Chapter XLIII: Appendix: Editions of Rutherford's Letters

Row, in his "History of the Kirk of Scotland" (p. 396), wrote in 1650 regarding these Letters:--"Sundry have whole books full of them, whilk, if they were printed, I am confident, through the Lord's rich mercy and blessing, would not fail to do much good." This was written fourteen years before any attempt had been made at collecting them for publication.

I. The First Edition appeared in 1664, in duodecimo. The place of publication is not given on the title-page, these being days of persecution; but it is known to have been _Rotterdam_, in Holland, under the superintending care of Mr. M'Ward, who was once Rutherford's amanuensis. It is divided into two parts, the one containing 215 Letters, the _other_, 71. It has a long recommendatory Preface, containing matter that is of no great interest to us now; but it preserves one weighty saying of this man of God on his deathbed. "When he was on the threshold of glory, ready to receive the immortal crown, he said, 'Now my tabernacle is weak, and I would think it a more glorious way of going home, to lay down my life for the cause, at the Cross of Edinburgh or St. Andrews; but I submit to my Master's will.'"

Here is the original title-page:--

(_First Edition_)

JOSHUA REDIVIVUS.

OR,

_Mr. Rutherford's Letters_,

Divided in two Parts.

_The First_,

Containing those which were written from Aberdeen,
where he was confined by a sentence of the High
Commission; drawn forth against him, partly
upon the account of his declining them, partly
upon the account of his Non-Conformity.

_The Second_,

Containing some which were written from Anwoth
before he was by the Prelates' Persecution thrust from
his ministry; & others upon diverse occasions
afterward, from St. Andrews, London, &c.

Now published for the use of all the people of God,
but more particularly for those who now are or afterward
may be put to Suffering, for Christ and His cause.

_By a Wellwisher to the Work & People of God._

John xvi. 2. "They shall put you out of the synagogues; yea, the
time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth
God service. V. 3. And these things will they do, because they
have not known the Father, nor me."

2 Thess. i. 6. "Seeing it is a righteous thing with God, to
recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; V. 7. And to you
who are troubled rest with us; when the Lord Jesus shall be
revealed from heaven, with His mighty angels," &c.

Printed in the Year cI[c] I[c]c LXIIII By some mistake in reading the numeral letters, booksellers' catalogues have spoken of editions in 1662 and 1663; but there were none such. Such a mistake might easily occur in writing the numerals. In a _Manuscript of the Letters_ (kindly forwarded to the Editor by Rev. A. B. Grosart, Kinross), the date of the First Edition is written thus: cIↄ Iↄc; LIIII. Here there is, beyond doubt, a mistake; the X is omitted from LXIIII.; for the MS. is merely a _copy of the First Edition_. It copies out the title-page in full, and then appends this note: "_Intended to be wryten from the printed book, by the wryter, for particular use, and for several reasons unnecessary to be inserted._" Some of the "Testimonies of the Martyrs" are appended, as they appeared in the "Cloud of Witnesses" afterwards. There are now and then marginal notes, all of which are simply hints as to what the Letter contains, thus: "Cause of Rutherford's confinement;" "Comfort for the servants of God and for ministers." The existence, however, of such a MS., copied with such pains from a printed volume, tells the high esteem in which the Letters were held. We may note one small matter. In this MS. the name "_Bethaia_" (so written in all the printed editions) is given "_Bethia_;" showing that the name was so written at _that_ time also, as it is always now.

2. The _Second Edition._--It appeared in 1671, an exact reprint of the first, with the same title-page, etc. But it is very inaccurate; _e.g._ there are ten obvious misspellings of common words in the two first pages, not to speak of _bad punctuation_, which is a fault common to all the early editions.

