Category Archives: Samuel Rutherford

December 10, 2015 · 3:00 pm

“We are not many miles from home” by Samuel Rutherford

“Be not cast down in heart to hear that the world barketh at Christ’s strangers, both in Ireland and in this land; they do it because their Lord hath chosen them out of this world.

And this is one of our Lord’s reproaches, to be hated and ill-entreated by men. The silly stranger, in an uncouth country, must put up with a smoky inn and coarse cheer, a hard bed, and a barking, ill-tongued host.

It is not long to the day, and he will continue his journey upon the morrow, and leave them all. Indeed our fair morning is at hand, the day-star is near the rising, and we are not many miles from home.

What does it matter if we are mistreated in the smoky inns of this miserable life? We are not to stay here, and we will be dearly welcomed by Him to whom we go.

And I hope, when I shall see you clothed in white raiment, washed in the blood of the Lamb, and shall see you even at the elbow of your dearest Lord and Redeemer, and a crown upon your head, and following our Lamb and lovely Lord whithersoever He goeth,—you will think nothing of all these days.

And you shall then rejoice, and no man shall take your joy from you.”

–Samuel Rutherford, “Letter XXVI,” Letters of Samuel Rutherford (Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 1664/2012), 83-84.

Leave a comment

Filed under Christian Theology, Jesus Christ, Puritanical, Quotable Quotes, salvation, Samuel Rutherford, Sanctification, Suffering, The Gospel, Worldliness

Tagged as Eschatology, Exile, Heaven, Letters from Prison, Patience, Pilgrim's Progress, Samuel Rutherford, Suffering for Jesus

November 9, 2015 · 5:00 pm

“Yet I long for more” by Samuel Rutherford

“I counsel you to think highly of Christ, and of free, free grace, more than ye did before; for I know that Christ is not known amongst us. I think that I see more of Christ than ever I saw; and yet I see but little of what may be seen.

Oh that He would draw back the curtains, and that the King would come out of His gallery and His palace, that I might see Him! Christ’s love is young glory and young heaven; it would soften hell’s pain to be filled with it.

What would I refuse to suffer, if I could get but a draught of love at my heart’s desire! Oh, what price can be given for Him. Angels cannot weigh Him.

Oh, His weight, His worth, His sweetness, His overpassing beauty! If men and angels would come and look to that great and princely One, their ebbness could never take up His depth, their narrowness could never comprehend His breadth, height, and length.

If ten thousand thousand worlds of angels were created, they might all tire themselves in wondering at His beauty, and begin again to wonder of new.

Oh that I could come nigh Him, to kiss His feet, to hear His voice, to feel the smell of His ointments! But oh, alas! I have little, little of Him.

Yet I long for more.”

–Samuel Rutherford, “Letter CLXXV,” Letters of Samuel Rutherford (Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 1664/2012), 331.

1 Comment

Filed under Christian Theology, Doxology, Glory of Christ, grace, Jesus Christ, Puritanical, Quotable Quotes, Samuel Rutherford, The Gospel

Tagged as angels, Banner of Truth, grace, Jesus Christ, Lettering, Letters of Samuel Rutherford, Longing, Love for Jesus, Sanctification, The Glory of Christ, The Loveliness of Christ

June 13, 2015 · 12:19 pm

“The great Master Gardener” by Samuel Rutherford

“My dearest love in Christ remembered. As to the business which I know you would so fain have taken effect, my earnest desire is, that you stand still. Haste not, and you shall see the salvation of God.

The great Master Gardener, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, in a wonderful providence, with His own hand, planted me here, where, by His grace, in this part of His vineyard, I grow.

I dare not say but Satan and the world (one of his pages whom he sends on his errands) have said otherwise. And here I will abide till the great Master of the Vineyard think fit to transplant me.

But when He sees meet to loose me at the root, and to plant me where I may be more useful, both as to fruit and shadow, and when He who planted pulleth up that He may transplant, who dare put to their hand and hinder?”

–Samuel Rutherford, “XVI – For Marion M’Naught” in Letters of Samuel Rutherford (Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 1664/2012), 62.

Leave a comment

Filed under Christian Theology, Jesus Christ, Providence, Puritanical, Quotable Quotes, Samuel Rutherford, Sovereignty, The Gospel

Tagged as Banner of Truth, Divine Sovereignty, God the Father Almighty, Letters of Samuel Rutherford, Providence, Samuel Rutherford, Suffering

January 22, 2013 · 10:00 pm

“He is altogether lovely” by Samuel Rutherford

“If there were ten thousand thousand millions of worlds, and as many heavens full of men and angels, Christ would not be pinched to supply all our wants, and to fill us all. Christ is a well of life, but who knoweth how deep it is to the bottom?

This soul of ours hath love, and cannot but love some fair one. And, O, what a fair One, what an only One, what an excellent, lovely, ravishing One is Jesus! Put the beauty of ten thousand thousand worlds of paradises like the garden of Eden in one.

