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 PRINCETON  •  NEW  JERSEY 
 
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 FROM 
 
 THE  LIBRARY 
 
 OF  THE 
 
 REVEREND 
 
 JOHN  ALEXANDER  MACKAY 
 
 LITT.D.,  D.D.,  LL.D., 
 
 L.H.D. 
 
 BX 
 
 n:x^ 
 
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 ^U 
 
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LETTERS 
 
 REY.  SAMUEL  RUTHERFORD. 
 
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 * 
 
LETTERS 
 
 REV.  SAMUEL  RUTHERFORD, 
 
 PRINCIPAL  AND  PROFESSOR  OF  DIVINITY  AT  ST.    ANDREWS, 
 1639-1661. 
 
 Carefully  Eebiseti  ant(  (Bttitttt 
 
 REV.     THOMAS     SMITH,     D.D. 
 
 [itfj  a  Preface  bg  tl^e 
 REV.    ALEXANDER    DUFF,    D.D.     LL.D. 
 
 COMPLETE    EDITION. 
 
 0ti  Of  mPicaS; 
 
 JAN  22  1990 
 
 A 
 
 ^lOGiOPl  S£^^^^ 
 
 EDINBURGH   &   LONDON 
 OLIPHANT    ANDERSON    &    FERRIER 
 
PRINTED   BY 
 
 MORRISON   AND   GIBB,    EDINBURGH, 
 
 FOR 
 
 OLIPHANT,      ANDERSON,      &      FERRIER. 
 
 EDINBURGH  AND  LONDON. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Pkeface  by  Rkv.  Alex.  Duff, 
 
 D.D.,LL.D.       ...  1 
 
 Introduction  by  Rev.  Thos, 
 
 Smith,  D.D.         ...  21 
 
 Woodrow's  Account  of  Ruther- 
 ford's Life  and  Character    .  23 
 
 Last  Words  of  Mr.  Rutherford  25 
 
 Mr.  Rutherford's  Testimony  to 
 the  Covenanted  Work  of  Re- 
 formation   .         .          .         .  32 
 
 Part  First. 
 
 Letters — 
 
 1.  To  Mr.  Rob.  Cunynghame  41 
 
 2.  To  his  Parishioners  .         .  43 
 
 3.  To  the  Professors  of  Christ 
 
 and  His  Truth  in  Ireland  49 
 
 4.  To  Viscountess  of  Kenmure  55 
 
 5.  Do.                do.       .  57 
 
 6.  Do.                do.        .  58 
 
 7.  Do.                do.       .  61 
 
 8.  Do,                 do.        .  61 
 
 9.  Do.                 do.        .  63 
 
 10.  Do.                 do.        .  64 
 
 11.  To  Lady  Kenmure             .  65 
 
 12.  Do.                   .          .  66 
 
 13.  Do.                   .          .  68 
 
 14.  To  Mr.  Jn.  Gordon,  elder  69 
 
 15.  To  Lady  Boyd          .         .  73 
 
 16.  To  Mr.  Alex.  Henderson  .  74 
 
 17.  To  Lord  Lowdon       .         .  75 
 
 18.  To  Mr.  Wm.  Dalglish       .  77 
 
 19.  To  Mr.  Hugh  M'Kaill      .  78 
 
 20.  To  Lady  Boyd.         .         .  79 
 
 21.  To  Mr.  David  Dickson     .  81 
 
 22.  To  Mr.  Matthew  Mowat  .  82 
 
 23.  To  Mr.  William  HaUiday  84 
 
 24.  To  a  Gentlewoman  .         .  85 
 
 25.  To  Mr.  J.  Gordon,  younger  86 
 
 Letters — 
 
 26.  To  Mr.  J.  Gordon,  elder 
 
 27.  To  Earlstnuii,  younger 
 
 28.  To  Mr.  Alex.  Gordon 
 
 29.  To  Lady  Kilconquhair 
 
 30.  To  Lady  Forret 
 
 31.  To  Lady  Kaskilberry 
 To  Mr.  James  Bruce 
 To  Lady  Earlstoun  . 
 To  Carletoun  . 
 To  Marion  M'Naught 
 To  Mr.  John  Gordon 
 To  Lady  Halhill 
 To  Lord  Lindsay 
 
 39.  To  Lord  Boyd  . 
 
 40.  To  Lady  Boyd  . 
 
 41.  To  Lady  Culross 
 
 42.  To  the  Earl  of  Cassillis 
 
 43.  To  Mr.  John  Osburn 
 
 44.  To  Mr.  Robert  Gordon 
 
 45.  To  Mr.  John  Kennedy 
 
 46.  Do.  do. 
 
 47.  To  Margaret  Ballantine 
 
 48.  To  Jonet  Kennedy   . 
 
 49.  To  Margaret  Reid  . 
 To  Mr.  James  Bautie 
 To  Mr.  John  Stuart 
 
 Do.         do. 
 
 Do.         do. 
 To  Lady  Busby 
 To  Ninian  Mure 
 To  Mr.  Thomas  Garven 
 
 57.  To  Jean  Brown 
 
 58.  To  Jean  M'MiUan   . 
 To  Lady  Busby 
 To  Mr.  William  Riggie 
 To  Mr.  Fulk  Elies    . 
 To  Mr.  James  Lindsay 
 To  the  Earl  of  Cassillis 
 
 64.  To  Laily  Largirie 
 
 Pack 
 
 87 
 
 88 
 
 91 
 
 94 
 
 97 
 
 98 
 
 98 
 
 99 
 
 100 
 
 103 
 
 105 
 
 106 
 
 107 
 
 110 
 
 112 
 
 114 
 
 117 
 
 118 
 
 118 
 
 119 
 
 122 
 
 123 
 
 125 
 
 126 
 
 127 
 
 131 
 
 134 
 
 135 
 
 138 
 
 139 
 
 139 
 
 141 
 
 142 
 
 143 
 
 144 
 
 146 
 
 143 
 
 151 
 
 153 
 
VI 
 
 CONTKNTS. 
 
 L  ■TTEI'I  - 
 
 65.  To 
 
 66.  To 
 
 67.  To 
 
 68.  To 
 
 69.  To 
 
 70.  To 
 
 71.  To 
 
 72.  To 
 
 73.  To 
 
 74.  To 
 
 75.  To 
 
 76.  To 
 
 77.  To 
 
 78.  To 
 
 79.  To 
 
 80.  To 
 
 81.  To 
 
 82.  To 
 
 83.  To 
 
 84.  To 
 
 85.  To 
 
 86.  To 
 
 87.  To 
 
 88.  To 
 
 89.  To 
 
 90.  To 
 
 91.  To 
 
 92.  To 
 
 93.  To 
 
 94.  To 
 
 95.  To 
 
 96.  To 
 
 97.  To 
 
 98.  To 
 
 99.  To 
 
 100.  To 
 
 101.  To 
 
 102.  To 
 
 103.  To 
 
 104.  To 
 
 105.  To 
 
 106.  To 
 
 107.  To 
 
 108.  To 
 
 109.  To 
 
 110.  To 
 
 111.  To 
 
 112.  To 
 
 113.  To 
 
 114.  To 
 
 115.  To 
 
 116.  To 
 
 117.  To 
 
 118.  To 
 
 119.  To 
 
 I.ady  Dun5;iieigh 
 Jonet  M'Culldch 
 Lord  Craighall  . 
 IMr.  William  Riggie 
 Lady  Kilcnnqtihair 
 Lady  Craighall . 
 Mr.  James  Hamilton 
 Mr.  George  Dunbar 
 Mr.  David  Dickson 
 Ijord  Lowdon    . 
 the  Laird  of  Gaitgirth 
 Lady  Gaitgirth 
 Mr.  George  Gillespie 
 Mr.  Matthew  Mowat 
 Mr.  John  Meine 
 Mr.  John  Fleeming 
 Mr.  Alex.  Gordon 
 Mr.  Robert  Lennox 
 Marion  M'Naught 
 Mr.  Thomas  Corbet 
 Mr.  Alex.  Gordon 
 Mr.  Robert  Gordon 
 Mr.  Robert  Blair 
 Mr.  John  Kennedy 
 Elizabeth  Kennedy 
 Jniiet  Kennedy 
 Mr.  David  Dickson 
 Mr.  William  Riggie 
 Mr.  John  Ewart 
 Mr.  Wm.  FuUerton 
 Mr.  Alex.  ColviU 
 Earlstown 
 
 Mr.  Rob.  Glendining 
 Mr.  Wm.  Glendining 
 Jean  Brown 
 Mr.  John  Fergushill . 
 INIr.  Robert  Douglass 
 Mr.  John  Henderson 
 Mr.  Hugh  Henderson 
 Lady  Robertland 
 the  Earl  of  Cassillis 
 Lady  Rowallan 
 Mr.  Robert  Gordon 
 Lord  Balmerino 
 Mr.  Alex.  Gordon 
 Lady  Mar,  younger 
 Mr.  James  M'Adam 
 Mr.  Wm.  Livingstone 
 Mr.  Wm.  Gordon 
 Mr.  George  Gillespie 
 Mr.  John  Meine 
 ]\Ir.  Thomas  Garven 
 Bethaia  Aird     . 
 Mr.  Alex.  Gordon 
 Mr.  John  Fleemin 
 
 Paoe 
 154 
 If.  5 
 156 
 157 
 157 
 158 
 160 
 160 
 162 
 163 
 165 
 166 
 167 
 168 
 170 
 170 
 171 
 173 
 174 
 175 
 175 
 177 
 179 
 181 
 183 
 185 
 187 
 188 
 189 
 190 
 191 
 192 
 194 
 195 
 195 
 196 
 197 
 19S 
 199 
 199 
 201 
 203 
 204 
 206 
 207 
 208 
 209 
 210 
 210 
 212 
 212 
 213 
 214 
 215 
 216 
 
 Letters—  Paoe 
 
 120.  To  Mr.  Robert  Gordon    .  218 
 
 121.  To  Mr.  Alex.  Gordon      .  221 
 
 122.  To  Mr.  .lohn  Nevay        .  223 
 
 123.  To  Mr.  J.  R.  .         .         .  226 
 
 124.  To  Mr.  Wm.  Dalgleish  .  227 
 
 125.  To  Marion  M'Naught     .  230 
 
 126.  To  Mr.  -John  Gordon      .  232 
 
 127.  To  Mr.  Hugh  Henderson  233 
 
 128.  To  Lady  Largirie   .         .  235 
 
 129.  To  Earlstown,  younger   .  236 
 
 130.  To  j\Ir.  Wm.  Dalgleish   .  238 
 
 131.  To  the  Laird  of  Gaily     .  239 
 
 132.  To  Mr.  J.  Gordon,  younger  241 
 
 133.  To  Lord  Boyd         .         .  243 
 
 134.  To  Mr.  Robert  Gordon  .  245 
 
 135.  To  Mr.  Alex.  Gordon      .  246 
 
 1 36.  To  Mr.  John  Lawrie       .  249 
 
 137.  To  Mr.  James  Fleming  .  250 
 
 138.  To  Mr.  John  Meine         .  253 
 
 139.  To  Cardonness,  elder       .  253 
 
 140.  To  the  Earl  of  Lothian   .  256 
 
 141.  To  Jean  Brown       .         .  258 
 
 142.  To  Mr.  Robert  Stuart     .  260 
 
 143.  To  Lady  Gaitgirth          .  262 
 
 144.  To  Mr.  John  Fergushill.  263 
 
 145.  To  Mr.  John  Stuart        .  266 
 
 146.  ToCarsluth    ...  268 
 
 147.  To  Cassincarrie       .         .  270 
 
 148.  To  his  parishioners  at  Anwoth  272 
 
 149.  To  Lady  Cardonness       .  274 
 
 150.  To  Sibilla  M'Adam         .  276 
 
 151.  To  the  Laird  of  Cally     .  277 
 
 152.  To  Mr.  Wm.  Gordon      .  278 
 
 153.  To  Margaret  Fullerton    .  280 
 
 154.  To  Mr.  Wm.  Glendinning  281 
 
 155.  To  Mr.  Robert  Lennox  .  283 
 
 156.  To  Mr.  John  Fleming     .  284 
 
 157.  To  Mr.  Wm.  Glendinning  285 
 
 158.  To  Mr.  Robert  Gordon  .  286 
 
 159.  To  Earlstown,  younger  .  286 
 
 160.  To  Mr.  John  Gordon      .  287 
 
 161.  To  Mr.  Hugh  M'Kaill    ,  289 
 
 162.  To  Mr.  James  Murray    .  290 
 
 163.  To  Mr.  John  Fleming     .  291 
 
 164.  To  Earlstown,  elder        .  291 
 
 165.  To  Mr.  John  Fergushill .  292 
 
 166.  To  Mr.  Wm.  Glendinning  295 
 
 167.  To  Lady  Culross     .         .  296 
 
 168.  To  Lady  Cardoness          .  298 
 
 169.  To  Janet  M'Culloch        ,  299 
 
 170.  To  Lord  Craighall  .         .  299 
 1 7 i.  To  Mr.  Robert  Blair       .  301 
 
 172.  To  Lady  Carleton  .         .  302 
 
 173.  To  Lord  Craighall  .         .  304 
 
 174.  To  Jean  Gordon      .         .  306 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 Vll 
 
 Letters- 
 
 Page 
 
 Letters — 
 
 P*r;K 
 
 its.  To  Grissal  Fullerton 
 
 307 
 
 13. 
 
 To  Lady  Kenmure   . 
 
 391 
 
 176.   To  Mr.  Patrick  Carsen 
 
 307 
 
 14. 
 
 Do.               do. 
 
 393 
 
 177.  To  Mr.  John  Carsen 
 
 308 
 
 15. 
 
 Do.               do. 
 
 395 
 
 178.  To  Lady  Boyd 
 
 308 
 
 16. 
 
 Do.               do. 
 
 396 
 
 179.   To  Lady  Cardoness,  elder        310 
 
 17. 
 
 Do.               do. 
 
 398 
 
 180.  To  Mr.  James  Hamilton 
 
 312 
 
 18. 
 
 Do.               do. 
 
 399 
 
 181.  To  Mrs.  Stuart 
 
 313 
 
 19. 
 
 Do.               do. 
 
 401 
 
 182.  To  Mr.  Hugh  M'Kaill 
 
 315 
 
 20. 
 
 Do.               do. 
 
 403 
 
 183.  To  Mr.  Alex.  Gordon 
 
 317 
 
 21. 
 
 Do.               du. 
 
 404 
 
 184.  To  Mr.  John  Bell,  elder 
 
 318 
 
 22. 
 
 Do.               do. 
 
 404 
 
 185.   To  Mr.  William  Gordon 
 
 319 
 
 23! 
 
 Do.              du. 
 
 406 
 
 186.  To  Lady  Boyd 
 
 321 
 
 24. 
 
 To  Earlestown,  elder 
 
 407 
 
 187.   To  Mr.  Thomas  Garven 
 
 323 
 
 25. 
 
 To  Viscountess  of  Kenmure       409 
 
 188.  To  the  Laird  of  Moncrie 
 
 fe       323 
 
 26. 
 
 To  PersecutedChurch  in  Ireland  411 
 
 189.  To  Mr.  John  Clark 
 
 325 
 
 27. 
 
 To  Dr.  Alex.  Leighton 
 
 417 
 
 190.   To  Cardonness,  elder 
 
 326 
 
 28. 
 
 To  Mr.  Henry  Stuart 
 
 419 
 
 191.   To  Cardonness,  younger 
 
 329 
 
 29. 
 
 To  Mrs.  Pont  . 
 
 424 
 
 192.  To  Carletown 
 
 331 
 
 30. 
 
 To  Mr.  James  Wilson 
 
 426 
 
 193.  To  Lady  Busbie      . 
 
 332 
 
 31. 
 
 To  Lady  Boyd 
 
 429 
 
 194.  To  Fulwood,  younger 
 
 334 
 
 32. 
 
 To  Mr.  John  Fenwick 
 
 431 
 
 195.  To  Mr.  Hugh  M'Kaill 
 
 335 
 
 33. 
 
 To  Mr.  Peter  Stirling 
 
 435 
 
 196.  To  Mr.  David  Dickson 
 
 336 
 
 34. 
 
 To  Lady  Fingask 
 
 436 
 
 197.  To  Mr.  John  Livingstone        337 
 
 35. 
 
 To  Mr.  David  Dickson 
 
 438 
 
 198.  To  Mr.  Ephraim  Mtlvin 
 
 339 
 
 36. 
 
 To  Lady  Boyd 
 
 439 
 
 199.  To  a  Gentlewoman 
 
 339 
 
 37. 
 
 To  Agnes  M'Math    . 
 
 442 
 
 200.  To  Mr.  John  Nevay 
 
 341 
 
 38. 
 
 To  Mr.  Matthew  ]\lowat 
 
 443 
 
 201.  To  the  Lady  Boyd. 
 
 342 
 
 39. 
 
 To  Lady  Kenmure   . 
 
 444 
 
 202.  To  Mr.  Alexander  Colvill        343 
 
 40. 
 
 To  Mr.s.  Taylor 
 
 445 
 
 203.  To  Mr.  John  Row  . 
 
 344 
 
 41. 
 
 To  Barbara  Hamilton 
 
 447 
 
 204.  To  the  Lady  Cukoss 
 
 345 
 
 42. 
 
 To  Mrs.  Hume 
 
 449 
 
 205.  To  Mr.  Alexander  Gordon       347 
 
 43. 
 
 To  Barbara  Hamilton 
 
 450 
 
 206.  To  the  Laird  of  Carletown       349 
 
 44. 
 
 To  Viscountess  of  Kenmu 
 
 •e       451 
 
 207.  To  Mr.  Robert  Gordon 
 
 350 
 
 45. 
 
 To  a  Christian  Friend 
 
 452 
 
 208.  To  the  Lord  Craighall 
 
 352 
 
 46. 
 
 To  a  Christian  Brother 
 
 453 
 
 209.     Do.             Do. 
 
 353 
 
 47. 
 
 To  a  Christian  Gentleuon 
 
 an     454 
 
 210.  To  the  Lady  Cukoss 
 
 356 
 
 48. 
 
 To  Lady  Kenmure  . 
 
 457 
 
 211.  To  Mr.  Alex.  Gordon 
 
 357 
 
 49. 
 
 To  Mr.  J.  G.    . 
 
 458 
 
 212.  To  Mr.  Robert  Gordon 
 
 358 
 
 50. 
 
 To  Lady  Kenmure   . 
 
 459 
 
 213.  To  the  Lord  Lowdon 
 
 358 
 
 51. 
 
 To  Lady  Ardi-oss 
 
 460 
 
 214.  To  a  Christian  Gentle  wo 
 
 nan   360 
 
 52. 
 
 To  M.  0. 
 
 461 
 
 53. 
 
 To  Earlstown,  elder. 
 
 463 
 
 Part  Second. 
 
 54. 
 
 To  Mr.  George  Gillespie 
 
 464 
 
 55. 
 
 To  Mrs.  Gillespie 
 
 465 
 
 1.  To  Viscountess  of  Kenmu 
 
 re      363 
 
 56. 
 
 To  Colonel  G.  Ker  . 
 
 467 
 
 2.  To  Parishioners  of  Kilmac 
 
 olm    365 
 
 57. 
 
 Do.              do. 
 
 468 
 
 3.  To  a  Christian  Gentlewoa 
 
 an     371 
 
 58. 
 
 Do.              do. 
 
 469 
 
 4.  To  Lady  Kenmure    . 
 
 373 
 
 59. 
 
 Do.              do. 
 
 470 
 
 5.     Do.               do. 
 
 375 
 
 60. 
 
 Do.              do. 
 
 471 
 
 6.  To  Mr.  John  Kennedy 
 
 376 
 
 61. 
 
 Do.              do. 
 
 473 
 
 7.  To  Lady  Kenmure    . 
 
 379 
 
 62. 
 
 To  Lady  Kenmure    . 
 
 477 
 
 8.     Do.               do. 
 
 381 
 
 63. 
 
 Do.               do. 
 
 478 
 
 9.     Do.               do. 
 
 383 
 
 64. 
 
 Do.               do. 
 
 478 
 
 10.    Do.              do. 
 
 385 
 
 65. 
 
 Do.               do. 
 
 479 
 
 11.     Do.              do. 
 
 387 
 
 66. 
 
 Do.               do. 
 
 480 
 
 12.     Do.               do. 
 
 389 
 
 67. 
 
 Do.               do. 
 
 4i;0 
 
VIU 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 Letters — 
 
 68. 
 
 To  Lady  Kenmure  . 
 
 69. 
 
 To  his  Reverend  Brethren 
 
 70. 
 
 To  Mr. 
 
 Robert  Campbell . 
 Part  Third. 
 
 1. 
 
 To  Marion  M'Nau^ht 
 
 2. 
 
 Do. 
 
 do. 
 
 3. 
 
 Do. 
 
 do. 
 
 4. 
 
 Do. 
 
 do. 
 
 5. 
 
 Do. 
 
 do. 
 
 6. 
 
 Do. 
 
 do. 
 
 7. 
 
 Do. 
 
 do. 
 
 8. 
 
 Do. 
 
 do. 
 
 9. 
 
 Do. 
 
 do. 
 
 10. 
 
 Do. 
 
 do. 
 
 11. 
 
 Do. 
 
 do. 
 
 12. 
 
 Do. 
 
 do. 
 
 13. 
 
 Do. 
 
 do. 
 
 14. 
 
 Do. 
 
 do. 
 
 15. 
 
 Do. 
 
 do. 
 
 16. 
 
 Do. 
 
 do. 
 
 17. 
 
 Do. 
 
 do. 
 
 18. 
 
 Do. 
 
 do. 
 
 19. 
 
 Do. 
 
 do. 
 
 20. 
 
 Do. 
 
 do. 
 
 21. 
 
 Do. 
 
 do. 
 
 22. 
 
 Do. 
 
 do. 
 
 23. 
 
 Do. 
 
 do. 
 
 24. 
 
 Do. 
 
 do. 
 
 25. 
 
 Do. 
 
 do. 
 
 26. 
 
 Do. 
 
 do. 
 
 27. 
 
 Do. 
 
 do. 
 
 28. 
 
 Do. 
 
 do. 
 
 29. 
 
 Do. 
 
 do. 
 
 30. 
 
 Do. 
 
 do. 
 
 31. 
 
 Do. 
 
 do. 
 
 32. 
 
 Do. 
 
 do. 
 
 33. 
 
 Do. 
 
 do. 
 
 34. 
 
 Do. 
 
 do. 
 
 35. 
 
 Do. 
 
 do. 
 
 36. 
 
 Do. 
 
 do. 
 
 37. 
 
 Do. 
 
 do. 
 
 38. 
 
 Do. 
 
 do. 
 
 39. 
 
 Do. 
 
 do. 
 
 40. 
 
 Do. 
 
 do. 
 
 Page 
 
 481 
 483 
 
 484 
 
 486 
 486 
 487 
 490 
 491 
 492 
 494 
 494 
 497 
 499 
 499 
 501 
 501 
 503 
 505 
 505 
 507 
 509 
 510 
 511 
 512 
 513 
 514 
 515 
 515 
 516 
 517 
 518 
 519 
 519 
 520 
 521 
 523 
 523 
 526 
 527 
 528 
 528 
 529 
 530 
 
 Letters— 
 
 Page 
 
 41. 
 
 To  Marion  M'Naught 
 
 532 
 
 42. 
 
 Do.                  do. 
 
 532 
 
 43. 
 
 Do.                  do. 
 
 533 
 
 44. 
 
 To  Grissel  Fullerton 
 
 533 
 
 45. 
 
 To  a  Gentlewoman   . 
 
 534 
 
 46. 
 
 To  Mr.  Wm.  Fullerton     . 
 
 534 
 
 47. 
 
 To  Viscountess  Kenmure . 
 
 535 
 
 is. 
 
 Do.                 do. 
 
 537 
 
 49. 
 
 To  Lady  Boyd 
 
 539 
 
 50. 
 
 To  Mr.  John  Henderson  . 
 
 540 
 
 51. 
 
 To  Mr.  Jas.  Murray's  Wife 
 
 540 
 
 52. 
 
 To  Viscountess  Kenmure . 
 
 541 
 
 53. 
 
 To  Lady  Boyd 
 
 542 
 
 54. 
 
 To  Lady  Kenmure 
 
 543 
 
 55. 
 
 Do.               do. 
 
 544 
 
 56. 
 
 To  Colonel  G.  Ker 
 
 545 
 
 57. 
 
 To  Mr.  John  Scot 
 
 548 
 
 58. 
 
 Do.             do. 
 
 548 
 
 59. 
 
 Do.             do. 
 
 548 
 
 60. 
 
 Do.             do. 
 
 .'549 
 
 61. 
 
 To  Mr.  James  Durham     . 
 
 549 
 
 62. 
 
 Mr.  Rutherford's  Judgment 
 on  Petitioning   His  Maj- 
 
 esty      .... 
 
 550 
 
 63. 
 
 Mr.  Rutherford's  Judgment 
 
 of  a  Minute  of  Petition . 
 
 551 
 
 64. 
 
 To  Viscountess  of  Kenmure 
 
 554 
 
 65. 
 
 To  Mrs.  Craig . 
 
 555 
 
 66. 
 
 To  Mr.  Wm.  Guthrie 
 
 556 
 
 67. 
 
 To  Mr.  Jas.  Guthrie 
 
 557 
 
 68. 
 
 To  Aberdeen   . 
 
 Part  Fourth. 
 
 558 
 
 1. 
 
 To  a  Minister  in  Glasgow 
 
 562 
 
 2. 
 
 To  a  Person  unknown 
 
 564 
 
 3. 
 
 To  Sir  James  Stewart 
 
 565 
 
 4. 
 
 To  Earl  Balcarras 
 
 565 
 
 5. 
 
 To  Lady  Ralston 
 
 566 
 
 6. 
 
 To  Mr.  Thomas  Wylie      . 
 
 568 
 
 7. 
 
 To  Colonel  Gilbert  Ker     . 
 
 569 
 
 8. 
 
 To  the  Presbytery  of  Kirk- 
 
 cudbright 
 
 570 
 
 9. 
 
 To  Mr.  John  Murray 
 
 571 
 
 10. 
 
 To  the  same 
 
 • 
 
 571 
 
 Last  Words  of  Samuel  Rutherford, 
 
 573 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 The  story  of  the  life  of  Samuel  Eutlierford  is  so  generally 
 known,  that,  in  a  mere  Preface  like  the  present,  the  briefest 
 reference  to  its  leading  facts  must  suffice. 
 
 In  the  year  1600,  he  was  born  in  the  village  of  Nisbet, 
 county  of  Eoxburgh.  He  entered,  as  a  student,  the 
 University  of  Edinburgh  in  1617;  took  his  degree  of 
 Master  of  Arts  in  1621 ;  was  elected,  because  of  his 
 "eminent  abilities  of  mind  and  virtuous  dispositions," 
 Regent  or  Professor  of  Humanity  in  1623 ;  and  settled  as 
 Pastor  of  the  parish  of  Anwoth,  Stewartry  of  Kirkcud- 
 bright, in  1627. 
 
 By  his  powerful,  persuasive,  heart-melting  eloquence  in 
 the  pulpit ;  by  his  assiduous  attentions  in  visiting  the 
 sick,  catechising  the  members  of  his  flock,  and  instructing 
 them  from  house  to  house,  as  well  as  by  his  zealous  and 
 unremitting  labours  in  the  surrounding  districts,  he  soon 
 came  to  be  revered  and  beloved  as  a  spiritual  father,  not 
 only  by  his  own  parish  but  by  the  whole  county  of 
 Galloway. 
 
 But  this  happy  and  fruitful  pastoral  relationship  was 
 doomed  to  experience  a  violent  rupture.  Sydserff,  Bishop 
 of  Brechin,  a  man  of  lax  Arminianism  in  doctrine,  and  of 
 fierce  and  fiery  intolerance  in  practice,  having  been  ap- 
 
2  PKEFACE. 
 
 pointed  to  the  See  of  Galloway,  he  erected  a  High  Com- 
 mission Court  for  his  own  diocese.  Before  this  unscrupu- 
 lous tribunal,  in  1636,  Rutherford  was  summoned  and 
 charged  with  the  grave  offence  of  preaching  against  Ar- 
 minianism  and  the  recently  ordained  ceremonies  of  public 
 worship.  Being  convicted  of  the  charge,  he  was  deprived 
 of  his  parochial  oflfice,  sternly  prohibited  from  speaking  in 
 public,  and  sentenced  strictly  to  confine  himself,  before  the 
 20th  August,  as  a  State  prisoner,  during  the  King's  pleasure, 
 within  the  town  of  Aberdeen.  The  sentence,  having  been 
 duly  confirmed  by  the  Supreme  Court  at  Edinburgh,  he 
 had  no  option  but  to  leave  forthwith,  amid  the  lamenta- 
 tions and  bitter  wailings  of  thousands  of  attached  friends, 
 and  shut  himself  up,  as  a  silenced  minister,  with  ungenial 
 and  scowling  associates  in  the  grand  fortress  and  bulwark 
 of  Arminianism  and  Eitualism  in  the  North.  There,  as 
 might  be  anticipated,  he  was  speedily  and  even  furiously 
 assailed,  from  the  pulpit  and  the  desk,  by  "the  learned 
 doctors,"  or  champions  of  heterodoxy  and  prelacy.  But, 
 though  peremptorily  forbidden  to  open  his  lips-  in  public, 
 his  saintly  walk  and  godly  edifying  converse  in  private 
 gradually  gained  him  many  earnest  affectionate  friends, 
 who  learned  to  hail  his  enforced  presence  amongst  them  as 
 they  would  that  of  an  angel  visitant  from  the  upper  world. 
 While  his  tongue  was  thus  bound,  and  his  person  sub- 
 jected to  virtual  imprisonment,  his  pen  was  free  and  all 
 a-glow  with  the  touch  of  a  live  coal  from  the  heavenly 
 altar;  so  that  tlie  winged  words,  fraught  with  seraphic 
 ardour,  which  emanated  therefrom,  soon  converted  his 
 humble  writing-table  into,  perhaps,  the  most  effective  and 
 most  widely  resounding  pulpit  then  in  old  Christendom. 
 Thus  signally  were  the  sinister  designs  of  a  remorseless 
 despotism,  civil  and  religious,  not  only  defeated,  but  turned 
 
PREFACE.  3 
 
 into  an  occasion  of  glorious  triumph  to  the  persecuted 
 cause  of  truth  and  righteousness.  And  so  has  it  ever  been 
 under  the  government  of  an  all-wise,  all-gracious  God. 
 As  from  the  Mamertine  dungeons  of  pagan  Eome  proceeded 
 some  of  Paul's  weightiest  epistles,  now  transferred,  as  food 
 and  regalement  for  hungry  and  thirsty  souls,  into  almost 
 all  languages  under  heaven  ;  as  from  Bunyan's  "  Den  "  in 
 Bedford  jail  proceeded  the  most  admired  of  allegories, 
 which,  for  two  centuries,  has  fed,  cheered,  and  refreshed 
 myriads  of  God's  redeemed  ones  in  all  lands ; — so,  from 
 Eutherford's  cold  and  icy  prison-house  in  Aberdeen,  pro- 
 ceeded those  matchless  Letters,  glowing  with  celestial  fire, 
 which,  for  generations,  with  undiminished,  or  rather  ever- 
 augmenting  power,  have  rekindled  and  fanned  the  flame  of 
 a  burning  devotion  in  the  breasts  of  multitudes,  alike  in 
 the  old  world  and  the  new.  Such,  and  so  conspicuous 
 have  always  been  the  over-rulings  of  the  wonder-working 
 providence  of  Him,  who,  in  His  own  good  time  and  way* 
 will  always  "  destroy  the  wisdom  of  the  wise,  and  bring  to 
 nothing  the  understanding  of  the  prudent." 
 
 Of  the  truth  of  all  this  a  fresh  and  notable  illustration 
 was  now  close  at  hand.  The  vaulting  ambition  of  the 
 prelatic  party  in  Church  and  State  had  overleaped  itself. 
 Early  in  1638,  the  extreme  and  exasperating  measures  of 
 Charles  and  Laud  had  thrown  all  Scotland  into  a  state  of 
 violent  commotion.  Society,  through  all  its  ranks  and 
 grades,  from  the  lowest  to  the  highest,  seemed  to  be  in  the 
 birth-throes  of  revolutionary  reaction.  The  tumultuary 
 movements,  thence  resulting,  having  eventuated  in  the 
 downfall  of  Prelacy  and  Erastianism,  Eutherford  quietly, 
 and  without  any  molestation,  returned  to  Anwoth.  Towards 
 the  close  of  the  year,  he  was  sent  as  a  delegate  to  the 
 memorable  General  Assembly,  which  met  in  Glasgow,  and 
 
4  PREFACE. 
 
 consummated  the  ecclesiastical  revolution,  under  the  pre- 
 sidency of  the  celebrated  Alexander  Henderson.  By  the 
 Commission  of  that  Assembly  he  was,  to  the  overwhelming 
 grief  and  sorrow  of  his  friends  in  the  south,  appointed,  in 
 the  following  year,  Professor  of  Divinity  in  the  New 
 College,  St.  Andrews.  There,  we  are  told,  did  "  God  so 
 singularly  second  his  indefatigable  pains,  both  in  teaching 
 and  preaching,  that  the  University "  (which  had  degener- 
 ated into  a  very  nursery  of  error  in  doctrine  and  super- 
 stition in  worship),  "  forthwith  became  a  Lebanon,  out  of 
 which  were  taken  cedars  for  building  the  house  of  God 
 throughout  the  land." 
 
 In  1643,  he  was  deputed  by  the  General  Assembly  of 
 the  Church  of  Scotland,  as  one  of  its  commissioners,  to  the 
 famous  Westminster  Assembly.  His  attendance  on  the 
 sittings  and  deliberations  of  that  convocation  knew  no 
 intermission  till  its  labours  were  brought  to  a  final  close ; 
 and  the  services  which  he  was  enabled  to  render  in  the 
 preparation  of  the  Confession  of  Faith,  the  Larger  and 
 Shorter  Catechisms,  and  other  subordinate  standards,  were, 
 by  the  concurrent  judgment  of  all  parties,  regarded  as  of 
 pre-eminent  importance. 
 
 Eeturning  to  St.  Andrews,  in  1647,  to  resume  his  former 
 duties  as  Professor  of  Divinity  in  the  New  College,  he  was, 
 in  1649,  appointed  its  Principal.  Before  this  time,  he  had 
 published  several  works,  alike  controversial  and  practical ; 
 — the  former  distinguished  by  erudition  and  research,  in- 
 tellectual acumen  and  argumentative  force ;  and  the  latter 
 by  a  profound  experimental  knowledge  of  the  workings  of 
 Divine  grace  in  the  soul,  and  the  varied  experiences  of  a 
 life  of  faitli  in  the  Son  of  God,  as  the  grand  propitiatory 
 sacrifice  for  the  sins  of  a  guilty  world.  By  some  of  these, 
 his  fame  as  a  learned  theologian  had  become  so  widely 
 
PREFACE.  O 
 
 known  that  he  was  earnestly  solicited  to  occupy  the  Chair 
 of  Divinity  and  Hebrew  in  the  University  of  Hardewyrk 
 in  Holland,  as  also  the  chair  of  Divinity  in  the  University 
 of  Utrecht,  But  these,  and  other  similar  calls,  he  felt  it  to 
 be  his  duty,  though  with  warmest  expressions  of  gratitude  to 
 the  parties  who  sought  to  honour  him,  respectfully  to  de- 
 cline. His  own  church  appeared  to  him  to  be  entering 
 on  a  new  sea  of  troubles ;  and  he  magnanimously  resolved, 
 at  all  hazards,  to  abide  unflinchingly  by  her,  in  the  hour 
 of  her  coming  trial  and  sore  travail. 
 
 For  years  the  old  struggle,  now  renewed,  was  unceas- 
 ingly and  bravely  maintained  with  false  or  dubious  friends 
 within,  and  avowed  enemies  without.  At  length  the 
 strangely-prolonged  crisis  of  alternating  hope  and  despond- 
 ency precipitated  itself  into  the  catastrophe  which  followed 
 the  Kestoration  of  1660,  when  the  ecclesiastical  fabric, 
 which  had  been  reared  and  consolidated  through  more  than 
 twenty  years  of  weary  toil,  anxiety,  and  suffering,  was 
 suddenly  shattered  into  fragments.  As  the  foremost  and 
 most  eminent  of  its  surviving  master-builders,  the  blow 
 fell  swiftly  and  stunningly  on  Kutherford.  His  great 
 work,  entitled  "Lex  Rex"  in  which  he.  anticipated  and 
 fearlessly  advocated  some  of  the  more  advanced  principles 
 of  the  enlightened  political  science  of  recent  times,  was 
 publicly  burnt,  with  every  mark  of  ignominy  and  scorn, 
 at  the  cross  of  Edinburgh.  The  same  degrading  ceremony 
 was  repeated  by  the  unprincipled  renegade.  Archbishop 
 Sharpe,  beneath  the  Principal's  windows  in  St.  Andrews. 
 He  was,  at  the  same  time,  relentlessly  deprived  of  his 
 offices  in  the  college,  with  their  accompanying  emoluments, 
 himself  confined  to  his  own  house,  and  summoned  to  appear 
 before  the  next  Parliament,  on  a  charge  of  high  treason. 
 
 Having  been  long  suffering  from  ill  health  when  the 
 
b  PREFACE. 
 
 harsh  and  unfeeling  summons  reached  him,  his  affecting 
 reply  to  the  messenger  was,  "Tell  them  I  have  got  a 
 summons  already,  before  a  superior  Court  and  Judicatory, 
 and  I  behoove  to  answer  my  first  summons  ;  and,  ere  your 
 day  arrive,  I  shall  be  where  few  kings  and  great  folks 
 come."  And  so  it  happened.  Had  he  been  spared  to 
 appear  before  Parliament,  there  can  be  little  doubt  that  he 
 was  destined  to  die  the  martyr's  cruel  death.  But,  before 
 Parliament  met,  he  was,  as  he  joyously  anticipated,  far 
 beyond  the  grasp  of  all  earthly  tyrants.  As  his  end  ap- 
 proached, he  seemed,  at  times,  as  if  enravished  with  bright 
 visions  of  the  King  in  His  beauty,  and  the  incomparable 
 splendours  of  the  celestial  city.  "  I  shall  shine,"  said  he; 
 "  I  shall  see  Him  as  He  is ;  I  shall  see  Him  reign,  and  all 
 His  fair  company  with  Him,  and  I  shall  have  my  share ; 
 mine  eyes  shall  see  my  Eedeemer,  these  very  eyes  of  mine, 
 and  none  for  nie."  At  last,  on  the  morning  of  the  20  th 
 March  1661,  in  the  sixty-first  year  of  his  age,  he  gently, 
 sweetly,  peacefully  fell  asleep  in  Jesus,  with  the  seraphic 
 utterance  on  his  lips,  "Glory,  glory  dwelleth  in  Immanuel's 
 land." 
 
 Coming  now  to  the  Letters,  with  which  we  have  more 
 immediately  to  do,  they  are  362  in  number,  written  during 
 various  periods  of  Rutherford's  eventful  life.  The  earliest 
 is  dated  Anwoth,  June  6,  1627,  about  the  time  of  his  first 
 settlement  there;  and  the  latest,  addressed  to  his  "Reverend 
 and  dear  Brother,  Christ's  soldier  in  bonds,  Mr.  James 
 Guthrie,"  one  of  Scotland's  noblest  martyrs,  is  dated  St. 
 Andrews,  15th  Feb.  1661,  about  three  weeks  before  his 
 own  death.  The  major  portion  of  them,  however,  and  by 
 far  the  weightiest,  in  number  220,  were  written  during  his 
 year  and  a-half 's  imprisonment  in  what  had  proved  to  him 
 "  Christ's  Palace,"  in  Aberdeen. 
 
 > 
 
PEEFACE.  7 
 
 It  is  worthy  of  special  note  that  not  one  of  these  Letters 
 was  published  during  his  own  life-time.  They  were  all  of 
 them  posthumous  productions,  suggested  by  passing  events, 
 private  or  public  ;  ordinarily  couched  in  easy  and  familiar 
 language,  but  often  rising  into  strains  of  heavenly  gran- 
 deur, and  intended  exclusively  for  the  benefit  of  the  par- 
 ties directly  concerned.  They  were  never,  therefore, 
 designed  by  their  author  for  publication,  and  were  never 
 subjected  to  any  revision  or  correction  at  his  own  hands. 
 This  fact  ought  to  be  sufficient  to  account  for  occasional 
 blemishes  or  defects  in  style,  and  occasional  repetitions  in 
 the  subject-matter ;  but,  on  the  whole,  considering  the 
 inartificial  way  in  which  most  of  them  were  composed, 
 and  how  they  were  usually  written  currente  calamo,  it  is 
 quite  marvellous  how  few  these  blemishes  or  defects  really 
 are,  and  how  little  there  is  of  mere  tautology  or  verbal 
 repetition. 
 
 The  first  edition  of  them,  published  about  three  years 
 after  his  death,  consisted  of  a  collection  compiled,  somehow 
 or  other,  by  Mr.  M'Ward,  who  had  been  a  favourite  student 
 of  his,  and  had  acted  as  his  private  secretary  at  the  West- 
 minster Assembly.  He  afterwards  became  the  settled 
 pastor  of  a  congregation  in  Eotterdam,  and  there,  under  his 
 supervision,  the  first  collection  of  the  Letters  was  printed. 
 In  subsequent  editions  other  letters  were  added,  appar- 
 ently as  they  happened  to  reach  the  editor ;  and  hence,  it 
 may  be  presumed,  the  observable  want  of  chronological 
 arrangement.  But  the  subjects  treated  of  are  so  indepen- 
 dent in  their  nature,  that  chronological  order  would  not 
 tend  to  throw  any  material  light  on  their  meaning  and 
 general  bearing. 
 
 This  leads  us  naturally  to  remark  that  these  subjects  are 
 of  an  exceedingly  multifarious  and  miscellaneous  charac- 
 
O  PREFACE, 
 
 ter, — embracing  almost  every  conceivable  topic  of  a  prac- 
 tical kind  within  the  whole  range  of  personal,  domestic, 
 social,  congregational,  and  ecclesiastical  experience,  and 
 calling  forth  reflections,  counsels,  admonitions,  warnings, 
 comforts,  and  consolations,  fraught  with  sagest  wisdom, 
 discriminating  judgment,  unfaltering  faithfulness,  and 
 sympathetic  tenderness  and  love,  often  expressed  in  lan- 
 guage of  rarest  beauty,  epigrammatic  point,  and  sententious 
 terseness. 
 
 Some  of  the  subjects  thus  edifyingly  dealt  with  are  such 
 as  the  following : — The  total  depravity  and  corruption  of 
 human  nature,  with  lamentations  over  his  own  felt  guilti- 
 ness and  total  unworthiness ;  the  nature  and  necessity  of 
 regeneration  and  sanctification ;  free  grace,  its  resplendent 
 glory,  means,  workings,  and  final  triumphant  issue;  the 
 utter  emptiness  and  vanity  of  the  world,  with  all  its 
 pomps  and  shows,  splendours  and  possessions,  honours, 
 riches,  and  proffered  rewards ;  the  security  of  God's  believ- 
 ing people  amid  all  surrounding  dangers ;  God's  deep  and 
 unsearchable  providence  in  His  dealings  with  individuals 
 and  nations ;  the  sins,  errors,  and  abounding  evils  of  the 
 day, — declension,  defection,  decay,  spiritual  sloth,  spiritual 
 deadness,  unfaithfulness  to  light,  worldly  compromise,  and 
 Christ-dishonouring  compliances,  backsliding  and  carnal 
 security;  the  Church's  troubles,  contendings,  desolations, 
 trials,  prospects,  and  hopes;  Christ's  sole  and  supreme 
 Headship  over  it;  the  manifest  unscripturalness  of  the 
 intrusion  of  ministers  or  hirelings,  and  the  duty  of  a  regular 
 observance  of  public  ordinances  ;  the  peculiar  perils  of  the 
 young,  and  the  paramount  importance  of  early  decision  and 
 dedication  to  Christ ;  the  right  training  of  children,  and 
 sympathy  with  parents  on  their  illness  and  death ;  visita- 
 tions of  sickness,  and  the  loss  of  beloved  friends ;  the  uses 
 
PREFACE.  9 
 
 and  benefits  of  afflictions,  bereavements,  crosses,  sufferings, 
 reproaches,  and  temptations ;  patience  and  forbearance 
 under  private  and  public  wrongs  ;  comforts  and  encourage- 
 ments under  inward  spiritual  conflicts,  as  well  as  the  out- 
 ward trials  and  troubles  of  life ;  the  necessity  of  constant, 
 fervent  prayer,  watchfulness  and  self-denial,  perseverance 
 and  diligence  in  making  our  calling  and  election  sure, 
 circumspect  walking  with  God,  constancy,  firmness,  and 
 stedfastness  in  the  unwavering  maintenance  of  God's  truth ; 
 — with  entrancing  portraitures  of  the  glories  of  the  Beatific 
 vision,  and  the  hosannahs  that  for  ever  fill  the  eternal 
 regions. 
 
 But  enough !  Here  is  a  list  of  topics,  full  of  deepest 
 practical  interest,  selected  very  much  at  random  from  the 
 great  mass.  But  no  enumeration  of  topics,  however 
 interesting,  can  give  any  possible  conception  of  the  fre- 
 quent point  and  pith,  richness  and  raciness,  originality 
 and  novelty,  skill  and  felicity,  beauty  and  grandeur  of  his 
 modes  of  treating  them.  Of  all  this,  it  were  easy  to 
 supply  abundance  of  confirmatory  and  illustrative  exam- 
 ples. And  were  we  writing  an  article  for  a  Keview  or 
 ordinary  Magazine,  this  is  exactly  what  we  would  deem  it  a 
 duty  to  do.  But  writing  what  is  meant  only  for  a  humble 
 Preface  to  the  great  work  itself,  where  all  is  spread  out  be- 
 fore the  reader  with  the  profusion  and  magnificence  of  a 
 richly  replenished  paradise,  any  attempt  of  the  sort  would 
 be  a  work  of  simple,  absolute  supererogation.  Our  earnest 
 invitation,  therefore,  to  the  reader  is, — come  and  see,  come 
 and  handle,  come  and  taste,  come  and  partake  for  yourself 
 of  this  soul-satisfying,  soul-exhilarating  banquet  of  hea- 
 venly dainties.  And  what  will  add  immeasurably  to 
 your  enjoyment  of  it  is,  that  it  is  fragrant  throughout 
 with  the  felt  presence  and  power   of   Him,  whose  very 
 
10  PREFACI-. 
 
 name  of  Jesus  has  music  in  it  for  the  believer's  ear 
 sweeter  far  than  all  the  rarest  melodies  of  earth,  and 
 manna  for  the  spiritual  appetite  more  refreshing  far  than 
 the  costliest  products  of  tropical  climes.  It  is  this 
 predominant,  all-pervading  quality  which  gives  these 
 Letters  their  'peculiar  zest  and  relish  for  awakened, 
 quickened  souls,  that  have  their  hearts  surcharged  with 
 divine  love,  and  their  eyes  full  of  divine  glory. 
 
 The  Apostle  Paul,  who  profited  in  the  Jews'  religion, 
 and  excelled  in  Eabbinical  lore  beyond  most  others,  tells 
 us  that  when  the  Son  of  God  was  revealed  in  him,  he 
 counted  all  his  previously  coveted  attainments  as  loss  and 
 refuse  "  for  the  excellency  of  the  knowledge  of  Jesus 
 Christ,  his  Lord  and  Saviour."  In  a  similar  spirit,  one  of 
 the  most  learned  of  the  fathers,  who  was  greatly  dis- 
 tinguished for  his  knowledge  of  Grecian  literature  and 
 philosophy,  when  he  came  to  the  saving  knowledge  of 
 Jesus  Christ  and  Him  crucified,  tells  us  that  the  only 
 value  he  then  set  on  his  accumulated  and  highly  prized, 
 or  even  idolized,  learning  was,  that  he  had  something  of 
 surpassing  excellence  in  the  estimation  of  the  world, 
 which  he  could  now  honestly  account  as  literally  nothing 
 in  comparison  of  Christ.  So  it  was  with  holy  Eutherford. 
 He  was  a  man  of  extensive  and  varied  learning,  classical 
 and  theological,  of  sound  judgment  and  lively  imagination. 
 But  all  his  intellectual  and  literary  acquisitions  of  every 
 kind  and  degree  he  came  to  regard  as  emptiness  and  chaff 
 when  weighed  in  the  balance  with  the  preciousness  of  his  /' 
 experimental  converse  and  acquaintance  with  Christ,  as  !  ^ 
 his  "  Shepherd,  Husband,  Friend ;  his  Prophet,  Priest,  \  N;^ 
 and  King ;  his  Lord,  his  Life,  his  Way,  his  End ;"  his 
 "  Chief  among  ten  thousand,  and  altogether  lovely."  It  is 
 the  incessant  reiteration  of  this  leading  thought  in  every  ^ 
 
PREFACE.  11 
 
 imaginable  variety  of  form  and  drapery  of  expression  that 
 gives  all  their  fascination  and  undefinable  charm  to  his 
 Letters,  and  renders  them  so  wholly  unique,  as  epistolary 
 effusions,  in  their  general  style  and  substance.  In  them, 
 not  the  mere  abstract  doctrine  of  Christ,  but  the  living 
 person  of  Christ,  in  all  His  offices  and  endearing  relation- 
 ships, is  the  Alpha  and  Omega,  the  First  and  the  Last, 
 the  Beginning,  Middle,  and  End  of  all  longing  and  desire, 
 of  all  motive  and  impulse,  of  all  duty  and  obligation,  of 
 all  homage  and  worship,  of  all  glory  and  praise.  He  is 
 the  supreme  Central  Source  of  spiritual  light  and  life  and 
 warmth  to  the  redeemed  soul,  in  its  endlessly  varying 
 moods  and  phases,  as  surely  as  the  sun  in  the  firmament 
 is  the  supreme  central  source  of  natural  light  and  life  and 
 warmth  to  the  world  of  animal,  vegetable,  and  mineral 
 forms  which  we  inhabit.  Hence  the  frequency  and 
 ecstatic  rapture  with  which  he  expatiates  on  Christ's 
 inexhaustible  all-sufficiency ;  His  unchangeable  and  in- 
 finite fulness  ;  His  ineffable  beauty  and  excellence  ;  His 
 untold  and  unparalleled  preciousness ;  His  incomparable 
 loveliness ;  and  the  everlastingness,  faithfulness,  and 
 surpassing  greatness  of  His  love.  Hence  the  intense  and 
 burning  desires,  longings,  thirstings,  pantings,  yearnings 
 after  closer  communion  with  Him,  and  rapt  enjoyment  of 
 Him — imparadised,  as  it  were,  in  His  embrace,  as  the 
 soul's  Only  and  Well-Beloved.  And  hence  the  effusive 
 declarations  as  to  the  unspeakable  sweetness  even  of  His 
 cross,  the  heart-felt  blessedness  of  suffering  for  Him,  the 
 superabounding  manifestations  of  His  love  amid  the 
 fieriest  furnaces  of  affliction,  and  the  fiercest  ragings  of 
 malignant  foes.  What  more  need  be  said  ?  Throughout  / 
 these  Letters,  Christ  is  here,  Christ  is  there,  Christ  is  f 
 everywhere.     In  a  word,  Christ,  living  and  reigning  and 
 
1 2  PEEFACE, 
 
 indwelling,  is  their  All  in  all.  Take  Christ  out  of  them, 
 and  instead  of  being  what  they  are  now,  a  perfect  paradise 
 of  richest  gems,  loveliest  flowers,  and  mellowest  fruits  of 
 heavenly  culture  and  growth,  they  would  be  found  a 
 wilderness  as  sterile  as  that  which  borders  on  the  Asphal- 
 tic  pool.  The  land  of  promise  without  its  overflowings  of 
 milk  and  honey ;  the  plain  of  Sharon,  without  its  roses 
 exhaling  their  sweetest  fragrance;  the  vales  of  Carmel, 
 without  their  snow-white  lilies  arrayed  in  beauty  and 
 loveliness  exceeding  that  of  Solomon  in  all  his  glory  ; 
 Lebanon,  without  its  cedars  towering  in  stateliest  majesty 
 above  the  clouds,  and  exultantly  kissing  the  skies, — would 
 all  of  them  present  spectacles  not  approximating  by  a 
 thousandfold,  in  dreariness  and  desolation,  the  spectacle 
 which  would  be  presented  by  these  Letters  without  Christ 
 in  all  the  transcendency  of  His  countless  and  peerless 
 excellencies. 
 
 To  attempt  to  illustrate  anything  of  all  this  by  furnishing 
 apposite  specimens,  were  sufficiently  futile,  when  all  that 
 the  reader  has  to  do  is  to  open  up  the  volume  very  much 
 at  random,  and  to  find  for  himself,  in  almost  any  page, 
 specimens   to   satisfy  him   of  the  substantial  truth   and 
 accuracy  of  our  representation.     All,  therefore,   that  we 
 deem  it  right  or  expedient  to  do,  is  to  obviate  an  objection 
 which  has  sometimes  been  advanced  against  certain  portions 
 of  the  work,  on  the  score  of  their  alleged  mysticism  of 
 style   and   sentiment.     Everything   depends   on    what   is  i 
 meant  by  mysticism  ;  and  on  distinguishing  aright  between  , 
 mysticism  in  its  proper,  technical,  professional  sense,  and  | 
 mysticism  in  the  loose  popular  sense  of  figurative,  sym-     ■^ 
 bolic,    or   allegorical.     In  the  former  sense,  mysticism, —  i  ' 
 amid  the  almost  infinitely  varied  phases  of  thought  and 
 action  which  it  has  assumed  in  successive  ages,  among  | 
 
PKEFACE.  1 3 
 
 widely  divergent  races,  and  in  connection  with  divers  re- 
 ligious forms  and  systems, — Judaism  and  Christianity, 
 Mahommedanism  and  speculative  Paganism,  Theism  and 
 Pantheism,  Platonism  and  Neo-Platonism,  Medievalism 
 and  Scholasticism,  Quietism  and  Ecstacism, — and  under 
 whatever  generic  designation  it  has  been  recognised  by 
 its  multitudinous  votaries,  whether  theosophist,  theopa- 
 thetic,  theurgic,  or  such  like, — deals  exclusively  with  the 
 subjective  as  contradistinguished  from  the  objective.  In 
 other  words,  it  looks  to  the  primary  intuitions  of  the 
 human  mind,  and  the  moral  instincts  of  the  human  heart, 
 and  to  these  alone,  for  light  and  guidance  in  arriving  at 
 the  highest  and  purest  conceptions  of  God  and  truth,  sal- 
 vation and  final  beatitude.  It  thus  formally  and  syste- 
 matically regards  the  fundamental  promptings  and  teachings 
 of  the  soul  within  as  all-sufficient ;  and  consequently  sub- 
 stitutes the  inward  illumination  of  the  human  spirit  for 
 the  outward  illumination  of  the  Spirit  of  God.  Or,  what 
 amounts  to  the  same  thing,  the  internal  and  purely  intui- 
 tional is  made  wholly  and  universally  to  supersede  the 
 external  or  written  Word  or  Book  of  Eevelation,  in  what- 
 ever form  it  may  have  been  originally  conveyed,  or  subse- 
 quently recorded  and  transmitted  from  age  to  age,  from 
 people  to  people,  from  country  to  country. 
 
 Now  it  cannot  be  too  emphatically  declared  that  by  no 
 man  would  mysticism,  in  any  sense  of  internal  self-sufficing 
 light,  be  more  summarily  repudiated  than  by  Samuel 
 Eutherford.  The  very  idea  of  substituting  any  intuitions  ^ 
 or  inward  suggestions,  visions,  or  self-luminous  manifesta- 
 tions of  his  own  consciousness,  for  the  genuine,  authentic, 
 and  divinely  accredited  revelations  of  Jehovah's  holy 
 oracles,  he  would  inexorably  reject  with  indignation  and 
 abhorrence. 
 
 ^ 
 
14  PREFACE. 
 
 It  is  only,  therefore,  in  the  other  somewhat  loose  and  , 
 popular  sense  of  figurative,  symbolic,  or  allegorical,  that 
 any  portion  of  his  language  and  thoughts  can,  with  any      i 
 truth   or   propriety,  be   styled   mystical,    or   tinged   with     N 
 mysticism.     And  for  such  a  style  of  thought  and  expres- 
 sion, he  has  the  highest  possible  warrant  in  the  lyric  and. 
 prophetic  sections  of  Holy  Scripture. 
 
 The  objection,  however,  may  not  be  against  the  exuberant 
 use  of  figure,  symbol,  or  allegory,  but  against  the  frequent 
 and  lavish  use  of  the  somewhat  peculiar  figure  or  symbol 
 in  which  he  so  freely  indulges,  or  rather  revels  with  a 
 rapture  and  unction  all  his  own.  Now  the  central  thought 
 whence  emanates  such  a  profusion  of  peculiar  figure  or 
 symbol,  is  the  mystic  nuptial  union  of  the  soul  to  God,  or 
 rather,  to  God  in  Christ,  as  our  adored  Immanuel.  But  in 
 this  he  has  only  followed  the  model  and  example  of  the 
 inspired  penmen ;  whose  delineations  he  faithfully  copies 
 or  reflects,  and  whose  graphic  imagery  he  admiringly 
 adopts,  and  skilfully  employs  in  expressing  his  own  elevated 
 spiritual  views,  heavenward  aspirations,  and.  glowing 
 emotions.  And  it  is  his  habitual  employment  of  such 
 mystic  imagery  which  gives  its  apparently  unique  hue  and 
 complexion  to  much  of  what  is  noblest  and  most  divine  in 
 his  practical  experimental  theology. 
 
 To  every  attentive  reader  of  the  Bible  it  is  well  known  / 
 that  in  the  writings,  both  of  the  Old  and  New  Testament, 
 it  is  common  to  represent  the  Church  of  Christ  underthe 
 emblem  of  a  chaste  woman,  bride  or  spouse,  and  Messiah, 
 her  king,  under  that  of  bridegroom  or  husband  ;  that  the 
 marriage  union,  being  the  closest,  most  sacred,  most  en- 
 dearing and  enduring  among  men,  it  has  furnished  a 
 favourite  image  to  the  ancient  prophets,  when  they  would 
 set  forth  the  union  of  the  redeemed  soul  to  its  kinsman- 
 
 } 
 
PREFACE.  15 
 
 Redeemer,  Christ;   and  vividly  portray  the  multitude  of  i 
 His  loving  kindnesses  towards  her,  and  her  dutiful  returns 
 of  overflowing  gratitude  and  love  towards  Him. 
 
 The  most  notable  and  elaborate  exhibition  of  this  image 
 is  that  which  is  to  be  found  in  the  45th  Psalm,  and  the 
 Song  of  Songs.  With  regard  to  the  former,  it  has  been 
 satisfactorily  shown  by  Bishop  Horseley  and  others,  that, 
 in  the  unanimous  judgment  of  all  antiquity,  the  imme- 
 diate and  single  subject  of  the  Psalm  in  the  first  intention 
 of  its  author,  is,  "  the  connection  between  Christ  and  His 
 church,"  represented  therein  by  the  inspired  Seer,  under 
 "  the  emblem  of  a  marriage,  without  any  reference  to  the 
 marriage  of  Solomon,  or  any  other  earthly  monarch  as  its 
 type."  With  regard  to  the  latter,  it  has  been  as  generally 
 agreed  that  it  had  a  historic  foundation  in  the  marriage 
 of  Solomon  with  Pharaoh's  daughter,  or  some  Jewish  prin- 
 cess. But,  as  Dr.  Chalmers,  in  his  Daily  Eeadings,  has 
 pointedly  remarked,  "  Though  Solomon  is  named  in  it,  a 
 greater  than  Solomon  is  here."  Indeed,  in  the  concurrent 
 judgment  of  the  ablest  and  wisest  of  Scripture  com- 
 mentators, alike  in  ancient  and  modern  times,  we  have 
 here,  not  so  much  an  ode,  lyric,  idyll,  pastoral,  allegory,  or 
 epithalamium  of  an  ordinary  kind,  as  a  divinely  mystic 
 song7  altogether  sui  generis,  combining,  for  higher  and 
 nobler  ends,  the  leading  characteristics  of  all  these  well- 
 known  forms  of  poetic  art.  In  other  words,  in  this  con- 
 gratulatory celebration  of  a  royal  marriage,  we  find  adum- 
 brated and  spread  out  before  us,  under  the  guidance  of 
 inspiration,  a  singular  variety  of  moods  and  conditions  of 
 soul  depicted,  with  all  the  fire  and  glow  of  an  eastern  fancy, 
 by  means  of  the  choicest  and  most  apposite  symbols,  expres- 
 sive of  the  multiplied  experiences  of  merely  natural  but 
 pure  human  affections.     Above  all,  we  fiud  here  stiikiugly 
 
 \ 
 
16  PREFACE. 
 
 shadowed  forth,  in  the  impassioned  strains  of  loftiest  Ori- 
 ental metaphor  and  imagery,  often  far  too  glaring  and 
 hyperbolical  for  colder  occidental  habitudes  of  thought  and 
 feeling,  whether  personal  or  social,  the  loving  relationship, 
 transporting  fellowship,  and  warmly  affectionate  intercourse 
 between  Immanuel,  the  God-man  and  individual  human 
 souls,  constituting,  in  the  aggregate,  His  blood-ransomed 
 Church,  or  affianced  Bride,  the  Lamb's  Wife. 
 
 It  were  easy  to  show,  if  necessary,  by  an  immense 
 array  of  evidence,  that  this  is  the  view  of  the  subject  which 
 has  been  taken  by  the  most  sober  and  orthodox  Biblicists, 
 who  were  yet  men  of  fervent  heart-piety,  in  all  ages.  But 
 it  is  not  necessary,  and  the  attempt  to  do  so  would  be 
 foreign  to  our  present  purpose.  Eeference  by  way  of 
 specimen  to  one  or  two  names,  which  cannot  fail  to  carry 
 weight  with  the  reader,  must  therefore  be  held  as  amply 
 sufficient. 
 
 Of  the  Song,  generally,  the  celebrated  Owen,  one  of  the 
 gravest  and  profoundest  of  theologians,  observes  : — "  The 
 expressions  are  figurative,  and  the  whole  nature  of  the  dis- 
 course is  allegorical,  but  the  things  intended  are  real  and 
 substantial ;  and  the  metaphors  used  in  expressing  them 
 are  suited,  in  a  due  attendance  unto  the  analogy  of  faith, 
 to  convey  a  spiritual  understanding,  and  a  sense  of  the 
 things  themselves  proposed  in  them.  The  Church  of  God 
 will  not  part  with  the  unspeakable  advantage  and  con- 
 solation, those  supports  of  faith  and  incentives  of  love, 
 which  it  receives  by  that  Divine  proposal  of  the  person  of 
 Christ  and  His  love,  which  is  made  therein,  because  some 
 men  have  no  experience  of  them,  nor  understanding  in 
 them.  The  faith  and  love  of  believers  is  not  to  be  regulated 
 by  the  ignorance  and  boldness  of  those  who  have  neither 
 the  one  nor  the  other." 
 
h 
 
 PREFACE.  17 
 
 The  still  more  celebrated  Jonathan  Edwards,  in  whom  j 
 the  ratiocinative  faculties  so  marvellously  predominated  | 
 over  the  aesthetic,  but  who  had  yet  a  real  heart  and  fancy  I 
 for  the  purely  devotional,  thus  recorded  some  of  his  reli-  [ 
 gious  experiences  : — "  I  have  sometimes  had  a  sense  of  the 
 excellent  fulness  of  Christ,  and  His  meetness  and  suitable- 
 ness as  a  Saviour;  whereby  He  has  appeared  to  me,  far 
 above  all,  the  chief  of  ten  thousand.  His  blood  and  atone- 
 ment have  appeared  sweet,  and  His  righteousness  sweet ; 
 which  was  always  accompanied  with  ardency  of  spirit; 
 and  inward  strugglings,  and  breathings,  and  groanings  that 
 cannot  be  uttered,  to  be  emptied  of  myself,  and  swallowed 
 up  in  Christ.  Once  as  I  rode  out  into  the  woods  for  my 
 health,  having  alighted  from  my  horse  in  a  retired  place, 
 as  my  manner  commonly  has  been,  to  walk  for  divine  con- 
 templation and  prayer,  I  had  a  view,  that  for  me  was  ex- 
 traordinary, of  the  glory  of  the  Son  of  God,  as  Mediator 
 between  God  and  man,  and  His  wonderful,  great,  full,  pure, 
 and  sweet  grace  and  love,  and  meek  and  gentle  condescen- 
 sion. This  grace  that  appeared  so  calm  and  sweet,  ap- 
 peared also  great  above  the  heavens.  The  person  of  Christ 
 appeared  also  ineffably  excellent,  with  an  excellency  great 
 enough  to  swallow  up  all  thought  and  conception — which 
 continued,  as  near  as  I  can  judge,  about  an  hour;  which 
 kept  me  the  greater  part  of  the  time  in  a  flood  of  tears,  and 
 weeping  aloud.  I  felt  an  ardency  of  soul  to  be,  what  I 
 know  not  otherwise  how  to  express,  emptied  and  anni- 
 hilated, to  lie  in  the  dust,  and  to  be  full  of  Christ  alone ; 
 to  love  Him  with  a  holy  and  pure  love ;  to  trust  in  Him ;  f  |  '^ 
 to  live  upon  Him  ;  to  serve  and  follow  Him ;  and  to  be 
 perfectly  sanctified  and  made  pure,  with  a  divine  and 
 heavenly  purity.  I  have  several  other  times  had  views 
 very  much  of  the  same  nature,  and  which  have  had  the 
 
 B 
 
i 
 
 18  PREFACE. 
 
 same  effects. "  Now,  it  was  when  in  these  high  and  rap- 
 tured frames  of  mind,  that  he  could  thus  write  of  the  Song 
 of  Songs  : — "  The  whole  book  of  Canticles  used  to  be  plea- 
 sant to  me,  and  I  used  to  be  much  in  reading  it  about  that 
 time,  and  found,  from  time  to  time,  an  increased  sweetness, 
 that  would  carry  me  away  in  my  contemplations.  This  I 
 know  not  how  to  express  otherwise  than  by  a  calm,  de- 
 lightful abstraction  of  the  soul  from  all  the  concerns  of  the 
 world ;  and  sometimes  a  kind  of  vision,  or  fixed  ideas  and 
 imaginations — of  being  alone  in  the  mountains,  or  some 
 solitary  wilderness,  sweetly  conversing  with  Christ,  and 
 rapt  and  swallowed  up  in  God.  The  sense  I  had  of  divinel 
 things,  often  would^  on  a  sudden,  kindle  up_an^ltrdour  in  i 
 my  soul  that  IJknew^ot  howjto  express." 
 
 AITEhis  ought  to  satisfy  the  most  fastidious  of  readers 
 that,  after  all,  there  is  nothing  really  novel  or  absolutely 
 peculiar  in  the  soul-thrilling  effusions  of  "  Rutherford's 
 Letters ; "  and  ought  to  reconcile  them  to  the  glowing 
 imagery  and  entranced  language  of  love  in  which  they  are 
 expressed — the  whole  having  its  Divine  Fountainhead  and  f 
 Prototype  mainly  in  the  inspired  Song^  Songs.  So  that  i  X 
 of  him  it  could  be  truly  said,  that,  at  times,  and  more 
 especially  amid  the  outer  dreariness  and  solitude  of  his 
 necessitated  exile  at  Aberdeen,  with  its  deep  broodings  of 
 spirit  and  great  searchings  of  heart,  he  seemed  to  "  breathe 
 a  spirit  of  such  devotion  as  if  he  had  been  a  seraph  incar- 
 nate, and  filled  with  such  joyous  transport,  as  if  he  had 
 been  caught  up  into  the  third  heaven,  and  his  heart  yet 
 throbbed  with  the  unearthly  sensation." 
 
 The  truth  is  that,  on  examination,  it  will  be  found  that/ 
 the  real  source  of  objection  does  not  lie  in  the  alleged  ex- 
 travagance of  the  rapturous  utterances  of  Rutherford,  but 
 in  a  certain  ungenial  state  of  mind  and  feeling,  on  the  part 
 
PREFACE.  1 9 
 
 of  the  reader,  which  fairly  disqualifies  him  for  properly  / 
 appreciating  them.  In  the  case  of  one  of  a  hard,  dry,  |j 
 logical,  metaphysical,  or  mathematical  temperament,  even 
 if  religiously  disposed,  but  deficient  in,  or  wholly  destitute 
 of,  the  poetic,  aesthetic,  or  deeply  emotional  element,  he 
 will  be  apt  to  regard  them  with  shrinking  aversion,  if  not 
 positive  disfavour  and  disrelish.  In  the  case  of  another, 
 with  a  mind  ill-disciplined  and  ill-regulated,  conjoined  with 
 a  vagrant,  roving,  unchastened  fancy,  and  little  or  no 
 spirituality,  he  will  be  ready  grossly  to  construe  them,  as 
 seen  through  the  medium  of  his  own  jaundiced  mental 
 vision,  and  interpreted  in  the  false  glare  of  his  own  grovel- 
 ling, carnal  affections.  In  the  case  of  a  third,  belonging 
 to  the  Godless,  Christless. class  of  the  worldly,  the  indiffer- 
 ent or  the  scornful,  he  will  be  sure  to  denounce  the  whole 
 as  senseless,  pietistic  rant,  or  exaggerated  rhapsody. 
 
 On  the  other  hand,  in  the  case  of  persons  of  eminent 
 holiness  and  spiritual  sensibility,  who  experimentally  know 
 and  live  upon  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  as  their  loving,  per- 
 sonal Saviour;  who  lean,  as  it  were,  with  calmest  and 
 serenest  joy,  on  His  bosom;  who  feel  themselves  as  if 
 caught  up  into  the  embrace  of  His  outstretched  arms ;  and 
 partake  of  the  fondest  caresses  of  His  wondrous  love — the 
 most  fervent  and  even  luscious  utterances  of  the  Letters, 
 only  tend  to  hold  them  fast  bound,  as  under  the  spell  oi 
 some  inexplicable  enchantment.  Eealising  in  their  own 
 souls  the  glorious  things  spoken  of,  they  never  tire  of  medi- 
 tating on  writings  which  faithfully  reveal  and  embody  their 
 own  discoveries  of  Christ's  glory  and  grace,  His  willingness 
 and  almightiness  to  save,  with  all  the  inexpressibly  tender 
 memorials  of  their  mutual  interchanges  of  admii-ation  and 
 love — writings,  on  which  their  own  felt  wants  and  ever- 
 varying  conditions  of  alternating  joy  and  sorrow,  despond- 
 
20  PREFACE. 
 
 ency  and  hope,  as  they  pass  through  the  fears,  distresses, 
 and  deliverances  of  many  a  fiery  ordeal,  shed  a  fulness  and 
 richness  of  significance  which  the  outside  world  cannot 
 apprehend,  and  with  which  it  cannot  possibly  sympathise, 
 — writings,  which  not  only  distinctly  portray,  but  seem 
 vividly  to  photograph,  through  sensible  symbols  and  images, 
 their  own  soaring  thoughts  and  aspirations  with  "colours 
 dipped  in  heaven ; "  and  thus  supply  them  with  spiritual 
 nutriment  and  refreshment,  vastly  more  strengthening  and 
 exhilarating  than  any  to  be  derived  from  the  most  sump- 
 tuous entertainment,  daintiest  cordial,  or  most  exquisite 
 pleasures  of  sense,  while  traversing  the  great  and  terrible 
 wilderness  of  this  world,  in  their  weary  pilgrimage  towards 
 the  palaces  of  light  in  Immanuel's  land. 
 
 That  such  may  be  the  happy  experience  of  every  reader 
 of  these  marvellous  Letters,  which  some  of  the  holiest  of 
 men  have  ranked  next  to  the  Bible,  as  the  richest  treasury 
 and  storehouse  of  practical  Divinity  for  hungry  and  thirsty 
 souls,  is  the  humble  but  earnest  prayer  of  the  undersigned, 
 
 ALEXANDER  BVYE. 
 
 Edinburgh,  Is;  January  187C. 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 Although  my  name  appears  on  the  title-page  of  this  noble 
 volume  as  its  editor,  I  have  had  nothing  to  do  with  its 
 production,  beyond  the  revisal  of  the  proof-sheets,  in  order 
 to  secure  the  accuracy  of  the  text,  and  the  addition  of 
 glossarial  notes,  explanatory  of  the  distinctively  Scottish 
 words  that  occur  in  the  Letters.  That  such  explanations 
 are  not  necessary  for  the  generality  of  Scottish  readers,  is 
 apparent  from  the  fact  that  I  have  not  found  it  necessary, 
 in  more  than  two  or  three  instances,  to  seek  assistance  in 
 order  to  furnish  them ;  and  what  I  found  no  dithculty  in 
 explaining,  few  Scotchmen  would  need  to  have  explained. 
 In  the  very  few  cases  in  which  I  met  with  a  difficulty. 
 Dr.  Jameson's  Dictionary  afforded  the  needed  help. 
 
 When  it  was  known  to  some  of  my  friends  that  I  was 
 engaged  in  preparing  this  edition,  I  received  counsel  from 
 several  whose  judgment  I  greatly  respected,  to  adopt  a 
 chronological  arrangement  of  the  Letters.  This,  on  mature 
 consideration,  I  declined  to  attempt,  chiefly  for  the  follow- 
 ing reasons : — 
 
 1.  I  do  not  think  that  such  an  arrangement  can  possibly 
 be  effected.  Many  of  the  Letters  have  no  dates  affixed  to 
 them,  and  contain  no  internal  evidence,  in  the  way  of 
 allusions  to  historical  events,  by  which  dates  could  be 
 assigned  to  them.  The  dates  affixed  to  some  of  them  are 
 certainly  inaccurate,  and  this  may  probably  be  the  case 
 with  respect  to  others. 
 
22  INTRODUCTION. 
 
 2.  The  vast  majority  of  those  who  will  read  the  Letters, 
 will  read  them  not  as  an  aid  to  the  study  of  the  history  of 
 the  period,  but  as  a  precious  record  of  very  peculiar  Chris- 
 tian experience. 
 
 3.  Supposing  that  an  approximately  accurate  arrange- 
 ment could  be  made,  and  admitting  that  it  would,  to  some 
 extent,  cast  light  upon  the  history  of  the  time,  and  upon 
 the  development  of  the  writer's  character,  it  would  entail 
 the  vitiation  of  many  references  made  to  the  Letters  in 
 subsequent  publications.  In  this  respect  the  matter  is 
 precisely  parallel  to  the  division  of  the  Bible  into  chapters 
 and  verses.  I  suppose  we  have  all  felt  that  that  division 
 is  not  in  every  case  very  happily  made ;  but  it  is  manifest 
 that  an  alteration,  which  would  throw  into  confusion  the 
 innumerable  references  contained  in  all  our  theological 
 and  religious  books,  would  be  an  unspeakable  evil.  The 
 evil  of  altering  the  order  of  these  Letters  would  be  similai 
 in  kind,  though,  of  course,  immeasurably  less  in  degree. 
 
 For  these  reasons  I  have  thought  it  better  to  retain  the 
 old  order,  although  it  is  properly  no  order  at  all. 
 
 I  have  thought  that  the  value  of  the  edition  will  be 
 enhanced  by  prefixiug  to  the  Letters  three  short  documents, 
 viz. : — 
 
 I.  Woodrow's  brief  Account  of  Eutherford's  Life  and 
 Character. 
 
 II.  An  Account  of  the  Last  Words  of  Eutherford. 
 
 III.  Eutherford's  Testimony  to  the  Covenanted  Work 
 of  Eeformation,  from  1638  to  1649,  in  Britain  and  Ireland. 
 
 And  now  I  have  only  to  express  my  very  earnest  desire 
 that  this  edition,  which  is,  I  ti'ust,  as  accurate  as  any, 
 which  is  as  complete  as  the  completest,  and  more  so  than 
 any,  except  one  other,  and  which  is  much  cheaper  than  any 
 other  edition,  may  be  read  by  many,  and  that  its  perusal 
 may  be  blessed  of  God  to  tho  elevation  of  the  standard  of 
 piety,  and  holiness  of  heart  and  life. 
 
 TUOMAS  SMITH. 
 
I. 
 
 WOODROW'S  BRIEF  ACCOUNT 
 
 or 
 
 RUTHERFORD'S  LIFE  AND  CHARACTER. 
 
 That  bright  and  shining  light  of  his  time,  Mr.  Samuel 
 Rutherford,  may  justly  come  in  among  the  sufferers,  during 
 this  session  of  Parliament  (viz.,  in  the  year  1661).  To  be 
 sure,  he  was  a  martyr,  both  in  his  own  resolution,  and  in 
 men's  designs  and  determination.  He  is  so  well  known  to 
 the  learned  and  pious  world,  that  I  need  say  little  of  him. 
 Such  who  knew  him  best  were  in  a  strait  whether  to  ad- 
 mire him  for  his  sublime  genius  in  the  school,  and  peculiar 
 exactness  in  matter  of  dispute  and  controversy ;  or  his 
 familiar  condescensions  in  the  pulpit,  where  he  was  one  of 
 the  most  moving  and  affectionate  preachers  in  his  time,  or 
 perhaps  in  any  age  of  the  Church. 
 
 But  he  seems  to  have  outdone  himself,  as  well  as  every 
 body  else,  in  his  admirable,  and  every  way  singular  Letters, 
 which,  though  jested  upon  by  profane  wits,  because  of  some 
 familiar  expressions,  yet  will  be  owned,  by  all  who  have 
 any  relish  of  piety,  to  contain  such  sublime  flights  of  de- 
 votion, and  to  be  fraughted  with  such  massy  thoughts,  as 
 loudly  speak  a  soul  united  to  Jesus  Christ  in  the  closest 
 embraces,  and  must  needs  at  once  ravish  and  edify  every 
 serious  reader. 
 
 The  Parliament  were  to  have  had  an  indictment  laid 
 before  them  against  this  holy  man,  if  his  death  had  not 
 
24  LIFE  AND  CHAKACTEK. 
 
 prevented  it.  After  his  book,  entitled  Lex  Eex,  had  been 
 ordered  to  be  burnt  at  the  cross  of  Edinburgh,  and  the  gate 
 of  the  new  college  of  St.  Andrews,  where  he  was  divinity 
 professor ;  in  their  great  humanity,  they  were  pleased, 
 when  every  body  knew  Mr.  Eutherford  to  be  in  a  dying 
 condition,  to  cause  cite  him  to  appear  before  them  at 
 Edinburgh,  to  answer  a  charge  of  high  treason.  But  he 
 had  a  higher  tribunal  to  appear  before,  where  his  judge  was 
 his  friend. 
 
 Mr.  Eutherford  died  in  March  1661,  the  very  day  be- 
 fore the  Act  Eescissory  was  passed  in  the  Parliament. 
 This  eminent  saint,  and  faithful  servant  of  Jesus  Christ, 
 lamented  when  near  his  end,  that  he  was  withheld  from 
 bearing  witness  to  the  work  of  Eeformation,  since  the  year 
 1638,  and  giving  his  public  testimony  against  the  evil 
 courses  of  the  present  time ;  otherwise  he  was  full  of 
 peace  and  joy  in  believing.  I  have  a  copy  before  me  ol' 
 what  could  be  gathered  up  of  his  dying  words,^  and  the 
 expressions  this  great  man  had  during  his  sickness. 
 
 ^  Referring   to   "Some   of  the   Last   Words  of   Mr.    llutherford,  Lc," 
 which  inmiediately  follows. — L'd. 
 
IL 
 
 SOME   OF   THE 
 
 LAST  WORDS  OF  ME.  RUTHERFOED, 
 
 OONTAINING 
 
 Some  Advices  and  Exhortations  to  his  Friends  and  Eela- 
 tions  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  rap- 
 ture, extolling  and  commending  the  Lord  Jesus,  espe- 
 cially 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  see  Him  as  He  is,  T  shall  see  Him  reign,  and  all  His 
 fair  company  with  Him ;  and  I  shall  have  my  large  share, 
 my  eyes  shall  see  my  Eedeemer,  these  very  eyes  of  mine, 
 and  no  other  for  me ;  this  may  seem  a  wide  word,  but  it  is 
 no  fancy  or  delusion ;  it  is  true,  it  is  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  re- 
 joicing of  my  heart.     Exhorting  one  to  be  diligent  in  seek- 
 
26  LAST  WORDS  OF  KUTHERFORD. 
 
 ing  of  God,  lie  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  sure  His  Spirit  witnessed 
 to  my  heart,  He  had  accepted  my  suffering,  He  said  to  me, 
 Tear  not :  the  outgate  shall  not  be^  simply  matter  of  praise. 
 I  said  to  the  Lord,  If  He  should  slay  me  five  thousand 
 times  five  thousand  times,  T  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's  night,  before  his  death,  being  much 
 weighted  with  the  state  of  the  public,  he  had  that  expres- 
 sion, Terror  hath  taken  hold  on  me,  because  of  His  dispen- 
 sation. And  after  falling  on  his  own  condition,  he  said,  I 
 disclaim  all  that  ever  He  made  me  will  and  do,  and  look 
 on  it  as  defiled  and  imperfect,  as  coming  from  me ;  and  I 
 take  me  to  Christ  for  sanctification,  as  well  as  justification  ; 
 and  repeating  these  words,  He  is  made  of  God  to  me, 
 wisdom,  righteousness,  sanctification,  and  redemption ;  he 
 added,  I  close  with  it,  let  Him  be  so,  He  is  my  All  in  all 
 this. 
 
 On  March  the  17th,  three  gentlewomen  coming  to  see 
 him ;  after  exhorting  them  to  read  the  word,  and  be  fre- 
 quent in  prayer,  and  much  in  communion  with  God,  he 
 said,  My  honourable  Master  and  lovely  Lord,  my  great  and 
 royal  King,  hath  not  a  match  in  heaven  or  in  earth ;  I 
 have  my  own  guiltiness  like  another  sinful  man,  but  He 
 hath  pardoned,  loved,  and  washed,  and  given  me  joy  un- 
 speakable, and  full  of  glory.  I  repent  not  that  ever  I 
 owned  His  cause.     These  whom  ye  call  Protesters,  are  the 
 
 >  Qu.  Shall  be  ? 
 
LAST  WORDS  OF  RUTHERFORD.  27 
 
 witnesses  of  Jesus  Christ;  I  hope  never  to  depart  from 
 that  cause,  nor  side  with  these  that  have  burnt  the  Causes 
 of  God's  wrath} 
 
 They  have  broken  their  covenant,  oftener  than  once 
 or  twice :  but  I  believe  the  Lord  will  build  Zion,  and  re- 
 pair the  waste  places  of  Jacob.  0  !  to  obtain  mercy  to 
 wrestle  with  God  for  their  salvation.  As  for  this  Presby- 
 tery, it  hath  stood  in  opposition  to  me  these  years  past ;  I 
 have  my  record  in  heaven,  I  had  no  particular  end  in 
 view,  but  was  seeking  the  honour  of  God,  the  thriving  of 
 the  gospel  in  this  place,  and  the  good  of  the  new  college, 
 that  society  which  I  have  left  upon  the  Lord  ;  what  per- 
 sonal wrongs  they  have  done  me,  and  what  grief  they  have 
 occasioned  to  me,  I  heartily  forgive  them ;  and  desire 
 mercy  to  wrestle  with  God,  for  mercy  to  them  and  all-  their 
 salvation. 
 
 The  same  day,  Mr.  James  M'Gill,  Mr.  John  Wardhiw, 
 Mr.  William  Vilant,  and  Mr.  Alexander  Wedderburn  (all 
 members  of  the  same  presbytery  with  him),  coming  to 
 visit  him,  he  made  them  heartily  welcome,  and  said,  My 
 Lord  and  Master  is  the  chief  of  ten  thousand  of  thousands, 
 none  is  comparable  to  Him  in  heaven  or  in  earth.  Dear 
 brethren,  do  all  for  Him ;  pray  for  Christ,  preach  for 
 Christ,  feed  the  flock  committed  to  your  charge  for  Christ, 
 do  all  for  Christ;  beware  of  men-pleasing,  there  is  too 
 much  of  it  among  us.  Dear  brethren,  you  know  I  have 
 had  my  own  grievances  among  you  of  this  presbytery.  He, 
 before  whom  I  stand,  knows  it  was  not  my  particular,  but 
 the  interest  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  the  thriving  of  the  gospel, 
 I  was  seeking.  What  griefs  or  wrongs  you  have  done  me, 
 I  heartily  forgive,  as  T  desire  to  be  forgiven  of  Christ.  The 
 new  college  hath  broke  my  heart,  and  I  can  say  nothing  of 
 it,  but  I  have  left  it  upon  the  Lord  of  the  house ;  and  it 
 hath  been,  and  still  is  my  desire,  that  He  may  dwell  in 
 
 ^  An  anonj'mous  book,  of  which  Mr.  James  Guthrie  is  supposed  to  have 
 been  the  author,  was  Luiat  at  Edinburgh,  aloug  with  Rutherford's  Lix  Rcr, 
 2  Qa.  All.  and  ? 
 
28  LAST  WORDS  OF  RUTHERFOKD. 
 
 this  society,  and  that  the  youths  may  be  fed  with  sound 
 knowledge.  This  is  a  divided  visit  of  the  presbytery,  and 
 I  know  so  much  the  less  what  to  say. 
 
 After  this,  he  said,  Dear  brethren,  it  may  seem  a  pre- 
 sumption in  me,  a  particular  man,  to  send  a  commission 
 to  a  presbytery ;  and  Mr.  M'Gill  replying,  It  was  no  pre- 
 sumption :  he  continued,  Dear  brethren,  take  a  commission 
 from  me  a  dying  man,  to  them,  to  appear  for  God  and  His 
 cause,  and  adhere  to  the  doctrine  of  the  covenant,  and  have 
 a  care  of  the  flock  committed  to  their  charge.  Let  them 
 feed  the  flock  out  of  love,  preach  for  God,  visit  and  cate- 
 chise for  God,  and  do  all  for  God.  Beware  of  man-pleas- 
 ing :  the  chief  Shepherd  will  appear  shortly ;  and  tell  them 
 from  me,  dear  brethren,  that  all  the  personal  griefs  and 
 wrongs  they  have  done  to  me,  I  do  cordially  and  freely 
 forgive  them :  but  for  the  business  of  the  new  college,  I 
 have  left  that  upon  the  Lord ;  let  them  see  to  it,  my  soul 
 desires  the  Lord  to  dwell  in  that  society,  and  that  Himself 
 may  feed  the  youths.  I  have  been  a  sinful  man,  and  have 
 had  my  failings,  but  my  Lord  hath  pardoned  and  accepted 
 my  labours.  I  adhere  to  the  cause  and  covenant,  and 
 mind  never  to  depart  from  that  protestation  against  the 
 controverted  assemblies.  I  am  the  man  I  was.  I  am  still 
 for  keeping  the  government  of  the  kirk  of  Scotland  entire, 
 and  would  not  for  a  thousand  worlds  have  had  the  least 
 finger  of  an  hand  in  burning  of  the  causes  of  God's  wrath. 
 0  !  for  grace  to  wrestle  with  God  for  their  salvation,  who 
 have  done  it ;  and  Mr.  Vilant  having  prayed,  at  his 
 desire,  as  they  took  their  leave,  he  renewed  his  charge  to 
 them,  to  feed  the  flock  out  of  love. 
 
 The  next  morning,  as  he  recovered  out  of  fainting,  in 
 which  they  who  looked  on  expected  his  dissolution,  he 
 said,  I  feel,  I  feel,  I  believe  in  joy,  and  rejoice ;  I  feed  on 
 manna.  The  worthy  and  famous  Mr.  Eobert  Blair,  whose 
 praise  is  in  the  gospel,  through  all  this  Church,  being  with 
 him  (I  must  tell  the  reader,  our  author  had  this  man  in 
 high  esteem,  and  lived  in  near  friendship  and  love  with 
 
LAST     WOKDS    OF    RUTHERFORD.  29 
 
 him  to  the  day  of  his  death.  A  reverend  minister  lately 
 fallen  asleep,  that  was  often  with  Mr.  Eutherford,  told  me 
 he  used  to  call  Mr  Blair  a  worthy  man  of  God)  as  Mr. 
 Eutherford  took  a  little  wine  in  a  spoon,  to  refresh  him- 
 self being  very  weak,  Mr,  Blair  said  to  him,  Ye  feed  on 
 dainties  in  heaven,  and  think  nothing  of  our  cordials  on 
 earth ;  he  answered,  They  are  all  but  dung,  yet  they  are 
 Christ's  creatures,  and  out  of  obedience  to  command,  I  take 
 them,  adding.  My  eyes  shall  see  my  Eedeemer,  I  know  He 
 shall  stand  the  last  day  upon  the  earth,  and  I  shall  be 
 caught  up  in  the  clouds  to  meet  Him  in  the  air,  and  I 
 shall  be  ever  with  Him,  and  what  would  you  have  more, 
 there  is  an  end ;  and  stretching  out  his  hand,  over  again 
 replied,  there  is  an  end.  A  little  after,  he  said,  I  have 
 been  a  wretched  sinful  man,  but  I  stand  at  the  best  pass 
 that  ever  a  man  did,  Christ  is  mine,  and  I  am  His ;  and 
 spake  much  of  the  white  stone,  and  the  new  name.  Mr. 
 Blair,  who  loved  to  hear  Christ  commended,  with  all  his 
 heart,  said  to  him  again,  What  think  ye  now  of  Christ  ?  to 
 which  he  replied,  I  shall  live  and  adore  him :  glory,  glory 
 to  my  Creator,  and  to  my  Eedeemer  for  ever :  glory  shines 
 in  Immanuel's  land. 
 
 In  the  afternoon  of  that  day,  he  said,  O !  that  all  my 
 brethren,  in  the  public,  may  know  what  a  Master  I  have 
 served,  and  what  peace  I  have  this  day :  I  shall  sleep  in 
 Christ,  and  when  I  awake  I  shall  be  satisfied  with  His 
 likeness.  And  he  said,  This  night  shall  close  the  door, 
 and  put  my  anchor  within  the  vail,  and  I  shall  go  away  in 
 a  sleep,  by  five  of  the  clock  in  the  morning ;  which  exactly 
 fell  out  according  as  he  had  told  that  night.  Though  he 
 was  very  weak,  he  had  often  this  expression,  0  fox  arms  to 
 embrace  Him  !  0  for  a  well-tuned  harp  !  And  he  exhorted 
 Dr.  Colvil  (a  man  that  complied  with  Episcopacy  after- 
 wards) to  adhere  to  the  government  of  the  Kirk  of  Scot- 
 land, and  to  the  doctrine  of  the  covenant ;  and  to  have  a 
 care  that  youth  were  fed  with  sound  knowledge ;  and  ex- 
 pressd  his  desire  that  Christ  might  dwell  in  that  society, 
 
30  LAST  WORDS  OF  RUTHERFORD. 
 
 and  that  vice  and  profaueness  might  be  borne  down  :  and 
 the  doctor,  being  a  professor  in  the  new  college,  he  told 
 him,  That  he  heartily  forgave  him  all  offence  he  had  done 
 him. 
 
 He  spake  likewise  to  Mr.  Honeyraan,  who  came  to  see 
 him  (the  man  who  afterward  not  only  submitted  to  the 
 Episcopal  government,  but  wrote  in  defence  of  it,  and  was 
 made  Bishop  of  Orkney),  and  desired  him  to  tell  the  pres- 
 bytery to  appear  for  God  and  His  cause  and  covenant, 
 saying,  The  case  is  not  desperate,  let  them  be  in  their  duty. 
 And  directing  his  speech  to  Dr.  Colvil  and  Mr.  Honey- 
 man,  he  said.  Stick  to  it.  Ye  may  think  it  an  easy  thing 
 in  me,  a  dying  man,  that  is  now  going  out  of  the  reach  of 
 all  that  man  can  do,  but  He,  before  whom  I  stand,  knows 
 I  dare  advise  no  colleague  or  brother  to  do  what  I  would 
 not  cordially  do  myself,  upon  all  hazard :  and  as  for  the 
 Causes  of  God's  ivrath^  that  men  have  now  condemned,  tell 
 Mr.  James  Wood  from  me,  that  I  had  rather  lay  my  head 
 down  on  a  scaffold,  and  suffer  it  to  be  chopped  off  many 
 times,  were  it  possible,  before  I  had  passed  from  them. 
 And  to  Mr.  Honeyman  he  said.  Tell  Mr.  James  Wood  from 
 me,  I  heartily  forgive  him  all  wrongs  he  has  done  me;  and 
 desire  him,  from  me,  to  declare  himself  the  man  that  he  is, 
 still  for  the  government  of  the  Church  of  Scotland. 
 
 And  truly  Mr.  Eutherford  was  not  deceived  in  him, 
 for  the  learned,  pious,  and  worthy  Mr.  Wood  was  true  and 
 faithful  to  the  Presbyterian  government;  nothing  could 
 bow  him  to  comply,  in  the  least  degree,  with  the  abjured 
 prelacy ;  so  far  from  that,  that  apostasy  and  treachery  of 
 others,  whom  he  had  too  much  trusted,  broke  his  upright 
 spirit,  especially  the  aggravated  defection  and  perfidy  of 
 one  whom  he  termed  Judas,  Demas,  and  Gehazi,  concen- 
 tred in  one,  after  he  found  what  part  he  acted  to  the 
 Church  of  Scotland,  under  trust.  For  this  Mr.  Wood 
 went  to  the  grave  a  man  of  sorrows,  and  left  his  testimony 
 behind  him,  to  the  work  of  God  in  this  land,  which  has 
 
 '  See  note  ou  p.  27. 
 
LAST  WORDS  OF  RUTHERFORD.  31 
 
 been  in  print  a  long  time  ago.  I  owe  this  piece  of  justice 
 to  the  memory  of  this  great  man :  and  to  show  that  the 
 only  differences  betwixt  Mr.  Eutherford  and  him,  were 
 occasioned  by  Mr.  Wood's  joining  with  the  promoters  of 
 the  public  resolutions  of  that  time,  but  Mr,  Eutherford 
 ever  spoke  of  him  with  regard,  and  as  a  good  man  whom 
 he  loved.  After,  when  some  spoke  to  Mr.  Eutherford  of 
 his  former  painfulness  and  faithfulness  in  the  work  of  God, 
 he  said,  I  disclaim  all  that,  the  port  I  would  be  at  is  re- 
 demption and  forgiveness,  through  His  blood.  Thou  shalt 
 show  me  the  path  of  life,  in  thy  sight  is  fulness  of  joy. 
 There  is  nothing  now  betwixt  me  and  the  resurrection ;  but 
 to-day  thou  shalt  be  with  me  in  paradise :  Mr.  Blair  say- 
 ing. Shall  I  praise  the  Lord  for  all  the  mercies  He  has 
 done  for  you,  and  is  to  do  ?  He  answered,  0  for  a  well- 
 tuned  harp !  To  his  child  he  said,  I  have  again  left  you 
 upon  the  Lord ;  it  may  be  you  will  tell  this  to  others,  that 
 the  lines  are  fallen  to  me  in  pleasant  places,  I  have  a 
 goodly  heritage ;  I  bless  the  Lord  that  gave  me  counsel. 
 
III. 
 
 MR.  EUTHERFOED'S  TESTIMONY 
 
 TO  THE 
 
 COVENANTED  WOEK  OF  EEFOEMATION, 
 
 (From  1638-1649), 
 IN  BRITAIN  AND  IRELAND. 
 
 Though  the  Lord  needeth  not  a  testimony  from  such  ?. 
 wretched  man  as  I,  if  I,  and  all  the  world  would  be  silent, 
 the  very  stones  would  cry.  It  is  more  than  debt,  that  I 
 should  confess  Christ  before  men  and  angels.  It  would 
 satisfy  me  not  a  little,  that  the  throne  of  my  Lord  Jesus 
 were  exalted  above  the  clouds,  the  heaven  of  heavens,  and 
 on  both  sides  of  the  sun :  and  that  all  possible  praise  and 
 glory  were  ascribed  to  Him ;  that,  by  His  grace,  I  might 
 put  my  seal,  such  as  it  is,  unto  that  song,  even  the  new 
 song  of  these,  who  with  a  loud  voice  sing,  saying.  Thou  art 
 worthy  to  take  the  book,  and  to  open  the  seals  thereof :  for 
 thou  wast  slain,  and  hast  redeemed  us  to  God  by  thy  blood, 
 out  of  every  kindred,  and  tongue,  and  people,  and  nation : 
 and  hast  made  us  unto  our  God  kings  and  priests ;  and 
 we  shall  reign  on  earth,  Eev.  v.  9,  10.  And  blessed  were 
 I,  could  I  lay  to  my  ear  of  faith,  and  say  Amen  to  that 
 psalm  of  the  many  angels  round  about  the  throne,  and  the 
 beasts  and  elders :  whose  number  is  ten  thousand  times 
 ten  thousand,  and  thousands  of  thousands :  saying,  with  a 
 loud  voice.  Worthy  is  the  Lamb  that  was  slain,  to  receive 
 
Rutherford's  testimony.  33 
 
 power,  and  riches,  and  wisdom,  and  strength,  and  honour, 
 and  glory,  and  blessing.  And  if  I  heard  every  creature 
 which  is  in  heaven,  and  on  earth,  and  under  the  earth, 
 and  such  as  are  in  the  sea,  and  all  that  are  in  them  (as 
 John  heard  them),  saying.  Blessing,  and  honour,  and  glory, 
 and  power  be  unto  him  that  sitteth  upon  the  throne,  and 
 _  to  the  Lamb  for  ever  and  ever.  I  mean  not  any  visible 
 reign  of  Christ  on  earth,  as  the  Millenaries  fancy  ;  I  believe 
 (Lord  help  my  unbelief)  the  doctrine  of  the  holy  prophets, 
 and  the  apostles  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  contained  in  the 
 book  of  the  Old  and  New  Testament,  to  be  the  undoubted 
 truth  of  God ;  and  a  perfect  rule  of  faith,  and  the  only 
 way  of  salvation.  And  I  do  acknowledge  the  sum  of  the 
 Christian  religion,  exhibited  in  the  Confessions  and  Cate- 
 chisms of  the  reformed  Protestant  churches :  and  in  the 
 National  Covenant,  divers  times  sworn  by  the  king's 
 majesty,  the  State,  and  Church  of  Scotland ;  and  sealed  by 
 the  testimony  and  subscription  of  the  nobles,  barons,  gentle- 
 men, citizens,  ministers,  and  professors  of  all  ranks.  As 
 also,  in  the  Solemn  League  and  Covenant  of  the  three 
 kingdoms  of  Scotland,  England,  and  Ireland.  And  I  do 
 judge,  and  in  conscience  believe,  that  no  power  on  earth 
 can  absolve,  and  liberate  the  people  of  God  from  the  bonds 
 and  sacred  ties  of  the  oath  of  God.  I  am  persuaded  that 
 Asa  acted  warrantably  in  making  a  law  that  the  people 
 should  stand  to  the  covenant ;  in  receiving  into  the  cove- 
 nant such  as  were  not  of  his  kingdom,  2  Chron.  xv,  9,  10. 
 As  did  also  Hezekiah,  in  sending  a  proclamation  through 
 all  the  tribes,  from  Dan  to  Beersheba,  that  they  should 
 come  and  keep  the  passover  unto  the  Lord  at  Jerusalem, 
 2  Chron.  xxx.  6,  7,  though  their  own  princes  did  not  go 
 along  with  them ;  yea,  and  it  is  nature's  law,  warranted  by 
 the  word,  that  nations  should  encourage  and  stir  up  one 
 another  to  seek  the  true  God.  It  is  also  prophesied,  That 
 divers  nations  should  excite  one  another  in  this  way.  Isa. 
 ii.  3,  Many  people  shall  go  and  say,  Come  ye,  and  let  us 
 go  up  unto  the  mountain  of  the  Lord,  to  the  house  of  the 
 
 G 
 
34  kutherford's  testimony. 
 
 God  of  Jacob,  and  he  will  teach  us  his  ways.  Zech.  viii. 
 21,  22,  And  the  inhabitants  of  one  city  shall  go  to  another, 
 saying,  Let  us  go  speedily  to  pray  before  the  Lord  of  hosts : 
 I  will  go  also.  Yea,  many  people  and  strong  nations  shall 
 come  to  seek  the  Lord  of  hosts  in  Jerusalem,  and  to  pray 
 before  the  Lord.  There  is  also  a  clear  prophecy  to  be 
 accomplished  under  the  New  Testament,  Jer.  1.  4,  5,  That 
 Israel  and  Judah  shall  go  together,  and  seek  the  Lord. 
 They  shall  ask  the  way  to  Zion  with  their  faces  thither- 
 ward, saying.  Come,  and  let  us  join  ourselves  to  the  Lord 
 in  a  perpetual  covenant,  that  shall  not  be  forgotten.  It  is 
 also  foretold,  that  different  nations  shall  confederate  with 
 the  Lord,  and  with  one  another.  Isa.  xix.  23,  24,  25,  In 
 that  day  there  shall  be  an  high  way  out  of  Egypt  into 
 Assyria;  and  the  Assyrian  shall  come  to  Egypt,  and  the 
 Egyptian  into  Assyria,  and  the  Egyptians  shall  serve  with 
 the  Assyrians.  In  that  day  shall  Israel  be  the  third  with 
 Egypt,  and  with  Assyria,  even  a  blessing  in  the  midst  of 
 the  land;  whom  the  Lord  of  hosts  shall  bless,  saying, 
 Blessed  be  Egypt  my  people,  and  Assyria  the  work  of  my 
 hands,  and  Israel  mine  inheritance. 
 
 The  Church  of  Scotland  had  once  as  much  of  the  pre- 
 sence of  Christ,  as  to  the  power  and  purity  of  doctrine, 
 worship,  discipline,  and  government,  as  any  we  read  of, 
 since  the  Lord  took  His  ancient  people  to  be  His  cove- 
 nanted Church.  The  Lord  stirred  up  our  nobles  to  attempt 
 a  reformation  in  the  last  age,  through  many  difficulties, 
 and  against  much  opposition  from  those  in  supreme  autho- 
 rity: He  made  bare  His  holy  arm,  and  carried  on  the 
 work  gloriously,  like  Himself;  His  right  hand  gettiag 
 Him  the  victory,  until  the  idolatry  of  Eome,  and  her  cursed 
 mass,  were  dashed :  a  hopeful  reformation  was  in  some 
 measure  settled,  and  a  sound  Confession  of  Faith  was 
 agreed  upon  by  the  lords  of  the  congregation.  The  people 
 of  God,  according  to  the  laudable  custom  of  other  ancient 
 churches,  the  Protestants  in  Erance  and  Holland,  and  the 
 renowned  princes  in  Germany,  did  carry  on  the  work  in 
 
ruthekfokd's  testimony.  35 
 
 an  innocent,  self-defensive  war,  which  the  Lord  did  abun- 
 dantly bless.  When  our  land  and  Church  were  thus  con- 
 tending for  that  begun  reformation,  these-  in  authority  did 
 still  oppose  the  work ;  and  there  was  not  then  wanting 
 men  from  among  ourselves,  men  of  prelatical  spirits,  who, 
 with  some  other  time-serving  courtiers,  did  not  a  little 
 undermine  the  building ;  and  we,  doating  too  much  upon 
 sound  parliaments,  and  lawful  general  assemblies,  fell  from 
 our  first  love  to  self-seeking,  secret  banding,  and  little  fear- 
 injT  the  oath  of  God. 
 
 Afterwards,  our  work  in  public  was  too  much  in  seques 
 tration  of  estates,  fining  and  imprisoning,  more  than  in  a 
 compassionate  mournfulness  of  spirit  toward  those  whom 
 we  saw  to  oppose  the  work.  In  our  assemblies,  we  were 
 more  to  set  up  a  state  opposite  to  a  state ;  more  upon  forms, 
 citations,  leading  of  witnesses,  suspensions  from  benefices, 
 than  spiritually  to  persuade  and  work  upon  the  conscience, 
 with  the  meekness  and  gentl^iess  of  Christ.  The  glory 
 and  royalty  of  our  princely  Eedeemer  and  King  was 
 trampled  on,  as  any  might  have  seen  in  our  assemblies. 
 What  way  the  army  and  the  sword,  and  the  countenance 
 of  nobles  and  officers  seemed  to  sway,  that  way  were  the 
 censures  carried.  It  had  been  better,  had  there  been  more 
 days  of  humiliation  and  fasting  in  assemblies,  synods, 
 presbyteries,  congregations,  families  ;  and  far  less  adjourn- 
 ing commissions,  new  peremptory  summons,  and  new- 
 drawn  up  processes.  And  if  the  meekness  and  gentleness 
 of  our  Master  had  got  so  much  place  in  our  hearts,  that 
 we  might  have  waited  on  gainsayers,  and  parties  contrary 
 minded ;  and  we  might  have  driven  gently,  as  our  Master, 
 Christ,  who  loves  not  to  over-drive,  but  carries  the  lambs 
 in  His  bosom. 
 
 If  the  word  of  truth,  in  the  Old  and  New  Testaments, 
 be  a  sufficient  rule,  holding  forth  what  is  a  Christian  army, 
 whether  ofi'ensive  or  defensive,  whether  clean  or  sinfully 
 mixed,  then  must  we  leave  the  question  betwixt  our  public 
 brethren  and  us,  to   be  determined  by  that  rule ;  but  if 
 
3'6  ruthekford's  testimony. 
 
 there  be  no  such  rule  in  the  word,  then  the  confederacies 
 and  associations  of  the  people  of  God,  with  the  idolatrous 
 apostate  Israelites,  with  the  Egyptians  and  Assyrians,  as 
 that  of  Jehoshaphat  with  Ahab,  and  these  of  Israel  and 
 Judah,  with  Egypt  and  Assyria,  are  not  to  be  condemned. 
 But  they  are  often  reproved  and  condemned  in  Scripture. 
 To  deny  the  Scripture  to  be  a  sufiicient  rule  in  this  case, 
 were  to  accuse  it  of  being  imperfect  and  defective ; — an 
 high  and  unjust  reflection  on  the  holy  word  of  God.  Be- 
 yond all  question,  the  written  word  doth  teach  what  is  a 
 right  constituted  court,  and  what  not,  Ps.  x.  What  is  a 
 right  constituted  house,  and  what  not.  Josh.  xxiv.  15. 
 What  is  a  true  church,  and  what  is  a  false  one ;  what  is  a 
 true  church,  and  what  is  a  synagogue  of  Satan,  Eev.  ii. 
 What  is  a  clean  camp,  and  what  is  an  unclean.  We  are 
 not  for  an  army  of  saints,  and  free  of  all  mixture  of  ill 
 affected  men :  but  it  seems  an  high  prevarication  for 
 churchmen  to  counsel  and  teach  that  the  weight  and  trust 
 of  the  affairs  of  Christ,  and  His  kingdom,  sliould  be  laid 
 upon  the  whole  party  of  such  as  have  been  enemies  to  our 
 cause,  contrary  to  the  word  of  God,  and  the  declarations, 
 remonstrances,  solemn  warnings,  and  serious  exhortations 
 of  His  Church,  whose  public  protestations  the  Lord  did 
 admirably  bless,  to  the  encouragement  of  the  godly,  and 
 the  terror  of  all  the  opposers  of  the  work. 
 
 Since  we  are  very  shortly  to  appear  before  our  dreadful 
 Master  and  Sovereign,  we  cannot  pass  from  our  protesta- 
 tion, trusting  we  are  therein  accepted  of  Him ;  though  we 
 should  lie  under  the  imputation  of  dividing  spirits  and 
 unpeaceable  men.  We  acknowledge  all  due  obedience  in 
 the  Lord,  to  the  king's  majesty;  but  we  disown  that 
 ecclesiastical  supremacy  in  and  over  the  Church,  which 
 some  ascribe  to  Him  :  that  power  of  commanding  external 
 worship  not  appointed  in  the  word,  and  laying  bonds  upon 
 the  consciences  of  men,  where  Christ  has  made  them  free. 
 We  disown  antichristian  prelacy,  bowing  at  the  name  of 
 •Tesus,  saints'  days,  canonising  of  the  dead,  and  other  such 
 
 i 
 
rutherfokd's  testimony.  37 
 
 corrupt  inventions  of  men,  and  look  upon  them  as  the 
 highway  to  Popery.  Alas  !  now  there  is  no  need  of  a  spirit 
 of  prophecy,  to  declare  what  shall  be  the  woeful  condition 
 of  a  land  that  hath  broken  covenant,  first  practically,  and 
 then  legally,  with  the  Lord  our  God ;  and  what  shall  be 
 the  day  of  the  silent  and  dumb  watchmen  of  Scotland  ? 
 Where  will  we  leave  our  glory,  and  what  if  Christ  depart 
 out  of  our  land  ?  We  verily  judge  they  are  most  loyal  to 
 the  king's  majesty,  who  desire  the  dross  may  be  separated 
 from  the  silver,  and  the  throne  established  in  righteousness 
 f>nd  judgment.  We  are  not  (our  witness  is  in  heaven) 
 against  his  majesty's  title  by  birth  to  the  kingdom,  and 
 the  right  of  the  royal  family  :  but  that  the  controversy  of 
 wrath  against  the  royal  family  may  be  removed ;  that  the 
 huge  guilt  of  the  throne  may  be  mourned  for  before  the 
 Lord :  and  that  his  majesty  may  stand  constantly,  all  the 
 days  of  his  life,  to  the  covenant  of  God,  by  oath,  seal,  and 
 subscription,  known  to  the  world ;  that  so  peace,  and  the 
 blessings  of  heaven,  may  follow  his  government :  that  the 
 Lord  may  be  his  rock  and  shield,  that  the  just  may  flourish 
 in  his  time,  that  men  fearing  God,  hating  covetousness,  and 
 of  known  integrity  and  godliness,  may  be  judges  and 
 rulers  under  his  majesty.  And  they  are  not  really  loyal 
 and  faithful  to  the  supreme  magistrate,  who  wish  not  such 
 qualifications  in  him  :  we  are  not  in  this  particular  contend- 
 ing that  a  prince  who  is  not  a  convert,  or  a  sound  believer, 
 falls  from  his  royal  dominion :  the  Scriptures  of  God  war- 
 rant us  to  pray  for,  and  obey  in  the  Lord,  princes  and 
 supreme  magistrates,  that  are  otherwise  wicked ;  and  to 
 render  all  due  obedience  to  them,  Eom.  xiii.  2,  5 ;  2  Tim. 
 ii.  12,  13 ;  1  Pet.  ii.  18.  Our  souls  should  be  afflicted 
 before  the  Lord  for  the  burning  of  the  causes  of  God's 
 wrath :  a  sad  practice,  too  like  the  burning  of  the  roll  by 
 Jehoiakim,  Jer.  xxxvi.  23.  In  these  controversies,  we 
 should  take  special  heed  to  this,  that  Christ  is  a  free,  inde- 
 pendent Sovereign,  King,  and  Lawgiver.  The  Father  hath 
 appointed  Him  His  own  King  in  Mount  Zion ;  and  He 
 
38  RUTHERFORD'S  TESTIMONY. 
 
 cannot  endure  that  the  powers  of  the  world  should  en- 
 croach upon  His  royal  prerogative,  and  prescribe  laws  to 
 Him;  this  presumption  is  not  far  from  that  of  the  citizens 
 that  hated  Him,  Luke  xix.  14,  He  shall  not  rule  over  us. 
 And  from  the  intolerable  pride  of  those  who  are  for  break- 
 ing asunder  the  bands  of  the  Lord,  and  His  anointed ;  and 
 for  casting  away  their  cords  from  them,  Ps.  ii.  2,  Espe- 
 cially seeing  the  man  Christ  would  not  take  the  office  of 
 a  judge  upon  Him,  Luke  xii.  14,  and  discharged  His 
 disciples  to  exercise  a  civil  lordship  over  their  brethren. 
 True  it  is,  the  godly  magistrate  may  command  the  minis- 
 ters of  the  gospel  to  do  their  duty,  but  not  under  the 
 penalty  of  ecclesiastical  censures,  as  if  it  were  proper  to 
 him  to  call  and  uncall,  depose  and  suspend  from  the  holy 
 ministry.  The  lordly  spiritual  government,  in  and  over 
 the  Church,  is  given  unto  Christ,  and  none  else ;  He  is  the 
 sole  ecclesiastic  Lawgiver,  It  is  proper  to  Him  to  smite 
 with  the  rod  of  His  mouth  ;  nor  is  there  any  other  shoulder, 
 in  heaven  or  on  earth,  that  is  able  to  bear  the  government. 
 As  this  hath  been  the  great  controversy  betwixt  our  Lord 
 Jesus  and  the  powers  of  the  world,  from  the  beginning;  so 
 it  has  ruined  all  that  coped  with  Him.  Christ  has  proved 
 a  rock  of  offence  to  them  ;  they  have  been  dashed  in  pieces 
 by  the  stone  that  was  cut  out  of  the  mountain  without 
 hands,  Dan.  ii.  34,  35.  And  the  other  powers  that  enter 
 the  lists  with  Him,  shall  have  the  same  dismal  exit.  Who- 
 soever shall  fall  upon  this  stone,  shall  be  broken ;  and  on 
 whomsoever  it  shall  fall,  it  shall  grind  him  to  powder, 
 Matt,  xxi.  44.  As  the  blessed  prophets  and  apostles  of  our 
 Lord  contended  not  a  little  with  the  rulers  of  the  earth, 
 that  Christ  should  be  the  head  Corner-stone ;  that  Christ 
 is  the  only  Head  of  the  Church,  as  sure  as  that  He  died, 
 was  buried,  and  rose  again.  It  is  a  most  victorious  and 
 prevailing  truth ;  not  only  preached  and  attested  by  the 
 ambassadors  of  the  Lord  of  hosts,  but  contirmed  by  blood, 
 martyrdom,  and  suffering. 
 
 Many  precious  saints  have  thought  it  their  honour  and 
 
kutherford's  testimony.  39 
 
 dignity  to  suffer  sharae  and  reproach  for  the  name  of  Jesus 
 And  it  is  beyond  doubt  that  passive  suffering  for  the  name 
 of  Christ,  comes  nearest  to  that  noble  sample,  wherein 
 Christ,  though  a  Son,  learned  obedience  by  the  things 
 which  He  suffered,  Heb.  v.  8.  Now,  blessed  is  the  soul 
 who  loves  not  his  life  to  death,  Eev.  xii.  11,  for  on  such 
 rests  the  spirit  of  glory  and  of  God,  1  Pet.  iv.  14.  We 
 cannot  but  say  it  is  a  sad  time  to  this  land  at  present,  it  is 
 a  day  of  darkness,  and  rebuke,  and  blasphemy.  The  Lord 
 hath  covered  Himself  with  a  cloud  in  His  anger;  we 
 looked  for  peace,  but  behold  evil :  our  souls  rejoiced  when 
 his  majesty  did  swear  the  covenant  of  God,  and  put  thereto 
 his  seal  and  subscription,  and  after  confirmed  it  by  His 
 royal  promise  ;  so  that  the  subjects'  hearts  blessed  the 
 Lord,  and  rested  upon  the  healing  word  of  a  prince.  But 
 now,  alas !  the  contrary  is  enacted  by  law,  the  carved 
 work  broken  down,  ordinances  are  defaced,  and  we  are 
 brought  into  the  former  bondage  and  chaos  of  prelatical 
 confusion.  The  royal  prerogative  of  Christ  is  pulled  from 
 His  head,  and  after  all  the  days  of  sorrow  we  have  seen, 
 we  have  just  cause  to  fear  we  shall  be  made  to  eat  that 
 book  wherein  is  written,  ]\Iourning,  and  Lamentation,  and 
 Woe.  Yet  we  are  to  believe  Christ  will  not  so  depart 
 from  the  land,  but  a  remnant  shall  be  saved;  and  He  shall 
 reign  a  victorious  conquering  King  to  the  ends  of  the 
 earth.  0  that  there  were  nations,  kindreds,  tongues,  and 
 all  the  people  of  Christ's  habitable  world,  encompassing 
 His  throne  with  cries  and  tears  for  the  Spirit  of  supplica- 
 tion, to  be  poured  down  upon  the  inhabitants  of  Judah  for 
 that  effect ! 
 
LETTERS. 
 
 PART    I. 
 
 LETTER  I. — To  Mr.  Egbert  Cunynghame,  Minister  of  the 
 Gospel  at  Holywood,  in  Ireland. 
 
 Well-beloved  and  Reverend  Brother, — Grace,  mercy,  and 
 peace  be  to  you.  Upon  acquaintance  in  Christ,  I  thought  good 
 to  take  the  opportunity  of  writing  to  you,  seeing  it  hath  seemed 
 good  to  the  Lord  of  the  harvest  to  take  the  hooks  ^  out  of  our 
 hands  for  a  time,  and  to  lay  upon  us  a  more  honourable  service, 
 even  to  suffer  for  His  name.  It  were  good  to  comfort  one  another 
 in  writing :  I  have  had  a  desire  to  see  you  in  the  face,  yet  now, 
 being  the  prisoner  of  Christ,  it  is  taken  away.  I  am  greatly  com- 
 forted to  hear  of  your  soldier's  stately  spirit  for  your  Princely  and 
 Royal  Captain  Jesus  our  Lord,  and  for  the  grace  of  God  in  the 
 rest  of  our  dear  brethren  with  you.  You  have  heard  of  my  trouble, 
 I  suppose.  It  hath  pleased  our  sweet  Lord  Jesus  to  let  loose  the 
 malice  of  these  interdicted  lords  in  His  house  to  deprive  me  of 
 my  ministry  at  Anwoth,  and  to  confine  me,  eight  score  miles  from 
 thence,  to  Aberdeen ;  and  also  (which  was  not  done  to  any  before) 
 to  inhibit  me  to  speak  at  all  in  Jesus'  name  within  this  kingdom, 
 under  the  pain  of  rebellion.  The  cause  that  ripened  their  hatred 
 was  my  book  against  the  Arminians,  whereof  they  accused  me 
 these  three  days  I  appeared  before  them :  but  let  our  crowned 
 King  in  Zion  reign  :  by  His  grace  the  loss  is  theirs,  the  advan- 
 tage is  Christ's  and  truth's.  Albeit  this  honest  cross  gained  some 
 ground  on  me  by  my  heaviness,  and  inward  challenges  of  con- 
 science for  a  time  were  sharp ;  yet  now,  for  the  encouragement  of 
 you  all,  I  dare  say  it,  and  write  it  under  my  hand — Welcome, 
 welcome,  sweet,  sweet,  cross  of  Christ :  I  verily  think  the  chains 
 of  my  Lord  Jesus  are  all  overlaid  with  pure  gold,  and  that  His 
 cross  is  perfumed,  and  that  it  smelleth  of  Christ,  and  that  the 
 victory  shall  be  by  the  blood  of  the  Lamb,  and  by  the  word  of 
 His  truth  ;  and  that  Christ  lying  on  His  back,  in  His  weak  ser- 
 vants and  oppressed  truth,  shall  ride  over  His  enemies'  bellies, 
 and  shall  strike  through  kings  in  the  day  of  His  wrath.     It  is  time 
 
 *  Sickles. 
 
42  LETTER  I. 
 
 we  laugh  when  He  laugheth ;  and  seeing  He  is  now  pleased  to 
 sit  with  wrongs  for  a  time,  it  becometh  us  to  be  silent  until  the 
 Lord  hatli  let  the  enemies  enjoy  their  hungry,  lean,  and  feckless  ^ 
 paradise.  Blessed  are  they  who  are  content  to  take  strokes  with 
 weeping  Christ,  faith  will  trust  the  Lord,  and  is  not  hasty  nor 
 headstrong  ;  neither  is  faith  so  timorous  as  to  flatter  a  temptation, 
 or  to  bvid-  and  bribe  the  cross.  It  is  little  up  or  little  down  that 
 the  Lamb  and  His  followers  can  get,  no  law-surety  nor  truce 
 with  crosses  ;  it  must  be  so  till  we  be  up  in  our  Father's  house. 
 My  heart  is  woe  ^'  indeed  for  my  mother  Church  that  hath  played 
 the  harlot  with  many  lovers ;  her  Husband  hath  a  mind  to  sell 
 her  for  her  horrilile  transgressions ;  and  heavy  will  the  hand  of 
 the  Lord  be  upon  this  backsliding  nation.  The  ways  of  our  Zion 
 mourn,  her  gold  is  become  dim,  her  white  Nazarites  are  black  like 
 a  coal.  How  shall  not  the  chddren  weep  when  the  husband  and 
 the  mother  cannot  agree  ;  yet  I  believe  Scotland's  skies  shall  clear 
 again,  and  that  Christ  shall  build  again  the  old  waste  places  of 
 Jacob,  and  that  our  dead  and  dry  bones  shall  become  an  army  of 
 living  men,  and  that  our  Well-Beloved  may  yet  feed  among  the 
 lilies,  until  the  day  break  and  the  shadows  flee  away.  My  dear 
 brother,  let  us  help  one  another  Avith  our  prayers.  Our  King  shall 
 mow  down  His  enemies,  and  shall  come  from  Bozra,  with  his  gar- 
 ments all  dyed  in  blood,  and  for  our  consolation  shall  He  appear, 
 and  call  his  wife  Hephzibah,  and  his  land  Beulah  ;  for  He  will  re- 
 joice over  us  and  marry  us,  and  Scotland  shall  say,  "  What  have 
 I  to  do  any  more  with  idols  *?  "  Only  let  us  be  faithful  to  Him 
 '  that  can  ride  through  hell  and  death  upon  a  windlestrae,*  and 
 I  His  horse  never  stumble  ;  and  let  Him  make  of  me  a  bridge  over 
 a  water,  so  that  His  high  and  holy  name  may  be  glorified  in  me. 
 Strokes  with  the  sweet  Mediator's  hand  are  very  sweet ;  He  was 
 always  sweet  to  my  soul.  But  since  I  suffered  for  Him,  His 
 breath  hath  a  sweeter  smell  than  before.  0  !  that  every  hair  of 
 my  head,  and  every  member,  and  every  bone  in  my  body,  were 
 a  man  to  witness  a  fair  confession  for  Him  ;  I  would  think  all  too 
 little  for  Him :  when  I  look  over  beyond  the  line,  and  beyond 
 death,  to  the  laughing  side  of  the  world,  I  triumph,  and  ride  upon 
 the  high  places  of  Jacob ;  howbeit,  otherways  I  am  a  famt,  dead- 
 hearted,  cowardly  man,  oft  borne  down  and  hungry  in  waiting 
 for  the  marriage-supper  of  the  Lamb.  Nevertheless  I  think  it  the 
 Lord's  wise  love  that  feeds  us  with  hunger,  and  makes  us  fat  with 
 wants  and  desertions.  I  know  not,  my  dear  brother,  if  our  worthy 
 brethren  be  gone  to  sea,  or  not ;  they  are  on  my  heart  and  in  my 
 prayers ;  if  they  be  yet  with  you,  salute  my  dear  friend  John 
 
 1  Worthless.  2  ChafFer  for.  ^  g^rl. 
 
 ■*  A  stdlk  of  a  particular  kind  of  grass. 
 
LETTER  11.  43 
 
 Stuart,  my  well-beloved  brethren  in  the  Lord,  Mr.  Blair,  Mr. 
 Hamilton,  Mr.  Livingston,  and  Mr.  MacCleland,  and  acquaint 
 them  with  my  troubles,  and  entreat  them  to  pray  for  the  poor 
 afflicted  prisoner  of  Christ :  they  are  dear  to  my  soul.  I  seek 
 your  prayers  and  theirs  for  my  flock  ;  their  remembrance  breaks 
 my  heart :  I  desire  to  love  that  people,  and  others,  my  dear  ac- 
 quaintance in  Christ,  with  love  in  God,  and  as  God  loveth  them. 
 I  know  that  He  who  sent  me  to  the  west  and  south,  sends  me 
 also  to  the  north.  I  will  charge  my  soul  to  believe  and  to  wait 
 for  Him,  and  will  follow  His  providence  and  not  go  before  it,  nor 
 stay  behind  it.  Now,  my  dear  brother,  taking  farewell  in  paper, 
 I  commend  you  all  to  the  Word  of  His  grace,  and  to  the  work 
 of  His  Spirit,  to  Him  who  holdeth  the  seven  stars  in  His  right 
 hand,  that  you  may  be  kept  spotless  till  the  day  of  Jesus  our 
 Lord.     I  am, 
 
 Your  brother  in  affliction  in  our  sweet  Lord  Jesus, 
 
 S.  R. 
 
 From  Irving,  being  on  my  Journey  to  Christ's  Palace 
 in  Aberdeen,  August  4,  1636. 
 
 LETTER  n.— To  His  Parishioners. 
 
 Dearly-beloved,  and  longed  for  in  the  Lord,  my  crown 
 and  my  joy  in  the  day  of  Christ, — grace  be  to  you,  and  peace, 
 from  God  our  Father,  and  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  I  long  exceed- 
 ingly to  know  if  the  oft-spoken-of  match  l^etwixt  you  and  Christ 
 holdeth ;  and  if  you  follow  on  to  know  the  Lord.  My  day 
 thoughts,  and  my  night  thoughts  are  of  you,  while  ye  sleep,  I  am 
 afraid  of  your  souls  that  they  be  off  the  rock.  Next  to  my  Lord 
 Jesus,  and  this  fallen  kirk,  ye  have  the  greatest  share  of  my  sor- 
 row, and  also  of  my  joy ;  ye  are  the  matter  of  the  tears,  care, 
 fear,  and  daily  prayers  of  an  oppressed  pi'isoner  of  Christ :  as  I 
 am  in  bonds  for  my  high  and  lofty  One,  my  royal  and  princely 
 Master,  my  Lord  Jesus,  so  I  am  in  bonds  for  you,  for  I  .should 
 have  sleeped  in  my  warm  nest,  and  kept  the  fat  world  in  my  arms, 
 and  the  cords  of  my  tabernacle  should  have  been  fastened  more 
 strongly,  I  might  have  sung  an  evangel  of  ease  to  my  soul  and 
 you  for  a  time,  with  my  brethren,  the  sons  of  my  mother,  that 
 were  angry  at  me,  and  have  thrust  me  out  of  the  vineyard,  if  I 
 should  have  been  broken  and  drawn  on  to  mire  you  the  Lord's 
 flock ;  and  to  cause  you  to  eat  pastures  trodden  upon  with 
 men's  feet,  and  to  drink  foul  and  muddy  waters.  But,  truly,  the 
 Almighty  was  a  terror  to  me,  and  His  fear  made  me  afraid.  0, 
 my  Lord,  judge  if  my  ministry  be  not  dear  to  me,  but  not  so 
 dear  by  many  degrees  as  Christ  Jesus  my  Lord ;  God  knoweth 
 
44  LETTER  II. 
 
 the  heavy  and  sad  Sabbaths  I  have  had  since  I  laid  down  at  my 
 Master's  feet  my  two  shepherd's  staves.  I  have  been  often  say- 
 ing, as  it  is  written,  Lam.  iii.  52,  "  My  enemies  chased  me  sore 
 like  a  bird  without  cause,  they  have  cut  off  my  life  in  the  dun- 
 geon, and  cast  a  stone  upon  me,"  for  next  to  Christ  I  had  but 
 one  joy,  the  apple  of  the  eye  of  my  delights,  to  preach  Christ 
 my  Lord,  and  they  have  violently  plucked  that  away  from  me ; 
 and  it  was  to  me  like  the  poor  man's  one  eye,  and  they  have  put 
 out  that  eye,  and  quenched  my  light  in  the  inheritance  of  the 
 Lord  ;  but  my  eye  is  toward  the  Lord ;  I  know  I  shall  see  the 
 salvation  of  God,  and  that  my  hope  shall  not  always  be  forgotten. 
 And  my  sorrow  shall  want  nothing  to  complete  it,  and  to  make 
 me  say,  "  What  availeth  it  me  to  live?"  if  ye  follow  the  voice  of 
 a  stranger,  of  one  that  cometh  into  the  sheepfold,  not  by  Christ 
 the  door,  but  climbeth  up  another  way ;  if  the  man  build  his  hay 
 and  stubble  upon  the  golden  foundation,  Christ  Jesus,  already  laid 
 among  you,  and  ye  follow  Him,  I  assure  you  the  man's  work  shall 
 burn  and  never  bide  God's  fire,  and  ye  and  he  both  shall  be  in 
 danger  of  everlasting  burning,  except  ye  repent.  0,  if  any  pain, 
 any  sorrow,  any  loss  that  I  can  suff"er  for  Christ  and  for  you, 
 were  laid  in  pledge  to  buy  Christ's  love  to  you,  and  that  I  could 
 lay  my  dearest  joys  next  to  Christ  my  Lord  in  the  gap,  betwixt 
 you  and  eternal  destruction  !  0,  if  I  had  paper  as  broad  as  heaven 
 and  earth,  and  ink  as  the  sea  and  all  the  rivers  and  fountains  of 
 the  earth,  and  were  able  to  write  the  love,  the  worth,  the  excel- 
 lency, the  sweetness,  and  due  praises  of  our  dearest  and  fairest 
 Well-beloved  ;  and  then  if  ye  could  read  and  understand  it !  What 
 could  I  want  if  my  ministry  among  you  should  make  a  marriage 
 between  the  little  bride  in  that  bounds  and  the  Bridegroom  1  0, 
 how  rich  a  prisoner  were  I,  if  I  could  obtain  of  my  Lord  (before 
 whom  I  stand  for  you)  the  salvation  of  you  all !  0,  what  a  prey 
 had  I  gotten  to  have  you  catched  in  Christ's  net  !  0,  then  I  had 
 cast  out  my  Lord's  lines  and  His  net  with  a  rich  gain  !  0,  then 
 well-wared  ^  pained  breast  and  sore  back,  and  a  crazed  body,  in 
 speaking  early  and  late  to  you !  My  witness  is  above,  your 
 heaven  would  be  two  heavens  to  me,  and  the  salvation  of  you  all 
 as  two  salvations  to  me ;  I  would  subscribe  a  suspension,  and 
 a  fristing  ^  of  my  heaven  for  many  hundred  years  (according  to 
 God's  good  pleasure),  if  ye  were  sure  in  the  upper  lodging,  in  our 
 Father's  house  before  me.  I  take  to  witness  heaven  and  earth 
 against  you;  I  take  instruments  in  the  hands  of^  that  sun  and 
 day-light  that  beheld  us,  and  in  the  hands  of  the  timber  and 
 walls  of  that  Kirk,  if  I  drew  not  up  a  fair  contract  of  marriage 
 
 ^  Well-spent.  ^  Delay. 
 
 ®  A  Scotch  law  term,  meauing,  I  call  to  witness. 
 
 i 
 
LETTER  II.  45 
 
 betwixt  you  and  Christ,  if  I  Avent  not  with  offers  betwixt  the 
 Bridegroom  and  you,  and  your  conscience  did  bear  you  witness  ; 
 your  mouths  confessed  that  there  were  many  fair  trysts  ^  and 
 meetings  drawn  on,  betwixt  Christ  and  j'ou,  at  communion  feasts 
 and  otlier  occasions  ;  there  were  bracelets,  jewels,  rings,  and  love- 
 letters  sent  to  you  by  the  Bridegroom ;  it  was  told  you  what  a 
 fair  dowry  ye  should  have,  and  what  a  house  your  Husband  and 
 ye  should  dwell  in,  and  what  was  the  Bridegroom's  excellency, 
 sweetness,  might,  power.  The  eternity  and  glory  of  His  king- 
 dom, the  exceeding  deepness  of  His  love,  who  sought  his  black 
 wife  through  pain,  fire,  shame,  death,  and  the  grave;  and  swimmed  ' 
 the  salt  sea  for  her,  undergoing  the  curse  of  the  law,  and  then  was 
 made  a  curse  for  you,  and  ye  then  consented  and  said,  "  Even  so 
 ,  I  take  him."  I  counsel  you,  beware  of  the  new  and  strange  leaven 
 of  men's  inventions,  beside  and  against  the  Word  of  God,  contrary 
 to  the  oath  of  this  Kirk,  now  coming  among  you.  I  instructed 
 you  of  the  superstition  and  idolatry  of  kneeling  in  the  instant 
 of  receiving  the  Lord's  Supper,  and  crossing  in  baptism,  and  the 
 observing  of  men's  days,  without  any  warrant  of  Christ,  our  per- 
 fect Lawgiver.  Countenance  not  the  surplice,  the  attire  of  the 
 mass-priest,  the  garment  of  Baal's  priests;  the  abominable  bowing 
 to  altars  of  tree  is  coming  upon  you ;  hate  and  keep  yourselves 
 from  idols  ;  forbear  in  any  case  to  hear  the  reading  of  the  new 
 fatherless  service-book,  full  of  gross  heresies.  Popish  and  super- 
 stitious errors,  without  any  warrant  of  Christ,  tending  to  the  over- 
 throw of  preaching.  You  owe  no  obedience  to  the  bastard  canons ; 
 they  are  unlawful,  blasphemous,  and  superstitious ;  all  the  cere- 
 monies that  lie  in  the  Antichrist's  foul  womb,  the  wares  of  that 
 great  mother  of  fornications,  the  Kirk  of  Rome,  are  to  be  refused ; 
 ye  see  whither  they  lead  you.  Continue  still  in  the  doctrine 
 which  ye  have  received ;  ye  heard  of  me  the  whole  counsel  of  God. 
 Sew  no  clouts  upon  Christ's  robe ;  take  Christ  in  His  rags  and 
 losses,  and  as  persecuted  by  men,  and  be  content  to  sigh,  and  pant 
 up  the  mountain  with  Christ's  cross  on  your  back;  let  me  be  re- 
 pute a  false  prophet  (and  your  conscience  once  said  the  contrary)  if 
 your  Lord  Jesus  shall  not  stand  by  you,  and  maintain  you,  and 
 maintain  your  cause  against  your  enemies.  I  have  heard  (and  my 
 soul  is  grieved  for  it),  that  since  my  departure  from  you,  many 
 among  you  are  turned  back  from  the  good  old  way  to  the  dog's 
 vomit  again.  Let  me  speak  to  these  men.  It  was  not  without 
 God's  special  direction  that  the  first  sentence  that  ever  my  mouth 
 uttered  to  you  was  that  of  John  ix.  39,  "  And  Jesus  said.  For  i 
 judgment  came  I  into  the  world,  that  they  which  see  not  might  J 
 see,  and  they  which  see  might  be  made  blind."     It  is  possible  ^ 
 
 ^  Assignations. 
 
46  LETTER  II. 
 
 my  first  meeting  and  yours  be  when  \\  e  aliall  both  stand  before 
 the  dreadful  Judge  of  the  world ;  and  in  the  name  and  authority 
 of  the  Son  of  God,  my  great  King  and  Master,  I  Avrite  by  these 
 presents  summons  to  these  men.  I  arrest  their  souls  and  bodies 
 to  the  day  of  our  compearance ;  their  eternal  damnation  stands 
 subscribed  and  sealed  in  heaven  by  the  handwiiting  of  the  great 
 Judge  of  quick  and  dead,  and  I  am  ready  to  stand  up  as  a  preach- 
 ing witness  against  such  to  their  face  that  day,  and  to  say, 
 "Amen"  to  their  condemnation,  except  they  repent.  The  venge- 
 ance of  the  Gospel  is  heavier  than  the  vengeance  of  the  lav/ ;  the 
 Mediator's  malediction  and  vengeance  is  twice  vengeance  ;  and 
 that  vengeance  is  the  due  portion  of  such  men ;  and  there  I  leave 
 them,  as  bound  men,  aye,  and  while^  they  repent  and  amend.  You 
 were  witnesses  how  the  Lord's  day  was  spent  while  I  was  among 
 you.  0,  sacrilegious  robber  of  God's  day,  what  will  thou  answer 
 the  Almighty  when  He  seeketh  so  many  Sabbaths  back  again 
 from  thee  'I  What  will  the  cursor,  swearer,  and  blasphemer  do, 
 when  his  tongue  shall  be  roasted  in  that  broad  and  burning  lake 
 of  fire  and  brimstone  1  And  what  will  the  drunkard  do,  when 
 tongue,  lights,  and  liver,  bones,  and  all,  shall  boil  and  fry  in  a 
 torturing  fire,  for  he  shall  be  far  from  his  barrels  of  strong  drink 
 then,  and  there  is  not  a  cold  well  of  water  for  him  in  hell? 
 What  shall  be  the  case  of  the  wretch,  the  covetous  man,  the 
 oppressor,  the  deceiver,  the  earth-worm,  who  can  never  get  his 
 wombful  of  clay,  when  in  the  day  of  Christ  gold  and  silver  must 
 lie  burnt  in  ashes,  and  he  must  compear  and  answer  his  judge, 
 and  <iuit  his  cla3^ey  and  naughty  heaven  1  AVoe,  woe,  for  evermore 
 lie  to  the  tiuTe-turning  atlieist,  that  hath  one  God  and  one  religion 
 for  summer,  and  another  God  and  another  religion  for  winter,  and 
 the  day  ot  tanning,  when  Christ  fanneth  all  that  is  in  His  barn 
 fioor,  who  hath  a  conscience  for  every  fair  and  market,  and  the 
 •soul  of  him  runneth  upon  these  oiled  wheels,  time,  custom,  the 
 world,  and  command  of  men.  0,  if  the  careless  atheist  and  sleep- 
 ing man,  Avho  edgeth  by  all  Avith  "  God  forgive  our  pastors  if  they 
 lead  us  wrong,  we  must  do  as  they  command,"  and  lays  down  his 
 head  upon  time's  bosom,  and  giveth  his  conscience  to  a  deputy,  and 
 sleepeth  so  while  ^  the  smoke  of  hell-fire  flies  up  in  his  throat,  and 
 cause  him  to  start  out  of  his  doleful  bed; — 0,  if  such  a  man  would 
 aAvake.  Many  woes  are  for  the  over-gilded  and  gold-plastered 
 hypocrite  :  a  heavy  doom  is  for  the  liar  and  white-tongued  flat- 
 terer; and  the  flying  book  of  God's  ireful  vengeance,  twenty 
 cubits  long,  and  twenty  cubits  broad,  that  goeth  out  from  the  face 
 of  God,  shall  enter  into  the  house,  and  in  upon  the  soul  of  him 
 that  stealeth  and  swearcth  falsely  by  God's  name,  Zechariah  v. 
 
 '-  Until. 
 
LETTER  II.  47 
 
 3,  4.  I  denounce  eternal  burning,  hotter  than  Sodom's  flames, 
 upon  the  men  that  boil  in  their  filthy  lusts  of  fornication,  adul- 
 tery, incest,  and  the  like  wickedness ;  no  room,  no,  not  a  foot 
 broad,  for  such  vile  dogs  within  the  clean  Jerusalem.  Many  of 
 you  put  off'  all  with  this,  "  God  forgive  us,  we  know  no  better." 
 I  renew  my  old  answer,  2  Thess.  i., — The  Judge  is  coming  in 
 flaming  fire,  with  all  His  mighty  angels,  to  render  vengeance  to  all 
 these  that  know  not  God  and  believe  not.  I  have  often  told  you 
 security  shall  slay  you;  all  men  say  they  have  faith,  as  many 
 men  and  women  now,  as  many  saints  in  heaven  ;  and  all  believe 
 (say  ye)  every  foul  dog  is  clean  enough,  and  good  enough,  for  the 
 clean  and  New  Jerusalem  above.  Every  man  hath  conversion  and 
 the  new  birth,  but  it  is  not  leel  ^  come ;  they  had  never  a  sick 
 night  for  sin ;  conversion  came  to  them  in  a  night  dream ;  in  a 
 word,  hell  will  be  empty  at  the  day  of  judgment  and  heaven 
 panged'  fall.  Alas  !  it  is  neither  easy  nor  ordinary  to  believe  and 
 to  be  saved  :  many  must  stand  in  the  end  at  heaven's  gates;  when 
 they  go  to  take  out  their  faith  they  take  out  a  fair  nothing  (or,  as 
 you  use  to  speak,  a  "  blestume  ").^  0,  lamentable  disappoint- 
 ment !  I  pray  you,  I  charge  you.  in  the  name  of  Christ,  make  fast 
 work  of  Christ  and  salvation.  I  know  there  are  some  believers 
 among  you  ^  and  I  write  to  you,  0  poor  broken-hearted  believers, 
 all  the  comforts  of  Christ  in  the  New  and  Old  Testament  are  yours. 
 0,  what  a  Father  and  Husband  you  have !  0,  if  I  had  pen  and 
 ink  and  engine  *  to  write  of  Him ;  Let  heaven  and  earth  be  con- 
 solidated in  massy  and  pure  gold,  it  will  not  weigh  the  thousandth 
 part  of  Christ's  love  to  a  soul,  even  to  me,  a  poor  prisoner.  0, 
 that  is  a  massy  and  marvellous  love  !  Men  and  angels,  unite  your 
 force  and  strength  in  one  ;  ye  shall  not  heave  nor  poise  it  off"  the 
 ground.  Ten  thousand  thousand  worlds,  as  many  worlds  as  angels 
 can  number,  and  then  as  a  new  world  of  angels  can  multiply, 
 would  not  all  be  the  bulk  of  a  balance  to  weigh  Christ's  excel- 
 lencies, sweetness,  and  love.  Put  ten  earths  in  one,  and  let  a  rose 
 grow  greater  than  ten  Avhole  earths  or  ten  Avorlds,  0,  what  beauty 
 would  be  in  it,  and  what  a  smell  would  it  cast !  But  a  blast  ot 
 the  breath  of  that  fairest  Eose  in  all  God's  paradise,  even  of  Christ 
 Jesus  our  Lord — one  look  of  that  fairest  face  would  be  infinitely 
 in  beauty  and  smell  above  all  imaginable  and  created  glory.  I 
 wonder  that  men  do  bide  off"  Christ;  I  would  esteem  myself 
 blessed  if  I  could  make  an  open  proclamation,  and  gather  all  the 
 world  that  are  living  upon  the  earth,  Jew  and  Gentile,  and  all 
 that  shall  be  born  to  the  blowing  of  the  last  trumpet,  to  flock 
 round  about  Christ,  and  to  stand  looking,  wondering,  admiring 
 and  adoring  His  beauty  and  sweetness ;  for  His  fire  is  hotter  than 
 
 1  Eeally.         -  Pressed.         ^  Apparently  a  blank.  *  Ingenuity  or  ability. 
 
4:8  LETTER  11. 
 
 any  other  fire,  His  love  sweeter  than  common  love,  His  beauty 
 surpasseth  all  other  beauty.     When  I  am  heavy  and  sad,  one  of 
 His  love-looks  would  do  me  meekle^  world's  good,    0,  if  ye  would 
 fall  in  love  with  Him !  how  blessed  were  I,  how  glad  would  my 
 soul  be  to  help  you  to  love  Him ;   but  amongst  us  all  we  could 
 not  love  Him  enough ;  He  is  the  Son  of  the  Father's  love,  and 
 God's  delight,  the  Father's  love  lieth  all  upon  Him.     0,  if  all 
 mankind  would  fetch  all  their  love  and  lay  it  upon  Him !    Invite 
 Him,  and  take  Him  home  to  your  houses  in  the  exercise  of  prayer 
 morning  and  evening,  as  I  often  desired  you  ;   especially  now  let 
 Him  not  want  lodging  in  your  houses,  nor  lie  in  the  fields  when 
 He  is  shut  out  of  pulpits  and  kirks.     If  ye  will  be  content  to 
 take  heaven  by  violence,  and  the  wind  on  your  face  for  Christ  and 
 His  cross,  I  am  here  one  who  hath  some  trial  of  Christ's  cross. 
 I  can  say  that  Christ  was  ever  kind  to  me :  but  He  overcometh 
 Himself  (if  I  may  speak  so)  in  kindness  while  I  suffer  for  Him, — 
 I  give  you  my  word  for  it,  Christ's  cross  is  not  so  evil  as  they  call 
 it :  it  is  sweet,  light,  and  comfortable.     I  would  not  want  the 
 visitations  of  love,  and  the  very  breathings  of  Christ's  mouth  when 
 He  kisseth,  and  my  Lord's  delightsome  smiles  and  love-embrace- 
 ments  under  my  suff"erings  for  Him,  for  a  mountain  of  fine  gold, 
 nor  for  all  the  honours,  court,  and  grandeur  of  velvet  kirk-men  ; 
 Christ  hath  the  yolk  and  heart  of  my  love,  "  I  am  my  beloved's, 
 and  my  well-beloved  is  mine  !"     0,  that  ye  were  all  handfasted" 
 to  Christ !     0,  my  dearly  beloved  in  the  Lord,  I  Avould  I  could 
 change  my  voice,  and  had  a  tongue  tuned  with  the  hand  of  my 
 Lord,  and  had  the  art  of  speaking  of  Christ,  that  I  might  paint 
 out  unto  you  the  worth,  and  highness,  and  greatness,  and  excel- 
 lency of  that  fairest  and  renowned  Bridegroom !     I  beseech  you 
 by  the  mercies  of  the  Lord ;   by  the  sighs,  tears,  and  heart-blood 
 of  our  Lord  Jesus ;  by  the  salvation  of  your  poor  and  precious 
 souls,  set  up  3  the  mountain,  that  ye  and  I  may  meet  before  the 
 Lamb's  throne,  amongst  the  congregation  of  the  first-born ;    the 
 Lord  grant  that  that  may  be  the  trysting-place,  that  ye  and  I  may 
 put  up  our  hands  together,  and  pluck  and  eat  the  apples  of  the 
 Tree  of  Life,  and  we  may  feast  together,  and  drink  together  of 
 that  pure  river  of  the  water  of  life  that  cometh  out  from  under 
 the  throne  of  God,  and  from  the  Lamb.     0,  how  little  is  your 
 hand-breadth  and  span-length  of  days  here ;  your  inch  of  time  is 
 less  than  when  ye  and  I  parted.     Eternity,  eternity,  is  coming 
 posting  on  with  wings ;  then  shall  every  man's  blacks  and  whites 
 be  brought  to  light.     0,  how  low  will  your  thoughts  be  of  this 
 fair-skinned  but  heart-rotten  apple,  the  vain,  vain,  feckless*  world! 
 when  the  worms  shall  make  their  houses  in  your  eye-holes,  and 
 1  Much.  '  UuiteJ.  ^  Set  about  climbing.  *  Worthless. 
 
LETTER  III.  49 
 
 shall  eat  off  the  flesh  from  the  ball  of  your  cheeks,  and  shall  make 
 that  body  a  number  of  dry  bones  !  Think  not  the  common  gate^ 
 of  serving  God  as  neighbour  and  others  do  will  bring  you  to  heaven. 
 Few,  few  are  saved  ;  the  devil's  court  is  thick  and  many;  he  hath 
 the  greatest  number  of  mankind  for  his  vassals.  I  know  this 
 world  is  a  great  forest  of  thorns  in  your  way  to  heaven,  but  ye 
 must  through  it ;  acquaint  yourselves  with  the  Lord  ;  hold  fast 
 Christ,  hear  His  voice  only,  bless  His  name,  sanctify  and  keep 
 His  day,  keep  the  new  commandment,  "Love  one  another;"  let 
 the  Holy  Spirit  dwell  in  your  bodies,  and  be  clean  and  holy;  love 
 not  the  world,  lie  not,  love  and  follow  truth,  learn  to  know  God  ; 
 keep  in  mind  what  I  taught  you,  for  God  will  seek  an  account  of 
 it  when  I  am  far  from  you.  Abstain  from  all  evil  and  all  appear- 
 ance of  evil,  follow  good  carefully,  and  seek  peace,  and  follow  after 
 it ;  honour  your  king  and  pray  for  him:  remember  me  to  God  in 
 your  prayers  ;  I  do  not  forget  you.  I  told  you  often  while  I  was 
 with  you,  and  now  I  write  it  again — heavy,  sad,  and  sore  is  that 
 stroke  of  the  Lord's  wrath  that  is  coming  upon  Scotland.  Woe, 
 woe,  woe  to  this  harlot  land,  for  they  shall  take  the  cup  of  God's 
 wrath  from  his  hand,  and  drink,  and  spue,  and  fall,  and  not  rise 
 again.  In,  in,  in  with  speed  to  your  stronghold,  ye  prisoners  of 
 hope,  and  hide  you  there  while ^  the  anger  of  the  Lord  pass.  Fol- 
 low not  the  pastors  of  this  land,  for  the  sun  is  gone  down  upon 
 them;  as  the  Lord  liveth  they  lead  you  from  Christ,  and  from  the 
 good  old  Avay ;  yet  the  Lord  will  keep  the  holy  city,  and  make  this 
 withered  kirk  to  bud  again  like  a  rose  and  a  field  blessed  of  the 
 Lord.  The  grace  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  be  with  you  all.  The 
 prayers  and  blessing  of  a  prisoner  of  Christ,  in  bonds  for  Him 
 and  for  you,  be  with  you  all.     Amen. 
 
 Your  lawful  and  loving  pastor, 
 
 S.  E. 
 
 Aberdeen,  July  14,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  in.— To  the  Honourable,  Eeverend,  and  Well-Beloved 
 Professors  of  Christ  and  His  Truth  in  Sincerity  in  Ireland. 
 
 Dearly  Beloved  in  our  Lord,  and  partakers  of  the  heavenly 
 calling, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you  from  God  our  Father, 
 and  from  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  I  always,  but  most  of  all  now 
 in  my  bonds  (most  sweet  bonds  for  Christ  my  Lord),  rejoice  to 
 hear  of  your  faith  and  love,  and  to  hear  that  our  King,  our  WeU- 
 Beloved,  our  Bridegroom,  without  tiring,  stayeth  still  to  woo  you 
 as  His  wife ;  and  that  persecutions  and  mockings  of  sinners  have 
 not  chased  away  the  Wooer  from  the  house.  I  persuade  you  in 
 *  Way  or  method.  '  Until. 
 
 D 
 
50  LETTER  in. 
 
 the  Lord,  the  men  of  God,  now  scattered  and  driven  from  you, 
 put  you  upon  the  right  scent  and  pursuit  of  Christ;  and  my 
 salvation  on  it  (if  ten  heavens  were  mine),  if  this  way,  this  way 
 that  I  now  suifer  for,  this  way  that  the  world  nick-nameth  and 
 reproacheth,  and  no  other  way,  be  not  the  King's  gate  to  heaven ; 
 and  I  shall  never  see  God's  face  (and  alas !  I  were  a  beguiled 
 wretch  if  it  were  so)  if  this  be  not  the  only  saving  way  to  heaven. 
 0 !  that  you  would  take  a  prisoner  of  Christ's  word  for  it ;  nay,  I 
 know  you  have  the  greatest  King's  word  for  it,  that  it  shall  not 
 be  your  wisdom  to  spier  ^  out  another  Christ,  another  way  of  wor- 
 shipping him,  than  is  now  savingly  revealed  to  you.  Therefore, 
 though  I  never  saw  your  faces,  let  me  be  pardoned  to  write  to  you 
 ye  honourable  persons,  ye  faithful  pastors  yet  amongst  the  flocks, 
 and  ye  sincere  professors  of  Christ's  truth;  or  any  weak,  tired 
 strayers  who  cast  but  half  an  eye  after  the  Bridegroom,  if  possibly 
 I  could  by  any  weak  experience  confirm  and  strengthen  you  in  this 
 good  way  everywhere  spoken  against.  I  can,  with  the  greatest 
 assurance  (to  the  honour  of  our  highest,  and  greatest,  and  dearest 
 ILiord  let  it  be  spoken)  assert  (though  I  be  but  a  child  in  Christ, . 
 and  scarce  able  to  walk,  but  by  a  hold  ;  and  the  meanest  and  less 
 than  the  least  of  saints)  that  we  do  not  come  nigh,  by  twenty 
 degrees,  to  the  due  love  and  estimation  of  that  fairest  among  the 
 sons  of  men ;  for  if  it  were  possible  that  heaven,  yea,  ten  heavens, 
 were  laid  in  the  balance  with  Christ,  I  would  think  the  smell  of 
 His  breath  above  them  all ;  sure  I  am  He  is  the  far  best  half  of 
 heaven ;  yea.  He  is  all  heaven,  and  more  than  all  heaven  ;  and  my 
 testimony  of  Him  is,  that  ten  lives  of  black  sorrow,  ten  deaths, 
 ten  hells  of  pain,  ten  furnaces  of  brimstone,  and  all  exquisite 
 torments,  were  all  too  little  for  Christ,  if  our  suffering  could  be  a 
 hire  to  buy  Him  ;  and,  therefore,  faint  not  in  your  sufferings  and 
 hazards  for  Him.  I  proclaim  and  cry  hell,  sorrow,  and  shame 
 upon  all  lusts,  upon  all  by-lovers,  that  would  take  Christ's  room 
 over  His  head  in  this  little  inch  of  love  of  these  narrow  souls  of 
 ours  that  is  due  to  sweetest  Jesus.  0,  highest !  0,  fairest !  0, 
 dearest  Lord  Jesus  !  take  thine  own  from  all  bastard  lovers !  0  ! 
 that  we  could  wadset^  and  sell  all  our  part  of  time's  glory,  and 
 time's  good  things,  for  a  lease  and  tack  of  Christ  for  all  eternity ! 
 0,  how  are  we  misted  and  mired  with  the  love  of  things  that  are 
 on  this  side  of  time,  and  on  this  side  of  death's  water !  Where 
 can  we  find  a  match  to  Christ,  or  an  equal,  or  a  better  than  He 
 among  created  things  1  0,  this  Avorld  is  out  of  all  conceit,  and  all 
 love  with  our  Well-Beloved.  0,  that  I  could  sell  my  laughter, 
 joy,  ease,  and  all  for  Him;  and  be  content  of  a  straw-bed,  and 
 bread  by  weight,  and  water  by  measure,  in  the  camp  of  our  weep- 
 *  Seek.  *  Mortgage  or  pa^vn. 
 
