To Robert Gordon of Knockbrex - Seeing Christ more clearly through tribulation’s lens

My Very Worthy and Dear Friend,

Grace, mercy, and peace be to you. Though all Galloway should have forgotten me, I would have expected a letter from you ere now; but I will not expound it to be forgetfulness of me.

Now, my dear brother, I cannot show you how matters go betwixt Christ and me. I find my Lord going and coming seven times a day. His visits are short; but they are both frequent and sweet. I dare not for my life think of a challenge of my Lord. I hear ill tales, and hard reports of Christ, from the Tempter and my flesh; but love believeth no evil. I may swear that they are liars, and that apprehensions make lies of Christ’s honest and unalterable love to me. I dare not say that I am a dry tree, or that I have no room at all in the vineyard, but yet I often think that the sparrows are blessed, who may resort to the house of God in Anwoth, from which I am banished.

Temptations, that I supposed to be stricken dead and laid upon their back, rise again and revive upon me; yea, I see that while I live, temptations will not die. The devil seemeth to brag and boast as much as if he had more court with Christ than I have; and as if he had charmed and blasted my ministry, that I shall do no more good in public. But his wind shaketh no corn. I will not believe that Christ would have made such a mint to have me to Himself, and have taken so much pains upon me as He has done, and then slip so easily from possession, and lose the glory of what He has done.

Nay, since I came to Aberdeen, I have been taken up to see the new land, the fair palace of the Lamb; and will Christ let me see heaven, to break my heart, and never give it to me? I shall not think my Lord Jesus giveth a dumb earnest, or putteth His seals to blank paper, or intendeth to put me off with fair and false promises. I see that now which I never saw well before.

(I) I see faith’s necessity in a fair day is never known aright; but now I miss nothing so much as faith. Hunger in me runneth to fair and sweet promises; but when I come, I am like a hungry man that wanteth teeth, or a weak stomach having a sharp appetite that is filled with the very sight of meat, or like one stupefied with cold under water, that would fain come to land, but cannot grip anything casten to him. I can let Christ grip me, but I cannot grip Him. I cannot set my feet to the ground, for afflictions bring the cramp upon my faith. All I dow do is to hold out a lame faith to Christ, like a beggar holding out a stump instead of an arm or leg, and cry, ‘Lord Jesus, work a miracle! ‘Oh what would I give to have hands and arms to grip strongly.

(2) I see that mortification, and to be crucified to the world, is not so highly accounted of by us as it should be. Oh how heavenly a thing it is to be dead and dumb and deaf to this world’s sweet music! As I am at this present, I would scorn to buy this world’s kindness with a bow of my knee. I scarce now either see or hear what it is that this world offereth me; I know that it is little that it can take from me, and as little that it can give me.

(3) I thought courage, in the time of trouble for Christ’s sake, a thing that I might take up at my foot. I thought that the very remembrance of the honesty of the cause would be enough. But I was a fool in so thinking. Christ will be steward and dispenser Himself and none else but He; therefore, now, I count much of one dram weight of spiritual joy. Truly I have no cause to say that I am pinched with penury, or that the consolations of Christ are dried up. Praise, praise with me.

Remember my love to your brother, to your wife, and G.M. Desire him to be faithful, and to repent of his hypocrisy; and say that I wrote it to you. I wish him salvation. Write to me your mind agent C.E. and C.Y., and their wives, and I.G., or any others in my parish. I fear that I am forgotten amongst them; but I cannot forget them.

The prisoner’s prayers and blessings come upon you. Grace, grace be with you.

Your brother, in the Lord Jesus.

Aberdeen, Feb. 9, 1637

Who is Robert Gordon of Knockbrex?

Robert Gordon lived in the next parish to Anwoth. He was a prominent figure in Church life in Scotland.

