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Samuel Rutherford

Samuel Rutherford

Samuel Rutherford was a Scottish Presbyterian theologian and author. He was one of the Scottish Commissioners to the Westminster Assembly.

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.

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Samuel Rutherford

LXIV. To MR DAVID DICKSON, on the death of his son

REVEREND AND DEAR BROTHER, -- Ye look like the house whereof ye are a branch: the cross is a part of the life rent that lieth to all the sons of the house. I desire to suffer with you, if I could take a lift of your house-trial off you; but ye have preached it ere I knew anything of God. Your Lord m... Read More
Samuel Rutherford

XIII. To LADY KENMURE

MY VERY HONORABLE AND DEAR LADY, -- Grace, mercy, and peace be to you. I cannot forget your Ladyship, and that sweet child. I desire to hear what the Lord is doing to you and him. To write to me were charity. I cannot but write to my friends, that Christ has trysted me in Aberdeen; and my adversarie... Read More
Samuel Rutherford

XX. To lady KENMURE

MADAM, -- Upon the offered opportunity of this worthy bearer, I could not omit to answer the heads of your letter. Firstly, I think not much to set down on paper some good things agent Christ, and to feed my soul with raw wishes to be one with Christ; for a wish is but broken and half love. But veri... Read More
Samuel Rutherford

A Brief Life and Times of Samuel Rutherford

Before and During his Exile Rutherford was born about the year 1600 near Nisbet, Scotland. Little is known of his early life. In 1627 he earned a M.A. from Edinburgh College, where he was appointed Professor of Humanity. He became pastor of the church in Anwoth in 1627. Anwoth was a rural parish, an... Read More
Samuel Rutherford

A Letter of Comfort

Letter 37 to Lady Kenmure (on the death of her husband), My Very Noble And Worthy Lady, I often call to mind the comforts that I, a poor friendless stranger, received from your ladyship here in a strange part of the country,** when my Lord took from me the delight of mine eyes (Ezek. 24:16).** Altho... Read More
Samuel Rutherford

Be Thankful for the Grace Within You

Thank God for any good thing that thou hast, and that thou art kept in a good estate. They never kent [knew] Christ's help well who put man in such a tutor's hand as free-will, to be kept by it; who say that Christ has conquershed [acquired] salvation to all, and when He has conquershed [acquired] i... Read More
Samuel Rutherford

Believers Safe though Tried

Madam,— Grace, mercy, and peace be to your Ladyship— God be thanked you are yet in possession of Christ, and that sweet child. I pray God that the first may be a sure heritage, and the second a loan for your comfort, while you do good to His poor, afflicted, withered Mount Zion. And who knows but ou... Read More
Samuel Rutherford

Christ to be Kept at Every Sacrifice

Mistress,— Grace, mercy, and peace be unto you. You are not a little obliged to His rich grace, who has separated you for Himself**, and for the promised inheritance with the saints in light **, from this condemned and guilty world. Hold fast to Christ, contend for Him; it is a lawful plea to go to ... Read More
Samuel Rutherford

Christ Wholly to be Loved

Danger of Formality—Christ Wholly to be Loved—Other Objects of Love Mistress,— Grace, mercy, and peace he to you.—I have meant to write to you for a long time, but I have been hindered. I heartily desire that you would think about your country**, and consider to what quarter your soul sets its face;... Read More
Samuel Rutherford

Christian Directions

1. That hours of the day, less or more time, for the Word and prayer, be given to God; not sparing the twelfth hour, or mid-day, howbeit it should then be the shorter time. 2. In the midst of worldly employments, there should be some thoughts of sin, death, judgment, and eternity, with at least a wo... Read More
Samuel Rutherford

Christ's Prisoner

Letter 104 To Lady Kenmure Greetings - Thanksgiving for Recovery Madam, grace, mercy, and peace be to you. Your letter refreshed me. The right hand of Him who has authority over life and death have been gracious to that sweet child.** I dare not, I do not, forget him and your ladyship in my prayers.... Read More
Samuel Rutherford

Christ's Ways Misunderstood

Honoured and Dear Brother,— Grace, mercy, and peace be to you. I received your letter, which refreshed my soul. I thank God that the court is closed **; I think shame of my part of it. I pass now from my unjust summons of unkindness libelled against Christ my Lord.** He is not such a Lord and Master... Read More
Samuel Rutherford

Conscientious Acting in the World

My Dearly Beloved, and Longed-For in the Lord,— Grace, mercy, and peace be to you.— I long to hear how your soul prospers, and how the kingdom of Christ thrives in you. I exhort you and beseech you in the bowels of Christ, faint not, weary not. There is a great necessity of heaven; you must have it.... Read More
Samuel Rutherford

Crying unto Jesus

“Behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto Him” (Matt. 15:22, KJV). In this prayer the Syro-Phoenician woman cried with intense feeling. Would it not have been more modest for her to speak gently to this soul-redeeming Savior, who hears before we pray, than to cry or shou... Read More
Samuel Rutherford

Difficulties in Providence

Worthy and Much Honoured in our Lord,— Grace, mercy, and peace be to you, 1. I am glad of our more than paper acquaintance. Seeing we have one Father, it is less significant if we should never see one another's face. I profess myself most unworthy to follow the camp of such a worthy and renowned Cap... Read More
Samuel Rutherford

Heavenly Mindedness

Letter 103 to the Lady Cardoness Greetings - Walk in the Truth Worthy and well-beloved in the Lord, Grace, mercy, and peace be to you. I long to read a letter from you, so that I may know how your soul prospers. My desire and longing is to hear that you walk in the truth, and that you are content to... Read More
Samuel Rutherford

His Wisdom in Our Trials

Greetings - Disdain Temporary Glory Mistress, Grace, Mercy, and peace be to you. I am glad that you follow closely after Christ in this dark and cloudy time. It is a good thing to sell the things of this world in order to buy Him,** for when all these days are over we will find that it was a good in... Read More
Samuel Rutherford

I. To LADY KENMURE, at a time of illness and spiritual depression

Lady Jane Campbell, Viscountess of Kenmure, was the third daughter of Archibald Campbell, seventh Earl of Argyle, and sister to the Marquis of Argyle who was beheaded in 1661. She was remarkable for ability and Christian devotion, and for her generous help to those who suffered for conscience' sake.... Read More
Samuel Rutherford

II. To LADY KENMURE, on the occasion of the death of her infant

MADAM, -- Saluting your Ladyship with grace and mercy from God our Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ. I was sorry, at my departure, leaving your Ladyship in grief, and would be still grieved at it if I were not assured that ye have one with you in the furnace whose visage is like unto the Son of... Read More
Samuel Rutherford

III. To MARION MCNAUGHT, when his wife was ill

Marion McNaught, a niece of Viscount Kenmure, married William Fullerton, Provost of Kirkcudbright. She was a close and lifelong friend of Rutherford. The manner in which he discusses with her the most profound questions of Christian doctrine and personal religion, as well as the tangled affairs of C... Read More

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