LETTER  III.  51 
 
 ing  Christ !     I  know  His  sackcloth  and  ashes  are  better  than  the 
 fool's  laughter,  which  is  like  the  crackling  of  thorns  under  a  pot. 
 But,  alas !    we  do  not  harden  our  faces  against  the  cold  north 
 storms,  which  blow  upon  Christ's  fair  face.     We  love  well  summer 
 religion,  and  to  be  that  which  sin  hath  made  us,  even  as  thin- 
 skinned  as  if  we  were  made  of  Avhite  paper,  and  would  fain  be 
 carried  to  heaven  in  a  close-covered  chariot,  wishing  from  our 
 hearts  that  Christ  would  give  us  surety,  and  his  handwriting,  and 
 his  seal  for  nothing  but  a  fair  summer,  until  we  be  landed  in  at 
 heaven's  gates.     How  many  of  us  have  been  here  deceived,  and 
 fainted  in  the  day  of  trial !     Amongst  you  there  are  some  of  this 
 stamp.     I  shall  be  sorry  if  my  acquaintance  A.  T.  hath  left  you  ; 
 I  will  not  believe  he  dare  stay  from  Christ's  side ;  I  desire  that 
 ye  show  him  this  from  me  ;  for  I  loved  him  once  in  Christ ;  neither 
 can  I  change  my  mind  suddenly  of  him.     But  the  truth  is,  that 
 many  both  of  you  and  too  many  also  of  your  neighbour  Church  of 
 Scotland,  have   been   like  a  tenant  that  sitteth  meal-free,  and 
 knoweth  not  his  holding  while  ^  his  rights  be  questioned ;  and 
 now  I  am  persuaded  it  will  be  asked  at  every  one  of  us,  on  what 
 terms  we  brook  ^  Christ,  for  we  have  sitten  long  meal-free ;  we 
 found    Christ  without   a  wet   foot;    and   He,   and  His  Gospel, 
 came   upon   small    charges   to   our   doors  ;    but    now   we    must 
 wet   our   feet   to   seek   Him ;    our   evil   manners,    and  the  bad 
 fashions  of  a  people  at  ease  from  our  youth,  and  like  Moab,  not 
 casten  from  vessel  to  vessel  (Jer.  xlviii.  11),  has  made  us  like  stand- 
 ing waters,  to  gather  a  foul  scum,  and  when  we  are  jumbled,  our 
 dregs  come  up  and  are  seen ;  many  take  but  half  a  grip  of  Christ, 
 and  the  wind  bloweth  them  and  Christ  asunder ;  indeed,  when  the 
 mast  is  broken,  and  blown  into  the  sea,  it  is  an  art  then  to  swim 
 upon  Christ  to  dry  land  ;  it  is  even  possible  that  the  children  of 
 God  in  a  hard  trial  lay  themselves  down  as  hidden  in  the  lee-side 
 of  a  bush,  while  ^  Christ  their  Master  be  taken,  as  Peter  did,  and 
 lurk  there  while  ^  the  storm  be  overpast :  all  of  us  know  the  way  to 
 a  whole  skin,  and  the  singlest  heart  that  is  hath  a  bye-purse  that 
 will  contain  the  denial  of  Christ,  and  a  fearful  backsliding.     0, 
 how  rare  a  thing  is  it  to  be  loyal  and  honest  to  Christ  when  He 
 hath  a  controversy  with  the  shields  of  the  earth  !    I  wish  all  of  you 
 would  consider  that  this  trial  is  from  Christ ;  it  is  come  upon  you 
 unbought  (indeed,  when  we  buy  a  temptation  with  our  own  money ; 
 no  marvel  that  we  be  not  easily  free  of  it,  and  that  God  be  not  at 
 our  elbow  to  take  it  off  our  hand);  this  is  Christ's  ordinary  house- 
 fire  that  He  makes  use  of  to  try  all  the  vessels  of  His  house  withal; 
 and  Christ  now  is  about  to  bring  His  treasure  out  before  sun  and 
 moon  and  to  tell  His  money;  and  in  the  telling  to  try  what  weight 
 
 1  Till,  2  Possess  or  enjoy. 
 
52  LETTER  III. 
 
 of  gold,  and  what  weight  of  watered  ^  copper  is  in  His  house.  Do 
 not  now  joak,2  or  bow,  or  yield  to  your  adversaries  in  a  hair- 
 breadth :  Christ  and  His  truth  will  not  divide  ;  and  His  truth  hath 
 not  latitude  and  breadth  that  ye  may  take  some  of  it,  and  leave 
 other  some  of  it ;  nay,  the  Gospel  is  like  a  small  hair  that  hath  no 
 breadth  and  will  not  cleave  in  two  :  it  is  not  possible  to  tryst  ^  and 
 compound  a  matter  betwixt  Christ  and  antichrist ;  and  therefore 
 ye  must  either  be  for  Christ  or  ye  must  be  against  Him.  It  was 
 but  man's  wit,  and  the  wit  of  prelates,  and  their  god-father,  the 
 Pope  [that  man  without  law),  to  put  Christ  and  His  royal  preroga- 
 tives, and  His  truth,  or  the  smallest  nail-breadth  of  His  latter  will 
 in  the  new  calendar  of  indifferences  ;  and  to  make  a  blank  of  un- 
 inked  paper  in  Christ's  Testament  that  men  may  fill  up,  and  so 
 shuffle  the  truth,  and  matters  they  call  indifferent,  through  other,* 
 and  spin  both  together,  that  the  antichrist's  wares  may  sell  the 
 better.  This  is  but  the  device  and  forged  dream  of  men,  whose 
 consciences  are  made  of  stoutness,  and  have  a  throat  that  a  graven 
 image,  greater  than  the  bounds  of  the  kirk-door,  would  give  free 
 passage  unto.^  I  am  sure  when  Christ  shall  bring  us  all  out  in  our 
 blacks  and  whites  at  that  day  when  He  shall  cry  down  time  and 
 the  world,  and  when  the  glory  of  it  shall  lie  in  white  ashes  like  a 
 May  flower  cut  down  and  having  lost  the  blossom,  there  shall  be 
 few,  yea,  none,  that  dare  make  any  point  that  toucheth  the 
 worship  and  honour  of  our  King  and  Lawgiver  to  be  indifferent. 
 0,  that  this  misled  and  blindfolded  world  would  see  that  Christ 
 doth  not  rise  and  fall,  stand  or  lie,  by  men's  apprehensions  ! 
 What  is  Christ  the  lighter  that  men  do  with  Him  by  open  pro- 
 clamation, as  men  do  with  clipped  and  light  money  ?  they  are 
 now  crying  down  Christ  some  grain  weights,  and  some  pounds  or 
 shillings,  and  they  will  have  Him  lie  for  a  penny  or  a  pound,  for 
 one  or  for  an  hundred,  according  as  the  wind  bloweth  from  the 
 east  or  from  the  west,  but  the  Lord  has  weighed  Him,  and  balanced 
 Him  already,  "  This  is  my  well-beloved  Son,  in  whom  I  am  well 
 pleased,  hear  ye  him."  His  worth  and  His  weight  standeth  still ; 
 it  is  our  part  to  cry  Up,  up  with  Christ,  and  Down,  down  with  all 
 created  glory  before  Him.  0,  that  I  could  heighten  Him,  and 
 heighten  His  name,  and  heighten  His  throne  !  I  know  and  am 
 persuaded  that  Christ  shall  again  be  high  and  great  in  this  poor, 
 withered,  and  sun-burnt  Kirk  of  Scotland  ;  and  that  the  sparks 
 of  our  fire  shall  flee  over  sea,  and  round  about  to  warm  you  and 
 other  sister-churches ;  and  that  this  tabernacle  of  David's  house 
 that  is  fallen,  even  the  Son  of  David  His  waste  places  shall  be 
 
 ^  Lackered.  *  Bend.  ^  Arrange  or  compromise.  ■*  Each  other. 
 
 ^  The  meaning,  however,  is,  would  give  free  passage  to  a  graven  image,  etc., 
 q.  d.  would  swallow  a  cameL 
 
LETTER  III.  53 
 
 biiilt  again ;  and  I  knoAV  the  prison,  crosses,  persecutions,  and 
 trials  of  the  two  slain  witnesses,  that  are  now  dead  and  buried 
 (Rev.  xii)j  and  of  the  faithful  professors,  have  a  back  door  and 
 back  entry  of  escape  ;  and  that  death  and  hell,  and  the  world  and 
 tortures,  shall  all  cleave  and  split  in  twain,  and  give  us  free  pas- 
 sage and  liberty  to  go  through  them  toll-free :  and  we  shall  bring 
 all  God's  good  metal  out  of  the  furnace  again,  and  leave  behind 
 us  but  our  dross  and  our  scum  ;  we  may  then  beforehand  proclaim 
 Christ  to  be  victorious.  He  is  crowned  King  in  Mount  Zion; 
 God  did  put  the  crown  upon  His  head  (Psal.  ii.),  and  who  dare 
 take  it  off  again"?  Out  of  question.  He  hath  sore  and  grievous 
 quarrels  against  His  Church;  and  therefore  He  is  called  (Isa. 
 xxxix.  10),  "  He  whose  fire  is  in  Zion  and  whose  furnace  is  in 
 Jerusalem."  But  when  He  hath  performed  His  work  on  Mount 
 Zion,  all  Zion's  haters  shall  be  as  the  hungry  and  thirsty  man  that 
 dreams  he  is  eating  and  drinking,  and  behold,  when  he  awaketh, 
 lie  is  faint  and  his  soul  empty.  And  this  advantage  we  have 
 also,  that  He  will  not  bring  before  sun  and  moon  all  the  infirmi- 
 ties of  His  wife  ;  it  is  the  modesty  of  marriage-anger,  or  husband- 
 wrath,  that  our  sweet  Lord  Jesus  will  not  come  "wdth  chiding  to 
 the  streets,  to  let  all  the  world  hear  what  is  betwixt  Him  and  us ; 
 His  sweet  glooms  stay  under  roof,  and  that  because  He  is  God. 
 Two  special  things  ye  are  to  mind.  1.  Try  and  make  sure  jout 
 profession  ;  that  ye  carry  not  empty  lamps.  Alas  !  secuiity,  secu- 
 rity, is  the  bane  and  the  wreck  of  the  most  part  of  the  world ! 
 0,  how  many  professions  go  Avith  a  golden  lustre  and  gold-like 
 before  men  (who  are  but  witnesses  to  our  white  skin),  and  yet  are 
 but  bastard  and  base  metal.  Consider  how  fair  before  the  wind 
 some  do  ply  with  up-sails,  and  white,  even  to  the  nick^  of  illumina- 
 tion (Heb.  vi.  5),  and  tasting  of  the  heavenly  gift,  and  a  share 
 and  part  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  the  tasting  of  the  good  Word  of 
 God,  and  the  powers  of  the  world  to  come ;  and  yet  this  is  but 
 a  false  nick  of  renovation,  and  in  a  short  time  such  are  quickly 
 broken  upon  the  rocks,  and  never  fetch  the  harbour,  but  are 
 sanded  in  the  bottom  of  hell.  0,  make  your  heaven  sure,  and 
 try  how  ye  come  by  conversion ;  that  it  be  not  stolen  goods  in  a 
 white  and  well-lustred  profession  !  A  white  skin  over  old  wounds 
 maketh  an  under-coating  conscience ;  false  under-water  not  seen 
 is  dangerous,  and  that  is  a  leak  and  rift  in  the  bottom  of  an  en- 
 lightened conscience,  often  falling,  and  sinning  against  light.  Woe, 
 woe  is  me  that  the  holy  profession  of  Christ  is  made  a  stage 
 garment  by  many  to  bring  home  a  vain  fame ;  and  Christ  is  made 
 to  serve  men's  ends.  This  is  as  it  were  to  stop  an  oven  with  a 
 king*    robes.     Know,  2dly,  Except  men  martyr  and  slay  the  body 
 
 1  Point. 
 
54  LETTER  IV. 
 
 of  sin,  in  sanctified  self-denial,  they  shall  never  be  Christ's  martyrs 
 and  faithful  witnesses.  0,  if  I  could  be  master  of  that  house-idol 
 myself,  my  own,  mine,  my  own  will,  wit,  credit,  and  ease,  how 
 blessed  were  I !  0,  but  we  have  need  to  be  redeemed  from  our- 
 selves rather  than  from  the  devil  and  the  world ;  learn  to  put  out 
 yourselves  and  to  put  in  Christ  for  yourselves.  I  should  make  a 
 sweet  bartering  and  niffering,i  and  give  old  for  new,  if  I  could 
 shuffle  out  self,  and  substitute  Christ  my  Lord  in  place  of  myself ; 
 to  say,  not  I,  but  Christ ;  not  my  will,  but  Christ's  ;  not  my  ease, 
 not  my  lust,  not  my  feckless  ^  credit,  but  Christ,  Christ.  But  alas ! 
 in  leaving  ourselves,  in  setting  Christ  before  our  idol,  self,  we  have 
 yet  a  glaiked  ^  back-look  to  our  old  idol.  O,  wretched  idol,  my- 
 self !  when  shall  I  see  thee  wholly  decourted,*  and  Christ  wholly 
 put  in  thy  room  1  0,  if  Christ,  Christ,  had  the  full  place  and 
 room  of  myself,  that  all  my  aims,  purposes,  thoughts,  and  desires, 
 would  coast  and  land  upon  Christ,  and  not  upon  myself!  And 
 yet  howbeit  we  cannot  attain  to  this  denial  of  me  and  mine  that 
 we  can  say  I  am  not  myself,  myself  is  not  myself,  mine  own  is 
 no  longer  mine  own ;  yet  our  aiming  at  this  in  all  we  do  shall  be 
 accepted ;  for,  alas,  I  think  I  shall  die  but  minting  ^  and  aiming  to 
 be  a  Christian  ?  Is  it  not  our  comfort  that  Christ,  the  mediator 
 of  the  new  covenant,  is  come  betwixt  us  and  God  in  the  business, 
 so  that  green  and  young  heirs,  the  like  of  sinners,  have  now  a 
 tutor ;  that  is  God  1  and  now  God  be  thanked  our  salvation  is 
 bottomed  on  Christ.  Sure  I  am  the  bottom  shall  never  fall  out 
 of  heaven  and  happiness  to  us.  I  Avould  give  over  the  bargain  a 
 thousand  times,  were  it  not  that  Christ,  by  His  free  grace,  hath 
 taken  our  salvation  in  hand.  Pray,  pray,  and  contend  with  the 
 Lord,  for  your  sister-church  ;  for  it  would  appear  the  Lord  is  about 
 to  spier''  for  His  scattered  sheep  in  the  dark  and  cloudy  day.  0, 
 that  it  would  please  our  Lord  to  set  up  again  David's  old,  wasted, 
 and  fallen  tabernacle  in  Scotland,  that  we  might  see  the  glory  of 
 the  second  temple  in  this  land !  0,  that  my  little  heaven  were 
 wadset,'^  to  redeem  the  honour  of  my  Lord  Jesus  among  Jews  and 
 Gentiles  !  Let  never  dew  lie  upon  my  branches,  and  let  my  poor 
 flower  wither  at  the  root,  so  being  Christ  were  enthroned,  and 
 His  glory  advanced  in  all  the  Avorld,  and  especially  in  these  three 
 kingdoms  ;  but  I  know  He  hath  no  need  of  me,  what  can  I  add  to 
 Him?  But  oh,  that  He  would  cause  His  high  and  pure  glory  to 
 run  through  such  a  foul  channel  as  I  am !  and,  howbeit  He  hath 
 caused  the  blossom  to  fall  off  my  one  poor  joy  that  was  on  this 
 side  of  heaven,  even  my  liberty  to  preach  Christ  to  His  people, 
 yet   I  am  dead  to  that  now,  so  being  He  would  hew  and  carve 
 
 ^  Exchange.  *  Worthless.  ^  Wanton.  *  Dethroned. 
 
 '  lutendinff.  ^  Ask  or  seek.  ^  Mortgage  J. 
 
LETTER  IV.  56 
 
 glory,  glory  for  evermore  to  my  royal  King,  out  of  my  silence  and 
 sufferings.  0,  that  I  had  my  fill  of  His  love  !  but  I  know  ill  man- 
 ners make  an  uncouth  and  strange  bridegroom.  I  entreat  you 
 earnestly  for  the  aid  of  your  prayers,  for  1  forget  not  you,  and  I 
 salute  with  my  soul  in  Christ  the  faithful  pastors,  and  honourable 
 and  worthy  professors  in  that  land.  "  Now,  the  God  of  peace  that 
 brought  again  our  Lord  Jesus  from  the  dead,  the  great  Shepherd 
 of  the  sheep,  by  the  blood  of  the  everlasting  covenant,  make  you 
 perfect  in  every  good  work  to  do  His  will,  working  in  you  that 
 which  is  well  pleasing  in  His  sight."  Grace,  grace,  be  with  you. 
 Yours,  in  his  sweetest  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 
 
 Aberdeen,  Feb.  4,  1638. 
 
 LETTER  IV.— To  the  Truly  Noble  and  Elect  Lady,  my  Lady 
 Viscountess  of  Kenmure. 
 
 Noble  and  Elect  Lady, — That  honour  that  I  have  prayed  for 
 these  sixteen  years,  with  submission  to  my  Lord's  will,  my  kind 
 Lord  hath  now  bestowed  upon  me,  even  to  suffer  for  my  Royal  and 
 Princely  King  Jesus  and  for  His  kingly  crown,  and  the  freedom 
 of  His  kingdom  that  His  Father  hath  given  Him.  The  forbidden 
 lords  have  sentenced  me  with  deprivation  and  confinement  within 
 the  town  of  Aberdeen.  I  am  charged  in  the  king's  name  to  enter 
 against  the  twentieth  day  of  August  next,  and  there  to  remain 
 during  the  king's  pleasure,  as  they  have  given  it  out :  howbeit 
 Christ's  green  cross  newly  laid  upon  me  be  somewhat  heavy, 
 while  I  call  to  mind  the  many  fair  days,  sweet  and  comfortable  to 
 my  soul,  and  to  the  souls  of  many  others,  and  how  young  ones  in 
 Christ  are  plucked  from  the  breast,  and  the  inheritance  of  God 
 laid  waste ;  yet  that  sweet-smelled  and  perfumed  cross  of  Christ 
 is  accompanied  with  sweet  refreshments,  with  the  kisses  of  a  King, 
 with  the  joy  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  with  faith  that  the  Lord  hears  the 
 sighing  of  a  prisoner,  with  undoubted  hope  (as  sure  as  my  Lord 
 liveth)  after  this  night  to  see  daylight  and  Christ's  sky  to  clear 
 up  again  upon  me  and  His  poor  kirk  ;  and  that  in  a  strange  land 
 amongst  strange  faces.  He  will  give  favour  in  the  eyes  of  men 
 to  His  poor  oppressed  servant,  who  dow  ^  not  but  love  that  lovely 
 One,  that  princely  One,  Jesus,  the  Comforter  of  his  soul.  All 
 would  be  well  if  I  were  free  of  old  challenges  for  guiltiness, 
 and  for  neglect  in  my  calling,  and  for  speaking  too  little  for  my 
 Well-Beloved's  crown,  honour,  and  kingdom.  0,  for  a  day  in  the 
 assembly  of  the  saints  to  advocate  for  King  Jesus  !  If  my  Lord 
 go  on  now  to  quarrels  also,  I  die,  I  cannot  endure  it ;  but  I  look 
 for  peace  from  Him,  because  He  knoweth  I  do  bear  men's  feud, 
 
 iCan. 
 
56  LETTER  V. 
 
 but  I  do  not  bear  His  feud  :  this  is  my  only  exercise,^  that  I 
 fear  I  have  done  little  good  in  my  ministry :  but  I  dare  not  but 
 say  I  loved  the  bairns  of  the  wedding-chamber,  and  prayed  for 
 and  desired  the  thriving  of  the  marriage,  and  coming  of  His  king- 
 dom. I  apprehend  no  less  than  a  judgment  upon  Galloway,  and 
 that  the  Lord  shall  visit  this  whole  nation  for  the  quarrel  of  the 
 covenant.  But  what  can  be  laid  upon  me,  or  any  the  like  of  me, 
 is  too  light  for  Christ :  Christ  doth  bear  more,  and  would  bear 
 death  and  burning  quick^  in  His  weak  servants,  even  for  this 
 honourable  cause  that  I  now  suffer  for.  Yet  for  all  my  complaints 
 (and  He  knoweth  that  I  dare  not  now  dissemble)  He  was  never 
 sweeter  and  kinder  than  He  is  novr ;  one  kiss  now  is  sweeter 
 than  ten  long  since;  sweet,  sweet  is  His  cross;  light,  light,  and 
 easy  is  His  yoke.  0,  what  a  sweet  step  were  it  up  to  my  Father's 
 house  through  ten  deaths,  for  the  truth  and  cause  of  that  un- 
 known, and  so  not  half  well-loved  plant  of  renown,  the  man 
 called  "  the  Branch,"  the  chief  among  ten  thousands,  the  fairest 
 among  the  sons  of  men  !  0,  what  unseen  joys,  how  many  hidden 
 heart-burnings  of  love  are  in  the  remnants  of  the  sufferings  of 
 Christ !  My  dear,  worthy  lady,  I  give  it  to  your  ladyship  under 
 my  own  hand  (my  heart  writing  as  well  as  my  hand),  welcome, 
 welcome,  sweet,  sweet,  and  glorious  cross  of  Christ ;  welcome  sweet 
 Jesus  with  Thy  light  cross,  Thou  hast  now  gained  and  gotten  all 
 my  love  from  me;  keep  what  Thou  hast  gotten.  Only,  woe, 
 woe  is  me,  for  my  bereft  flock,  for  the  lambs  of  Jesus,  that  I 
 fear  shall  be  fed  with  dry  breasts,  but  I  spare  now.  Madam,  I 
 dare  not  promise  to  see  your  ladyship,  because  of  the  little  time 
 I  have  allotted  me,  and  I  purpose  to  obey  the  king  who  hath 
 power  of  my  body,  and  rebellion  to  kings  is  unbeseeming  Christ's 
 ministers.  Be  pleased  to  acquaint  my  lady  Marr  with  my  case  ; 
 I  will  look  to  3^our  ladyship  ;  and  that  good  lady  will  be  mindful 
 to  God  of  the  Lord's  prisoner,  not  for  my  cause,  but  for  the  Gos- 
 pel's sake.  Madam,  bind  me  more  (if  more  can  be)  to  your  lady- 
 ship ;  and  write  thanks  to  your  brother,  my  Lord  of  Lome,  for 
 what  he  hath  done  for  me,  a  poor  unknov/n  stranger  to  his  lord- 
 ship :  I  shall  pray  for  him  and  his  house  while  I  live.  It  is  his 
 honour  to  open  his  mouth  in  the  streets  for  his  wronged  and 
 oppressed  Master  Christ  Jesus.  Now,  madam,  commending  your 
 ladyship  and  the  sweet  child  to  the  tender  mercies  of  mine  own 
 Lord  Jesus,  and  his  goodwill  who  dwelt  in  the  bush  ;  I  rest, 
 Yours,  in  his  own  sweetest  Lord  Jesus, 
 
 S.  K. 
 
 Edinburgh,  July  28,  1636. 
 
 ^  Trial  or  distress.  '  Alive. 
 
LETTER  V.  57 
 
 LETTER  v.— To  the  Noble  and  Christian  Lady,  the 
 Viscountess  of  Kenmure. 
 
 My  very  Honourable  and  Dear  Lady, — Grace,  mercy,  and 
 peace  be  to  you.  I  cannot  forget  your  ladyship  and  that  sweet 
 child  :  I  desire  to  hear  what  the  Lord  is  doing  to  you  and  him. 
 To  write  to  me  were  charity.  I  cannot  but  write  to  my  friends, 
 that  Christ  hath  trysted^  me  in  i^lerdeen,  and  my  adversaries 
 have  sent  me  here  to  be  feasted  with  love-banquets  with  my 
 royal,  high,  high,  and  princely  King  Jesus.  Madam,  why  should 
 I  smother  Christ's  honesty ;  I  dare  not  conceal  His  goodness  to 
 my  soul;  He  looked  framed ^  and  uncouth-like  upon  me  when  I 
 came  first  here,  but  I  believe  Himself  better  than  His  looks.  I 
 shall  not  again  quarrel  Christ  for  a  gloom,  now  He  hath  taken  the 
 mask  off  His  face  and  saith,  "  Kiss  thy  fill ;"  and  what  can 
 I  have  more,  while  ^  I  get  great  heaven  in  my  little  arms,  0, 
 how  sweet  are  the  sufferings  of  Christ,  for  Christ !  God  forgive 
 them  that  raise  an  ill  report  upon  the  sweet  cross  of  Christ ;  it 
 is  but  our  weak  and  dim  eyes  that  look  but  to  the  black  side 
 that  makes  us  mistake :  those  who  can  take  that  crabbed  tree 
 handsomely  upon  their  back,  and  fasten  it  on  cannily,^  shall  find 
 it  such  a  burden  as  wings  unto  a  bird  or  sails  to  a  ship.  Madam, 
 rue  not  of  your  having  chosen  the  better  part :  upon  my  salva- 
 tion this  is  Christ's  truth  I  now  suffer  for.  If  I  found  but  cold 
 comfort  in  my  sufferings  I  would  not  beguile  others,  I  would  have 
 told  you  plainly;  but  the  truth  is,  Christ's  crown,  His  sceptre, 
 and  the  freedom  of  His  kingdom,  is  that  which  is  now  called  in 
 question.  Because  we  will  not  allow  that  Christ  pay  tribute  and 
 be  a  vassal  to  the  shields  of  the  earth,  therefore  the  sons  of  our 
 mother  are  angry  at  us  :  but  it  becoraeth  not  Christ  to  hold  any 
 man's  stirrup.  It  were  a  SAveet  and  honourable  death  to  die  for 
 the  honour  of  that  royal  and  princely  King  Jesus.  His  love  is 
 a  mystery  to  the  world.  I  would  not  have  believed  that  there 
 was  so  much  in  Christ,  as  there  is ;  "  Come  and  see,"  maketh 
 Christ  to  be  known  in  His  excellency  and  glory.  I  wish  all  this 
 nation  knew  how  sweet  His  breath  is ;  it  is  little  to  see  Christ  in 
 a  book,  as  men  do  the  world  in  a  card  ;^  they  talk  of  Christ 
 by  the  book  and  the  tongue,  and  no  more ;  but  to  come  nigh 
 Christ  and  have  Him,  and  embrace  Him  is  another  thing.  Madam, 
 I  write  to  your  honour  for  your  encouragement  in  that  honourable 
 profession  Christ  hath  honoured  you  with.  Ye  have  gotten  the 
 sunny  side  of  the  brae,  and  the  best  of  Christ's  good  things ;  He 
 hath  not  given  you  the  bastard's  portion ;  and  howbeit  ye  get 
 strokes  and  sour  looks  from  your  Lord,  yet  believe  His  love  more 
 
 ■^  Met  with.       -  Strange  or  alien.       ^  Till.       "*  Gently.       ^  Chart  or  map. 
 
58  LETTER  VI. 
 
 than  your  own  feeling,  for  this  world  can  take  nothing  from  you 
 that  is  truly  yours,  and  death  can  do  you  no  wrong ;  your  rock 
 doth  not  ebb  and  flow,  but  your  sea ;  that  which  Christ  hath  said 
 He  will  bide  by  it ;  He  will  be  your  tutor;  you  shall  not  get  your 
 charters  of  heaven  to  play  you  with.  It  is  good  that  ye  have  lost 
 your  credit  with  Christ,  and  that  lord  free-will  shall  not  be  your 
 tutor.  Christ  will  lippen^  the  taking  of  you  to  heaven,  neither  to 
 yourself,  nor  any  deputy,  but  only  to  Himself ;  blessed  be  your 
 Tutor  !  When  your  Head  shall  appear,  your  Bridegroom  and 
 Lord,  your  day  shall  then  dawn,  and  it  shall  never  have  an 
 afternoon  nor  an  evening  shadow.  Let  your  child  be  Christ's,  let 
 him  stay  beside  you  as  the  Lord's  pledge  that  you  shall  willingly 
 render  again  if  God  will.  Madam,  I  find  fcJlks  here  kind  to  me, 
 but  in  the  night,  and  under  their  breath ;  my  Master's  cause  may 
 not  come  to  the  crown  of  the  causey  '.^  others  are  kind  according 
 to  their  fashion  :  many  think  me  a  strange  man,  and  my  cause  not 
 good,  but  I  care  not  much  for  man's  thoughts  or  approbation.  I 
 think  no  shame  of  the  cross.  The  preachers  of  this  town  pretend 
 great  love,  but  the  prelates  have  added  to  the  rest  this  gentle 
 cruelty  (for  so  they  think  of  it),  to  discharge  me  of  the  pulpits  of 
 this  town  ;  the  people  murmur  and  cry  out  against  it ;  and  to 
 speak  truly,  howbeit  Christ  is  most  indulgent  to  me  otherwise, 
 yet  my  silence  on  the  Lord's-day  keeps  me  from  being  exalted 
 above  measure,  and  from  startling  in  the  heat  of  my  Lord's  love. 
 Some  people  affect  me,  for  the  which  cause  I  hear  the  preachers 
 here  purpose  to  have  my  confinement  changed  to  another  place ; 
 so  cold  is  northern  love ;  but  Christ  and  I  will  bear  it.  I  have 
 wrestled  long  with  this  sad  silence ;  I  said  what  aileth  Christ  at 
 my  service,  and  my  soul  hath  been  at  a  pleading  with  Christ, 
 and  at  yea  and  nay ;  but  I  will  yield  to  Him,  providing  my  suff"er- 
 ing  may  preach  more  than  my  tongue  did ;  for  I  gave  not  Christ 
 an  inch  but  for  twice  as  good  again ;  in  a  word,  I  am  a  fool  and 
 He  is  God :  I  will  hold  my  peace  hereafter.  Let  me  hear  from 
 your  ladyship  and  your  dear  child.  Pray  for  a  prisoner  of  Christ, 
 who  is  mindful  of  your  ladyship.  Eemember  my  obliged  obedience 
 to  my  good  Lady  Marr.  Grace,  grace  be  with  you.  I  write  and 
 pray  blessings  to  your  sweet  child.  Yours,  in  all  dutiful  obedience 
 in  his  only  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 
 
 Aberdeen,  Nov.  22,  1636.     
 
 LETTER  VL— To  the  Right  Honourable  and  Christian  Lady, 
 
 my  Lady  Viscountess  of  Kenmure. 
 Madajvi, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you ;  1  received  your 
 ladyship's  letter ;  it  refreshed  me  in  my  heaviness  ;  the  blessing 
 ^  Entrust.  ^  Causeway. 
 
LETTER  VI.  59 
 
 and  prayers  of  a  prisoner  of  Christ  come  upon  you.  Since  my 
 coming  hither,  Galloway  sent  me  not  a  line,  except  what  my 
 brother  Earlstown  and  his  son  did  write.  I  cannot  get  my  papers 
 transported  :  but,  madam,  I  want  not  kindness  of  one  who  hath 
 the  gate  ^  of  it ;  Christ  (if  he  had  never  done  more  for  me  since  I 
 was  born)  hath  engaged  my  heart  and  gained  my  blessing  in  this 
 house  of  my  pilgrimage.  It  pleaseth  my  Well-Beloved  to  dine 
 with  a  poor  prisoner,  and  the  King's  spikenard  casteth  a  fragrant 
 smell :  nothing  grieveth  me  but  that  I  eat  my  feasts  alone,  and 
 that  I  cannot  edify  His  saints.  0  that  this  nation  knew  what  is 
 betwixt  Him  and  me !  none  would  scar  ^  at  the  cross  of  Christ. 
 My  silence  eats  me  up,  but  He  hath  told  me  He  thanketh  me  no 
 less  than  if  I  Avere  preaching  daily ;  He  sees  how  gladly  I  would 
 be  at  it :  and  therefore  my  wages  are  going  to  the  fore  up  in  heaven, 
 as  if  I  were  still  preaching  Christ.  Captains  paj^  duly  bedfast  sol- 
 diers, howbeit  they  do  not  march  nor  carry  armour,  "  Though 
 Israel  be  not  gathered,  yet  shall  I  be  glorious  in  the  eyes  of  my 
 Lord,  and  my  Lord  shall  be  my  strength,"  Isaiah  xlix.  5  ;  my 
 garland,  "  the  Banished  Minister  "  (the  term  of  Aberdeen),  asham- 
 eth  me  not.  I  have  seen  the  white  side  of  Christ's  cross,  lovely 
 hath  He  been  to  His  oppressed  servant.  Psalm  cxlvi.  7,  "  The 
 Lord  executeth  judgment  for  the  oppressed  :  He  giveth  food  to  the 
 hungry ;  the  Lord  looseth  the  prisoner ;  the  Lord  raiseth  them 
 that  are  bowed  down ;  the  Lord  preserveth  the  stranger."  If  it 
 were  come  to  exchanging  of  crosses,  I  would  not  exchange  my 
 cross  with  any ;  I  am  well  pleased  with  Christ,  and  He  Avith  me  ! 
 I  hope  none  shall  hear  us.  It  is  true  for  all  this  I  get  my  meat 
 with  many  strokes,  and  am  seven  times  a  day  up  and  down,  and 
 am  often  anxious  and  cast  down  for  the  case  of  my  oppressed 
 brother,  yet  I  hope  the  Lord  will  be  surety  for  His  servant.  But 
 now  upon  some  weak,  very  weak  experience,  I  am  come  to  love  a 
 rumbling  and  raging  devil  best ;  seeing  we  must  have  a  devil  to 
 hold  the  saints  waking,  I  wish  a  cumbersome  devil,  rather  than  a 
 secure  and  sleeping  one.  At  my  first  coming  hither,  I  took  the 
 dorts  ^  at  Christ,  and  took  up  a  stomach  against  Him ;  I  said  He 
 had  cast  me  over  the  dyke  of  the  vineyard  like  a  dry  tree  ;  but  it 
 was  His  mercy,  I  see,  that  the  fire  did  not  burn  the  dry  tree  ;  and 
 now,  as  if  my  Lord  Jesus  had  done  the  fault,  and  not  I  (who  be- 
 lied my  Lord),  He  hath  made  the  first  mends,  and  He  spake  not 
 one  word  against  me,  but  hath  come  again  and  quickened  my  soul 
 with  His  presence ;  nay,  now  I  think  the  very  annuity  and  casual- 
 ties of  the  cross  of  Christ  Jesus  my  Lord,  and  these  comforts 
 
 ^  That  is,  I  am  not  without  kindness  from  one  who  has  the  method  of  it,  or 
 who  knows  how  to  be  kind. 
 
 *  Be  afraid  or  offended.  '  Took  offence. 
 
60  LETTER  VI. 
 
 that  accompany  it,  better  than  the  world's  set  rent.  0,  how 
 many  rich  ofF-falhngs  are  in  my  King's  house ;  I  am  persuaded, 
 and  dare  pawn  my  salvation  on  it,  that  it  is  Christ's  truth  I  now 
 suffer  for ;  I  know  His  comforts  are  no  dreams.  He  would  not 
 put  His  seal  on  blank  paper,  nor  deceive  His  afflicted  ones  that 
 trust  in  Him.  Your  ladyship  wrote  to  me  that  ye  are  yet  an  ill 
 scholar.  Madam,  ye  must  go  in  at  heaven's  gates,  and  your  book 
 in  your  hand,  still  learning ;  you  have  had  your  own  large  share 
 of  troubles,  and  a  double  portion  ;  but  it  saith  your  Father  count- 
 eth  you  not  a  bastard  :  full-begotten  bairns  are  nurtured,  Heb. 
 xii.  8.  I  long  to  hear  of  the  child ;  I  write  the  blessings  of 
 Christ's  prisoner  and  the  mercies  of  God  to  him ;  let  him  be 
 Christ's  and  yours  betwixt  you,  but  let  Christ  be  whole  play- 
 maker  ;  let  Him  be  the  lender,  and  ye  the  borrower,  not  an 
 owner.  Madam,  it  is  not  long  since  I  did  write  to  your  ladyship 
 that  Christ  is  keeping  mercy  for  you,  and  I  bide  by  it  still,  and 
 now  I  write  it  under  my  hand ;  love  Him  dearly,  win  in  to  see 
 Him;  there  is  in  Him  that  which  you  never  saw ;  He  is  ever  nigh, 
 He  is  a  tree  of  life,  green  and  blossoming  both  summer  and 
 winter.  There  is  a  nick  in  Christianity  to  the  which  whoso- 
 ever cometh  they  see  and  feel  more  than  others  can  do.  I  invite 
 you  of  new  to  come  to  Him  ;  "  Come  and  see,"  will  speak  better 
 things  of  Him  than  I  can  do ;  "  Come  nearer,  come  nearer,"  will 
 say  much.  God  thought  never  this  world  a  portion  worthy  of 
 you;  He  would  not  even^  you  to  a  gift  of  dirt  and  clay;  nay, 
 He  will  not  give  you  Esau's  portion,  but  reserves  the  inheritance 
 of  Jacob  for  you :  are  ye  not  well  married  now  1  have  you  not  a 
 good  Husband  now  ^  My  heart  cannot  express  what  sad  nights  I 
 have  for  the  virgin  daughter  of  my  people :  woe  is  me,  for  our 
 time  is  coming!  Ezekiel  vii.  10,  "Behold  the  day,  behold,  it  is 
 come;  the  morning  hath  gone  forth,  the  rod  hath  blossomed, 
 pride  hath  budded,  violence  is  risen  up  in  a  rod  of  wickedness. 
 The  sun  is  gone  down  upon  our  prophets!"  A  dry  wind  upon 
 Scotland,  but  neither  to  fan  nor  to  cleanse.  But  out  of  all  ques- 
 tion, when  the  Lord  hath  cut  down  His  forest,  the  aftergrowth 
 of  Lebanon  shall  flourish,  they  shall  plant  vines  in  our  mountains, 
 and  a  cloud  shall  yet  fill  the  temple.  Now  the  blessing  of  our 
 dearest  Lord  Jesus,  and  the  blessing  of  him  that  is  separated 
 from  his  brethren  come  upon  you. 
 
 Yours,  at  Aberdeen,  the  prisoner  of  Cluist,         S.  R. 
 Aberdeen , 
 
 ^  Tliink  of  giving  you. 
 
LETTERS  VII,  AND  VIII.  61 
 
 LETTER  VII.— To  the  Honourable  and  truly  noble  Lady,  the 
 Viscountess  of  Kenmure. 
 
 Madam, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  your  ladyship.  I  long 
 to  hear  from  you.  I  am  here  waiting  if  a  good  wind,  long  looked 
 for,  shall  at  length  blow  in  Christ's  sails  in  this  land.  But  I 
 wonder  if  Jesus  be  not  content  to  suffer  more  yet  in  His  members, 
 and  cause,  and  beauty  of  His  house,  rather  than  He  should  not  be 
 avenged  upon  this  land.  I  hear  many  worthy  men  (who  see 
 more  in  the  Lord's  dealing  than  I  can  take  up  with  my  dim  sight) 
 are  of  a  contrary  mind,  and  do  believe  the  Lord  is  coming  home 
 again  to  His  house  in  Scotland.  I  hope  He  is  on  His  journey 
 that  way,  yet  I  look  not  but  that  He  shall  feed  this  land  with 
 their  own  blood  before  He  establish  His  throne  amongst  us.  I 
 know  your  honour  is  not  looking  after  things  hereaway  ;  ye  have 
 no  great  cause  to  think  that  your  stock  and  principal  is  under 
 the  roof  of  these  visible  heavens  :  and  I  hope  ye  would  think  your- 
 self a  beguiled  and  cozened  soul  if  it  Avere  so.  I  would  be  sorry  to 
 counsel  your  ladyship  to  make  a  covenant  with  time  and  this' life, 
 but  rather  desire  you  to  hold  in  fair  generals,  and  far  off  from  this 
 ill-founded  heaven  that  is  on  this  side  of  the  water.  It  speaketh 
 somewhat  when  our  Lord  bloweth  the  bloom  off  our  daft  *  hopes 
 in  this  life,  and  loppeth  the  branches  of  our  worldly  joys  well  nigh 
 the  root,  on  purpose  that  they  should  not  thrive.  Lord,  spill " 
 my  fool's  heaven  in  this  life,  that  I  may  be  saved  for  ever.  A 
 forfeiture  of  the  saints'  part  of  the  yolk  and  marrow  of  short- 
 laughing  worldly  happiness  is  not  such  a  real  evil  as  our  blinded 
 eyes  do  conceive.  I  am  thinking  long  now  for  some  deliverance 
 more  than  before :  but  I  know  I  am  in  an  error.  It  is  possible  I 
 am  not  come  to  that  m.easure  of  trial  that  the  Lord  is  seeking  in 
 His  work.  If  my  friends  in  Galloway  would  effectually  do  for 
 my  deliverance,  I  would  exceedingly  rejoice;  but  I  know  not 
 but  the  Lord  hath  a  way  whereof  He  will  be  the  only  reaper  of 
 praises.  Let  me  know  with  the  bearer  how  the  child  is:  the  Lord 
 be  his  Father,  and  Tutor,  and  your  only  Comforter.  There  is 
 nothing  here  where  I  am  but  profanity  and  atheism.  Grace,  grace 
 be  with  your  ladyship. 
 
 Your  ladyship's  at  all  obliged  obedience  in  Christ,         S.  R. 
 
 Aberdeen,  Feb.  13,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  VIII.— To  the  Noble  and  Christian  Lady,  the 
 Viscountess  of  Kenmure, 
 
 Madam,—  Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you,     I  would  not 
 omit  the  occasion  to  write  to  your  ladyship  with  the  bearer.     I 
 ^  Foolish  or  insane.  ^  Spoil, 
 
62  LETTER  VIII. 
 
 am  glad  the  child  is  well ;  God's  favour  even  in  the  eyes  of  men 
 be  seen  upon  him.  I  hope  your  ladyship  is  thinking  upon  these 
 sad  and  woeful  days  wherein  we  now  live,  when  our  Lord,  in 
 His  righteous  judgment,  is  sending  the  kirk  the  gate^  she  is 
 going,  to  Kome's  brothel-house  to  seek  a  lover  of  her  own,  seeing 
 she  hath  given  up  with  Christ  her  husband.  0,  Avhat  sweet 
 comfort,  what  rich  salvation,  is  laid  up  for  these  who  had  rather 
 wash  and  roll  their  garments  in  their  own  blood  than  break  out 
 from  Christ  by  apostasy  !  Keep  yourself  in  the  love  of  Christ, 
 and  stand  far  aback  from  the  pollutions  of  the  world :  side  not 
 with  these  times,  and  hold  off  from  coming  nigh  the  signs  of  a 
 conspiracy  with  these  that  are  now  come  out  against  Christ,  that 
 ye  may  be  one  kept  for  Christ  only.  I  know  your  ladyship 
 thinketh  upon  this,  and  how  ye  may  be  humbled  for  yourself  and 
 this  backsliding  land  ;  for  I  avouch  that  wrath  from  the  Lord  is 
 gone  out  against  Scotland.  I  think  aye  the  longer  the  better  of 
 my  royal  and  worthy  Master ;  He  is  become  a  new  Well-Beloved 
 to  me  now,  in  renewed  consolations,  by  the  presence  of  the  Spirit 
 of  grace  and  glory ;  Christ's  garments  smell  of  the  powder  of  the 
 merchant  when  he  cometh  out  of  his  ivory  chambers.  0,  His 
 perfumed  face,  His  fair  face,  His  lovely  and  kindly  kisses,  have 
 made  me,  a  poor  prisoner,  see,  there  is  more  to  be  had  of  Christ 
 in  this  life  than  I  believed  :  we  think  all  is  but  a  little  earnest,  a 
 four-hours,^  a  small  tasting  we  have,  or  is  to  be  had,  in  this  life 
 (which  is  true  compared  with  the  inheritance),  but  yet  I  know  it 
 is  more,  it  is  the  kingdom  of  God  within  us.  Woe,  woe  is  me, 
 that  I  have  not  ten  loves  for  that  one  Lord  Jesus  !  and  that  love 
 faileth  and  drieth  up  in  loving  Him ;  and  that  I  find  no  way  to 
 spend  my  love  desires,  and  the  yolk  of  my  heart  upon  that  fairest 
 and  dearest  one  :  I  am  far  behind  with  my  narrow  heart.  0,  how 
 ebb  a  soul  have  I  to  take  in  Christ's  love  !  for  let  worlds  be  multi- 
 plied according  to  angels' understanding,  in  millions,  while  ^  they 
 weary  themselves,  these  worlds  would  not  contain  the  thousandth 
 part  of  His  love.  0,  if  I  could  yoke  in  amongst  the  thick  of 
 angels  and  seraphims,  and  now  glorified  saints,  and  could  raise  a 
 new  love-song  of  Christ  before  all  the  world !  I  am  pained  witli 
 wondering  at  new  opened  treasures  in  Christ;  if  every  finger, 
 member,  bone,  and  joint  were  a  torch  burning  in  the  hottest  fire 
 in  hell,  I  would  they  could  all  send  out  love  praises,  high  songs  of 
 praise  for  evermore,  to  that  plant  of  renown,  to  that  royal  and 
 high  Prince  Jesus  my  Lord;  but,  alas,  His  love  swelleth  in  me,  and 
 findeth  no  vent !  alas,  what  can  a  dumb  prisoner  do  or  say  for 
 Him  !     0  for  an  engine*  to  write  a  book  of  Christ  and  His  love  ! 
 
 *  Way.  *  A  light  meal  taken  at  four  o'clock.  ^  TilL 
 
 *  Genius  or  ability. 
 
LETTER  TX.  63 
 
 nay,  I  am  left  of  Him  bound  and  chained  with  His  love  !  I  cannot 
 find  a  loosed  soul  to  lift  up  His  praises,  and  give  them  out  to 
 others ;  but  oh,  my  daylight  hath  thick  clouds,  I  cannot  shine  in 
 His  praises !  I  am  often  like  a  ship  plying  about  to  seek  the  wind  ; 
 I  sail  at  great  leisure,  and  cannot  be  blown  upon  that  loveliest 
 Lord.  0,  if  I  could  turn  my  sails  to  Christ's  right  airt,^  and  that 
 I  had'  my  heart's  wishes  of  His  love !  But,  I  but  mar  His  praises ; 
 nay,  I  know  no  comparison  of  what  Christ  is,  and  what  His  worth 
 is  :  all  the  angels,  and  all  the  glorified,  praise  Him  not  so  much  as 
 in  halves  :  who  can  advance  Him  or  utter  all  His  praises  1  I  want 
 nothing ;  unknown  faces  favour  me ;  enemies  must  speak  good  of 
 the  truth ;  my  Master's  cause  purchaseth  commendation.  The 
 hopes  of  my  enlargement  from  appearances  are  cold  ;  my  faith  hath 
 no  bed  to  sleep  upon  but  Omnipotency.  The  goodwill  of  the  Lord 
 and  His  sweetest  presence  be  with  you  and  that  child.  Grace  and 
 peace  be  yours. 
 
 Your  ladyship's  in  all  duty  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus, 
 
 S.  R. 
 
 Aberdeen,  It 37.  
 
 LETTER  IX.— To  the  Right  Honourable  and  Christian  Lady 
 the  Viscountess  of  Kenmure. 
 
 Madam, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  your  ladyship.  I 
 would  not  omit  to  write  a  line  with  this  Christian  bearer,  one  in 
 your  ladyship's  own  case,  driven  near  to  Christ  in  and  by  her 
 affliction.  I  wish  that  my  friends  in  Galloway  forget  me  not. 
 However  it  be,  Christ  is  so  good  that  I  will  have  no  other  tutor, 
 suppose  I  could  have  waiP  and  choice  of  ten  thousand  beside  :  I 
 think  now  five  hundred  heavy  hearts  for  Him  too  little.  I  wisli 
 Christ  now  weeping,  suffering,  and  contemned  of  men,  were  more 
 dear  and  desirable  to  many  souls  than  He  is :  I  am  sure  if  the 
 saints  wanted  Christ's  cross,  so  profitable  and  so  sweet,  they  might 
 for  the  gain  and  glory  of  it,  wish  it  were  lawful  either  to  buy  or 
 borrow  His  cross ;  but  it  is  a  mercy  that  the  saints  have  it  laid  to 
 their  hand  for  nothing,  for  I  know  no  sweeter  way  to  heaven,  than 
 through  free-grace  and  hard  trials  together,  and  one  of  these  cannot 
 well  want  another.  0,  that  time  would  post  faster,  and  hasten  our 
 long-looked  for  communion  with  that  fairest,  fairest  among  the 
 sons  of  men  !  0,  that  the  day  would  favour  us,  and  come  and  put 
 Christ  and  us  in  other's^  arms  !  I  am  sure  a  few  years  will  do  our 
 turn,  and  the  soldier's  hour-glass  will  soon  run  out.  Madam  !  look 
 to  your  lamp,  and  look  for  your  Lord's  coming,  and  let  your  heart 
 dwell  aloof  from  that  sweet  child ;  Christ's  jealousy  will  not  admit 
 ^  Direction.  *  Selection.  ^  Each  other's 
 
64  LETTER  X. 
 
 two  equal  loves  in  your  ladyship's  heart.  He  must  have  one,  and 
 chat  the  greatest ;  a  little  one  to  a  creature,  may  and  must  suffice 
 a  soul  married  to  Him,  '•'  Your  Maker  is  your  Husband,"  Isa.  liv. 
 I  would  wish  you  well,  and  my  obligation  these  many  years  by- 
 gone speak  no  less  to  me,  but  more  I  can  neither  wish,  nor  pray, 
 nor  desire  for  to  your  ladyship  than  Christ  singled  and  wailed  ^ 
 out  from  all  created  good  things,  or  Chi"ist,  howbeit  wet  in  His 
 own  blood  and  wearing  a  crown  of  thorns.  I  am  sure  the  saints 
 at  their  best  are  but  strangers  to  the  weight  and  worth  of  the 
 incomparable  sweetness  of  Christ.  He  is  so  new,  so  fresh  in  ex- 
 cellency, every  day  of  new,  to  these  that  search  more  and  more  in 
 Him,  as  if  heaven  could  furnish  as  many  new  Christs  (if  I  may 
 speak  so)  as  there  are  days  betwixt  Him  and  us,  and  yet  He  is  one 
 and  the  same.  0,  we  love  an  unknown  lover  when  we  love 
 Christ !  Let  me  hear  how  the  child  is  every  way.  The  prayers 
 of  a  prisoner  of  Christ  be  upon  him,  Grace  for  evermore,  even 
 while  2  glory  perfect  it,  be  with  your  ladyship. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 
 Aberdeen,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  X.— To  the  Noble  and  Christian  Lady,  tlie 
 Viscountess  of  Kenmure. 
 
 Madam, — Notwithstanding  the  great  haste  of  the  bearer  I 
 would  bless  your  ladyship  in  paper,  desiring,  that  since  Christ 
 hath  ever  envied  that  the  world  should  have  your  love  by  ^  Him, 
 that  ye  give  yourself  out  for  Christ,  and  that  ye  may  be  for  no 
 other.  I  know  none  worthy  of  you  but  Christ,  madam.  I  am 
 either  suffering  for  Christ,  and  this  is  either  the  sure  and  good 
 way,  or  I  have  done  with  heaven  and  will  never  see  God's 
 face  (which  I  bless  Him  cannot  be).  I  write  my  blessing  to 
 that  sweet  child  that  ye  have  borrowed  from  God,  he  is  no 
 heritage  to  you,  but  a  loan;  love  him  as  folks  do  borrowed 
 things :  my  heart  is  heavy  for  you.  They  say  the  kirk  of 
 Christ  hath  neither  son  nor  heir,  and  therefore  her  enemies 
 shall  possess  her :  but  I  know  she  is  not  that*  ill  friended,  her 
 husband  is  her  heir,  and  she  His  heritage.  If  my  Lord  would 
 be  pleased  I  would  desire  some  were-  dealt  with  for  my  return 
 to  Anwoth,  but  if  that  never  be,  I  thank  God  Anwoth  is  not 
 heaven ;  preaching  is  not  Christ,  I  hope  to  wait  on.  Let  me 
 hear  how  the  child  is,  and  yonr  ladyship's  mind  and  hopes  of 
 him,  for  it  would  ease  my  heart  to  know  that  he  is  well.  I  am 
 in  good  terms  with  Christ,  but  oh,  my  guiltiness !  yet  He  bring- 
 ^  Separated  and  selected.  ^  Till.  ^  Beside.  *  So. 
 
lettp:r  XL  65 
 
 etli  not  pleas  ^  betwixt  Him  and  me  to  the  streets,  and  before 
 the  sun.     Grace,  grace,  for  evermore  be  with  your  hidyship. 
 
 Your  ladyship's,  at  all  obedience  in  Christ,         S.  R. 
 Aberdeei;,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  XL— To  the  Right  Honourable  and  Christian  Lady, 
 my  Lady  VISCOUNTESS  OF  Kenmuee. 
 
 Madam, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  to  you.  I  am  refreshed  with 
 your  letter :  the  right  hand  of  Him  to  whom  belong  the  issues 
 from  death  hath  been  gracious  to  that  sweet  child.  I  do  not, 
 I  do  not  forget  him  and  your  ladyship  in  my  prayers.  Madam, 
 for  your  own  case,  I  love  careful,  and  Avithal  doing  complaints  of 
 want  of  practice,  because  I  observe  many  who  think  it  holiness 
 enough  to  complain  and  set  themselves  at  nothing ;  as  if  to  say 
 "  I  am  sick,"  would  cure  them  :  they  think  complaints  a  good 
 charm  for  guiltiness.  I  hope  ye  are  wrestling  and  struggling  on 
 in  this  dead  age,  wherein  folks  have  lost  tongue,  and  legs,  and 
 arms  for  Christ.  I  yrge  upon  you,  madam,  a  nearer  communion 
 with  Christ  and  a  growing  communion.  There  are  curtains  to  be 
 drawn  by  in  Christ  that  we  never  saw,  and  new  foldings  of  love 
 in  Him.  I  despair  that  ever  I  shall  win  to  the  far  end  of  that 
 love,  theie  are  so  many  plies  in  it ;  therefore  dig  deep,  and  sweat, 
 and  lal)our,  and  take  pains  for  Him,  and  set  by  so  much  time  in 
 the  day  for  Him  as  you  can  :  He  will  be  won  with  labour.  I.  His 
 exiled  prisoner,  sought  Him,  and  He  hath  rued-  upon  me,  and 
 hath  made  a  moan  for  me,  as  He  doth  for  His  own,  Jer.  xxxi. 
 20;  Isa.  xlv.  11  :  and  I  know  not  what  to  do  with  Christ,  His 
 love  surroundeth  and  surchargeth  me.  I  am  burdened  with  it ; 
 but  0,  how  sweet  and  lovely  is  that  burden !  I  do  not  keep  it 
 within  me  :  I  am  so  in  love  with  His  iove  that  if  His  love  were 
 not  in  heaven  I  would  be  unwilling  to  go  there.  0,  what  weigh- 
 ing and  what  telling  is  in  Christ's  love !  I  fear  nothing  now  so 
 much  as  the  laughing  of  Christ's  cross,  and  the  love-showers  that 
 accompany  it :  I  wonder  what  He  meaneth  to  put  such  a  slave  at 
 the  board-head,  at  His  own  elbow.  0,  that  I  should  lay  my  black 
 mouth  to  such  a  fair,  fair,  fair  face  as  Christ's  !  but  I  dare  not 
 refuse  to  be  loved  :  the  cause  is  not  in  me  why  He  hath  looked 
 upon  me,  and  loved  me,  for  He  got  neither  bud^  nor  hire  of  me ; 
 it  cost  me  nothing,  it  is  good  cheap  love.  O,  the  many  pound- 
 weights  of  His  love  under  which  I  am  sweetly  pressed  !  Now, 
 madam,  I  persuade  you  the  greatest  part  but  play  with  Chris- 
 
 ^  Quarrels.  "  Had  Pity. 
 
 ■'  I  siqipose  "bud"  is  derived  from  the  verb  "to  bid,"  and  signifies  an  offer 
 or  promise,  the  "bidding'  at  an  auction. 
 
66  LETTER  XII. 
 
 tianity ;  they  pnt  it  by  hand  easily.  I  thought  it  had  been  ati 
 easy  thing  to  be  a  Christian,  and  that  to  seek  God  had  been  at 
 the  next  door,  but  oh,  the  windings,  the  turnings,  the  ups  and 
 the  downs  that  He  hath  led  me  through !  and  I  see  yet  much 
 way  to  the  ford.  He  speaketh  with  my  reins  in  the  night  season, 
 and  in  the  morning  when  I  awake  I  find  His  love  arrows  that 
 He  shot  at  me,  sticking  in  my  heart.  Who  will  help  me  to  praise? 
 who  will  come  to  lift  with  me  and  set  on  high  His  great  love  1  and 
 yet  I  find  that  a  fire-flaught  of  challenges  will  come  in  at  mid- 
 summer, and  question  me,  but  it  is  only  to  keep  a  sinner  in  order. 
 As  for  friends,  I  shall  not  think  the  world  to  be  the  world  if  that 
 well  go  not  dry :  I  trust  in  God  to  use  the  world  as  a  canny  or 
 cunning  master  doth  a  knave-servant  (at  least  God  give  me  grace 
 to  do  so) ;  he  giveth  him  no  handling  or  credit ;  only  he  entrusteth 
 him  with  common  errands,  wherein  he  cannot  play  the  knave.  I 
 pray  God  I  may  not  give  this  world  credit  of  my  joys,  and  com- 
 forts, and  confidence :  that  were  to  put  Christ  out  of  His  office  : 
 nay,  I  counsel  you,  madam,  from  a  little  experience,  let  Christ 
 keep  the  great  seal,  and  intrust  Him  so  as  to  hing  your  vessels, 
 great  and  small,  and  pin  your  burdens  upon  the  nail  fastened  in 
 David's  house,  Isa.  xxii.  23.  Let  me  not  be  well  if  ever  they  get 
 the  tutoring  of  my  comforts  :  away,  away  with  irresponsaU  tutors 
 that  would  play  me  a  slip,  and  then  Christ  would  laugh  at  me,  and 
 say,  "  Well-wared,2  try  again  ere  ye  trust."  Now,  Avoe  is  me  for 
 my  whorish  mother  the  Kirk  of  Scotland.  0  !  who  will  bewail 
 her.  Now  the  presence  of  the  great  Angel  of  the  covenant  to  be 
 with  you  and  that  sweet  child. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,     S.  R. 
 Aberdeen,  March  7,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  XH.— To  the  Right  Honourable  and  Christian  Lady, 
 my  Lady  Kenmure. 
 
 Madam, — Upon  the  off'ered  opportunity  of  this  worthy  bearer,  1 
 could  not  omit  to  answer  the  heads  of  your  letter.  1.  I  think  not 
 much  to  set  down  in  paper  some  good  things  anent  Christ,  that 
 sealed  and  holy  thing,  and  to  feed  my  soul  with  raw  wishes  to  be  one 
 with  Christ,  for  a  wish  is  but  broken  and  half  love ;  but  verily  to 
 obey  this,  "Come  and  see,"  is  a  harder  matter;  but  oh,  I  have  rather 
 smoke  than  fire,  and  guessings  rather  than  real  assurances  of  Him  ! 
 I  have  little  or  nothing  to  say,  that  I  am  as  one  who  hath  found 
 favour  in  His  eyes ;  but  there  is  some  pining  and  mis-mannered 
 hunger,  that  maketh  me  miscall  and  nickname  Christ  as  a  changed 
 Lord,  but,  alas,  it  is  ill  slitten  !  ^  I  cannot  believe  without  a  pledge 
 ^  Irresponsible.  -  Well-rewarded.  *  Sorely  rent. 
 
LETTER  Xn.  67 
 
 I  cannot  take  God's  word  without  a  caution,  as  it'  Christ  had  lost 
 and  sold  His  credit,  and  were  not  in  my  books  responsal  and  law- 
 bidding  j^  but  this  is  my  way,  for  His  way  is  (Ephes.  i.  13),  "  After 
 that  ye  believed  ye  were  sealed  with  the  Holy  Spirit  of  promise," 
 2.  Ye  write  that  I  am  filled  with  knowledge,  and  stand  not  in  need 
 of  these  warnings,  but  certainly  my  light  is  dim  when  it  cometh  to 
 handy-grips ;  2  and  how  many  have  full  coffers  and  yet  empty  bellies ; 
 light,  and  the  saving  use  of  light,  are  far  different.  0,  what  need 
 have  I  to  have  the  ashes  blown  away  from  my  dying-out  fire  !  I 
 may  be  a  book-man,  and  be  an  idiot  and  stark  fool  in  Christ's  way : 
 learning  will  not  beguile  Christ :  the  Bible  beguiled  the  Pharisees, 
 and  so  may  I  be  misted.  Therefore,  as  night-watchers  hold  one 
 another  waking  by  speaking  to  one  another,  so  have  we  need  to 
 hold  one  another  on  foot.  Sleep  stealeth  away  the  light  of  watch- 
 ing, even  the  light  that  reproveth  sleeping.  I  doubt  not  but  more 
 should  fetch  heaven  if  they  believed  not  heaven  to  be  at  the  next 
 door ;  the  world's  negative  holiness — no  adulterer,  no  murderer, 
 no  thief,  no  cozener — maketh  men  believe  they  are  already  glorified 
 saints ;  but  the  sixth  chapter  to  the  Hebrews  may  affright  us  all, 
 when  we  hear  that  men  may  take  of  the  gifts  and  common  graces 
 of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  a  taste  of  the  powers  of  the  life  to  come, 
 to  hell  with  them.  Here  is  reprobate  silver,  which  yet  seemeth  to 
 .lave  the  king's  image  and  superscription  upon  it.  3.  I  find  you 
 complaining  of  yourself,  and  it  becometh  a  sinner  so  to  do ;  I  am 
 not  against  you  in  that ;  sense  of  death  is  a  sib^  friend,  and  of  kin 
 and  blood  to  life ;  the  more  sense,  the  more  life ;  the  more  sense 
 of  sin  the  less  sin.  I  would  love  my  pain,  and  soreness,  and  my 
 wounds,  howbeit  these  should  bereave  me  of  my  night's  sleep, 
 better  than  my  wounds  without  pain.  0,  how  sweet  a  thing  is  it 
 to  give  Christ  His  handful  of  broken  arms  and  legs,  and  disjointed 
 bones !  4.  Be  not  afraid  for  little  grace.  Christ  soweth  His  living 
 seed,  and  He  will  not  lose  His  seed :  if  He  have  the  guiding  of  my 
 stock  and  state  it  shall  not  miscarry.  Our  spilt  works,  losses, 
 deadness,  coldness,  wretchedness,  are  the  ground  which  the  good 
 Husbandman  laboureth.  5.  Ye  write  that  His  compassions  fail 
 not,  notwithstanding  that  your  service  to  Christ  miscarrieth.  To 
 the  which  I  answer,  God  forbid  that  there  were  buying,  and  selling, 
 and  blocking*  for  as  good  again  betwixt  Christ  and  us  ;  for  then 
 free  grace  might  go  play  it,  and  a  Saviour  sing  du.mb,  and  Christ 
 go  and  sleep ;  but  we  go  to  heaven  with  light  shoulders,  and  all 
 the  bairn-time,  and  the  vessels  great  and  small  that  we  have,  are 
 fastened  upon  the  sure  nail,  Lsa.  xxii.  24.  The  only  danger  is 
 that  we  give  grace  more  ado  than  God  giveth  it,  that  is  by  turning 
 
 ^  Qa.  Law-biding.  ^  Close  quarter.^. 
 
 ^  Close  or  near.  *  Bartering. 
 
68  LETTER  XIII. 
 
 His  grace  into  wantonness.  6.  Ye  write,  few  see  your  gniltinoss, 
 and  ye  cannot  be  free  with  many,  as  with  me.  I  answer.  Blessed 
 be  God,  Christ  and  we  are  not  heard  before  men's  courts  ;  it  is  at 
 home,  betwixt  Him  and  us,  that  pleas  are  taken  away.  Grace  be 
 with  you. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  E. 
 
 Aberdeen. 
 
 LETTER  XIII.— To  the  Right  Honourable  and  Christian  Lady, 
 my  Lady  Kenmure. 
 
 Madam, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  your  ladyship.  God 
 be  thanked  ye  are  yet  in  possession  of  Christ  and  that  sweet  child. 
 I  pray  God  the  former  may  be  sure  heritage,  and  the  latter  a  loan 
 for  your  comfort,  while  ye  do  good  to  His  poor,  afflicted,  withered 
 Mount  Zion  ;  and  who  knoweth  but  our  Lord  hath  comforts  laid  up 
 in  store  for  her  and  you  1  I  am  persuaded  Christ  hath  bought  you 
 by^  the  devil,  and  hell,  and  sin ;  that  they  have  no  claim  to  you ; 
 and  that  is  a  rich  and  invaluable  mercy.  Long  since  ye  were  half 
 challenging  death's  cold  kindness  in  being  so  slow  and  sweared^  to 
 come  and  loose  a  tired  prisoner;  but  ye  stand  in  need  of  all  the 
 crosses,  losses,  changes,  and  sad  hearts  that  befel  you  since  that 
 time.  Christ  knoweth  the  body  of  sin  unsubdued  will  take  them 
 all,  and  more.  We  know  that  Paul  had  need  of  the  devil's  service 
 to  buffet  him,  and  far  more  we.  But,  my  dear  and  honourable 
 lady,  spend  your  sand-glass  well.  I  am  sure  ye  have  law  to  raise 
 a  suspension  against  all  that  devils,  men,  friends,  worlds,  losses, 
 hell,  or  sin  can  decree  against  you.  It  is  good  your  crosses  will  but 
 convey  you  to  heaven's  gates.  In  can  they  not  go ;  the  gates  shall 
 be  closed  on  them  when  ye  shall  be  admitted  to  the  throne.  Time 
 standeth  not  still;  eternity  is  hard  at  our  door.  0,  what  is  laid  up 
 for  you !  therefore  harden  your  face  against  the  Avind,  and  the 
 Lamb,  your  Husband,  is  making  ready  for  you  :  the  Bridegroom 
 would  fain  have  that  day  as  gladly  as  your  honour  would  wish 
 to  have  it ;  He  hath  not  forgotten  you.  I  have  heard  a  rumour 
 of  the  prelates'  purpose  to  banish  me,  but  let  it  come  if  God  so 
 will;  the  other  side  of  the  sea  is  my  Father's  ground  as  well  as  this 
 side.  I  owe  bowing  to  God,  but  no  servile  bowing  to  crosses  ;  I 
 have  been  but  too  soft  in  that.  I  am  comforted  that  I  am  persuaded 
 fuUy  that  Christ  is  half  with  me  in  this  well-borne  and  honest 
 Cross,  and  if  He  claim  right  to  the  best  half  of  my  troubles  (as  I 
 know  He  doth  to  the  whole)  I  shall  remit  it  over  to  Christ  what  I 
 shall  do  in  this  case.  I  know  certainly  my  Lord  Jesus  will  not  mar 
 nor  spill  my  sufterings  ;  He  hath  use  for  them  in  His  house.     0, 
 
 ^  Past  or  away  from,  -  Reluctant. 
 
LETTER  XIV.  69 
 
 what  it  worketh  on  me  to  remember  that  a  stranger,  who  cometh 
 not  in  by  the  door,  shall  build  hay  and  stubble  upon  the  golden 
 foundation  I  laid  amongst  that  people  in  Anwoth !  but  I  know  Pro- 
 vidence looketh  not  asquint  but  looketh  straight  out,  and  through 
 all  men's  darkness.  0,  that  I  could  wait  upon  the  Lord  !  I  had 
 but  one  eye,  one  joy,  one  delight,  even  to  preach  Christ,  and  my 
 mother's  sons  were  angry  at  me,  and  have  put  out  the  poor  man's 
 one  eye ;  and  what  have  I  behind  1  I  am  sure  this  sour  world  hath 
 lost  my  heart  deservedly,  but  oh,  that  there  were  a  day's-man  to 
 lay  his  hand  upon  us  both,  and  determine  upon  my  part  of  it. 
 Alas  !  that  innocent  and  lovely  truth  should  be  sold  ;  my  tears  are 
 but  little  worth,  but  yet  for  this  thing  I  weep,  I  weep  :  Alas  !  that 
 my  fair  and  lovely  Lord  Jesus  should  be  miskent^  in  His  own  house ; 
 it  reckoneth  little  of  five  hundred  the  like  of  me.  Yet  the  water 
 goeth  not  over  faith's  breath,  yet  our  King  liveth.  I  write  the 
 prisoner's  blessings,  the  goodwill,  and  long  lasting  kindness,  with 
 the  comforts  of  the  very  God  of  peace  be  to  your  ladyship  and 
 to  your  sweet  child.     Grace,  grace  be  with  you. 
 
 Your  honour's,  at  all  obedience  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus, 
 
 S.  E. 
 
 Aberdeen,  Sept.  7,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  XIV.— To  tlie  much  Honoured  John  Gordon,  of 
 Cardoness,  Elder. 
 
 Much  Honoured  and  Dearest  in  my  Lord, — Grace,  mercy, 
 and  peace  be  to  you.  My  soul  longeth  exceedingly  to  hear  how 
 matters  go  betwixt  you  and  Christ,  and  whether  or  not  there  be 
 any  work  of  Christ  in  that  parish  that  Avill  bide  the  trial  of  fire 
 and  water.  Let  me  be  weighed  of  my  Lord  in  a  just  balance  if 
 your  souls  lie  not  weighty  upon  me ;  you  go  to  bed  and  you  rise 
 Avith  me ;  thoughts  of  your  soul  (my  dearest  in  our  Lord)  depart 
 not  from  me  in  my  sleep.  Ye  have  a  great  part  of  my  tears,  sighs, 
 supplications,  and  prayers.  0,  if  I  could  buy  your  soul's  salvation 
 with  any  suffering  whatsoever,  and  that  ye  and  I  might  meet  with 
 joy  up  in  the  rainbow,  when  we  shall  stand  before  our  Judge  !  0 
 my  Lord  forbid  I  have  any  hard  thing  to  depone  against  you  in 
 that  day !  0,  that  He  who  quickeneth  the  dead  would  give  life  to 
 my  sowing  among  you  !  What  joy  is  there  (next  to  Christ),  that 
 standeth  on  this  side  of  death  would  comfort  me  more  than  that 
 tlie  souls  of  that  poor  people  were  in  safety,  and  beyond  all  hazard 
 of  losing.  Sir,  show  the  people  this,  for  when  I  write  to  you  I  think 
 I  write  to  you  all,  old  and  young  ;  fulfil  my  joy  and  seek  the  Lord. 
 Sure  I  am,  once  I  discovered  my  lovely,  royal,  princely  Lord  Jesus 
 
 ^  Misrepresented. 
 
70  LETTER  XIV. 
 
 to  you  all,  woe,  woe,  woe,  shall  be  your  part  of  it  for  evermore  if 
 the  Gospel  be  not  the  savour  of  life  unto  life  to  you :  as  many 
 sermons  as  I  preached,  as  many  sentences  as  I  uttered,  as  many 
 points  of  dittayi  shall  they  be,  when  the  Lord  shall  plead  with  the 
 world  for  the  evil  of  their  doings.  Believe  me,  I  find  heaven  a  city 
 hard  to  be  won ;  the  righteous  will  scarcely  be  saved.  0,  what 
 violence  of  thronging  will  heaven  take !  Alas !  I  see  many  de- 
 ceiving themselves,  for  we  will  all  to  heaven  ;  now  every  foul  dog, 
 with  his  foul  feet,  will  in  at  the  nearest  to  the  new  and  clean 
 Jerusalem  :  all  say  they  have  faith,  and  the  greatest  part  in  the 
 world  know  not,  and  will  not  consider,  that  a  slip  in  the  matter 
 of  their  salvation  is  the  most  pitiful  slip  that  can  be ;  and  that 
 no  loss  is  comijarable  to  this  loss.  0,  then,  see  that  there  be  not 
 a  loose  pin  in  the  work  of  your  salvation  !  for  ye  will  not  believe 
 how  quickly  the  Judge  will  come ;  and  for  yourself,  I  know  that 
 death  is  waiting,  and  hovering,  and  lingering  at  God's  command, 
 that  ye  may  be  prepared.  Then  you  had  need  to  stir  your  time 
 and  to  take  eternity  and  death  to  your  riper  advisements  :  a  wrong 
 step  or  a  wrong  stot^  in  going  out  of  this  life,  in  one  property,^  is 
 like  the  sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  can  never  be  forgiven, 
 because  ye  cannot  come  back  again  through  the  last  water  to  mourn 
 for  it.  I  know  your  counts  are  many,  and  will  take  telling,  and 
 laying,  and  reckoning  betwixt  you  and  your  Lord ;  fit  your  count.' 
 and  order  them ;  lose  not  to  the  last  play,  whatever  ye  do ;  for  in 
 that  play  with  death,  your  precious  soul  is  the  prize  ;  for  the  Lord's 
 sake  spoil  not  the  play,  and  lose  not  such  a  treasure.  Ye  know 
 out  of  love  I  had  to  your  soul,  and  out  of  desire  I  had  to  make  an 
 honest  count  for  you,  I  testified  my  displeasure  and  disliking  of 
 your  ways  very  often,  botli  in  private  and  public.  I  am  not  now 
 a  witness  of  your  doings,  but  your  Judge  is  always  your  witness. 
 I  beseech  by  the  mercies  of  God,  by  the  salvation  of  your  soul,  by 
 your  comforts  when  your  eye-strings  shall  break,  and  the  face  wax 
 pale,  and  the  soul  shall  tremble  to  be  out  of  the  lodging  of  clay, 
 and  by  your  compearance  before  your  awful  Judge,  after  the  siglit 
 of  this  letter,  take  a  new  course  with  your  ways,  and  now  in  the 
 end  of  your  day,  make  sure  of  heaven  ;  examine  yourself  if  ye  be 
 in  good  earnest  in  Christ,  for  some  (Heb.  vi.  4)  are  partakers  of 
 the  Holy  Ghost,  and  taste  of  the  good  Word  of  God,  and  of  the 
 powers  of  the  life  to  come,  and  yet  have  no  part  in  Christ  at  all. 
 Many  think  they  believe,  but  never  tremble  :  the  devils  are  further 
 on  than  these.  Jam.  ii.  19.  Make  sure  to  yourself  that  ye  are 
 above  ordinary  professors.  The  sixth  part  of  your  span-length  and 
 hand-breadth  of  days  is  scarcely  before  you.  Haste,  haste,  for  the 
 tide  will  not  bide  !     Put  Christ  upon  all  your  accounts  and  your 
 
 '  Airaismment  or  accusation.  "^  Stagger.  '  Particular. 
 
LETTER  XIV.  71 
 
 secrets.  Better  it  is  that  ye  give  Him  your  counts  in  this  life,  out 
 of  your  own  hand,  than  that  after  this  life,  He  take  them  from  you. 
 I  never  knew  so  well  what  sin  was  as  since  I  came  to  Aberdeen; 
 howbeit  I  was  preaching  of  it  to  you.  To  feel  the  smoke  of  hell's 
 fire  in  the  throat  for  half  an  hour,  to  stand  beside  a  river  of  fire  and 
 brimstone  broader  than  the  earth,  and  to  think  to  be  bound  hand 
 and  foot,  and  cast  in  the  midst  of  it  quick,  and  then  to  have  God 
 locking  the  prison  door,  never  to  be  opened  for  all  eternity :  0, 
 how  will  it  shake  a  conscience  that  hath  any  life  in  it !  I  find  the 
 fruits  of  my  pains  to  have  Christ  and  that  people  once  fairly  met, 
 now  meeteth  my  soul  in  my  sad  hours,  and  1  rejoice  that  I  gave 
 fair  warning  of  all  the  corruptions  now  entering  in  Christ's  house, 
 and  now  many  a  sweet,  sweet,  soft  kiss,  many  perfumed,  well-smelled 
 kisses  and  embracements  have  I  received  of  my  royal  Master ;  He 
 and  I  have  had  much  love  together.  I  have  for  the  present  a 
 sick,  dwining  life,  with  much  pain,  and  much  love-sickness  for 
 Christ.  0,  what  I  would  give  to  have  a  bed  made  to  my  wearied 
 soul  in  His  bosom  !  I  would  frist^  heaven  for  many  years  to 
 have  my  fill  of  Jesus  in  this  life,  and  to  have  occasion  to  offer 
 Christ  to  my  people,  and  to  woo  many  people  to  Christ.  I  cannot 
 tell  you  what  sweet  pain  and  delightsome  torments  are  in  Christ's 
 love.  I  often  challenge  time  that  holdeth  us  sundry.  I  profess 
 to  you  I  have  no  rest.  I  have  no  ease,  while  ^  I  be  over  head  and 
 ears  in  love's  ocean.  If  Christ's  love  (that  fountain  of  delight)  were 
 laid  as  open  to  me  as  I  would  wish,  0,  how  would  I  drink,  and  drink 
 abundantly  !  0,  how  drunken  would  this  my  soul  be  !  I  half  call 
 His  absence  cruel,  and  the  mask  and  vail  on  Christ's  face  a  cruel 
 covering,  that  hideth  such  a  fair,  fair  face  from  a  sick  soul.  I  dare 
 not  challenge  Himself,  but  His  absence  is  a  mountain  of  iron  upon 
 my  heavy  heart.  0,  when  will  we  meet !  0,  how  long  is  it  to 
 the  dawning  of  the  marriage-day !  0,  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  take  wide 
 steps  !  0,  my  Lord,  come  over  mountains  at  one  stride  !  0,  my 
 Beloved,  flee  like  a  roe,  or  young  hart,  upon  the  mountains  of 
 separation  !  0,  if  He  would  fold  the  heavens  together  like  an  old 
 cloak,  and  shovel  time  and  days  out  of  the  way,  and  make  ready 
 in  haste  the  Lamb's  wife  for  her  Husband.  Since  He  looked  upon 
 me  my  heart  is  not  mine  own ;  He  hath  run  away  to  heaven  with 
 it.  I  know  it  was  not  for  nothing  that  I  spake  so  meikle^  good  of 
 Christ  to  you  in  public.  0,  if  the  heaven  and  the  heaven  of 
 heavens  were  paper,  and  the  sea  ink,  and  the  multitude  of  moun- 
 tains pens  of  brass,  and  I  were  able  to  write  that  paper,  within  and 
 without,  full  of  the  praises  of  my  fairest,  my  dearest,  my  loveliest, 
 my  sweetest,  my  matchless,  and  my  most  marrowless^  and  mar- 
 vellous Well-Beloved  !     Woe  is  me  T  cannot  set  Him  out  to  men 
 
 ■^  Postpone.  ^  Until.  ^  Muoh.  *  Incoinparahle. 
 
72  LETTER  XIV. 
 
 and  angels !  0,  there  are  few  tongues  to  sing  love-songs  of  His 
 incomparable  excellency !  what  can  I,  poor  prisoner,  do  to  exalt 
 Him?  or  what  course  can  I  take  to  extol  my  lofty  and  lovely  Lord 
 Jesus'?  I  am  put  to  my  wit's  end  how  to  get  His  name  made 
 great.  Blessed  they  who  would  help  me  in  this.  How  sweet  are 
 Christ's  back  parts  !  0,  what  then  is  in  His  face  !  These  that  see 
 His  face,  how  do  they  get  their  eye  plucked  off  Him  again  1  Look 
 up  to  Him  and  love  Him  !  0,  love  and  live  !  It  were  life  to  me  if 
 ye  would  read  this  letter  to  that  people,  and  if  they  did  profit  by  it. 
 0,  if  I  could  cause  them  to  die  of  love  for  Jesus  !  I  charge  them, 
 by  the  salvation  of  their  souls,  to  hang  about  Christ's  neck  and  take 
 their  fill  of  His  love,  and  follow  Him  as  I  taught  them.  Part  by 
 no  means  with  Christ ;  hold  fast  what  ye  have  received  ;  keep  the 
 truth  once  delivered.  If  ye  or  that  people  quit  it  in  an  hair,  or 
 in  an  hoof,  ye  break  your  conscience  in  twain  ;  and  who  then  can 
 mend  it,  and  cast  a  knot  on  it '?  My  dearest  in  the  Lord,  stand  fast 
 in  Christ,  keep  the  faith,  contend  for  Christ,  wrestle  for  Him  and 
 take  men's  feud  for  God's  favour  ;  there  is  no  comparison  betwixt 
 these.  0,  that  my  Lord  would  fulfil  my  joy,  and  keep  the  young 
 bride  to  Christ  that  is  at  Anwoth !  And  now  whoever  they  be 
 that  have  returned  to  the  old  vomit  since  my  departure,  I  bind 
 upon  their  back,  in  my  Master's  name  and  authority,  the  long-last- 
 ing weighty  vengeance  and  curse  of  God ;  in  my  Lord's  name  I  give 
 them  a  doom  of  black,  unmixed,  pure  wrath,  which  my  Master 
 shall  ratify  and  make  good  when  we  stand  together  before  Him, 
 except  they  timeously  repent  and  turn  to  the  Lord.  And  I  write 
 to  thee,  poor  mourning  and  broken  hearted  believer,  be  who  thou 
 ,vill,  of  the  free  salvation :  Christ's  sweet  balm  for  thy  wounds,  0, 
 poor  humble  believer;  Christ's  kisses  for  thy  watery  cheeks;  Christ's 
 blood  of  atonement  for  thy  guilty  soul ;  Christ's  heaven  for  thy 
 poor  soul,  though  once  banished  out  of  paradise ;  and  my  Master 
 shall  make  good  my  word  ere  long.  0,  that  people  were  Avise  ! 
 0,  that  people  were  wise  !  0,  that  people  would  spier^  out  Christ 
 and  never  rest  while ^  they  find  Him  !  0,  how  shall  my  soul  mourn 
 in  secret  if  my  nine-years'-pained  head,  and  sore  breast,  and  pained 
 back,  and  grieved  heart,  and  private  and  public  prayers  to  God, 
 shall  all  be  for  nothing  among  that  people  !  Did  my  Lord  Jesus 
 send  me  but  to  summon  you  before  your  Judge,  and  to  leave  your 
 summons  at  your  houses'?  was  I  sent  as  a  witness  only  to  gather 
 your  dittays?-^  0,  my  God  forbid!  often  did  I  tell  you  of  a  fan 
 of  God's  Word  to  come  among  you  for  the  contempt  of  it.  I  told 
 you  often  of  wrath,  wrath  from  the  Lord,  to  come  upon  Scotland, 
 and  yet  I  bide  by  my  Master's  word  ;  it  is  quickly  coming  ;  desola- 
 tion for  Scotland,  because  of  the  quarrel  of  a  broken  covenant.   Nov/, 
 
 1  Seek.  *  Until.  ^  Accusations. 
 
LETTEU  XV.  73 
 
 vvortliv  sir ;  now,  my  dear  people,  my  joy,  and  my  crown  in  the 
 Lord,  let  Him  be  your  fear;  seek  the  Lord  and  His  face ;  save  your 
 souls ;  doves,  flee  to  Christ's  window  ;  pray  for  me  and  praise  for 
 me.  The  blessing  of  my  God,  the  prayers  and  blessings  of  a  poor 
 prisoner  and  your  lawful  pastor,  be  upon  you. 
 
 Your  lawful  and  loving  pastor,  S.  R. 
 
 Aberdeen,  June  16,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  XV.— To  the  Right  Honourable  and  Christian  Lady, 
 my  Lady  Boyd. 
 
 Madam, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you,  from  God  our 
 Father,  and  from  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  I  cannot  but  thank 
 your  ladyship  for  your  letter  that  hath  refreshed  my  soul.  I  think 
 myself  many  ways  obliged  to  your  ladyship  for  your  love  to  my 
 afflicted  brother  now  embarked  with  me  in  that  same  cause  :  his 
 Lord  hath  been  pleased  to  put  him  upon  truth's  side.  I  hope 
 your  ladyship  will  befriend  him  with  your  counsel  and  counten- 
 ance in  that  country,  Avhere  he  is  a  stranger;  and  your  ladyship 
 needeth  not  fear  but  your  kindness  to  his  own  shall  be  put  up  in 
 Christ's  accounts.  Now,  madam,  for  your  ladyship's  case,  I  re- 
 joice exceedingly  that  the  Father  of  Lights  hath  made  you  see 
 that  theie  is  a  nick^  in  Christianity  which  ye  contend  to  be  at, 
 and  that  is,  to  quit  the  right  eye  and  the  right  hand,  and  to  keep 
 the  Son  of  God.  I  hope  your  desire  is  to  make  Him  your  gar- 
 land, and  your  eye  looketh  up  the  mount,  which  certainly  is  no- 
 thing but  the  new  creature :  fear  not,  Christ  will  not  cast  water 
 upon  your  smoking  coal,  and  then  who  else  dare  do  it  if  He  say 
 "Nay"?  Be  sorrow-  at  corruption  and  not  secure;  that  com- 
 panion lay  with  you  in  your  mother's  womb,  and  was  as  early 
 friends  with  you  as  the  breath  of  life,  and  Christ  will  not  have  it 
 otherwise  ;  for  He  delighteth  to  take  up  fallen  bairns  and  to  mend 
 broken  brows :  binding  up  of  wounds  is  His  office,  Isa.  Ixi.  First, 
 I  am  glad  Christ  will  get  employment  of  His  calling  in  you.  Many 
 a  whole  soul  is  in  heaven  which  was  sicker  than  ye  are :  He  is 
 content  ye  lay  broken  arms  and  legs  on  His  knee,  that  He  may 
 spelk^  them.  Secondly,  hiding  of  His  face  is  wise  love  ;  His  love 
 is  not  fond,  doting,  and  reasonless,  to  give  your  head  no  other 
 pillow  while  ^  ye  be  in  at  heaven's  gates,  but  to  lie  betwixt  His 
 breasts,  and  lean  upon  His  bosom  :  nay.  His  bairns  must  often 
 have  the  frosty,  cold  side  of  the  hill,  and  set  down  both  their  bare 
 feet  among  thorns  :  His  love  hath  eyes,  and  in  the  meantime  is 
 looking  on.     Our  pride  must  have  winter  weather  to  rot  it.    But  I 
 
 ^  Proiicrly  a  notch.      The  meanmg;  is,  that  there  is  a  high  standard  which 
 vou  strive  to  attain.  ^  Sorrowful.  ^  Bandaoje.  ■*  Till. 
 
74  LETTER  XVI. 
 
 know  Christ  and  ye  shall  not  be  heard :  ye  will  whisper  it  over  be- 
 twixt yourselves  and  agree  again,  for  the  auchor-tow  abideth  fast 
 within  the  vail ;  the  end  of  it  is  in  Clirist's  ten  fingers  ;  who  dare 
 pull  if  He  hold  1  "  I  the  Lord  thy  God  will  hold  thy  right  hand, 
 saying,  Fear  not,  I  will  help  thee,"  Isa.  xli.  13.  Fear  not,  Jacob. 
 The  sea-sick  passenger  shall  come  to  land ;  Christ  will  be  the  first 
 that  will  meet  you  on  the  shore.  I  hope  your  ladyship  will  keep  the 
 King's  highway ;  go  on  in  the  strength  of  the  Lord  in  haste,  as  if 
 ye  had  not  leisure  to  speak  to  the  inn-keepers  by  the  way  :  He  is 
 over  beyond  time  in  the  other  side  of  the  water  who  thinketh  long 
 for  you.  For  my  unfaithful  self,  madam,  I  must  say  a  word.  At 
 my  first  coming  hither,  the  devil  made  many  black  lies  of  my  Lord 
 Jesus,  and  said  the  court  was  changed,  and  He  was  angry  and 
 would  give  an  evil  servant  his  leave  at  mid-term  ;  but  He  give  me 
 grace  not  to  take  my  leave  :  I  resolve  to  bide  summons  and  sit : 
 howbeit  it  was  suggested  and  said,  What  should  be  done  with  a 
 withered  tree  but  over  the  dyke  with  it  1  But  now,  now  (I  dare 
 not,  I  do  not  keep  it  up),  who  is  feasted  as  His  poor  exiled  pri- 
 soner? I  think  shame  of  the  board-head,  and  the  first  mess,  and 
 the  royal  King's  dining-hall ;  and  that  my  black  hand  should  come 
 on  such  a  Ruler's  table.  But  I  cannot  mend  it,  Christ  must  have 
 His  will ;  only  He  paineth  my  soul  so,  sometimes  with  His  love, 
 that  I  have  been  nigh  to  pass  modesty,  and  to  cry  out.  He  hatli 
 left  a  smoking  burning  coal  in  my  heart,  and  gone  to  the  door 
 Himself,  and  left  me  and  it  together !  yet  it  is  not  desertion ;  I 
 know  not  what  it  is ;  but  I  was  never  so  sick  for  Him  as  now. 
 I  durst  not  challenge  mj^  Lord  if  I  got  no  more  for  heaven;  it  is 
 a  dauting  ^  cross.  I  know  He  hath  other  things  to  do  than  to 
 play  with  me,  and  trinle  ^  an  apple  with  me,  and  that  this  feast 
 will  end.  0,  for  instruments  in  God's  name,  that  this  is  He  !  and 
 that  I  may  make  use  of  it,  when  it  will  be  a  near  friend  within 
 me,  and  when  it  will  be  said  by  a  challenging  devil,  "  Where  is 
 my  God  1 "  Since  I  know  it  will  not  last,  I  desire  but  to  keep 
 broken  meat ;  but  let  no  man  after  me  slander  Christ  for  His 
 cross.  The  great  Lord  of  the  covenant  who  brought  from  the 
 dead  the  great  Shepherd  of  His  sheep  by  the  blood  of  the  eternal 
 covenant,  establish  you,  and  keep  you  and  yours  to  His  appear- 
 ance. Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 
 Aberdeen,  March  7,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  XVL— To  Mr.  Alexander  Henderson. 
 
 My  Reverend  and  Dear  Brother, — I  received  your  letters. 
 They  are  as  apples  of  gold  to  me ;  for  with  my  sweet  feasts  (and 
 
 1  Fondliiiff.  •-  KoU. 
 
Lettek  xvii.  ^5 
 
 they  are  above  the  deserving  of  such  a  sinner,  high  and  out  of 
 measure)  I  have  sadness  to  ballast  me  and  weight  me  a  little.  It 
 is  but  His  boundless  wisdom,  who  hath  taken  the  tutoring  of  His 
 witless  child ;  and  He  knoweth  to  be  drunken  with  comforts  is  not 
 safest  for  our  stomachs.  However  it  be,  the  din,  and  noise  and 
 glooms  of  Christ's  cross  are  w^eightier  than  itself.  I  protest  to 
 you  (my  witness  is  in  heaven)  I  could  wish  many  pounds'  weight 
 added  to  my  cross  to  know  that,  by  my  sufferings,  Christ  were  set 
 forward  in  His  kingly  office  in  this  land.  0,  what  is  my  skin  to 
 His  glory,  or  my  losses,  or  my  sad  heart,  to  the  apple  of  the  eye 
 of  our  Lord,  and  His  beloved  spouse.  His  precious  truth,  His  royal 
 privileges,  the  glory  of  manifested  justice  in  giving  of  His  foes  a 
 dash,  the  testimony  of  His  faithful  servants,  who  do  glorify  Him 
 when  he  rideth  upon  poor,  weak  worms,  and  triumpheth  in  them  ! 
 I  desire  you  to  pray  that  I  may  come  out  of  this  furnace  with 
 honesty,  and  that  1  may  leave  Christ's  truth  no  worse  than  I 
 found  it,  and  that  this  most  honourable  cause  may  neither  be 
 stained  nor  weakened.  As  for  your  case,  my  reverend  and  dearest 
 brother,  ye  are  the  talking  of  the  North  and  South ;  and  looked 
 to  so  as  if  you  were  all  crystal  glass  ;  your  motes  and  dust  should 
 soon  be  proclaimed,  and  trumpets  bloAvn  at  your  slips.  But  I 
 know  ye  have  laid  help  upon  One  that  is  mighty.  Entrust  not 
 your  comforts  to  men's  airy  and  frothy  applause,  neither  lay  your 
 down-castings  on  the  tongues  of  salt-mockers ^  and  reproachers  of 
 godliness. — "  As  deceivers  and  yet  true,  as  unknown  and  yet  well 
 known,"  God  hath  called  you  to  Christ's  side,  and  the  wind  is 
 now  in  Christ's  face  in  this  land ;  and  seeing  ye  are  with  Him,  ye 
 cannot  expect  the  lee-side,  or  the  sunny  side  of  the  brae !  but  I 
 know  ye  have  resolved  to  take  Christ  upon  any  terms  whatsoever. 
 I  hope  ye  do  not  rue,  though  your  cause  be  hated  and  that  preju- 
 dices are  taken  up  against  it.  The  shields  of  the  world  think  our 
 Master  cumbersome  wares ;  and  that  He  maketh  too  great  din, 
 and  that  His  cords  and  yokes  make  blains  and  deep  scores  in  their 
 neck  ;  therefore  they  kick  ;  they  say  this  man  shall  not  reign  over 
 us.  Let  us  pray  for  one  another.  He  who  hath  made  you  a  chosen 
 arrow  in  His  quiver,  hide  you  in  the  hollow  of  His  hand. 
 
 I  am  yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  E. 
 A.berdeen,  March  9,  1637.     
 
 LETTER  XVII.— To  the  Right  Honourable  my  Lord  Lowdon. 
 My  very  Noble  and  Honourable  Lord, — Grace,  mercy,  and 
 peace  be  to  you.     I  make  bold  to  write  to  your  lordship  that  you 
 may  know  the  honourable  cause  ye  are  graced  to  profess  is  Christ's 
 own  truth.     Ye  are  many  ways  blessed  of  God,  who  hath  taken 
 
 ^  Qu.  saint-mockers. 
 
76  LETTER  XVIII. 
 
 upon  you  to  come  out  to  the  streets  with  Christ  on  your  forehead, 
 when  so  many  are  ashamed  of  Him,  and  hide  Him  (as  it  were) 
 under  their  cloak,  as  if  He  were  a  stolen  Christ.  If  this  faithless 
 generation  (and  especially  the  nobles  of  this  kingdon)  thought  not 
 Christ  dear  wares,  and  religion  expensive,  hazardous,  and  danger- 
 ous, they  would  not  slip  from  His  cause  as  they  do,  and  stand 
 looking  on  with  their  hands  folded  behind  their  back,  when  lowns  ^ 
 are  running  away  with  the  spoil  of  Zion  on  their  back  and  the 
 boards  of  the  Son  of  God's  tabernacle.  Law  and  justice  are  to  be 
 had  to  any,  especially  for  money  and  moyen  ;*  but  Christ  can  get 
 no  law — good,  cheap,  nor  dear.  It  were  the  glory  and  honour  of 
 you,  who  are  the  nobles  of  this  land,  to  plead  for  your  wronged 
 Bridegroom  and  His  oppressed  spouse,  as  far  as  zeal  and  standing 
 law  will  go  with  you.  Your  ordinary  logic,  from  the  event  that  it 
 will  do  no  good  to  the  cause  (and  therefore  silence  is  best,  till  the 
 Lord  put  to  His  own  hand),  is  not  (with  reverence  of  our  lord- 
 ship's learning)  worth  a  straw.  Events  are  God's.  Let  us  do, 
 and  not  plead  against  God's  office ;  let  Him  sit  at  His  own  helm 
 who  moderateth  all  events.  It  is  not  a  good  course  to  complain 
 that  we  cannot  get  a  providence  of  gold,  when  our  laziness,  cold 
 zeal,  temporising  and  faithless  fearfulness,  spilletli  good  provi- 
 dence. Your  lordship  will  pardon  me;  I  am  not  of  that  mind 
 that  tumults  or  arms  is  the  way  to  put  Christ  on  His  throne,  or 
 that  Christ  will  be  served  and  truth  vindicated  only  with  the 
 arms  of  flesh  and  blood ;  nay,  Christ  doth  His  turn  with  less  din 
 than  with  garments  rolled  in  blood.  But  I  would  the  zeal  of  God 
 were  in  the  nobles  to  do  their  part  for  Christ,  and  I  must  be  par- 
 doned to  write  to  your  lordship  this  I  do^  not,  I  dare  not  but 
 speak  to  others  what  God  hath  clone  to  the  soul  of  His  poor, 
 afflicted,  exiled  prisoner.  His  comfort  is  more  than  I  ever  knew 
 before  ;  He  hath  sealed  the  honourable  cause  I  now  suffer  for,  and 
 I  shall  not  believe  that  Chist  will  put  His  "  Amen  "  and  ring  upon 
 an  imagination.  He  hath  made  all  His  promises  good  to  me,  and 
 hath  filled  up  all  the  blanks  with  His  own  hand.  I  would  not 
 exchange  my  bonds  with  the  plastered  joy  of  this  whole  world.  It 
 hath  pleased  Him  to  make  a  sinner  the  like  of  me  an  ordinary 
 banqueter  in  His  house  of  wine  with  that  royal  princely  One, 
 Christ  Jesus.  0,  Avhat  weighing  '  0,  what  telling  is  in  His  love  ! 
 how  sweet  must  He  be,  when  that  black  and  burdensome  tree. 
 His  own  cross,  is  so  perfumed  with  joy  and  gladness  !  0,  for  help 
 to  lift  Him  up  by  praises  on  His  royal  throne  !  I  speak  no  more 
 but  that  His  name  may  be  spread  abroad  in  me,  that  meikle  "* 
 good  may  be  spoken  of  Christ  on  my  behalf ;  this  being  done,  my 
 losses,  place,  stipend,  credit,  ease,  and  libert}^  shall  all  l>e  nuide 
 ^Knaves.  'Advocacy,  ^  Can  *Mucb. 
 
LETTER  XVIII.  77 
 
 up  to  my  full  contentment  and  joy  of  heart.  I  will  be  confident 
 your  lordship  will  go  on  in  the  strength  of  the  Lord,  and  keej) 
 Christ  and  avouch  Him,  that  He  may  read  your  name  publicly 
 before  men  and  angels.  I  will  entreat  your  lordship  to  exhort 
 and  encourage  that  nobleman,  your  chief,  to  do  the  same.  But  I 
 am  woe  ^  many  of  you  find  a  new  wisdom,  which  deserveth  not 
 such  a  name ;  it  were  better  that  men  should  see  that  their  wis- 
 dom be  holy,  and  their  holiness  wise.  I  must  be  bold  to  desire 
 your  lordship  to  add  to  your  former  favours  to  me  (for  the  which 
 your  lordship  hath  a  prisoner's  blessing  and  prayers)  this,  that  ye 
 would  be  pleased  to  befriend  my  brother,  now  suffering  for  the 
 same  cause,  for  he  is  to  dwell  nigh  your  lordship's  bounds  :  your 
 lordship's  word  and  countenance  may  help  him.  Thus  recom- 
 mending your  lordship  to  the  saving  grace  and  tender  mercy  of 
 Christ  Jesus  our  Lord,  I  rest, 
 
 Your  lordship's  obliged  servant  in  Christ,         S.  R. 
 Al)erdeen,  March  9,  1637. 
 
 LETTEE  XVin.— To  Mr.  William  Dalglish,  Minister  of  the 
 
 Gospel. 
 
 Reverend  and  Dear  Brother, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be 
 to  you.  I  am  well.  My  Lord  is  kinder  to  me  than  ever  He  was. 
 It  pleaseth  Him  to  dine  and  sup  with  his  afflicted  prisoner ;  a  king 
 feasteth  me,  and  His  spikenard  casteth  a  sweet  smell.  Put  Christ's 
 love  to  the  trial  and  put  upon  it  burdens,  and  then  it  will  appear 
 love  indeed.  We  employ  not  His  love,  and  therefore  we  know  it 
 not.  I  verily  count  more  of  the  sufferings  of  my  Lord  than  of  this 
 world's  lustred  and  over-gilded  glory.  I  dare  not  say  but  my  Lord 
 Jesus  hath  fully  recompensed  my  sadness  with  His  joys,  my  losses 
 with  His  own  presence.  I  find  it  a  sweet  and  rich  thing  to  ex- 
 change my  sorrows  with  Christ's  joys,  my  afflictions  with  that 
 sweet  peace  I  have  with  Himself.  Brother,  this  is  His  own  truth 
 I  now  suffer  for.  He  hath  sealed  my  sufferings  with  His  own  com- 
 forts, and  I  know  He  will  not  put  His  seal  upon  blank  paper ;  His 
 seals  are  not  dumb  nor  delusive,  to  confirm  imaginations  and  lies. 
 Go  on,  my  dear  brother,  in  the  strength  of  the  Lord,  not  fearing 
 man  that  is  a  worm,  or  the  son  of  man  that  will  die.  Providence 
 hath  a  thousand  keys  to  open  a  thousand  sundry  doors  for  the 
 deliverance  of  His  own,  when  it  is  even  come  to  a  condamatum  est. 
 Let  us  be  faithful  and  care  for  our  own  part,  which  is  to  do  and 
 suffer  for  Him,  and  lay  Christ's  part  on  Himself,  and  leave  it  there  ; 
 duties  are  ours,  events  are  the  Lord's.  When  our  faith  goeth  to 
 meddle  with  events,  and  to  hold  a  court  (if  I  may  so  speak)  upon 
 
 ^  Sorrowful. 
 
78  LETTER  XIX, 
 
 God's  providence,  and  beginneth  to  say,  how  wilt  tliou  do  this  and 
 that  1  we  lose  ground  :  we  have  nothing  to  do  there  :  it  is  our  part 
 to  let  the  Almighty  exercise  His  own  office,  and  stir  ^  His  own 
 helm ;  there  is  nothing  left  to  us  but  to  see  how  we  may  be  ap- 
 proved of  Him,  and  how  we  may  roll  the  weight  of  our  weak 
 souls  (in  well-doing)  upon  Him  who  is  God  Omnipotent;  and 
 when  what  we  thus  essay  miscai'rieth,  it  shall  neither  be  our  sin 
 nor  cross.  Brother,  remember  the  Lord's  word  to  Peter,  "  Simon, 
 lovest  thou  me  1  Feed  my  sheep :  "  no  greater  testimony  of  our 
 love  to  Christ  can  be  than  to  feed  painfully  and  faithfully  His 
 lambs.  I  am  in  no  better  neighbourhood  with  the  ministers  here 
 than  before ;  they  cannot  endure  that  any  speak  of  me,  or  to  me ; 
 thus  I  am  in  the  meantime  silent  (which  is  my  greatest  grief). 
 Dr  Barron  hath  often  disputed  with  me,  especially  about  Arminian 
 controversies,  and  for  the  ceremonies  ;  three  yokings  "  laid  him  by, 
 and  I  have  not  been  troubled  with  him  since :  now  he  hath  ap- 
 pointed a  dispute  before  witnesses ;  I  trust  Christ  and  truth  shall 
 do  for  themselves.  I  hope,  brother,  ye  will  help  my  people,  and 
 write  to  me  what  ye  hear  the  bishop  is  to  do  to  them.  Grace  be 
 with  you. 
 
 Your  brother  in  bonds,         S.  R. 
 Aberdeen,  June  16,  1637.        
 
 LETTER  XIX.— To  Mr.  Hugh  M'Kaill,  Minister  of  the 
 Gospel. 
 
 Reverend  and  Dear  Brother, — I  bless  you  for  your  letter. 
 He  is  come  down  as  rain  upon  the  mown  grass  ;  He  hath  revived 
 my  withered  root,  and  He  is  as  the  dew  of  herbs.  1  am  most 
 secure  in  this  prison  ;  salvation  is  for  walls  in  it,  and  what  think 
 ye  of  these  walls  1  He  maketh  the  dry  plant  to  bud  as  the  lily, 
 and  to  blossom  as  Lebanon :  the  great  Husbandman's  blessing 
 cometh  down  upon  the  plants  of  righteousness  :  who  may  say  this 
 (my  dear  brother),  if  I,  His  poor  exiled  stranger  and  prisoner,  may 
 not  say  it  1  Howbeit  all  the  world  should  be  silent,  I  cannot  hold 
 my  peace.  0,  how  many  black  counts  hath  Christ  and  I  rounded 
 over  together  in  the  house  of  my  pilgrimage  !  and  how  fat  a  por- 
 tion hath  He  given  to  a  hungry  soul !  I  had  rather  have  Christ's 
 four-hours  ^  than  have  dinner  and  supper  both  in  one  from  any 
 other :  His  dealing  and  the  way  of  His  judgments  pass  finding 
 out.  No  preaching,  no  book,  no  learning  could  give  me  that  which 
 T  behoved  to  come  and  get  in  this  town.  But  what  of  all  this,  if 
 I  were  not  misted,*  confounded,  and  astonished  how  to  be  thankful 
 
 -  Steer.  "  Encounters. 
 
 ^  A  slight  refreshment  taken  between  dinner  and  supper. 
 *  Bewildered. 
 
LETTER  XX.  79 
 
 and  how  to  get  Him  praised  for  evermore  1  And  what  is  more. 
 He  hath  been  pleased  to  pain  me  with  His  love,  and  my  pain 
 groweth  through  want  of  real  possession.  Some  have  written  to 
 me  that  I  am  possibly  too  joyful  of  the  cross,  but  my  joy  over- 
 leapeth  the  cross,  it  is  bounded  and  terminate  upon  Christ.  I 
 know  the  sun  vv'ill  overcloud  and  eclipse,  and  I  shall  again  be  put 
 to  walk  in  the  shadow  ;  but  Christ  must  be  welcome  to  come  and 
 go  as  He  thinketh  meet :  yet  He  would  be  more  welcome  to  me,  I 
 trow,  to  come  than  go ;  and  I  hope  He  pitieth  and  pardoneth  me, 
 in  casting  apples  to  me  at  such  a  fainting  time  as  this ;  holy  and 
 blessed  is  His  name.  It  was  not  my  flattering  of  Christ  that  drew 
 a  kiss  from  His  mouth  ;  but  He  would  send  me  as  a  spy  into  this 
 wilderness  of  sufi"ering,  to  see  the  land  and  to  try  the  ford  ;  and  I 
 cannot  make  a  lie  of  Clirist's  cross  ;  I  can  report  nothing  but  good 
 both  of  Him  and  it,  lest  others  should  faint.  I  hope  when  a  change 
 Cometh,  to  cast  anchor  at  midnight  upon  the  rock  (which  He  hath 
 taught  me  to  know  in  this  daylight),  whither  I  may  run  when  I 
 must  say  my  lesson  without  book,  and  believe  in  the  dark.  I 
 am  sure  it  is  sin  to  tarrow  ^  of  Christ's  good  meat,  and  not  to  eat 
 when  He  saith,  "  Eat,  0  well-beloved,  and  drink  abundantly."  If 
 He  bear  me  on  His  back  or  carry  me  in  His  arms  over  this  water, 
 I  hope  for  grace  to  set  down  both  my  feet  on  dry  ground  when 
 the  way  is  better,  but  this  is  slippery  ground.  My  Lord  thought 
 ^ood  I  should  go  by  an  hold,  and  lean  on  my  Well-Beloved's 
 shoulder :  it  is  good  to  be  ever  taking  from  Him.  I  desire  He 
 may  get  the  fruit  of  praises  for  dauting  -  and  thus  dandling  me 
 upon  His  knee  :  and  1  may  give  my  bond  of  thankfulness,  so  being 
 I  have  Christ's  back-bond  again  for  my  relief,  that  I  shall  be 
 strengthened  by  His  powerful  grace  to  pay  my  vows  to  Him.  But, 
 truly,  I  find  we  have  the  advantage  of  the  brae  upon  our  enemies  : 
 we  are  more  than  conquerors  through  Him  who  hath  loved  us ; 
 and  they  know  not  wherein  our  strength  lieth.  Pray  for  me ;  grace 
 be  with  you. 
 
 Your  brother  in  Christ,         S.  R. 
 Aberdeen. 
 
 LETTER  XX.— To  my  Lady  Boyd. 
 
 Madam, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  unto  you.  The  Lord 
 hath  brought  me  to  Aberdeen,  where  I  see  God  in  few.  This 
 town  hath  been  advised  upon  of  purpose  for  me  :  it  consisteth 
 either  of  Papists  or  men  of  Gallio's  naughty  faith  ;  it  is  counted 
 Avisdom  in  the  most  not  to  countenance  a  confined  minister,  but 
 1  find  Christ  neither  strange  nor  unkind  ;  for  I  have  found  many 
 
 ^  Be  sparing  of.  ^  Fondling. 
 
80  LETTER  XX. 
 
 faces  smile  upon  me  since  I  came  hither.  I  am  heavy  and  sad, 
 considering  what  is  betwixt  the  Lord  and  my  soul,  wliich  none 
 seeth  but  He.  I  find  men  have  mistaken  me  ;  it  would  be  no  art 
 (as  I  now  see)  to  spin  small  and  make  hypocrisy  seem  a  goodly 
 Aveb,  and  to  go  through  the  market  as  a  saint  among  men,  and  yet 
 steal  quietly  to  hell  without  observation ;  so  easy  is  it  to  deceive 
 men.  I  have  disputed  whether  or  no  I  ever  knew  anything  of 
 Christianity,  save  the  letters  of  that  name ;  men  see  but  as  men, 
 and  they  call  ten,  twenty  ;  and  twenty,  an  hundred ;  but  0  !  to 
 be  approved  of  God  in  the  heart  and  in  sincerity,  is  not  an 
 ordinary  mercy :  my  neglects  while  I  had  a  pulpit,  and  other 
 things  whereof  I  am  ashamed  to  speak,  meet  me  now,  so  as  God 
 maketh  an  honest  cross  my  daily  sorrow  ;  and,  for  fear  of  scandal 
 and  stumbling,  I  must  hide  this  day  of  the  law's  pleading ;  I 
 know  not  if  this  court  kept  within  my  soul  be  fenced  in  Christ's 
 name.  If  certainty  of  salvation  were  to  be  bought,  God  knoweth, 
 if  I  had  ten  earths  I  would  not  prig  ^  with  God,  like  a  fool.  I 
 believed,  under  suffering  for  Christ,  that  I  myself  should  keep  the 
 key  of  Christ's  treasures,  and  take  out  comforts  when  I  listed 
 and  eat,  and  be  fat ;  but  I  see  now  a  sufferer  for  Christ  will  be 
 made  to  know  himself,  and  will  be  holden  at  the  door,  as  well  as 
 another  poor  sinner ;  and  will  be  fain  to  eat  with  the  bairns,  and 
 to  take  the  by-board,"  and  glad  so :  my  blessing  on  the  Cross  of 
 Christ,  that  hath  made  me  see  this.  0,  if  we  could  take  pains  foi 
 the  kingdom  of  heaven !  but  we  sit  down  upon  some  ordinary 
 marks  of  God's  children,  thinking  we  have  as  much  as  will  separate 
 us  from  a  reprobate,  and  thereupon  we  take  the  play,  and  cry 
 holiday  :  and  thus  the  devil  casteth  water  on  our  fire,  and  blunteth 
 our  zeal  and  care  ;  but  I  see  heaven  is  not  at  the  next  door  :  and 
 I  see,  howbeit  my  challenges  be  many,  I  suffer  for  Christ,  and 
 dare  hazard  my  salvation  upon  it ;  for  sometimes  my  Lord  cometh 
 with  a  fair  hour,  and  0,  but  His  love  be  sweet,  delightful,  and 
 comfortable  !  Half  a  kiss  is  sweet,  but  our  doting  love  will  not 
 be  content  of  a  right  to  Christ  unless  we  get  possession ;  like  the 
 man  who  will  not  be  content  of  rights  to  bought  land,  except  he 
 get  also  the  ridges  and  acres  laid  upon  his  back,  to  carry  home 
 with  him.  However  it  be,  Christ  is  wise  ;  and  we  are  fools  to  be 
 browden^  and  fond  of  a  pawn  in  the  loof"^  of  our  hand:  living 
 on  trust  by  faith  may  well  content  us.  Madam,  I  know  your 
 ladyship  knoweth  this,  and  that  made  me  bold  to  write  of  it,  that 
 others  might  reap  somewhat  by  my  bonds  for  the  truth ;  for  I 
 should  desire,  and  1  aim  at  this,  to  have  my  Lord  well  spoken  of 
 and  honoured,  howbeit  He  should  make  nothing  of  me,  but  a 
 bridge  over  a  water.     Thus  recommending  your  ladyship,  your 
 
 ^  Chaffer.  -  Side-table.  ^  Desirous.  •*  Palm. 
 
LETTER  XXL  81 
 
 son,  and  children  to  His  grace,  who  hath  honoured  you  with  a 
 name  and  room  among  the  living  in  Jerusalem,  and  wishing  grace, 
 to  be  with  your  ladyship,  I  rest. 
 
 Your  ladyship's,  in  his  sweetest  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 
 Aberdeen. 
 
 LETTER  XXL— To  Mr.  David  Dickson. 
 
 Reverend  and  Dear  Brother, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace 
 be  unto  you.  I  find  great  men,  especially  old  friends,  scar  ^  to 
 S]ieak  for  me ;  but  my  kingly  and  royal  Master  biddeth  me  try 
 His  moyen  ^  to  the  uttermost,  and  I  shall  find  a  friend  at  hand  ;  I 
 still  depend  on  Him  ;  His  court  is  as  before  ;  the  prisoner  is  wel- 
 come to  Him ;  the  black  crabbed  bed-tree  of  my  Lord's  cross  hath 
 made  Christ  and  my  soul  very  entire;^  He  is  my  song  in  the  night. 
 I  am  often  laid  in  the  dust  with  challenges  and  apprehensions  of 
 His  anger,  and  then,  if  a  mountain  of  iron  were  laid  upon  me,  I 
 cannot  be  heavier ;  and  with  much  wrestling  I  win  in  to  the  king's 
 house  of  wine,  and  for  the  most  part  my  life  is  joy,  and  such  joy 
 through  His  comforts  as  I  have  been  afraid  to  shame  myself,  and 
 to  cry  out,  for  I  can  scarce  bear  what  I  get :  Christ  giveth  me  a 
 measure  heaped  up,  pressed  down,  and  running  over  :  and  believe 
 it.  His  love  paineth  me  more  than  prison  and  banishment.  I 
 cannot  get  a  gate  of  Christ's  love  :  had  I  known  what  He  was 
 keeping  for  me,  I  would  never  have  been  so  faint-hearted.  In 
 my  heaviest  times,  when  all  is  lost,  the  memory  of  His  love  maketh 
 me  think  Christ's  glooms  are  but  for  the  fashion ;  I  seek  no  more 
 but  a  vent  to  my  wine  :  I  am  smothered  and  ready  to  burst  for 
 want  of  a  vent.  Think  not  much  of  persecution  :  it  is  before  you, 
 but  it  is  not  as  men  conceive  of  it.  My  sugared  cross  forceth  me 
 to  say  this  to  you.  Ye  shall  have  wailed  *  meat,  the  sick  bairn  is 
 oftentimes  the  spilt  ^  bairn  ;  ye  shall  command  all  the  house.  I 
 hope  ye  help  a  tired  prisoner  to  pray  and  praise ;  had  I  but  the 
 annual  of  annual  to  give  to  my  Lord  Jesus,  it  should  ease  my 
 pain ;  but,  alas  !  I  have  nothing  to  pay ;  He  will  get  nothing  of 
 poor  me ;  but  I  am  woe  ^  I  have  not  room  enough  in  my  heart  for 
 such  a  stranger.  I  am  not  cast  down  to  go  further  north.  I  have 
 good  cause  to  wo"rk  for  my  Master,  for  I  am  well  paid  before  hand ; 
 I  am  not  behind,  howbeit  I  should  not  get  one  smile  more  till  my 
 feet  be  up  within  the  King's  dining-hall.  I  have  gone  through 
 yours  upon  the  covenant ;  it  hath  edified  my  soul  and  refreshed 
 an  hungry  man  :  I  judge  it  sharp,  sweet,  quick,  and  profound. 
 Take  me  at  my  word,  I  fear  it  get  no  lodging  in  Scotland.  The 
 brethren  of  Ireland  write  not  to  me  ;  chide  with  them  for  that,  I 
 
 ^  A.fraid.  ^  Advocacy.  •*  Intimate. 
 
 *  Choice.  ^  Spoilt.  ''  Sorry. 
 
82  LETTER  XXII. 
 
 am  sure  that  I  may  give  you  and  them  a  commisbiou  (and  I  will 
 bide  by  it)  that  you  tell  my  beloved  I  am  sick  of  love.  I  hope  in 
 God  to  leave  some  of  my  rust  and  superfluities  in  Aberdeen  :  I 
 cannot  get  an  house  in  this  town  wherein  to  leave  drink-silver  in 
 my  Master's  name,  save  one  only.  There  is  no  sale  for  Christ  in 
 the  North  :  He  is  like  to  lie  long  on  my  hand  ere  any  accept  Him. 
 Grace  be  with  you. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  E. 
 
 Aberdeen. 
 
 LETTER  XXn.— To  Mr.  Matthew  Mowat. 
 
 Reverend  and  Dear  Brother, — I  am  a  very  far  mistaken 
 man.  If  others  knew  how  poor  my  stock  were  they  would  not 
 think  upon  the  like  of  me  but  with  compassion  ;  for  I  am  as  one 
 kept  under  a  strict  tutor,  I  would  have  more  than  my  tutor 
 alloweth  upon  me,  but  it  is  good  that  a  bairn's  wit  is  not  the  rule 
 which  regulateth  my  Lord  Jesus;  let  Him  give  what  He  will,. it 
 shall  aye  be  above  merit,  and  my  ability  to  gain  therewith.  I 
 would  not  wish  a  better  stock  (while  ^  heaven  be  my  stock)  than 
 to  live  upon  credit  at  Christ's  hands,  daily  borrowing ;  surely 
 running-over  love,  that  vast,  huge,  boundless  love  of  Christ  (that 
 thei'e  is  telling  in  for  man  and  angel)  is  the  only  thing  I  fain  est 
 would  be  in  hands  with.  He  knoweth  I  have  little  but  the  love 
 of  that  love,  and  that  I  shall  be  happy,  suppose  I  never  get 
 another  heaven,  but  only  an  eternal  lasting  feast  of  that  love  ;  but 
 sujDpose  my  wishes  were  poor,  He  is  not  poor ;  Christ,  all  the 
 seasons  of  the  year,  is  dropping  sweetness  ;  if  I  had  vessels  I  might 
 fill  them,  but  my  old  riven,  holey,  and  running-out  dish,  even  when 
 I  am  at  the  well,  can  bring  little  away.  Nothing  but  glory  will 
 make  tight  and  fast  our  leaking  and  rifty  vessels.  Alas  !  I  have 
 scailed^  more  of  Christ's  grace,  love,  faith,  humility,  and  godly 
 sorrow,  than  I  have  brought  with  me.  How  little  of  the  sea  can 
 a  child  carry  in  his  hand  ;  as  little  dow^  I  take  away  of  my  great  sea, 
 my  boundless  and  running-over  Christ  Jesus.  I  have  not  lighted 
 upon  the  right  gate*  of  putting  Christ  to  the  bank,  and  making 
 myself  rich  with  Him ;  my  misguiding  and  childish  trafficking 
 with  that  matchless  Pearl,  that  heaven's  Jewel,  the  Jewel  of  the 
 Father's  delights,  hath  put  me  to  a  great  loss.  0,  that  He  would 
 take  a  loan  of  me  and  my  stock ;  and  put  His  name  in  all  my 
 bonds,  and  serve  Himself  heir  to  the  poor  mean  portion  I  have, 
 and  be  countable  for  the  talent  Himself.  Gladly  would  I  put 
 Christ  in  my  room  to  guide  all,  and  let  me  be  but  a  servant  to  run 
 errands,  and  do  by  His  direction;  let  me  be  His  interdicted  heir. 
 
 'Till.  5  Spilt.  3  Can.  •'^[ethod. 
 
LETTER  XXII.  bo 
 
 Lord  Jesus,  work  upon  my  minority,  and  let  Him  win  a  pupil's 
 blessing.  0,  how  would  I  rejoice  to  have  this  work  of  my  salva- 
 tion legally  fastened  upon  Christ !  A  back-bond  of  my  Lord  Jesus 
 that  it  should  be  forthcoming  to  the  orphan  should  be  my  happi- 
 ness ;  dependency  on  Christ  were  my  surest  way  :  if  Christ  were 
 my  bottom  I  were  sure  enough.  I  thought  guiding  of  grace  had 
 been  no  art,  I  thought  it  would  come  of  will,  but  I  would  spilU 
 my  own  heaven  yet  if  I  had  not  burdened  Christ  with  all ;  I  but 
 lend  my  bare  name  to  the  sweet  covenant.  Christ  behind  and 
 before,  and  on  either  side,  maketh  all  sure ;  God  will  not  take  an 
 Arminian  cautioner  free-will,  a  weathercock  turning  at  a  serpent's 
 tongue,  a  tutor  that  couped^  our  father  Adam  unto  us,  and  brought 
 down  the  house,  and  sold  the  land,  and  sent  the  father  and  mother 
 and  all  the  bairns  through  the  earth  to  beg  their  bread.  Nature, 
 in  the  Gospel,  hath  cracked  ci'edit.  0,  well  to  my  poor  soul  for 
 evermore  that  my  Lord  called  grace  to  the  counsel,  and  put  Christ 
 Jesus,  with  free  merits,  and  the  blood  of  God,  foremost  in  the 
 chase,  to  draw  sinners  after  a  ransomer  !  0,  what  a  sweet  block  ^ 
 was  it,  by  .way  of  buying  and  selling,  to  give  and  tell  down  a 
 ransom  for  grace  and  glory  to  dyvours!*  0,  would  to  my  Lord 
 I  could  cause  paper  and  ink  speak  the  worth  and  excellency,  the 
 high  and  loud  praises  of  a  brother-ransomer !  0,  the  Ransomer 
 needs  not  my  report !  but  if  He  would  take  it  and  make  use  of  it ! 
 I  should  be  happy  if  I  had  an  errand  to  this  world  but  for  some 
 f(iw  years  to  spread  proclamations,  and  out-cries,  and  love-letters, 
 of  the  highness  (the  highness  for  evermore  !)  the  glory  (the  glory 
 for  evermore  !)  of  the  Eansomer,  whose  clothes  were  wet,  and 
 dyed  in  blood ;  howbeit  that  after  I  had  done  that,  my  soul  and 
 body  should  go  back  to  the  mother  "  Nothing,"  that  their  Creator 
 brought  them  once  out  from,  as  from  their  beginning.  But  why 
 should  I  pine  away,  and  pain  myself  with  wishes  ?  and  not  believe 
 rather  that  Christ  Avill  hire  such  an  outcast  as  I  am,  a  masterless 
 body,  put  out  of  the  house  by  the  sons  of  my  mother,  and  give  me 
 employment  and  a  calling,  one  way  or  other,  to  out^  Christ  and 
 His  wares,  to  country  buyers,  and  propose  Christ  unto,  and  press- 
 Him  upon,  some  poor  souls,  that  fainer  than  their  life  would 
 receive  Himi  You  complain  heavily  of  your  short-coming  in 
 practice,  and  venturing  on  suffering  for  Christ ;  you  have  many 
 marrows.*'  For  the  first,  I  would  not  put  you  off  sense  of  wretch- 
 edness ;  hold  on,  Christ  never  yet  slew  a  sighing,  groaning  cliild  ; 
 more  of  that  would  make  you  v/on  goods,  and  a  meet  prey  for  Christ. 
 Alas !  I  have  too  little  of  it.  For  venturing  on  suffering,  I  had  not 
 so  much  free  gear ''  when  I  came  to  Christ's  camp  as  to  buy  a  sword . 
 
 ^  Spoil.  -Overtlirew.  'Bargain.  *  Debtor?. 
 
 ^  Dispose  of.      ®  Mates,  '  PossessioDs. 
 
84  LETTER  XXIII. 
 
 r  wonder  that  Christ  should  not  Laugh  at  such  a  soldier;  I  am  no 
 better  yet,  but  faitli  liveth  and  spendeth  upon  our  Captain's  charges, 
 who  is  able  to  pay  for  all.  We  need  not  pity  Him,  He  is  rich 
 enough.  Ye  desire  me  also  not  to  mistake  Christ  under  a  mask  ; 
 I  bless  you,  and  thank  God  for  it :  but,  alas  !  masked  or  barefaced, 
 kissing  or  glooming,  I  mistake  Him  :  yea,  I  mistake  Him  furthest 
 when  the  mask  is  off,  for  then  I  play  me  with  His  sweetness  ;  I  am 
 like  a  child  that  hath  a  golden  book,  that  playeth  more  with  the 
 ribbons,  and  the  gilding,  and  the  picture  in  the  first  page,  than 
 readeth  the  contents  of  it.  Certainly,  if  my  desires  to  my  Well- 
 Beloved  were  fulfilled,  I  could  provoke  devils,  and  crosses,  and 
 the  world,  and  temptations  to  the  field  ;  but,  oh  !  my  poor  weak- 
 ness makes  me  lie  behind  the  bush  and  hide  me.  Remember  my 
 service  and  my  blessing  to  my  lord  ;  I  am  mindful  of  him  as  I  am 
 able.  Desire  him  from  a  prisoner,  to  come  and  visit  my  good 
 Master,  and  feel  Init  the  smell  of  His  love.  It  sets^  him  well,  how- 
 beit  he  be  young,  to  make  Christ  his  garland.  I  could  not  wish 
 him  in  a  better  case  than  in  a  fever  of  love-sickness  for  Christ. 
 Remember  my  bonds.     The  Lord  Jesus  be  with  your  .spirit. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 
 
 Aberdeen,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  XXIIL— To  William  Halliday. 
 
 Loving  Friend, — I  received  your  letter.  I  wish  ye  take  pains 
 for  salvation :  mistaken  grace,  and  somewhat  like  conversion,  which 
 is  not  conversion,  is  the  saddest  and  most  doleful  thing  in  the 
 world  :  make  sure  of  salvation,  and  lay  the  foundation  sure,  for 
 many  are  beguiled.  Put  a  low  price  upon  world's  clay ;  put  a 
 high  price  upon  Christ.  Temptations  will  come,  but  if  they  be 
 not  made  welcome  by  you  ye  have  the  best  of  it ;  be  jealous  over 
 yourself,  and  your  own  heart,  and  keep  touches  with  God  ;  let 
 Him  not  have  a  faint  and  feeble  soldier  of  you  ;  fear  not  to  back 
 Christ,  for  He  will  conquer  and  overcome ;  let  no  man  scar^  at 
 Christ,  for  I  have  no  quarrels  at  His  cross.  He  and  His  cross 
 are  two  good  guests,  and  worth  the  lodging.  Men  would  fain 
 have  Christ  good  cheap,  but  the  market  will  not  come  down. 
 Acquaint  yourself  with  prayer,  make  Christ  your  Captain  and 
 your  armour  ;  make  conscience  of  sinning  when  no  eye  seeth  you. 
 Grace  be  with  you. 
 
 Yours,  in  Christ  Jesus,         S.  R. 
 
 Aberdeen. 
 
 ^  Beconrics.  ^  Bo^^le. 
 
LETTER  XXIV.  85 
 
 LETTER  XXIV.— To  a  Gentlewoman  after  the  Death  of  her 
 Husband. 
 
 Deak  AND  Loving  Sister, — I  know  ye  are  minding  your  sweet 
 country,  and  not  taking  your  inns  (the  place  of  your  banishment) 
 for  your  home ;  this  life  is  not  worthy  to  be  the  thatch  or  outer 
 wail  of  your  Lord  Jesus  His  paradise,  that  He  did  sweat  for  to 
 you,  and  that  He  keepeth  for  you ;  short  and  silly  and  sand-blind 
 were  our  hope  if  it  could  not  look  over  the  water  to  our  best  heri- 
 tage, and  if  it  stayed  only  at  home  about  the  doors  of  our  clay 
 house.  I  marvel  not,  my  dear  sister,  that  ye  complain  that  ye 
 come  short  of  your  old  wrestlings  you  had  for  a  blessing,  and  that 
 now  ye  find  it  not  so.  Bairns  are  but  hired  to  learn  their  lesson 
 when  they  first  go  to  school,  and  it  is  enough  that  those  who  run  a 
 race  see  the  gold^  only  at  the  starting-place,  and  possibly  they  see 
 little  more  of  it,  or  nothing  at  all,  till  they  win  to  the  rink's^  end, 
 and  get  the  gold  in  the  loof^  of  their  hand.  Our  Lord  maketh 
 delicates  and  dainties  of  His  sweet  presence  and  love-visits  to  His 
 own,  but,  Christ's  love  under  a  vail  is  love ;  if  ye  get  Christ,  how- 
 beit  not  the  sweet  and  pleasant  way  you  would  have  Him,  it  is 
 enough,  for  the  Well-Beloved  cometh  not  our  way  ;  He  must  wail^ 
 His  own  gate^  Himself  for  worldly  things ;  seeing  they  are  meadows 
 and  fair  flowers  in  your  way  to  heaven,  a  smell  in  the  by-going  is 
 sufficient ;  he  that  would  reckon  and  tell  all  the  stones  in  his  way, 
 in  a  journey  of  three  or  four  hundred  miles,  and  write  up  in  his 
 count-book  all  the  herbs  and  flowers  growing  in  his  way,  might 
 come  short  of  his  journey  :  you  cannot  stay  in  your  inch  of  time  to 
 lose  your  day  (seeing  you  are  in  haste,  and  the  night  and  your 
 afternoon  will  not  bide  you)  in  setting  your  heart  on  this  vain 
 world  :  it  were  your  wisdom  to  read  your  count-book,  and  to  have 
 in  readiness  your  business  against  the  time  you  come  to  death's 
 water-side.  I  know  your  lodging  is  taken ;  your  Fore-runner, 
 Christ,  hath  not  forgotten  that,  and  therefore  you  must  set  your- 
 self to  your  one  thing,  which  ye  cannot  well  want.  In  that  our 
 Lord  took  your  husband  to  Himself,  I  know  it  was  that  He  might 
 make  room  for  Himself :  He  cutteth  off  your  love  to  the  creature, 
 that  ye  might  learn  that  God  only  is  the  light  owner  of  your  love. 
 Sorrow,  loss,  sadness,  death,  are  tlie  worst  things  that  are,  except 
 sin ;  but  Christ  knoweth  well  what  to  make  of  them,  and  can  put 
 His  own  in  the  crosses  common,  that  we  shall  be  obliged  to  afflic- 
 tion, and  thank  God,  who  learned*'  us  to  make  our  acquaintance 
 with  such  a  rough  companion,  Avho  can  hale  us  to  Christ.  You 
 must  learn  to  make  evils  your  great  good,  and  to  spin  out  comforts, 
 
 '-  The  prize.  -  Course.  ^  Palm. 
 
 *  Choose.  '^Method.  «  Taught. 
 
86  LETTER  XXV. 
 
 peace,  joy,  communion  with  Christ,  out  of  your  troubles,  that  are 
 Christ's  wooers  sent  to  speak  for  you  to  Himself.^  It  is  easy  to  get 
 good  words  and  a  comfortable  message  from  our  Lord,  even  from 
 such  rough  sergeants  as  diverse  temptations.  Thanks  to  God  for 
 crosses !  When  we  count  and  reckon  our  losses  in  seeking  God, 
 we  find  godliness  is  great  gain.  Great  partners  of  a  shipful  of  gold 
 are  glad  to  see  the  ship  come  to  the  harbour :  surely  we  and  our 
 Lord  Jesus  together  have  a  shipful  of  gold  coming  home,  and  our 
 gold  is  in  that  ship.  Some  are  so  in  love  (or  rather  in  lust)  with 
 this  life  that  they  sell  their  part  of  the  ship  for  a  little  thing.  I 
 would  counsel  you  to  buy  hope,  but  sell  it  not,  and  give  not  away 
 your  crosses  for  nothing ;  the  inside  of  Christ's  cross  is  white  and 
 joyful,  and  the  far  end  of  the  black  cross  is  a  fair  and  glorious 
 heaven  of  ease  ;  and,  seeing  Christ  hath  fastened  heaven  to  the  far 
 end  of  the  cross,  and  He  will  not  loose  the  knot  Himself,  and  none 
 else  can  (for  when  Christ  casteth  a  knot  all  the  world  cannot  loose 
 it),  let  us  then  count  it  exceeding  joy  when  we  fall  into  diverse 
 temptations.  Thus  recommending  you  to  the  tender  mercy  and 
 grace  of  our  Lord,  I  rest. 
 
 Your  loving  brother,         S.  R. 
 Aberdeen. 
 
 LETTER  XXV.— To  John  Gordon,  of  Cardoness,  Younger. 
 
 Honoured  and  Dear  Brother, — I  wrote  of  late  to  you:  multi- 
 tudes of  letters  burden  me  now.  I  am  refreshed  with  your  letter  ; 
 I  exhort  you  in  the  bowels  of  Christ,  set  to  work  for  your  soul, 
 and  let  these  bear  weight  with  you,  and  ponder  them  seriously : 
 1.  Weeping  and  gnashing  of  teeth  in  utter  darkness,  or  heaven's 
 joy,  2.  Think  what  ye  would  give  for  an  hour  when  ye  shall  lie 
 like  dead  cold,  blackened  clay.  3.  There  is  sand  in  your  glass  yet, 
 and  your  sun  is  not  gone  down.  4.  Consider  what  joy  and  peace 
 is  in  Christ's  service.  5.  Think  what  advantage  it  will  be  to  have 
 angels,  the  world,  life  and  death,  crosses,  yea,  and  devils,  all  for 
 you,  as  the  king's  sergeants  and  servants,  to  do  your  business. 
 G.  To  have  mercy  on  your  seed  and  a  blessing  on  your  house.  7. 
 To  have  true  honour  and  a  name  on  earth,  that  casts  a  sweet  smell. 
 8.  How  ye  will  rejoice  when  Christ  layeth  down  your  head  under 
 His  chin,  and  betwixt  His  breasts,  and  dryeth  your  face,  and  wel- 
 cometh  you  to  glory  and  happiness.  9.  Imagine  what  pain  and 
 torture  is  a  guilty  conscience  ;  what  slavery  to  carry  the  devil's 
 unhonest  loads.  10.  Sin's  joys  are  but  night  dreams,  thoughts, 
 vapours,  imaginations,  and  shadows.  11.  AVhat  dignity  it  is  to 
 be  G  sou  of  God.  12.  Dominion  and  mastery  over  temptations, 
 ^  Bespeak  you  for  Himself. 
 
LETTEK  XXVI.  87 
 
 over  the  world,  and  sin.  13.  That  your  enemies  should  be  the 
 tail,  and  you  the  head.  For  your  bairns  now  at  their  rest ;  1  speak 
 to  you  and  your  wife  (and  cause  her  read  this).  1.  I  am  a  witness 
 of  Barbara's  glory  in  heaven.  2.  For  the  rest  I  write  it  under 
 my  hand,  there  are  days  coming  on  Scotland  when  barren  wombs 
 and  dry  breasts,  and  childless  parents,  shall  be  pronounced  blessed ! 
 tl:ey  are  then  in  the  lee  of  the  harbour,  ere  the  storm  come  on. 
 3.  They  are  not  lost  to  you  that  are  laid  up  in  Christ's  treasury 
 in  heaven.  4.  At  the  resurrection  ye  shall  meet  with  them,  there 
 they  are  sent  before,  but  not  sent  away.  5.  Your  Lord  lovetli 
 you,  who  is  homely^  to  take  and  give,  borrow  and  lend.  C.  Let 
 not  bairns  be  your  idols,  for  God  will  be  jealous,  and  take  away 
 the  idol,  because  He  is  greedy  of  your  love  wholly.  I  bless  you, 
 your  wife,  and  children.     Grace  for  evermore  be  with  you. 
 
 Your  loving  pastor,         S.  E. 
 Aberdeen. 
 
 LETTER  XXVL— To  John  Gordon,  of  Cardoness,  Elder. 
 
 Honourable  and  Dearest  in  the  Lord, — Your  letter  hath 
 refreshed  my  soul.  My  joy  is  fulfilled  if  Christ  and  ye  be  fast  to- 
 gether;  ye  are  my  joy  and  my  crown  :  ye  know  I  have  recom- 
 mended His  love  to  you.  I  defy  the  world,  Satan,  and  sin.  Hif> 
 love  hath  neither  brim  nor  bottom  in  it.  My  dearest  iii  Christ,  1 
 write  my  soul's  desire  to  you.  Heaven  is  not  at  the  next  door;  1 
 find  Christianity  an  hard  task ;  set  to  it  in  your  evening :  we 
 would  all  both  keep  both  Christ  and  our  right  eyes,  our  right 
 hand  and  foot ;  but  it  will  not  be  with  us.  I  beseech  you  by  the 
 mercies  of  God,  and  your  compearance  before  Christ,  look  Christ's 
 count-book  and  your  own  together,  and  collation-  them ;  give  the 
 remnant  of  your  time  to  your  soul ;  this  great  idle-god,^  the  world, 
 Avill  be  lying  in  white  ashes,  in  the  day  of  your  compearance ;  and 
 why  should  night  dreams,  and  day  shadows,  and  water  froth,  and 
 May  flowers,  run  away  with  your  heart  1  When  we  win  to  the 
 water-side,  and  black  death's  river  brink,  and  put  our  foot  in  the 
 boat,  we  shall  laugh  at  our  folly.  Sir,  I  recommend  you  unto  the 
 thoughts  of  death,  and  how  ye  would  wish  your  soul  to  be,  when 
 ye  shall  lie  cold,  blue,  ill-smelling  clay.  For  any  hireling  to  be 
 intruded,  I,  being  the  king's  prisoner,  cannot  say  much,  but  as 
 God's  minister  I  desire  you  to  read  Acts  ii.  15,  16,  to  the  end,  and 
 Acts  vi,  2,  3,  4,  5  ;  and  ye  shall  find  God's  people  should  have  a 
 voice  in  choosing  church-rulers  and  teachers.  I  shall  be  sorry,  if 
 willingly  ye  shall  give  way  to  his  unlawful  intrusion  upon  my 
 labours :  the  only  wise  God  direct  you,     God's  grace  be  with  you. 
 
 Aberdeen.  Your  loving  pastor,         S.  R. 
 
 '  Familiar.  -  Collate.  ^  Idol-''-ofl. 
 
88  LETTER  XXVII. 
 
 LETTER  XXVII.— To  Earlstoun,  Younger. 
 
 Much  Honoured  and  Well-Beloved  in  the  Lord, — Grace, 
 mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you.  Your  letters  give  a  dash  to  my  laziness 
 in  writing  :  I  must  first  tell  you  there  is  not  such  a  glassy,  icy,  and 
 slippery  piece  of  way  betwixt  you  and  heaven,  as  youth.  I  have 
 experience  to  say  with  me  here,  and  seal  what  I  assert :  the  old  ashes 
 of  the  sins  of  my  youth  are  new  fire  of  sorrow  to  me.  I  have 
 seen  the  devil,  as  it  were,  dead  and  buried,  and  yet  rise  again,  and 
 be  a  worse  devil  than  ever  he  was.  Therefore,  my  brother,  beware 
 of  a  green  young  devil,  that  hath  never  been  buried  :  the  devil  in 
 his  flowers  (I  mean  the  hot  fiery  lusts  and  passions  of  youth)  is 
 much  to  be  feared :  better  yoke  with  an  old  gray-haired,  withered, 
 dry  devil,  for  in  youth  he  findeth  dry  sticks,  and  dry  coals,  and 
 an  hot  hearthstone,  and  how  soon  can  he  with  his  flint  cast  fire, 
 and  with  his  bellows  blow  it  up,  and  fire  the  house.  Sanctified 
 thoughts,  thoughts  made  conscience  of,  and  called  in,  and  kept  in 
 awe,  are  green  fuel  that  burn  not,  and  are  a  water  for  Satan's 
 coal.  Yet  I  must  tell  you,  the  whole  saints  now  triumphant  in 
 heaven,  and  standing  before  the  throne,  are  nothing  but  Christ's 
 forlorn  and  beggarly  dyvours.^  What  are  they,  but  a  pack  of 
 redeemed  sinners?  But  their  redemption  is  not  only  past  the 
 seals,  but  completed ;  and  yours  is  on  the  wheels,  and  in  doing. 
 All  Christ's  good  bairns  go  to  heaven  with  a  broken  brow,  and 
 with  a  crooked  leg.  Christ  has  an  advantage  of  you,  and  I  pray 
 you  let  Him  have  it,  He  shall  find  employment  for  His  calling  in 
 you.  If  it  were  not  with  you  as  you  write,  grace  should  find  no 
 sale  nor  market  in  you ;  but  ye  must  be  content  to  give  Christ 
 somewhat  ado.  I  am  glad  that  He  is  employed  that  way ;  let 
 your  bleeding  soul  and  your  sores  be  put  in  tlie  hand  of  this  expert 
 Physician :  let  young  and  strong  corruptions,  and  His  free  grace  be 
 yoked-  together,  and  let  Christ  and  your  sins  v-Leal  it  betwixt  them. 
 I  will  be  loath  to  put  you  off"  your  fears,  and  your  sense  of  deadness 
 (I  wish  it  were  more) ;  there  be  some  wounds  of  that  nature  that 
 their  bleeding  should  not  be  soon  stopped.  Ye  must  take  a  house 
 beside  the  Physician  :  it  shall  be  a  miracle  if  ye  must  be  the  first 
 sick  man  He  put  away  uncured,  and  worse  than  He  found  you. 
 Nay,  nay,  Christ  is  honest,  and  in  that,  flyting  free  with  sinners,^ 
 "  And  him  that  cometh  to  me,  I  will  in  no  wise  cast  out,"  John  vi. 
 37.  Take  ye  that,  it  cannot  be  presumption  to  take  that  as  your 
 own,  when  ye  find  your  wounds  stound  you,  presumption  is  ever 
 whole  at  the  heart,  and  hath  but  the  truant-sickness  and  groaneth 
 
 '  Debtors.  '  Encountered. 
 
 3  Rather,  I  think,  "and  in  that  flyting,  free  with  sinners  :  "  th.at  is,  guiltless 
 of  the  charge  that  they  bring  against  Him, 
 
LETTEK  XXVII  89 
 
 only  foi  the  fashion  ;  faith  hatli  sense  of  sickness,  and  looketh 
 like  a  friend  to  the  promise;  and  looking  to  Christ  therein,  is 
 glad  to  see  a  known  face.  Christ  is  as  full  a  feast,  as  ye  can  have 
 to  hunger.  Nay,  Christ,  I  say,  is  not  a  full  man's  leavings ;  His 
 mercy  sends  always  a  letter  of  defiance  to  all  your  sins,  if  there 
 were  ten  thousand  more  of  them.  I  grant  it  is  a  hard  matter  for  a 
 poor  hungry  man  to  win  his  meat  upon  hidden  Christ,  for  then  the 
 key  of  His  pantry  door,  and  of  the  house  of  wine  is  a-seeking  and 
 cannot  be  had  ;  but  hunger  must  break  through  iron  locks.  I  be- 
 moan them  not  who  can  make  a  din  and  all  the  fields  ado  for  a 
 lost  Saviour ;  ye  must  let  Him  hear  it  (to  say  so)  upon  both  the 
 sides  of  His  head,  when  He  hideth  Himself.  It  is  no  time  then  to 
 be  bird-mouthed^  and  patient.  Christ  is  rare  indeed,  and  a  delicacy 
 to  a  sinner;  he  is  a  miracle  and  a  world's  wonder  to  a  seeking  and 
 a  weeping  sinner ;  but,  yet  such  a  miracle  as  will  be  seen  by  them 
 who  will  come  and  see;  the  seeker  and  sigher  is  at  last  a  singer 
 and  enjoyer.  Nay,  I  have  seen  a  dumb  man  get  an  alms  from 
 Christ.  He  that  can  tell  his  tale  and  send  such  a  letter  to  heaven, 
 •as  he  hath  sent  to  Aberdeen,  it  is  very  like  he  will  come  speed 
 tvith  Christ.  It  bodeth^  God's  mercy  to  complain  heartily  for 
 sin.  Let  wrestling  be  with  Christ  till  He  say.  How  is  it,  sir, 
 that  I  cannot  be  quit  of  your  bills,  and  your  mislearned  cries  l 
 And  then  hope  for  Christ's  blessing,  and  His  blessing  is  better  than 
 other  ten  blessings.  Think  not  shame  because  of  your  guiltiness ; 
 necessity  must  not  blush  to  beg ;  it  standeth  you  hard  to  want 
 Christ,  and  therefore,  that  which  idle  on-waiting  cannot  do,  mis- 
 nurtured^  crying  and  knocking  will  do.  And  for  doubtings, 
 because  ye  are  not  as  ye  were  long  since  with  your  Master,  consider 
 three  things.  1.  What  if  Christ  had  such  tottering  thoughts  of 
 the  bargain  of  the  new  covenant  betwixt  you  and  Him  as  you 
 have?  2.  Your  heart  is  not  the  compass  Christ  saileth  by  ;  He 
 will  give  you  leave  to  sing  as  ye  please,  but  He  will  not  dance  to 
 your  daft-spring.^  It  is  not  referred  to  you  and  your  thoughts, 
 what  Christ  will  do  with  the  charters  betwixt  you  and  Him  : 
 your  own  misbelief  hath  torn  them ;  but  He  hath  the  principal  in 
 heaven  with  Himself.  Your  thoughts  are  no  parts  of  the  new 
 covenant ;  dreams  change  not  Christ.  3.  Doubtings  are  your 
 sins,  but  they  are  Christ's  drugs  and  ingredients,  that  the  Physician 
 maketh  use  of,  for  the  curing  of  your  pride.  Is  it  not  suitable  for 
 a  beggar  to  say  at  meat ;  God  reward  the  winners  1  for  then  He 
 sayeth.  He  knoweth  who  beareth  the  charges  of  the  house.  It  is 
 also  meet  ye  should  know  by  experience  that  faith  is  not  nature's 
 ill-gotten  bastard,  but  your  Lord's  free  gift,  that  lay  in  the  womb 
 
 ^  Chirping  or  feeble-tongued  -  Indicateth. 
 
 *  Unmannerly.  *  Joyous  music. 
 
90  LETTER  XXVII. 
 
 of  God's  free  grace,  praised  be  the  winner.  I  may  add  a  4tli.  In 
 the  passing  of  your  bill  and  your  charters,  when  they  went  through 
 the  Mediator's  great  seal  and  were  concluded,  faith's  advice  was  not 
 sought;  faith  had  not  a  vote  beside  Christ's  merits  ;  blood,  blood, 
 dear  blood,  that  came  from  your  cautioner's  holy  body,  maketh  that 
 sure  work.  The  use,  then,  which  ye  have  of  faith  now,  having 
 already  closed  with  Jesus  Christ  for  justification,  is  to  take  out  a 
 copy  of  your  pardon ;  and  so  ye  have  peace  with  God  upon  the 
 account  of  Christ,  for  since  faith  apprehendeth  pardon,  but  never 
 payeth  a  penny  for  it,  no  marvel  that  salvation  doth  not  die  and 
 live,  ebb  or  flow  with  the  working  of  faith  ;  but  because  it  is  your 
 Lord's  honour  to  belieA^e  His  mercy  and  His  fidelity,  it  is  infinite 
 goodness  in  our  Loi"d,  that  misbelief  giveth  a  dash  to  our  Lord's 
 glory  and  not  to  our  salvation,  and  so  whoever  want  (yea,  howbeit 
 God  here  bear  with  the  want  of  what  we  are  obliged  to  give  Him, 
 even  the  glory  of  His  grace  by  believing,  yet)  a  poor  covenanted 
 sinner  wanteth  not ;  but  if  guiltiness  were  removed,  doubtings 
 would  find  no  friend  nor  life ;  and  yet  faith  is  to  believe  the 
 removal  of  guiltiness  in  Christ.  A  reason  why  ye  get  less  now 
 (as  ye  think)  than  before  (as  I  take  it)  is,  because,  at  our  first 
 conversion,  our  Lord  putteth  the  meat  in  young  bairns'  mouths 
 with  His  own  hand,  but  when  we  grow  to  some  further  perfection, 
 we  must  take  heaven  by  violence,  and  take  by  violence  fron^ 
 Christ  what  we  get ;  and  He  can  and  doth  hold,  because  He  will 
 have  us  to  draw.  Remember,  now  ye  must  live  upon  violent 
 plucking.  Laziness  is  a  greater  fault  now  than  long  since ;  we 
 love  always  to  have  the  pap  put  in  our  mouth.  Now  for  myself ! 
 A.las,  I  am  not  the  man  I  go  for  in  this  nation.  Men  have  not 
 just  weights  to  weigh  me  in.  0,  but  I  am  a  silly,  feckless  ^  bod}^ 
 and  overgrown  with  weeds ;  corruption  is  rank  and  fat  in  me ! 
 0,  if  I  were  answerable  to  this  holy  cause,  and  to  that  honourable 
 Prince's  love,  for  whom  I  now  suffer ;  if  Christ  Avould  refer  the 
 matter  to  me  (in  His  presence  I  speak  it),  I  might  think  shame  to 
 vote  my  own  salvation.  I  think  Christ  might  say,  "Thinkest  thou 
 not  shame  to  claim  heaven,  who  does  so  little  for  it?"  I  am  very 
 often  so,  that  I  know  not  whether  I  sink  or  swim  in  the  water ; 
 I  find  myself  a  bag  of  light  froth ;  I  would  bear  no  weight  (but 
 vanity  and  nothings  weigh  in  Christ's  balance)  if  my  Loi'd  cast 
 not  in  borrowed  weight  and  metal,  even  Christ's  righteousness  to 
 weigh  for  me ;  the  stock  I  have  is  not  mine  own  ;  I  am  but  the 
 merchant  that  traffics  with  other  folk's  goods  ;  if  my  creditor, 
 Christ,  would  take  from  me  Avhat  He  hath  lent,  I  would  not  long 
 keep  the  causey,"  but  Christ  hath  made  it  mine  and  His  :  I  thinlc 
 it  manhood  to  play  the  coward,  and  jouk"  in  the  lee-side  of  Christ: 
 ^  l^eeble,  worthless.  *  Caixseway.  ^  Shelter  myself. 
 
LETTER  XXVIII,  91 
 
 and  tlius  I  am  not  only  saved  from  my  enemies,  but  I  obtain  the 
 victory.  I  am  so  empty  that  I  think  it  were  an  alms-deed  in 
 Christ,  if  He  would  win  a  poor  prisoner's  blessing  for  evermore, 
 and  fill  me  with  His  love.  I  complain  when  Christ  cometh,  He 
 Cometh  always  to  fetch  fire,  He  is  ever  in  haste,  He  may  not  tarry, 
 and  poor  I,  a  beggarly  dyvour,^  get  but  a  standing  visit,  and  a 
 standing  Ids?;  and,  but  "how  doest  thou?"  in  the  by-going.  I  dare 
 not  say  He  is  lordly,  because  He  is  made  a  King  now  at  the  right 
 hand  of  God ;  or  is  grown  miskenning  -  and  dry  to  His  poor 
 friends  ;  for  He  cannot  make  more  of  His  kisses  than  they  are 
 worth,  but  I  think  it  my  happiness  to  love  the  love  of  Christ ; 
 and  when  He  goeth  away,  the  memory  of  His  sweet  presence  is 
 like  a  feast  in  a  dear  summer.  I  have  comfort  in  this,  that  my 
 soul  desireth  that  every  hour  of  my  imprisonment  were  a  com- 
 pany of  heavenly  tongues,  to  praise  Him  on  my  behalf,  howbeit 
 my  bonds  were  prolonged  for  many  hundred  years.  0,  that  I 
 could  be  the  man  who  could  procure  my  Lord's  glory  to  flow 
 like  a  full  sea,  and  blow  like  a  mighty  wind  upon  all  the  four 
 airts^  of  Scotland,  England,  and  Ireland.  0,  if  I  could  write 
 a  book  of  His  praises  !  0,  fairest  among  the  sons  of  men,  why 
 stayest  thou  so  long  away  "I  O,  heavens,  move  fast !  0,  time  run, 
 run,  and  hasten  the  marriage  day,  for  love  is  tormented  with 
 delays.  0,  angels,  0,  seraphims,  who  stand  before  Him,  0,  blessed 
 spirits  who  now  see  His  face,  set  Him  on  high,  for  when  ye  have 
 worn  your  hai'ps  in  His  praises,  all  is  too  little,  and  is  nothing  to 
 cast  the  smell  of  the  praise  of  that  fair  flower,  that  fragrant  rose 
 of  Sharon,  through  many  worlds.  Sir,  take  my  hearty  commend- 
 ation to  Him  and  tell  Him  that  I  am  sick  of  love.  Grace  be  with 
 you.  Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S,  R 
 
 Aberdeen,  June  16,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  XXVHL— To  his  Honoured  and  Dear  Brother, 
 Alexander  Gordon  of  Knockgray. 
 
 Dearest  and  truly  honoured  Brother, — Grace,  mercy, 
 and  peace  be  to  you  :  I  have  seen  no  letter  from  you  since  I  came 
 to  Aberdeen  ;  I  will  not  interpret  it  to  be  forgetfulness.  I  am 
 here  in  a  fair  prison.  Christ  is  my  sweet  and  honourable 
 fellow-prisoner,  and  I  His  sad  and  joyful  lord-prisoner  (if  I  may 
 speak  so).  I  think  this  cross  becometh  me  well,and  is  suitable  to 
 me  in  respect  of  my  duty  to  suff"er  for  Christ ;  howbeit  not  in 
 regard  of  my  deserving,  to  be  thus  honoured.  However  it  be, 
 I  see  Christ  is  strong,  even  lying  in  the  dust  in  prison  and 
 in  banishment.     Losses  and  disgraces  are  the  wheels  of  Christ's 
 
 ^  Debtor.  *  Forgetful  of.  ^  Quarters. 
 
92  LETTER  XXVIII. 
 
 triumpbinii'  cluiriot.  In  the  sufferings  of  His  own  saints,  as  He 
 intendeth  their  good,  so  He  intendeth  His  own  glory,  and  that  is 
 the  butt  His  arrows  shoot  at,  and  Christ  shooteth  not  at  the 
 rovers.  He  hitteth  what  He  purposeth  to  hit ;  therefore,  He 
 doth  make  His  now  feckless  and  weak  nothings,  and  those  who  are 
 the  contempt  of  men,  a  new  sharp  thrashing  instrument,  having 
 teeth  to  thrash  the  mountains  and  beat  them  small,  and  to 
 make  the  hills  as  chaff,  and  to  fan  them,  Isa.  xli.  15,  16. 
 iVhat  harder  stuff,  or  harder  grain  for  thrashing  out,  than  high 
 and  rocky  mountains  1  but  the  saints  are  God's  thrashing 
 instruments  to  beat  them  all  in  chaff;  are  we  not  God's  leem^ 
 vessels  1  and  yet,  when  they  cast  us  over  an  house  we  are  not 
 broken  in  sherds  :  we  creep  in  under  our  Lord's  wings  in  the 
 great  shower,  and  the  water  cannot  go  through  these  wings.  It  is 
 folly  then  for  men  to  say,  this  is  not  Christ's  plea,  He  will  lose 
 the  wad-fee,2  men  are  like  to  beguile  Him,  that  were,  indeed,  a 
 strange  play.  Nay,  I  dare  pledge  my  sonl  and  lay  it  in  pawn  on 
 Christ's  side  of  it,  and  be  half-tiner,^  half-winner,  with  my 
 Master.  Let  fools  laugh  the  fool's  laughter,  and  scorn  Christ, 
 and  bid  the  weeping  captives  in  Babylon  sing  us  one  of  the 
 songs  of  Zion,  play  a  spring  to  cheer  up  your  sad-hearted  God. 
 We  may  sing  upon  luck's  head  beforehand,  even  in  our  winter 
 storm,  in  the  expectation  of  a  summer  sun  at  the  turn  of  the  year : 
 no  created  powers  in  hell  or  out  of  hell  can  mar  our  Lord 
 Jesus  His  music,  nor  spill*  our  song  of  joy;  let  us  then  be  glad 
 and  rejoice  in  the  salvation  of  our  Lord,  for  faith  had  never  yet 
 cause  to  have  wet  cheeks  and  hanging-down  brows,  or  to  droop  or 
 die :  what  can  ail  faith,  seeing  Christ  suffereth  Himself  (with 
 reverence  to  Him  be  it  spoken)  to  be  commanded  by  it  1  and 
 Christ  commandeth  all  things.  Faith  may  dance  because  Christ 
 sings ;  and  we  may  come  in  the  quire  and  lift  our  hoarse  and 
 rough  voices,  and  chirp,  and  sing,  and  shout  for  joy  with  our 
 Lord  Jesus.  We  see  oxen  go  to  the  shambles  leaping  and 
 startling ;  we  see  God's  fed  oxen  prepared  for  the  day  of 
 slaughter,  go  dancing  and  singing  down  to  the  black  chambers 
 of  hell ;  and,  why  should  we  go  to  heaven  weeping,  as  if  we  were 
 like  to  fall  down  through  the  earth  for  sorrow  1  If  God  were  dead 
 (if  I  may  speak  so  with  reverence  of  Him  who  liveth  for  ever  and 
 ever)  and  Christ  buried,  and  rotten  among  the  worms,  we 
 might  have  cause  to  look  like  dead  folks ;  but,  "  The  Lord 
 liveth,  and  blessed  be  the  rock  of  our  salvation,"  Psal.  xviii. 
 46.  None  have  right  to  joy  but  we,  for  joy  is  sown  for  us, 
 and  an  ill  summer  or  harvest  will  not  spill'*  the  crop.  The 
 children  of  this  world  have  much  robbed  joy  that  is  not  well 
 
 '  Brittle.  -  Wager.  '  Half -loser,  •*  Spoil  or  niai'. 
 
