CCCIII.--_For the Right Honourable, my_ LADY BOYD.
(_SIN OF THE LAND--READ PRAYERS--BROWNISM._)
MADAM,--I doubt not but the debt of many more than ordinary favours to
this land layeth guiltiness upon this nation. The Lord hath put us in
His books as a favoured people in the sight of the nations, but we pay
not to Him the rent of the vineyard. And we might have had a gospel at
an easier rate than this Gospel; but it would have had but as much
life as ink and paper have. We stand obliged to Him who hath in a
manner forced His love on us, and would but love us against our will.
Anent read prayers. Madam, I could never see precept, promise, or
practice for them, in God's word. Our church never allowed them, but
men took them up at their own choice. The word of God maketh reading
(1 Tim. iv. 3) and praying (1 Thess. v. 17) two different worships. In
reading, God speaketh to us (2 Kings xxii. 10, 11); in praying, we
speak to God (Ps. xxii. 2, xxviii. 1). I had never faith to think well
of them. In my weak judgment, it were good if they were out of the
service of God. I cannot think them a fruit or effect of the Spirit of
adoption, seeing the user cannot say of such prayers, "Let the words
of my mouth, and the meditations of my heart, be acceptable in Thy
sight, O Lord, my Strength and my Redeemer," which the servants of God
ought to say of their prayers (Ps. xix. 14). For such prayers are
meditations set down in paper and ink, and cannot be his
heart-meditations who useth them. The saints never used them, and God
never commanded them; and a promise to hear any prayers, except the
pouring out of the soul to God, we can never read.
As for separation from worship for some errors of a church, the
independency of single congregations, a church of visible saints, and
other tenets of Brownists,[431] they are contrary to God's word. I
have a treatise at the press at London against these conceits, as
things which want God's word to warrant them.[432] The Lord lay it
not to their charge, who depart from the covenant of God with this
land to follow such lying vanities.
[431] The Brownists were a sect which owed their origin to Robert
Brown, who studied at Cambridge. He maintained that every single
congregation ought to have the complete power of jurisdiction within
itself. In the year 1581 he organized a sect according to those
principles. Yet afterwards he returned to the Church of England, and
was presented to a living in Northamptonshire, of which he received
the emoluments without discharging the duties. The sect he formed
remained; but in process of time the name of Brownists was merged in
that of Congregationalists or Independents.
[432] The treatise to which Rutherford here refers is, no doubt, his
work entitled, "A Peaceable and Temperate Plea for Paul's Presbytery
in Scotland, or a Modest Dispute of the Government of the Church of
Scotland, wherein our Discipline is demonstrated to be the true
Apostolic way of Divine Truth, and the arguments on the contrary are
friendly dissolved, the grounds of separation, and the independency of
particular congregations, in defence of Ecclesiastical Presbyteries,
Synods, and Assemblies, are examined and tried." It was printed at
London in 1642. "This," says Murray, "is one of the most temperate,
judicious, and best written works he ever gave to the world. It
corresponds in every respect with the promise which its title holds
out; with this exception, that it is much more learned, dispassionate,
and conclusive than the promise implies. It must have had a very
considerable effect on public sentiment, and have served to pave the
way for that introduction of the Presbyterian system into England
which soon took place."
I did see lately your daughter, the Lady Ardross.[433] The Lord hath
given her a child and deliverance.
[433] See notice on this lady prefixed to a subsequent Letter.
Now, recommending your Ladyship to the rich grace of Christ, I rest
yours at all respectful observance in Christ,