It was during this time, that he publihed Lex Rex, and everal other learned pieces againt the Eratians, Anabaptits, Independents, and other ectaries that began to prevail and increae at that time, and none ever had the courage to take up the gauntlet of defiance thrown down this champion.

When the principal buinefs of this aembly was pretty well ettled, Mr. Rutherfoord, in October 24, 1647, moved that it might be recorded in the cribe's book, that the aembly had enjoyed the aitance of the commiioners of the church of Scotland, all the time they had been debating and