Put all trees, all flowers, all smells, all colours, all tastes, all joys, all sweetness, all loveliness in one. O, what a fair and excellent thing that would be! And yet it would be less to that fair and dearest Well-Beloved Christ, than one drop of rain to the whole seas, rivers, lakes, and fountains of ten thousand earths.

O, but Christ is heaven’s wonder and earth’s wonder! What marvel that His bride saith, ‘He is altogether lovely’? (Cant. 5:16) O, that black souls will not come and fetch all their love to this fair One!

O, if I could invite and persuade thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand of Adam’s sons, to flock about my Lord Jesus, and to come and take their fill of love! O, pity for evermore that there should be such a one as Christ Jesus, so boundless, so bottomless, and so incomparable in infinite excellency and sweetness, and so few to take Him.

O, O, ye poor dry and dead souls, why will ye not come hither with your empty vessels, and your empty souls to this huge, and fair, and deep, and sweet well of life and fill all your empty vessels.

O, that Christ should be so large in sweetness and worth, and we so narrow, pinched, so ebb, and so void of all happiness, and yet men will not take Him. They lose their love miserably, who will not bestow it upon this lovely One.”

–Samuel Rutherford, “Letter XXIX– To the Lady Kilconquilair” in The Letters of Rev. Samuel Rutherford, Ed. Andrew Bonar (London: Oliphant Anderson and Ferrier, 1891), 95. This letter was written from Aberdeen on August 8, 1637.

Leave a comment

Filed under Christian Theology, Jesus Christ, Puritanical, Quotable Quotes, Samuel Rutherford, The Gospel

Tagged as He is altogether lovely, Jesus Christ, Letters of Samuel Rutherford, Samuel Rutherford, The glory of Jesus

May 13, 2012 · 3:30 pm

Lord’s Day Hymn – “The Sands of Time Are Sinking”

“The Sands of Time are Sinking”
By Anne Ross Cousin (1857), based on the letters of Samuel Rutherford

The sands of time are sinking, the dawn of Heaven breaks;
The summer morn I’ve sighed for—the fair, sweet morn awakes:
Dark, dark hath been the midnight, but dayspring is at hand,
And glory, glory dwelleth in Immanuel’s land.

The King there in His beauty, without a veil is seen:
It were a well spent journey, though seven deaths lay between:
The Lamb with His fair army, doth on Mount Zion stand,
And glory—glory dwelleth in Immanuel’s land.

O Christ, He is the fountain, the deep, sweet well of love!
The streams of earth I’ve tasted more deep I’ll drink above:
There to an ocean fullness His mercy doth expand,
And glory, glory dwelleth in Immanuel’s land.

With mercy and with judgment my web of time He wove,
And aye, the dews of sorrow were lustered with His love;
I’ll bless the hand that guided, I’ll bless the heart that planned
When throned where glory dwelleth in Immanuel’s land.

O I am my Beloved’s and my Beloved’s mine!
He brings a poor vile sinner into His “house of wine.”
I stand upon His merit—I know no other stand,
Not even where glory dwelleth in Immanuel’s land.

The Bride eyes not her garment, but her dear Bridegroom’s face;
I will not gaze at glory but on my King of grace.
Not at the crown He giveth but on His pierced hand;
The Lamb is all the glory of Immanuel’s land.

Leave a comment

Filed under Christian Theology, Heaven, Jesus Christ, Lord's Day Hymn, Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, Puritanical, Quotable Quotes, Samuel Rutherford, The Gospel

Tagged as Anne Cousin, Heaven, Lord's Day Hymn, Samuel Rutherford, The Sands of Time are Sinking

July 19, 2008 · 2:36 pm

“Our fair day is coming” by Samuel Rutherford

“Grace mercy and peace be to you! I am in good care, blessed be the Lord, remaining here in this town a prisoner for Christ and His truth. And I am not ashamed of His cross. My soul is comforted with the consolations of His sweet presence for whom I suffer.

I earnestly entreat you to give your honour and authority to Christ and for Christ and be not dismayed for flesh and blood while you are for the Lord and for His truth and cause. And howbeit we see truth put to the worse for the time yet Christ will be a friend to truth and will do for those who dare hazard all that they have for Him and for His glory.

Sir our fair day is coming and the court will change and wicked men will weep after noon and sorer than the sons of God who weep in the morning. Let us believe and hope for God’s salvation. Sir I hope I need not write to you for your kindness and love to my brother who is now to be distressed for the truth of God as well as I am.

I think myself obliged to pray for you and your worthy and kind bed fellow and children for your love to him and me also. I hope your pains for us in Christ shall not be lost. Thus recommending you to the tender mercy and loving kindness of God rest.

Your very loving and affectionate brother,

Samuel Rutherford”

–Samuel Rutherford, Letters of Samuel Rutherford With a Sketch of His Life and Biographical Notices of His Correspondents By Samuel Rutherford, Andrew Alexander Bonar (Edinburgh: Oliphant Anderson & Ferrier, 1881), 146.