Xxviii. to Patrick Carsen
Samuel Rutherford urges the youth to dedicate their lives to Christ, emphasizing the fleeting nature of life and the eternal value of a good conscience.
Samuel Rutherford urges the listener to surrender their youth and love to Christ, emphasizing the importance of seeking the Lord while in the prime of life. He warns of the fleeting nature of earthly pleasures and the certainty of death, highlighting the eternal consequences of our choices. Rutherford encourages dedicating one's soul and body to God's service, stressing the value of a good conscience and the favor of the Lord over worldly glory.
Text
DEAR AND LOVING FRIEND, -- I cannot but, upon the opportunity of a
bearer, exhort you to resign the love of your youth to Christ; and in
this day, while your sun is high and your youth serveth you, to seek
the Lord and His face. For there is nothing out of heaven so necessary
for you as Christ. And ye cannot be ignorant but your days will end,
and the night of death shall call you from the pleasures of this life:
and a doom given out in death standeth for ever -- as long as God
liveth! Youth, ordinarily, is a post and ready servant for Satan, to
run errands; for it is a nest for lust, cursing, drunkenness,
blaspheming of God, lying, pride, and vanity. Oh, that there were such
an heart in you as to fear the Lord, and to dedicate your soul and body
to His service! When the time cometh that your poor soul look out at
your prison house of clay, to be set at liberty; then a good
conscience, and your Lord's favor, shall be worth all the world's
glory. Seek it as your garland and crown.
Grace be with you.
ABERDEEN, March 14, 1637
Sermon Outline
- I points: - Exhortation to dedicate youth to Christ - Importance of seeking the Lord - Recognition of life's brevity
- II points: - Consequences of a life without Christ - Youth as a time of vulnerability to sin - Call to fear the Lord
- III points: - The value of a good conscience - Eternal significance of one's soul - Comparison of worldly glory to spiritual favor
- IV points: - Encouragement to pursue holiness - The joy of dedicating life to God's service - The promise of grace
Key Quotes
“Oh, that there were such an heart in you as to fear the Lord, and to dedicate your soul and body to His service!” — Samuel Rutherford
“When the time cometh that your poor soul look out at your prison house of clay, to be set at liberty; then a good conscience, and your Lord's favor, shall be worth all the world's glory.” — Samuel Rutherford
“For there is nothing out of heaven so necessary for you as Christ.” — Samuel Rutherford
Application Points
- Reflect on how you can dedicate your daily life to serving Christ.
- Consider the temptations of youth and actively seek to resist them.
- Prioritize spiritual growth and the pursuit of a good conscience over worldly pursuits.