Listen to what made Samuel Rutherford tick. He was an extraordinary, spiritual giant and a Scottish Presbyterian pastor, professor, and scholar during the early 17th century, but, above all, he was a devotional writer par excellence! Powerful preacher! Passionate apologist! Skilled theologian! But if you ever desire to know what made Rutherford "tick," you need to see him through the lens of his dying words:

"Dear brethren, do all for Him. Pray for Christ. Preach for Christ. Do all for Christ; beware of men-pleasing. The Chief-shepherd will shortly appear." For Rutherford, Jesus Christ was everything!

In this, Rutherford exemplified the heart of true Puritanism: to live for the glory of God, to love and serve Jesus Christ, to do good to God's people. Rutherford's orthodoxy was not merely doctrinal; he epitomized "orthodox" Christ-centered living!

Rutherford has left us a rich legacy of consecrated scholarship and Christ-centered, Christ-fuelled devotion. His last recorded words, more than anything else, sum up the man he was: "Glory, glory dwelleth in Immanuel's land."

-- Adapted from Ian Hamilton