LETTER  XXVIII.  93 
 
 ;ome  :  it  is  no  good  sport  they  laugh  at ;  they  steal  joy  as  it 
 were  from  God  :  for  He  commandeth  them  to  mourn  and 
 hoAvl  :  then  let  us  claim  our  leel-come  ^  and  lawfully  conquished  - 
 joy.  My  dear  brother,  I  cannot  but  speak  what  I  have  felt,  seeing 
 my  Lord  Jesus  hath  broken  a  box  of  spikenard  upon  the  head 
 of  His  poor  prisoner,  and  it  is  hard  to  hide  a  sweet  smell ;  it  is 
 a  pain  to  smother  Christ's  love ;  it  will  be  out  whether  we  will 
 or  not.  If  we  did  but  speak  according  to  the  matter,  a  cross 
 for  Christ  should  have  another  name ;  yea,  a  cross,  especially 
 when  He  cometh  with  His  arms  full  of  joys,  is  the  happiest 
 hard  tree  that  ever  was  laid  upon  my  weak  shoulders.  Christ 
 and  His  cross  together  are  sweet  company,  and  a  blessed  couple. 
 My  prison  is  my  palace,  my  sorrow  is  with  child  of  joy,  my 
 losses  are  rich  losses,  my  pain  easy  pain,  my  heavy  days  are 
 holy  and  happy  days.  I  may  tell  a  new  tale  of  Christ  to  my 
 friends.  0,  if  I  could  make  a  love  song  of  Him,  and  could 
 commend  Christ,  and  tune  His  praises  aright !  0,  if  I  could 
 set  all  tongues  in  Great  Britain  and  Ireland  to  work  to  help  me 
 to  sing  a  new  song  of  my  Well-Beloved !  0,  if  I  could  be  a 
 bridge  over  a  water  for  my  Lord  Jesus  to  walk  upon  and  keep 
 His  feet  dry  !  0,  if  my  poor  bit  heaven  could  go  betwixt  my 
 Lord  and  blasphemy,  and  dishonour!  (Upon  condition  He  loved 
 me.)  0,  that  my  heart  could  say  this  word,  and  bide  by  it  for 
 ever !  Is  it  not  great  art,  and  incomparable  wisdom  in  my 
 Lord,  who  can  bring  forth  such  fair  apples  out  of  this  crabbed 
 tree  of  the  cross !  Nay,  my  Father's  never-enough-admired 
 providence  can  make  a  fair  feast  out  of  a  black  devil :  nothing 
 can  come  wrong  to  my  Lord  in  His  sweet  working.  I  would 
 even  fall  sound  asleep  in  Christ's  arms,  and  my  sinful  head  on 
 His  holy  breast  while  He  kisseth  me ;  were  it  not  that  often  the 
 wind  turneth  to  the  north,  and  whiles^  my  sweet  Lord  Jesus 
 is,  that  He  will  neither  give  nor  take,  borrow  nor  lend  with  me  ; 
 I  complain  He  is  not  social,  I  half  call  Him  proud  and  lordly  of 
 His  company  and  nice  of  His  looks,  which  yet  is  not  true.  It 
 would  content  me  to  give,  hoAvbeit  He  should  not  take  ;  I  should 
 be  content  to  want  His  kisses  at  such  times,  providing  He 
 would  be  content  to  come  near  hand  and  take  my  wersh,*  dry, 
 and  feckless^  kisses;  but  at  that  time  He  will  not  be  entreated, 
 but  lets  a  poor  soul  stand  still  and  knock,  and  never  let  it  on 
 him®  that  He  heareth;  and  then  the  old  leavings  and  broken 
 meat  and  dry  sighs  are  greater  cheer  than  I  can  tell ;  all  I  have 
 then  is,  that  howbeit  the  law  and  wrath  have  gotten  a  decreet 
 against  me,  I  yet  lippen'^  that  meikle^  good  in  Christ,  as  to  get  a 
 
 ^  Honestly  or  rightly  come.  -  Acquired.  ^  Sometimes. 
 
 *  Insipid.     3  Worthless.     ®  Indicate.     ''  Believe  or  trust.      *  So  much. 
 
94  LETTER  XXIX. 
 
 suspension,  and  to  bring  my  cause  in  reasoning  again  before  my 
 Well-Beloved.  I  desire  but  to  be  heard.  And  at  last  He  is 
 content  to  come  and  agree  the  matter  with  a  fool,  and  forgive 
 freely,  because  He  is  G-od.  0,  if  men  would  glorify  Him,  and 
 taste  of  Christ's  sweetness.  Brother,  you  have  need  to  be 
 busy  with  Christ,  for  this  whorish  kirk  ;  I  fear  Christ  cast 
 water  upon  Scotland's  coal ;  nay,  I  know  Christ  and  His  wife 
 will  be  heard,  He  will  plead  for  the  broken  covenant.  Arm 
 you  against  that  time.     Grace  be  with  you. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 
 
 Aberdeen,  June  16,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  XXIX.— To  the  Lady  Kilconquhair. 
 
 Mistress,  —  Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  unto  you  :  I  am  glad 
 to  hear  that  you  have  your  face  homeward  towards  your  Father's 
 house  now  when  so  many  are  for  a  home  nearer  hand  :  but  your 
 Lord  calleth  you  to  another  life  and  glory  than  is  to  be  found 
 here-away ;  and,  therefore,  I  would  counsel  you  to  maks  sure  the 
 charters  and  rights  which  you  have  to  salvation.  You  come  to 
 this  life  about  a  necessary  and  weighty  business,  to  tryst i  with 
 Christ  anent  your  precious  soul,  and  the  eternal  salvation  of  it ; 
 this  is  the  most  necessary  business  you  have  in  this  life ;  and 
 your  other  adoes,  beside  this,  are  but  toys,  and  feathers,  and 
 dreams,  and  fancies.  This  is  the  greatest  haste  and  should  be 
 done  first.  Means  are  used  in  the  Gospel  to  draw  on  a  meeting 
 betwixt  Christ  and  you  :  if  you  neglect  your  part  of  it,  it  is  as  if 
 you  would  tear  the  contract  before  Christ's  eyes,  and  give  up  the 
 match,  that  there  shall  be  no  more  communing  of  that  business. 
 I  know  other  lovers  beside  Christ  are  in  suit  of  you,  and  your 
 soul  wanteth  not  many  wooers ;  but  I  pray  you  make  a  chaste 
 virgin  of  your  soul  and  let  it  love  but  one.  Most  worthy  is  Christ 
 alone  of  all  your  soul's  love  :  howbeit  your  love  were  higher  than 
 the  heaven,  and  deeper  than  the  lowest  of  this  earth,  and  broader 
 than  this  world.  Many,  alas,  too  many,  make  a  common  strum- 
 pet of  their  soul,  for  every  lover  that  cometh  to  the  house. 
 Marriage  with  Christ  would  put  your  love,  and  your  heart  by 
 the  gate  out  of  the  way,  and  out  of  the  eyes  of  all  other  unlawful 
 suiters;  and  then  you  had  a  ready  answer  for  all  others,  "1 
 am  already  promised  away  to  Christ,  the  match  is  concluded, 
 my  soul  hath  a  husband  already,  and  it  cannot  have  two  hus- 
 bands." 0,  if  all  the  world  did  but  know  what  a  smell  the  oint- 
 ments of  Christ  cast,  and  how  ravishing  His  beauty,  even  the 
 beauty  of  the  fairest  of  the  sons  of  men  is,  and  how  sweet  and 
 '  Engage  or  arrange. 
 
LETTER  XXIX.  95 
 
 [)o\verful  His  voice  is,  the  \  uice  of  that  one  Well-Beloved;  certainly, 
 where  Christ  conieth,  He  runneth  away  with  the  soul's  love,  so 
 that  they  cannot  command  it.  I  would  far  rather  look  but  through 
 the  hole  of  Christ's  door  to  see  br..t  the  one-half  of  the  fairest  and 
 most  comely  face  (for  He  looketh  like  heaven),  suppose  I  should 
 never  win  in  to  see  His  excellency  and  glory  to  the  full,  than  to 
 enjoy  the  flower,  the  bloom,  and  chiefest  excellency  of  the  glory 
 and  riches  of  ten  worlds.  Lord,  send  me  for  my  part  but  the 
 meanest  share  of  Christ  that  can  be  given  to  any  of  the  indwellers 
 of  the  new  Jerusalem  ;  but  I  know  my  Lord  is  no  niggard  :  He 
 can,  and  it  becometh  Him  well  to  give  more  than  my  narrow  soul 
 can  receive.  If  there  were  ten  thousand  thousand  millions  of 
 worlds,  and  as  many  heavens  full  of  men  and  angels,  Christ  would 
 not  be  pinched  to  supply  all  our  wants,  and  to  fill  us  all.  Christ 
 is  a  well  of  life,  but  who  knoweth  how  deep  it  is  to  the  bottom  ? 
 This  soul  of  ours  hath  love,  and  cannot  but  love  some  fair  one ; 
 and  0,  what  a  fair  One,  what  an  only  One,  what  an  excellent, 
 lovely,  ravishing  One  is  Jesus  !  put  the  beauty  of  ten  thousand 
 thousand  worlds  of  paradises  like  the  garden  of  Eden  in  one ; 
 put  all  trees,  all  flowers,  all  smells,  all  colours,  all  tastes,  all  joys, 
 all  sweetness,  all  loveliness  in  one ;  0,  what  a  fair  and  excellent 
 thing  would  that  be  1  And  yet  it  would  be  less  to  that  fair  and 
 dearest  Well-Beloved  Christ,  than  one  drop  of  rain  to  the  whole 
 seas,  rivers,  lakes,  and  fountains  of  ten  thousand  earths.  0.  but 
 Christ  is  heaven's  wonder  and  earth's  wonder  !  What  marvel 
 that  His  bride  saith,  Cant.  v.  16,  "  He  is  altogether  lovely'"?  O, 
 that  black  souls  will  not  come  and  fetch  all  their  love  to  this  fair 
 One !  0,  if  I  could  invite  and  persuade  thousands,  and  ten 
 thousand  times  ten  thousand  of  Adam's  sons,  to  flock  about  my 
 Lord  Jesus,  and  to  come  and  take  their  fill  of  love  !  0,  pity  for 
 evermore  that  there  should  be  such  an  one  as  Christ  Jesus,  so 
 boundless,  so  bottomless,  and  so  incomparable  in  infinite  excellency 
 and  sweetness,  and  so  few  to  take  Him.  0,  0,  ye  poor  dry  and 
 dead  souls,  why  will  ye  not  come  hither  with  your  toom^  vessels, 
 and  your  empty  souls  to  this  huge,  and  fair,  and  deep,  and  sweet 
 well  of  life ;  and  fill  all  your  toom  ^  vessels !  0,  that  Christ 
 should  be  so  large  in  sweetness  and  worth,  and  we  so  narrow, 
 pinched,  so  ebb,  and  so  void  of  all  happiness,  and  yet  men  will 
 not  take  Him ;  they  lose  their  love  miserably,  who  will  not  bestow 
 it  upon  this  lovely  One.  Alas  !  these  five  thousand  years  Adam's 
 fools,  his  waster-heirs,  have  been  wasting  and  lavishing  out  their 
 love  and  their  aflfections  upon  black  lovers  and  black  harlots : 
 upon  bits  of  dead  creatures,  and  broken  idols,  upon  this  and  that 
 feckless^  creature,  and  have  not  brought  their  love  and  their  heart 
 ^  Empty.  '  Wortliless. 
 
96  LETTER  XXIX. 
 
 to  Jesus.  0,  pity  that  fairness  hath  so  tew  lovers !  0,  woe,  woe 
 to  the  fools  of  this  world  who  run  by^  Christ  to  other  lovers  !  0, 
 misery,  misery,  misery,  that  comeliness  can  scarce  get  three  or 
 four  hearts  in  a  town  or  a  country !  0,  that  there  is  so  much 
 spoken,  and  so  much  written,  and  so  much  thought  of  creature- 
 vanity,  and  so  little  spoken,  so  little  written,  so  little  thought  of 
 my  great  and  incomprehensible,  and  never-enough-wondered-at 
 Lord  Jesus.  Why  should  I  not  curse  this  forlorn  and  wretched 
 world,  that  suffer eth  my  Lord  Jesus  to  lie  His  lone  ^^  0,  damned 
 souls!  0,  miskenning^  world!  0,  blind;  0,  beggarly,  and  poor 
 souls  !  0,  bewitched  fools  !  what  aileth  you  at  Christ,  that  you 
 run  so  from  Him  1  I  dare  not  challenge  providence  that  there  are 
 so  few  buyers,  and  so  little  sale  for  such  an  excellent  One  as  Christ. 
 0,  the  depth,  and  0,  the  height  of  my  Lord's  ways,  that  pass  finding 
 out.  But,  oh,  if  men  would  once  be  wise,  and  not  fall  so  in  love 
 with  their  own  hell,  as  to  pass  by  Christ,  and  misken  *  Him  !  But 
 let  us  come  near,  and  fill  ourselves  with  Christ,  and  let  His  friends 
 drink,  and  be  drunken,  and  satisfy  our  hollow  and  deep  desires 
 Avith  Jesus.  0,  come  all  and  drink  at  this  living  well ;  come 
 drink,  and  live  for  evermore ;  come,  drink,  and  welcome ;  wel- 
 come, saith  our  fairest  Bridegroom :  no  man  getteth  Christ  with  ill 
 will :  no  man  cometh  and  is  not  welcome,  no  man  cometh  and 
 rueth  his  voyage  :  all  men  speak  well  of  Christ,  who  have  been  at 
 Him ;  men  and  angels  who  know  Him,  will  say  more  than  I  dow^ 
 do,  and  think  more  of  Him  than  they  can  say.  0,  if  I  were  misted 
 and  bewildered  in  my  Lord's  love  !  0,  if  I  were  fettered  and 
 chained  to  it !  0,  sweet  pain,  to  be  pained  for  a  sight  of  Him ! 
 0,  living  death  !  0,  good  death  !  0,  lovely  death,  to  die  for  love 
 of  Jesus  !  0,  that  I  should  have  a  sore  heart  and  a  pained  soul, 
 for  the  wanting  of  the  love  of  this  and  that  idol !  woe,  woe  to 
 the  mistaking  of  my  miscarrying  heart,  that  gapeth  and  crieth 
 for  creatures,  and  is  not  pained,  and  cutted,  and  tortured,  and 
 in  sorrow  for  the  want  of  a  soul-fill  of  Christ.  0,  that  Thou 
 wouldst  come  near,  my  Beloved  !  0,  my  fairest  One,  why  standest 
 Thou  afar ;  come  hither,  that  I  may  be  satiate  with  Thy  excellent 
 love ;  0,  for  an  union  :  0,  for  a  fellowship  with  Jesus !  0,  that 
 I  could  buy  with  a  price  that  lovely  One,  suppose  hell's  torments 
 for  a  while  were  the  price  !  I  cannot  but  believe  that  Chi'ist  will 
 rue  "  upon  His  pained  lovers,  and  come  and  ease  sick  hearts,  who 
 sigh  and  swoon  for  the  want  of  Christ :  who  dow  ^  bide  Christ's 
 love  to  be  nice  1  What  heaven  can  there  be  liker  to  hell,  than 
 to  lust,  and  grein,''^  and  dwine,  and  fall  a-swoon  for  Christ's  love, 
 and  to  want  it  1  is  not  this  hell  and  heaven  woven  through  other? 
 
 '  Past.  2  Alone,  ^  Misjudging.  *  Misjudge. 
 
 » Can.  6  xake  pity.  ^  Long. 
 
LETTEll  XXX.  97 
 
 Is  not  this  pain  and  joy,  sweetness  and  sadness  to  be  in  one 
 web,  the  one  the  weft,  the  other  the  warp !  Therefore,  I  would 
 Chrint  would  let  us  meet,  and  join  together,  the  soul  and  Christ 
 in  others'^  arms.  0,  what  meeting  is  like  this,  to  see  blackness 
 and  beauty,  contemptibleness  and  glory,  highness  and  baseness, 
 even  a  soul  and  Christ  kiss  one  another !  Nay,  but  when  all  is 
 done,  I  may  be  wearied  in  speaking  and  writing ;  but  0  how  far 
 am  I  from  the  right  expression  of  Christ  or  His  love  1  I  can 
 neither  speak,  nor  write  feeling,  nor  tasting,  nor  smelling ;  come 
 feel,  and  smell,  and  taste  Christ,  and  His  love,  and  ye  shall  call  it 
 more  than  can  be  spoken  :  to  write  how  sweet  the  honey-comb  is, 
 is  not  so  lovely  as  to  eat  and  suck  the  honey-comb :  one  night's 
 rest  in  a  bed  of  love  with  Christ,  will  say  more  than  heart  can 
 think,  or  tongue  can  utter.  Neither  need  we  fear  crosses,  or 
 sigh,  or  be  sad  for  anything  that  is  on  this  side  of  heaven,  if  we 
 have  Christ ;  our  crosses  will  never  draw  blood  of  the  joy  of  the 
 Holy  Ghost,  and  peace  of  conscience  ;  our  joy  is  laid  up  in  such 
 a  high  place  as  temptations  cannot  climb  up  to  take  it  down  : 
 this  world  may  boast ^  Christ,  but  they  dare  not  strike  ;  or  if  they 
 strike,  they  break  their  arm  in  fetching  a  stroke  upon  a  rock.  0, 
 that  we  could  put  our  treasure  in  Christ's  hand,  and  give  Him 
 our  gold  to  keep,  and  our  crown.  Strive,  mistress,  to  throng 
 through  the  thorns  of  this  life  to  be  at  Christ :  tine  not  sight 
 of  Him  in  this  cloudy  and  dark  day.  Sleep  with  Him  in  your 
 heart  in  the  night :  learn  not  at  the  world  to  serve  Christ,  but 
 spier^  at  Himself  the  way;  the  world  is  a  false  copy  and  a  lying 
 guide  to  follow.  Eemember  my  love  to  your  husband  :  I  wish 
 all  to  him  I  have  written  here.  The  sweet  presence,  the  long- 
 lasting  good-will  of  our  God,  the  Avarmly  and  lovely  comforts 
 of  our  Lord  Jesus,  be  with  you.  Help  me  His  prisoner  in 
 your  prayers  ;  for  I  remember  you. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  sweet  liord  Jesus,         S.  Iv. 
 Aberdeen,  Aug.  8,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  XXX.— To  the  Lady  Forret. 
 
 Worthy  Mistress, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you :  I 
 long  to  hear  from  you ;  I  hear  Christ  hath  been  that*  kind  as  to 
 visit  you  with  sickness,  and  to  bring  you  to  the  door  of  the  grave, 
 but  you  found  the  door  shut  (blessed  be  His  glorious  name)  while^ 
 you  be  riper  for  eternity :  He  will  have  more  service  of  you,  and, 
 therefore,  He  seeketh  of  you,  that  henceforth  ye  be  honest  to  your 
 new  Husband  the  Son  of  God.  We  have  all  idol-love,  and  are 
 whorishly  inclined  to  love  other  things  beside  our  Lord  ;  and. 
 1  Ef-cli  other's.  '  Threaten.  ^  ^f,i..  4  So.  «  Till. 
 
 G 
 
98  LETTERS  XXXI.  AND  XXXII. 
 
 therefore,  our  Lord  hunteth  for  our  love,  more  ways  than  one  or 
 two.  0,  that  Christ  had  His  own  of  us ;  I  know  He  will  not 
 want  you,  and  that  is  a  sweet  wilfulness  in  His  love ;  and  ye  have 
 as  good  cause  on  the  other  part,  to  be  headstrong  and  peremptory 
 in  your  love  to  Christ,  and  not  to  part  or  divide  your  love  be- 
 twixt Him  and  the  world ;  if  it  were  more,  it  is  little  enough, 
 yea,  too  little  for  Christ.  I  am  now  every  way  in  good  terms 
 with  Christ,  He  hath  set  a  banished  prisoner  as  a  seal  on  Hi3 
 heart,  and  as  a  bracelet  on  His  arm  :  that  crabbed  and  black  tree 
 of  the  cross  laugheth  upon  me  now:  the  alarming  noise  of  the 
 cross  is  worse  than  itself.  I  love  Christ's  glooms  better  than  the 
 world's  worm-eaten  joys.  0,  if  all  the  kingdom  were  as  I  am, 
 except  these  bonds  !  My  loss  is  gain  ;  my  sadness,  joyful ;  my 
 bonds,  liberty  ;  my  tears,  comfortable.  This  world  is  not  worth 
 a  drink  of  cold  water.  0,  but  Christ's  love  casteth  a  great  heat. 
 Hell,  and  all  the  salt  sea,  and  the  rivers  of  the  earth  cannot 
 quench  it.  I  remember  you  to  God,  you  have  the  prayers  of  a 
 prisoner  of  Christ.     Grace,  grace  be  with  you. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  K. 
 Aberdeen,  March  9,  1637.     
 
 LETTER  XXXI— To  the  Lady  Kaskiberry. 
 
 Madam, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you.  I  long  to  hear 
 how  your  ladyship  is.  I  know  not  how  to  requite  your  ladyship's 
 kindness  ;  but  your  love  to  the  saints,  madam,  is  laid  up  in  heaven. 
 I  know  it  is  for  your  Well-Beloved  Christ's  sake,  that  you  make 
 His  friends  so  dear  to  you,  and  concern  yourself  so  much  in  them. 
 I  am  in  this  house  of  my  pilgrimage  every  way  in  good  case ; 
 Christ  is  most  kind  and  loving  to  my  soul :  it  pleaseth  Him  to 
 feast  with  His  unseen  consolations  a  stranger,  and  an  exiled 
 prisoner :  and  I  would  not  exchange  my  Lord  Jesus  with  all  the 
 comfort  out  of  heaven  ;  His  yoke  is  easy,  and  His  burden  light. 
 This  is  His  truth  I  now  suffer  for  ;  for  He  hath  sealed  it  with  His 
 blessed  presence.  I  know  Christ  shall  yet  win  the  day,  and  gain 
 the  battle  in  Scotland.     Grace  be  with  you. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 
 
 Aberdeen,  March  7,  1637.     
 
 LETTER  XXXIL— To  Mr.  James  Bruce,  Minister  of  the 
 Gospel. 
 
 Reverend  and  well-beloved  Brother, — Grace,  mercy,  and 
 peace  be  to  you.     Upon  the  nearest  acquaintance,  that  we  are 
 Father's  children,^  I  thought  good  to  write  to  you.     My  case  in 
 ^  Children  of  the  same  father. 
 
LETTER  XXXIII.  99 
 
 my  bonds,  for  the  honour  of  my  Royal  Prince  and  King  Jesus,  is 
 as  good  as  becometh  the  witness  of  such  a  Sovereign  King.  At 
 my  first  coming  hither,  I  was  in  great  heaviness,  wresth'ng  with 
 challenges,  being  burdened  in  heart  (as  I  am  yet)  for  my  silent 
 Sabbaths  and  for  a  bereft  people,  young  ones,  new-born,  plucked 
 from  the  breasts,  and  the  children's  table  drawn.  I  thought  I  was 
 a  dry  tree  cast  over  the  dyke^  of  the  vineyard  :  but  my  secret 
 conceptions  of  Christ's  love,  at  His  sweet  and  long-desired  return 
 to  my  soul,  were  found  to  be  a  lie  of  Christ's  love,  forged  by  the 
 tempter,  and  my  own  heart,  and  I  am  persuaded  that  it  was  so. 
 Now,  there  is  greater  peace  and  security  within  than  before.  The 
 court  is  raised  and  dismissed,  for  it  was  not  fenced  in  God's  name, 
 I  was  far  mistaken,  who  should  have  summoned  Christ  for  un- 
 kindness :  misted  faith  and  my  fever  conceived  amiss  of  Him. 
 Now,  now.  He  is  pleased  to  feast  a  poor  prisoner,  and  to  refresh 
 me  with  joy  unspeakable  and  glorious  :  so  as  the  Holy  Spirit  is 
 witness,  that  my  sufferings  are  for  Christ's  truth ;  and  God  forbid 
 I  should  deny  the  testimony  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  make  Him  a 
 false  witness.  Now,  I  testify  under  my  hand,  out  of  some  small 
 experience,  that  Christ's  cause  (even  with  the  cross),  is  better  than 
 the  king's  crown,  and  that  His  reproaches  are  sweet,  His  cross 
 perfumed,  the  walls  of  my  prison  fair  and  large,  my  losses  gain.  I 
 desire  you,  my  dear  brother,  help  me  to  praise,  and  remember  me 
 in  your  prayer  to  God.     Grace,  grace  be  with  you. 
 
 Yours,  in  our  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 
 Aberdeen,  March  14,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  XXXIII.— To  the  Lady  Earlstoun. 
 
 Mistress, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you.  I  long  to  hear 
 how  your  soul  prospereth.  I  exhort  you  to  go  on  in  your  journey. 
 Your  day  is  short,  and  your  afternoon's  sun  will  soon  go  down  ; 
 make  an  end  of  your  accounts  with  your  Lord ;  for  death  and 
 judgment  are  tides  that  bide  no  man.  Salvation  is  supposed  to 
 be  at  the  door,  and  Christianity  is  thought  an  easy  task,  but  I 
 find  it  hard,  and  the  way  strait  and  narrow,  were  it  not  that  my 
 guide  is  content  to  wait  on  me,  and  to  care  for  a  tired  traveller. 
 Hurt  not  your  conscience  with  any  known  sin ;  let  your  children 
 be  as  so  many  flowers,  borrowed  from  God ;  if  the  flowers  die  or 
 wither,  thank  God  for  a  summer's  loan  of  them,  and  keep  good 
 neighbourhood  to  borrow  and  lend  with  Him.  Set  your  heart 
 upon  heaven,  and  trouble  not  your  spirit  with  this  clay-idol  of  the 
 world,  which  is  but  vanity,  and  hath  but  the  lustre  of  the  rainbow 
 in  the  air,  which  cometh  and  goeth  with  a  flying  March  shower  ; 
 
 1  Willi. 
 
100  LETTER  XXXIV. 
 
 clay  is  the  idol  of  bastards,  not  the  inheritance  of  the  children. 
 My  Lord  hath  been  pleased  to  make  many  unknown  faces  laugh 
 upon  me,  and  hath  made  me  well  content  of  a  borrowed  fireside, 
 and  a  borrowed  bed.  I  am  feasted  with  the  joys  of  the  Holy 
 Ghost,  and  my  royal  King  beareth  my  charges  honourably.  I  love 
 the  smell  of  Christ's  sweet  breath  better  than  the  world's  gold.  I 
 would  I  had  help  to  praise  Him.  The  great  messenger  of  the 
 covenant,  the  Son  of  God  establish  you  on  your  rock,  and  keep 
 you  to  the  day  of  His  coming. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  K. 
 
 Aberdeen,  March  7,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  XXXIV.— To  Carletoun. 
 
 Worthy  and  much  honoured, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be 
 to  you.  I  received  your  letter  from  my  brother,  to  which  I  now 
 answer  particularly.  I  confess  two  things  of  myself.  1.  Woe, 
 woe  is  me,  that  men  should  think  there  is  anything  in  me  ;  He  is 
 my  witness  before  whom  I  am  as  crystal,  that  the  secret  house- 
 devils,  that  bear  me  too  oft  company,  and  that  this  sink  of  cor- 
 ruption which  I  find  within,  maketh  me  go  with  low  sails  !  and  if 
 others  saw  what  I  see,  they  would  look  by  me,  but  not  to  me. 
 2.  I  know  this  shower  of  His  free  grace  behoved  to  be  on  me, 
 otherwise  I  would  have  withered.  I  know  also,  I  have  need  of  a 
 buffeting  tempter,  that  grace  may  be  put  to  exercise,  and  I  kept 
 low.  Worthy  and  dear  brother  in  our  Lord  Jesus,  I  write  that 
 from  my  heart  which  you  now  read.  1.  I  vouch  that  Christ,  and 
 sweating,  and  sighing  under  His  cross,  is  sweeter  to  me  by  far 
 than  all  the  kingdoms  in  the  world  could  ^possibly  be.  2.  If  you 
 and  my  dearest  acquaintance  in  Christ  reap  any  fruit  by  my 
 suffering,  let  me  be  weighed  in  God's  even  balance,  if  my  joy  be 
 not  fulfilled.  What,  am  I  to  carry  the  marks  of  such  a  great 
 King  1  But,  howbeit  I  am  a  sink  and  sinful  mass,  a  wretched 
 captive  of  sin,  my  Lord  Jesus  can  hew  heaven  out  of  worse  timber 
 than  I  am  (if  worse  can  be.)  3.  I  now  rejoice  with  joy  unspeak- 
 able and  glorious,  that  I  never  purpose  to  bring  Christ,  not  the 
 least  hoof  or  hair-breadth  of  truth,  under  trysting^:  I  desired  to 
 have  and  keep  Christ  all  alone,  and  that  He  should  never  rub 
 clothes  with  that  black-skinned  harlot  of  Rome.  I  am  now  fully 
 paid  home,  so  that  nothing  aileth  me  for  the  present,  but  love 
 sickness  for  a  real  possession  of  my  fairest  Well-Beloved.  I  would 
 give  Him  my  bond  under  my  faith  and  hand,  to  frist^  heaven  an 
 hundred  years  longer,  so  being  He  would  lay  His  holy  face  to  my 
 sometimes  wet  cheeks.     0,  who  would  not  pity  me,  to  know  how 
 
 ^  Bargaining  or  compromise.  "  Postpone. 
 
LETTER  XXXIV.  101 
 
 fain  I  would  have  the  King  shaking  the  tree  of  life  upon  me ;  or 
 letting  me  into  the  well  of  life  with  my  old  dish,  that  I  might  be 
 drunken  with  the  fountain,  here,  in  the  house  of  my  pilgrimage ! 
 I  cannot,  nay,  I  would  not,  be  quit  of  Christ's  love.  He  hath  left 
 the  mark  behind  Him  where  he  gripped  :  He  goeth  away,  and 
 leaveth  me  and  His  burning  love  to  wrestle  together,  and  I  can 
 scarce  win  my  meat  of  His  love,  because  of  absence.  My  Lord 
 giveth  me  but  hungry  half-kisses,  which  serve  to  feed  pain  and  in- 
 crease hunger ;  but  do  not  satisfy  my  desires :  His  dieting  of  my 
 soul  for  this  race  maketh  me  lean ;  I  have  gotten  the  wale^  and 
 choice  of  Christ's  crosses,  even  the  tithe  and  the  flower  of  the  gold 
 of  all  crosses,  to  bear  witness  to  the  truth,  and  herein  find  I  liberty, 
 joy,  access,  life,  comfort,  love,  faith,  submission,  patience,  and  reso- 
 lution to  take  delight  in  on-waiting ;  and  withal  in  my  race.  He 
 hath  come  near  me  and  let  me  see  the  gold  and  crown.  What  then 
 want  I  but  fruition  and  real  enjoyment,  which  is  reserved  to  my 
 country?  Let  no  man  think  he  shall  lose  at  Christ's  hands  in 
 suffering  for  Him.  4.  For  these  present  trials  they  are  most 
 dangerous;  for  people  shall  be  stolen  off  their  feet  with  well- 
 washen  and  white-skinned  pretences  of  indifFerency ;  but  it  is  the 
 power  of  the  great  Antichrist  working  in  this  land.  Woe,  woe, 
 woe,  be  to  apostate  Scotland  :  there  is  wrath,  and  a  cup  of  the  red 
 wine  of  the  wrath  of  God  Almighty  in  the  Lord's  hand,  that  they 
 shall  drink  and  spue,  and  fall,  and  not  rise  again.  The  star  called 
 wormwood  and  gall  is  fallen  in  the  fountains  and  rivers,  and  hath 
 made  them  bitter :  the  sword  of  the  Lord  is  furbished  against  the 
 idol  shepherds  of  the  land ;  women  shall  bless  the  barren  womb 
 and  miscarrying  breasts ;  all  hearts  shall  be  faint,  and  all  knees 
 shall  tremble :  an  end  is  coming :  the  leopard  and  the  lion  shall 
 watch  over  our  cities :  houses,  great  and  fair,  shall  be  desolate, 
 without  an  inhabitant.  The  Lord  hath  said,  "  Pray  not  for  this 
 people,  for  I  have  taken  my  peace  from  them ; "  yet  the  Lord's 
 third  part  shall  come  through  the  fire  as  refined  gold,  for  the 
 treasure  of  the  Lord,  and  the  outcasts  of  Scotland  shall  be  gathered 
 together  again,  and  the  wilderness  shall  blossom  as  the  flower,  and 
 bud  and  grow  as  the  rose  of  Sharon,  and  great  shall  be  the  glory 
 of  the  Lord  upon  Scotland.  5.  I  am  here  assaulted  with  the 
 learned  and  pregnant  wits  of  this  kingdom ;  but  all  honour  be  to 
 my  Lord,  truth  but  laugheth  at  bemisted  and  blinded  Scribes  and 
 disputers  of  this  world,  and  God's  wisdom  confoundeth  them,  and 
 Christ  triumpheth  in  His  own  strong  truth  that  speaketh  for  it- 
 self. 6.  I  doubt  not  but  my  Lord  is  preparing  me  for  heavier 
 trials.  I  am  most  ready  at  the  good  pleasure  of  my  Lord,  in  the 
 strength  of  His  grace,  for  anything  He  shall  be  pleased  to  call  me 
 
 *  Selection. 
 
102  LETTER  XXXIV. 
 
 to ;  neither  shall  the  last  black-faced  messenger,  death,  be  holden 
 at  the  door,  when  it  shall  knock.  If  my  Lord  Avill  take  honour  of 
 the  like  of  me,  how  glad  and  joyful  shall  my  soul  be.  Let  Christ 
 come  out  with  me  to  an  hotter  battle  than  this,  and  I  shall  fear  no 
 flesh.  I  know  that  my  Master  will  win  the  day,  and  that  He  hath 
 taken  the  ordering  of  my  suff'erings  in  His  own  hand.  7.  As  for 
 my  deliverance,  that  miscarrieth.  I  am  here  by  my  Lord's  grace 
 to  lay  my  hand  on  my  mouth,  to  be  silent  and  wait  on  :  my  Lord 
 Jesus  is  on  His  journey  for  my  deliverance  ;  I  will  not  grudge 
 that  He  runneth  not  so  fast  as  I  would  have  Him :  on-waiting  till 
 the  swelling  rivers  fall,  and  till  my  Lord  arise  as  a  mighty  man 
 after  strong  wine,  shall  be  my  best :  I  have  not  yet  resisted  to 
 blood.  8.  0,  how  often  am  I  laid  in  the  dust,  and  urged  by  the 
 tempter  (who  can  ride  his  own  errands  upon  our  lying  apprehen- 
 sions) to  sin  against  the  unchangeable  love  of  my  Lord  :  when  I 
 think  upon  the  sparrows  and  swallows  that  build  their  nests  in  the 
 Kirk  of  Anwoth,  and  of  my  dumb  Sabbaths,  my  sorrowful  bleired^ 
 eyes  look  a-squint  upon  Christ,  and  present  him  as  angry.  But,  in 
 this  trial,  all  honour  to  our  princely  and  royal  King,  faith  saileth 
 fair  before  the  wind  with  top  sail  up,  and  carrieth  the  poor  pass- 
 enger through.  I  lay  inhibitions  upon  my  thoughts  that  tliey  re- 
 ceive no  slanders  of  my  only,  only  beloved  :  let  Him  even  say  out 
 of  His  own  mouth,  "  There  is  no  hope,"  yet  I  will  die  in  that 
 sweet  beguile.  It  is  not  so,  I  shall  see  the  salvation  of  God.  Let 
 me  be  deceived  really,  and  never  win  to  dry  land  ;  it  is  my  joy  to 
 believe  under  the  water,  and  to  die  with  faith  in  my  hand,  grip- 
 ping Christ :  let  my  conceptions  of  Christ's  love  go  to  the  grave 
 with  me  and  to  hell  with  me,  I  may  not,  I  dare  not  quit  them.  I 
 hope  to  keep  Christ's  pawn :  if  He  never  come  to  loose  it,  let  Him 
 see  to  His  own  promise.  I  know,  presumption,  howbeit  it  be 
 made  of  stoutness,  will  not  thus  be  wilful  in  heavy  trials.  Now, 
 my  dearest  in  Christ,  the  great  Messenger  of  the  covenant,  the 
 only  wise  and  all-sufiicient  Jehovah,  establish  you  to  the  end. 
 I  hear  the  Lord  hath  been  at  your  house  and  hath  called  home 
 your  wife  to  her  rest.  I  know,  sir,  ye  see  the  Lord  loosing  the 
 pins  of  your  tabernacle,  and  wooing  your  love  from  this  plastered 
 and  overgilded  world ;  and  calling  upon  you  to  be  making  your- 
 self ready  to  go  to  your  Father's  country,  which  shall  be  a  sweet 
 fruit  of  that  visitation.  Ye  know,  to  send  the  Comforter,  was  a 
 King's  word,  when  He  ascended  on  high  :  ye  have  claim  to  and 
 interest  in  that  promise.  Eemember  my  love  in  Christ  to  your 
 father,  show  him  it  is  late  and  black  night  with  him,  his  long  ly- 
 ing at  the  water-side  is,  that  he  may  look  his  papers  ere  he  take 
 shipping,  and  be  at  a  point  for  his  last  answer  before  his  Judge 
 
 1  Tearful. 
 
LETTER  XXXV.  1  0  3 
 
 and  Lord.  All  love,  all  mercy,  all  grace,  and  peace,  all  multiplied 
 saving  consolations,  all  joy  and  faith  in  Christ,  all  stability,  and 
 confirming  strength  of  grace,  and  the  good  will  of  Him  that  dwelt 
 in  the  bush  be  with  you. 
 
 Your  unworthy  brother,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  E. 
 Aberdeen,  June  15,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  XXXV.— To  Marion  M'Naught. 
 
 Worthy  and  dearest  in  the  Lord, — I  ever  loved  (since  I  knew 
 you)  that  little  vineyard  of  the  Lord's  planting  in  Galloway ;  but 
 now  much  more  since  I  have  heard  that  He,  who  hath  His  fire 
 in  Zion,  and  His  furnace  in  Jerusdem,  hath  been  pleased  to  set 
 up  a  furnace  amongst  you,  with  the  first  in  this  kingdom:  He  who 
 maketh  old  things  new,  seeing  Scotland  an  old  drossy  and  rusted 
 Kirk,  is  beginning  to  make  a  new  clean  bride  of  her,  and  to  bring 
 a  young  chaste  wife  to  Himself  out  of  the  fire.  This  fire  shall  be 
 quenched,  so  soon  as  Christ  hath  brought  a  clean  spouse  through 
 the  fire.  Therefore,  my  dearly  beloved  in  the  Lord,  fear  not  a 
 worm:  "Fear  not,  worm  Jacob:"  Christ  is  in  that  plea,  and  shall 
 win  the  plea.  Charge  an  unbelieving  heart,  under  the  pain  of 
 treason  against  our  great  and  royal  King  Jesus,  to  dependence  by 
 faith  and  quiet  on-waiting  on  our  Lord  :  get  you  into  your  cham- 
 bers, and  shut  the  doors  about  you :  in,  in  with  speed  to  your 
 stronghold,  ye  prisoners  of  hope  :  ye  doves,  flee  into  Christ's 
 windows  till  the  indignation  be  over  and  the  storm  be  past ; 
 glorify  the  Lord  in  your  sufferings,  and  take  His  banner  of  love, 
 and  spread  it  over  you.  Others  will  follow  you,  if  they  see  you 
 strong  in  the  Lord ;  their  courage  shall  take  life  from  your  Chris- 
 tian carriage.  Look  up,  and  see  who  is  coming :  lift  up  your  head. 
 He  is  coming  to  save,  "In  garments  dyed  in  blood,  and  travelling 
 in  the  greatness  of  His  strength ! "  I  laugh,  I  smile,  I  leap  for 
 joy,  to  see  Christ  coming  to  save  you  so  quickly  :  0,  such  wide 
 steps  as  Christ  taketh !  three  or  four  hills  are  but  a  step  to  Him  ; 
 He  skippeth  over  the  mountains.  Christ  hath  set  a  battle  be- 
 twixt His  poor  weak  saints  and  His  enemies ;  He  waleth^  the 
 weapons  for  both  parties  ;  and  saith  to  the  enemies,  "  Take  you 
 a  sword  of  steel,  law,  authority,  parliaments,  and  kings  upon  your 
 side,  that  is  your  armour :  and  He  saith  to  His  saints,  I  give  you 
 a  feckless  tree-sword 2  in  your  hand,  and  that  is  sufl'ering,  receiving 
 of  strokes,  spoiling  of  your  goods,  and  with  your  tree-sword  ye 
 shall  get  and  gain  the  victory.  Was  not  Christ  dragged  through 
 the  ditches  of  deep  distresses,  and  great  straits  1  and  yet  Christ 
 who  is  your  head,  hath  won  through  with  His  hfe  ;  howbeit,  not 
 ^  ChoosetL  '  A  f'^eble  wooden  aworiL 
 
104  LETTKi;  XXXV. 
 
 with  a  whole  skin.  Ye  are  Christ's  members,  and  He  is  drawing 
 His  members  through  the  thorny  hedge,  up  to  lieaven  after  Him  : 
 Christ,  one  day,  will  not  have  so  much  as  a  pained  toe ;  but  there 
 are  great  pieces  and  portions  of  Christ's  mystical  body,  not  yet 
 within  the  gates  of  the  great  high  city,  the  new  Jerusalem,  and 
 the  dragon  will  strike  at  Christ  so  long  as  there  is  one  bit  or 
 member  of  Christ's  body  out  of  heaven.  I  tell  you,  Christ  will 
 make  new  work  out  of  old  sore  casten  Scotland,  and  gather  the 
 old  broken  boards  of  His  tabernacle,  and  pin  them,  and  nail  them 
 together  :  our  bills  and  supplications  are  up  in  heaven.  Christ 
 hath  coffers  full  of  them.  There  is  mercy  on  the  other  f;ide  of  this 
 His  cross  ;  a  good  answer  to  all  our  bills  is  agreed  upon.  I  must 
 tell  you  what  lovely  Jesus,  fair  Jesus,  King  Jesus  hath  done  to 
 my  soul ;  sometimes  He  sendeth  me  out  a  standing  drink,  and 
 whispereth  a  word  through  the  wall,  and  I  am  well  content  of 
 kindness  at  the  second  hand  ;  His  bode^  is  ever  welcome  to  me, 
 be  what  it  will ;  but  at  other  times  He  will  be  messenger  Him- 
 self, and  I  get  the  cup  of  salvation  out  of  His  own  hand  (He 
 drinking  to  me),  and  we  cannot  rest  till  we  be  in  other's  ^  arms  ; 
 and,  0,  how  sweet  is  a  fresh  kiss  from  His  holy  mouth ;  His  breath- 
 ing, that  goeth  before  a  kiss  upon  my  poor  soul,  is  sweet  and 
 hath  no  fault,  but  that  it  is  too  short.  I  am  careless  and  stand 
 not  much  on  this  ;  howbeit  loins,  and  back,  and  shoulders,  and 
 head  rive^  in  pieces,  in  stepping  up  to  my  Father's  house.  1 
 know  my  Lord  can  make  long,  and  broad,  and  high,  and  deep, 
 glory  to  His  name  out  of  this  bit  feckless  body;  for  Christ  looketh 
 not  what  stuff  He  maketh  glory  out  of.  My  dearly  beloved,  ye 
 have  often  refreshed  me,  but  that  is  put  up  in  my  Master's  ac- 
 counts ;  ye  have  Him  debtor  for  me :  but  if  ye  will  do  anything 
 for  me  (as  I  know  ye  will)  now  in  my  extremity,  tell  all  my  dear 
 friends  that  a  prisoner  is  fettered,  and  chained  in  Christ's  love  : 
 Lord,  never  loose  the  fetters ;  and  ye  and  they  together,  take  my 
 heartiest  commendations  to  my  Lord  Jesus,  and  thank  him  for  a 
 poor  friend.  I  desire  your  husband  to  read  this  letter ;  I  send 
 him  a  prisoner's  blessing ;  I  will  be  obliged  to  him  if  he  will  be 
 willing  to  suffer  for  my  dear  Master ;  suffering  is  the  professor's 
 golden  garment:  there  shall  be  no  losses  on  Clirist's  side  of  it.  Ye 
 have  been  Avitnesses  of  much  joy  betwixt  Christ  and  me  at  com- 
 munion feasts,  the  remembrance  whereof  (howbeit  I  be  feasted 
 in  secret)  holeth*  my  heart ;  for  I  am  put  from  the  board-head 
 and  the  King's  first  mess,  to  His  by-board,  and  His  broken  meat 
 is  sweet  unto  me  :  I  thank  my  Lord  for  borrowed  crumbs,  no  less 
 than  when  I  was  feasted  at  the  communion-table  in  Anwoth  and 
 Kircudbright.     Pray,  that  I  may  get  one  day  of  Christ  in  public, 
 
 1  OfTi  r  "  Each  other's.  ^  jIqj^±  -i  PiercetL 
 
LETTER  XXXVI.  105 
 
 as  I  have  had  long  since,  before  my  eyes  be  closed.  0,  that  uiy 
 Master  would  take  up  house  again,  and  lend  me  the  keys  of  His 
 wine-cellar  again,  and  God  send  me  borrowed  drink  till  then. 
 Eeraember  my  love  to  Christ's  kinsmen  with  you.  I  pray  for 
 Christ's  Father's  blessing  to  them  all.  Grace  be  with  you,  a 
 prisoner's  blessing  be  with  you.  I  write  it,  and  I  bide  by  it, 
 God  shall  be  glorious  in  Marion  M'Naught,  when  this  stormy 
 blast  shall  be  over.  0,  woman,  beloved  of  God,  believe,  rejoice, 
 be  strong  in  the  Lord.     Grace  is  thy  portion. 
 
 Your  brother,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  IL 
 Aberdeen,  June  15,  1G37. 
 
 LETTER  XXXVI.— To  John  Gordon,  at  Risco,  in  Galloway. 
 
 My  worthy  and  dear  Brother, — Misspend  not  your  short 
 sand-glass  which  runneth  very  fast ;  seek  your  Lord  in  time ; 
 let  me  obtain  of  you  a  letter  under  your  hand  for  a  promise 
 to  God,  by  His  grace,  to  take  a  new  course  of  walking  with 
 God.  Heaven  is  not  at  the  next  door.  I  find  it  hard  to  be  a 
 Christian  ;  there  is  no  little  thrusting  and  thronging,  to  thrust 
 in  at  heaven's  gates  ;  it  is  a  castle  taken  by  force  ;  "  Many  shall 
 strive  to  enter  in,  and  shall  not  be  able."  I  beseech,  and 
 obtest  you  in  the  Lord,  make  conscience  of  rash  and  passion- 
 ate oaths,  of  raging  and  sudden  revenging  anger,  of  night- 
 drinking,  of  needless  companionry,  of  sabbath -breaking,  of 
 hurting  any  under  you  by  word  or  deed,  of  hating  your  very 
 enemies.  "  Except  ye  receive  the  kingdom  of  God  as  a  little 
 child,"  and  be  as  meek  and  sober-minded  as  a  babe,  "  ye  cannot 
 enter  into  the  kingdom  oi  God."  That  is  a  word  which  should 
 touch  you  near,  and  make  you  stoop,  and  cast  yourself  down,  and 
 make  your  great  spirit  fall.  I  know  this  will  not  be  easily  done  ; 
 but  I  recommend  it  to  you,  as  you  tender  ^  your  part  of  the  king- 
 dom of  heaven.  Brother,  I  may  from  new  experience  speak  of 
 Christ  to  you.  0,  if  you  saw  in  Him  what  I  see.  A  river  of 
 God's  unseen  joys  have  flowed  from  bank  to  brae  over  my  soul, 
 since  I  parted  with  you.  I  wish  I  wanted  part,  so  being  ye  might 
 have ;  that  your  soul  might  be  sick  of  love  for  Christ,  or  rather 
 satiate  with  Him.  This  clay-idol,  the  world,  would  seem  to  you 
 then  not  worth  a  fig  :  time  will  eat  you  out  of  possession  of  it, 
 Avhen  the  eye-strings  break,  and  the  breath  groweth  cold,  and  the 
 imprisoned  soul  looketh  out  at  the  windows  of  the  clay  house, 
 ready  to  leap  out  into  eternity,  what  would  ye  then  give  for  a 
 Inmp  full  of  oil?  0,  seek  it  noAV.  I  desire  you  to  correct  and 
 curb  banning,^  swearing,  lying,  drinking,  sabbath-breaking,  and 
 ^  Value.  "  Curs)::<r. 
 
106  LETTER  XXXVII. 
 
 idle  spending  of  the  Lord's  day,  in  absense  from  the  Kirk,  as  far 
 as  your  authority  reacheth  in  that  parish.  I  hear  a  man  is  to 
 be  thrust  into  that  place,  to  the  which  I  have  God's  right :  I  know 
 ye  should  have  a  voice  by  God's  Word  in  that:  Acts  i.  15,  16, 
 to  the  end,  and  Acts  vi.  3,  5.  You  would  be  loath  that  any 
 Prelate  should  put  you  out  of  your  possession  earthly,  and  this 
 is  your  right.  What  I  write  to  you,  I  write  to  your  wife.  Grace 
 be  with  you.  Your  loving  pastor,         S.  R. 
 
 Aberdeen,  March  14,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  XXXVIL— To  the  Lady  Halhill. 
 Dear  and  Christian  Lady, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to 
 you.  I  longed  much  to  write  to  your  ladyship  ;  but  now  the  Lord 
 offering  a  fit  occasion,  I  would  not  omit  to  do  it.  I  cannot  but 
 acquaint  your  ladyship  with  the  kind  dealing  of  Christ  to  my  soul 
 in  this  house  of  my  pilgrimage,  that  your  ladyship  may  know 
 Christ  is  as  good  as  He  is  called.  For,  at  my  first  entry  into 
 this  trial  (being  casten  down  and  troubled  with  challenges  and 
 jealousies  of  His  love,  whose  name  and  testimony  I  now  bear  in 
 my  bonds),  I  feared  nothing  more,  than  that  I  was  casten  over 
 the  dyke^  of  the  vineyard,  as  a  dry  tree :  but  blessed  be  His  great 
 name,  the  dry  tree  was  in  the  fire  and  was  not  burnt  •  His  dew 
 came  down  and  quickened  the  root  of  a  withered  plant ;  and  now 
 He  is  come  again  with  joy,  and  hath  been  pleased  to  feast  His 
 exiled  and  afflicted  prisoner  with  the  joy  of  His  consolations. 
 Now  I  weep,  but  am  not  sad ;  I  am  chastened,  but  I  die  not ;  I 
 have  loss,  but  I  want  nothing  :  this  water  cannot  drown  me,  this 
 fire  cannot  burn  me,  because  of  the  "good  will  of  Him  that 
 dwelt  in  the  bush."  The  worst  things  of  Christ,  His  reproaches, 
 His  cross,  is  better  than  Egypt's  treasures.  He  hath  opened 
 His  door,  and  taken  into  His  house  of  wine,  a  poor  sinner,  and 
 hath  left  me  so  sick  of  love  for  my  Lord  Jesus,  that  if  heaven 
 were  at  my  disposing,  I  would  give  it  for  Christ,  and  would  not 
 be  content  to  go  to  heaven,  except  I  were  persuaded  Christ  were 
 there.  I  would  not  give,  nor  exchange  my  bonds  for  the  prelates' 
 velvets ;  nor  my  prison,  for  their  coaches ;  nor  my  sighs  for  all 
 the  world's  laughter :  this  clay-idol,  the  world,  hath  no  great  court 
 in  my  soul.  Christ  hath  come,  and  run  away  to  heaven  with  my 
 heart  and  my  love,  so  that  neither  heart  nor  love  is  mine  ;  I  pray 
 God,  Christ  may  keep  both  without  reversion.  In  my  estimation 
 as  I  am  now  disposed,  if  my  part  of  this  world's  clay  were  rouped 
 and  sold,  I  would  think  it  dear  of  a  drink  of  water.  I  see  Christ's 
 love  is  so  kingly  that  it  will  not  abide  a  marrow  ^ ;  it  must  have 
 a  tluone  all  alone  in  the  soul,  and  I  see  apples  beguile  bairns, 
 
 1  WaU.  =  Mate. 
 
LETTER  XXXVIII.  107 
 
 howbeit  they  be  worm-eaten.  The  moth-eaten  pleasures  of  this 
 present  world  make  bairns  believe  ten  is  a  hundred,  and  yet  all 
 that  are  here  are  but  shadows  :  if  they  would  draw  by  ^  the  cur- 
 tain that  is  hung  betwixt  them  and  Christ,  they  should  think 
 themselves  fools,  who  have  so  long  miskenned  ^  the  Son  of  God. 
 I  seek  no  more  next  to  heaven,  but  that  He  may  be  glorified  in  a 
 prisoner  of  Christ ;  and  that  in  my  behalf  many  would  praise  His 
 high  and  glorious  name,  who  heareth  the  sighing  of  the  prisoner. 
 Remember  my  service  to  the  laird  your  husband,  and  to  your 
 son,  my  acquaintance :  I  Avish  Christ  had  his  young  love,  and 
 that  in  the  morning  he  would  start  to  the  gate  to  seek  that 
 which  this  world  knoweth  not,  and  therefore  doth  not  seek  it. 
 The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  be  with  you. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  K. 
 Aberdeen,  March  14,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  XXXVIIL— To  the  Eight  Honourable  xuy  Lord 
 Lindsay. 
 
 Right  honourable  and  my  very  good  Lord, — Grace,  mercy, 
 and  peace  be  to  your  lordship.  Pardon  my  boldness  to  express 
 myself  to  your  lordship,  at  this  so  needful  a  time,  when  your 
 wearied  and  friendless  mother-kirk  is  looking  round  about  her, 
 to  see  if  any  of  her  sons  doth  really  bemoan  her  desolation. 
 Therefore,  my  dear  and  worthy  lord,  I  beseech  you  in  the  bowels 
 of  Christ,  pity  that  widow-like  sister  and  spouse  of  Christ.  I 
 know  her  husband  is  not  dead ;  but  he  seemeth  to  be  in  another 
 country,  and  seeth  well,  and  beholdeth  who  are  his  true  and 
 tender-hearted  friends;  who  dare  venture  under  the  water  to  bring 
 out  to  dry  land  sinking  truth,  and  Avho  of  the  nobles  will  cast  up 
 their  arm  to  Avard  a  blow  off  the  crowned  head  of  our  royal 
 law-giver,  who  reigneth  in  Zion,  who  will  plead  and  contend 
 for  Jacob  in  the  day  of  his  controversy.  It  is  now  time,  my 
 worthy  and  noble  lord,  for  you,  who  are  the  little  nurse-fathers 
 (under  our  Sovereign  Prince)  to  put  on  courage  for  the  Lord 
 Jesus,  and  to  take  up  a  fallen  orphan,  speaking  out  of  the 
 dust,  and  to  embrace  in  your  arms  Christ's  bride.  He  hath  no 
 more  in  Scotland  that  is  the  delight  of  His  eyes,  but  that  one 
 little  sister,  whose  breasts  were  once  well-fashioned ;  she  once 
 ravished  her  Well-Beloved  with  her  eyes,  and  overcame  Him  with 
 their  beauty ;  "  She  looked  forth  as  the  morning,  fair  as  the  moon, 
 clear  as  the  sun,  terrible  as  an  army  with  banners  :  her  stature  was 
 like  the  palm-tree,  and  her  breasts  like  clusters  of  grapes,  and  she 
 held  the  King  in  his  galleries,"  Cant.  iv.  9,  and  vi.  10,  and  vii. 
 
 ^  Aside.  -  ^Misjudged. 
 
108  LETTER  XXXVIII. 
 
 5,  7.  Bat  now  the  crown  is  fallen  from  her  head,  and  her  gold 
 waxed  dim,  and  our  white  Nazarites  are  become  black  as  the  coal. 
 Blessed  are  they  who  will  come  out  and  help  Christ  against  the 
 mighty.  The  shields  of  the  earth  and  the  nobles  are  debtors  to 
 Christ  for  their  honour,  and  should  bring  their  glory  and  honour 
 to  the  new  Jerusalem  ;  Rev.  xxi.  24.  Alas,  that  great  men  should 
 be  so  far  from  subjecting  themselves  to  the  sweet  yoke  of  Christ, 
 that  they  burst  His  bonds  asunder,  and  think  they  dow  ^  not  go  on 
 foot,  "when  Christ  is  on  horseback,  and  that  every  nod  of  Christ 
 commanding  as  a  king,  is  a  load  like  a  mountain  of  iron ;  and 
 therefore,  they  say,  "  this  man  shall  not  reign  over  us,"  we  must 
 have  another  king  than  Christ  in  His  own  house.  Therefore, 
 kneel  to  Christ  and  kiss  the  Son,  and  let  Him  have  your  lordship'? 
 vote,  as  your  alone  Law-giver.  I  am  sure,  when  you  leave  this  old 
 waste  inns  of  this  perishing  life,  and  shall  reckon  with  your  host, 
 and  depart  hence  and  take  shipping,  and  make  over  for  eternity, 
 which  is  the  yonder  side  of  time,  and  a  sand-glass  of  threescore 
 short  years  is  running  out ;  to  look  over  your  shoulder  then,  to 
 that  which  ye  have  done,  spoken,  and  suffered  for  Christ,  His 
 dear  bride  (that  He  ransomed  with  that  blood  which  is  more  pre- 
 cious than  gold),  and  for  truth,  and  the  freedom  of  Christ's  king- 
 dom ;  your  accounts  shall  more  sweetly  smile  and  laugh  upon  you, 
 than  if  you  had  two  worlds  of  gold  to  leave  to  your  posterity.  O, 
 my  dear  lord,  consider  that  our  Master,  eternity,  judgment,  and 
 the  last  reckoning  will  be  upon  us  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye. 
 The  blast  of  the  last  trumpet,  now  hard  at  hand,  will  cry  down 
 all  acts  of  parliament,  all  the  determinations  of  pretended  assem- 
 blies against  Christ,  our  Law-giver.  There  will  be  shortly  a  pro- 
 clamation by  one  standing  in  the  clouds,  that  time  shall  be  no 
 more,  and  that  coui"t  with  kings  of  clay  shall  be  no  more ;  and 
 prisons,  confinements,  forfeitures  of  nobles,  wrath  of  kings,  hazard 
 of  lands,  houses,  and  name,  for  Christ,  shall  be  no  more.  This 
 world's  span-length  of  time  is  drawn  now  to  less  than  half  an 
 inch,  and  to  the  point  of  the  evening  of  the  day  of  this  old  and 
 grey-haired  world ;  and  therefore,  be  fixed  and  fast  for  Christ 
 antl  His  truth  for  a  time,  and  fear  not  him  whoso  life  goeth  out 
 at  his  nostrils,  who  shall  die  as  a  man.  I  am  persuaded,  Christ  is 
 responsal-  and  law-biding,  to  make  recompense  for  anything  that 
 is  hazarded  or  given  out  for  Him ;  losses  for  Christ  are  but  our 
 goods  given  out  in  bank  in  Christ's  hand.  Kings  earthly,  are  well- 
 favoured  little  clay  gods,  and  time's  idols,  but  a  sight  of  our  in- 
 visible King  shall  diecry  and  darken  all  the  glory  of  this  world. 
 At  the  day  of  Christ,  truth  shall  be  truth,  and  not  treason.  Alas  ! 
 it  is  pitiful  that  silence,  when  the  thatch  of  our  Lord's  house  hath 
 1  Can-  ^  Responsible. 
 
LETTER  XXX VIII.  109 
 
 taken  fire,  is  now  the  flower  and  the  bloom  of  court  and  state  wis- 
 ilom  ;  and  to  cast  a  covering  over  a  good  profession  (as  if  it 
 blushed  at  light),  is  thought  a  canny ^  and  sure  way  through  this 
 life  :  but  the  safest  way,  I  am  persuaded,  is  to  tine  and  win  with 
 Christ,  and  to  hazard  fairly  for  Him  ;  for  heaven  is  but  a  company 
 of  noble  venturers  for  Christ.  I  dare  hazard  my  soul,  Christ  shall 
 grow  green,  and  blossom  as  the  Rose  of  Sharon  yet  in  Scotland, 
 howbeit  now  His  leaf  seemeth  to  wither,  and  His  root  to  dry  up. 
 Your  noble  ancestors  have  been  enrolled  amongst  the  worthies  of 
 this  nation,  as  the  sure  friends  of  the  Bridegroom,  and  valiant  for 
 Christ.  I  hope  ye  will  follow  on,  to  come  to  the  streets  for  the 
 same  Lord.  The  world  is  still  at  yea  and  nay  with  Christ ;  it  shall 
 be  your  glory,  and  the  sure  foundation  of  your  house  (now  when 
 houses  are  tumbling  down,  and  birds  building  their  nests,  and 
 thorns  and  briers  are  growing  up  where  nobles  did  spread  a  table), 
 if  you  engage  your  estate  and  nobility  for  this  noble  King  Jesus, 
 with  whom  the  created  powers  of  the  world  are  still  in  tops;-  all 
 the  world  shall  fall  before  Him,  and  (as  God  liveth)  every  arm 
 lifted  up  to  take  the  crown  ofl"  His  royal  head,  or  that  refuseth 
 to  hold  it  upon  His  head,  shall  be  broken  from  the  shoulder- 
 blade.  The  eyes  that  behold  Christ  weep  in  sackcloth,  and  wallow 
 in  His  blood,  and  will  not  help,  even  these  eyes  shall  rot  away  in 
 their  eye-holes.  0  !  if  ye,  and  the  nobles  of  this  land,  saw  the 
 beauty  of  that  world's-wonder,  Jesus  our  King,  and  the  glory  of 
 Him  who  is  angels'  wonder,  and  heaven's  wonder  for  excellency  ! 
 0,  what  would  men  count  of  clay-estates,  of  time-eaten  life,  of 
 worm-eaten,  and  moth-eaten  worldly  glory,  in  comparison  of  that 
 fairest,  fairest  of  God's  creation,  the  Son  of  the  Father's  delights. 
 I  have  but  small  experience  of  suffering  for  Him ;  but,  let  my 
 Judge  and  Witness  in  heaven  lay  my  soul  in  the  balance  of  justice, 
 if  I  find  not  a  young  heaven,  and  a  little  Paradise  of  glorious 
 comforts  and  soul-delighting  love-kisses  of  Christ  here,  beneath 
 the  moon,  in  suffering  for  Him  and  His  truth ;  and  that  glory, 
 joy,  and  peace  and  fire  of  love,  I  thought  had  been  kept  while" 
 supper-time,  when  we  shall  get  leisure  to  feast  our  fill  upon  Christ, 
 I  have  felt  it  in  glorious  beginnings,  in  my  bonds  for  this  princely 
 Lord  Jesus.  0  !  it  is  my  sorrow,  my  daily  pain,  that  men  Avill 
 not  come  and  see.  I  would  now  be  ashamed  to  believe  that  it 
 should  be  possible  for  any  soul  to  think  that  he  could  be  a  loser 
 for  Christ ;  suppose  he  should  lend  Christ  the  lordship  of  Lindsay, 
 or  some  such  great  worldly  estate.  Therefore,  my  worthy  and 
 dear  lord,  set  your  face  against  the  opjDosites  of  Jesus,  and  let 
 your  soul  take  courage  to  come  under  His  banner,  to  appear  as 
 His  soldier  for  Him,  and  the  blessings  of  a  falling  kirk,  the  prayers 
 
 ^  Quiet.  -  Heights  (of  passion).  ^  Till. 
 
110  LETTER  XXXIX. 
 
 of  the  prisoners  of  hope,  who  wait  for  Zion's  joy,  and  the  good- 
 will of  Him  that  dwelt  in  the  bush,  and  it  burned  not,  shall  be 
 with  you.  To  His  saving  grace  I  recommend  your  lordship  and 
 your  house,  and  am  still  Christ's  prisoner,  and  your  lordship's 
 obliged  servant,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  K. 
 
 Aberdeen,  September  7,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  XXXIX.— To  my  Lord  Boyd. 
 
 My  very  Honourable  and  good  Lord, — Grace,  mercy,  and 
 peace  be  to  you.  I  am  glad  to  hear  that  ye,  in  the  morning  of 
 your  short  day,  mind  Christ,  and  that  ye  love  the  honour  of  His 
 crown  and  kingdom.  I  beseech  your  lordship,  begin  now  to  frame 
 your  love,  and  to  cast  it  in  no  mould  but  one,  that  it  may  be  for 
 Christ  only ;  for  when  your  love  is  now  in  the  framing  and  making, 
 it  will  take  best  with  Christ ;  if  any  other  than  Jesus  get  a  grip 
 of  it,  when  it  is  green  and  young,  Christ  will  be  an  uncouth  and 
 strange  world  to  you.  Promise  the  lodging  of  your  soul  first 
 away  to  Christ,  and  stand  by  your  first  covenant,  and  keep  to 
 Jesus  that  He  may  find  you  honest.  It  is  easy  to  master  an 
 arrow,  and  to  set  it  right  ere  the  string  be  drawn ;  but,  when 
 once  it  is  shot  and  in  the  air,  and  the  flight  begun,  then  ye  have 
 no  power  at  all  to  command  it.  It  were  a  blessed  thing,  if  your 
 love  could  now  level  only  at  Christ,  that  His  fair  face  were  the 
 black  of  the  mark  ye  shot  at ;  for  when  your  love  is  loosed  and 
 out  of  your  grips,  and  in  its  motion  to  fetch  home  an  idol,  and 
 hath  taken  a  whorish  gadding  journey,  to  seek  an  unknown  and 
 strange  lover,  ye  shall  not  then  have  power  to  call  home  the 
 arrow  or  to  be  master  of  your  love ;  and  ye  shall  hardly  give 
 Christ  what  ye  scarcely  have  yourself.  I  speak  not  this  as  if 
 youth  itself  could  fetch  heaven  and  Christ.  Believe  it,  my  lord, 
 it  is  hardly  credible,  what  a  nest  of  dangerous  temptations  youth 
 is,  how  inconsiderate,  foolish,  proud,  vain,  heady,  rash,  profane, 
 and  careless  of  God,  this  piece  of  your  life  is ;  so  that  the  devil 
 findeth  in  that  age  a  garnished  and  swept  house  for  himself,  and 
 seven  devils  worse  than  himself;  for  then  aff"ections  are  on  horse- 
 back, lofty  and  stirring ;  then  the  old  man  hath  blood,  lust,  much 
 will,  and  little  wit,  and  hands,  feet,  wanton  eyes,  profane  ears,  as 
 his  servants,  and  as  a  king's  officers  at  command,  to  come  and  go 
 at  his  will :  then  a  green  conscience  is  as  supple  as  the  twig  of  a 
 young  tree,  it  is  for  every  way,  every  religion,  every  lewd  course 
 prevaileth  with  it ;  and  therefore,  0  what  a  sweet  couple,  what  a 
 glorious  yoke  are  youth  and  grace,  Christ  and  a  young  man  !  this 
 is  a  meeting  not  to  be  found  in  every  town.  None  who  have  been 
 at  Christ,  can  bring  back  to  your  lordship  a  report  answerable  to 
 His  worth  ;  for  Christ  cannot  be  spoken  of,  or  commended  accord- 
 
LETTER  XXXIX.  Ill 
 
 ing  to  His  worth;  Come  and  see,  is  the  most  faithful  messenger  to 
 speak  of  Him,  little  persuasion  would  prevail  where  this  were.  It  is 
 impossible  in  the  setting  out  of  Christ's  love  to  lie  and  pass  over 
 truth's  line.  The  discourses  of  angels,  or  love-books  written  by 
 the  congregation  of  seraphims  (all  their  wits  being  conjoined  and 
 melted  in  one),  would  for  ever  be  in  the  nether  side  of  truth,  and 
 plentifully  declaring  the  thing  as  it  is.  The  infiniteness,  the 
 boundlessness  of  that  incomparable  excellency  that  is  in  Jesus,  is 
 a  great  word.  God  send  me  if  it  were  but  the  relics  and  leav- 
 ings, or  an  ounce  weight  or  two  of  His  matchless  love ;  and  sup- 
 pose I  never  got  another  heaven  (providing  this  blessed  fire  were 
 evermore  burning)  I  could  not  but  be  happy  for  ever.  Come 
 hither  then,  and  give  out  your  money  wisely  for  bread :  come 
 here  and  bestow  your  love.  I  have  cause  to  speak  this,  because, 
 except  ye  enjoy  and  possess  Christ,  ye  will  be  a  cold  friend  to 
 His  spouse,  for  it  is  love  to  the  husband  that  causeth  kindness  to 
 the  wife.  I  dare  swear,  it  were  a  blessing  to  your  house,  the 
 honour  of  your  honour,  the  flower  of  your  credit,  now  in  your 
 place,  and  as  far  as  ye  are  able,  to  lend  your  hand  to  your  weep- 
 ing mother,  even  your  oppressed  and  spoiled  mother  kirk.  If  ye 
 love  her,  and  bestir  yourself  for  her,  and  hazard  the  lordship  of 
 Boyd  for  the  recovery  of  her  vail  (which  the  smiting  watchmen 
 have  taken  from  her),  then  surely  her  husband  will  scorn  to  sleep 
 in  your  common  or  reverence  :  ^  bits  of  lordships  are  little  to  Him 
 who  hath  many  crowns  on  His  head,  and  the  kingdoms  of  the 
 world  in  the  hollow  of  His  hand.  Court,  honour,  glory,  riches, 
 stability  of  houses,  favour  of  princes,  are  all  on  His  finger  ends. 
 0,  what  glory  were  it  to  lend  your  honour  to  Christ,  and  to  His 
 Jerusalem.  Ye  are  one  of  Zion's  born  sons  ;  your  honourable  and 
 Christian  parents  would  venture  you  upon  Christ's  errands.  There- 
 fore I  beseech  you  by  the  mercies  of  God,  by  the  death  and 
 wounds  of  Jesus,  by  the  hope  of  your  glorious  inheritance,  and 
 by  the  comfort  and  hope  of  the  joyful  presence  ye  would  have 
 at  the  water-side,  when  ye  are  putting  your  foot  in  the  dark 
 grave,  take  courage  for  Christ's  truth,  and  the  honour  of  His 
 free  kingdom ;  for,  howbeit  ye  be  a  young  flower,  and  green  before 
 the  sun,  ye  know  not  how  soon  death  will  cause  you  to  cast  your 
 bloom,  and  wither  root  and  branch  and  leaves.  And  therefore, 
 write  up  what  ye  have  to  do  for  Christ,  and  make  a  treasure 
 of  good  works,  and  begin  in  time :  by  appearance  ye  have 
 the  advantage  of  the  brae :  see  what  ye  can  do  for  Christ 
 against  these  who  are  waiting  while  ^  Christ's  tabernacle  fall,  that 
 they  may  run  away  with  the  boards  thereof,  and  build  their  nest 
 on  Zion's  ruins.     They  are  blind  who  see  not  lowns  ^  now  pulling 
 
 1  That  is,  to  h^  indebted  to  you.  "Till.  '•'  Villains. 
 
112  LETTER  XL. 
 
 up  the  Stakes  and  breaking  the  cords,  and  rending  the  curtains  of 
 Christ's  (sometimes)  beautiful  tent  in  this  land.  Antichrist  is 
 lifting  that  tent  up  upon  his  shoulders,  and  going  away  with  it, 
 and  when  Christ  and  the  Gospel  are  out  of  Scotland,  dream  not 
 that  your  houses  shall  thrive,  and  that  it  shall  go  well  with  the 
 nobles  of  the  land :  as  the  Lord  liveth,  the  streams  of  your 
 waters  shall  become  pitch,  and  the  dust  of  your  land  brimstone ; 
 and  your  land  shall  become  burning  pitch,  and  the  owl  and  the 
 raven  shall  dwell  in  your  houses,  and  where  your  table  stood, 
 there  shall  grow  briers  and  nettles;  Isaiah  xxxiv.  9,  11.  The 
 Lord  gave  Christ  and  His  Gospel  as  a  pawn  to  Scotland,  the 
 watchmen  having  fallen  foul,  and  lost  their  part  of  the  pawn  ;  and 
 who  seeth  not  that  God  hath  dried  up  their  right  eye,  and  their 
 right  arm,  and  hath  broken  the  shepherds'  staves,  and  men  are 
 treading  in  their  hearts  upon  such  unsavory  salt,  that  is  good  for 
 nothing  else.  If  ye  the  nobles  put  away  the  pawn  also,  and 
 refuse  to  plead  the  controversy  of  Zion  with  the  professed 
 enemies  of  Jesus,  ye  have  done  with  it.  0,  where  is  the  courage 
 and  zeal  now  of  the  ancient  nobles  of  this  land,  who,  with  their 
 swords,  and  hazard  of  life,  honour,  and  houses,  brought  Christ 
 to  our  hands'?  And  now  the  nobles  cannot  be  but  guilty  of 
 shouldering  out  Christ,  and  murdering  of  the  souls  of  the  poster- 
 ity, if  they  shall  hide  themselves,  and  lurk  in  the  lee-side  of  the 
 hill,  till  the  wind  blow  down  the  temple  of  God.  It  goeth  now 
 under  the  name  of  wisdom,  for  men  to  cast  their  cloak  over 
 Christ  and  their  profession,  as  if  Christ  were  stolen  goods  and 
 durst  not  be  avouched ;  though  this  be  reputed  a  piece  of  policy, 
 yet  God  esteemeth  such  men  to  be  but  state-fools  and  court-gouks,^ 
 whatever  they,  or  other  heads  of  wit  like  to  them,  think  of  them- 
 selves, since  their  damnable  silence  is  the  ruin  of  Christ's  kingdom. 
 0,  but  it  be  true  honour  and  glory,  to  be  the  fast  friends  of  the 
 Bridegroom,  and  to  own  Christ's  bleeding  head,  and  His  forsaken 
 cause  ;  and  to  contend  legally,  and  in  the  wisdom  of  God,  for  our 
 sweet  Lord  Jesus,  and  His  kingly  crown.  But  I  will  believe 
 your  lordship  will  take  Christ's  honour  to  heart,  and  be  a  man  in 
 the  streets  (as  the  prophet  speaketh)  for  the  Lord  and  His  truth. 
 To  His  rich  grace  and  sweet  presence,  and  the  everlasting  consola- 
 tion of  the  promised  Comforter,  I  recommend  your  lordship.  And 
 am  your  lordship's,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R 
 
 Aberdeen,  Sept.  7,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  XL.— To  my  Lady  Boyd. 
 My  very  Honourable  and  Christian  Lady, — Grace,  mercy, 
 and  peace  be  to  you,     I  received  your  letter,  and  am  well  pleased 
 
 ■•  Coiirt-jcsters. 
 
LETTER  XL.  113 
 
 that  your  thoughts  of  Christ  stay  with  you,  and  that  your  purpose 
 still  is,  by  all  means,  to  take  the  kingdom  of  heaven  by  violence, 
 which  is  no  small  conquest ;  and  it  is  a  degree  of  watchfulness 
 and  thankfulness  also,  to  observe  sleepiness  and  unthankfulness : 
 we  have  all  good  cause  to  complain  of  false  light,  that  playeth 
 the  thief,  and  stealeth  away  the  lantern,  when  it  cometh  to  the 
 practice  of  constant  walking  with  God.  Our  journey  is  ten  times 
 a  day  broken  in  ten  pieces ;  Christ  getteth  but  only  broken  and 
 halved  and  tired  work  of  us,  and  alas  too  often  against  the  hair. 
 I  have  been  somewhat  nearer  the  Bridegroom ;  but  when  I  dravv 
 nigh,  and  see  my  vileness,  for  shame  I  would  be  out  of  His  pre- 
 sence again ;  but  yet  desire  of  His  soul-refreshing  love  putteth 
 blushing  me  under  an  arrest.  0,  what  am  I,  so  loathsome  a 
 burden  of  sin,  to  stand  beside  such  a  beautiful  and  holy  Lord,  such 
 an  high  and  lofty  One,  who  inhabiteth  eternity  1  But  since  it 
 pleaseth  Christ  to  condescend  to  such  an  one  as  me,  let  shame- 
 facedness  be  laid  aside,  and  lose  itself  in  His  condescending  love. 
 I  would  heartily  be  content  to  keep  a  corner  of  the  King's  hall. 
 0,  if  I  were  at  the  yonder^  end  of  my  weak  desires!  then  should  I 
 be  where  Christ,  my  Lord  and  Lover,  lives  and  reigns;  there  I 
 should  be  everlastingly  solaced  with  the  sight  of  His  face,  and  satis- 
 fied with  the  surpassing  sweetness  of  His  matchless  love.  But, 
 truly,  now  I  stand  in  the  nether  side  of  my  desires,  and  with 
 a  drooping  head  and  panting  heart,  I  look  up  to  fair  Jesus, 
 standing  afar  off  from  us,  while  ^  corruption  and  death  shall  scour 
 and  refine  the  body  of  clay,  and  rot  out  the  bones  of  the  old  man 
 of  sin.  In  the  meantime,  we  are  blessed  in  sending  word  to  the 
 Beloved,  that  we  love  to  love  Him ;  and  till  then,  there  is  joy  in 
 wooing,  suiting,  lying  about  His  house,  looking  in  at  the  windows, 
 and  sending  a  poor  soul's  groans  and  wishes  through  a  hole  of 
 the  door  to  Jesus,  till  God  send  a  glad  meeting.  And,  blessed  be 
 God,  that  after  a  low  ebb,  and  so  sad  a  word,  "  Lord  Jesus,  it  is 
 long  since  I  saw  thee,"  that  even  then,  our  wings  are  growing, 
 and  the  absence  of  sweet  Jesus  breedeth  a  new  fleece  of  desires 
 and  longings  for  Him.  I  know  no  man  hath  a  velvet  cross ;  but 
 the  cross  is  made  of  that  which  God  will  have  it.  But,  verily, 
 howbeit  it  be  no  warrantable  market  to  buy  a  cross,  yet  I  dare 
 not  say,  0  that  I  had  liberty  to  sell  Christ's  cross,  lest  there- 
 with also  I  should  sell  joy,  comfort,  sense  of  love,  patience,  and 
 the  kind  visits  of  a  Bridegroom.  And  therefore,  blessed  be  God, 
 we  get  crosses  unbought  and  good  cheap.  Sure  I  am,  it  were 
 better  to  buy  crosses  for  Christ,  than  to  sell  them;  howbeit  neither 
 be  allowed  to  us.  And  for  Christ's  joyful  coming  and  going, 
 which  your  ladysMp  speaketh  of,  I  bear  with  it,  as  love  can  per 
 ^  Further.  ■■  Till. 
 
114  LETTER  XLI. 
 
 mit.  It  should  be  enough  to  me,  if  I  were  wise,  that  Christ  will 
 have  joy  and  sorrow  halfers^  of  the  life  of  the  saints,  and  that 
 each  of  them  should  have  a  share  of  our  days,  as  the  night  and 
 the  day  are  kindly  partners  and  halfers  ^  of  time,  and  take  it  up 
 betwixt  them.  But  if  sorrow  be  the  greediest  halfer  of  our  days 
 here,  I  know  joy's  day  shall  dawn,  and  do  more  than  recompense 
 all  our  sad  hours.  Let  my  Lord  Jesus  (since  He  will  do  so)  weave 
 my  bit  and  span-length  of  time,  with  white  and  black,  weal  and 
 woe,  with  the  Bridegroom's  coming  and  His  sad  departure,  as 
 warp  and  woof  in  one  web  ;  and  let  the  rose  be  neighboured  with 
 the  thorn,  yet  hope  (that  maketli  not  ashamed)  hath  written  a 
 letter  and  lines  of  hope  to  the  "  Mourners  in  Zion,"  that  it  shall 
 not  be  long  so :  when  we  are  over  the  water,  Christ  shall  cry 
 down  crosses,  and  up  heaven  for  evermore,  and  down  hell,  and 
 down  death,  and  down  sin,  and  down  sorrow;  and  up  glory,  up 
 life,  up  joy  for  evermore.  In  this  hope,  I  sleep  quietly  in  Christ's 
 bosom,  while^  He  come,  who  is  not  slack ;  and  would  sleep  so, 
 were  it  not  that  the  noise  of  the  devil,  and  sin's  feet,  and  the  cries 
 of  an  unbelieving  heart,  awaken  me ;  but,  for  the  present,  I  have 
 nothing  whereof  I  can  accuse  Christ's  cross.  0,  if  I  could  please 
 myself  in  Christ  only !  I  hope,  madam,  your  sons  will  improve 
 their  power  for  Jesus ;  for  there  is  no  danger,  neither  is  there  any 
 question  or  justling  betwixt  Christ  and  authority,  though  our  ene- 
 mies falsely  state  the  question,  as  if  Christ  and  authority  could 
 not  abide  under  one  roof;  the  question  only  is,  betwixt  Christ  and 
 men  in  authority.  Authority  is  for  and  from  Christ,  and  submit  ^ 
 to  Him ;  how  then  can  he  make  a  plea  with  it  1  Nay,  the  truth 
 is,  worms  and  gods  of  clay  are  risen  up  against  Christ.  If  the 
 fruit  of  your  ladyship's  womb  be  helpers  of  Christ,  ye  have  good 
 ground  to  rejoice  in  God.  All  your  ladyship  can  expect  for  your 
 goodwill  to  me  and  my  brother  (a  wronged  stranger  for  Christ), 
 is  the  prayers  of  a  prisoner  of  Jesus,  to  whom  I  recommend  your 
 ladyship,  and  house,  and  children,  and  in  whom  I  am,  madam. 
 Your  ladyship's,  in  Christ,  S.  E-. 
 Aberdeen,  Sept.  8,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  XLI.— To  the  Lady  Culross. 
 
 Madam, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you.  I  dare  not  say 
 I  wonder  that  ye  have  never  written  to  me  in  my  bonds,  because 
 1  am  not  ignorant  of  the  cause ;  yet  I  could  not  but  write  to  you, 
 I  know  not  whether  joy  or  heaviness  in  my  soul  carrieth  it  away: 
 sorrow,  without  any  mixture  of  sweetness,  hath  not  often  love- 
 thoughts  of  Christ ;  but  I  see  the  devil  can  insinuate  himself,  and 
 ride  his  errands  upon  the  thoughts  of  a  poor  oppressed  prisoner. 
 '■  Sharers.  *  TilL  ^  Subjected. 
 
LETTER  XLI.  115 
 
 I  am  woe^  that  I  am  making  Christ  my  unfriend  by  seeking  pleas 
 against  Him,  because  I  am  the  first  in  the  kingdom  put  to  utter 
 silence,  and  because  I  cannot  preach  my  Lord's  righteousness  in 
 the  great  congregation.  I  am,  notwithstanding,  the  less  solicitous 
 how  it  go,  if  there  be  not  wrath  in  my  cup.  But  I  know,  I  but 
 claw 2  my  wounds,  when  my  Physician  hath  forbidden  me:  I 
 would  believe  in  the  dark  upon  luck's  head,  and  take  my  hazard 
 of  Christ's  good  will,  and  rest  on  this,  that  in  my  fever  my  Physi- 
 cian is  at  my  bed-side,  and  that  He  sympathizeth  with  me  when  I 
 sigh.  My  borrowed  house,  and  another  man's  bed  and  fireside, 
 and  other  losses  have  no  room  in  my  sorrow :  a  greater  heat  to 
 eat  out  a  less  fire  is  a  good  remedy  for  some  burning.  I  believe, 
 when  Christ  draweth  blood.  He  hath  skill  to  cut  the  right  vein, 
 and  that  He  hath  taken  the  whole  ordering  and  disposing  of  my 
 sufferings.  Let  Him  tutor  me  and  tutor  my  crosses  as  He  think- 
 eth  good  :  there  is  no  danger  nor  hazard  in  following  such  a  guide; 
 howbeit  He  should  lead  me  through  hell,  if  I  could  put  faith  fore- 
 most, and  fill  the  field  with  a  quiet  on-waiting,  and  believing  to 
 see  the  salvation  of  God  :  I  know  Christ  is  not  obliged  to  let  me 
 see  both  the  sides  of  my  cross,  and  turn  it  over  and  over  that  I 
 may  see  all.  My  faith  is  richer  to  live  upon  credit  and  Christ's 
 borrowed  money  than  to  have  much  in  my  hand.  Alas  !  I  have 
 forgotten  that  faith  in  times  past  hath  stopped  a  leak  in  my  crazed 
 bark,  and  hath  filled  my  sails  with  a  fair  wind.  I  see  it  a  work  of 
 God,  that  experiences  are  all  lost,  when  summons  of  improbation, 
 to  prove  our  charters  of  Christ  to  be  counterfeit,  are  raised  against 
 poor  souls  in  their  heavy  trials  ;  but  let  me  be  a  sinner,  and  worse 
 than  the  chief  of  sinners,  yea,  a  guilty  devil,  I  am  sure  my  well- 
 beloved  is  God  ;  and  when  I  say  Christ  is  God,  and  my  Christ  is 
 God,  I  have  said  all  things,  I  can  say  no  more.  I  would  I  could 
 build  as  much  on  this,  my  Christ  is  God,  as  it  would  bear ;  I 
 might  lay  all  the  world  upon  it :  I  am  sure  Christ  untried  and  un- 
 taken  up  in  the  power  of  His  love,  kindness,  mercies,  goodness, 
 wisdom,  long-suff'ering,  and  greatness,  is  the  rock  that  dim-sighted 
 travellers  dash  their  foot  against,  and  so  stumble  fearfully.  But, 
 my  wounds  are  sorest  and  pain  me  most  to  sin  against  His  love 
 and  His  mercy :  and  if  He  would  set  me  and  my  conscience  by 
 the  ears  together,  and  resolve  not  to  red  the  plea,^  but  let  us  deal 
 it  betwixt  us,  my  spitting  upon  the  fair  face  of  Christ's  love  and 
 mercies,  by  my  jealousies,  unbelief,  and  doubting,  would  be  enough 
 to  sink  me.  0,  oh  !  I  am  convinced ;  0  Lord,  I  stand  dumb  be-- 
 fore  Thee  for  this :  let  me  be  mine  own  judge  in  this,  and  I  take 
 a  dreadful  doom  upon  me  for  it ;  for  I  still  misbelieve,  though  I 
 have  seen  that  my  Lord  hath  made  my  cross  as  if  it  were  all  crys- 
 tal, so  as  I  can  see  through  it  Christ's  fair  face  and  heaven,  and 
 '  Sol  rowhil.  "  Scratcli.  *  To  settle  the  dispute. 
 
116  LETTEE  XLl. 
 
 that  God  hath  honoured  a  lump  of  smful  flesh  and  blood,  the  like 
 of  me,  to  be  Christ's  honourable  Lord-prisoner.  I  ought  to  esteem 
 the  walls  of  the  thieves'  hole  (if  I  were  shut  up  in  it)  or  any  stink- 
 ing dungeon,  all  hung  with  tapestry,  and  most  beautiful  for  my 
 Lord  Jesus ;  and  yet  I  am  not  so  shut  up,  but  that  the  sun  shineth 
 upon  my  prison,  and  the  fair  wide  heaven  is  the  covering  of  it. 
 But  my  Lord  in  His  sweet  visits  hath  done  more,  for  He  makes 
 me  find  that  He  will  be  a  confined  prisoner  with  me ;  He  lieth 
 down  and  riseth  up  with  me ;  when  I  sigh  He  sigheth  ;  when  I 
 weep  He  suff'ereth  with  me ;  and  I  confess  here  is  the  blessed  issue 
 of  my  sufferings  already  begun,  that  my  heart  is  filled  with  hunger 
 and  desire  to  have  Him  glorified  in  my  sufferings.  Blessed  ye  of 
 the  Lord,  Madam,  if  you  would  help  a  poor  dyvour,^  and  cause 
 others  of  your  acquaintance  in  Christ  help  me,  to  pay  my  debt  of 
 love,  even  real  praises,  to  Christ  my  Lord.  Madam,  let  me  charge 
 you  in  the  Lord,  as  ye  will  answer  to  Him,  help  me  in  this  duty 
 (which  He  hath  tied  about  my  neck  with  a  chain  of  such  singular 
 expressions  of  His  loving  kindness)  to  set  on  high  Christ,  to  hold 
 in  my  honesty  at  His  hands,  for  I  have  nothing  to  give  Him.  0, 
 that  He  would  arrest  and  comprise  my  love  and  my  heart  for  all ! 
 I  am  a  dyvour'  who  have  no  more  free  goods  in  the  world  for 
 Christ,  save  that :  it  is  both  the  whole  heritage  I  have  and  all  my 
 moveables  besides  :  Lord,  give  the  thirsty  man  a  drink.  0,  to  be 
 over  the  ears  in  the  well !  0,  to  be  swatt^ring  and  swimming 
 over  head  and  ears  in  Christ's  love  !  I  would  not  have  Christ's 
 love  entering  in  me,  but  I  would  enter  into  it,  and  be  swallowed 
 up  of  that  love.  But  I  see  not  myself  here,  for  I  fear  I  make  more 
 of  His  love  than  of  Himself;  whereas  Himself  is  far  beyond  and 
 much  better  than  His  love.  0,  if  I  had  my  sinful  arms  filled  with 
 that  lovely  one  Christ !  blessed  be  my  rich  Lord  Jesus,  who  send- 
 eth  not  away  beggars  from  His  house  with  a  toom^  dish.  He 
 filleth  the  vessels  of  such  as  will  come  and  seek.  We  might  beg 
 ourselves  rich  (if  we  were  wise),  if  we  could  but  hold  out  our 
 withered  hands  to  Christ,  and  learn  to  suit  ^  and  seek,  ask  and 
 knock.  I  owe  my  salvation  for  Christ's  glory ;  I  owe  it  to  Christ, 
 and  desire  that  my  hell,  yea,  a  new  hell,  seven  times  hotter  than 
 the  old  hell,  might  buy  praises  before  men  and  angels  to  my  Lord 
 Jesus,  providing  always  I  were  free  of  Christ's  hatred  and  displea- 
 sure. What  am  I,  to  be  forfeited  and  sold  in  soul  and  body,  to 
 have  my  great  and  royal  King  set  on  high,  and  extolled  above  all  1 
 0,  if  I  knew  how  high  to  have  Him  set,  and  all  the  world  far,  far 
 beneath  the  soles  of  His  feet !  Nay,  I  deserve  not  to  be  the 
 matter  of  His  praises,  far  less  to  be  an  agent  in  praising  of  Him. 
 But  He  can  win  His  own  glory  out  of  me,  and  out  of  one  worse 
 ^  Debtor,  -  Empty.  '  Sue. 
 
LETTER  XLII.  117 
 
 than  I  (if  any  such  be)  if  it  pleases  His  holy  majesty  so  to  do  ;  He 
 knoweth  that  I  am  not  now  flattering  Him.  Madam,  let  me  have 
 your  prayers,  as  ye  have  the  prayers  and  blessing  of  him  that  is 
 separated  from  his  brethren.     Grace,  grace  be  with  you. 
 
 Your  own,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  K. 
 Aberdeen,  June  15,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  XLH.— To  the  Earl  of  Cassilis. 
 
 My  very  Noble  and  Honourable  Lord, — I  make  bold,  out 
 of  the  honourable  and  Christian  report  I  hear  of  your  lordship, 
 having  no  other  thing  to  say  but  that  which  concerneth  the  honour- 
 able cause,  which  the  Lord  hath  enabled  your  lordship  to  profess, 
 to  write  this,  that  it  is  your  lordship's  crown,  your  glory,  and 
 your  honour,  to  set  your  shoulder  under  the  Lord's  glory  now  fall- 
 ing to  the  ground  ;  and  to  back  Christ  now,  when  so  many  think 
 it  wisdom  to  let  Him  fend^  for  Himself  The  shields  of  the  earth 
 ever  did,  and  do  still  believe  that  Christ  is  a  cumbersome  neigh- 
 bour, and  that  it  is  a  pain  to  hold  up  His  yeas  and  nays  :  they 
 fear  He  take  their  chariots,  and  their  crowns,  and  their  honour 
 from  them ;  but  my  Lord  standeth  in  need  of  none  of  them  all. 
 But  it  is  your  glory  to  own  Christ  and  His  buried  truth,  for  let 
 men  say  what  they  please,  the  plea  with  Zion's  enemies,  in  tliis 
 day  of  Jacob's  trouble,  is,  if  Christ  should  be  King,  and  no  mouth 
 speak  laws  but  His  1  It  concerneth  the  apple  of  Christ's  eye  and 
 His  royal  privileges,  what  now  is  debated  :  and  Christ's  kingly 
 honour  is  come  to  yea  and  nay.  But  let  me  be  pardoned,  my  dear 
 and  noble  lord,  to  beseech  you  by  the  mercies  of  God,  by  the  com- 
 forts of  the  Spirit,  by  the  wounds  of  your  dear  Saviour,  by  your 
 compearance  before  the  Judge  of  quick  and  dead,  to  stand  for 
 Christ,  and  to  back  Him.  0,  if  the  nobles  had  done  their  part, 
 and  been  zealous  for  the  Lord,  it  had  not  been  as  it  is  now ;  but 
 men  think  it  wisdom  to  stand  beside  Christ  till  His  head  be 
 broken,  and  sing  dumb.  There  is  a  time  coming  when  Christ  will 
 have  a  thick  court,  and  He  will  be  the  glory  of  Scotland ;  and  He 
 shall  make  a  diadem,  a  garland,  a  seal  upon  His  heart,  and  a  ring 
 on  His  finger,  of  these  who  have  avouched  Him  before  this  faith- 
 less generation :  howbeit,  ere  that  come,  wrath  from  the  Lord  is 
 ordained  for  this  land.  My  lord,  I  have  cause  to  write  this  to 
 your  lordship,  for  I  dare  not  conceal  His  kindness  to  the  soul  of 
 an  afflicted  exiled  prisoner.  Who  hath  more  cause  to  boast  in  the 
 Lord  than  such  a  sinner  as  1 1  who  am  feasted  with  the  consola- 
 tions of  Christ,  and  have  no  pain  in  my  suff'erings,  but  the  pain 
 of  soul-sickness  of  love  for  Christ,  and  sorrow  that  I  cannot  get 
 
 1  Sliift, 
 
118  LETTERS  XLIII.  AND  XLIV. 
 
 help  to  sound  aloud  the  high  praises  of  Him  who  hath  heard  the 
 sighing  of  the  prisoner,  and  is  content  to  lay  the  head  of  His  op- 
 pressed servant  ifl  His  bosom,  under  His  chin,  and  let  him  feel 
 the  smell  of  His  garments.  This  I  behoved  to  write,  that  your 
 lordship  might  know  Christ  is  as  good  as  He  is  called ;  and  to 
 testify  to  your  lordship  the  cause  your  lordship  now  professeth, 
 before  this  faithless  world,  is  Christ's;  and  your  lordship  shall 
 have  no  shame  of  it.     Grace  be  with  you. 
 
 Your  lordship's  obliged  servant,         S.  R. 
 Aberdeen,  March  13,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  XLIIL— To  the  much  honoured  John  Osburn, 
 Provost  of  Ayr. 
 
 Much  honoured  Sir, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you. 
 Upon  our  small  acquaintance,  and  the  good  report  I  hear  of  you, 
 I  could  not  but  write  to  you.  I  have  nothing  to  say,  but  Christ,  in 
 that  honourable  place  He  hath  put  you  in,  hath  intrusted  you 
 with  a  dear  pledge,  which  is  His  own  glory ;  and  hath  armed  you 
 with  His  sword  to  keep  the  pledge,  and  make  a  good  account  of  it 
 to  God.  Be  not  afraid  of  men ;  your  Master  can  mow  down  Hio 
 enemies,  and  make  withered  hay  of  fair  flowers.  Your  time  will 
 not  be  long ;  after  your  afternoon  will  come  your  evening,  and 
 after  evening,  night :  serve  Christ,  back  Him,  let  His  cause  be 
 your  cause ;  give  not  an  hair-breadth  of  truth  away;  for  it  is  not 
 yours  but  God's.  Then,  since  ye  are  going,  take  Christ's  testificate^ 
 with  you  out  of  this  life,  "  Well  done,  good  and  faithful  servant." 
 His  well-done  is  worth  a  shipful  of  good-days  and  earthly  honours. 
 I  have  cause  to  say  this,  because  I  find  Him  truth  itself  In  my 
 sad  days  Christ  laugheth  cheerfully,  and  saith  "  All  will  be  well." 
 Would  to  God,  all  this  kingdom,  and  ye,  and  all  that  know  God, 
 knew  what  is  betwixt  me  and  Christ  in  this  prison  ;  what  kisses, 
 embracements,  and  love  communings.  I  take  His  cross  in  my 
 arms  with  joy,  I  bless  it,  I  rejoice  in  it.  Suffering  for  Christ  is 
 my  garland.  I  would  not  exchange  Christ  for  ten  thousand 
 worlds;  nay  (if  the  comparison  could  stand),  I  would  not  ex- 
 change Christ  with  heaven.  Sir,  pray  for  me,  and  the  prayers 
 and  blessings  of  a  prisoner  of  Christ  meet  you  in  all  your  straits. 
 Grace  be  with  you.     Yours,  in  Christ  Jesus  his  Lord,         S.  R. 
 
 Aberdeen,  March  ]4,  1G37. 
 
 LETTER  XLIV.— To  Robert  Gordon,  Bailie  of  Ayr. 
 
 Worthy  Sir, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you.  I  long  to 
 hear  from  you  in  paper.     Remember  your  chief's  speeches  on  His 
 
 ^  CertiCcate. 
 
LETTEi;  XLV.  119 
 
 deathbed,  i  pi;iy  yoii,  sir,  sell  all,  and  buy  the  pearl ;  time  will 
 cut  you  from  this  world's  glory.  Look  what  will  do  you  good, 
 when  your  glass  shall  be  run  out ;  and  let  Christ's  love  bear  most 
 court  ^  in  your  soul,  and  that  court  will  bear  down  the  love  of  other 
 things.  Christ  seeketh  your  help  in  your  place ;  give  Him  your 
 hand.  Who  hath  more  cause  to  encourage  others  to  own  Christ 
 than  I  have?  for  He  hath  made  me  sick  of  love,  and  left  me  in 
 pain  to  wrestle  with  His  love,  and  love  is  like  to  fall  a-swoon 
 through  His  absence.  I  mean  not  that  He  deserteth  me,  or  that 
 I  am  ebb  of  comforts ;  but  this  is  an  uncouth  pain.  0,  that  I 
 had  a  heart  and  a  love  to  render  to  Him  back  again  !  0,  if  prin- 
 cipalities and  powers,  thrones  and  dominions,  and  all  the  world, 
 would  help  me  to  praise  !  Praise  Him  in  my  behalf.  Remember 
 mj  love  to  your  wife.  I  thank  you  most  kindly  for  your  love  to 
 my  brother.     Grace  be  with  you. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  swcot-  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 
 Aberdeen,  March  13,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  XLV.— To  John  Kennedy,  Bailie  of  A^r. 
 
 Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  unto  you.  Your  not  writing  to 
 me  cannot  bind  me  up  from  remembering  you  now  and  then,  that 
 at  least  ye  may  be  a  witness  and  a  third  man  to  behold  in  paper 
 what  is  betwixt  Christ  and  me.  I  was  in  His  eyes  like  a  young 
 orphan  wanting  known  parents,  casten  out  in  the  open  fields ; 
 either  Christ  behoved  to  take  me  up  and  to  bring  me  home  to 
 His  house  and  fireside,  else  I  had  died  in  the  fields.  And  now  I 
 am  homely  ^  with  Christ's  love,  so  that  I  think  the  house  mine 
 own,  and  the  master  of  the  house  mine  also.  Christ  inquired  not 
 when  He  began  to  love  me,  whether  I  was  fair,  or  black  and  sun- 
 burnt 1  love  taketh  what  it  may  have.  He  loved  me  before  this 
 time,  I  know ;  but  now  I  have  the  flower  of  His  love  :  His  love  is 
 come  to  a  fair  bloom,  like  a  young  rose  opened  up  out  of  the  green 
 leaves,  and  it  casteth  a  strong  and  fragrant  smell.  I  want  nothing 
 but  ways  of  expressing  Christ's  love.  A  full  vessel  would  have  a 
 vent.  0,  if  I  could  smoke  out  and  cast  out  coals  to  make  a  firt> 
 in  many  breasts  of  this  land  !  0  !  it  is  a  pity  that  there  were  not 
 many  imprisoned  for  Christ,  for  no  other  purpose  but  to  write 
 books  and  love-songs  of  the  love  of  Christ.  This  love  would  keep 
 all  created  tongues  of  men  and  angels  in  exercise,  and  busy  night 
 and  day  to  speak  of  it.  Alas  !  I  can  speak  nothing  of  it,  but 
 wonder  at  three  things  in  His  love.  First,  freedom.  0,  that 
 lumps  of  sin  should  get  such  love  for  nothing.  Secondly,  the 
 sweetness  of  His  love ;  I  give  over  either  to  speak  or  write  of  it ; 
 
 '  lufluence.  "Familiar. 
 
120  LETTER  XLV. 
 
 but  those  tliat  feel  it  may  better  bear  witness  what  it  is ;  but  it  is 
 so  sweet,  that  next  to  Christ  Himself,  nothing  can  match  it.  Nay, 
 I  think  a  soul  could  live  eternally  blessed  only  on  Christ's  love, 
 and  feed  upon  no  other  thing.  Yea,  when  Christ  in  love  giveth 
 a  blow,  it  doeth  a  soul  good,  and  it  is  a  kind  of  comfort  and  joy 
 to  it  to  get  a  cuff  ^  with  the  lovely,  sweet,  and  soft  hand  of  Jesus. 
 And,  thirdly,  what  power  and  strength  is  in  His  love?  I  am 
 persuaded  it  can  climb  a  steep  hill,  and  hell  upon  its  back ;  and 
 swim  through  the  water,  and  not  drown  ;  and  sing  in  the  fire,  and 
 find  no  pain ;  and  triumph  in  losses,  prisons,  sorrows,  exile,  dis- 
 grace ;  and  laugh  and  rejoice  in  death.  0,  for  a  year's  lease  of 
 the  sense  of  His  love,  without  a  cloud,  to  try  what  Christ  is  !  O, 
 for  the  coming  of  the  Bridegroom ;  0,  when  will  I  see  the  Bride- 
 groom and  the  bride  meet  in  the  clouds  and  kiss  each  other  !  0, 
 when  will  we  get  our  day  and  our  hearts  full  of  that  love  !  0,  if 
 it  were  lawful  to  complain  of  the  famine  and  want  of  that  love  of 
 the  immediate  vision  of  God  !  0,  time,  time,  how  dost  thou  tor- 
 ment the  souls  of  those  that  would  be  swallowed  up  of  Christ's 
 love,  because  thou  movest  so  slowly !  0,  if  He  would  pity  a  poor 
 prisoner,  and  blow  love  upon  me,  and  give  a  prisoner  a  taste  or 
 draught  of  that  surpassing  sweetness  (which  is  glory  as  it  were 
 begun)  to  be  a  confirmation  that  Christ  and  I  shall  have  our  fill 
 of  other^  for  ever ;  come  hither,  0  love  of  Christ,  that  I  may  once 
 kiss  thee  before  I  die.  What  would  I  not  give  to  have  time,  that 
 lieth  betwixt  Christ  and  me,  taken  out  of  the  way  that  we  might 
 once  meet  1  I  cannot  think  but  at  the  first  sight  I  shall  see  of 
 that  most  lovely  and  fairest  face,  love  shall  come  out  of  His  two 
 eyes,  and  fill  me  with  astonishment.  I  would  but  desire  to  stand 
 at  the  utter 3  side  of  the  gates  of  the  new  Jerusalem,  and  look 
 through  a  hole  of  the  door,  and  see  Christ's  face ;  a  borrowed 
 vision  in  this  life  would  be  my  borrowed  and  begun  heaven,  while* 
 the  long,  long-looked-for  day  dawn.  It  is  not  for  nothing,  that  it 
 is  said,  Colos.  i.  27,  "  Christ  in  you  the  hope  of  glory."  I  will  l)e 
 content  of  no  pawn  of  heaven  but  Christ  Himself,  for  Christ  pos- 
 sessed by  faith  here  is  young  heaven,  and  glory  in  the  bud  !  _  If  I 
 had  that  pawn,  I  Avould  bide  horning^  and  hell  both  ere  I  give  it 
 again.  All  we  have  here  is  scarce  the  picture  of  glory.  Should 
 not  we,  young  bairns,  long  and  look  for  the  expiring  of  our 
 minority  1  It  were  good  to  be  daily  begging  propines'^  and  love- 
 gifts,  and  the  Bridegroom's  favours ;  and  if  we  can  do  no  more, 
 seek  crumbs  and  hungry  dinners  of  Christ's  love,  to  keep  the  taste 
 of  heaven  in  our  mouth,  while*  supper-time.  I  know  it  is  far 
 afternoon,  and  nigh  the  marriage-supper  of  the  Lamb  :  the  table 
 
 1  Buffet,  ^  Each  other.  ^  Outer. 
 
 4  Till.  *  A  Scotch  law  term.  *  Presents, 
 
LETTER  XLV.  121 
 
 is  covered  already.  0,  Well-beloved,  run,  run  fast !  0,  fair  day  ! 
 when  wilt  thou  dawn  ■?  0,  shadows,  flee  away !  I  think  hope  and 
 love  woven  through  other  ^  make  our  absence  from  Christ  spiritual 
 torment.  It  is  a  pain  to  wait  on,  but  hope,  that  maketh  not 
 ashamed,  swalloweth  up  that  pain.  It  is  not  unkindness  that 
 keepeth  Christ  and  us  so  long  asunder.  What  can  I  say  to  Christ's 
 love  1  I  think  more  than  I  can  say.  To  consider,  that  when  my 
 Lord  Jesus  may  take  the  air  (if  I  may  so  speak)  and  go  abroad, 
 yet  He  will  be  confined  and  keep  the  prison  with  me.  But  in  all 
 this  sweet  communion  with  Him,  what  am  I  to  be  thanked  for  ? 
 I  am  but  a  sufi"erer  ;  whether  I  will  or  not,  He  will  be  kind  to  me, 
 as  if  He  had  defied  my  guiltiness  to  make  Him  unkind ;  so  He 
 beareth  in  His  love  on  me.  Here  I  die  with  wondering  that 
 justice  hindereth  not  love  ;  for  there  are  none  in  hell,  nor  out  of 
 hell,  more  unworthy  of  Christ's  love.  Shame  may  confound  and 
 fear  2  me,  once  to  hold  up  my  black  mouth,  to  receive  one  of  Christ's 
 undeserved  kisses.  If  my  inner-side  were  turned  out,  and  all  men 
 saw  my  vileness,  they  would  say  to  me,  it  is  a  shame  for  thee  to 
 stand  still,  while  ^  Christ  kiss  thee  and  embrace  thee.  It  would 
 seem  to  become  me,  rather  to  run  away  from  His  love,  as  ashamed 
 at  my  own  unworthiness.  Nay,  I  may  think  shame  to  take  heaven, 
 who  have  so  highly  provoked  my  Lord  Jesus.  But,  seeing  Christ's 
 love  will  shame  me,  I  am  content  to  be  shamed.  My  desire  is, 
 that  my  Lord  would  give  me  broader  and  deeper  thoughts  to  feed 
 myself  with  wondering  at  His  love.  I  would  I  could  weigh  it, 
 but  I  have  no  balance  for  it.  When  I  hav  worn  my  tongue  to 
 the  stump,  in  praising  of  Christ,  I  have  done  nothing  to  Him,  I 
 must  let  Him  alone,  for  my  withered  arms  will  not  go  about  His 
 high,  wide,  long,  and  broad  love.  What  remaineth  then,  but  that 
 my  debt  to  the  love  of  Christ  lie  unpaid  for  all  eternity  1  All  that 
 are  in  heaven  are  black-shamed  with  His  love  as  well  as  I ;  we 
 must  all  be  dyvours*  together,  and  the  blessing  of  that  houseful 
 or  heavenful  of  dyvours*  shall  rest  for  ever  upon  Him.  0,  if  this 
 land  and  nation  would  come  and  stand  beside  His  inconceivable 
 and  glorious  perfections,  and  look  in,  and  love,  and  wonder,  and 
 adore  !  Would  to  God  I  could  bring  in  many  lovers  to  Christ's 
 house !  But  this  nation  hath  forsaken  the  fountain  of  living- 
 waters.  Lord,  cast  not  water  on  Scotland's  coal.  Woe,  woe  will 
 be  to  this  land,  because  of  the  day  of  the  Lord's  fierce  anger,  that 
 is  so  fast  coming.     Grace  be  with  you. 
 
 Your  afiectionate  brother,  in  our  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 
 Aberdeen. 
 
 '  Each  other.  «  Terrify.  ^  Till.  *  Debtors. 
 
122  LETTEK  XL  VI. 
 
 LETTER  XLVI.--T0  John  Kennedy,  Banie  of  Ayr. 
 
 Worthy  and  dear  j3rother, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to 
 you.  I  long  to  see  you  in  this  northern  world  in  paper ;  I  know 
 it  is  not  forgetfulness  that  ye  write  not.  I  am  every  way  in  good 
 case,  both  in  soul  and  body ;  all  honour  and  glory  be  to  my  Lord. 
 I  want  nothing  but  a  further  revelation  of  the  beauty  of  the 
 unknown  Son  of  God.  Either  I  know  not  what  Christianity  is, 
 or  we  have  stinted  a  measure  of  so  many  ounce  weights,  and  no 
 more,  upon  holiness  ;  and  there  we  are  at  a  stay,  drawing  our 
 breath  all  our  life :  a  moderation  in  God's  way  now  is  much  in 
 request.  I  profess,  I  have  never  taken  pains  to  find  out  Him 
 whom  my  soul  loveth;  there  is  a  gate^  yet  of  finding  out  Christ, 
 that  I  have  never  lighted  upon.  0,  if  I  could  find  it  out !  Alas, 
 how  soon  are  we  pleased  with  our  own  shadow  in  a  glass !  It 
 were  good  to  be  beginning  in  sad  earnest  to  find  out  God,  and  to 
 seek  the  right  tread  of  Christ.  Time,  custom,  and  a  good  opinion 
 of  ourselves,  our  good  meaning,  and  our  lazy  desires,  our  fair 
 shows,  and  the  world's  glisteiing  lustres,  and  these  broad  pass- 
 ments^  and  buskings  of  religion,  that  bear  bulk  in  the  kirk,  is 
 that  wherewith  most  satisfy  themselves  :  but  a  watered  bed  with 
 tears,  a  dry  throat  with  praying,  eyes  a  fountain  of  tears  for  the 
 sins  of  the  land,  is  rare  to  be  found  among  us.  0,  if  we  could 
 know  the  power  of  godliness  !  This  is  one  part  of  my  case  ;  and 
 another  is,  that  I,  like  a  fool,  once  summoned  Christ  for  unkind- 
 ness,  and  complained  of  His  fickleness  and  inconstancy,  because 
 He  would  have  no  more  of  my  service  nor  preaching,  and  had 
 casten  me  out  of  the  inheritance  of  the  Lord.  And  I  confess  now, 
 this  was  but  a  bought  plea,  and  I  was  a  fool,  yet  He  hath  borne 
 with  me.  I  gave  Him  a  fair  advantage  against  me,  but  love  and 
 mercy  would  not  let  Him  take  it :  and  the  truth  is,  now  He  hath 
 chided  Himself  friends  ^  with  me,  and  hath  taken  away  the  mask, 
 and  hath  renewed  His  wonted  favour,  in  such  a  manner,  that  He 
 hath  paid  me  "  my  hundred-fold  in  this  life ; "  and  one  to  the 
 hundred.^  This  prison  is  my  banqueting-house;  I  am  handled  as 
 softly  and  delicately  as  a  dauted'^  child.  I  am  nothing  behind  (I 
 see)  with  Christ.  He  can  in  a  month  make  up  a  year's  losses : 
 and  I  write  this  to  you,  that  I  may  entreat,  nay,  adjure  and 
 charge  you,  by  the  love  of  our  Well-beloved,  to  help  me  to  praise, 
 and  to  tell  all  your  Christian  acquaintances  to  help  me ;  for  T  am 
 as  deeply  drowned  in  His  debt  as  any  dyvour^  can  be :  and  yet, 
 in  this  fair  sun-blink,  I  have  something  to  keep  me  from  startling, 
 or  being  exalted  above  measure.  His  Word  is  a  fire  shut  up  in 
 my  bowels,  and  I  am  weary  with  forbearing.     The  ministers  in 
 
 ^  ISIothod.  -  Trappings.  *  Rebuked  me  till  his  friendship  returned. 
 
 «  101  per  100.  =  Fondled.  '=  Debtor. 
 
LETTER  XLVII.  123 
 
 this  town  are  saying,  they  shall  have  my  prison  changed  into  less 
 bounds,  because  they  see  God  with  me.  My  mother  hath  born 
 me  a  man  of  contention,  one  that  striveth  with  the  whole  earth. 
 The  late  wrongs  and  oppressions  done  to  my  brother  keep  my 
 sails  low ;  yet  I  defy  crosses  to  embark  me  in  such  a  plea  against 
 Christ,  as  I  was  troubled  with  of  late.  I  hope  to  over-hope  and 
 over-believe  my  troubles.  I  have  cause  now  to  trust  Christ's 
 promise  more  than  His  gloom.  Remember  my  hearty  affection  to 
 your  wife.  My  soul  is  grieved  for  the  success^  of  our  brethren's 
 journey  to  New  England ;  but,  God  hath  somewhat  to  reveal,  that 
 we  see  not.     Grace  be  with  you.     Pray  for  the  prisoner. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  only  Lord  Jesus,         S.  E. 
 Aberdeen,  Jan.  1,  1G37. 
 
 LETTER  XLVII— To  Margaret  Ballantine. 
 
 Mistress, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  unto  you.  It  is  more 
 than  time  that  I  should  have  written  to  you ;  but  it  is  yet  good 
 time,  if  I  could  help  your  soul  to  mend  your  pace,  and  to  go  more 
 swiftly  to  your  heavenly  country ;  for  truly,  ye  have  need  to  make 
 all  haste,  because  the  inch  of  your  day  that  remaineth  will  quickly 
 slip  away ;  for  whether  we  sleep  or  wake,  our  glass  runneth,  the 
 tide  bideth  no  man.  Beware  of  a  beguile  in  the  matter  of  your 
 salvation.  Woe,  woe  for  evermore  to  them  that  lose  that  prize  ; 
 for  what  is  behind  when  the  soul  is  once  lost,  but  that  sinners 
 warm  their  bits  of  clay-houses  at  a  fire  of  their  own  kindling,  for 
 a  day  or  two,  which  doth  rather  suffocate  with  its  smoke  than 
 warm  them,  and  at  length  they  lie  down  in  sorrow,  and  are 
 clothed  with  everlasting  shame !  I  would  seek  no  further  measure 
 of  faith  to  begin  withal,  than  to  believe  really  and  steadfastly  the 
 doctrine  of  God's  justice,  His  all-devouring  wrath  and  everlasting 
 burning,  where  sinners  are  burnt,  soul  and  body,  in  a  river  and 
 great  lake  of  fire  and  brimstone.  Then  they  would  wish  no  more 
 goods,  but  the  thousandth  part  of  a  cold  fountain-well  to  cool 
 their  tongue  ;  they  would  then  buy  death,  with  enduring  of  pain 
 and  torment  for  as  many  years  as  God  hath  created  drops  of  rain 
 since  the  creation ;  but  there  is  no  market  in  buying  or  selling  life 
 or  death  there.  0 !  alas,  the  greatest  part  of  this  world  run  to 
 the  place  of  that  torment,  rejoicing,  and  dancing,  eating,  drinking, 
 and  sleeping.  My  counsel  to  you  is,  that  ye  start  in  time  to  be 
 after  Christ ;  for  if  ye  go  quickly,  Christ  is  not  far  before  you. 
 Ye  shall  overtake  Him.  0  Lord  God,  what  is  so  needful  as  this. 
 Salvation,  Salvation?  Fie  upon  this  condemned  and  foolish 
 world,  that  will  give  so  little  for  salvation  !  0,  if  there  were  a 
 free  market  of  salvation  proclaimed  in  that  day  when  the  trumpet 
 
 ■^  Kesult. 
 
124  LETTEK  XLVIL 
 
 of  God  shall  awake  the  dead,  how  many  buyers  would  be  then  1 
 God  send  me  no  more  happiness,  but  that  salvation,  which  the 
 blind  world  (to  their  eternal  woe)  letteth  slip  through  their  fingers. 
 Therefore  look  if  ye  can  give  out  your  money  (as  Isaiah  speaketh, 
 ch.  Iv.  2)  for  bread,  and  lay  Christ  and  His  blood  in  wadset  ^  for 
 heaven.  It  is  a  dry  and  hungry  bairn's  part  of  goods  that  Esaus 
 are  hunting  for  here.  I  see  thousands  following  the  chase,  and  in 
 the  pursuit  of  such  things,  while  in  the  meantime  they  lose  the 
 blessing ;  and  when  all  is  done,  they  have  caught  nothing  to  roast 
 for  supper,  but  lie  down  hungry ;  and  besides  they  go  to  their 
 bed  (when  they  die)  without  a  candle,  for  God  saith  to  them, 
 Isaiah  1.  21,  "  This  shall  ye  have  at  my  hand,  ye  shall  lie  down  in 
 sorrow."  And  truly  this  is  as  ill-made  a  bed  to  lie  upon  as  one 
 could  wish;  for  he  cannot  sleep  soundly  nor  rest  sweetly  who 
 hath  sorrow  for  his  pillow.  Rouse,  rouse  up,  therefore,  your  soul, 
 and  spier"  how  Christ  and  your  soul  met  together.  I  am  sure 
 they  never  got  Christ  who  were  not  once  sick  at  the  yolk  of  the 
 heart  for  Him  ;  too,  too  many  whole  souls  think  thej''  have  met 
 with  Christ,  who  had  never  a  wearied  night  for  the  want  of  Him. 
 But,  alas  !  what  richer  are  men  that  they  dreamed  the  last  night 
 they  had  much  gold,  and  when  they  awoke  in  the  morning  they 
 found  it  was  but  a  dream  ?  What  are  all  the  sinners  in  the  world 
 in  that  day  when  heaven  and  earth  shall  go  up  in  a  flame  of  fire, 
 but  a  number  of  beguiled  dreamers?  Every  one  shall  say  of  his 
 hunting  and  his  conquest ;  "  Behold  it  Avas  a  dream  ;"  every  man 
 in  that  day  will  tell  his  dream.  I  beseech  you  in  the  Lord  Jesus, 
 beware,  beware  of  unsound  work,  in  the  matter  of  your  salvation : 
 ye  may  not,  ye  cannot,  ye  do  not  want  Christ.  Then  after  this 
 day  convene  all  your  lovers  before  your  soul ;  and  give  them  their 
 leave,  and  strike  hands  with  Christ,  that  thereafter  there  may  be 
 no  happiness  to  you  but  Christ;  no  hunting  for  anything  but 
 Christ ;  no  bed  at  night  (when  death  cometh)  but  Christ :  Christ, 
 Christ,  who  but  Christ  1  I  know  this  much  of  Christ,  He  is  not 
 ill  to  be  found,  not  lordly  of  His  love ;  woe  had  been  my  part  of 
 it  for  evermore,  if  Christ  had  made  a  dainty  of  Himself  to  me ; 
 but  God  be  thanked,  I  gave  nothing  for  Christ ;  and  now  I  pro- 
 test, before  men  and  angels,  Christ  cannot  be  exchanged,  Christ 
 cannot  be  sold,  Christ  cannot  b^  weighed  ;  where  would  angels  or 
 all  the  world  find  a  balance  to  weigh  Him  in  1  All  lovers  blush 
 when  ye  stand  beside  Christ.  Woe  upon  all  love  but  the  love  of 
 Christ.  Hunger,  hunger  for  evermore,  be  upon  all  heavens,  but 
 Christ.  Shame,  shame  for  evermore  be  upon  all  glory,  but 
 Christ's  glory.  I  cry,  death,  death  upon  all  lives,  but  the  life  of 
 Christ.     0,  Avhat  is  it  that  holdeth  us  asunder  ?     0,  that  once  we 
 
 ^  Mortgage.  ^  Inquire. 
 
LETTER  XLVIII.  125 
 
 could  have  a  fair  meeting !     Thus  recommending  Christ  to  you, 
 and  you  to  Him  for  evermore,  I  rest.     Grace  be  with  you. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  li. 
 
 Aberdeen,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  XLVIII.— To  Jonet  Kennedy. 
 Loving  and  dear  Sister, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  unto 
 you.  I  received  your  letter.  I  know  the  savour  of  Christ  in  you 
 (that  the  virgins  love  to  follow)  cannot  be  blown  away  with  winds, 
 either  from  hell  or  the  evil-smelled  air  of  this  polluted  world.  Sit 
 far  aback  from  the  walls  of  this  pest-house,  even  the  pollutions  of 
 this  defiling  world.  Keep  your  taste,  your  love  and  hope  in 
 heaven ;  it  is  not  good  your  love  and  your  Lord  should  be  in  two 
 sundry  countries.  TJ-p,  up  after  your  lover,  that  ye  and  He  may 
 be  together.  A  King  from  heaven  hath  sent  for  you ;  by  faith 
 He  showeth  you  the  new  Jerusalem,  and  taketli  you  alongst  in 
 the  Spirit  through  all  the  ease-rooms  and  dwelling-houses  in 
 heaven,  and  saith,  "  All  these  are  thine,  this  palace  is  for  thee  and 
 Christ ;"  and  if  ye  only  ^  had  been  the  chosen  of  God,  Christ  would 
 have  built  that  one  house  for  you  and  Himself.  Now,  it  is  for 
 you  and  many  also.  Take  Avith  you  in  your  journey  what  ye  may 
 carry  with  you,  your  conscience,  faith,  hope,  patience,  meekness, 
 goodness,  brotherly  kindness  ;  for  such  wares  as  these  are  of  great 
 price  in  the  high  and  new  country  whither  ye  go.  As  for  other 
 things  that  are  but  the  world's  vanity  and  trash,  since  they  are 
 but  the  house-sweepings,  ye  shall  do  best  not  to  carry  them  Avith 
 you ;  ye  found  them  here,  leave  them  here,  and  let  them  keep  the 
 house.  Your  sun  is  well  turned  and  low  :  be  nigh  your  lodging 
 against  night.  We  go  one  and  one,  out  of  this  great  market,  till 
 the  town  be  empty,  and  the  two  lodgings  heaven  and  hell  be 
 filled.  At  length  there  will  be  nothing  in  the  earth  but  toom  ^ 
 walls  and  burnt  ashes,  and  therefore  it  is  best  to  make  away. 
 Antichrist  and  his  master  are  busy  to  plenish  hell,  and  to  seduce 
 many ;  and  stars,  great  church-lights,  are  falling  from  heaven,  and 
 many  are  misled  and  seduced,  and  make  up  with  their  faith,  and 
 sell  theii'  birthright  by  their  hungry  hunting,  for  I  know  not 
 what.  Fasten  your  grips  fast  upon  Christ.  I  verily  esteem  Him 
 the  best  aught  ^  that  I  have.  He  is  my  second  in  prison  ;  having 
 Him,  though  my  cross  were  as  heavy  as  ten  mountains  of  iron, 
 when  He  putteth  His  sweet  shoulder  under  me  and  it,  my  cross  is 
 but  a  feather.  I  please  mj'-self  in  the  choice  of  Christ,  he  is  my 
 wale,^  in  heaven  and  earth ;  I  rejoice  that  He  is  in  heaven  before 
 me  :  God  send  a  joyful  meeting  :  and  in  the  meantime  the  travel- 
 ler's charges  for  the  way,  I  mean,  a  burden  of  Christ's  love  to 
 ^  Alone.  2  Empty.  ^  Tossescion.  *  Ciioseu. 
 
126  LETTER  XLIX. 
 
 sweeten  the  journey,   and  to  encourage  a  breathless  runner,  for 
 when  I  lose  breath  climbing  up  the  mountain,  He  maketh  new 
 breath.     Now,  the  very  God  of  peace  establish  you  to  the  day  of 
 His  appearance.             Yours,  in  his  only  Lord  Jesus,        S.  R. 
 Aberdeen,  Sept.  9,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  XLIX.— To  Margaret  Reid. 
 
 My  very  dear  and  worthy  Sister, — Grace,  mercy,  and 
 peace  be  to  you.  Ye  are  truly  blessed  of  the  Lord,  however  a 
 sour  world  gloom  upon  you,  if  ye  continue  in  the  faith  grounded 
 and  settled,  and  be  not  moved  away  from  the  hope  of  the  Gospel. 
 It  is  good,  there  is  a  heaven,  and  it  is  not  a  night  dream  or  a 
 fancy ;  it  is  a  wonder  that  men  deny  not  that  there  is  a  heaven, 
 as  they  deny  there  is  a  way  to  it,  but  of  men's  making.  You 
 have  learned  of  Christ  that  there  is  a  heaven,  contend  for  it,  and 
 contend  for  Christ ;  bear  well  and  submissively  the  hard  cross  of 
 this  stepmother  world,  that  God  wili  not  have  to  be  yours.  I 
 confess  it  is  hard,  and  I  would  I  were  able  to  ease  you  of  your 
 burthen,  but  believe  me  this  world  (which  the  Lord  will  not  have 
 to  be  yours)  is  but  the  dross,  the  refuse  and  scum  of  God's 
 creation,  the  portion  of  the  Lord's  poor  hired  servants :  the 
 moveables,  not  the  heritage ;  a  hard  bone  casten  to  the  dogs, 
 holden  out  of  the  new  Jerusalem,  whereupon  they  rather  break 
 their  teeth  than  satisfy  their  appetite.  It  is  your  Father's  bless- 
 ing and  Christ's  birthright  that  our  Lord  is  keeping  for  you ;  and 
 1  persuade  you,  your  seed  also  shall  inherit  the  earth  (if  that  be 
 good  for  them) ;  for  that  is  promised  to  them,  and  God's  bond  is 
 as  good  and  better  than  if  men  would  give  every  one  of  them  a 
 bond  for  thousand  thousands.  Ere  ye  was  born,  crosses  in  num- 
 ber, measure,  and  weight,  were  written  for  you,  and  your  Lord  will 
 lead  you  through  them :  make  Christ  sure,  and  the  blessings  of 
 the  earth  shall  be  at  Christ's  back.  I  see  many  professors  for  the 
 fashion  follow  on  ;  but  they  are  professors  of  glass,  I  would  cause 
 a  little  knock  of  persecution  ding  ^  them  in  twenty  pieces,  and  so 
 the  world  should  laugh  at  the  sherds.  Therefore,  make  fast 
 Avork,  see  that  Christ  lay  the  ground-stone  of  your  pi^ofession ;  for 
 wind,  and  rain,  and  speats^  will  not  wash  away  His  building:  His 
 works  have  no  shorter  date  than  to  stand  for  evermore.  I  shoiild 
 twenty  times  have  perished  in  my  affliction,  if  I  had  not  leaned 
 my  weak  back,  and  laid  my  pressing  burden,  both  upon  the  stone, 
 the  foundation-stone,  the  corner-stone  laid  in  Zion ;  and  I  desire 
 never  to  rise  off  this  stone.  Now  the  very  God  of  peace  confirm 
 and  estalilish  you  unto  the  day  of  the  blessed  appearance  of 
 Christ  Jesus.     God  be  with  you. 
 
 AlierJeen.  Yours,  iu  his  dcarest  Lord  Jesu3,         S.   R. 
 
 ■*  Drivo.  -  ricods. 
 
LETTER  L.  127 
 
 LETTER  L.— To  James  Bautie. 
 
 Loving  Brother, —  Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  unto  you.  i 
 received  your  letter,  and  render  you  thanks  for  the  same ;  but  I 
 have  not  time  to  answer  all  the  heads  of  it,  as  the  bearer  can  in- 
 form you.  1.  Ye  do  Avell  to  take  yourself  at  the  right  stot,^  when 
 ye  wrong  Christ  by  doubting  and  misbelief;  for  this  is  to  nick- 
 name Christ,  and  term  Him  a  liar,  which  being  spoken  to  our 
 prince,  would  be  hanging  or  heading  3^  but  Christ  hangeth  not 
 always  for  treason.  It  is  good  that  He  may  registrate  a  believer's 
 bond  a  hundred  times,  and  more  than  seventy  times  a  day  have 
 law  against  us,  and  yet  He  spareth  us  as  a  man  doth  his  son  that 
 serveth  him.  No  tender-hearted  mother,  who  may  have  law  to 
 kill  her  suckling  child,  would  put  in  execution  that  law.  2.  For 
 your  failings,  even  when  ye  have  a  set  tryst  ^  with  Christ,  and  when 
 ye  have  a  fair  seen  advantage,  by  keeping  your  appointment  with 
 Him,  and  salvation  cometh  to  the  very  passing  of  the  seals,  I 
 would  say  two  things.  (L)  Concluded  and  sealed  salvation  may 
 go  through  and  be  ended,  suppose  ye  write  your  name  to  the  tail 
 of  the  covenant  with  ink  that  can  hardly  be  read.  Neither  think 
 I  ever  any  man's  salvation  passed  the  seals,  but  there  was  an  odd 
 trick  or  slip,  in  less  or  more,  upon  the  fool's  part,  who  is  infeoffed 
 in  heaven.  In  the  most  grave  and  serious  work  of  our  salvation, 
 I  think  Christ  had  ever  good  cause  to  laugh  at  our  silliness,  and 
 to  put  on  us  His  merits  that  we  might  bear  weight.  (2.)  It  is  a 
 sweet  law  of  the  new  covenant,  and  a  privilege  of  the  new  burgh, 
 that  the  citizens  pay  according  to  their  means  ;  for  the  new  coven- 
 ant saith  not,  so  much  obedience  by  ounce  weights,  and  no  less, 
 under  the  pain  of  damnation.  Christ  taketh  as  poor  men  may 
 give  :  where  there  is  a  mean  portion.  He  is  content  with  the  less, 
 if  there  be  sincerity :  broken  sums  and  little  feckless*  obedience 
 will  be  pardoned,  and  hold  the  foot  with  Him ;  know  ye  not,  that 
 our  kindly  Lord  retaineth  His  good  old  heart  yet  1  He  breaketh 
 not  a  bruised  reed,  nor  quencheth  the  smoking  flax :  but  if  the 
 wind  blow.  He  holdeth  His  hands  about  it  till  it  rise  to  a  flame. 
 The  law  cometh  on  with  three  Oyez's,^  with  all  the  heart,  with 
 all  the  soul,  and  with  all  the  whole  strength :  and  where  would 
 poor  folks  like  you  and  me  furnish  all  these  sums  ?  It  feareth  me 
 (nay  it  is  most  certain),  that  if  the  payment  were  to  come  out  of 
 our  purse,  when  we  should  put  our  hand  in  our  bag,  we  would 
 bring  out  the  Avind  or  worse.  But  the  new  covenant  seeketh  not 
 heap-mete  nor  stinted  obedience,  as  the  condition  of  it,  because 
 forgiveness  hath  always  place.  Hence  I  draw  this  conclusion. 
 To  think  matters  betwixt  Christ  and  us  go  back,  for  want  of 
 
 '  Kebound.        -  Belieatlins?.        <*  Ensa"eir.ent.        "•  Feeble.        ^  rrocLiirations. 
 
128  LETTER  L. 
 
 heaped  measure,  is  a  piece  of  old  Adam's  ])ride,  who  would  either 
 be  at  legal  payment  or  nothing.  We  would  still  have  God  in  our 
 common,^  and  buy  His  kindness  Avith  our  merits ;  for  beggarly 
 pride  is  devil's  honesty,  and  blusheth  to  be  in  Christ's  common,^ 
 and  scarce  giveth  God  a  grammercy^  and  a  lifted  cap  (except  it  be 
 the  Pharisee's  unlucky  "  God  I  thank  thee  "),  or  a  bowed  knee  to 
 Christ :  it  will  only  give  a  good  day  for  a  good  day  again ;  and  if 
 he  dissemble  His  kindness,  as  it  were  in  jest,  and  seem  to  misken 
 it,  it  in  earnest  spurneth  with  the  heels,  and  snuffeth  in  the  wind, 
 and  careth  not  much  for  Christ's  kindness.  If  he  will  not  be 
 friends,  let  Him  go,  saith  pride  ;  beware  of  this  thief,  when  Christ 
 ofFereth  Himself.  3,  No  marvel  then,  of  whisperings,  whether  you 
 be  in  the  covenant  or  not.  For  pride  it  maketh  loose  work  of  the 
 covenant  of  grace,  and  will  not  let  Christ  be  full  bargain-maker. 
 To  speak  to  you  particularly  and  shortly.  1.  All  the  truly  re- 
 generated cannot  determinately  tell  you  the  measure  of  their  de- 
 jections ;  because  Christ  beginneth  young  with  many,  and  stealeth 
 into  their  heart,  ere  they  wit  of  themselves,  and  becometh  homely 
 with  them,  with  little  din  or  noise.  I  grant,  many  are  blinded,  in 
 rejoicing  in  a  good  cheap  conversion  that  never  cost  them  a  sick 
 night ;  Christ's  physic  wrought  in  a  dream  upon  them.  But  for 
 that,  I  would  say,  if  other  marks  be  found,  that  Christ  is  indeed 
 come  in,  never  make  a  plea  with  Him,  because  He  will  not  answer, 
 Lord  Jesus  how  earnest  thou  in,  whether  in  at  door  or  window  1 
 make  Him  welcome  since  He  is  come.  "  The  wind  bloweth  where 
 it  listeth  ; "  all  the  world's  wit  cannot  perfectly  render  a  reason, 
 why  the  -wind  should  be  a  month  in  the  east,  six  weeks  possibly  in 
 the  west,  and  the  space  only  of  an  afternoon  in  the  south  or  north. 
 Ye  will  not  find  out  all  the  nicks ^  and  steps  of  Christ's  way  with 
 a  soul,  do  what  ye  can ,  for  sometimes  He  will  come  in  stepping 
 softly,  like  one  walking  beside  a  sleeping  person,  and  slip  to  the 
 door,  and  let  none  know  He  was  there.  2.  Ye  object  the  truly 
 regenerate  should  love  God  for  Himself :  and  ye  fear  that  ye  love 
 Him  more  for  His  benefits  (as  incitements  and  motives  to  love 
 Him)  than  for  Himself.  I  answer,  to  love  God  for  Himself  as  the 
 last  end,  and  also  for  His  benefits,  as  incitements  and  motives  to 
 love  Him,  may  stand  well  together ;  as  a  son  loveth  his  mother, 
 because  she  is  his  mother,  howbeit  she  be  poor ;  and  he  loveth  her 
 for  an  apple  also.  I  hope  ye  will  not  say,  that  benefits  are  the 
 only  reason  and  bottom  of  your  love ;  it  seemeth  there  is  a  better 
 foundation  for  it :  always  if  a  hole  be  in  it,  sew  it  up  shortly. 
 3.  Ye  feel  not  such  mourning  in  Christ's  absence  as  ye  would.  I 
 answer,  that  the  regenerate  mourn  at  all  times,  and  all  in  a  like 
 measure,  for  His  absence,  I  deny.  There  are  different  degrees  of 
 ^  Debt.  -  Salutation  (Grant  you  mercy),  ^  Points. 
 
LETTER  L.  129 
 
 raonrning,  less  or  more,  as  they  have  less  or  more  love  to  Him, 
 and  less  or  more  sense  of  His  absence.  But,  (1.)  Some  they 
 must  have.  (2.)  Sometimes  they  miss  not  the  Lord,  and  then  they 
 cannot  mourn,  howbeit  it  is  not  long  so,  at  least,  it  is  not  always 
 so.  3.  Ye  challenge  yourself,  that  some  truths  find  more  credit 
 with  you  than  others.  Ye  do  well,  for  God  is  true  in  the  least, 
 as  well  as  in  the  greatest,  and  He  must  be  so  to  you ;  ye  must  not 
 call  Him  true  in  the  one  page  of  the  leaf,  and  false  in  the  other ; 
 for  our  Lord,  in  all  His  writings,  never  contradicted  Himself  yet, 
 although  the  best  of  the  regenerate  have  slipped  here  ;  always 
 labour  ye  to  hold  your  feet.  4.  Comparing  the  estate  of  one  truly 
 regenerate  (whose  heart  is  a  temple  to  the  Holy  Ghost)  and  j^ours 
 {which  is  full  of  uncleanliness  and  corruption),  ye  stand  dumb  and 
 discouraged,  and  dare  not,  sometimes,  call  Christ  heartsomely 
 your  own.  I  answer  (L)  the  best  regenerate  have  their  defilements, 
 and  (if  I  may  speak  so)  their  draff-poke^  that  will  clog  behind 
 them  all  their  days ;  and  wash  as  they  will,  there  will  be  filth  in 
 their  bosom.  But  let  not  this  put  you  from  the  well.  (2.)  I  answer, 
 albeit  there  be  some  ounce  weights  of  carnality,  and  some  squint 
 look,  or  eye  in  our  neck  to  an  idol ;  yet  love  in  its  own  measure 
 may  be  sound,  for  glory  must  purify  and  perfect  our  love,  it  will 
 never  till  then  be  absolutely  pure ;  yet,  if  the  idol  reign  and  have 
 the  yolk  of  the  heart,  and  the  keys  of  the  house,  and  Christ  only 
 be  made  an  underling  to  run  errands,  all  is  not  right ;  therefore, 
 examine  well.  (3.)  There  is  a  twofold  discouragement ;  one  of  un- 
 belief, to  conclude,  and  make  doubting  the  conclusion,  for  a  mote 
 in  your  eye,  and  a  by-look  to  an  idol :  this  is  ill.  There  is  an- 
 other discouragement  of  sorrow  for  sin,  when  ye  find  a  by-look  to 
 an  idol :  this  is  good  and  a  matter  of  thanksgiving ;  therefore,  ex- 
 amine here  also.  5.  The  assurance  of  Jesus's  love,  ye  say,  Avould 
 be  the  most  comfortable  news  that  ever  ye  heard.  Answer,  that 
 may  stop  twenty  holes,  and  loose  many  objections.  That  love 
 hath  telling  in  it,  I  trow.  0  that  ye  knew  and  felt  it  as  I  have 
 done.  I  wish  ye  a  share  of  my  feast ;  sweet,  sweet  hath  it  been 
 to  me.  If  my  Lord  had  not  given  me  His  love  I  would  have 
 fallen  through  the  causey  ^  of  Aberdeen  ere  now.  But  for  you 
 lung  on,  your  feast  is  not  far  off;  ye  shall  be  filled  ere  ye  go,  there 
 is  as  much  in  our  Lord's  pantry,  as  will  satisfy  all  Plis  bairns, 
 and  as  much  wine  in  His  cellar  as  will  quench  all  their  thirst. 
 Hunger  on  ;  for  there  is  meat  in  hunger  for  Christ :  go  never 
 from  Him,  but  fash^  Him  (who  yet  is  pleased  with  the  importun- 
 ity of  hungry  souls)  with  a  dishful  of  hungry  desires,  till  He  fill 
 you ;  and  if  He  delay,  yet  come  not  ye  away,  albeit  ye  should  fall 
 a-swoon  at  His  feet.  6.  Ye  crave  my  mind,  whether  sound  com- 
 ^  Bag  of  pollution.  -  Causeway.  ^  Weary. 
 
 I 
 
1  30  LETTER  L. 
 
 fort  ma}'  be  found  in  pra^yer,  when  conviction  of  a  known  idol  is 
 present.  I  answer :  (1.)  an  idol,  as  an  idol,  cannot  stand  with  sound 
 comfort;  for  that  comfort  that  is  gotten  at  Dagon's  feet,  is  a  cheat 
 or  blea-flume,i  yet  sound  comfort  and  conviction  of  an  eye  to  an 
 idol  may  as  well  dwell  together  as  tears  and  joy;  but  let  this  do 
 you  no  ill,  I  speak  it  for  your  encouragement,  that  ye  may  make 
 the  best  out  of  your  joys  ye  can,  albeit  ye  find  them  mixed  with 
 motes.  (2.)  Sole  conviction,  if  alone,  without  remorse  and  grief,  is 
 not  enough,  therefore,  lend  it  a  tear  if  ye  do  win  at  it.  7.  Ye 
 question  when  ye  win  to  more  fervency  sometimes,  with  youi 
 neighbour  in  prayer,  than  when  you  are  alone,  whether  hypocrisy 
 be  in  it  or  not  1  I  answer,  (1.)  if  this  be  always,  no  question  a  spice 
 of  hypocrisy  is  in  it,  which  would  be  taken  heed  to  ;  but  possibly 
 desertion  may  be  in  private,  and  presence  in  public,  and  then  the 
 case  is  clear.  (2.)  A  fit  of  applause  may  occasion  by  accident  a 
 rubbing  off  a  cold  heart,  and  so  heat  and  life  may  come ;  but  it  is 
 not  the  proper  cause  of  that  heat :  hence  God,  of  His  free  grace, 
 will  ride  His  errands  upon  our  stinking  corruption;  but  corruption 
 is  but  a  mere  occasion  and  accident,  as  the  playing  on  a  pipe  re- 
 moved anger  from  the  prophet,  and  made  him  titter  to  prophesy, 
 
 2  Kings  iii.  15.  8.  Ye  complain  of  Christ's  short  visits,  that  He 
 will  not  bear  you  company  one  night,  but  Avhen  ye  lie  down  warm 
 at  night,  ye  rise  cold  at  morning.  Answer,  1  cannot  blame  you 
 (nor  any  other,  who  knoweth  that  sweet  guest)  to  bemoan  His 
 withdrawings,  and  to  be  most  desirous  of  His  abode  and  company; 
 for  He  would  captivate  and  engage  the  affection  of  any  creature 
 that  saw  His  face :  since  He  looked  on  me,  and  gave  me  a  sight 
 of  His  fair  love,  He  gained  my  heart  wholly,  and  got  away  with 
 it ;  Avell,  well  may  He  brook  ^  it ;  He  shall  keep  it  long  ere  I  fetch 
 it  from  Him.  But  I  shall  tell  you  what  ye  shall  do :  treat  Him 
 well,  give  Him  the  chair  and  the  board-head,  and  make  Him  wel- 
 come to  the  mean  portion  ye  have ;  a  good  supper  and  kind  enter- 
 tainment maketh  the  guest  love  the  inns  the  better :  yet  some- 
 times Christ  hath  an  errand  elsewhere,  for  mere  trial,  and  then, 
 though  ye  give  Him  king's-cheer.  He  will  away;  as  is  clear  in 
 desertions  for  mere  trial,  and  not  for  sin.  9.  Ye  seek  the  differ- 
 ence betwixt  the  motions  of  the  Spirit,  in  their  least  measure,  and 
 the  natural  joy  of  your  own  heart.  Answer,  as  a  man  can  tell,  if 
 he  joy  and  delight  in  his  Avife,  as  his  wife,  or  if  he  delight  and 
 joy  in  her  for  satisfaction  of  his  lust  but  hating  her  person,  and 
 so  loving  her  for  her  flesh,  and  not  grieving  when  ill  befalleth  her: 
 so  will  a  man's  joy  in  God  and  his  whorish  natural  joy  be  dis- 
 covered :  if  he  sorrow  for  anything  that  may  offend  that  Lord,  it 
 will  speak  the  singleness  of  his  love  to  Him.     10.  Ye  ask  the 
 
 *  A  sham  or  illusion.     Note  that  "blestume."  on  p.    47,  is  a  misprint  for 
 this  word.  •  Possess  or  keep. 
 
LETTER  LI.  131 
 
 reason,  why  sense  overcometh  faith.  Answer,  because  sense  is 
 more  natural,  and  near  of  kin  to  our  own  selfish  and  soft  nature. 
 Ye  ask,  if  faith  in  that  case  be  sound  ?  Answer,  if  it  be  chased 
 away  it  is  neither  sound  nor  unsound,  because  it  is  not  faith  ;  but 
 it  might  be  and  was  faith,  before  sense  did  blow  out  the  act  of  be- 
 lieving. Lastly,  ye  ask  what  to  do,  when  promises  are  borne  in 
 upon  you,  and  sense  of  impenitency  for  sins  of  youth  hindereth 
 application.  I  answer,  if  it  be  living  sense,  it  may  stand  with  ap- 
 plication ;  and  in  this  case,  put  to  your  hand  and  eat  your  meat 
 in  God's  name  :  if  false,  so  that  the  sins  of  youth  are  not  repented 
 of,  then  as  faith  and  impenitency  cannot  stand  together,  so  neither 
 that  sense  and  application  can  consist.  Brother,  excuse  my  brev 
 ity,  for  time  straiteneth  me,  that  I  get  not  my  mind  said  in  these 
 things,  but  must  refer  that  to  a  new  occasion,  if  God  ofter  it. 
 Brother,  pray  for  me.     Grace  be  with  you. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  dearest  Lord  Jesos,        S.  R. 
 Aberdeen,  1G37. 
 
 LETTER  LL— To  John  Stuart,  Provost  of  Ayr, 
 now  in  Ireland. 
 
 Much  honoured  Sir, — Gi"ace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  unto  you. 
 I  long  to  hear  from  you,  being  now  removed  from  my  flock,  and 
 the  prisoner  of  Christ  at  Aberdeen.  I  would  not  have  you  to 
 think  it  strange,  that  your  journey  to  New  England  hath  gotten 
 such  a  dash  :  it  indeed  hath  made  my  heart  heavy ;  yet  I  know  it 
 is  no  dumb  providence,  but  a  speaking  one,  whereby  our  Lord 
 speaketh  His  mind  to  you,  though,  for  the  present,  ye  do  not  well 
 understand  what  He  saith  :  however  it  be,  He  who  sitteth  upon 
 the  floods  hath  shown  you  His  marvellous  kindness  in  the  great 
 depths.  I  know  your  loss  is  great,  and  your  hope  is  gone  far  against 
 you.  But  I  entreat  you,  sir,  expound  aright  our  Lord's  laying  an 
 hindrance  in  the  way.  I  persuade  myself,  your  heart  aimeth  at 
 the  footsteps  of  the  flock,  to  feed  beside  the  shepherd's  tents,  and 
 to  dwell  beside  Him  whom  your  soul  loveth,  and  that  it  is  your 
 desire  to  remain  in  the  Avilderness  where  the  woman  is  kept  from 
 the  dragon ;  and  this  being  your  desire,  remember  that  a  poor 
 prisoner  of  Christ  said  it  to  you,  that,  "  That  miscarried  journey  is 
 with  child  to  you  of  mercy  and  consolation,  and  shall  bring  forth 
 a  fair  birth,  and  the  Lord  shall  be  midwife  to  the  birth  ;  wait  on, 
 he  that  believeth  maketh  not  haste,"  Isa.  xx\dii.  16.  I  hope  ye 
 have  been  asking  what  the  Lord  meaneth,  and  what  further  may 
 be  His  will,  in  reference  to  your  return.  My  dear  brother,  let 
 God  make  of  you  what  He  will.  He  will  end  all  with  consolation, 
 and  shall  make  glory  out  of  your  sufferings ;  and  would  ye  wish 
 
132  LETTEE  LI. 
 
 better  work  ?     This  water  was  in  jour  way  to  heaven,  and  written 
 in  your  Lord's  book  ;  ye  behoved  to  cross  it :  and,  tliereibre,  kiss 
 His  wise  and  unerring  providence.     Let  not  the  censures  of  men, 
 who  see  but  the  outside  of  things  (and  scarce  well  that),  abate 
 your  courage  and  rejoicing  in  the  Lord  ;  howbeit  your  faith  seeth 
 but  the  black  side  of  providence,  yet  it  bath  a  better  side,  and 
 God  shall  let  you  see  it.     Learn  to  believe  Christ  better  than  His 
 strokes ;    Himself  and   His   promises,  better  than   His   glooms. 
 Dashes  and  disappointments  are  not  canonic  scripture ;  fighting 
 for  the  promised  land,  seemed  to  cry  to  God's  promise,  thou  liest. 
 If  our  Lord  ride  upon  a  straw  His  horse  shall  neither  stumble  nor 
 fail,  Rom.  viii.  28.     "For  we  know  that  all  things  work  together 
 for  good  to  them  that  love  God,"  ergo,  shipwreck,  losses,  &c.,  work 
 together  for  the  good  of  them  that  love  God  :  hence  I  infer,  that 
 losses,  disappointments,  ill  tongues,  loss  of  friends,  houses,  or 
 country,  are  God's  workmen,  set  on  work  to  work  out  good  to 
 you,  out  of  everything  that  befalleth  you.     Let  not  the  Lord's 
 dealings  seem  harsh,  rough,  or  unfatherly,  because  it  is  unpleasant. 
 When  the  Lord's  blessed  will  bloweth  cross  your  desires,  it  is  best  in 
 humility  to  strike  sail  to  Him,  and  to  be  willing  to  be  laid  any  way 
 our  Lord  pleaseth :  it  is  a  point  of  denial  of  yourself,  to  be  as  if  ye 
 had  not  a  will,  but  had  made  a  free  disposition  of  it  to  God,  and 
 had  sold  it  over  to  Him ;  and  to  make  use  of  His  will  for  youi 
 own  is  both  true  holiness,  and  your  ease  and  peace ;  ye  know  not 
 Avhat  the  Lord  is  working  out  of  this,  but  ye  shall  know  it  here- 
 after.   And  what  I  write  to  you,  I  write  to  your  wife.     I  compas- 
 sionate her  case,  but  entreat  her  not  to  fear  or  faint ;  this  journey 
 is  a  part  of  her  wilderness  to  heaven  and  the  promised  land,  and 
 there  are  fewer  miles  behind  :  it  is  nearer  the  dawning  of  the  day 
 to  her  than  when  she  went  out  of  Scotland.     I  would  be  glad  to 
 hear  that  ye  and  she  have  comfort  and  courage  in  the  Lord.    Now, 
 as  concerning  our  kirk  :  our  service-book  is  ordained  by  open  pro- 
 clamation and  sound  of  trumpet  to  be  read  in  all  the  kirks  of  this 
 kingdom :  our  prelates  are  to  meet  this  month  for  it  and  our 
 canons,  and  for  a  reconciliation  betwixt  us  and  the  Lutherans. 
 The  professors  of  Aberdeen  university  are  charged  to  draw  up  the 
 articles  of  an  uniform  confession.     But  reconciliation  with  popery 
 is  intended ;  this  is  the  day  of  Jacob's  visitation ;  the  ways  of 
 Zion  mourn  :  our  gold  is  become  dim  :  the  sun  is  gone  down  upon 
 our  prophets.     A  dry  wind,  but  neither  to  fan  nor  to  cleanse,  is 
 coming  upon  this  land  :  and  all  our  ill  is  coming  from  the  multi- 
 plied transgressions  of  this  land,  and  from  the  friends  and  lovers 
 of  Babel  amongst  us.     Jer.  xxxi.  35,  "  The  violence  done  to  me 
 and  my  flesh  be  upon  thee,  Babylon,  shall  the  inhabitants  of  Zion 
 say,  and  my  blood  upon  the  inhabitants  of  Chaldea,  shall  Jeru- 
 
LETTEK  LI,  133 
 
 ealem  say,"  Now,  for  myself,  I  "was  three  days  before  the  high- 
 commission,  and  accused  of  treason  preached  against  onr  king, 
 A  minister  being  witness,  went  well  nigh  to  swear  it ;  God  hath 
 saved  me  from  their  malice,  1,  They  have  deprived  me  of  my 
 ministry.  2,  Silenced  me,  that  I  exercise  no  part  of  the  mini- 
 sterial function  within  this  kingdom,  under  the  pain  of  rebellion. 
 3.  Confined  my  person  within  the  town  of  Aberdeen,  where  I  find 
 the  ministers  working  for  my  confinement  in  Caithness  or  Orkney, 
 far  from  them ;  because  some  people  here  (willing  to  be  edified) 
 resort  to  me.  At  my  first  entry,  I  had  heavy  challenges  within 
 me,  and  a  court  fenced  (but,  I  hope  not  in  Christ's  name),  where- 
 in it  was  asserted,  that  my  Lord  would  have  no  more  of  my  ser- 
 vice and  was  tired  of  me  :  and  like  a  fool  I  summoned  Christ  also 
 for  unkindness,  my  soul  fainted  and  I  refused  comfort,  and  said, 
 "  What  ailed  Christ  at  me,  for  I  desired  to  be  faithful  in  His 
 house  1 "  Thus  in  my  rovings  and  mistakings,  my  Lord  Jesus  be- 
 stowed mercy  on  me,  who  am  less  than  the  least  of  all  saints.  I 
 lay  upon  the  dust  and  bought  a  plea  from  Satan  against  Christ, 
 and  he  was  content  to  sell  it ;  but  at  length,  Christ  did  show 
 Himself  friends  with  me,  and  in  mercy  pardoned  and  passed  my  part 
 of  it,  and  only  complained  that  a  court  should  be  holden  in  Hia 
 bounds,  without  His  own  allowance.  Now  I  pass  from  my  com- 
 pearance, and  as  if  Christ  had  done  the  fault,  He  hath  made  the 
 mends,!  and  returned  to  my  soul ;  so  that  now  His  poor  prisoner 
 feedeth  on  the  feasts  of  love.  My  adversaries  know  not  what  a 
 courtier  I  am  now  with  my  royal  King,  for  whose  crown  I  now 
 suff'er.  It  is  but  our  soft  and  lazy  flesh  that  hath  raised  an  ill 
 report  of  the  cross  of  Christ,  0  sweet,  sweet  is  His  yoke  !  Christ's 
 chains  are  of  pure  gold,  sufferings  for  Him  are  perfumed.  I  would 
 not  give  my  weeping  for  the  laughing  of  all  the  fourteen  prelates. 
 I  would  not  exchange  my  sadness  with  the  world's  joy.  0  lovely, 
 lovely  Jesus,  how  sweet  must  Thy  kisses  be,  when  Thy  cross  smell- 
 eth  so  sweetly  !  0,  if  all  the  three  kingdoms  had  part  of  my  love 
 feasts,  and  of  the  comforts  of  a  dauted^  prisoner  !  Dear  brother, 
 I  charge  you  to  praise  for  me,  and  seek  help  of  our  acquaintance 
 there,  to  help  me  to  praise.  Why  should  I  smother  Christ's 
 honesty  to  me  1  My  heart  is  taken  up  with  this,  that  my  silence 
 and  sufferings  may  preach ;  I  beseech  you  in  the  bowels  of  Christ 
 to  help  me  to  praise,  Eemember  my  love  in  Christ  to  your  wife, 
 to  Mr.  Blair,  and  Mr,  Livingston,  and  Mr,  Cunningham.  Let  me 
 hear  from  you,  for  I  am  anxious  what  to  do ;  if  I  saw  a  call  for 
 New  England,  I  would  follow  it,     Grace  be  with  you. 
 
