Daily Thoughts from Samuel Rutherford
Daily Thoughts from Samuel Rutherford, published by Reformation Press, paperback, 98 pages, £6.45, obtainable from the F P Bookroom.
Rutherford’s letters have long been well perused and much loved by the people of God in Scotland and in many other lands. This book consists of extracts from these letters. One brief quote is allocated to each day of the year, providing a very concise set of daily readings.
Many of the quotes are aimed at providing consolation to the believer under affliction and when engaged in the spiritual warfare with sin, Satan and the world. So to those feeling overcome, rather than overcomers, in the life of grace he says, “The thing that we mistake is the want [lack] of victory. We hold that to be the mark of one that hath no grace. Nay, say I, the want of fighting were a mark of no grace, but I shall not say the want of victory is such a mark.” Others sound a warning trumpet and are of a searching nature to arouse those who slumber and sleep in a profession of Christ. To such he has this to say: “It cost Christ and all His followers sharp showers and hot sweats ere they got to the top of the mountain. But still our soft nature would have heaven coming down to our bedside when we are sleeping, and lying down with us, that we might go to heaven in warm clothes. But all that came there found wet feet by the way, and sharp storms that did take the hide [skin] off their face, and found tos and fros, and ups and downs, and many enemies by the way.”
Then there are those which direct to duty and especially to the exercise of faith. One such piece of advice is as follows: “Only by living by faith, and by fetching strength and comfort from Christ, can you be victorious and have right to the precious promises of ‘the tree of life’, of ‘the hidden manna’, of the gifted ‘morning star’ and the like, made to those who overcome”.
These sayings of Rutherford are choice and have the sweet savour of one who was enabled by grace to soar high in close communion with Christ while in the furnace of affliction. If there is any regret, it is that there are relatively few quotes which direct the reader to the loveliness of Christ; a theme which fills Rutherford’s letters throughout with a glorious strain. There are one or two though, including this expression: “I want [lack] both pen and words to set forth the fairness, beauty and sweetness of Christ’s love, and the honour of this cross of Christ [tribulation from Christ]”.
As some of these quotes show, old Scots words, along with other phrases considered quaint or obscure, are explained in brackets. These explanations are helpful on the whole, although there are some which may be considered unnecessary or slightly puzzling.
Any publication which promotes Rutherford’s precious letters will be welcomed by those who have a taste for experimental and Christ-centred religion. This unique presentation of his writings in a daily-reading format is highly commendable and may be useful in giving readers an appetite to read the whole of his letters for the first time or once again. (Rev) ID MacDonald
Faith looks at God’s Word, calling the things which be not as though they were, and is commonly forced to contradict sense. Sense judges from what it sees; faith from what God says. Sense is governed by what appears; faith by what God says shall be. Sense looks inward; faith looks outward. Faith can answer the seeming contradictions which sense opposes to it from the Word of God, which cannot be broken. And when sense is ready to despair, and all its fine frames and feelings are gone, then it is the believer’s happy privilege still to trust in the Lord, and to have a good hope because of the word of His grace.
My time is short; I must be up and doing; I must go briskly on with my work, leaving it to my Lord to find me strength for it and success in it. His blessing I expect here and for ever; not for anything I have done; and yet I would labour as hard as if heaven was to be the reward of my labours.
William Romaine