About “Rutherford Thursdays”

• See my introduction.
• Selection from His Letters is a public domain text hosted by CCEL. I have arranged and formatted Rutherford’s text and Hugh Martin’s editorial comments, added headings, paragraph separations, etc., for presentation on this blog.
• Letters of Samuel Rutherford is a nice print edition of Rutherford’s letters for under $5.
• For a brief biographical sketch of Rutherford’s life, see Hugh Martin’s forward to Selections. And see Martin’s glossary for help with outdated vocabulary.
• Rutherford Resources:
  • Samuel Rutherford by Andrew Thompson. This book, now freely available via Google Books, presents two parts: First, a biography of Rutherford’s life; Second, a selection of Rutherford’s letters entitled “Honey from the Honeycomb.”
  • Fire and Ice index to S. R.
  • Samuel Rutherford: A New Biography of the Man & His Ministry. This biography by Kingsley G Rendell provides an excellent introduction to Rutherford’s life and work.

To Mr. Robert Blair - The Other Half of Our Ministry

Reverend and Dearly Beloved Brother,

Grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, be unto you.

It is no great wonder, my dear brother, that ye be in heaviness for a season, and that God’s will (in crossing your design and desires to dwell amongst a people whose God is the Lord) should move you. I deny not but ye have cause to inquire what His providence speaketh in this to you; but God’s directing and commanding Will can by no good logic be concluded from events of providence. The Lord sent Paul on many errands for the spreading of His Gospel, where he found lions in his way. A promise was made to His people of the Holy Land, and yet many nations were in the way, fighting against, and ready to kill them that had the promise, or to keep them from possessing the good land which the Lord their God had given them.

I know that ye have most to do with submission of spirit; but I persuade myself that ye have learned, in every condition wherein ye are cast, therein to be content, and to say, ‘Good is the will of the Lord, let it be done.’ I believe that the Lord tacketh His ship often to fetch the wind, and that He purposeth to bring mercy out of your sufferings and silence, which (I know from mine own experience) is grievous to you. Seeing that He knoweth our willing mind to serve Him, our wages and stipend is running to the fore with our God, even as some sick soldiers get pay, when they are bedfast and not able to go to the field with others.

When they have eaten and swallowed us up, they shall be sick and vomit us out living men again; the devil’s stomach cannot digest the Church of God. Suffering is the other half of our ministry, howbeit the hardest; for we would be content that our King Jesus should make an open proclamation, and cry down crosses, and cry up joy, gladness, ease, honor, and peace. But it must not be so; through many afflictions we must enter into the kingdom of God. Not only by them, but through them, must we go; and wiles will not take us past the cross. It is folly to think to steal to heaven with a whole skin

For myself, I am here a prisoner confined in Aberdeen, threatened to be removed to Caithness, because I desire to edify in this town; and am openly preached against in the pulpits in my hearing.

There are none here to whom I can speak; I dwell in Kedar’s tents. Refresh me with a letter from you.

Dear brother, upon my salvation, this is His truth that we suffer for. Courage! Courage! Joy, Joy, for evermore! O for help to set my crowned lying on high! O for love to Him Who is altogether lovely - that love which many waters cannot quench, neither can the floods drown!

I remember you, and bear your name on my breast to Christ. I beseech you, forget not His afflicted prisoner.

Your brother and fellow prisoner.

Aberdeen, Feb. 7, 1637

Who is Robert Blair?

Blair became minister of Bangor in Northern Ireland in 1623. But after nine years there he was deposed for nonconformity with a number of other ministers. A group of them took ship to emigrate to America in search of religious liberty but were forced by the weather to return, which is the occasion of this letter. In 1638 Blair was called to be minister in Aye and later in St. Andrew, where he became a close friend of Rutherford. In 1661 he was summoned before the Privy Council for a sermon on the Covenant and deprived of his church. He died in 1666. See also Letter LIV.