3. The _Third Edition_, in 1675, retains the original title-page, except that it has, "In _Three_ Parts," and "The _Second_ and _Third_." This last Part contains sixty-eight additional Letters. This edition is the one which subsequent editors follow. It omits the original "Preface to the Christian Reader," and has only four introductory pages, two of which are the advertisement about the lost MS. of Rutherford on _Isaiah_. It has a long "Postscript," in which we cannot say there is much that is important.

4. The Edition of 1692.

5. The Edition of 1709. Edinburgh.

6. The Edition of 1724. Edinburgh. 12mo. "Printed by T. Lumsden and J. Ritchie, and sold at their printing-house in the Fish Market, and by John Paton and James Thomson, booksellers in the Parliament Closs; and sold at Glasgow by John Robertson, James and John Browns, and Mrs. Brown, booksellers. 1724." It is marked "The Fifth Edition." If this means the "fifth" of those editions that contain the "Three Parts," then our list is not complete. But it seems as if the editor had overlooked one of the earlier editions; and if so, this is the sixth.

7. The Edition of 1738. Edinburgh. Marked "Sixth Edition."

8. The Edition of 1761. Edinburgh. In two vols.

9. The Edition of 1765. Glasgow. A good edition. It has the author's Testimony and Dying Words, as well as the original Preface of the earliest edition. It is marked "_Ninth_ Edition."

10. The Edition of 1783. Glasgow. Marked "Tenth Edition." 8vo. Printed by John Bryce.

(The Eleventh Edition we have not seen, but it may be that of 1796.)

11. The Edition of 1802. Aberdeen. Marked "Twelfth Edition."

12. The Edition of 1809. Edinburgh. Marked "Thirteenth Edition."

13. Another in 1818, "One hundred and fifty-two Religious Letters," to which is added a Testimony to the Covenanted Work of Reformation between 1638 and 1649. Octavo.

14. Another in 1821. With a brief notice of the author.

15. The London Religious Tract Society's Edition, first published in 1824. It is properly only a _selection_ of sixty Letters, with extracts from many others. It has "Contents" prefixed to each Letter.

16. Another, 1824. Glasgow. With brief notice of the author.

17. The Edition of 1825. One of "Collins' Select Christian Authors." It passed through three editions. It has a doctrinal Preface by Thomas Erskine, Esq., and gives about one half of the Letters. It has not retained all the peculiar phraseology of the original; but it gives some account of his life, and appends his "Last Words," and his "Testimony to the Covenanted Work of Reformation." _Kenmure_ is misspelt "_Kenmuir_" in the edition of 1825, but corrected in the next.

18. The Edition of 1830. Glasgow.

19. Another in 1834.

20. The Edition of 1836. London: Baisler. Edited by Rev. Charles Thomson. In two vols. It has valuable explanatory notes, and the Letters are, for the most part, arranged chronologically,--a great improvement on the "Three Parts" of so many former editions.

21. The Edition of 1839.

22. The Edition of 1846. Aberdeen: King. This edition is in double columns.

23. The Edition of 1848. Edinburgh: Whyte and Kennedy. With historical and biographical notices, by Rev. James Anderson. The Letters, so far, chronologically arranged, and ten additional Letters given. Contents also, and indices; and a Sketch of Rutherford's Life.

24. The Edition of 1857. London: Collingridge. Edited by Rev. D. A. Doubdney. It has the long Original Preface of 1664, and the Postscript of 1675; also a synopsis of each Letter. But it is not accurate, especially as to proper names.

25. The Edition of 1863. In two vols. It contains Letters 290, 325, 327, 336, 337, 340, 343, 355, 356, 365, not found in any previous edition but that of 1848; as well as 283 and 307, added since then. There are 365 in all; one for each day of the year, if any one chooses.

26. An Edition in octavo, by Rev. J. M'Ewan, Edinburgh,--a reprint of the old. 1867.

27. _Extracts._--There have been abridgments in the form of "Extracts," from time to time. We might give as samples, Jo. Wesley's Extracts (an edition in 1825); John Brown of Haddington's "Pleasant and Practical Hints," selected from the Letters; and recently, "Last Words of S. R., in verse, by A. R. C., with some of his sweet sayings." A variety of such have appeared.

