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SAMUEL RUTHERFORD

Best Edition of Rutherford's Letters. Letters of Samuel Rutherford, with a Sketch of his Life, Notices of his Correspondents, Glossary, and List of his Works. New edition. By Rev. ANDREW A. BONAR, D.D. Demy 8vo, cloth extra, with 14 Illustrationss, and facsimile of his writing, price 3/6. Also in full morocco, gilt edges, 10/6 net.

Dr. MARCUS DODS in the British Weekly says:"In its own department of devotional literature, Rutherford's Letters stand supreme. For warmth of feeling they are unmatched.... The present edition is, as they say on school prizes, præmium ac incitamentum, a tribute paid by the publishers to its past popularity, and a powerful incentive to its future fame. For in every respect this is a perfect edition. Not only is it very beautiful in its typography, but it is equipped with all an editor can do for it-a life of the author, biographical and topographical notes, elucidating the circumstances of his correspondents, and explanations of difficult words and expressions. All lovers of good men and good books should have it."

Samuel Rutherford and some of his Correspondents. By the Rev. ALEXANDER WHYTE, D.D., of St. George's United Free Church, Edinburgh. Post 8vo, antique laid paper, cloth extra, price 2/6.

"Introduces us to various notable men and women who had the privilege of being this great man's correspondents."-Spectator.

Daily Thoughts for a Year. From the Letters of Samuel Selected by EVA S. SANDEMAN. Crown 8vo, Printed in black and red, price 1/-.

Rutherford.

cloth extra.

"Dust of gold; 'and the gold of that land is good.'”—Sword and Trowel.

Letters of Samuel Rutherford.

Selected from the

edition edited by the Rev. ANDREW A. Bonar, D.D. Small crown 8vo, cloth extra, price 1/-.

"Marked by unworldly sweetness and light, and prove Samuel Ruther ford to have been a man in whom quaint fancy was linked to spiritual insight and radiant faith."-Speaker.

Rubies from Rutherford.

Gathered by WALTER J.

MATHAMS. In neat booklet form, bound in Japanese vellum, price 6d. net.

"Of priceless value."-Methodist Recorder.

"When we are dead and gone, let the world know that Spurgeon held Rutherford's Letters to be the nearest thing to inspiration that can be found in all the writings of mere men.' -Mr SPURGEON in Sword and Trowel.

If we were sure that they were our martyr's heads, we might bury them decently and orderly.

"Accordingly, we kept the foresaid day and hour, and doubled the linen, and laid the half of it below them, their nether jaws being parted from their heads, but being young men, their teeth remained. All were witness to the holes in each of their heads, which the hangman broke with his hammer; and, according to the bigness of their skulls, we laid their jaws to them, and drew the other half of the linen above them, and stuffed the coffin with shavings. Some pressed hard to go through the chief parts of the city, as was done at the Revolution. But this we refused, considering that it looked airy and frothy to make such show of them, and inconsistent with the solid, serious observing of such an affecting, surprising, unheard of dispensation; but took the ordinary way of other burials from that place, to wit, we went east by the back of the Wall, and in at Bristo Port, and down the way to the head of the Cowgate, and turned up to the churchyard; where they were interred close to the Martyrs' Tomb, with the greatest multitude of people, old and young, men and women, ministers and others, that ever I saw together.

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However, some deny and others will not believe that all this is matter of fact; far less will many believe it forty, fifty, or sixty years after this; when boys and girls of six, eight, or ten years of age, who were witnesses to it, shall tell, That we saw five heads, wanting bodies, reburied forty-five years after they were murdered, for maintaining Presbyterian principles, in a time of persecution that was in the days of our fathers, by the Popish, Prelatical, and Malignant faction.

"However some may reckon of that dispensation of the earth's now disclosing (as not being able any longer to cover) the blood of these slain witnesses, yet, doubtless, they are five witnesses, fortyfive years old, of the tyranny and cruelty of that never-to-be-forgotten time."

To this notice of the five martyrs, he adds a funeral poem, upon these five martyrs' heads. It extends to fifty lines, but its merit as a poem is small. Its best lines are its opening ones, viz. :

"When for our fathers' sins, by angry Heaven,

To persecuting Prelates power was given ;
Then they became the nation's scourge and rod,
And for a season on the saints they trode."

-ED.]

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HE DYING TESTIMONY of ROBERT GARNOCK, Hammerman in Stirling, who suffered at the Gallowlee, betwixt Leith and Edinburgh, October 10, 1681.

"MEN AND BRETHREN,-I, having received a sentence of death from men, for adhering to the truth against Popery, Prelacy, Erastianism, and Indulgences first and last, and all that was contrary to sound doctrine; am now to leave a line behind me, as the Lord will help me to write; and to tell you, that however this generation may condemn me, as having a hand in my own death, I declare that it is not so; for I die a Presbyterian in my judgment. For I, considering how solemnly Scotland was bound to defend truth against all encroachments made thereon, with their lives and liberties, and how they of this nation had so easily broken their vows and engagements; and then seeing, through the Scriptures, how deep Covenant-breaking draws, and what a great and heinous sin this is in the sight of God; could do no less than give in my protestation against all their proceedings, in these hell-hatched acts that were so contrary to the word of God, and our sworn Covenants. And it is for that, that I am come in your presence this day, to lay down this life of mine; for which I bless the Lord, that ever He honoured the like of me with a gibbet and bloody winding-sheet, for His noble, honourable and sweet cause.