About “Rutherford Thursdays”

• See my introduction.
• Selection from His Letters is a public domain text hosted by CCEL. I have arranged and formatted Rutherford’s text and Hugh Martin’s editorial comments, added headings, paragraph separations, etc., for presentation on this blog.
• For a brief biographical sketch of Rutherford’s life, see Hugh Martin’s forward to Selections. And see Martin’s glossary for help with outdated vocabulary.
• Rutherford Resources:
  • Samuel Rutherford by Andrew Thompson. This book, now freely available via Google Books, presents two parts: First, a biography of Rutherford’s life; Second, a selection of Rutherford’s letters entitled “Honey from the Honeycomb.”
  • Fire and Ice index to S. R.
  • Samuel Rutherford: A New Biography of the Man & His Ministry. This biography by Kingsley G Rendell provides an excellent introduction to Rutherford’s life and work.

Professor Edwin Judge briefly surveys the ancient sociological history of atheism in his interview with Greg Clarke:

To Lady Boyd - Knowing One’s Self in Suffering

Madam,

Grace, mercy and peace be unto you.

The Lord has brought me to Aberdeen, where I see God in few. This town has been advised upon of purpose for me; it consisteth either of Papists, or men of Gallio’s naughty faith. It is counted wisdom, in the most, not to countenance a confined minister; but I find Christ neither strange nor unkind; for I have found many faces smile upon me since I came hither.

I am heavy and sad, considering what is betwixt the Lord and my soul, which none seeth but He. I find men have mistaken me; it would be no art (as I now see) to spin small and make hypocrisy a goodly web, and to go through the market as a saint among men, and yet steal quietly to hell, without observation: so easy is it to deceive men. I have disputed whether or no I ever knew anything of Christianity, save the letters of that name. Men see but as men, and they call ten twenty and twenty an hundred; but O! to be approved of God in the heart and in sincerity is not an ordinary mercy.

My neglects while I had a pulpit, and other things whereof I am ashamed to speak, meet me now, so as God maketh an honest cross my daily sorrow. Like a fool, I believed, under suffering for Christ, that I myself should keep the key of Christ’s treasures, and take out comforts when I listed, and eat and be fat: but I see now a sufferer for Christ will be made to know himself, and will be holden at the door as well as another poor sinner, and will be fain to eat with the bairns, and to take the by-board, and glad to do so. My blessing on the cross of Christ that has made me see this!

Oh! if we could take pains for the kingdom of heaven! But we sit down upon some ordinary marks of God’s children, thinking we have as much as will separate us from a reprobate; and thereupon we take the play and cry, ‘Holiday!’ and thus the devil casteth water on our fire, and blunteth our zeal and care. But I see heaven is not at the door; and I see, howbeit my challenges be many, I suffer for Christ, and dare hazard my salvation upon it; for sometimes my Lord cometh with a fair hour and O! but His love be sweet, delightful, and comfortable.

Madam, I know your Ladyship knoweth this, and that made me bold to write of it, that others might reap somewhat by my bonds for the truth; for I should desire, and I aim at this, to have my Lord well spoken of, and honored, howbeit He should make nothing of me but a bridge over a water.

Thus recommending your Ladyship, your son and children, to His grace, who has honored you with a name and room among the living in Jerusalem, and wishing grace to be with your Ladyship.

Aberdeen

Who is Lady Boyd?

Lady Boyd, whose maiden name was Christian Hamilton, was the daughter of a distinguished lawyer and inherited his abilities and strength of character. She was a trusted friend of many of the leading ministers of the Church of Scotland in her day. When she died the whole Scottish Parliament suspended its sitting to attend her funeral. See also letters LVII [57], LXII [62] and LXV [65].

About “Rutherford Thursdays”

• See my introduction.
• Selection from His Letters is a public domain text hosted by CCEL. I have arranged and formatted Rutherford’s text and Hugh Martin’s editorial comments, added headings, paragraph separations, etc., for presentation on this blog.
• For a brief biographical sketch of Rutherford’s life, see Hugh Martin’s forward to Selections. And see Martin’s glossary for help with outdated vocabulary.
• Rutherford Resources:
  • Samuel Rutherford by Andrew Thompson. This book, now freely available via Google Books, presents two parts: First, a biography of Rutherford’s life; Second, a selection of Rutherford’s letters entitled “Honey from the Honeycomb.”
  • Fire and Ice index to S. R.
  • Samuel Rutherford: A New Biography of the Man & His Ministry. This biography by Kingsley G Rendell provides an excellent introduction to Rutherford’s life and work.

