Samuel Rutherford: A Study Biographical and somewhat Critical, in the History of the Scottish Covenant
Author: Robert Gilmour, Minister of the High United Free Church, Musselburgh
Original Publication Date: 1904
Newly set type.
Publisher’s Commentary
This biography of Samuel Rutherford does a nice job of putting his life into historical perspective. The author draws on numerous sources and commentators in an attempt to give a balanced assessment of Rutherford’s life and work, as well as the entire context of the times, which were extraordinary. Gilmour expands at length on the unlikely case that the man who wrote “Rutherford’s Letters” is the same man that wrote “Lex, Rex.” He nicely summarizes the spirit of each of them, giving a brief summary of the general thrust of “Lex, Rex,” which most readers find difficult to digest. He also discusses the impact that the Scottish commissioners, including Rutherford, had on the Westminster Assembly, which produced England’s famous Confession of Faith. We see some glimpses of the other great movers of the Second Reformation, such as Henderson and Gillespie and Baillie. Gilmour also provides perspective on the legacy received from Knox and Melville from a century earlier, as well as the future effects of the Glorious Revolution and American independence, which both draw their strength from the work of Rutherford and his fellow-laborers.
For those wishing to get a thumbnail sketch of Rutherford’s life and 17th-century British history, we think this book serves that purpose well.
Publication History:
- August 21, 2021: First Portage edition posted.