Fourteen Communion Sermons

All who relish “Samuel Rutherford’s Letters” will welcome the reprint of this volume, entitled, when first printed, “Collection of Valuable Sermons Preached by him at Sacramental Occasions, in the years 1630, 1634, and 1637.” I have added two discourses to the collection, one preached in 1630, and another in 1633, what is commonly called a Communion Address, delivered in London.

All breathe the same spirit as the famous “Letters,” and are full of racy remark and illustration, bearing on scriptural doctrine and Christian experience.

The Sermons were not published by himself, but from the notes of hearers, and so there are some awkward sentences and clauses. But still they are exceedingly valuable. The first nine sermons were originally printed at Glasgow, “from an old manuscript.” The rest have frequently appeared in various forms. A Sermon, which bears the title, “The Cruel Watchnian^ and a fragment,” Chris fs Voice from Heave7i’’ are not genuine, and so are not included in this collection. His only other Sermons are that on Luke viii. 22, preached before the House of Commons, 1644, arid that on Daniel vi. 26, preached before the House of Lords, 1645.

ANDREW A. BONAR.

Glasgow, 1876.

‘nr^HE first issue of two thousand copies has been sold off within a year. In the meantime, two more of S. Rutherford’s Sacramental Sermons have been sent to the Editor by friends who had them in their possession, and were happy to offer this addition to the First Twelve. They are given in this volume.

ANDREW A. BONAR.
Glasgow, 1877.

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And I saw heaven opened, and behold a whit: horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and viake war, cr’r. — Revelation xix. ii,

12, 13, 14.

CHRIST is here brought in triumphing on horseback, and His armies following Him upon white horses. Here Christ is discovered gloriously: i. From His triumph, 071 horseback, 2. From His style, Faithful and True, 3. From His righteousness in governmeiiL 4. From His head, His eyes, His 7iame, His habit, His convoy, His power of the sword, and His high style, KIJSiG OF KINGS, oc, which are all here set down.

Before ever John see this triumph of Christ over Antichrist, he sees “Heaven opened,’’ which shews him a new revelation. For, until God open the door, and glance t from heaven with new light, we never do certamly believe that Christ shall win the battle. If

This Sermon was preached -at Kirkcudbright m Galloway, upon a day of thanksgiving. t Shine bright.

God’s door be closed, and our eyes be darkened, we think we see Christ going on foot, persecuted and banished, and put to the worse; then we begin to droop and die, and cast away our confidence, as Elias did. But we have faith and hope when a window is opened in heaven to give us light, but until then, no marvei the saints have their faith to seek. David said. One day or other, I shall fall by the hand of Saul; and yet he had that promise, that he should live and be king. He had then many experiences; how comes this then, that he was in the dark? Here is a reason; God had closed the door. We think no more of our trouble, but at first ‘^ by faith and hope to open our King’s door, and in to Him, and be stayed with flagons, and comforted with apples. No, but God will cause His children to come and stand, and pant, and cry, and wait upon an open door. And yet they are believing though they know it not, they are waiting on for faith though they know it not; and howbeit they think they believe not, yet that is believing to one of His children. And therefore howbeit our Lord keep a good house. His children will get leave to sleep and mourn twenty-four hours for bread. God loves a hungry child that’s aye crying for bread. Nay, I say it is more glory to God, to knock a while at a locked door, than if the door were open to us night and day. We see not that hunger is often better for us than a full stomach. In hunger we seek and cry, and it pleases God; but when we are full, we can lay ourselves down in the sun and fall asleep.

‘’And behold a white horse; a7id he that sat upon him zuas called Faithful and Truer — Here we have a glorious description of Christ; as also in Song iii. lo;

* At once.

Col. i. 15, t6, 17; Rev. iii. 14. And wherefore is all this? I think it is a putting Christ to open market, a commending of Him as highly worth the buying. What think ye of Him? Well, is He not a lovely one, a sweet excellent person? Saw ye ever the like of Him? (I will talk of this and the convoy, and let you see both together). AVhere is Christ? He is triumphing upon a white horse, and the saints, His armies at His back, following Him on horseback in white. Here indeed is a fair company of horsemen, all in white! Here all are in one livery; Christ is the Captain or Colonel, and all His company. His armies with Him. Christ and all His Elect are a fair company together, and a well-favoured sight. ^’ And I looked, and lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Zion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father’s name wTitten in their foreheads ‘’ (Rev. xiv. i). “Behold, I and the children whom thou hast given me’’ (Isa. viii. 18). I think he would say. Am not I and my children a pleasant sight? Judge ye then what a sight it will be at the last day, when Christ, having ended His court, and the saints have met Him in the air, He and they shall go back again to heaven, and He shall come in at the door with such majesty, and all the first-born, the fair bairn-tene,”^ the whole Elect, nations, tongues, languages and people, that none can number, at His back, every one of them as fair as the sun! And He shall present them as a gift to the Father. “After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands” (Rev. vii. 9). In very

Family. deed, then, he is a happy man who is amongst them; for that must be a glad meeting for evermore, when

)we shall meet with the Bridegroom. This white horse that Christ rides on, teaches nothing else than that He triumphs in Himself, and His cause and truth. He rode through death and hell, and was never thrown off the saddle. Nay, upon the cross, “having spoiled principalities and powers, He made a show of them

, openly, triumphing over them in it” (Col. ii. 15).

1” I am He that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore. Amen; and have the keys of

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