 Yours,  in  our  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 
 Aberdeen,  1637. 
 
 ^  Amends,  *  Fondled. 
 
134  LETTER  LII, 
 
 LETTER  LII.— To  John  Stuart,  Provost  ot  Ayr. 
 
 Much  honoured  and  dearest  in  Christ, — Grace,  mercy,  and 
 peace  from  God  our  Father,  and  from  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  be 
 upon  you.  I  expected  the  comfort  of  a  letter  to  a  prisoner  from 
 you,  ere  now.  I  am  here,  sir,  putting  off  a  part  of  my  inch  of 
 time,  and  when  I  awake  first  in  the  morning  (which  is  always  with 
 great  heaviness  and  sadness)  this  question  is  brought  to  my  mind, 
 am  I  serving  God  or  not  1  Not  that  I  doubt  oi  the  truth  of  this 
 honourable  cause,  wherein  I  am  engaged  (I  dare  venture  into  eter- 
 nity and  before  my  judge  that  I  now  suffer  for  the  truth  :  because 
 that  I  cannot  endure  that  my  Master,  who  is  a  free-born  King, 
 should  pay  tribute  to  any  of  the  shields  or  potsherds  of  the  earth. 
 0,  that  I  could  hold  the  crown  upon  my  Princely  King's  head 
 with  my  sinful  arm,  howbeit  it  should  be  stroke  from  me  in  that 
 service  from  the  shoulder  blade),  but  my  closed  mouth,  my  dumb 
 sabbaths,  the  memory  of  my  communion  with  Christ,  in  many 
 fair,  fair  days  in  Anwoth  (whereas  now  my  Master  getteth  no  ser- 
 vice of  my  tongue,  as  then)  hath  almost  broken  my  faith  in  two 
 halves;  yet  in  my  deepest  apprehensions  of  His  anger,  I  see 
 through  a  cloud  that  I  am  wrong,  and  He  in  love  to  my  soul  hath 
 taken  up  the  controversy  betwixt  faith  and  apprehensions,  and  a 
 decreet  is  past  on  Christ's  side  of  it,  and  I  sulDscribe  the  decreet. 
 The  Lord  is  equal  in  His  ways,  but  my  guiltiness  often  over- 
 mastereth  my  believing  :  I  have  not  been  well  known,  for  except 
 as  to  open  out-breakings,  I  want  nothing  of  what  Judas  and  Cain 
 had  ;  only,  He  hath  been  pleased  to  prevent  me  in  mercy,  and  to 
 cast  me  into  a  fever  of  love  for  Himself,  and  His  absence  maketh 
 my  fever  most  painful ;  and  besides,  He  hath  visited  my  soul,  and 
 watered  it  with  His  comforts  ;  but  yet  I  have  not  what  I  would, 
 the  want  of  real  and  felt  possession  is  my  only  death ;  I  know 
 Christ  pitieth  me  in  this.  The  great  men,  my  friends,  that  did 
 for  me,  are  dried  up  like  winter  brooks  of  water :  all  say,  no  deal- 
 ing for  that  man,  his  best  will  be  to  be  gone  out  of  the  kingdom. 
 So  I  see  they  tire  of  me  ;  but  believe  me,  I  am  most  gladly  con- 
 tent that  Christ  breaketh  all  my  idols  in  pieces,  it  hath  put  a  new 
 edge  upon  my  blunted  love  to  Christ.  I  see  He  is  jealous  of  my 
 love,  and  will  have  all  to  Himself.  In  a  word,  these  six  things 
 are  my  burden.  L  I  am  not  in  the  vineyard,  as  others  are;  it 
 may  be,  because  Christ  thinketh  me  a  withered  tree,  not  worthy 
 its  room,  but  God  forbid.  2.  Woe,  woe,  woe  is  coming  upon  my 
 harloc-mother,  this  apostate  kirk  ;  the  time  is  coming,  when  we 
 shall  wish  for  doves'  wings,  to  flee  and  hide  us ;  0  for  the  desola- 
 tion of  this  land!  3.  I  see  my  dear  Master  Christ  going  His  lone^ 
 (as  it  were)  mourning  in  sackcloth  ;  his  fainting  friends  fear  that 
 
 '  Aione. 
 
LETTER  LIII.  l35 
 
 King  Jesus  shall  lose  the  field,  but  He  must  carry  the  day.  4.  My 
 guiltiness  and  the  sins  of  my  youth  are  ^.ome  up  against  me,  and 
 they  would  come  in  the  plea  in  my  sufferings,  as  deserving  causes 
 in  God's  justice :  but  I  pray  God,  for  (Christ's  sake,  He  never  give 
 them  that  room.  Woe  is  me  that  I  cannot  get  my  royal,  dread- 
 ful, mighty,  and  glorious  Prince  of  the  kings  of  the  earth  set  on 
 high.  Sir,  ye  may  help  me  and  pity  me  in  this,  and  bow  your 
 knee  and  bless  His  name,  and  desire  others  to  do  it,  that  He  hath 
 been  pleased  in  my  sufferings  to  make  atheists,  papists,  and 
 enemies  about  me  say,  it  is  like  God  is  with  this  prisoner.  Let 
 hell  and  the  powers  of  hell  (I  care  not)  be  let  loose  against  me  to 
 do  their  worst,  so  being  Christ,  and  my  Father  and  His  Father,  be 
 magnified  in  my  sufferings.  6.  Christ's  love  hath  pained  me,  for 
 howbeit  His  presence  hath  shamed  me  and  drowned  me  in  debt, 
 yet  He  often  goeth  away,  when  my  love  to  Him  is  burning ;  He 
 seemeth  to  look  like  a  proud  wooer,  who  will  not  look  upon  a  poor 
 match,  who  is  dying  of  love.  I  will  not  say  He  is  lordly ;  but  I 
 know  He  is  wise  in  hiding  Himself  from  a  child  and  a  fool,  who 
 maketh  an  idol  and  a  god  of  one  of  Christ's  kisses,  which  is 
 idolatry.  I  fear  I  adore  His  comforts  more  than  Himself,  and 
 that  I  love  the  apples  of  life  better  than  the  tree  of  life.  Sir,  write 
 to  me.  Commend  me  to  your  wife,  mercy  be  her  portion.  Grace 
 be  with  you.  Yours,  in  his  dearest  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 
 
 Aberdeen,  1G37. 
 
 LETTER  LHI.— To  John  Stuart,  Provost  of  Ayr. 
 
 Worthy  and  dearly  Beloved  in  our  Lord, — Grace,  mercy, 
 and  peace  be  to  you.  I  was  refreshed  and  comforted  with  your 
 letter.  What  I  wrote  to  you  for  your  comfort,  I  do  not  remember: 
 but  I  believe,  love  will  prophesy  homeward,  as  it  would  have  it.  I 
 wish  I  could  help  you  to  praise  His  great  and  holy  name,  Avho 
 keepeth  the  feet  of  His  saints,  and  hath  numbered  all  your  goings. 
 I  know  our  dearest  Lord  will  pardon,  and  pass  by  our  honest 
 errors  and  mistakes,  when  we  mind  His  honour;  yet  I  know,  none 
 of  you  have  seen  the  other  half  and  the  hidden  side  of  your  wonder- 
 ful return  home  to  us  again.  I  am  confident  ye  shall  yet  say,  that 
 God's  mercy  blew  your  sails  back  to  Ireland  again.  Worthy  and 
 dear  sir,  I  cannot  but  give  you  an  account  of  my  present  state, 
 that  ye  may  go  an  errand  for  me,  to  my  high  and  royal  Master,  of 
 whom  I  boast  all  the  day.  I  am  as  proud  of  His  love  (nay  I  bles.s 
 myself,  and  boast  more  of  my  present  lot)  as  any  poor  man  can  be 
 of  an  earthly  king's  court,  or  of  a  kingdom.  First,  I  am  very  often 
 turning  both  the  sides  of  my  cross,  especially  my  dumb  and  silent 
 sabbaths,  not  because  I  desire  to  find  a  crook  or  defect  in  my 
 
136  LETTER  LIII. 
 
 Lord's  love,  bnt  because  love  is  sick  with  fancies  and  fears  whether 
 or  not  the  Lord  hath  a  process  leading  against  my  guiltiness,  that 
 I  have  not  yet  well  seen,  I  know  not ;  my  desire  is  to  ride  fair, 
 and  not  to  spark  dirt  (if  with  reverence  of  Him,  I  may  be  per- 
 mitted to  make  use  of  such  a  word)  in  the  face  of  my  only,  only 
 Well-Beloved ;  but  fear  of  guiltiness  is  a  tale-bearer  betwixt  me 
 and  Christ,  and  is  still  whispering  ill  tales  of  my  Lord  to  weaken 
 my  faith.  I  had  rather  a  cloud  went  over  my  comforts  by  these 
 messages,  than  that  my  faith  should  be  hurt ;  for  if  my  Lord  get 
 no  wrong  by  me,  verily,  I  desire  grace  not  to  care  what  become  of 
 me.  I  desire  to  give  no  faith  nor  credit  to  my  sorrow,  that  can 
 make  a  lie  of  my  best  friend,  Christ ;  woe,  woe  be  to  them  all  who 
 speak  ill  of  Christ.  Hence  these  thoughts  awake  with  me  in  the 
 morning,  and  go  to  bed  with  me,  0  what  service  can  a  dumb 
 body  do  in  Christ's  house  !  0,  I  think  the  Word  of  God  is  im- 
 prisoned also  !  0,  I  am  a  dry  tree  !  Alas  !  I  can  neither  plant 
 nor  water !  0,  if  my  Lord  would  but  make  dung  of  me,  to  fatten 
 and  make  fertile  His  own  corn-ridges  in  Mount  Zion  !  0,  if  I  might 
 but  speak  to  three  or  four  herd-boys  of  my  worthy  Master,  I  would 
 be  satisfied  to  be  the  meanest  and  most  obscure  of  all  the  pastors 
 in  this  land,  and  to  live  in  any  place,  in  any  of  Christ's  basest  out- 
 houses ;  but  He  saith,  "  Sirrah,  I  will  not  send  you,  I  have  no 
 errands  for  you  there-away."  My  desire  to  serve  Him  is  sick  of 
 jealousy,  lest  He  be  unwilling  to  employ  me.  Secondly,  This  is 
 seconded  with  another.  0,  all  that  I  have  done  in  Anwoth,  the 
 fair  work  that  my  Master  began  there,  is  like  a  bird  dying  in  the 
 shell !  and  what  will  I  then  have  to  show  of  all  my  labour,  in  the 
 day  of  my  compearance  before  Him,  when  the  Master  of  the  vine- 
 yard calleth  the  labourers,  and  giveth  them  their  hire  1  Thirdly, 
 But  truly,  when  Christ's  sweet  wind  is  in  the  right  airt,^  I  repent, 
 and  I  pray  Christ  to  take  law-borrows ^  of  my  quarrelous  and  un- 
 believing sadness  and  sorrow  (Lord,  rebuke  them  that  put  ill  be- 
 twixt a  poor  servant  like  me  and  his  good  Master) :  then  I  say, 
 whether  the  black  cross  will  or  not,  I  must  climb,  hands  and  feet, 
 up  to  my  Lord.  I  am  now  ruing  from  my  heart,  that  I  pleasured 
 the  law  (my  old  dead  husband),  so  far  as  to  apprehend  wrath  in 
 my  sweet  Lord  Jesus ;  I  had  far  rather  take  an  hire  to  plead  for 
 the  grace  of  God  ;  for  I  think  myself  Christ's  sworn  debtor  :  and 
 the  truth  is,  to  speak  of  my  Lord  what  I  cannot  deny,  I  am  over 
 head  and  ears  drowned  in  many  obligations  to  His  love  and  mercy. 
 He  handleth  me  sometimes  so,  that  I  am  ashamed  almost  to  seek 
 more  for  a  four-hours,^  but  to  live  content,  till  the  marriage-supper 
 of  the  Lamb,  with  that  which  He  giveth ;  but  I  know  not  how 
 greedy,  and  how  ill  to  please  love  is ;  for  either  my  Lord  Jesus 
 ^  Direction.         -  A  Scottish  law  term,  meaning  security.         *  EefreshmenV. 
 
LETTER  LIII.  137 
 
 hath  taught  me  ill  manners,  not  to  be  content  of  a  seat,  except  my 
 head  lie  in  His  bosom,  and  except  I  be  fed  with  the  fattest  of  His 
 house ;  or  else  I  am  grown  impatiently  dainty  and  ill  to  please,  as 
 if  Christ  were  obliged,  under  this  cross,  to  do  no  other  thing  but 
 bear  me  in  His  arms,  and  as  if  I  had  claim  by  merit  for  my  suffer- 
 ing for  Him.  But  I  wish  He  would  give  me  grace  to  learn  to  go 
 on  my  own  feet,  and  to  learn  to  want  His  comforts,  and  to  give 
 thanks  and  believe,  when  the  sun  is  not  in  my  firmament,  and 
 Avhen  my  Well-Beloved  is  from  home,  and  gone  another  errand. 
 0,  what  sweet  peace  have  I,  when  I  find  Christ  holdeth  and  I 
 draw ;  when  I  climb  up,  and  He  shutteth  me  down  ;  when  I  grip 
 Him  and  embrace  Him,  and  He  seemeth  to  loose  the  grips  and  flee 
 away  from  me.  I  think  there  even  is  a  sweet  joy  of  faith,  and 
 contentedness,  and  peace,  in  His  very  tempting  unkindness,  be- 
 cause my  faith  saith,  "  Christ  is  not  in  sad  earnest  with  me,  but 
 trying  if  I  can  be  kind  to  His  mask  and  cloud  that  covereth  Him, 
 as  well  as  to  His  fair  face."  I  bless  His  great  name,  that  I  love 
 His  vail,  that  goeth  over  His  face,  while  ^  God  send  better.  For 
 faith  can  kiss  God's  tempting  reproaches,  when  He  nicknameth  a 
 sinner,  "  A  dog,  not  worthy  to  eat  bread  with  the  bairns."  I  think 
 it  an  honour  that  Christ  miscalleth  me,  and  reproacheth  me.  I 
 will  take  that  well  of  Him,  howl^eit  I  would  not  bear  it  well,  if 
 another  would  be  that  homely  y  but  because  1  am  His  own  (God 
 be  thanked)  He  may  use  me  as  He  pleaseth.  I  must  say,  the 
 saints  have  a  sweet  life  betwixt  them  and  Christ ;  there  is  much 
 sweet  solace  of  love  betwixt  Him  and  them,  when  He  "  feedeth 
 among  the  lilies,"  and  "cometh  into  His  garden,  and  maketh  a 
 feast  of  honeycombs,  and  drinketh  His  wine  and  His  milk,"  and 
 crieth,  "Eat,  0  friends,  drink,  be  ye  drunken,  0  well-beloved." 
 One  hour  of  this  labour  is  worth  a  shipful  of  world's  drunken  and 
 muddy  joy.  Nay,  even  the  gate  of  heaven  is  the  sunny  side  of 
 the  brae,  and  the  very  garden  of  the  world ;  for  the  men  of  this 
 world  have  their  own  unchristened  and  profane  crosses ;  and  woe 
 be  to  them  and  their  cursed  crosses  both,  for  their  ills  are  salted 
 with  God's  vengeance,  and  are  ill-seasoned  with  our  Father's  bless- 
 ing. So  they  are  no  fools  who  choose  Christ,  and  sell  all  things 
 for  Him;  it  is  no  bairn's  market,  nor  a  blind  block ;^  we  know 
 well  what  we  get  and  what  we  give.  Now,  for  any  resolution  to 
 go  to  any  other  kingdom,  I  dare  not  speak  one  word.  My  hopes 
 of  enlargement  are  cold,  my  hopes  of  re-entry  to  my  Master's  ill- 
 dressed  vineyard  again  are  far  colder.  I  have  no  seat  for  my  faith 
 to  sit  on,  but  bare  omnipotency,  and  God's  holy  arm  and  good- 
 will ;  here  I  desire  to  stay,  and  ride  at  anchor,  and  winter,  while  ^ 
 God  send  fair  weather  again,  and  be  pleased  to  take  home  to  His 
 1  Till.  ^  So  familiar.  ^  Exchange. 
 
138  LETTER  LIV. 
 
 house  my  harlot-mother,  0,  if  her  Husband  would  be  that^  kind, 
 as  to  go  and  letch  her  out  of  the  brothel-house,  and  chase  her 
 lovers  to  the  hills ;  but  there  will  be  sad  days  ere  it  come  to  that. 
 Eemember  my  bonds.     Grace  be  with  you. 
 
 Yours,  in  our  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 
 Aberdeen,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  LIV.— To  the  Lady  Busby. 
 
 Mistress, — Although  not  acquaint,  yet  because  we  are  Father's 
 children,-  I  thought  good  to  write  unto  you  :  howbeit,  my  first  dis- 
 course and  communing  with  you  of  Christ  be  in  paper ;  yet  I  have 
 cause,  since  I  came  hither,  to  have  no  paper-thoughts  of  him ;  for 
 in  my  sad  days,  He  is  become  the  flower  of  my  joys,  and  I  but  lie 
 here,  living  upon  his  love,  but  cannot  get  so  much  of  it  as  fain  I 
 would  have ;  not  because  Christ's  love  is  lordly,  and  looketh  too 
 high ;  but  because  I  have  a  narrow  vessel  to  receive  His  love,  and 
 I  look  too  low  :  but  I  give  under  my  own  hand-write  to  you  a  tes- 
 timonial of  Christ  and  his  cross,  that  they  are  a  sweet  couple,  and 
 that  Christ  hath  never  yet  been  set  in  His  own  due  chair  of  honour 
 amongst  us  all.  0,  I  know  not  where  to  set  Him  !  0,  for  a  high 
 seat  to  that  royal  Princely  One  !  0,  that  mj  poor  withered  soul 
 had  once  a  running-over  flood  of  that  love  to  put  sap  in  my  dry 
 root,  and  that  that  flood  would  spring  out  to  the  tongue  and  pen,  to 
 utter  great  things,  to  the  high  and  due  commendation  of  such  a 
 fair  one !  0,  Holy,  Holy,  Holy  One !  Alas  !  there  are  too  many 
 dumb  tongues  in  the  world  and  dry  hearts,  seeing  there  is  employ- 
 ment in  Christ  for  them  all,  and  ten  thousand  worlds  of  men  and 
 angels  more,  to  set  on  high  and  exalt  the  greatest  Prince  of  the 
 kings  of  the  earth.  Woe  is  me,  that  bits  of  living  clay  dare  come 
 out,  to  rush  hard-heads  with  Him ;  and  that  my  unkind  mother, 
 this  harlot-kirk,  hath  given  her  sweet  half-marrow  ^  such  a  meeting, 
 for  this  land  hath  given  up  with  Christ,  and  the  Lord  is  cutting- 
 Scotland  in  two  halves,  and  sending  the  worst  half,  the  harlot- 
 sister,  over  to  Rome's  brothel-house  to  get  her  fill  of  Egypt's  love. 
 I  would  my  suff'erings  (nay,  suppose  I  were  burnt  quick  to  ashes) 
 might  buy  an  agreement  betwixt  His  fairest  and  sweetest  love,  and 
 His  gaudy  lewd  wife.  Fain  Avould  I  give  Clirist  His  welcome-home 
 to  Scotland  again  if  He  would  return.  This  is  a  black  day,  a  day 
 of  clouds  and  darkness,  for  the  roof-tree  of  my  Lord  Jesus  his  fair 
 temple  is  fallen,  and  Christ's  back  is  towards  Scotland.  0,  thrice 
 blessed  are  they  who  would  hold  Christ  with  their  tears  and  pray- 
 ers !  I  know  ye  will  help  to  deal  with  Him,  for  He  siiall  return 
 again  to  this  land ;  the  next  day  shall  be  Christ's,  and  there  shall 
 
 ^  So.  *  Children  of  one  Father.  ^  Partner. 
 
LETTERS  LV.  AND  LVI.  139 
 
 be  a  fair  green  young  garden  for  Christ  in  this  land,  and  God's 
 Biiminer-dew  shall  lie  on  it  all  the  night,  and  we  shall  sing  again 
 our  new  marriage-song  to  our  Bridegroom,  concerning  His  vineyard; 
 but  who  knoweth  whether  we  shall  live  and  see  it  ?  I  hear  the 
 Lord  hath  taken  pains  to  aflflict  and  dress  you  as  a  fruitful  vine  for 
 Himself.  Grow  and  be  green,  and  cast  out  your  branches,  and 
 bring  forth  fruit.  Fat  and  green,  and  fruitful  may  ye  be,  in  the 
 true  and  sappy  root.  Grace,  grace,  free  grace  be  your  portion. 
 Remember  my  bonds  with  prayers  and  praises. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,     S.  R, 
 Aberdeen,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  LV.— To  Ninian  Mure. 
 
 Loving  Friend, — I  received  your  letter.  I  entreat  you  now 
 in  the  morning  of  your  life,  seek  the  Lord  and  His  face.  Beware 
 of  the  follies  of  dangerous  youth,  a  perilous  time  for  your  soul. 
 Love  not  the  world ;  keep  faith  and  truth  with  all  men  in  your 
 covenants  and  bargains  :  walk  with  God,  for  He  seeth  you  :  do  no- 
 thing but  that  which  ye  may  and  would  do,  if  your  eye-strings 
 were  breaking  and  your  breath  growing  cold.  Ye  heard  the  truth 
 of  God  from  me ;  my  dear  heart,  follow  it  and  forsake  it  not, 
 prize  Christ  and  salvation  above  all  the  world.  To  live  after  the 
 guise  and  course  of  the  rest  of  the  world  will  not  bring  you  to  hea- 
 ven :  without  faith  in  Christ,  and  repentance,  ye  cannot  see  God. 
 Take  pains  for  salvation ;  press  forward  toward  the  mark  of  the  prize 
 of  the  high  calling.  If  ye  watch  not  against  evils  night  and  day, 
 which  beset  you,  ye  will  come  behind.  Beware  of  lying,  swearing, 
 uncleanness,  and  the  rest  of  the  works  of  the  flesh ;  because  for  these 
 things  the  wrath  of  God  cometh  upon  the  children  of  disobedience  : 
 how  sweet  soever  they  may  seem  for  the  present,  yet  the  end  of 
 these  courses  is  the  eternal  Avrath  of  God,  and  utter  darkness, 
 where  there  is  weeping  and  gnashing  of  teeth.    Grace  be  with  you. 
 
 Your  loving  pastor,     S.  R. 
 
 Aberdeen,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  LVL— To  Mr.  Thohias  Garven. 
 
 Reverend  and  dear  Brother, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be 
 unto  you.  I  am  sorry  that  what  joy  and  sorrow  drew  from  my  im- 
 •prisoned  pen,  in  my  love-fits,  hath  made  you,  and  many  of  God's 
 children  believe,  that  there  is  something  in  a  broken  reed,  the  like 
 of  me,  except  that  Christ's  grace  hath  bought  such  a  sold  body.  I 
 know  not  what  else  any  may  think  of  me,  or  expect  from  me  :  my 
 stock  is  less  (my  Lord  knoweth  I  speak  truth)  than  many  believe, 
 
140  LETTER  LVI. 
 
 my  empty  sounas  have  promised  too  much.  I  would  be  glad  to  lie 
 under  Christ's  feet,  and  keep  and  receive  the  ofF-fallings  or  the  old 
 pieces  of  any  grace,  that  fall  from  His  sweet  fingers  to  forlorn  sin- 
 ners. I  lie  often  uncouth  like,  looking  in  at  the  King's  windows  ; 
 surely  I  am  unworthy  of  a  seat  in  the  King's  hall-floor,  I  but  of- 
 ten look  afar  off  both  feared  and  framed  ^  like  to  that  fairest  face, 
 fearing  He  bid  me  look  away  from  Him ;  my  guiltiness  riseth  up 
 upon  me,  and  I  have  no  answer  for  it.  I  offered  my  tongue  to 
 Christ,  and  my  pains  in  His  house,  and  what  know  I  Avhat  it  mean- 
 eth,  when  Christ  will  not  receive  my  poor  propine  -;  when  love  will 
 not  take,  we  expone  it  will  neither  take  nor  give,  borrow  nor 
 lend.  Yet  Christ  hath  another  sea-compass  He  saileth  by  than 
 my  short  and  raw  thoughts ;  I  leave  His  part  of  it  to  Himself.  I 
 dare  not  expound  His  dealing,  as  sorrow  and  misbelief  often  dic- 
 tateth  to  me.  I  look  often  with  bleared  and  blind  eyes  to  my 
 Lord's  cross ;  and  when  I  look  to  the  wrong  side  of  His  cross,  I 
 know  I  miss  a  step  and  slide :  surely  I  see  I  have  not  legs  of  my 
 own  for  carrying  me  to  heaven ;  I  must  go  in  at  heaven's  gates, 
 borrowing  strength  from  Christ.  I  am  often  thinking,  0,  if  He 
 would  but  give  me  leave  to  love  Him,  and  if  Christ  would  but  open 
 up  His  wares,  and  the  infinite,  infinite  plies,^  and  windings,  and 
 corners  ot  His  soul  delighting  love,  and  let  me  see  it,  backside  and 
 foreside,  and  give  me  leave  but  to  stand  beside  it,  like  an  hungry 
 man  beside  meat,  to  get  my  fill  of  wondering,  as  a  preface  to  my  fill 
 of  enjojdng :  but  verily,  I  think  my  foul  eyes  would  defile  His  fair 
 love  to  look  to  it.  Either  my  hunger  is  over  humble  (if  that  may 
 be  said),  or  else  I  consider  not  what  honour  it  is  to  get  leave  to  love 
 Christ.  0  that  He  would  pity  a  prisoner,  and  let  out  a  flood  upon 
 the  dry  ground  !  It  is  nothing  to  Him  to  fill  the  like  of  me ;  one  ot 
 His  looks  would  do  me  meikle-world's  *  good,  and  Him  no  ill. 
 I  know,  I  am  not  at  a  point  yet  with  Christ's  love,  I  am  not  yet 
 fitted  for  so  much  as  I  would  have  of  it ;  my  hope  sitteth  neigh- 
 bour with  meikle*  black  hunger,  and  certainly,!  dow^  not  but  think, 
 there  is  more  of  that  love  ordained  for  me  than  I  yet  comprehend, 
 and  I  know  not  the  weight  of  the  pension  the  King  will  give  me. 
 I  shall  be  glad  if  my  hungry  bill  get  leave  to  lie  beside  Christ 
 waiting  on  an  answer :  now  I  would  be  full  and  rejoice,  if  I  got  a 
 poor  man's  alms  of  that  sweetest  love :  but,  I  confidently  believe, 
 there  is  a  bed  made  for  Christ  and  me,  and  that  we  shall  take  our 
 fill  of  love  in  it ;  and  I  often  think  when  my  joy  is  run  out,  and  at 
 the  lowest  ebb,  that  I  would  seek  no  more,  but  my  rights  passed  the 
 King's  great  seal,  and  that  these  eyes  of  mine  could  see  Christ's 
 hand  at  the  pen.  If  your  Lord  call  you  to  suffering,  be  not  dis- 
 mayed ;  there  shall  be  a  new  allowance  of  the  King  for  you,  when 
 ^  Stranfi-e  or  alien.  »  Proffer.  *  Folds.  *  Much.  ^  q^-^ 
 
LETTER  LVII.  141 
 
 ye  come  to  it.  One  of  the  softest  pillows  Christ  hath  is  laid  under 
 His  witnesses'  head,  though  often  they  must  set  down  their  bare 
 feet  among  thorns.  He  hath  brought  my  poor  soul  to  desire  and 
 wish.  0,  that  my  ashes,  and  the  powder  I  shall  be  dissolved  into, 
 had  well-tuned  tongues  to  praise  Him.  Thus,  in  haste,  desiring 
 your  prayers  and  praises,  I  recommend  you  to  my  sweet,  sweet 
 Master,  my  honourable  Lord,  of  whom  I  hold  all.  Grace  be  with 
 you.     Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  E. 
 
 Aberdeen,  1637.  
 
 LETTER  LVIL— To  Jean  Brown. 
 Mistress, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you.     I  am  glad  that 
 ye  go  on  at  Christ's  back  in  this  dark  and  cloudy  time.     It  were 
 good  to  sell  other  things  for  Him  ;  for  when  all  these  days  are  over, 
 we  shall  find  it  our  advantage,  that  we  have  taken'  part  with  Christ. 
 I  confidently  believe  His  enemies  shall  be  His  footstool,  and  that 
 He  shall  make  green  flowers,  dead,  withered  hay,  when  the  honour 
 and  glory  shall  fall  ofi"  them,  like  the  bloom  or  flower  of  a  green 
 herb,  shaken  Avith  the  wind.     It  were  not  wisdom  for  us  to   think 
 that  Christ  and  the  Gospel  will  come  and  sit  down  at  our  fireside  ; 
 nay,but  we  must  go  out  of  our  warm  houses,  and  seek  Christ  and 
 His  Gospel.     It  is  not  the  sunny  side  of  Christ  that  we  must  look 
 to,  and  we  must  not  forsake  Him  for  want  of  that ;  but  must  set 
 our  face  against  what  may  befall  us,  in  following  on,  till  he  and  we 
 be  through  the  briers  and  bushes  on  the  dry  ground.     Our  soft 
 nature  would  be  borne  through  the  troubles  of  this  miserable  life 
 in  Christ's  arms.     And  it  is  His  wisdom,  who  knoweth  our  mould, 
 that  His  bairns  go  Avet-shod  and  cold-footed  to  heaven.     0,  how 
 sweet  a  thing  were  it  for  us  to  learn  to  make  our  burdens  light  by 
 framing  our  hearts  to  the  burden,  and  making  our  Lord's  will  a 
 law !  I  find  Christ  and  His  cross  not  so  ill  to  please,  nor  yet  such 
 troublesome  guests,  as  men  call  them.      Nay,  I  think  patience 
 should  make  Christ's  water  good  wine,  and  this  dross  good  metal : 
 and  we  have  cause  to  wait  on,  for  ere  it  be  long  our  Master  will  be 
 at  us,  and  bring  this  whole  world  out  before  the  sun  and  the  day- 
 light in  their  blacks  and  whites.     Happy  are  they,  who  are  found 
 watching.     Our  sand-glass  is  not  so  long  as^  we  need  to  weary  : 
 time  will  eat  away,  and  root  out  our  woes  and  sorrow  :  our  heaven 
 is  in  the  bud,  and  growing  up  to  an  harvest,  why  then  should  we 
 not  follow  on,  seeing  our  span-length  of  time  will  come  to  an  inch? 
 Therefore,  I  commend  Christ  to  you,  as  your  last  living  and  longest 
 living  Husband,  and  the  staff  of  your  old  age :  let  Him  have  now 
 the  rest  of  yonr  days  ;  and  think  not  much  of  a  storm  upon  the 
 ship  that  Christ  saileth  in ;  there  shall  no  passenger  fall  overboard; 
 
 1  That. 
 
142  LETTER  LVIII. 
 
 but  the  crazed  ship  and  the  sea-sick  passenger  shall  come  to  land 
 safe.  I  am  in  as  sweet  communion  with  Christ  as  a  poor  sinner 
 can  be ;  and  am  only  pained  that  He  hath  much  beauty  and  fair- 
 ness, and  I  little  love ;  He  great  power  and  mercy,  and  I  little  faith; 
 He  much  light,  and  I  bleared  eyes.  O,  that  I  saw  him  in  the 
 sweetness  of  His  love,  and  in  his  marriage  clothes,  and  were  over 
 head  and  ears  in  love  with  that  Princely  One,  Christ  Jesus  my 
 Lord  !  Alas,  my  riven  dish  and  running-out  vessel  can  hold  little 
 of  Chiist  Jesus  !  I  have  joy  in  this,  that  I  would  not  refuse  death 
 before  I  put^  Christ's  lawful  heritage  in  men's  trysting  \^  and  what 
 know  I,  if  they  would  have  pleased  both  Christ  and  me  ?  Alas  ! 
 that  this  land  hath  put  Christ  to  open  rouping,  and  to  an  "Any 
 man  more  bids  'J"  Blessed  are  they  who  would  hold  the  crown  on 
 His  head,  and  buy  Christ's  honour  with  their  own  losses.  I  re- 
 joice to  hear  your  son  John  is  coming  to  visit  Christ  and  taste  of 
 His  love.  I  hope  he  shall  not  lose  his  pains,  or  rue  of  that  choice. 
 I  had  always  (as  I  said  often  to  you)  a  great  love  to  dear  Mr.  John 
 Brown,  because  I  thought  I  saw  Christ  in  him  more  than  in  his 
 brethren ;  fain  would  I  write  to  him,  to  stand  by  my  sweet  Mas- 
 ter, and  I  wish  ye  would  let  him  read  my  letter,  and  the  joy  I 
 have,  if  he  will  appear  for,  and  side  with  my  Lord  Jesus.  Grace, 
 grace  be  with  you. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  K* 
 Aberdeen,  March  13,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  LVHL— To  Jean  M'Millan. 
 
 Loving  Sister, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you.  I  can- 
 not come  to  you  to  give  you  my  counsel ;  and  howbeit  I  would 
 come,  I  cannot  stay  with  you ;  but  I  beseech  you  keep  Christ,  for 
 I  did  what  I  could  to  put  you  within  grips  of  Him.  I  told  you 
 Christ's  testament  and  latter  will  plainly,  and  I  kept  nothing  back 
 that  my  Lord  gave  me ;  and  I  gave  Christ  to  you  with  good  will. 
 I  pray  you,  make  Him  your  own,  and  go  not  from  that  truth  I 
 taught  you  in  one  hair-breadth ;  that  truth  shall  save  you,  if  ye 
 follow  it.  Salvation  is  not  an  easy  thing,  and  soon  gotten ;  I 
 often  told  you  few  are  saved,  and  many,  many  damned.  I  pray 
 you,  make  your  poor  soul  sure  of  salvation,  and  make  the  seeking 
 of  heaven  your  daily  task.  If  ye  never  had  a  sick  night  and  a 
 pained  soul  for  sin,  ye  have  not  yet  lighted  upon  Christ ;  look  to 
 the  right  marks  of  having  closed  with  Christ,  if  ye  love  Him 
 better  than  the  world,  and  would  quit  all  the  world  for  Him,  then 
 that  saith  the  work  is  sound.  0,  if  ye  saw  the  beauty  of  Jesus, 
 and  felt  the  smell  of  His  love,  ye  would  run  through  fire  and 
 
 '    Uinliei  than  nut.  ^  ArraDqing. 
 
LETTER  LIX.  143 
 
 water  to  be  at  Him.     God  send  you  Him.     Pray  for  me,  for  I 
 caiiiiut  forget  you.     Grace  be  with  you. 
 
 Your  loving  pastor,         S.  R. 
 Aberdeen,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  LIX.— To  the  Lady  Busby. 
 
 Mistress, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you,  I  am  glad  to 
 hear  that  Christ  and  ye  are  one,  and  that  ye  have  made  Him  your 
 one  thing.  Whereas  many  are  painfully  toiled  in  seeking  many 
 things,  and  their  many  things  are  nothing.  It  is  only  best  ye 
 set  yourself  apart,  as  a  thing  laid  up  and  out  of  the  gate  ^  for 
 Christ  alone  ;  for  ye  are  good  for  no  other  thing  but  Christ,  and 
 He  hath  been  going  about  you  these  many  years  by  afflictions,  to 
 engage  you  to  Himself;  it  were  a  pity  and  a  loss  to  say  Him  nay. 
 Verily,  I  could  wish  that  I  could  swim  through  hell  and  all  the 
 ill  weather  in  the  world,  and  Christ  in  my  arms ;  but  it  is  my  evil 
 and  folly  that  except  Christ  come  unsent  for,  I  do  not  go  to  seek 
 Him.  When  He  and  I  fall  in  reckoning  we  are  both  behind.  He 
 in  payment,  and  I  in  counting;  and  so  marches  lie  still  unrid,- 
 and  counts  uncleared  betwixt  us.  0,  that  He  would  take  His 
 own  blood  for  counts  and  miscounts,  that  I  might  be  a  free  man, 
 and  none  had  any  claim  to  me,  but  only,  only  Jesus.  I  will  think 
 it  no  bondage  to  be  rooped,^  comprised,  and  possessed  by  Christ 
 as  His  bondman.  Think  well  of  the  visitations  of  your  Lord.  Eor 
 I  find  one  thing  I  saw  not  well  before,  that  Avhen  the  saints  are 
 under  trials,  and  well  humbled,  little  sins  raise  great  cries  and 
 war-shouts  in  the  conscience ;  and  in  prosperity,  conscience  is  a 
 Pope  to  give  dispensations,  and  let  out  and  in,  and  give  latitude 
 and  elbow-room  to  our  heart.  0,  how  little  care  we  for  pardon, 
 at  Christ's  hand,  when  we  make  dispensations  !  And  all  is  but 
 bairn's  play,  till  a  cross  without  beget  an  heavier  cross  within,  and 
 then  we  play  no  longer  with  our  idols.  It  is  good  still  to  be 
 severe  against  ourselves,  for  we  but  transform  God's  mercy  into 
 an  idol,  and  an  idol  that  hath  a  dispensation  to  give,  for  turning 
 of  the  grace  of  God  into  wantonness.  Happy  are  they  Avho  take 
 up  God,  wrath,  justice,  and  sin,  as  they  are  in  themselves.  For 
 we  have  miscarrying  light  that  parteth  with  child,  when  we  have 
 good  resolutions ;  but  God  be  thanked,  that  salvation  is  not  rolled 
 upon  our  wheels.  0,  but  Christ  hath  a  saving  eye  !  Salvation  is 
 in  His  eyelids  :  when  He  first  looked  on  me,  I  was  saved ;  it  cost 
 Him  but  a  look,  to  make  hell  quit  of  me.  0  merits,  free  merits, 
 and  the  dear  blood  of  God,  was  the  best  gate  that  ever  we  could 
 have  gotten  [out]  of  hell !  O,  what  a  sweet,  0,  what  a  safe  and 
 '  Set  aside.  '^  Undefined,  •*  Seized. 
 
144  LETTER  LX. 
 
 sure  way  is  it,  to  come  out  of  hell  leaning  on  a  Saviour !  that 
 Christ  and  a  sinner  should  be  one,  and  have  heaven  betwixt  them, 
 and  be  halvcis  of  salvation,  is  the  wonder  of  salvation.  What 
 more  humble  could  love  be  ?  and  what  an  excellent  smell  doth 
 Christ  cast  on  His  lower  garden,  where  there  grow  but  wild 
 flowers,  if  we  speak  by  way  of  comparison ;  but  there  is  nothing 
 but  perfect  garden-flowers  in  heaven,  and  the  best  plenishing  ^ 
 that  is  there  is  Christ.  We  -are  all  obliged  to  love  heaven  for 
 Christ's  sake  ;  He  graceth  heaven  and  all  His  Father's  house  with 
 His  presence.  He  is  a  rose  that  beautifieth  all  the  upper  garden 
 of  God ;  a  leaf  of  that  rose  of  God,  for  smell,  is  worth  a  world. 
 0,  that  He  would  blow  His  smell  upon  a  withered  and  dead  soul ! 
 Let  us  then  go  on  to  meet  with  Him,  and  to  be  filled  with  the 
 sweetness  of  His  love.  Nothing  will  hold  Him  from  us ;  He 
 hath  decreed  to  put  time,  sin,  hell,  devils,  men,  and  death  out  of 
 the  way,  and  to  ride  the  rough  way  betwixt  us  and  Him,  that  we 
 may  enjoy  one  another.  It  is  strange  and  wonderful,  that  He 
 would  think  long^  in  heaven  without  us,  and  that  He  would  have 
 the  company  of  sinners  to  solace  and  delight  Himself  withal  in 
 heaven  :  and  now  the  supper  is  abiding  us.  Christ  the  Bride- 
 groom, with  desire,  is  waiting  on  till  the  Bride,  the  Lamb's  wife, 
 be  busked*  for  the  marriage,  and  the  great  hall  be  rid*  for  the 
 meeting  of  that  joyful  couple.  0  fools,  what  do  we  here?  and 
 why  sit  we  still  ?  Why  sleep  we  in  the  prison  ?  Were  it  not 
 best  to  make  us  wings  to  flee  up  to  our  blessed  Match,  our  Mar- 
 row, and  our  Fellow  friend  !  I  think,  mistress,  ye  are  looking 
 there-away,  and  this  is  your  second  or  third  thought ;  make  for- 
 ward, your  guide  waiteth  on  you.  I  cannot  but  bless  you,  for 
 your  care  and  kindness  to  the  saints.  God  give  you  to  find  mercy 
 in  that  day  of  our  Lord  Jesus,  to  whose  saving  grace  I  recommend 
 you.  Yours,  in  our  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 
 
 Aberdeen,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  LX.~-To  William  Rigge,  of  Athernie. 
 
 Much  honoured  and  worthy  Sir, — Your  letter,  full  of  com- 
 plaints, bemoaning  your  guiltiness,  hath  humbled  me ;  but  give 
 me  leave  to  say,  ye  seem  to  be  too  far  upon  the  law's  side,  ye  will 
 not  gain  much  to  be  the  law's  advocate :  I  thought  ye  had  not 
 been  the  law's,  but  grace's,  man.  Nevertheless,  I  am  sure  ye 
 desire  to  take  God's  part  against  yourself.  Whatever  your  guilti- 
 ness be,  yet  when  it  falleth  into  the  sea  of  God's  mercy,  it  is  but 
 like  a  drop  of  blood  fallen  in  the  great  ocean.  There  is  nothing 
 here  to  be  done,  but  let  Christ's  doom  light  upon  the  old  mai), 
 
 ^  Turniture.  *  Weary.  ^  AdomeJ.  *  Set  in  order. 
 
LETTER  LX.  145 
 
 and  let  him  bear  his  condemnation,  seeing  in  Christ  he  was  con- 
 demned ;  for  the  law  hath  but  power  over  your  worst  half ;  let 
 the  blame,  therefore,  lie  where  the  blame  should  be,  and  let  the 
 new  man  be  sure  to  say,  "  I  am  comely  as  the  tents  of  Kedar, 
 howbeit  I  be  black  and  sun-burnt,  by  sitting  neighbour  beside  a 
 body  of  sin."  I  seek  no  more  here,  but  room  for  grace's  defence 
 and  Christ's  white  throne,  whereto  a  sinner  condemned  by  the 
 law  may  appeal.  But  the  use  that  I  make  of  it  is,  I  am  sorrow  ^ 
 that  I  am  not  so  tender  and  thin-skinned,  though  I  am  sure  Christ 
 may  find  employment  for  His  calling  in  me,  if  in  any  living,  see- 
 ing from  my  youth  upward  I  have  been  making  up  the  blackest 
 process,  that  any  minister  in  the  world  or  any  other  can  answer 
 to.  And  when  I  had  done  this,  I  painted  a  providence  of  my 
 own,  and  wrote  ease  for  myself  and  a  peaceable  ministry,  and  the 
 sun  shining  on  me,  till  I  should  be  in  at  heaven's  gates.  Such 
 green  and  raw  thoughts  had  I  of  God.  I  thought  also  of  a  sleep- 
 ing devil,  that  would  pass  by  the  like  of  me,  lying  in  moors  and 
 out-fields.  So  I  bigged^  the  gouk's^  nest,  and  dreamed  of  dying 
 at  ease,  and  living  in  a  fool's  paradise ;  but  since  I  came  hither,  I 
 am  often  so  as  that  they  would  have  much  rhetoric  that  would 
 persuade  me  that  Christ  hath  not  written  wrath  on  my  dumb  and 
 silent  sabbaths  (which  is  a  persecution  of  the  latest  edition,  being 
 used  against  none  in  this  land,  that  I  can  learn  of,  besides  me) ; 
 and  often  I  lie  under  a  non-entry,  and  would  gladly  sell  all  my 
 joys,  to  be  confirmed  King  Jesus's  free-tenant,  and  to  have  sealed 
 assurances  ;  but  I  see  often  blank  papers.  And  my  greatest  de- 
 sires are  these  two,  1.  That  Christ  would  take  me  in  hand  to 
 cure  me,  and  undertake  for  a  sick  man,  I  know  I  should  not  die 
 under  His  hand.  And  yet  in  this,  while  I  still  doubt,  I  believe 
 through  a  cloud,  that  sorrow,  which  hath  no  eyes,  hath  but  put 
 a  vail  on  Christ's  love.  2.  It  pleaseth  Him  often,  since  I  came 
 hither,  to  come  with  some  short  blinks  of  His  sweet  love,  and 
 then,  because  I  have  none  to  help  me  to  praise  His  love,  and  can 
 do  Him  no  service  in  my  own  person  (as  I  thought  once  I  did  in 
 His  temple),  then  I  die  with  wishes  and  desires  to  take  up  house 
 and  dwell  at  the  well-side,  and  to  have  Him  praised  and  set  on 
 high.  But  alas  !  what  can  the  like  of  me  do,  to  get  a  good  name 
 raised  upon  my  Well-Beloved  Lord  Jesus,  suppose  I  could  desire 
 to  be  suspended  for  ever  of  my  part  of  heaven  for  His  glory  1  I 
 am  sure  if  I  could  get  my  will  of  Christ's  love,  [if]  I  could  be 
 once  over  head  and  ears  in  the  believed,  apprehended,  and  seen 
 love  of  the  Son  of  God,  it  were  the  fulfilling  of  the  desires  of  the 
 only  happiness  I  would  be  at.  But  the  truth  is,  I  hinder  my  com- 
 munion with  Him  because  of  want  of  both  faith  and  repentance, 
 ^  Sorry,  "  Built,  s  Cuckoo's. 
 
 K 
 
145  LETTER  LXI. 
 
 and  because  I  will  make  an  idol  of  Christ's  kisses :  I  will  neither 
 lead  nor  drive,^  except  I  see  Christ's  love  run  in  my  channel ; 
 and  when  I  wait  and  look  for  Him  the  upper  way,  I  see  His  wis- 
 dom is  pleased  to  play  me  a  slip,  and  come  the  lower  way;  so  that 
 I  have  not  the  right  art  of  guiding  Christ.  For  there  is  art  and 
 wisdom  required  in  guiding  of  Christ's  love  aright  when  we  have 
 gotten  it.  0,  how  far  are  His  ways  above  mine  !  0,  how  little 
 of  Him  do  I  see  !  And  when  I  am  as  dry  as  a  burnt  heath  in  a 
 droughty  summer,  and  when  my  root  is  withered,  howbeit  I  think 
 then  that  I  would  drink  a  sea  full  of  Christ  ere  ever  I  would  let 
 the  cup  go  from  my  head,  yet  I  get  nothing  but  delays,  as  if  He 
 would  make  hunger  my  daily  food  ;  I  think  myself  also  hun- 
 gered of  hunger ;  the  rich  Lord  Jesus  satisfy  a  famished  man. 
 Grace  be  with  you. 
 
 Your  own,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  E. 
 Aberdeen,  Sept.  10,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  LXI.— To  his  Worthy  and  much  Honoured  Friend, 
 FULK  Elies. 
 
 Worthy  and  much  honoured  in  our  Lord,— Grace,  mercy, 
 and  peace  be  to  you.  I  am  glad  of  our  more  than  paper  acquaint- 
 ance :  seeing  we  have  one  Father,  it  reckoneth  the  less,  though 
 we  never  saw  one  another's  faces.  I  profess  myself  most  un- 
 worthy to  follow  the  camp  of  such  a  worthy  and  renowned  Cap- 
 tain as  Christ.  0,  alas  !  I  have  cause  to  be  grieved,  that  men 
 expect  anything  of  such  a  wretched  man  as  I  am.  It  is  a  wonder 
 to  me,  if  Christ  can  make  anything  of  my  naughty,  short,  and 
 narrow  love  to  Him  ;  surely  it  is  not  worth  the  uptaking.  2.  As 
 for  our  lovely  and  beloved  Church  in  Ireland,  my  heart  bleedeth 
 for  her  desolation ;  but  I  believe  our  Lord  is  only  lopping  the 
 vine-trees,  but  not  intending  to  cut  them  doAvn  or  root  them  out. 
 It  is  true,  seeing  we  are  heart-atheists  by  nature,  and  cannot  take 
 providence  aright  (because  we  halt  and  crook  ^  ever  since  we  fell), 
 we  dream  of  a  halting  providence,  as  if  God's  yard,  whereby  He 
 measureth  joy  and  sorrow  to  the  sons  of  men,  were  crooked  and 
 unjust,  because  servants  are  on  horseback,  and  princes  go  on  foot; 
 but  our  Lord  dealeth  good  and  evil,  and  some  one  portion  or  other 
 to  both,  by  ounce  weights,  and  measureth  them  in  a  just  and  even 
 balance.  It  is  but  folly  to  measure  the  Gospel  by  summer  or 
 winter  weather :  the  summer-sun  of  the  saints  shineth  not  on 
 them  in  this  life.  How  should  we  have  complained,  if  the  Lord 
 had  turned  the  same  providence  that  we  now  stomach  at,  upside 
 down,  and  had  ordered  matters  thus,  that  first  the  saints  should 
 ^  Be  led  nor  driven.  "  Stoop. 
 
LETTER  LXI.  147 
 
 have  enjoyed  heaven,  glory,  and  ease,  and  then  Methusalem's  days 
 of  sorrow  and  daily  miseries  1  we  should  think  a  short  heaven  no 
 heaven  :  certainly  His  ways  pass  finding  out.  3.  Ye  complain  of 
 the  evil  of  heart-atheism,  but  it  is  to  a  greater  atheist  than  any 
 man  can  be  that  ye  write  to  of  that.  0,  light  findeth  not  that 
 reverence  and  fear,  as  a  plant  of  God's  setting  should  find  in  our 
 soul !  How  do  we  by  nature,  as  others,  detain  and  captivate  the 
 truth  of  God  in  unrighteousness,  and  so  make  God's  light  a  bound 
 prisoner !  And  even  when  the  prisoner  break eth  the  jail  and 
 cometh  out  in  belief  of  a  Godhead,  and  in  some  practice  of  holy 
 obedience,  how  often  do  we  of  new  lay  hands  on  the  prisoner,  and 
 put  our  light  again  in  fetters  !  Certainly,  there  cometh  great  mist 
 and  clouds  from  the  lower  part  of  our  soul,  our  earthly  affections, 
 to  the  higher  part,  which  is  our  conscience,  either  natural  or  re- 
 newed, as  smoke  in  a  lower  house  breaketh  up,  and  defileth  the 
 house  above :  if  we  had  more  practice  of  obedience,  we  should 
 have  more  sound  light.  I  think,  lay  aside  all  other  guiltiness, 
 this  one,  the  violence  done  to  God's  candle,  in  our  soul,  were  a 
 sufiicient  dittay  ^  against  us ;  for  there  is  no  helping  of  this,  but 
 by  striving  to  stand  in  awe  of  God's  light ;  lest  light  tell  tales  of 
 us  we  desire  little  to  hear;  but  since  it  is  not  without  God,  that 
 light  sitteth  neighbour  to  will  (a  lawless  lord),  no  marvel  that  such 
 a  neighbour  should  leaven  our  judgment  and  darken  our  light. 
 I  see  there  is  a  necessity,  that  we  protest  against  the  doings  of  the 
 old  man,  and  raise  up  a  party  against  our  worst  half,  to  accuse, 
 condemn,  sentence,  and  with  sorrow  bemoan  the  dominion  of  sin's 
 kingdom ;  and  withal,  make  law,  in  the  new  covenant,  against  our 
 guiltiness ;  for  Christ  once  condemned  sin  in  the  flesh,  and  we  are  to 
 condemn  it  over  again  :  and  if  there  had  not  been  such  a  thing  as 
 the  grace  of  Jesus,  I  should  have  long  since  given  up  with  heaven, 
 and  with  the  expectation  to  see  God.  But  grace,  grace,  free  grace, 
 the  merits  of  Christ  for  nothing,  white,  and  fair,  and  large. 
 Saviour-mercy  (which  is  another  sort  of  thing  than  creature-mercy, 
 or  law-mercy,  yea  a  thousand  degrees  above  angel-mercy)  hath 
 been  and  must  be  the  rock  that  we,  drowned  souls,  must  swim  to; 
 new  washing,  renewed  application  of  purchased  redemption,  by 
 that  sacred  blood  that  sealeth  the  free  covenant,  is  a  thing  of 
 daily  and  hourly  use  to  a  poor  sinner :  till  we  be  in  heaven,  our 
 issue  of  blood  will  not  be  quite  dried  up ;  and  therefore  we  must 
 resolve  to  apply  peace  to  our  soul  from  the  new  and  living  way ; 
 and  Jesus,  who  cleanseth  and  cureth  the  leprous  soul,  lovely  Jesus, 
 must  be  our  song  on  this  side  of  heaven's  gates,  and  even  when 
 we  have  won  the  castle,  then  must  we  eternally  sing.  Worthy, 
 worthy  is  the  Lamb,  who  hath  saved  us  and  washed  us  in  His  own 
 
 ^  Sentence. 
 
148  LETTER  LXU. 
 
 blood.  I  would  counsel  all  the  ransoned  ones  to  learn  this  song, 
 and  to  drink  and  be  drunk  with  the  love  of  Jesus.  0  fairest,  0 
 highest,  0  loveliest  One,  open  the  well !  0  water  the  burnt  and 
 withered  travellers  with  this  love  of  Thine  !  I  think  it  is  possible 
 on  earth  to  build  a  young  New  Jerusalem,  a  little,  new  heaven  of 
 this  surpassing  love.  God  either  send  me  more  of  this  love,  or 
 take  me  quickly  over  the  water,  where  I  may  be  filled  with  His 
 love  :  my  softness  cannot  take  with  want ;  I  profess,  I  bear  not 
 hunger  of  Christ's  love  fair :  I  know  not  if  I  play  foul  play  with 
 Christ,  but  I  would  have  a  link  of  that  chain  of  His  providence 
 mended,  in  pining  and  delaying  the  hungry  on-waiters.  For  my- 
 self, I  could  wish  that  Christ  would  let  out  upon  me  more  of  that 
 love  :  yet  to  say  Christ  is  a  niggard  to  me,  I  dare  not :  and  if  I  say, 
 I  have  abundance  of  His  love,  I  should  lie.  I  am  half  straitened  to 
 complain  and  cry.  Lord  Jesus,  hold  Thy  hands  no  longer.  "Worthy 
 sir,  let  me  have  your  prayers  in  my  bonds.  Grace  be  with  you. 
 Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  K. 
 Aberdeen,  Sept.  7,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  LXIL— To  James  Lindsay. 
 
 Dear  Brother, — The  constant  and  daily  observing  of  God's 
 going  alongst  with  you,  in  His  coming,  going,  ebbing,  flowing, 
 embracing  and  kissing,  glooming  and  striking,  giveth  me  (a  wit- 
 less and  lazy  observer  of  the  Lord's  way  and  working)  an  heavy 
 stroke :  could  I  keep  sight  of  Him,  and  know  when  I  want,  and 
 carry  as  became  me  in  that  condition,  I  would  bless  my  case. 
 But,  1.  For  desertions,  I  think  them  like  lying-lay  ^  of  lean  and 
 weak  land,  for  some  years,  while  ^  it  gather  sap  for  a  better  crop  : 
 it  is  possible  to  gather  gold,  where  it  may  be  had,  with  moonlight. 
 0,  if  I  could  but  creep  one  foot,  or  half  a  foot,  nearer  in  to  Jesus, 
 in  such  a  dismal  night  as  that,  when  He  is  away,  I  should  think 
 it  an  happy  absence.  2.  If  I  knew  the  Beloved  were  only  gone 
 away  for  trial,  and  for  further  humiliation,  and  not  smoked  out  of 
 the  house  with  new  provocations,  I  would  forgive  desertions,  and 
 hold  my  peace  at  His  absence,  but  Christ's  bought  absence  (that  I 
 bought  Avith  my  sin)  is  two  running  boils  at  once,  one  upon  either 
 side,  and  what  side  then  can  I  lie  on  1  3.  I  know,  as  night  and 
 shadows  are  good  for  flowers,  and  moonlight  and  deAvs  are  better 
 than  a  continual  sun ;  so  is  Christ's  absence  of  special  use,  and  it 
 hath  some  nourishing  virtue  in  it,  and  giveth  sap  to  humility,  and 
 putteth  an  edge  on  hunger,  and  furnish eth  a  fair  field  to  faith  to 
 put  forth  itself,  and  to  exercise  its  fingers  in  gripping  it  seeth  not 
 Avhat.  4.  It  is  mercy's  wonder,  and  grace's  Avonder,  that  Christ 
 1  Fallow.  2  Till. 
 
LETTER  LXII,  149 
 
 will  lend  a  piece  of  the  lodging,  and  a  back-chamber  beside  Him- 
 self, to  our  lusts ;  and  that  He  and  such  swine  should  keep  house 
 together  in  our  soul :  for  suppose  they  couch  and  contract  them- 
 selves into  little  room  Avlien  Christ  cometh  in,  and  seem  to  lie  as 
 dead  under  His  feet,  yet  they  often  break  out  again.  And  that  a 
 foot  of  the  old  man,  or  a  leg  or  arm  nailed  to  Christ's  cross, 
 looseth  the  nail,  orbreaketh  out  again;  and  yet  Christ  beside  this 
 unruly  and  misnurtured  neighbour,  can  still  be  making  heaven  in 
 the  saints,  one  way  or  other ;  may  not  I  say.  Lord  Jesus,  what 
 doest  thou  here  1  Yet  here  He  must  be,  but  I  will  but  lose  my 
 feet  to  go  on  into  this  depth  and  wonder,  for  free  mercy  and  in- 
 finite merits  took  a  lodging  to  Christ  and  us  beside  such  a  loath- 
 some guest  as  sin.  5.  Sanctitication  and  mortification  of  our  lusts 
 are  the  hardest  part  of  Christianity.  It  is  in  a  manner  as  natural 
 to  us  to  leap,  when  we  see  the  New  Jerusalem,  as  to  laugh  when 
 we  are  tickled.  Joy  is  not  under  command,  or  at  our  nod,  when 
 Christ  kisseth ;  but  0,  how  many  of  us  would  have  Christ  divided 
 in  two  halves,  that  we  might  take  the  half  of  Him  only,  and  take 
 His  office,  Jesus,  and  salvation ;  but  Lord  is  a  cumbersome  word, 
 and  to  obey  and  work  out  our  own  salvation,  and  to  perfect  holi- 
 ness, is  the  cumbersome  and  stormy  north-side  of  Christ,  and  that 
 we  eschew  and  shift.  6.  For  your  question,  the  access  that  re- 
 probates have  to  Christ  (which  is  none  at  all ;  for  to  the  Father  in 
 Christ  neither  can  they,  nor  will  they  come,  because  Christ  died 
 not  for  them  ;  and  yet  by  law,  God  and  justice  overtaketh  them), 
 I  say,  first,  there  are  with  you  more  worthy  and  learned  than  I 
 am,  Messrs.  Dickson,  Blair,  and  Hamilton,  who  can  more  fully 
 satisfy  you ;  but  I  shall  speak  in  brief,  what  I  think  of  it,  in 
 these  assertions,  1.  All  God's  justice  towards  man  and  angels 
 floweth  from  an  act  of  the  absolute,  sovereign  free-will  of  God, 
 who  is  our  Former  and  Potter,  and  we  are  but  clay ;  for  if  He 
 had  forbidden  to  eat  of  the  rest  of  the  trees  of  the  garden  of  Eden, 
 and  commanded  Adam  to  eat  of  the  tree  of  knowledge  of  good  and 
 evil ;  that  command  no  doubt  had  been  as  just  as  this.  Eat  of 
 all  the  trees,  but  not  at  all  of  the  tree  of  knowledge  of  good  and 
 evil.  The  reason  is,  because  His  will  is  before  His  justice  by 
 order  of  nature,  and  what  is  His  will  is  His  justice,  and  He  willeth 
 not  things  without  Himself,  because  they  are  just.  God  cannot, 
 God  needeth  not  to  hunt  sanctity,  holiness,  or  righteousness  from 
 things  without  Himself;  and  so  not  from  the  actions  of  men  or 
 angels,  because  His  will  is  essentially  holy  and  just,  and  the  prime 
 rule  of  holiness  and  justice  :  as  the  fire  is  naturally  light,  and  in- 
 clineth  upward,  and  the  earth  heavy,  and  inclineth  downward. 
 The  2d  assertion  then  is,  that  God  saith  to  reprobates,  "  Believe 
 in  Christ  (who  hath  not  died  for  your  salvation)  and  ye  shall  be 
 
150  LETTER  LXII. 
 
 saved,"  is  just  and  right,  because  His  eternal  and  essentially  just 
 will  hath  so  enacted  and  decreed.  Suppose  natural  reason  speak 
 against  this,  this  is  the  deep  and  special  mystery  of  the  Gospel. 
 God  hath  obliged  hard  and  fast  all  the  reprobates  in  the  visible 
 church  to  believe  His  promise,  "He  that  believeth  shall  be  saved," 
 and  yet  in  God's  decree  and  secret  intention,  there  is  no  salvation 
 at  all  decreed  and  intended  to  reprobates ;  and  yet  the  obligation 
 of  God  being  from  His  sovereign  free-will,  is  most  just,  as  is  said 
 in  the  first  assertion.  3d  assertion.  The  righteous  Lord  hath 
 right  over  the  reprobates  and  all  reasonable  creatures  that  violate 
 His  commandments  :  this  is  easy.  4th  assertion.  The  faith  that 
 God  seeketh  of  reprobates  is,  that  they  rely  upon  Christ,  as  de- 
 spairing of  their  own  righteousness,  leaning  wholly,  and  withal 
 humbly,  as  weary  and  laden,  upon  Christ,  as  on  the  resting-stone 
 laid  in  Zion ;  but  He  seeketh  not,  that  without  being  weary  of 
 their  sin  they  rely  on  Christ,  mankind's  Saviour ;  for  to  rely  on 
 Christ,  and  not  to  weary  of  sin,  is  presumption,  not  faith.  Faith 
 is  ever  neighbour  to  a  contrite  spirit,  and  it  is  impossible  that  faith 
 can  be  where  there  is  not  a  casten  down  and  contrite  heart  in  some 
 measure  for  sin.  Now  it  is  certain  God  commandeth  no  man  to 
 presume.  5  th  assertion.  Then  reprobates  are  not  absolutely  ob- 
 liged to  believe  that  Christ  died  for  them  in  particular ;  for  in 
 truth,  neither  reprobates  nor  others  are  obliged  to  believe  a  lie, 
 only  they  are  obliged  to  believe  Christ  died  for  them,  if  they  be 
 first  weary,  burdened,  sin-sick,  and  condemned  in  their  own  con- 
 sciences, and  stricken  dead  and  killed  with  the  law's  sentence,  and 
 have  indeed  embraced  Him  as  offered,  which  is  a  second  and  sub- 
 sequent act  of  faith,  following  after  a  coming  to  Him,  and  closing 
 with  Him.  6th  assertion.  Reprobates  are  not  formally  guilty  of 
 contempt  of  God  and  misbelief,  because  they  apply  not  Christ  and 
 the  promises  of  the  Gospel  to  themselves  in  particular,  for  so  they 
 should  be  guilty  because  they  believe  not  a  lie,  which  God  never 
 obliged  them  to  beheve.  7th  assertion.  Justice  hath  a  right  to 
 punish  reprobates,  because  out  of  pride  of  heart,  confiding  in  their 
 own  righteousness,  they  rely  not  upon  Christ  as  a  Saviour  of  all 
 them  that  come  to  Him  :  this  God  may  justly  oblige  them  unto  ; 
 because  in  Adam  they  had  perfect  ability  to  do,  and  men  are 
 guilty,  because  they  love  their  own  inability,  and  rest  upon  them- 
 selves, and  refuse  to  deny  their  own  righteousness,  and  to  take 
 them  to  Christ,  in  whom  there  is  rigliteousness  for  wearied  sinners. 
 8th  assertion.  It  is  one  thing  to  rely,  lean,  and  rest  upon  Christ,  in 
 humility  and  weariness  of  spirit,  and  denying  our  own  righteous- 
 ness, believing  Him  to  be  the  only  righteousness  of  wearied  sin- 
 ners; and  it  is  another  thing  to  believe  Christ  died  for  me — John, 
 Thomas,  Anna — upon  an  intention,  and  decree,  to  save  us  by 
 
LETTER  LXIII.  151 
 
 name.  For,  1.  The  first  goeth  first,  the  latter  is  always  after  in 
 due  order.  2.  Tlie  first  is  faith,  the  second  is  a  fruit  of  faith. 
 3.  The  first  obligeth  reprobates  and  all  men  in  the  visible  kirk  ; 
 the  latter  obligeth  only  the  weary  and  laden,  and  so  only  the  elect 
 and  eflfectually  called  of  God.  9  th  assertion.  It  is  a  vain  order, 
 I  know  not  if  Christ  died  for  me  —  John,  Thomas,  Anna — by 
 name;  and  therefore  I  dare  not  rely  on  Him.  The  reason  is,  be- 
 cause it  is  not  faith  to  believe  God's  intention  and  decree  of  elec- 
 tion at  the  first  ere  ye  be  wearied  :  look  first  to  your  own  inten- 
 tion and  soul,  if  ye  find  sin  a  burden,  and  can,  and  do  rest  under 
 that  burden  upon  Christ ;  if  this  be  once,  now  come  and  believe 
 in  particular,  or  rather  apply  by  sense  (for  in  my  judgment  it  is 
 a  fruit  of  belief,  not  belief)  and  feeling  the  good  will,  intention, 
 and  gracious  purpose  of  God  anent  your  salvation  :  hence,  because 
 there  is  malice  in  reprobates  and  contempt  of  Christ,  guilty  they 
 are,  and  justice  hath  law  against  them :  and  Avhich  is  the  mystery, 
 they  cannot  come  tip  to  Christ,  because  He  died  not  for  them  ;  but 
 their  sin  is,  that  they  love  this  their  inability  to  come  to  Christ, 
 and  he  who  loveth  his  chains,  deserveth  chains :  and  thus,  in 
 short,  remember  my  bonds. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,     S.  R. 
 Aberdeen,  Sept.  7,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  LXIIL— To  the  Earl  of  Cassillis. 
 
 My  very  honourable  and  noble  Lord, — Grace,  mercy,  and 
 peace  be  to  your  lordship.  Pardon  me  to  express  my  earnest 
 desire  to  your  lordship,  for  Zion's  sake,  for  whom  we  should  not 
 hold  our  peace.  I  know  your  lordship  will  take  my  pleading  on 
 this  behalf,  in  the  better  part,  because  the  necessity  of  a  falling 
 and  weak  church  is  urgent.  I  believe  your  lordship  is  one  of 
 Zion's  friends,  and  that  by  obligation  ;  for  when  the  Lord  shall 
 count  and  write  up  the  people,  it  shall  be  written,  this  man  was 
 born  there  :  therefore  because  your  lordship  is  a  born  son  of  the 
 house,  I  hope  your  desire  is,  that  the  beauty  and  glory  of  the 
 Lord  may  dwell  in  the  midst  of  the  city,  whereof  your  lordship  is 
 a  son.  It  must  be  without  all  doubt  the  greatest  honour  of  your 
 place  and  house  to  kiss  the  Son  of  God,  and  for  His  sake  to  be 
 kind  to  His  oppressed  and  wronged  bride,  who  now,  in  the  day  of 
 her  desolation,  beggeth  help  of  you  that  are  the  shields  of  the 
 earth.  I  am  sure  many  kings,  princes,  and  nobles,  in  the  day  of 
 Christ's  second  coming,  would  be  glad  to  run  errands  for  Christ, 
 even  barefooted,  through  fire  and  water ;  but  in  that  day  He  will 
 have  none  of  their  service.  Now,  He  is  asking  if  your  lordship 
 will  help  Him  against  the  miglity  of  the  earth ;   when  men  are 
 
152  LETTER  LXIII. 
 
 setting  their  shoulders  to  Christ's  fair  and  beautiful  tent  in  this 
 land,  to  loose  its  stakes,  and  to  break  it  down;  and  certainly,  such 
 as  are  not  with  Christ  are  against  Him ;  and  blessed  shall  your 
 lordship  be  of  the  Lord,  blessed  shall  your  house  and  seed  be,  and 
 blessed  shall  your  honour  be,  if  ye  empawned  and  lay^  in  Christ's 
 hand  the  earldom  of  Cassillis  (and  it  is  but  a  shadow  in  compari- 
 son of  the  city  made  "without  hands),  and  lay  ^  it  even  at  the  stake, 
 rather  than  Christ  and  borne-down  truth  want  a  witness  of  you. 
 against  the  apostasy  of  this  land.  Ye  hold  your  lands  of  Christ, 
 your  charters  are  under  His  seal,  and  He  who  hath  many  crowns 
 on  His  head,  dealeth,  cutteth,  and  carveth'  pieces  of  this  clay- 
 heritage  to  men  at  His  pleasure.  It  is  little  your  lordship  hath  to 
 give  Him;  He  will  not  sleep  long  in  your  common, ^  but  shall 
 surely  pay  home  your  losses  for  His  cause.  It  is  but  our  bleared 
 eyes  that  look  through  a  false  glass  to  this  idol  god  of  clay,  and 
 think  something  of  it.  They  who  are  passed  with  their  last  sen- 
 tence to  heaven  or  hell,  and  have  made  their  reckoning,  and  de- 
 parted out  of  this  smoky  inn,  have  now  no  other  conceit  of  this 
 world,  but  as  a  piece  of  beguiling,  well-lustred  clay ;  and  how  fast 
 doth  time  (like  a  flood  still  in  motion)  carry  your  lordship  out  of 
 it !  and  is  not  eternity  coming  with  wings'?  Court ^  goeth  not  in 
 heaven  as  it  doth  here.  Our  Lord  (who  hath  all  you,  the  nobles, 
 lying  in  the  shell  of  His  balance)  esteemeth  you  accordingly  as  ye 
 are  the  Bridegroom's  friends  or  foes ;  your  honourable  ancestors, 
 with  the  hazard  of  their  lives,  brought  Christ  to  our  hands,  and  it 
 shall  be  cruelty  to  the  posterity  if  ye  lose  Him  to  them.  One  of 
 our  tribes,  Levi's  sons,  the  watchmen,  are  fallen  from  the  Lord, 
 and  have  sold  their  mother,  and  their  father  also,  and  the  Lord's 
 truth  for  their  new  velvet-world,  and  their  satin-church.  If  ye, 
 the  nobles,  play  Christ  a  slip,  now  when  His  back  is  at  the  wall 
 (if  I  may  so  speak),  then  may  we  say,  that  the  Lord  hath  casten 
 water  upon  Scotland's  smoking  coal :  but  we  hope  better  things 
 of  you.  It  is  no  wisdom,  however  it  be  the  state-wisdom  in  re- 
 quest, to  be  silent,  when  they  are  casting  lots  for  a  better  thing 
 than  Christ's  coat.  All  this  land,  and  every  man's  part  of  the 
 play  for  Christ,  and  the  tears  of  poor  and  friendless  Zion  (now 
 going  dool-like*  in  sackcloth),  are  up  in  heaven  before  our  Lord, 
 and  there  is  no  question  but  our  King  and  Lord  shall  be  master 
 of  the  field  at  length,  and  we  Avould  all  be  glad  to  divide  the 
 spoil  with  Christ,  and  to  ride  in  triumph  with  Him.  But,  0  how 
 few  will  take  a  cold  bed  of  straw  in  the  camp  with  Him !  how  lain 
 would  men  have  a  well-thatched  house  above  their  heads  all  the 
 way  to  heaven !  And  many  now  would  go  to  heaven  the  land- 
 way  (for  they  love  not  to  be  sea-sick),  riding  up  to  Christ  upon 
 '  Laid.  -  Debt.  *  Favour.  ••  Mourniiii:. 
 
LETTER  LXIV.  153 
 
 footmantlcs,  and  rattling  coaches,  and  rubbing  their  velvet  with 
 the  princes  of  the  land,  in  the  highest  seats.  If  this  be  the  way 
 Christ  called  strait  and  narrow,  I  quit  all  skill  of  the  way  to  sal- 
 vation. Are  they  not  now  rouping  Christ  and  the  Gospel  ?  have 
 they  not  put  our  Lord.  Jesus  to  the  market,  and  he  Avho  out- 
 bid'deth  his  fellow  shall  get  Him  1  0,  my  dear  and  noble  lord, 
 go  on  (howbeit  the  wind  be  in  your  face)  to  back  our  princely 
 Captain  ;  be  courageous  for  Him :  fear  not  these  who  have  no  sub- 
 scribed lease  of  days,  the  worms  shall  eat  kings  :  let  the  Lord 
 Jehovah  be  your  fear;  and  then,  as  the  Lord  liveth,  the  victory  is 
 yours.  It  is  true,  many  are  striking  up  a  new  way  to  heaven ; 
 but  my  soul  for  theirs,  if  they  find  it;  and  if  this  be  not  the  only 
 way  whose  end  is  Christ's  Father's  house  :  and  my  weak  experi- 
 ence, since  the  day  I  was  first  in  bonds,  hath  confirmed  me  in  the 
 truth  and  assurance  of  this  :  let  doctors  and  learned  men  cry  the 
 contrary,  I  am  persuaded  this  is  the  way :  the  bottom  hath  fallen 
 out  of  both  their  wit  and  conscience  at  once ;  their  book  hath  be- 
 guiled them,  for  we  have  fallen  upon  the  true  Christ.  I  dare 
 hazard,  if  I  alone  had  ten  souls,  my  salvation  upon  this  stone, 
 that  many  now  break  their  bones  upon.  Let  them  take  this  fat 
 world,  0,  poor  and  hungry  is  their  paradise !  thereforOj  let  me  en- 
 treat your  lordship,  by  your  compearance  before  Christ,  now  while 
 this  piece  of  the  afternoon  of  your  day  is  before  you  (for  ye  know 
 not  when  your  sun  will  turn  and  eternity  shall  benight  you),  let 
 your  glory,  honour,  and  might,  worldly,  be  for  our  Lord  Jesus  : 
 and  to  His  rich  grace  and  tender  mercy,  and  to  the  never-dying 
 comforts  of  His  gracious  Spirit,  I  recommend  your  lordship  and 
 noble  house.  Your  lordship's,  at  all  obedience,         S.  K. 
 
 Aberdeen  Sept.  9,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  LXIV.— To  the  Lady  Largirie. 
 
 Mistress, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you.  I  hope  ye 
 know  what  conditions  passed  betwixt  Christ  and  you  at  your  first 
 meeting.  Ye  remember.  He  said,  your  summer  days  would  have 
 clouds,  and  your  rose  a  prickly  thorn  beside  it ;  Christ  is  unmixed 
 in  heaven,  all  sweetness  and  honey;  here  we  have  Him  with  His 
 thorny  and  rough  cross;  yet  I  know  no  tree  beareth  sweeter  fruit 
 than  Christ's  cross,  except  I  would  raise  a  lying  report  on  it.  It 
 is  your  part  to  take  Christ,  as  He  is  to  be  had  in  this  life :  suffer- 
 ings are  like  a  wood  planted  round  about  His  house,  over  door 
 and  window;  if  we  could  hold  fast  our  gri^DS  of  Him,  the  field 
 were  won.  Yet  a  little  while  and  Christ  shall  triumph  :  give 
 Christ  His  own  short  time  to  spin  out  these  two  long  threads  of 
 heaven  and  hell  to  all  mankind,  lor  certainly  the  thread  will  not 
 
154  LETTER  LXV. 
 
 brcalv;  and  when  He  hath  accompHshed  His  work  in  Mount  Zion, 
 and  hath  refined  His  silver,  He  will  bring  new  vessels  out  of  the 
 furnace,  and  planish^  His  house,  and  take  up  house  again.  I 
 counsel  you  to  free  yourself  of  clogging  temptations,  by  overcoming 
 some,  and  contemning  others,  and  watching  over  all.  Abide  true 
 and  loyal  to  Christ,  for  few  now  are  fast  to  Him  ;  they  give  Christ 
 blank  paper  for  a  bond  of  service  and  attendance,  now  when 
 Christ  hath  most  ado  :  to  waste  a  little  blood  with  Christ,  and  to 
 put  our  part  of  this  drossy  world  in  pawn  over  in  His  hand,  as 
 willing  to  quit  it  for  Him,  is  the  safest  cabinet  to  keep  the  world 
 in.  But  these  who  would  take  the  world  and  all  their  flitting ^  on 
 their  back,  and  run  away  from  Christ,  they  will  fall  by  the  way, 
 and  leave  their  burden  behind  them,  and  iDe  taken  captive  them- 
 selves. Well  were  my  soul  to  put  all  I  have,  life  and  soul,  over 
 in  Christ's  hands ;  let  Him  be  forthcoming  for  all.  If  any  ask 
 how  I  do  ?  I  answer,  none  can  be  but  well  that  are  in  Christ : 
 and  if  I  were  not  so,  my  sufferings  had  melted  me  away  in  ashes 
 and  smoke.  I  thank  my  Lord  that  He  hath  something  in  me 
 that  tliis  fire  cannot  consume.  Remember  my  love  to  your  hus- 
 band, and  show  him  from  me  I  desire  that  he  may  set  aside  all 
 things,  and  make  sure  work  of  salvation,  that  it  be  not  a-seeking^ 
 when  the  sand-glass  is  run  out,  and  time  and  eternity  shall  tryst  ^ 
 together :  there  is  no  errand  so  weighty  as  this :  0,  that  he  would 
 take  it  to  heart.     Grace  be  with  you. 
 
 Yours,  in  Clirist  Jesus  his  Lord,         S.  R. 
 Aberdeen. 
 
 LETTER  LXV.— To  the  Lady  Dungueigh. 
 
 Mistress, — I  long  to  hear  from  you,  and  how  ye  go  on  with 
 Christ.  I  am  sure  that  Christ  and  ye  once  met :  I  pray  you, 
 fasten  your  grips ;  there  is  holding  and  drawing,  and  much  sea- 
 way to  heaven,  and  we  are  often  sea-sick ;  but  the  voyage  is  so 
 needful,  that  we  must  on  any  terms  take  shipping  with  Christ.  I 
 believe  it  is  a  good  country  we  are  going  to,  and  there  is  ill 
 lodging  in  this  smoky  house  of  the  world,  in  which  we  are  yet 
 living.  0,  that  we  should  love  smoke  so  well,  and  clay  that  holdeth 
 our  feet  fast !  it  were  our  happiness  to  follow  on  after  Christ,  and 
 to  anchor  ourselves  upon  the  Rock  in  the  upper  side  of  the  vale. 
 Christ  and  Satan  are  now  drawing  two  parties,  and  they  are  blind 
 who  see  not  Scotland  divided  in  two  camps,  and  Christ  coming 
 out  with  His  white  banner  of  love,  an-d  He  hangeth  that  over  the 
 heads  of  His  soldiers  :  and  the  other  captain,  the  dragon,  is  coming 
 out  with  a  great  black  flag,  and  crieth,  the  world,  the  world,  ease, 
 
 ^  Furnioh.  *  i'uiiiitiae.  *  To  seek.  *  Meet. 
 
LETTER  LXVI.  155 
 
 honour,  and  a  whole  skin,  and  a  soft  couch  ;  and  there  he  they, 
 and  leave  Christ  to  fend^  for  Himself.  My  counsel  is,  that  ye 
 come  out  and  leave  the  multitude,  and  let  Christ  have  your  com- 
 pany. Let  them  take  clay,  and  this  j)resent  world,  who  love  it : 
 Christ  is  a  more  worthy  and  noble  portion  :  blessed  are  these  who 
 get  Him.  It  is  good,  ere  the  storm  rise,  to  make  ready  all,  and 
 to  be  prepared  to  go  to  the  camp  with  Christ,  seeing  He  will  not 
 keep  the  house,  nor  sit  at  the  fireside  with  couchers  :  a  shower  for 
 Christ  is  little  enough.  0, 1  find  all  too  little  for  Him  !  woe,  woe, 
 woe  is  me,  that  I  have  no  propiue^  for  my  Lord  Jesus  :  my  love 
 is  so  feckless,^  that  it  is  a  shame  to  off'er  it  to  Him.  0,  if  it  were 
 as  broad  as  heaven,  as  deep  as  the  sea,  I  would  gladly  bestow  it 
 upon  Him !  I  persuade  you,  God  is  wringing  grapes  of  red  wine 
 for  Scotland,  and  this  land  shall  drink,  and  spue,  and  fall :  His 
 enemies  shall  drink  the  thick  of  it,  and  the  grounds  of  it :  but 
 Scotland's  withered  tree  shall  blossom  again,  and  Christ  shall  make 
 a  second  marriage  with  her,  and  take  home  His  wife  out  of  the 
 furnace.  But  if  our  eyes  shall  see  it,  He  knoweth,  who  hath 
 created  time.     Grace  be  with  you. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 
 Aberdeen,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  LXVL— To  Jonet  M'Culloch. 
 
 Loving  Sister, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you  :  hold  on 
 your  course,  for  it  may  be  I  will  not  soon  see  you :  venture 
 through  the  thick  of  all  things  after  Christ,  and  lose  not  your 
 Master,  Christ,  in  the  throng  of  this  great  market.  Let  Christ 
 know  how  heavy,  and  how  many  a  stone-weight  you,  and  your 
 cares,  burdens,  crosses,  and  sins  are ;  let  Him  bear  all :  make  the 
 heritage  sure  to  yourself:  get  charters  and  writs  passed  and 
 through,  and  put  on  arms  for  the  battle,  and  keep  you  fast  by 
 Christ,  and  then  let  the  wind  blow  out  of  what  airt*  it  will,  your 
 soul  will  not  blow  in  the  sea.  I  find  Christ  the  most  steadable  ^ 
 friend  and  companion  in  the  world  to  me  now  :  the  need  and  use- 
 fulness of  Christ  is  seen  best  in  trials.  0,  if  He  be  not  well 
 worthy  of  His  room  !  Lodge  Him  in  house  and  heart ;  and  stir 
 up  your  husband  to  seek  the  Lord.  I  wonder  he  hath  never 
 written  to  me :  I  do  not  forget  him.  I  taught  you  the  whole 
 counsel  of  God,  and  delivered  it  to  you ;  it  will  be  inquired  for  at 
 your  hands ;  have  it  in  readiness  against  the  time  that  the  Lord 
 ask  for  it ;  make  you  to  meet  the  Lord  and  rest  and  sleep  in  the 
 love  of  that  fairest  among  the  sons  of  men.  Desire  Christ's  beauty : 
 give  out  all  your  love  to  Him,  and  let  none  fall  by.  Learn  in 
 prayer  to  speak  to  Him.  Help  jour  motlier's  soul,  and  desire  her 
 *  Shift.         ^  Offering.         =*  Worthless.         ■»  Quarter.         *  Ileliable. 
 
156  LETTER  LXVII. 
 
 from  me  to  seek  the  Lord   and  His  salvation  ;    it  is  not  soon 
 found,  many  miss  it.     Grace  be  with  you. 
 
 Your  loving  pastor,         S.  R. 
 
 Aberdeen,  1637.  
 
 LETTER  LXVII.— To  my  Lord  Craighall. 
 My  Lord, — I  cannot  expound  j^our  lordship's  contrary  tides, 
 and  these  tentations,  wherewith  ye  are  assaulted,  to  be  any  other 
 thing  but  Christ  trying  you,  and  saying  unto  you,  "  And  will  ye 
 also  leave  meV  I  am  sure,  Christ  hath  a  great  advantage  against 
 you,  if  ye  play  foul  play  to  Him,  in  that  the  Holy  Spirit  hath 
 done  His  part,  in  evidencing  to  your  conscience  that  this  is  the 
 way  of  Christ,  wherein  ye  shall  have  peace ;  and  the  other,  as 
 sure  as  God  liveth,  the  Antichrist's  way;  therefore,  as  ye  fear 
 God,  fear  your  light,  and  stand  in  awe  of  a  convincing  conscience. 
 It  is  far  better  for  your  lordship  to  keep  your  conscience,  and  to 
 hazard,  in  such  an  honourable  cause,  your  place,  than  wilfully, 
 and  against  your  light,  to  come  under  guiltiness.  Kings  cannot 
 heal  broken  consciences;  and  when  death  and  judgment  shall 
 comprise^  your  soul,  your  counsellors  and  others  cannot  become 
 caution  to  justice  for  you.  Ere  it  be  long,  our  Lord  Avill  put  a 
 final  determination  to  acts  of  parliament  and  men's  laws,  and  will 
 clear  you  before  men  and  angels  of  men's  unjust  sentences.  Ye 
 received  honour,  and  place,  and  authority,  and  riches,  and  reputa- 
 tion from  your  Lord,  to  set  forward  and  advance  the  liberties  and 
 freedom  of  Christ's  kingdom.  Men  whose  consciences  are  made 
 of  stoutness,  think  little  of  such  matters,  which,  notwithstanding, 
 encroach  directly  upon  Christ's  royal  prerogative.  So  would  men 
 think  it  a  light  matter  for  Uzzah  to  put  out  his  hand  to  hold  the 
 Lord's  falling  ark,  but  it  cost  him  his  life.  And  who  doubteth 
 but  a  carnal  friend  will  advise  you  to  shut  your  Avindow,  and 
 pray  beneath  your  breath  1  Ye  make  too  great  a  din  with  your 
 prayers ;  so  Avould  a  head-of-wit  speak,  if  ye  were  in  Daniel's 
 place;  but  men's  overgilded  reasons  Avill  not  help  you,  Avhen  your 
 conscience  is  like  to  rive-  with  a  double  charge.  Alas,  alas  !  when 
 Avill  this  world  learn  to  submit  their  Avisdom  to  the  wisdom  of 
 God  1  I  am  sure  your  lordship  hath  found  the  truth  ;  go  not  then 
 to  search  it  over  again ;  for  it  is  ordinary  for  men  to  make  doubts, 
 Avhen  they  have  a  mind  to  desert  the  truth.  Kings  are  not  their 
 oAvn  men,  their  Avays  are  in  God's  hand.  I  rejoice,  and  am  glad, 
 that  ye  resolve  to  Avalk  Avitli  Christ,  hoAvbeit  His  court  be  thin. 
 Grace  be  Avith  your  lordship. 
 
 Your  lordship's,  in  his  sweet  Master  and  Lord  Jesus,     S.  R. 
 
 Aberdeen,  Sept.  7,  1637. 
 
 ^  Seize.  *  Split. 
 
LETTERS  LXVIII.  AND  LXIX.  157 
 
 LETTER  LXVITL— To  William  Riggie,  of  Athernie. 
 
 Worthy  and  much  honoured  Sir, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace 
 be  to  you.  How  sad  a  prisoner  would  I  be  if  I  knew  not  that 
 my  Lord  Jesus  had  the  keys  of  the  prison  Himself,  and  that  His 
 death  and  blood  hath  bought  a  blessing  to  our  crosses  as  well  as 
 to  ourselves.  I  am  sure,  troubles  have  no  prevailing  right  over 
 us,  if  they  be  but  our  Lord's  sergeants,  to  keep  us  in  ward,  while 
 we  are  on  this  side  of  heaven  :  I  am  persuaded  also,  that  they  shall 
 not  go  over  the  bound-road^  nor  enter  into  heaven  with  us;  for 
 they  find  no  welcome  there,  where  there  is  no  more  death,  neither 
 sorrow  nor  crying,  neither  any  more  pain  :  and,  therefore,  we  shall 
 leave  them  behind  us.  0,  if  I  could  get  as  good  a  gate  of^  sin, 
 even  this  woeful  and  wretched  body  of  sin,  as  I  get  of  Christ's 
 cross  !  Nay,  indeed,  I  think  the  cross  beareth  both  me  and  itself, 
 rather  than  I  it,  in  comparison  of  the  tyranny  of  the  lawless  flesh 
 and  wicked  neighbour,  that  dwelleth  beside  Christ's  new  creature. 
 But  0,  this  is  that  which  presseth  me  down  and  paineth  me : 
 Jesus  Christ  in  His  saints,  sitteth  neighbour  with  an  ill  second, 
 corruption,  deadness,  coldness,  pride,  lust,  worldliness,  self-love, 
 security,  falsehood,  and  a  world  of  more  the  like,  which  I  find  in 
 me,  that  are  daily  doing  violence  to  the  new  man.  0,  but  we  have 
 cause  to  carry  low  sails,  and  to  cleave  fast  to  free  grace,  free,  free 
 grace  !  blessed  be  our  Lord  that  ever  that  way  was  found  out.  If 
 my  one  foot  were  in  heaven,  and  my  soul  half  in,  if  free-will  and 
 corruption  were  absolute  lords  of  me,  I  should  never  win  wholly 
 in.  0,  but  the  sweet,  new,  and  living  way  that  Christ  hath  stroke^ 
 up  to  our  home,  be  a  safe  way.  I  find  now  presence  and  access  a 
 greater  dainty  than  before,  but  yet  the  Bridegroom  looketh  through 
 the  lattice  and  through  the  hole  of  the  door.  0,  if  He  and  I  were 
 in  fair  dry  land  together  on  the  other  side  of  the  water.  Grace 
 be  with  you.  Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 
 
 Aberdeen,  Sept.  30,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  LXIX.— To  the  Lady  Kilconquhair. 
 
 Mistress, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you :  I  received 
 your  letter.  I  am  heartily  content  ye  love  and  own  this  oppressed 
 and  wronged  cause  of  Christ,  and  that  now,  when  so  many  are 
 miscarried,  ye  are  in  any  measure  taken  Avith  the  love  of  Jesus  : 
 weary  not,  but  come  in  and  see  if  there  be  not  more  in  Christ 
 than  the  tongue  of  men  and  angels  can  express  :  if  ye  seek  a  gate 
 to  heaven,  the  way  is  in  Him,  or.  He  is  it.  What  ye  want  is 
 treasured  up  in  Jesus,  and  He  saith,  all  His  are  yours,  even  His 
 
 ^  Boundary.  -  Manner  of  dealing  with.  •*  Struck. 
 
158  LETTEK  LXX. 
 
 kingdom.  He  is  content  to  divide  it  betwixt  Him  and  you,  yea, 
 His  throne  and  His  glory,  Luke  xxi.  29,  Job  xvii.  24,  Rev.  iii.  21 ; 
 and  therefore  take  pains  to  climb  up  to  that  besieged  house  to 
 Christ :  for  devils,  men,  and  armies  of  temptations  are  lying  about 
 the  house,  to  hold  out  all  that  are  out,  and  it  is  taken  with 
 violence.  It  is  not  a  smooth  and  easy  way,  neither  will  your 
 weather  be  fair  and  pleasant ;  but  whosoever  saw  the  invisible 
 God  and  the  fair  city,  make  no  reckoning  of  losses  or  crosses.  In 
 ye  must  be,  cost  you  what  it  will ;  stand  not  for  a  price,  and  for 
 all  that  ye  have,  to  win  the  castle ;  the  rights  to  it  are  won  to 
 you,  and  it  is  disponed  to  you,  in  your  Lord  Jesus's  testament ; 
 and  see  what  a  fair  legacy  your  dying  Friend,  Christ,  hath  left 
 you  :  and  there  wanteth  nothing  but  possession.  Then,  get  up, 
 in  the  strength  of  the  Lord ;  get  over  the  water  to  possess  that 
 good  land  ;  it  is  better  than  a  land  of  olives  or  vine-trees ;  for  the 
 tree  of  life,  that  beareth  twelve  manner  of  fruits  every  month,  is 
 there  before  you,  and  a  pure  river  of  life,  clear  as  crystal,  proceed- 
 ing out  of  the  throne  of  God  and  of  the  Lamb,  is  there.  Your 
 time  is  short,  therefore  lose  no  time  :  gracious  and  faithful  is  He, 
 who  hath  called  you  to  His  kingdom  and  glory.  The  city  is  yours 
 by  free  conquest  and  by  promise,  and  therefore  let  no  uncouth 
 lord-idol  put  you  from  your  own.  The  devil  hath  cheated  the 
 simple  heir  of  His  paradise,  and  by  enticing  us  to  taste  of  the  for- 
 bidden fruit,  hath,  as  it  were,  bought  us  out  of  our  kindly  heritage;  ■ 
 but  our  Lord,  Christ  Jesus,  hath  done  more  than  bought  the  devil 
 by,  for  He  hath  redeemed  the  wadset,^  and  made  the  poor  heir 
 free  to  the  inheritance.  If  we  knew  the  glory  of  our  elder  brother 
 in  heaven,  we  would  long  to  be  there  to  see  Him,  and  to  get  our 
 fill  of  heaven  :  we  children  think  the  earth  a  fair  garden,  but  it  is 
 but  God's  out-field,  and  wild,  cold,  barren  ground.  All  things  are 
 fading  that  are  here.  It  is  our  happiness  to  make  sure  Christ  to 
 ourselves.  Thus,  remembering  my  love  to  your  husband,  and 
 wishing  to  him,  what  I  write  to  you,  I  commit  you  to  God's 
 tender  mercy.  Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 
 
 Aberdeen,  Sept.  13,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  LXX.— To  the  Lady  Craighall. 
 
 Honourable  and  Christian  Lady, — Grace,  mercy,  and 
 peace  be  to  you.  I  cannot  but  write  to  your  ladyship  of  the 
 sweet  and  glorious  terms  I  am  in  with  the  most  joyful  King  that 
 ever  was,  under  this  well-thriving  and  prosperous  cross.  It  is 
 my  Lord's  salvation,  wrought  by  His  own  right  hand,  that  the 
 water  doth  not  suffocate  the  breath  of  hope  and  joyful  courage  in 
 
 *  Mortgage. 
 
LETTER  LXX.  159 
 
 the  Lord  Jesus  :  for  His  own  person  is  still  in  the  camp  with  His 
 poor  soldier.  I  see  the  cross  is  tied  with  Christ's  hand  to  the  end 
 of  an  honest  profession  :  we  are  but  fools  to  endeavour  to  loose 
 Christ's  knot.  When  I  consider  the  comforts  of  God,  I  durst  not 
 consent  to  sell  or  wadset  ^  my  short  life-rent  of  the  cross  of  the 
 Lord  Jesus.  I  know  that  Christ  bought,  with  His  own  blood, 
 a  right  to  sanctified  and  blessed  crosses,  in  as  far  as  they  blow  me 
 over  the  water,  to  my  long  desired  home  :  and  it  were  not  good 
 that  Christ  should  be  the  buyer  and  I  the  seller.  I  know  time 
 and  death  shall  take  sufferings  fairly  off  my  hand.  I  hope  we 
 shall  have  an  honest  parting  at  night,  when  this  piece  cold  and 
 frosty  afternoon-tide  of  my  evil  and  rough  day  shall  be  over.  Well 
 is  my  soul  of  either  sweet  or  sour,  that  Christ  hath  any  part  or  por- 
 tion in  :  if  He  be  at  the  one  end  of  it,  it  shall  be  well  with  me.  I 
 shall  die  ere  I  libel  faults  against  Christ's  cross;  it  shall  have 
 my  testimonial  under  my  hand,  as  an  honest  and  saving  mean  of 
 Christ,  for  mortification  and  faith's  growth.  I  have  a  stronger  as- 
 surance, since  I  came  over  Forth,  of  the  excellency  of  Jesus  than 
 I  had  before.  I  am  rather  about  Him,  than  in  Him,  while  I  am  ab- 
 sent from  Him  in  this  house  of  clay :  but  I  would  be  in  heaven 
 for  no  other  cause,  but  to  essay  and  try  what  boundless  joy  it 
 must  be  to  be  over  head  and  ears  in  my  Well-Beloved  Christ's  love. 
 0,  that  fair  One  hath  my  heart  for  evermore  !  but  alas,  it  is  over 
 little  for  Him  !  0,  if  it  were  better  and  more  worthy  for  His  sake  ! 
 0,  if  I  might  meet  with  him  face  to  face,  on  this  side  of  eternity, 
 and  might  have  leave  to  plead  with  Him,  that  I  am  so  hungered 
 and  famished  here  with  the  niggardly  portion  of  His  love  that  He 
 giveth  me !  0,  that  I  might  be  carver  and  steward  myself,  at  mine 
 own  will,  of  Christ's  love  !  (if  I  may  lawfully  wish  this)  then  would 
 I  enlarge  my  vessel  (alas  !  a  narrow  and  ebb  soul),  and  take  in  a  sea 
 of  His  love.  My  hunger,  for  it  is  hungry  and  lean,  in  believing 
 that  ever  I  shall  be  satisfied  with  that  love,  so  fain  would  I  have 
 what  I  know  I  cannot  hold.  0  Lord  Jesus,  delightest  Thou,  de- 
 lightest  Thou,  to  pine  ^  and  torment  poor  souls  with  the  want  of 
 Thy  incomparable  love  ?  0,  if  I  durst  call  Thy  dispensation  cruel ! 
 I  know  Thou  Thyself  art  mercy,  without  either  brim  or  bottom ;  I 
 know  Thou  art  a  God  bank-ful  of  mercy  and  love,  but  0,  alas ! 
 little  of  it  cometh  my  way.  I  die  to  look  afar  off  to  that  love,  be- 
 cause I  can  get  but  little  of  it :  but  hope  saith,  this  providence 
 shall  ere  long  look  more  favourably  upon  poor  bodies,  and  me  also 
 Grace  be  with  your  Ladyship's  spirit. 
 
 Your  Ladyship's,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,     S.  E- 
 Aberdeen,  Sept.  10,  1637. 
 
 ^  Mortgage.  *  Starve. 
 
160  LETTERS  LXXI.  AND  LXXII. 
 
 LETTER  LXXI. —To  Mr.  James  Hamilton. 
 
 Reverend  and  dear  Brother, — Peace  be  to  j^ou  from  God 
 our  Father  and  from  our  Lord  Jesus.  I  am  laid  low,  when  I  re- 
 member what  I  am,  and  that  my  outside  casteth  such  a  lustre,  when 
 I  find  so  little  within.  It  is  a  wonder,  that  Christ's  glory  is  not 
 defiled  in  running  through  such  an  unclean  and  impure  channel. 
 But  I  see  Christ  will  be  Christ,  in  the  dreg  and  refuse  of  men  :  His 
 art,  His  shining  wisdom.  His  beauty,  speaketh  loudest  in  blackness, 
 weakness,  deadness,  yea,  in  nothing.  I  see  nothing,  no  money, 
 no  worth,  no  good,  no  life,  no  deserving  is  the  ground  that  omni- 
 potency  delighteth  to  draw  glory  out  of.  0,  how  sweet  is  the  in- 
 ner side  of  the  walls  of  Christ's  house,  and  a  room  beside  Himself! 
 my  distance  from  Him  maketh  me  sad.  0,  that  we  were  in  other's  ^ 
 arms  !  0,  that  the  middle  things  betwixt  us  were  removed  !  I  find 
 it  a  diflScult  matter  to  keep  all  stots^  with  Christ :  when  he  laugh- 
 eth,  I  scarce  believe  it,  I  would  so  fain  have  it  true.  But  I  am 
 like  a  low  man  looking  up  to  a  high  mountain,  whom  weariness 
 and  fainting  overcometh.  I  would  climb  up,  but  I  find  that  I  do 
 not  advance  in  my  journey  as  I  would  wish  :  yet  I  trust  He  shall 
 take  me  home  against  night.  I  marvel  not  that  Antichrist  in  his 
 slaves  is  so  busy,  but  our  crowned  King  seeth  and  beholdeth,  and 
 will  arise  for  Zion's  safety.  I  am  exceedingly  distracted  with  let- 
 ters and  company  that  visit  me.  What  I  can  do,  or  time  will 
 permit,  I  shall  not  omit :  excuse  my  brevity,  for  I  am  straitened. 
 Remember  the  Lord's  prisoner.  I  desire  to  be  mindful  of  you. 
 Grace,  grace  be  with  you. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 
 Aberdeen,  Septemljer  7,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  LXXIL— To  Mr.  George  Dunbar. 
 
 Reverend  and  dearly  beloved  in  the  Lord, — Grace,  mercy, 
 and  peace  be  to  you:  because  your  words  have  strengthened  many, 
 I  was  silent,  expecting  some  lines  from  you  in  my  bonds,  and  this 
 is  the  cause  why  I  wrote  not  to  you :  but  now  I  am  forced  to  break 
 off  and  speak.  I  never  believed,  till  now,  that  there  was  so  much 
 to  be  found  in  Christ,  on  this  side  of  death  and  of  heaven.  0,  the 
 ravishments  of  heavenly  joy  that  may  be  had  here,  in  the  small 
 gleanings  of  comforts  that  fall  from  Christ !  What  fools  are  we,  who 
 know  not,  and  consider  not  the  weight  and  the  telling  that  is  in 
 the  very  earnest-penny,  and  the  first  fruits  of  our  hoped-for 
 harvest.  How  sweet,  how  sweet,  is  our  investment !  0,  what  then 
 must  personal  possession  be  !  I  find  that  my  Lord  Jesus  hath 
 not  miscooked  or  spilt  ^  this  sweet  cross.  He  hath  an  eye  on  the  fire 
 ^  Each  other's.  ^  To  keep  step.  ■"  Mismanaged  or  spoiled. 
 
LETTER  LXXir.  161 
 
 caiid  tlie  melting  gold,  to  separate  the  metal  anr!,  the  dross.  O, 
 how  much  time  would  it  take  me,  to  read  my  obligations  to 
 Jesus  my  Lord,  who  will  neither  have  the  faith  of  His  own  to  be 
 burnt  to  ashes  ;  nor  yet  will  liave  a  poor  believer  in  the  fire  to  be 
 half  raw,  like  Ephraim's  unturned  cake !  this  is  the  Avisdom  of 
 Him,  who  hath  His  fire  in  Zion,  and  His  furnace  in  Jerusalem.  I 
 need  not  either  bud^  or  flatter  temptations,  crosses  :  nor  strive  to 
 Ijuy  the  devil  or  this  malicious  world  bye,^  or  redeem  their  kindness 
 with  half  a  hair-breadth  of  truth  :  He  who  is  surety  for  His  ser- 
 vant for  good,  doth  powerfully  overrule  all  that.  I  see  my  prison 
 hath  neither  lock  nor  door;  I  am  free  in  my  bonds,  and  my  chains 
 are  made  of  rotten  straw,  they  shall  not  bide  one  pull  of  faith.  I 
 am  sure  they  are  in  hell,  who  would  exchange  their  torments  with 
 our  crosses,  suppose  they  should  never  be  delivered,  and  give 
 twenty  thousand  years'  torment  to  boot,  to  be  in  our  bonds  for 
 ever :  and  therefore  we  wrong  Christ,  who  sigh  and  fear,  and 
 doubt,  and  despond  in  them.  Our  sufferings  are  washen  in  Christ's 
 blood,  as  well  as  our  souls ;  for  Christ's  merits  bought  a  blessing 
 to  the  crosses  of  the  sons  of  God ;  and  Jesus  hath  a  back-bond  of 
 all  our  temptations,  that  the  free  warders  shall  come  out  by  law 
 and  justice,  in  respect  of  the  infinite  and  great  sum  that  the  Re- 
 deemer paid.  Our  troubles  owe  us  a  free  passage  through  them  : 
 devils,  and  men,  and  crosses,  are  our  debtors ;  and  death,  and  all 
 storms,  are  our  debtors,  to  blow  our  poor  tossed  bark  over  the 
 water  fraught-free,  and  to  set  the  tra^'ellers  in  their  own  known 
 ground  :  therefore,  we  shall  die  and  yet  live  :  we  are  over  the 
 water  (some  way)  already ;  we  are  married,  and  our  tocher-good " 
 is  paid  ;  we  are  already  more  than  conquerors.  If  the  devil  and 
 the  world  knew  how  the  court  with  our  Lord  shall  go,  I  am  sure 
 they  would  hire  death  to  take  us  off  their  hand  ;  our  sufferings 
 are  the  only  wreck  and  ruin  of  the  black  kingdom  :  and  yet  a 
 little,  and  the  Antichrist  must  play  himself  with  the  bones  and 
 slain  bodies  of  the  Lamb's  followers ;  but  withal,  we  stand  with 
 the  hundred  forty  and  four  thousand,  who  are  with  the  Lamb, 
 upon  the  top  of  Mount  Zion :  Antichrist  and  his  followers  arc 
 down  in  the  valley  ground,  we  have  the  advantage  of  the  hill. 
 Our  temptations  are  always  beneath,  our  Avaters  are  beneath  our 
 breath  ;  as  dying,  and  behold  we  live.  I  never  heard  before  of  a 
 living  death,  or  a  quick  death,  but  ours  :  our  death  is  not  like  the 
 common  death ;  Christ's  skill,  His  handywork,  and  a  nev/  cast  of 
 Christ's  admirable  art,  may  be  seen  in  our  quick  death,  I  bless 
 the  Lord,  that  all  our  troubles  come  through  Christ's  fingers,  and 
 that  He  casteth  sugar  among  them :  and  casteth  in  some  ounce- 
 weights  of  heaven  and  of  the  spirit  of  g\ovy  (that  resteth  on  suffer- 
 
 ^  Bribe.  -  To  "  buy  bye  "  is  to  pay  one  to  cease  from  what  be  is  doing. 
 
 2  Dowry.  i^ 
 
162  LETTER  LXXIII. 
 
 ing  believers)  in  our  cnp,  in  which  there  is  no  taste  of  hell.  Mj 
 dear  brother,  ye  know  all  these  better  than  I :  I  send  water  to  the 
 sea,  to  speak  of  these  things  to  you  :  but  it  easeth  me  to  desire 
 you  to  help  me  to  pay  tribute  of  praise  to  Jesus.  0,  what  praises 
 I  owe  Him !  I  would  I  were  in  my  free  heritage,  that  I  might  be- 
 gin to  pay  my  debts  to  Jesus.  I  entreat  for  your  prayers  and 
 praises  :  I  forget  not  you. 
 
 Your  brother  and  fellow-sufiferer  in,  and  for  Christ,         S.  !R. 
 Aberdeen,  Sept,  17,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  LXXIII.— To  Mr.  David  Dickson. 
 
 Eeverend  and  well-beloved  Brother  in  the  Lord,— I  bless 
 the  Lord,  who  hath  so  wonderfully  stopped  the  ongoing  of  that 
 lawless  process  against  you.  The  Lord  reigneth,  and  hath  a  sav- 
 ing eye  upon  you,  and  your  ministry ;  and  therefore,  fear  not 
 what  men  can  do.  I  bless  the  Lord,  that  the  Irish  ministers  find 
 employment,  and  the  professors,  comfort  of  their  ministry.  Be- 
 lieve me,  I  durst  not,  as  I  am  now  disposed,  hold  an  honest 
 brother  out  of  the  pulpit.  I  trust  the  Lord  shall  guard  you,  and 
 hide  you  in  the  shadow  of  His  hand  :  I  am  not  pleased  with  any 
 that  are  against  you  in  that.  I  see  this  in  prosperity,  men's  con- 
 science will  not  start  at  small  sins :  but  if  some  had  been  where  I 
 have  been,  since  I  came  from  you,  a  little  mote  would  have  caused 
 their  eye  water,  and  troubled  their  peace.  0,  how  ready  are  we 
 to  incline  to  the  world's  hand  !  our  arguments  being  well  ex- 
 amined are  often  drawn  from  our  skin  :  the  whole  skin  and  a 
 peaceable  tabernacle  is  a  topic  maxim,  in  great  request  in  our 
 logic.  I  find  a  little  brairding^  of  God's  seed  in  this  town,  for 
 the  which  the  doctors  have  told  me  their  mind,  that  they  cannot 
 bear  with  it,  and  have  examined  and  threatened  the  people  that 
 haunt  my  company.  I  fear  I  get  not  leave  to  winter  here,  and 
 whither  I  go,  I  know  not;  I  am  ready  at  the  Lord's  call.  I  would 
 I  could  make  acquaintance  with  Christ's  cross,  for  I  find  comforts 
 lie  to,  and  follow  upon  the  cross.  I  suffer  in  my  name  by  them  : 
 I  take  it  as  a  part  of  the  crucifying  of  the  old  man.  Let  them 
 cut  the  throat  of  my  credit,  and  do  as  they  like  best  with  it,  when 
 the  wind  of  their  calumnies  hath  blown  away  my  good  name  from 
 me,  in  the  way  to  heaven  ;  I  know  Christ  will  take  my  name  out 
 of  the  mire,  and  wash  it,  and  restore  it  to  me  again.  I  would 
 have  a  mind  (if  the  Lord  would  be  pleased  to  give  me  it)  to  be  a 
 fool  for  Christ's  sake.  Sometimes,  while  I  have  Christ  in  my 
 arms,  I  fall  asleep  with  the  sweetness  of  His  presence,  and  He  in 
 my  eleep  stealeth  away  out  of  my  aTms.  and  when  I  awake  I  miss 
 
 ^  Sprouting. 
 
LETTEK  LXXIV.  163 
 
 Him.     I  am  much  comforted  with   my  Lady  Pitsligo,  a  good 
 womai),  and.  acquainted  with  God's  ways.     Grace  be  with  you. 
 Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R, 
 Aberdeen,  September  11,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  LXXIV.— To  the  Right  Honourable  my  Lord 
 
 Loudoun. 
 
 Right  Honourable, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  your  lord- 
 ship. I  rejoice  exceedingly  that  I  hear  your  lordship  hath  a  good 
 mind  to  Christ,  and  His  now  borne-down  truth.  My  very  dear 
 lord,  go  on,  in  the  strength  of  the  Lord,  to  carry  your  honour  and 
 worldly  glory  to  the  New  Jerusalem ;  for  this  cause  your  lordship 
 received  these  of  the  Lord.  This  is  a  sure  way  for  the  establish- 
 ment of  your  house,  if  ye  be  of  these,  who  are  willing  in  your 
 place,  to  build  Zion's  old  waste  places  in  Scotland.  Your  lordship 
 vvanteth  not  God's  and  man's  law  both,  now  to  come  to  the  streets 
 for  Christ.  And  suppose  the  bastard  laws  of  man  were  against 
 you,  it  is  an  honest  and  zealous  error,  if  here  ye  slip  against  a 
 point  or  punctilio  of  standing  policy.  When  your  foot  slippeth 
 in  such  known  ground,  as  is  the  royal  prerogative  of  our  high  and 
 most  truly  dread  Sovereign  (who  hath  many  crowns  on  His  head) 
 and  the  liberties  of  His  house.  He  will  hold  you  up.  Blessed  shall 
 they  be,  who  take  Babel's  little  ones  and  dash  their  heads  against 
 stones :  I  wish  your  lordship  have  a  share  of  that  blessing,  with 
 other  worthy  nobles  in  our  land.  It  is  true,  it  is  now  accounted 
 wisdom  for  men  to  be  partners  in  pulling  up  the  stakes,  and  loos- 
 ing the  cords  of  the  tent  of  Christ ;  but  I  am  persuaded,  tliat  that 
 wisdom  is  cried  down  in  heaven,  and  shall  never  pass  for  true 
 wisdom  with  the  Lord,  whose  word  crieth  shame  upon  wit  against 
 Christ  and  truth :  and  accordingly  it  shall  prove  shame  and  con- 
 fusion of  face  in  the  end.  Our  Lord  hath  given  your  lordship 
 light  of  a  better  stamp,  and  learning  also,  wherein  ye  are  not  be- 
 hind the  disputer  and  the  scribe.  0,  what  a  blessed  thing  is  it, 
 to  see  nobility,  learning  and  sanctiii cation,  all  concur  in  one !  for 
 these  ye  owe  yourself  to  Christ  and  His  kingdom.  God  hath  be- 
 wildered and  bemisted  the  wit  and  the  learning  of  the  scribes  and 
 disputers  of  this  time;  they  look  asquint  to  the  Bible.  This 
 blinding  and  bemisting  world  blindfoldeth  men's  light,  that  they 
 are  afraid  to  see  straight  out  before  them,  nay  their  very  light 
 playeth  the  knave,  or  worse,  to  truth.  Your  lordship  knoweth, 
 within  a  little  while  policy  against  truth  will  blush,  and  the 
 works  of  men  shall  burn,  even  their  spider  web,  who  spin  out 
 many  hundred  ells  and  webs  of  indifierence  in  the  Lord's  wor- 
 ship, more  than  ever  Moses,  who  would  have  an  hoof  material, 
 
164  LETTEii  LXXIV. 
 
 and  Daniel,  who  would  have  a  look  out  al  a  window,  a  matter  ol 
 life  and  death,  than  ever  (I  say)  these  men  of  God  dreamed  of. 
 Alas,  that  men  dare  shape,  carve,  cut,  and  clip  our  King's  princely 
 testament,  in  length  and  breadth,  and  in  all  dimensions,  answer- 
 able to  the  conceptions  of  such  policy  as  a  head  of  wit  thinketh  a 
 safe  and  trim  way  of  serving  God.  How  have  men  forgotten  the 
 Lord,  that  they  dare  go  against  even  that  truth  which  once  they 
 preached  themselves,  howbeit  their  sermons  now  be  as  thin  sown 
 as  strawberries  in  a  wood  or  wilderness.  Certainly  the  sweetest 
 and  safest  course  is,  for  this  short  time  of  the  afternoon  of  this 
 old  and  declining  world,  to  stand  for  Jesus :  He  hath  said  it,  and 
 it  is  our  part  to  believe  it,  that  ere  it  be  long,  time  shall  be  no 
 more,  and  the  heaven  shall  wax  old  as  a  garment.  Do  we  not  see 
 it  already  an  old  holey  and  threadbare  garment?  Doth  not  cripple 
 and  lame  nature  tell  us  that  the  Lord  will  fold  up  the  old  gar- 
 ment, and  lay  it  aside,  and  that  the  heavens  shall  be  folded  to- 
 gether as  a  scroll,  and  this  pest-house  shall  be  burnt  with  fire,  and 
 that  both  plenishing^  and  walls  shall  melt  with  fervent  heaf?  for 
 at  the  Lord's  coming  He  will  do  with  this  earth  as  men  do  with  a 
 leper-house.  He  will  l^urn  the  walls  with  fire,  and  the  plenishing^ 
 of  the  house  also,  2  Pet.  iii.  10,  11,  12.  My  very  dear  lord,  how 
 shall  ye  rejoice  in  that  day,  to  have  Christ,  angels,  heaven,  and 
 your  own  conscience  to  smile  upon  you.  I  am  persuaded,  one 
 sick  night,  through  the  terroi's  of  the  Almighty,  would  make  men 
 (whose  conscience  hath  such  a  wide  throat,  as  an  image  like  a 
 cathedral  church  would  go  down  it)  have  other  thoughts  of  Christ 
 and  His  worship,  than  now  they  please  themselves  with.  The 
 scarcity  of  faith  in  the  earth  saith,  we  are  hard  upon  the  last  nick^ 
 of  time.  Blessed  are  those  who  keep  their  garments  clean  against 
 the  Bridegroom's  coming,  there  shall  be  spotted  clothes,  and  many 
 defiled  garments,  at  His  last  coming;  and  therefore,  few  found 
 worthy  to  walk  with  Him  in  white.  I  am  persuaded,  my  lord, 
 this  poor  travailing  woman,  our  pained  church,  is  with  child  of 
 victory,  and  shall  bring  forth  a  man-child,  that  shall  be  caught  up 
 to  God  and  His  throne,  howbeit  the  dragon  (in  his  followers)  be 
 attending  the  childbirth-pain,  as  an  Egyptian  midwife,  to  receive 
 the  birth,  and  strangle  it,  Isa.  xxix.  8  ;  but  they  shall  be  dis- 
 appointed who  thirst  for  the  destruction  of  Zion,  they  shall  be  as 
 when  a  hungry  man  dreameth  that  he  eateth,  but  behold  he  awak- 
 eth,  and  his  soul  is  empty ;  or  when  a  thirsty  man  dreameth  that 
 he  drinketh,  but  behold  he  awaketh  and  is  faint,  and  his  soul  is 
 not  satisfied :  so  shall  it  be,  I  say,  with  the  multitude  of  all  the 
 nations,  that  fight  against  Mount  Zion.  Therefore,  the  weak  and 
 feeble,  these  that  are  as  signs  and  wonders  in  Israel,  have  chosen 
 '  Furniture.  -  Notch. 
 
LETTEL  LXXV.  165 
 
 fclie  best  side,  even  the  side  tliat  victory  is  upon ;  and,  I  think, 
 this  is  no  evil  policy.  Verily,  for  myself,  I  am  so  well  pleased 
 with  Christ  and  His  noble  and  honest-born  cross,  this  cross  that 
 is  come  of  Christ's  house,  and  is  of  kin  to  Himself,  that  I  should 
 weep,  if  it  should  come  to  niffering^  and  bartering  of  lots  and  con- 
 dition with  those  that  are  at  ease  in  Zion :  I  hold  still  my  choice, 
 and  bless  myself  in  it.  I  see  and  I  believe,  there  is  salvation  in 
 this  way,  that  is  everywhere  spoken  against,  I  hope  to  go  to 
 eternity,  and  to  venture  upon  the  last  evil  to  the  saints,  even  upon 
 death,  fully  persuaded  that  this  only,  even  this,  is  the  saving  way 
 for  racked  consciences,  and  for  weary  and  laden  sinners,  to  find 
 ease  and  peace  for  evermore  into.  And  indeed,  it  is  not  for  any 
 worldly  respect  that  I  speak  so  of  it.  The  weather  is  not  so  hot 
 •that  I  have  great  cause  to  startle  in  my  prison,  or  to  boast  of  that 
 entertainment  that  my  good  friends,  the  prelates,  intend  for  me, 
 which  is  banishment,  if  they  shall  obtain  their  desire,  and  effectu- 
 ate what  they  design ;  but  let  it  come,  I  rue  not  that  I  made 
 Christ  my  wale"  and  my  choice  ;  I  think  Him  aye  the  longer  the 
 better.  My  lord,  it  shall  be  good  service  to  God,  to  hokl  your 
 noble  friend  and  chief  upon  a  good  course,  for  the  truth  of  Christ. 
 Now  the  very  God  of  peace  establish  your  lordship  in  Christ 
 Jesus  unto  the  end. 
 
 Your  lordship's  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  E. 
 Aberdeen,  Sept.  10,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  LXXV.— To  the  Laird  of  Gaitgirtii. 
 
 Much  honoured  Sir, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you :  I  can 
 do  no  more  but  thank  you  in  paper,  and  remember  you  to  Him 
 whom  I  serve,  for  your  kindness  and  care  of  a  prisoner,  I  bless 
 the  Lord,  the  cause  I  suffer  for  needeth  not  to  blush  before  kings : 
 Christ's  white,  honest,  and  fair  truth,  needeth  neither  wax  pale  for 
 fear,  nor  blush  for  shame.  I  bless  the  Lord,  who  hath  graced  you 
 to  own  Christ  now,  when  so  many  are  afraid  to  profess  Him,  and 
 hide  Him,  for  fear  they  suffer  loss  by  avouching  Him.  Alas ! 
 that  so  many  in  these  days  are  carried  with  the  times ;  as  if  their 
 conscience  rolled  upon  oiled  wheels ;  so  do  they  go  any  way  the 
 wind  bloweth  them  :  and  because  Christ  is  not  market-sweet,^ 
 men  put  Him  away  from  them.  Worthy  and  much  honoured  sir, 
 go  on  to  own  Christ  and  His  oppressed  truth  :  the  end  of  sufferings 
 for  the  Gospel  is  rest  and  gladness  :  light  and  joy  is  sown  for  the 
 mourners  in  Zion,  and  the  harvest  (which  is  of  God's  making  for 
 time  and  manner)  is  near :  crosses  have  right  and  claim  to  Christ 
 in  His  members,  till  legs  and  arms,  and  whole  mystical  Christ  be 
 *  Exchancfinff.  -  Preference.  '^  Saleable. 
 
166  LETTKIl  LXXVI. 
 
 in  heaven  :  there  will  be  rain,  and  hail,  and  storm  in  the  saints' 
 clouds,  ever  till  God  cleanse  with  fire  the  works  of  creation,  and 
 till  He  burn  the  borch-house  ^  of  heaven  and  earth,  that  men's 
 sin  hath  subjected  unto  vanity.  They  are  blessed  who  suffer  and 
 sin  not,  lor  suffering  is  the  badge  that  Christ  hath  put  upon  His 
 followers  :  take  what  way  we  can  to  heaven,  the  way  is  edged  up 
 with  crosses ;  there  is  no  way,  but  to  break  through  them ;  wit 
 and  wiles,  shifts  and  laws,  will  not  find  out  a  way  about  ^  the  cross 
 of  Christ,  but  we  must  through.  One  thing  by  experience,  my 
 Lord  hath  taught  me,  that  the  waters  betwixt  this  and  heaven 
 may  all  be  ridden,  if  we  be  well  horsed,  I  mean,  if  we  be  in  Christ, 
 and  not  one  shall  drown  by  the  way,  but  such  as  love  their  own 
 destruction.  0,  if  we  could  wait  on  for  a  time,  and  believe  in  the 
 dark  the  salvation  of  God  !  at  least  we  are  to  believe  good  of  Christ, 
 till  He  gives  us  the  slip  (which  is  impossible),  and  to  take  His  word 
 for  caution,^  that  He  shall  fill  up  all  the  blanks  in  His  promises, 
 and  give  us  what  we  want :  but  to  the  unbeliever  Christ's  testa- 
 ment is  white,  blank,  unwritten  paper.  Worthy  and  dear  sir,  set 
 your  face  to  heaven,  and  make  you  to  stoop  at  all  the  low  entries 
 in  the  way  ;  that  ye  may  receive  the  kingdom  as  a  child  :  without 
 this.  He  that  knew  the  way  said,  there  is  no  entry  in.  0,  but 
 Christ  be  willing  to  lead  a  poor  sinner !  0,  what  love  my  poor 
 soul  hath  found  in  Him,  in  the  house  of  my  pilgrimage  !  Suppose 
 love  in  heaven  and  earth  were  lost,  I  dare  swear  it  may  be  found 
 in  Christ.  Now  the  very  God  of  peace  establish  you,  till  the  day 
 of  the  glorious  appearance  of  Christ. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S  E. 
 Aberdeen,  Sept.  7,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  LXXVI.— To  the  Lady  Gaitgirth. 
 
 Much  honoured  and  Christian  Lady, — Grace,  mercy,  and 
 peace  be  to  you.  I  long  to  hear  how  it  goeth  with  you  and  your  chil- 
 dren, I  exhort  you,  not  to  lose  breath,  nor  to  faint  in  your  journey  : 
 the  way  is  not  so  long  to  your  home,  as  it  was  ;  it  will  wear  to  one 
 step  or  an  inch  at  length,  and  ye  shall  come  ere  long  to  be  within 
 your  arm-length  of  the  glorious  crown.  Your  Lord  Jesus  did  sweat 
 and  pant,  ere  He  got  up  that  mount,  he  was  at  "Father  save  me," 
 with  it :  it  Avas  He  who  (Ps.  xxii.  14)  said,  "I  am  poured  out 
 like  water;  all  my  bones  are  out  of  joint  (Christ  was  as  if  they 
 had  broken  Him  upon  the  wheel) ;  My  heart  is  like  wax,  it  is 
 melted  in  the  midst  of  My  bowels:"  ver.  15,  "My  strength  is 
 dried  up  like  a  potsherd."  I  am  sure  ye  love  the  way  the  better 
 that  His  holy  feet  trode  it  before  you.  Crosses  have  a  smell  of 
 ^  Prison-house.  "  Round  about.  '  Security. 
 
LETTEll  LXXVII.  167 
 
 crossed  and  pained  Christ.  I  believe  yonr  Lord  will  not  leave 
 you  to  die  your  lone^  in  the  way.  I  know  ye  have  sad  hours, 
 when  the  Comforter  is  hid  under  a  vail,  and  when  ye  inquire  for 
 Him,  and  find  but  a  toom^  nest :  this,  I  grant,  is  but  a  cold  good- 
 day,  when  the  seeker  misseth  Him  whom  the  soul  loveth  :  but 
 even  His  unkindness  is  kind,  His  absence  lovely.  His  mask  a  sweet 
 sight,  till  God  send  Christ  Himself  in  His  own  sweet  presence : 
 make  His  sweet  comforts  your  own,  and  be  not  strange  and  shame- 
 faced with  Christ :  homely  dealing  is  best  for  Him,  it  is  His  liking. 
 When  your  winter  storms  are  over,  the  summer  of  your  Lord  shall 
 come  :  your  sadness  is  with  child  of  joy,  He  will  do  you  good  in 
 the  latter  end.  Take  no  heavier  lift  of  your  children,  than  your 
 Lord  alloweth ;  give  them  room  beside  your  heart,  but  not  in  the 
 yolk  of  your  heart,  where  Christ  should  be ;  for  then  they  are 
 your  idols,  not  your  bairns.  If  your  Lord  take  any  of  them  home 
 to  His  house  before  the  storm  come  on,  take  it  well,  the  owner  of 
 the  orchard  may  take  down  two  or  three  apples  of  his  own  trees, 
 before  midsummer,  and  ere  they  get  the  harvest  sun  ;  and  it  would 
 not  be  seemly  that  His  servant,  the  gardener,  should  chide  him 
 for  it.  Let  our  Lord  pluck  His  own  fruit  at  any  season  He 
 pleaseth ;  they  are  not  lost  to  you,  they  are  laid  up  so  well,  as  that 
 they  are  coffered  in  heaven,  where  our  Lord's  best  jewels  lie. 
 They  are  all  free  goods  that  are  there  ;  death  can  have  no  law  to 
 arrest  anything  that  is  within  the  walls  of  the  New  Jerusalem.  All 
 the  saints,  because  of  sin,  are  like  old  rusty  horologies,  that  must 
 be  taken  down,  and  the  wheels  scoured  and  mended,  and  set  up 
 again  in  better  case  than  before.  Sin  hath  rusted  both  soul  and 
 body ;  our  dear  Lord,  by  death,  taketh  us  down  to  scour  the 
 wheels  of  both,  and  to  purge  us  perfectly  from  the  root  and  re- 
 mainder of  sin,  and  we  shall  be  set  up  in  better  case  than  before. 
 Then  pluck  up  your  heart,  heaven  is  yours,  and  that  is  a  word 
 few  can  say.  Now  the  Great  Shepherd  of  the  sheep,  and  the  very 
 God  of  peace  confirm  and  establish  you,  to  the  day  of  the  appearance 
 of  Christ  our  Lord. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 
 Aberdeen,  Sept.  7,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  LXXVn.— To  his  Reverend  and  very  Dear  Brother, 
 Mr.  George  Gillespie. 
 
 My  very  dear  Brother, — I  received  yours.     I  am  still  with 
 
 the  Lord,  His  cross  hath  done  that  which  I  thought  impossible 
 
 once.     Christ  keepeth  try.st  ^  in  the  fire  and  water  with  His  own, 
 
 and  cometh  ere  our  breath  go  out,  and  ere  our  blood  grow  cold. 
 
 ^  Alone.  -  Empty.  '  Engagement. 
 
168  LliiXEU  lA'XVIII. 
 
 Blessed  are  they  whose  feet  escape  the  great  golden  net  that  is  now 
 spread.  It  is  our  happiness  to  take  the  crabbed,  rough,  and  poor 
 side  of  Christ's  world,  which  is  a  lease  of  crosses  and  losses,  for 
 Him  :  for  Christ's  incomes  and  casualties  that  follow  Him  are  many, 
 And  it  is  not  a  little  one,  that  a  good  conscience  may  be  had  in  fol- 
 lowing him.  This  is  true  gain,  and  most  to  be  lalDOured  for  and 
 loved.  Many  give  Christ  for  a  shadow,  because  Christ  was  rather 
 beside  their  conscience  in  a  dead  and  reprobate  light  than  in 
 their  conscience.  Let  us  be  ballasted  with  grace,  that  we 
 be  not  blown  over,  and  that  we  stagger  not.  Yet  a  little  while 
 and  Christ  and  His  redeemed  ones  shall  fill  the  field  and  come  out 
 victorious.  Christ's  glory  of  triumphing  in  Scotland  is  yet  in  the 
 bud  and  in  the  birth,  but  the  birth  cannot  prove  an  abortive. 
 "He  shall  not  faint  nor  be  discouraged,  till  He  have  brought  forth 
 judgment  unto  victory."  Let  us  still  mind  our  covenant,  and  the 
 very  God  of  peace  be  with  you. 
 
 Your  brother  in  Christ,         S.  S. 
 Aberdeen,  Sej^t.  9,  1*137. 
 
 LETTER  LXXVIIL—  To  Mr.  Matthew  Mowat. 
 Reverend  and  dear  brother, — I  am  refreshed  witli  your  let- 
 ters. I  would  take  all  well  at  my  Lord's  hands  that  He  hath  done, 
 if  I  knew  I  could  do  my  Lord  any  service  in  my  suffering.  Suppose 
 my  Lord  would  make  a  stop-hole  of  me,  to  fill  a  hole  in  the  wall 
 af  His  house,  or  a  pinning  in  Zion's  new  work  ;  for  any  place  of  trust 
 in  my  Lord's  house,  as  steward,  or  chamberlain,  or  the  like,  surely, 
 I  think  myself  (my  very  dear  brother,  I  speak  not  by  any  proud 
 figure  or  trope)  unworthy  of  it;  nay,  I  am  not  worthy  to  stand 
 behind  the  door.  If  my  head,  and  feet,  and  body  were  half  out,  half 
 in,  in  Christ's  house,  so  I  saw  the  fair  face  of  the  Lord  of  the  house, 
 it  would  still  my  greening  ^  and  love-sick  desires.  When  I  hear 
 that  the  men  of  God  are  at  work  and  speaking  in  our  Lord 
 Jesus's  name,  I  think  myself  but  an  outcast  or  outlaw,  chased  from 
 the  city  to  lie  on  the  hills  and  live  amongst  the  rocks  and  out- 
 fields. 0,  that  I  might  but  stand  in  Christ's  out-house,  or  hold  a 
 candle  in  any  low  vault  of  His  house!  But  I  know  this  is  but  the 
 vapours  that  arise  out  a  quarrelous  and  unbelieving  heart  to  darken 
 the  wisdom  of  God.  And  your  fault  is  just  mine,  that  I  cannot 
 believe  my  Lord's  bare  and  naked  word.  I  must  either  have  an 
 apple  to  play  me  with,  and  shake  hands  with  Christ,  and  have 
 seal,  caution,  and  witness  to  His  word,  or  else  I  count  myself  loose, 
 howbeit  I  have  the  word  and  faith  of  a  king.  0,  I  am  made  of 
 unbelief,  and  cannot  swim  but  where  my  feet  may  touch  the  ground ! 
 Alas,  Christ,  under  my  temptations,  is  presented  to  me  as  lying- 
 
 ^  Yeaminsr. 
 
LETTER  LXXVIII.  169 
 
 waters,  as  a  dyvour  ^  and  a  cozener !  we  can  make  such  a  Christ 
 as  temptations  (casting  us  in  a  night-dream)  doth  feign  and  devise 
 (and  temptations  represent  Christ  ever  unlike  Himself),  and  we  in 
 our  folly  listen  to  the  tempter.  If  I  could  minister  one  saving 
 word  to  any,  how  glad  Avould  my  soul  be  1  but  I  myself  (which  is 
 my  greatest  evil)  often  mistake  the  cross  of  Christ :  for  I  know  if 
 we  had  wit,  and  knew  well  that  ease  slayeth  us  fools,  we  would 
 desire  a  mai-ket  where  we  might  barter  or  niffer  ^  our  lazy  ease 
 with  a  profitable  cross  ;  howbeit  there  be  an  outcast  ^  natural  be- 
 twixt our  desires  and  tribulation.  But  some  give  a  dear  price 
 and  gold  for  physic  which  they  love  not,  and  buy  sickness,  how- 
 beit they  wish  rather  to  have  been  whole  than  to  be  sick.  But 
 surely,  brother,  ye  shall  not  have  my  advice  (howbeit  alas, 
 I  cannot  follow  it  myself)  to  contend  with  the  honest  and  faith- 
 ful Lord  of  the  house  :  for  go  He  or  come  He,  He  is  aye  gracious 
 in  His  departure.  There  are  grace,  and  mercy,  and  loving-kind- 
 ness upon  Christ's  back-parts  :  and  when  He  goeth  away  the  pro- 
 portion of  His  face,  the  image  of  that  fair  Sun,  that  stayeth  in 
 eyes,  senses,  and  heart,  after  He  is  gone,  leaveth  a  mass  of  love  be- 
 hind it  in  the  heart.  The  sound  of  His  knock  at  the  door  of  His 
 beloved,  after  He  is  gone  and  past,  leaveth  a  share  of  joy  and  sor- 
 row both  :  so  we  have  something  to  feed  upon  till  He  return,  and 
 He  is  more  loved  in  His  departure,  and  after  He  is  gone,  than  be- 
 fore ;  as  the  day  in  the  declining  of  the  sun  and  towards  the  even- 
 ing is  often  most  desired.  And  as  for  Christ's  cross,  I  never  re- 
 ceived evil  of  it,  but  what  was  of  mine  own  making.  When  I 
 miscooked  Christ's  physic,  no  marvel  that  it  hurt  me,  for  since  it 
 was  on  Christ's  back,  it  hath  always  a  sweet  smell,  and  these  1600 
 years  it  keepeth  the  smell  of  Christ ;  nay,  it  is  elder  than  that  too, 
 for  it  is  a  long  time  since  Abel  first  hanselled  *  the  cross,  and  had 
 it  laid  upon  His  shoulders ;  and  down  from  Him  all  alongst  to 
 this  very  day,  all  the  saints  have  known  what  it  is.  I  am  glad 
 that  Christ  hath  such  a  relation  to  this  cross,  and  that  it  is  called 
 the  cross  of  our  Lord  Jesus,  Gal.  vi.  14.  His  reproaches,  Heb.  xiii. 
 13;  as  if  Christ  would  claim  it  as  His  proper  goods,  and  so  it 
 cometh  in  the  reckoning  among  Christ's  own  property.  If  it  were 
 simple  evil,  as  sin  is,  Christ,  who  is  not  the  author  nor  owner  oi 
 sin,  would  not  own  it.  I  wonder  at  the  enemies  of  Christ  (in  whom 
 malice  hath  run  away  with  wit,  and  will  is  up,  and  wit  down) 
 that  they  would  essay  to  lift  up  the  stone  laid  in  Zion.  Surely  it 
 is  not  laid  in  such  sinking  ground,  as  that  they  can  raise  it  or  remove 
 it ;  for  when  we  are  in  their  belly,  and  they  have  swallowed  us 
 down,  they  will  be  sick  and  spue  us  out  again.  I  know  Zion  and 
 her  Husband  cannot  both  sleep  at  once  :  I  believe  our  Lord  once 
 ^  Debtor.         "  Exchange.         ^  Quarrel.  *  Had  the  first  use  of. 
 
170  LETTERS    LXXIX.  AND  LXXX. 
 
 again  shall  water  witli  His  dew  the  witliered  hill  of  Mount  Zion 
 in  Scotland,  and  come  down,  and  make  a  new  marriage  again,  as 
 He  did  long  since.  Remember  our  covenant.  Your  excuse  foi 
 3  our  advice  to  me  is  needless.  Alas,  many  sit  beside  light  as  sick 
 folks  beside  meat,  and  cannot  make  use  of  it.  Grace  be  with  you. 
 Your  brother  in  Christ,  S.  R. 
 
 Aberdeen,  Sept.  7,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  LXXIX.— To  Mr.  John  Meine. 
 
 Dear  Brother, — I  received  your  letter.  I  cannot  but  testify 
 under  mine  own  hand  that  Christ  is  still  the  longer  the  better, 
 and  that  this  time  is  the  time  of  loves.  When  I  have  said  all  I 
 can,  others  may  begin  and  say,  I  have  said  nothing  of  Him,  I 
 never  knew  Christ  to  ebb  or  flow,  wax  or  wane.  His  winds  turn 
 not  when  He  seemeth  to  change,  it  is  but  we  who  turn  our  wrong 
 side  to  Him.  I  never  had  a  plea  with  Him  in  my  hardest  conflicts 
 but  of  mine  own  making.  0,  that  I  could  live  in  peace  and  good 
 neighbourhood  with  such  a  second,  and  let  Him  alone.  My  un- 
 belief made  many  black  lies,  but  my  recantation  to  Christ  is  not 
 worth  the  hearing.  Surely  He  hath  borne  with  strange  gades^  in 
 me  :  He  knoweth  my  heart  hath  not  natural  wit  to  keep  quarters 
 with  such  a  Saviour.  Ye  do  well  to  fear  your  own  backsliding : 
 I  had  stood  sure,  if  I  had  in  my  youth  borrowed  Christ  to  be  my 
 bottom  :  but  He  that  beareth  His  own  weight  to  heaven,  shall 
 not  fail  to  slip  and  sink.  Ye  had  no  need  to  be  barefooted  among 
 the  thorns  of  this  apostate  generation,  lest  a  stob^  strike  up  in 
 your  foot,  and  cause  you  to  halt  all  your  days.  And  think  not, 
 Christ  will  do  with  you,  in  the  matter  of  suffering,  as  the  pope 
 doth  in  the  matter  of  sin.  Ye  shall  not  find  that  Christ  will  sell 
 a  dispensation,  or  give  a  dyvour's ^  protection  against  crosses ; 
 crosses  are  proclaimed  as  common  accidents  to  all  the  saints,  and 
 in  them  standeth  a  part  of  our  communion  with  Christ.  But  there 
 lieth  a  sweet  casuality  to  the  cross,  even  Christ's  presence  and  His 
 comforts,  when  they  are  sanctified.  Remember  my  love  to  your 
 father  and  mother.     Grace  be  with  you. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 
 
 Aberdeen,  Sept.  7,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  LXXX.— To  John  Fleeming,  Bailie  of  Leith. 
 
 Much  honoured  in  the  Loed,— Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be 
 to  you.    I  am  still  in  good  terms  with  Clirist ;  however  my  Lord's 
 wind  blow,  I  have  the  advantage  of  the  calm  and  sunny  side  oi 
 ^  Gaddings.  ^  Spike,  ■•  Debtor'd, 
 
LETTER  LXXXI.  171 
 
 Christ.  Devils,  and  hell,  and  devil's  servants,  are  all  blown 
 blind  in  pursning  the  Lord's  little  bride  :  they  shall  be  as  a  night- 
 dream  who  fight  against  Mount  Zion.  Worthy  sir,  I  hope  ye 
 take  to  heart  the  worth  of  your  calling  :  this  great  fair  and  meet- 
 ing of  people  will  scail,^  and  the  port  is  open  for  us  :  as  fast  as 
 time  weareth  out,  we  flee  away  :  eternity  is  at  our  elbow.  0  how 
 blessed  are  they  who  in  time  make  Christ  sure  for  themselves. 
 Salvation  is  a  great  errand ;  I  find  it  hard  to  fetch  heaven.  0, 
 that  we  could  take  pains  on  our  lamps  for  the  Bridegroom's 
 coming.  The  other  side  of  this  world  will  be  turned  up  incon- 
 tinent, and  up  shall  down,  and  these  that  are  weeping  in  sackcloth 
 shall  triumph  on  white  horses,  with  Him,  whose  name  is  the  Word 
 of  God.  These  dying  idols,  the  fair  creatures  that  we  whorishly 
 love  better  than  our  Creator,  will  pass  away  like  snow-water. 
 The  God-head,  the  God-head,  a  communion  with  God  in  Christ, 
 to  be  halvers^  with  Christ  of  the  purchased  house  and  inheritance 
 in  heaven,  should  be  your  scope  and  aim.  For  myself,  when  I  lay 
 my  counts,  0,  what  telling,  0,  what  Aveighing  is  in  Christ !  0, 
 how  soft  are  His  kisses !  0,  love,  love  surpassing,  in  Jesus !  I 
 have  no  fault  to  that  love,  but  that  it  seemeth  to  deal  niggardly 
 with  me  :  I  have  little  of  it.  0,  that  I  had  Christ's  seen  and  read 
 bond,  subscribed  by  Himself,  for  my  fill  of  it !  What  garland 
 have  I,  or  what  crown,  if  I  looked  right  on  things,  but  Jesus  1  0, 
 there  is  no  room  in  us,  on  this  side  of  the  water,  for  that  love ; 
 this  narrow  bit  earth,  and  these  ebb  and  narrow  souls,  can  hold 
 little  of  it,  because  we  are  full  of  rifts.  I  would  glory,  glory 
 would  enlarge  us  (as  it  will)  and  make  us  tight,  and  close  up  our 
 seams  and  rifts,  that  we  might  be  able  to  comprehend  it,  which 
 yet  is  incomprehensible.  Eemember  my  love  to  your  Avife.  Grace 
 be  with  you.  Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R 
 
 Aberdeen,  Sept.  7,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  LXXXL— To  Alexander  Gordon  of  Earlestoun. 
 
 Much  honoured  Sir, — Howbeit  I  would  have  been  glad  to 
 have  seen  you;  yet  seeing  our  Lord  hath  been  pleased  to  break 
 the  snare  of  your  adversaries,  I  heartily  bless  our  Lord  on  your 
 behalf.  Our  crosses  for  Christ  are  not  made  of  iron,  they  are 
 softer  and  of  more  gentle  metal.  It  is  easy  for  God  to  make  a 
 fool  of  the  devil,  the  father  of  all  fools.  As  for  me,  I  but  breathe 
 out  what  my  Lord  breatheth  in  :  the  scum  and  froth  of  my  letters, 
 I  father  upon  my  own  unbelieving  heart.  I  know  your  Lord  hath 
 something  to  do  with  you,  because  Satan  and  malice  have  shot 
 sore  at  you ;  but  your  bow  abideth  in  its  strength.  Ye  shall  not, 
 ^  Disperse.  "  Sharers. 
 
172  LETTER  LXXXI. 
 
 by  my  advice,  be  a  halver^  with  Christ,  to  divide  the  glory  of 
 your  deliverance,  betwixt  yourself  and  Him,  or  any  other  second 
 mean  whatsoever :  let  Christ  (as  it  setteth-  Him  well)  have  all 
 the  glory,  and  triumph  His  lone.^  The  Lord  set  Himself  on  high 
 in  you :  I  see  Christ  can  borrow  a  cross  for  some  hours,  and  set 
 His  servants  beside  it,  rather  than  under  it,  and  win  the  plea  too, 
 yea,  and  make  glory  to  Himself,  and  shame  to  His  enemies,  and 
 comfort  to  His  children  out  of  it.  But  whether  Christ  buy  or 
 borrow  crosses.  He  is  King  of  crosses,  and  King  of  devils,  and 
 King  over  hell,  and  King  over  malice.  When  He  was  in  the 
 grave.  He  came  out,  and  brought  the  keys  with  Him :  He  is 
 Lord-jailor :  nay,  what  say  1 1  He  is  Captain  of  the  castle,  and 
 He  hath  the  keys  of  death  and  hell ;  and  what  are  our  troubles 
 but  little  deaths'?  and  He,  who  commandeth  the  great  castle,  com- 
 mand eth  the  little  also.  2.  I  see  a  hardened  face  and  two  skins 
 upon  our  brows,  against  the  winter  hail  and  stormy  wind,  is 
 meetest  for  a  poor  traveller  in  a  winter  journey  to  heaven.  0, 
 vvhat  art  is  it  to  learn  to  endure  hardness,  and  to  learn  to  go  bare- 
 footed either  through  the  devil's  fiery  coals  or  his  frozen  waters  ! 
 3.  I  am  jDersuaded  a  sea-venture  with  Christ  maketh  great  riches  : 
 is  not  our  King  Jesus  His  ship  coming  home,  and  shall  not  we  get 
 part  of  the  gold  1  Alas,  we  fools  miscount  our  gain  when  we  seem 
 losers.  Believe  me,  I  have  no  challenges  against  this  well-born 
 cross,  for  it  is  come  of  Christ's  house,  and  is  honourable,  and  His 
 propine,^  to  you  it  is  given  to  suffer.  0,  what  fools  are  we  to 
 undervalue  His  gifts,  and  to  lightly^  that  which  is  true  honour ! 
 for  if  we  could  be  faithful,  our  tackling  shall  not  loose,  nor  our 
 mast  break,  nor  our  sails  blow  into  the  sea.  The  bastard  crosses, 
 the  kinless  and  base-born  crosses  of  worldlings,  for  evil  doing, 
 must  be  heavy  and  grievous ;  but  our  afflictions  are  light  and 
 momentary.  4.  I  think  myself  happy  that  I  have  lost  credit  with 
 Christ,  and  that  in  this  bargain  I  am  Christ's  sworn  dyvour  to 
 whom  He  will  lippen^  nothing  ;  no  not  one  pin  in  the  work  of 
 my  salvation.  Let  me  stand  in  black  and  white  in  the  dyvour- 
 book  before  Christ,  I  am  happy  that  my  salvation  is  concredited 
 to  Christ's  mediation  :  Christ  oweth  no  faith  to  me,  to  lippen  ® 
 anything  to  me ;  but  0,  what  faith  and  credit  I  owe  to  Him  ! 
 Let  my  name  fall,  and  let  Christ's  name  stand  in  honour  with 
 man  and  angel.  Alas,  I  have  no  room  to  sj tread  out  my  affection 
 before  God's  people ;  and  I  see  not  how  I  can  shout  out  and  cry 
 out  the  loveliness,  the  high  honour,  and  the  glory  of  my  fairest 
 Lord  Jesus.  0,  that  He  would  let  me  have  a  bed  to  lie  in,  to  be 
 delivered  of  my  birth,  that  I  might  paint  Him  out  in  His  beauty 
 
 ^  Partner.  -  Becometh.  ■*  Alone. 
 
 *  Gift.  5  Undervalue.  "  Trust 
 
LETTER  LXXXIl.  173 
 
 to  men  as  I  dow.^  5.  I  wondered  once  at  providence,  and  called 
 white  providence  black  and  unjust,  that  I  should  be  smothered  in 
 a  town,  Avhere  no  soul  will  take  Christ  off  my  hand  :  but  provi- 
 dence hath  another  lustre  with  God  than  with  my  bleared  eyes. 
 I  proclaim  myself  a  blind  body,  who  know  not  black  and  white 
 in  the  uncouth  course  of  God's  providence.  Suppose  Christ  would 
 set  hell  where  heaven  is,  and  devils  up  in  glory  beside  the  elect 
 angels  (which  yet  cannot  be),  I  would  I  had  a  heart  to  acquiesce 
 in  His  way  without  further  dispute.  I  see,  infinite  wisdom  is  the 
 mother  of  His  judgments,  and  His  ways  past  finding  out.  6.  I 
 cannot  learn ;  but  I  desire  to  learn  to  bring  my  thoughts,  will, 
 and  lusts  in  under  Christ's  feet,  that  He  may  trample  upon  them  ; 
 but  alas,  I  am  still  upon  Christ's  wrong  side.  Grace  be  with  you. 
 Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 
 Aberdeen,  Sept.  12,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  LXXXIl.— To  Robert  Lennox  ot  Disdove. 
 
 Worthy  and  dear  Brother, — I  forget  you  not  in  my  bonds  : 
 I  know  ye  are  looking  to  Christ,  and,  1  beseech  you,  follow  your 
 look.  I  can  say  more  of  Christ  now  by  experience  (though  He  be 
 infinitely  above  and  beyond  all  that  can  be  said  of  Him)  than 
 when  I  saw  you.  I  am  drowned  over  head  and  ears  in  His  love. 
 Sell,  sell,  sell  all  things  for  Christ.  If  this  whole  world  were  the 
 balk  2  of  a  balance,  it  should  not  be  able  to  bear  the  weight  of 
 Christ's  love.  Man  and  angels  have  short  arms  to  fathom  it.  Set 
 your  feet  upon  this  piece  blue  and  base  clay  of  an  overgilded  and 
 fair  plastered  world  :  an  hour's  kissing  of  Christ  is  worth  a  world 
 of  worlds.  Sir,  make  sure  work  of  your  salvation  ;  build  not  upon 
 sand ;  lay  the  foundation  upon  the  Rock  in  Zion.  Strive  to  be 
 dead  to  this  world,  and  to  your  will  and  lusts.  Let  Christ  have 
 a  commanding  power  and  a  king's  throne  in  you.  Walk  with 
 Christ,  howbeit  the  wind  should  take  the  hide  off  your  face.  I 
 promise  you,  Christ  will  win  the  field.  Your  pastors  cause  you 
 to  err;  except  you  see  Christ's  word,  go  not  one  foot  with  them. 
 Countenance  not  the  reading  of  that  Romish  service-book.  Keep 
 your  garments  clean,  as  ye  would  walk  with  the  Lamb  clothed  in 
 white.  The  wrongs  I  suffer  are  upon  record  in  heaven :  our  great 
 Master  and  Judge  will  be  upon  us  all,  and  bring  us  before  the 
 sun  in  our  blacks  and  whites.  Blessed  are  tliey  who  Avatch,  and 
 keep  themselves  in  God's  love.  Learn  to  discern  the  Bride- 
 groom's tongue,  and  to  give  yourself  to  prayer  and  reading.  Ye 
 was  often  a  hearer  of  me.  I  would  pub  my  heart-blood  upon  the 
 doctrine  I  taught,  as  the  only  way  to  salvation  :  go  not  from  it, 
 ^  Can.  -  Beam. 
 
174  LETTEK  LXXXIIT. 
 
 my  dear  brother.  What  I  write  to  yourself  I  write  to  your  wife 
 also.  Mind  heaven  and  Christ,  and  keep  the  spunk ^  of  the  love 
 of  Christ  you  have  gotten  ;  Christ  shall  blow  on  it,  if  ye  entertain 
 it,  and  your  end  shall  be  peace.  There  is  a  fire  in  our  Zion ;  but 
 our  Lord  is  but  seeking  a  new  bride  refined  and  purified  out  of 
 the  furnace.  I  assure  you,  howbeit  we  be  nick-named  puri- 
 tans, all  the  powers  of  the  world  shall  not  prevail  against  us. 
 Eemember,  though  a  sinful  man  write  it  to  you,  these  people  shall 
 yet  be  in  Scotland  as  a  green  olive-tree,  and  a  field  blessed  of  the 
 Lord,  and  it  shall  be  proclaimed,  "Up,  up  with  Christ,  and  down, 
 down  with  all  contrary  powers."  Sir,  pray  for  me  (I  name  you 
 to  the  Lord),  for  further  evil  is  determined  against  me.  Remem- 
 ber my  love  to  Christian  Murray  and  her  daughter.  I  desire  her, 
 in  the  edge  of  her  evening,  to  wait  a  little,  the  King  is  coming, 
 and  He  hath  something,  that  she  never  saw,  with  Him.  Heaven 
 is  no  dream.  "  Come  and  see  "  will  teach  her  best.  Grace,  grace 
 be  with  you.  Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 
 Aberdeen,  Sept.  13,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  LXXXHI.— To  Marion  M'Naught. 
 
 Dearest  in  our  Lord  Jesus, — Count  it  your  honour  that 
 Christ  hath  begun  at  you  to  fine  ^  you  first.  "  Fear  not,"  saith 
 the  "  Amen,  the  true  and  faithful  VVitness."  I  write  to  you,  as 
 my  Master  liveth,  upon  the  word  of  my  Ro3^al  King,  continue  in 
 prayer  and  in  watching,  and  your  glorious  deliverance  is  coming. 
 Christ  is  not  far  oflf;  a  fig,  a  straw  for  all  the  bits  of  clay  that  are 
 risen  against  us.  "  Ye  shall  thrash  the  mountains,  and  fan  them 
 like  chaff","  Isa.  xli.  If  ye  slack  your  hands  at  your  meetings,  and 
 your  watching  to  prayer,  then  it  would  seem  our  Rock  hath  sold 
 us ;  but  be  diligent,  and  be  not  discouraged.  I  charge  ye  in  Christ, 
 rejoice,  give  thanks,  believe,  be  strong  in  the  Lord.  That  burn- 
 ing bush  in  Galloway  and  Kirkcudbright  shall  not  be  burnt  to 
 ashes,  for  the  Lord  is  in  the  bush.  Be  not  discouraged  that 
 banishment  is  to  be  procured  by  the  king's  warrant  to  the  Council 
 against  me ;  the  earth  is  my  Lord's ;  I  am  filled  with  His  sweet 
 love,  and  running  over.  I  rejoice  to  hear  ye  are  in  your  journey: 
 such  news  as  I  hear  of  all  your  faith  and  love,  rejoice  my  sad 
 heart.  Pray  for  me,  for  they  seek  my  hurt ;  but  I  give  myself  to 
 prayer.  The  blessing  of  my  Lord,  and  a  prisoner  of  Christ's  bless- 
 ing be  with  you.  0  chosen  and  greatly  beloved  woman,  faint 
 not.  Fie,  fie  if  ye  faint  now,  ye  lose  a  good  cause  :  double  your 
 meetings  !  cease  not  for  Zion's  sake,  and  hold  not  your  peace,  tili 
 He  make  Jerusalem  a  praise  in  the  earth. 
 
 Yours,  in  Christ  Jesus,  his  Lord,         S.  R. 
 
 Aberdeen.  1C37. 
 
 '   Match  or  spaik.  -  Refine. 
 
LETTEPtS  LXXXIV  AND  LXXXV.  175 
 
 LETTER  LXXXIV.— To  Thomas  Corbet. 
 
 Dear  Friend, — I  forget  you  not.  It  shall  be  my  joy  that  ye 
 follow  after  Christ  till  ye  find  Him.  My  conscience  is  a  feast  of 
 joy  to  me,  that  I  sought  in  singleness  of  heart  for  Clirist's  love,  to 
 put  you  upon  the  king's  high-way  to  our  Bridegroom  and  our 
 Father's  house  ;  thrice  blessed  are  ye,  my  dear  brother,  if  ye  hold 
 the  way.  I  believe  ye  and  Christ  once  met,  I  hope  ye  will  not 
 sunder  with^  Him.  Follow  the  counsel  of  the  man  of  God,  Mr. 
 William  Dalgleish.  If  ye  depart  from  what  I  taught  you  in  a 
 hairbreadth,  for  fear  or  favour  of  men,  or  desire  of  ease  in  this 
 world,  I  take  heaven  and  earth  to  witness,  that  ill  shall  come 
 upon  you  in  end.  Build  not  your  nest  here ;  this  world  is  an 
 hard,  ill-made  bed ;  no  rest  in  it  for  your  soul.  Awake  !  awake  ! 
 and  make  haste  to  seek  that  Pearl,  Christ,  that  this  world  seeth 
 not ;  your  night,  and  your  Master,  Christ,  will  be  upon  you  within 
 a  clap  ;  your  handbreadth  of  time  will  not  bide  you.  Take  Christ, 
 howbeit  a  storm  follow  Him ;  howbeit  this  day  be  not  yours  and 
 Christ's,  the  morrow  will  be  yours  and  His.  I  would  not  ex- 
 change the  joy  of  my  bonds  and  imprisonment  for  Christ  with  all 
 the  joy  of  this  dirty  and  foul-skinned  world.  I  have  a  love-bed 
 with  Christ,  and  am  filled  with  His  love.  I  desire  your  wife  to 
 do  what  I  write  to  you  :  let  her  remember  how  dear  Christ  Avould 
 be  to  her,  when  her  breath  turneth  cold,  and  the  eye-strings  shall 
 break.  0,  how  joyful  should  my  soul  be,  to  know  that  I  had 
 brought  on  a  marriage  betwixt  Christ  and  that  people,  few  or 
 many ;  if  it  be  not  so,  I  will  be  woe^  to  be  a  witness  against  them. 
 Use  prayer ;  love  not  the  world  ;  be  humble,  and  esteem  little  of 
 yourself;  love  your  enemies,  and  pray  for  them  ;  make  conscience 
 of  speaking  truth  when  none  knoweth  but  God.  I  never  eat  but 
 I  pray  for  you  all.  Pray  for  me.  Ye  and  I  shall  see  one  another 
 up  in  our  Father's  house.  I  rejoice  to  hear  that  your  eye  is  upon 
 Christ.  Follow  on,  hing^  on,  and  quit  Him  not.  The  Lord  Jesus 
 be  with  your  spirit. 
 