Abstract

My papers evaluate Dr. Miroslav Volf’s publications and lectures related to A Common Word. In the epistemology paper I examine Volf’s arguments for a shared monotheism between Christianity and Islam, asking, “By what norm can one determine whether Muslims believe in the same monotheistic God as Christians?” In the ethics paper I explore Volf’s love of neighbor ethic, asking, “By what ethical norms does a Christian love his neighbor, and do Christianity’s ethics share ethical normativity with Islam’s?”

From both the epistemological and ethical perspectives I argue that Dr. Volf’s publications and lectures on A Common Word do not adequately account for the uniqueness of Christianity’s trinitarian God, nor of God’s covenantal relation with man, nor of Christ’s office as mediator.

Epistemology and Ethics Papers

1. Why Christ is the epistemological crux between cross and crescent (18pp; .PDF; 211KB)
2. Why Christ is the ethical crux between cross and crescent (16pp; .PDF; 182KB)

Summary

Through colorful biographical sketches of six “fools” from Christianity’s history, Pelikan presents a poignant exhortation: unless one’s head, hands, and heart being “foolishly” committed to Jesus Christ at every point, then one’s pursuit of dogmatics, ethics, and aesthetics become idolatrous journeys into insanity.

Review/Reflection

My response to Pelikan’s book is part review and part autobiographical reflection:

• On Mastering Divinity and Being Mastered by the Divine (8 pp.; 164KB; .PDF).

Saudi Arabia’s former Minister of Information, Muhammad Abduh Al-Yamani, gives his perspective on 9/11 (it has been unfairly pinned on “Islam”) and Christianity (its scriptures are corrupt, and Islam calls Christians back to true monotheism).

On Al-Yamani’s former argument, American Christians may need to at least be willing to listen patiently. With his latter arguments Al-Yamani gives fairly standard Muslim apologetic defeaters against Christianity. Are we Christians ready with loving and sound apologetic defeater-defeaters?

Reform Your Electronic Library According to the Scriptures

Pastors, missionaries, Bible college and seminary students, home schooling families, and laymen studying theology should take note of this powerful new tool for studying the theological works of a preeminent Evangelical theologian of our times, Dr. John Frame.

Dr. Frame writes in a highly readable style, making his works accessible to beginners. And at the same time Frame’s profundity, breadth, and creativity will challenge advanced theologians. Most importantly, Dr. Frame is fully committed to teaching theology as a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ with sincere faithfulness to the Holy Scriptures at every point.

The following books and resources are included in this new collection:

• The Doctrine of the Knowledge of God (1987)
• The Doctrine of God (2002), winner of the 2003 ECPA Gold Medallion Award for Theology and Doctrine
• Salvation Belongs to the Lord: An Introduction to Systematic Theology (2006)
• No Other God: A Response to Open Theism (2001)
• The Amsterdam Philosophy (1972)
• Shorter Theological Writings-over 1,500 pages of academic journal articles, book reviews, etc., on a variety of theological topics.

The electronic library of Frame’s collected works is not only a wonderful value (i.e. the amount of material included on one DVD is amazing considering how much it would cost to purchase the printed versions), but also a powerful research tool, facilitating advanced topical and Scripture reference searching, more accurate indexing, cross referencing the whole library, note taking, and other research tools only possible with electronic libraries. In a word, this product facilitates faster and more productive study.