"Oh! will ye love Him, sirs? Oh! He is well worth the loving, and quitting all for. Oh! for many lives to seal the sweet cause with. If I had as many lives as there are hairs on my head, I would think them all too little to be martyrs for truth. I bless the Lord, I do not suffer unwillingly, nor by constraint; but heartily and cheerfully. Oh! but the Lord hath taken great pains on me, to train me up for this great work. I bless His holy name, that ever He counted me worthy of such honour. His love hath been to me beyond many.

"I have been a long time a prisoner, and have been altered of my prison. I was among and in the company of the most part who suffered since Bothwell; and was in company with many ensnaring persons, though I do not question but they were godly folk. And yet the Lord kept me from hearkening to their counsel. Glory, glory be to His holy and sweet name. Oh! but it is many a time my

wonder, how I have done such and such things.

But it is He that

hath done it. He hath done all things well, both in me, and for me. Holy is His name. Oh! if I could get my royal King Jesus cried up, and all the world down! Oh! will ye fall in love with Christ, friends? what ails you at Him, and His sweet cause? I can assure you He is no hard master to serve. Oh! He is lovely! 'He is white and ruddy, the chief among ten thousands.'

"I desire that none of you think I suffer as an evil doer, or as a busybody in other men's matters; or that it is out of blind zeal, that I am come here this day. No, for it was after serious consideration that I did it, and after great weights and pressures. It was great grief of soul to me, to see my Master's truth so wronged, trampled on, and abused by a God-daring generation, and none to speak for Him. And now my Lord is highly honouring me for that. Glory to His great name for it! For He hath honoured me and my neighbours with irons, and the thieves' hole, which were sweet and refreshful to us; and then honoured us wonderfully to go in before these bloody men and get our sentences.

"Our interrogations are known. I have not time to write them. But I disowned them for disowning of the Covenant, and I adhered to my protestation given in against them; and now am come to the Gallowlee, to lay down my life, and to have my head cut off and put upon a port. It is known, how barbarously I have been used by them, and how honourably such a silly [i.e., feeble] wretch as I am hath been carried through. Glory be to His sweet name for it! Indeed, it was the bargain betwixt Christ and my soul long since, that through His strength I should be for Him, and at His bidding, whatever piece of work He put in my hand. And He promised, that His grace should be sufficient for me; and that His strength should be seen in my weakness; and that go whither I would, He would go with me through fire and water, the flames should not scorch me, nor the waters overflow me. Oh! take Him, sirs; for He is faithful who hath promised, and He will perform.

"Now, as a dying martyr for Christ, I would leave it on all of you, to make haste, and prepare for strokes, for they are at hand; and do not think that they will not come because they are delayed. No, He will come, and that as a thief in the night, and will surprise many of you, if not all. Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation.' I would not have you secure, but take warning in time, before His wrath break forth. He hath waited long on Scotland's

repentance. It is like, He will not bear much longer. Do not sleep as do others, but arise, make haste, get on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand. It is dangerous now to be out of God's gate [i.e. way]. It is not good, siding with God's enemies. It will be dangerous to be found in their camps. I would not be in their stead, for all the gold of Ophir, who have saved their lives with prejudice to the work and people of God. I would have them take warning. They say, they have done nothing but what was lawful and right. But they commit transgression, and (with the whore) wipe their mouth and say, they have done no evil. Indeed they may put off men so. But they will not get God and their own consciences put off. They need never go about the bush; for I see not how any that is faithful, being once brought before them, can win [i.e., get] honestly off; for if ye will but say, ye disown their authority, then your life must go. For they had as little to lay to my charge as to any, yet I could not win off with a good conscience, but to the gallows I must go. And glory to His great name, who hath honoured me, or that ever He gave me a head to be set on a port for His sweet name and cause !

"Now as for what I own or disown, I, being straitened by reason of the want of time, cannot get it set down here. And another thing I see, that martyrs' testimonies are of no value, and very lightly esteemed.

"I give my testimony to the holy and sweet Scriptures, Covenants, Confession of Faith, which are according to the Scripture, Catechisms Larger and Shorter, the Acknowledgment of Sins and Engagement to Duties, and to all that our worthies have done in defence of the Gospel, at Pentland, Loudon Hill, Bothwell Bridge, and Airsmoss; to Rutherglen Testimony, and Sanquhar Declaration, Queensferry papers, and Torwood Excommunication, the Fife Testimony, D-ie, K-le, and P-s Protestations, and all that hath been done in defence of the Gospel, wherever it hath been done.

"And I, as a dying martyr for the truth, give my testimony against all the encroachments on our Lord's rights, in less or more; as Popery, Prelacy, Erastianism, and Indulgences first and last, and all that side with them. And I, as a dying witness for Christ, desire friends to the cause of Christ, to beware of them; for, if it were possible, they would deceive the very elect. They will neither enter the kingdom of heaven themselves, nor will they suffer others to go in thereat. Beware of their fair speeches, for they and the devil thought to have made me break with my lovely Lord Jesus Christ, that noble bargain betwixt Him and my soul. Oh! but the professors of this generation

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