But we err if we suppose that it was only while there that he experienced that almost ecstatic enjoyment of his Lord. He carried it away with him; for is not this the same strain as pervades his Letters, when, preaching in 1644, before the House of Commons in London, he exclaims, "O for eternity's leisure, to look on Him, to feast upon a sight of His face! O for the long summer day of endless ages to stand beside Him and enjoy Him! O time, O sin, be removed out of the way! O day! O fairest of days, dawn!"
He was, during part of two years, closely confined to that town, though not in prison; but in 1638 public events had taken another turn. The Lord had stirred up the spirit of the people of Scotland, and the covenant was again triumphant in the land. Rutherford hastened back to Anwoth. During his absence, "For six quarters of a year," say his parishioners, "no sound of the Word of God was heard in our kirk." The swallows had made their nests there undisturbed for two summers.
His Letters do not refer to the proceedings of the Glasgow Assembly of 1638. It is well known, however, that he was no mere indifferent spectator to what then took place, but was present, and was member of several committees which at that time sat on the affairs of the church. Presbytery being fully restored by that Assembly, it was thought right that one so gifted should be removed to a more important sphere. He was sent by the church to several districts to promote the cause of Reformation and the Covenant; and at length, in spite of his reluctance, arising chiefly from love to his flock--his rural flock at Anwoth--he was constrained to yield to the united opinion of his brethren, and be removed to the Professor's Chair in St. Andrews in 1639, and become Principal of the New College. He bargained to be allowed to preach regularly every Sabbath in his new sphere; for he could not endure silence when he might speak a word for his Lord. He seems to have preached also, as occasion offered, in the parishes around, especially at Scoonie, in which the village of Leven stands.[45]
[45] "In 1650, Mr. Samuel Rutherford, minister of St. Andrews, did preach the preparation sermon in Cant. v. 2. Mr. Samuel had a lecture on Monday following on the 20th chapter of Matthew's Gospel."
"_1651, July 13._--The comm. was given at Scoonie. Mr. Alex. Moncrieff, m. there, did preach the Preparation Sermon, and on Monday morning Mr. Sa. Rutherford did preach; his text at both occasions was Luke vii. 36 till 39 ver. At this time was present, besides Mr. Sa. Rutherford, Mr. Ja. Guthrie, and Mr. David Bennet, Mr. Ephraim Melvin, and Mr. William Oliphant, m. in Dumfermlin. Thither did resort many strangers, so that the throng was great. Mr. Ephraim and Mr. D. Bennet both did sit within the pulpit while the minister had his sermon." So again, "In _1652, June 13_.--Mr. S. R. of St. Andrews, did preach on the Sabbath afternoon; his lecture Luke xiv.; his sermon Luke vii. 36, 38, to end. Mr. S. did exhort on Monday following, on his foresaid text, Luke vii. 40, 44." Once more, "_1653, Aug. 11_.--A fast keepit at Scoonie kirk, Mr. S. R. in the morning, lecture, Jonah ii.; his text, Rev. iii. 1, at end. Afternoon preached on same; his lecture Psalms cxxx., cxxxi." "_1654, Jan. 4._--Being Saturday, there was a Preparation Sermon for a Thanksgiving preached at Scoonie in Fyfe, for the continuance of the Gospel in the land and for the spreading of it in some places of the Highlands in Scotland, where in some families two and in some families one, began to call on God by prayer. Mr. Samuel Rutherford, m. in St. Andrews, preached on Saturday; his text, Isa. xlix. 9, 10, 11, 12. On the Sabbath, Mr. Alex Moncrieff, m., then preached; his lecture, 1 Thess. ch. i.; his text, Coloss. i. 27. In the afternoon of the Sabbath, Mr. Samuel preached again upon his forementioned text. On Monday morning, Mr. Samuel had a lecture on Psal. lxxxviii. He did read the whole Psalm. Observe, that on Saturday Mr. Samuel had this expression in his prayer after sermon, desiring that the Lord would rebuke Presbyteries and others that had taken the keys and the power in their hands, and keeped out, and would suffer none to enter (meaning in the ministry) but such as said as they said."--"Lamont's Diary."
His hands were necessarily filled with work in his new sphere; yet still he relaxed nothing of his diligence in study. Nor did he lack anything of former blessing. It was here the English merchant heard him preach so affectingly on the loveliness of Christ; while such was his success as a Professor that "the University became a Lebanon out of which were taken cedars for building the house of God throughout the land."