Commentary
Today, we’re revisiting the Puritan Paperbacks series published by Banner of Truth. This book is #13 of 60+ in the series and contains 69 of the 365 letters written by Samuel Rutherford. You may be thinking it unworthy of your time to read personal letters between people you did not know. However, here are a few thoughts that may persuade you otherwise. First, it has been said that these letters comprise “the most remarkable series of devotional letters that the literature of the Reformed churches can show.” Of Robert Murray M’Cheyne it was known that “the Letters of Samuel Rutherford were often in his hand.” Richard Baxter believed that apart from the Bible, “such a book as Mr Rutherford’s Letters the world never saw the like.” Spurgeon said they were “the nearest thing to inspiration which can be found in all the writings of mere man.” (all of these were drawn from the preface)
In 1636, Samuel Rutherford, aged 35, was a faithful minister of the gospel in Scotland. He was removed from his pulpit, separated from his flock, and imprisoned for two years in Aberdeen for standing firm against what he saw as deviations from the truths of Scripture. During his time of imprisonment, his ministry in service of Christ did not cease but only changed manner. Instead of preaching from a pulpit, Rutherford penned over 300 letters from exile. Of note, he continued to care for his flock and to labor for their faith despite his own circumstances. He wrote letters dealing with multiple themes including suffering, losing a loved one, and lacking assurance.
How often does affliction or trials in our own lives cause our service to the Lord to cease? We justify it to ourselves that our lot prevents us from doing anything for the Lord. In some cases, it certainly does remove many of the paths we’ve labored upon before but we must ask ourselves: does it really remove all of them? Can we find some way in which to serve the Kingdom? It may require some creativity and it may not be what we truly want to do or feel gifted to do. But, in most circumstances we can still do something. Maybe you can write a letter like Rutherford did. Maybe today you can only muster the strength to pray for someone else. Maybe you can use your skills to point people to Christ in a unique way like Read the Puritans does. Read the Puritans began in the midst of trial.
Rutherford was most likely better acquainted with affliction both in ministry and his personal life than we will ever know. He was imprisoned. He lost his job. He lost fellowship with the body. He lost his wife. In fact, after losing his wife at a young age, his response was that “the Lord hath done it, blessed be his name.” Writing to a lady in his congregation upon the death of her husband, he counseled: “the Lord hath pierced the vessel; it will be known whether there be in it wine or water. Let your faith and patience be seen, that it may be known that your only beloved, first and last, hath been Christ.” Writing at length to another in his congregation going through a trial, Rutherford exhorted him to:
“learn to believe Christ better than his strokes; himself and his promises better than his glooms. Dashes and disappointments are not canonical Scripture. When the Lord’s blessed will bloweth across your desires, it is best, in humility, to strike sail to him, and to be willing to be led any way our Lord pleaseth. It is a point of denial of yourself, to be as if you had not a will, but had made a free disposition of it to God, and had sold it over to him. And to make use of his will for your own is both true holiness, and your ease and peace. You know not what the Lord is working out of this, but you shall know it hereafter.”
If you can’t tell by the quotes above, Rutherford’s letters were saturated with biblical truths and were deeply pastoral. They were not human-centered but Christ-centered.
Rutherford’s pastoral counsel for those in the midst of trials is by far the most useful aspect of this collection of his letters. He speaks as one familiar and the reader feels that. This is one of those books that is good to have read through and marked some key passages to revisit during your own times of affliction. On days when you feel downcast, visit with Rutherford in your mind and be refreshed and encouraged as he points you to the truths of Scripture over and over again until you begin to feel the weight of your trial lift in light of the love of Christ showered on you.
Structure of the Book
The book is divided into 69 chronologically written letters.
Five Key Quotes
“ Whether God come to His children with a rod or a crown, if He come Himself with it, it is well.”
“Let our Lord pluck His own fruit at any season He pleaseth. They are not lost to you, but are laid up so well as that they are offered in heaven, where our Lord’s best jewels lie.”
“Fulfil your course with joy; for we take nothing to the grave with us, but a good or evil conscience.”
“It is our heaven to lay many weights and burdens upon Christ, and to make Him all we have, root and too, beginning and ending of our salvation. Lord hold us here.”
“Let my broken words go up to heaven; when they come up into the great angel’s golden censer, that compassionate Advocate will put together my broken prayers and perfume them. Words are but the accidents (incidental accompaniments) of prayer.”
Recommended Complementary Reading
The Trial and Triumph of Faith by Samuel Rutherford
Faith Seeking Assurance by Anthony Burgess
Searching Our Hearts in Difficult Times by John Owen
Where to Buy the Book
If you purchase the book through the following link, RTP gets a small percentage back which we will use to fund our operations. It’s costs nothing extra to you and you’ll be helping us connect the Puritans with Christ’s church worldwide.
