Letters of Samuel Rutherford: (Third Edition)Rutherford, Samuel
Religion
Letters of Samuel Rutherford: (Third Edition)
Rutherford, Samuel
Rutherford, Samuel, 1600?-1661 -- Correspondence
go from the south of Scotland to the north, and to be Christ's
prisoner amongst unco faces, in a place of this kingdom, which I have
little reason to be in love with. I know Christ shall make Aberdeen my
garden of delights. I am fully persuaded that Scotland shall eat
Ezekiel's book, that is written within and without, "lamentation, and
mourning, and woe" (Ezek. ii. 10). But the saints shall get a drink of
the well that goeth through the streets of the New Jerusalem, to put
it down. Thus hoping that ye will think upon the poor prisoner of
Christ, I pray, grace, grace be with you.
Your Ladyship's in his sweet Lord Jesus,
S. R.
EDINBURGH, _July 30, 1636_.
LXIII.--_To MR. ROBERT CUNNINGHAM, Minister of the Gospel at Holywood,
in Ireland._
[MR. ROBERT CUNNINGHAM was for some time employed as chaplain to
the Earl of Buccleuch's regiment in Holland. On the return of the
troops to Scotland, he removed to the north of Ireland, where he
was admitted minister of Holywood in 1615. "He was the one man to
my discerning," says Livingstone, "of all that ever I saw, who
resembled most the meekness of Jesus Christ in his whole
carriage, and was so far reverenced by all, even the most wicked,
that he was oft troubled with that Scripture, 'Woe to you when
all men speak well of you.'" He continued to labour in his
charge, and in the surrounding district, with great success,
until the Presbyterian ministers began to be molested for their
nonconformity. Owing to the singular gentleness of Cunningham's
disposition, he was for some time less subjected to trouble than
his brethren; but at length, on the 12th of August 1636, he and
four other ministers (among whom was Mr. Hamilton mentioned in
the close of this letter) were formally deposed for refusing to
subscribe certain canons, one of which was kneeling at the Lord's
Supper. Not long after, he, with some of his deposed brethren,
came over to Scotland; but he did not long survive his arrival.
He died at Irvine, on the 29th of March 1637, scarcely eight
months after this letter was written. A little before he expired,
his wife sitting on the front of his bed with her hand clasped in
his, after committing to God his flock at Holywood, his friends
and his children, he added, "And last of all, I recommend to Thee
this gentlewoman, who is no more my wife." His affectionate wife
bursting into tears, he sought by comfortable words to allay her
grief; but in the act of so doing, fell asleep in Jesus.]
(_CONSOLATION TO A BROTHER IN TRIBULATION--HIS OWN DEPRIVATION OF
MINISTRY--CHRIST WORTH SUFFERING FOR._)
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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