MADAM, -- I would have written to your Ladyship ere now, but people's
believing there is in me that which I know there is not, has put me out
of love with writing to any.
My Lord seeth me a tired man, far behind. I have gotten much love
from Christ, but I give Him little or none again. My white side cometh
out on paper to men; but at home and within I find much black work, and
great cause of a low sail, and of little boasting.
I wish all professors to fall in love with grace. All our songs
should be of His free grace. We are but too lazy and careless in
seeking of it; it is all our riches we have here, and glory in the bud.
I wish that I could set out free grace. I was the law's man, and under
the law, and under a curse; but grace brought me from under that hard
lord, and I rejoice that I am grace's freeholder. I pay tribute to none
for heaven, seeing my land and heritage holdeth of Christ, my new King.
Infinite wisdom has devised this excellent way of free-holding for
sinners. It is a better way to heaven than the old way that was in
Adam's days. It has this fair advantage, that no man's emptiness and
want layeth an inhibition upon Christ, or hindereth His salvation; and
that is far best for me. But our new Landlord putteth the names of
devours, and Adam's forlorn heirs, and beggars, and the crooked and
blind, in the free charters. Heaven and angels may wonder that we have
got such a gate of sin and hell. Such a back-entry out of hell as
Christ made, and brought out the captives by, is more than my poor
shallow thoughts can comprehend.
I hear that the prelates are intending banishment for me; but, for
more grace, and no other hire, I would make it welcome. The bits of
this clay house, the earth, and the other side of the sea, are my
Father's. If my sweet Lord Jesus would bud my sufferings with a new
measure of grace, I were a rich man. But I have not now, of a long
time, found such high spring-tides as formerly. The sea is out, the
wind of His Spirit calm; and I cannot buy a wind, or, by requesting the
sea, cause it to flow again; only I wait on upon the banks and
shore-side, till the Lord send a full sea, that with upsails I may lift
up Christ. Yet sorrow for His absence is sweet; and sighs, with 'Saw ye
Him whom my soul loveth?' have their own delights. Oh that I may gather
hunger against His long-looked-for return! Well were my soul, if Christ
were the element (mine own element), and that I loved and breathed in
Him, and if I could not live without Him.
Remember my service to my lord your son, who was kind to me in my
bonds, and was not ashamed to own me. I would be glad that Christ got
the morning service of his life, now in his young years. It would suit
him well to give Christ his young and green love. Christ's stamp and
seal would go far down in a young soul, if he would receive the thrust
of Christ's stamp. I would desire him to make search for Christ; for
nobles are now but dry friends to Christ.
The grace of God our Father, and the goodwill of Him who dwelt in the
Bush, be with your Ladyship.
ABERDEEN, 1637
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Rutherford was also known for his spiritual and devotional works, such as Christ Dying and drawing Sinners to Himself and his Letters. Concerning his Letters, Charles Spurgeon wrote: "When we are dead and gone let the world know that Spurgeon held Rutherford's Letters to be the nearest thing to inspiration which can be found in all the writings of mere men". Published versions of the Letters contain 365 letters and fit well with reading one per day.
Rutherford was a strong supporter of the divine right of Presbytery, the principle that the Bible calls for Presbyterian church government. Among his polemical works are Due Right of Presbyteries (1644), Lex, Rex (1644), and Free Disputation against Pretended Liberty of Conscience.
Samuel Rutherford was a Scottish Presbyterian theologian and author. He was one of the Scottish Commissioners to the Westminster Assembly.
Born in the village of Nisbet, Roxburghshire, Rutherford was educated at Edinburgh University, where he became in 1623 Regent of Humanity (Professor of Latin). In 1627 he was settled as minister of Anwoth in Galloway, from where he was banished to Aberdeen for nonconformity. His patron in Galloway was John Gordon, 1st Viscount of Kenmure. On the re-establishment of Presbytery in 1638 he was made Professor of Divinity at St. Andrews, and in 1651 Rector of St. Mary's College there. At the Restoration he was deprived of all his offices.
Rutherford's political book Lex, Rex (meaning "the law [and] the king" or "the law [is] king") presented a theory of limited government and constitutionalism. It was an explicit refutation of the doctrine of "Rex Lex" or "the king is the law." Rutherford was also known for his spiritual and devotional works, such as Christ Dying and drawing Sinners to Himself and his Letters.