 Your  affectionate  brother,  in  our  Lord  Jesus,         S.  H. 
 
 Aberdeen,  1637.  
 
 LETTER  LXXXV.— To  Alexander  Gordon  of  Earlestoun. 
 
 Much  honoured  Sir, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you.  I 
 received  your  li  tter,  which  refreshed  me.  Except  from  your  son 
 and  my  brother,  I  have  seen  few  letters  from  my  acquaintance  in 
 that  country,  which  maketh  me  heavy ;  but  I  have  the  company 
 of  a  Lord  who  can  teach  us  all  to  be  kind,  and  hath  the  right  gate^ 
 of  it;  though  for  the  present  I  have  seven  ups  and  downs  everj 
 
 ^  Separate  from.  "  Sorrowful.  ^  H.ing.  *  Method. 
 
176  LETTER  LXXXV. 
 
 day,  yet  I  am  abundantly  comforted  and  feasted  witii  my  King 
 and  Well-Beloved  daily.  It  pleaseth  Him  to  come  and  dine  with 
 a  sad  prisoner  and  a  solitary  stranger.  His  spikenard  casteth  a 
 smell,  yet  my  sweet  hath  some  sour  mixed  with  it,  wherein  I  must 
 acquiesce ;  for  there  is  no  reason  that  His  comforts  be  too  cheap, 
 seeing  they  are  delicacies ;  why  should  He  not  make  them  so  to 
 His  own  1  But  I  verily  think  now,  Christ  hath  led  me  up  to  a 
 nick^  in  Christianity,  that  I  was  never  at  before ;  I  think  all  before 
 was  but  childhood  and  bairn's  play.  Since  I  departed  from  you, 
 I  have  been  scalded,  while  the  smoke  of  hell's  fire  went  in  at  my 
 throat,  and  I  would  have  bought  peace  with  a  thousand  years' 
 torment  in  hell :  and  I  have  been  up  also,  after  these  deep  down- 
 castings  and  sorrows,  before  the  Lamb's  white  throne,  in  my 
 Father's  inner  court,  the  great  King's  dining-hall,  and  Christ  did 
 cast  a  covering  of  love  over  me ;  He  hath  casten  in  a  coal  in  my 
 soul,  and  it  is  smoking  among  the  straw,  and  keeping  the  hearth 
 warm.  I  look  back  to  what  I  was  before,  and  I  laugh  to  see  the 
 sand-houses  I  built  when  I  was  a  child.  At  first,  the  remembrance 
 ol  many  fair  feast-days  with  my  Lord  Jesus  in  public,  which  are 
 now  changed  into  silent  Sabbaths,  raised  a  great  tempest,  and  (if 
 I  may  speak  so)  made  the  devil  ado  in  my  soul :  the  devil  came 
 in,  and  would  prompt  me  to  make  a  plea  with  Christ,  and  to  lay 
 the  blame  on  Him  as  a  hard  master.  But  now  these  mists  are 
 blown  away,  and  I  am  not  only  silenced,  as  to  all  quarrelling,  but 
 iully  satisfied,  l^ow,  I  wonder  that  any  man  living  can  laugh 
 upon  the  world,  or  give  it  a  hearty  good-day.  The  Lord  Jesus 
 hath  handled  me  so,  that  as  I  am  now  disposed,  I  think  never  to 
 be  in  this  world's  common ^  again  for  a  night's  lodging :  Christ 
 beareth  me  good  company ;  He  hath  eased  me,  when  I  saw  it  not, 
 lifting  the  cross  off  my  shoulders,  so  that  I  think  it  to  be  but  a 
 feather,  because  underneath  are  everlasting  arms.  God  forbid  it 
 came  to  bartering  or  niffering^  of  crosses ;  for  I  think  my  cross  so 
 sweet,  that  I  know  not  where  I  would  get  the  like  of  it.  Christ's 
 honeycombs  drop  so  abundantly,  that  they  sweeten  my  gall. 
 Nothing  breaketh  my  heart,  but  that  I  cannot  get  the  daughters 
 of  Jerusalem,  to  tell  them  of  my  Bridegroom's  glory :  I  charge 
 you,  in  the  name  of  Christ,  that  ye  tell  all  ye  come  to  of  it ;  and 
 yet  it  is  above  telling  and  understanding.  0,  if  all  the  kingdom 
 were  as  I  am,  except  my  bonds !  they  know  not  the  love-kisses 
 that  my  only  Lord  Jesus  wasteth  on  a  dauted*  prisoner.  On  my 
 salvation,  this  is  the  only  way  to  the  new  city.  I  know  Christ 
 hath  no  dumb  seals ;  would  He  put  His  privy  seal  upon  blank 
 paper  ?  He  hath  sealed  my  sufterings  with  comforts.  I  write  this 
 to  confirm  j^'ou.  I  write  now,  what  I  have  seen,  as  well  as  heard. 
 1  Notch,  2  H^bt.  =  Exchiir.oin-  ■»  roudled. 
 
LETTER  LXXXVI.  177 
 
 Now  and  then,  my  silence  biirneth  up  my  spirit ;  but  Christ  hath 
 said,  thy  stipend  is  running  up  with  interest  in  heaven,  as  if  thou 
 wert  preaching  :  and  this  from  a  King's  mouth  rejoiceth  my  heart. 
 At  other  times,  I  am  sad  for  dwelling  in  Kedar's  tents.  There 
 are  none  (that  I  yet  know  of)  but  two  persons  in  this  town  that  I 
 dare  give  my  word  for :  and  the  Lord  hath  removed  my  brethren 
 and  my  acquaintance  far  from  me  :  and  it  may  be,  I  be  forgotten 
 in  the  place,  wiiere  the  Lord  made  me  the  instrument  to  do  some 
 good  :  but  I  see  this  is  vanity  in  me.  Let  Him  make  of  me  what 
 He  pleaseth,  if  He  make  salvation  out  of  it  to  me.  I  am  tempted 
 and  troubled  that  all  the  fourteen  prelates  should  have  been  armed 
 of  God  against  me  only,  while  the  rest  of  my  brethren  are  still 
 preaching ;  but  I  dare  not  say  one  word,  but  this,  it  is  good,  Lord 
 Jesus,  because  Thou  hast  done  it.  Woe  is  me  for  the  virgin 
 daughter ;  woe  is  me  for  the  desolation  of  the  virgin  daughter  of 
 Scotland  !  0,  if  my  eyes  were  a  fountain  of  tears  to  weep  day 
 and  night  for  that  poor  widow  kirk,  that  poor  miserable  harlot ! 
 alas,  then  my  Father  hath  put  to  the  door  my  poor  harlot  mother! 
 0,  for  that  cloud  of  black  wrath,  and  fury  of  the  indignation  of 
 the  Lord,  that  is  hanging  over  the  land.  Sir,  write  to  me,  I  be- 
 seech you  :  I  pray  you  also  be  kind  to  my  afflicted  brother.  Re- 
 member my  love  to  your  wife  :  and  the  prayers  and  the  blessing 
 of  the  prisoner  of  Christ  be  on  you.  Frequent  your  meetings  for 
 prayer  and  communion  with  God,  they  would  be  sweet  meetings 
 to  me.  Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 
 
 Aberdeen,  Feb.  16,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  LXXXVL— To  Robert  Gordon,  of  Knockbrex. 
 
 My  dear  Brother, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  multiplied 
 upon  you.  I  am  almost  wearying,  yea  wondering,  that  ye  write 
 not  to  me ;  though  I  know  it  is  not  forgetfulness.  As  for  myself, 
 I  am  every  way  well,  all  glory  to  God  :  I  was  before  at  a  plea 
 with  Christ,  but  it  was  bought  by  me  and  unlawful,  because  His 
 whole  providence  was  not  yea  and  nay  to  my  yea  and  nay,  and 
 because  I  believed  Christ's  outward  look  better  than  His  faithful 
 promise.  Yet  He  hath  in  patience  waited  on,  while  ^  I  be  come  to 
 myself,  and  hath  not  taken  advantage  of  my  weak  apprehensions 
 of  His  goodness.  Great  and  holy  is  His  name ;  He  looketh  to  what 
 I  desire  to  be,  and  not  to  what  I  am.  One  thing  I  have  learned, 
 if  I  had  been  in  Christ  by  way  of  adhesion  only,  as  many  branches 
 are,  1  should  have  been  burnt  to  ashes,  and  this  world  should  have 
 seen  a  suffering  minister  of  Christ  turned  (of  sometliing  once  in 
 show)  into  unsavoury  salt.  But  my  Lord  Jesus  had  a  good  eye 
 that  the  tempter  should  not  play  foul  play,  and  blow  out  Christ's 
 
 1  Till. 
 
1  78  LETTER  LXXXVI. 
 
 candle.  He  took  no  thought  of  my  stomach,  and  fretting  and 
 grudging  humour,  but  of  His  own  grace  ;  when  He  burned  the 
 house  He  saved  His  own  goods.  And  I  beUevc,  the  devil,  and  the 
 persecuting  woild,  shall  reap  no  fruit  of  me  but  bui'ned  ashes  :  for 
 He  will  see  to  His  own  gold,  and  save  that  from  being  consumed 
 with  the  fire.  0,  what  owe  I  to  the  file,  to  the  hammer,  to  the 
 furnace  of  my  Lord  Jesus  !  Who  hath  now  let  me  see  how  good 
 the  wheat  of  Christ  is,  that  goeth  through  His  mill  and  His  o\'en, 
 to  be  made  bread  for  His  own  table.  "  Grace  tried "  is  better 
 than  grace,  and  it  is  more  than  grace,  it  is  glory  in  its  infancy. 
 I  now  see,  godliness  is  more  than  the  outside,  and  this  world's 
 passements^  and  their  bushings.-  Who  knoweth  the  truth  of 
 grace  without  a  trial  1  O,  how  little  getteth  Christ  of  us,  but 
 that  which  He  winneth  (to  speak  so)  Avith  much  toil  and  pains ! 
 And  how  .'■  con  would  faith  freeze  without  a  cross  !  How  many 
 dumb  crosses  have  been  laid  upon  my  back,  that  had  never  a 
 tongue  to  speak  the  sweetness  of  Christ  as  this  hath  !  When  Christ 
 blesseth  His  own  crosses  with  a  tongue,  they  breathe  out  Christ's 
 love,  wisdom,  kindness,  and  care  of  us.  Why  should  I  start  at  the 
 plough  of  my  Lord,  that  maketh  deep  furrows  on  my  soul  1  I 
 know  He  is  no  idle  husbandman.  He  purposeth  a  crop.  0,  thai 
 this  white,  withered  lay-ground  ^  were  made  fertile  to  bear  a  crop 
 for  Him,  by  whom  it  is  so  painfull}^  dressed,  and  that  this  fallow 
 ground  were  broken  up  !  Why  was  I  (a  fool)  grieved,  that  He 
 put  His  garland  and  His  rose  upon  my  head,  the  glory  and  honour 
 of  His  faithful  witnesses  ?  I  desire  now  to  make  no  more  pleas 
 with  Christ.  Verily,  He  hath  not  put  me  to  a  loss  by  what  I 
 suffer.  He  oweth  me  nothing ;  for  in  my  bonds,  how  sweet  and 
 comfortable  have  the  thoughts  of  Him  been  to  me  :  wherein  I  find 
 a  suflicient  recompense  of  reward  !  How  blind  are  my  adversaries, 
 who  sent  me  to  a  banqueting-house  :  to  a  house  of  wine,  to  my 
 lovely  Lord  Jesus,  His  love-feasts,  and  not  to  a  jjrison  or  place  of 
 exile !  Why  should  I  smother  my  husband's  honesty,  or  sin 
 against  His  loA^e,  or  be  a  niggard  in  giving  out  to  others  what  I 
 get  for  nothing?  Brother,  eat  with  me  and  give  thanks.  I  charge 
 you  before  God,  that  ye  speak  to  others,  and  invite  them  to  help 
 me  to  praise.  0  my  debt  of  praise,  how  weighty  is  it,  and  how 
 far  run  up  !  0,  that  others  would  lend  me  to  pay,  and  learn*  me 
 to  praise  !  0, 1  a  drowned  dyvour  !  Lord  Jesus  take  my  thoughts 
 for  payment.  Yet  I  am  in  this  hot  summer-blink  with  the  tear  in 
 my  eye ;  for,  by  reason  of  my  silence,  sorrow,  sorrow  hath  filled 
 me.  My  harp  is  hanged  upon  the  willow  trees,  because  I  am  in  a 
 strange  land.  I  am  still  kept  in  exercise  with  envious  brethren. 
 My  mother  hath  born  me  a  man  of  contention.  Write  to  rae 
 '  Trappings.  "  Oru.^aients.  "'  Fallow.  •*  1  each. 
 
LETTER  LXXXVII,  179 
 
 your  mind  anent  Y.  C.  I  cannot  forget  him;  I  know  not  what 
 God  hath  to  do  with  him.  And  your  mind  anent  my  parishioners' 
 behaviour,  and  how  they  are  served  in  preaching;  or  if  there  be  a 
 minister  as  yet  thrust  in  upon  them,  which  I  desire  greatly  to 
 know,  and  which  I  much  fear.  Dear  brother,  ye  are  in  my  heart, 
 to  live  and  to  die  with  you.  Visit  me  with  a  letter.  Pray  for  me. 
 Eemember  my  love  to  your  wife.  Grace,  grace  be  with  you. 
 And  God  who  heareth  prayer  visit  you,  and  let  it  be  unto  you 
 according  to  the  prayers  of. 
 
 Your  own  brother,  and  Christ's  prisoner,         S.  li. 
 Aberdeen,  Jan.  1,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  LXXXVII.— To  my  Well-Beloved  and  Eeverend 
 Brother,  Mr.  Robert  Blair. 
 
 Reverend  and  dearly-beloved  Brother, — Grace,  mercy,  and 
 peace  from  God  our  Father,  and  from  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  be 
 to  you.  It  is  no  great  wonder,  my  dear  brother,  that  ye  be  in 
 heaviness  for  a  season,  and  that  God's  will,  in  crossing  your  design 
 and  desires  to  dwell  amongst  a  people  whose  God  is  the  Lord, 
 should  move  you.  I  deny  not,  but  ye  have  cause  to  inquire  what 
 His  providence  speaketh  in  this  to  you ;  but  God's  directing  and 
 commanding  will,  can,  by  no  good  logic,  be  concluded  from  events 
 of  providence.  The  Lord  sent  Paul  many  errands,  for  the  spread- 
 ing of  His  Gospel,  where  he  found  lions  in  his  way.  A  promise 
 was  made  to  His  people  of  the  Holy  Land,  and  yet  many  nations 
 in  the  way  fighting  against,  and  ready  to  kill  them  who  had  the 
 promise,  or  keep  them  from  possessing  that  good  land,  which  the 
 Lord  their  God  had  given  them.  I  know  ye  have  most  to  do 
 with  submission  of  spirit ;  but  I  persuade  myself,  ye  have  learned 
 in  every  condition  wherein  ye  are  cast,  therein  to  be  content,  and 
 to  say,  "Good  is  the  will  of  the  Lord,  let  it  be  done."  I  believe 
 the  Lord  tacketh  His  ship  often  to  fetch  the  wind,  and  that  He 
 purposeth  to  bring  mercy  out  of  your  sufferings  and  silence,  which 
 (I  know  from  mine  own  experience)  is  grievous  to  you.  Seeing 
 He  knoweth  our  willing  mind  to  serve  Him,  our  wages  and  stipend 
 is  running  to  the  fore^  with  our  God  ;  even  as  some  sick  soldiers 
 get  their  pay,  when  then  they  are  bed-fast  and  not  able  to  go  to 
 the  fields  with  others.  "  Though  Israel  be  not  gathered,  yet  shall 
 I  be  glorious  in  the  eyes  of  the  Lord,  and  my  God  shall  be  my 
 strength,"  Isa.  xlix.  3 ;  and  Ave  are  to  believe  it  shall  be  thus,  ere 
 all  the  play  be  played.  Jer.  li.  35,  "  The  violence  done  to  me 
 and  my  flesh,  be  uiion  Babylon,  (and  the  great  whore's  lovers,)  shall 
 the  inhabitants  of  Zion  say,  and  my  blood  be  upon  Chaldca,  shall 
 
 ^  In  advance. 
 
180  LETTER  LXXXVII. 
 
 Jerusalem  say ;"  and  Zech.  xii.  2,  "  Behold  I  will  make  Jerusalem 
 a  cup  of  treml)ling  to  all  the  people  about,  when  they  shall  be  in 
 the  siege,  both  against  Judah  and  Jerusalem  ;"  ver.  3,  "  And  in 
 that  day,  I  will  make  Jerusalem  a  burdensome  stone  for  all  people : 
 they  that  burden  themselves  with  it  shall  be  broken  in  pieces, 
 though  all  the  people  of  the  earth  be  gathered  against  it."  When 
 they  have  eaten  and  swallowed  us  up,  they  shall  be  sick  and  vomit 
 us  out  living  men  again.  The  devil's  stomach  cannot  digest  the 
 church  of  God.  Suffering  is  the  other  half  of  our  ministry,  how- 
 beit  the  hardest :  for  we  would  be  content  our  King  Jesus  would 
 make  an  open  proclamation,  and  cry  down  crosses,  and  cry  up  joy, 
 gladness,  ease,  honour,  and  peace.  But  it  must  not  be  so ;  through 
 many  afflictions  we  must  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God  :  not  only 
 by  them,  but  through  them  must  we  go  :  and  wiles  will  not  take 
 us  by  ^  the  cross  :  it  is  folly  to  think  to  steal  to  heaven  with  a 
 whole  skin.  For  myself,  I  am  here  a  prisoner,  confined  in  Aber- 
 deen, threatened  to  be  removed  to  Caithness,  because  I  desire  to 
 edify  in  this  town ;  and  I  am  openly  preached  against  in  the 
 pulpits,  in  my  liearing,  and  tempted  with  disputations  by  the 
 doctors,  especially  by  D.  B.  Yet  I  am  not  ashamed  of  my  Lord 
 Jesus,  His  garland  and  crown.  I  would  not  exchange  my  weeping 
 with  the  fourteen  prelates'  painted  laughter.  At  my  first  coming 
 here,  I  took  the  dorts  ^  at  Christ,  and  would  forsooth  summon 
 Him  for  unkindness  ;  I  sought  a  plea  of  my  Lord,  and  was  tossed 
 with  challenges,  whether  He  loved  me  or  not  1  and  disputed  all 
 over  again  that  He  had  done  to  me ;  because  "  His  word  was  a 
 fire  shut  up  in  my  bowels,  and  I  was  weary  with  forbearing ; " 
 because  I  said  I  was  cast  out  of  the  Lord's  inheritance.  But  now, 
 I  see  I  was  a  fool :  my  Lord  miskent  ^  all,  and  did  bear  with  my 
 foolish  jealouEes,  and  miskent  ^  that  ever  I  wronged  His  love,  and 
 now  He  is  come  again  with  mercy  under  His  wings.  I  pass  from 
 my  (0  witless)  summons  :  He  is  God  (I  see)  and  I  am  man.  Now 
 it  hath  pleased  Him  to  renew  His  love  to  my  soul,  and  to  daut- 
 His  poor  prisoner.  Therefore,  my  dear  brother,  help  me  to  praise 
 and  show  the  Lord's  people  with  you,  what  He  hath  done  to  my 
 soul,  that  they  may  pray  and  praise :  and  I  charge  you,  in  the 
 name  of  Christ,  not  to  omit  it ;  for,  for  this  cause  I  write  to  you, 
 that  my  sufferings  may  glorify  my  royal  King,  and  edify  His 
 church  in  Ireland.  He  knoweth  how  one  of  Christ's  love-coals 
 hath  burnt  my  soul,  with  a  desire  to  have  my  bonds  to  preach 
 His  glory,  whose  cross  I  now  bear.  God  forgive  you,  if  ye  do  it 
 not.  But  I  hope  the  Lord  will  move  your  heart,  to  proclaim  in 
 my  behalf  the  sweetness,  excellency,  and  glory  of  my  royal  King. 
 It  is  but  our  soft  flesh  that  hath  raised  a  slander  on  the  cross  of 
 
 ^  Past.  -  Was  offended.  "  Overlooked.  *  Fondla 
 
LETTER  LXXXVIIL  181 
 
 Christ ;  I  see  now  the  white  side  of  it.  j\Iy  Lord's  chains  are  all 
 overgilded.  0,  if  Scotland  and  Ireland  had  part  of  my  feast ! 
 And  yet,  I  get  not  my  meat  but  with  many  strokes.  There  are 
 none  here  to  whom  I  can  speak;  I  dwell  in  Kedar's  tents.  Refresh 
 me  with  a  letter  from  you  ;  few  know  what  is  betwixt  Christ  and 
 me.  Dear  brother,  upon  my  salvation,  this  is  His  truth  that  we 
 suffer  for.  Christ  would  not  seal  a  blank  charter  to  souls. 
 Courage,  courage,  joy,  joy,  for  evermore  !  0  joy  unspeakable  and 
 glorious !  0,  for  help  to  set  my  crowned  King  on  high  !  0 
 for  love  to  Him,  who  is  altogether  lovely  !  That  love  which  many 
 waters  cannot  quench,  neither  can  the  floods  drown  !  I  remembeB 
 you,  and  I  bear  your  name  on  my  breast  to  Christ ;  I  beseech  you, 
 forget  not  His  afflicted  prisoner.  Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  with 
 you.  Salute  in  the  Lord  from  me,  Mr.  Cuninghame,  Mr.  Liviug- 
 Bton,  Mr.  Ridge,  Mr.  Colwart,  &c. 
 
 Your  brother  and  fellow-prisoner,         S.  R. 
 Aberdeen,  Feb.  7,  1637.       
 
 LETTER  LXXXVin.— To  John  Kennedy,  Bailie  of  Ayr. 
 
 Worthy  and  well-beloved  Brother, — Grace,  mercy,  and 
 peace  be  unto  you.  I  am  yet  waiting  what  our  Lord  will  do  for  His 
 afflicted  church,  and  for  my  re-entry  to  my  Lord's  house.  0,  that 
 I  could  hear  the  forfeiture  of  Christ  (now  casten  out  of  His  inheri- 
 tance) recalled  and  taken  off  by  open  proclamation ;  and  that 
 Christ  were  restored  to  be  a  freeholder  and  a  landed  heritor  in 
 Scotland  ;  and  that  the  courts,  fenced  in  the  name  of  the  Ixastard 
 prelates  (their  godfather's,  the  Pope's  bailiffs  and  sheriffs),  were 
 cried  down  !  0,  how  sweet  a  sight  were  it  to  see  all  the  tribes  of 
 the  Lord  in  this  land  fetching  home  again  our  banished  King 
 Christ,  to  His  own  palace.  His  sanctuary,  and  His  throne  !  I 
 shall  think  it  mercy  to  my  soul,  if  my  faith  shall  out-Avatch  all  this 
 winter  night,  and  not  nod  or  slumber,  till  my  Lord's  summer  day 
 dawn  upon  me.  It  is  much,  if  faith  and  hope,  in  the  sad  nights 
 of  our  heavy  trial,  escape  with  a  whole  skin,  and  without  crack  or 
 crook ;  I  confess,  unbelief  hath  not  reason  to  be  either  father  or 
 mother  to  it  (for  unbelief  is  always  an  irrational  thing) ;  but  how 
 can  it  be,  but  such  weak  eyes  as  ours  must  cast  water  in  a  great 
 smoke,  or  that  a  weak  head  should  not  turn  giddy  when  the  water 
 runneth  deep  and  strong  1  But  God  be  thanked,  that  Christ,  in 
 His  children,  can  endure  a  stress  and  storm,  howbeit  soft  nature 
 would  fall  down  in  pieces.  0,  that  I  had  tliat^  confidence  as  to 
 rest  on  this,  though  He  should  grind  me  into  small  powder,  and 
 bray  me  into  dust,  and  scatter  the  dust  to  the  four  winds  of 
 heaven ;  that  my  Lord  would  gather  up  the  powder,  and  make 
 
 1  Such. 
 
182  LETTEE  LXXXVIII. 
 
 me  up  a  new  vessel  again,  to  bear  Christ's  name  to  the  world.  I 
 am  sure  that  love,  bottomed  and  seated  upon  the  faith  of"  His  love 
 to  me,  would  desire  and  endure  this,  and  would  even  claim  and 
 thriep  ^  kindness  upon  Christ's  strokes,  and  kiss  His  lovely  glooms; 
 and  both  spell  and  read  salvation  upon  the  wounds  made  by- 
 Christ's  sweet  hands.  0,  that  I  had  but  a  promise  from  the 
 mouth  of  Christ  of  His  love  to  me  ;  and  then,  howbeit  my  faith 
 were  as  tender  as  paper,  I  think  longing,  and  dwining,  and  green- 
 ing ^  of  sick  desires  would  cause  it  to  bide  out  the  siege,  till  the 
 Lord  came  to  fill  the  soul  with  His  love ;  and  I  know  also,  in  that 
 case  faith  should  abide  green  and  sappy  at  the  root,  even  at  mid- 
 winter ;  and  stand  out  against  all  storms.  However  it  be,  I  know 
 Christ  winneth  heaven  in  despite  of  hell ;  but  I  owe  as  many 
 praises  and  thanks  to  free  grace,  as  would  lie  betwixt  me  and  the 
 utmost  border  of  the  highest  heaven— suppose  ten  thousand 
 heavens  were  all  laid  above  other. ^  But,  oh,  I  have  nothing  that 
 can  hire  or  bud  *  grace  ;  for  if  grace  would  take  hire,  it  were  no 
 more  grace  ;  but  all  our  stability,  and  the  strength  of  our  salvation, 
 is  anchored  and  fastened  upon  free  grace.  And  I  am  sure  Christ 
 hath  by  His  death  and  blood  casten  the  knot  so  fast,  that  the 
 fingers  of  devils,  and  hell  full  of  sins,  cannot  loose  it ;  and  that 
 bond  of  Christ  (that  never  yet  was,  nor  never  shall,  nor  can  be 
 registrated)  standeth  surer  than  heaven  or  the  days  of  heaven,  as 
 that  sweet  pillar  of  the  covenant,  whereupon  we  all  hang.  Christ 
 and  all  His  little  ones  under  His  two  wings,  and  in  the  compass 
 or  circle  of  His  arms,  is  so  sure,  that  cast  Him  and  them  in  the 
 ground  of  the  sea,  He  shall  come  up  again,  and  not  lose  one ;  an 
 odd  one  cannot,  nor  shall  not  be  lost  in  the  telling.  This  was 
 always  God's  aim,  since  Christ  came  in  the  ploy,^  betwixt  Him 
 and  us,  to  make  men  dependent  creatures,  and  in  the  work  of  our 
 salvation  to  put  created  strength,  and  arms,  and  legs  of  clay  quite 
 out  of  play,  and  out  of  office  and  court :  and  now  God  hath  sub- 
 stituted in  our  room,  and  accepted  His  Son  the  Mediator  for  us, 
 and  all  that  we  can  make.  If  this  had  not  been,  I  would  have 
 skinked  ^  over  and  foregone  my  part  of  paradise  and  salvation  for 
 a  breakfast  of  dead  moth-eaten  earth  ;  but  now  I  would  not  give 
 it,  nor  let  it  go,  for  more  than  I  can  tell :  and  truly  they  are  silly 
 fools,  and  ignorant  of  Christ's  worth  (and  so  full  ill-trained  and 
 tutored),  who  tell  heaven  and  Christ  over  the  board  for  two 
 feathers  or  two  straws  of  the  devil's  painted  pleasures,  only  lustred 
 in  the  utter '^  side.  This  is  our  happiness  now,  that  our  reckonings 
 at  night,  when  eternity  shall  come  upon  us,  cannot  be  told ;  we 
 shall  be  so  far  gainers,  and  so  far  from  being  superexpended  (as 
 
 1  Argue.  "  Yearning.  ^  One  another.  ■*  !Make  offer  for. 
 
 ■  Tra.iisactioii.  *  Renounced.  ^  Outer. 
 
LKTTEK  LXXXIX.  183 
 
 the  poor  fools  of  this  world  are,  who  give  out  their  motiey,  and 
 get  in  but  black  hunger),  that  angels  cannot  lay  our  counts,  nor 
 sum  our  advantage  and  incomes.  Who  knoweth  how  far  is  it 
 to  the  bottom  of  our  Christ,  and  to  the  ground  of  our  heaven  1 
 Who  ever  weighed  Christ  in  a  pair  of  balances  1  Who  hath  Sf^en 
 the  foldings  and  plies,  and  the  heights  and  depths  of  that  glory, 
 which  is  in  Him,  and  kept  for  usi  0,  for  such  a  heaven,  as  to 
 stand  afar  off",  and  see,  and  love,  and  long  for  Him.  while  ^  time's 
 thread  be  cut,  and  this  great  work  of  creation  dissolved,  at  the 
 coming  of  our  Lord  !  Now  to  His  grace  I  recommend  you.  I 
 beseccli  you  also,  pray  for  a  re-entry  to  me  into  the  Lord's  house, 
 if  it  be  His  good  will. 
 
 Yours,  in  His  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  II. 
 Aberdeen,  Jan.  6,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  LXXXIX.— To  Elizabeth  Kennedy. 
 
 Mistress, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  unto  you.  I  have  long 
 had  a  purpose  of  writing  to  you,  but  I  have  been  hindered.  1 
 heartily  desire  that  ye  would  mind  your  joui'ney,  and  consider  to 
 what  airt  ^  your  soul  setteth  its  face  ;  for  all  come  not  home  at 
 night,  who  suppose  they  have  set  their  face  heaven-ward.  It  is 
 a  woeful  thing  to  die  and  miss  heaven,  and  to  lose  house-room 
 with  Christ  at  night.  It  is  an  evil  journey,  where  travellers  are 
 benighted  in  the  fields.  I  persuade  myself,  that  thousands  shall 
 be  deceived  and  ashamed  of  their  hope ;  because  they  cast  their 
 anchor  in  sinking  sands,  they  must  lose  it.  Till  now,  I  knew  not 
 the  pain,  labour,  nor  difficulty  that  there  is  to  win  home  ;  nor 
 did  I  understand  so  well,  before  this,  what  that  meaneth :  "  the 
 righteous  shall  scarcely  be  saved."  0,  how  many  a  poor  pro- 
 fessor's candle  is  blown  out,  and  never  lighted  again  !  I  see  ordi- 
 nary profession,  and  to  be  ranked  amongst  the  children  of  God, 
 and  to  have  a  name  among  men,  is  now  thought  good  enough  to 
 carry  professors  to  heaven  ;  but  certainly,  a  name  is  but  a  name, 
 and  will  never  bide  a  blast  of  God's  storm.  I  counsel  you  not  to 
 give  your  soul,  or  Christ  rest,  nor  your  eyes  sleep,  till  ye  have 
 gotten  something  that  will  bide  the  fire  and  stand  out  the  storm. 
 I  am  sure  if  my  one  foot  were  in  heaven,  and  then  He  would  say, 
 fend  3  thyself,  I  will  hold  my  grips  of  thee  no  longer  !  I  should  go 
 no  further,  but  presently  fall  down  in  as  many  pieces  of  dead 
 nature.  They  are  happy  for  evermore  who  are  over  head  and 
 ears  in  the  love  of  Christ,  and  know  no  sickness  but  love-sickness 
 for  Christ,  and  feel  no  pain  but  the  pain  of  an  absent  and  hidden 
 Well-Beloved.  We  run  our  souls  out  of  breath,  and  tire  them  in 
 coursing  and  galloping  after  our  own  night-dreams  (such  are  thy 
 
 '  Till.  -  C^uarter.  ^Takecareof. 
 
184  LETTER  LXXXIX. 
 
 rovings  of  our  miscarrying  hearts),  to  get  some  created  good  thing 
 in  this  life  and  on  this  side  of  death.  We  would  i\iin  stay  and 
 spin  out  a  heaven  to  ourselves  on  this  side  of  the  water ;  but 
 sorrow,  want,  changes,  crosses,  and  sin  are  both  woof  and  warp  in 
 that  ill-spun  web.  0,  how  sweet  and  dear  are  these  thoughts  that 
 are  still  upon  the  things  which  are  above  !  and  how  happy  are 
 they  who  are  longing  to  have  little  sand  in  their  glass,  and  to 
 have  time's  thread  cut,  and  can  cry  to  Christ,  Lord  Jesus  have 
 over,  come  and  fetch  the  driery -^  passenger !  I  wish  our  thoughts 
 were  more  frequently  than  they  are  on  our  country.  0,  but 
 heaven  casteth  a  sweet  smell  afar  off  to  those  who  have  spiritual 
 smelling  !  God  hath  made  many  fair  flowers,  but  the  fairest  of 
 them  all  is  heaven,  and  the  flower  of  all  flowers  is  Christ.  0,  why 
 do  we  not  flee  up  to  that  lovely  One  ?  Alas,  that  there  is  such 
 scarcity  of  love,  and  lovers  of  Christ,  amongst  us  all !  Fie,  fie 
 upon  us,  who  love  fair  things,  as  fair  gold,  fair  houses,  fair  lands, 
 fair  pleasures,  fair  honours,  and  fair  persons,  and  do  not  pine  and 
 melt  away  with  love  for  Christ !  0,  would  to  God  I  had  more  love 
 for  His  sake  !  0,  for  as  much  love  as  would  lie  betwixt  me  and 
 heaven  for  His  sake  !  0,  for  as  much  love  as  would  go  round  about 
 the  earth  and  over  the  heaven  ;  yea,  the  heaven  of  heavens,  and 
 ten  thousand  worlds,  that  I  might  let  all  out  upon  fair,  fair,  only 
 fair  Christ !  But,  alas  !  I  have  nothing  for  Him  ;  yet  He  hath  much 
 for  me.  It  is  no  gain  to  Christ  that  he  getteth  my  little  feckless  ^ 
 span-length  and  hand-breadth  of  love.  If  men  would  have  some- 
 thing to  do  with  their  hearts  and  their  thoughts,  that  are  always 
 rolling  up  and  down,  like  men  with  oars  in  a  boat,  after  sinful 
 vanities,  thay  may  find  great  and  sweet  employment  to  their 
 thoughts  upon  Christ.  If  these  frothy,  fluctuating,  and  restless 
 hearts  of  ours  would  come  all  about  Christ,  and  look  into  His  love, 
 to  bottomless  love,  to  the  depth  of  mercy,  to  the  unsearchable 
 riches  of  His  grace,  to  inquire  after  and  search  into  the  beauty  of 
 God  in  Christ,  they  would  be  swallowed  up  in  the  depth,  and 
 height,  length,  and  breadth  of  His  goodness.  0,  if  men  would 
 draw  the  curtains  and  look  into  the  inner  side  of  the  ark,  and  be- 
 hold how  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead  dwelleth  in  Him  bodily  ! 
 0,  who  would  not  say,  "  Let  me  die,  let  me  die  ten  times,  to  see 
 a  sight  of  Him  !"  Ten  thousand  deaths  were  no  great  price  to 
 give  for  Him.  I  am  sure,  sick,  fainting  love  would  heighten  the 
 market  and  raise  the  price  to  the  double  for  Him.  But,  alas,  if 
 men  and  angels  were  rouped  and  sold  at  the  dearest  price,  they 
 would  not  all  buy  a  night's  love  or  a  four-and-twenty  hours'  sight 
 of  Christ !  0,  how  happy  are  they  who  get  Christ  for  nothing  ! 
 God  send  me  no  more  for  my  part  of  paradise  but  Christ ;  and 
 ^  Weary.  -  Worthless. 
 
LETTEK  XC.  185 
 
 surely  I  were  rich  enough,  and  as  well  heavened  as  the  best  of 
 them,  if  Christ  were  my  heaven.  I  can  write  no  better  thing  to 
 you  than  to  desire  you,  if  ever  ye  laid  Christ  in  a  count,  to  take 
 Him  up  and  count  over  again,  and  weigh  Him  again  and  again  : 
 and  after  this  have  no  other  to  court  your  love,  and  to  woo  your 
 soul's  delight,  but  Christ.  He  will  be  found  worthy  of  all  your 
 love ;  howbeit  it  should  swell  upon  you,  from  the  earth  to  the 
 uppermost  circle  of  the  heaven  of  heavens.  To  our  Lord  Jesus 
 and  His  love  I  commend  you. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  K. 
 Aberdeen,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  XC— To  Jonet  Kennedy. 
 
 Mistress, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  unto  you.  Ye  are  not 
 a  little  obliged  to  His  rich  grace,  who  hath  separated  you  for  Him- 
 self, and  for  the  promised  inheritance  with  the  saints  in  light, 
 from  this  condemned  and  guilty  world.  Hold  fast  Christ,  con- 
 tend for  Him ;  it  is  a  lawful  plea  to  go  to  holding  and  drawing 
 for  Christ ;  and  it  is  not  possible  to  keep  Christ  peaceably,  having 
 once  gotten  Him,  except  the  devil  were  dead.  It  must  be  your 
 resolution  to  set  your  face  against  Satan's  northern  tempests  and 
 storms  for  salvation.  Nature  would  have  heaven  come  sleeping 
 to  us^  in  our  beds.  We  would  all  buy  Christ,  so  being  we  might 
 make  price  ourselves ;  but  Christ  is  worth  more  blood  and  lives 
 than  either  ye  or  I  have  to  give  Him.  When  we  shall  come 
 home,  and  enter  to  the  possession  of  our  Brother's  fair  kingdom, 
 and  when  our  heads  shall  find  the  Aveight  of  the  eternal  crown  of 
 glory,  and  when  we  shall  look  back  to  pains  and  sufferings ;  then 
 shall  we  see  life  and  sorrow  to  be  less  than  one  step  or  stride  from 
 a  prison  to  glory;  and  that  our  little  inch  of  time-suffering  is  not 
 worthy  of  our  first  night's  welcome  home  to  heaven.  0,  what 
 then  will  be  the  weight  of  every  one  of  Christ's  kisses !  0,  how 
 weighty  and  of  what  worth  shall  every  one  of  Christ's  love-smiles 
 be !  O-  "^hen  once  He  shall  thrust  a  wearied  traveller's  head 
 betwixt  His  blessed  breasts,  the  poor  soul  shall  think  one  kiss  of 
 Christ  hath  fully  paid  home  forty  or  fifty  years'  wet  feet,  and  all 
 its  sore  hearts  and  light  sufferings  it  had  in  following  after  Clirist! 
 0,  thrice-blinded  souls,  whose  hearts  are  charmed  and  bcAvitched 
 with  dreams,  shadows,  feckless^  things,  night  vanities,  and  night 
 fancies  of  a  miserable  life  of  sin.  Shame  on  us  who  sit  still,  fet- 
 tered with  the  love  and  liking  of  the  loan  of  a  piece  of  dead  clay. 
 0,  poor  fools  who  are  beguiled  with  painted  things,  and  this 
 world's  farir  weather  and  smooth  promises,  and  rotten  worm-eaten 
 *  To  us  sleeping.  ^  Worthless. 
 
186  LETTER  XC. 
 
 hopes!  may  not  the  devil  laugh,  to  see  us  give  out  our  souls,  and 
 get  in  but  corrupt  and  counterfeit  pleasures  of  sin  1  0,  for  a 
 sight  of  eternity's  glory,  and  a  little  tasting  of  the  Lamb's  mar- 
 riage-supper! Half  a  draught  or  a  drop  of  the  wine  of  consola- 
 tions, that  is  up  in  our  banqueting-house,  out  of  Christ's  own 
 hand,  would  make  our  stomachs  loathe  the  brown  bread  and  the 
 sour  drink  of  a  miserable  life.  0,  how  far  are  we  bereft  of  wit, 
 to  chase,  and  hunt,  and  run  till  our  souls  be  out  of  breath,  after  a 
 condemned  happiness  of  our  own  making  !  And  do  we  not  sit  far 
 in  our  own  light  to  make  it  a  matter  of  bairn's  play,  to  skink^  and 
 drink  over  paradise  and  the  heaven  that  Christ  did  sweat  for, 
 even  for  a  blast  of  smoke,  and  for  Esau's  morning  breakfast?  0, 
 that  we  were  out  of  ourselves  and  dead  to  this  world,  and  this 
 world  dead  and  crucified  to  us,  and  then  we  should  be  close  out 
 of  love  and  conceit  of  any  masked  and  fairded^  lover  whatsoever. 
 Then  Christ  would  win  and  conquer  to  Himself  a  lodging  in  the 
 inmost  yolk  of  our  heart.  Then  Christ  should  be  our  night-song 
 and  our  morning-song.  Then  the  very  noise  and  din  of  our  Well- 
 Beloved's  feet,  when  He  cometh,  and  His  first  knock  or  rap  at  the 
 door  should  be  as  the  news  of  two  heavens  to  us.  0,  that  our 
 eyes  and  our  soul's  smelling  should  go  after  a  blasted  and  sun- 
 burnt flower,  even  this  plastered,  fair-out-sided  world ;  and  then 
 we  have  neither  eye  nor  smell  for  the  flower  of  Jesse,  for  that 
 "Plant  of  renown,"  for  Christ,  the  choicest,  the  fairest,  the  sweetest 
 rose  that  ever  God  planted  !  0,  let  some  of  us  die  to  feel  the  smell 
 of  Him,  and  let  my  part  of  this  rotten  world  be  forfeited  and  sold 
 for  evermore,  providing  I  may  anchor  my  tottering  soul  upon 
 Christ !  I  know  it  is  sometimes  at  this.  Lord,  What  wilt  Thou 
 have  for  Christ?  But,  0  Lord,  canst  Thou  be  bodded  or  pro- 
 pined  ^  with  any  gift  for  Christ  1  0  Lord,  can  Christ  be  sold  ?  or 
 rather,  may  not  a  poor  needy  sinner  have  Him  for  nothing  1  If  I 
 can  get  no  more,  0  let  me  be  pained  to  all  eternity  with  longing 
 for  Him.  The  joy  of  hungering  for  Christ  should  be  my  heaven 
 for  evermore.  Alas,  that  I  cannot  draw  souls  and  Christ  together. 
 But  I  desire  the  coming  of  His  kingdom,  and  that  Christ  (as  I  as- 
 suredly hope  He  shall)  would  come  upon  withered  Scotland,  as 
 rain  upon  the  new  mown  grass.  0  let  the  King  come  !  0  let  His 
 kingdom  come  !  0  let  their  eyes  rot  in  their  eye-holes,  who  will 
 not  receive  Him  home  again  to  reign  and  rule  in  Scotland  !  Grace, 
 grace  be  with  you. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  II. 
 Aberdeen,  1637. 
 
 '  Ivenounce.  ''  Painted.  ■*  Bought  or  bribed. 
 
LETTEK  XCI.  187 
 
 LETTER  XCI— To  his  Reverend  and  Dear  Brother,  Mr.  David 
 
 Dickson. 
 
 Reverend  and  dearest  Brother, — What  joy  have  I  out  of 
 heaven's  gates,  but  that  my  Lord  Jesus  be  glorified  in  my  bonds'? 
 Blessed  be  ye  of  the  Lord  who  contribute  anything  to  my  obliged 
 and  indebted  praises.  Dear  brother,  help  me,  a  poor  dyvour,^  to 
 pay  the  interest,  for  I  cannot  come  nigh  to  render  the  principal. 
 It  is  not  jest  nor  sport  which  maketh  me  to  speak  and  write  as  I 
 do.  I  never  before  came  to  that  nick  or  pitch  of  a  communion 
 with  Christ  that  I  have  now  attained  unto  for  my  confirmation. 
 I  have  been  these  two  Sabbaths  or  three  in  private,  taking  instru- 
 ments ^  in  the  name  of  God,  that  my  Lord  Jesus  and  I  have  kissed 
 each  other  in  Aberdeen,  the  house  of  my  pilgrimage.  I  seek  not 
 an  apple  to  play  me  witli.  He  knoweth  whom  I  serve  in  the  Spirit, 
 but  a  seal ;  I  but  beg  earnest,  and  am  content  to  suspend  and 
 frist^  glory  while ^  supper  time.  I  know  this  world  will  not  last 
 with  me  ;  for  my  moonlight  is  noon  daylight,  and  my  four-hours  '' 
 above  my  feasts  when  I  was  a  preacher ;  at  which  times  also,  I 
 was  embraced  very  often  in  His  arms.  But  who  can  blame  Christ 
 to  take  me  on  behind  Him  (if  I  may  say  so)  on  His  white  horse, 
 or  in  His  chariot  paved  with  lov^e,  through  a  water?  Will  not  a 
 father  take  his  little  dauted*^  Davie  in  his  arms,  and  carry  him 
 over  a  ditch  or  a  mire  %  My  short  legs  could  not  step  over  this 
 laire'''  or  sinking  mire,  and  therefore  my  Lord  Jesus  will  bear  me 
 through.  If  a  change  come  and  a  dark  day,  so  being  that  He  will 
 keep  my  faith  without  flaw  or  crack,  I  dare  not  blame  Him,  how- 
 beit  I  get  no  more  while*  I  come  to  heaven.  But  ye  know,  the 
 physic  behoved  to  have  sugar ;  my  faith  was  fallen  a-swoon,  and 
 Christ  but  held  up  a  swooning  man's  head.  Indeed  I  pray  not 
 for  a  dauted  ^  bairn's  diet.  He  knoweth,  I  would  have  Christ  sour 
 or  sweet,  any  way,  so  being  it  be  Christ  indeed.  I  stand  not  now 
 upon  pared  apples,  or  sugared  dishes ;  but  I  cannot  blame  Him  to 
 give ;  and  I  must  gape  and  make  a  wide  mouth.  Since  Christ 
 will  not  pantry-up^  joys»  He  must  be  welcome,  who  will  not  bide 
 aAvay.  I  seek  no  other  fruit,  but  that  He  may  be  glorified.  He 
 knoweth,  I  would  take  hard  fare  to  have  His  name  set  on  high. 
 I  bless  you  for  your  counsel.  I  hope  to  live  by  faiili,  and  swim 
 without  a  mass  or  bundle  of  joyful  sense  under  my  chin  ;  at  least 
 to  venture,  albeit  I  should  be  ducked.  Now,  for  my  case,  I  think 
 the  Council  should  be  essayed,  and  the  event  referred  to  God. 
 Duties  are  ours,  and  events  are  God's.  I  shall  go  through  yours 
 upon  the  covenant  at  leisure,  and  write  to  you  my  mind  therean- 
 
 ^  Debtor.  ^  Protesting  (a  Scotch  law  term).  ^  Postpone.  *  TilL 
 
 ^  A  slight  repast,  taken  at  four  o'clock,  between  dinner  and  supper. 
 ®  Fondled.  ''  Quagmire.  ^  Store-up. 
 
188  LETTER  XCII. 
 
 ent,  and  anent  the  Arminiaa  contriict  betwixt  the  Father  and  the 
 Son.  I  beseech  you  set  to,  to  go  throiigii  Scripture.  Yours  on 
 the  Hebrews  is  in  great  request  with  all  who  would  be  acquainted 
 with  Christ's  testament.  I  purpose,  God  willing,  to  set  about 
 Hos'ea,  and  to  try  if  I  can  get  it  to  the  press  here.  It  refresheth 
 nie  much,  that  ye  are  so  kind  to  my  brother;  I  hope  your  counsel 
 shall  do  him  good ;  I  recommend  him  to  you,  since  I  am  so  far 
 from  him.  I  am  glad  that  the  dying  servant  of  God,  famous  and 
 faitliful  Mr.  Cuninghame,  sealed  your  ministry  before  he  fell 
 asleep.     Grace,  grace  be  with  you. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 
 Aberdeen,  March  7,  1637. 
 
 LETTEE  XCII— To  the  mucli  Honoured  William  Riggie  of 
 
 Atheruie. 
 
 Much  honoured  Sir, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you.  I 
 received  your  long-looked-for  and  short  letter ;  I  would  ye  had 
 spoke  more  to  me,  who.  stand  in  need.  I  find  Christ,  as  ye  write, 
 aye  the  longer  the  better,  and,  therefore,  cannot  but  rejoice  in  His 
 salvation,  who  hath  made  my  chains  my  wings,  and  hath  made  me 
 a  king  over  my  crosses  and  over  my  adversaries.  Glory,  glory, 
 glory  to  His  high,  high,  and  holy  name.  Not  one  ounce,  not  one 
 grain-weight  more  is  laid  on  me  than  He  hath  enabled  me  to  bear. 
 And  I  am  not  so  much  wearied  to  suffer  as  Zion's  haters  are  to 
 persecute.  0,  if  I  could  find  a  way,  in  any  measure,  to  strive  to 
 be  even  with  Christ's  love;  but  that  I  must  give  over!  0,  who 
 would  help  a  dyvour^  to  pay  praises  to  the  King  of  saints,  who 
 triumpheth  in  His  weak  servants  1  I  see,  if  Christ  but  ride  upon 
 a  worm,  or  a  feather.  His  horse  will  neither  stumble  nor  fall. 
 "  The  worm  Jacob  is  made  by  Him  a  new  sharp  threshing  instru- 
 ment having  teeth,  to  thresh  the  mountains,  and  beat  them  small, 
 and  to  make  the  hills  as  chaff  and  to  fan  them,  so  as  the  wind 
 shall  carry  them  away,  and  the  whirlwind  shall  scatter  them." 
 Isa.  xli.  14,  15,  16.  Christ's  enemies  are  but  breaking  their  own 
 heads  in  pieces  upon  the  rock  laid  in  Zion,  and  the  stone  is  not 
 removed  out  of  its  place.  Faith  hath  cause  to  take  courage  from 
 our  very  afflictions  ;  the  devil  is  but  a  whet-stone  to  sharpen  the 
 faith  and  patience  of  the  saints.  I  know  He  but  heweth  and 
 polisheth  stones  all  this  time  for  the  New  Jerusalem.  But  in  all 
 this,  three  things  have  much  moved  me,  since  it  hath  pleased  my 
 Lord  to  turn  my  moonlight  into  daylight.  First,  He  hath  yoked 
 me  to  work,  to  wrestle  with  Christ's  love  of  longing,  wherewith  I 
 am  sick-pained,  fainting,  and  like  to  die,  because  I  cannot  get 
 
 1  Debtor. 
 
LETTER  XCIIl.  189 
 
 Himself,  which  I  think  a  strange  sort  of  desertion,  for  I  have  not 
 Himself  (whom  if  I  had,  my  love-sickness  would  cool,  and  my 
 fever  go  away ;  at  least,  I  should  know  the  heat  of  the  fire  of 
 complacency,  which  would  cool  the  scorching  heat  of  the  fire  of 
 desire),  and  yet  I  have  no  penury  of  His  love,  and  so  I  dwine,  I 
 die,  and  He  seemeth  not  to  rue^  on  me.  I  take  instruments  in 
 His  hand^  that  I  would  have  Him;  but  I  cannot  get  Him,  and 
 my  best  cheer  is  black  hunger :  I  bless  Him  for  that  feast. 
 Secondly,  old  challenges  now  and  then  revive  and  cast  all  down. 
 I  go  halting  and  sighing,  fearing  there  be  an  unseen  process  yet 
 coming  out,  and  that  heavier  than  I  can  answer.  I  cannot  read 
 distinctly  my  Surety's  act  of  cautionery^  for  me  in  particular,  and 
 my  discharge  ;  and  sense,  rather  than  faith,  assureth  me  of  what 
 I  have  ;  so  unable  am  I  to  go,  but  by  a  hold.  I  could  (with  rever- 
 ence of  my  Lord)  forgive  Christ,  if  He  would  give  me  as  much 
 faith  as  I  have  hunger  for  Him.  I  hope  the  pardon  is  now  ob- 
 tained, but  the  peace  is  not  so  sure  to  me  as  I  would  wish.  Yet 
 one  thing  I  know ;  there  is  not  a  way  to  heaven  but  the  way  He 
 hath  graced  me  to  profess  and  suffer  for.  Thirdly,  woe,  woe  is 
 me,  for  the  virgin  daughter  of  Scotland,  and  for  the  fearful  desola- 
 tion and  wrath  appointed  for  this  land  ;  and  yet,  all  are  sleeping, 
 eating  and  drinking,  laughing  and  sporting,  as  if  all  were  well. 
 0,  our  dim  gold,  our  dumb,  blind  pastors ;  the  sun  is  gone  down 
 upon  them,  and  our  nobles  bid  Christ  fend^  for  Himself,  if  He  be 
 Christ.  It  were  good  we  should  learn  in  time  the  way  to  our 
 stronghold.  Sir,  howbeit  not  acquainted,  remember  my  love  to 
 your  wife.     I  pray  God  establish  you. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 
 Aberdeen,  March  9,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  XCIIL— To  John  Ewart,  Bailie  of  Kirkcudbright. 
 
 My  a^ery  worthy  and  dear  Friend, — I  cannot  but  most 
 kindly  thank  you  for  the  expressions  of  your  love.  Your  love 
 and  respect  to  me  is  Si  great  comfort  to  me.  I  bless  His  high  and 
 glorious  name,  that  the  terrors  of  great  men  have  not  affrighted 
 me  from  open  avouching  of  tlje  Son  of  God  ;  nay.  His  cross  is  the 
 sweetest  burden  that  ever  I  bare  :  it  is  such  a  burden  as  wings  are 
 to  a  bird,  or  sails  to  a  ship,  to  carry  me  forward  to  my  harbour. 
 I  have  not  much  cause  to  fall  in  love  with  the  world  ;  but  rather 
 to  wish,  that  He  who  sitteth  upon  the  floods  would  bring  my 
 broken  ship  to  land,  and  keep  my  conscience  safe  in  these  danger- 
 ous times,  for  wrath  from  the  Lord  is  coming  on  this  sinful  lanri 
 It  were  good,  that  we,  prisoners  of  hope,  knew  of  our  strongholi 
 ^  I'ake  pity.  ^  Protest.  -^  Security.  •*  Provide. 
 
190  LETTEll  XCIV. 
 
 to  run  to,  before  the  storm  come  on  ;  therefore,  sir,  I  beseech  you, 
 by  the  mercies  of  God,  and  comforts  of  His  Spirit,  by  the  blood 
 of  your  Saviour,  and  by  your  compearance  before  the  sin-revenging 
 Judge  of  the  world,  keep  your  garments  clean,  and  stand  for  the 
 truth  of  Christ,  which  ye  profess.  When  the  time  shall  come  that 
 your  eye-strings  shall  break,  your  face  wax  pale,  your  breath  grow 
 cold,  and  this  house  of  clay  shall  totter,  and  your  one  foot  shall 
 be  over  the  march ^  in  eternity,  it  shall  be  your  comfort  and  joy 
 that  ye  gave  your  name  to  Christ.  The  greatest  part  of  the 
 world  think  heaven  at  the  next  door,  and  that  Christianity  is  an 
 easy  task  ;  but  they  will  be  beguiled.  Worthy  sir,  I  beseech  you 
 make  sure  work  of  salvation  ;  I  have  found  by  experience,  that  all 
 I  could  do  hath  had  much  ado  in  the  day  of  my  trial ;  and  there- 
 fore lay  up  a  sure  foundation  for  the  time  to  come.  I  cannot 
 requite  you  for  your  undeserved  favours  to  me  and  my  now 
 afflicted  brother ;  but  I  trust  to  remember  you  to  God.  Re- 
 member me  heartily  to  your  kind  wife. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  only  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 
 Aberdeen,  March  13,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  XCIV.— To  William  Fullerton,  Provost  of 
 Kirkcudbright. 
 
 Much  honoured  Sir, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you.  1 
 am  obliged  to  your  love  in  God.  I  beseech  you,  sir,  let  nothing 
 be  so  dear  to  you  as  Christ's  truth,  for  salvation  is  worth  all  the 
 world,  and  therefore  be  not  afraid  of  men  that  shall  die.  The 
 Lord  shall  do  for  you  in  your  suffering  for  Him,  and  shall  bless 
 your  house  and  seed ;  and  ye  have  God's  promise,  that  ye  shall 
 have  His  presence  in  fire,  water,  and  in  seven  tribulations.  Your 
 day  will  wear  to  an  end,  and  your  sun  go  down.  Li  deatli,  it  will 
 be  your  joy  that  ye  have  ventured  all  je  have  for  Christ,  and 
 there  is  not  a  promise  of  heaven  made  but  to  such  as  are  willing 
 to  suffer  for  it.  It  is  a  castle  taken  by  force.  This  earth  is  but 
 the  clay-portion  of  bastards,  and  therefore  no  wonder  the  world 
 smile  on  its  own ;  but  better  things  are  laid  up  for  His  lawfully 
 begotten  bairns,^  whom  the  world  hatetli.  I  have  experience  to 
 speak  this.  For  I  would  not  exchange  my  prison  and  sad  nights 
 with  the  court,  honour,  and  ease  of  my  adversaries.  My  Lord  is 
 pleased  to  make  many  unknown  faces  to  laugh  upon  me,  and  to 
 provide  a  lodging  for  me  ;  and  He  Himself  visiteth  my  soul  with 
 feasts  of  spiritual  comforts.  0,  how  sweet  a  Master  is  Christ ! 
 blessed  are  these  who  lay  down  all  for  Him.  I  thank  you  kindly 
 for  your  love  to  my  distressed  brother.  Ye  have  the  blessing  and 
 1  Boundary.  -  Children. 
 
LETTEK  XCV.  191 
 
 prayers  of  the  prisoner  of  Christ  to  3'ou,  your  wife,  and  children, 
 liemember  my  love  and  blessing  to  William  and  Samuel.  I  desire 
 them  in  their  youth  to  seeli  the  Lord  and  fear  His  great  name  ;  to 
 pray  twice  a  day  (at  least)  to  God,  and  to  read  God's  word  ;  to 
 keep  themselves  from  cursing,  lying,  and  filthy  talking.  Now, 
 the  only  wise  God,  and  the  presence  of  the  Son  of  God  be  with 
 you  all.  Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 
 
 Aberdeen,  March  13,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  XCV.— To  the  Worthy  and  much  Honoured  ^Ir. 
 Alexander  Colvill  of  Blair. 
 
 Much  honoured  Sir, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you. 
 The  bearer  hereof,  M.  R.  F.,  is  most  kind  to  me  ;  I  desire  you  to 
 thank  him  ;  but  none  is  so  kind  as  my  only  royal  King  and  Master, 
 whose  cross  is  my  garland.  The  King  dineth  with  His  prisoner, 
 and  His  spikenard  casteth  a  smell.  He  hath  led  me  up  to  such  a 
 pitch  and  nick  of  joyful  communion  with  Himself  as  I  never 
 knew  before.  When  I  look  back  to  bygones,  I  judge  myself  to 
 have  been  a  child  at  A,  B,  C  with  Christ.  Worthy  sir,  pardon 
 me,  I  dare  not  conceal  it  from  you,  it  is  as  a  fire  in  my  bowels. 
 In  His  presence,  Avho  seeth  me,  I  speak  it,  I  am  pained  Avith  the 
 love  of  Christ ;  He  hath  made  me  sick  and  wounded  me.  Hunger 
 for  Christ  out-runneth  faith.  I  miss  faith  more  than  love.  0,  if 
 the  three  kingdoms  would  come  and  see  !  0,  if  they  knew  His 
 kindness  to  my  soul !  It  hath  pleased  Him  to  bring  me  to  this, 
 that  I  will  not  strike  sails  to  this  world,  nor  flatter  it,  nor  adore 
 trhis  clay-idol,  that  fools  worship.  As  I  am  now  disposed,  I  think 
 I  will  neither  borrow  nor  lend  with  it ;  and  yet  I  get  my  meat 
 from  Christ  with  nurture;^  for  seven  times  a  day  I  am  lifted  up 
 and  casten  down.  My  dumb  sabbaths  burden  my  heart  and  make 
 it  bleed.  I  want  not  fearful  challenges,  and  jealousies  sometimes 
 of  Christ's  love,  that  He  hath  casten  me  over  the  dyke^  of  the 
 vineyard  as  a  dry  tree.  But  this  is  my  infirmity.  By  His  grace 
 I  take^  myself  in  these  ravings.  It  is  kindly  that  faith  and  love 
 both  be  sick,  and  fevers  are  kindly  to  most  joyful  communion 
 with  Christ.  Ye  are  blessed,  who  avouch  Christ  openly  before 
 the  princes  of  this  kingdom,  whose  eyes  are  upon  you.  It  is  your 
 glory  to  lift  Him  up  on  His  throne,  to  carry  His  train,  and  bear 
 up  the  hem  of  His  robe  royal.  He  hath  an  hiding-place  for  M.  A.  C. 
 against  the  storm.  Go  on  and  fear  not  what  man  can  do  :  the 
 saints  seem  to  have  the  worst  of  it  (for  apprehensions  can  make  a 
 lie  of  Christ  and  of  His  love),  but  it  is  not  so  ;  providence  is  not 
 rolled  upon  unequal  and  crooked  wheels :  "  All  things  work  to- 
 »  Discii)liae.  2  Wall.  ^  Check 
 
192  LETTER  XCVI. 
 
 gether  for  the  good  of  tliose  who  love  God,  and  are  called  accord- 
 ing to  His  purpose."  Ere  it  be  long,  we  shall  see  the  white  side 
 of  God's  providence.  My  brother's  case  hath  moved  me  not  a 
 little.  He  wrote  to  me  your  care  and  kindness.  Sir,  the  prisoner's 
 blessings  and  prayers  I  trust  shall  not  go  by^  you.  "  He  that  is 
 able  to  keep  you,  and  to  present  you  before  the  presence  of  His 
 face  with  joy,  establish  your  heart  in  the  love  of  Christ." 
 
 Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 
 Aberdeen,  Feb.  19,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  XCVI.— To  Earlestown,  Younger. 
 
 Honoured  and  dear  Brother,— Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be 
 to  you.  I  received  your  letter,  which  refreshed  my  soul.  I  thank 
 God  the  court  is  closed ;  I  think  shame  of  my  part  of  it.  I  pass 
 now  from  my  unjust  summons  of  unkindness,  libelled  against 
 Christ  my  Lord.  He  is  not  such  a  Lord  and  Master  as  I  took 
 Him  to  be ;  verily,  He  is  God,  and  I  am  dust  and  ashes.  I  took 
 Christ's  glooms  to  be  as  good  as  scripture  speaking  wrath,  but  I 
 have  seen  the  other  side  of  Christ,  and  the  white  side  of  His  cross 
 now.  I  behoved  to  come  to  Aberdeen,  to  learn  a  new  mystery  in 
 Christ,  that  His  promise  is  better  to  be  believed  than  His  looks ; 
 and  that  the  devil  can  cause  Christ's  glooms  speak  a  lie  to  a  weak 
 man.  Nay,  verily,  I  was  a  child  before,  all  bygones  are  but 
 bairns'  play.  I  would  I  could  begin  to  be  a  Christian  in  sad 
 earnest.  I  need  not  blame  Christ  if  I  be  not  one ;  for  He  hath 
 showed  me  heaven  and  hell  in  Aberdeen.  But  the  truth  is,  for 
 all  my  sorrow  Christ  is  nothing  in  my  debt ;  for  His  comforts 
 have  refreshed  my  soul.  I  have  heard  and  seen  Him  in  His  sweet- 
 ness, so  as  I  am  almost  saying,  it  is  not  He  that  I  was  wont  to 
 meet  with.  He  laugheth  more  cheerfully ;  His  kisses  are  more 
 sweet  and  soul-refreshing  than  the  kisses  of  the  Christ  I  saw  be- 
 fore were  (though  He  be  the  same) ;  or  rather,  the  King  hath  led 
 me  up  to  a  measure  of  joy  and  communion  with  my  Bridegroom 
 that  I  never  attained  to  before  ;  so  that  often  I  think  I  will  neither 
 borrow  nor  lend  with  this  world,  I  Avill  not  strike  sail  to  crosses, 
 nor  flatter  them,  to  be  quit  of  them,  as  I  have  done.  Come  all 
 crosses ;  welcome,  welcome !  so  I  may  get  my  heart  full  of  my 
 Lord  Jesus.  I  have  been  so  near  Him,  as  I  have  said,  I  take 
 instruments,"  this  is  the  Lord,  leave  a  token  behind  thee,  that  I 
 may  never  forget  this.  Now  what  can  Christ  do  more  to  daut  ^ 
 one  of  His  poor  prisoners  ?  Therefore,  sir,  I  charge  you,  in  the 
 name  ol  my  Lord  Jesus,  praise  with  me,  and  show  to  others  what 
 He  hath  done  unto  my  soul.     This  is  the  fruit  of  my  sufFerings, 
 
 1  Past.  -  Protest.  ''  Fondle. 
 
LETTER  XCVI.  193 
 
 that  I  desii'e  Christ's  name  may  be  spread  abroad  in  this  kingdom 
 in  my  behalf.  I  hope  in  God  not  to  slander  Him  again  ;  yet  in 
 all  this,  I  get  not  my  feasts  without  some  mixture  of  gall ;  neither 
 am  I  free  of  old  jealousies,  for  He  hath  removed  my  lovers  and 
 friends  far  from  me ;  He  hath  made  my  congregation  desolate, 
 and  taken  away  my  crown ;  and  my  dumb  sabbaths  are  like  a 
 stone  tied  to  a  bird's  foot,  that  wanteth  not  wings,  they  seem  to 
 hinder  me  to  flee,  were  it  not  that  I  dare  not  say  one  word,  but, 
 "  well  done,  Lord  Jesus."  We  can  in  our  prosperity  sport  our- 
 selves, and  be  too  bold  with  Christ;  yea,  be  that^  insolent  as  to 
 chide  with  Him ;  but  under  the  water  we  dare  not  speak.  I 
 wonder  now  of  my  sometimes  boldness,  to  chide  and  quarrel  Christ, 
 to  nickname  providence,  when  it  stroked  me  against  the  hair ;  but 
 now  swimming  in  the  waters,  I  think  my  will  is  fallen  to  the 
 ground  of  the  water.  I  have  lost  it.  I  think  I  would  fain  let 
 Christ  alone  and  give  Him  leave  to  do  Avith  me  what  He  pleaseth, 
 if  He  would  smile  upon  me.  Verily,  we  know  not  what  an  evil  it 
 is  to  spill ^  and  indulge  ourselves,  and  to  make  an  idol  of  our  will. 
 I  was  once  I  would  not  eat  except  I  had  waled  ^  meat ;  now  I  dare 
 not  complain  of  crumbs  and  parings  under  His  table.  I  was  once 
 that  I  would  make  the  house  ado,  if  I  saw  not  the  world  carved 
 and  set  in  order  to  my  liking ;  now  I  am  silent,  when  I  see  God 
 hath  set  servants  on  horseback,  and  is  fattening  and  feeding  the 
 children  of  perdition.  I  pray  God,  I  never  find  my  will  again. 
 0,  if  Christ  would  subject  my  will  to  His  and  trample  it  under 
 His  feet,  and  liberate  me  from  that  lawless  lord !  Now,  sir,  in 
 your  youth  gather  fast,  your  sun  will  mount  to  the  meridian 
 quickly,  and  thereafter  decline.  Be  greedy  of  grace.  Study  above 
 anything,  my  dear  brother,  to  mortify  your  lusts.  0,  but  pride 
 of  youth,  vanity,  lust,  idolizing  of  the  world,  and  charming  plea- 
 sures take  long  time  to  root  them  out !  As  far  as  ye  are  advanced 
 in  the  way  to  heaven,  as  near  as  ye  are  to  Christ,  as  much  progress 
 as  ye  have  made  in  the  way  of  mortification,  ye  will  find  that  ye 
 are  far  behind,  and  have  most  of  your  work  before  you.  I  never 
 took  it  to  be  so  hard  to  be  dead  to  my  lusts  and  to  this  world. 
 When  the  day  of  visitation  cometh,  and  j^our  old  idols  come  weep- 
 ing about  you,  ye  will  have  much  ado  not  to  break  your  heart ;  it 
 is  best  to  give  up  in  time  with  them,  so  as  ye  could  at  a  call  quit 
 your  part  of  this  world  for  a  drink  of  water  or  a  thing  of  nothing. 
 Verily,  I  have  seen  the  best  of  this  world,  a  moth-eaten,  thread- 
 bare coat :  I  purpose  to  lay  it  aside,  being  now  holey  and  old.  0, 
 for  my  house  above  not  made  with  hands  !  Pray  for  Christ's 
 prisoner,  and  write  to  me.  Remember  my  love  to  your  mother. 
 Desire  her  from  me  to  make  for*  removing;  the  Lord's  tide  will 
 
 ^  So.  -  Spoil.  "  Picked  or  choice.  ■*  Prei^are  for. 
 
194  LETTER  XCVII. 
 
 not  bide  her  ;  and  to  seek  an  lieavenly  mind,  that  her  heart  may 
 be  often  there.     Grace  be  with  you. 
 
 Yours  and  Christ's  prisoner,         S.  R. 
 Aberdeen,  Feb.  20,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  XCVIL— To  Robert  Glendining. 
 
 My  dear  Friend, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  yon.  I 
 thank  you  most  kindly  for  your  care  of  me,  and  your  love  and 
 respective^  kindness  to  my  brother  in  his  distress.  I  pray  the 
 Lord,  ye  may  find  mercy  in  the  day  of  Christ,  and  I  entreat  you, 
 sir,  to  consider  the  times  ye  live  in,  and  that  your  soul  is  of  more 
 worth  to  you  than  the  whole  world,  which,  in  the  day  of  the  blow- 
 ing of  the  last  trumpet,  shall  lie  in  white  ashes,  as  an  old  castle 
 burnt  to  nothing :  and  remember  that  judgment  and  eternity  is 
 before  you.  My  dear  and  worthy  friend,  let  me  entreat  you  in 
 Christ's  name,  and  by  the  salvation  of  your  soul,  and  by  your 
 compearance  before  the  dreadful  and  sin-revenging  Judge  of  the 
 world,  make  your  accounts  ready  :  read  them  ere  ye  come  to  the 
 water  side  ;  for  your  afternoon  will  wear  short,  and  your  sun  fall 
 low  and  go  down  :  and  ye  know  that  this  long  time  your  Lord 
 hath  waited  on  you.  0,  how  comfortable  a  thing  shall  it  be  to 
 you,  when  time  shall  be  no  more,  and  your  soul  shall  depart  out 
 of  the  house  of  clay,  to  vast  and  endless  eternity,  to  have  your 
 soul  dressed  up  and  prepared  for  your  Bridegroom !  No  loss  is 
 comparable  to  the  loss  of  the  soul,  there  is  no  hope  of  regaining 
 that  loss.  0,  how  joyful  would  my  soul  be  to  hear  that  ye  would 
 start  to  the  gate,  and  contend  for  the  crown,  and  leave  all  vanities, 
 and  make  Christ  your  garland  !  let  your  soul  put  away  your  old 
 lovers,  and  let  Christ  have  your  whole  love  :  I  have  some  experi- 
 ence to  write  of  this  to  you.  My  witness  is  in  heaven.  I  would 
 not  exchange  my  chains  and  bonds  for  Christ,  and  my  sighs  for 
 ten  worlds'  glory.  I  judge  this  clay-idol,  that  Adam's  sons  are 
 rouping  and  selling  their  souls  for,  not  worth  a  drink  of  cold 
 water.  0,  if  your  soul  were  in  my  soul's  stead,  how  sick  would 
 ye  be  of  love  for  that  fairest  One,  that  fairest  among  the  sons  of 
 men !  May-flowers,  and  morning-vapours,  and  summer-mist, 
 posteth  not  so  fast  away  as  these  worm-eaten  pleasures  that  we  follow. 
 We  build  castles  in  the  air,  and  night-dreams  are  our  day^  idols 
 that  we  dote  on.  Salvation,  salvation  is  our  only  one  necessary 
 thing.  Sir.  call  home  your  thoughts  to  this  work,  to  inquire  for 
 your  Well-Beloved  :  this  earth  is  the  portion  of  bastards ;  seek  the 
 son's  inheritance,  and  let  Christ's  truth  be  dear  to  you.  I  pawn 
 my  salvation  on  it,  tliat  this  is  the  honour  of  Christ's  kingdom  I 
 
 1  Ecspectful.  '  (?".  Clay. 
 
LETTEKS  XCVIll,  AND  XCIX.  196 
 
 now  suffer  for  (and  this  world  I  hope  shall  not  come  between  me 
 and  my  garland)  and  that  this  is  the  way  to  life.  When  ye  and 
 I  shall  lie  lumps  of  pale  clay  upon  the  cold  ground,  our  pleasures, 
 that  we  now  naturally  love,  shall  be  less  than  nothing  in  that  day. 
 Dear  brother,  fulfil  my  joy,  and  betake  you  to  Christ  without 
 further  delay,  ye  will  be  fain  at  length  to  seek  to  Him,  or  do  in- 
 finitely worse.  Remember  my  love  tc  your  wife.  Grace  be  Avith 
 you.  Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  K. 
 
 Aberdeen,  March  13,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  XCVIIL— To  William  aLENDiNiNG. 
 
 Well-beloved  and  dear  Brother, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace 
 be  to  you.  I  thank  you  most  kindly  for  your  care  and  love  to 
 me,  and,  in  particular,  to  my  brother  in  his  distress  in  Edinburgh. 
 Go  on  through  your  waters  without  wearying,  your  Guide  knoweth 
 the  Avay,  follow  Him,  and  cast  your  cares  and  tentations  upon 
 Him  :  and  let  not  worms,  the  sons  of  men,  affright  you ;  they 
 shall  die,  and  the  moth  shall  eat  tliem  ;  keep  your  garland,  there 
 is  no  less  at  the  stake,  in  this  game  betwixt  us  and  the  world,  than 
 our  conscience  and  salvation  :  we  have  need  to  take  heed  to  the 
 game,  and  not  to  yield  to  them.  Let  them  take  other  things 
 from  us ;  but  here,  in  matters  of  conscience,  we  must  hold  and 
 draw  with  kings,  and  set  ourselves  in  terms  of  opposition  with  the 
 shields  of  the  earth.  0,  the  sweet  communion  for  evermore  that 
 hath  been  between  Christ  and  His  poor  prisoner  !  He  wearieth 
 not  to  be  kind.  He  is  the  fairest  sight  I  see  in  Aberdeen,  or  any 
 part  that  ever  my  feet  were  in.  Remember  my  hearty  kindness 
 to  your  wife ;  I  desire  her  to  believe,  and  lay  her  cares  on  God, 
 and  make  fast  work  of  salvation.     Grace  be  with  you. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  only  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 
 
 Aberdeen,  March  13,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  XCIX.— To  Jean  Brown. 
 
 Well  beloved  and  dear  Sister, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be 
 to  you.  1  received  your  letter,  which  I  esteem  an  evidence  of 
 your  Christian  affection  to  me,  and  of  your  love  to  my  honourable 
 Lord  and  Master.  My  desire  is,  that  your  communion  with  Christ 
 may  grow,  and  that  your  reckonings  may  be  put  by-hand  ^  with 
 your  Lord,  ere  ye  come  to  the  water  side.  0,  who  knoweth  how 
 sweet  Christ's  kisses  are  !  who  hath  been  more  kindly  embraced 
 and  kissed  than  I,  His  banished  prisoner?  If  the  comparison 
 could  stand,  I  would  not  exchange  Christ  with  heaven  itself.     He 
 
 ^  ^loy  be  settled  or  accomi)lislied. 
 
196  LETTER  C. 
 
 hath  left  a  dart  and  arrow  of  love  in  my  soul,  and  it  paineth  me 
 till  He  come  and  take  it  out.  I  find  pain  of  these  wounds,  be- 
 cause I  would  have  possession.  I  know  now,  this  worm-eaten 
 apple,  the  plastered  rotten  world,  that  the  silly  children  of  this 
 world  are  beating,  and  buffeting,  and  pulling  others' ^  ears  for,  is  a 
 portion  for  bastards  good  enough :  and  that  is  all  they  have  to  look 
 for.  I  offend  not^  that  my  adversaries  stay  at  home  at  their  own 
 fireside  with  more  yearly  rent  than  I ;  should  I  be  angry  that  the 
 goodman  of  this  house  of  the  world  casteth  a  dog  a  bone  to  hurt 
 his  teeth  ?  He  hath  taught  me  to  be  content  Avith  a  borrowed 
 fireside  and  an  uncouth  bed ;  and  I  think  I  have  lost  nothing,  the 
 income  is  so  great.  0,  what  telling  is  in  Christ !  0,  how  Aveighty 
 is  my  fair  garland,  my  crown,  ray  fair  supping-hall  in  glory,  where 
 I  shall  be  above  the  blows  and  buffetings  of  prelates !  Let  this 
 be  your  desire,  and  let  your  thoughts  dwell  mnch  upon  that  bless- 
 edness that  abideth  you  in  the  other  world.  The  fair  side  of  the 
 Avorld  will  be  turned  to  you  quickly,  when  ye  shall  see  the  crown. 
 I  hope  ye  are  near  your  lodging.  0,  but  I  would  think  myself 
 blessed  for  my  part  to  win  the  house  before  the  shower  come  on ! 
 For  God  hath  a  quiver  full  of  arrows  to  shoot  at  and  shower  dovvn 
 upon  Scotland.  Ye  have  the  prayers  of  a  prisoner  of  Christ.  I 
 desire  Patrick  to  give  Christ  his  young  love,  even  the  flower  of  it, 
 and  put  it  by^  all  others.  It  were  good  to  start  soon  to  the  way. 
 He  should  thereby  have  a  great  advantage  in  the  evil  day,  Gi'ace 
 be  with  you.  Yours,  in  his  only  Lord  Jesus,         S.  E. 
 
 Aberdeen,  March  7,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  C— To  Mr.  John  Fergushill. 
 
 Eevekend  and  well-beloved  in  the  Lord, — I  was  refresh- 
 ed with  your  letter.  I  am  sorry  for  that  lingering  and  longsome 
 visitation  that  is  upon  your  wife ;  but  I  know  ye  take  it  as  a  mark 
 of  a  lawfully  begotten  child,  and  not  of  a  bastard,  to  be  under  your 
 Father's  rod.  Till  ye  be  in  heaven,  it  will  be  but  foul  weather, 
 one  shower  up  and  another  down.  The  lintel-stones  and  pillars  of 
 the  New  Jerusalem  suffer  more  knocks  of  God's  hammer  and  tools 
 than  the  common  side-wall  stones.  And  if  twenty  crosses  be  writ- 
 ten for  you  in  God's  book  they  will  come  to  nineteen,  and  then  at 
 last  to  one,  and  after  that  nothing  but  your  head  betwixt  Christ's 
 breasts  for  evermore,  and  His  own  soft  hand  to  diy  your  face  and 
 wipe  away  your  tears.  As  for  public  sufferings  for  His  truth, 
 your  Master  also  will  see  to  these.  Let  us  put  Him  in  His  own 
 office  to  comfort  and  deliver.  The  gloom  of  Christ's  cross  is 
 worse  than  itself.     I  cannot  keep  up  what  He  hath  done  to  my 
 
 ^  One  anothei-'s.  "  Am  not  offended.  ^  Past. 
 
LETTER  CI.  197 
 
 soul.  My  dear  brother,  will  I  not  get  help  of  you  to  praise  and 
 to  lift  Christ  upon  high  !  He  hath  pained  me  with  His  love,  and 
 hath  left  a  love  arrow  in  my  heart  that  hath  made  a  wound,  and 
 swelled  me  up  Avith  desires,  so  that  I  am  to  be  pitied  for  want  of 
 real  possession.  Love  would  have  the  company  of  the  party  loved : 
 and  my  greatest  pain  is  the  want  of  Him  ]  not  of  his  joys  and 
 comforts,  but  of  a  near  union  and  communion.  This  is  His  truth, 
 I  am  fully  persuaded,  I  now  suffer  for.  For  Christ  hath  taken  up- 
 on Him  to  be  witness  to  it  by  His  sweet  comforts  to  my  soul ; 
 and  shall  I  think  Him  a  false  witness,  or  that  He  would  subscribe 
 blank  paper  1  I  thank  His  high  and  dreadful  name  for  what  He 
 hath  given ;  I  hope  to  keep  His  seal  and  His  pawn  till  He  come 
 and  loose  ^  it  Himself.  I  defy  hell  to  put  me  off  it,  but  He  is 
 Christ,  and  He  hath  met  with  His  prisoner,  and  I  took  instruments 
 in  His  own  hand,  that  it  was  He  and  no  other  for  Him,  When 
 the  devil  fenceth  a  bastard  court  in  my  Lord's  ground  and  giveth 
 me  forged  summons,  it  will  be  my  shame  to  misbelieve  after  such 
 a  fair,  broad  seal.  And  yet  Satan  and  my  apprehension  some- 
 times make  a  lie  of  Christ,  as  if  He  hated  me ;  but  I  dare  believe 
 no  evil  of  Christ,  If  He  would  cool  my  love-fever  for  Himself, 
 with  real  presence  and  possession,  I  would  be  rich ;  but  I  dare  not 
 be  mislearned,  and  seek  more  in  that  kind ;  howbeit  it  be  no 
 shame  to  beg  at  Christ's  door.  I  pity  my  adversaries  ;  I  grudge 
 not  that  my  Lord  keepeth  them  at  their  own  fireside,  and  hath 
 given  me  a  borrowed  bed,  and  a  borrowed  fireside.  Let  the  good 
 man  of  the  house  cast  a  dog  a  bone,  why  should  I  offend  ^^  I  re- 
 joice that  the  broken  bark  shall  come  to  land,  and  that  Christ 
 will  on  the  shore  welcome  the  sea-sick  passenger.  We  have  need 
 of  a  great  stock  against  this  day  of  trial  that  is  coming ;  neither 
 chaff  nor  corn  in  Scotland,  but  it  shall  once  pass  through  God's 
 sieve.  Praise,  pniise,  and  pray  for  me,  for  I  cannot  forget  you,  I 
 know  ye  will  be  friendly  to  my  afflicted  brother,  who  is  now  em- 
 barked in  the  same  cause  with  me.  Let  him  have  your  counsel 
 and  comforts.  Kemember  my  love  in  Christ  to  your  wife,  her 
 health  is  coming  and  her  salvation  sleepeth  not.  Ye  have  the 
 prayers  and  blessing  of  a  prisoner  of  Christ.  Sow  fast,  deal  bread 
 plentifully.  The  pantry  door  will  be  locked  on  the  bairns  in  ap- 
 pearance ere  long.     Grace,  grace  be  Avith  you. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S,  R. 
 Aberdeen,  March  7,  1637.    
 
 LETTER  CI.— To  his  Reverend  and  Dear  Brother,  Mr,  Robert 
 Douglass. 
 My  very  reverend  and  dear  Brother,^  Grace,  mercy,  and 
 
 ^  Release.  2  Be  oflfended. 
 
198  LETTER  CII. 
 
 peace  be  to  yon  :  I  long  to  see  yon  in  paper.  I  cannot  but  write 
 to  you  that  this  which  I  now  suffer  for  is  Christ's  truth,  because 
 He  hath  been  pleased  to  seal  my  sufferings  with  joy  unspeakable 
 and  glorious.  I  know  He  will  not  put  His  seal  upon  blank  paper. 
 Christ  hath  not  dumb  seals,  neither  will  He  be  witness  to  a  lie.  I 
 beseech  you,  my  dear  brother,  help  me  to  praise,  and  to  lift  Christ 
 up  on  His  throne  above  the  shields  of  the  earth.  I  am  astonished 
 and  confounded  at  the  greatness  of  His  kindness  to  such  a  sinner. 
 I  know  Christ  and  I  shall  never  be  even,  I  shall  die  in  His  debt. 
 He  hath  left  an  arrow  in  my  heart  that  paineth  me  for  want  of 
 real  possession  ;  and  hell  cannot  quench  this  coal  of  God's  kindling. 
 I  wish  no  man  slander  Christ  or  His  cross  for  my  cause,  for  I  have 
 much  cause  to  speak  much  good  of  Him.  He  hath  brought  me 
 to  a  nick  and  degree  of  communion  with  Himself  that  I  knew  not 
 before.  The  din  and  gloom  of  our  Lord's  cross  is  more  fearful  and 
 hard  than  the  cross  itself.  He  taketh  the  bairns  in  His  arms  when 
 they  come  to  a  deep  water ;  at  least,  when  they  lose  ground,  and 
 are  put  to  swim,  then  His  hand  is  under  their  chin.  Let  me  be 
 helped  by  your  prayers,  and  remember  my  love  to  your  kind  wife. 
 Grace  be  with  you. 
 
 Vour  brother  and  Christ's  prisoner,       S.  R. 
 Aberdeen,  March  7,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  Cn.— To  his  Loving  Friend,  John  Henderson. 
 
 Loving  Friend,  —Continue  in  the  love  of  Christ  and  the  doctrine 
 which  I  taught  you  faithfully  and  painfully  according  to  my  mea- 
 sure ;  I  am  free  of  your  blood.  Fear  the  dreadful  name  of  God. 
 Keep  in  mind  the  examinations  which  I  taught  you,  and  love  the 
 truth  of  God,  Death,  as  fast  as  time  flieth,  chaseth  you  out  of 
 this  life.  It  is  possible  ye  make  your  reckoning  with  your  Judge 
 l)efore  I  see  you ;  let  salvation  be  your  care  night  and  day,  and 
 set  aside  hours  and  times  of  the  day  for  prayer.  I  rejoice  to  hear 
 that  there  is  prayer  in  your  house ;  see  that  your  servants  keep 
 the  Lord's  day.  This  dirt  and  god  of  clay,  I  mean  the  vain  world, 
 is  not  worth  the  seeking.  An  hireling  pastor  is  to  be  thrust  in 
 upon  you,  in  the  room  to  which  I  have  Christ's  warrant  and  right. 
 Stand  to  your  liberties,  for  the  word  of  God  alloweth  you  a  vote 
 in  choosing  your  pastor.  Whafi  I  write  to  you,  I  write  to  your 
 wife.  Commend  me  heartily  to  her.  The  grace  of  God  be  with 
 you.  Your  loving  friend  and  pastor,         S.  R. 
 
 Aberdeen,  March  14,  1637. 
 
LETTERS  cm.  AND  CIV,  199 
 
 LETTER  cm.— To  Mr.  Hugh  Hrndeuson. 
 
 My  reverend  and  dear  brother, — I  hear  ye  'oear  the  marks 
 of  Christ's  dying  about  with  you,  and  that  your  brethren  have 
 cast  you  out  for  your  Master's  sake.  Let  us  wait  on  till  the  even- 
 ing, and  till  our  reckoning  in  black  and  white  come  before  our 
 Master,  Brother,  since  we  must  have  a  devil  to  trouble  us,  I  love 
 a  raging  devil  best.  Our  Lord  knoweth  what  soit  of  devil  we  have 
 need  of.  It  is  best  Satan  be  in  his  own  skin,  and  look  like  him- 
 self. Christ  weeping  looketh  like  Himself  also,  with  whom  Scribes 
 and  Pharisees  were  at  yea  and  nay,  and  sharp  contradiction.  Ye 
 have  heard  of  the  patience  of  Job  when  he  lay  in  the  ashes  ;  God 
 was  with  him,  clawing  and  curing  his  scabs,  and  letting  out  his 
 boils,  and  comforting  his  soul,  and  He  took  him  up  at  last.  That 
 God  is  not  dead  yet,  He  will  stoop  and  take  up  fallen  bairns. 
 Many  broken  legs  since  Adam's  days  hath  He  spelked,^  and  many 
 weary  hearts  hath  He  refreshed ;  bless  Him  lor  comfort.  Why "? 
 None  cometh  dry  from  David's  well ;  let  us  go  amongst  the  rest, 
 and  cast  down  our  toom  ^  buckets  into  Christ's  ocean,  and  suck 
 consolations  out  of  Him,  "We  are  not  so  sore  stricken,  but  we  may 
 fill  Christ's  hall  with  weeping.  We  have  not  gotten  our  answer 
 from  Him  yet.  Let  us  lay  up  our  broken  pleas  to  a  full  sea,  and 
 keep  them  till  the  day  of  Christ's  coming !  We  and  this  world 
 will  not  be  even  till  then.  They  would  take  our  garment  from  us, 
 but  let  us  hold  and  them  draw.  Brother,  it  is  a  strange  world  if 
 we  laugh  not,  I  never  saw  the  like  of  it,  if  there  be  not  paiks  the 
 man^  for  this  contempt  done  to  the  Son  of  God.  We  must  do  as 
 those  who  keep  the  bloody  napkin  to  the  bailie  and  let  him  see 
 blood.  We  must  keep  our  wrongs  to  our  Judge,  and  let  Him  see 
 our  bluddered  *  and  foul  faces.  Prisoners  of  hope  must  run  to 
 Christ  with  the  gutters  that  tears  have  made  on  their  cheeks. 
 Brother,  for  myself,  I  am  Christ's  dauted^  one  for  the  present,  and 
 I  live  upon  n©  deaf  nuts  (as  we  use  to  speak).  He  hath  opened 
 fountains  to  me  in  the  wilderness.  Go,  look  to  my  Lord  Jesus, 
 His  love  to  me  is  such  that  I  defy  the  world  to  find  either  brim 
 or  bottom  in  it.     Grace  be  with  you. 
 
 Your  brother,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 
 
 Aberdeen,  March  13,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  CIV.— To  the  Lady  Robertland. 
 
 Mistress, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you.  I  shall  be  glad 
 to  hear  that  your  soul  prospereth,  and  that  fruit  groweth  upon 
 you  after  the  Lord's  husbandry  and  pains  in  His  rod,  that  hath  not 
 
 ■>  Spliced.    "  Empty.    ^  Strokes  for  man  by  man.    ■•  Besmeared.    ''  Indulged. 
 
200  LETTER  CIV. 
 
 been  a  stranger  to  you  from  your  youth.  It  is  the  Lord's  kind- 
 ness that  He  will  take  the  scum  off  us  in  the  fire.  AVho  knowetli 
 how  needful  Avinnowing  is  to  us,  and  what  dross  we  must  want  ^ 
 ere  we  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God  1  So  narrow  is  the  entry 
 to  heaven,  that  our  knots,  our  bunches  and  lumps  of  pride,  and 
 self-love,  and  idol-love,  and  world-love  must  be  hammered  off  us, 
 that  we  may  throng  in,  stooping  low,  and  creeping  through  that 
 narrow  and  thorny  entry.  And  now  for  myself,  I  find  it  the 
 most  sweet  and  heavenly  life  to  take  up  house  and  dwelling  at 
 Christ's  fireside,  and  set  down  my  tent  upon  Christ,  that  founda- 
 tion stone,  who  is  sure  and  faithful  ground  and  hard  under  foot. 
 
 0  !  if  I  could  win  to  it,  and  proclaim  myself  not  the  world's 
 debtor  nor  a  lover  obliged  to  it ;  and  that  I  mind  not  to  hire  or 
 bod.2  this  world's  love  any  longer;  but  defy  the  kindness  and  feud 
 of  God's  whole  creation  whatsomever ;  especially  the  lower  vault 
 and  clay  part  of  God's  creatures,  this  vain  earth.     For  what  hold 
 
 1  of  His  world  ?  a  borrowed  lodging  and  some  years'  house-room, 
 and  bread  and  Avater,  and  fire  and  bed,  and  candle,  &c.,  are  all  a 
 part  of  the  pension  of  my  King  and  Lord,  to  whom  I  owe  thanks, 
 and  not  to  a  creature.  I  thank  God,  that  God  is  God,  and  Christ 
 is  Christ,  and  the  earth  the  earth,  and  the  devil  the  devil,  and  the 
 world  the  world,  and  that  sin  is  sin,  and  that  everything  is  what 
 it  is.  Because  He  hath  taught  me,  in  my  wilderness,  not  to  shufiie 
 my  Lord  Jesus,  nor  to  intermix  Him  with  creature  vanities,  nor 
 to  spin  or  twine  Christ  or  His  sweet  love  in  one  web,  or  in  one 
 thread,  with  the  world  and  the  things  thereof.  0,  if  I  could  hold 
 and  keep  Christ  all  alone  and  mix  Him  with  nothing!  0,  if  I  could 
 cry  down  the  price  and  weight  of  my  cursed  self,  and  cry  up  the 
 price  of  Christ,  and  double,  and  triple,  and  augment,  and  heighten 
 to  millions  the  price  and  worth  of  Christ !  I  am  (if  I  durst  speak 
 so,  and  might  lawfully  complain)  so  hungeredly  tutored  by  Christ 
 Jesus,  my  liberal  Lord,  that  His  nice  love,  which  my  soul  would 
 be  in  hands  with,  flietli  me  ;  and  yet  I  am  trained  on  to  love  Him, 
 and  lust,  and  long,  and  die  for  His  love,  whom  I  cannot  see.  It 
 is  a  wonder  to  pine  away  with  love  for  a  covered  and  hid  lover, 
 and  to  be  hungered  with  His  love,  so  as  a  poor  soul  cannot  get  his 
 fill  of  hunger  for  Christ.  It  is  hard  to  be  hungered  of  hunger, 
 whereof  such  abundance  for  other  things  is  in  the  world.  But 
 sure  if  Ave  were  tutors,  and  steAvards,  and  masters,  and  lord- 
 carvers  of  Christ's  love,  we  should  be  more  lean  and  Avorse  fed 
 than  we  are.  Our  meat  doeth  us  the  more  good,  that  Christ 
 keepeth  the  keys,  and  that  the  Avind  and  the  air  of  Christ's  sweet 
 breathing,  and  of  the  influence  of  His  Spirit,  is  locked  up  in  the 
 hands  of  the  good  pleasure  of  Him,  who  bloAveth  Avhere  He  listeth. 
 
 ^  Have  taken  from  ur.  ^  Pnrchase. 
 
LETTER  CV  201 
 
 I  see  there  is  a  sort  of  impatient  patience  required  in  the  want  of 
 Christ  as  to  His  manifestations  and  waiting-on.  They  thrive  who 
 wait  on  His  love,  and  the  blowing  of  it,  and  the  turning  of  His 
 gracious  wind ;  and  they  thrive  who  in  that  on-waiting  make 
 haste,  and  din,  and  much  ado,  for  their  lost  and  hidden  Lord 
 Jesus.  However  it  be,  God  feed  me  with  Him  any  way  !  If  He 
 would  come  in,  1  shall  not  dispute  the  matter  where  He  got  a  hole, 
 or  how  He  opened  the  lock.  I  should  be  content  that  Christ  and 
 I  met ;  suppose  He  should  stand  on  the  other  side  of  hell's  lake, 
 and  cry  to  me  "  either  put  in  your  foot  and  come  through,  else 
 ye  shall  not  have  me  at  all."  But  what  fools  are  we  in  the  taking 
 up  of  Him  and  of  His  dealing !  He  hath  a  gait  ^  of  His  own 
 beyond  the  thoughts  of  men,  that  no  foot  hath  skill  to  follow 
 Him.  But  we  are  still  ill  scholars,  and  will  go  in  at  heaven's 
 gates  wanting  the  half  of  our  lesson,  and  shall  still  be  bairns  so 
 long  as  we  are  under  time's  hands,  and  till  eternity  cause  a  sun  to 
 arise  in  our  soul  that  shall  give  us  wit.  We  may  see  how  we  spill 
 and  mar  our  own  fair  heaven  and  our  salvation,  and  how  Christ  is 
 every  day  putting  in  one  bone  or  other  in  these  fallen  souls  of 
 ours,  in  the  right  place  again  ;  and  that  on  this  side  of  the  New 
 Jerusalem,  we  shall  still  have  need  of  forgiving  and  healing  grace. 
 I  find  crosses  Christ's  carved  work  that  He  marketh  out  for  us, 
 and  that  with  crosses  He  figureth  and  portrayeth  us  to  His  own 
 image,  cutting  away  pieces  of  our  ill  and  corruption.  Lord  cut, 
 Lord  carve,  Lord  wound,  Lord  do  anything  that  may  perfect  thy 
 Father's  image  in  us,  and  make  us  meet  for  glory.  Pray  for  me 
 (I  forget  not  you)  that  our  Lord  would  be  pleased  to  lend  me 
 house-room  to  preach  His  righteousness,  and  tell  what  I  have 
 heard  and  seen  of  Him.  Forget  not  Zion  that  is  now  in  Christ's 
 calmes  ^  and  in  His  forge  :  God  bring  her  out  new  work.  Grace, 
 grace  be  with  you.  Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  K. 
 Aberdeen,  Jan.  4,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  CV.— To  the  Earl  of  Cassilis. 
 
 Eight  honouPvAble  and  my  very  good  Lord, — Grace,  mercy, 
 and  peace  be  to  your  lordship.  I  hope  your  lordship  will  be 
 pleased  to  pardon  my  boldness,  if  (upon  report  of  your  zealous  and 
 forward  mind,  that  I  hear  our  Lord  hath  given  you,  in  this  His 
 honourable  cause,  when  Christ  and  His  gospel  are  so  foully 
 wronged)  I  sjieak  to  your  lordship  in  paper,  entreating  your  lord- 
 ship to  go  on  in  the  strength  of  the  Lord,  toward  and  against  a 
 storm  of  Antichristian  wind  that  bloweth  upon  the  face  of  this, 
 your  poor  mother  church,  Christ's  lily  amongst  the  thorns.  It  is 
 1  Going.  -  Mould. 
 
202  LETTEE  CV. 
 
 your  lordship's  glory  and  happiness,  when  ye  see  such  a  blow 
 coming  upon  Christ,  to  cast  up  your  arm  to  prevent  it ;  neither  is 
 it  a  cause  that  needeth  to  blush  before  the  sun,  or  to  flee  the  sen- 
 tence or  censure  of  impartial  beholders,  seeing  the  question  indeed 
 (if  it  were  rightly  stated)  is  about  the  royal  prerogative  of  our 
 princely  and  royal  Law-giver,  our  Lord  Jesus,  whose  ancient 
 march-stones  and  land-bounds  our  bastard -lords,  the  eartlily 
 generation  of  tyrannizing  prelates,  have  boldly  and  shamefully 
 removed ;  and  they  who  have  but  half  an  eye  may  see  that  it  is 
 the  greedy  desires  of  time-idolizing  Demases,  and  the  itching  scab 
 of  ambitious  and  climbing  Diotrepheses  (who  love  the  goat's  life 
 to  climb  till  they  cannot  find  a  way  to  set  their  soles  on  ground 
 again),  that  hath  made  such  a  wide  breach  in  our  Zion's  beautiful 
 walls :  and  these  are  the  men  who  seek  no  hire  for  the  crucifying 
 of  Christ,  but  His  coat.  0,  how  forlorn  and  desolate  is  the  bride 
 of  Christ  made  to  all  passers  by!  Who  seeth  not  Christ  buried 
 in  this  land ;  His  prophets  hidden  in  caves,  silenced,  banished, 
 and  imprisoned,  truth  weeping  in  sackcloth  before  the  judges, 
 pai'liament,  and  the  rulers  of  the  land?  But  her  bill  is  cast  by 
 them,  and  holiness  hideth  itself,  fearing  the  streets,  for  the  re- 
 proaches-and  persecution  of  men ;  justice  is  fallen  a-swoon  in  the 
 gate,  and  the  long  shadows  of  the  evening  are  stretched  out  upon 
 us.  Woe,  woe  to  us,  for  our  day  flieth  away.  What  remaineth, 
 but  that  the  Antichrist  set  down  his  tent  in  the  midst  of  us,  ex- 
 cept your  lordship,  and  others  with  you,  read  Christ's  supplication, 
 and  give  him  that  which  the  most  lewd  and  scandalous  wretches 
 in  this  land  may  have  before  a  judge,  even  the  poor  man's  due, 
 law  and  justice,  for  God's  sake.  O,  therefore,  my  noble  and  dear 
 lord,  as  ye  have  begun,  go  on  in  the  mighty  power  and  strength 
 of  the  Lord,  to  cause  our  Lord  in  His  gospel  and  afflicted  members 
 laugh,  and  to  cause  the  Christian  churches  (whose  eyes  are  all  now 
 upon  you)  to  sing  for  joy,  when  Scotland's  moon  shall  shine  like 
 the  light  of  the  sun,  and  the  sun  like  the  liglit  ofi  seven  days  in 
 one.  Ye  can  do  no  less  than  run  and  bear  up  the  head  of  your 
 dying  and  swooning  mother-church,  and  plead  for  the  production 
 of  her  ancient  charters.  They  hold  out  and  put  out,  they  hold  in 
 and  bring  in,  at  their  pleasure,  men  in  God's  house ;  they  stole  the 
 keys  from  Christ  and  His  church,  and  came  in  like  the  thief  and 
 the  robber,  not  by  the  door,  Christ ;  and  now  their  song  is 
 Authority,  authority.  Obedience  to  church  governors.  When  such 
 a  bastard  and  lawless  pretended  step-dame  as  our  prelacy  is  gone 
 mad,  it  is  your  place,  who  are  the  nobles,  to  rise  and  bind  them ; 
 at  least,  law  should  fetter  such  wild  bulls  as  they  are,  who  push 
 all  who  oppose  themselves  to  their  domination.  Alas  !  what  have 
 we  lost,  since  prelates  were  made  master-coiners,  to  change  our 
 
LETTER  CVI.  203 
 
 gold  into  brass,  and  to  mix  the  Lord's  wine  with  their  water ! 
 Blessed  for  ever  shall  ye  be  of  the  Lord,  if  ye  help  Christ  against 
 the  mighty,  and  shall  deliver  the  flock  of  God,  scattered  upon  the 
 mountains  in  the  dark  and  cloudy  day,  out  of  the  hands  of  these 
 idol-shepherds.  Fear  not  men,  that  shall  be  moth-eaten  clay,  that 
 shall  be  rolled  up  in  a  chest,  and  casten  under  the  earth.  Let  the 
 holy  one  of  Israel  be  your  fear,  and  be  courageous  for  the  Lord 
 and  His  truth.  Remember  your  accounts  are  coming  upon  you 
 with  wings,  as  fast  as  time  posteth  away.  Remember  what  peace 
 with  God  in  Christ,  and  the  presence  of  the  Son  of  God,  in  the  re- 
 vealed and  felt  sweetness  of  His  love,  will  be  to  you,  when  eternity 
 shall  put  time  to  the  door,  and  ye  shall  take  good-night  of  time, 
 and  this  little  shepherd's  tent  of  clay,  this  inns  of  a  borrowed 
 earth.  I  hope  your  lordship  is  now  and  then  sending  out  thoughts 
 to  view  this  world's  naughtiness  and  vanity,  and  the  hoped-for 
 glory  of  the  life  to  come ;  and  that  ye  resolve,  that  Christ  shall 
 have  yourself  and  all  yours  at  command  for  Him,  His  honour  and 
 gospel.  Thus  trusting  your  lordship  will  pardon  my  boldness,  I 
 pray,  that  the  only  wise  God,  the  very  God  of  peace,  may  pre- 
 serve, strengthen,  and  establish  you  to  the  end.  Your  lordship's, 
 at  all  command  and  obedience  in  Christ,  •     S.  R. 
 
 Aberdeen,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  CVI.— To  the  Lady  Rowallan. 
 
 MA"DAM, — Though  not  acquainted,  I  am  bold  in  Christ  to  speak 
 to  your  ladyship  in  paper.  I  rejoice  in  our  Lord  Jesus  on  your 
 behalf,  that  it  hath  pleased  Him  (whose  love  to  you  is  as  old  as 
 Himself)  to  manifest  the  savour  of  His  love  in  Christ  Jesus  to 
 your  soul,  in  the  revelation  of  His  will  and  mind  to  you,  now 
 when  so  many  are  shut  up  in  unbelief.  0,  the  sweet  change  ye 
 have  made  in  leaving  the  black  kingdom  of  this  world  and  sin, 
 and  coming  over  to  our  Bridegroom's  new  kingdom,  to  know  and 
 to  be  taken  with  the  love  of -the  beautiful  Son  of  God.  I  beseech 
 you,  madam,  in  the  Lord,  make  now  sure  work,  and  see  that  the 
 old  house  be  casten  down  and  razed  from  the  foundation,  and  that 
 the  new  building  of  your  soul  be  of  Christ's  own  laying  ;  for  then, 
 wind  and  storm  shall  neither  loose  it,  nor  shake  it  asunder.  Many 
 now  take  Christ  by  guess.  Be  sure  that  it  be  He,  and  only  He, 
 whom  ye  have  met  with.  His  sweet  smell.  His  lovely  voice.  His 
 fair  face,  His  sweet  working  in  the  soul  will  not  lie,  they  will  soon 
 tell  if  it  be  Christ  indeed  (and  I  think  your  love  to  the  saints 
 speaketh  that  it  is  He) ;  and  therefore,  I  say,  be  sure  that  ye  take 
 Christ  Himself,  and  take  Him  Avith  His  Father's  blessing:  His 
 Father  alloweth  Him  well  up^n  you,  your  lines  are  well  fallen,  it 
 
204  LETTER  CVII. 
 
 could  not  liave  been  better,  nor  so  well  with  yon,  if  they  had  not 
 fallen  in  these  places.  In  heaven  or  out  of  heaven  there  i&  nothing 
 better,  nothing  so  sweet  and  excellent,  as  the  thing  ye  have  lighted 
 on,  and  therefore  hold  you  with  Christ :  joy,  much  joy  may  ye 
 have  of  Him.  But  take  His  cross  with  Himself  cheerfully.  Christ 
 and  His  cross  are  not  separable  in  this  life ;  howbeit,  Christ  and 
 His  cross  part  at  heaven's  door,  for  there  is  no  house-room  for 
 crosses  in  heaven :  one  tear,  one  sigh,  one  sad  heart,  one  fear,  one 
 loss,  or  thought  of  trouble  cannot  find  lodging  there:  they  are  but 
 the  marks  of  our  Lord  Jesus  down  in  this  wide  inns,  and  stormy 
 country,  on  this  side  of  death.  Sorrow  and  the  saints  are  not 
 married  together,  or  suppose  it  were  so,  heaven  shall  make  a 
 divorce.  I  find  His  sweet  presence  eateth  out  the  bitterness  of 
 sorrow  and  suffering.  I  think  it  a  sweet  thing,  that  Christ  saith 
 of  my  cross.  Half  mine,  and  that  He  divideth  these  sufferings  with 
 me,  and  taketh  the  lai'gest  share  to  Himself ;  nay,  that  I,  and  my 
 whole  cross,  are  wholly  Christ's.  0,  what  a  portion  is  Christ !  0 
 that  the  saints  would  dig  deeper  in  the  treasures  of  His  wisdom 
 and  excellency !  Thus  recommending  your  ladyship  to  the  good- 
 will and  tender  mercies  of  our  Lord,  I  rest, 
 
 Your  ladyship's,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 
 Aberdeen,  Sept.  7,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  CVH.— To  Robert  Gordon  of  Knockbrex. 
 
 My  very  worthy  and  dear  Friend, — Grace,  mercy,  and 
 peace  be  unto  you.  Though  all  Galloway  should  have  forgotten 
 me,  I  would  have  expected  a  letter  from  you  ere  now.  But  I  Avill 
 not  expound  it  to  be  forgetfulness  of  me.  Now,  my  dear  brother, 
 I  cannot  show  you  how  matters  go  betwixt  Christ  and  me.  I  find 
 my  Lord  going  and  coming  seven  times  a  day.  His  visits  are 
 short,  but  they  are  both  frequent  and  sweet.  I  dare  not  for  my 
 life  tliink  of  a  challenge  of  my  Lord.  I  hear  ill  tales,  and  hard 
 reports  of  Christ,  from  the  tempter  and  my  flesh,  but  love  believ- 
 etla  no  evil.  I  may  swear  that  they  are  liars,  and  that  apprehen- 
 sions make  lies  of  Christ's  honest  and  unalterable  love  to  me.  I 
 dare  not  say  that  I  am  a  dry  tree,  or  that  I  have  no  room  at  all 
 in  the  vineyard ;  but  yet,  I  often  think,  that  the  sparrows  are 
 blessed  who  may  resort  to  the  house  of  God  in  An^voth,  from 
 which  I  am  banished.  Temptations,  that  I  suppose  to  be  stricken 
 dead  and  laid  upon  their  back,  rise  again  and  revive  upon  me  ; 
 yea,  I  see  that  while  I  live,  temptations  will  not  die.  The  devil 
 seemeth  to  brag  and  boast  as  much  as  if  he  had  more  court^  with 
 Christ  than  I  have,  and  as  if  he  had  charmed  and  blasted  my 
 
 '  Influence. 
 
LETTER  CVII.  205 
 
 ministry,  that  1  shall  do  no  more  good  in  public ;  but  his  wind 
 shaketh  no  corn,  I  will  not  believe  Christ  Avould  have  made  such 
 a  mint^  to  have  me  to  Himself,  and  have  talcen  so  much  pains 
 upon  me  as  He  hath  done,  and  then  slip  so  easily  from  possession, 
 and  lose  the  glory  of  what  He  had  done ;  nay,  since  I  came  to 
 Aberdeen,  I  have  been  taken  up  to  see  the  new  land,  the  ftiir 
 palace  of  the  Lamb.  And  will  Christ  let  rae  see  heaven  to  break 
 my  heart,  and  never  give  it  to  me  1  I  shall  not  think  my  Lord 
 Jesus  givetli  a  dumb  earnest,  or  putteth  His  seals  to  blank  paper, 
 or  intendeth  to  jDut  me  oft'  with  ftiir  and  false  promises.  I  see 
 that  now  Avhich  I  never  saw  well  before.  1 .  I  see  faith's  neces- 
 sity in  a  fair  day  is  never  known  aright ;  but  now  I  miss  nothing 
 so  much  as  faith.  Hunger  in  me  runneth  to  fair  and  sweet 
 promises  ;  but  when  I  come,  I  am  like  a  hungry  man  that  wanteth 
 teeth,  or  a  weak  stomach  having  a  sharp  appetite,  that  is  filled 
 with  the  very  sight  of  meat ;  or  like  one  stupitied  with  cold  under 
 the  water,  that  would  fain  come  to  land,  but  cannot  grip  anything 
 casten  to  him.  I  can  let  Christ  grip  me,  but  I  cannot  grip  Him. 
 I  love  to  be  kissed  and  to  sit  on  Christ's  knee ;  but  I  cannot  set 
 my  feet  to  the  ground,  for  afflictions  bring  the  cramp  upon  my 
 faith.  All  I  now  do  is  to  hold  out  a  lame  faith  to  Christ,  like  a 
 beggar  holding  out  a  stump,  instead  of  an  arm  or  leg,  and  cry 
 Lord  Jesus,  work  a  miracle.  0,  what  would  I  give  to  have  hands 
 and  arms  to  grip  strongly  and  fold  heartsomely  about  Christ's 
 neck,  and  to  have  my  claim  made  good  with  real  possession  !  I 
 think  my  love  to  Christ  hath  feet  abundance  and  runneth  swiftly 
 to  be  at  Him,  but  it  wanteth  hands  and  fingers  to  apprehend  Him. 
 I  think  I  would  give  Christ  every  morning  my  blessing,  to  have 
 as  much  faith  as  I  have  love  and  hunger ;  at  least,  I  miss  faith 
 more  than  love  and  hunger.  2.  I  see  mortification,  and  to  be 
 crucified  to  the  world,  is  not  so  highly  accounted  of  by  us  as  it 
 should  be.  0,  how  heavenly  a  thing  is  it  to  be  dead,  and  dumb, 
 and  deaf  to  this  world's  sweet  music  !  I  confess  it  hath  pleased 
 His  Majesty  to  make  me  laugh  at  children  who  are  wooing  this 
 ■world  for  their  match.  I  see  men  lying  about  the  world  as  nobles 
 about  a  king's  court,  and  I  wonder  what  they  are  a-doing  there. 
 As  I  am  at  this  present,  I  would  scorn  to  court  such  a  feckless - 
 and  petty  princess,  or  buy  this  world's  kindness  with  a  bow  of 
 my  knee.  I  scarce  now  either  hear  or  see  what  it  is  that  this 
 world  ofiereth  me ;  I  know  it  is  little  it  can  take  from  me,  and  as 
 little  it  can  give  me.  I  recommend  mortification  to  you  above 
 anything.  For,  alas,  we  but  chase  feathers  flying  in  the  air,  and 
 tire  our  own  spirits  for  the  froth  and  overgilded  clay  of  a  dying 
 life.     One  sight  of  what  my  Lord  hath   let  me  see,  within  this 
 
 1  Effort.  2  Worthless. 
 
206  LETTER  CVIII. 
 
 short  time,  is  worth  a  world  of  worlds.  3.  I  thought  courage  in 
 the  time  of  trouble  for  Christ's  sake  a  thing  that  I  might  take  up 
 at  my  foot :  I  thought  the  very  remembrance  of  the  honesty  of 
 the  cause  would  be  enough :  but  I  was  a  fool  in  so  thinking.  I 
 have  much  ado  now  to  win  to  one  smile ;  but  I  see  joy  groweth 
 up  in  heaven,  and  it  is  above  our  short  arm.  Christ  will  be 
 steward  and  dispenser  Himself,  and  none  else  but  He.  Therefore, 
 now,  I  count  much  of  one  drachm-weight  of  spiritual  joy;  one 
 smile  of  Christ's  face  is  now  to  me  as  a  kingdom,  and  yet  He  is 
 no  niggard  to  me  of  comforts.  Truly,  I  have  no  cause  to  say,  that 
 I  am  pinched  with  penury,  or  that  the  consolations  of  Christ  are 
 dried  up ;  for  He  hath  poured  down  rivers  upon  a  dry  wilderness, 
 the  like  of  me,  to  my  admiration  :  and  in  my  very  swoonings.  He 
 holdeth  up  my  head,  and  "stayeth  me  with  flagons  of  wine,"  and 
 "  comforteth  me  with  apples."  My  house  and  bed  are  strawed 
 with  kisses  of  love.  Praise,  praise  with  me.  0,  if  ye  and  I  be- 
 twixt us  could  lift  up  Christ  upon  His  throne,  howbeit  all  Scot- 
 land should  cast  Him  down  to  the  ground  !  My  brother's  case 
 toucheth  me  near,  I  hope  ye  will  be  kind  to  him,  and  give  him 
 your  best  counsel.  Remember  my  love  to  your  brother,  to  your 
 wife,  and  G.  M.,  desire  Him  to  be  faithful  and  repent  of  his 
 hypoci'isy;  and  say  that  I  wrote  it  to  you:  I  wish  him  salvation. 
 Write  to  me  your  mind  anent  C.  E.  and  C.  Y.  and  their  wives, 
 and  I.  C,  or  any  others  in  my  parish.  I  fear  I  am  forgotten 
 amongst  them;  but  I  cannot  forget  them.  The  prisoner's  prayers 
 and  blessing  come  upon  you.     Grace,  grace  be  with  jou. 
 
 Your  brother,  in  the  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 
 Aberdeen,  Feb.  9,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  CVin.— To  my  Lord  Balmerino. 
 My  very  noble  and  truly  honourable  Lord, — I  make  bold 
 to  write  news  to  your  Lordship  from  my  prison,  thougli  your  lord- 
 ship have  experience  more  than  I  can  have.  At  my  first  entry 
 here,  I  was  not  a  little  casten  down  with  challenges  for  old  unre- 
 pented  of  sins,  and  Satan,  and  my  own  apprehensions,  made  a 
 lie  ot  Christ,  that  he  had  casten  a  dry,  withered  tree  over  the 
 dyke^  of  the  vineyard;  but  it  was  my  folly,  blessed  be  His  great 
 name,  the  fire  cannot  burn  the  dry  tree.  He  is  pleased  now  to 
 feast  the  exiled  prisoner  with  His  lovely  presence,  for  it  suiteth 
 Christ  well  to  be  kind;  and  He  dineth  and  suppeth  with  such  a 
 sinner  as  I  am.  I  am  in  Christ's  tutoring  here.  He  hath  made 
 me  content  with  a  borrowed  fireside,  and  it  casteth  as  much  heat 
 as  mine  own.  I  want  nothing  at  all  but  real  possession  of  Christ. 
 And  He  hath  given  me  a  pawn  of  that  also,  which  I  hope  to  keep 
 
 '  Wall. 
 
LETTER  CIX.  207 
 
 till  He  come  Himself  to  loose  the  pawn.  I  cannot  get  help  to 
 praise  His  Ingh  name.  He  hath  made  me  a  king  over  my  losses, 
 impi-isonment,  banishment,  and  only  my  dumb  Sabbaths  stick  in 
 my  throat.  But  I  forgive  Christ's  wisdom  in  that.  I  dare  not 
 say  one  word.  He  hath  done  it,  and  I  will  lay  my  hand  upon  my 
 mouth.  If  any  other  had  done  it  to  me,  I  could  not  have  borne 
 it.  Now,  my  lord,  I  must  tell  your  lordship,  that  I  would  not 
 give  a  drink  of  cold  water  for  this  clay-idol,  this  plastered  world. 
 I  testify,  and  give  it  under  mine  own  hand,  that  Christ  is  most 
 ■worthy  to  be  suffered  for.  Our  lazy  flesh  (which  would  have 
 Christ  to  cry  down  crosses  by  open  proclamation)  hath  but  raised 
 a  slander  upon  the  cross  of  Christ.  My  lord,  I  hope  ye  will  not 
 forget  what  He  hath  done  for  your  soul.  I  think  ye  are  in 
 Christ's  count-book  as  His  obliged  debtor.  Grace,  grace  be  with 
 your  spirit.  Your  lordship's  obliged  servant,         S.  R. 
 
 Aberdeen,  March  13,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  CIX.— To  Alexander  Gordon  of  Knockgray. 
 
 Dear  Brother, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you.  I  long 
 to  hear  how  your  soul  prospereth.  I  expected  letters  from  you 
 ere  now.  As  for  myself,  I  am  here  in  good  case,  well-feasted  with 
 a  great  King.  At  my  first  coming  here,  I  was  that  ^  bold  as  to 
 take  up  a  jealousy  of  Christ's  love  :  I  said  I  was  cast  over  the 
 dyke  of  the  Lord's  vineyard  as  a  dry  tree  ;  but  I  see  if  I  had  been 
 a  withered  branch,  the  fire  would  have  burnt  me  long  ere  now  : 
 blessed  be  His  high  name  who  hath  kept  sap  in  the  dry  tree. 
 And  now,  as  if  Christ  had  done  the  wrong.  He  hath  made  the 
 mends,^  and  hath  miskent^  my  ravings  (for  a  man  under  the  water 
 cannot  well  command  his  wit,  far  less  his  faith  and  love),  because 
 it  was  a  fever,  my  Lord  Jesus  forgave  me  that  among  the  rest. 
 He  knoweth  in  our  aSlictions,  we  can  find  a  spot  in  the  fairest 
 face  that  ever  was,  even  in  Christ's  face  :  I  would  not  have  be- 
 lieved that  a  gloom  should  have  made  me  to  misken'*  my  old  Master; 
 but  we  must  be  whiles  sick ;  sickness  is  but  kindly  to  both  faith 
 and  love.  But,  0,  how  exceedingly  is  a  poor  dauted  prisoner  ob- 
 liged to  sweet  Jesus !  My  tears  are  sweeter  to  me  than  the 
 laughter  of  the  fourteen  prelates  to  them.  The  worst  of  Christ, 
 even  His  chaff",  is  better  than  the  world's  corn.  Dear  brother,  I 
 beseech  you,  I  charge  you,  in  the  name  and  authority  of  the  Son 
 of  God,  help  me  to  praise  His  highness ;  and  I  charge  you,  also, 
 to  tell  all  your  acquaintance,  that  my  Master  may  get  many 
 thanks.  0,  if  my  hairs,  all  my  members,  and  all  my  bones,  were 
 well-tuned  tongues  to  sing  the  high  praises  of  my  great  and  glo- 
 ^  So.  -  Amends.  ^  Overlooked.  ■*  ^lisjudge. 
 
208  LETTER  ex. 
 
 rious  King !  Help  me  to  lift  Christ  up  upon  His  throne,  and  to 
 lift  Him  up  above  all  the  thrones  of  the  clay-kings,  the  dying 
 sceptre-bearers  of  this  world.  The  prisoner's  blessing,  the  bless- 
 ing of  him  that  is  separated  from  his  brethren,  be  upon  them  all, 
 who  will  lend  me  a  lift  in  this  work.  Show  this  to  that  people 
 with  you,  to  whom  sometimes  I  preached.  Brother,  my  Lord 
 hath  brought  me  to  this,  that  I  will  not  flatter  the  world  for  a 
 drink  of  water :  I  am  no  debtor  to  clay :  Christ  hath  made  me 
 dead  to  that.  I  now  wonder  that  ever  I  Avas  such  a  child  long 
 since  as  to  beg  at  ^  such  beggars  !  Fie  upon  us,  who  woo  such  a 
 black-skinned  harlot,  when  we  may  get  such  a  fair,  fair  match  up 
 in  heaven.  0,  that  I  could  give  up  with  this  clay  idol,  this  masked, 
 painted,  overgilded  dirt,  that  Adam's  sons  adore !  we  make  an 
 idol  of  our  will  •  as  many  lusts  in  us,  as  many  gods.  We  are  all 
 god-makers.  We  are  like  to  lose  Christ,  the  true  God,  in  the 
 throng  of  these  new  and  false  gods.  Scotland  hath  cast  her  crown 
 ojf  her  head  :  the  virgin-daughter  hath  lost  her  garland  :  woe,  woe 
 to  our  harlot  mother.  Our  day  is  coming,  a  time  Avhen  women 
 shall  wish  they  had  been  childless,  and  fathers  shall  bless  mis- 
 carrying wombs  and  dry  breasts :  many  houses,  great  and  fair, 
 shall  be  desolate.  This  kirk  shall  sit  on  the  ground  all  the  night, 
 and  the  tears  shall  run  down  her  cheeks  :  the  sun  hath  gone  down 
 upon  her  prophets.  Blessed  are  the  prisoners  of  hope,  who  can 
 run  into  their  stronghold,  and  hide  themselves  for  a  little  till  the 
 indignation  be  overpast.  Commend  me  to  your  wife,  your  daugh- 
 ters, your  son-inlaw,  and  to  A.  T.  Write  to  me  of  the  case  of 
 your  kirk.  Grace  be  with  you.  I  am  much  moved  for  my  bro- 
 ther, I  entreat  for  your  kindness  and  counsel  to  him. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 
 Aberdeen,  Feb.  23,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  ex.— To  my  Lady  Mar,  Younger. 
 
 My  very  noble  and  dear  Lady, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be 
 to  you.  I  received  your  ladyship's  letter,  which  hath  comforted 
 my  soul.  God  give  you  to  find  mercy  in  the  day  of  Christ.  I  am 
 in  as  good  terms  and  court  ^  with  Christ  as  an  exiled  oppressed 
 prisoner  of  Christ  can  be.  1  am  still  welcome  to  His  house  ;  He 
 knoweth  my  knock,  and  letteth  in  a  poor  friend.  Under  this 
 black,  rough  tree  of  the  cross  of  Christ,  He  hath  ravished  me  with 
 His  love,  and  taken  my  heart  to  heaven  Avith  Him  ;  well  and  long 
 may  he  bruik^  it.  I  would  not  niffer*  Christ  with  all  the  joys 
 that  man  or  angel  can  devise  beside  Him.  Who  hath  such  cause 
 to  speak  honourably  of  Christ  as  I  have  1     Christ  is  King  of  all 
 
 MTf.  "  Favour.  ''  Possess.  ■*  Exchanire. 
 
LETTER  CXT.  209 
 
 crosses,  and  He  hath  made  His  saints  Uttie  kings  under  Him,  and 
 He  can  ride  and  triumph  upon  weaker  bodies  than  I  am  (if  any 
 can  be  weaker),  and  His  horse  Avill  neither  fall  nor  stumble. 
 Madam,  your  ladyship  hath  much  ado  with  Christ,  for  your  soul, 
 husband,  children,  and  house.  Let  Him  find  much  employment 
 for  His  calling  with  you ;  for  He  is  such  a  Friend  as  delighteth  to 
 be  burdened  with  suits  and  employments  ;  and  the  more  ye  lay  on 
 Him,  and  the  more  homely^  ye  be  with  Him,  the  more  welcome. 
 0,  the  depth  of  Christ's  love  !  It  hath  neither  brim  nor  bottom. 
 0,  if  this  blind  world  saw  His  beauty  !  When  I  count  with  Him 
 for  His  mercies  to  me,  I  must  stand  still  and  wonder,  and  go  away 
 as  a  poor  dyvour,"  who  hath  nothing  to  pay :  free  forgiveness  is 
 my  payment,  I  would  I  could  get  Him  set  on  high,  for  His  love 
 hath  made  me  sick,  and  I  die  except  I  get  real  possession.  Grace, 
 grace  be  with  you. 
 
 Your  ladyship's,  at  all  obedience  in  Christ,         S.  R. 
 Aberdeen,  March  13,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  CXL— To  Ja^aies  M'Adam. 
 
 My  very  dear  and  worthy  Friend, — Grace,  mercy,  and 
 peace  be  to  you.  I  long  to  hear  of  your  growing  in  grace,  and  of 
 your  advancing  in  your  journey  to  heaven.  It  will  be  the  joy  of 
 my  heart  to  hear  that  ye  hold  your  face  up  the  brae,  and  wade 
 through  tentations,  without  fearing  what  man  can  do.  Christ 
 shall,  when  He  ariseth,  mow  down  His  enemies,  and  lay  bulks  ^ 
 (as  they  use  to  speak)  on  the  green,  and  fill  the  pits  with  dead 
 bodies,  Ps.  ex.  6  ;  they  shall  lie  like  handfuls  of  withered  hay 
 when  He  ariseth  to  the  prey.  Salvation,  salvation,  is  the  only 
 necessary  thing.  This  clay-idol,  the  world,  is  not  to  be  sought ; 
 it  is  a  morsel,  not  for  you,  but  for  hunger-bitten  bastards.  Con- 
 tend for  salvation  :  your  Master  Christ  won  heaven  with  strokes ; 
 it  is  a  besieged  castle,  it  must  be  taken  with  violence.  0,  this 
 world  thinketh  heaven  but  at  the  next  door,  and  that  godliness 
 may  sleep  in  a  bed  of  down  till  it  come  to  heaven ;  but  that  will 
 not  do  it.  For  myself,  I  am  as  well  as  Christ's  prisoner  can  be ; 
 for  by  Him  I  am  master  and  king  of  all  my  crosses  :  I  am  above 
 the  prison  and  the  lash  of  men's  tongues ;  Christ  triumpheth  in 
 me.  I  have  been  casten  down,  and  heavy  with  tears,  and  hunted 
 with  challenges.  I  was  swimming  in  the  depths,  but  Christ  had 
 His  hand  under  my  chin  all  the  time,  and  took  good  heed  that  I 
 should  not  lose  breath  ;  and  now  I  have  gotten  my  feet  again,  and 
 there  are  love-feasts  of  joy,  and  spring-tides  ol  consolation,  betwixt 
 Christ  and  me.  We  agree  well.  I  have  court  ■*  with  Him ;  I  am 
 ^  Fiiiiiiliar.  ^  Debtor.  ■'  Hav-cocks.  ^  Influence, 
 
210  l.LTTEi;5  CXII,  aND  CXIII. 
 
 still  welcome  to  His  house.  0,  my  short  arms  cannot  fathom  His 
 love  !  I  beseech  you,  I  charge  you,  help  me  to  praise.  Ye  have 
 a  prisoner's  prayers,  therefore  forget  me  not.  I  desire  Sibilla  to 
 remember  me  dearly  to  all  in  that  parish  who  know  Christ,  as  if  I 
 had  named  them,     Grace,  grace  be  with  you. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  E. 
 Aberdeen,  March  13,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  CXn.— To  my  very  Dear  Brother,  William 
 Livingstone. 
 
 My  very  dear  Brother, — I  rejoice  to  hear  that  Christ  hath 
 run  away  with  your  young  love,  and  that  ye  are  so  early  in  the 
 morning  matched  with  such  a  Lord,  for  a  young  man  is  often  a 
 dressed  lodging  for  the  devil  to  dwell  in.  Be  humble  and  thank- 
 ful for  grace,  and  weigh  it  not  so  much  by  weight,  as  if  it  be  true. 
 Christ  will  not  cast  water  on  your  smoking  coal ;  He  never  yet 
 put  out  a  dim  candle  that  was  lighted  at  the  Sun  of  Righteousness. 
 I  recommend  to  you  prayer,  and  watching  over  the  sins  of  your 
 youth  ;  for  I  know  missive  letters  go  between  the  devil  and  young 
 blood ;  Satan  hath  a  friend  at  court  in  the  heart  of  youth ;  and 
 there,  pride,  luxury,  lust,  revenge,  forgetfulness  ot  God,  are  hired 
 as  his  agents ;  happy  is  your  soul  if  Christ  man  the  house,  and 
 take  the  keys  Himself,  and  command  all  (as  it  suiteth  Him  full 
 well,  to  rule  all  wherever  He  is).  Keep  Him  and  entertain  Christ 
 well;  cherish  His  grace,  blow  upon  your  own  coal,  and  let  Him 
 tutor  you.  Now,  for  myself,  know  I  am  fully  agreed  with  my 
 Lord.  Christ  hath  put  the  Father  and  me  in  others'^  arms,  many 
 a  sweet  bargain  He  made  before,  and  He  hath  made  this  among 
 the  rest.  I  reign  as  king  over  my  crosses.  I  will  not  flatter  a 
 temptation,  nor  give  the  devil  a  good  word :  I  defy  hell's  iron 
 gates.  God  hath  passed  over  my  quarrelling  of  Him  at  my  entry 
 here,  and  now  He  feedeth  and  feasteth  with  me.  Praise,  praise 
 with  me ;  and  let  us  exalt  His  name  together. 
 
 Your  brother  in  Christ,         S,  R. 
 
 Aberdeen,  March  13,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  CXIIL— To  William  Gordon  of  White  Park. 
 
 Worthy  Sir, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  unto  you.  I  long 
 to  hear  from  you.  I  am  here,  the  Lord's  prisoner  and  patient, 
 handled  as  softly  by  my  physician  as  if  I  were  a  sick  man  under 
 cure.  I  was  at  h;ird  terms  with  my  Lord,  and  pleaded  with  Him  ; 
 but  I  had  the  worst  side.  It  is  a  wonder  He  should  have 
 suffered  the  like  of  me  to  have  nick -named  the  Son  of  His  love, 
 Christ,  and  to  call  Him  a  changed  Lord,  who  had  forsaken  me ; 
 '  Each  other's. 
 
LETTER  CXTTT.  211 
 
 bnt  misbelief  hatli  never  a  good,  word  to  speak  of  Christ.     The 
 dross  of  my  cross  gathered  a  scum  of  fears  in  the  fire,  doubtings, 
 impatience,  unbehef,  challenging  of  providence  as  sleeping,  and 
 not  regarding  my  sorrow ;  but  my  goldsmith,  Christ,  was  pleased 
 to  take  off  the  scum  and  burn  it  in  the  fire.     And  blessed  be  my 
 finer,  He  hath  made  the  metal  better,  and  furnished  new  supply 
 of  grace,  to  cause  me  to  hold  out  weight ;  and  I  hope  He  hath 
 not  lost  one  grain  weight  by  burning  His  servant.      Now,  His 
 love  in  my  heart  casteth  a  mighty  heat.     He  knoweth  that  the 
 desire  I  have  to  be  at  Himself  paineth  me.     I  have  sick  nights 
 and  frequent  fits  of  love  fevers  for  my  Well-Beloved.     Nothing 
 paineth  me  now  but  want  of  presence.     I  think  it  long  till  day. 
 I  challenge  time  as  too  slow  in  its  pace,  that  holdeth  my  only, 
 only  fair  One,  my  love,  my  Well-Beloved  from  me.     0,  if  we  were 
 together  once  !     I  am  like  an  old  crazed  ship  that  hath  endured 
 many  storms,  and  that  would  fain  be  in  the  lee  of  the  shore,  and 
 feareth  new  storms.      I  would  be  that^  nigh   heaven  that  the 
 shadow  of  it  might  break  the  force  of  the  storm,  and  the  crazed 
 ship  might  win  to  land.     My  Lord's  sun  casteth  a  heat  of  love 
 and  beam  of  light  on  my  soul.     My  blessing,  thrice  every  day, 
 upon  the  sweet  cross  of  Christ !    I  am  not  ashamed  of  my  garland, 
 "  The   banished   Minister  "   (which   is   the   term   of  Aberdeen). 
 Love,  love  defileth^  reproaches.    The  love  of  Christ  hath  a  corslet 
 of  proof  on  it,  and  arrows  will  not  draw  blood  of  it.     We  are 
 more  than  conquerors  through  the  blood  of  Him  that  hath  loved 
 us,  Rom.  viii.     The  devil  and  the  world,  they  cannot  wound  the 
 love  of  Christ.      I  am  farther  from  yielding  to  the  course  of 
 defection  than  when  I  came  hither.     Sufferings  blunt  not  the 
 fier}'  edge  of  love.     Cast  love  in  the  floods  of  hell,  it  will  swim 
 above.      It   careth   not   for  the  world's  busked^   and   plastered 
 offers.     It  hath  pleased  my  Lord  so  to  line  my  heart  with  the 
 love  of  my  Lord  Jesus,  that,  as  if  the  field  were  already  won,  and 
 I  on  the  other  side  of  time,  I  laugh  at  the  world's  golden  plea- 
 sures, and  at  this  dirty  idol  that  the  sons  of  Adam  worship.    This 
 worm-eaten  god  is  that  which  my  soul  hath  fallen  out  of  love 
 with.     Sir,  you  were  once  my  hearer  :  I  desire  now  to  hear  from 
 you  and  your  wife,     I  salute  her  and  your  children  with  blessings. 
 I  am  glad  that  ye  are  still  hand-fasted  with  Christ.     Go  on  in 
 your  journey,  and  take  the  city  by  violence.    Keep  your  garments 
 clean.     Be  clean  virgins  to  your  Husband,  the  Lamb.     The  world 
 shall  follow  you  to  heaven's  gates,  and  ye  would  not  wish  it  to  go 
 in  with  you.     Keep  fast  Christ's  love.     Pray  for  me,  as  I  do  for 
 you.     The  Lord  Jesus  be  with  your  spirit. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 
 Aberdeen,  Maroli  13,  1637. 
 
 I  So.  ^  Qu.  Defieth  ?  ^  Dressed. 
 
212  LETTEliS  CXIV,  AND  CXV, 
 
 LETTER  CXIV.— To  Mr.  George  Gillespie. 
 
 Reverend  and  dear  Brother, — I  received  your  letter.  As 
 for  my  case,  brother,  I  bless  His  glorious  name,  my  losses  are  my 
 gain,  my  prison  a  palace,  and  my  sadness  joyfulness.  At  my  first 
 entry,  my  apprehensions  wrought  so  upon  my  cross,  that  I  became 
 jealous  of  the  love  of  Christ,  as  being  by  Him  thrust  out  of  the 
 vineyard,  and  I  was  under  great  challenges  (as  ordinarily  melted 
 gold  caste th  first  a  drossy  scum,  and  Satan  and  our  corruption 
 form  the  first  words  that  the  heavy  cross  speaketh,  and  say,  God 
 is  angry ;  He  loveth  you  not).  But  our  apprehensions  are  not 
 canonical.  They  dite^  lies  of  God  and  Christ's  love ;  but  since 
 my  spirit  was  settled,  and  the  clay  fallen  to  the  bottom  of  the 
 well,  I  see  better  what  Christ  was  doing.  And  now  my  Lord  is 
 returned  with  salvation  under  His  wings,  now  I  want  little  of  half 
 a  heaven,  and  I  find  Christ  every  day  so  sweet,  comfortable, 
 lovely,  and  kind,  as  three  things  only  trouble  me.  1.  I  see  not 
 how  to  be  thankful,  or  how  to  get  help  to  praise  that  royal  King, 
 who  raiseth  up  those  that  are  bowed  down.  2.  His  love  paineth 
 me,  and  woundeth  my  soul,  so  as  I  am  in  a  fever  for  want  of  real 
 presence.  3.  An  excessive  desire  to  take  instruments-  in  God's 
 name,  that  this  is  Christ  and  His  truth  I  now  suffer  for ;  yea,  the 
 apple  of  the  eye  of  Christ's  honour,  even  the  sovereignty  and  royal 
 privileges  of  our  King  and  Law-giver  Christ.  And,  therefore,  let 
 no  man  scaur  ^  at  Christ's  cross,  or  raise  an  ill  report  upon  Him  or 
 it,  for  He  beareth  the  sufferer  and  it  both.  I  am  here  troubled 
 with  the  disputes  of  the  great  doctors  (especially  with  D.  B,,  in 
 ceremonial  and  Arminian  controversies,  for  all  are  corrupt  here) ; 
 but  I  thank  God  with  no  detriment  to  the  truth  or  discredit  to  my 
 profession.  So  then  I  see  that  Christ  can  triumph  in  a  weaker 
 man  nor*  I,  and  who  can  be  more  weak  1  But  His  grace  is  suffi- 
 cient for  me.  Brother,  remember  our  old  covenant,  and  pray  for 
 me,  and  write  to  me  your  case.  The  Lord  Jesus  be  with  your 
 spirit.  Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  E. 
 
 Aberdeen^  March  10, 1637. 
 
 LETTER  CXV.— To  John  Meine. 
 
 Dear  Brother, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  unto  you.  I 
 wonder  ye  sent  me  not  an  answer  to  my  last  letter,  for  I  stand  in 
 need  of  it.  I  am  still  in  some  piece  of  court  ^  with  our  great  King, 
 whose  love  would  cause  a  dead  man  speak  and  live.  Whether  my 
 court^  will  continue  or  not  I  cannot  well  say  j  but  I  have  His  ear 
 frequently,  and  (to  His  glory  only  I  speak  it)  no  penury  of  the 
 
 ^  Dictate  -  Protest.  ^  Bogle.  *  Thau.  ''  Favour. 
 
LETTER  CXVI.  213 
 
 love-kisses  of  the  Son  of  God.  He  thinketh  good  to  cast  apples 
 to  me  in  my  prison  to  play  withal,  lest  I  should  think  long  and 
 faint :  I  must  give  over  all  attempts  to  fathom  the  depth  of  His 
 love.  All  I  can  do  is  but  to  stand  beside  His  great  love,  and  look 
 and  wonder.  My  debts  of  tlmnkfulness  aifright  me.  I  fear  my 
 creditor  get  a  dyvour^  bill  and  a  ragged  account:  I  would  be  much 
 the  better  of  help.  0,  for  help  !  And  that  ye  would  take  notice 
 of  my  case.  Your  not  writing  to  me  maketh  me  think  ye  suppose 
 that  I  am  not  to  be  bemoaned,  because  he  is  comfortable ;  but  I 
 have  pain  in  my  unthankfulness,  and  pain  in  the  feeling  of  His 
 love,  while  I  am  sick  again  for  real  presence  and  real  possession  of 
 Christ;  yet  there  is  no  gouked^  (if  I  may  speak  so)  nor  fond  love 
 in  Christ.  He  casteth  me  down  sometimes  with  challenges  for  old 
 faults,  and  I  know,  He  knoweth  well  that  sweet  comforts  are 
 swelling,  and  therefore  sorrow  must  make  a  vent  to  the  wind. 
 My  dumb  sabbaths  are  undercoating^  wounds.  The  condition  of 
 this  oppressed  kirk,  and  my  brother's  case  (I  thank  you  and  your 
 vn(e  for  your  kindness  to  him),  hold  my  sore  smarting  and  keep 
 my  wounds  bleeding  ;  but  the  ground-work  standeth  sure.  Pray 
 for  me.     Grace  be  with  you.     Remember  me  to  your  wife. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R 
 Aberdeen,  March  14,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  CXVI.— To  Mr.  Thomas  Garven. 
 
 Reverend  and  dear  brother, — I  bless  you  for  your  letter. 
 It  was  a  shower  to  the  new-mown  grass.  The  Lord  hath  given 
 you  the  tongue  of  the  learned;  be  fruitful  and  humble.  It  is 
 possible  ye  come  to  my  case  or  the  like  ;  but  the  water  is  neither 
 so  deep,  nor  the  stream  so  strong,  as  it  is  called.  I  think  my  fire 
 is  not  hot,  my  water  dry  land,  my  loss  rich  loss.  0,  if  the  walls 
 of  my  prison  be  high,  wide,  and  large,  and  the  place  sweet !  no 
 man  knoweth  it ;  no  man,  I  say,  knoweth  it  (my  dear  brother)  so 
 well  as  He  and  I ;  no  man  can  put  it  down  in  black  and  white,  as 
 my  Lord  hath  sealed  it  in  my  heart.  My  poor  stock  is  grown  since 
 I  came  to  Aberdeen.  And  if  any  had  known  the  wrong  I  did  in 
 being  jealous  of  such  an  honest  lover  as  Christ,  who  withheld  not 
 His  love  from  me,  they  would  think  the  more  of  it ;  but  I  see.  He 
 must  be  above  me  in  mercy.  I  will  never  strive  with  Him.  To 
 think  to  recompense  Him  is  folly,  if  I  had  as  many  angels'  tongues 
 as  there  have  fallen  drops  of  rain  since  the  creation,  or  as  there 
 are  leaves  of  trees  in  all  the  forests  of  the  earth,  or  stars  in  the 
 heaven,  to  praise ;  yet  my  Lord  Jesus  would  ever  be  behind  with 
 ine.  We  will  never  get  our  accounts  fitted  :  a  pardon  must  close 
 ^  Unpaid.  '^  Foolish.  3  Unhealed. 
 
214  LETTER  CXVIT. 
 
 the  reckoning;  for  His  comforts  to  me  in  this  His  honourable 
 cause,  have  almost  put  me  beyond  the  bounds  of  modesty;  how- 
 beit  I  will  not  let  every  one  know  what  is  betwixt  us.  Love,  love 
 (I  mean  Christ's  love)  is  the  hottest  coal  that  ever  I  felt.  0,  but 
 the  smoke  of  it  be  hot !  Cast  all  the  salt  sea  on  it,  it  will  flame  ; 
 hell  cannot  quench  it.  Many,  many  waters  will  not  quench  love. 
 Christ  is  turned  over  to  His  poor  prisoner  in  a  mass  and  globe  of  love. 
 I  wonder  He  should  waste  so  much  love  upon  such  a  waster  as  I 
 am ;  but  He  is  no  waster,  but  abundant  in  mercy.  He  hath  no 
 niggard's  alms,  when  He  is  pleased  to  give.  0,  that  I  could  in- 
 vite all  the  nation  to  love  Him  !  Free  grace  is  an  unknown  thing. 
 This  world  hath  heard  but  a  bare  name  of  Christ,  and  no  more. 
 There  are  infinite  plies  ^  in  His  love  that  the  ?aints  Avill  never  win 
 to  unfold.  I  would  it  were  better  known,  and  that  Christ  got 
 more  of  His  own  due  than  He  doeth.  Brother,  ye  have  chosen 
 the  good  part  who  have  taken  part  with  Christ.  Ye  will  see  Him 
 win  the  field,  and  ye  shall  get  part  of  the  spoil  when  He  divideth 
 it.  They  are  but  fools  Avho  laugh  at  us ;  for  they  see  but  the 
 backside  of  the  moon ;  yet  our  moonlight  is  better  than  their 
 twelve-hours'  sun.  We  have  gotten  the  new  heavens,  and,  as 
 a  pledge  of  that,  the  Bridegroom's  love-ring.  The  children  of 
 the  wedding-chamber  have  cause  to  skip  and  leap  for  joy,  for  the 
 marriage-supper  is  drawing  nigh,  and  we  find  the  four-hours ^  sweet 
 and  comfortable.  0,  time,  be  not  slow  !  0,  sun,  move  speedily  and 
 hasten  our  banquet !  0,  Bridegroom,  be  like  a  roe,  or  a  young 
 hart  upon  the  mountains  !  0,  Well-Beloved,  run  fast,  that  we  may 
 once  meet !  Brother,  I  contain  myself  for  want  of  time.  Pray  for 
 me  ;  I  hope  to  remember  you.  The  goodwill  of  Him  who  dwelt 
 in  the  bush,  the  tender  mercies  of  God  in  Christ,  enrich  you  ! 
 Grace  be  with  you.  Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,     S.  E. 
 
 Aberdeen,  March  14,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  CXVn.— To  Bethaia  Aird. 
 
 Worthy  Sister, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  unto  you.  I 
 know  ye  desire  news  from  my  prison,  and  I  shall  show  you  news. 
 At  my  first  entry  hither,  Christ  and  I  agreed  not  well  upon  it. 
 The  devil  made  a  plea  in  the  house,  and  I  laid  the  blame  upon 
 Christ ;  for  my  heart  was  fraughted^  with  challenges,  and  I  feared 
 that  I  was  an  outcast,  and  that  I  Avas  but  a  witliered  tree  in  the 
 vineyard,  and  but  held  the  sun  off"  the  good  plants  with  my  idle 
 shadow,  and  therefore,  my  Master  had  given  the  evil  servant  the 
 fields  to  fend  him.*     Old  guiltiness  said  (as  witness)  all  is  true. 
 
 J  Folds. 
 
 -  The  "four-hours"  was  a  slight  me.'il  taken  at  four  o'jlock,  between  dinner 
 and  suppfci.  ^  Laden.  •*  Suppiat. 
 
LETTER  CXVIII.  215 
 
 JMy  apprehensions  were  with  child  of  faithless  tears,  and  unbelief 
 put  a  seal  and  amen  to  all.  I  thought  myself  in  a  hard  case. 
 Some  said  I  had  cause  to  rejoice  that  Christ  had  honoured  me  to 
 be  a  witness  for  Him ;  and  I  said  in  my  heart,  these  are  words  of 
 men  who  see  but  mine  outside,  and  cannot  tell  if  I  be  a  false  wit- 
 ness or  not.  If  Christ  had,  in  this  matter,  been  as  wilful  and 
 short  as  I  was,  my  faith  had  gone  over  the  brae  and  broken  its 
 neck ;  but  we  were  well  met, — a  hasty  fool,  and  a  wise,  patient, 
 and  meek  Saviour.  He  took  no  law-advantage  of  my  folly,  but 
 waited  on  till  my  ill-blood  was  fallen,  and  my  drumbled^  and 
 troubled  well  began  to  clear.  He  was  never  a  whit  angry  at  the 
 fever-ravings  of  a  poor  tempted  sinner ;  but  He  mercifully  forgave, 
 and  came  (as  it  well  becometh  Him)  with  grace  and  new  comfort 
 to  a  sinner  who  deserved  the  contrary.  And  now  He  is  content 
 to  kiss  my  black  mouth,  to  put  His  hand  in  mine,  and  to  feed 
 me  with  as  many  consolations  as  would  feed  ten  hungry  souls  ; 
 yet  I  dare  not  say,  He  is  a  waster  of  comforts,  for  no  less  would 
 have  borne  me  up ;  one  grain-weight  less  would  have  casten  the 
 balance.  Now,  who  is  like  to  that  royal  King,  crowned  in  Zion  1 
 Where  will  I  get  a  seat  for  royal  majesty  to  set  Him  on  ?  If  I 
 could  set  Him  as  far  above  the  heavens,  as  thousand  thousands  of 
 heights,  devised  by  men  and  angels,  I  would  think  Him  but  too 
 low.  I  pray  you,  for  God's  sake,  my  dear  sister,  help  me  to 
 praise.  His  love  hath  neither  brim  nor  bottom  ;  His  love  is  like 
 Himself,  it  passeth  all  natural  understanding.  I  go  to  fathom  it 
 with  my  arms,  but  it  is  as  if  a  child  would  take  the  globe  of  sea 
 and  land  in  his  two  short  arms.  Blessed  and  holy  is  His  name. 
 This  must  be  His  truth  I  now  suffer  for,  for  He  would  not  laugh 
 upon  a  lie,  nor  be  witness  with  His  comforts  to  a  night-dream.  I 
 entreat  for  your  prayers,  and  the  prayers  and  blessing  of  a  prisoner 
 of  Christ  be  upon  you.     Grace  be  with  you. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  E. 
 Aberdeen,  March  14,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  CXVIIL— To  Alexander  Gordon  of  Knockgray. 
 
 Dear  Brother,— I  have  not  leisure  to  write  to  you.  Christ's 
 ways  were  known  to  you  long  before  I  {who  am  but  a  child) 
 knew  anything  of  Him.  What  wrong  and  violence  the  prelates 
 i"^y>  by  God's  permission,  do  unto  you  for  your  trial,  I  know 
 not ;  but  this  I  know,  that  your  ten  days'  tribulation  will  end. 
 Contend  to  the  last  breath  for  Christ.  Banishment  out  of  these 
 kingdoms  is  determined  against  me,  as  I  hear ;  this  land  does  not 
 bear  me  up.  I  pray  you  recommend  my  case  and  bonds  to  my 
 brethren  and  sisters  with  you  :  I  intrust  more  of  my  .spiritual 
 
 >  rcrturbed. 
 
216  LETTER  CXIX. 
 
 comfort  to  you  and  them  that  way,  my  dear  brother,  than  to 
 many  in  this  kingdom  besides.  I  hope  ye  will  not  be  wanting  to 
 Chiist's  prisoner.  Fear  nothing,  for  I  assure  you,  Alexander 
 'Gordon  ot  Knockgray  shall  win  away,  and  get  his  soul  for  a  prey. 
 And  what  can  he  then  want  that  is  worth  the  having?  Your 
 friends  are  cold  (as  ye  write),  and  so  are  these  in  Avhom  I  trusted 
 much.  Our  Husband  doeth  well  in  breaking  our  idols  in  pieces  : 
 dry  wells  send  us  to  the  fountain.  My  life  is  not  dear  to  me,  so 
 being^  I  may  fulfil  my  course  with  joy.  I  fear  you  must  remove, 
 it  your  new  hireling  will  not  bear  your  discountenancing  of  him  ; 
 for  the  prelate  is  afraid  Christ  get  you,  and  that  he  hath  no  will  - 
 of.     Grace  be  with  you. 
 
 Yours,  in  liis  sweet  Lord  and  Master,         S.  R. 
 Aberdeen,  1637.  
 
 LETTER  CXIX.— To  John  Fleeming,  Bailie  of  Leith. 
 
 WortTHY  AND  DEARLY  BELOVED  IN  THE  LoRD, — Grace,  mercy, 
 and  peace  be  unto  you.  I  received  your  letter.  I  wish  I  could 
 satisfy  your  desire  in  drawing  up  and  framing  for  you  a  Christian 
 directory.  But  the  learned  have  done  it  before  me,  more  judici- 
 ously than  I  can  ;  especially  Mr.  Rodgers,  Greenham,  and  Perkins ; 
 notwithstanding,  I  shall  show  you  what  I  would  have  been  at 
 myself  (howbeit,  I  came  always  short  of  my  purpose).  1.  That 
 hours  of  the  day,  less  or  more  time  for  the  word  and  prayer  be 
 given  to  God,  not  sparing  the  twelfth  hour  or  mid-day,  howbeit  it 
 should  then  be  the  shorter  time.  2.  In  the  midst  of  worldly 
 employments,  there  would  be  some  thoughts  of  sin,  judgment, 
 death,  and  eternity,  with  a  word  or  two  of  ejaculatory  prayer  (at 
 least)  to  God.  3.  To  beware  of  wandering  of  heart  in  private 
 prayers.  4,  Not  to  grudge,  howbeit  ye  come  from  prayer  without 
 sense  or  joy.  Down-casting,  sense  of  guiltiness,  and  hunger  is 
 often  best  for  us.  5.  That  the  Lord's  day,  from  morning  to  night, 
 be  spent  always  either  in  private  or  public  worship.  6.  That 
 words  be  observed,  wandering  and  idle  thoughts  be  avoided,  sud- 
 den anger  and  desire  of  revenge,  even  of  such  as  persecute  the 
 truth,  be  guarded  against,  for  we  often  mix  our  zeal  with  our 
 own  wild  fire.  7.  That  known,  discovered,  and  revealed  sins, 
 that  are  against  the  conscience,  be  eschewed,  as  most  dangerous 
 preparatives  to  hardness  of  heart.  8.  That  in  dealing  with  men, 
 faith  and  truth  in  covenants  and  trafficking  be  regarded,  that  we 
 deal  with  all  men  in  sincerity,  that  conscience  be  made  of  idle  and 
 lying  words,  and  that  our  carriage  be  such,  as  that  they  who  see 
 it  may  speak  honourably  of  our  sweet  Master  and  profession.  9.  I 
 have  been  much  challenged.     (1.)  For  not  referring  all  to  God  as 
 
 *  rrovided.  -  Desire. 
 
LETTER  CXIX.  217 
 
 the  last  end  ;  that  I  do  not  eat,  drink,  sleep,  journey,  speak,  and 
 think  for  God.  (2.)  That  I  have  not  benefited  by  good  company, 
 and  that  I  left  not  some  word  of  conviction  even  upon  natural  and 
 wicked  men,  as  by  reproving  swearing  in  them,  or  because  of  being 
 a  silent  witness  to  their  loose  carriage,  and  because  I  intended  not 
 in  all  companies  to  do  good.  (3.)  That  the  woes  and  calamities 
 of  the  kirk  and  particular  professors  have  not  moved  me.  (4.) 
 That  the  reading  of  the  life  of  David,  Paul,  and  the  like,  when  it 
 humbled  me,  I  (coming  so  far  short  of  their  holiness)  laboured  not 
 to  imitate  them,  afar  oflF  at  least,  according  to  the  measure  of 
 God's  grace.  (5.)  That  unrepented  sins  of  youth  were  not  looked 
 to  and  lamented  for.  (6.)  That  sudden  stirrings  of  pride,  lust, 
 revenge,  love  of  honours,  were  not  resisted  and  mourned  for.  (7.) 
 That  my  charity  was  cold.  (8.)  That  the  experiences  I  had  of 
 God's  hearing  me  in  this  and  the  other  particular  being  gathered, 
 yet  in  a  new  trouble  I  had  always  (once  at  least)  my  faith  to  seek, 
 as  if  I  were  to  begin  at  A.  B.  C.  again.  (9.)  That  I  have  not  more 
 boldly  contradicted  the  enemies  speaking  against  the  truth,  either 
 in  public  church-meetings,  or  at  tables,  or  ordinary  conference. 
 (10.)  That  in  great  troubles,  I  have  received  false  reports  of 
 Christ's  love,  and  misbelieved  Him  in  His  chastening,  whereas  the 
 event  hath  said  all  was  in  mercy.  (11.)  Nothing  more  moveth 
 me  and  weigheth  my  soul,  than  that  I  could  never  for  my  heart, 
 in  my  prosperity,  so  wrestle  in  prayer  with  God,  nor  be  so  dead 
 to  the  world,  so  hungry  and  sick  of  love  for  Christ,  so  heavenly 
 minded,  as  when  ten  stone  weight  of  a  heavy  cross  was  upon  me. 
 (12.)  That  the  cross  extorted  vows  of  new  obedience,  which  ease 
 hath  blown  away,  as  chaff  before  the  wind.  (13.)  That  practice 
 was  so  short  and  narrow,  and  light  so  long  and  broad.  (14.) 
 That  death  hath  not  been  often  meditated  upon.  (15.)  That  I 
 have  not  been  careful  of  gaining  others  to  Christ.  (16.)  That  my 
 grace  and  gifts  bring  forth  little  or  no  thankfulness.  There  are 
 some  things  also  whereby  I  have  been  helped.  As,  (1.)  I  have 
 benefited  by  riding  alone,  a  long  journey,  in  giving  that  time  to 
 prayer.  (2.)  By  abstinence  and  giving  days  to  God.  (3.)  By 
 praying  for  others  ;  for,  by  making  an  errand  to  God  for  them,  I 
 have  gotten  something  for  myself.  (4.)  I  have  been  really  con- 
 firmed, in  many  particulars,  that  God  heareth  prayers,  and  there- 
 fore I  used  to  pray  for  anything  of  how  little  importance  soever. 
 (5.)  He  enabled  me  to  make  no  question  that  this  mocked  way, 
 which  is  nicknamed,  is  the  only  way  to  heaven.  Sir,  these  and 
 many  more  occurrences  in  your  life  would  be  looked  into.  And, 
 1.  Thoughts  of  Atheism  would  be  watched  over,  as  if  there  be  a 
 God  in  heaven,  which  will  trouble  and  assault  the  best  at  some 
 times.     2.  Growth  in  grace  would  be  cared  for  above  all  things, 
 
218  T,KTTF.U  C"X 
 
 and  /ailing  from  our  first  love  naourned  for.  3.  Conscience  made 
 of  praying  for  the  enemies  who  are  blinded.  Sir,  I  thank  you 
 most  kindly  for  your  care  of  my  brother  and  me  also  ;  I  hope  it  h 
 laid  up  for  you  and  remembered  in  heaven.  I  am  still  ashamed 
 with  Christ's  kindness  to  such  a  sinner  as  I  am  :  He  hath  left  a 
 fire  in  my  heart,  that  hell  cannot  cast  water  on  to  quench  or  ex- 
 tinguish it.  Help  me  to  praise,  and  pray  for  me ;  for  ye  have  a 
 prisoner's  blessing  and  prayers.  Kemember  my  love  to  your  wife. 
 Grace  be  with  you.  Yours,  in  Christ  Jesus,         S.  R 
 
 Aberdeen,  March  15.  1637. 
 
