Daily Walking with God, by Samuel Rutherford, published by Reformation Press in their Scottish Heritage Series, paperback, 41 pages, £6.90; may be obtained from the Free Presbyterian Bookroom.
Some of Samuel Rutherford’s writings are well known, particularly his Letters, but the bulk of this publication has never appeared in print before as a book. However, the material was published in The Original Secession Magazine in 1925 and reprinted in The Free Presbyterian Magazine for July 1938.
The first section provides 17 “convictions of conscience”; an introductory comment sums it up: “Rutherford begins by reviewing his past use of time and the sins that were clear to him. He does this in order to reflect more deeply on how to live for the glory of God alone”. Among the headings supplied for these points of concern were: “Not doing all for God’s glory”, “Lack of concern for the Church”, “Not striving against sinful thoughts”, “Lack of wrestling in prayer”. A comment on spiritual duties reads: “The practice of my duty was so narrow and short, not answering the breadth and length of my light, and what I have weakly done was but to stop the mouth of a natural conscience, and have been contented only with mints [attempts] in place of real performances”. Clearly, when Rutherford has to speak in such terms, we have much greater reason to confess our lack of godliness and true spirituality.
The second section is headed, “A guide for Christian living”; it “gives very practical rules as to how to order daily life to the glory of God”. Among these rules, as summarised, are the following: “Set aside time for the Word and prayer”, “Avoid idle thoughts”, “Avoid all known sin”, “Submit to God in affliction”, “Avoid hatred, even towards enemies”. We give the final point in full: “To strive against doubting, and if thou want feeling of faith, [thou art] to complain bitterly for the want of it, and seek out where the sin lieth that hindereth it. And use all means whereby thou can get the Lord’s countenance, and no less to entertain it.”
A final third section gives “Practical help from daily progress in grace”; it “draws out some general guidance as to how to live in the presence of God”. Rutherford encourages high thoughts of Christ’s free grace when riding or walking. Further, believers should be “certainly persuaded” that God hears prayers, even of the least importance. They should not be discouraged with a refusal if their prayer was “lawfully put up”. They are to believe that if God does not give what they asked, “He will give thee as good, and that which is better for thee nor [than] that which thou askest”. The final point is headed: “Imitate the most holy people”.
The publisher has included, as an extra section, Letter 159 from Andrew Bonar’s edition of Rutherford’s Letters. It covers similar ground to the main part of the book, but more briefly. Prayerful consideration of Rutherford’s work presented here should, by God’s grace, be very profitable.