Letters of Samuel Rutherford: A Selection

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