 LETTER  CXX.— To  Robert  Gordon  of  Knockbrex. 
 
 My  very  dear  Brother,— Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  unto 
 you.  I  thought  to  have  answered  your  two  letters  upon  this 
 occasion,  though  I  cannot  say  all  that  I  would.  Your  timeous  ^ 
 word  (not  to  delight  in  the  cross,  but  in  Him  who  sweeteneth  it) 
 came  to  me  in  due  time.  I  find  the  consolations  and  ofF-fallings 
 that  follow  the  cross  of  Christ  so  sweet,  that  I  almost  forget  my- 
 self; my  desire  and  purpose  is,  when  Christ's  honeycombs  drop, 
 neither  to  refuse  to  receive  and  feed  upon  His  comforts,  nor  yet 
 to  make  joy  my  bastard-god,  or  my  new-found  heaven ;  but  what 
 shall  I  say  1  Christ  very  often,  in  His  sweet  comforts,  cometh 
 unsent  for,  and  it  were  a  sin  to  close  the  door  upon  Him.  It  is 
 not  unlaAvful  to  love  and  delight  in  Christ's  apples,  when  I  am  not 
 doatingly  wooing,  nor  eagerly  begging  kisses ;  but  when  they 
 come  clean  from  the  timber  (like  kindness  itself,  that  cometh  oi 
 its  own  accord)  then  I  cannot  but  laugh  upon  Him,  who  laugheth 
 upon  me.  If  joy  and  comforts  came  single  and  alone,  without 
 Christ  Himself,  I  think  I  would  send  them  back  again  the  gate^ 
 they  came,  and  not  make  them  welcome ;  but  when  the  King's 
 train  cometh,  and  the  King  in  the  midst  of  the  company,  0  how 
 am  I  overjoyed  with  floods  of  love !  I  fear  not  that  too  great 
 speats^  of  love  wash  away  the  growing  corn,  and  loose  my  plants 
 at  the  roots.  Christ  doeth  no  skaith*  where  He  cometh ;  but 
 certainly  I  would  wish  such  spiritual  wisdom  as  to  love  the  Bride- 
 groom better  than  His  gifts,  His  propines,^  or  drink-money.  I 
 would  be  further  in  upon  Christ  than  at  His  joys;  they  but  stand 
 in  the'utter*^  side  of  Christ.  I  would  Avish  to  be  in  as  a  seal  on 
 His  heart;  in  where  His  love  and  mercy  lodgeth,  beside  His 
 heart.  My  Well-Beloved  hath  ravished  me ;  but  it  is  done  with 
 consent  of  parties,  and  it  is  allowable  enough.  But,  my  dear 
 brother,  ere  I  part  with  this  subject,  I  must  tell  you  (that  ye 
 may  lift  up  my  King  in  praises  with  me),   Christ   hath  been 
 
 '  Seasonable.         '^  Way.         ^  Floods.         ''  Harm.         ^  Gifts.         ^  Outer. 
 
LETTER  CXX,  219 
 
 keeping  something  these  fourteen  years  for  me,  that  I  have 
 now  gotten  in  my  heavy  days,  that  I  am  in  for  His  name's  sake  ; 
 even  an  opened  coffer  of  perfumed  comforts  and  fresh  joys 
 coming  new,  and  green,  and  powerful,  from  the  fairest,  fairest 
 face  of  Christ  my  Lord.  Let  the  sour  law,  let  crosses,  let  hell  be 
 cried  down.  Love,  love  hath  shamed  me  from  my  old  ways. 
 Whether  I  have  a  race  to  run,  or  some  work  ado,  I  see  not ;  but 
 I  think  Christ  seemeth  to  leave  heaven  (to  say  so)  and  His  court, 
 and  come  down  to  laugh,  and  play,  and  sport  with  a  daft^  bairn. 
 I  am  not  this  -  plain  with  many  I  write  to.  It  is  possible  _  I  be 
 misconstructed,  and  deemed  to  seek  a  name ;  but  my  Witness 
 above  knoweth  I  seek  to  have  a  good  name  raised  upon 
 Christ.  I  observe  it  to  be  our  folly  to  seek  little  from  Christ ; 
 because  our  four-hours  may  not  be  our  supper,  nor  our  propine 
 sent  by  the  Bridegroom  our  tocher-good,^  nor  our  earnest  our 
 principal  sum.  But  I  trow  few  of  us  know  how  much  may  be 
 had  of  Christ  for  a  four-hours  and  a  propine  and  earnest.  We  are 
 like  the  young  heir  who  knoweth  not  the  whole  bounds  of  his  own 
 lordship.  Certainly  it  is  more  than  my  part  to  say,  0  sweetest 
 Lord  Jesus,  what  howbeit  I  were  split  and  broken  in  five  thou- 
 sand sherds  or  bits  of  clay,  so  being  every  sherd  had  a  heart  to 
 love  Thee,  and  every  one  as  many  tongues  as  there  are  stars  in 
 heaven  to  sing  praises  to  Thee,  before  man  and  angel,  for  ever- 
 more 1  Therefore,  if  my  sufferings  cry  goodness,  and  praise,  and 
 honour  upon  Christ,  my  stipend  is  Avell  paid.  Each  one  knoweth 
 not  what  a  life  Christ's  love  is.  Scaur*  not  at  suffering  for  Christ; 
 for  Christ  hath  a  chair,  and  a  cushion,  and  sweet  peace  for  a  suf- 
 ferer. Christ's  trencher  from  the  first  mess  of  the  high-table  is 
 for  a  sinful  witness.  0,  then,  brother,  who  but  Christ !  who  but 
 Christ  1  Hold  your  tongue  of  lovers,  where  He  cometh  out !  0 
 all  flesh,  0,  dust  and  ashes  !  0  angels,  0  glorified  spirits,  0  all  the 
 shields  of  the  world,  be  silent  before  Him,  come  hither  and  behold 
 our  Bridegroom,  stand  still  and  wonder  for  evermore  at  Him !  Why 
 cease  we  to  love  and  wonder,  to  kiss  and  adore  Him  1  It  is  a  hard 
 matter  that  days  lie  betwixt  me  and  Him  and  hold  us  asunder. 
 0,  how  long,  how  long !  0,  how  many  miles  are  there  to  my 
 Bridegroom's  dwelling-house ;  it  is  a  pain  to  frist  ^  Christ's  love 
 any  longer.  But  it  may  be,  a  drunken  man  lose  His  feet,  and 
 miss  a  step.  Ye  write  to  me,  hall-binks  "  are  slippery.  I  do  not 
 think  my  doating  world  will  still  last,  and  that  leasts  will  be  my 
 ordinary  food.  I  would  have  humility,  patience,  and  faith,  to  set 
 down  both  my  feet  when  I  come  to  the  north-side  of  the  cold  and 
 thorny  hill.     It  is  ill  my  common  "^  to  be  sweir  ^  to  go  an  errand 
 
 1  Foolish.  2  Thus.  ^  Dowry.  ^  Shrink.  =  Postpone. 
 
 *  Seats  in  the  waiting-halls  of  great  men.  ^  Part.  *  Ileluctaut. 
 
220  LETTER  CXX. 
 
 for  Christ,  and  to  talce  the  wind  upon  my  face  for  Him.  Lord, 
 let  me  never  be  a  false  witness,  to  deny  that  I  saw  Christ  take  the 
 pen  in  His  hand  and  subscribe  my  writs.  My  dear  brother,  ye 
 complain  to  me  ye  cannot  hold  sight  of  me  ;  but  were  I  a  footman 
 I  should  go  at  leisure,  but  sometimes  the  King  taketh  me  into  His 
 coach,  and  draweth  me,  and  then  I  outrun  myself;  but  alas,  I  am 
 still  a  forlorn  transgressor ;  O  how  unthankful !  I  will  not  put 
 you  off  your  sense  of  deadness ;  but  let  me  say  this,  avIio  gave  you 
 proctor-fee,  to  speak  for  the  law,  that  can  speak  for  itself,  better 
 than  ye  can  do?  I  would  not  have  you  to  bring  your  ditty ^  in 
 your  own  bosom  with  you  to  Christ.  Let  the  old  man  and  the 
 new  man  be  summoned  before  Christ's  white  throne,  and  let  them 
 be  confronted  before  Christ,  and  let  each  one  of  them  speak  for 
 themselves.  I  hope,  howbeit  the  new  man  complain  of  his  lying 
 among  the  pots,  which  maketh  the  believer  look  black ;  yet  He 
 can  say  also,  I  am  comely  as  the  tents  of  Kedar.  Ye  shall  not 
 have  my  advice  not  to  bemoan  your  deadness  ;  but  I  find  by  some 
 experience  (which  ye  knew  before  I  knew  Christ)  it  suiteth  not  a 
 ransomed  man  of  Christ's  buying,  to  go  and  plea  for  the  sour  law, 
 our  old  forecasten  husband  ;  for  we  are  now  not  under  the  law  (as 
 a  covenant)  but  under  grace.  Ye  are  in  no  man's  common^  but 
 Christ's.  I  know  He  beraoaneth  you  more  than  ye  do  yourself. 
 I  say  this,  because  I  am  wearied  of  complaining.  I  thought  it 
 had  been  humility  to  imagine  that  Christ  was  angry  with  me, 
 both  because  of  my  dumb  sabbaths  and  my  hard  heart ;  but  I  feel 
 now  nothing  but  aching  wounds  :  my  grief,  Avhether  I  will  or  not, 
 swelleth  upon  me.  But  let  us  die  in  grace's  hall  floor  pleading 
 before  Christ.  I  deny  nothing  that  the  Mediator  will  challenge 
 me  of  -  but  I  turn  it  all  back  upon  Himself.  Let  Him  look  His 
 own  old  counts  if  He  be  angry,  for  He  will  get  no  more  of  me. 
 When  Christ  saith,  I  want  repentance ;  I  meet  Him  with  this, 
 True,  Lord ;  but  thou  art  made  a  King  and  Prince  to  give  me 
 repentance.  Acts  v.  31.  When  Christ  bindeth  a  challenge  upon 
 us,  we  must  bind  a  promise  back  upon  Him.  Be  woe  ^  and  lay 
 yourself  in  the  dust  before  God  (which  is  suitable) ;  but  withal, 
 let  Christ  take  payment  in  His  own  hand,  and  pay  Himself  off' 
 the  first  end  of  His  own  merits  ;  else  He  will  come  behind  for  any- 
 thing we  can  do.  I  am  every  way  in  your  case,  as  hard-hearted 
 and  dead  as  any  man  ;  but  yet  I  spealc  to  Christ  through  my  sleep. 
 Let  us  then  proclaim  a  free  market  for  Christ,  and  swear  ourselves 
 bare,  and  desire  and  cry  on  Him  to  come  without  money  and  buy 
 us,  and  take  us  home  to  our  Kanaom-payer's  fireside,  and  let  us  be 
 Christ's  free-boarders :  because  we  do  not  pay  the  old,  we  may 
 not  refuse  to  take  on  Christ's  new  debt  of  mercy.     Let  us  do  our 
 
 ^  Accusation.  -  Debt.  *  Woeful. 
 
LETTER  CXXI.  221 
 
 best,  Christ  will  still  be  behind  with  us,  and  many  terniB  will  run 
 together.  For  my  part,  let  me  stand  for  evermore  in  His  book 
 for  a  forlorn  dyvour.  I  must  desire  to  be  this^  far  in  His  (.'ommon 
 of  new,  as  to  desire  to  kiss  His  feet.  I  know  not  how  to  win  to 
 a  heartsome^  fill  and  feast  of  Christ's  love;  for  I  dow^  neither  buy, 
 nor  beg,  nor  borrow  ;  and  yet  I  cannot  want  it;  I  dow^  not  want 
 it.  0  if  I  could  praise  Him  !  yea,  I  would  rest  content  with  a 
 heart  submissive  and  dying  of  love  for  Him ;  and  howbeit  I  won 
 never  personally  in  at  heaven's  gates,  0,  would  to  God,  I  could 
 send  in  my  praises  to  my  incomparable  Well-Beloved,  or  cast  my 
 love-songs  of  that  matchless  Lord  Jesus  over  the  walls,  that  they 
 may  light  in  His  lap  before  men  and  angels  !  Now,  grace,  grace 
 be  with  you.  Remember  my  love  to  your  wife,  and  daughter,  and 
 brother  John.  Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R» 
 
 Aberdeen,  June  11, 1Q37. 
 
 LETTER  CXXL— To  Alexander  Gordon  of  Eavlstown. 
 
 Much  honoured  and  worthy  Sir, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace 
 be  unto  you  :  I  long  to  hear  from  you.  I  receivecl  few  letters 
 since  I  came  hither ;  I  am  in  need  of  a  word.  A  dry  plant  would 
 have  some  watering.  My  case  betwixt  Christ  my  Lord  and  me 
 standeth  between  love  and  jealousy,  faith  and  suspicion  of  His 
 love.  It  is  a  marvel  He  keepeth  house  with  me.  I  make  many 
 pleas  with  Christ,  but  He  maketh  as  many  agreements  with  me. 
 I  think  His  unchangeable  love  hath  said,  I  defy  thee  to  break  me 
 and  change  me  :  if  Christ  had  such  changeable  and  new  thoughts 
 of  my  salvation  as  I  have  of  it,  I  think  I  should  then  be  at  a  sad 
 loss.  He  humoureth  not  a  fool  like  me  in  my  unbelief,  but 
 rebuketh  me  and  fathereth  kindness  upon  me.  Christ  is  rather 
 like  the  poor  friend  and  needy  prisoner  (begging  love)  than  I  am. 
 I  cannot  for  shame  got  Christ  said  nay  of  my  whole  love ;  for  He 
 will  not  want  His  errand  for  the  seeking.  God  be  thanked  my 
 Bridegroom  tireth  not  of  wooing.  Honour  to  Him,  He  is  a  wilful 
 suitor  of  my  soul.  But  as  love  is  His,  pain  is  mine,  that  I  have 
 nothing  to  give  Him.  His  count-book  is  full  of  my  debts  of 
 mercy,  kindness,  and  free  love  towards  me.  0  that  I  might  read 
 with  watery  eyes !  0  that  He  would  give  me  the  interest  of 
 interest  to  pay  back  !  Or  rather  my  soul's  desire  is,  that  He 
 would  comprise  my  person,  soul  and  body,  love,  joy,  confidence, 
 fear,  sorrow,  and  desire,  and  drive  the  puynd,*  and  let  me  be 
 rouped  and  sold  to  Christ,  and  taken  home  to  my  Creditor's  house 
 and  His  fireside.  The  Lord  knoweth,  if  I  could,  I  would  sell 
 myself  without  reversion  to  Christ.  0  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  make  a 
 1  Thus.  2  Comfortable.  s  Can. 
 
 ■*  Poind  (a  Scotch  law  term)  =  arrestment. 
 
222  LETTER  CXXI. 
 
 market  and  overbid  all  my  buyers  !  I  dare  swear  there  is  a 
 mystery  in  Christ  which  I  never  saw.  A  mystery  of  love.  O  if 
 He  would  lay  by  the  lap  of  the  covering  that  is  over  it,  and  let 
 my  greening^  soul  see  it !  I  would  break  the  door,  and  be  in 
 upon  Him,  to  get  a  wombful  of  love ;  for  I  am  an  hungered  and 
 famished  soul.  0,  sir,  if  ye  or  any  other  would  tell  Him  how  sick 
 my  soul  is,  dying  for  want  of  a  hearty  draught  of  Christ's  love. 
 
 0  if  I  could  doat  (if  I  may  make  use  of  that  word  in  this  case)  as 
 much  upon  Himself  as  I  do  upon  His  love  !  it  is  a  pity  that 
 Christ  Himself  should  not  rather  be  my  heart's  choice  than 
 Christ's  manifested  love.  It  would  satisfy  me,  in  some  measure, 
 if  I  had  any  bud^  to  give  for  His  love;  shall  I  offer  Him  my 
 praises  1  Alas,  He  is  more  than  praises  !  I  give  it  over  to  get 
 Him  exalted  according  to  His  worth,  which  is  above  what  can  be 
 known ;  yet  all  this  time  I  am  tempting  Him  to  see  if  there  be 
 both  love  and  anger  in  Him  against  me.  I  am  plucked  from  His 
 flock  (dear  to  me)  and  from  feeding  His  lambs.  I  go  therefore  in 
 sackcloth  as  one  who  has  lost  the  wife  of  his  youth.  Grief  and 
 sorrow  are  suspicious,  and  spue  out  against  Him  the  smoke  of 
 jealousies,  and  I  say  often,  "  Show  me  wherefore  thou  contendest 
 with  me  1"  Tell  me  Lord,  read  the  process  against  me  :  but  I 
 know  I  cannot  answer  His  alledgeance ;  ^  I  will  lose  the  cause 
 when  it  cometh  to  open  pleading.  O  if  could  force  my  heart  to 
 believe  dreams  to  be  dreams  !  yet  when  Christ  giveth  my  fears 
 the  lie,  and  saith  to  me,  thou  art  a  liar,  then  I  am  glad.  I  resolve 
 to  hope,  to  be  quiet,  and  to  lie  on  the  brink  upon  my  side,  till  the 
 waterfall  and  the  ford  be  ridable,  and  howbeit  there  be  pain  upon 
 me  in  longing  for  deliverance,  that  I  may  speak  of  Him  in  the 
 great  congregation  ;  yet  I  think  there  is  joy  in  that  pain  and  on- 
 waiting,  and  I  even  rejoice  that  He  putteth  me  off  for  a  time  and 
 shifteth  me.  0  if  I  could  wait  on  for  all  eternity,  howbeit  I  should 
 never  get  my  soul's  desire,  so  being  He  were  glorified  !  I  would 
 wish  my  pain  and  my  ministry  could  live  long  to  serve  Him,  for 
 
 1  know  I  am  a  clay  vessel  and  made  for  His  use.  0  if  my  very 
 broken  sherds  could  serve  to  glorify  Him  !  I  desire  Christ's  grace, 
 to  be  willingly  content,  that  my  hell  (excepting  His  hatred  and 
 displeasure),  which  I  put  out  of  all  play  (for  submission  to  this  is 
 not  called  for),  were  a  preaching  of  His  glory  to  men  and  angels 
 for  ever  and  ever  !  When  all  is  done,  what  can  I  add  to  Him  1 
 or  what  can  such  a  clay  shadow  as  I  do  1  I  know  He  needeth 
 not  me.  I  have  cause  to  be  grieved  and  to  melt  away  in  tears  (if 
 I  had  grace  to  do  it,  Lord  grant  it  to  me)  to  see  my  Well-Beloved's 
 fair  face  spitted  upon  by  dogs ;  to  see  loons  ^  pulhng  the  crown  off 
 my  royal  King's  head ;  to  see  my  harlot-mother  and  my  sweet 
 
 ^  Lonoitior  -  Offer.         ■'  Allesration  or  accusatiou.  *  liewd  fellows. 
 
l^KTTER  CXXIT.  22? 
 
 Father  agree  so  ill,  that  they  are  going  to  skaiP  and  give  up 
 house;  my  Lord's  palace  is  now  a  nest  of  unclean  birds.  0,  if 
 harlot,  harlot  Scotland  would  rue^  upon  her  provoked  Lord,  and 
 pity  her  good  Husband,  who  is  broken  with  her  whorish  heart ! 
 But  these  things  are  hid  from  her  eyes.  I  have  heard  of  late  of 
 your  new  trial  by  the  Bishop  of  Galloway.  Fear  not  clay  and 
 worm's  meat :  let  truth  and  Christ  get  no  wrong  in  your  hand ;  it 
 is  your  gain,  if  Christ  be  glorified,  and  your  glory  to  be  Christ's 
 witness ;  I  persuade  you  your  sufferings  are  Christ's  advantage  and 
 victory ;  for  He  is  pleased  to  reckon  them  so.  Let  me  hear  from 
 you.  Christ  is  but  winning  a  clean  kirk  out  of  the  fire  ;  He  will 
 win  this  play ;  He  will  not  be  in  your  common  for  any  charges  ye 
 are  at  in  His  service  ;  He  is  not  poor  to  sit  in  your  debt ;  He  will 
 repay  an  hundred-fold  more,  it  may  be,  even  in  this  life.  The 
 prayers  and  blessing  of  Christ's  prisoner  be  with  you. 
 
 Your  brother,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R 
 Aberdeen,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  CXXIL— To  his  Reverend  and  Loving  Brother, 
 Mr.  John  Nevay. 
 
 Reverend  and  dear  Brother, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be 
 imto  you.  I  received  yours  of  April  1 1,  as  I  did  another  of  March 
 25,  and  a  letter  for  Mr.  Andrew  Cant.  I  am  not  a  little  grieved 
 that  our  mother-church  is  running  so  quickly  to  the  brothel-house, 
 and  that  we  are  hiring  lovers  and  giving  gifts  to  the  great  mother 
 of  fornications.  Alas,  that  our  Husband  is  like  to  quit  us  so 
 shortly.  It  were  my  part  (if  I  were  able),  when  our  Husband  is  de- 
 parting, to  stir  up  myself  to  take  hold  of  Him  and  keep  Him  in 
 this  land ;  for  I  know  Him  to  be  a  sweet  second,  and  a  lovely 
 companion  to  a  poor  prisoner.  I  find  my  extremity  hath  sharpened 
 the  edge  of  His  love  and  kindness,  so  as  He  seemeth  to  devise 
 new  ways  of  expressing  the  sweetness  of  His  love  to  my  soul. 
 Suflt'ering  for  Christ  is  the  very  element  wherein  Christ's  love  liveth 
 and  exerciseth  itself,  in  casting  out  flames  of  fire  and  sparks  of  heat 
 to  warm  such  a  frozen  heart  as  I  have  ;  and  if  Christ  weeping  in 
 sackcloth  be  so  sweet,  I  cannot  find  any  imaginable  thoughts  to 
 think  what  He  will  be  when  we,  clay  bodies  (having  put  off  mor- 
 tality), shall  come  up  to  the  marriage-hall  and  great  palace,  and 
 behold  the  King  clothed  in  His  robes  royal,  sitting  on  His  throne. 
 I  would  desire  no  more  for  my  heaven  beneath  the  moon,  while  I 
 am  sighing  in  this  house  of  clay,  but  daily  renewed  feasts  of  love 
 with  Christ,  and  liberty  now  and  then  to  feed  my  hunger  with  a 
 kiss  of  that  fairest  face,  that  is  like  the  sun  in  his  strength  at 
 ^  Separate.  "  Have  compassion. 
 
224  LETTER  CXXIL 
 
 noon-day.  I  would  willingly  subscribe  an  ample  resif^nation  to 
 Christ  of  the  fourteen  prelacies  of  this  land,  and  of  all  the  most 
 delightful  pleasures  on  earth,  and  forfeit  my  part  of  this  clay-god, 
 this  earth,  which  Adam's  foolish  children  Avorship,  to  have  no  other 
 exercise  but  to  lie  in  a  love-bed  with  Christ,  and  fill  this  hungered 
 and  famished  soul  with  kissing,  embracing,  and  real  enjoying  of 
 the  Son  of  God.  And  I  think  then  I  might  write  to  my  friends, 
 that  I  had  found  the  golden  world,  and  look  out  and  laugh  at  the 
 poor  bodies  who  are  slaying  one  another  for  feathers  ;  for  verily, 
 brother,  since  I  came  to  His  prison,  I  have  conceived  a  new  and 
 extraordinary  opinion  of  Christ  which  I  had  not  before ;  for  I  per- 
 ceive we  frist^  all  our  joys  to  Christ,  till  He  and  we  be  in  our 
 own  house  above,  as  married  parties ;  thinking  that  there  is  no- 
 thing of  it  here  to  be  sought  or  found,  but  only  hope  and  fair  pro- 
 mises ;  and  that  Christ  will  give  us  nothing  here  but  tears,  sad- 
 ness, crosses,  and  that  Ave  shall  never  feel  the  smell  of  the  flowers 
 ot  that  high  garden  of  paradise  above  till  we  come  there.  Nay, 
 but  I  find  it  is  possible  to  find  young  glory  and  a  young  green 
 paradise  of  joy  even  here.  I  know  Christ's  kisses  will  cast  a  more 
 strong  and  refreshful  smell  of  incomparable  glory  and  joy  in  heaven 
 than  they  do  here.  Because  a  drink  of  the  well  of  life,  up  at  the 
 well's  head,  is  more  sweet  and  fresh  by  far,  than  that  which  we 
 get  in  our  borrowed,  old,  running-out  vessels,  and  our  wooden 
 dishes  here;  yet  I  am  now  persuaded  it  is  our  folly  to  frist^  all  till 
 the  term  day,  seeing  abundance  of  earnest  will  not  diminish  any- 
 thing of  our  principal  sum.  We  dream  of  hunger  in  Christ's  house 
 while  we  are  here,  although  He  allowetli  feasts  upon  all  the  bairns 
 within  God's  household.  It  were  good  then  to  store  ourselves 
 Avith  more  borroAved  kisses  of  Christ,  and  with  more  borrowed 
 visits,  till  we  enter  heirs  to  our  new  inheritance,  and  our  Tutor- 
 put  us  in  possession  of  our  OAvn,  Avhen  we  are  past  minority.  O, 
 that  all  the  young  heirs  would  seek  more,  and  a  greater  and  a 
 nearer  communion  with  my  Lord-tutor,  the  prime  Heir  of  all, 
 Christ !  I  Avish,  for  my  part,  I  could  send  you,  and  that  gentleman 
 who  wrote  his  commendations  to  me,  into  the  King's  innermost 
 cellar  and  house  of  wine  to  be  filled  Avith  love.  A  drink  of  this 
 love  is  worth  the  having  indeed.  We  carry  ourselves  but  too 
 nicely  with  Christ  our  Lord,  and  our  Lord  loveth  not  niceness, 
 and  dryness,  and  uncouthness  in  friends.  Since  need-force'  we 
 must  be  in  Christ's  common,  then,  let  us  be  in  His  common  ;  for 
 it  will  be  no  other  ways.  Noav  for  my  present  case,  in  my  im- 
 prisonment, deliverance  (for  any  appearance  I  see)  looketh  cold- 
 like. My  hope,  if  it  looked  to  or  leaned  upon  men,  should  Avither 
 soon  at  the  root  like  a  May-flower.  Yet  1  resolve  to  ease  myself 
 ^  Postpone.  -  Guardian.  ^  Of  necessity. 
 
LETTER  CXXII.  225 
 
 with  on-waiting  on  my  Lord,  and  to  let  my  faith  swim  where  it 
 loseth  ground.  I  am  under  a  necessity  either  of  fainting  (which 
 I  hope  my  Master,  of  whom  I  boast  all  the  day,  shall  avert),  or 
 then  to  lay  my  faith  upon  Omnipotency,  and  to  wink  and  stick  by 
 my  grip.  And  I  hope  my  ship  shall  ride  it  out,  seeing  Christ  is 
 willing  to  blow  His  sweet  wind  in  my  sails,  and  mendeth  and 
 closeth  the  leaks  in  my  ship,  and  ruleth  all.  It  will  be  strange  if 
 a  believing  passenger  be  casten  overboard.  As  for  your  master, 
 my  lord  and  my  lady,  I  will  be  loath  to  forget  them.  I  think  my 
 prayers  (such  as  they  are)  are  due  debt  to  him,  and  I  shall  be  far 
 more  engaged  to  his  lordship  if  he  be  fast  for  Christ  (as  I  hope  he 
 will),  now  when  so  many  of  his  coat  and  quality  slip  from  Christ's 
 back  and  leave  Him  to  fend  for^  Himself.  I  entreat  you,  remem- 
 ber my  love  to  that  worthy  gentleman,  A.  C,  who  saluted  me  in 
 your  letter.  I  have  heard  that  he  is  one  of  my  Master's  friends, 
 for  the  which  cause  I  am  tied  to  him  :  I  wish  he  may  more  and 
 more  fall  in  love  with  Christ.  Now  for  your  question,  as  far  as  I 
 really  conceive,  I  think  God  is  praised  two  ways.  First,  by  a  con- 
 cional^  profession  of  his  Highness  before  men,  such  as  is  the  very 
 hearing  of  the  word,  and  receiving  of  either  of  the  sacraments,  in 
 which  acts  by  profession,  we  give  out  to  men,  that  He  is  our  God, 
 with  whom  we  are  in  covenant,  and  our  Lawgiver.  Thus  eating 
 and  drinking  in  the  Lord's  supper  is  an  annunciation  and  profes- 
 sion before  men  that  Christ  is  our  slain  Eedeemer.  Here,  because 
 God  speaketh  to  us,  not  we  to  Him,  it  is  not  a  formal  thanks- 
 giving, but  an  annunciation  or  predication  of  Christ's  death,  con- 
 cional,  not  adorative ;  neither  hath  it  God  for  the  immediate  ob- 
 ject, and  therefore  no  kneeling  can  be  here.  Secondly.  There  is 
 another  praising  of  God,  formal,  when  we  are  either  formally 
 blessing  God  or  speaking  His  praises.  And  this  I  take  to  be  two- 
 fold. 1.  When  we  directly  and  formally  direct  praises  and  thanks- 
 giving to  God  :  this  may  well  be  done  kneeling,  in  token  of  our 
 recognisance  of  his  Highness ;  yet  not  so,  but  it  may  be  standing 
 or  sitting,  especially  seeing  joyful  elevation  (which  should  be  in 
 praising)  is  not  formally  signified  by  kneeling.  2.  When  we  speak 
 good  of  God,  and  declare  His  glorious  nature  and  attributes,  ex- 
 tolling Him  before  men,  to  excite  men  to  conceive  highly  of  Him. 
 The  former  I  hold  to  be  worship  every  way  immediate,  else  I  know 
 not  any  immediate  worship  at  all :  the  latter  hath  God  for  the 
 subject,  not  properly  the  object,  seeing  the  predication  is  directed 
 to  men  immediately  rather  than  to  God ;  for  here  we  speak  ot 
 God,  by  way  of  praising,  rather  than  to  God.  And  for  my  own 
 part,  as  I  am  for  the  present  minded,  I  see  not  how  this  can  be 
 done  kneeling,  seeing  it  is  vrcedicatio  Dei  et  Christi,  non  laudaUo  aut 
 benedidio  Dei.  But  observe  that  it  is  formal  ])raising  of  God,  and 
 ^  Take  care  of.  "  Declarative.  p 
 
226  LETTER  CXXIII. 
 
 not  merely  concional,  as  I  distinguished  in  tlie  lirot  member  ;  for 
 in  the  first  member,  any  speaking  of  God,  or  of  His  works  of 
 creation,  providence,  and  redemption,  is  indirect  and  concional 
 praising  of  Him,  and  formally  preaching,  or  an  act  of  teaching,  not 
 an  act  of  predication  of  His  praises  ;  for  there  is  a  difference  be- 
 twixt the  simple  relation  of  the  virtues  of  a  thing,  which  is  for- 
 mally teaching,  and  the  extolling  of  the  worth  of  a  thing  by  way 
 of  commendation,  to  cause  others  to  praise  with  us.  Thus  recom- 
 mending you  to  God's  grace,  I  rest. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  Ji. 
 Aberdeen,  June  15,  1037. 
 
 LETTER  CXXni.— To  Mr.  J.  R. 
 
 Dear  Brother. — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  unto  you.  Upon 
 the  report  I  hear  of  you,  without  any  further  acquaintance,  except 
 our  straitest  bonds  in  our  Lord  Jesus,  I  thought  good  to  write 
 unto  you,  hearing  of  your  danger  to  be  thrust  out  of  the  Lord's 
 house  for  His  name  sake.  Therefore,  my  earnest  and  humble  de- 
 sire to  God  is,  that  ye  may  be  strengthened  in  the  grace  of  God, 
 and  by  the  power  of  His  might,  to  go  on  for  Christ,  not  standing 
 in  awe  of  a  worm  that  shall  die.  I  hoi^e  ye  will  not  put  your 
 hand  to  the  ark  to  give  it  a  wrong  touch,  and  to  overturn  it,  as 
 many  now  do,  when  the  archers  are  shooting  sore  at  Joseph, 
 whose  bow  shall  abide  in  its  strength.  We  owe  to  our  royal 
 King  and  princely  Master  a  testimony.  0,  how  blessed  are  they 
 who  can  ward  a  blow  off  Christ  and  His  borne-down  truth  !  men 
 think  Christ  a  gone  man  now,  and  that  He  shall  never  get  up  His 
 head  again.  And  they  believe  His  court  ^  is  failed,  because  He 
 suffereth  men  to  break  their  spears  and  swords  upon  Him ;  and 
 the  enemies  to  plough  Zion,  and  make  long  and  deep  their  furrows 
 on  her  back.  But  it  would  not  be  so  if  the  Lord  had  not  a  sow- 
 ing for  His  ploughing.  What  can  He  do  but  melt  an  old  drossy 
 kirk,  that  He  may  bring  out  a  new  bride  out  of  the  fire  again  1 
 I  think  Christ  is  just  now  repairing  His  house,  and  exchanging 
 His  old  vessels  Avith  new  vessels,  and  is  going  through  this  land, 
 and  taking  up  an  inventure-  and  a  roll  of  so  many  of  Levi's  sons 
 and  good  professors,  that  He  may  make  them  new  work  for  the 
 second  temple.  And  whatsoever  shall  be  found  not  to  be  for  the 
 work,  shall  be  casten  over  the  wall.  When  the  house  shall  be 
 builded,  He  shall  lay  by  His  hammers,  as  having  no  more  to  do 
 with  them.  It  is  possible  He  do  worse  to  them  than  lay  them 
 by ;  and  I  think  the  vengeance  of  the  Lord,  and  the  vengeance  of 
 His  temple,  shall  be  upon  them.  I  desire  no  more  but  to  keep 
 weight  when  I  am  past  the  fire.     And  I  can  now,  in  some  weak 
 
 ^  Influence.  "-  Inventory. 
 
LETTER  CXXIV.  227 
 
 measure,  give  Christ  a  testimonial  of  a  lovely  and  loving  com- 
 panion under  suffering  for  Him.  I  saw  Him  before  but  afar  off, 
 His  beauty  to  my  eye-sight  groweth.  A  fig,  a  straw  for  ten 
 worlds'  plastered  glory,  and  for  childish  shadows  ;  the  idol  of  clay 
 (this  god,  the  world)  that  fools  fight  for.  If  I  had  a  lease  oi 
 Christ  of  my  own  dating  (for  whoever  once  cometh  nigh  hand, 
 and  taketh  a  hearty  look  of  Christ's  inner  side,  shall  never  v/ring 
 nor  wrestle  themselves  out  of  His  love-grips  again),  I  would  rest 
 contented  in  my  prison  !  yea,  in  a  prison  without  light  of  sun  or 
 candle,  providing  Christ  and  I  had  a  love-bed,  not  of  mine,  but  ot 
 Christ  His  o^\•n  making,  that  we  might  lie  together  among  the 
 lilies  till  the  day  break  and  the  shadows  flee  away.  Who  knoweth 
 how  sweet  a  drink  of  Christ's  love  is  1  0,  but  to  live  on  Christ's 
 love  is  a  king's  life  !  the  worst  things  of  Christ,  even  that  Avhich 
 seemeth  to  be  the  refuse  of  Christ,  His  hard  cross,  His  black 
 cross,  is  white  and  fair :  and  the  cross  receiveth  a  beautiful  lustre 
 and  a  perfumed  smell  from  Jesus.  My  dear  brother,  scaur ^  not  at 
 it.  While  ye  have  time  to  stand  upon  the  watch  tower  and  to 
 speak,  contend  with  this  land,  plead  with  your  harlot  mother, 
 who  hath  been  a  treacherous  half-marrow-  to  her  Husband,  Jesus  : 
 for  I  would  think  liberty  to  preach  one  day  the  root  and  top  of 
 my  desires,  and  would  seek  no  more  of  the  blessings  that  are  to 
 be  had  on  this  side  of  time  till  I  be  over  the  water,  but  to  spend 
 this  my  crazed  clay-house  in  His  service  and  saving  of  souls. 
 But  I  hold  my  peace  because  He  hath  done  it.  My  shallow  and 
 ebb  thoughts  are  not  the  compass  Christ  saileth  by.  I  leave  His 
 ways  to  Himself,  for  they  are  far,  far  above  me.  Only  I  would 
 contend  with  Christ  for  His  love,  and  be  bold  to  make  a  plea  with 
 Jesus  my  Lord  for  a  heart-hll  of  His  love ;  for  there  is  no  more 
 left  to  me.  What  standeth  beyond  the  far  end  of  my  sufferings, 
 and  what  shall  be  the  event.  He  knoweth;  and  I  hope,  to  my  joy. 
 shall  make  me  know,  when  God  shall  unfold  His  decrees  concern- 
 ing me ;  for  there  are  windings,  and  to's  and  fro's  in  His  ways, 
 which  blind  bodies  like  us  cannot  see.  This  much  for  further 
 acquaintance.  So  recommending  you,  and  what  is  before  you,  to 
 the  grace  of  God,  I  rest. 
 
 Your  very  loving  brother,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S,  E. 
 Aberdeen,  June  16,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  CXXIV.— To  Mr.  William  Dalgleish. 
 
 Eeverend  and  well-beloved  Brother, — Grace,  mercy,  and 
 peace  be  unto  you.     I  have  heard  somewhat  of  your  trials  in 
 Galloway.     I  bless  the  Lord,  who  hath  begun  first  in  that  cornei- 
 ^  Startle.  -  Coiisoit. 
 
228  LETTER  CXXIV. 
 
 to  make  you  a  new  kirk  to  Himself.  Ciirist  hath  the  less  ado 
 behind  when  He  hath  refined  you.  Let  me  entreat  you,  my 
 dearly  beloved,  to  be  fast  to  Christ.  My  witness  is  above,  my 
 dearest  brother,  that  ye  have  added  much  joy  to  me  in  my  bonds, 
 when  I  hear  that  you  grow  in  the  grace  and  zeal  of  God  for  your 
 Master.  Our  ministry,  whether  by  preaching  or  suffering,  will 
 cast  a  smell  through  the  world  both  of  heaven  and  hell,  2  Cor.  ii. 
 15,  16.  I  persuade  you,  my  dear  brother,  there  is  nothing  out 
 of  heaven,  next  to  Christ,  dearer  to  me  than  my  ministry;  and  the 
 worth  of  it,  in  my  estimation,  is  swelled,  and  paineth  me  exceed- 
 ingly; yet  I  am  content,  for  the  honour  of  my  Lord,  to  surrender 
 it  back  again  to  the  Lord  of  the  vineyard.  Let  Him  do  with  me 
 and  it  both  what  He  thinketh  good  :  I  think  myself  too  little  for 
 Him.  And  let  me  speak  to  you,  how  kind  a  fellow-prisoner  is 
 Christ  to  me  !  Believe  me,  this  kind  of  cross  (that  would  not  go 
 by  my  door,  but  would  needs  visit  me)  is  still  the  longer  the  more 
 welcome  to  me.  It  is  true  my  silent  sabbaths  have  been  and  are 
 still  as  glassy  ice,  whereon  my  faith  can  scarce  hold  its  feet,  as  I 
 am  often  blown  on  my  back  and  off"  my  feet  with  a  storm  of 
 doubting ;  yet  truly  my  bonds  all  this  time  cast  a  mighty  and 
 rank  smell  of  high  and  deep  love  in  Christ.  I  cannot  indeed  see 
 through  my  cross  to  the  far  end ;  yet  I  believe  I  am  in  Christ's 
 books,  and  in  His  decree  (not  yet  unfolded  to  me)  a  man  triumph- 
 ing, dancing,  and  singing  over  on  the  other  side  of  the  Red  Sea, 
 and  laughing  and  praising  the  Lamb,  over  bej^ond  time,  sorrow, 
 deprivation,  prelates'  indignation,  losses,  want  of  friends,  and 
 death.  Heaven  is  not  a  fowl  flying  in  the  air  (as  men  use  to 
 speak  of  things  that  are  uncertain) ;  nay,  it  is  well  paid  for, 
 Christ's  comprisement '^  lieth  on  glory,  for  all  the  mourners  in 
 Zion,  and  shall  never  be  loosed.  Let  us  be  glad  and  rejoice  that 
 we  have  blood,  losses,  and  wounds,  to  show  our  Master  and  Cap- 
 tain at  His  appearance,  and  what  we  suffered  for  His  cause.  Woe 
 is  me,  my  dear  brother,  that  I  say  often,  I  am  but  dry  bones, 
 which  my  Lord  will  not  bring  out  of  the  grave  again,  and  that 
 my  faithless  fears  say,  "  0,  I  am  a  dry  tree  that  can  bear  no  fruit; 
 I  am  an  useless  body,  who  can  beget  no  children  to  the  Lord  in 
 His  house  !"  Hopes  of  deliverance  look  cold  and  uncertain  and 
 afar  off,  as  if  I  had  done  with  it.  It  is  much  for  Christ  (if  I  may 
 say  so)  to  get  lawborrows-  of  my  sorrow  and  of  my  quarrelous 
 heart.  Christ's  love  playeth  me  fair  play,  I  am  not  Avronged  at 
 all :  but  there  is  a  tricking  and  false  heart  within  me  that  still 
 playetli  Christ  foul  play.  I  am  a  cumbersome  neighbour  to 
 Christ ;  it  is  a  wonder  that  He  dwelleth  beside  the  like  of  me ; 
 yet  I  often  get  the  advantage  of  the  hill  above  my  temptations, 
 ^  Apprehension.  ^  Security. 
 
LETTER  (JXXIV.  229 
 
 and  then  I  despise  the  temptation,  even  hell  itself,  and  the  stink 
 of  it,  and  the  instruments  of  it,  and  am  proud  of  my  honourable 
 Master.  And  I  resolve,  whether  contrary  winds  will  or  not,  to 
 fetch  Christ's  harbour :  and  I  think  a  wilful  and  stiff  contention 
 with  my  Lord  Jesus  for  His  love  very  lawful :  it  is  sometimes 
 hard  to  me  to  win  my  meat  upon  Christ's  love,  because  my  faith 
 is  sick,  and  my  hope  withereth,  and  my  eyes  wax  dim,  and  un- 
 kind and  comfort-eclipsing  clouds  go  over  the  fair,  and  bright,  and 
 hght  Sun,  Jesus.  And  then,  when  I  and  my  temjDtation  tryst  '• 
 the  matter  together,  we  spill ^  all  through  unbelief.  Sweet,  sweet 
 for  evermore  would  my  life  be,  if  I  could  keep  faith  in  exercise. 
 But  I  see  my  fire  cannot  always  cast  light.  I  have  even  a  poor 
 man's  hard  world,  when  He  goeth  away.  But  surely,  since  my 
 entry  hither,  many  a  time  hath  my  fair  Sun  shined  without  a 
 cloud.  Hot  and  burning  hath  Christ's  love  been  to  me ;  I  have 
 no  vent  to  the  expression  of  it.  I  must  be  content  with  stolen 
 and  smothered  desires  of  Christ's  glory.  0  how  far  is  His  love 
 behind  the  hand  with  me !  I  am  just  like  a  man  who  hath  no- 
 thing to  pay  his  thousands  of  debt :  all  that  can  be  gotten  of  him, 
 is  to  seize  upon  his  person.  Except  Christ  would  seize  upon  my- 
 self, and  make  the  readiest  payment  that  can  be  of  my  heart  and 
 love  to  Himself,  I  have  no  other  thing  to  give  Him.  If  my  suffer- 
 ings could  do  beholders  good,  and  edify  His  kirk,  and  proclaim 
 the  incomparable  worth  of  Christ's  love  to  the  world,  0  then  how 
 would  my  soul  be  overjoyed,  and  my  sad  heart  cheered  and 
 calmed  !  Dear  brother,  I  cannot  tell  what  is  become  of  my  labours 
 among  that  people.  If  all  that  my  Lord  builded  by  me  be  casten 
 down,  and  the  bottom  fallen  out  of  the  profession  of  that  parish, 
 and  none  stand  by  Christ,  whose  love  I  once  preached,  as  clearly 
 and  plainly  as  I  could  (though  far  below  its  worth  and  excellency), 
 to  that  people  ;  if  so,  how  can  I  bear  it  ?  And  if  another  make  a 
 foul  harvest  where  I  have  made  a  jiainfuP  and  honest  solving,  it 
 will  not  soon  digest  with  me  ;  but  I  know  His  ways  pass  finding 
 out.  Yet  my  witness,  both  within  me  and  above  me,  knoweth, 
 and  my  pained  breast  upon  the  Lord's  day  at  night,  my  desire  to 
 have  had  Christ  awful,  and  amiable,  and  sweet  to  that  people,  is 
 now  my  joy ;  and  it  was  my  desire  and  aim  to  make  Chri^^t  and 
 them  one.  If  I  see  my  hopes  die  in  the  bud,  ere  they  bloom  a 
 little,  and  come  to  no  fruit,  I  die  with  grief.  0,  my  God,  seek 
 not  an  account  of  the  violence  done  to  me  by  my  brethren,  whose 
 salvation  I  love  and  desire.  I  pray  that  they  and  I  be  not  heard 
 as  contrary  parties  in  the  day  of  our  compearance  before  our 
 Judge,  in  that  process  led  by  them  against  my  ministry,  which  I 
 received  from  Christ.     I  know  a  little  inch,  and  less  than  the 
 
 ^  Arrangfe.  -  Spoil.  ^  Painstaking. 
 
230  LETTER  CXXV. 
 
 third  part  of  this  span-length  and  hand-breadth  of  time  which  is 
 posting-  away,  will  put  me  without  the  stroke  and  above  tlie  reach 
 of  either  brethren  or  foes.  And  it  is  a  short-lasting  injury  done 
 to  me  and  to  my  pains  in  that  part  of  my  Lord's  vineyard.  0, 
 how  silly  ^  an  advantage  is  my  deprivation  to  men,  seeing  my  Lord 
 Jesus  hath  many  ways  to  recover  His  own  losses,  and  is  irresistible 
 to  compass  His  own  glorious  ends,  that  His  lily  may  grow  amongst 
 thorns,  and  His  little  kingdom  exalt  itself,  even  under  the  swords 
 and  spears  of  contrary  powers  !  but,  my  dear  brother,  go  on  in  the 
 strength  of  His  rich  grace  whom  ye  serve.  Stand  fast  for  Christ. 
 Deliver  the  Gospel  off  your  hand,  and  your  ministry  to  your 
 Master,  with  a  clean  and  undefiled  conscience.  Loose  not  a  pin 
 of  Christ's  tabernacle  :  do  not  so  much  as  pick  with  your  nail  at 
 one  board  or  border  of  the  ark.  Have  no  part  or  dealing,  upon 
 any  terms,  in  a  hoof,  in  a  closed  window,  or  in  a  bowing  of  your 
 knee,  in  casting  down  of  the  temple;  but  be  a  mourning  and 
 speaking  witness  against  them  who  now  ruin  Zion.  Our  Master 
 will  be  on  us  all,  in  a  clap,  ere  ever  we  wit.  That  day  will  discover 
 all  our  whites  and  our  blacks  concerning  this  controversy  of  poor, 
 oppressed  Zion.  Let  us  make  our  part  of  it  good,  that  it  may  be 
 able  to  abide  the  fire,  when  hay  and  stubble  shall  be  burnt  to 
 ashes.  Nothing,  nothing  (I  say  nothing)  but  sanctification  can 
 abide  the  Lord's  fan.  I  stand  to  my  testimony  that  I  preached 
 often  of  Scotland.    Lamentation,  mourning,  and  woe  abideth  thee, 
 
 0  Scotland.  0  Scotland,  the  fearful  quarrel  of  a  broken  covenant 
 standeth  good  with  thy  Lord.  Now,  remember  my  love  to  all 
 friends,  and  to  my  parishioners,  as  if  I  named  each  one  of  them 
 particularly.  I  recommend  you  and  God's  people,  committed  by 
 Christ  to  your  trust,  to  the  rich  grace  of  our  all-sufficient  Lord. 
 Remember  my  bonds.  Praise  my  Lord  who  beareth  me  up  in  my 
 sufferings.  As  ye  find  occasion  (according  to  the  wisdom  given 
 you),  show  our  acquaintance  what  the  Lord  hath  done  to  my  soul. 
 This  I  seek  not,  verily,  to  hunt  my  own  praise,  but  that  my 
 sweetest  and  dearest  Master  may  be  magnified  in  my  sufferings. 
 
 1  rest,  your  brother,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  E. 
 Aberdeen,  June  17,  1637. 
 
 LETTEE  CXXV.— To  Marion  M'Naught. 
 
 Dearly  beloved  in  our  Lord  Jesus  Chrlst, — Grace,  mercy, 
 and  peace  be  to  you.  Few  know  the  heart  of  a  stranger  and 
 prisoner ;  I  am  in  the  hands  of  mine  enemies.  I  would  honest 
 and  lawful  means  were  essayed  for  bringing  me  home  to  my  charge, 
 now  whea  Mw  A.  E.  and  Mr.  H.  E.  are  restored.     It  coucernetb 
 
 1  SUght. 
 
LETTER  CXXV.  231 
 
 you  of  Gcilloway  most  to  use  supplications  and  addresses  for  this 
 purpose,  and  try  if  by  fair  means  I  can  be  brought  back  again.  As 
 for  liberty,  without  I  be  restored  to  my  flock,  it  is  little  to  me,  for 
 my  silence  is  my  greatest  prison.  However  it  be,  I  wait  for  the 
 Lord,  I  hope  not  to  rot  in  my  sufferings.  Lord  give  me  submission 
 to  wait  on ;  my  heart  is  sad,  that  my  days  flee  away,  and  I  do  no 
 service  to  my  Lord  in  His  house,  now  when  His  harvest  and  the 
 souls  of  perishing  people  require  it ;  but  His  ways  are  not  like  my 
 ways,  neither  can  I  find  Him  out.  0,  that  He  would  shine  upon 
 my  darkness,  and  bring  forth  my  morning  light,  from  under  the 
 thick  cloud  that  men  have  spread  over  me  !  0,  that  the  Almighty 
 would  lay  my  cause  in  a  balance  and  weigh  me,  if  my  soul  was  not 
 taken  up,  when  others  were  sleeping,  how  to  have  Christ  betrothed 
 with  a  bride  in  that  part  of  the  land !  But  that  day  that  my 
 mouth  was  most  unjustly  and  cruelly  closed,  the  bloom  fell  off  my 
 branches,  and  my  joy  did  cast  the  flower;  howbeit,  I  have  been 
 casting  myself  under  Christ's  feet,  and  wrestling  to  believe  under 
 a  hidden  and  covered  Lord ;  yet  my  fainting  cometh  before  I  eat, 
 and  my  faith  hath  bowed  with  the  sore  cast,  and  under  this  almost 
 insupportable  weight.  0,  that  it  break  not !  I  dare  not  say  that 
 the  Lord  hath  put  out  my  candle,  and  hath  casten  water  upon  my 
 poor  coal,  and  broken  the  stakes  of  my  tabernacle ;  but  I  have 
 tasted  bitterness  and  eaten  gall  and  wormwood  since  that  day  my 
 Master  laid  bonds  upon  me  to  speak  no  more.  I  speak  not  this 
 because  the  Lord  is  uncouth  to  me,  but  because  beholders,  that 
 stand  on  dry  land,  see  not  my  sea-storm.  The  witnesses  of  my 
 cross  are  but  strangers  to  my  sad  days  and  nights.  0,  that  Christ 
 would  let  me  alone,  and  speak  love  to  me,  and  come  home  to  me, 
 and  bring  summer  with  Him  !  0,  that  I  might  preach  His  beauty 
 and  glory,  as  once  I  did,  before  my  clay-tent  be  removed  to  dark- 
 ness, and  that  I  might  lift  Christ  off"  the  ground,  and  my  branches 
 might  be  watered  with  the  dew  of  God,  and  my  joy  in  His  work 
 might  grow  green  again,  and  bud,  and  send  out  a  flower !  But  I 
 am  but  a  short-sighted  creature,  and  my  candle  casteth  not  light 
 afar  off".  He  knoweth  all  that  is  done  to  me,  how  that  when  I 
 had  but  one  joy  and  no  more,  and  one  green  flower  that  I  esteemed 
 to  be  my  garland,  He  came  in  one  hour  and  dried  up  my  flower 
 at  the  root,  and  took  away  mine  only  eye,  and  mine  only  one 
 crown  and  garland.  What  can  I  say  1  Surely  my  guiltiness  hath 
 been  remembered  before  Him,  and  He  was  seeking  to  take  down 
 my  sails  and  to  land  the  flower  of  my  delights,  and  to  let  it  lie  on 
 the  coast  like  an  old  broken  ship  that  is  no  more  for  the  sea.  But 
 I  praise  Him  for  this  waled^  stroke,  I  welcome  this  furnace;  God's 
 wisdom  made  choice  of  it  for  me,  and  it  must  be  best  because  it 
 was  His  choice.     0,  that  I  may  wait  for  Him  till  the  morning  of 
 
 ^  Selected. 
 
232  LETTKP.  CXXVI. 
 
 this  benighted  kiric  break  out !  This  poor  afflicted  kirk  had  a  fair 
 morning ;  but  her  niglit  came  upon  her  before  her  noonday,  and 
 she  was  like  a  traveller  forced  to  take  house  in  the  morning  of  his 
 journey.  And  now  her  adversaries  are  the  chief  men  in  the  land, 
 her  ways  mourn,  her  gates  languish,  her  children  sigh  for  bread, 
 and  there  is  none  to  be  instant  with  the  Lord,  that  He  would  come 
 again  to  His  house,  and  dry  the  face  of  His  weeping  spouse,  and 
 comfort  Zion's  mourners,  who  are  waiting  for  Him.  I  know,  He 
 shall  make  corn  to  grow  upon  the  top  of  His  withered  Mount  Zion 
 again.  Eemember  my  bonds,  and  forget  me  not.  0,  that  my 
 Lord  would  bring  me  again  amongst  you  with  abundance  of  the 
 Gospel  of  Christ !  But  0,  that  I  may  set  down  my  desires  where 
 my  Lord  biddeth  me  !  Eemember  my  love  in  the  Lord  to  your 
 husband,  God  make  him  faithful  to  Christ ;  and  my  blessing  to 
 your  three  children.  Faint  not  in  prayer  for  this  kirk.  Desire 
 my  people  not  to  receive  a  stranger  and  intruder  upon  my  ministry : 
 let  me  stand  in  that  right  and  station  that  my  Lord  Jesus  gave  me. 
 Grace,  grace  be  with  you. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  and  Master,         S.  R. 
 Aberdeen,  1637.  
 
 LETTER  CXXVL— To  John  Gordon  at  Risco. 
 
 Dear  Brother, — I  earnestly  desire  to  know  the  case  of  your 
 Boul,  and  to  understand  that  ye  have  made  sure  work  of  heaven 
 and  salvation.  L  Remember,  salvation  is  one  of  Christ's  daintiea 
 He  giveth  but  to  a  few.  2.  That  it  is  violent  sweating  and  striv- 
 ing that  taketh  heaven.  3.  That  it  cost  Christ's  blood  to  purchase 
 that  house  to  sinners,  and  to  set  mankind  down  the  King's  free 
 tenants  and  freeholders.  4.  That  many  make  a  start  tOAvards 
 heaven  who  fall  on  their  back  and  win  not  up  to  the  top  of  the 
 mount ;  it  plucketh  heart  and  legs  from  them,  and  they  sit  down 
 and  give  it  over,  because  the  devil  setteth  a  sweet-snielled  flower 
 to  their  nose  (this  fair  busked^  world),  wherewith  they  are  be- 
 witched, and  so  forget  or  refuse  to  go  forward.  5.  Remember, 
 many  go  far  on,  and  reform  many  things,  and  can  find  tears,  as 
 Esau  did ;  and  suffer  hunger  for  the  truth,  as  Judas  did ;  and 
 wish  and  desire  the  end  of  the  righteous,  as  Balaam  did;  and  pro- 
 fess fair,  and  fight  for  the  Lord,  as  Saul  did ;  and  desire  the  saints 
 of  God  to  pray  for  them,  as  Pharaoh  and  Simon  Magus  did ;  and 
 prophesy  and  speak  of  Christ,  as  Caiaphas  did ;  walk  softly,  and 
 mourn  for  fear  of  judgment,  as  Ahab  did ;  and  put  away  gross 
 sins  and  idolatry,  as  Jehu  did ;  and  hear  the  word  of  God  gladly, 
 and  reform  their  life  in  many  things,  according  to  the  word,  as 
 Herod  did;  and  say,  "Master  (to  Christ),  I  will  follow  thee, 
 whithersoever  thou  goest,"  as  the  man  who  offered  to  be  Christ's 
 
 1  Adorned. 
 
LETTKK  CXXVII.  233 
 
 servant,  Matt.  viii. ;  and  may  taste  of  the  virtues  of  the  life  to 
 come,  and  be  partakers  of  the  wonderful  gifts  of  the  Holy  Sj^irit, 
 and  taste  of  the  good  word  of  God,  as  the  apostates  who  sin 
 against  the  Holy  Ghost,  Heb.  vi. :  and  yet  all  these  are  but  like 
 gold  in  clink  and  colour,  and  watered  brass,  and  base  metal. 
 These  are  written  that  we  should  try  ourselves,  and  not  rest  till 
 we  be  a  step  nearer  Christ  than  sun-burnt  and  withering  profes- 
 sors can  come.  6.  Consider,  it  is  impossible  that  your  idol-sins 
 and  ye  can  go  to  heaven  together ;  and  that  they,  who  will  not 
 part  with  these,  can  indeed  love  Christ  at  the  bottom ;  but  only 
 in  word  and  show,  which  will  not  do  the  business.  7.  Remember 
 how  swiftly  God's  post-time  flieth  away,  and  that  your  forenoon 
 is  already  spent,  your  afternoon  will  come,  and  then  your  evening, 
 and  at  last,  night,  when  ye  cannot  see  to  work.  Let  your  heart 
 be  set  upon  finishing  of  your  journey,  and  summing,  and  laying 
 your  accounts  with  your  Lord.  0,  how  blessed  shall  ye  be  to 
 liave  a  joyful  welcome  of  your  Lord  at  night.  How  blessed  are 
 they,  who,  in  time,  take  sure  course  with  their  souls  !  Bless  His 
 great  name  for  what  ye  possess  in  goods  and  children,  ease  and 
 worldly  contentment,  that  He  hath  given  you  ;  and  seek  to  be 
 like  Christ,  in  humility  and  lowliness  of  mind,  and  be  not  great 
 and  entire^  with  the  world;  make  it  not  your  god,  nor  your  lover, 
 that  ye  trust  unto,  for  it  will  deceive  you.  I  recommend  Christ 
 and  His  love  to  you  in  all  things ;  let  Him  have  the  flower  of  your 
 heart  and  your  love  ;  set  a  Ioav  price  upon  all  things  but  Christ, 
 and  cry  down  in  your  thoughts  clay  and  dirt,  that  will  not  comfort 
 you  when  ye  get  summons  to  remove,  and  compear  before  your 
 Judge,  to  answer  for  all  the  deeds  done  in  the  body.  The  Lord 
 give  you  wisdom  in  all  things.  I  beseech  you,  sanctify  God  in 
 your  speaking,  for  holy  and  reverend  is  His  name;  and  be  temper- 
 ate and  sober;  companionry^  (as  it  is  called)  is  a  sin  that  holdeth 
 men  out  of  heaven.  I  will  not  believe  that  ye  will  receive  the 
 ministry  of  a  stranger,  Avho  will  preach  a  new  and  uncouth 
 doctrine  to  you.  Let  my  salvation  stand  for  it,  if  I  delivered  not 
 the  plain  and  whole  counsel  of  God  to  you  in  His  word.  Eead 
 this  letter  to  your  wife,  and  remember  my  love  to  her,  and  request 
 her  to  take  heed  to  do  what  I  write  to  you.  I  pray  for  you  and 
 yours.  Remember  me  in  your  prayers  to  our  Lord,  that  He  would 
 be  pleased  to  send  me  amongst  you  again.  Grace  be  with  you. 
 Your  lawful  and  loving  pastor,  S.  R. 
 Aberdeen,  1637.  
 
 LETTER  CXXVII.— To  Mr.  Hugh  Henderson. 
 
 Reverend  and  dear  Brother, — Who  knoweth  but  the  wind 
 may  turn  into  the  west  again  upon  Christ  and  His  desolate  bride 
 
 ^  Priendly  and  intimate.  -  Good  fellowship. 
 
234  LETTER  CXXVIl. 
 
 in  this  land  ?  and  that  Christ  may  get  His  snmiuor  by  course 
 again  ;  for  He  hath  had  ill  weather  this  long  time,  and  could  not 
 find  law  or  justice  for  Himself  and  His  truth  these  many  years. 
 I  am  sure  the  wheels  of  this  crazed  and  broken  kirk  run  all  upon 
 no  other  axle-tree,  nor  is  there  any  other  to  roll  them,  and  cog 
 them,  and  drive  them,  but  the  wisdom  and  good  pleasure  of  our 
 Lord.  And  it  were  a  just  trick,  and  glorious,  of  never-sleeping 
 providence,  to  bring  our  brethren's  darts  they  have  shot  at  us, 
 back  upon  their  own  heads.  Suppose  they  have  two  strings  to 
 their  bow,  and  can  take  one  as  another  faileth  them,  yet  there  are 
 more  than  three  strings  upon  our  Lord's  bow ;  and,  besides,  He 
 cannot  miss  the  white  that  He  shooteth  at.  I  know,  He  shuffleth 
 up  and  down  in  His  hand  the  great  body  of  heaven  and  earth, 
 and  that  kirk  and  commonwealth  are  in  His  hand  like  a  stock  of 
 cards,  and  that  He  dealeth  the  play  to  the  mourners  in  Zion,  and 
 those  that  say,  "  Lie  down,  that  we  may  go  over  you,"  at  His  own 
 sovereign  pleasure  :  and  I  am  sure,  Zion's  adversaries,  in  this  play, 
 shall  not  take  up  their  own  stakes  again.  0,  how  sweet  a  thing 
 it  is  to  trust  in  Him  !  when  Christ  hath  slept  out  His  sleep  (if  I 
 may  speak  so  of  Him,  who  is  the  Watchman  of  Israel,  that  neither 
 slumbereth  nor  sleepeth),  and  His  own  are  tried,  He  will  arise  as 
 a  strong  man  after  wine,  and  make  bare  His  holy  arm,  and  put  on 
 vengeance  as  a  cloak,  and  deal  vengeance  thick  and  double  a- 
 mongst  the  haters  of  Zion.  It  may  be  we  see  Him  sow  and  send 
 down  maledictions  and  vengeances,  as  thick  as  drops  of  rain  or 
 hail,  upon  His  enemies.  For  our  Lord  oweth  them  a  black  day, 
 and  He  useth  duly  to  pay  His  debts :  neither  His  friends  and 
 followers,  nor  His  foes  and  adversaries,  shall  have  it  to  say  that 
 He  is  not  faithful  and  exact  in  keeping  His  word.  I  know  no  bar 
 in  God's  way  but  Scotland's  guiltiness,  and  He  can  come  over  that 
 impediment  and  break  that  bar  also,  and  then  say  to  guilty  Scot- 
 land, as  He  said,  Ezek.  xxxvi.,  "  Not  for  your  sakes,"  &c.  On- 
 waiting  had  ever  yet  a  blessed  issue,  and  to  keep  the  word  of 
 God's  patience,  keepeth  still  the  saints  dry  in  the  water,  cold  in 
 the  fire,  and  breathing  and  blood-hot  in  the  grave.  What  are 
 prisons  of  iron  walls  and  gates  of  brass  to  Christ  1  not  so  good  as 
 feal-dykes,^  fortifications  of  straw,  or  old  tottering  walls :  if  He 
 give  the  word,  then  the  chains  will  fall  oft  the  arms  and  legs  of 
 His  prisoners.  God  be  thanked  that  our  Lord  Jesus  hath  the 
 tutoring  of  king,  and  court,  and  nobles,  and  that  He  can  dry  the 
 gutters  and  the  mires  in  Zion,  and  lay  causeys"  to  the  temple  with 
 the  carcases  of  bastard  lord-prelates  and  idol-shepherds.  The  corn 
 on  the  house-tops  got  never  the  husbandman's  prayers,  and  so  is 
 seen  on  it,  for  it  filleth  not  the  hand  ol  mowers.  Christ  and  truth 
 1  TiU'f-walls.  -  Causeways. 
 
LETTEK  CXXVIII  235 
 
 and  innocency  worketh  even  under  this  earth;  and  verily  there  is 
 hope  for  the  righteous.  We  see  not  what  conclusions  pass  in 
 heaven  anent^  all  the  affairs  of  God's  house :  we  need  not  give 
 hire  to  God  to  take  vengeance  of  His  enemies ;  for  justice  worketh 
 without  hire.  0,  that  the  seed  of  hope  would  grow  again  and 
 come  to  maturity.  And  that  we  could  importune  Christ,  and 
 double  our  knocks  at  His  gate,  and  cast  our  cries  and  shouts  over 
 the  wall,  that  He  might  come  out  and  make  our  Jerusalem  the 
 praise  of  the  whole  earth,  and  give  us  salvation  for  walls  and  bul- 
 warks :  if  Chi'ist  bud,  and  grow  green,  and  bloom,  and  bear  seed 
 again  in  Scotland,  and  His  Father  send  Him  two  summers  again 
 in  one  year,  and  bless  His  crop.  O,  what  cause  have  we  to  re- 
 joice in  the  free  salvation  of  our  Lord,  and  to  set  up  our  banners 
 in  the  name  of  our  God  !  0  that  He  would  hasten  the  confusion 
 of  the  leprous  strumpet,  the  mother  and  mistress  of  abominations 
 in  the  earth,  and  take  graven  images  out  of  the  way,  and  come  in 
 with  the  Jews  in  troops,  and  agree  with  His  old  outcast  and  for- 
 saken wife,  and  take  them  in  again  to  His  bed  of  love  !  Grace  be 
 with  you.  Yours,  in  our  Master  and  Lord,         S.  E. 
 
 Aberdeen,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  CXXVin.— To  the  Lady  Largipje. 
 
 Mistress, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you.  I  exhort  you 
 in  the  Lord  to  go  on  in  your  journey  to  heaven,  and  to  be  content 
 of  such  fare  by  the  way  as  Christ  and  His  followers  have  had  be- 
 fore you ;  for  they  had  always  the  wind  on  their  faces,  and  our 
 Lord  hath  not  changed  the  way  to  us,  for  our  ease,  but  will  have 
 us  following  our  sweet  Guide.  Alas,  how  doth  sin  clog  us  in  our 
 journey  and  retard  us  !  what  fools  are  we  to  have  a  by-god,  or  an- 
 other lover  or  match  to  our  souls  beside  Christ  1  It  were  best  for 
 us,  like  ill  bairns^  (who  are  best  heard  at  home),  to  seek  our  own 
 home,  and  to  sell  our  hopes  of  this  little  clay  inns  and  idol  of  the 
 earth,  where  we  are  neither  well  summered  nor  well  wintered. 
 0,  that  our  souls  would  fall  so  at  odds  with  the  love  of  this  world 
 as  to  think  of  it  as  a  traveller  doeth  of  a  drink  of  water,  which  is 
 not  any  part  of  his  treasure,  but  goeth  away  with  the  using ;  for 
 ten  miles'  journey  maketh  that  drink  to  Him  as  nothing  !  O,  that 
 we  had  as  soon  done  with  this  world,  and  could  as  quickly  dis- 
 patch the  love  of  it !  But  as  a  child  cannot  hold  two  apples  in 
 his  little  hand,  but  the  one  putteth  the  other  out  of  its  room;  so 
 neither  can  we  be  masters  and  lords  of  two  loves.  Blessed  were 
 Ave  if  could  make  ourselves  masters  of  that  invaluable  treasure,  the 
 love  of  Ciuist ;  or  rather  sutler  ourselves  to  be  mastered  and  .sub- 
 ^  Concerning.  -  Naughty  childrea 
 
236  LETTEE  CXXTX. 
 
 dued  to  Christ's  love,  so  as  Christ  were  our  all  things,  and  all 
 other  things  our  nothings,  and  the  refuse  of  our  delights.  0,  let 
 us  be  ready  for  shipping  against  the  time  our  Lord's  wind  and  tide 
 call  lor  us  !  Death  is  the  last  thief  that  shall  come,  without  din 
 or  noise  of  feet,  and  take  our  souls  away,  and  we  shall  take  our 
 leave  of  time  and  face  eternity,  and  our  Lord  shall  lay  together 
 the  two  sides  of  this  earthly  talDernacle,  and  fold  us  and  lay  us  by 
 as  a  man  layeth  by  his  clothes  at  night,  and  put  the  one  half  of 
 us  in  a  house  of  clay,  the  dark  grave,  and  the  other  half  of  us  in 
 heaven  or  hell.  Seek  to  be  found  of  your  Lord  in  peace,  and 
 gather  in  your  flitting,^  and  put  your  soul  in  order,  for  Christ  will 
 not  give  a  nail-breadth  of  time  to  our  little  sand-glass.  Pray  for 
 Zion,  and  for  me  His  prisoner,  that  He  would  be  pleased  to  bring 
 me  amongst  you  again  full  of  Christ,  and  fraughted-  and  laden 
 with  the  blessings  of  His  Gospel.     Grace,  grace  be  with  you. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  only  Lord  and  Master,        S.  K. 
 Aberdeen,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  ex XIX.— To  Earlestoavn,  Younger. 
 
 Worthy  and  dearly  beloved  in  the  Lord, — Grace,  mercy, 
 and  peace  be  to  you.  I  long  to  hear  from  you.  I  remain  still  a 
 prisoner  of  hope,  and  do  think  it  service  to  the  Lord  to  wait  on 
 still  with  submission,  till  the  Lord's  morning-sky  break  and  His 
 summer-day  dawn ;  for  I  am  persuaded  it  is  a  piece  of  the  chief 
 errand  of  our  life  that  God  sent  us,  for  some  years,  down  to  this 
 earth  among  devils  and  men,  the  firebrands  of  the  devil  and  temp- 
 tations, that  Ave  might  suffer  for  a  time  here  amongst  our  enemies  ; 
 otherwise  He  might  have  made  heaven  to  wait  on  us,  at  our 
 coming  out  of  the  womb,  and  have  carried  us  home  to  our  country, 
 without  letting  us  set  down  our  feet  in  this  knotty  and  thorny 
 life  :  but  seeing  a  piece  of  suffering  is  carved  to  every  one  of  us, 
 less  or  more,  as  infinite  wisdom  hath  thought  good,  our  part  is  to 
 harden  and  habituate  our  soft  and  thin-skinned  nature  to  endure 
 fire  and  water,  devils,  lions,  men,  losses,  woe  ^  hearts,  as  these 
 that  are  looked  upon  by  God,  angels,  men,  and  devils.  0,  what 
 folly  is  it  to  sit  down  and  weep  upon  a  decree  of  God,  that  is  both 
 dumb  and  deaf  at  our  tears,  and  must  stand  still  as  immovable  as 
 God  who  made  it ;  for  Avho  can  come  behind  our  Lord  to  alter  or 
 better  what  He  hath  decreed  and  done  1  It  were  better  to  make 
 Avindows  in  our  prison,  and  to  look  out  to  God  and  our  country 
 heaven,  and  to  cry,  like  fettered  men  who  long  for  the  King's  free 
 air,  "  Lord,  let  thy  kingdom  come  :  0,  let  the  Bridegroom  come  ! 
 And,  O  day,  0  fair  day,  0  everlasting  summer-day,  dawn  and 
 
 '  Furniture.  "  Freisrlited.  ^  Woeful. 
 
LETTER  CXXIX.  237 
 
 shine  out,  break  out  from  under  the  black  niglit  sky,  and  shine  ! " 
 I  am  persuaded,  if  every  day  a  little  stone  in  the  prison  walls 
 were  broken,  and  thereby  assurance  given  to  the  chained  prisoner 
 lying  under  twenty  stone  of  irons  upon  arms  and  legs,  that  at 
 length  his  chain  should  wear  in  two  pieces,  and  a  hole  should  be 
 made  at  length  as  wide  as  he  might  come  safely  out  to  his  long 
 desired  liberty,  he  would  in  patience  wait  on  till  time  should  hole 
 the  prison  wall  and  break  his  chains.  The  Lord's  hopeful  prisoners, 
 under  their  trials,  are  in  that  case.  Years  and  months  will  take 
 out  now  one  little  stone,  then  another  of  this  house  of  clay,  and  at 
 length  time  shall  win  out  the  breadth  of  a  fair  door,  and  send  out 
 the  imprisoned  soul  to  the  free  air  in  heaven  ;  and  time  shall  file 
 off,  by  little  and  little,  our  iron  bolts,  which  are  now  on  legs  and 
 arms,  and  out-date  and  wear  our  troubles  thread-bare  and  holey, 
 and  then  wear  them  to  nothing.  For  what  I  suffered  yesterday, 
 I  know  shall  never  come  again  to  trouble  me.  0,  that  we  could 
 breathe  out  new  hope  and  new  submission  every  day  in  Christ's 
 lap  !  For  certainly  a  weight  of  glory  well  weighed  (yea,  increasing 
 to  a  far  more  exceeding  and  eternal  weight)  shall  recompense  both 
 weight  and  length  of  light,  and  clipped  and  short-dated  crosses. 
 Our  waters  are  but  ebb,^  and  come  neither  to  our  chin  nor  to  the 
 stopping  of  our  breath.  I  may  see  (if  I  would  borrow  eyes  from 
 Christ)  dry  land,  and  that  near.  Why,  then,  should  we  not  laugh 
 at  adversity,  and  scorn  our  short-born  and  soon-dying  temptations. 
 I  rejoice  in  the  hope  of  that  glory  to  be  revealed,  for  it  is  no 
 uncertain  glory  we  look  for  ;  our  hope  is  not  hung  upon  such  an 
 untwisted  thread  as  "I imagine  so,"  or  "it  is  likely";  but  the  cable, 
 the  strong  tow  of  our  fastened  anchor,  is  the  oath  and  the  promise 
 of  Him  who  is  eternal  verity ;  our  salvation  is  fastened  with  God's 
 own  hand  and  with  Christ's  own  strength  to  the  strong  stoup  ^  of 
 God's  unchangeable  nature,  Mai.  iii.  6,  "  I  am  the  Lord,  I  change 
 not,  and  therefore  ye  sons  of  Jacob  are  not  consumed."  We  may 
 play,  and  dance,  and  leap  upon  our  worthy  and  immovable  Eock : 
 the  ground  is  sure  and  good,  and  will  bide  hell's  brangling,^  and 
 devil's  brangling,  and  the  world's  assaults.  0,  if  our  faith  could 
 I'ide  it  out  against  the  high  and  proud  winds  and  waves,  when  our 
 sea  seemeth  all  to  be  on  fire  !  0,  how  oft  do  I  let  my  grips  go  ! 
 I  am  put  to  swimming  and  half  sinking.  I  find  the  devil  hath 
 the  advantage  of  the  ground  in  this  battle,  for  he  fighteth  in 
 known  ground,  in  our  corrupt  nature.  Alas !  that  is  a  friend  near 
 of  kin  and  blood  to  himself,  and  will  not  fail  to  fall  foul  upon  us. 
 And  hence  it  is  that  He,  "who  saveth  to  the  uttermost,"  and 
 "  leadeth  many  sons  to  glory,"  is  still  righting  my  salvation,  and 
 twenty  times  a  day  I  ravel*  my  heaven,  and  then  I  must  come  with 
 
 ^Shallow.  -Pillar.  ^Contention.  ■*  Tangle. 
 
238  LETTER  CXXX. 
 
 my  ill-ravelled  work  to  Christ,  to  cumber  Him  (as  it  were),  to 
 right  it,  and  to  seek  again  the  right  end  of  the  thread,  and  to  fold 
 up  again  my  eternal  glory  with  His  own  hand,  and  to  give  a  right 
 cast  of  His  holy  and  gracious  hand  to  my  marred  and  spilt  salva- 
 tion. Certainly,  it  is  a  cumbersome  thing  to  keep  a  foolish  child 
 from  falls  and  iDroken  brows,  and  weeping  for  this  and  that  toy, 
 and  rash  running,  and  sickness,  and  bairns'  diseases  ;  ere  he  win 
 through  them  all,  and  win  out  of  the  mires,  he  costeth  meikle  ^ 
 black  cumber  ^  and  fasherie  ^  to  his  keepers.  And  so  is  a  believei 
 a  cumbersome  piece  of  work  and  an  ill-ravelled  hasp  (as  we  use  to 
 say)  to  Christ.  But  God  be  thanked ;  for  many  spilt  salvations, 
 and  many  ill-ravelled  hasps  hath  Christ  mended  since  first  He 
 entered  tutor  to  lost  mankind.  0,  what  could  we,  bairns,  do 
 without  Him  1  how  soon  would  we  mar  all  1  But  the  less  of  our 
 Aveight  be  upon  our  own  feeble  legs,  and  the  more  that  we  be  on 
 Christ,  the  strong  Eock,  the  better  for  us.  It  is  good  for  us  that 
 ever  Christ  took  the  cumber  off  us  :  it  is  our  heaven  to  lay  many 
 weights  and  burdens  upon  Christ,  and  to  make  Him  all  we  have, 
 root  and  top,  beginning  and  ending  of  our  salvation.  Lord,  hold 
 us  here.  Now  to  this  Tutor  and  rich  Lord,  I  recommend  you. 
 Hold  fast  till  He  come,  and  remember  His  prisonei\  Grace,  grace 
 be  with  you.  Yours,  in  his  and  your  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 
 
 Aberdeen,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  CXXX.— To  Mr.  William  Dalgleish. 
 
 Reverend  and  dear  Brother, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be 
 to  you.  I  received  your  letter.  I  bless  our  high  and  ordy  wise 
 Lord,  who  hath  broken  the  snare  that  men  had  laid  for  you ;  and 
 I  hope  that  now  He  shall  keep  you  in  His  house  in  despite  of  the 
 powers  of  hell.  Who  knoweth  but  the  streets  of  our  Jerusalem 
 shall  yet  be  filled  with  young  men,  and  with  old  men  and  boys, 
 and  women  with  child,  and  that  they  shall  plant  vines  in  the 
 mountains  of  Samaria  1  I  am  sure  the  wheels,  paces,  and  motions 
 of  this  poor  church  are  tempered  and  ruled  not  as  men  would,  but 
 according  to  the  good  pleasure  and  infinite  wisdom  of  our  only 
 wise  Lord.  I  am  here  waiting  in  hope  that  my  innocency,  in  this 
 honourable  cause,  shall  melt  this  cloud  that  men  have  casten  over 
 me.  I  know  my  Lord  had  His  own  quarrels  against  me,  and  that 
 my  dross  stood  in  need  of  this  hot  furnace  ;  but  I  rejoice  in  this, 
 that  fair  truth,  beautiful  truth  (whose  glory  my  Lord  cleareth  to 
 me  more  and  more),  beareth  me  company,  and  that  my  weak  aims 
 to  honour  my  Master,  in  bringing  guests  to  His  house,  now  swell 
 upon  me  in  comforts,  and  that  I  am  not  afraid  to  want  a  witness 
 ^  ]Mucii.  -  Trouble.  ^  Cai-e. 
 
LETTER  cxxxr.  239 
 
 in  heaven,  that  it  was  my  joy  to  have  a  crown  put  upon  Christ's 
 head  in  that  country.  0  what  joy  would  I  have  to  see  the  wind 
 turn  upon  the  enemies  of  the  cross  of  Christ,  and  to  see  my  Lord 
 Jesus  restored  with  the  voice  of  praise  to  His  own  free  throne 
 again,  and  to  be  brought  amongst  you  to  see  the  beauty  of  the 
 Lord's  house  !  I  hope  that  country  will  not  be  so  silly  as  to  suffer 
 men  to  pluck  you  away  from  them,  and  that  ye  will  use  means  to 
 keep  my  place  empty,  and  to  bring  me  back  again  to  the  people 
 to  whom  I  have  Christ's  right  and  His  church's  lawful  calling. 
 Dear  brother,  let  Christ  be  dearer  and  dearer  to  you  ;  let  the  con- 
 quest of  souls  be  top  and  root,  flower  and  bloom  of  your  joys  and 
 desires,  on  this  side  of  sun  and  moon  :  and  in  the  day  when  the 
 Lord  shall  pull  up  the  four  stakes  of  this  clay-tent  of  the  earth, 
 and  the  last  pickle  ^  of  sand  shall  be  at  the  nick  of  falling  down  in 
 your  watch-glass,  and  the  Master  shall  call  the  servants  of  the 
 vineyard  to  give  them  their  hire,  ye  will  esteem  the  bloom  of  this 
 world's  glory  like  the  colours  of  the  rainbow,  that  no  man  can 
 put  in  his  purse  and  treasure.  Your  labours  and  pains  shall  then 
 smile  upon  you.  My  Lord  now  hath  given  me  experience  (how- 
 beit,  weak  and  small)  that  our  best  fare  here  is  hunger ;  we  are 
 but  at  God's  by-board-  in  this  lower  house;  we  have  cause  to  long 
 for  supper-time  and  the  high  table  up  in  the  high  jDalace :  this 
 world  deserveth  nothing  but  the  utter  ^  court  of  our  soul.  Lord 
 hasten  the  marriage-supper  of  the  Lamb.  I  find  it  still  peace  to 
 give  up  with  this  present  world  as  with  an  old  decourted  and  cast- 
 off  lover.  My  bread  and  drink  in  it  is  not  so  much  worth,  that  I 
 should  not  loathe  the  inns,  and  pack  up  my  desires  for  Christ, 
 that  I  have  sent  out  to  the  feckless'^  creatures  in  it.  Grace,  grace 
 be  with  you. 
 
 Your  affectionate  brother  and  Christ's  prisoner,         S.  li. 
 Aberdeen,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  CXXXL— To  the  Laird  of  Cally. 
 
 Much  honoured  Sir, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you.  I 
 long  to  hear  how  your  soul  prospereth.  I  have  that  confidence 
 that  your  soul  mindeth  Christ  and  salvation.  I  beseech  you  in 
 the  Lord  give  more  pains  and  diligence  to  fetch  heaven  than  the 
 country-sort  of  lazy  professors,  who  think  their  own  faith  and  their 
 own  godliness,  because  it  is  their  own,  best,  and  content  themselves 
 witli  a  coldrife  ^  custom  and  course,  with  a  resolution  to  summer 
 and  winter  in  that  sort  of  profession  that  the  multitude  and  the 
 times  favour  most,  and  are  still  shaping,  and  clipi^ing,  and  carving 
 their  faith  according  as  it  may  best  stand  with  their  summer  sun 
 
 ^  Grain  ^Side-table.         ^  Outer.         ''Worthless.         "  Habitually  colcL 
 
240  LETTER  CXXXI. 
 
 and  a  whole  skin ;  and  so  breathe  out  both  hot  and  cold  in  God's 
 matters  according  to  the  course  of  the  times.  This  is  their  com- 
 pass they  sail  toward  heaven  by,  instead  of  a  better.  Worthy  and 
 dear  sir,  separate  yourself  from  such,  and  bend  yourself,  to  the  ut- 
 most of  your  strength  and  breath,  in  running  fast  for  salvation, 
 and  in  taking  Christ's  kingdom,  use  violence.  It  cost  Christ  and 
 all  His  followers  sharp  showers  and  hot  sweats  ere  they  won  to 
 the  top  of  the  mountain.  But  still  our  soft  nature  would  have 
 heaven  coming  to  our  bedside  when  we  are  sleeping,  and  lying 
 down  with  us,  that  we  might  go  to  heaven  in  warm  clothes  ;  but 
 all  that  came  there  found  wet  feet  by  the  way,  and  sharp  storms 
 that  did  take  the  hide  off  their  face,  and  found  to's  and  fro's,  and 
 up's  and  down's,  and  many  enemies  by  the  way.  It  is  impossible 
 a  man  can  take  his  lusts  to  heaven  with  him,  such  wares  as  these 
 will  not  be  welcome  there.  0,  how  loath  are  we  to  forego  our 
 packalds  -  and  burdens  that  hinder  us  to  run  our  race  with  patience ! 
 it  is  no  small  work  to  displease  and  anger  nature  that  we  may 
 please  God.  0,  if  it  be  hard  to  win  one  foot  or  half  an  inch  out 
 of  our  own  will,  out  of  our  own  wit,  out  of  our  own  ease  and  world- 
 ly lusts,  and  so  to  deny  ourselves,  and  to  say,  it  is  not  I  but  Christ, 
 not  I  but  grace,  not  I  but  God's  glory,  not  I  but  God's  love  con- 
 straining me,  not  I  but  the  Lord's  word,  not  I  but  Christ's  com- 
 manding power  as  King  in  me !  0,  what  pains  and  what  a  death 
 is  it  to  nature,  to  turn  me,  myself,  my  lust,  my  ease,  my  credit 
 over  on  my  Lord,  my  Saviour,  my  King,  and  my  God,  my  Lord's 
 will,  my  Lord's  grace  !  but  alas  !  that  idol,  that  whorish  creature, 
 myself,  is  the  master-idol  Ave  all  bow  to.  What  made  Eve  mis- 
 carry 1  and  what  harried  her  headlong  upon  the  forbidden  fruit, 
 but  that  wretched  thing,  herself]  what  drew  that  brother-murderer 
 to  kill  Abel  1  that  wild  himself.  What  drove  the  old  world  on  to 
 corrupt  their  ways  1  who  but  themselves  and  their  own  pleasure  1 
 What  was  the  cause  of  Solomon's  falling  into  idolatry  and  multi- 
 plying of  strange  wives'?  what  but  himself,  whom  he  would  rather 
 pleasure  ^  than  God  ^  What  was  the  hook  that  took  David  and 
 snared  him  first  in  adultery,  but  his  self-lust ;  and  then  in  murder, 
 but  his  self-credit  and  self-honour  1  What  led  Peter  on  to  deny 
 his  Lord  ?  was  it  not  a  piece  of  himself,  and  self-love  to  a  whole 
 skin?  What  made  Judas  sell  his  Master  for  thirty  pieces  of 
 money,  but  a  piece  of  self-love,  idolising  of  avaricious  self?  What 
 made  Demas  to  go  off  the  way  of  the  Gospel  to  embrace  this  pre- 
 sent world  1  even  self-love,  and  love  of  gain  for  himself.  Every 
 man  blameth  the  devil  for  his  sins,  but  the  great  devil,  the  house- 
 devil  of  every  man,  the  house-devil  that  eateth  and  lieth  in  every 
 man's  bosom,  is  that  idol  that  killeth  all,  himself.  0  blessed  are 
 ^  Packages.  "  Please. 
 
LETTEK  CXXXII.  241 
 
 they  who  can  deny  themselves  and  put  Christ  in  the  room  of  them- 
 selves !  0,  would  to  the  Lord,  I  had  not  a  myself,  but  Christ ;  nor 
 a  my  lust,  but  Christ ;  nor  a  my  ease,  but  Christ ;  nor  a  my  honour, 
 but  Christ !  0  sweet  word,  Gal.  ii.  20,  "I  live  no  more,  but  Christ 
 liveth  in  me  !"  0,  if  every  one  would  put  away  himself,  his  own 
 self,  his  own  ease,  his  ow^n  pleasure,  his  own  credit,  and  his  own 
 twenty  things,  his  own  hundred  things,  that  he  setteth  up  as  idols 
 above  Christ !  Dear  sir,  I  know  ye  will  be  looking  back  to  your 
 old  self,  and  to  your  self-lust  and  self-idol,  that  ye  set  up  in  the 
 lusts  of  youth  above  Christ.  Worthy  sir,  pardon  this  my  freedom 
 of  love  :  God  is  my  witness  that  it  is  out  of  an  earnest  desire  after 
 your  soul's  eternal  welfare,  that  I  use  this  freedom  of  speech. 
 Your  sun  I  know  is  lower,  and  your  evening-sky  and  sun-setting 
 nearer,  than  when  1  saw  you  last.  Strive  to  end  your  task  before 
 night,  and  to  make  Christ  yourself,  and  to  acquaint  your  love  and 
 your  heart  with  the  Lord.  Stand  now  by  Christ  and  His  truth, 
 when  so  many  fall  foully  and  are  false  to  Him.  I  hope  ye  love 
 Him  and  His  truth ;  let  me  have  power  with  you  to  confirm  you 
 in  Him.  I  think  more  of  my  Lord's  sweet  cross  than  of  a  crown 
 of  gold  and  a  free  kingdom  lying  to  it.  Sir,  I  remember  you  in 
 my  prayers  to  the  Lord,  according  to  my  promise.  Help  me  with 
 your  prayers,  that  our  Lord  would  be  pleased  to  bring  me  amongst 
 you  again  with  the  Gospel  of  Christ,  Grace,  grace  be  with  you. 
 Yours,  in  his  sweetest  Lord  and  Master,  S.  E. 
 Aberdeen,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  CXXXIL— To  John  Gordon,  ot  Cardonness,  Younger. 
 
 Dearly  beloved  in  our  Lord, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be 
 to  you,  I  long  exceedingly  to  hear  of  the  case  of  your  soul,  which 
 hath  a  large  share  both  of  my  prayers  and  careful  thouglits.  Sir, 
 remember  that  a  precious  treasure  and  prize  is  upon  this  short 
 play  that  ye  are  now  upon,  even  the  eternity  of  welP  or  woe  to 
 your  soul  standeth  upon  the  little  point  of  your  ill  or  well-em- 
 ployed short  and  swift-posting  sand-glass.  "  Seek  the  Lord,  while 
 He  may  be  found  ; "  the  Lord  waiteth  upon  you.  Your  soul  is  of 
 no  little  price.  Gold  or  silver,  of  as  much  bounds  as  would  cover 
 the  highest  heavens  round  about,  cannot  buy  it.  To  live  as 
 others  do,  and  to  be  free  of  open  sins  that  the  world  crieth  shame 
 upon,  it  will  not  bring  you  to  heaven ;  as  much  civility  and 
 country-discretion  as  would  lie  between  you  and  heaven,  will  not 
 lead  you  one  foot  or  one  inch  above  condemned  nature  ;  and 
 therefore  take  pains  upon  seeking  of  salvation,  and  give  your  will, 
 wit,  humour,  the  green  desires  of  youth's  pleasures,  off  your  hand 
 
 1  Well. 
 
242  LETTER  CXXXII. 
 
 to  Christ.  It  is  not  possible  for  you  to  know,  till  experience  teach 
 you,  how  dangerous  a  time  youth  is.  It  is  like  green  and  wet 
 timber ;  when  Christ  casteth  fire  on  it,  it  taketli  not  fire.  There 
 is  need  here  of  more  than  ordinary  pains  ;  for  corrupt  nature  hath 
 a  good  back-friend  of  youth,  and  sinning  against  light  will  put  out 
 your  candle  and  stupefy  your  conscience,  and  bring  upon  it  more 
 coverings  and  skins,  and  less  feeling  and  sense  of  guiltiness ;  and 
 when  that  is  done,  the  devil  is  like  a  mad  horse,  that  hath  broken 
 the  bridle,  and  runneth  away  with  his  rider  whither  he  listeth. 
 Learn  to  know,  that  which  the  apostle  knew,  the  deceitfulness  of 
 sin  ;  strive  to  make  prayer,  and  reading,  and  holy  company,  and 
 holy  conference  your  delight ;  and  when  delight  cometh  in,  ye 
 shall  by  little  and  little  smell  the  sweetness  of  Christ,  till  at  length 
 your  soul  be  over  head  and  ears  in  Christ's  sweetness  :  then  shall 
 ye  be  taken  up  to  the  top  of  the  mountain  Avith  the  Lord,  to  know 
 the  ravishments  of  spiritual  love,  and  the  glory  and  excellency  of 
 a  seen,  revealed,  felt,  and  embraced  Christ :  and  then  ye  shall  not 
 be  able  to  loose  yourself  off  Christ,  and  to  bind  your  soul  to  old 
 lovers :  then,  and  never  till  then,  are  all  the  paces,  motions,  walk- 
 ings, and  wheels  of  your  soul  in  a  right  tune  and  in  a  spiritual 
 temper.  But  if  this  world  and  the  lusts  thereof  be  your  delight, 
 I  know  not  what  Christ  can  make  of  you ;  ye  cannot  be  metal  to 
 be  a  vessel  of  glory  and  mercy  As  the  Lord  livetli,  thousand 
 thousands  are  beguiled  with  security,  because  God,  and  wrath, 
 and  judgment  is  not  terrible  to  them.  Stand  in  awe  of  God,  and 
 of  the  warnings  of  a  checking  and  rebuking  conscience  :  make 
 others  to  see  Christ  in  you  moving,  doing,  speaking,  aad  thinking ; 
 your  actions  will  smell  of  Him,  if  He  be  in  you  ;  there  is  an  in- 
 stinct in  the  new-born  babes  of  Christ,  like  the  instinct  of  nature, . 
 that  leads  birds  to  build  their  nests  and  bring  up  their  young,  and 
 love  such  and  such  places,  as  woods,  forests,  and  wildernesses 
 better  than  other  places.  The  instinct  of  nature  maketh  a  man 
 love  his  mother-country  above  all  countries.  The  instinct  of  re- 
 newed nature  and  supernatural  grace,  will  lead  you  to  such  and 
 such  works,  as  to  love  your  country  above,  to  sigh  to  be  clothed 
 with  your  house  not  made  with  hands,  and  to  call  your  borrowed 
 prison  here  below  a  borrowed  prison,  and  to  look  upon  it  servant- 
 like and  pilgrim-like.  And  the  pilgrim's  eye  and  look  is  a  dis- 
 dainful-like discontented  cast  of  his  eye,  his  heart  crying  after  his 
 eye,  Fie,  fie,  this  is  not  like  my  country.  I  recommend  to  you 
 the  mending  of  a  hole  and  reforming  of  a  failing,  one  or  other, 
 every  week,  and  put  off  a  sin  or  a  piece  of  it,  as  of  anger,  wrath, 
 lust,  intemperance,  every  day,  that  ye  may  more  easily  master  the 
 remnant  of  your  corruption.  God  hath  given  you  a  wife,  love  her, 
 and  let  her  breasts  satisfy  you;  and  for  the  Lord's  sake,  drink  no 
 
LETTER  CXXXIII.  243 
 
 waters  but  out  of  your  own  cistern ;  strange  wells  are  poison. 
 Strire  to  iearn  some  new  way  against  your  corruption  from  the 
 man  of  God,  M.  W.  D.,  or  other  servants  of  God.  Sleep  not 
 sound  till  ye  find  yourself  in  that  case  that  ye  dare  look  death  in 
 the  face,  and  durst  hazard  your  soul  upon  eternity.  I  am  sure 
 many  ells  and  inches  of  the  short  thread  of  your  life  are  by-hand 
 since  I  saw  you ;  and  that  thread  hath  an  end,  and  ye  have  no 
 hands  to  cast  a  knot  and  add  one  day  or  a  finger-breadth  to  the 
 end  of  it.  When  hearing  and  seeing,  and  the  utter^  walls  of  the 
 clay-house  shall  fall  down,  and  life  shall  render  the  besieged  castle 
 of  clay  to  death  and  judgment,  and  ye  find  your  time  worn  ebb 
 and  run  out,  what  thoughts  will  ye  then  have  of  idol  pleasures 
 that  possibly  are  now  sweet  1  what  bud^  or  hire  would  ye  then 
 give  for  the  Lord's  favour?  and  what  a  price  would  ye  then  give 
 for  pardon  ?  It  were  not  amiss  to  think,  "  What  if  I  were  to  re- 
 ceive a  doom,  and  to  enter  into  a  furnace  of  fire  and  brimstone  1 
 what  if  it  come  to  this,  that  I  shall  have  no  portion  but  utter^ 
 darkness  ?  and  what  if  I  be  brought  to  this,  to  be  banished  from 
 the  presence  of  God,  and  to  be  given  over  to  God's  sergeants,  the 
 devil,  and  the  power  of  the  second  death  ? "  Put  your  soul,  by 
 supposition,  in  such  a  case,  and  consider  what  horror  would  take 
 bold  of  you,  and  what  then  ye  would  esteem  of  pleasing  yourself 
 in  the  course  of  sin !  0,  dear  sir,  for  the  Lord's  sake,  awake  to 
 live  righteously  and  love  your  poor  soul ;  and  after  ye  have  seen 
 chis  my  letter,  say  with  yourself,  "  The  Lord  will  seek  an  account 
 of  this  warning  I  have  received."  Lodge  Christ  in  your  family. 
 Receive  no  stranger-hireling  as  your  pastor.  I  bless  your  children. 
 Grace  be  with  you. 
 
 Your  lawful  and  loving  pastor,         S.  R 
 Aberdeen.  1637. 
 
 LETTER  CXXXIII.— To  my  Lord  Boyd. 
 
 My  very  HO^OURABLE  AND  GOOD  LoRD, — Grace,  mercy,  and 
 peace  be  to  your  lordship.  Out  of  the  worthy  report  that  I  hear 
 of  your  lordship's  zeal  for  this  borne-down  and  oppressed  Gospel, 
 I  am  bold  to  write  to  your  lordship,  beseeching  you,  by  the 
 mercies  of  God,  by  the  honour  of  our  royal  and  princely  King 
 Jesus,  by  the  sorrows,  tears,  and  desolation  of  your  afflicted 
 mother-church,  and  by  the  peace  of  your  conscience  and  your  joy 
 in  the  day  of  Christ,  that  your  lordship  would  go  on,  in  tlie 
 strength  of  your  Lord  and  in  the  power  of  His  might,  to  bestir 
 yourself  for  the  vindicating  of  the  fallen  honour  of  your  Lord 
 Jesus.     0  blessed  hands  for  evermore  that  shall  help  to  put  the 
 
 1  Outer.  -  Ofifer. 
 
244  LETTER  CXXXIII. 
 
 crown  upon  the  head  of  Christ  again  in  Scotland!  1  dare  promise, 
 in  the  name  of  our  Lord,  that  this  shall  fasten  and  fix  the  pillars 
 and  the  stakes  of  your  own  honourable  house  upon  earth,  if  ye 
 lend,  and  lay  in  pledge  in  Christ's  hand  (upon  spiritual  hazard), 
 life,  estate,  house,  honour,  credit,  moyen,i  friends,  the  favour  of 
 men  (suppose  kings  with  three  crowns),  so  being  ye  may  bear  wit- 
 ness and  acquit  yourself  as  a  man  of  valour  and  courage  to  the 
 Prince  of  your  salvation,  for  the  purging  of  His  temple,  and  sweep- 
 ing out  the  lordly  Diotrepheses,  time-courting  Demases,  corrupt 
 Hymeneuses  and  Philetuses,  and  other  such  oxen  that  with  their 
 dung  defile  the  temple  of  the  Lord.  Is  not  Christ  now  crying, 
 "Who  will  help  me?  who  will  come  out  with  me,  to  take  part 
 with  me,  and  share  in  the  honour  of  my  victory  over  these  mine 
 enemies,  who  have  said,  we  will  not  have  this  man  to  rule  over 
 us?"  My  very  honourable  and  dear  lord,  join,  join  (as  ye  do) 
 with  Christ,  He  is  more  worth  to  you  and  your  posterity  than  this 
 world's  May-flowers,  and  withering  riches,  and  honour  that  shall 
 go  away  as  smoke  and  evanish  in  a  night  vision,  and  shall  in  one 
 half-hour,  after  the  blast  of  the  archangel's  trumpet,  lie  in  white 
 ashes.  Let  me  beseech  your  lordship  to  draw  by  the  lap  of  time's 
 curtain,  and  look  in  through  that  window  to  great  and  endless 
 eternity,  and  consider  if  a  worldly  price  (suppose  this  little  round 
 clay-globe  of  this  ashy  and  dirty  earth,  the  dying  idol  of  the  fools 
 of  this  world,  were  all  your  own)  can  be  given  for  one  smile  of 
 Christ's  God -like  and  soul -ravishing  countenance,  in  that  day 
 when  so  many  joints  and  knees  of  thousand  thousands  wailing 
 shall  stand  before  Christ  trembling,  shouting,  and  making  their 
 prayers  to  hills  and  mountains  to  fall  upon  them  and  hide  them 
 from  the  face  of  the  Lamb.  0,  how  many  would  sell  lordships 
 and  kingdoms  that  day  and  buy  Christ!  But,  oh!  the  market 
 shall  be  closed  and  ended  ere  then.  Your  lordship  hath  now  a 
 blessed  venture  of  winning  court  with  the  Prince  of  the  kings  of 
 the  earth ;  He  Hiiuself  weeping,  truth  borne  down  and  fallen  in 
 the  streets,  and  an  oppressed  Gospel;  Christ's  bride  with  watery 
 eyes,  and  spoiled  of  her  veil,  her  hair  hanging  about  her  eyes, 
 forced  to  go  in  ragged  apparel;  the  banished,  silenced,  and  im- 
 prisoned prophets  of  God,  who  have  not  the  favour  of  liberty  to 
 prophesy  in  sackcloth  :  all  these,  I  say,  call  for  your  help.  Fear 
 not  worms  of  clay,  the  moth  shall  eat  them  as  a  garment ;  let  the 
 Lord  be  your  fear.  He  is  with  you,  and  shall  fight  for  you  :  thus 
 shall  ye  cause  the  blessing  of  those  who  are  ready  to  perish  come 
 upon  you,  and  ye  shall  make  the  heart  of  this  your  mother-church 
 to  sing  for  joy.  The  Lamb  and  His  armies  are  with  you,  and  the 
 kingdoms  of  the  earth  are  the  Lord's.  I  am  persuaded  there  is 
 ^  Influence. 
 
LETTER  CXXXIV.  245 
 
 not  another  gospel,  nor  another  saving-truth,  than  that  which  ye 
 now  contend  for.  I  dare  hazard  my  heaven  and  salvation  upon 
 it,  that  this  is  the  only  saving  way  to  glory.  Grace,  grace,  be 
 with  your  lordship. 
 
 Your  lordship's,  at  all  respective  obedience  in  Christ,      S.  R. 
 
 Aberdeen,  1637.  
 
 LETTER  CXXXIV.— To  Robert  Gordon,  Bailie  of  Ayr. 
 Worthy  Sir,— Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you.  I  long  to 
 hear  from  you.  Our  Lord  is  with  His  afflicted  kirk,  so  that  this 
 burning  bush  is  not  consumed  to  ashes.  I  know  submissive  on- 
 waiting  for  the  Lord  shall  at  length  ripen  the  joy  and  deliverance 
 of  His  own,  who  are  truly  blessed  on-waiters.  What  is  the  dry 
 and  miscarrying  hope  of  all  them  who  are  not  in  Christ,  but  con- 
 fusion and  wind  1  0,  how  pitifully  and  miserably  are  the  children 
 of  this  world  beguiled,  whose  wine  cometh  home  to  them  water, 
 and  their  gold,  brass  and  tin !  And  what  Avonder  that  hopes 
 builded  upon  sand  should  fall  and  sink  ?  It  were  good  for  us  all 
 to  abandon  the  forlorn,  and  blasted,  and  withered  hope  we  have 
 had  in  the  creature,  and  let  us  henceforth  come  and  drink  watei 
 out  of  our  own  well,  even  the  Fountain  of  living  waters,  and  build 
 ourselves  and  our  hope  upon  Christ  our  Rock.  But  alas !  that 
 natural  love  that  we  have  to  this  borrowed  home  that  we  were 
 born  in,  and  that  this  clay-city,  the  vain  earth,  should  have  the 
 largest  share  of  our  heart !  Our  poor,  lean,  and  empty  dreams  of 
 confidence  in  something  beside  God,  are  no  further  travelled  than 
 up  and  down  the  naughty  and  feckless  creatures.  God  may  say 
 of  us,  as  he  said,  Amos  vi.  13,  "  Ye  rejoice  in  a  thing  of  nought." 
 Surely,  we  spin  our  spider's  web  with  pain,  and  build  our  rotten 
 and  tottering  house  upon  a  lie,  and  falsehood,  and  vanity.  0, 
 when  will  we  learn  to  have  thoughts  higher  than  the  sun  and 
 moon,  and  learn  ^  our  joy,  hope,  confidence,  and  our  soul's  desires 
 to  look  up  to  our  best  country,  and  to  look  down  to  clay-tents,  set 
 up  for  a  night's  lodging  or  two  in  this  uncouth  land,  and  laugli  at 
 our  childish  conceptions  and  imaginations  that  suck  our  joy  outof 
 creatures,  woe,  sorrow,  losses,  and  grief.  0,  sweetest  Lord  Jesus ! 
 0,  fairest  Godhead !  0,  flower  of  man  and  angels,  why  are  we 
 such  strangers  to  and  lar-off  beholders  of  Thy  glory  ?  0,  it  were 
 our  happiness  for  evermore,  that  God  would  cast  a  pest,  a  botch, 
 a  leprosy  upon  our  part  of  this  great  Avhore;  a  fair  and  well-busked 
 world,  that  clay  might  no  longer  deceive  us!  but  0  that  God  may 
 burn  and  blast  our  hope  here-away,  rather  than  our  hope  should 
 live  to  burn  us  !  Alas!  the  wrong  side  of  Christ  (to  speak  so), 
 His  black  side,  His  sufi'ering  side.  His  vrounds.  His  bare  coat,  Hi=; 
 
 1  Teach. 
 
246  LETTER  CXXXV. 
 
 wants.  His  wrongs,  the  oppressions  of  men  done  to  Him,  are 
 turned  towards  men's  eyes,  and  they  see  not  the  best  and  fairest 
 side  of  Christ,  nor  see  they  His  amiable  face  and  His  beauty,  that 
 man  and  angels  Avonder  at.  Sir,  lend  your  thoughts  to  these 
 things,  and  learn  to  contemn  this  world,  and  to  turn  your  eyes 
 and  heart  away  from  beholding  the  masked  beauty  of  all  things 
 under  time's  law  and  doom.  See  Him  who  is  invisible,  and  His 
 invisible  things;  draw  by  the  curtain,  and  look  in  with  liking  and 
 longing  to  a  kingdom  undefiled,  that  fadeth  not  away,  reserved 
 for  you  in  the  heaven.  This  is  worthy  of  your  pains,  and  worthy 
 of  your  soul's  sweating,  and  labouring,  and  seeking  after,  night 
 and  day.  Fire  will  flee^  over  the  earth  and  all  that  is  in  it,  even 
 destruction  from  the  Almighty.  Fie,  fie,  upon  that  hope  that 
 shall  be  diied  up  by  the  root !  Fie  upon  the  drunken  night-bar- 
 gains, and  the  drunken  and  mad  covenant,  that  sinners  make  with 
 death  and  hell  after  cups,  and  when  men's  souls  are  mad  and 
 drunken  with  the  love  of  this  lawless  life  !  They  think  to  make 
 a  nest  for  their  hopes,  and  take  quarters  and  conditions  of  hell  and 
 death,  that  they  shall  have  ease,  long  life,  peace ;  and,  in  the 
 morning,  Avhen  the  last  trumpet  shall  awake  them,  then  they  rue 
 the  block.2  It  is  time,  and  high  time,  for  you  to  think  upon 
 death  and  your  accounts,  and  to  remember  what  ye  are,  where  ye 
 will  be  before  the  year  of  our  Lord  1700.  I  hope  ye  are  thinking 
 upon  this :  pull  upon  your  soul  and  draw  it  aside  from  the  com- 
 pany that  it  is  with,  and  round  and  whisper  into  it  news  of 
 eternity,  death,  judgment,  heaven,  and  hell.  Grace,  grace  be  with 
 you.  Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 
 
 Aberdeen,  16S7. 
 
 LETTER  CXXXV— To  Alexander  Gordon  of  Earlestown. 
 
 Much  honoured  Sir,- — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you. 
 It  is  like  2  if  ye,  the  gentry  and  nobility  of  this  nation,  be  men  in 
 the  streets  (as  the  word  speaketh)  for  the  Lord,  that  He  will  now 
 deliver  His  flock,  and  gather  and  rescue  His  scattered  sheep  from 
 the  hands  of  cruel  and  rigorous  lords,  that  have  ruled  over  them 
 with  force.  0,  that  mine  eyes  might  see  the  moonlight  turn  to 
 the  light  of  the  sun.  But  I  still  fear  the  quarrel  of  a  broken 
 covenant  in  Scotland  standeth  before  the  Lord.  However  it  be. 
 I  avouch  it  before  the  world,  the  tabernacle  of  the  Lord  shall 
 again  be  in  the  midst  of  Scotland,  and  the  glory  of  the  Lord  shall 
 dwell  in  beauty,  as  the  light  of  many  days  in  one,  in  this  land. 
 0,  what  could  my  soul  desire  more,  next  to  my  Lord  Jesus,  while 
 I  am  in  this  flesh,  but  that  Christ  and  His  kingdom  might  be 
 
 ^  Fly.  -  Regret  the  bargain.  ^  Probable. 
 
LETTER  CXXXV.  247 
 
 great  amoni^st  Jews  and  Gentiles,  and  that  the  isles  (and  amongst 
 them,  overclouded  and  darkened  Britain)  might  have  the  glory  of 
 a  noon-day's  sun  1  0,  that  I  had  anything  (I  will  not  except  my 
 part  in  Christ)  to  wadset  ^  or  lay  in  pledge  to  redeem  and  buy 
 such  glory  to  my  highest  and  royal  Prince,  my  sweet  Lord  Jesus  ! 
 My  poor  little  heaven  were  well  bestowed,  if  it  could  stand  a 
 pawn  for  ever  to  set  on  high  the  glory  of  my  Lord  ;  but  I  know 
 He  needeth  not  wages  nor  hire  at  my  hand  :  yea,  I  know  if  my 
 eternal  glory  could  weigh  down  in  Aveight,  its  lone,'  all  the  eternal 
 glory  of  the  blessed  angels,  and  of  all  the  spirits  of  just  and  perfect 
 men  glorified  and  to  be  glorified  ;  0,  alas  !  how  far  am  I  engaged 
 to  forego  it  for,  and  give  it  over  to  Christ ;  so  being  He  might 
 thereby  be  set  on  high  above  ten  thousand  thousand  millions  of 
 heavens,  in  the  conquest  of  many,  many  nations  to  His  kingdom  ! 
 0,  that  His  kingdom  would  come!  0,  that  all  the  world  would 
 stoop  before  Him  !  0,  blessed  hands  that  shall  put  the  crown 
 upon  Christ's  head  in  Scotland !  But,  alas  !  I  can  scarce  get 
 leave  to  ware^  my  love  on  Him.  I  can  find  no  ways  to  out  my 
 heart  upon  Christ,  and  my  love  that  I  with  my  soul  bestow  on 
 Him,  it  is  like  to  die  upon  my  hand,  and  I  think  it  no  bairn's  play 
 to  be  hungered  with  Christ's  love.  To  love  Him  and  to  want 
 Him,  wanteth  little  of  hell.  I  am  sure,  He  knoweth  how  my  joy 
 would  swell  upon  me,  from  a  little  well  to  a  great  sea,  to  have  as 
 much  of  His  love,  and  as  wide  a  soul  answerable  to  comprehend 
 it,  till  I  cried,  "Hold!  Lord,  no  more:"  but  I  find  He  will  not 
 have  me  to  be  mine  own  steward,  nor  mine  own  carver.  Christ 
 keepeth  the  keys  of  Christ  (to  speak  so)  and  of  His  own  love,  and 
 He  is  a  wiser  distributor  than  I  can  take  up ;  I  know  there  is 
 more  in  Him  than  would  make  me  run  over  lilce  a  coast-full  sea. 
 I  were  happy  for  evermore  to  get  leave  to  stand  but  beside  Christ 
 and  His  love,  and  to  look  in,  suppose  I  were  interdicted  of  God  to 
 come  near  hand,  touch  or  embrace,  kiss  or  set  to  my  sinful  head, 
 and  drink  myself  drunken  with  that  lovely  thing.  God  send  me 
 that  I  would  have,  for  I  now  verily  see  more  clearly  than  before 
 our  folly  in  drinking  dead  waters,  and  in  playing  the  whore  with 
 our  soul's  love  upon  running  out  wells  and  broken  sherds  of  crea- 
 tures of  yesterday,  whom  time  will  unlaw,  with  the  penalty  of 
 losing  their  being  and  natural  ornaments.  0  !  when  a  soul's  love 
 is  itching  (to  speak  so)  for  God,  and  when  Christ  in  His  boundless 
 and  bottomless  love,  beauty,  and  excellency,  cometh  and  rubbeth 
 up  and  exciteth  that  love,  what  can  be  heaven  'if  this  be  not 
 heaven  1  I  am  sure  this  bit  feckless,'*  narrow,  and  short  love  ot 
 regenerated  sinners,  was  born  for  no  other  end,  but  to  breathe, 
 and  live,  and  love,  and  dwell  in  the  bosom  and  betwixt  the  breasts 
 ^  Mortgage.  ^  Alone.  3  Spend.  *  Only  worthless. 
 
248  LETTER  CXXXV. 
 
 of  Christ.  Where  is  there  a  bed  or  a  lodging  for  the  saints*  love 
 but  Christ !  0,  that  He  would  take  ourselves  off  our  hand,  for 
 neither  we,  nor  the  creatures,  can  be  either  due  conquest  or  lawful 
 heritage  to  love!  Christ,  and  none  but  Christ,  is  Lord  and  proprietor 
 of  it.  0,  alas  !  how  pitiful  is  it  that  so  much  of  our  love  goeth 
 by  ^  Him  !  O,  but  we  be  wretched  wasters  of  our  soul's  love  !  I 
 know  it  is  the  deep  of  bottomless  and  unsearchable  providence 
 that  the  saints  are  suffered  to  play  the  whore  from  Cod,  and  that 
 their  love  goeth  a-hunting,  when,  God  knoweth,  it  shall  cost 
 nothing  of  that  at  supper  time.^  The  renewed  would  have  it 
 otherwise ;  and  why  is  it  so,  seeing  our  Lord  can  keep  us  without 
 nodding,  tottering,  or  reeling,  or  any  fall  at  all  ?  Our  desires,  I 
 hope,  shall  meet  with  perfection  ;  but  God  will  have  our  sins  an 
 office-house  for  God's  grace,  and  hath  made  sin  a  matter  of  an 
 unlaw  and  penalty  for  the  Son  of  God's  blood  ;  and  howbeit  sin 
 should  be  our  sorrow,  yet  there  is  a  sort  of  acquiescing  and  resting 
 upon  God's  dispensation  required  of  us,  that  there  is  such  a  thing 
 in  us  as  sin,  whereupon  mercy,  forgiveness,  healing,  curing,  in  our 
 sweet  physician,  may  find  a  field  to  work  upon.  0  what  a  deep 
 is  here,  that  created  wit  cannot  take  up  !  However  matters  go,  it 
 is  our  happiness  to  win  new  ground  daily  in  Christ's  love,  and  to 
 purchase  a  new  piece  of  it  daily,  and  to  add  conquest  to  conquest, 
 till  our  Lord  Jesus  and  we  be  so  near  other,^  that  Satan  shall  not 
 draw  a  straw  or  a  thread  betwixt  us.  And  for  myself,  I  have  no 
 greater  joy  in  my  well-favoured  bonds  for  Christ,  than  that  I 
 know,  time  shall  put  Him  and  me  together,  and  that  my  love  and 
 longing  hath  room  and  liberty,  amidst  my  bonds  and  foes  (where- 
 of there  are  not  a  few  here  of  all  ranks),  to  go  visit  the  borders  and 
 utter  ^  coasts  of  my  Lord  Jesus's  country,  and  see,  at  least  afar  off 
 and  darkly,  the  country  which  shall  be  mine  inheritance,  which  is 
 my  Lord  Jesus's  due,  both  through  birth  and  conquest.  I  dare 
 avouch  to  all  that  know  God,  that  the  saints  know  not  the  length 
 and  largeness  of  the  sweet  earnest,  and  of  the  sweet  green  sheaves 
 before  the  harvest,  that  might  be  had  on  this  side  of  the  water,  if 
 we  should  take  more  pains  :  and  that  we  all  go  to  heaven  with 
 less  earnest  and  lighter  purses  of  the  hoped  for  sum  than  other- 
 wise we  might  do,  if  we  took  more  pains  to  win  further  in  upon 
 Christ  in  this  pilgrimage  of  our  absence  from  Him.  Grace,  grace, 
 and  glory  be  your  portion. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R 
 Aberdeen,  1637. 
 
 1  Past. 
 
 ^  The  meaning  seems  to  be  that  the  soul  hunts  for  that  which  will  not  serve 
 as  food. 
 
 *  Each  other.  *  Outer. 
 
LETTEK  CXXXVI.  249 
 
 LETTER  CXXXVI.— To  John  Lawrie. 
 
 Dear  Brother, —  I  am  sorry  that  ye,  or  so  many  in  this  king- 
 dom, should  expect  so  much  of  me,  an  empty  reed.  Verily,  I  am 
 a  naughty  and  poor  body.  But  if  the  tinkling  of  my  Lord  Jesus's 
 iron  chains  on  legs  and  arms  could  sound  the  high  praises  of  my 
 royal  King,  whose  prisoner  I  am,  0  how  would  my  joy  run  over  ! 
 if  my  Lord  would  bring  edification  to  one  soul  by  my  bonds,  I  am 
 satisfied ;  but  I  know  not  what  I  can  do  to  such  a  princely  and 
 beautiful  Well-Beloved.  He  is  far  behind  with  me.  Little  thanks 
 to  me,  to  say  to  others.  His  wind  bloweth  on  me,  who  am  but 
 withered  and  dry  bones.  But  since  ye  desired  me  to  write  to  you, 
 either  help  me  to  set  Christ  on  high  for  His  running-over  love,  in 
 that  the  heat  of  His  sweet  breath  hath  melted  a  frozen  heart,  else 
 I  think  ye  do  nothing  for  a  prisoner.  I  am  fully  confirmed  that 
 it  is  the  honour  of  our  Lawgiver  I  suffer  for  now.  I  am  not 
 ashamed  to  give  out  letters  of  recommendation  of  Christ's  love  to 
 as  many  as  Avill  extol  the  Lord  Jesus  and  His  cross.  If  I  had  not 
 sailed  this  sea-way  to  heaven,  but  had  taken  the  land-way  as  many 
 do,  I  should  not  have  known  Christ's  sweetness  in  such  a  measure. 
 But  the  truth  is,  let  no  man  thank  me  ;  for  I  caused  not  Christ's 
 wind  to  blow  upon  me.  His  love  came  upon  a  withered  creature, 
 whether  I  would  or  not  (and  yet  by  coming  it  procured  from  me  a 
 welcome.)  A  heart  of  iron  and  iron  doors  will  not  hold  Christ 
 out.  I  give  Him  leave  to  break  iron  locks  and  come  in,  and  that  is 
 all.  And  now  I  knoAV  not,  whether  pain  of  love  for  want  of  pos- 
 session, or  sorrow  that  I  do  not  thank  Him,  paineth  me  most :  but 
 both  work  upon  me.  For  the  first,  0  that  He  would  come  and  satisfy 
 the  longing  soul,  and  fill  the  hungry  soul  with  these  good  things  !  I 
 know,  indeed,  ray  guiltiness  may  be  a  bar  in  His  way,  but  He  is  God, 
 and  ready  to  forgive.  And  for  the  other,  w^oe,  woe  is  me,  that  I  can- 
 not find  a  heart  to  give  back  again  my  unworthy  little  love  for  His 
 great  sea-full  of  love  to  me.  0,  that  He  would  learn ^  me  this  piece 
 of  gratitude  !  0,  that  I  could  have  leave  to  look  in,  through  the 
 hole  of  the  door,  to  see  His  face  and  sing  His  praises !  or  could 
 break  up  one  of  His  chamber  windows  to  look  in  upon  His  delight- 
 ing beauty,  till  my  Lord  send  more.  Any  little  communion  with 
 Him,  one  of  His  love-looks,  should  be  my  begun  heaven.  I  know, 
 He  is  not  lordly,  neither  is  the  Bridegroom's  love  proud,  though 
 I  be  black  and  unlovely,  and  unworthy  of  Him.  I  would  seek 
 but  leave,  and  withal  grace  to  spend  my  love  upon  Him.  I  coun- 
 sel ye  to  think  highly  of  Christ,  and  of  free,  free  grace,  more  than 
 ye  did  before  ;  fori  know  that  Christ  is  not  known  amongst  us. 
 I  think  I  see  more  of  Christ  than  ever  I  saw  ;  and  yet  I  see  but 
 
 '  Teach. 
 
250  LETTEE  CXXXVII. 
 
 little  of  what  may  be  seen.  0,  that  He  would  draw-by  tlie  cur- 
 tains, and  that  the  King  would  come  out  of  His  gallery  and  His 
 palace,  that  I  might  see  Him  !  Christ's  love  is  young  glory  and 
 young  heaven  :  it  would  soften  hell's  pains  to  be  filled  with  it. 
 What  would  I  refuse  to  suffer  if  I  could  but  get  a  draught  of  love 
 at  my  heart's  desire  !  0,  what  price  can  be  given  for  Him. 
 Angels  cannot  weigh  Him  :  0,  His  weight.  His  worth,  His  sweet- 
 ness, His  over-passing  beauty  !  If  men  and  angels  would  come, 
 and  look  to  that  great  and  princely  One,  their  ebbness  would 
 never  take  up  His  depth ,  their  narrowness  would  never  compre- 
 hend His  breadth,  height,  and  length.  If  ten  thousand  thousand 
 worlds  of  angels  were  created,  they  might  all  tire  themselves  in 
 wondering  at  His  beauty,  and  begin  again  to  wonder  of  new.  0, 
 that  I  could  win  nigh  Him,  to  kiss  His  feet,  to  hear  His  voice,  to 
 find  the  smell  of  His  ointments  !  But,  oh,  alas,  I  have  little,  little  of 
 Him ;  yet  I  long  for  more  !  Remember  my  bonds,  and  help  me 
 with  your  prayers,  for  I  would  not  niffer  ^  or  exchange  my  sad 
 hours,  with  the  joy  of  my  velvet  adversaries.  Grace  be  with  you. 
 Yours,  in  His  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  K. 
 Aberdeen,  June  10,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  CXXXVII.— To  Mr.  James  Fleming. 
 
 Reverend  and  well-beloved  in  our  Lord, — Grace,  mercy, 
 and  peace  be  to  you.  I  received  your  letter,  which  hath  refreshed 
 me  in  my  bonds.  I  cannot  but  testify  unto  you,  my  dear  brother, 
 what  sweetness  I  find  in  our  Master's  cross  ;  but  alas !  what  can 
 I  either  do  or  suffer  for  Him  1  If  I  myself  alone  had  as  many 
 lives  as  there  have  been  drops  of  rain  since  the  creation,  I  would 
 think  them  too  little  for  that  lovely  One,  our  Well-Beloved  ;  but 
 my  pain  and  my  sorrow  is  above  my  sufferings,  that  I  find  not 
 ways  how  to  set  out  the  praises  of  His  love  to  others.  I  am  not 
 able  by  tongue,  pen,  or  sufferings  to  provoke  many  to  fall  in  love 
 with  Him,  but  He  knoweth,  Avhom  I  love  to  serve  in  the  Spirit, 
 what  I  would  do,  and  suffer  by  His  OAvn  strength,  so  being  I 
 might  make  my  Lord  Jesus  lovely  and  sweet  to  many  thousands 
 in  this  land.  I  think  it  amongst  God's  Avonders,  that  He  will 
 take  any  praise  or  glory,  or  any  testimony  to  His  honourable 
 cause,  from  such  a  foidorn  sinner  as  I  am.  But  when  Christ 
 Avorketh,  He  needeth  not  ask  the  question  by  whom  He  Avill  be 
 glorious.  I  know,  seeing  His  glory  at  the  beginning  did  shine  out 
 of  poor  nothing,  to  set  up  such  a  fair  house  for  man  and  angels, 
 and  so  many  glorious  creatures,  to  proclaim  His  goodness,  power, 
 and  wisdom,  if  I  were  burnt  to  ashes,  out  of  the  smoke  and  powder 
 
 ^  Barter. 
 
LETTER  CXXXVIT.  251 
 
 of  my  dissoived  body  He  could  raise  glory  to  Himself.  His  glory 
 is  His  end  ;  0,  that  I  could  join  with  Him  to  make  it  my  end  !  I 
 would  think  that  fellowship  with  Him  sweet  and  glorious.  But, 
 alas,  few  know  the  guiltiness  that  is  on  my  part.  It  is  a  wonder 
 that  this  good  cause  hath  not  been  marred  and  spilt  ^  in  my  foul 
 hands.  But  I  rejoice  in  this,  that  my  sweet  Lord  Jesus  hath 
 found  something  ado,  even  a  ready  market  for  His  free  grace  and 
 incomparable  and  matchless  mercy  in  my  wants.  Only  my  loath- 
 some wretchedness  and  my  wants  have  qualified  me  for  Christ  and 
 the  riches  ot  His  glorious  grace.  He  behoved  to  take  me  for  no- 
 thing, or  else  to  want  me.  Few  know  the  unseen  and  private 
 reckonings  betwixt  Christ  and  me ;  yet  His  love.  His  boundless 
 love,  would  not  bide  away,  nor  stay  at  home  with  Himself;  and 
 yet  I  do  not  make  it  welcome,  as  I  ought,  when  it  is  come  unsent 
 for  and  without  hire.  How  joyful  is  my  heart  that  ye  write  ye 
 are  desirous  to  join  with  me  in  praising,  for  it  is  charity  to  help  a 
 dyvour"  to  pay  his  debts  ;  but  when  all  have  helped  me,  my  name 
 shall  stand  in  His  count-book  under  ten  thousand  thousands  of 
 sums  unpaid  :  but  it  easeth  my  heart  that  His  dear  servants  will 
 but  speak  of  my  debts  to  such  a  sweet  creditor  I  desire  He  may 
 lay  me  in  His  own  balance  and  weigh  me,  if  I  would  not  fain 
 have  a  feast  of  His  boundless  love  made  to  my  own  soul  and  to 
 many  others.  One  thing  I  know,  we  shall  not  all  be  able  to  come 
 near  His  excellency  with  eye,  heart,  or  tongue ;  for  He  is  above 
 all  created  thoughts ;  "  All  nations  before  Him  are  as  nothing, 
 and  as  less  than  nothing ;  He  sitteth  in  the  circuit  of  heaven,  and 
 the  inhabitants  of  the  earth  are  as  grasshoppers  before  Him  !"  0, 
 that  men  would  praise  Plim !  Ye  complain  of  your  private  case. 
 Alas  !  I  am  not  the  man  who  can  speak  to  such  an  one  as  ye  are. 
 Any  sweet  presence  I  have  had  in  this  town  is  (I  know)  for  this 
 cause,  that  I  might  express  and  make  it  known  to  others ;  but  I 
 never  find  myself  nearer  Christ,  and  with  that  royal  and  princely 
 One,  than  after  a  great  weight  and  sense  of  deadness  and  grace- 
 lessness  !  I  think  the  sense  of  our  wants,  when  withal  we  have  a 
 restlessness  and  a  sort  of  spiritual  impatience  under  them,  and 
 can  make  a  din,  because  we  want  Him  whom  our  soul  loveth,  is 
 that  which  maketh  an  open  door  to  Christ :  and  when  we  think 
 we  are  going  backward,  because  we  feel  deadness,  we  are  going 
 forward  :  for  the  more  sense  the  more  life,  and  no  sense  argueth 
 no  life.  There  is  no  sweeter  fellowship  with  Christ  than  to  bring 
 our  wounds  and  our  sores  to  Him.  But,  for  myself,  I  am  ashamed 
 of  Christ's  goodness  and  love  since  the  time  of  my  bonds  ;  for  He 
 hath  been  pleased  to  open  up  new  treasures  of  love  and  felt  sweet- 
 ness, and  give  visitations  of  love  and  access  to  Himself  in  this 
 
 1  Spoiled.  2  Debtor. 
 
252  LETTER  CXXXVII, 
 
 strange  land,  1  would  think  a  fill  of  His  love,  young  and  green 
 heaven.  And  when  He  is  pleased  to  come,  and  the  tide  is  in, 
 and  the  sea  full,  and  the  King  and  a  poor  prisoner  together  in  the 
 house  of  wane,  the  black  tree  of  the  cross  is  not  so  heavy  as  a 
 feather,  I  cannot,  I  dow^  not,  but  give  Christ  an  honourable  and 
 glorious  testimony,  I  see  the  Lord  can  ride  through  His  enemies' 
 bands  and  triumph  in  the  sufferings  of  His  own,  and  that  this 
 blind  world  seeth  not  that  suffering  is  Christ's  armour  wherein  He 
 is  victorious.  And  they  that  contend  with  Zion  see  not  what  He 
 is  doing,  when  they  are  set  to  work  as  under-smiths  and  servants, 
 to  the  work  of  refining  of  the  saints  (Satan's  hand  also,  by  them, 
 is  at  the  melting  of  our  Lord's  vessels  of  mercy)  and  their  office 
 in  God's  house,  is  to  scour  and  cleanse  vessels  for  the  King's  table. 
 I  marvel  not  to  see  them  triumph  and  sit  at  ease  in  Zion ;  our 
 Father  must  lay  up  His  rods,  and  keep  them  carefully,  for  His 
 own  use.  Our  Lord  cannot  want  fire  in  His  house  ;  His  furnace 
 is  in  Zion,  and  His  fire  in  Jerusalem,  But  little  know  the  adver- 
 saries the  counsel  and  the  thoughts  of  the  Lord.  And  lor  your 
 complaints  of  your  ministry,  I  now  think  all  I  did  too  little. 
 Plainness,  freedom,  watchfulness,  fidelity,  shall  swell  upon  you, 
 in  exceeding  large  comforts,  in  your  sufferings.  The  feeding  of 
 Christ's  lambs  in  private  visitations  and  catechising,  in  painful  - 
 preaching,  and  fair  honest  and  free  warning  of  the  flock,  are  a 
 sufferer's  garland.  0,  ten  thousand  times  blessed  are  they  who 
 are  honoured  oi  Cln^ist  to  be  faithful  and  painful-  in  wooing  a 
 bride  to  Christ.  My  dear  brother,  I  know  ye  think  more  on  this 
 than  I  can  write ;  and  I  rejoice  that  your  purpose  is,  in  the  Lord's 
 strength,  to  back  your  wronged  Master,  and  to  come  out,  and  call 
 yourself  Christ's  man,  when  so  many  are  now  denying  Him,  as 
 fearing  that  Christ  cannot  do  for  Himself  and  them.  I  am  a  lost 
 man  for  ever,  or  this,  this  is  the  way  to  salvation,  even  this  way, 
 that  they  call  heresy,  that  men  now  do  mock  and  scoff  at.  I  am 
 confirmed  now  that  Christ  will  accept  of  His  servant's  sufferings 
 as  good  service  to  Him  at  the  day  of  His  appearance,  and  that  ere 
 it  be  long  He  will  be  upon  us  all,  and  men  in  all  their  blacks  and 
 whites  shall  be  brought  out  before  God,  angels^  and  men.  Our 
 Master  is  not  far  off.  0,  if  we  could  wait  on  and  be  faithful ! 
 The  good  will  of  Him  who  dwelt  in  the  bush,  the  tender  favour 
 and  love,  the  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  be  with  you.  Help 
 me  with  your  prayers,  and  desire  from  me  other  brethren  to  take 
 courage  for  their  Master. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R, 
 Aberdeen,  Aug.  15,  1637. 
 
 ^  Cau.  ~  Painstaking. 
 
LETTERS  CXXXVIII.  AND  CXXXIX.  253 
 
 LETTER  CXXXVIII.— To  Mr.  John  Meine. 
 
 Worthy  and  dear  Brother, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to 
 you.  I  have  been  too  long  in  answering  your  letter,  but  other 
 business  took  me  up.  I  am  here  waiting  if  the  fair  wind  will  turn 
 upon  Christ's  sails  in  Scotland,  and  if  deliverance  be  breaking  out 
 to  this  overclouded  and  benighted  kirk.  0,  that  we  could  contend 
 by  prayers  and  supplications  with  our  Lord  for  that  effect !  I 
 know  He  hath  not  given  out  His  last  doom  against  this  land.  I 
 have  little  of  Christ  in  this  prison,  but  groanings,  and  longings. 
 and  desires.  All  my  stock  of  Christ  is  some  hunger  for  Him  (and 
 yet  I  cannot  say  but  I  am  rich  in  that),  my  faith,  and  hope,  and 
 holy  practice  of  new  obedience  are  scarce  Avorth  the  speaking  of : 
 but  blessed  be  my  Lord,  who  taketh  me,  light,  and  clipped,  and 
 naughty,  and  feckless  as  I  am.  I  see  Christ  will  not  prig^  with 
 me,  nor  stand  upon  stepping-stones,  but  cometh  in  at  the  broad 
 side,  without  ceremonies,  or  making  it  nice,  to  make  a  poor  ran- 
 somed one  His  own.  O,  that  I  could  feed  upon  His  breathing, 
 and  kissing,  and  embracing,  and  upon  the  hopes  of  my  meeting 
 and  His,  when  love-letters  shall  not  go  betwixt  us,  but  He  shall 
 be  messenger  Himself  then !  But  there  is  required  patience  on 
 our  part  till  the  summer-fruit  in  heaven  be  ripe  for  us ;  it  is  in 
 the  bud,  but  there  be  many  things  to  do  before  our  harvest  come. 
 And  we  take  ill  with  it,  and  can  hardly  endure  to  set  our  paper 
 face  to  one  of  Christ's  storms,  and  to  go  to  heaven  with  wet  feet, 
 and  pain,  and  sorrow.  We  love  to  carry  heaven  to  heaven  with 
 us,  and  would  have  two  summers  in  one  year,  and  no  less  than 
 two  heavens ;  but  this  will  not  be  for  us :  one,  and  such  an  one, 
 may  suffice  us  well  enough.  The  Man  Christ  got  but  one  only, 
 and  shall  we  have  two  1  Remember  my  love  in  Christ  to  your 
 father,  and  help  me  with  your  prayers.  If  ye  would  be  a  deep 
 divine,  I  recommend  to  you,  sanctifi cation.  Fear  Him,  and  He 
 shall  reveal  His  covenant  to  you.     Grace  be  with  you. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S»  K. 
 
 Aberdesn,  -Jaa.  5,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  CXXXIX.— To  Cardonness,  Elder. 
 
 Much  honoured  Sir, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  yon.  I 
 have  longed  to  hear  from  you,  and  to  know  the  estate  of  your 
 soul  and  the  estate  of  that  people  with  you.  I  beseech  you,  sir, 
 by  the  salvation  of  your  precious  soul,  and  the  mercies  of  God, 
 make  good  and  sure  work  of  your  salvation,  and  try  upon  what 
 ground-stone^  ye  have  builded.  Worthy  and  dear  sir,  if  ye  be  upon 
 ^  Mince.  -  Foundation. 
 
254  LETTEK  CXXXIX. 
 
 sinking  sand,  a  storm  of  death  and  a  blast  will  loose  Christ  and 
 you,  and  wash  you  close^  off  the.  rock.  0,  for  the  Lord's  sake,  look 
 narrowly  to  the  work.  Eead  over  your  life  with  the  light  of 
 God's  daylight  and  sun ;  for  salvation  is  not  casten  down  at  every 
 man's  door.  It  is  good  to  look  to  your  compass,  and  all  ye  have 
 need  of,  ere  ye  take  shipping;  for  no  wind  can  blow  you  back 
 again.  Eemember  when  the  race  is  ended,  and  the  play  either 
 won  or  lost,  and  ye  are  in  the  utmost  circle  and  border  of  time, 
 and  shall  put  your  foot  within  the  march- of  eternity,  and  all  your 
 good  things  of  this  short  night-di-eam  shall  seem  to  you  like  the 
 ashes  oi  a  blaze  of  thorns  or  straw,  and  your  poor  soul  shall  be 
 crying,  "Lodging,  lodging,  for  God's  sake  :"  then  shall  your  soul 
 be  more  glad  at  one  of  your  Lord's  lovely  and  homely  smiles,  than, 
 if  ye  had  the  charter  of  three  worlds  for  all  eternity.  Let  ]ilea- 
 sures  and  gain,  will  and  desires  of  this  world  be  put  over  in  God's 
 hands,  as  arrested  and  fenced  goods  that  ye  cannot  intromit  with. 
 Now  when  ye  are  drinking  the  ground  of  your  cup,  and  ye  are 
 upon  the  utmost  ends  of  the  last  link  of  time,  and  old  age,  like 
 death's  long  shadow,  is  casting  a  covering  upon  your  days,  it  is  no 
 time  to  court  this  vain  life,  and  to  set  love  and  heart  ujjon  it.  It 
 is  near  after-supper;  seek  rest  and  ease  for  your  soul  in  God 
 through  Christ.  Believe  me,  I  find  it  hard  wrestling  to  play  fair 
 with  Christ,  and  to  keep  good  quarters  with  Him,  and  keep  love 
 to  Him  in  integrity  and  life,  and  to  keep  a  constant  course  of 
 sound  and  solid  daily  communion  with  Christ :  temptations  are 
 daily  breaking  the  thread  of  that  course,  and  it  is  not  easy  to  cast 
 a  knot  again,  and  many  knots  make  evil  work.  0,  how  fair  have 
 many  ships  been  plying  before  the  wind,  that  in  an  hour's  space 
 have  been  lying  in  the  sea  bottom !  how  many  professors  cast  a 
 golden  lustre,  as  if  they  were  pure  gold,  and  yet  are,  under  that 
 skin  and  cover,  but  base  and  reprobate  metal!  and  how  many 
 keep  breath  in  their  race  many  miles,  and  yet  come  short  of  the 
 prize  and  the  garland  !  Dear  sir,  my  soul  would  mourn  in  secret 
 for  you,  if  I  knew  your  case  with  God  to  be  but  false  work.  Love 
 to  have  you  anchored  upon  Christ,  maketh  me  fear  your  tottering 
 and  slips.  False  under-water,  not  seen  in  the  ground  of  an  en- 
 lightened conscience,  is  dangerous ;  so  is  often  failing  and  sinning 
 against  light.  Know  this,  that  these  who  never  had  sick  nights 
 nor  days  in  conscience  for  sin,  cannot  have  but  such  a  peace  with 
 God,  as  will  undercot^  and  break  the  fiesh  again,  and  end  in  a 
 sad  war  at  death.  0,  how  fearfully  are  thousands  beguiled  with 
 false  hide-grown-over  old  sins,  as  if  the  soul  were  cured  and 
 healed !  Dear  sir,  I  saw  ever  nature  mighty,  lofty,  heady,  and 
 strong  in  you,  and  it  was  more  for  you  to  be  mortified  and  dead 
 ^  Clean.  -  Boundary.  ^  Fester. 
 
LETTEK  CXXXIX.  255 
 
 to  the  world  than  another  common  man.  Ye  will  take  a  low  ebb, 
 and  a  deep  cut,  and  a  long  lance,^  to  go  to  the  bottom  of  your 
 wounds  in  saving  humiliation,  to  make  you  a  won  prey  for  Christ. 
 Be  humbled,  walk  softly ;  down,  down  for  God's  sake,  my  dear 
 and  worthy  brother,  with  your  topsail.  Stoop,  stoop,  it  is  a  low 
 entry  to  go  in  at  heaven's  gates.  There  is  infinite  justice  in  the 
 party  ye  have  to  do  with  ;  it  is  His  nature  not  to  acquit  the  guilty 
 and  the  sinner.  The  law  of  God  will  not  want  one  farthing  of 
 the  sinner :  God  forge tteth  not  both  the  cautioner  and  the  sinner; 
 and  every  man  must  pay,  either  in  his  own  person  (0,  Lord,  save 
 you  from  that  payment),  or  in  his  cautioner,  Christ.  It  is  violence 
 to  corrupt  nature  for  a  man  to  be  holy,  to  lie  down  under  Christ's 
 feet,  to  quit  will,  pleasure,  worldly  love,  earthly  hope,  and  an 
 itching  of  heart  after  this  fairded^  and  overgilded  world,  and  to  be 
 content  that  Christ  trample  upon  all.  Come  in,  come  in  to  Christ, 
 and  see  what  ye  want,  and  find  it  in  Him.  He  is  the  short  cut 
 (as  we  use  to  say),  and  the  nearest  way  to  an  outgate  of  all  your 
 burdens.  I  dare  avouch,  ye  shall  be  dearly  welcome  to  Him;  my 
 soul  would  be  glad  to  take  part  of  the  joy  ye  should  have  in  Him. 
 I  dare  say,  angels'  pens,  angels'  tongues,  nay,  as  many  Avorlds  of 
 angels  as  there  are  drops  of  water  in  all  the  seas,  and  fountains, 
 and  rivers  of  the  earth,  cannot  paint  Him  out  to  you.  I  thinly 
 His  sweetness,  since  I  was  a  prisoner,  hath  swelled  upon  me  to 
 the  greatness  of  two  heavens.  0,  for  a  soul  as  wide  as  the  out- 
 most circle  of  the  highest  heaven  that  containeth  all,  to  contain 
 His  love  !  and  yet  I  could  hold  little  of  it.  0,  world's  wonder ! 
 0,  if  my  soul  might  but  lie  within  the  smell  of  His  love,  sui3j)ose 
 I  could  get  no  more  but  the  smell  of  it !  0,  but  it  is  long  to  that 
 day  when  I  shall  have  a  free  world  of  Christ's  love !  0,  what  a 
 sight  to  be  up  in  heaven  in  that  fair  orchard  of  the  new  paradise, 
 and  to  see,  and  smell,  and  touch,  and  kiss  that  fair  field-flower, 
 that  ever-green  tree  of  life !  His  bare  shadow  were  enough  for 
 me  ;  a  sight  of  Him  would  be  the  earnest  of  heaven  to  me.  Fie, 
 fie  upon  us,  that  we  have  love  lying  rusting  beside  us,  or,  which 
 is  worse,  wasted  away  upon  loathsome  objects,  and  Christ  should 
 lie  his  lone.^  Woe,  woe  is  me,  that  sin  hath  made  so  many  mad- 
 men, seeking  the  fool's  paradise,  fire  under  ice,  and  some  good 
 and  desirable  thing  without  and  apart  from  Christ.  Christ, 
 Christ,  nothing  but  Christ,  can  cool  our  love's  burning  languor. 
 0,  thirsty  love,  wilt  thou  set  Christ,  the  well  of  life,  to  thy  head 
 and  drink  thy  fill ;  drink  and  spare  not ;  drink  love,  and  be 
 drunken  with  Christ.  Nay,  alas  !  the  distance  betwixt  us  and 
 Christ  is  death.  0,  if  we  were  clasped  in  others'*  arms!  we  should 
 never  twin  ^  again,  except  heaven  twinned  and  sundered  us,  and 
 
 '  Lancet.  -  Bedizened.         ^  Alone.  *  Each  other's.         ^  Part 
 
256  LETTER  CXL. 
 
 that  cannot  be.  I  desire  your  children  to  seek  this  Lord.  Desire 
 them  from  me,  to  be  requested  for  Christ's  sake,  to  be  blessed 
 and  happy,  and  come  and  take  Christ  and  all  things  with  Him, 
 Let  them  beware  of  glassy  and  slippery  youth,  of  foolish  young 
 motions,  of  worldly  lusts,  of  deceivable^  gain,  of  wicked  company, 
 of  cursing,  lying,  blaspheming,  and  foolish  talking ;  let  them  be 
 filled  with  the  Spirit,  acquaint  themselves  with  daily  praying,  and 
 with  the  storehouse  of  wisdom  and  comfort,  the  good  Word  of 
 God.  Help  the  souls  of  the  poor  people.  0,  that  my  Lord  would 
 bring  me  again  among  them,  that  I  might  tell  uncouth  ^  and  great 
 tales  of  Christ  to  them.  Receive  not  a  stranger  to  preach  any 
 other  doctrine  to  them.  Pray  for  me,  His  prisoner  of  hope  ;  I 
 pray  for  you  without  ceasing.  I  write  my  blessing,  earnest  prayers, 
 the  love  of  God,  and  the  sweet  presence  of  Christ  to  you,  and 
 yours,  and  them.     Grace,  grace,  grace  be  with  you. 
 
 Your  lawful  and  loving  pastor,         S.  E. 
 Aberdeen,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  CXL.— To  the  Earl  of  Lothian. 
 
 Right  honourable,  and  my  very  worthy  and  noble  Lord, 
 — Out  of  the  honourable  and  good  report  that  I  hear  of  your 
 lordship's  good  will  and  kindness  (in  taking  to  heart  the  honour- 
 able cause  of  Christ  and  His  afflicted  church  and  wronged  truth 
 in  this  land),  I  make  bold  to  speak  a  word  in  paper  to  your  lord- 
 ship at  this  distance,  which  I  trust  your  lordship  will  take  in  good 
 part.  It  is  your  lordship's  honour  and  credit  to  put  to  your  hand 
 (as  ye  do,  all  honour  to  God)  to  the  falling  and  tottering  taber- 
 nacle of  Christ  in  this  your  mother-church,  and  to  own  Christ's 
 wrongs  as  your  own  wrongs.  0,  blessed  hand,  which  shall  wipe 
 and  dry  the  watery  eyes  of  our  weeping  Lord  Jesus,  now  going 
 mourning  in  sackcloth  in  His  members,  in  His  spouse,  in  His 
 truth,  and  in  the  prerogative  royal  of  His  kingly  power !  He 
 needeth  not  service  and  help  from  men ;  but  it  pleaseth  His  wis- 
 dom to  make  the  wants  and  losses,  sores  and  wounds  of  His 
 spouse,  a  field  and  an  office-house  for  the  zeal  of  His  servants  to 
 exercise  themselves  in  :  therefore,  my  noble  and  dear  lord,  go  on: 
 go  on  in  the  strength  of  the  Lord,  against  all  opposition,  to  side 
 with  wronged  Christ.  The  defending  and  warding  of  strokes  off 
 Christ.  His  bride,  the  King's  daughter,  is  like  a  piece  of  the  rest 
 of  the  way  to  heaven,  knotty,  rough,  stormy,  and  full  of  thorns. 
 Many  would  follow  Christ,  but  with  a  reservation,  that  by  open 
 proclamation  Christ  would  cry  down  crosses,  and  cry  up  fair 
 
 ^  Deceitful. 
 
 "  In  opposition,  I  suppose,  to  a  gospel  trimmed  to  men's  tastes. 
 
LETTER  CXL.  257 
 
 weather,  and  a  summer  sky  and  sun,  till  we  were,  all  fairly  landed 
 at  heaven.  I  know  your  lordship  hath  not  so  learned  Christ,  but 
 that  ye  intend  to  fetch  heaven,  suppose  your  father  were  standing 
 in  your  way,  and  to  take  it  with  the  wind  on  your  face ;  for  so 
 both  storm  and  wind  was  on  the  fair  face  of  your  lovely  fore-run- 
 ner, Christ,  all  His  way.  It  is  possible  the  success  answer  not 
 your  desire  in  this  worthy  cause ;  what  then  ?  Duties  are  ours, 
 but  events  are  the  Lord's;  and  I  hope  if  your  lordship,  and  others 
 with  you,  shall  go  on  to  dive  to  the  lowest  ground  and  bottom  of 
 the  knavery  and  perfidious  treachery  to  Christ  of  the  cursed  and 
 wretched  prelates,  the  Antichrist's  first  born  and  the  first  fruit  of 
 his  foul  womb,  and  shall  deal  with  our  sovereign  (law  going  be- 
 fore you)  for  the  reasonable  and  impartial  hearing  of  Christ's  bill 
 of  complaints,  and  set  yourselves  singly  to  seek  the  Lord  and  His 
 face,  your  righteousness  shall  break  through  the  clouds  that  pre- 
 judice hath  drawn  over  it,  and  ye  shall,  in  the  strength  of  the 
 Lord,  bring  our  banished  and  departing  Lord  Jesus  home  again 
 to  His  sanctuary.  Neither  must  your  lordship  advise  Avith  hesh 
 and  blood  in  this,  but  wink,  and  in  the  dark  reach  your  hand  to 
 Christ  and  follow  Him.  Let  not  men's  fainting  discourage  you, 
 neither  be  afraid  of  men's  canny'  wisdom,  who  in  this  storm  take 
 the  nearest  shore,  and  go  to  the  lee  and  calm  side  of  the  Gospel, 
 and  hide  Christ  (if  ever  they  had  Him)  in  their  cabinets,  as  if 
 they  were  ashamed  of  Him,  or  as  if  Christ  were  stolen  wares  and 
 would  blush  before  the  sun.  My  very  dear  and  noble  lord,  ye 
 have  rejoiced  the  hearts  of  many,  that  ye  have  made  choice  of 
 Christ  and  His  Gospel,  whereas  such  great  tem[)tations  do  stand 
 in  your  way.  But  I  love  your  profession  the  better,  that  it  en- 
 dureth  winds.  If  we  knew  ourselves  well,  to  want  temptations  is 
 the  greatest  temptation  of  all.  Neither  is  father,  nor  mother,  nor 
 court,  nor  hont)ur  in  this  overlustred  world,  with  all  its  paintry 
 and  farding,"  anything  else,  when  they  are  laid  in  the  balance 
 with  Christ,  but  feathers,  shadows,  night-dreams,  and  straws.  0, 
 if  this  world  knew  the  excellency,  sweetness,  and  beauty  of  that 
 high  and  lofty  One,  that  iairest  among  the  sons  of  men !  verily 
 they  should  see,  if  their  love  were  bigger  then  ten  heavens,  all  in 
 circles  without  other,^  that  it  were  all  too  little  for  Christ  our 
 Lord.  I  hope  your  choice  shall  not  repent  you,  when  life  shall 
 come  to  that  twilight  betwixt  time  and  eternity,  and  ye  shall  see 
 the  utmost  border  of  time,  and  shall  draw  the  curtain  and  look 
 into  eternity,  and  shall  one  day  see  God  take  the  heavens  in  His 
 hands  and  fold  them  together  like  an  old  holey  garment,  and  set 
 on  fire  this  clay  part  of  the  creation  of  God,  and  consume  away  in 
 smoke  and  ashes  the  idol-hopes  of  poor  fools,  who  think  there  is 
 
 *  Prudent.  ^  Decoration.  ^  One  another. 
 
258  LETTER  CXLI. 
 
 not  a  Ijetter  country  than  this  low  country  of  dying  clay.  Children 
 cannot  make  comparison  aright  betwixt  this  life  and  that  to  come; 
 and  therefore  the  babes  of  this  world,  who  see  no  better,  mould 
 in  their  own  brain  a  heaven  of  their  own  coining,  because  they 
 see  no  further  than  the  nearest  side  of  time.  I  dare  lay  in  pawn 
 my  hope  of  heaven  that  this  reproached  way  is  the  only  way  of 
 peace :  I  find  it  is  the  way  that  the  Lord  hath  sealed  with  His 
 comforts  now  in  my  bonds  for  Christ ;  and  I  verily  esteem  and 
 find  chains  and  fetters  for  that  lovely  one  Christ,  to  be  watered 
 over  with  sweet  consolations  and  the  love  smiles  of  that  lovely 
 Bridegroom,  for  whose  coming  we  wait.  And  when  He  cometh, 
 then  shall  the  blacks  and  whites  of  all  men  come  before  the  sun, 
 then  shall  the  Lord  put  a  final  decision  upon  the  pleas  that  Zion 
 hath  with  lier  adversaries ;  and  as  fast  as  time  posteth  away 
 (which  neither  sitteth  nor  standeth,  nor  sleepeth),  as  fast  is  our 
 hand-breadth  of  this  short  winter-night  flying  away,  and  the  sky 
 of  our  long-lasting  day  drawing  near  its  breaking.  Except  your 
 lordship  be  pleased  to  plead  for  me  against  the  tyranny  of  prelates, 
 I  shall  be  forgotten  in  this  prison  ;  for  they  did  shape  my  doom 
 according  to  their  new  lawless  canons,  Avhich  is,  that  a  deprived 
 minister  shall  be  utterly  silenced  and  not  preach  at  all,  which  is  a 
 cruelty  contrary  to  their  own  former  practices.  Now,  the  only 
 wise  God,  the  very  God  of  peace,  confirm,  strengthen,  and  estab- 
 lish your  lordship  upon  the  stone  laid  in  Zion,  and  be  with  you 
 for  ever.  Yours  lordship's,  at  all  respective^  obedience  in  his 
 sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 
 
 Aberdeen,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  CXLL— To  Jean  Brown. 
 
 Mistress, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you.  I  long  to  hear 
 how  your  soul  prospereth.  I  earnestly  desire  your  on-going  to- 
 ward your  country.  1  know  ye  see  your  day  melteth  away  by 
 little  and  little,  and  that  in  short  time  ye  will  be  put  behind  time's 
 bounds  ;  for  life  is  a  post  that  standeth  not  still,  and  our  joys  here 
 are  born  weeping  rather  than  laughing,  and  they  die  weeping. 
 Sin,  sin,  this  body  of  sin  and  corruption,  embittereth  and  poisoneth 
 all  our  enjoyments.  0,  that  I  were  where  I  shall  sin  no  more ! 
 0,  to  be  freed  of  these  chains  and  iron  fetters  that  we  carry  about 
 with  us!  Lord,  loose  the  sad  prisoners.  Who  of  the  children  of 
 God  have  not  cause  to  say,  that  they  have  their  fill  of  this  vain 
 lite,  and  like  a  full  and  sick  stomach  to  wish,  at  mid-supper,  that 
 the  supper  were  ended,  and  the  table  drawn,  that  the  sick  man 
 
 '  ripRPectful. 
 
