proper names, and the one or two Latin phrases that occur, are always correctly given, so that their writer must have been an educated man, and, from the skill with which he has caught the line of thought, in full sympathy with the preacher. There is no sign of abridgment throughout their pages. The student of Rutherford's letters and his other works will recognize in them a full transcript of what he must have said. Dr. Bonar has kindly read my transcription, sheet by sheet, as it was made, and he has again read the proofs with me. Our common aim has been to reproduce the sermons in a form that will not in any way do discredit to their author, Samuel Rutherford. J. H. T. HIGHTAE, LOCKERBIE, N.B. Contents. "Fear not, thou worm Jacob." (No. 1.)-Isa. xli. 14-16. . 1 "Fear not, thou worm Jacob." (No. 2.)-ISA. xli. 14-16 27 Fear not, thou worm Jacob. No. I. "Fear not, thou worm Jacob, and ye men of Israel; I will help thee, saith the Lord, and thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel. Behold, I will make thee a new sharp threshing instrument having teeth thou shalt thresh the mountains, and beat them small, and shalt make the hills as chaff. Thou shalt fan them, and the wind shall carry them away, and the whirlwind shall scatter them; and thou shalt rejoice in the Lord, and shalt glory in the Holy One of Israel.”—ISAIAH xli. 14–16.1 HE Lord, beloved in Him, in this chapter is looking upon the case of a captive people, looking upon the case of a people that were both weak, few, poor, and were also amongst the midst of their enemies. And the Lord knows well what are the thoughts of His children when they are in such a case. He knows well enough what is in the heart of these who are strangers unto Him. And He knows also the heart and thoughts of His people 1 In MS., "For preparation to a fast, August 22, 1640." The Scotch army of from 20,000 to 30,000 men had crossed the English border two days before, August 20, 1640. The sermon is full of allusions to the army. This and following sermon on the same text, and the sermons on Hosea viii. 1-3, and John xx. 8, were all preached at this period. The fast day had been appointed by the General Assembly which commenced its proceedings at Aberdeen on the 28th of the preceding month of July. Rutherford was present at this meeting of the Assembly, and took part in the discussions that arose in regard to disorders said to have taken place at night meetings for prayer and reading the Scriptures, &c. Rutherford defended these meetings. See Stevenson's "History of the Church and State of Scotland," Book III., chap. 5, p. 893. when they are in captivity. And for that reason, to hold up their head above the water, which now might have swallowed them up, and put them in peril of losing for ever the promise that the Lord had made, in the words that now are read there is an encouragement given unto the captive Kirk, unto a base, miserable, weak, and destitute people, amongst the midst of their enemies. And in the words there be thir1 particulars remarkable. First of all there is an encouragement, "Fear not." (2) A description of the party to whom the Lord speaks this: "Worm Jacob" and the "Men of Israel." And (3) There is a warrant why the Lord speaks this, and why He comforts "Worm Jacob." "Fear not, says the Lord thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel." (4) There is a reason of this taken from a promise of God, and the promise it is set down two ways in the words: first, in general terms on God's part, "I will help thee; second, more particularly on the people's part, what they shall be, "I will make thee a new sharp threshing instrument having teeth: thou shalt thresh the mountains, and beat them small, and shalt make the hills as caff." All the powers in the world that are against thee, albeit they be grown, and high above the rest, as indeed the enemies of the Kirk of Christ, they are swelled pieces of clay, and yet the Lord says that the Kirk shall get strength from Him to thrash these mountains, and to beat the hills, &c. And, lastly, by whose strength is this done, and who shall get the thanks of it? "Thou shalt rejoice in the Lord, and glory in the Holy |
