MY VERY DEAR BROTHER, -- I would have looked for larger and more
particular letters from you, for my comfort in this; for your words
before have strengthened me. I pray you to mend this; and be thankful
and painful, while ye have a piece or corner of the Lord's vineyard to
dress. Oh, would to God that I could have leave to follow you, to break
the clods! But I wish I could command my soul to be silent, and to wait
upon the Lord. I am sure that while Christ lives, I am well enough
friend-stead. I hope that He will extend His kindness and power for me;
but God be thanked it is not worse with me than a cross for Christ and
His truth. I know that He might have pitched upon many more choice and
worthy witnesses, if He had pleased; but I seek no more (be what timber
I will, suppose I were made of a piece of hell) than that my Lord, in
His infinite art, hew glory to His name, and enlargement to Christ's
kingdom, out of me. Oh that I could attain to this, to desire that my
part of Christ might be laid in pledge for the heightening of Christ's
throne in Britain! Let my Lord redeem the pledge, or, if He please, let
it sink and drown unredeemed. But what can I add to Him? Or what way
can a smothered and borne-down prisoner set out Christ in open market,
as a lovely and desirable Lord to many souls? I know that He seeth to
His own glory better than my ebb thoughts can dream of; and that the
wheels and paces of this poor distempered kirk are in His hands; and
that things shall roll as Christ will have them: -- only, Lord, tryst
the matter so, as Christ may be made a householder and lord again in
Scotland, and wet faces for His departure may be dried at His sweet and
much-desired welcome-home!
I desire you to contribute your help to see if I cannot be restored
to my wasted and lost flock.
Grace be (as it is) your portion.
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.