LETTER  CXLI.  259 
 
 might  win  to  bed  and  enjoy  rest?  We  have  cause  to  tire  at  mid- 
 supper  of  the  best  messes  that  this  workl  can  dress  up  for  us,  and 
 to  cry  to  God,  that  He  would  remove  the  table  and  put  the  sin- 
 sick  souls  to  rest  with  Himself.  0,  for  a  long  play-day  with 
 Christ,  and  our  long-lasting  vacance^  of  rest!  Glad  may  their  souls 
 be  that  are  safe  over  the  firth,  Christ  having  paid  the  freight. 
 Happy  are  they  who  have  passed  their  hard  and  wearisome  time 
 of  apprenticeship,  and  are  now  freemen  and  citizens  in  that  joyful 
 liigh  city,  the  New  Jerusalem.  Alas !  that  we  should  be  glad  of, 
 and  rejoice  in,  our  fetters  and  our  prison-house,  and  this  dear  inns, 
 a  life  of  sin,  where  we  are  absent  from  our  Lord  and  so  far  from 
 our  home.  0,  that  we  could  get  bonds  and  law-suretyship  of  our 
 love,  that  it  fasten  not  itself  on  these  clay-dreams,  these  clay- 
 shadows,  and  worldly  vanities !  We  might  be  oftener  seeing  what 
 they  are  doing  in  heaven,  and  our  heart  more  frequently  upon  our 
 sweet  treasure  above.  We  smell  of  the  smoke  of  this  lower  house 
 of  the  earth,  because  our  heart  and  our  thoughts  are  here.  If  we 
 could  haunt"  up  with  God,  we  should  smell  of  heaven  and  of  our 
 country  above,  and  we  should  look  like  our  country,  and  like 
 strangers  or  people  not  born  or  brought  vip  here-away.  Our 
 crosses  would  not  bite  upon  us,  if  we  were  heavenly  minded.  I 
 know  no  obligation  the  saints  have  to  this  world,  seeing  we  fare 
 but  upon  the  smoke  of  it ;  and  if  there  be  any  smoke  in  the  house, 
 it  bloweth  upon  our  eyes.  All  our  part  of  the  table  is  scarce 
 worth  a  drink  of  water,  and  when  we  are  stricken  we  dare  not 
 weep,  but  steal  our  grief  away  betwixt  our  Lord  and  us,  and  con- 
 tent ourselves  with  stolen  sorrow  behind  backs.  God  be  thanked, 
 we  have  many  things  that  so  stroke  us  against  the  hair,  as  we 
 may  pray,  "God  keep  our  better  home;  God  bless  our  Father's 
 house,  and  not  this  smoke  that  bloweth  us  to  seek  our  best  lodg- 
 ing." I  am  sure  this  is  the  best  fruit  of  the  cross,  when  we,  from 
 the  hard  fare  of  the  dear  inns,  cry  the  more,  that  God  would  send 
 a  fair  wind  to  land  us,  hungered  and  oppressed  strangers,  at  the 
 door  of  our  Father's  house,  which  now  is  made  in  Christ  our 
 kindly  heritage.  0  then  let  us  pull  up  the  stakes  and  stoops^  of 
 our  tent,  and  take  our  tent  on  our  back,  and  go  with  our  flit- 
 ting* to  our  best  home,  for  "  here  we  have  no  continuing  city."  I 
 am  waiting  in  hope  here  to  see  what  my  Lord  will  do  with  me. 
 Let  Him  make  of  me  what  He  pleaseth ;  providing  He  make  glory 
 to  Himself  out  of  me,  I  care  not.  I  hope,  yea,  I  am  now  sure, 
 that  I  am  for  Christ,  and  all  that  I  can  or  may  make  is  for  Him. 
 I  am  His  everlasting  debtor  or  dyvour,  and  still  shall  be;  for  alas, 
 I  have  nothing  for  Him,  and  He  getteth  little  service  of  me !  Pray 
 tor  me,  that  our  Lord  would  be  pleased  to  give  me  house-room, 
 
 '  V.'ication.  -  I'l-oqnenf..  ^  Pillars.  ••  Furniture.     . 
 
260  LETTEK  CXLll. 
 
 that  I  may  serve  Him  in  the  calling  He  hath  called  me  unto. 
 Grace  be  with  you. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 
 Aberdeen,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  CXLH.— To  Egbert  Stuaet. 
 
 My  very  dear  Brother, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you. 
 Ye  are  heartily  welcome  to  my  world  of  suffering,  and  heartily 
 welcome  to  my  Master's  house  ;  God  give  you  much  joy  of  your 
 new  Master.  If  1  have  been  in  the  house  before  you,  I  were  not 
 faithful  to  give  the  house  an  ill  name,  or  to  speak  evil  of  the  Lord 
 of  the  family.  I  rather  wish  God's  Holy  Spirit  (0  Lord  breathe 
 upon  me  with  that  Spirit)  to  tell  you  the  fashions  of  the  house. 
 One  thing  I  can  say,  by  on-waiting,  ye  will  gTow  a  great  man  Avith 
 the  Lord  of  the  house.  Hang  on  till  ye  get  some  good  from 
 Christ.  Lay  all  your  loads  and  your  weights  by  faith  upon  Christ. 
 Ease  yourself,  and  let  Him  bear  all:  He  can,  He  does.  He  will 
 bear  you,  howbeit  hell  were  upon  your  back.  I  rejoice  that  He  is 
 come  and  hath  chosen  you  in  the  furnace,  it  was  even  there  Avhere 
 ye  and  He  set  tryst;^  that  is  an  old  gate"^  of  Christ's,  He  keepeth 
 the  good  old  fashion  witli  you,  that  was  in  Hosea's  day,  Hosea  ii. 
 14,  "Therefore,  behold,  I  Avill  allure  her,  and  bring  her  to  the 
 wilderness,  and  speak  to  her  heart."  There  was  no  talking  to  her 
 heart  while  He  and  she  were  in  the  fair  and  flourishing  city  and 
 at  ease  ;  but  out  in  the  cold,  hungiy,  Avaste  Avilderness,  He  allur- 
 eth  her,  He  whispered  in  news  into  her  ear  there,  and  said,  "  Thou 
 art  mine."  What  would  ye  think  of  such  a  bodl^  Ye  may  soon 
 do  worse  than  say,  "  Lord,  hold  all ;  Lord  Jesus,  a  bargain  be  it ; 
 it  shall  not  go  back  on  my  side."  Ye  have  gotten  a  great  advan- 
 tage in  the  Avay  to  heaven,  that  ye  have  started  to  the  gate  in  the 
 morning.  Like  a  fool  as  I  was,  I  suffered  my  sun  to  be  high  in 
 the  heaveu,  and  near  afternoon,  before  ever  I  took  the  gate  by  the 
 end.  I  pray  you  now  keep  the  advantage  ye  have.  My  heart,  be 
 not  lazy,  set  as  quickly  up  the  brae  on  hands  and  feet,  as  if  the 
 last  pickle*  of  sand  were  running  out  of  your  glass,  and  death  were 
 coming  to  turn  the  glass  ;  and  be  very  careful  to  take  heed  to  your 
 feet  in  that  slippery  and  dangerous  way  of  youth  that  ye  are  walk- 
 ing in.  The  devil  and  temptations  now  have  the  advantage  of 
 the  brae  of  you,  and  are  upon  your  Avand-hand^  and  your  working- 
 hand.  Dry  timber  will  soon  take  fire.  Be  covetous  and  greedy 
 of  the  grace  of  God,  and  beAvare  that  it  be  not  holiness  that 
 cometh  only  from  the  cross,  for  too  many  are  that  way  disposed. 
 Psalm  Ixxviii.  34,  '*  When  He  slew  them  then  they  sought  Him, 
 
 ^  Mut  each  other.         "  Method  ^  Offer.  *  Grain.         ^  Whip-hand. 
 
LETTEll  CXLll.  261 
 
 and  they  returned  and  inquired  early  after  God,'''  ver.  35.  "  Never- 
 theless tlu*y  did  flatter  Him  with  their  mouth,  and  they  lied  unto 
 Him  with  their  tongues."  It  is  a  part  of  our  hypocrisy  to  give 
 G  od  fair,  white  words,  when  He  hath  us  in  His  grips  (if  I  may 
 speak  so),  and  to  flatter  Him  till  we  win  to  the  fair  fields  again. 
 Try  well  green  godliness,  and  examine  what  it  is  ye  love  in  Christ. 
 If  ye  love  but  Christ's  sunny-side,  and  would  have  only  summer- 
 weather  and  a  land-gate,  not  a  sea-way  to  heaven,  your  profession 
 will  play  you  a  slip,  and  the  winter  well  will  go  dry  again  in 
 summer.  Make  no  sports  nor  bairn's  play  of  Christ ;  but  labour 
 for  a  sound  and  lively  sight  of  sin,  that  ye  may  judge  yourself  an 
 undone  man,  a  damned  slave  of  hell  and  sin,  one  dying  in  your 
 own  blood,  except  Christ  come  and  rue^  upon  yon,  and  take  you 
 up  ;  aud  therefore  make  sure  and  fast  work  of  conversion.  Cast 
 the  earth  deep  ;  and  down,  down  with  the  old  work,  the  building 
 of  confusion,  that  was  there  before,  and  let  Christ  lay  new  work, 
 and  make  a  new  creation  within  you.  Look  if  Christ's  rain  goeth 
 down  to  the  root  of  your  withered  plants,  and  if  His  love  wound 
 your  heart  while ^  it  bleed  with  sorrow  for  sin,  and  if  it  can  pant 
 and  fall  a-swoon,  and  be  like  to  die  for  that  lovely  one,  Jesus.  I 
 know  Christ  will  not  be  hid  where  He  is,  grace  will  ever  speak 
 for  itself,  be  fruitful  in  well-doing.  The  sanctified  cross  is  a  fruit- 
 ful tree,  it  bringeth  forth  many  apples.  If  I  should  tell  you,  by 
 some  weak  experience,  what  I  have  found  in  Christ,  ye  or  others 
 could  hardly  believe  me.  I  thought  not  the  hundredth  part  of 
 Christ  long  since  that  I  do  now ;  though  alas  !  my  thoughts  are 
 Btill  infinitely  below  His  worth.  I  have  a  dwining,  sickly,  and 
 pained  life  for  a  real  possession  of  Him,  and  am  troubled  with  love 
 brashes^  and  love  fevers  ;  but  it  is  a  sweet  pain.  I  woidd  refuse 
 no  conditions,  not  hell  excepted  (reserving  always  God's  hatred), 
 to  buy  possession  of  Jesus ;  but  alas,  I  am  not  a  merchant  who 
 have  any  money  to  give  for  Him  !  I  must  either  come  to  a  good 
 cheap  market  where  wares  are  had  for  nothing,  else  I  go  home 
 empty :  but  I  have  casten  this  work  upon  Christ  to  get  me  Him- 
 self. I  have  His  faith,  and  truth,  and  promise  (as  a  pawn  of  His) 
 all  engaged,  that  I  shall  obtain  that  which  my  hungry  desires 
 would  be  at,  and  I  esteem  that  the  choice  of  my  happiness.  And 
 for  Christ's  cross,  especially  the  garland  and  the  flower  of  all 
 crosses,  to  suffer  for  His  name,  I  esteem  it  more  than  I  can  write 
 or  speak  to  you.  And  I  write  it  under  mine  own  hand  to  you,  it 
 is  one  of  the  steps  of  the  ladder  up  to  our  country,  and  Christ 
 (whoever  be  one*)  is  still  at  the  heavy  end  of  this  black  tree,  and 
 
 1  Take  pity.  2  tuL  3  Sudden  gushes. 
 
 *  I  suppose  the  meaning  to  be,  Whoever  be  the  one  cross-bearer,  he  is  the 
 other. 
 
262  LETTER  CXLIII. 
 
 SO  it  is  but  as  a  feather  to  me.  I  need  not  run  at  leisure  because 
 of  a  burden  on  my  back,  my  back  never  bare  the  like  of  it ;  the 
 more  heavily  crossed  for  Christ,  the  soul  is  still  the  lighter  for  the 
 journey.  Now  would  to  God,  all  cold-blooded,  faint-hearted 
 soldiers  of  Christ  would  look  again  to  Jesus  and  to  His  love  ;  and 
 when  they  look,  I  would  have  them  to  look  again  and  again,  and 
 fill  themselves  with  beholding  of  Christ's  beauty;  and  I  dare  say 
 then,  that  Christ  should  come  in  great  court  and  request  Avith 
 many.  The  virgins  would  flock  fast  about  the  Bridegroom,  they 
 would  embrace  and  take  hold  of  Him  and  not  let  Him  go.  But 
 when  I  have  spoken  of  Him  till  my  head  rive,^  I  have  said  just  no- 
 thing, I  may  begin  again.  A  Godhead,  a  Godhead  is  a  world's  wonder. 
 Set  ten  thousand  thousand  new-made  Avorlds  of  angels  and  elect 
 men,  and  double  them  in  number,  ten  thousand,  thousand,  thousand 
 times;  let  their  heart  and  tongues  be  ten  thousand  thousand  times 
 more  agile  and  large  than  the  heart  and  tongues  of  the  seraphims 
 that  stand  with  six  wings  before  Him,  Isa.  vi.  2 ;  when  they  have 
 said  all  for  the  glorifying  and  praising  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  they 
 have  but  spoken  little  or  nothing  :  His  love  Avill  bide  all  possible 
 creatures  to  praise.  0,  if  I  could  wear  this  tongue  to  the  stump 
 in  extolling  His  highness!  But  it  is  my  dailj^  growing  sorrow 
 that  I  am  confounded  with  His  incompai-able  love,  and  He  doth 
 so  great  things  for  my  soul,  and  He  got  never  yet  anything  of  me 
 worth  the  speaking  of  Sir,  I  charge  you,  help  me  to  praise  Him. 
 It  is  a  shame  to  speak  of  what  He  hath  done  for  me,  and  what  I 
 do  to  Him  again.  I  am  sure,  Christ  hath  many  drowned  dyvours - 
 in  heaven  beside  Him,  and  when  we  are  convened,  man  and  angel, 
 at  the  great  day,  in  that  fair,  last  meeting,  we  are  all  but  His 
 drowned  dyvours.^  It  is  hard  to  say  who  oweth  Him  most.  If 
 men  could  do  no  more,  I  would  have  them  to  wonder.  If  we 
 cannot  be  filled  with  Christ's  love,  we  may  be  filled  with  Avonder- 
 ing.  Sir,  I  would  I  could  persuade  you  to  grow  sick  for  Christ, 
 and  to  long  after  Him,  and  be  pained  with  love  for  Himself ;  but 
 His  tongue  is  in  heaven  Avho  can  do  it.  To  Him  and  His  rich 
 grace,  I  recommend  you.  I  pray  you,  pray  for  me,  and  forget  not 
 to  praise.  Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 
 
 Aberdeen,  Jiine  17,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  CXLIII.— To  the  Lady  Gaitgirth. 
 
 Mistress, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you.  I  long  to 
 know  how  matters  stand  betwixt  Christ  and  your  soul.  I  know 
 ye  find  Him  still  the  longer  the  better ;  time  cannot  change  Him 
 in  His  love.     Ye  may  yourself  ebb  and  flow,  rise  and  fall,  wax 
 
 ^  Rend.  '^  Debtors. 
 
LETTER  CXLIV.  263 
 
 and  wane  ;  but  your  Lord  is  this  day  as  He  was  yesterday ;  and 
 it  is  your  comfort  that  your  salvation  is  not  rolled  upon  av heels  of 
 your  own  making,  neither  have  ye  to  do  with  a  Christ  of  your  own 
 shaping.  God  hath  singled  out  a  Mediator,  strong  and  mighty ;  if 
 ye  and  your  burdens  were  as  heavy  as  ten  hills  or  hells,  He  is  able 
 to  bear  you  and  save  you  to  the  uttermost.  Your  often  seeking 
 to  Him  cannot  make  you  a  burden  to  Him.  I  know  Christ  com- 
 passioneth  you,  and  maketh  a  moan  for  you  in  all  your  dumps  ^ 
 and  under  your  down-castings ;  but  it  is  good  for  you  that  He 
 hideth  Himself  sometimes ;  it  is  not  niceness,  dryness,  nor  cold- 
 ness of  love,  that  causeth  Christ  to  withdraw  and  slip  in  under  a 
 curtain  and  a  vail  that  ye  cannot  see  Him ;  but  He  knoweth,  ye 
 could  not  bear  with  up-sails,  a  fair  gale,  a  full  moon,  and  a  high 
 spring-tide  of  His  felt  love,  and  always  a  fair  summer-day  and  a 
 summer-sun  of  a  felt,  and  possessed,  and  embracing  Lord  Jesus. 
 His  kisses  and  His  visits  to  His  dearest  ones  are  thin  sown.  He 
 could  not  let  out  His  rivers  of  love  upon  His  own,  but  these  rivers 
 would  be  in  hazard  to  loose  a  young  plant  at  the  root ;  and  He 
 knoweth  this  of  you.  Ye  should,  therefore,  frist^  Christ's  kind- 
 ness, as  to  its  sensible  and  full  manifestations,  till  ye  and  He  be 
 above  sun  and  moon ;  tliat  is  the  country  where  ye  will  be  en- 
 larged for  that  love,  which  ye  dow  ^  not  now  contain.  Cast  the 
 burden  of  your  sweet  babes  upon  Christ,  and  lighten  your  heart 
 by  laying  your  all  upon  Him  ;  He  will  be  their  God.  I  hope  to 
 see  you  up  the  mountain  yet,  and  glad  in  the  salvation  of  God. 
 Frame  yourself  for  Christ,  and  gloom  not  upon  His  cross.  I  find 
 Him  so  sweet,  that  my  love,  suppose  I  would  charge  it  to  remove 
 from  Christ,  it  would  not  obey  me.  His  love  hath  stronger  fingers 
 than  to  let  go  its  grips  of  us  bairns,  who  cannot  go  but  by  such  a 
 hold  as  Christ.  It  is  good  that  we  want  legs  of  our  own,  since  we 
 may  borroAv  from  Christ ;  and  it  is  our  happiness  that  Christ  is 
 under  an  act  of  cautionry  for  heaven,  and  that  Christ  is  booked 
 in  heaven  as  the  principal  debtor  for  such  poor  bodies  as  we  are. 
 I  request  you,  give  the  laird,  your  husband,  thanks  for  his  care  of 
 me,  that  he  hath  appeared  in  public  for  a  prisoner  of  Christ.  I 
 pray,  and  Avrite  mercy  and  peace,  and  blessings  to  him  and  his. 
 Grace,  grace  be  with  you  for  ever. 
 
 Y^ours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 
 Aber(]een,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  CXLIV.— To  Mr.  John  Fergustiitj,. 
 
 Reverend  and  dear  Brother,— Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be 
 to  you.     My  longings  and  desires  for  a  sight  of  the  new-builded 
 
 ^  Fits  of  displeasure.  "  Defer.  *  Can. 
 
264  LETTER  CXLIV. 
 
 tabernacle  of  Christ  again  in  Scotland,  that  tabernacle  that  came 
 clown  from  heaven,  hath  now  taken  some  life  again,  when  I  see 
 Christ  making  a  mint  ^  to  sow  vengeance  among  His  enemies.  I 
 care  not,  if  this  land  be  ripe  for  such  a  great  wonderful  mercy  ;  but 
 I  know  He  must  do,  whenever  it  is  done,  without  hire.  I  find 
 the  grief  of  my  silence  and  my  fear  to  be  holden  at  the  door  of 
 Christ's  house  swelling  upon  me ;  and  the  truth  is,  were  it  not 
 that  I  am  dauted  -  now  and  then  with  pieces  of  Christ's  sweet  love 
 and  comforts,  I  fear  I  should  have  made  an  ill  browst  ^  of  this 
 honourable  cross,  that  I  know  such  a  soft  and  silly-minded  body 
 as  I  am  is  not  worthy  of.  For  I  have  little  in  me  but  softness, 
 and  superlative  and  excessive  apprehensions  of  fear,  and  sadness, 
 and  sorrow,  and  often  God's  terrors  do  surround  me,  because 
 Christ  looketh  not  so  favourably  upon  me  as  a  poor  witness  would 
 have  Him.  And  I  wonder  how  I  have  passed  a  year  and  a  quar- 
 ter's imprisonment  without  shaming  my  sweet  Lord,  to  whom  I 
 desire  to  be  faithful ;  and  I  think  I  shall  die  but  even  minting  * 
 and  aiming  to  serve  and  honour  my  Lord  Jesus.  Few  know  how 
 toom^  and  empty  I  am  at  home  ;  iDut  it  is  a  part  of  marriage-love 
 and  husband-love,  that  my  Lord  Jesus  goeth  not  to  the  streets 
 with  His  chiding  against  me.  It  is  but  stolen  and  concealed 
 anger  that  I  find  and  feel,  and  His  glooms  to  me  are  kept  under 
 roof,  that  He  will  not  have  mine  enemies  hearing  what  is  betwixt 
 me  and  Christ.  And,  believe  me,  I  say  the  truth  in  Christ,  the 
 only  gall  and  wormwood  in  my  cup,  and  that  which  hath  filled 
 me  with  fear,  hath  been,  lest  my  sins,  that  sun  and  moon  and  the 
 Lord's  children  were  never  witness  to,  should  have  moved  my 
 Lord  to  strike  me  with  dumb  sabbaths.  Lord,  pardon  my  soft 
 and  weak  jealousies,  if  I  be  here  in  an  error.  My  very  dear  bro- 
 ther, I  Avould  have  looked  for  more  large  and  more  particular 
 letters  from  you  for  my  comfort  in  this ;  for  your  words  before 
 have  strengthened  me.  I  pray  you,  mend  this,  and  be  thankful 
 and  painful^  while  ye  have  a  piece  or  corner  of  the  Lord's  vine- 
 yard to  dress.  0,  would  to  God  I  could  have  leave  to  follow  you 
 to  break  the  clods  !  but  I  wish  I  could  command  my  soul  silence, 
 and  wait  upon  the  Lord.  I  am  sure,  while  Christ  lives,  I  am  well 
 enough  friend-stead.'  I  hope  He  will  extend  His  kindness  and 
 power  for  me ;  but  God  be  thanked,  it  is  not  worse  with  me  than 
 a  cross  for  Christ  and  His  truth.  I  know  He  might  have  pitched 
 upon  many  more  choice  and  worthy  witnesses  if  He  had  pleased  ; 
 but  I  seek  no  more  {be  what  timber  I  will,  suppose  I  were  made 
 of  a  piece  of  hell)  than  that  my  Lord,  in  His  infinite  art,  hew  glory 
 to  His  name,  and  enlargement  to  Christ's  kingdom  out  of  me.    0, 
 
 ^  Design.         ^  Indulged.         ^  Brewing.         *  Intending.         '  Empty. 
 "  Pains-taking.  "  Befriended. 
 
LETTER  CXLIV.  265 
 
 that  I  could  attain  to  tnis,  to  desire  that  my  part  of  Christ  might 
 be  laid  in  pledge  for  the  heightening  of  Christ's  throne  in  Britain  ! 
 Let  my  Lord  redeem  the  pledge,  or  if  He  please,  let  it  sink  and 
 drown  unredeemed.  But  what  can  I  add  to  Him?  or  what  way 
 can  a  smothered  and  borne-down  prisoner  set  out  Christ  in  open 
 market  as  a  lovely  and  desirable  Lord  to  many  souls  1  I  know 
 He  seeth  to  His  own  glory  better  than  my  ebb  thoughts  can  dream 
 of,  and  that  the  wheels  and  paces  of  this  poor  distempered  kirk 
 are  in  His  hands,  and  that  things  shall  roll  as  Christ  will  have 
 them.  Only,  Lord  tryst ^  the  matter  so,  as  Christ  may  be  made  a 
 Householder  and  Lord  again  in  Scotland,  and  wet  faces  for  His 
 departure  may  be  dried  at  His  sweet  and  much  desired  welcome 
 home.  I  see  in  all  our  trials,  our  Lord  will  not  mix  our  wares 
 and  His  grace  overhead  through  other ;  -  but  He  will  have  each 
 man  to  know  His  own,  that  the  like  of  me  may  say,  in  my  suffer- 
 ings, this  is  Christ's  grace,  and  this  is  but  my  coarse  stuff;  this  is 
 free  grace,  and  this  is  but  nature  and  reason.  We  know  what  our 
 legs  would  play  us,  if  they  should  carry  us  through  all  our  waters  ; 
 and  the  least  thing  our  Lord  can  have  of  us  is,  to  know  we  are 
 grace's  debtors,  or  grace's  dyvours,^  and  that  nature  is  of  a  base 
 house  and  blood,  and  grace  is  better  born,  and  of  kin  and  blood  to 
 Christ,  and  of  a  better  house.  0,  that  I  were  free  of  that  idol 
 that  they  call  myself,  and  that  Christ  were  for  myself,  and  myself 
 a  decourted  cipher  and  a  denied  and  foresworn  thing !  but  that 
 proud  thing,  myself,  will  not  plaj^  except  it  ride  up  side  for  side 
 with  Christ,  or  rather  have  place  before  Him.  0,  myself,  another 
 devil,  as  evil  as  the  prince  of  devils,  if  thou  could  give  Christ  the 
 way  and  take  thine  own  room,  which  is  to  sit  as  low  as  nothing  or 
 corruption  !  0,  but  we  have  much  need  to  be  ransomed  and  re- 
 deemed by  Christ  from  that  master-tyrant,  that  cruel  and  lawless 
 lord,  ourself ;  nay,  wdien  I  am  seeking  Christ,  and  out  of  myself, 
 I  have  the  thiixl  j)art  of  a  squint  eye  upon  that  vain,  vain  thing, 
 myself,  myself,  and  something  of  mine  own.  But  I  must  hold 
 here.  I  desire  you  to  contrilnite  your  help,  to  see  if  I  can  be  re- 
 stored to  my  wasted  and  lost  flock.  I  see  not  how  it  can  be,  ex- 
 cept the  lords  would  procure  me  a  liberty  to  preach  ;  and  they 
 have  reason.  1.  Because  the  opposers  and  my  adversaries  have 
 practised  their  new  canons  upon  me,  whereof  one  is,  that  no  de- 
 prived minister  preach  under  the  pain  of  excommunication.  2. 
 Because  my  opposing  of  these  canons  was  a  special  thing  that  in- 
 censed Sidserf  against  me.  3.  Because  I  was  judicially  accused 
 for  ray  book  against  the  Arminians,  and  commanded  by  the  chan- 
 cellor to  acknowledge  I  had  done  a  fault  in  w^riting  against  Dr. 
 
 '  Arrange.  -  Each  other.  •*  Bankrupts, 
 
266  LETTEK  CXLV. 
 
 Jackson,  a  wicked  Arminian.     Pray  for  a  room  in  the  house  to 
 me.     Grace,  grace  be  (as  it  is)  your  portion. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 
 Aberdeen,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  CXLV.— To  John  Stuart,  Provost  of  Ayr. 
 
 Worthy  Sir, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you.  I  long  for 
 the  time  when  I  shall  see  the  beauty  of  the  Lord  in  His  house ; 
 and  would  be  as  glad  of  it  as  of  any  sight  on  earth,  to  see  the  halt, 
 the  blind,  and  the  lame  come  back  to  Zion  with  supplications,  Jer. 
 xxxi.  8,  9.  "  Going  and  weeping  and  seeking  the  Lord,  asking  the 
 way  to  Zion  with  their  faces  thitherward,"  Jer.  i.  5,  6.  And  to  see 
 the  woman  travailing  in  birth,  delivered  of  the  man-child  of  a  blessed 
 reformation.  If  this  land  were  humbled,  I  would  look  that  our  skies 
 should  clear  and  our  day  dawn  again ;  and  ye  should  then  bless 
 Christ,  who  is  content  to  save  your  travail,  and  to  give  Himself  to 
 you,  in  pure  ordinances  on  this  side  of  the  sea.  I  know  the  mercy 
 of  Christ  is  engaged  by  promise  to  Scotland,  notwithstanding  Ho 
 bring  wrath,  as  I  fear  He  shall,  upon  this  land.  I  am  waiting  on 
 for  enlargement,  and  half-content  that  my  faith  bow,  if  Christ, 
 while  He  bow  it,  keep  it  unbroken ;  for  who  goeth  through  a  fire 
 without  a  mark  or  a  scald?  I  see  the  Lord  making  use  of  this  fire 
 to  scour  His  vessels  from  their  rust.  0  that  my  will  were  silent, 
 and  as  "  a  child  weaned  from  the  breasts  ! "  Ps.  cxxxi.  But, 
 alas,  Avho  hath  a  heart  that  will  give  Christ  the  last  word  in  flyt- 
 ing,^  and  will  hear,  and  not  speak  again  1  0,  contestations  and 
 quarrelous  replies  (as  a  soon-saddled^  spirit,  "I  do  well  to  be  angry, 
 even  to  the  death,"  Jonah  iv.  9),  smell  of  the  stink  of  strong  cor- 
 ruption !  0,  blessed  soul,  that  could  sacrifice  his  will  and  go  to 
 heaven,  having  lost  his  will,  and  made  resignation  of  it  to  Christ! 
 I  would  seek  no  more  but  that  Christ  were  absolute  King  over  my 
 will,  and  that  my  will  were  a  sufferer  in  all  crosses,  without  meet- 
 ing Christ  with  such  a  word,  why  is  it  thus  ?  I  wish  still,  that 
 my  love  had  but  leave  to  stand  beside  beautiful  Jesus,  and  to  get 
 the  mercy  of  looking  to  Him,  and  burning  for  Him,  suppose  pos- 
 session of  Him  were  suspended  and  fristed,^  till  my  Lord  fold  to- 
 gether the  leaves  and  two  sides  of  the  little  shepherds'  tents  of 
 clay.  0,  what  pain  is  in  longing  for  Christ  under  an  over-clouded 
 and  eclipsed  assurance  !  What  is  harder  than  to  burn  and  dwine 
 with  longings  and  deaths  of  love,  and  then  to  have  blanks  and 
 uninked  paper  for  assurance  of  Christ  in  real  fruition  or  posses- 
 sion ]  O,  how  sweet  were  one  line  or  half  a  letter  of  a  written 
 assurance  under  Christ's  own  hand  !  but  this  is  our  exercise  daily, 
 
 '  Scolding.  '^  Eeady  for  the  battle.  ^  Delayed. 
 
LETTER  CXI.V,  267 
 
 that  guiltiness  shall  overmist  and  darlven  assurance  :  it  is  a  miracle 
 to  believe,  but  for  a  sinner  to  believe  is  two  miracles.  But  0, 
 what  obligations  of  love  are  we  under  to  Christ,  who  beareth  with 
 our  wild  apprehensions,  in  suffering  them  to  nick-name  sweet 
 Jesus,  and  to  put  a  lie  upon  His  good  name  !  If  He  had  not  been 
 God,  and  if  long-suffering  in  Christ  were  not  like  Christ  Himself, 
 we  should  long  ago  have  broken  Christ's  mercies  in  two  pieces,  and 
 put  an  iron-bar  upon  our  own  salvation,  that  mercy  should  not 
 have  been  able  to  break  or  overleap  ;  but  long-suffering  in  God  is 
 God  Himself,  and  that  is  our  salvation,  and  the  stability  of  our 
 heaven  is  in  God.  He  knew  who  said,  "Christ  in  you  the  hope 
 of  glory,"  Col.  i.  27,  for  our  hope  and  the  bottom  and  pillars  of  it 
 is  Christ-God ;  sinners  are  anchor-fast  and  made  stable  in  God  : 
 so  that  if  God  do  not  change  (which  is  impossible),  then  my  hope 
 shall  not  fluctuate.  0,  sweet  stability  of  sure-bottomed  salvation ! 
 who  could  win  heaven  if  this  were  not?  and  who  could  be  saved 
 if  God  were  not  God,  and  if  He  were  not  such  a  God  as  He  is  1 
 0,  God  be  thanked,  that  our  salvation  is  coasted,  and  landed,  and 
 shored  upon  Christ,  who  is  master  of  winds  and  storms  !  and  what 
 sea-winds  can  blow  the  coast  or  the  land  out  of  its  place  1  Bul- 
 warks are  often  casten  down,  bnt  coasts  are  not  removed  ;  but 
 suppose  that  were,  or  might  be,  yet  God  cannot  reel  nor  remove. 
 O,  that  we  go  from  this  strong  and  unmovable  Lord,  and  that  we 
 loose  ourselves  (if  it  were  in  our  power)  from  Him !  Alas,  our 
 green  and  young  love  hath  not  taken  with  Christ,  as  being  unac- 
 quainted with  Him.  He  is  such  a  wide,  and  broad,  and  deep,  and 
 high,  and  surpassing  sweetness,  that  our  love  is  too  little  for  Him. 
 But  0,  if  our  love,  little  as  it  is,  could  take  band  ^  with  His  great 
 and  huge  sweetness  and  transcendent  excellency !  0,  thrice 
 blessed,  and  eternally  blessed,  are  they,  who  are  out  of  themselves 
 and  above  themselves,  that  they  may  be  in  love  united  to  Him. 
 I  am  often  rolling  up  and  down  the  thoughts  of  my  faint  and  sick 
 desires  of  expressing  Christ's  glory  before  His  people ;  but  I  see 
 not  through  the  throng  of  impediments,  and  cannot  find  eyes  to 
 look  higher,  and  so  I  put  many  things  in  Christ's  way  to  hinder 
 Him,  that  I  know  He  would  but  laugh  at,  and  with  one  stride  set 
 His  foot  over  them  all.  I  know  not  if  my  Lord  will  bring  me  to 
 His  sanctuary  or  not ;  but  I  know  He  hath  the  placing  of  me, 
 either  within  or  without  the  house,  and  that  nothing  will  be  done 
 without  Him  ;  but  I  am  often  thinking  and  saying  Avithin  myselr 
 that  my  days  flee  away,  and  I  see  no  good,  neither  yet  Christ's 
 work  thriving ;  and  it  is  like  ^  the  grave  shall  prevent  the  answer 
 of  my  desires  of  saving  souls  as  I  would.  But,  alas,  1  cannot  make 
 right  work  of  His  ways,  I  neither  spell  nor  read  my  Lord's  pro- 
 
 1  Lay  hold  of.  2  Probable. 
 
268  LETTER  CXLVI. 
 
 viJence  aright.  My  thoughts  go  a  way  that  I  fear  tliey  Tncot  not 
 God ;  for  it  is  Hke  ^  God  will  not  come  the  way  of  my  thoughts, 
 and  I  cannot  be  taught  to  crucify  to  Him  my  wisdom  and  desires, 
 and  to  make  Him  King  over  my  thoughts ;  for  I  would  have  a 
 princedom  over  my  thoughts,  and  would  boldly  and  blindly  pre- 
 scribe to  God,  and  guide  myself  in  a  way  of  my  own  making. 
 But  I  hold  my  peace  here,  let  Him  do  His  will.  Grace,  grace  be 
 with  you. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  sweetest  Lord  and  Master,         S.  R. 
 
 Aberdeen,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  CXLVI.— To  Caesluth. 
 
 Much  honoured  Sir, — I  long  to  hear  how  your  soul  pros- 
 pereth.  I  earnestly  desire  you  to  try  how  matters  stand  between 
 your  soul  and  the  Lord  :  think  it  no  easy  matter  to  take  heaven 
 by  violence.  Salvation  cometh  now  to  the  most  part  of  men  in  a 
 night-dream  :  there  is  no  scarcity  of  faith  now,  such  as  it  is ;  for 
 ye  shall  not  now  light  upon  the  man  who  will  not  say  he  hath 
 faith  in  Christ.  But  alas !  dreams  make  no  man's  rights.  Worthy 
 sir,  I  beseech  you  in  the  Lord,  give  your  soul  no  rest  till  ye  have 
 real  assurance  and  Christ's  rights  confirmed  and  sealed  to  your 
 soul.  The  common  faith,  and  country-holiness,  and  week-days'  ^ 
 zeal,  that  are  among  people,  will  never  bring  men  to  heaven. 
 Take  pains  for  your  salvation  ;  for  in  that  day,  when  ye  shall  see 
 many  men's  labours,  and  conquests,  and  idol  riches  lying  in  ashes, 
 when  the  earth  and  all  the  works  thereof  shall  be  burnt  with  fire, 
 0,  how  dear  a  price  would  your  soul  give  for  God's  favour  in  Christ! 
 It  is  a  blessed  thing  to  see  Christ  with  up-sun,  and  to  read  over 
 your  papers  and  soul-accounts  with  fair  daylight.  It  will  not  be 
 time  to  cry  for  a  lamp  when  the  Bridegroom  is  entered  into  His 
 chamber  and  the  door  shut.  Fie,  fie  upon  blinded  and  base  souls, 
 who  are  committing  whoredom  with  this  idol  clay,  and  hunting  a 
 poor,  wretched,  hungry  heaven,  a  hungry  breakfast,  a  day's  meat, 
 from  this  hungry  world,  with  the  forfeiting  of  God's  favour,  and 
 the  drinking  over  their  heaven  over  the  board  (as  men  use  to 
 speak),  for  the  laughter  and  sports  of  this  short  forenoon !  All 
 that  is  under  this  vault  of  heaven,  and  betwixt  us  and  death,  and 
 on  this  side  of  sun  and  moon,  are  but  toys,  night-visions,  head- 
 fancies,  poor  sliadows,  watery  froth,  godless  vanities  at  their  best, 
 and  black  hearts,  and  salt  and  sour  miseries,  sugared  over  and 
 confected  with  an  hour's  laughter  or  two,  and  the  conceit  of  riches, 
 honour,  vain,  vain  court  and  lawless  pleasures.  Sir,  if  ye  look 
 both  to  the  laughing  side  and  the  weeping  side  of  this  world,  and 
 
 1  Pi-obablft.  -  Common. 
 
LETTEi;  CXLVI.  269 
 
 if  ye  look  not  only  upon  the  skin  and  colour  of  things,  but  into 
 their  inwards  and  the  heart  of  their  excellency,  ye  shall  see  that 
 one  look  of  Christ's  sweet  and  lovely  eye,  one  kiss  of  His  fairest 
 face,  is  worth  ten  thousand  worlds  of  such  rotten  stuff  as  the 
 foolish  sons  of  men  set  their  hearts  upon.  0,  sir,  turn,  turn  your 
 heart  to  the  other  side  of  things,  and  get  it  once  free  of  these 
 entanglements,  to  consider  eternity,  death,  the  clay-bed,  the  grave, 
 awsome^  judgment,  everlasting  burning  quick  in  hell,  where  death 
 would  give  as  great  a  price  (if  there  were  a  market  where  death 
 might  be  bought  and  sold)  as  all  the  world.  Consider  heaven  and 
 glory ;  but  alas  !  why  speak  I  of  considering  these  things,  which 
 have  not  entered  into  the  heart  of  man  to  consider  1  Look  into 
 those  depths  (without  a  bottom)  of  loveliness,  sweetness,  beauty, 
 excellency,  glory,  goodness,  grace,  and  mercy  that  are  in  Christ, 
 and  ye  shall  then  cry  down  the  whole  world  and  all  the  glory  of 
 it,  even  when  it  is  come  to  the  summer-bloom  :  and  ye  shall  cry, 
 up  with  Christ,  up  with  Christ's  Father,  up  with  eternity  of  glory. 
 Sir,  there  is  a  great  deal  of  less  sand  in  your  glass  than  when  1 
 saw  you,  and  your  afternoon  is  nearer  eventide  now  than  it  was. 
 As  a  flood  carried  back  to  the  sea,  so  doth  the  Lord's  swift  post, 
 time^  carry  you  and  your  life  with  wings  to  the  grave.  Ye  eat 
 and  drink,  but  time  staadeth  not  still ,  ye  laugh,  but  your  day 
 (leeth  away ;  ye  sleep,  but  your  hours  are  reckoned  and  put  by- 
 hand.  0,  how  soon  will  time  shut  you  out  of  the  poor,  and  cold, 
 and  hungry  inns  of  this  life  !  and  then,  what  will  yesterday's 
 short-born  pleasures  do  to  you,  but  be  as  a  snow-ball  melted  away, 
 many  years  since,  or  worse  ;  for  the  memory  of  these  pleasures 
 useth  to  fill  the  soul  with  bitterness.  Time  and  experience  will 
 prove  this  to  be  true ;  and  dying  men,  if  they  could  speak,  would 
 make  this  good.  Lay  no  more  on  the  creatures  than  they  are  able 
 to  carry.  Lay  your  soul  and  your  weights  upon  God;  make  Him 
 your  only,  only  best-beloved.  Your  errand  to  this  life  is  to  make 
 sure  an  eternity  of  glory  to  your  soul,  and  to  match  your  soul  with 
 Christ :  your  love,  if  it  were  more  than  all  the  love  of  angels  in 
 one,  is  Christ's  due.  Other  things,  worthy  in  themselves,  in  re- 
 spect of  ^  Christ  are  not  worth  a  windlestraw^  or  a  drink  of  cold 
 water.  I  doubt  not  but  in  death  ye  will  see  all  things  more  dis- 
 tinctly, and  that  then  the  world  shall  bear  no  more  bulk  than  it 
 is  worth,  and  tliat  then  it  shall  couch  and  be  contracted  into  no- 
 thing, and  ye  shall  see  Christ  longer,  higher,  broader,  and  deeper 
 tlian  ever  He  was.  0,  blessed  concpiest,  to  lose  all  things  and 
 to  gain  Christ !  I  know  not  what  ye  have  if  ye  want  Christ. 
 Alas,  how  poor  is  your  gain  if  the  earth  were  all  yours  in  free 
 heritage,  holding  it  of  no  man  of  clay,  if  Christ  be  not  yours  I     0, 
 
 ^  Awful.  -  In  comparison  with.  '  A  kind  of  gras.s. 
 
270  LETTER  CXLVII. 
 
 seek  all  midses,^  lay  all  oars  in  the  water,  put  forth  all  your 
 power,  and  bend  all  your  endeavours,  to  put  away  and  part  with 
 all  things,  that  ye  may  gain  and  enjoy  Christ.  Try  and  search 
 His  word,  and  strive  to  go  a  step  above  and  beyond  ordinary  pro- 
 fessors, and  resolve  to  sweat  more,  and  run  faster  than  they  do, 
 for  salvation.  Men's  mid-way,  cold  and  wise  courses  in  godliness, 
 and  their  neighbour-like  cold  and  wise  pace  to  heaven,  will  cause 
 many  a  man  want  his  lodging  at  night  and  lie  in  the  fields.  I 
 recommend  Christ  and  His  love  to  your  seeking,  and  yourself  to 
 the  tender  mercy  and  rich  grace  of  our  Lord.  Remember  my 
 love  in  Christ  to  your  wife.  I  desire  her  to  learn  to  make  hei 
 soul's  anchor  fast  upon  Christ  Himself.  Few  are  saved.  Let  her 
 consider,  what  joy  the  smiles  of  God  in  Christ  will  be,  and  what 
 the  love-kisses  of  sweet,  sweet  Jesas,  and  a  welcome  home  to  the 
 new  Jerusalem  from  Christ's  own  mouth,  will  be  to  her  soul ; 
 when  Christ  shall  fold  together  the  clay  tent  of  her  body,  and  lay 
 it  by  His  hand  for  a  time,  till  the  fair  morning  of  the  general 
 resurrection.  I  avouch  before  God,  man,  and  angel,  that  I  have 
 not  seen,  nor  can  imagine,  a  lover  to  be  comparable  to  lovely 
 Jesus.  I  would  not  exchange  or  niffer^  Him  with  ten  heavens. 
 If  heaven  could  be  without  Him,  what  could  we  do  there?  Grace, 
 grace  be  with  you. 
 
 Your  soul's  eternal  well-wisher,        S.  R 
 Aberdeen,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  CXLVn.— To  Cassincarrie. 
 
 Much  honoured  Sir, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you.  I 
 have  been  too  long  in  writing  to  you,  I  am  confident  ye  have 
 learned  to  prize  Christ,  and  His  love  and  favour,  more  than  ordi- 
 nary professors,  who  scarce  see  Christ  with  half  an  eye,  because 
 their  sight  is  taken  up  with  eyeing  and  liking  the  beauty  of  this 
 over-gilded  world,  that  promiseth  fair  to  all  its  lovers,  but  in  the 
 push  of  a  trial,  when  need  is,  can  give  nothing  but  a  fair  beguile. 
 I  know  ye  are  not  ignorant  that  men  come  not  to  this  world,  as 
 some  do  to  a  market,  to  see  and  to  be  seen ;  or  as  some  come  to 
 behold  a  May-game,  and  only  to  behold  and  to  go  home  agiiin. 
 Ye  came  hither  to  treat  with  God,  and  to  tryst ^  with  Him  in  His 
 Christ,  for  salvation  to  your  soul,  and  to  seek  reconciliation  with 
 an  angry  and  wrathful  God,  in  a  covenant  of  peace  made  to  you 
 in  Christ,  and  this  is  more  than  an  ordinary  sport  or  the  play, 
 that  the  greatest  part  of  the  world  give  their  heart  unto.  And 
 therefore,  worthy  sir,  I  pray  you  by  the  salvation  of  your  soul, 
 
 '  Means,  "  Barter.  "  Negotiate, 
 
LETTER  CXLVII.  271 
 
 and  by  the  mercy  of  God,  and  your  compearance  before  Christ,  do 
 this  in  sad  earnest,  and  let  not  salvation  be  your  by-work,  or  your 
 holiday's  task  only,  or  a  work  by  the  way :  for  men  think,  that 
 this  may  done  in  three  days'  space  on  a  feather-bed,  when  death 
 and  they  are  fallen  in  hands  together,  and  that  with  a  word  or 
 two  they  shall  make  their  soul-matters  right.  Alas,  this  is  to  sit 
 loose  and  unsure  in  the  matters  of  our  salvation.  Nay,  the  seek- 
 ing of  this  world  and  the  glory  of  it,  is  but  an  odd  and  by-errand, 
 that  Ave  may  slip,  so  being  we  make  salvation  sure.  0,  when  will 
 men  learn  to  be  that^  heavenly-wise,  as  to  divorce  from,  and  free 
 their  soul  of  all  idle  lovers,  and  make  Christ  the  only,  only  one, 
 and  trim  and  make  ready  their  lamps,  while  they  have  time  and 
 day !  How  soon  will  this  house  skail,^  and  the  inns  where  the 
 poor  soul  lodgeth  fall  to  the  earth  !  how  soon  will  some  few  years 
 pass  away,  and  then  Avhen  the  day  is  ended,  and  this  life's  lease 
 expired,  what  have  men  of  the  world's  glory,  but  dreams  and 
 thoughts  1  0,  how  blessed  a  thing  is  it  to  labour  for  Christ,  and 
 to  make  Him  sure  !  Know  and  try  in  time  your  holding  of  Him, 
 and  the  lights  and  charters  of  heaven,  and  upon  what  terms  ye 
 have  Christ  and  the  Gospel,  and  what  Christ  is  worth  in  your 
 estimation,  and  how  lightly  ye  esteem  of  other  things,  and  how 
 dearly  of  Christ !  I  am  sure,  if  ye  see  Him  in  His  beauty  and 
 glory,  ye  shall  see  Him  to  be  all  things,  and  that  incomparable 
 jewel  of  gold,  that  ye  should  seek ;  howbeit  ye  should  sell,  wad- 
 set,^ and  forfeit  your  few  years'  portion  of  this  life's  joys.  0 
 happy  soul  for  evermore,  who  can  rightly  compare  this  life  with 
 that  long-lasting  life  to  come,  and  can  balance  the  weighty  glory 
 of  the  one  with  the  light  golden  vanity  of  the  other  !  The  day  of 
 the  Lord  is  now  near  at  hand,  and  all  men  shall  come  out  in  their 
 blacks  and  whites  as  they  are.  There  shall  be  no  borrowed,  lying 
 colours  in  that  day,  when  Christ  shall  be  called  Christ,  and  no 
 longer  nick-named  :  now  men  borrow  Christ  and  His  white  colour, 
 and  the  lustre  and  farding'*  of  Christianity ;  but  how  many 
 counterfeit  masks  will  be  burnt  in  the  day  of  God,  in  the  fire  that 
 shall  burn  the  earth  and  the  works  that  are  in  it.  And,  howbeit 
 Christ  have  the  hardest  part  of  it  now,  yet  in  the  presence  of  my 
 Lord,  whom  I  serve  in  the  Spirit,  I  would  not  niffer^  or  exchange 
 Christ's  prison,  bands,  and  chains  with  the  gold  chains  and  lordly 
 rents  and  smiling  and  happy-like  heavens  of  the  men  of  this 
 world,  I  am  far  from  thoughts  of  repenting  because  of  my  losses 
 and  bonds  for  Christ.  I  wish  all  my  adversaries  were  as  I  am, 
 except  my  bonds.  Worthy,  worthy,  worthy  for  evermore  is  Christ, 
 for  whom  we  should  sufter  pains  like  hell's  pains,  far  more  the 
 short  hell  that  the  saints  of  God  have  in  this  life.     Sir,  I  wish 
 
 ^  So.  -  Come  to  an  end.  ^  Mort^;ige.  *  Deckiu;,'.  ''  Barter. 
 
272  LETTEK  CXLVIII. 
 
 your  soul  may  be  more  acquainted  with  the  sweetness  of"  Christ. 
 Grace,  grace  be  with  you. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  only  Lord  and  Master,         S.  E-. 
 Aberdeen,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  CXLVIII— To  his  Parishioners  at  Anwoth. 
 
 Dearly  beloved  in  our  Lord, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  from 
 God  our  Father,  and  from  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  be  multiplied 
 upon  you.  I  long  exceedingly  to  hear  of  your  on-going  and  ad- 
 vancement in  your  journey  to  the  kingdom  of  God.  My  only  joy 
 out  of  heaven  is,  to  hear  that  the  seed  of  God  sown  among  you  is 
 growing  and  coming  to  an  harvest ;  for  I  ceased  not,  while  I  was 
 among  you,  in  season  and  out  of  season  (according  to  the  measure 
 of  grace  given  unto  me),  to  warn  and  stir  up  your  minds.  And  I 
 am  free  from  the  blood  of  all  men ;  for  I  have  communicated  to 
 you  the  whole  counsel  of  God.  And  I  now  again  charge  and  warn 
 you,  in  the  great  and  dreadful  name,  and  in  the  sovereign  autho- 
 rity of  the  King  of  kings  and  Lord  of  lords  :  and  I  beseech  you 
 also  by  the  mercies  of  God,  and  by  the  bowels  of  Christ,  by  your 
 appearance  before  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord,  by  all  the  plagues  that 
 are  written  in  God's  book,  by  your  part  of  the  holy  city,  the  new 
 Jerusalem,  that  ye  keep  the  truth  of  God  as  I  delivered  it  to  you, 
 before  many  witnesses,  in  the  sight  of  God  and  His  holy  angels  ; 
 for  now  the  last  days  are  come  and  coming,  when  many  forsake 
 Christ  Jesus,  and  He  saith  to  you,  will  ye  also  leave  me?  Re- 
 member that  I  forewarned  you  to  forbear  the  dishonouring  of  the 
 Lord's  blessed  name  in  swearing,  blaspheming,  cursing,  and  the 
 profaning  of  the  Lord's  sabbath ;  willing  you  to  give  that  day 
 from  morning  to  night  to  praying,  praising,  hearing  of  the  word, 
 conferring,  and  speaking  not  your  own  words  but  God's  words, 
 thinking  and  meditating  on  God's  nature,  word,  and  works.  And 
 that  every  day  at  morning  and  at  night  (at  least),  ye  should 
 sanctify  the  Lord  by  pi\aying  in  your  houses  publicly  in  the  hear- 
 ing of  all ;  that  ye  should  in  any  sort  forbear  the  receiving  of  the 
 Lord's  Supper  but  after  the  form  that  I  delivered  it  to  you,  ac- 
 cording to  the  example  of  Christ  our  Lord  ;  that  is,  that  ye  should 
 sit  as  banqueters  at  one  table  with  our  King,  and  eat,  and  drink, 
 and  divide  the  elements  one  to  another.  The  timber  and  stones 
 of  the  church  walls  shall  bear  witness,  that  my  soul  was  refreshed 
 with  the  comforts  of  God  in  that  Supper ;  and  that  crossing  in 
 baptism  was  unlawful,  and  against  Christ's  ordinance ;  and  that 
 no  day  (besides  the  sabbath,  which  is  of  His  own  appointment) 
 should  be  kept  holy  and  sanctified  with  preaching  and  the  public 
 worship  of  God,  for  the  memory  of  Christ's  birth,  death,  resurrec- 
 
LETTER  CXLVllI.  273 
 
 tion,  and  ascension,  seeing  such  days,  so  observed,  are  unlawful 
 will-worship,  and  not  warranted  in  Christ's  word ;  and  that  every- 
 thing in  God's  worship  not  warranted  by  Christ's  Testament  and 
 Word,  was  unlawful.  And  also,  that  idolatry,  worshipping  of 
 God  before  hallowed  creatures,  and  adoring  of  Christ  by  kneeling 
 before  bread  and  wine,  was  unlawful.  And  that  ye  should  be 
 humble,  sober,  modest;  forbearing  pride,  envy,  malice,  wrath, 
 hatred,  contention,  debate,  lying,  slandering,  stealing,  and  de- 
 frauding your  neighbours  in  grass,  corn,  or  cattle,  in  buying  or 
 selling,  borrowing  or  lending,  taking  or  giving,  in  bargains  or 
 covenants.  And  that  ye  should  work  with  your  own  hands,  and 
 be  content  with  that  which  God  hath  given  you.  That  ye  should 
 study  to  know  God  and  His  will,  and  keep  in  mind  the  doctrine 
 of  the  catechism,  which  I  taught  you  carefully,  and  speak  of  it  in 
 your  houses  and  in  the  fields,  when  ye  lie  down  at  night,  and 
 when  ye  rise  in  the  morning.  That  ye  should  believe  in  the  Son 
 of  God  and  obey  His  commandments,  and  learn  to  make  your  ac- 
 counts in  time  with  your  Judge  ;  because  death  and  judgment  are 
 before  you.  And  if  ye  have  now  penury  and  want  of  that  word, 
 which  I  delivered  to  you  in  abundance ;  yea  (to  God's  honour  I 
 speak  it,  without  arrogating  anything  to  myself,  who  am  but  a 
 poor  empty  man)  ye  had  as  much  of  the  word  in  nine  years,  while 
 I  was  among  you,  as  some  others  have  had  in  many ;  mourn  for 
 your  loss  of  time  and  repent.  My  soul  pitieth  you  that  ye  should 
 suck  dry  breasts  and  be  put  to  draw  at  dry  wells.  0,  that  ye 
 would  esteem  highly  of  the  Lamb  of  God,  your  Well-Beloved 
 Christ  Jesus,  whose  virtues  and  praises  I  preached  unto  you  with 
 joy,  and  which  He  did  countenance  and  accompany  with  some 
 power ;  and  that  ye  would  call  to  mind  the  many  fair  days  and 
 glorious  feasts  in  our  Lord's  house  of  wine,  that  ye  and  I  have  had 
 with  Christ  Jesus  !  But  if  there  be  any  among  you  that  take 
 liberty  to  sin,  because  I  am  removed  from  amongst  you,  and  forget 
 that  word  of  truth  which  ye  heard,  and  turn  the  grace  of  God 
 into  wantonness,  I  here,  under  my  hand,  in  the  name  of  Christ 
 my  Lord,  write  to  such  persons  all  the  plagues  of  God,  and  the 
 curses  that  ever  I  preached  in  the  pulpit  of  Anwoth  against  the 
 children  of  disobedience  :  and,  as  the  Lord  liveth,  the  Lord  Jesus 
 shall  make  good  what  I  write  unto  you.  Therefore,  dearly  be- 
 loved, fulfil  my  joy.  Fear  the  great  and  dreadful  name  of  the 
 Lord;  seek  God  with  me.  Scotland's  judgment  sleepeth  not. 
 Awake  and  repent.  The  sword  of  the  Lord  shall  go  from  the 
 north  to  the  south,  from  tlie  east  to  the  west,  and  through  all  the 
 corners  of  the  land,  and  that  sword  shall  be  drunk  with  your 
 blood  amongst  the  first ;  and  I  shall  stand  up  as  witness  against 
 you,  if  ye  do  not  amend  your  ways  and  your  doings,  and  turn  to 
 
 S 
 
274 
 
 LETTER  OXLIX. 
 
 the  Lord  with  all  your  heart.  I  beseech  you  also,  my  beloved  in 
 the  Lord,  my  joy  and  my  crown,  offend  ^  not  at  the  sufferings  of 
 me,  the  prisoner  of  Jesus  Christ ;  I  am  filled  with  joy  and  with 
 the  comforts  of  God.  Upon  my  salvation,  I  know  and  am  per- 
 suaded it  is  for  God's  truth  and  the  honour  of  ray  King  and  royal 
 Prince  Jesus  I  now  suffer.  And  howbeit  this  town  be  my  prison, 
 yet  Christ  hath  made  it  my  palace,  a  garden  of  pleasures,  a  field 
 and  orchard  of  delights.  1  know  likewise,  albeit  I  be  in  bonds, 
 that  yet  the  word  of  God  is  not  in  bonds,  my  spirit  also  is  in  free- 
 ward.  Sweet,  sweet,  have  His  comforts  been  to  my  soul ;  my 
 pen,  tongue,  and  heart,  have  not  words  to  express  the  kindness, 
 love,  and  mercy  of  my  Well-Beloved  to  me,  in  this  house  of  my 
 pilgrimage.  I  charge  you  to  fear  and  love  Christ,  and  to  seek  a 
 house  not  made  with  hands,  but  your  Father's  house  above.  This 
 laughing  and  white-skinned  world  beguileth  you,  and  if  ye  seek 
 it  more  than  God,  it  shall  play  you  a  slip  to  the  endless  sorrow  of 
 your  heart.  Alas,  I  could  not  make  many  of  you  fall  in  love  with 
 Christ,  howbeit  I  endeavoured  to  speak  much  good  of  Him,  and 
 to  commend  Him  to  you  (which  as  it  was  your  sin,  so  it  is  my 
 sorrow) ;  yet  once  again  suffer  me  to  exhort,  beseech,  and  obtest 
 you  in  the  Lord,  to  think  of  His  love,  and  to  be  delighted  with 
 Him,  who  is  altogether  lovely.  I  give  you  the  word  of  a  king, 
 ye  shall  not  repent  it.  Ye  are  in  my  prayers  night  and  day ;  I 
 cannot  forget  you.  I  do  not  eat,  I  do  not  drink,  but  I  ]H'ay  for 
 you  all.  I  entreat  you  all,  and  every  one  of  you,  to  pray  for  me. 
 Grace,  grace  be  with  you. 
 
 Your  lawful  and  loving  pastor,         S.  R. 
 Aberdeen,  Sept.  23,  1636. 
 
 LETTER  CXLIX.— To  the  Lady  Caedonness. 
 
 Mistress, — I  beseech  you  in  the  Lord  Jesus  make  every  day 
 more  and  more  of  Christ,  and  try  your  growth  in  the  grace  of  God, 
 and  what  new  ground  ye  win  daily  on  corruption  ;  for  travellers 
 are  day  by  day  either  advancing  farther  on,  and  nearer  home,  or 
 else  they  go  not  right  about  to  compass  their  journey.  I  think 
 still  the  better  and  better  of  Christ.  Alas  !  I  know  not  where  to 
 set  Him,  I  would  so  fain  have  Him  high  !  I  cannot  set  heavens 
 above  heavens,  till  I  were  tired  with  numbering,  and  set  Him  upon 
 the  highest  step  and  story  of  the  highest  of  them  all ;  but  I  wish 
 I  could  make  Him  great  through  the  world,  sup})ose  my  loss,  and 
 pain,  and  shame  were  set  under  the  soles  of  His  feet,  that  He  might 
 stand  upon  me.  I  request  you  faint  not,  because  this  world  and 
 ye  are  at  yea  and  nay,  and  JDecause  this  is  not  a  home  that  laugh- 
 
 ^  Be  not  offended. 
 
LETTER  CXLIX.  275 
 
 eth  upon  you ;  the  wise  Lord,  who  knoweth  you,  will  have  it  so, 
 because  He  casteth  a  net  for  your  love  to  catch  it  and  gather  it  in 
 to  Himself;  therefore,  bear  patiently  the  loss  of  children,  and  bur- 
 dens, and  other  discontentments,  either  within  or  without  the 
 house  ;  your  Lord  in  them  is  seeking  you,  and  seek  ye  Him.  Let 
 none  be  your  love  and  choice,  and  the  flower  of  your  delights,  but 
 your  Lord  Jesus ;  set  not  your  heart  upon  the  world,  since  God 
 hath  not  made  it  your  portion  ;  for  it  will  not  fall  ^  you  to  get  two 
 portions,  and  to  laugh  twice,  and  to  be  happy  twice,  and  to  have 
 an  upper  heaven,  and  an  under  heaven  too ;  Christ  our  Lord  and 
 His  saints  were  not  so,  and  therefore  let  go  your  grip  of  this  life 
 and  of  the  good  things  of  it.  I  hope  your  heaven  groweth  not 
 here-away.  Learn  daily  both  to  possess  and  miss  Christ  in  His 
 secret  Bridegroom  smiles ;  He  must  go  and  come,  because  His  in- 
 finite wisdom  thinketh  it  best  for  you.  We  will  be  together  one 
 day  ;  we  shall  not  need  to  borrow  light  from  sun,  moon,  or  candle ; 
 there  shall  be  no  complaints  on  either  side  in  heaven ;  there  shall 
 be  none  there  but  He  and  we,  the  Bridegroom  and  the  bride ;  devils, 
 temptations,  trials,  desertions,  losses,  sad  heart's-pain,  and  death, 
 shall  be  put  out  of  play,  and  the  devil  must  give  up  his  office  of 
 tempting.  0  blessed  is  the  soul  whose  hope  hath  a  face  looking 
 straight  out  to  that  day.  It  is  not  our  part  to  make  a  treasure 
 here  ;  anything  under  the  covering  of  heaven  we  can  build  upon 
 is  but  ill  ground  and  a  sandy  foundation  :  every  good  thing,  except 
 God,  wanteth  a  bottom,  and  cannot  stand  its  lone :  -  how  then  can 
 it  bear  the  weight  of  us  1  Let  us  not  lay  a  load  upon  a  windle- 
 straw;^  there  shall  nothing  find  my  weight  or  found  my  happiness 
 but  God.  I  know  all  created  power  should  sink  under  me  if  I 
 should  lean  down  upon  it,  and  therefore  it  is  better  to  rest  on  God 
 than  sink  or  fall ;  and  we  weak  souls  must  have  a  bottom  and 
 being-place,  for  we  cannot  stand  our  lone.^  Let  us  then  be  wise  in 
 our  choice,  and  choose  and  wale  *  our  own  blessedness,  which  is  to 
 trust  in  the  Lord.  Each  one  of  us  hath  a  whore  and  idol  besides 
 our  Husband  Christ,  but  it  is  our  folly  to  divide  our  narrow  and 
 little  love.  It  will  not  serve  two ;  best  then  hold  it  whole  and  to- 
 gether, and  give  it  to  Christ !  for  then  we  get  double  interest  for 
 our  love  when  we  lend  it  to  and  lay  it  out  upon  Christ ;  and  we 
 are  sure  besides  that  the  stock  cannot  perish.  Now  I  can  say  no 
 more — remember  me.  I  have  God's  right  to  that  people,  howbeit, 
 by  the  violence  of  men  stronger  than  I,  I  am  banished  from  you 
 and  chased  away.  The  Lord  give  you  mercy  in  the  day  of  Christ. 
 It  may  be  God  will  clear  my  sky  again,  howbeit  there  is  small  ap- 
 pearance of  my  deliverance ;  but  let  Him  do  with  me  Avhat  seem- 
 
 ^  Befall  you,  or  fall  to  your  lot.  "  Alore. 
 
 ^  A  stalk  of  (Trass.  *  Select. 
 
276  LETTER  CL. 
 
 eth  good  in  His  own  eyes  :  I  am  His  clay,  let  my  potter  frame 
 and  fashion  me  as  He  pleaseth.     Grace  be  with  you. 
 
 Your  lawful  and  loving  pastor,         S.  R. 
 Aberdeen,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  CL.— To  Sibilla  M'Adajl 
 
 Mistress, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you.  I  can  bear 
 witness  in  my  bonds  that  Christ  is  still  the  longer  the  better  and 
 no  worse  ;  yea,  inconceivably  better  than  He  is,  or  can  be,  called  : 
 I  think  it  half  an  heaven  to  have  my  fill  of  the  smell  of  His  sweet 
 breath,  and  to  sleep  in  the  arms  of  Christ  my  Lord,  with  His  left 
 hand  under  my  head,  and  His  right  hand  embi\acing  me.  There 
 is  no  great  reckoning  to  be  made  of  the  withering  of  my  flower,  in 
 comparison  of  the  foul  and  manifest  wrongs  done  to  Christ.  Nay, 
 let  never  the  dew  of  God  lie  upon  my  branches  again,  let  the  bloom 
 fall  from  my  joy,  and  let  it  wither,  let  the  Almighty  blow  out  my 
 candle,  so  being  the  Lord  might  be  great  among  Jew^  and  Gentiles, 
 and  His  oppressed  Church  delivered.  Let  Christ  fare  well,  suppose 
 I  should  eat  ashes.  I  know  He  must  be  SAveet  Himself,  when  His 
 cross  is  so  sweet  And  it  is  the  part  of  us  all,  if  we  marry  Him- 
 self, to  marry  the  crosses,  losses,  and  reproaches  also  that  follow 
 Him ;  for  mercy  followeth  Christ's  cross.  His  prison,  for  beauty, 
 is  made  of  marble  and  ivory;  His  chains  that  are  laid  on  His 
 prisoners  are  golden  chains  ;  and  the  sighs  of  the  prisoners  of  hope 
 are  perfumed  with  comforts,  the  like  whereof  cannot  be  bred  or 
 found  on  this  side  of  sun  and  moon.  Follow  on  after  His  love, 
 tire  not  of  Christ ;  but  come  in  and  see  His  beauty  and  excellency, 
 and  feed  your  soul  upon  Christ's  sweetness.  This  world  is  not 
 yours,  neither  would  I  have  your  heaven  made  of  such  metal  as 
 mire  and  clay.  Ye  have  the  choice  and  wale  ^  of  all  lovers  in 
 heaven  or  out  of  heaven,  when  ye  have  Christ,  the  only  delight  of 
 God  His  Father.  Climb  up  the  mountain  with  joy  and  faint  not; 
 for  time  will  cut  off  the  men  who  pursue  Christ's  followers.  Our 
 best  things  here  have  a  worm  in  them.  Our  joys  besides  God,  in 
 the  inner  half,  are  but  woes  and  sorrows.  Christ,  Christ  is  that 
 which  our  love  and  desires  can  sleep  sweetly  and  rest  safely  upon. 
 Now,  the  very  God  of  peace  establish  you  in  Christ.  Help  a 
 prisoner  with  your  prayers,  and  entreat  that  our  Lord  would  be 
 pleased  to  visit  me  with  a  sight  of  His  beauty  in  His  house,  as  He 
 hath  sometimes  done,     Grace  be  with  you. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  E. 
 
 Aberdeec,  1637. 
 
 ^  Selection. 
 
LETTER  CIJ.  277 
 
 LETTER  CLT.— To  the  Laikd  of  Cally. 
 
 Worthy  Sir, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  unto  you.  I  have 
 been  too  long,  I  confess,  in  Avriting  to  you.  My  suit  now  to  you 
 in  paper  (since  I  have  no  access  to  speak  to  you  as  formerly)  is, 
 tliat  ye  would  lay  the  foundation  sure  in  your  youth.  When  ye 
 begin  to  seek  Christ,  try,  I  pray  you,  upon  what  terms  ye  covenant 
 to  follow  Him,  and  lay  your  accounts  what  it  may  cost  you  ;  that 
 summer  nor  winter,  nor  weal  nor  woe,  may  not  cause  you  change 
 your  Master,  Christ :  keep  fair  to  Him,  and  be  honest  and  faithful 
 that  He  find  not  a  crack  in  you.  Surely,  ye  are  now  in  the  throng 
 of  temptations.  When  youth  is  come  to  its  fairest  bloom,  then 
 the  devil,  and  the  lusts  of  a  deceiving  world  and  sin,  are  upon 
 horseback,  and  follow  with  up-sails.  If  this  were  not,  Paul  needed 
 not  to  have  written  to  a  sanctified  and  holy  youth  Timothy  (a 
 faithful  preacher  of  the  Gospel),  flee  the  lusts  of  youth.  Give 
 Christ  your  virgin  love,  ye  cannot  put  your  love  and  heart  in  a 
 better  hand.  0,  if  ye  knew  Him  and  saw  His  beauty  !  your  love, 
 your  liking,  your  heart,  your  desires  would  close  with  Him  and 
 cleave  to  Him.  Love,  by  nature,  when  it  seeth,  cannot  but  cast 
 out  its  spirit  and  strength  upon  amiable  objects,  and  good  things, 
 and  things  love-worthy  •  and  what  fairer  thing  than  Christ  1  0, 
 fair  sun,  and  fair  moon,  and  fair  stars,  and  fair  flowers,  and  fair 
 roses,  and  fair  lilies,  and  fair  creatures  !  But,  0,  ten  thousand 
 thousand  times  fairer  Lord  Jesus !  Alas,  I  wronged  Him  in 
 making  the  comparison  this  way ;  0,  black  sun  and  moon,  but  0 
 fair  Lord  Jesus !  0,  black  flowers,  and  black  lilies,  and  roses,  but 
 0,  fair,  fair,  ever  fair  Lord  Jesus  !  0,  all  fair  things,  black  and 
 deformed  without  beauty,  when  ye  are  beside  that  fairest  Lord 
 Jesus  !  0,  black  heaven,  but  0,  fair  Christ !  0,  black  angels, 
 but  0,  surpassingly  fair  Lord  Jesus  !  I  would  seek  no  more  to 
 make  me  happy  for  evermore,  but  a  thorough  and  clear  sight  of 
 the  beauty  of  Jesus  my  Lord.  Let  my  eyes  enjoy  His  fairness, 
 and  stare  Him  for  ever  in  the  face,  and  I  have  all  that  can  be 
 wished.  Get  Christ  rather  than  gold  or  silver  :  seek  Christ,  how- 
 beit  ye  should  lose  all  things  for  Him.  They  take  their  marks  by 
 the  moon,  and  look  asquint,  in  looking  to  fair  Christ,  who  resolve 
 for  the  world  and  their  ease  ;  and  for  their  honour,  and  court,  and 
 credit ;  or  for  fear  of  losses  and  a  sore  skin,  that  they  will  turn 
 their  back  upon  Christ  and  His  truth.  Alas,  how  many  blind 
 eyes  and  squint-lookers  look  this  day  in  Scotland  upon  Christ's 
 beauty,  and  they  see  a  spot  in  Christ's  fair  face  !  Alas,  they  are 
 not  Avorthy  of  Christ  who  look  this  way  upon  Him,  and  see  no 
 beauty  in  Him  why  they  should  desire  Him  !  God  send  me  my 
 fill  of  His  beauty,  if  it  be  possible  that  my  soul  can  be  full  of  His 
 
278  LETTER  CLII. 
 
 beauty  here.  But  much  of  Christ's  beauty  needeth  not  abate  the 
 eager  appetite  of  a  soul  (sick  of  love  for  Himself)  to  see  Him  in 
 the  other  world,  where  He  is  seen  as  He  is.  I  am  glad  with  all 
 my  heart  that  ye  have  given  your  greenest  morning-age  to  this 
 Lord  Jesus.  Hold  on  and  weary  not,  faint  not,  resolve  upon 
 suffering  for  Christ,  but  fear  not  ten  days'  tribulation,  for  Christ's 
 sour  cross  is  sugared  with  comforts,  and  hath  a  taste  of  Christ 
 Himself.  I  esteem  it  my  glory,  my  joy,  and  my  crown,  and  I 
 bless  Him  for  this  honour,  to  be  yoked  with  Christ,  and  married 
 with  Him  in  suffering,  who  therefore  was  born,  and  therefore 
 came  into  the  world,  that  He  might  bear  witness  to  the  truth. 
 Take  pains  above  all  things  for  salvation,  for  without  running, 
 fighting,  sweating,  wrestling,  heaven  is  not  taken.  0  happy  soul, 
 that  crosseth  nature's  stomach,  and  delighteth  to  gain  that  fair 
 garland  and  crown  of  glory  !  AVhat  a  feckless  ^  loss  is  it  for  you 
 to  go  through  this  wilderness  and  never  taste  of  sin's  sugared  plea- 
 sures !  What  poorer  is  a  soul  to  want  pride,  lust,  love  of  the 
 world,  and  the  vanities  of  this  vain  and  worthless  world  1  Nature 
 hath  no  cause  to  weep  at  the  want  of  such  toys  as  these.  Esteem 
 it  your  gain  to  be  an  heir  of  glory ;  0,  but  that  is  an  eye-look  to  a 
 fair  rent !  ^  The  very  hope  of  heaven  under  troubles,  is  like  wind 
 and  sails  to  the  soul,  and  like  wings  when  the  feet  come  out  of  the 
 snare.  0,  for  what  stay  we  here  1  Up,  up  after  our  Lord  Jesus, 
 this  is  not  our  rest,  nor  our  dwelling.  What  have  we  to  do  in 
 this  prison,  except  only  to  take  meat  and  house-room  in  it  for  a 
 time  1     Grace,  grace  be  with  you. 
 
 Your  soul's  well-wisher  and  Christ's  prisoner,         S.  E. 
 Aberdeen,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  CLII. —To  William  Gordon  at  Kenmure. 
 
 Dear  Brother, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you.  I  have 
 been  long  in  answering  your  letter,  which  came  in  good  time  to 
 me.  It  is  my  aim  and  hearty  desire  that  my  furnace,  which  is  of 
 the  Lord's  kindling,  may  sparkle  fire  upon  standers-by,  to  the  warm- 
 ing of  their  hearts  with  God's  love.  The  very  dust  that  falleth 
 from  Christ's  feet,  His  old  ragged  clothes.  His  knotty  and  black 
 cross,  is  sweeter  to  me  than  kings'  golden  crowns  and  their  time- 
 eaten  pleasures.  I  should  be  a  liar  and  false  witness  if  I  should 
 not  give  my  Lord  Jesus  a  fair  testimonial  with  my  Avhole  soul. 
 My  word  I  know  will  not  heighten  Him,  He  needeth  not  such 
 props  under  His  feet  to  raise  His  glory  high.  But  0  that  I  could 
 raise  Him  the  height  of  heaven,  and  the  breadth  and  length  of  ten 
 heavens,  in  the  estimation  of  all  His  young  lovers  !  for  we  have  all 
 
 ^Worthless.  "That  is,  a  prospect  of  a  rich  revenue. 
 
LKTTER  CLII.  279 
 
 shapeii  Christ  but  too  narrow  and  too  short,  and  formed  concep- 
 tions of  His  love  in  our  conceit  very  unworthy  of  it.  0,  that  men 
 were  taken  and  caught  with  His  beauty  and  fairness  !  They  would 
 give  over  playing  with  idols,  in  Avhich  there  is  not  half  room  for 
 the  love  of  one  soul  to  expatiate  itself;  and  man's  love  is  but  heart- 
 hungered  in  gnawing  upon  bare  bones  and  sucking  at  dry  breasts. 
 It  is  well  wared  ^  they  want  who  will  not  come  to  Him  who  hath  a 
 world  of  love  and  goodness  and  bounty  for  all.  We  seek  to  thaw 
 our  frozen  hearts  at  the  cold  smoke  of  the  short-timed  creature, 
 and  our  souls  gather  neither  heat,  nor  life,  nor  light ;  for  these  can- 
 not give  to  us  what  they  have  not  in  themselves.  0  that  we  could 
 thrust  in  through  these  thorns  and  this  throng  of  bastard-lovers, 
 and  be  ravished  and  sick  of  love  for  Christ !  we  should  find  some 
 footing  and  some  room  and  sweet  ease  for  our  tottering  and  witless 
 souls  in  our  Lord.  I  wish  it  were  in  my  power,  after  this  day,  to 
 cry  down  all  love  but  the  love  of  Christ,  and  to  cry  down  all  gods 
 but  Christ,  all  saviours  but  Christ,  all  well-beloveds  but  Christ, 
 and  all  soul-suitors,  all  love-beggars  but  Christ.  Ye  complain  that 
 ye  want  a  mark  of  the  sound  work  of  grace  and  love  in  your  soul. 
 For  answer,  consider  for  your  satisfaction  (till  God  send  more), 
 1  John  iii.  14.  And  as  for  your  complaint  of  deadness  and  doubt 
 ings,  Christ,  1  hope,  will  take  your  deadness  and  you  together. 
 They  are  bodies  full  of  holes,  running  boils,  and  broken  bones  that 
 need  mending,  that  Christ  the  physician  taketh  up  :  whole  vessels 
 are  not  for  the  Mediator  Christ's  art.  Publicans,  sinners,  whores, 
 harlots,  are  ready  market-wares  for  Christ.  The  only  thing  that 
 will  bring  sinners  within  a  cast  of  Christ's  drawing  arm  is  that 
 which  ye  write  of,  some  feeling  of  death  and  sin,  that  bringeth 
 forth  complaints ;  and  therefore,  out  of  sense  complain  more,  and 
 be  more  acquaint  with  all  the  cramps,  stitches,  and  soul-swoonings 
 that  trouble  you.  The  more  pain,  and  the  more  night-watching, 
 and  the  more  fevers  the  better  ;  a  soul  bleeding  to  death  till  Christ 
 were  sent  for,  and  cried  for  in  all  haste  to  come  and  stem  the 
 blood,  and  close  up  the  hole  in  the  wound  with  His  own  hand  and 
 balm,  were  a  very  good  disease  when  many  are  dying  of  a  whole 
 heart.  We  have  all  too  little  of  hell-pain  and  terrors  that  way. 
 Nay,  God  send  me  such  a  hell  as  Christ  hath  promised  to  make  a 
 heaven  out  of !  Alas,  I  am  not  come  that  ^  far  on  in  the  way  as 
 to  say  in  sad  earnest.  Lord  Jesus,  great  and  sovereign  Physician, 
 here  is  a  pained  patient  for  Thee.  But  the  thing  that  we  mistake 
 is  the  want  of  victory,  we  hold  that  to  be  the  mark  of  one  that 
 hath  no  grace  :  nay,  I  say  the  want  of  fighting  were  a  mark  of  no 
 gi'ace,  but  I  shall  not  say,  the  want  of  victory  is  such  a  mark.  If 
 my  fire  and  the  devil's  water  make  crackling  like  thunder  in  the 
 
 ^  Appointed  that.  ^  So. 
 
280  LETTER  CLIIl. 
 
 air,  I  am  the  less  feared*;  for  where  there  is  fire,  it  is  Christ's 
 part,  that  I  lay  and  bind  upon  Him,  to  keep  in  the  coal,  and  to 
 pray  the  Father  that  my  faith  fail  not,  if  I  in  the  meantime  be 
 wrestling  and  doing,  and  sighing  and  mourning.  For  prayer  put- 
 teth  not  Paul's  devil  (the  prick  in  the  flesh  and  the  messenger  of 
 Satan)  to  the  door  at  first ;  but  our  Lord  will  have  them  trying 
 every  one  another,  and  let  Paul  fend  ^  himself  by  God's  help,  God 
 keeping  the  stakes  and  moderating  the  play ;  and  ye  do  well  not 
 to  doubt  if  the  ground-stone  ^  be  sure,  but  to  try  if  it  be  so ;  for 
 there  is  great  odds  between  doubting  that  we  have  grace  and  try- 
 ing if  we  have  grace  :  the  former  may  be  sin,  but  the  latter  is  good. 
 We  are  but  loose  in  trying  our  free-holding  of  Christ  and  making 
 sure  work  of  Christ.  Holy  fear  is  a  searching  the  camp  that  there 
 be  "no  enemy  within  our  bosom  to  betray  us,  and  a  seeing  that  all 
 be  fast  and  sure.  For  I  see  many  leaking  vessels  fair  before  the 
 wind,  and  professors  who  take  their  conversation  upon  trust,  and 
 they  go  on  securely  and  see  not  to  the  under-water  till  a  storm 
 sink  them.  Each  man  had  need,  twice  a  day,  and  oftener,  to  be 
 ryped  "*  and  searched  with  candles.  Pray  for  me  that  the  Lord 
 would  give  me  house-room  again,  to  hold  a  candle  to  this  dark 
 world.     Grace,  grace  be  with  you. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  and  Master,         S.  li. 
 Aberdeen,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  CLIIL— To  Margaret  Fullerton. 
 
 Mistress, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you.  I  am  glad  that 
 ever  ye  did  cast  your  love  on  Christ,  fasten  more  and  more  love 
 every  day  upon  Him.  0  if  I  had  a  river  of  love,  a  sea  of  love 
 that  would  never  go  dry,  to  bestow  upon  Him !  but  alas  the  pity, 
 Christ  hath  beauty  for  me,  but  I  have  not  love  for  Him  !  0  what 
 pain  is  it  to  see  Christ  in  His  beauty,  and  then  to  want  a  heart 
 and  love  for  Him  !  But  I  see,  want  we  must,  till  Christ  lend  us, 
 never  to  be  paid  again.  0  that  He  would  empty  these  vaults  and 
 lower  houses  of  these  poor  souls,  of  these  bastard  and  base  lovers 
 which  we  follow  !  And,  verily,  I  see  no  object  in  heaven  or  in 
 earth  that  I  could  ware^  this  much  of  love  upon  that  I  have,  but 
 upon  Christ.  Alas !  that  clay,  and  time,  and  shadows  run  away 
 with  our  love,  which  is  ill  spent  upon  any  but  upon  Christ :  each 
 fool,  at  the  day  of  judgment,  shall  seek  back  His  love  from  the 
 creatures,  when  He  shall  see  them  all  in  a  fair  fire,  but  they  shall 
 prove  irresponsal  "^  debtors.  And  therefore  best  here  look  ere  we 
 leap,  and  look  ere  we  love.     I  find  now  under  His  cross  that  I 
 
 ^  Afraid.  '  Defend.  *  Foundation. 
 
 ■*  Turned  inside  out.  ■'  Spend.  ''  Irresponsible,  bankrupt. 
 
LETTER  CLIV.  281 
 
 would  fain  give  Him  more  than  I  have  to  give  Him,  if  giving 
 were  in  my  power.  But  I  rather  wish  Him  my  heart  than  give 
 Him  it :  except  He  take  it  and  put  Himself  in  possession  of  it 
 (for  I  hope  He  hath  a  market-right  to  me,  since  He  hath  ransomed 
 me),  I  see  not  how  Christ  can  have  me.  0  that  He  would  be 
 pleased  to  be  more  homely^  Avith  my  soul's  love,  and  to  come  in 
 to  my  soul  and  take  His  own  !  But  when  He  goeth  away  and 
 hideth  Himself,  all  is  to  me  that  I  had  of  Christ,  as  if  it  had  fallen 
 in  the  sea-bottom.  0  that  I  should  be  so  fickle  in  my  love,  as  to 
 love  Christ  only  by  the  eyes  and  nose  !  that  is,  to  love  Him  only 
 in  as  far  as  fond  and  foolish  sense  carrieth  me,  and  no  more.  And 
 when  I  see  not,  and  smell  not,  and  touch  not,  then  I  have  all  to 
 seek.  I  cannot  love  parquier^  nor  rejoice  parquier:^  but  this  is 
 our  weakness,  till  we  be  at  home,  and  shall  have  aged  men's 
 stomachs  to  bear  Christ's  love.  Pray  for  me,  that  our  Lord  would 
 bring  me  back  to  you  with  a  new  blessing  of  the  Gospel  of  Christ. 
 I  forget  not  you.     Grace,  grace  be  with  you. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 
 Aberdeen,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  CLIV.— To  William  Glendinning. 
 
 Dear  Brother, — Ye  are  heartily  welcome  to  that  honour  that 
 Christ  hath  made  common  to  us  both,  -which  is  to  suffer  for  His 
 name.  Verily,  I  think  it  my  garland  and  crown,  and  if  the  Lord 
 should  ask  of  me  my  blood  and  life  for  this  cause,  I  would  gladly 
 in  His  strength  pay  due  debt  to  Christ's  honour  and  glory  in  that 
 Idnd.  Acquaint  yourself  with  Christ's  love,  and  ye  shall  not  miss 
 to  find  new  gold  mines  and  treasures  in  Christ.  Nay,  truly,  wo 
 but  stand  beside  Christ,  we  go  not  in  to  Him  to  take  our  fill  of 
 Him.  But  if  He  should  do  two  things  :  1.  Draw  the  curtains  and 
 make  bare  His  holy  face  ;  and  then,  2.  Clear  our  dim  and  bleared 
 eyes  to  see  His  beauty  and  glory,  He  should  find  many  lovers.  I 
 would  seek  no  more  happiness  but  a  sight  of  Him  so  near  hand, 
 as  to  see,  hear,  smell,  and  touch  and  embrace  Him.  But,  oh, 
 closed  doors,  and  vails,  and  curtains,  and  thick  clouds  hold  me  in 
 pain,  Avhile  I  find  the  sweet  burning  of  His  love  that  many  waters 
 cannot  quench  !  0,  what  sad  hours  have  I  when  I  think  that  love 
 of  Christ  scaureth  at^  me  and  bloweth  by  me  !  If  my  Lord  Jesus 
 would  come  to  bargaining  for  His  love,  I  think  He  should  make 
 price  Himself,  I  should  not  refuse  ten  thousand  years  in  hell,  to 
 have  a  wide  soul  enlarged  and  made  wider,  that  I  might  be  ex- 
 ceedingly (even  to  the  running  over)  filled  with  His  love.  0, 
 what  am  I  to  love  such  an  One,  or  to  be  loved  by  that  high  and 
 ^  Familiar.  "  Perfectly.  ■*  Is  offended  with. 
 
282  LETTER  CLIV. 
 
 lofty  One !  I  think  the  angels  may  blush  to  look  upon  Him :  and 
 what  am  I  to  file^  such  infinite  brightness  with  my  sinful  eyes? 
 0,  that  Christ  would  come  near  and  stand  still,  and  give  me  leave 
 to  look  upon  Him  !  for  to  look  seemeth  the  poor  man's  privilege, 
 since  he  may  for  nothing,  and  without  hire,  behold  the  sun.  I 
 should  have  a  king's  life,  if  I  had  no  other  thing  to  do,  but  for 
 evermore  to  behold  and  eye  my  fair  Lord  Jesus.  Nay,  suppose  I 
 were  holden  out  at  heaven's  fair  entry,  I  should  be  happy  for  ever- 
 more to  look  through  a  hole  in  the  door  and  see  my  dearest  and 
 fairest  Lord's  face.  0,  great  King,  why  standest  thou  aloof? 
 Why  remainest  thou  beyond  the  mountains  ?  O,  Well-Beloved, 
 why  dost  thou  pain  a  poor  soul  with  delays?  A  long  time  out  of 
 thy  glorious  presence  is  two  deaths  and  two  hells  to  me.  We 
 must  meet,  I  must  see  Him,  I  dow^  not  want  Him:  hunger  and 
 longing  for  Christ  hath  brought  on  such  a  necessity  of  enjoying 
 Christ,  that,  cost  me  what  it  will,  I  cannot  but  assure  Christ,  I 
 will  not,  I  dow^  not  want  Him.  For  I  cannot  master  or  com- 
 mand Christ's  love.  Nay,  hell  (as  I  now  think)  and  all  the  pains 
 in  it,  laid  on  me  alone,  would  not  put  me  from  loving.  Yea,  sup- 
 pose my  Lord  Jesus  would  not  love  me,  it  is  above  my  strength 
 or  power  to  keep  back  or  imprison  the  weak  love  I  have,  but  it 
 must  be  out  to  Christ.  I  would  set  heaven's  joy  aside,  and  live 
 upon  Christ's  love  its  lone.^  Let  me  have  no  joy  but  the  warm- 
 ness  and  fire  of  God's  love :  I  seek  no  other.  God  knoweth,  if 
 this  love  be  taken  from  me,  the  bottom  is  fallen  out  of  all  my 
 happiness  and  joy;  and  therefore  I  believe  Christ  will  never  do 
 me  that^  much  harm  as  to  bereave  a  poor  prisoner  of  His  love;  it 
 were  cruelty  to  take  it  from  me :  and  He  who  is  kindness  itself 
 cannot  be  cruel.  Dear  brother,  weary  not  of  my  sweet  Master's 
 chains,  we  are  so  much  the  sibber^  to  Christ  that  we  sufl:er.  Lodge 
 not  a  hard  thought  of  my  royal  King.  Rejoice  in  His  cross. 
 Your  deliverance  sleepeth  not,  He  that  will  come  is  not  slack  of 
 His  promise.  Wait  on  for  God's  timeous  salvation,  ask  not  when, 
 or  how  long?  I  hope,  He  shall  lose  nothing  of  you  in  the  furnace, 
 but  dross.  Commit  your  cause  in  meekness  (forgiving  your  op- 
 pressors) to  God,  and  your  sentence  shall  come  back  from  Him 
 laughing.  Our  Bridegroom's  day  is  posting  fast  on,  and  this 
 world,  that  seemeth  to  go  with  a  long  and  short  foot,  shall  be  put 
 in  two  ranks.  Wait  till  your  ten  days  be  ended,  and  hope  for  the 
 crown ;  Christ  will  not  give  you  a  blind  in  the  end.  Commend 
 me  to  your  wife  and  father,  and  to  bailie  M.  A. ;  and  send  this 
 letter  to  him.  The  prayers  of  Christ's  prisoner  be  upon  you,  and 
 the  Lord's  presence  accompany  you. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 
 Aberdeen,  Jiily  6,  1637. 
 
 ^  Defile.  ^  Can.  ^  Alone.  *  So.  ^  Nearer. 
 
LETTER  CLV.  283 
 
 LETTER  CLV.— To  Robert  Lennox  of  Disdove. 
 
 Dear  Brother, — Grace,  merc}^  and  peace  be  to  you.  I  be- 
 seech you  in  the  Lord  Jesus  make  fast  and  sure  work  of  life 
 eternal.  Sow  not  rotten  seed ;  every  man's  work  will  speak  for 
 itself  what  his  seed  hath  been.  0  how  many  see  I,  who  sow  to 
 the  flesh :  alas,  what  a  crop  will  that  be,  when  the  Lord  shall  put 
 in  His  hook^  to  reap  this  Avorld,  that  is  ripe  and  white  for  judg- 
 ment? I  recommend  to  you  holiness  and  sanctification,  and  that 
 ye  keep  yourself  clean  from  this  present  evil  world.  We  delight 
 to  tell  our  own  dreams,  and  to  flatter  our  own  flesh  with  the  hope 
 we  have.  It  were  wisdom  for  us  to  be  free,  plain,  honest,  and 
 sharp  with  our  own  souls,  and  to  charge  them  to  brew  better  that 
 they  may  drink  well  and  fare  well,  when  time  is  melted  away  like 
 snow  in  a  hot  summer.  0  how  hard  a  thing  is  it  to  get  the  soul 
 to  give  up  with  all  things  on  this  side  of  death  and  doomsday. 
 We  say  we  are  removing  and  going  from  this  world ;  but  our 
 heart  stirreth  not  one  foot  off"  its  seat.  Alas,  I  see  few  heavenly- 
 minded  souls  that  have  nothing  upon  the  earth,  but  their  body  oi 
 clay  going  up  and  down  this  earth,  because  their  soul  and  the 
 powers  of  it  are  up  in  heaven,  and  there  their  hearts  live,  desire, 
 enjoy,  rejoice.  0!  men's  souls  have  no  wings,  and  therefore 
 night  and  day  they  keep  their  nest,  and  are  not  acquaint  Avith 
 Christ.  Sir,  take  you  to  your  one  thing,  to  Christ,  that  ye  may 
 be  acquainted  with  the  taste  of  His  sweetness  and  excellency,  and 
 charge  your  love  not  to  doat  upon  this  world ;  for  it  Avill  not  do 
 your  business  in  that  day,  when  nothing  will  come  in  good  stead 
 to  you  but  God's  favour.  Build  upon  Christ  some  good,  choice, 
 and  fast  work ;  for  when  your  soul  for  many  years  hath  taken  the 
 play,  and  hath  posted  and  wandered  through  the  creatures,  ye 
 Avill  come  home  again  with  the  wind.  They  are  not  good,  at  least 
 not  the  soul's  good,  it  is  the  infinite  Godhead  that  must  allay  the 
 sharpness  of  your  hunger  after  happiness ;  otherwise  there  shall 
 still  be  a  want  of  satisfaction  to  your  desires.  Jind  if  He  would 
 cast  in  ten  worlds  in  your  desires,  all  shall  fall  through,  and  your 
 soul  shall  still  cry,  red  hunger,  black  hunger.  But  I  am  sure  there 
 is  sufficient  for  you  in  Christ,  if  ye  had  seven  souls  and  seven 
 desires  in  you.  O,  if  I  could  make  my  Lord  Jesus  market-sweet, 
 lovely,  desirable,  and  fair  to  all  the  world,  both  to  Jew  and 
 Gentile  !  0,  let  my  part  of  heaven  go  for  it,  so  being  He  would 
 take  my  tongue  to  be  His  instrument,  to  set  out  Christ  in  His 
 whole  braveries  of  love,  virtue,  grace,  sweetness,  and  matchless 
 glory,  to  the  eyes  and  hearts  of  Jews  and  Gentiles  !  But  who  is 
 sufficient  for  these  things  ?     O  for  the  help  of  angels'  tongues  to 
 
 *  Sickle. 
 
284  LETTER  CLVI. 
 
 make  Christ  eye-sweet  and  amiable  to  many  thotisands!  0,  how 
 little  doth  this  world  see  of  Him,  and  how  far  are  they  from  the 
 love  of  Him,  seeing  there  is  so  much  loveliness,  beauty,  and  sweet- 
 ness in  Christ,  that  no  created  eye  did  ever  yet  see.  I  would  that 
 all  men  knew  His  glory,  and  that  I  could  put  many  in  at  the 
 Bridegroom's  chamber-door  to  see  His  beauty,  and  to  be  partakers 
 of  His  high,  and  deep,  and  broad,  and  boundless  love.  0,  let  all 
 the  world  come  nigh  and  see  Christ,  and  they  shall  then  see  more 
 than  I  can  say  of  Him  !  0,  if  I  had  a  pledge  or  paAvn  to  lay 
 down  for  a  sea-full  of  His  love  !  That  I  could  come  by  so  much 
 of  Christ,  as  would  satisfy  greening^  and  longing  for  Him,  or 
 rather  increase  it,  till  I  were  in  full  possession !  I  know  we  shall 
 meet,  and  therein  I  rejoice.  Sir,  stand  fast  in  the  truth  of  Christ, 
 that  ye  have  received.  Yield  not  to  winds,  but  ride  out,  and  let 
 Christ  be  your  anchor,  and  the  only  He,  whom  ye  shall  look  to 
 see  in  peace.  Pi'ay  for  me  His  prisoner,  and  that  the  Lord  would 
 send  me  among  you  to  feed  His  people.  Grace,  grace  be  with 
 you.  Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  E. 
 
 Aberdeen,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  CLVI.— To  John  Fleming,  Bailie  of  Leith. 
 
 Worthy  Sir, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you.  The  Lord 
 hath  brought  me  safe  to  this  strange  town.  Blessed  be  His  holy 
 name,  I  find  His  cross  easy  and  light,  and  I  hope  He  shall  be  with 
 His  poor  sold  Joseph,  who  is  separated  from  his  brethren.  His 
 comforts  have  abounded  towards  me,  as  if  Christ  thought  shame 
 (if  I  may  speak  so)  to  be  in  the  common  of  such  a  poor  man  as  I 
 am,  and  would  not  have  me  lose  anything  in  His  errands.  My 
 enemies  have,  beside  their  intention,  made  me  more  blessed,  and 
 have  put  me  in  a  sweeter  possession  of  Christ  than  ever  I  had  be- 
 fore. Only  the  memory  of  the  fair  days  I  had  with  my  AYell- 
 Beloved,  amongst  the  flock  entrusted  to  me,  keepeth  me  low,  and 
 soureth  my  unseen  joy.  But  it  must  be  so,  and  He  is  wise  who 
 tutoreth  me  this  way.  For  that  which  my  brethren  have  and  I 
 want,  and  others  of  this  world  have,  I  am  content,  my  faith  will 
 frist^  God  my  happiness.  No  son  ofFendeth^  that  his  father  giveth 
 him  not  hire  twice  a-year ;  for  he  is  to  abide  in  the  house  when 
 the  inheritance  is  to  be  divided.  It  is  better  God's  children  live 
 upon  hope  than  upon  hire.  Thus  remembenng  my  love  to  your 
 worthy  and  kind  wife,  I  bless  you,  and  her,  and  all  yours,  in  the 
 Lord's  name.  Yours,  in  his  only  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 
 
 Aberdeen,  Sept.  20,  1637. 
 
 '  Pining.  ^  Trust  ^vith.  ^  Takes  amiss. 
 
LETTER  CLVir.  285 
 
 LETTER  CLVIL— To  William  Glendinning,  Baillie  ot 
 Kirkcudbriglit. 
 
 Worthy  Sir, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you.  I  am  well, 
 honour  be  to  God,  and  as  well  as  a  rejoicing  prisoner  of  Christ 
 can  be,  hoping  that  one  day  He,  for  whom  I  now  suffer,  shall  en- 
 large me,  and  put  me  above  the  threatenings  of  men.  I  am  some- 
 times sad,  heavy,  and  casten  down  at  the  memory  of  the  fair  days 
 I  had  with  Christ  in  Anwoth,  Kirkcudbright,  &c.  The  remem- 
 brance of  a  feast  increaseth  hunger  in  an  hungry  man ;  but  who 
 knoweth  but  our  Lord  will  yet  cover  a  table  in  the  wilderness  to 
 His  hungry  bairns,  and  build  the  old  waste  places  in  Scotland,  and 
 bring  home  Zion's  captives.  I  desire  to  see  no  more  glorious  sight, 
 till  I  see  the  Lamb  on  His  throne,  than  to  see  Mount  Zion  all  green 
 with  grass,  and  the  dew  lying  upon  the  tops  of  the  grass,  and  the 
 crown  put  upon  Christ's  head  in  Scotland  again.  And  I  believe 
 it  shall  be  so,  and  that  Christ  shall  mow  down  His  enemies,  and 
 fill  the  pits  with  their  dead  bodies.  I  find  people  here  dry  and 
 uncouth.  A  man  pointed  at  for  suffering,  dare  not  be  counte- 
 nanced ;  so  that  I  am  like  to  sit  my  lone  ^  upon  the  ground.  But 
 my  Lord  payeth  me  well  home  again ;  for  I  have  neither  tongue, 
 nor  pen,  nor  heart  to  express  the  sweetness  and  excellency  of  the 
 love  of  Christ.  Christ's  honeycombs  drop  honey  and  floods  of 
 consolation  upon  my  soul.  My  chains  are  gold.  Christ's  cross  is 
 all  overgilded  and  perfumed.  His  prison  is  the  garden  and  orchard 
 of  my  delights.  I  would  go  through  burning-quick  ^  to  my  lovely 
 Christ.  I  sleep  in  His  arms  all  the  night,  and  my  head  betwixt 
 His  breasts.  My  Well-Beloved  is  altogether  lovely.  This  is  all 
 nothing  to  that  which  my  soul  hath  felt.  Let  no  man,  for  my 
 cause,  scaur  ^  at  Christ's  cross.  If  my  stipend,  place,  country, 
 credit,  had  been  an  earldom,  a  kingdom,  ten  kingdoms,  and  a  whole 
 eaith — all  were  too  little  for  the  crown  and  sceptre  of  my  royal 
 King.  Mine  enemies,  mine  enemies  have  made  me  blessed  :  they 
 have  sent  me  to  the  Bridegroom's  chamber.  Love  is  His  banner 
 over  me.  I  live  a  king's  life.  I  want  nothing  but  heaven  and  the 
 possession  of  the  crown.  My  earnest  is  great,  Christ  is  no  nig- 
 gard to  me.  Dear  brother,  be  for  the  Lord  Jesus  and  His  heart- 
 broken bride.  I  need  not  (I  hope)  remember  my  distressed 
 brother  to  your  care.  Rememljer  my  love  to  your  wife;  let 
 Christ  want  nothing  of  us.  His  garments  shall  be  rolled  in  the 
 blood  of  the  slain  of  Scotland.  Grace,  grace  be  with  you.  Pray 
 for  Christ's  prisoner. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 
 
 Aberdeen,  Sept.  21,  1637. 
 
 ^  Alone.  -  Burnino:  alive.  ^  Be  offended 
 
286  LETTEllS  CLVIIl.  AND  CLIX, 
 
 LETTER  CLVIIL— To  Robert  Gordon  of  Knockbrex. 
 
 Dear  Brother, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  yon.  I  am  by 
 God's  mercy  come  now  to  Aberdeen,  the  place  of  my  confinement, 
 and  settled  in  an  honest  man's  house.  I  find  the  townsmen  cold, 
 general,  and  dry  in  their  kindness,  yet  I  find  a  lodging  in  the 
 heart  of  many  strangers.  My  challenges  are  revived  again,  and  I 
 find  old  sores  bleeding  of  new ;  so  dangerous  and  painful  is  an 
 undercoated^  conscience;  yet  I  have  an  eye  to  the  blood  that  is 
 physic  for  such  sores.  But,  verily,  I  see  Christianity  is  conceived 
 to  be  more  easy  and  lighter  than  it  is  ;  so  that  I  sometimes  think 
 I  never  knew  anything  but  the  letters  of  that  name ;  for  our  na- 
 ture contenteth  itself  with  little  in  godliness.  Our  Lord,  Lord, 
 seemeth  to  us  ten  Lord  Lords.  Little  holiness  in  our  balance  is 
 much  because  it  is  our  own  holiness,  and  we  love  to  lay  small  bur- 
 dens upon  our  soft  natures,  and  to  make  a  fair  court-way  to  heaven ; 
 and  I  know  it  were  necessary  to  take  more  pains  than  we  do,  and 
 not  to  make  heaven  a  city  more  easily  taken  than  God  hath  made 
 it.  I  persuade  myself  many  runners  shall  come  short  and  get  a 
 disappointment.  0  how  easy  is  it  to  deceive  ourselves,  and  to 
 sleep  and  wish  that  heaven  may  fall  down  in  our  laps !  Yet  for 
 all  my  Lord's  glooms,  I  find  Him  sweet,  gracious,  loving,  kind ; 
 and  I  want  both  pen  and  words  to  set  forth  the  fairness,  beauty, 
 and  sweetness  of  Christ's  love,  and  the  honour  of  this  cross  of 
 Christ,  which  is  glorious  to  me,  though  the  world  thinketh  shame 
 thereof.  I  verily  think  that  the  cross  of  Clirist  would  blush  and 
 think  shame  of  these  thin-skinned  worldlings,  who  are  so  married 
 to  their  credit  that  they  are  ashained  of  the  sufferings  of  Christ. 
 0  the  honour  to  be  scourged,  stoned  with  Christ,  and  to  go  through 
 a  furious-faced  death  to  life  eternal !  But  men  would  have  law- 
 borrows  ^  against  Christ's  cross.  Now,  my  dear  brother,  forget 
 not  the  prisoner  of  Christ ;  for  I  see  very  few  here  who  kindly 
 fear  God.  Grace  be  with  you.  Let  my  love  in  Christ  and  hearty 
 aff'ection  be  remembered  to  your  kind  wife,  to  your  brother  John, 
 and  to  all  friends.     The  Lord  Jesus  be  with  your  spirit. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  only,  only  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 
 
 Aberdeen,  Sept.  20,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  CLIX.— To  Earlstown,  Younger. 
 
 Much  honoured  Sir, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you.  I 
 am  well ;  Christ  triumpheth  in  me,  blessed  be  His  name.  I  have 
 all  things  ;  I  burden  no  man ;  I  see  this  earth  and  the  fulness 
 thereof  is  my  Father's.     Sweet,  sweet  is  the  cross  of  my  Lord  ; 
 
 ^  Festering.  ^  Security. 
 
LETTER  CLX.  287 
 
 the  blessing  of  God  upon  the  cross  of  my  Lord  Jesus !  My  ene- 
 mies have  contributed  (beside  their  design)  to  make  me  blessed. 
 This  is  my  palace,  not  my  prison,  especially  when  my  Lord  shineth 
 and  smileth  upon  His  poor  afflicted  and  sold  Joseph,  who  is  sepa- 
 rated from  His  brethren  ;  but  often  He  hideth  Himself,  and  there 
 is  a  day  of  law  and  a  court  of  challenges  within  me.  I  know  not 
 if  fenced  in  God's  name,  but  oh  i  my  neglects !  0,  my  unseen 
 guiltiness  !  I  imagined  that  a  sufferer  of  Christ  kept  the  keys  of 
 Christ's  treasure,  and  might  take  out  his  wombful  of  comforts 
 when  he  pleased  ;  but  I  see  a  sufferer  and  witness  will  be  holden 
 at  the  door  as  well  as  another  poor  sinner,  and  be  glad  to  eat  with 
 the  bairns,  and  to  take  the  by-board. ^  This  cross  hath  let  me  see 
 that  heaven  is  not  at  the  next  door,  and  that  it  is  a  castle  not  soon 
 taken.  I  see  also,  it  is  neither  pain  nor  art  to  play  the  hypocrite. 
 We  have  all  learned  to  sell  ourselves  for  double  price,  and  to  make 
 the  people  who  call  ten  twenty,  and  twenty  a  hundred,  esteem  us 
 half-gods,  or  men  fallen  out  of  the  clouds.  But  oh  !  sincerity,  sin- 
 cerity, if  I  knew  what  sincerity  meaneth.  Sir,  lay  the  foundation 
 thus,  and  ye  shall  not  soon  shrink  nor  be  shaken  :  make  tight 
 work  at  the  bottom,  and  your  ships  shall  ride  against  all  storms, 
 if  withal  your  anchor  be  fastened  upon  good  ground — I  mean 
 within  the  vail ;  and  verily,  I  think  this  is  all  to  gain  Christ.  All 
 other  things  are  shadows,  dreams,  fancies,  and  nothing.  Sir,  re- 
 member my  love  to  your  mother.  I  pray  for  mercy  and  grace  to 
 her.  I  wish  her  on-going  toward  heaven.  As  I  promised  to  write, 
 so  show  her  I  want  nothing  in  my  Lord's  service ;  Christ  will  not 
 be  in  such  a  poor  man's  common  as  mine.  Grace,  grace  be  with 
 you.  Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  E,. 
 
 Aberdeen,  Sept.  22,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  CLX.— To  John  Gordon. 
 
 Worthy  and  dear  Brother, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to 
 you.  I  have  been  too  long  in  writing  to  you,  but  multitude  of 
 letters  taketh  much  time  from  me.  I  bless  His  great  name,  whom 
 I  serve  in  the  Spirit,  if  it  came  to  voting  amongst  angels  and  men, 
 how  excellent  and  sweet  Christ  is,  even  in  His  reproaches  and  in 
 His  cross,  I  cannot  but  vote  with  the  first,  that  all  that  is  iu  Him, 
 both  cross  and  crown,  kisses  and  gloom,  embracements  and  frown- 
 ings,  and  strokes  are  sweet  and  glorious.  God  send  me  no  more 
 happiness  in  heaven,  or  out  of  heaven,  but  Christ.  For  I  find  this 
 world,  when  I  have  looked  upon  it  on  both  sides,  within  and  with- 
 out, and  when  I  have  seen  even  the  laughing  and  lovely-like  side 
 of  it,  to  be  but  a  fool's  idol,  a  clay  prison.     Lord,  let  it  not  be  the 
 
 1  Side-table. 
 
288  LETTEK  CLX. 
 
 nest  that  my  hope  buildeth  in.  T  have  now  cause  to  judge  my 
 part  of  this  earth  not  worth  a  blast  of  smoke  or  a  mouthful  of 
 brown  bread,  I  wish  my  hope  may  take  a  running-leap,  and  skip 
 over  time's  pleasures,  sin's  plastering  and  gold-foil,  this  vain  earth, 
 and  rest  upon  my  Lord.  0,  how  great  is  our  night-darkness  in 
 this  wilderness  !  To  have  any  conceit  at  all  of  this  world  is,  as  ^ 
 a  man  would  close  his  handful  of  water,  and,  holding  his  hand  in 
 the  river,  say  all  the  water  of  the  flood  is  his,  as  if  it  were  indeed 
 all  within  the  compass  of  his  hand.  Who  would  not  laugh  at  the 
 thoughts  of  such  a  crack-brain  1  Verily,  they  have  but  a  handful 
 of  water,  and  are  but  like  a  child  clasping  his  two  hands  about  a 
 night  shadow,  who  idolize  any  created  hope,  but  God.  I  now 
 lightly, 2  and  put  the  price  of  a  dream,  or  fable,  or  black  nothing 
 upon  all  things  but  upon  God,  and  that  desirable  and  love-worthy 
 One  my  Lord  Jesus.  Let  all  the  world  be  nothing  (for  nothing 
 was  their  seed  and  mother)  and  let  God  be  all  things.  My  very 
 dear  brother,  know  ye  are  as  near  heaven  as  ye  are  far  from  your- 
 self, and  far  from  the  love  of  a  bewitching  and  whorish  world. 
 For  this  world  in  its  gain  and  glory,  is  but  the  great  and  notable 
 common  whore  that  all  the  sons  of  men  have  been  in  fancy  and 
 lust  withal  these  5000  years.  The  children,  that  they  have  be- 
 gotten  with  this  uncouth  and  lustful  lover,  are  but  vanity,  dreams, 
 golden  imaginations,  and  night-thoughts.  For  there  is  no  good 
 ground  here  under  the  covering  of  heaven  for  men  and  poor  wearieil 
 souls  to  set  down  their  feet  upon.  0 !  He  who  is  called  God,  that 
 one  whom  they  term  Jesus  Christ,  is  worth  the  having  indeed, 
 even  if  I  had  given  away  all  without  my  eye-holes,  my  soul,  and 
 myself  for  sweet  Jesus  my  Lord  !  0  let  the  claim  be  cancelled 
 that  the  creatures  have  to  me,  except  that  claim  my  Lord  Jesus 
 hath  to  me  !  0,  that  He  would  claim  poor  me,  my  silly,  light,  and 
 worthless  soul !  0,  that  He  would  pursue  His  claim  to  the  ut- 
 most point  and  not  want  me  :  for  it  is  my  pain  and  remediless 
 sorrow  to  want  Him.  I  see  nothing  in  this  life  but  sinks,  and 
 mires,  and  dreams,  and  beguiling  ditches,  and  ill  ground  for  us  to 
 build  upon.  I  am  fully  persuaded  of  Christ's  victory  in  Scotland, 
 but  I  fear  this  land  be  not  yet  ripe  and  white  for  mercy.  Yet  I 
 dare  be  halfer^  (upon  my  salvation)  with  the  losses  of  the  Church 
 of  Scotland,  that  her  foes'  afternoon  shall  sing  dole  and  sorrow  for 
 evermore,  and  that  her  joy  shall  once  again  be  cried  up  and  her 
 sky  shall  clear ;  but  vengeance  and  burning  shall  be  to  her  adver- 
 saries and  the  sinners  of  this  land.  0  that  we  could  be  awakened 
 to  prayers  and  humiliation  !  Then  should  our  sun  shine  like  seven 
 suns  in  the  heaven ;  then  should  the  temple  of  Christ  be  builded 
 upon  the  mountain  tops,  and  the  land  from  coast  to  coast  should 
 
 '  iia  if.  2  L)esi)Lse.  ^  Sharer. 
 
LETTER  CLXI.  289 
 
 be  filled  with  the  glory  of  the  Lord.  Brother,  your  day-task  is 
 wearing  short,  your  hour-glass  of  this  span-length  and  hand-breadth 
 of  life  will  quickly  pass,  and  therefore  take  order  and  course  with 
 matters  betwixt  you  and  Christ  before  it  come  to  open  pleading. 
 There  are  no  quarters  to  be  had  of  Christ  in  open  judgment.  I 
 know  ye  see  your  thread  wearing  short,  and  that  there  are  not 
 many  inches  to  the  thread's  end,  and  therefore  lose  not  time.  Re- 
 member me  His  prisoner,  that  it  would  please  the  Lord  to  bring 
 me  again  amongst  you  with  abundance  of  the  Gospel.  Grace, 
 grace  be  with  you.  Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S,  E. 
 Aberdeen,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  CLXL— To  Mr.  Hugh  M'Kaill. 
 
 Reverend  and  dear  Brother,— I  thank  you  for  your  letter. 
 I  cannot  but  show  you  that  as  I  never  expected  anything  from 
 Christ  but  much  good  and  kindness,  so  He  hath  made  me  to  find 
 it  in  the  house  of  my  pilgrimage.  And  believe  me,  brother,  ] 
 give  it  to  you  under  mine  own  hand-writ,  that  whoso  looketh  to 
 the  white  side  of  Christ's  cross,  and  can  take  it  up  handsomely 
 with  faith  and  courage,  shall  find  it  such  a  burden  as  sails  are  to 
 a  ship  or  wings  to  a  bird.  I  find  my  Lord  hath  overgilded  that 
 black  tree,  and  hath  perfumed  it  and  oiled  it  with  joy  and  conso- 
 lation. Like  a  fool,  once  I  would  chide  and  plead  with  Christ, 
 and  slander  Him  to  others  of  unkindness  ;  but  I  trust  in  God,  not 
 to  call  His  glooms  unkind  again,  for  He  hath  taken  from  me  my 
 sackcloth,  and  I  verily  cannot  tell  you  what  a  poor  sold  Joseph 
 and  prisoner  (with  whom  my  mother's  children  were  angry)  doth 
 now  think  of  kind  Christ.  I  will  chide  no  more,  providing  He 
 will  quit  me  all  by-gones ;  for  I  am  poor.  I  am  taught  in  this  ill 
 weather  to  go  on  the  lee-side  of  Christ,  and  to  put  Hmi  in  between 
 me  and  the  storm,  and  I  thank  God  I  walk  on  the  sunny-side  of 
 the  brae.  I  write  it  that  ye  may  speak  in  my  behalf  the  praises 
 of  my  Lord  to  others,  that  my  bonds  may  preach.  0  if  all  Scot- 
 land knew  the  feasts,  and  love-blinks,  and  visits  that  the  prelates 
 have  sent  me  unto  !  I  will  verily  give  my  Lord  Jesus  a  free  dis- 
 charge of  all,  that  I,  like  a  fool,  laid  to  His  charge,  and  beg  Him 
 pardon  to  the  mends.^  God  grant  that  in  my  temptations  I  come 
 not  on  His  wrong  side  again,  and  never  again  ftxll  a-raving  against 
 my  Physician  in  my  fever.  Brother,  plead  with  your  mother 
 while  ye  have  time.  A  pulpit  would  be  a  high  feast  to  me,  but  I 
 dare  not  say  one  word  against  Him  who  hath  done  it ;  I  am  not 
 out  of  the  house  as  yet.  My  sweet  Master  saith,  I  shall  have 
 house-room  at  His  own  elbow%  albeit  their  synagogues  will  need- 
 
 1  To  boot 
 
290  LETTER  CLXII. 
 
 force ^   cast  me  out.       A   letter  were  a  work  of  charity  to  me. 
 Grace  be  with  you.     Pray  for  me. 
 
 Your  brother  and  Christ's  prisoner,         S.  R. 
 Aberdeen,  Nov.  22,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  CLXIL— To  James  Murray. 
 
 Dear  Brother, — I  received  your  letter.  I  am  in  good  health 
 of  body,  but  far  better  in  my  soul.  I  find  ray  Lord  no  worse 
 than  His  word ;  "  I  will  be  with  him  in  trouble,"  is  made  good  to 
 me  now.  He  heareth  the  sighing  of  the  prisoner.  Brother,  I  am 
 comforted  in  my  royal  Prince  and  King.  The  world  knoweth  not 
 our  life,  it  is  a  mystery  to  them.  We  have  the  sunny-side  of  the 
 world,  and  our  paradise  is  far  above  theirs,  yea  our  weeping  above 
 their  laughing,  which  is  but  like  the  crackling  of  thorns  under  a 
 pot ;  and  therefore  we  have  good  cause  to  fight  it  out,  for  the  day 
 of  our  laureation  is  approaching.  I  find  my  prison  the  sweetest 
 place  that  ever  I  was  in ;  my  Lord  Jesus  is  kind  to  me,  and  hath 
 taken  the  mask  off  His  face,  and  is  content  to  quit  me  all  by- 
 gones. I  dare  not  complain  of  Him.  And  for  my  silence,  I  lay 
 it  before  Christ :  I  hope  it  shall  be  a  speaking  silence.  He  who 
 knoweth  what  I  would,  knoweth  that  my  soul  desireth  no  more, 
 but  that  King  Jesus  may  be  great  in  the  north  of  Scotland,  in 
 the  south,  and  in  the  east,  and  west,  through  my  sufferings  for 
 the  freedom  of  my  Lord's  house  and  kingdom.  If  I  could  keep 
 good  quarters  in  time  to  come  with  Christ,  I  Avould  fear  nothing. 
 But  0  !  0  !  I  complain  of  my  woeful  outbreaking ;  I  tremble  at 
 the  remembrance  of  a  new  outcast-  betwixt  Him  and  me  ;  and  I 
 have  cause,  when  I  consider  what  sick  and  sad  days  I  have  had 
 for  His  absence,  who  is  now  come.  I  find  Christ  dow^  not  be 
 long  unkind;  our  Joseph's  bowels  yearn  within  Him  ;  He  cannot 
 smother  love  long,  it  must  break  out  at  length.  Praise,  praise 
 with  me,  brother,  and  desire  my  acquaintance  to  help  me.  I  dare 
 not  conceal  His  love  to  my  soul ;  I  wish  you  all  a  part  of  my  feast, 
 that  my  Lord  Jesus  may  be  honoured.  I  allow  you  not  to  hide 
 Christ's  bounty  to  me,  when  ye  meet  with  such  as  know  Christ. 
 Ye  write  nothing  to  me,  Avhat  are  the  cruel  mercies  of  the  prelates 
 towards  me.  The  ministers  of  this  town,  as  I  hear,  intend  that  I 
 shall  be  more  strictly  confined,  or  else  transported,  because  they 
 find  some  people  afiect*  me.     Grace  be  with  you. 
 
 Yours,  in  the  Lord  Jesus,         S,  R 
 
 Aberdeen,  Nov.  21,  1637. 
 
 '  Of  necessity.  "  Quarrel.  ^  Can.  *  ^\io  afTectionate  to 
 
LETTERS  CLXllI.  AND  CLXIV.  291 
 
 LETTER  CLXIII— To  John  Fleming,  Bailie  of  Leitli. 
 
 My  very  worthy  Friend, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to 
 you.  I  received  your  letter.  I  bless  my  Lord  through  Jesus 
 Christ,  I  find  His  word  good,  Isa.  xlviii.  10,  "I  have  chosen  thee 
 in  the  furnace  of  affliction,"  and,  Ps.  xci.  15,  "I  Avill  be  with  him 
 in  trouble."  I  never  expected  other  at  Christ's  hand  but  much 
 good  and  comfort,  and  I  am  not  disappointed  :  I  find  my  Lord's 
 cross  overgilded  and  oiled  with  comforts.  My  Lord  hath  now 
 shown  me  the  white  side  of  His  cross.  I  would  not  exchange  my 
 weeping  in  prison  with  the  fourteen  prelates'  laughter  amid  their 
 hungry  and  lean  joys.  This  world  knoweth  not  the  sweetness  of 
 Christ's  love  ;  it  is  a  mystery  to  them.  At  my  first  coming  here, 
 I  found  great  heaviness,  especially  because  it  had  pleased  the  pre- 
 lates to  add  this  gentle  cruelty  to  my  former  sufferings  (for  it  is 
 gentle  to  them)  to  inhibit  the  ministers  of  the  town  to  give  me 
 the  liberty  of  a  pulpit :  I  said,  what  aileth  Christ  at  my  service  1 
 But  I  was  a  fool.  He  hath  chided  Himself  friends ^  with  me  :  if  ye 
 and  others  of  God's  children  shall  praise  His  great  name,  who 
 maketh  worthless  men  witnesses  for  Him,  my  silence  and  suffer- 
 ing shall  preach  more  than  my  tongue  could  do ;  if  His  glory  be 
 seen  in  me,  I  am  satisfied ;  for  I  want  no  kindness  of  Christ. 
 And,  sir,  I  dare  not  smother  His  liberality.  I  write  it  to  you, 
 that  ye  may  praise,  and  desire  your  brother  and  others  to  join 
 Jvith  me  in  this  work.  This  land  shall  be  made  desolate ;  our 
 iniquities  are  full.  The  Lord  saith,  we  shall  drink,  and  spue,  and 
 fall.  Remember  my  love  to  your  good  kind  wife.  Grace  be  with 
 you.  Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 
 
 Ai.erdeen,  Nov.  23, 1636. 
 
 LETTER  CLXIV.— To  Earlstown,  Elder. 
 
 "  And  thej'  overcame  (the  Dragon)  by  the  blood  of  the  Lamb,  and  the  word  of 
 their  testimony,  and  they  loved  not  their  lives  unto  the  death." — Eev. 
 xii.  11. 
 
 Much  honoured  Sir, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you.  I 
 long  to  see  you  in  paper,  and  to  be  refreshed  by  you.  I  cannot 
 but  desire  you,  and  charge  you,  to  help  me  to  praise  Him  who 
 feedeth  a  poor  prisoner  with  the  fatness  of  His  house.  0  how 
 weighty  is  His  love !  0,  but  there  is  much  telling^  in  Christ's 
 kindness  !  the  Amen,  the  faithful  and  true  Witness  hath  paid  me 
 my  hundred  fold,  well  told,  and  one  to  the  hundred.^  I  com- 
 plained of  Him,  but  He  is  owing  me  nothing  now.     Sir,  I  charge 
 
 ^  That  is,  He  hath  reproved  me  for  doubting  His  friendship. 
 
 -  Counting  or  reckoning.  ^  That  is,  101  for  each  100. 
 
292  ■  1.ETTER  CLXV, 
 
 3^ou  to  help  me  to  praise  His  goodness,  and  to  proclaim  to  others 
 my  Bridegroom's  kindness,  whose  love  is  better  than  wine.  I  took 
 up  an  action  against  Christ,  and  bought  a  plea  against  His  love,  and 
 libelled  unkindness  against  Christ  my  Lord ;  and  I  said,  tliis  is 
 my  death,  He  hath  forgotten  me.  But  my  meek  Lord  held  His 
 peace,  and  beheld  me,  and  would  not  contend  for  the  last  word  of 
 flyting,^  and  now  He  hath  chided  Himself  friends  with  me,^  and 
 now  I  see  He  must  be  God,  and  I  must  be  flesh.  I  pass  from  my 
 summons ;  I  acknowledge  He  might  have  given  me  my  fill  of  it, 
 and  never  troubled  Himself  But  now  He  hath  taken  away  the 
 mask,  I  have  been  comforted.  He  could  not  smother  His  love  any 
 longer  to  a  prisoner  and  a  stranger.  God  grant  that  I  may  never 
 buy  a  plea  against  Christ  again,  but  may  keep  good  quarters  with 
 Him.  I  want  no  kindness,  no  love-token ;  but  0  wise  is  His 
 love !  for  notwithstanding  of  this  hot  summer-blink,  I  am  kept 
 low  with  the  grief  of  my  silence,  for  His  word  is  in  me  as  a  fire 
 in  my  bowels ;  and  I  see  the  Lord's  vineyard  laid  waste,  and  the 
 heathen  entered  into  the  sanctuary,  and  my  belly  is  pained,  and 
 my  soul  in  heaviness,  because  the  Lord's  people  is  gone  into  cap- 
 tivity, and  because  of  the  fury  of  the  Lord,  and  that  wind  (but 
 neither  to  fan  nor  to  purge)  that  is  coming  upon  apostate  Scot- 
 land. Also,  I  am  kept  awake  with  the  late  wrong  done  to  my 
 brother,  but  I  trust  ye  will  counsel  and  comfort  him.  Yet  in  this 
 mist  I  see  and  believe  the  Lord  will  heal  this  halting  kirk,  and 
 "  will  lay  her  stones  with  fair  colours,  and  her  foundations  with 
 sapphires,  and  Avill  make  her  windows  of  agates,  and  her  gates 
 carbuncles,"  Isa.  liv.  11,12.  "  And  for  V)rass  He  will  bring  gold." 
 He  hath  created  the  smith  that  formed  the  sword  ;  no  weapon  in 
 war  shall  prosper  against  us.  Let  us  be  glad  and  rejoice  in  the 
 Lord,  for  His  salvation  is  near  to  come.  Remember  me  to  your 
 wife  and  your  son  John;  and  I  entreat  you  to  write  to  me.  Grace, 
 grace  be  with  you. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  only,  only  Lord  Jesus,         S.  K 
 
 Aberdeen,  Dec.  30,  1636, 
 
 LETTER  CLXV.— To  Mr.  John  Fergushill. 
 
 Reverend  and  well-beloved  in  our  Lord  Jesus,— I  must 
 still  provoke  you  to  w^ite  by  my  lines,  whereat  ye  need  not  won- 
 der ;  for  the  cross  is  full  of  talk,  and  speak  it  must,  either  good  or 
 bad.  Neither  can  grief  be  silent.  I  have  no  dittay  ^  nor  indict- 
 ment to  bring  against  Christ's  cross,  seeing  He  hath  made  a  friendly 
 agreement  betwixt  me  and  it,  and  we  are  in  terms  of  love  together. 
 If  my  former  miscarriages,  and  my  now  silent  sabbaths  seem  to 
 
 ^  Scolding.  '  See  note  1  on  preceding  page.  '  Accusation. 
 
LETTER  CLXV.  293 
 
 me  to  speak  wrath  from  the  Lord,  I  daresay  it  is  but  Satan  bor- 
 rowing the  use  and  loan  of  my  cowardly  and  feeble  apprehensions, 
 which  start  at  straws.  I  know  faith  is  not  so  faint  and  foolish  as 
 to  tremble  at  every  false  alarm  ;  yet  I  gather  this  out  of  it,  Blessed 
 are  they  who  are  graced  of  God  to  guide  a  cross  well,  and  that 
 there  is  some  art  required  herein.  I  pray  God  I  may  not  be  so 
 ill  friend-stead,  as  that  Christ  my  Lord  should  leave  me  to  be  my 
 own  tutor  and  my  own  physician.  Shall  I  not  think  that  my 
 Lord  Jesus,  who  deserveth  His  own  place  very  well,  will  take  His 
 own  place  upon  Him,  as  it  becometh  Him,  and  that  He  will  fill 
 His  own  chair  1  For  in  this  is  His  office,  "to  comfort  us  and  those 
 that  are  casten  down  in  all  their  tribulations,"  2  Cor.  i.  4.  Alas, 
 I  know  I  am  a  fool  to  seek  a  hole  or  defect  in  Christ's  way  with 
 my  soul.  If  I  have  not  a  stock  to  present  to  Christ  at  His  appear- 
 ance, yet  I  pray  God  I  may  be  able,  with  joy,  laith,  and  constancy, 
 I  to  show  the  Captain  of  my  salvation,  in  that  day,  a  bloody  head, 
 {  that  I  received  in  His  service ;  howbeit  my  faith  hang  by  a  small 
 tack  and  thread,  I  hope  the  tack  shall  not  break;  and  howbeit  my 
 Lord  get  no  service  of  me  but  broken  wishes,  yet  I  trust  these 
 shall  be  accepted  upon  Christ's  account.  I  have  nothing  to  com- 
 fort me,  but  that  I  say,  0,  will  the  Lord  disappoint  an  hungry  on- 
 waiter?  The  smell  of  Christ's  wine  and  apples,  which  surpass  the 
 up-taking  of  dull  sense,  bloweth  upon  my  soul,  and  I  get  no  more 
 for  the  meantime.  I  am  sure  to  let  a  famisliing  body^  see  meat, 
 and  give  him  none  of  it,  is  a  double  pain.  Our  Lord's  love  is  not 
 so  cruel  as  to  let  a  poor  man  see  Christ  and  heaven,  and  never 
 give  him  more  for  want  of  money  to  buy :  nay,  I  rather  think 
 Christ  such  fair  market-wares  as  buyers  may  have  "without  money 
 and  without  price."  And  thus  I  know  it  shall  not  stand  upon  my 
 want  of  money ;  for  Christ  upon  His  own  charges  must  buy  my 
 wedding-garment,  and  redeem  the  inheritance  which  I  have  for- 
 feited, and  give  His  word  for  one  the  like  of  ^  me,  who  am  not 
 law-biding  of  myself.  Poor  folks  must  either  borrow  or  beg 
 from  the  rich,  and  the  only  thing  that  commendeth  sinners  to 
 Christ  is  extreme  necessity  and  want.  Christ's  love  is  ready  to 
 make  and  provide  a  ransom  and  money  for  a  poor  body^  who 
 hath  lost  his  purse.  "  Ho,  ye  that  have  no  money,  come  and 
 buy,"  Isa.  Iv.  I.  That  is  the  poor  man's  market.  Now,  brother, 
 I  see  old  crosses  would  have  done  nothing  at^  me,  and  therefore 
 Christ  hath  taken  a  new  fresh  rod  to  me,  that  seemeth  to  talk 
 with  my  soul,  and  make  me  tremble.  I  have  often  more  ado  now 
 with  faith  when  I  lose  my  compass,  and  am  blown  on  a  rock,  than 
 those  who  are  my  beholders,  standing  upon  the  shore,  are  aware 
 of.  A  counsel  to  a  sick  man  is  sooner  given  than  taken  :  Lord 
 ^  Person.  ^  lake,  •^  Had  no  effect  upon. 
 
294  LETTEE  CLXV. 
 
 send  the  v/earied  mr.Ti  a  borrowed  bed  from  Christ.  I  think  often 
 it  is  after  supper  with  me,  and  I  am  heavy.  0,  but  I  would  sleep 
 soundly  with  Christ's  left  hand  under  my  head  and  His  right 
 hand  embracing  me.  The  devil  could  not  spill ^  that  bed.  When 
 I  consider  how  tenderly  Christ  hath  cared  for  me  in  this  prison,  I 
 think  He  hath  handled  me  as  the  bairn  that  is  pitied  and  be- 
 moaned. I  desire  no  more  till  I  be  in  heaven,  but  such  a  feast 
 and  fill  of  Christ's  love  as  I  would  have.  This  love  would  be  fair 
 and  adorning  passements,^  which  would  beautify  and  set  forth  my 
 black  unpleasant  cross.  I  cannot  tell,  my  dear  brother,  what  a 
 great  load  I  would  bear  if  I  had  a  hearty  fill  of  the  love  of  that 
 lovely  One,  Christ  Jesus.  O,  if  ye  would  seek  and  pray  for  that 
 to  me  !  I  would  give  Christ  all  His  love-styles  and  titles  of  honour, 
 if  He  would  give  me  but  this ;  nay,  I  would  sell  myself  (if  I  could) 
 for  that  love.  I  have  been  waiting  to  see  what  friends  of  place 
 and  power  would  do  for  us ;  but  when  the  Lord  looseth  the  pins 
 of  His  own  tabernacle,  He  will  have  Himself  to  be  acknowledged 
 as  the  only  Builder  up  thereof,  and  therefore  I  would  take  back 
 again  my  hope,  that  I  lent  and  laid  in  pawn  in  men's  hands,  and  give 
 it  wholly  to  Christ.  It  is  no  time  for  me  now  to  set  up  idols  of 
 my  own ;  it  were  a  pity  to  give  an  ounce-weight  of  hope  to  any 
 besides  Christ.  I  think  Him  well  worthy  of  all  my  hope,  though 
 it  were  as  weighty  as  both  heaven  and  earth.  Happy  were  I,  if  I 
 had  anything  that  Christ  would  seek  or  accept  of ;  but  now,  alas ! 
 I  see  not  what  service  I  can  do  to  Him,  except  it  be  to  talk  a  little, 
 and  babble  upon  a  piece  of  paper  concerning  the  love  of  Christ. 
 I  am  often  as  if  my  faith  were  wadset,^  so  that  I  cannot  command 
 it ;  and  then  when  He  hideth  Himself,  I  run  to  the  other  extreme, 
 in  making  each  wing  and  toe  of  my  case  as  big  as  a  mountain  of 
 iron.  And  then  misbelief  can  spin  out  a  hell  of  heavy  and  de- 
 sponding thoughts ;  then  Christ  seeketh  law-borrows  *  of  my 
 unbelieving  apprehensions,  and  chargeth  me  to  believe  His  day- 
 light at  midnight.  But  I  make  pleas  with  Christ,  though  it  be  ill 
 my  common^  so  to  do.  It  were  my  happiness,  when  I  am  in  His 
 house  of  wine,  and  when  I  find  a  feast-day,  if  I  could  "  hearken 
 and  hear  for  the  time  to  come,"  Isa.  xlii.  3.  But  I  see  we  must 
 be  off  our  feet  in  wading  a  deep  water ;  and  then  Christ's  love 
 findeth  timeous*^  employment  at  such  a  dead  lift  as  that ;  and,  be- 
 sides, after  broken  brows,  bairns  learn  to  walk  more  circumspectly. 
 If  I  come  to  heaven  anyway,  howbeit  like  a  tired  traveller  upon 
 my  Guide's  shoulder,  it  is  good  enough  for  those  who  have  no  legs 
 of  their  own  for  such  a  journey.  I  never  thought  there  had  been 
 need  of  so  much  wrestling  to  win  to  the  top  of  that  steep  mountain 
 as  now  I  find.  Woe  is  me  for  this  broken  and  back-sliding  church, 
 '  Spoil.     '^  Ornaments.     ^  Mortgaged.     *  Securities.     *  Part.     ^  Seasonable. 
 
LETTER  CLXVI.  295 
 
 it  is  like  an  old  bowing  wall,  leaning  to  the  one  side,  and  there  is 
 none  of  all  her  sons  Avho  will  set  a  prop  under  her.  I  know  I  need 
 not  bemoan  Christ,  for  He  careth  for  His  own  honour  more  than  I 
 can  do  ;  but  who  can  blame  me  to  be  woe^  (if  I  had  grace  so  to  do) 
 to  see  my  Well-Beloved's  fair  face  spitted  upon,  and  His  crown 
 plucked  off  His  head,  and  the  ark  of  God  taken  and  carried  in  the 
 Philistines'  cart,  and  the  kine  put  to  carry  it,  Avho  will  let  it  fall 
 to  the  ground'?  The  Lord  put  to  His  own  helping  hand.  I 
 would  desire  you  to  prepare  yourself  for  a  fight  with  beasts  ;  ye 
 will  not  get  leave  to  steal  quietly  to  heaven,  in  Christ's  company, 
 without  a  conflict  and  a  cross.  Eemember  my  bonds,  and  praise  my 
 second  and  fellow  prisoner,  Christ.     G-race  be  with  you. 
 
 Yours,  in  Christ  Jesus  his  Lord,         S.  R. 
 Aberdeen,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  CLXVI. —To  William  Glendinning. 
 
 Dear  Brother, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you.  Your 
 case  is  unknown  to  me,  whether  ye  be  yet  our  Lord's  prisoner  at 
 Wigton  or  not ;  however  it  be,  I  know  our  Lord  Jesus  hath  been 
 inquiring  for  you,  and  that  He  hath  honoured  you  to  bear  His 
 chains,  which  is  the  golden  end  of  His  cross,  and  so  hath  waled  - 
 out  a  chosen  and  honourable  cross  for  you.  I  wish  you  much  joy 
 and  comfort  of  it,  for  I  have  nothing  to  say  of  Christ's  cross  but 
 much  good.  I  hope  my  ill  word  shall  never  meet  either  Christ 
 or  His  sweet  and  easy  cross.  I  know  He  seeketh  of  us  an  outcast  ^ 
 with  this  house  of  clay,  this  mother-prison,  this  earth,  that  we 
 love  full  well ;  and  verily,  when  Christ  snuffeth  my  candle,  and 
 causeth  my  light  to  shine  upward,  it  is  one  of  my  greatest  won- 
 ders, that  dirt  and  clay  hath  so  much  court*  with  a  soul  not  made 
 of  cla}^  and  that  our  soul  goeth  out  of  kind  so  far  as  to  make  an 
 idol  of  this  earth,  such  a  deformed  harlot,  as  that  it  should  wrong 
 Christ  of  our  love.  How  fast,  how  fast  doth  our  ship  sail  !  and 
 how  fair  a  wind  hath  time  to  blow  us  off  these  coasts  and  this 
 land  of  dying  and  perishing  things.  And  alas !  our  ship  saileth 
 one  way,  and  fleeth  many  miles  in  one  hour  to  hasten  us  upon 
 eternity,  and  our  love  and  hearts  are  sailing  close  back  over, 
 and  swimming  towards  ease,  lawless  pleasure,  vain  honour,  perish- 
 ing riches,  and  to  build  a  fool's  nest,  I  know  not  where,  and  to  lay 
 our  eggs  within  the  sea-mark,  and  fasten  our  bits  of  broken 
 anchors  upon  the  worst  ground  in  the  world,  this  fleeting  and 
 perishing  life ;  and  in  the  meanwhile,  time  and  tide  carry  us  upon 
 another  life,  and  there  is  daily  less  and  less  oil  in  our  lamp,  and 
 less  and  less  sand  in  our  watch-glass.     0  what  a  wise  course  were 
 
 ^  Woeful.  ^  Picked.  ^  Quarrel.  ''  Influence. 
 
296  LETTElf  CLXVII. 
 
 it  for  us  to  look  aAvay  from  the  false  beauty  of  our  borrowed 
 prison,  and  to  mind,  and  eye,  and  lust  for  our  country !  Lord, 
 Lord,  take  us  home!  And  for  myself,  I  think  if  a  poor,  weak, 
 dying  sheep  seek  for  an  old  dyke  ^  and  the  lee-side  of  a  hill  in  a 
 storm,  I  have  cause  to  long  for  a  covert  from  this  storm  in  heaven, 
 I  know  none  will  take  my  room  over  my  head  there.  But 
 certainly  sleepy  bodies  would  be  at  rest,  and  a  well-made  bed, 
 and  an  old  crazed  bark  at  a  shore,  and  a  wearied  traveller  at 
 home,  and  a  breathless  horse  at  the  rink's  ^  end.  I  see  nothing  in 
 this  life  but  sin,  and  the  sour  fruits  of  sin.  And  0,  what  a 
 burden  is  sin  !  and  what  a  slavery  and  miserable  bondage  is  it  to 
 be  at  the  nod  and  yeas  and  nays  of  such  a  lord-master  as  a  body 
 of  sin  !  Truly  when  I  think  of  it,  it  is  a  wonder  that  Christ 
 maketli  not  fire  and  ashes  of  such  a  dry  branch  as  I  am.  I  would 
 often  lie  down  under  Christ's  feet,  and  bid  Him  trample  upon  me, 
 when  I  consider  my  guiltiness.  But  seeing  He  hath  sworn  that 
 sin  shall  not  loose  His  unchangeable  covenant,  I  keep  house-room 
 amongst  the  rest  of  the  ill-learned  bairns,  and  must  cumber  the 
 Lord  of  the  house  with  the  rest,  till  my  Lord  take  the  fetters  off 
 legs  and  arms  and  destroy  this  body  of  sin,  and  make  a  hole  or  a 
 breach  in  this  cage  of  earth,  that  the  bird  may  flee  out,  and  the 
 imprisoned  soul  be  at  liberty.  In  the  meantime,  the  least  intima- 
 tion of  Christ's  love  is  sweet,  and  the  hope  of  marriage  with  the 
 Bridegroom  holdeth  me  in  some  joyful  on-waiting,  that  when 
 Christ's  summer  birds  shall  sing  upon  the  branches  of  the  tree  of 
 life,  I  shall  be  tuned  by  God  Himself,  to  help  them  to  sing  the 
 home-coming  of  our  Well-beloved  and  His  bride  to  their  house 
 together.  When  I  think  of  this,  I  tliink  winters,  and  summers, 
 and  years,  and  days,  and  time  do  me  a  pleasure,  that  they  shorten 
 this  untwisted  and  weak  thread  of  my  life,  and  that  they  put  sin 
 and  miseries  by  hand,  and  that  they  shall  carry  me  to  my  Bride- 
 groom within  a  clap.  Dear  brother,  pray  for  me,  that  it  would 
 please  the  Lord  of  the  vineyard  to  give  me  house-room  to  preach 
 His  righteousness  again  to  the  great  congregation.  Grace,  grace 
 be  with  you.     Remember  me  to  your  wife. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  Iw 
 
 Aberdeen,  1G37. 
 
 LETTER  CLXVn.-To  the  Lady  Culro.ss. 
 
 "These  tire  they  which  came  out  of  great  tribulation,  and  have  washed  their 
 robes,  and  made  them  white  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb." — Eev.  vii.  14. 
 
 Madam, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  multiplied  upon  you.     I 
 greatly  long  to  be  refreshed  with  your  letter.     I  am  now  (all 
 1  Wall.  -  Course's. 
 
LETTER  CLXVII.  297 
 
 honour  and  glory  to  the  King  eternal,  immortal,  and  invisible)  in 
 better  terms  with  Christ  than  I  Avas.  I,  like  a  fool,  summoned 
 my  Husband  and  Lord,  and  libelled  unkindness  against  Him ;  but 
 now  I  pass  from  that  foolish  pursuit ;  I  give  over  the  plea ;  He  is 
 God  and  I  am  man.  I  was  loosing  a  fast  stone,  and  digging  at 
 the  ground-stone^  (the  love  of  my  Lord)  to  shake  and  unsettle  it ; 
 but  God  be  thanked  it  is  fast ;  all  is  sure.  In  my  prison.  He 
 hath  shown  me  daylight ;  He  doth  not  hide  His  love  any  longer, 
 Christ  was  disguised  and  masked,  and  I  apprehended  it  was  not 
 He  ;  and  He  hath  said,  "  It  is  I,  be  not  afraid;"  and  now  His  love 
 is  better  than  wine.  O  that  all  the  virgins  had  part  of  the  Bride- 
 groom's love,  whereupon  He  maketh  me  to  feed  !  Help  me  to 
 praise :  I  charge  you,  madam,  help  me  to  pay  praises,  and  tell 
 others,  the  daughters  of  Jerusalem,  how  kind  Christ  is  to  a  pooi 
 prisoner.  He  hath  paid  me  my  hundred-fold ;  it  is  well  told  me, 
 and  one  to  the  hundred.^  I  am  nothing  behind  with  Christ. 
 Let  not  fools,  because  of  their  lazy  soft  flesh,  raise  a  slander  and 
 an  ill  report  upon  the  cross  of  Christ ;  it  is  sweeter  than  fair.  I 
 see  grace  groweth  best  in  winter.  This  poor  persecuted  kirk,  this 
 lily  among  the  thorns,  shall  blossom  and  laugh  upon  the  Gardener; 
 the  Husbandman's  blessing  shall  light  upon  it.  0,  if  I  could  be 
 free  of  jealousies  of  Christ  after  this,  and  believe  and  keep  good 
 quarters  with  my  dearest  husband  !  for  He  hath  been  kind  to  the 
 stranger.  And  yet  in  all  this  fair  hot  summer-weather,  I  am  kept 
 from  saying,  "  It  is  good  to  be  here,"  with  my  silence,  and  with 
 grief  to  see  my  mother  wounded  and  her  vail  taken  from  her,  and 
 the  fair  temple  casten  down ;  and  my  belly  is  pained,  my  soul  is 
 heavy  for  the  captivity  of  the  daughter  of  my  people,  and  because 
 of  the  fury  of  the  Lord  and  His  fierce  indignation  against  apostate 
 Scotland.  I  pray  you,  madam,  let  me  have  that  which  is  my 
 prayer  here,  that  my  suff"erings  may  preach  to  the  four  quarters  of 
 this  land  :  and,  therefore,  tell  others  how  open-handed  Christ  hath 
 been  to  the  prisoner  and  the  oppressed  stranger.  Why  should  I 
 conceal  it  ?  I  know  no  other  way  how  to  glorify  Christ,  but  to 
 make  an  open  proclamation  of  His  love,  and  of  His  soft  and  sweet 
 kisses  to  me  in  the  furnace,  and  of  His  fidelity  to  such  as  suff'er 
 for  Him.  Give  it  me  under  your  hand,  that  ye  will  help  me  to 
 pray  and  praise,  but  rather  to  praise  and  rejoice  in  the  salvation 
 of  God.     Grace,  grace  be  with  you. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  dearest  and  only,  only  Lord  Jesus,         S,  li. 
 Aberdeen,  Dec.  30,  1636. 
 
 *  FouTidation-stone.  *  One  in  addition  to  each  hundred, 
 
298  LETTf^R  CLXVIIl. 
 
 LETTER  CLXVIIl.— To  the  Lady  Cardonness. 
 
 My  dearly  beloved  and  longed  for  in  the  Lord, — Grace, 
 mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you.  I  long  to  hear  how  your  soul  pros- 
 pereth,  and  how  the  kingdom  of  Christ  thriveth  in  you.  I  exhort 
 you  and  beseech  you,  in  the  bowels  of  Christ,  faint  not,  weary  not. 
 There  is  a  great  necessity  of  heaven  ;  ye  must  needs  have  it.  All 
 other  things,  as  houses,  lands,  children,  husband,  friends,  country, 
 credit,  health,  wealth,  honour,  may  be  wanted  ;  but  heaven  is  your 
 one  thing  necessary,  the  good  part  that  shall  not  be  taken  from 
 you.  See  that  ye  buy  the  field  where  the  pearl  is.  Sell  all,  and 
 make  a  purchase  of  salvation.  Think  it  not  easy,  for  it  is  a  steep 
 ascent  to  eternal  glory.  Many  are  lying  dead  by  the  way,  that 
 are  slain  with  security.  I  have  now  been  led  by  my  Lord  Jesus 
 to  such  a  nick  ^  in  Christianity  as  I  think  little  of  former  things. 
 0,  what  I  want !  I  want  so  many  things,  that  I  am  almost  asking 
 if  I  had  anything  at  all.  Every  man  thinketh  he  is  rich  enough 
 in  grace  till  he  take  out  his  purse  and  tell  his  money,  and  then  he 
 findeth  his  pack  but  poor  and  light  in  the  day  of  a  heavy  trial.  I 
 found  I  had  not  to  bear  my  expenses,  and  should  have  fainted  if 
 want  and  penury  had  not  chased  me  to  the  store-house  of  all.  I 
 beseech  you,  make  conscience  of  your  ways  ;  deal  kindly  and  with 
 conscience  with  your  tenants.  To  fill  a  breach,  or  a  hole,  make 
 not  a  greater  breach  in  the  conscience.  I  wish  plenty  of  love  to 
 your  soul.  Let  the  world  be  the  portion  of  bastards,  make  it  not 
 yours ;  after  the  last  trumpet  is  blown,  the  world  and  all  its  glory 
 will  be  like  an  old  house  that  is  burnt  to  ashes,  and  like  an  old 
 fallen  castle  without  a  roof.  Fie,  fie  upon  us  fools  who  think  our- 
 selves debtors  to  the  world.  My  Lord  hath  brought  me  to  this, 
 that  I  would  not  give  a  drink  of  cold  water  for  this  world's  kind- 
 ness. I  wonder  that  men  long  after,  love,  or  care  for  these 
 feathers.  It  is  almost  an  uncouth  world  to  me  to  think,  that  men 
 are  so  mad  as  to  block  ^  with  dead  earth.  To  give  out  conscience 
 and  to  get  in  clay  again  is  a  strange  bargain.  I  have  written  my 
 mind  at  length  to  your  husband.  Write  to  me  again  his  case,  I 
 cannot  forget  him  in  my  prayers  ;  I  am  looking,  Christ  hath  some 
 claim  to  him.  My  counsel  is,  that  ye  bear  with  him  when  passion 
 overtaketh  him,  "A  soft  answer  putteth  away  wrath  ;"  answer  him 
 in  what  he  speaketh,  and  apply  yourself  in  the  fear  of  God  to  him, 
 and  then  he  will  remove  a  pound-weight  of  your  heavy  cross  that 
 way,  and  so  it  shall  become  light.  When  Christ  hideth  Himself, 
 wait  on  and  make  din  ^  till  He  return,  it  is  not  time  then  to  be 
 carelessly  patient ;  I  love  it,  to  be  grieved  when  He  hideth  His 
 smiles  :  yet  believe  His  love  in  a  patient  on-waiting  and  believing 
 
 '  Point.  2  Uarter.  ^  Noise,  crying. 
 
LETTERS  CLXIX  AND  CLXX.  299 
 
 in  the  clarlc.  Ye  must  learn  to  swim  and  hold  up  your  head  above 
 the  Avater,  even  when  the  sense  of  His  presence  is  not  with  you  to 
 hold  up  your  chin.  I  trust  in  God,  He  shall  bring  your  ship  safe 
 to  land.  I  counsel  you,  study  sanctification,  and  to  be  dead  to 
 this  world  ;  urge  kindness  on  Knockbrex  ;  labour  to  benefit  by  his 
 company,  the  man  is  acquaint  with  Christ.  I  beg  the  help  of  your 
 prayers,  for  I  forget  not  you.  Counsel  your  husband  to  fulfil  my 
 joy,  and  to  seek  the  Lord's  face.  Show  him  from  me  that  my  joy 
 and  desire  is  to  hear  he  is  in  the  Lord ;  God  casteth  him  often  in 
 my  mind,  I  cannot  forget  him.  I  hope  Christ  and  he  have  some- 
 thing to  do  to2,ether.  Bless  John  from  me.  I  write  blessings  to 
 him,  and  to  your  husband,  and  to  the  rest  of  your  children.  Let 
 it  not  be  said  I  am  not  in  your  house  through  neglect  of  the  sab- 
 bath-exercise. 
 
 Your  lawful  and  loving  pastor,  in  his  only,  only  Lord,     S.  R. 
 
 Aberdeen,  Feb.  20,  1637.      
 
 LETTER  CLXIX.— To  Janet  M'Culloch. 
 
 Dear  Sister, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you.  I  long  to 
 hear  how  your  soul  prospereth.  I  am  as  well  as  a  prisoner  of 
 Christ  can  be,  feasted  and  made  fat  with  the  comforts  of  God. 
 Christ's  kisses  are  made  sweeter  to  my  soul  than  ever  they  were. 
 I  would  not  change  my  Master  with  all  the  kings  of  clay  upon  the 
 earth.  0,  my  Well-Beloved  is  altogether  lovely  and  loving.  I 
 care  not  what  flesh  can  do.  I  persuade  my  soul,  I  delivered  the 
 truth  of  Christ  to  you ;  slip  not  from  it,  for  no  boasts  ^  or  fear  of 
 men.  If  ye  go  against  the  truth  of  Christ  that  I  now  suflfer  for,  I 
 shall  bear  witness  against  you  in  the  day  of  Christ.  Sister,  fasten 
 your  grips  fast  on  Christ ;  follow  not  the  guises  of  this  sinful  world. 
 Let  not  this  clay-portion  of  earth  take  up  your  soul ;  it  is  the  por- 
 tion of  bastards,  and  ye  are  a  child  of  God ;  therefore,  seek  your 
 Father's  heritage.  Send  up  your  heart  to  see  the  dwelling-house 
 and  fair  rooms  in  the  new  city.  Fie,  fie  upon  these  who  cry  up 
 with  the  world  and  down  with  conscience  and  heaven.  We  have 
 bairns'  wits,  and  therefore  we  cannot  prize  Christ  aright.  Counsel 
 your  husband  and  mother  to  make  them  for  eternity ;  that  day  is 
 drawing  nigh.  Pray  for  me  the  prisoner  of  Christ;  I  cannot 
 forget  you.  Your  lawful  and  loving  pastor,         S,  E. 
 
 Aberdeen,  Feb.  20,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  CLXX.— To  my  Lord  Craighall. 
 
 My  Lord, — I  received  Mr.  L.'s  letter  with  your  lordship's,  and 
 his  learned  thoughts  in  the  matter  of  Ceremonies.     I  owe  respect 
 
 1  Threats. 
 
300  LETTKR  CLXX. 
 
 to  the  man's  learning,  for  that  I  hear  him  opposite  to  Arminian 
 heresies.  But  (with  reverence  of  that  worthy  man)  I  wonder  to 
 hear  such  popisli-like  expressions  as  he  hatli  in  his  letter,  as  : 
 Your  lordship  may  spare  doubtings,  when  the  Iving  and  church 
 have  agreed  in  the  settling  of  such  orders,  and  the  church's  direc- 
 tion in  things  indifferent  and  circumstantial  (as  if  indifferent  and 
 circumstantial  were  all  one)  should  he  the  rule  of  every  private 
 Christian.  I  only  viewed  the  papers  in  two  hours'  space,  the 
 bearer  hastening  me  to  write.  I  find  the  worthy  man  not  so  seen 
 in  this  controversy,  as  some  turbulent  men  of  our  country  (as  he 
 calleth  refusers  of  conformity).  And  let  me  say  it,  I  am  more 
 confirmed  in  nonconformity  when  I  see  such  a  great  wit  play  the 
 agent  so  slenderly ;  but  I  will  lay  the  blame  on  the  weakness  of 
 the  cause,  not  on  the  meanness  of  Mr.  L.'s  learning.  I  have  ever 
 been  and  still  am  confident  that  Britain  cannot  answer  one  argu- 
 ment a  scanclalo  !  and  I  longed  much  to  hear  Mr.  L.  speak  to  the 
 cause;  and  I  would  say,  if  some  ordinary  divine  had  answered  as 
 Mr.  L.  doeth,  that  he  understood  not  the  nature  of  a  scandal ;  but 
 I  dare  not  vilify  that  Avorthy  man  so.  I  am  now  npon  the  heat 
 of  some  other  employment,  but  I  shall,  God  willing,  answer  this 
 to  the  satisfying  of  any  not  prejudged.  I  will  not  say  that  every 
 one  is  acquaint  with  the  reason  in  my  letter,  from  God's  presence 
 and  bright  shining  face  in  suffering  for  this  cause.  Aristotle 
 never  knew  the  medium  of  the  conclusion ;  and  Christ  saith  few 
 know  it,  (See  Eev.  ii.  17.)  I  am  sure  a  conscience  standing  in 
 awe  of  the  Almighty,  and  fearing  to  make  a  little  hole  in  the 
 bottom  for  fear  of  under-water,  is  a  strong  medium  to  hold  off  an 
 erroneous  conclusion  in  the  least  wing  or  lith^  of  sweet,  sweet 
 truth,  that  concerneth  the  royal  prerogative  of  our  Kingly  and 
 highest  Lord  Jesus.  And  my  witness  is  in  heaven,  I  saw  neither 
 pleasure,  nor  profit,  nor  honour  to  hook  me  or  catch  me  in  enter- 
 ing in  prison  for  Christ,  but  the  wind  on  my  face  for  the  present : 
 and  if  I  had  loved  to  sleep  in  a  whole  skin  with  the  ease  and 
 present  delight  that  I  saw  on  this  side  of  sun  and  moon,  I  should 
 have  lived  at  ease,  in  good  hopes  to  fare  as  well  as  others.  The 
 Lord  knoweth,  I  preferred  preaching  of  Christ,  and  still  do,  to 
 anything  next  to  Christ  Himself,  and  their  new  canons  took  my 
 one,  my  one  joy  from  me,  which  was  to  me  as  the  poor  man's  one 
 eye  that  had  no  more  ;  and  alas,  there  is  little  lodging  in  their 
 heart  for  pity  or  mercy,  to  pluck  out  a  poor  man's  one  eye  for  a 
 thing  indifferent,  i.  e.,  for  knots  of  straws,  and  things  (as  they 
 mean)  off  the  way  to  heaven.  I  desire  not  that  my  name  take 
 journey  and  go  a  pilgrim  to  Cambridge,  for  fear  I  come  in  the  ears 
 of  authorit)^ :  I  am  sufficiently  burnt  already.     In  the  meantime, 
 
 1  Flake. 
 
LETTEE  CLXXI.  oOl 
 
 be  pleased  to  try  if  the  Bishop  of  St.  Andrews,  and  Glasgow, 
 Galloway's  ordinary,  will  be  pleased  to  abate  from  the  heat  of 
 their  wrath  and  let  me  go  to  my  charge.  Few  know  the  heart  of 
 a  prisoner,  yet  I  hope  the  Lord  shall  hew  His  own  glory  out  of  as 
 knotty  timber  as  I  am.  Keep  Christ,  my  dear  and  worthy  Lord: 
 pretended  paper-arguments  from  angering  the  mother-church,  that 
 can  reel,  and  nod,  and  stagger,  are  not  of  such  weight  as  peace 
 with  the  Father  and  Husband :  let  the  wife  gloom,  I  care  not,  if 
 the  Husband  laugh.  Eemember  my  service  to  my  lord  your 
 father,  and  mother,  and  your  lady.     Grace  be  with  you. 
 
