Letters of Samuel Rutherford: A Selection (Rutherford)

Description

Like John Bunyan in Bedford gaol, Samuel Rutherford did his best work while suffering imprisonment for the gospel.

His opponents had meant to silence him but instead they perpetuated his ministry through the centuries for it was out of this period that most of his famous Letters came.  Addressed to high and low they were so prized by the recipients that the first collection by Robert McWard appeared in 1664 just three years after Rutherford’s death. the successive editions contained more letters until they grew to the 365 in Andrew Bonar’s classic edition.

From this, ‘the most remarkable series of devotional letters that the literature of the Reformed churches can show’, the great leaders in the Church as well as the humblest Christians have drawn strength. It is said of Robert Murray M’Cheyne that ‘the Letters of Samuel Rutherford were often in his hand.’ This abridged edition contains sixty-nine of these letters.

Contents

1               TO A CHRISTIAN GENTLEWOMAN [On the death of a daughter] 

2               TO MARION M'NAUGHT Submission, perseverance and zeal recommended

3               TO LADY KENMURE God’s inexplicable dealings with his people well-ordered 

4               TO MARION M‘NAUGHT [In prospect of the Lord's Supper]

5               TO MARION M‘NAUGHT The threatened introduction of the Service-Book

6               TO JOHN KENNEDY Deliverance from shipwreck

7               TO LADY KENMURE A union for prayer recommended        

8               TO LADY KENMURE [On the death of Lord Kenmure)

9               TO MARION M'NAUGHT The prospect of exile in Aberdeen

10            TO LADY KENMURE [On the eve of banishment to Aberdeen)

11            TO LADY CULROSS [On the occasion of banishment to Aberdeen)

12            TO ROBERT CUNNINGHAM Consolation to a brother in tribulation

13            TO ALEXANDER GORDON Rutherford's feeling upon leaving Anworth

14            TO LADY KENMURE Rutherford's enjoyment of Christ in Aberdeen

15            TO HUGH M'KAIL Christ to be trusted amid trial

16            TO MARION M'NAUGHT Comfort under tribulations

17            TO JOHN GORDON, ELDER Will Christ at all hazards

18            TO ROBERT BLAIR God's arrangements sometimes mysterious

19            TO ROBERT GORDON Visits of Christ

20            TO LADY KENMURE None worthy but Christ

21            TO DAVID DICKSON God's dealings

22            TO ALEXANDER HENDERSON Sadness because Christ's Headship not set forth

23            TO JOHN GORDON, YOUNGER Reasons for being earnest about the soul

24            TO MARION M'NAUGHT Adherence to duty amidst opposition

25            TO WILLIAM LIVINGSTONE Counsel to a youth

26            TO THB LAIRD OF CARLETON Increasing sense of Christ's love

27            TO JOHN FLEMING Directions for Christian conduct

28            TO LADY BOYD Lessons learned in the school of adversity              

29            TO JOHN STUART Commercial misfortunes               

30            TO DAVID DICKSON Christ's infinite fulness              

31            TO JOHN CLARK Marks of difference between Christians and      

32            TO EARLSTON, YOUNGER Dangers of youth              

33            TO WILLIAM DALGLEISH Fragrance of the ministry                

34            TO JOHN STUART Hope for Scotland               

35            TO EARLSTON, YOUNGER Sufferings              

36            TO WILLIAM GORDON Testimony to Christ's worth               

37            TO JOHN HENDERSON Practical hints          

38            TO ALEXANDER COLVILL Regrets for being silenced in ministry  

39            TO JAMES HAMILTON Suffering for Christ's Headship         

40            TO PARISHIONERS OF ANWOTH Protestation of care for their souls and for the glory of God 

41            TO LADY KILCONQUHAR The interests of the soul most urgent   

42            TO LORD CRAIGHALL Standing for Christ   

43            TO HUGH M'KAIL The Law     

44            TO FULK ELLIS Friends in Ireland      

45            TO JAMBS LINDSAY Desertions and their use            

46            TO JAMBS HAMILTON Christ's glory not affected by his people's weakness         

47            TO LADY GAITGIRTH Christ all example in Cross-bearing

48            TO MARION M'NAUGHT Prospects of his ministry

49            TO JAMES BAUTIE Spiritual difficulties resolved     

50            TO THOMAS CORBET Godly counsels           

51            TO WILLIAM GLENDINNING Sweetness of trial       

52            TO MARION M'NAUGHT A Spring-tide of Christ's love         

53            TO JOHN GORDON Heaven hard to be won                

54            TO PARISHIONERS OF KILMALCOLM Spiritual sloth            

55            TO ALEXANDER LEIGHTON Christs' prisoner in bonds at London                

56            TO JAMES WILSON Advices to a doubting soul        

57            TO DAVID DICKSON [On the death of a son]

58            TO LADY BOYD Proceedings of tile Westminster Assembly             

59            TO LADY KENMURE Westminster Assembly Religious sects          

60            TO J.G. Depression in a cloudy day

61            TO WILLIAM GUTHRIE Depression under dark trials

62            TO LADY RALSTON Duty of preferring to live rather than die            

63            TO LADY KENMURE Trials      

64            TO JAMES DURHAM [On his deathbed]         

65            TO JAMES GUTHRIE, ROBERT TRAILL and other brethren imprisoned in Edinburgh Castle On suffering for Christ    

66            TO MISTRESS CRAIG [On the death of her son]       

67            TO JAMES GUTHRIE Steadfastness under persecution      

68            TO ROBERT CAMPBELL Steadfastness in protest against prelacy and popery   

69            TO BRETHERN IN ABERDEEN" Sinful conformity and schismatic designs reproved       

Brief Notes on Rutherford’s Correspondents             215

An Outline of Rutherford’s Life             223

Endorsements

‘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.’ — C. H. SPURGEON

‘Surprising though it may seem in a world of large books, of all those owned by our family this may be the one we have most often lent or quoted to friends.’ — SINCLAIR B. FERGUSON

Apart from the Bible, ‘such a book as Mr. Rutherford’s Letters the world never saw the like.’ — RICHARD BAXTER

About the Author

Born in 1600, Samuel Rutherford converted in 1624 and began reading theology in Edinburgh. He served as a minister for nine years before he was barred from preaching because of his nonconformity. Exiled for two years, he wrote many letters that are now part of the collection titled Letters of Samuel Rutherford. In 1638, after the Covenanter revolution, he was named  Professor of Divinity at St. Mary’s College, St. Andrews; he agreed to accept if he was allowed to regularly preach. He did so and also began publishing material on theology. Samuel Rutherford books include The Loveliness of Christ and Trial and Triumph of Faith. The first of these contains extracts of some of Rutherford’s wisest and most powerful thoughts; one hundred years ago, this book was called “a small casket stored with many jewels.” The second book expounds upon Christ’s gracious words to a Canaanite woman.