Fellowship with the living God is a distinguishing feature in the holiness given by the Holy Ghost; we get "access by one Spirit to the Father through Him."[65] Rutherford could sometimes say, "I have been so near Him that I have said, 'I take instruments that this is the Lord.'"[66] And he could from experience declare, "I dare avouch, the saints know not the length and largeness of the sweet Earnest, and of the sweet green sheaves before the harvest, that might be had on this side of the water, _if we should take more pains_."[67] "I am every way in your case, as hard-hearted and dead as any man, but yet I speak to Christ through my sleep."[68] All this is from the pen of a man who was a metaphysician, a controversialist, a leader in the church, and learned in ancient and scholastic lore. Why are there not such gracious, as well as great men now?
[65] Ephes. ii. 18.
[66] Letter xcix.
[67] Letter ccii.
[68] Letter cclxxxvi.
5. _All afflicted persons._--Here he had the very "tongue of the learned, to speak a word in season to him that was weary." And with what tender sympathy does he speak, leading the mourner so gently to the heart of Jesus! He knew the heart of a stranger, for he had been a stranger. "Let no man after me slander Christ for His cross."[69] Yes, says he, His most loved are often His most tried: "The lintel-stone and pillars of His New Jerusalem suffer more knocks of God's hammer and tools than the common side-wall stones."[70] Even as to reproach and calumny, he declares, "I love Christ's worst reproaches."
[69] Letter cvii.
[70] Letter cii.
It was to Hugh M'Kail, uncle of the youthful martyr, that he penned the words, "Some have written me that I am possibly too joyful of the cross; but my joy overleapeth the cross--it is bounded and terminated on Christ."[71] And there it was he found a well of comfort never dry.
[71] Letter ccvi.
6. _All who love the Person of Christ._--We have too often been satisfied with speculative truth and abstract doctrine. On the one hand, the orthodox have too often rested in the statements of our Catechisms and Confessions; and, on the other, the "Election-doubters" (as Bunyan would have called them) have pressed their favourite dogma, that Christ died for all men, as if mere assent to a proposition could save the soul. Rutherford places the truth before us in a more accurate, and also more savoury way, full of life and warmth. The Person of Him who gave Himself for His church is held up in all its attractiveness. With him, it is ever the Person as much as the work done; or rather, never the one apart from the other. Like Paul, he would fain know _Him_, as well as the power of His resurrection.[72]
[72] Phil. iii. 10.
Once, when Lord Kenmure asked him, "What will Christ be like when He cometh?" his reply was, "_All lovely_." And this is everywhere the favourite theme with him. At times he tells of His love. "His love surroundeth and surchargeth me."[73] "If His love was not in heaven, I should be unwilling to go thither."[74] Often he checks his pen to tell of _Christ Himself_, "Welcome, welcome, sweet, sweet cross of Christ;"--then correcting his language, "Welcome, fair, lovely, _royal King, with Thine own cross_."[75] "O if I could doat as much upon _Himself_ as I do upon His love."[76] "I fear I make more of His love than of _Himself_."[77] How startling yet how true, is this remark, "I see that in communion with Christ we may make more gods than one,"[78]--meaning that we may be tempted to make the enjoyment itself our god. It was his habitual aim to pass through privileges, joys, even fellowship, to God Himself: "I have casten this work upon Christ, to get me _Himself_."[79] "I would be farther in upon Christ than at His joys; in, where love and mercy lodgeth; beside His heart."[80] "He who sitteth on the throne is His lone a sufficient heaven."[81] "Sure I am He is the far best half of heaven."[82]
[73] Letter civ.
[74] Letter civ.
[75] Letter lxi.
[76] Letter clx.
[77] Letter clxxix.
[78] Letter clxviii.
[79] Letter clxxxvii.
[80] Letter cclxxxvi.
[81] Letter ccclii.
[82] Letter cclxxix.
In a word, such was his soul's view of the living Person, that he writes, "Holiness is not _Christ_, nor the blossoms and flowers of the tree of life, nor the tree itself."[83] He had found out the true fountain-head, and would direct all Zion's travellers thither. And let a man try this; let the Holy Spirit lead a man to this _Person_;--and surely his experience will be, "None ever came up dry from David's well."
[83] Letter cccxxxvi.