28. Edition 1875. By Dr. Thomas Smith. Preface by Dr. Duff.

29. _Foreign Editions._--1. There is an _American_ Edition; a reprint, by Carter, New York, of the Edition of 1848.--2. A _Dutch_ translation appeared at Flushing in 1673. The translation made by Mr. Koelman, minister of Sluys, with a brief Life. Of this there have been frequent reprints; that of 1754 is in three vols. octavo; another in 1855,--a new translation in double columns, published at Grave.--3. There is also a _German_ translation (see "Mission of Inquiry to the Jews, 1839," ch. v.); but we are not able to give any account of it.

30. This present Edition, 1891. Edinburgh: Oliphant, Anderson, & Ferrier. Reprinted 1894.

SAMPLE OF THE OLD ORTHOGRAPHY.

(Letter CCCLI.)

Sir I would ere now have writtin to you had I not knowin yo^r health weaker and weaker could scairclie permitt you to hear. I neid not speak. The way you know and have preached to others the skill off the Gŭijd and the glorie of the hom beyond death And qn he sayes com and sie it will be yo^r gaine to obey and goe out and meett the brydgroom What accessioun is mad to the higher hoŭs off his kingdom sould not be our lose though it be a reall losse to the church of God Bot we count on way and the Lord counts anoy^r way He is jnffallible and the onlie wyse God and needs non of us Had He needed Mosses and the prophetts ther staying in the Bodie he could hav taken an oy^r way Who dar bid you cast your thoughts bak on wyff or children when he hath said Leav yam to me and com up hither or who cane perswad you to die or liv as iff that wer abritarie to us and not his alon who hath determined the number off yo^r moneths. If so it seem good to him follow your forrunner and Gŭyd. It is ane unknowen land to you who was never ther beffor bot the land is good and the company befor the thron desyreable and he who sittes on the throne is alon a sufficient heavin. Grac be with you

St Andrews 15 jun. 1658. Yours in the Lord

S R

[_From a MS. vol. belonging to Mr. Lamb, Dundee._]

LAST WORDS.

Mrs. A. R. Cousin, wife of Rev. W. Cousin, Free Church minister of Melrose, has woven into a delightful poem many of Samuel Rutherford's most remarkable utterances. This piece has become almost a household hymn, known over all our country, and in America no less. It is entitled sometimes by its first line, "The sands of time are sinking," and sometimes, "The Last Words of S. R.," though it takes in many of his sayings, besides his deathbed words.

The sands of time are sinking, Letters 79, 147.
The dawn of Heaven breaks,
The summer morn I've sighed for,
The fair sweet morn awakes:
Dark, dark hath been the midnight,
But dayspring is at hand,
And glory--glory dwelleth Letter 323.
In Immanuel's land.

Oh! well it is for ever,
Oh! well for evermore, Letter 4.
My nest hung in no forest
Of all this death-doom'd shore:
Yea, let the vain world vanish,
As from the ship the strand,
While glory--glory dwelleth
In Immanuel's land.

There the Red Rose of Sharon Letters 181, 321.
Unfolds its heartsome bloom,
And fills the air of Heaven
With ravishing perfume:--
Oh! to behold it blossom,
While by its fragrance fann'd
Where glory--glory dwelleth
In Immanuel's land.

The King there in His beauty, Letters 165, 284,
Without a veil, is seen: 291, 318.
It were a well-spent journey,
Though seven deaths lay between.
The Lamb, with His fair army,
Doth on Mount Zion stand,
And glory--glory dwelleth
In Immanuel's land.

Oh! Christ He is the Fountain,
The deep sweet well of love!
The _streams_ on earth I've tasted, Letters 288, 317.
More deep I'll drink above:
There, to an _ocean_ fulness,
His mercy doth expand,
And glory--glory dwelleth
In Immanuel's land.

