Letters of Samuel Rutherford - Rutherford - VI - Letters 22 to 27

Required reading
The Letters of Samuel Rutherford (Available from Amazon or free here) - Read Letters 22 to 27.
 
My summary
Today we read letters addressed to:
(i) Henderson;
(ii) Gordon;
(iii) M'Naught;
(iv) Livingstone;
(v) the Laird of Carleton;
(vi) Fleming.

As usual the letters contain much about suffering and how to overcome it. 

But, in the letter to Fleming, Rutherford gave a lot of counsel on how to live as a Christian.

What grabbed me
The letter to Fleming was excellent!

I particularly appreciated Rutherford's list of what has most challenged him as a Christian:  'I have been much challenged — 1. For not referring all to God as the last end ; that I do not eat, drink, sleep, journey, speak and think for God. 2. That I have not benefited by good company ; and that I left not some word of conviction, even upon natural and wicked men, as by reproving swearing in them ; or because of being a silent witness to their loose carriage ; and because I intended not in all companies to do good. 3. That the woes and calamities of the kirk, and of particular professors, have not moved me. 4. That at the reading of the life of David, Paul, and the like, when it humbled me, I (coming so far short of their holiness) laboured not to imitate them, afar off at least, according to the measure of God's grace. 5. That unrepented sins of youth were not looked to, and lamented for. 6. That sudden stirrings of pride, lust, revenge, love of honours, were not resisted and mourned for. 7. That my charity was cold. 8. That the experiences I had of God's hearing me, in this and the other particular, being gathered, yet in a new trouble I had always (once at least) my faith to seek, as if I were to begin at A, B, C again. 9. That I have not more boldly contradicted the enemies speaking against the truth, either in public church meetings, or at tables, or ordinary conference. 10. That in great troubles I have received false reports of Christ's love, and misbelieved Him in His chastening ; whereas the event hath said, " All was in mercy." 11. Nothing more moveth me, and weighteth my soul, than that I could never, in my prosperity, so wrestle in prayer with God, nor be so dead to the world, so hungry and sick of love for Christ, so heavenly-minded, as when ten stone-weight of a heavy cross was upon me. 12. That the cross extorted vows of new obedience, which ease hath blown away, as chaff before the wind. 13. That practice was so short and narrow, and light so long and broad. 14. That death hath not been often meditated upon. 15. That I have not been careful of gaining others to Christ. 16. That my grace and gifts bring forth little or no thankfulness.'

No matter how mature a Christian may be, there is always room for improvement.

Next week's reading
Read Letters 28 to 30.

Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.