Related Elsewhere

Where to Purchase

• BEST PRICE: WTS Books.
• BEST PRICE: Bits & Bytes official product listing for Frame’s Collected Works, Vol. 1

Where to Learn More about the Product

• P&R/Bits&Bytes Press release (5pp.; .PDF; ~100KB): explains the contents and features of this new software.
• Logos Library Official product listing for Frame’s Collected Works, Vol. 1
• P&R’s official product listing for Frame’s Collected Works, Vol. 1
• Reformed Theological Seminary news release about Dr. Frame’s new software

User Reviews

• Joseph Nally, editor of Reformed Perspectives eZine, provides a thorough review.
• Blogger Blake White briefly reviews Frames Collected Works.
• Pastor James Grant blogs about the new software.
• Blogger Philip Gons comments about Frames Collected Works twice, and he also writes about Frame’s Collected Works Vol. 1 on the official Logos blog.
• The theological editor for Third Millennium Ministries discusses Frames Collected Works in a forum.

Summary

Luke’s LXX Allusion to Jacob and Esau (Genesis 33:4) in the Prodigal Son Parable (Luke 15:20) Affirmed (10 pages; .PDF format; ~190KB) examines the Greek texts of Genesis 33:4 and Luke 15:20 to demonstrate the striking linguistic parallels in these texts and to suggest that Luke employs an allusion to the former in the latter.

Additional evidence is explored to strengthen this affirmation, including:

1. LXX quotations and allusions by Luke in his other NT writings, and
2. modern commentators who affirm an allusion in Luke 15:20 to Genesis 33:4 and other scenes in the Genesis narratives.

Finally, a handful of implications for Christian interpreters arising from this affirmation are discussed.

(The fresco of Luke is by Cappella Tornabuoni (1486-90, Santa Maria Novella, Florence). See the Web Gallery of Art for further details.)

To Lady Kenmure - Ill Scholars in Christ’s School

Madam,

Grace, mercy and peace be to you. I received your Ladyship’s letter. It refreshed me in my heaviness. The blessing and prayer of a prisoner of Christ come upon you.

Nothing grieveth me but that I eat my feasts my lone, and that I cannot edify His saints. My silence eats me up, but He has told me He thanketh me no less than if I were preaching daily.

Your Ladyship wrote to me that ye are yet an ill scholar. Madam, ye must go in at heaven’s gates, and your book in your hand, still learning. You have had your own large share of troubles, and a double portion; but it saith your Father counteth you not a bastard; full-begotten bairns are nurtured (Heb. 12.8).

I long to hear of the child. I write the blessings of Christ’s prisoner and the mercies of God to him.

Madam, it is not long since I did write to your Ladyship that Christ is keeping mercy for you; and I bide by it still, and now I write it under my hand. Love Him dearly. Win in to see Him; there is in Him that which you never saw. He is aye nigh; He is a tree of life, green and blossoming, both summer and winter. There is a nick in Christianity, to the which whosoever cometh, they see and feel more than others can do.

Now the blessing of our dearest Lord Jesus, and the blessing of him that is ’separate from his brethren’, come upon you.

Yours, at Aberdeen, the prisoner of Christ.

Aberdeen [no date]

Who is Lady Kenmure?

About “Rutherford Thursdays”

• See my introduction.
• Selection from His Letters is a public domain text hosted by CCEL. I have arranged and formatted Rutherford’s text and Hugh Martin’s editorial comments, added headings, paragraph separations, etc., for presentation on this blog.
• For a brief biographical sketch of Rutherford’s life, see Hugh Martin’s forward to Selections. And see Martin’s glossary for help with outdated vocabulary.
• Rutherford Resources:
  • Samuel Rutherford by Andrew Thompson. This book, now freely available via Google Books, presents two parts: First, a biography of Rutherford’s life; Second, a selection of Rutherford’s letters entitled “Honey from the Honeycomb.”
  • Fire and Ice index to S. R.
  • Samuel Rutherford: A New Biography of the Man & His Ministry. This biography by Kingsley G Rendell provides an excellent introduction to Rutherford’s life and work.