E'en Anwoth was not heaven--
E'en preaching was not Christ; Letters 86, 96,
And in my sea-beat prison 225, 335.
My Lord and I held tryst:
And aye my murkiest storm-cloud
Was by a rainbow spann'd,
Caught from the glory dwelling
In Immanuel's land.

But that He built a heaven
Of His surpassing love,
A little New Jerusalem,
Like to the one above,-- Letter 233.
"Lord, take me o'er the water,"
Had been my loud demand,
"Take me to love's own country,
Unto Immanuel's land."

But flowers need night's cool darkness
The moonlight and the dew;
So Christ, from one who loved it,
His shining oft withdrew; Letter 234.
And then for cause of absence,
My troubled soul I scann'd--
But glory, shadeless, shineth
In Immanuel's land.

The little birds of Anwoth
I used to count them blest,--
Now, beside happier altars
I go to build my nest: Letters 92, 167,
O'er these there broods no silence, 206.
No graves around them stand,
For glory, deathless, dwelleth
In Immanuel's land.

Fair Anwoth by the Solway,
To me thou still art dear!
E'en from the verge of Heaven Letter 225.
I drop for thee a tear.
Oh! if one soul from Anwoth
Meet me at God's right hand,
My Heaven will be two Heavens,
In Immanuel's land.

I have wrestled on towards Heaven,
'Gainst storm, and wind, and tide:--
Now, like a weary traveller, Letters 275, 326.
That leaneth on his guide,
Amid the shades of evening,
While sinks life's ling'ring sand,
I hail the glory dawning
From Immanuel's land.

Deep waters cross'd life's pathway,
The hedge of thorns was sharp; Letter 137.
Now these lie all behind me--
Oh! for a well-tuned harp! Deathbed, p. 21.
Oh! to join Halleluiah
With yon triumphant band,
Who sing, where glory dwelleth,
In Immanuel's land.

With mercy and with judgment
My web of time He wove,
And aye the dews of sorrow Letters 245, 295,
Were lustred with His love. 298.
I'll bless the hand that guided,
I'll bless the heart that plann'd,
When throned where glory dwelleth
In Immanuel's land.

Soon shall the cup of glory
Wash down earth's bitterest woes,
Soon shall the desert-briar Letters 20, 295.
Break into Eden's rose:
The curse shall change to blessing--
The name on earth that's bann'd, Rev. ii. 17.
Be graven on the white stone
In Immanuel's land.

Oh! I am my Belovèd's,
And my Beloved is mine!
He brings a poor vile sinner Letters 76, 116,
Into His "House of wine." 119, 148.
I stand upon His merit,
I know no other stand,
Not e'en where glory dwelleth
In Immanuel's land.

I shall sleep sound in Jesus,
Fill'd with His likeness rise,
To live and to adore Him,
To see Him with these eyes.
'Tween me and resurrection Page 21 of "Life".
But Paradise doth stand;
Then--then for glory dwelling
In Immanuel's land!

The Bride eyes not her garment,
But her dear Bridegroom's face;
I will not gaze at glory, Letters 21, 168.
But on my King of Grace--
Not at the crown He gifteth,
But on His piercèd hand:
The _Lamb_ is all the glory
Of Immanuel's land.

I have borne scorn and hatred,
I have borne wrong and shame,
Earth's proud ones have reproach'd me,
For Christ's thrice blessed name:--
Where God His seal set fairest
They've stamp'd their foulest brand;
But judgment shines like noonday
In Immanuel's land.

They've summoned me before them,
But there I may not come,--
My Lord says, "Come up hither,"
My Lord says, "Welcome Home!"
My kingly King, at His white throne, Deathbed saying.
My presence doth command,
Where glory--glory dwelleth
In Immanuel's land.

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End of Project Gutenberg's Letters of Samuel Rutherford, by Samuel Rutherford