Rutherford'S Last Words (1783 Edition).
RUTHERFORD'S LAST WORDS (1783 EDITION).
SOME OF THE LAST WORDS OF MR. RUTHERFOORD; CONTAINING SOME ADVICES AND EXHORTATIONS TO HIS FRIENDS AND RELATIONS, DURING HIS SICKNESS, BEFORE HIS DEATH, FEBRUARY THE LAST, 1661.
He uttered many savoury speeches in the time of his sickness, and often broke out in a sacred kind of rapture, extolling and commending the Lord Jesus, especially when his end drew near; whom he often called his blessed Master, his kingly King.
Some days before his death he said, I shall shine, I shall shine, I shall see him as he is, I shall see him reign, and all his fair company with him; and I shall have my large share, my eyes shall see my Redeemer, these very eyes of mine, and no other for me; this may seem a wide word, but its no fancy or delusion; its true, its true, let my Lord's name be exalted, and if he will, let my name be grinded to pieces, that he may be all in all. If he should slay me ten thousand times ten thousand times, I'll trust. He often repeated, Jer. xv, 16. Thy words were found and I did eat them, and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of my heart." Exhorting one to be diligent in seeking of God, he said, 'Tis no easy thing to be a Christian, but for me, I have gotten the victory, and Christ is holding out both his arms to embrace me. At another time, to some friends about him, he said, At the beginning of my sufferings I had mine own fears like another sinful man lest I should faint, and not be carried creditably through; and I laid this before the Lord: and as sure as he ever spake to me in his word, as his spirit witnessed to my heart, he had accepted my suffering, he said to me, fear not: the outgate shall be simply matter of praise." I said to the Lord, if he should slay me five thousand times five thousand times, I would trust in him; and I spake it with much trembling, fearing I should not make my putt good. But as really as ever he spoke to me by his Spirit, he witnessed unto my heart, "that his grace should be sufficient."
The last Tuesday night, before his death, being much weighted with the state of the public, he had that expression, Terror hath taken hold on me, because of his dispensations." And after falling upon his own condition, he