The works of Scottish Presbyterian minister Samuel Rutherford have had a lasting impact on the church. A humble and godly man, Rutherford was revered by many, and his sermons and letters to his congregation during exile give a brilliant window into seventeenth-century church life. But, as well loved as he was, his political activeness during his lifetime drew much ire. At times deeply controversial, he drew criticism from John Milton concerning his views of liberty and conscience, and his outspoken criticism of the government and church forced him into exile. He was eventually charged with treason, but he died before being brought to trial.