 Yours,  at  all  obedience  in  Christ.         S.  li, 
 
 Aberdeen,  Jan.  24,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  CLXXL— To  his  Reverend  and  Dear  Brother,  Mr. 
 Robert  BLxiiR. 
 
 Reverend  and  dexIr  Brother, — The  reason  ye  gave  for  youi 
 not  writing  to  me  affecteth  me  much,  and  giveth  me  a  dash,  when 
 such  an  one  as  ye  conceive  an  opinion  of  me,  or  anything  in  me. 
 The  truth  is,  when  I  come  home  to  myself,  0  what  penury  do  I 
 find,  and  how  feckless^  is  my  supposed  stock,  and  how  little  have 
 I !  He  to  whom  I  am  as  crystal,  and  who  seeth  through  me,  and 
 perceiveth  the  least  mote  that  is  in  me,  knoweth  that  I  speak 
 what  I  think  and  am  convinced  of.  But  men  cast  me  through  a 
 gross  and  wide  sieve.  My  very  dear  brother,  the  room  of  the 
 least  of  all  saints  is  too  great  for  the  like  of  me.  But  lest  this 
 should  seem  art,  to  fetch  home  reputation,  I  speak  no  more  of  it : 
 it  is  my  worth  to  be  Christ's  ransomed  sinner  and  sick  one  :  His 
 relation  to  me  is,  that  I  am  sick,  and  He  is  the  Physician  of  whom 
 I  stand  in  need.  Alas!  how  often  play  I  fast  and  loose  with 
 Christ !  He  bindeth,  I  loose ;  He  buildeth,  I  cast  down  ;  He 
 trimmeth  up  a  salvation  for  me,  and  I  mar  it ;  I  cast  out-  with 
 Christ,  and  He  agreeth  with  me  again  twenty  times  a  day;  I  for- 
 feit my  kingdom  and  heritage.  I  lose  what  I  had ;  but  Christ  is 
 at  my  back,  and  following  on  to  stoop  and  take  up  what  falleth 
 from  me.  Were  I  in  heaven  and  had  the  crown  on  my  head,  if 
 free  will  were  my  tutor,  I  should  lose  heaven ;  seeing  I  lose  my- 
 self, what  wonder  I  should  let  go  and  lose  Jesus  my  Lord  1  0, 
 well  to  me  for  evermore  that  I  have  cracked  my  credit  witli  Christ 
 and  cannot  by  law  at  all  borrow  from  Him  upon  my  fecJcless  and 
 worthless  bond  and  faith!  for  my  faith  and  reputation  with  Christ 
 is,  that  I  am  a  creature  that  God  will  not  put  any  trust  into.  I 
 was  and  am  bewildered  with  temptations,  and  wanted  a  guide  to 
 heaven.     0,  what  have  I  to  say  of  that  excellent,  surpassing,  and 
 
 ^  Worthless.  '^  Quarrel. 
 
302  LETTEE  CLXXII. 
 
 super-eminent  tiling  they  call  "  The  grace  of  God,"  the  way  of  free 
 redemption  in  Christ !  And  when  poor,  poor  I,  dead  in  law,  was 
 sold,  fettered,  and  imprisoned  in  justice's  closest  ward,  Avhich  is 
 hell  and  damnation  ;  when  I,  a  wretched  one,  lighted  upon  noble 
 Jesus,  eternally  kind  Jesus,  tender-hearted  Jesus;  nay,  when  He 
 lighted  upon  me  first,  and  knew  me,  I  found  that  He  scorned  to 
 take  a  price,  or  anything  like  hire,  of  angels,  or  seraphims,  or  any 
 of  His  creatures ;  and  therefore,  I  would  praise  Him  for  this,  that 
 the  Avhole  army  of  the  redeemed  ones  sit  rent-free  in  heaven.  Our 
 holding  is  better  than  blench. ^  We  are  all  free-holders;  and  see- 
 ing our  eternal  feu-duty  is  but  thanks,  0  woeful  me,  that  I  have 
 but  spilt 2  thanks,  and  broken,  lame,  and  miscarried  praises  to  give 
 Him !  and  so  my  silver  is  not  good  and  current  with  Christ,  were 
 it  not  that  free  merits  have  stamped  it  and  washen  it  and  me  both  ! 
 And  for  my  silence,  I  see  somewhat  better  through  it  now,  If  my 
 high  and  lofty  One,  my  princely  and  royal  Master  say,  "  Hold, 
 hold  thy  peace,  I  lay  bonds  on  thee,  thou  speak  none,"  I  would 
 fiiin  be  content,  and  let  my  fire  be  smothered  under  ashes,  without 
 light  or  flame.  I  cannot  help  it.  I  take  laws  from  my  Lord,  but 
 I  give  none.  As  for  your  journey  to  F.,  ye  do  Avell  to  follow  it. 
 The  camp  is  Christ's  ordinary  bed.  A  carried  bed  is  kindly  to 
 the  Beloved,  down  in  this  lower  house.  It  may  be,  and  who 
 knoweth  but  our  Lord  hath  some  centurions  ye  are  sent  to?  See- 
 ing your  angry  mother  denieth  you  lodging  and  house-room  with 
 her,  Christ's  call  to  unknown  faces  must  be  your  second  wind, 
 seeing  ye  cannot  have  a  first.  0  that  our  Lord  would  water  again, 
 with  a  new  visit,  this  piece  withered,  and  dry  hill  of  our  widow 
 mount  Zion  !  My  dear  brother,  I  will  think  it  comfort  if  ye  speak 
 my  name  to  our  Well-Beloved  wherever  ye  are.  I  am  mindful  of 
 you.  0,  that  the  Lord  would  yet  make  the  light  of  the  moon  in 
 Scotland  like  the  light  of  the  sun,  and  the  light  of  the  sun  seven- 
 fold brighter.  For  myself,  as  yet  I  have  received  no  answer 
 whither  to  go :  I  wait  on.  0,  that  Jesus  had  my  love !  Let 
 matters  frame  as  they  list,  I  have  some  more  to  do  with  Christ ; 
 yet  I  would  fain  we  were  nearer.  Now,  the  great  Shepherd  of 
 the  sheep,  the  very  God  of  peace,  establish  and  confirm  you  till 
 the  day  of  His  coming. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  lovely  and  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S,  K. 
 Aberdeen,  Sept.  9,  1637.       
 
 LETTER  CLXXIL— To  the  Lady  Carleton. 
 
 Mistress, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you.    My  soul  longeth 
 once  again  to  be  amongst  you,  and  to  behold  that  beauty  of  the 
 ^  Holding  of  land  on  condition  of  doing  some  service  to  its  owner. 
 «  Spoiled. 
 
LETTER  CLXXII.  303 
 
 Lord  that  I  would  see  in  His  house.  But  I  know  not  if  He,  in 
 whose  hands  are  all  our  ways,  seeth  it  expedient  for  His  glory.  I 
 owe  my  Lord  (I  know)  submission  of  spirit,  suppose  he  should 
 turn  me  into  a  stone  or  pillar  of  salt.  0  that  I  were  he  in  whom 
 my  Lord  could  be  glorified ;  suppose  my  little  heaven  were  for- 
 feited to  buy  glory  to  Him  before  men  and  angels;  suppose  my 
 want  of  His  presence,  and  separation  from  Christ,  were  a  pillar  as 
 high  as  ten  heavens  for  Christ's  glory  to  stand  upon  above  all  the 
 world !  What  am  I  to  Him  1  How  little  am  I  (though  my 
 feathers  stood  out  as  broad  as  the  morning  light,  to  such  a  high, 
 to  such  a  lofty,  to  such  a  never-enough-admired  and  glorious 
 Lord  !  My  trials  are  heavy  because  of  my  sad  sabbaths ;  but  I 
 know  they  are  less  than  my  high  provocations.  I  seek  no  more 
 but  that  Christ  may  be  the  gainer,  and  I  the  loser;  that  He  may 
 be  raised  and  heightened,  and  I  cried  down,  and  my  worth  made 
 dust  before  His  glory.  0,  that  Scotland,  all  with  one  shout, 
 would  cry  up  Christ,  and  that  His  name  Avere  high  in  this  land ! 
 I  find  the  very  utmost  borders  of  Christ's  high  excellency  and  deep 
 sweetness  heaven  and  earth's  wonder.  0,  what  is  He,  if  I  could 
 win  in  to  see  His  inner  side !  0  !  I  am  run  dry  of  loving,  and 
 wondering,  and  adoring  of  that  greatest  and  most  admirable  One  ! 
 Woe,  woe  is  me,  I  have  not  half  love  for  him  !  Alas,  what  can 
 my  drop  do  to  his  great  sea !  What  gain  is  it  to  Christ  that  I 
 have  casten  my  little  sparkle  in  His  great  fire  !  What  can  I  give 
 to  Him  ■?  0,  that  I  had  love  to  fill  a  thousand  worlds,  that  I 
 might  empty  my  soul  of  it  all  upon  Christ !  I  think  I  have  now 
 just  reason  to  quit  my  part  of  any  hope  or  love  that  I  have  to  this 
 scum,  and  the  refuse  of  the  dross  of  God's  workmanship,  this  A^ain 
 earth.  I  owe  to  this  stormy  world  (whose  kindness  and  heart  to 
 me  hath  been  made  of  iron,  or  of  a  piece  of  a  Avild  sea-island  that 
 never  a  creature  of  God  yet  lodged  in)  not  a  look,  I  owe  it  no  loA^e, 
 no  hope,  and  therefore,  0,  if  my  love  were  dead  to  it,  and  my 
 soul  dead  to  it !  What  am  I  obliged  to  this  house  of  my  pilgrim- 
 age? A  straw  for  all  that  God  hath  made,  to  my  soul's  liking, 
 except  God  and  that  lovely  one  Jesus  Christ.  Seeing  I  am  not 
 this  world's  debtor,  I  desire  I  may  be  stripped  of  all  confidence  in 
 anything  but  my  Lord,  that  He  may  be  for  me,  and  I  for  my  only, 
 only,  only  Lord,  that  He  may  be  the  morning  and  evening-tide, 
 the  top  and  the  root  of  my  joys,  and  the  heart  and  flower  and 
 yolk  of  all  my  soul's  delights.  0,  let  me  never  lodge  any  creature 
 in  my  heart  and  confidence ;  let  the  house  be  for  Him.  I  rejoice 
 that  sad  days  cut  off  a  piece  of  the  lease  of  my  short  life ;  and 
 that  my  shadow  (even  Avhile  I  suffer)  weareth  long,  and  my  evening 
 hasteneth  on.  I  have  cause  to  love  home  Avith  all  my  heart,  and 
 to  take  the  opportunity  of  the  day  to  hasten  to  the  end  of  my 
 
804  LETTER  CLXXIII. 
 
 journey,  before  the  night  come  on,  wherein  a  man  cannot  see  to 
 walk  or  work ;  that  once  after  my  falls,  I  might  at  night  fall  in, 
 weary  and  tired  as  I  am,  in  Christ's  bosom,  and  betwixt  His 
 breasts.  Our  prison  cannot  be  our  best  country.  This  world 
 looketh  not  like  heaven,  and  the  happiness  that  our  tired  souls 
 would  be  at ;  and  therefore  it  were  good  to  seek  about  for  the 
 wind,  and  hoist  up  our  sails  towards  our  New  Jerusalem,  for  that 
 is  our  best.  Eemember  a  prisoner  to  Christ.  Grace,  grace  be 
 with  you.  Yours,  in  his  only  Lord  and  Master,         S.  K. 
 
 Aberdeen,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  CLXXIII.— To  my  Lord  Craigiiall. 
 
 My  Lord, — I  received  one  letter  of  your  lordship's  from  C, 
 and  another  of  late  from  A.  B.,  wherein  I  find  your  lordship  in 
 perplexity  what  to  do  :  but  let  me  entreat  j'-our  lordship  not  to 
 cause  yourself  mistake  truth  and  Christ,  because  they  seem  to 
 encounter  with  your  peace  and  ease.  My  lord,  remember  that  a 
 prisoner  hath  written  it  to  you ;  as  the  Lord  liveth,  if  ye  put  to 
 your  hand  with  other  apostates  in  this  land,  to  pull  down  the 
 sometime  beautiful  tabernacle  of  Christ  in  this  land,  and  join 
 hands  with  them  in  one  hair-breadth  to  welcome  Antichrist  to 
 Scotland,  there  is  wrath  gone  out  from  tlie  Lord  against  you  and 
 your  house.  If  the  terror  of  a  king  hath  overtaken  you,  and  your 
 lordship  looketh  to  sleep  in  your  nest  in  peace,  and  to  take  the 
 nearest  shore,  there  are  many  ways,  too,  too  many  ways,  how  to 
 shift  Christ  with  some  ill-washen  and  foul  distinctions ;  but  assure 
 yourself,  suppose  a  king  should  assure  you  he  would  be  your  God 
 (as  he  shall  never  be,  for  that  piece  of  service),  your  clay-god  shall 
 die,  and  your  carnal  counsellors,  when  your  conscience  shall  storm 
 against  you,  and  ye  complain  to  them,  they  will  say.  What  is 
 that  to  us  1  Believe  not  that  Christ  is  weak,  or  that  He  is  not 
 able  to  save :  of  two  fires  that  ye  cannot  pass,  take  the  least. 
 Some  few  years  will  bring  us  all  out  in  our  blacks  and  whites 
 before  our  Judge ;  eternity  is  nearer  to  you  than  ye  are  aware  of. 
 To  go  on  in  a  course  of  defection,  when  an  enlightened  conscience 
 is  stirring  and  looking  you  in  the  face,  and  crying  within  you, 
 that  ye  are  going  in  an  evil  way,  is  a  step  to  the  sin  against  the 
 Holy  Ghost.  Either  many  of  this  land  are  near  that  sin,  or  else  I 
 know  not  what  it  is.  And  if  this  for  which  I  now  suffer  be  not 
 the  way  of  peace  and  the  King's  highway  to  salvation,  I  believe 
 there  is  not  a  way  at  all :  there  is  not  such  breadth  and  elbow- 
 room  in  the  way  to  heaven  as  men  believe.  Howbeit  this  day  be 
 not  Christ's,  the  morrow  shall  be  His.  I  believe  assuredly  our 
 Lord  shall  repair  the  old  waste  places  and  His  ruined  house  in 
 
LETTEE  CLXXIII.  305 
 
 Scotland,  and  this  wilderness  shall  yet  blosson;  «ts  the  rose.  My 
 very  worthy  and  dear  lord,  wait  upon  Him  who  hideth  His  face 
 from  the  house  of  Jacob,  and  look  for  Him ;  wait  patiently  a 
 little  upon  the  Bridegroom's  return  again,  that  your  soul  may 
 live,  and  ye  may  rejoice  with  the  Lord's  inheritance.  I  dare 
 pawn  my  life  and  soul  for  it,  if  ye  take  this  sform  with  borne- 
 down  Christ,  your  sky  shall  quickly  clear,  and-  jour  fair  morning 
 dawn.  Think  (as  the  truth  is)  that  Christ  is  just  now  saying, 
 "And  will  ye  also  leave  me?"  Ye  have  a  fair  occasion  to  gratity 
 Christ  now,  if  ye  Avill  stay  with  Him,  and  want  the  night's  sleep 
 Avith  j^our  suffering  Saviour  one  hour.  Now,  when  Scotland  hath 
 fallen  asleep,  and  leaveth  Christ  to  fend^  for  Himself,  I  profess 
 myself  but  a  weak  feeble  man.  When  I  cam^R  first  to  Christ's 
 camp,  I  had  nothing  to  maintain  this  war,  or  {;0  bear  me  out  in 
 this  encounter,  and  I  am  little  better  yet ;  but  since  I  find  furni- 
 ture, armour,  and  strength  from  the  consecrated  Captain,  the 
 Prince  of  our  salvation,  who  was  perfected  through  suff'ering,  I 
 esteem  sufi"ering  for  Christ  a  king's  life.  I  find  that  our  wants 
 qualify  us  for  Christ ;  and  howbeit  your  lordship  write  ye  despair 
 jO  attain  to  such  a  communion  and  fellowship  (which  I  would  not 
 nave  you  to  think),  yet  would  ye  nobly  and  courageously  venture 
 to  make  over  to  Christ,  for  His  honour  now  lying  at  the  stake, 
 your  estate,  place,  and  honour.  He  would  lovingly  and  largely 
 requite  you,  and  give  you  a  king's  word  for  a  recompense.  Ven- 
 ture upon  Christ's  Come,  and  I  dare  swear  ye  shall  say,  as  it  is, 
 Ps.  xvi.  7;  "I  bless  the  Lord  who  gave  me  counsel.''  My  very 
 worthy  lord,  many  eyes  in  both  the  kingdoms  are  upon  you  now, 
 and  tlie  eye  of  our  Lord  is  upon  you ;  acquit  yourself  manfully 
 for  Christ.  Spill  ^  not  this  good  play.  Subscribe  a  blank  sub- 
 mission, and  put  it  in  Christ's  hands.  Win,  win  the  blessings  and 
 prayers  of  your  sighing  and  sorrowfid  mother-church  seeking  help. 
 Win  Christ's  bond  (who  is  a  King  of  His  word)  for  a  hundred-fold 
 more  even  in  this  life.  If  a  weak  man  hath  passed  a  promise  to  a 
 king  to  make  a  slip  to  ^  Christ  (if  we  look  to  flesh  and  blood  I 
 wonder  not  of  it,  possibly  I  might  have  done  worse  myself)  but 
 add  not  further  guiltiness  to  go  on  in  such  a  scandalous  and  foul 
 way.  Remember  that  there  is  a  woe,  woe  to  him  by  whom 
 offences  come.  This  woe  came  out  of  Christ's  mouth,  and  it  is 
 heavier  than  the  woe  of  the  law.  It  is  the  Mediator's  vengeance, 
 and  that  is  two  vengeances  to  those  that  are  enlightened.  Free 
 yourself  from  unlawful  anguish  about  advising  and  resolving. 
 When  the  truth  is  come  to  your  hand,  hold  it  fast,  go  not  again 
 to  make  a  new  search  and  inquiry  for  truth.  It  is  easy  to  cause 
 conscience  believe  as  ye  will,  not  as  ye  know.     It  is  easy  for  you 
 
 ^  Provide.  ^  Spoil.  5  gg  false  to. 
 
 U 
 
306  LETTER  CLXXIV. 
 
 to  cast  your  light  into  prison,  and  detain  God's  truth  in  unright- 
 eousness ;  but  that  prisoner  will  break  ward,  to  your  incomparable 
 torture.  Fear  your  light,  and  stand  in  awe  of  it ;  for  it  is  from 
 God.  Think  wliat  honour  it  is,  in  this  life  also,  to  be  enrolled  to 
 the  succeeding  ages  amongst  Christ's  witnesses,  standing  against 
 the  re-entry  of  Antichrist.  I  know  certainly  your  light  looking 
 to  two  ways,  and  to  the  two  sides,  crieth  shame  upon  the  course 
 that  they  would  counsel  you  to  follow.  The  way  that  is  halfer^ 
 and  compartner  with  the  smoke  of  this  fat  world  and  with  ease, 
 smelleth  strong  of  a  foul  and  false  way.  The  Prince  of  peace.  He 
 who  brought  again  from  the  dead  the  great  Shepherd  of  His 
 sheep,  by  the  blood  of  the  eternal  covenant,  establish  you,  and 
 give  you  sound  light,  and  counsel  you  to  follow  Christ.  Remem- 
 ber my  obliged  service  to  my  lord  your  father,  and  mother,  and 
 your  lady.  Grace  be  with  you.  Youp  lordship's  at  all  obliged 
 obedience,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  K 
 
 Aberdeen,  August  10,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  CLXXIV.— To  Jean  Gordon. 
 
 My  very  dear  and  loving  Sister,— Grace,  mercy,  and  peace 
 be  to  you.  I  long  to  hear  from  you.  I  exhort  you  to  set  up  the 
 brae  -  to  the  King's  city  that  must  be  taken  with  violence.  Your 
 afternoon's  sun  is  wearing  low.  Time  will  eat  up  your  frail  life, 
 like  a  worm  gnawing  at  the  root  of  a  May-floAver.  Lend  Christ 
 your  heart.  Set  Him  as  a  seal  there.  Take  Him  in  within,  and 
 let  the  world  and  children  stand  at  the  door ;  they  are  not  yours, 
 make  you  and  them  for  your  proper  owner,  Christ.  It  is  good 
 He  is  your  Husband  and  their  Father.  What  missing  can  there 
 be  of  a  dying  man,  when  (lod  filleth  his  chair  "?  Give  hours  of 
 the  day  to  prayer.  Fash  ^  Christ  (if  I  may  speak  so)  and  impor- 
 tune Him,  be  often  at  His  gate;  give  His  door  no  rest;  I  can 
 tell  you,  He  will  be  found.  0  what  sweet  fellowship  is  betwixt 
 Him  and  me  !  I  am  imprisoned,  but  He  is  not  imprisoned.  He 
 hath  shamed  me  with  His  kindness  ;  He  hath  come  to  my  prison, 
 and  run  away  with  my  heart  and  all  my  love.  Well  may  He 
 brook*  it :  I  wish  my  love  get  never  an  owner  but  Christ.  Fie, 
 fie  upon  all  lovers,  that  held  us  so  long  asunder !  we  shall  not 
 part  now.  He  and  I  shall  be  hard  before  He  win  out  of  my  grips : 
 I  resolve  to  wrestle  with  Christ  ere  I  quit  Him.  But  my  love  to 
 Him  hath  casten  my  soul  in  a  fever,  and  there  is  no  cooling  of  my 
 fever  till  I  get  real  possession  of  Christ.  0  strong,  strong  love  of 
 Jesus,  thou  hast  wounded  my  heart  with  thine  arrows  !     0  pain  ! 
 
 ^  Sharer.  -  Make  for  the  ascent. 
 
 2  Annoy.  *  Possess. 
 
LETTERS  CLXXV.  AND  CLXXVI.  307 
 
 0  pain  of  love  for  Christ !  who  will  help  me  to  praise  1  Let  me 
 have  your  prayers.     Grace  be  with  you. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S  R. 
 Aberdeen,  March  13,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  CLXXV.— To  Grissal  Fullerton. 
 
 Dear  Sister,—  I  exhort  you  in  the  Lord  to  seek  j^our  one 
 thing,  Mary's  good  part,  that  shall  not  be  taken  from  you.  Set 
 your  heart  and  soul  on  the  children's  inheritance.  This  clay-idol, 
 the  world,  is  but  for  bastards,  and  ye  are  his  lawful-begotten  child. 
 Learn  the  way  (as  your  dear  mother  hath  gone  before  you)  to 
 knock  at  Christ's  door.  Many  an  alms  of  mercy  hath  Christ  given 
 to  her,  and  hath  abundance  behind  to  give  to  you.  Ye  are  the 
 seed  of  the  faithful,  and  born  within  the  covenant — claim  your 
 right.    I  would  not  exchange  Christ  Jesus  for  ten  Avorlds  of  glory. 
 
 1  know  now  (blessed  be  my  Teacher)  how  to  shoot  the  lock  and 
 unbolt  my  Well-Beloved's  door,  and  He  maketli  a  poor  stranger 
 welcome  when  he  cometh  to  His  house.  I  am  swelled  up,  and 
 satisfied  Avith  the  love  of  Christ,  that  is  better  than  wine.  It  is  a 
 fire  in  my  soul ;  let  hell  and  the  world  cast  water  on  it,  they  will 
 not  mend  themselves.  I  have  now  gotten  the  right  gate^  of 
 Christ.  I  recommend  Him  to  you  above  all  things.  Come  and 
 find  the  smell  of  His  breath.  See  if  His  kisses  be  not  sweet. 
 He  desireth  no  better  than  to  be  much  made  of.  Be  homely  - 
 with  Him,  and  ye  shall  be  the  more  welcome.  Ye  know  not  how 
 fain  Christ  would  have  all  your  love.  Think  not  this  is  imagina- 
 tion's and  bairn's  play  we  make  din  ^  for.  I  would  not  suifer  for 
 it  if  it  were  so.  I  dare  pawn  my  heaven  for  it,  that  it  is  the  way 
 to  glory.  Think  much  of  truth,  and  abhor  these  ways  devised  by 
 men  in  God's  worship.     The  grace  of  Christ  be  with  you. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 
 Aberdeen,  March  14,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  CLXXVI.— To  Patrick  Carsen. 
 
 Dear  and  loving  Friend, — I  cannot  but,  upon  the  oppor- 
 tunity of  a  bearer,  exhort  you  to  resign  the  love  of  your  youth  to 
 Christ,  and,  in  this  day,  Avhile  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  Chris b.  And  ye  cannot  be 
 ignorant  but  your  day  will  end,  and  the  night  of  death  will  call 
 you  from  the  pleasures  of  this  life,  and  a  doom  given  out  in  death 
 standeth  for  ever,  as  long  as  God  liveth.  Youth  ordinarilj^  is  a 
 1  Way.  -  Familiar.  "'  Noise. 
 
308  LETTERS  CLXXVII.  AND  CLXXVIII. 
 
 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.  0,  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  eye-strings  shall  break,  and 
 your  face  wax  pale,  and  legs  and  arms  tremble,  and  your  breath 
 grow  cold,  and  your  poor  soul  look  out  at  your  prison-house  of 
 clay  to  be  set  at  liberty,  then  a  good  conscience,  and  your  Lord's 
 favour,  shall  be  worth  all  the  world's  glory.  Seek  it  as  your 
 garland  and  crown.     Grace  be  with  you. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,        S.  K. 
 Aberdeen,  March  14,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  CLXXVIL— To  John  Caiisen. 
 
 My  well-beloved  and  dear  Friend, — Every  one  seeketh  not 
 God,  and  far  fewer  find  Him,  because  they  seek  amiss.  He  is  to 
 be  sought  for  above  all  things,  if  men  would  find  what  they  seek. 
 Let  feathers  and  shadows  alone  to  children,  and  go  seek  your 
 Well-Beloved.  Your  only  errand  to  the  world  is,  to  woo  Christ; 
 therefore,  put  other  lovers  from  about  His  house,  and  let  Christ 
 have  all  your  love,  without  minching^  or  dividing  it.  It  is  little 
 enough,  if  there  Avere  more  of  it.  The  serving  of  the  world  and 
 sin  hath  but  a  base  reward,  and  smoke  instead  of  pleasures ;  and 
 but  a  night-dream,  for  true  ease  to  the  soul.  Go  where  ye  will, 
 your  soul  shall  not  sleep  sound  but  in  Christ's  bosom.  Come  in 
 to  Him,  and  lie  down,  and  rest  you  on  the  slain  Son  of  God,  and 
 inquire  for  Him.  I  sought  Him,  and  now  a  fig  for  all  the  worm- 
 eaten  pleasures  and  moth-eaten  glory  out  of  heaven,  since  I  have 
 found  Him,  and  in  Him  all  I  can  want  or  wish.  He  hath  made 
 me  a  king  over  the  world.  Princes  cannot  overcome  me.  Christ 
 hath  given  me  the  marriage-kiss,  and  He  hath  my  marriage-love ; 
 we  have  made  up  a  full  bargain,  that  shall  not  go  back  on  either 
 side.  0,  if  ye,  and  all  in  that  country,  knew  what  sweet  terms  of 
 mercy  are  betwixt  Him  and  me  !     Grace  be  with  you. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 
 
 Aberdeen,  March  11,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  CLXXVIH.~To  my  Lady  Boyd. 
 
 Madam, — I  would  have  written  to  your  ladyship  ere  now,  but 
 people's  believing  there  is  in  me  that  which  I  know  there  is  not, 
 hath  put  me  out  of  love  with  writing  to  any  ;  for  it  is  easy  to  put 
 religion  to  a  market  and  public  fair,  but  alas !  it  is  not  so  soon 
 
 •'  Mincing. 
 
LETTEli  CLXXVIII.  309 
 
 made  eye-sweet  for  Christ.  My  Lord  seeth  me  a  tired  man  far 
 behind.  I  liave  gotten  much  love  from  Christ,  but  I  give  Him 
 little  or  none  again.  My  white  side  cometh  out  in  paper  to  men, 
 but  at  home  and  within,  I  find  much  black  work,  and  great  cause 
 of  a  low  sail,  and  of  little  boasting  ;  and  yet,  howbeit  I  see  chal- 
 lenges to  be  true,  the  manner  of  the  tempter's  pressing  of  them  is 
 unhonest,  and,  in  my  own  thoughts,  knavish-like.  My  peace  is, 
 that  Christ  may  find  sale  and  outing  ^  of  His  wares,  in  the  like  of 
 me  ;  I  mean,  for  saving  grace.  I  wish  all  professors  to  fall  in  love 
 with  grace ;  all  our  songs  should  be  of  His  free  grace.  We  are 
 but  too  lazy  and  careless  in  seeking  of  it.  It  is  all  our  riches  we 
 have  here,  and  glory  in  the  bud.  I  wish  I  could  set  out  free 
 grace.  I  was  the  law's  man,  and  under  the  laAv,  and  under  a 
 curse  ;  but  grace  brought  me  from  under  that  hard  lord,  and  I 
 rejoice  that  I  am  grace's  freeholder.  I  pay  tribute  to  none  for 
 heaven,  seeing  my  land  and  heritage  holdeth  of  Christ,  my  new 
 King.  Infinite  wisdom  hath  devised  this  excellent  way  of  free- 
 holding  for  sinners  :  it  is  a  better  way  to  heaven  than  the  old 
 way  that  was  in  Adam's  days.  It  hath  this  fair  advantage,  that 
 ao  man's  emptiness  and  want  layetli  an  inhibition  upon  Christ  or 
 hindereth  His  salvation  (and  that  is  far  best  for  me) ;  but  oui 
 new  Landlord  putteth  the  names  of  dyvours  ^  and  Adam's  forlorn 
 heirs  and  beggars,  and  crooked  and  blind,  in  the  free  charters ; 
 heaven  and  angels  may  wonder  that  we  have  gotten  such  a  gate 
 of  2  sin  and  hell.  Such  a  back-entry  out  of  hell  as  Christ  made, 
 and  brought  out  the  captives  by,  is  more  than  my  poor  shallow 
 thoughts  can  comprehend.  I  would  think  sufferings  glory  (and  I 
 am  sometimes  not  far  from  it),  if  my  Lord  would  give  me  a  new 
 alms  of  free  grace.  I  hear  that  the  prelates  are  intending  banish- 
 ment for  me  ;  but  for  more  grace,  and  no  other  hire,  I  would 
 make  it  welcome.  The  bit  of  this  clay-house,  the  earth,  and  the 
 other  side  of  the  sea,  are  my  Father's.  If  my  sweet  Lord  Jesus 
 would  bud*  my  sufferings  with  a  new  measure  of  grace,  I  were  a 
 rich  man.  But  I  have  not  now  of  a  long  time  found  such  high 
 spring-tides  as  formerly.  The  sea  is  out,  and  the  wind  of  His 
 Spirit  calm,  and  I  cannot  buy  a  wind,  or  by  requesting  the  sea 
 cause  it  to  flow  again ;  only  I  wait  on,  upon  the  banks  and  shore- 
 side,  till  the  Lord  send  a  full  sea,  that  with  up-sails  I  may  lift  up 
 Christ.  Yet  sorrow  for  His  absence  is  sweet;  and  sighs,  with 
 "Saw  ye  Him  whom  my  soul  lovethT'  have  their  own  delights. 
 0  that  I  might  gather  hunger  against  His  long-looked-for  return  ! 
 Well  were  my  soul,  if  Christ  were  the  element,  mine  own  element, 
 and  that  I  loved  and  breathed  in  Him,  and  if  I  could  not  live 
 without  Him.     I  allow  not  laughter  upon  myself  when  He  is 
 
 ^  Disposal.  -  Debtor.?.  "  Ontlfct  from.  ^  Pay, 
 
310  LETTER  CLXXIX. 
 
 away;  yet  lie  never  leaveth  the  house  bat  He  leaveth  drink- 
 money  beliind  Him,  and  a  pawn  that  He  will  return.  AYoe,  woe 
 to  me,  if  He  should  go  away  and  take  all  His  flitting  ^  with  Him. 
 Even  to  dream  of  Him  is  sweet.  To  build  a  house  of  pining 
 wishes  for  His  return,  to  spin  out  a  web  of  sorrow,  and  care,  and 
 languishing,  and  sighs,  either  dry  or  wet,  as  they  may  be,  because 
 He  hath  no  leisure  (if  I  may  speak  so)  to  make  a  visit,  or  to  see  a 
 poor  friend,  sweeteneth  and  refresheth  the  thoughts  of  the  heart. 
 A  misty  dew  will  stand  for  rain  and  do  some  good,  and  keep  some 
 greenness  in  the  herbs  till  our  Lord's  clouds  rue^  upon  the  earth, 
 and  send  down  a  watering  of  rain.  Truly,  I  think  Christ's  misty 
 dew  a  welcome  message  from  heaven  till  my  Lord's  rain  fall. 
 Woe,  woe  is  me  for  the  Lord's  vineyard  in  Scotland.  Howbeit 
 the  father  of  the  house  embrace  a  child,  and  feed  him,  and  kiss 
 him,  yet  it  is  sorrow  and  sadness  to  the  children  that  our  poor 
 mother  hath  gotten  her  leave,  and  that  our  father  hath  given  up 
 house.  It  is  an  unheartsome  ^  thing  to  see  our  father  and  mother 
 agree  so  ill ;  yet  the  bastards,  if  they  be  fed,  cai-e  not.  0  Lord, 
 cast  not  water  on  Scotland's  smol\ing  coal.  It  is  a  strange  gate  * 
 the  saints  go  to  heaven  ;  our  enemies  often  eat  and  drink  us,  and 
 we  go  to  heaven  through  their  bellies  and  stomachs,  and  they 
 vomit  the  church  of  God  undigested  among  their  hands,  and  even 
 while  we  are  shut  up  in  prisons  by  them,  we  advance  on  ouj 
 journey.  Remember  my  service  to  my  lord,  your  kind  son,  who 
 was  kind  to  me  in  my  bonds,  and  was  not  ashamed  to  own  me.  I 
 would  be  glad  that  Christ  got  the  morning  service  of  his  life  now 
 in  his  young  years.  It  would  suit  him  well  to  give  Christ  his 
 young  and  green  love.  Christ's  stamp  and  seal  would  go  far 
 down  in  a  young  soul,  if  he  would  receive  the  thrust  of  Christ's 
 stamp.  I  would  desire  him  to  make  search  for  Christ,  for  nobles 
 now  are  but  dry  friends  to  Christ.  The  grace  of  God  our  Father, 
 and  the  good  will  of  Him  who  dwelt  in  the  bush,  be  with  your 
 ladyship.  Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  E. 
 
 AberdeeE,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  CLXXIX.— To  the  Lady  Cardonness,  Elder. 
 
 Worthy  and  well-beloved  in  the  Lord, — Grace,  mercy,  and 
 peace  be  to  you.  I  long  to  hear  from  you  in  paper,  that  I  may 
 know  how  your  soul  prospereth.  My  desire  and  longing  is,  to 
 hear  that  ye  walk  in  the  truth,  and  that  ye  are  content  to  follow 
 the  des])ised,  but  most  lovely  Son  of  God  :  I  cannot  but  recom- 
 mend Him  unto  you,  as  your  Husband,  your  Well-Beloved,  your 
 Portion,  your  Comfort,  and  your  Joy.  I  speak  this  of  that  lovely 
 ^  Furniture.  -  Take  pity.  ^  Unpleasant.  "*  Way. 
 
LETTER  CLXXIX.  311 
 
 One,  becanse  1  praise  and  commend  the  ford  (as  we  use  to  speak; 
 as  1  find  it.  He  hath  watered  with  His  sweet  comforts  an 
 oppressed  prisoner.  He  was  always  kind  to  my  soul ,  but  never 
 so  kind  as  now,  in  my  greatest  extremities.  I  dine  and  sup  with 
 Christ ;  He  visiteth  my  soul  with  the  visitations  of  love  in  the 
 night  watches.  I  persuade  my  soul  that  this  is  the  way  to 
 heaven,  and  His  own  truth  I  now  sufter  for.  I  exhort  you,  in  the 
 name  of  Christ,  to  continue  in  the  truth  which  I  delivered  to  you. 
 Make  Christ  sure  to  your  soul ;  for  your  day  draweth  nigh  to  an 
 end.  Many  slide  back  now,  who  seemed  to  be  Christ's  friends, 
 and  prove  dishonest  to  Him.  But  "  Be  ye  faithful  to  the  death, 
 and  ye  shall  have  the  crown  of  life."  This  span-length  of  your 
 days,  whereof  the  Spirit  of  God  speaketh  (Ps.  xxxix.),  will, 
 within  a  short  time,  come  to  a  finger-breadth,  and  at  length  to 
 nothing.  0,  how  sweet  and  comfortable  shall  the  feast  of  a  good 
 conscience  be  to  you,  when  your  eye-strings  shall  break,  your  face 
 wax  pale,  and  the  breath  turn  cold,  and  your  poor  soul  come 
 sighing  to  the  windows  of  the  bouse  of  day  of  your  dying  body, 
 and  shall  long  to  be  out,  and  to  have  the  jailor  to  open  the  door, 
 that  the  prisoner  may  be  set  at  liberty.  Ye  draw  nigh  the  water- 
 side. Look  your  accounts ;  ask  for  your  Guide  to  take  you  to  the 
 other  side  •  let  not  the  world  be  your  portion.  What  have  ye  to 
 do  with  dead  clay  1  Ye  are  not  a  bastard,  but  a  lawful-begotten 
 child :  therefore,  set  your  heart  on  the  inheritance.  Go  up 
 beforehand  and  see  your  lodging.  Look  through  all  your  Father's 
 rooms  in  heaven  ;  in  your  Father's  house  are  many  dwelling- 
 places.  Men  take  a  sight  of  lands  ere  they  buy  them.  I  know 
 Christ  hath  made  the  bargain  already  .  but  be  kind  to  the  house 
 ye  are  going  to,  and  see  it  often.  Set  your  heart  on  things  that 
 are  above,  where  Christ  is  at  the  right  hand  of  God.  Stir  up 
 your  husband  to  mind  his  own  country  at  home.  Counsel  him  to 
 deal  mercifully  with  the  poor  people  of  God  under  him  :  they  are 
 Christ's  and  not  his ;  therefore,  desire  him  to  show  them  merciful 
 dealing  and  kindness,  and  to  be  good  to  their  souls.  I  desire  you 
 to  Avrite  to  me.  It  may  be  that  my  parish  forget  me ,  but  my 
 witness  is  in  heaven,  I  do  not,  I  dow  ^  not  forget  them.  They 
 are  my  sighs  in  the  night,  and  my  tears  in  the  day.  I  think 
 myself  like  a  husband  plucked  from  the  wife  of  his  }-  '0+ 1.  0 
 Lord  be  my  Judge,  what  joy  it  would  be  to  my  soul  to  hear  that 
 my  ministry  hath  left  the  Son  of  God  among  them,  and  that  they 
 are  walking  in  Christ !  Eemember  my  love  to  your  son  and 
 daughter.  Desire  them  from  me  to  seek  the  Lord  in  their  youth, 
 and  to  give  Him  the  morning  of  their  days.  Acquaint  them  with 
 the  word  of  God  and  prayer.     Grace  be  with  you.     Pray  for  the 
 
 »Oan. 
 
312  LETTER  CLXXX. 
 
 prisoner  of  Christ.     In  my  heart  I  forget  you  not.     Your  lawful 
 and  loving  pastor,  in  his  only  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 
 
 Aberdeen,  March  6,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  CLXXX.— To  Mr.  James  Hamilton. 
 
 Reverend  and  dearly  beloved  in  our  Lord, — Grace,  mercy, 
 and  peace  be  to  you.  Our  acquaintance  is  neither  in  bodily 
 presence  nor  in  paper,  but  as  sons  of  the  same  Father,  and  sufferers 
 for  the  same  truth.  Let  no  man  doubt  but  the  state  of  our  ques- 
 tion, we  are  now  forced  to  stand  to,  by  sufiering  exile  and  impri- 
 sonment, is,  if  Jesus  should  reign  over  His  kirk  or  not  1  0,  if 
 my  sinful  arm  could  hold  the  crown  on  His  head,  howbeit  it 
 should  be  stricken  off  from  the  shoulder  blade.  For  your  ensuing 
 and  feared  trial,  my  very  dearest  in  our  Lord  Jesus,  alas !  what 
 am  I  to  speak  to  comfort  a  soldier  of  Christ,  who  hath  done  an 
 hundred  times  more  for  that  Avorthy  and  honourable  cause  than  I 
 can  do  ]  But  I  know,  those  whom  the  world  was  not  worthy  of, 
 wandered  up  and  down  in  deserts,  and  in  mountains,  and  in  dens, 
 and  caves  of  the  earth ;  and  that  while  there  is  one  member  of 
 mystical  Christ  out  of  heaven,  that  member  must  suffer  strokes. 
 till  our  Lord  Jesus  draw  in  that  memb&r  within  the  gates  of  the 
 New  Jerusalem,  which  He  Avill  not  fail  to  do  at  last ;  for  not  one 
 toe  or  finger  of  that  body  but  it  shall  be  taken  in  within  the  city. 
 What  can  be  our  part  in  this  pitched  battle  betwixt  the  Lamb  and 
 the  dragon,  but  to  receive  the  darts  in  patience,  that  rebound  of! 
 us  on  upon  our  sweet  Master ;  or  rather  light  first  upon  Him,  and 
 then  rebound  ofl  Him  upon  His  servants?  I  think  it  a  sweet 
 north  wind  that  bloweth  first  upon  the  fair  face  of  the  Chief 
 among  ten  thousand,  and  then  lighteth  upon  our  sinful  and  black 
 faces.  When  once  the  wind  bloweth  oft  Him  upon  me,  I  think  it 
 hath  a  sweet  smell  of  Christ,  and  so  must  be  some  more  than  a 
 single  cross.  I  know  ye  have  a  guard  about  you,  and  your  attend- 
 ance and  train  for  your  safety  is  far  beyond  your  pursuers'  force  or 
 fraud.  It  is  good  under  feud  to  be  near  our  war-house  ^  and 
 stronghold.  We  can  do  but  little  to  resist  them  who  persecute 
 us  and  oppose  Him,  but  keep  our  blood  and  our  wounds  to  the 
 next  court-da}^,  when  our  complaints  will  be  read.  If  this  day  be 
 not  Christ's,  I  am  sure  the  morrow  shall  be  His.  As  for  anything 
 I  do  in  my  bonds,  when  now  and  then  a  word  falleth  from  me, 
 alas,  it  is  very  little  !  I  am  exceedingly  grieved  that  any  should 
 conceive  anything  to  be  in  such  a  broken  and  empty  reed  :  let  no 
 man  impute  it  to  me,  that  the  free  and  unbought  wind  (for  I  gave 
 nothing  for  it)  bloweth  upon  an  empty  reed.     I  am  His  overbur- 
 
 ^  Armourv. 
 
LETTER  CLXXXI.  313 
 
 dened  debtor.  I  cry,  down  with  me,  down,  down  with  all  the 
 excellency  of  the  world,  and  up,  up  with  Christ.  Long,  long  may 
 that  fair  One,  that  holy  One  be  on  high.  My  curse  be  upon  them 
 that  love  Him  not.  0  how  glad  would  I  be  if  His  glory  would 
 grow  out  and  spring  up  out  of  my  bonds  and  sufferings !  Certainly, 
 since  I  became  His  prisoner,  He  hath  won  the  yolk  and  heart  of 
 my  soul.  Christ  is  even  become  a  new  Christ  to  me,  and  His 
 love  greener  than  it  was,  and  now  I  strive  no  moi-e  with  Him, 
 His  love  shall  carry  it  away.  I  lay  down  myself  under  His  love  : 
 I  desire  to  sing,  and  to  cry,  and  to  proclaim  myself,  even  under 
 the  water,  in  His  common,^  and  eternally  indebted  to  His  kind- 
 ness. I  will  not  offer  to  quit  commons  -  with  Him  (as  we  use  to 
 say),  for  that  will  not  be.  All,  all  for  evermore  be  Christ's. 
 What  farther  trials  are  before  me,  I  know  not;  but  I  know  Christ 
 will  have  a  saved  soul  of  me  over  on  the  other  side  of  the  water, 
 in  the  yonder  ^  side  of  crosses,  and  beyond  men's  wrongs.  I  had 
 but  one  eye,  and  that  they  have  put  out.  My  one  joy,  next  to  the 
 flower  of  my  joys,  Christ,  was  to  preach  my  sweetest,  sweetest 
 Master  and  the  glory  of  His  kingdom,  and  it  seemed  no  cruelty  to 
 them  to  put  out  the  poor  man's  one  eye.  And  now  I  am  seeking 
 about  to  see  if  suffering  Avill  speak  my  fair  One's  praises;  and  I  am 
 trying  if  a  dumb  man's  tongue  can  raise  one  note,  or  one  of 
 Zion's  springs,*  to  advance  my  Well-Beloved's  glory  0  if  He 
 would  make  some  glory  to  Himself  out  of  a  dumb  prisoner !  I  go 
 with  child  of  His  word,  I  cannot  be  delivered.  None  here  will 
 have  my  Master ;  alas  !  what  aileth  them  at  Him  1  I  bless  you 
 for  your  prayers,  add  to  them  praises.  As  I  am  able^  I  pay  you 
 home.  I  commend  your  diving  in  Christ's  Testament ;  I  would  I 
 could  set  out  the  dead  Man's  good-will  to  His  friends  in  His  sweet 
 Testament.  Speak  a  prisoner's  hearty  commendations  to  Christ : 
 fear  not,  your  ten  days  will  over.  These  that  are  gathered  against 
 Mount  Zion,  their  eyes  shall  melt  away  in  their  eye-holes,  and 
 their  tongues  consume  away  in  their  mouths,  and  Christ's  withered 
 garden  shall  grow  green  again  in  Scotland.  My  Lord  Jesus  hath 
 a  word  hid  in  heaven  for  Scotland,  not  yet  brought  out.  Grace 
 be  with  you.  Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 
 
 Aberdeen,  .July  7,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  CLXXXI— To  Mrs.  Stuart. 
 
 Mistress, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you.  I  am  sorry 
 that  ye  take  it  so  hardly  that  I  have  not  written  to  you.  I  am 
 judged  to  be  that  which  I  am  not.  I  fear  if  I  were  put  in  the  fire, 
 I  should  melt  away,  and  fall  down  in  sherds  of  painted  nature. 
 
 1  Debt.  «  Settle  accounts.  ^  Further.  *  Tunes. 
 
oil  LETTEK  CLXXXI. 
 
 For  truly  I  liave  little  stut!  at  home  tliat  is  worth  the  eye  of  God's 
 servants.  If  there  be  anything  of  Clirist's  in  me  (as  I  dare  not 
 deny  some  of  His  work),  it  is  but  a  spunk  ^  of  borrowed  fire,  that 
 can  scarce  warm  myself,  and  hath  little  heat  for  standers-by.  I 
 would  fain  have  that  which  ye  and  others  believe  I  have,  but  ye 
 are  only  witnesses  to  my  outer  side  and  to  some  words  in  paper. 
 
 0  that  He  would  give  me  more  than  paper-grace  or  tongue-grace  ! 
 Were  it  not  that  want  paineth  me,  I  should  have  skailed  ^  house 
 and  gone  a-begging  long  since ;  but  Christ  hath  left  me  with  some 
 hunger  that  is  more  hot  than  wise,  and  is  ready  often  to  say,  if 
 Christ  longed  for  me  as  I  do  for  Him,  we  should  not  be  long  in 
 meeting ;  and  if  He  loved  my  company  as  well  as  I  do  His,  even 
 while  I  am  writing  this  letter  to  you,  we  should  flee  in  ^  others'  * 
 arms.  But  I  know  there  is  more  will  than  wit  in  this  languor  and 
 pining  love  for  Christ ;  and  no  marvel,  for  Christ's  love  ^  would 
 have  hot  harvest  long  ere  midsummer  But  if  I  have  any  love  to 
 Him,  Christ  hath  both  love  to  me  and  wit  to  guide  His  love :  and 
 
 1  see  the  best  thing  I  have  hath  as  much  dross  beside  it,  as  might 
 curse  me  and  it  both  ;  and  if  it  were  for  no  more,  we  have  need  of 
 a  Saviour  to  pardon  the  very  faults  and  diseases,  and  weakness  of 
 the  new  man,  and  to  take  away  (to  say  so)  our  godly  sins,  or  the 
 sins  of  our  sanctification,  and  the  dross  and  scum  of  spiritual  love ; 
 woe,  woe  is  me  !  0  what  need  is  there  then  of  Christ's  calling  to 
 scour  and  cleanse,  and  wash  away  an  ugly  old  body  of  sin,  the  very 
 image  of  Satan  !  I  know  nothing  surer  than  that  there  is  an  office 
 for  Christ  among  us.  I  wish  for  no  other  heaven  on  this  side  of 
 the  last  sea  that  I  must  cross,  than  this  service  of  Christ,  to  make 
 my  blackness  beauty,  my  deadness  life,  my  guiltiness  sanctification. 
 I  long  much  for  that  day  when  I  will  be  holy.  0,  what  spots  are 
 yet  unwashen  !  0,  that  I  could  change  the  skin  of  the  leopard  and 
 the  moor,  and  niff"er^  it  with  some  of  Christ's  fairness  1  were  my 
 blackness  and  Christ's  beauty  carded  through  other^  (as  we  use  to 
 speak),  His  beauty  and  holiness  would  eat  up  my  filthin(!ss.  But 
 O,  I  have  not  casten  old  Adam's  hue  and  colour  yet !  I  troAv,  the 
 best  of  us  hath  a  smell  yet  of  the  old  loathsome  body  of  sin  and  guilti- 
 ness. Happy  are  they  for  evermore  who  can  employ  Christ,  and  set 
 His  blood  and  death  on  work,  to  make  clean  work  to  God  of  foul  souls. 
 I  know  it  is  our  sin,  that  we  would  have  sanctification  on  the  sunny 
 side  of  the  hill,  and  holiness  with  nothing  but  summer,  and  no 
 crosses  at  all.  Sin  hath  made  us  as  tender  as  if  we  were  made  of 
 paper  or  glass.  I  am  often  thinking,  Avliat  I  would  think  of  Christ 
 and  burning  quick  together,  of  Christ  and  torturing,  and  hot 
 melted  lead  poured  in  at  mouth  and  navel ;  yet  I  have  some  weak 
 
 ^  Tajjer.  -  Broken  up.  •*  Fly  into. 
 
 "*  Each  other's.  •'  Tliat  is,  love  to  Clirist.  '^  Exchange. 
 
LETTER  CLXXXII.  '^15 
 
 experience  (but  very  weak  indeed),  that  suppose  Christ  and  hell's 
 torments  were  married  together,  and  if  tliere  were  no  finding  of 
 Christ  at  all,  except  I  went  to  hell's  furnace,  that  there,  and  in  no 
 other  place,  I  could  meet  with  Him,  I  trow,  if  I  were  as  I  have 
 been  since  I  was  His  prisoner,  I  would  beg  lodging  for  God's  sake 
 in  hell's  hottest  furnace  that  I  might  rub  souls  Avith  Christ.  But, 
 God  be  thanked,  I  shall  find  him  in  a  better  lodging.  We  get 
 Christ  better-cheap  ^  than  so,  when  He  is  rouped  to  us,  we  get  Him 
 but  with  a  shower  of  summer-troubles  in  this  life,  as  sweet  and  as 
 soft  to  believers  as  a  May-dew.  I  would  have  you  and  myself 
 helping  Christ  mystical  to  weep  for  His  wife  :  and  0  that  we  could 
 mourn  for  Christ  buried  in  Scotland,  and  for  His  two  slain  witnesses 
 killed,  because  they  prophesied  !  If  we  could  so  importune  and 
 solicit  God,  our  buried  Lord  and  His  two  buried  witnesses  should 
 rise  again.  Earth,  and  clay,  and  stone  will  not  bear  down  Christ 
 and  the  Gospel  in  Scotland.  I  know  not  ir  I  will  see  the  second 
 Temple  and  the  glory  of  it ;  but  the  Lord  hath  deceived  me  if  it 
 be  not  to  be  reared  up  again.  I  would  wish  to  give  Christ  His 
 welcome-home  again.  My  blessing,  my  joy,  my  glory,  and  love 
 be  on  the  home-comer.^  I  find  no  better  use  of  suffering,  than 
 that  Christ's  Avinnowing  putteth  chaft  and  corn  in  the  saints  to 
 sundry  places,  and  discovereth  our  dross  from  His  gold,  so  as  cor- 
 ruption and  grace  are  so  seen,  that  Christ  saith  in  the  furnace, 
 "  'That  is  mine,  and  this  is  yours.  The  scum  and  the  grounds,  thy 
 stomach^  against  the  persecutors,  thy  impatience,  thy  unbelief,  thy 
 quarrelling,  these  are  thine.  And  faith,  on- waiting,  love,  joy, 
 courage,  are  mine."  0,  let  me  die  one  of  Christ's  on-waiters,  and 
 one  of  His  attendants :  I  know  your  heart  and  Christ  are  married 
 together,  it  were  not  good  to  make  a  divorce.  Eue  not  of  that 
 meeting  and  marriage  with  such  a  husband.  Pray  for  me,  His 
 prisoner.     Grace,  grace  be  with  you. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  U. 
 Aberdeen,  1637. 
 
 LETTER   CLXXXH.— To  Mr.  Hugh  M'Kaill. 
 
 Reverend  and  dear  Brother, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be 
 to  you.  I  received  your  letter,  I  bless  you  for  it.  My  dry  root 
 would  take  more  dew  and  summer-rain  than  it  getteth,  were  it  not 
 Christ  will  have  dryness  and  deadness  in  us  to  work  upon.  If 
 there  were  no  timber  to  work  upon,  art  would  die  and  never  be 
 seen.  I  see,  grace  hath  a  field  to  play  upon  and  to  course  up  and 
 down  in  our  wants,  so  that  I  am  often  thanking  God,  not  for 
 guiltiness,  but  for  guiltiness  for  Christ  to  whet  and  sharpen  His 
 ^  Cheaper.  -  Qu..  Home-coming?  ^'  Anger, 
 
316  LETTEK  CLXXXII. 
 
 grace  upon.  I  am  half  content  to  have  boils  for  my  Lord  Jesus's  plas- 
 ters. JSickness  hath  this  advantage,  that  it  draweth  our  sweet 
 Physician's  hand  and  His  holy  and  soft  fingei'S  to  touch  our  with- 
 ered and  leper  skins  :  it  is  a  blessed  fever  that  fetcheth  Christ  to 
 the  bedside.  I  think  my  Lord's,  "  How  dost  thou  with  it,  sick 
 body?"  is  worth  all  my  pained  nights.  Surely,  I  have  no  more  for 
 Christ,  but  emptiness  and  want ;  take  or  leave,  He  will  get  me  no 
 otherwise.  I  must  sell  myself,  and  my  wants  to  Him,  but  I  have 
 no  price  to  give  for  Him.  If  He  would  put  a  fair  and  a  real  seal 
 upon  His  love  to  me,  and  bestow  upon  me  a  larger  share  of  Christ's 
 love  (which  I  would  fainest  be  in  liands  with  of  anything,  I  except 
 not  heaven  itself),  I  should  go  on  sighing  and  singing  under  His 
 cross.  But  the  worst  is,  many  take  me  for  somebody,  because  the 
 wind  bloweth  upon  a  withered  prisoner ;  but  the  truth  is,  I  am 
 both  lean  and  thin  in  that  wherein  many  believe  I  abound,  I 
 would  (if  bartering  were  in  my  power)  niffer  ^  joy  with  Christ's 
 love  and  faith,  and  instead  of  the  hot  sunshine,  be  content  to  walk 
 under  a  cloudy  shadow,  with  more  grief  and  sadness,  to  have  more 
 faith  and  a  fair  occasion  of  setting  forth  and  commending  Christ, 
 and  to  make  that  lovely  One,  that  fair  One,  that  sweetest  and 
 dearest  Lord  Jesus,  market-sweet  for  many  ears  and  hearts  in 
 Scotland  :  and  if  it  were  in  my  power  to  roup  Christ  to  the  three 
 kingdoms,  and  withal  to  persuade  buyers  to  come,  and  to  take 
 such  sweet  wares  as  Christ,  I  would  think  to  have  many  sweet 
 bargains  betwixt  Christ  and  the  sons  of  men.  I  would  I  could  be 
 humble  and  go  with  a  low  sail.  I  would  I  had  desires  with  wings 
 and  running  upon  wheels,  swift,  and  active,  and  speedy,  in  longing 
 for  Christ's  honour.  But  I  know  my  Lord  is  as  wise  here,  as  I 
 do  2  be  thirsty,  and  infinitely  more  zealous  of  His  honour  than  I 
 can  be  hungered  for  the  manifestation  of  it  to  men  and  angels. 
 But,  0,  that  my  Lord  would  take  my  desires  off  my  hand,  and  add 
 a  thousand-fold  more  unto  them,  and  sow  spiritual  inclinations 
 upon  them,  for  the  coming  of  Christ's  kingdom  to  the  sons  of  men, 
 that  they  might  be  higher  and  deeper,  and  longer  and  broader ! 
 For  my  longest  measures  are  too  short  for  Christ,  my  depth  is  ebb, 
 and  the  breadth  of  my  affections  to  Christ  narrow  and  pinched. 
 0,  for  an  engine  ^  and  a  wit  to  prescribe  ways  to  men  how  Christ 
 might  be  all  in  all  the  world  !  Wit  is  here  behind  affection,  and 
 affection  behind  obligation.  0,  how  little  do  ^  I  give  to  Christ : 
 and  how  much  hath  He  given  me  !  0,  that  I  could  sing  grace's 
 praises,  and  love's  praises  !  seeing  I  was  like  a  fool,  soliciting  the 
 law,  and  making  moyen  *  to  the  law's  court  for  mercy,  and  found 
 challenges  that  way  ;  but  now  I  deny  that  judge's  power ;  for  I  am 
 grace's  man  ;  I  hold  not  worth  a  drink  of  water  of  the  law,  or  of 
 
 Exchange.  ^  Can.  ^  Genius.  ■*  Application. 
 
LETTER  CLXXXIII.  317 
 
 any  lord,  but  Jesus.  And  till  I  bethought  me  of  this,  I  was  slain 
 with  doubtings,  and  fears,  and  terrors.  I  praise  the  new  court, 
 and  the  new  Landlord,  and  the  new  salvation  purchased  in  Jesus 
 His  name,  and  at  His  instance.  Let  the  old  man,  if  he  please,  go 
 make  his  moan  to  the  law,  and  seek  acquaintance  there-away,  be- 
 cause he  is  condemned  in  that  court.  I  hope,  the  new  man,  and  I, 
 and  Christ  together  shall  not  be  heard :  and  this  is  the  more  soft  and 
 the  more  easy  way  for  me  and  for  my  cross  together.  Seeing  Christ 
 singeth  my  welcome  home,  and  taketh  me  in,  and  maketh  short 
 counts  and  short  work  of  reckoning  betwixt  me  and  my  judge,  I 
 must  be  Christ's  man,  and  His  tenant,  and  subject  to  His  court. 
 I  am  sure,  sufiering  for  Christ  could  not  be  borne  otherwise.  But 
 I  give  my  hand  and  my  faith  to  all  who  would  suffer  for  Christ ; 
 they  shall  be  well  handled,  and  fare  well  in  the  same  way,  that  I 
 have  found  the  cross  easy  and  light.     Grace  be  with  you. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  E. 
 Aberdeen,  July  8,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  CLXXXin.— To  Alexander  Gordon  of  Garlock. 
 
 Dear  Brother, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you.  If  Christ 
 were  as  I  am,  that  time  could  work  upon  Him  to  alter  Him,  or 
 that  the  morrow  could  be  a  new  day  to  Him,  or  bring  a  new  mind 
 upon  Him,  as  it  is  to  me  a  new  day,  I  could  not  keep  a  house  or 
 a  covenant  with  Him.  But  I  find  Christ  to  be  Christ,  and  that 
 He  is  far,  far,  even  infinite  heaven's  height  above  man.  And  that 
 is  all  our  happiness.  Sinners  can  do  nothing  but  make  wounds 
 that  Christ  may  heal  them ;  and  make  debts,  that  He  may  pay 
 them  ;  and  make  falls,  that  He  may  raiee  them  ;  and  make  deaths, 
 that  He  may  quicken  them  ;  and  spin  out  and  dig  hells  to  them- 
 selves, that  He  may  ransom  them.  Now  I  will  bless  the  Lord 
 that  ever  there  was  such  a  thing  as  the  free  grace  of  God,  and  a 
 free  ransom  given  for  sold  souls  :  only,  alas  guiltiness  maketh  me 
 ashamed  to  apply  Christ,  and  to  think  it  pride  in  me  to  put  out 
 my  unclean  and  withered  hand  to  such  a  Saviour  !  But  it  is  neither 
 shame  nor  pride  for  a  drowning  man  to  swim  to  a  rock,  nor  for  a 
 ship-broken  soul  to  run  himself  ashore  upon  Christ.  Suppose  once 
 I  be  guilty,  need-force  ^  I  cannot,  I  dow  -  not  go  by  ^  Christ.  We 
 take  in  good  pai't  that  pride,  that  beggars  beg  from  the  richer. 
 And  who  is  so  poor  as  we  1  and  who  is  so  rich  as  He  who  selleth 
 fine  gold?  Rev.  iii.  18.  I  see  then,  it  is  our  best  (let  guiltiness 
 plead  what  it  listeth)  that  we  have  no  mean  under  the  covering  of 
 heaven,  but  to  creep  m  lowly  and  submissively  with  our  wants  to 
 Christ.  I  have  also  cause  to  give  His  cross  a  good  name  and  re- 
 ^  Of  necessity.  "  Can.  "  Past. 
 
318  LETTEE  CLXXXIV, 
 
 port.  0,  how  worthy  is  Christ  of  my  feckless  ^  and  light  suffering, 
 and  how  hath  He  deserved  it  at  my  hands,  that  for  His  honour 
 and  glory  I  should  lay  my  back  under  seven  hells'  pain  in  one,  if 
 He  call  me  to  that.  But,  alas  '  my  soul  is  like  a  ship  run  on 
 ground  through  ebbness  of  water :  I  am  sanded,  and  my  love  is 
 sanded ;  I  find  not  how  to  bring  it  on  float  again ;  it  is  so  cold 
 and  dead,  that  I  see  not  how  to  bring  it  to  a  flame.  Fie,  fie  upon 
 the  meeting  that  my  love  hath  given  Christ ;  woe,  woe  is  me,  I 
 have  a  lover  Christ,  and  yet  I  want  love  for  Him.  I  have  a  lovely 
 and  desirable  Lord,  who  is  love-worthy,  and  who  beggeth  my  love 
 and  heart,  and  I  have  nothing  to  give  Him.  Dear  brother,  come 
 further  in  on  Christ,  and  see  a  new  treasure  in  Him  ;  come  in,  and 
 look  down,  and  see  angels'  wonder,  and  heaven  and  earth's  wonder 
 of  love,  sweetness,  majesty,  and  excellency  in  Him.  I  forget  you 
 not.  Pray  for  me,  that  our  Lord  would  be  pleased  to  send  me 
 among  you  again,  fraughted  -  and  full  of  (Jhrist.  Grace,  grace  be 
 with  you.  Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 
 
 Aberdeen,  1G37. 
 
 LETTER  CLXXXIV.— To  John  Bell,  Elder. 
 
 My  very  loving  Friend, — Grace,  mercy  and  peace  be  to  you. 
 I  have  very  often  and  long  expected  your  letter,  but  if  ye  be  well 
 in  soul  and  body  1  am  the  less  solicitous.  I  beseech  you  in  the 
 Lord  Jesus  to  mind  your  country  above ;  and  now  when  old  age, 
 the  twilight  going  before  the  darkness  of  the  grave,  and  the  falling 
 low  ot  your  sun  before  your  night,  is  now  come  upon  you,  advise 
 with  Christ,  ere  ye  put  your  foot  in  the  ship  and  turn  your  back 
 on  this  life.  j\lany  are  beguiled  with  this,  that  they  are  free  of 
 scandalous  and  crying  abominations  ;  but  the  tree  that  bringeth 
 not  forth  good  fruit  is  for  the  fire  :  the  man  that  is  not  born  again, 
 cannot  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God  ;  common  honesty  will  not 
 take  men  to  heaven.  Alas,  that  men  should  think  they  ever  met 
 with  Christ,  who  had  never  a  sick  night  through  the  terrors  of 
 God  in  their  soul,  or  a  sore  heart  for  sm.  I  know  the  Lord  hath 
 given  you  light  and  the  knowledge  of  His  will,  but  that  is  not  all, 
 neither  will  that  do  your  turn.  I  wish  you  an  awakened  soul,  and 
 that  ye  beguile  not  yourself  in  the  matter  of  your  salvation.  My 
 dear  brother,  search  yourself  with  the  candle  of  God,  and  try  if  the 
 life  of  God  and  Christ  be  in  you.  Salvation  is  not  casten  to  every 
 man's  door.  Many  are  carried  over  sea  and  land  to  a  far  country 
 in  a  ship  while-as  they  sleep  much  of  all  the  way  ;  but  men_are 
 not  landed  at  heaven  sleeping.  The  righteous  are  scarcely  saved : 
 and  many  ruli  as  fast  as  eitlier  ye  or  I,  who  miss  the  prize  and  the 
 ^  Worthless.  ^  Freighted, 
 
LETTEli  CLXXXV.  319 
 
 crown.  God  send  me  salvation,  :vnd  save  me  from  a  disappoint- 
 ment, and  I  seek  no  more.  Men  think  it  but  a  stride  or  a  step 
 over  to  heaven  ;  but  when  so  few  are  saved,  even  of  a  number 
 like  the  sand  of  the  sea,  but  a  handful  and  a  remnant  (as  God's 
 word  saith),  what  cause  have  we  to  shake  ourselves  out  of  our- 
 selves, and  to  ask  our  poor  soul.  Whither  goest  thou  1  where  shalt 
 thou  lodge  at  night  1  where  are  thy  charters  and  writs  of  thy 
 heavenly  inheritance  ?  I  have  known  a  man  turn  a  key  in  a  door 
 and  lock  it  by.^  Many  men  leap  over  (as  they  think)  and  leap  in. 
 0  see  !  see  that  ye  give  not  your  salvation  a  wrong  cast,  and  think 
 all  is  well,  and  leave  your  soul  loose  and  uncertain  :  look  to  your 
 building,  and  to  your  ground-stone,-  and  what  signs  of  Christ  are 
 in  you,  and  set  this  world  behind  your  back.  It  is  time  now  in 
 the  evening  to  cease  from  your  ordinary  work,  and  high  time  to 
 know  of  your  lodging  at  night.  It  is  your  salvation  that  is  in 
 dependence,  and  that  is  a  great  and  weighty  business,  though 
 many  make  light  of  the  matter.  Now,  the  Lord  enable  you  by 
 His  grace  to  work  it  out. 
 
 Your  lawful  and  loving  pastoi  S.  R. 
 
 Aberdeen,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  CLXXXV  —To  William  Gordon  of  Roberton. 
 
 Dear  Brother, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you.  So  often 
 as  I  think  on  our  case  in  our  soldier's  night-watch,  and  of  our 
 fighting-life  in  the  fields,  while  we  are  here,  I  am  forced  to  say, 
 prisoners  in  a  dungeon,  condemned  by  a  judge  to  want  the  light 
 of  the  sun,  and  moon,  and  candle,  till  their  dying  day,  are  no 
 more,  nay,  not  so  much  to  be  pitied  as  we  are ;  for  they  weary  of 
 their  life,  they  hate  their  prison  ;  but  we  fall  to  in  our  prison, 
 where  we  see  little,  to  drinlc  ourselves  drunk  with  the  night-plea 
 sures  of  our  weak  dreams,  and  we  long  for  no  better  life  than  this ; 
 but  at  the  blast  of  the  last  trumpet,  and  the  shout  of  the  arch- 
 angel, when  God  shall  take  down  the  shepherd's  tent  of  this 
 fading  world,  we  shall  not  have  so  much  as  a  drink  of  water  of  all 
 the  dreams  that  we  now  build  on.  Alas  !  that  the  sharp  and 
 bitter  blasts  on  face  and  sides,  which  meet  us  in  this  life,  have 
 not  learned  ^  us  mortification,  and  made  us  dead  to  this  world  ! 
 We  buy  our  own  sorrow,  and  we  pay  dear  for  it,  when  we  spend 
 out  our  love,  our  joy,  our  desires,  our  confidence,  upon  an  handful 
 of  snow  and  ice,  that  time  will  melt  away  to  nothing,  and  go 
 thirsty  out  of  the  drunken  inns  when  all  is  done.  Alas,  that  we 
 inquire  not  for  the  clear  fountain  ;  but  are  so  foolish  as  to  drink 
 foul,  muddy,  and  rotten  waters,  even  till  our  bed-time  ;  and  then 
 ^  Pa.sh.  -  Poundation-stone.  ^  Taught. 
 
320  LETTER  CLXXXV. 
 
 in  the  resurrection,  when  we  shall  be  awakened,  our  yesternight's 
 sour  drink  and  swinish  dregs  shall  rift  up  upon  us  !  and  sick,  sick 
 shall  many  a  soul  be  then,  I  know  no  wholesome  fountain  but 
 one.  I  know  not  a  thing  worth  the  buying  but  heaven.  And  my 
 own  mind  is,  if  comparison  were  made  betwixt  Christ  and  heaven, 
 I  would  sell  heaven  with  my  blessing  ^  and  buy  Christ.  0,  if  I 
 could  raise  the  market  for  Christ,  and  heighten  the  market  a  pound 
 for  a  penny,  and  cry  up  Christ  in  men's  estimation  ten  thousand 
 talents  more  than  men  think  of  Him  !  But  they  are  shaping  Him, 
 and  crying  Him  down,  and  valuing  Him  at  their  unworthy  half- 
 penny ;  or  else  exchanging  and  bartering  Christ  ■with  the  miser- 
 able old  fallen  house  of  this  vain  world,  or  then  ^  they  lend  Him 
 out  upon  interest,  and  play  the  usurers  with  Christ ;  because  they 
 profess  Him,  and  give  out  before  men  that  Christ  is  their  treasure 
 and  stock,  and  in  the  meantime,  praise  of  men,  and  a  name,  and 
 ease,  and  the  summer-sun  of  the  Gosj)el,  is  the  usury  they  would 
 be  at ;  so  when  the  trial  cometh,  they  quit  the  stock  for  the  in- 
 terest, and  lose  all.  Happy  are  they  who  can  keep  Christ  by 
 Himself  alone,  and  keep  Him  clean  and  whole  till  God  come  and 
 count  with  them.  I  know  in  your  hard  and  heavy  ti'ials  long 
 since,  ye  thought  well  and  highly  of  Christ ;  but  truly  no  cross 
 should  be  old  to  us.  We  should  not  forget  them  because  years 
 are  come  betwixt  us  and  them,  and  cast  them  by-hand  ^  as  we  do 
 old  clothes.  We  may  make  a  cross  old  in  time,  new  in  use,  and 
 as  fruitful  as  in  the  beginning  of  it.  God  is  where  and  what  He 
 was  seven  years  ago,  whatever  change  be  in  us  :  I  speak  not  this, 
 as  if  I  thought  ye  had  forgotten  what  God  did  to  have  your  love 
 long  since ;  but  that  ye  may  awake  yourself  in  this  sleepy  age, 
 and  remember  fruitfully  of  Christ's  first  wooing  and  suiting*  of 
 your  love  both  with  fire  and  water,  and  try  if  He  got  His  answer; 
 or  if  ye  be  yet  to  give  Him  it.  For  I  find  in  myself  that  water 
 runneth  not  faster  through  a  sieve  than  our  warnings  slip  from  us ; 
 for  I  have  lost  and  casten  by-hands  ^  many  summonses  the  Lord 
 sent  to  me,  and  therefore  the  Lord  hath  given  me  double  charges, 
 that,  I  trust  in  God,  shall  not  rive  ^  me.  I  bless  His  great  name 
 who  is  no  niggard  in  holding  in  crosses  upon  me,  but  spendeth 
 largely  His  rods,  that  He  may  save  me  from  this  perishing  world. 
 How  plentiful  God  is  in  means  of  this  kind  is  esteemed  by  many 
 one  of  God's  unkind  mercies ;  but  Christ's  cross  is  neither  a  cruel 
 nor  unkind  mercy,  but  the  love-token  of  a  Father.  I  am  sure,  a 
 lover  chasing  us  for  our  well,''  and  to  have  our  love,  should  not  be 
 run  away  from  or  fled  from.  God  send  me  no  worse  mercy  than 
 the  sanctified  cross  of  Christ  portendeth,  and  I  am  sure  I  should 
 be  happy  and  blest.  Pray  for  me  that  I  may  find  house-room  in 
 ^  Cheei'fuUy.         "  Else.         ^  Aside.  •*  Suin}^.  ^  Eend.  ^  Good. 
 
LETTER  CLXXXVI,  321 
 
 the  Lord's  house  to  speak  in  His  name.     Remember  my  dearest 
 love  in  Christ  to  your  wife.     Grace,  grace  be  Avith  you. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 
 Aberdeen,  1636. 
 
 LETTER  CLXXXVL— To  my  Lady  Boyd. 
 
 Madam, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  from  God  our  Father,  and 
 from  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  be  multiplied  upon  you.  I  have 
 reasoned  with  your  son  at  large.  I  rejoice  to  see  him  set  his  face 
 in  the  right  airt,^  now  when  the  nobles  love  the  sunny  side  of  the 
 Gospel  best,  and  are  afraid  that  Christ  wants  soldiers,  and  shall 
 not  be  able  to  do  for  Himself.  Madam,  our  debts  of  obligation  to 
 Christ  are  not  small ;  the  freedom  of  grace  and  salvation  is  the 
 wonder  of  man  and  angels,  but  mercy  in  our  Lord  scorneth  hire. 
 Ye  are  bound  to  lift  Christ  on  high,  who  hath  given  you  eyes  to 
 discern  the  devil  now  coming  out  in  his  whites,  and  the  idolatry 
 and  apostasy  of  the  time,  well  washen  with  fair  pretences ;  but 
 the  sin  is  black,  and  the  water  foul.  It  were  art,  I  confess,  to 
 wash  a  black  devil  and  make  him  white.  I  am  in  strange  ups  and 
 downs,  and  seven  times,  a  day  I  lose  ground.  I  am  put  often  to 
 swimming,  and  again  my  feet  are  set  on  the  Rock  that  is  higher 
 than  myself.  He  hath  now  let  me  see  four  things  I  never  saw 
 before.  L  The  supper  will  be  great  cheer  that  is  up  in  the  great 
 hall  with  the  royal  King  of  glory,  when  the  four-hours,a  the  stand- 
 ing-drink, in  this  driery^  wilderness,  is  so  sweet.  "When  He 
 bloweth  a  kiss  afar  off  to  His  poor  heart-broken  mourners  in  Zion, 
 and  sendeth  me  but  His  hearty  commendations  till  we  meet,  I  am 
 confounded  with  wonder  to  think  what  it  shall  be  when  the  fairest 
 among  the  sons  of  men  shall  lay  a  King's  sweet  soft  cheek  to  the 
 sinful  cheeks  of  poor  sinners.  0  time,  time,  go  swiftly  and  hasten 
 that  day  !  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  post,  come  flying  like  a  young  hart  or 
 a  roe  upon  the  mountains  of  separation.  I  think  we  should  tell 
 the  hours  carefully,  and  look  often  how  low  the  sun  is.  For  love 
 hath  no  Ho,^  it  is  pained,  pained  in  itself,  till  it  come  in  grips  witji 
 the  party  beloved.  2.  I  find  Christ's  absence  love's  sickness  and 
 love's  death.  The  wind  that  bloweth  out  of  the  airt  ^  where  my 
 Lord  Jesus  reigneth,  is  sweet-smelled,  soft,  joyful,  and  heartsome^ 
 to  a  soul  burnt  with  absence.  It  is  a  painful  battle  for  a  soul  sick 
 of  love  to  fight  with  absence  and  delays.  Christ's  "■  not  yet,"  is  a 
 stounding^  of  all  the  joints  and  liths''^  of  the  soul;  a  nod  of  His 
 head,  when  He  is  under  a  mask,  would  be  half  a  pawn ;  to  say, 
 "  Fool,  what  aileth  thee  ?     He  is  coming,"  would  be  life  to  a  dead 
 
 ^  Direction.  ^  A  slight  meal  taken  at  four  o'clock.  ^  Dreary. 
 
 *  Arrest.  'Comfortable.  ®  Aching.  Tolds. 
 
322  LETTER  CLXXXVI. 
 
 man.  I  am  often  in  my  dumb  sabbaths  seeking  a  new  plea  witli 
 my  Lord  Jesus,  God  forgive  me,  and  I  care  not,  if  there  be  not 
 two  or  three  ounce-weight  of  black  wrath  in  my  cup.  3.  For  the 
 third  thing,  I  have  seen  my  abominable  vileness.  If  I  were  well 
 known,  there  would  none  in  this  kingdom  ask  how  I  do.  Men 
 take  my  ten  to  be  an  hundred,  but  I  am  a  deeper  hypocrite  and 
 shallower  professor  than  every  one  believeth,  God  knoweth  I  feign 
 not.  But  I  think  my  reckonings  on  the  one  page  written  in  great 
 letters,  and  His  mercy  to  such  a  forlorn  and  wretched  dyvour  ^  on 
 the  other,  more  than  a  miracle.  If  I  could  get  my  finger  ends 
 upon  a  full  assurance,  I  trow,  I  should  grip  fast.  But  my  cup 
 wanteth  not  gall,  and  upon  my  part  despair  might  be  almost  ex- 
 cused, if  every  one  in  this  land  saw  my  inner  side.  But  I  know  I 
 am  one  of  them  who  have  made  great  sale  and  a  free  market  to 
 free  grace.  If  I  could  be  saved,  as  I  would  fain  believe,  sure  I 
 am  I  have  given  Christ's  blood.  His  free  grace,  and  the  bowels  of 
 His  mercy,  a  large  field  to  work  upon,  and  Christ  hath  manifested 
 His  art  (I  dare  not  say  to  the  uttermost :  for  He  can,  if  He  would, 
 forgive  all  the  devils  and  damned  reprobates  in  respect  of  the 
 wideness  of  His  mercy),  I  say,  to  an  admirable  degree.  4.  I  am 
 stricken  with  fear  of  unthankfulness.  This  apostate  kirk  hath 
 played  the  harlot  with  many  lovers ;  they  are  spitting  in  the  face 
 of  my  lovely  King  and  mocking  Him,  and  I  dow^  not  mend  it; 
 and  they  are  running  away  from  Christ  in  troops,  and  I  dow^  not 
 mourn  and  be  grieved  for  it.  I  think  Christ  lieth,  like  an  old 
 forecasten  ^  castle,  forsaken  of  the  inhabitants  :  all  men  run  away 
 now  from  Him.  Truth,  innocent  truth,  goeth  mourning  and 
 wringing  her  hands  in  sackcloth  and  ashes.  Woe,  woe,  woe  is 
 me,  for  the  virgin  daughter  of  Scotland.  Woe,  woe  to  the  inhabi- 
 tants of  this  land,  for  they  are  gone  back  with  a  perpetual  back- 
 sliding. These  things  take  me  so  up,  that  a  borrowed  bed,  an- 
 other man's  fireside,  the  wind  upon  my  face  (I  being  driven  from 
 my  lovers,  and  dear  acquaintance,  and  my  poor  flock),  find  no 
 room  in  my  sorrow :  I  have  no  spare  or  odd  sorrow  for  these. 
 Only  I  think  the  sparrows  and  swallows,  that  build  their  nests  in 
 the  kirk  of  Anwoth,  blessed  birds.  Nothing  hath  given  my  faith 
 a  harder  back-set,  till  it  crack  again,  than  my  closed  mouth ;  but 
 let  me  be  miserable  myself  alone,  God  keep  my  dear  brethren  from 
 it.  But  still  I  keep  breath,  and  when  my  royal  and  never,  never- 
 enough-praised  King  returneth  to  His  sinful  prisoner,  I  ride  upon 
 the  high  places  of  Jacob,  I  divide  Shechem,  I  triumph  in  His 
 strength.  If  this  kingdom  would  glorify  the  Lord  in  my  behalf, 
 I  desire  to  be  weighed  in  God's  even  balance  in  this  point ;  if  I 
 think  not  my  wages  paid  to  the  full,  I  shall  crave  no  more  hire  of 
 ^  Debtor.  *  Can.  ^  Abandoned. 
 
LETTERS  CLXXXVII.  AND  CLXXXVIII.  323 
 
 Christ.  Madam,  pity  me  in  this,  and  help  me  to  praise  ilim.  For 
 whatever  I  be  the  chief  of  sinners,  a  devil,  and  a  most  guilty 
 devil,  yet  it  is  the  apple  of  Christ's  eye,  His  honour  and  glory  as 
 the  head  of  the  church,  that  I  suffer  for  now,  and  that  I  will  go 
 to  eternity  with.  I  am  greatly  in  love  with  Mr.  M.  M.  :  I  see 
 him  stamped  with  the  image  of  God.  I  hope  well  of  your  son,  my 
 Lord  Boyd.  Your  ladyship  and  your  children  have  a  prisoner',s 
 prayers.     Grace,  grace  be  with  you. 
 
 Your  ladyship's,  at  all  obedience  in  Christ,         S.  K. 
 Aberdeen,  May  1,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  CLXXXVIL— To  Mr.  Thomas  Garven. 
 
 Dear  Brother, —  Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you,  I  rejoice 
 that  ye  cannot  be  quit  of  Christ  (if  I  may  speak  so),  but  He  must. 
 He  will  have  you.  Betake  yourself  to  Christ,  my  dear  brother. 
 It  is  a  great  business  to  make  quit  of  superfluities,  and  ot  those 
 things  which  Christ  cannot  dwell  with.  I  am  content  with  my 
 own  cross,  that  Christ  hath  made  mine  by  an  eternal  lot,  because 
 it  is  Christ's  and  mine  together.  I  marvel  not  that  winter  is  with- 
 out heaven,  for  there  is  no  winter  within  it.  All  the  saints,  there- 
 fore, have  their  own  measure  of  winter  before  their  eternal  summer. 
 0 !  for  the  long  day,  and  the  high  sun,  and  the  fair  garden,  and 
 the  King's  great  city  up  above  these  visible  heavens !  What  God 
 layeth  on,  let  us  suffer :  for  some  have  one  cross,  some  seven,  some 
 ten,  some  half  a  cross — yet  all  the  saints  have  whole  and  full  joy, 
 and  seven  crosses  have  seven  joys  Christ  is  cumbered  with  ^le 
 (to  speak  so)  and  my  cross,  but  He  falleth  not  off  me,  we  are  not 
 at  variance.  I  find  the  very  glooms  of  Christ's  wooing  a  soul, 
 sweet  and  lovely.  I  had  rather  have  Christ's  buffet  and  love-stroke 
 than  another  king's  kiss.  Speak  evil  of  Christ  who  will,  I  hope  to 
 die  with  love-thoughts  of  Him.  0,  that  there  are  so  few  tongues 
 in  heaven  and  earth  to  extol  Him  !  I  wish  His  praises  go  not  down 
 amongst  us.  Let  not  Christ  be  low  and  lightly  esteemed  in  the 
 midst  of  us  ;  but  let  all  hearts  and  all  tongues  cast  in  their  portion, 
 and  contribute  something  to  make  Him  great  in  Mount  Zion. 
 Thus  recommending  you  to  His  grace,  and  remembering  my  love 
 to  your  wife  and  mother,  and  your  kind  brother  R.,  and  entreating 
 you  to  remember  my  bonds,  I  rest. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,        S.  R. 
 
 Aberdeen,  Sept.  8, 1637. 
 
 LETTER  CLXXXVin.— To  the  Laird  of  Mo.\criefe. 
 
 Much  honoured  Sir, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you. 
 Although  not  acquaint,  yet  at  the  desire  of  your  worthy  sister,  the 
 
324  LETTER  CLXXXVIII, 
 
 Lady  Leys,  and  upon  the  reijort  of  your  kindness  to  Christ  and 
 His  oppressed  truth,  I  am  bold  to  write  to  you,  earnestly  desiring 
 you  to  join  with  us  (so  many  as  in  these  bounds  profess  Christ),  to 
 wrestle  with  God,  one  day  of  the  week  (especially  the  Wednesday), 
 for  mercy  to  this  fallen  and  decayed  kirk,  and  to  such  as  suffer  for 
 Christ's  name  ;  and  for  your  own  necessities,  and  the  necessities  of 
 others  who  are  by  covenant  engaged  in  that  business  ;  for  we  have 
 no  other  armour  in  these  evil  times  but  prayers,  now  when  wrath 
 from  the  Lord  is  gone  out  against  this  backsliding  land.  For  ye 
 know  we  can  have  no  true  public  fasts,  neither  are  the  true  causes 
 of  our  humiliation  ever  laid  before  the  people.  Now,  very  worthy 
 sir,  I  am  glad  in  the  Lord,  that  the  Lord  reserve th  any  of  your 
 place,  or  of  note,  in  this  time  of  common  apostasy,  to  come  forth 
 in  public  to  bear  Christ's  name  before  men,  when  the  great  men 
 think  Christ  a  cumbersome  neighbour,  and  that  religion  carrieth 
 hazards,  trials,  and  persecutions  with  it.  I  persuade  myself  it  is 
 your  glory  and  your  garland,  and  shall  be  your  joy  in  the  day  of 
 Christ,  and  the  standing  of  your  house  and  seed  to  inherit  the 
 earth,  that  ye  truly  and  sincerely  profess  Christ.  Neither  is  our 
 Kiug,  whom  the  Father  hath  crowned  in  Mount  Zion,  so  weak, 
 that  He  cannot  do  for  Himself  and  His  own  cause.  I  verily 
 believe  they  are  blessed  who  can  hold  the  crown  upon  His  head, 
 and  carry  up  the  train  of  His  robe-royal,  and  that  He  shall  yet  be 
 victorious  and  triumph  in  this  land.  It  is  our  part  to  back  our 
 royal  King,  howbeit  there  were  not  six  in  the  land  to  follow  Him. 
 It  is  wisdom  now  to  take  up  and  discern  the  devil  and  the  Anti- 
 christ coming  out  in  their  whites,  and  tbe  apostasy  and  idolatry  of 
 this  land,  washen  with  foul  water :  I  confess  it  is  art  to  wash  the 
 devil  till  his  skin  be  white.  For  myself,  sir,  I  have  bought  a  plea 
 against  Christ  since  I  came  hither,  in  judging  my  princely  Master 
 angry  at  me,  because  I  was  cast  out  of  the  vineyard  as  a  withered 
 tree,  my  dumb  sabbaths  working  me  much  sorrow.  But  I  see  now, 
 sorrow  hath  not  eyes  to  read  love  written  upon  the  cross  of  Christ, 
 and  therefore  I  pass  from  my  rash  plea.  Woe,  woe  is  me  that  I 
 should  have  received  a  slander  of  Christ's  love  to  my  soul ;  and 
 for  all  this,  my  Lord  Jesus  hath  foi'given  all,  as  not  willing  to  be 
 heard  with  such  a  fool,  and  is  content  to  be,  as  it  were,  confined 
 with  me,  and  to  bear  me  company,  and  to  feast  a  poor  oppressed 
 prisoner.  And  now  I  write  it  under  my  hand,  worthy  sir,  that  I 
 think  well  and  honourably  of  this  cross  of  Christ.  I  wonder  that 
 He  will  take  any  glory  from  the  like  of  me.  I  find  that  when  He 
 but  sendeth  His  hearty  commendations  to  me,  and  but  bloweth  a 
 kiss  afar  off,  I  am  confounded  with  wondering  what  the  supper  of 
 the  Lamb  will  be,  up  in  our  Father's  dining-palace  of  glory,  since 
 
LETTER  CLXXXIX,  325 
 
 the  four-hours^  in  this  dismal  wilderness,  and  when  in  prisons,  and 
 in  our  sad  days,  a  kiss  of  Christ  is  so  comfortable.  0,  how  sweet 
 and  glorious  shall  our  case  be,  when  that  fairest  among  the  sons  of 
 men  shall  lay  His  fair  face  to  our  now  sinful  faces,  and  wipe  away 
 all  tears  from  our  eyes  !  0,  time,  time,  run  swiftly  and  hasten 
 that  day  !  0,  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  come  flying  like  a  roe  or  a  young 
 hart !  Alas  !  that  we,  blind  fools,  are  fallen  in  love  with  moon- 
 shine and  shadows.  How  sweet  is  the  wind  that  bloweth  out  of 
 the  airt^  where  Christ  is  !  Every  day  we  may  see  some  new  thing 
 in  Christ ;  His  love  hath  neither  brim  nor  bottom.  O  if  I  had 
 help  to  praise  Him !  He  knoweth  if  my  sufferings  glorify  His 
 name,  and  encourage  others  to  stand  fast  for  the  honour  of  our 
 supreme  Lawgiver  Christ,  my  wages  then  are  paid  to  the  full. 
 Sir,  help  me  to  love  that  never-euough-praised'  Lord.  I  find  now 
 that  the  faith  of  the  saints  under  suffering  for  Christ  is  fair  before 
 the  wind  and  with  full  sails  carried  upon  Christ,  and  I  hope  to  lose 
 nothing  in  this  furnace  but  dross  ;  for  Christ  can  triumph  in  a 
 weaker  man  than  I  am,  it  there  be  any  such.  And  Avhen  all  is 
 done.  His  love  paineth  me,  and  leaveth  me  under  such  debt  to 
 Christ,  as  I  can  neither  pay  principal  nor  interest.  0  if  He  would 
 comprise^  myself,  and  if  I  were  sold  to  Him  as  a  bondman,  and 
 that  He  would  take  me  home  to  His  house  and  fireside ;  for  I  have 
 nothing  to  render  to  Him  !  Then,  after  me,  let  no  man  think  hard 
 of  Christ's  sweet  cross,  for  I  would  not  change  my  sighs  with  the 
 painted  laughter  of  all  my  adversaries.  I  desire  grace  in  patience 
 to  wait  on,  and  to  lie  upon  the  brink  till  the  Avater  fill  and  flow : 
 I  know  He  is  fast  coming.  Sir,  ye  will  excuse  my  boldness ;  and 
 till  it  please  God  I  see  you,  ye  have  the  prayers  of  a  prisoner  of 
 Christ,  to  whom  I  recommend  you,  and  in  whom  I  rest. 
 
 Yours,  at  all  obedience  in  Christ,         S.  R. 
 Aberdeen,  May  14,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  CLXXXIX.— To  John  Clark. 
 
 Loving  Brother, — Hold  fast  Christ  without  wavering,  and 
 contend  for  the  faith,  because  Christ  is  not  easily  gotten  nor  kept. 
 The  lazy  professor  hath  put  heaven  (as  it  were)  at  the  very  next 
 door,  and  thinketh  to  fly  up  to  heaven  in  his  bed  and  in  a  night- 
 dream  ;  but  truly  that  is  not  so  easy  a  thing  as  most  men  believe. 
 Christ  Himself  did  sweat  ere  Re  won  this  city,  howbeit  He  was 
 the  free-born  Heir.  It  is  Christianicy,  my  heart,  to  be  sincere, 
 unfeigned,  honest,  and  upright-hearted  before  God ;  and  to  live 
 and  serve  God,  suppose  there  were  not  one  man  or  woman  in  all 
 ^  Kefection.  ^  Quarter.  ^  Arrest. 
 
326  LETTER  CXC. 
 
 the  world  dwelling  beside  you,  to  eye  you.  Any  little  grace  that 
 ye  have,  see  that  it  be  sound  and  true.  Ye  may  put  a  difference 
 betwixt  you  and  reprobates  if  ye  have  these  marks.  1.  If  ye 
 prize  Christ  and  His  truth,  so  as  ye  will  sell  all  and  buy  Him,  and 
 suffer  for  it.  2.  If  the  love  of  Christ  keepeth  you  back  from  sin- 
 ning, more  than  the  law  or  fear  of  hell.  3.  If  ye  be  humble,  and 
 deny  your  own  will,  wit,  credit,  ease,  honour,  the  world  and 
 the  vanity  and  glory  of  it.  4.  Your  profession  must  not  be 
 barren  and  void  of  good  Avorks.  5.  Ye  must  in  all  things  aim 
 at  God's  honour ;  ye  must  eat,  drink,  sleep,  buy,  sell,  sit,  stand, 
 speak,  pray,  read,  and  hear  the  word  with  a  heart-purpose  that 
 God  may  be  honoured.  6.  Ye  must  show  yourself  an  enemy  to 
 sin,  and  reprove  the  works  of  darkness,  such  as  drunkenness, 
 swearing,  and  lying,  albeit  the  company  should  hate  you  for  doing 
 so.  7.  Keep  in  mind  the  truth  of  God  that  ye  heard  me  teach, 
 and  have  nothing  to  do  with  the  corruptions  and  new  guises 
 entered  into  the  house  of  God.  8.  Make  conscience  of  your  call- 
 ing, in  covenants,  in  buying,  and  selling.  9.  Acquaint  yourself 
 with  daily  praying,  commit  all  your  ways  and  actions  to  God  by 
 prayer,  supplication,  and  thanksgiving,  and  count  not  much  of 
 being  mocked ;  for  Christ  Jesus  was  mocked  before  you.  Persuade 
 3''ourself  that  this  is  the  way  of  peace  and  comfort  I  now  suffer 
 for.  I  dare  go  to  death  and  into  eternity  with  it,  though  men 
 may  possibly  seek  another  way.  Remember  me  in  your  prayers, 
 and  the  state  of  this  oppressed  church.     Grace  be  with  you. 
 
 Your  soul's  well  wisher,        S.  R. 
 Aberdeen,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  CXC— To  Cardonness,  Elder. 
 
 Much  honoured  Sir, — I  long  to  hear  how  your  soul  pros- 
 pereth.  I  wonder  that  ye  write  not  to  me,  for  the  Holy  Ghost 
 beareth  me  witness,  I  cannot,  1  dare  not,  I  do  not  forget  you,  nor 
 the  souls  of  those  with  you,  who  are  redeemed  by  the  blood  of 
 the  great  Shepherd.  Ye  are  in  my  heart  in  the  night-watches,  ye 
 are  my  joy  and  crown  in  the  day  of  Christ.  0  Lord,  bear  wit- 
 ness, if  my  soul  thirsteth  for  anything  out  ot  heaven,  more  than 
 for  your  salvation.  Let  God  lay  me  in  an  even  balance  and  try 
 me  in  this.  Love  heaven.  Let  your  heart  be  on  it.  Up,  up  and 
 visit  the  new  land,  and  view  the  fair  city,  and  the  white  throne 
 and  the  Lamb,  the  bride's  Husband,  in  His  Bridegroom's  clothes, 
 sitting  on  it.  It  were  time  your  soul  should  cast  itself  and  all 
 your  burdens  upon  Christ.  I  beseech  you  by  the  wounds  oi  your 
 Redeemer,  and  by  your  compearance  before  Him,  and  by  the  sal- 
 vation of  your  soul,  lose  no  more  time ;  run  fast,  for  it  is  late  ; 
 
LETTER  CXC.  327 
 
 God  hath  sworn  by  Himself,  who  made  the  world  and  time,  that 
 time  shall  be  no  more  (Rev.  x.)  Ye  are  now  upon  the  very 
 border  of  the  other  life :  your  Lord  cannot  be  blamed  for  not 
 giving  you  warning.  I  have  taught  the  truth  of  Christ  to  you, 
 and  delivered  unto  you  the  whole  counsel  of  God,  and  I  have 
 stood  before  the  Lord  for  you,  and  I  shall  yet  still  stand :  awake, 
 awake  to  do  righteously.  Think  not  to  be  eased  of  the  burdens 
 and  debts  that  are  on  your  house  by  oppressing  any,  or  being 
 rigorous  to  those  that  are  under  you.  Remember  how  I  endea- 
 voured to  walk  before  you  in  this  matter  as  an  example :  "  Be- 
 hold here  am  I,  witness  against  me,  before  the  Lord  and  His 
 anointed,  whose  ox  or  whose  ass  have  I  taken?  Whom  have  I 
 defrauded  1  Whom  have  I  oppressed  ]"  Who  knoweth  how  my 
 soul  feedeth  upon  a  good  conscience,  when  I  remember  how  I 
 spent  this  body  in  feeding  the  lambs  of  Christ  ?  At  my  first  entry 
 hither,  I  grant,  I  took  a  stomach  ^  against  my  Lord,  because  He 
 had  casten  me  over  the  dyke  ^  of  the  vineyard  as  a  dry  tree,  and 
 would  have  no  more  of  my  service.  My  dumb  sabbaths  broke 
 my  heart,  and  I  would  not  be  comforted :  but  now  He,  whom  my 
 soul  loveth,  is  come  again,  and  it  pleaseth  Him  to  feast  me  with 
 the  kisses  of  His  love.  A  King  dineth  with  me,  and  His  spike- 
 nard casteth  a  sweet  smell :  the  Lord  my  witness  is  above,  that  I 
 write  my  heart  to  you.  I  never  knew,  by  my  nine  years'  preach- 
 ing, so  much  of  Christ's  love,  as  He  hath  taught  me  in  Aberdeen 
 by  six  months'  imprisonment.  I  charge  you  in  Christ's  name, 
 help  me  to  praise,  and  show  that  people  and  country  the  loving 
 kindness  of  the  Lord  to  my  soul,  that  so  my  sufferings  may  some- 
 way preach  to  them  when  I  am  silent.  He  hath  made  me  know 
 now,  better  than  before,  what  it  is  to  be  crucified  to  the  world.  I 
 would  not  now  give  a  drink  of  cold  water  for  all  the  world's  kind- 
 ness ;  I  owe  no  service  to  it,  I  am  not  the  flesh's  debtor.  My 
 Lord  Jesus  hath  dauted  ^  His  prisoner,  and  hath  thoughts  of  love 
 concerning  me.  I  would  not  exchange  my  sighs  with  the  laugh- 
 ing of  my  adversaries.  Sir,  I  write  this  to  inform  you,  that  ye 
 may  know  it  is  the  truth  of  Christ  I  now  sufifer  for,  and  He  hath 
 sealed  my  suff'erings  with  the  comforts  of  His  Spirit  on  my  soul ; 
 and  1  know  He  putteth  not  His  Seal  upon  blank  paper.  Now,  sir, 
 I  have  no  comfort  earthly  but  to  know  that  I  have  espoused,  and 
 shall  present  a  bride  to  Christ  in  that  congregation.  The  Lord 
 hath  given  you  much,  and  therefore  He  will  require  much  of  you 
 again.  Number  your  talents,  and  see  what  ye  have  to  render 
 back  again ;  ye  cannot  be  enough  persuaded  of  the  shortness  of 
 yonr  time.  I  charge  you  to  write  to  me,  and  in  the  fear  of  God 
 be  plain  with  me,  whether  or  no  ye  have  made  your  salvation 
 ^  Displeasure.  '  Wall.  *  Fondled. 
 
328  LETTEE  CXC. 
 
 sure.  I  am  confident  and  hope  the  best;  but  1  know,  your 
 reckonings  with  your  Judge  are  many  and  deep.  Sir,  be  not  be- 
 guiled, neglect  not  your  one  thing  (Phil.  iii.  13),  your  one  neces- 
 sary thing  (Luke  x.  42),  the  good  part  that  shall  not  be  taken 
 from  you.  Look  beyond  time ;  things  here  are  but  moonshine, 
 they  have  but  children's  wit  who  are  delighted  with  shadows,  and 
 deluded  with  feathers  flying  in  the  air.  Desire  your  children,  in 
 the  morning  of  their  life,  to  begin  and  seek  the  Lord,  and  to  re- 
 member their  Creator  in  the  days  of  their  youth  (Eccles.  xii.  1), 
 to  cleanse  their  way,  by  taking  heed  thereto,  according  to  God's 
 word  (Ps.  cxix.  9) ;  youth  is  a  glassy  age.  Satan  finds  a  swept 
 chamber  (for  the  most  part)  in  youthhood,  and  a  garnished  lodg- 
 ing for  himself  and  his  train.  Let  the  Lord  have  the  flower  of 
 their  age.  The  best  sacrifice  is  due  to  Him.  Instruct  them  in 
 this,  that  they  have  a  soul,  and  that  this  life  is  nothing  in  com- 
 parison of  eternity.  They  will  have  much  need  of  God's  conduct 
 in  this  world,  to  guide  them  by^  those  rocks  upon  which  most  men 
 split ;  but  far  more  need  when  it  cometh  to  the  hour  of  death  and 
 their  compearance  before  Christ.  0,  that  there  were  such  a  heart 
 in  them  to  fear  the  name  of  the  great  and  dreadful  God,  who  hath 
 laid  up  great  things  for  those  that  love  and  fear  Him !  I  pray 
 that  God  may  be  their  portion.  Show  others  of  my  parishioners, 
 that  I  write  to  them  my  best  wishes  and  the  blessings  of  their 
 lawful  pastor.  Say  to  them  from  me,  that  I  beseech  them,  by  the 
 bowels  of  Christ,  to  keep  in  mind  the  doctrine  of  our  Lord  and 
 Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  which  I  taught  them,  that  so  they  may  lay 
 hold  on  eternal  life,  striving  together  for  the  faith  of  the  Gospel, 
 and  making  sure  salvation  to  themselves.  Walk  in  love  and  do 
 righteousness  :  seek  peace,  love  one  another,  wait  for  the  coming 
 of  our  Master  and  Judge  :  receive  no  doctrine  contrary  to  that 
 which  I  delivered  to  you.  If  ye  fall  awiiy,  and  forget  it  and  that 
 catechism  which  I  taught  you,  and  so  forsake  your  own  mercy, 
 the  Lord  be  judge  betwixt  you  and  me.  I  take  heaven  and  earth 
 to  witness,  that  such  shall  eternally  perish  :  but  if  they  serve  the 
 Lord,  great  will  their  reward  be  when  they  and  I  shall  stand  be- 
 fore our  Judge.  Set  forward  up  the  mountain  to  meet  with  God: 
 climb  up,  for  your  Saviour  calleth  on  you.  It  may  be,  God  will 
 call  you  to  your  rest  when  I  am  far  from  you,  but  ye  have  my 
 love  and  the  desires  of  my  heart  for  your  soul's  Avelfare.  He  that 
 is  holy,  keep  you  from  falling,  and  establish  you,  till  His  own 
 glorious  appearance. 
 
 Your  affectionate  and  lawful  pastor,         S.  E. 
 
 Aberdeen,  1637. 
 
 ^Past. 
 
LETTER  CXCl.  329 
 
 LETTER  CXGI.— To  Cardonness,  Younger. 
 
 Much  honoured  Sir, — I  long  to  hear  whether  or  not  your 
 soul  be  hand-fasted^  with  Christ.  Lose  your  time  no  longer.  Flee 
 the  folUes  of  youth.  Gird  up  the  loins  of  your  mind,  and  make 
 you  ready  for  meeting  the  Lord.  I  have  often  summoned  you, 
 and  now  I  summon  you  again,  to  compear  before  your  Judge,  to 
 make  a  reckoning  of  your  life  :  while  ye  have  time,  look  upon 
 your  papers,  and  consider  your  ways.  0  that  there  were  such  an 
 heart  in  you,  as  to  think  what  an  ill  conscience  will  be  to  you, 
 when  ye  are  upon  the  border  of  eternity,  and  your  one  foot  out  of 
 time.  0,  then,  ten  thousand,  thousand  floods  of  tears  cannot  ex- 
 tinguish these  flames,  or  purchase  to  you  one  hour's  release  from 
 that  pain.  0  how  sweet  a  day  have  ye  had  !  But  this  is  a  fair 
 day  that  runneth  fast  away,  see  how  ye  have  spent  it,  and  con- 
 sider the  necessity  of  salvation  :  and  tell  me  (in  the  fear  of  God) 
 if  ye  have  made  it  sure.  I  am  persuaded  ye  have  a  conscience 
 that  will  be  speaking  somewhat  to  you.  Why  will  ye  die  and 
 destroy  yourself?  I  charge  you  in  Christ's  name  to  rouse  up  your 
 conscience,  and  begin  to  indent  and  contract  with  Christ  in  time, 
 while  salvation  is  in  your  ofier.  This  is  the  accepted  time,  this 
 is  the  day  of  salvation.  Play  the  merchant,  for  ye  cannot  expect 
 another  market-day  when  this  is  done;  therefore,  let  me  again  be- 
 seech you  to  "  consider  in  this  your  day,  the  things  that  belong 
 to  your  peace,  before  they  be  hid  from  your  eyes."  Dear  brother, 
 fulfil  my  joy,  and  begin  to  seek  the  Lord  while  He  may  be  found. 
 Forsake  the  follies  of  deceiving  and  vain  youth.  Lay  hold  upon 
 eternal  life.  Whoring,  night-drinking,  and  mis-spending  of  the 
 sabbath,  the  neglecting  of  prayer  in  your  house,  and  refusing  of 
 an  ofl"ered  salvation,  will  burn  up  your  soul  with  the  terrors  of  the 
 Almighty,  when  your  awakened  conscience  shall  flee  in  your  face. 
 Be  kind  and  loving  to  your  wife ;  make  conscience  of  cherishing 
 her,  and  not  being  rigidly  austere.  Sir,  I  have  not  a  tongue  to 
 express  the  glory  that  is  laid  up  for  you  in  your  Father's  house,  if 
 ye  reform  your  doings,  and  frame  your  heart  to  return  to  the 
 Lord.  Ye  know,  this  world  is  but  a  shadow,  a  short-living  crea- 
 ture, under  the  law  of  time  ;  within  less  than  fifty  years,  when  ye 
 look  back  to  it,  ye  shall  laugh  at  the  evanishing  vanities  thereof, 
 as  feathers  flying  in  the  air,  and  as  the  houses  of  sand  within  the 
 sea-mark,  which  the  children  of  men  are  building.  Give  up  with 
 courting  of  this  vain  Avorld.  Seek  not  the  bastard's  movables, 
 but  the  son's  heritage  in  heaven.  Take  a  trial  of  Christ,  look 
 unto  Him,  and  His  love  shall  so  change  you,  that  ye  shall  be 
 taken  with  Him,  and  never  choose  to  go  from  Him.  I  have  ex- 
 Covenanted. 
 
330  LETTER  CXCII. 
 
 perience  of  Ilis  sweetness  in  tins  house  of  my  pilgrimage  here. 
 My  witness,  who  is  above,  knoweth  I  would  not  exchange  my 
 sighs  and  tears  with  the  laughing  of  the  fourteen  prelates.  There 
 is  nothing  will  make  you  a  Christian  indeed,  but  a  taste  of  the 
 sweetness  of  Christ ;  Come  and  see  will  speak  best  to  your  soul.  1 
 would  fain  hope  good  of  you  :  be  not  discouraged  at  broken  and 
 spilt ^  resolutions  ;  but  to  it,  and  to  it  again.  Woo  about  Christ 
 till  you  get  your  soul  espoused  as  a  chaste  virgin  to  Him  :  use  the 
 means  of  profiting  with  your  conscience.  Pray  in  your  family, 
 and  read  the  word.  Remember  how  our  Lord's  day  was  spent 
 when  I  was  among  you.  It  will  be  a  great  challenge  to  you  before 
 God,  if  ye  forget  the  good  that  was  done  within  the  walls  of  your 
 house  on  the  Lord's  days ;  and  if  ye  turn  aside  after  the  fashions 
 of  this  world,  and  if  ye  go  not  in  time  to  the  kirk  to  wait  on  the 
 public  worship  of  God,  and  if  ye  tarry  not  at  it  till  all  the  exer- 
 cises of  religion  be  ended.  Give  God  some  of  your  time,  both 
 morning,  and  evening,  and  afternoon ;  and,  in  so  doing,  rejoice 
 the  heart  of  a  poor  oppressed  prisoner.  Rue  ^  upon  your  own 
 soul,  and  from  your  heart  fear  the  Lord.  Now,  "  He  that  brought 
 again  from  the  dead,  the  great  Shepherd  of  His  sheep,  by  the 
 blood  of  the  eternal  covenant,  establish  your  heart  with  His  grace, 
 and  present  you  before  His  presence  with  joy." 
 
 Your  affectionate  and  loving  pastor,         S.  R. 
 Aberdeen,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  CXCn.— To  Carletown. 
 
 Much  honoured  Sir, — I  will  not  impute  your  not  writing  to 
 me  to  forgetfulness  :  however,  I  have  One  above  who  forgetteth 
 me  not ;  nay.  He  groweth  in  His  kindness.  It  has  pleased  His 
 holy  Majesty  to  take  me  from  the  pulpit,  and  teach  me  many 
 things  in  my  exile  and  prison  that  were  mysterious  to  me  before. 
 As,  L  I  see  His  bottomless  and  boundless  love  and  kindness,  and 
 my  jealousies  and  ravings,  which,  at  my  first  entry  into  this 
 furnace,  were  so  foolish  and  bold,  as  to  say  to  Christ,  who  is 
 Truth  itself,  in  His  face,  Thou  liest.  I  had  well  nigh  lost  my 
 grips.  I  wondered  if  it  was  Christ  or  not;  for  the  mist  and 
 smoke  of  my  perturbed  heart  made  me  mistake  my  Master  Jesus. 
 My  faith  was  dim,  and  hope  frozen  and  cold,  and  my  love,  which 
 caused  jealousies,  it  had  some  warmness  and  heat  and  smoke,  but 
 no  flame  at  all :  yet  I  was  looking  for  some  good  of  Christ's  old 
 claim  to  me.  I  thought  I  had  forfeited  all  my  rights,  but  the 
 tempter  was  too  much  upon  my  counsels,  and  was  stiil  blowing 
 the  coal.     Alas  !  I  knew  not  well  before  how  good  skill  my  Inter- 
 
 1  Spoiled.  »  Take  pity. 
 
LETTER  CXCII.  331 
 
 cesser  and  Advocate,  Christ,  hath  of  pleading  and  pardoning  me 
 such  follies.  Now  He  is  returned  to  my  soul  with  healing  under 
 His  wings,  and  I  am  nothing  behind  with  Christ  now,  for  He  hath 
 overpaid  me  by  His  presence  the  pain  I  was  put  to  by  on-waiting, 
 and  any  little  loss  I  sustained  by  my  witnessing  against  the 
 wrongs  done  to  Him.  I  trow,  it  was  a  pain  to  my  Lord  to  hide 
 Himself  any  longer.  In  a  manner,  He  was  challenging  His  own  un- 
 kindness,  and  repented  Him  of  His  glooms :  and  now  what  want 
 Ion  earth  that  Christ  can  give  to  a  poor  prisoner  ?  0,  how  sweet 
 and  lovely  is  He  now  !  Alas,  that  I  can  get  none  to  help  me  to 
 lift  up  my  Lord  Jesus  upon  His  throne  above  all  the  earth.  2.  I 
 am  now  brought  to  some  measure  of  submission,  and  I  resolve  to 
 wait  till  I  see  what  my  Lord  Jesus  will  do  with  me.  I  dare  not 
 now  nick-name  or  speak  one  word  against  the  all-seeing  and 
 over-watching  providence  of  my  Lord.  I  see,  Providence  runneth 
 not  on  broken  wheels  ;  but  I,  like  a  fool,  carved  a  providence  for 
 mine  own  ease,  to  die  in  my  nest,  and  to  sleep  still  till  my  gray 
 hairs,  and  to  lie  on  the  sunny  side  of  the  mountain,  in  my  ministry 
 at  Anwoth.  But  now  I  have  nothing  to  say  against  a  borrowed 
 fireside  and  another  man's  house,  nor  Kedar's  tents,  where  I  live, 
 being  removed  far  from  my  acquaintance,  my  lovers,  and  my 
 friends.  I  see,  God  hath  the  world  on  His  wheels,  and  casteth  ^ 
 ■  it  as  a  potter  doth  a  vessel  on  the  wheel.  I  dare  not  say  that 
 there  is  any  inordinate  or  irregular  motion  in  providence;  the 
 Lord  hath  done  it,  I  will  not  go  to  law  with  Christ,  for  I  would 
 gain  nothing  of  that.  3.  I  have  learned  some  greater  mortifica- 
 tion, and  not  to  mourn  after  or  seek  to  suck  the  world's  dry 
 breasts.  Nay,  my  Lord  hath  filled  me  with  such  dainties,  that  I 
 am  like  to  a  full  banqueter,  who  is  not  for  common  cheer.  What 
 have  I  to  do  to  fall  down  upon  my  knees  and  worship  mankind's 
 great  idol,  the  world  1  I  have  a  better  God  than  any  clay  god ; 
 nay,  at  present,  as  I  am  now  disposed,  I  care  not  much  to  give 
 this  world  a  discharge  of  my  life-rent  of  it,  for  bread  and  water ; 
 I  know  it  is  not  my  home,  nor  my  Father's  house,  it  is  but  His 
 footstool,  the  outer  close  of  His  house,  His  out-field  and  moor- 
 ground.  Let  bastards  take  it,  I  hope  never  to  think  myself  in  its 
 common  ^  for  honour  or  riches  ;  nay,  now,  I  say  to  laughter,  thou 
 art  madness.  4.  I  find  it  most  true,  that  the  greatest  temptation 
 out  of  hell,  is,  to  live  without  temptations ;  if  my  waters  should 
 stand,  they  Avould  rot.  Faith  is  the  better  of  the  free  air,  and  of 
 the  sharp  Avinter  storm  in  its  face.  Grace  withereth  without 
 adversity.  The  devil  is  but  God's  master-fencer,  to  teach  us  to 
 handle  our  weapons.  I  never  knew  how  weak  I  was  till  now, 
 when  He  hideth  HimseL,  and  when  I  have  Him  to  seek  seven 
 1  Mouldetli.  '  Dul>t 
 
332  LETTER  CXCIll. 
 
 times  a  day.  I  am  a  dry  and  withered  branch,  and  a  piece  of  a 
 dead  carcase,  dry  bones,  and  not  able  to  step  over  a  straw.  The 
 thoughts  of  my  old  sins  are  as  the  summons  of  death  to  me.  And 
 of  late,  my  brother's  case  hath  stricken  me  to  the  heart.  When 
 my  wounds  are  closing,  a  little  riffle ^  causeth  them  to  bleed  afresh. 
 So  thin-skinned  is  my  soul,  that  I  think  it  is  like  a  tender  man's 
 skin,  that  may  touch  nothing.  Ye  see  how  short  I  would  shoot 
 of  the  prize,  if  His  grace  were  not  sufficient  for  me.  Woe  is  me 
 for  the  day  of  Scotland ;  woe,  woe  is  me  for  my  harlot  mother, 
 for  the  decree  is  gone  forth ;  women  of  this  land  shall  call  the 
 childless  and  miscarrying  wombs  blessed.  The  anger  of  the  Lord 
 is  gone  forth,  and  shall  not  return  till  He  perform  the  purpose  of 
 His  heart  against  Scotland.  Yet  He  shall  make  Scotland  a  new 
 sharp  instrument  having  teeth,  to  thresh  the  mountains  and  fan 
 the  hills  as  chaff.     The  prisoner's  blessing  be  upon  you. 
 
 Yours,  in  His  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  E. 
 Aberdeen,  March  14,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  CXOni— To  the  Lady  Busbie. 
 
 Mistress, — I  know  ye  are  thinking  sometimes  what  Christ  is 
 doing  in  Zion,  and  that  the  haters  of  Zion  may  get  the  bottom  of 
 our  cup,  and  the  burning  coals  of  our  furnace,  that  we  have  been 
 tried  in  those  many  years  by-gone.  0,  that  this  nation  would  be 
 awakened  to  cry  mightily  unto  God,  for  the  setting  up  of  a  new 
 tabernacle  to  Christ  in  Scotland.  0,  if  this  kingdom  knew  how 
 worthy  Christ  were  of  His  room ;  His  worth  was  ever  above  man's 
 estimation  of  Him.  And  for  myself,  I  am  pained  at  the  heart 
 that  I  cannot  find  myself  disposed  to  leave  myself  and  go  wholly 
 into  Christ.  Alas,  that  there  should  be  one  bit  of  me  out  of  Him, 
 and  that  we  leave  too  much  liberty  and  latitude  for  ourselves,  and 
 our  own  ease,  and  credit,  and  pleasures,  and  so  little  room  for  all- 
 love-worthy  Christ !  O  what  pains  and  charges  it  costeth  Christ 
 ere  He  get  us  ;  and  when  all  is  done,  we  are  not  worth  the  having. 
 It  is  a  wonder  that  He  should  seek  the  like  of  us,  but  love  over- 
 looketh  blackness  and  fecklessness  :  ^  for  if  it  had  not  been  so, 
 Christ  would  never  had  made  so  fair  and  blessed  a  bargain  with 
 us,  as  the  covenant  of  grace  is.  I  find  that  in  all  our  sufi'erings, 
 Christ  is  but  ridding  marches,^  that  every  one  ot  us  may  say,  mine 
 and  thine,  and  that  men  may  know  by  their  crosses,  how  weak  a 
 bottom  nature  is  to  stand  upon  in  a  trial;  that  then*  which  our  Lord 
 intendetli  in  all  our  sufferings,  is,  to  bring  grace  in  court  and  re- 
 quest amongst  us.  I  would  succumb  and  come  short  of  heaven  if 
 I  had  no  more  but  my  own  strength  to  support  me.    And  if  Christ 
 
 ^Disturbance.     -  Worthlessness.     ^  Defining  boundaries.     ■•  Q".  "Theend"? 
 
LETTER  CXCIII.  333 
 
 should  say  to  me,  either  do  or  die,  it  were  easy  to  determine  what 
 should  become  of  me ;  the  choice  were  easy,  for  I  behoved  to  die, 
 if  Christ  should  pass  by  with  straitened  bowels ;  and  who  then 
 would  take  us  up  in  our  straits  1    I  know,  we  may  say,  that  Christ 
 is  kindest  in  His  love  when  we  are  at  our  weakest ;  and  that  if 
 Christ  had  not  been  to  the  fore,^  in  our  sad  days,  the  waters  had 
 gone  over  our  soul.     His  mercy  hath  a  set  period  and  appointed 
 place,  how  far  and  no  further  the  sea  of  affliction  shall  flow,  and 
 where  the  waves  thereof  shall  be  stayed  :    He  prescribeth  how 
 much  pain  and  sorrow,  both  for  weight  and  measure,  we  must 
 have.     Ye  have  then  good  cause  to  recal  your  love  from  all  lovers 
 and  give  it  to  Christ.     He  who  is  afflicted  in  all  your  afflictions, 
 looketh  not  on  you  in  your  sad  hours  with  an  insensible  heart  or 
 dry  eyes.     All  the  Lord's  saints  may  see  that  it  is  lost  love  which 
 is  bestowed  upon  this  perishing  world.     Death  and  judgment  will 
 make  men  lament  that  ever  their  miscarrying  hearts  carried  them 
 to  lay  and  lavish  out  their  love  upon  false  appearances  and  night- 
 dreams.     Alas  !  that  Christ  should  fare  the  worse,  because  of  His 
 own  goodness,  in  making  peace  and  the  Gospel  to  ride  together  ; 
 and  that  we  have  never  yet  weighed  the  worth  of  Christ  in  His 
 ordinances,  and  that  now  we  are  like  to  be  deprived  of  the  well, 
 ere  we  have  tasted  the  sweetness  of  the  water.     It  may  be  with 
 watery  eyes,  and  a  wet  face  and  wearied  feet,  we  seek  Christ,  and 
 shall  not  find  Him.     0,  that  this  land  were  humbled  in  time,  and 
 by  prayers,  cries,  and  humiliation,  would  bring  Christ  in  at  the 
 church-door  again,  now  when  His  back  is  turned  toward  us,  and 
 He  is  gone  to  the  threshold,  and  His  one  foot  (as  it  were)  is  out 
 of  the  door.     I  am  sure  His  departure  is  our  deserving,  we  have 
 bought  it  with  our  iniquities ;  for  even  the  Lord's  own  children 
 are  fallen  asleep.    And,  alas  !  professors  are  made  all  of  shows  and 
 fashions,  and  are  not  at  pains  to  recover  themselves  again.    Every 
 one  hath  his  set  measure  of  faith  and  holiness,  and  contenteth 
 himself  with  a  stinted  measure  of  godliness,  as  if  that  were  enough 
 to  bring  them  to  heaven.     We  forget,  that  as  our  gifts  and  light 
 grow,  so  God's  gain  and  the  interest  of  His  talents  should  grow 
 also,  and  that  we  cannot  pay  God  with  the  old  use  and  wont  (as 
 Ave  use  to  speak)  which  we  gave  Him  seven  years  ago ;  for  this 
 were  to  mock  the  Lord,  and  to  make  price  with  Him  as  we  list. 
 0  what  difficulty  is  there  in  our  Christian  journey,  and  how  often 
 come  we  short  of  many  thousand  things  that  are  Christ's  due  : 
 and  we  consider  not  how  far  our  dear  Lord  is  behind  with  us ! 
 Mistress,  I  cannot  render  you  thanks,  as  I  would,  for  your  kind- 
 ness to  my  brother,  an  oppressed  stranger ;  but  I  remember  you 
 unto  the  Lord,  as  I  am  able.     I  entreat  you,  think  upon  me,  His 
 
 *  Present. 
 
334  LETTER  CXCIV. 
 
 prisoner ;  and  pray,  that  the  Lord  would  be  pleased  to  give  ms 
 room  to  speak  to  His  people  in  His  name.     Grace,  grace  be  with 
 you.                    Yours^  in  his  sweet  Lord  and  Master,         S.  R. 
 Aberdeen,  1637.  
 
 LETTER  CXCIV.— To  Fulwood,  Younger. 
 
 Much  honoured  Sir, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you. 
 Upon  the  report  of  this  worthy  bearer  concerning  you,  I  thought 
 good  to  speak  a  word  to  you  :  it  is  enough  for  acquaintance,  that 
 Ave  are  one  in  Christ.  My  earnest  desire  to  you  is,  that  ye  would, 
 in  the  fear  of  God,  compare  your  inch  and  hand-lareadth  of  time 
 with  vast  eternity,  and  your  thoughts  of  this  now  fair,  blooming, 
 and  green  world  with  the  thoughts  ye  shall  have  of  it,  when  cor- 
 ruption and  worms  shall  make  their  houses  in  your  eye-holes,  and 
 shall  eat  your  flesh,  and  make  that  body  dry  bones  :  if  you  do  so_, 
 I  know  then  that  your  light  ^  of  this  world's  vanity  shall  be  more 
 clear  than  now  it  is ;  and  I  am  persuaded,  ye  shall  then  think  that 
 men's  labours  for  this  clay-idol  are  to  be  laughed  at.  Therefore 
 come  near  and  take  a  view  of  that  transparent  beauty  that  is  in 
 Christ,  which  would  busy  the  love  of  ten  thousand  millions  of 
 worlds  and  angels,  and  hold  them  all  all  work.  Surely  I  am 
 grieved  that  men  will  not  spend  their  whole  love  upon  that  royal 
 and  princely  Well-Beloved,  that  high  and  lofty  One.  For  it  is 
 cursed  love  that  runneth  another  way  than  upon  Him.  And  for 
 myself,  if  I  had  ten  loves,  and  ten  souls,  0,  how  glad  would  I  be, 
 if  He  would  break  in  upon  me,  and  take  possession  of  them  all ! 
 Woe,  woe  is  me  that  He  and  I  are  so  far  asunder !  I  hope  we 
 shall  be  in  one  country  and  one  house  together.  Truly  pain  of 
 love-sickness  for  Jesus  maketh  me  to  think  it  long,  long,  long  to 
 the  dawning  of  that  day.  0,  that  He  would  cut  short  years,  and 
 months,  and  hours,  and  overleap  time,  that  we  might  meet !  A.nd 
 iof  this  truth,  sir,  that  ye  profess,  I  avow  before  the  world  of  men 
 and  angels,  that  it  is  the  way  and  only  way  to  our  country,  the 
 rest  are  by-ways  ;  and  that  what  I  sufier  for  is  the  apple  of  Christ's 
 eye,  even  His  honour  as  Lawgiver  and  King  of  His  church.  I 
 think  death  too  little  ere  I  forsook  it.^  Do  not,  sir,  I  beseech  you 
 in  the  Lord,  make  Christ's  court  thinner  by  drawing  back  from 
 Him ;  it  is  too  thin  already ;  for  I  dare  pledge  my  heaven  upon 
 it,  He  shall  win  this  plea,  and  the  fools  that  plea  against  Him 
 shall  lose  the  wager,  which  is  their  part  of  salvation,  except  they 
 take  better  heed  to  their  ways.  Sir,  free  grace,  that  we  give  no 
 hire  lor,  is  a  jewel  our  Lord  giveth  to  few.  Stand  fast  in  the 
 hope  ye  are  called  unto.     Our  Master  will  rend  the  clouds,  and 
 
 ^  Qu.  "  Sight  "  ? 
 
 '  'I'hat  is,  I  think  death  an  insufficient  cause  for  my  forsaking  it. 
 
LETTER  CXCV.  335 
 
 will  be  upon  us  quickly,  and  clear  our  cause,  aud  bring  us  all  out 
 in  our  blacks  and  whites.  Clean,  clean  garments,  in  the  Bride- 
 groom's eye,  are  of  great  worth.  Step  over  this  hand-breadth  of 
 world's  glory  into  our  Lord's  new  world  of  grace,  and  ye  will 
 laugh  at  the  feathers  that  children  are  chasing  in  the  air.  I  verily 
 judge,  that  this  inns,  men  are  building  their  nest  in,  is  not  worth 
 a  drink  of  cold  water.  It  is  a  rainy  and  smoky  house  :  best  we 
 come  out  of  it,  lest  we  be  choked  with  the  smoke  thereof.  0, 
 that  my  adversaries  knew  how  sweet  my  sighs  for  Christ  are,  and 
 what  it  were  for  a  sinner  to  lay  his  head  between  Christ's  breasts, 
 and  to  be  over  head  and  ears  in  Christ's  love !  Alas,  I  cannot 
 cause  paper  speak  the  height,  and  breadth,  and  depth  of  it !  I 
 have  not  a  balance  to  weigh  my  Lord  Jesus'  worth.  Heaven, 
 ten  heavens,  would  not  be  the  beam  of  a  balance  to  weigh  Him 
 in.  I  must  give  over  praising  of  Him.  Angels  see  but  little  of 
 Him.  0  if  that  fair  One  would  take  off  the  mask  off  His  fair  face 
 that  I  might  see  Him  !  a  kiss  of  Him  through  His  mask  is  half  a 
 heaven.  0  day,  dawn  1  0  time,  run  fast !  0  Bridegroom,  post, 
 post  fast,  that  we  may  meet !  0  heavens,  cleave  in  two,  that 
 that  bright  face  and  head  may  set  itself  through  the  clouds  !  0 
 that  the  corn  were  ripe,  and  this  world  prepared  for  His  hook  !  ^ 
 Sir,  be  pleased  to  remember  a  prisoner's  bonds.  Grace  be  with 
 you.  Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 
 
 Aberdeen,  July  10,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  CXCV.— To  Mr.  Hugh  M'Kaill. 
 
 My  very  dear  Brother, — Ye  know  that  men  may  take  their 
 sweet  fill  of  the  sour  law  in  grace's  ground  and  betwixt  the 
 Mediator's  breasts,  and  this  is  the  sinner's  safest  way ;  for  there 
 is  a  bed  for  wearied  sinners  to  rest  them  in,  in  the  new  covenant, 
 though  no  bed  of  Christ's  making  to  sleep  in.  The  law  shall 
 never  be  my  doomster,^  by  Christ's  grace,  if  I  get  no  more  good 
 of  it.  I  shall  find  a  sore  enough  doom  in  the  Gospel  to  humble 
 and  to  cast  me  down.  It  is  (I  grant)  a  good  rough  friend  to 
 follow  a  traitor  to  the  bar,  and  to  back  him,  till  he  come  to  Christ. 
 We  may  blame  ourselves,  who  cause  the  law  to  crave  well  paid 
 debt,  to  scar  ^  us  away  from  Jesus  and  dispute  about  a  righteous- 
 ness of  our  own,  a  world  in  the  moon,  a  chimera,  and  a  night- 
 dream,  that  pride  is  father  and  mother  to.  There  cannot  be  a 
 more  humble  soul  than  a  believer ;  it  is  no  pride  for  a  drowning 
 man  to  catch  hold  of  a  rock.  I  rejoice  that  the  wheels  of  this 
 confused  world  are  rolled  and  cogged,  and  driven  according  as  our 
 Lord  will.    Out  of  whatever  airt*  the  wind  blow,  it  will  blow  us  on 
 
 ^  Sickle.         *  Prononneer  of  my  sentence.         ^  Frighten.         ■*  Quarter. 
 
336  LETTEK  CXCVI. 
 
 our  Lord  :  no  wind  can  blow  our  sails  overboard,  because  Christ's 
 skill  and  the  honour  of  His  wisdom  are  empawned  and  laid  down 
 at  the  stake  for  the  sea-passengers,  that  He  shall  put  them  safe  off 
 His  hand  on  the  shore,  in  His  Father's  known  bounds,  our  native 
 home  ground.  My  dear  brother,  scare  ^  not  at  the  cross  of 
 Christ.  It  is  not  seen  yet  what  Christ  will  do  for  you  when  it 
 cometh  to  the  worst;  He  will  keep  His  grace  till  ye  be  at  a  strait, 
 and  then  bring  forth  the  decreed  birth  for  your  salvation.  Ye 
 are  an  arrow  of  His  own  making,  let  Him  shoot  you  against  a  wall 
 of  brass,  your  point  shall  keep  whole.  I  cannot,  for  multitude  of 
 letters  and  distractions  of  friends,  prepare  what  I  would  for  the 
 times.  I  have  not  one  hour  of  spare  time,  suppose  the  day  were 
 forty  hours  long.  Eemember  me  in  prayer.  Grace  be  with  you. 
 Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 
 Aberdeen,  Sept.  5,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  CXCVL— To  his  Reverend  and  Dear  Brother,  Mr. 
 David  Dickson. 
 
 My  reverend  and  dear  Brother, — I  fear  ye  have  never 
 known  me  well.  If  ye  saw  my  inner  side,  it  is  possible  ye  would 
 pity  me,  but  ye  would  hardly  give  me  either  love  or  respect. 
 Men  mistake  me  the  whole  length  of  the  heavens.  My  sins 
 prevail  over  me,  and  the  terrors  of  their  guiltiness.  I  am  put 
 often  to  ask,  if  Christ  and  I  did  ever  shake  hands  together  in 
 earnest.  I  mean  not  that  my  feast-days  are  quite  gone,  but  I  am 
 made  of  extremities.  I  pray  God,  ye  never  have  the  woeful  and 
 driery  ^  experience  of  a  closed  mouth ;  for  then  ye  shall  judge  the 
 sparrows  that  may  sing  in  the  church  of  Irwin,  blessed  birds. 
 But  my  soul  has  been  refreshed  and  watered,  when  I  hear  of  your 
 courage  and  zeal  for  your  never-enough-praised,  praised  Master,  in 
 that  ye  put  the  men  of  God,  chased  out  of  Ireland,  to  work.  0, 
 if  I  could  confirm  you  !  I  dare  say  in  God's  presence,  that  this 
 shall  never  hasten  your  suffering,  but  shall  be  David  Dickson's 
 feast  and  speaking  joy,  that  while  he  had  time  and  leisure,  he  put 
 many  to  work,  to  lift  up  Jesus,  his  sweet  Master,  high  in  the 
 skies.  0  man  of  God,  go  on,  go  on,  be  valiant  for  that  plant  of 
 renown,  for  that  Chief  among  ten  thousands,  for  that  Prince 
 of  the  kings  of  the  earth.  It  is  but  little  that  I  know  of  God,  yet 
 this  I  dare  write,  Christ  shall  be  glorified  in  David  Dickson, 
 howbeit  Scotland  be  not  gathered.  I  am  pained,  pained,  that  I 
 have  not  more  to  give  my  sweet  Bridegroom ;  His  comforts 
 to  me  are  not  dealt  with  a  niggard's  hand,  but  I  would  fain  learn 
 not  to  idoliae  comfort,  sense,  joy,  and  sweet-felt  presence.  All 
 ^  Bogle.  2  Dreary. 
 
LETTER  CXCVII.  337 
 
 these  are  but  creatures,  and  nothing  but  the  kingly  robe,  the  gold 
 ring,  and  the  bracelets  of  the  Bridegroom :  the  Bridegroom 
 Himself  is  better  than  all  the  ornaments  that  are  about  Him. 
 Now  I  would  not  so  much  have  these  as  God  Himself,  and  to  be 
 swallowed  up  of  love  to  Christ.  I  see,  in  delighting  in  a  com- 
 munion with  Christ,  we  may  make  more  gods  than  one;  but, 
 however,  all  was  but  bairn's  play  between  Christ  and  me  till 
 now.  If  one  would  have  sworn  unto  me,  I  would  not  have 
 believed  what  may  be  found  in  Christ.  I  hope  ye  pity  my  pain 
 that  1  much,  in  my  prison,  as  to  help  me  yourself,  and  to  cause 
 others  to  help  me,  a  dyvour,^  a  sinful  wretched  dyvour,^  to  pay 
 some  Oi  my  debts  of  praise  to  my  great  King.  Let  my  God  be 
 judge  and  witness,  if  my  soul  would  not  have  sweet  ease  and 
 comfort  to  have  many  hearts  confirmed  in  Christ  and  enlarged 
 with  His  love,  and  many  tongues  set  on  work  to  set  on  high  my 
 royal  and  princely  Well-Beloved.  0,  that  my  sufferings  could 
 pay  tribute  to  such  a  King !  I  have  given  over  wondering  at  His 
 love ;  for  Christ  hath  manifested  a  piece  of  art  upon  me,  that  I 
 never  revealed  to  any  living;  He  hath  gotten  fair  and  rich 
 employment,  and  sweet  sale,  and  a  goodly  market  for  His 
 honourable  calling  of  showing  mercy  on  me,  the  chief  of  sinners. 
 Every  one  knoweth  not  so  well  as  I  do,  my  woefully  often  broken 
 covenants  ;  my  sins  against  light,  working  in  the  very  act  of  sin- 
 ning, hath  been  met  with  admirable  mercy ;  but  alas  !  He  will 
 get  nothing  back  again  but  wretched  unthankfulness !  I  am 
 sure,  if  Christ  pity  anything  in  me,  next  to  my  sin,  it  is  pain  and 
 love  for  an  armful  and  soulful  of  Himself,  in  faith,  love,  and 
 begun  fruition.  My  sorrow  is,  that  I  cannot  get  Christ  lifted  oflf 
 the  dust  in  Scotland,  and  set  on  high,  above  all  the  skies  and 
 heaven  of  heavens.     Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R, 
 
 Aberdeen,  May  1,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  CXCVn.— To  his  Reverend  and  Dear  Brother,  Mr. 
 John  Livingstone. 
 
 My  reverend  and  dear  Brother, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace 
 be  to  you.  I  long  to  hear  from  you,  and  to  be  refreshed  with  the 
 comforts  of  the  bride  of  our  Lord  Jesus  in  Ireland.  I  suffer  with 
 you  in  grief,  for  the  dash  that  your  desires  to  be  at  N.  E.  have 
 received  of  late.  But  if  our  Lord,  who  hath  skill  to  bring  up  His 
 children,  had  not  seen  it  your  best,  it  should  not  have  befallen 
 you.  Hold  your  peace,  and  stay  yourselves  upon  the  Holy  One 
 of  Israel.  Hearken  what  He  saith  in  crossing  of  your  desires.  He 
 will  speak  peace  to  His  people.  I  am  here  removed  from  my 
 1  So.  *  Debtor. 
 
 Y 
 
338  LETTEK  CXCVII. 
 
 flock,  and  silenced,  and  confined  in  Aberdeen,  for  the  testimony  of 
 Jesus.  And  I  have  been  confined  in  spirit  also  with  desertions 
 and  challenges.  I  gave  in  a  bill  of  quarrels  and  complaints 
 of  unkindness  against  Christ,  who  seemed  to  cast  me  over  the 
 dyke  ^  of  the  vineyard  as  a  dry  tree,  and  separated  me  from  the 
 Lord's  inheritance.  But  high,  high,  and  loud  praises  be  to  our 
 royal  crowned  King  in  Zion,  that  He  hath  not  burnt  the  dry 
 branch.  I  shall  yet  live  and  see  His  glory.  Your  mother- 
 church  for  her  whoredom  is  like  to  be  cast  off.  The  bairns  may 
 break  their  heart  to  see  such  chiding  betwixt  the  husband  and  the 
 wife.  Our  clergy  is  upon  a  reconciliation  with  the  Lutherans,  and 
 the  doctors  are  writing  books  and  drawing  up  a  common  confes- 
 sion at  the  Council's  command.  Our  service-book  is  proclaimed 
 with  sound  of  trumpet.  The  night  is  fallen  down  upon  the 
 prophets.  Scotland's  day  of  visitation  is  come.  It  is  time  for  the 
 bride  to  weep,  while  Christ  is  a-saying.  He  wOl  choose  another 
 wife.  But  our  sky  will  clear  again.  The  dry  branch  of  cut  down 
 Lebanon  will  bud  again  and  be  glorious,  and  they  shall  yet  plant 
 vines  upon  her  mountains.  Now,  my  dear  brother,  I  write  to  you 
 for  this  end,  that  ye  may  help  me  to  praise,  and  seek  help  of 
 others  with  you,  that  God  may  be  glorified  in  my  bonds.  My  Lord 
 Jesus  hath  taken  the  withered,  dry  stranger,  and  His  broken-in-heart 
 prisoner,  into  His  house  of  wine.  0  !  0  !  If  ye  and  all  Scotland, 
 and  all  our  brethren  with  you,  knew  how  I  am  feasted  !  Christ's 
 honeycombs  drop  comforts.  He  dineth  with  His  prisoner,  and 
 the  King's  spikenard  casteth  a  smell.  The  devil  cannot  get  it 
 denied  but^  we  suff"er  for  the  apple  of  Christ's  eye,  His  royal 
 prerogatives  as  King  and  Lawgiver.  Let  us  not  fear  or  faint. 
 He  will  have  His  gospel  once  again  rouped  in  Scotland,  and  have 
 the  matter  going  to  voices^  to  see  who  will  say,  let  Christ  be 
 crowned  King  in  Scotland.  It  is  true.  Antichrist  stirreth  his  tail, 
 but  I  love  a  rumbling  and  raging  devil  in  the  kirk  (since  the 
 church  militant  cannot,  or  may  not  want  a  devil  to  trouble  her)  rather 
 than  a  subtle  or  sleeping  devil.  Christ  never  yet  got  a  bride 
 without  stroke  of  sword.  It  is  now  nigh  the  Bridegroom's 
 entering  into  His  chamber,  let  us  awake  and  go  in  with  Him.  I 
 bear  your  name  to  Christ's  door.  I  pray  you,  dear  brother,  forget 
 me  not.  Let  me  hear  from  you  by  a  letter,  and  I  charge  you, 
 smother  not  Christ's  bounty  towards  me.  I  write  what  I  have 
 found  of  Him  in  the  house  of  my  pilgrimage.  Remember  my 
 love  to  our  brethren  and  sisters  there.  The  Keeper  of  the 
 vineyard  watch  for  His  besieged  city,  and  for  you. 
 
 Your  brother,  and  follow-sufFerer,         S.  R 
 Aberdeen,  Feb.  7,  1637. 
 
 1  Wall.  2  That.  »  Put  to  the  vote. 
 
LETTERS  CXCVIII.  AND  CXCIX.  339 
 
 LETTER  CXCVIIL— To  Mr.  Ephraim  Melvin. 
 
 Reverend  and  dear  Brother, — I  received  your  letter,  and  am 
 contented  with  all  my  heart  that  our  acquaintance  in  our  Lord 
 continue.  I  am  wrestling,  as  I  dow,^  up  the  mount  with  Christ's 
 cross.  My  second  is  kind,  and  able  to  help.  As  for  your  ques- 
 tions, because  of  my  manifold  distractions  and  letters  to  multitudes, 
 I  have  not  time  to  answer  them.  What  shall  be  said  in  common- 
 for  that  shall  be  imparted  to  you,  for  I  am  upon  these  questions ; 
 therefore  spare  me  a  little,  for  the  service-book  would  take  a  great 
 time.  But  I  think,  Sicut  deosculatio  religiosa  imaginis,  aut  etiam 
 elementorum,  est  in  se  idololatria  externa,  etsi  intentio  deosculandi  iota, 
 quanta  in  actu  est,  feratur  in  Deu^n  wpMrorvTrov ;  ita  geniculatio  coram 
 pane,  quando,  nempe,  ex  instituto  totus  homo  externus  et  internus  versari 
 debeat  circa  elementaria  signa,  est  adoratio  relativa,  et  adoraiio  ipslus 
 panis.  Ratio :  intentio  adorandi  objectum  materiale,  non  est  de  essentia 
 externce  adorationis,  ut  patet  in  deosculatione  religiosa.  Sic,  geniculatio 
 coram  imagine  Babylonicd  est  externa  adoratio  imaginis,  etsi  tres  puer' 
 mente  intendissent  adorare  Jehovam ;  sic  qui  ex  metu  solo,  aut  spe  pretii 
 aid  inanis  glorice,  geniculatur  coram  aureo  vitulo  Jeroboami  (quod  ab  ipso 
 rege,  qui  omlla  religione  inducius,  sed  libidine  dominandi  tantum, 
 vitulum  erexit,  factitatum  esse,  textus  satis  luculenter  clamat),  adorat 
 vitulum  externa  adoratione  ;  esto  quodputaret  vitulum  esse  meram  crea- 
 turam,  et  lionore  mdlo  dignum :  quia  geniculatio,  sive  nos  nolumus  sive 
 volumus,  ex  instituto  Dei  et  naturoe,  in  actu  religiose,  est  symbolum  re- 
 ligiosce  adorationis.  Ergo,  sicut  panis  signat  corpus  Christi,  etsi  absit 
 actus  omnis  nostrce  intentionis,  sic  religiosa  geniculatio,  sublatd  omni  in- 
 tentione  humana,  est  externa  adoratio  panis,  coram  quo  adoramus,  ut 
 coram  signo  vicario  et  reprcesentativo  Dei.  Thus  recommending  you 
 to  Grod's  tender  mercy,  I  desire  that  ye  would  remember  me  to  God. 
 Sanctification  shall  settle  you  most  in  the  truth.  Grace  be  with 
 you.  Your  brother  in  Christ  Jesus,         S.  R. 
 
 Aberdeen,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  CXCIX.— To  a  Gentlewoman  upon  the  Death  of  her 
 
 Husband. 
 
 Mistress, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you.  I  cannot  but 
 rejoice  and  withal  be  grieved  at  your  case.  It  hath  pleased  the 
 Lord  to  remove  your  husband  (my  friend,  and  this  kirk's  faithful 
 professor)  soon  to  his  rest ;  but  shall  we  be  sorry  that  our  loss  is 
 his  gain,  seeing  his  Lord  would  want  his  company  no  longer? 
 Tliink  not  much  of  short  summons  ;  for  seeing  he  walked  with  his 
 '  Can.  "  What  he  is  preparing  for  publication. 
 
340  LETTER  CXCIX. 
 
 Lord  in  his  life,  and  desired  that  Christ  should  be  magnified  in 
 liim  at  his  death,  ye  ought  to  be  silent  and  satisfied.  When  Christ 
 Cometh  for  his  own  He  runneth  fast.  Mercy,  mercy  to  the  saints 
 goeth  not  at  leisure ;  love,  love  in  our  Redeemer  is  not  slow  ;  and 
 withal  He  is  homely  ^  with  you,  who  cometh  at  His  own  hand  to 
 your  house,  and  intromitteth,  as  a  friend,  witli  anything  that  is 
 yours.  I  think  He  would  fain  borrow  and  lend  with  you.  Now 
 he  shall  meet  with  the  solacious  -  company,  the  fair  flock,  and 
 blessed  bairn-teem  ^  of  the  first-born,  banqueting  at  the  marriage- 
 supper  of  the  Lamb.  It  is  mercy  that  the  poor  wandering  sheep 
 get  a  dyke-side  in  this  stormy  day,  and  a  leaking  ship  a  safe  har- 
 bour, and  a  sea-sick  passenger  a  sound  and  soft  bed  ashore.  Wrath, 
 wrath,  wrath  from  the  Lord  is  coming  upon  this  land  that  he  hath  left 
 behind  him.  Know  therefore,  that  your  Lord  Jesus  His  wounds 
 are  the  wounds  of  a  lover,  and  that  He  will  have  compassion  upon 
 a  sad-hearted  servant,  and  that  Christ  hath  said  He  will  have  the 
 husband's  room  in  your  heart.  He  loved  3^ou  in  your  first  husband's 
 time,  and  He  is  but  wooing  you  still ;  give  Him  heart  and  chair, 
 house  and  all.  He  will  not  be  made  companion  with  any  other  ; 
 love  is  full  of  jealousies,  He  will  have  all  your  love,  and  avIio  should 
 get  it  but  He  1  I  know,  ye  allow  it  upon  Him  ;  there  are  comforts, 
 both  sweet  and  satisfying,  laid  up  for  you,  wait  on.  Frist  ^  Christ, 
 He  is  an  honest  debtor.  Now  for  mine  own  case,  I  think  some 
 poor  body  would  be  glad  of  a  dauted  ^  prisoner's  leavings.  I  have 
 no  scarcity  of  Christ's  love.  He  hath  wasted  more  comforts  upon 
 His  poor  banished  servant,  than  would  have  refreshed  many  souls. 
 My  burden  was  once  so  heavy,  that  one  ounce-weight  would  have 
 casten  the  balance  and  broken  my  back ;  but  Christ  said,  hold, 
 hold,  to  my  sorrow,  and  hath  wiped  a  bluthered  ^  face,  Avhich  was 
 foul  with  weeping.  I  may  joyfully  go  my  Lord's  errands  with 
 wages  in  my  hands ;  deferred  hopes  need  not  to  make  me  dead- 
 swier  ^  (as  we  use  to  say) ;  my  cross  is  both  my  cross  and  my  re- 
 ward. 0  !  that  men  would  sound  His  high  praises  !  I  love  Christ's 
 worst  reproaches,  His  glooms,  His  cross,  better  than  all  this  world's 
 plastered  glory ;  my  heart  is  not  longing  to  be  back  again  from 
 Christ's  country,  it  is  a  sweet  soil  I  am  come  to.  I  (if  any  in  the 
 world)  have  good  cause  to  speak  much  good  of  Him.  0  !  hell  were 
 a  good-cheap  price  to  buy  Him  at.  0,  if  all  the  three  kingdoms 
 were  witnesses  to  my  pained,  pained  soul,  overcome  and  wounded 
 with  Christ's  love !  I  thank  you  most  kindly,  my  dear  sister,  for  your 
 love  and  tender  care  to  my  brother.  I  will  think  myself  obliged  to 
 you,  if  ye  continue  his  friend,  he  is  more  to  me  than  a  brother  now, 
 
 ^  Familiar.  2  Comforting.  3  Family. 
 
 *  Trust.  6  Indulged.  «  Smutched. 
 
 '  Extremely  unwilling 
 
LETTER  CC.  341 
 
 being  engaged  to  suffer  for  so  honourable  a  Master  and  cause. 
 Pray  for  Chrst's  prisoner,  and  grace,  grace  be  vrith  you. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  E. 
 Aberdeen,  March  7,  1636. 
 
 LETTER  CC— To  his  Reverend  and  dear  Brother,  Mr.  John 
 
 Nevay. 
 
 My  reverend  and  dear  Brother, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace 
 be  to  you.  I  have  exceeding  many  I  write  to,  else  I  would  be 
 kinder  in  paper.  I  rejoice  that  my  sweet  Master  hath  any  to  back 
 Him.  Thick,  thick  may  my  royal  King's  court  be.  0,  that  His 
 kingdom  might  grow  !  It  were  my  joy  to  have  His  house  full  of 
 guests.  Except  that  I  have  some  cloudy  days,  for  the  most  part  I 
 have  a  king's  life  with  Christ.  He  is  all  perfumed  with  the 
 powders  of  the  merchant :  He  hath  a  king's  face  and  a  king's 
 smell :  His  chariot,  wherein  He  carrieth  His  poor  prisoner,  is  of 
 the  wood  of  Lebanon,  it  is  paved  with  love.  Is  not  that  soft 
 ground  to  walk  or  lie  on  ?  I  think  better  of  Christ  than  ever  I 
 did  •  my  thoughts  of  His  love  grow  and  swell  on  me.  I  never 
 write  to  any  of  Him  so  much  as  I  have  felt.  0  if,  if  I  could  write 
 a  book  of  Christ  and  of  His  love !  Suppose  I  were  made  white 
 ashes,  and  burnt  for  this  same  truth  that  men  count  but  as  knots 
 of  straws,  it  were  my  gain,  if  my  ashes  could  proclaim  the  worth, 
 .excellency,  and  love  of  my  Lord  Jesus.  There  is  much  telling  ^ 
 in  Christ,  I  give  over  the  weighing  of  Him ;  heaven  would  not  be 
 the  beam  of  a  balance  to  weigh  Him  in.  What  eyes  be  on  me, 
 or  what  wind  of  tongues  be  on  me,  I  care  not.  Let  me  stand  in 
 this  stage  in  the  fool's  coat,  and  act  a  fool's  part  to  the  rest  of 
 this  nation.  If  I  can  set  my  Well-Beloved  on  high,  and  witness 
 fair  for  Him,  a  fig  for  their  Hosanna.  If  I  can  roll  myself  in  a 
 lap  of  Christ's  garment,  I  will  lie  there,  and  laugh  at  the  thoughts 
 of  dying  bits  of  clay.  Brother,  we  have  cause  to  weep  for  our 
 harlot  mother,  her  husband  is  sending  her  to  Rome's  brothel- 
 hi  )use,  which  is  the  gate  ^  she  liketh  well.  Yet  I  persuade  you, 
 there  shall  be  a  fair  after-growth  for  Christ  in  Scotland,  and  this 
 church  shall  sing  the  Bridegroom's  welcome-home-again  to  His 
 own  house.  The  worms  shall  eat  them  first,  ere  they  cause  Christ 
 take  good  night  at^  Scotland.  I  am  here  assaulted  with  the  doc- 
 tors' guns ;  but  I  bless  the  Father  of  lights,  they  draAv  not  blood 
 of  truth.  I  find  no  lodging  in  the  heart  of  natural  men,  who  are  cold 
 friends  to  my  Master.  I  pray  you,  remember  my  love  to  that 
 gentleman  A.  C,  my  heart  is  knit  to  him,  because  he  and  I  have 
 one  Master.  Remember  my  bonds,  and  present  my  service  to  my 
 1  Reckoning-.  -  Way.  ^  Of. 
 
342  LETTER  CCI. 
 
 lord  and  my  lady.     I  wish  Christ  may  be  dearer  to  them  than  to 
 many  of  their  place.     Grace  be  with  you. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  E. 
 Aberdeen,  July  7,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  COL— To  my  Lady  Boyd. 
 
 Madam, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you.  Few  (I  believe) 
 know  the  pain  and  torment  of  Christ's  fristed  ^  love :  fristing  of 
 Christ's  presence  is  a  matter  of  torment.  I  know  a  poor  soul  that 
 would  lay  all  oars  in  the  water  for  a  banquet  or  feast  of  Christ's 
 love.  I  cannot  think  but  it  must  be  up-taking  -  and  sweet  to  see 
 the  white  and  red  of  Christ's  fair  face ;  for  He  is  white  and  ruddy, 
 and  the  chiefest  among  ten  thousand.  Cant.  v.  10.  I  am  sure 
 that  must  be  a  well-made  face  of  His,  heaven  must  be  in  His 
 visage ;  glory,  glory  for  evermore  must  sit  on  His  countenance.  I 
 dare  not  curse  the  mask  and  covering  that  is  on  His  face ;  but  O 
 if  there  were  a  hole  in  it ;  0  if  God  would  tear  the  mask ;  fie,  fie 
 upon  us,  we  were  never  shamed  till  now,  that  we  do  not  proclaim 
 our  pining  and  languishing  for  Him.  I  am  sure,  never  tongue 
 spake  of  Christ  as  He  is.  I  am  still  of  that  mind,  and  still  will 
 be,  that  we  wrong  and  undervalue  that  holy,  holy  One,  in  having 
 such  short  and  shallow  thoughts  of  His  weight  and  worth.  0,  if 
 I  could  have  but  leave  to  stand  beside  and  see  the  Father  weigh 
 Christ  the  Son,  if  it  were  possible :  but  how  every  one  of  them 
 comprehendetli  another,  we,  who  have  eyes  of  clay,  cannot  com- 
 prehend ;  but  it  is  pity  for  evermore,  and  more  than  shame,  that 
 such  an  one  as  Christ  should  sit  in  heaven  His  lone^  for  us.  To 
 go  up  thither  once  errand,*  and  on  purpose  to  see,  were  no  small 
 glory.  0  that  He  would  strike  out  windows,  and  fair  and  great 
 lights,  iii  this  old  house,  this  fallen  down  soul,  and  then  set  the 
 soul  near-hand  Christ,  that  the  rays  and  beams  of  light,  and  the 
 soul-delighting  glances  of  the  fair,  fair  Godhead,  might  shine  in  at 
 the  windows  and  fill  the  house !  A  fairer  and  more  near  and 
 direct  sight  of  Christ  would  make  room  for  His  love  ;  for  we  are 
 but  pinched  and  straitened  in  His  love.  Alas,  it  were  easy  to 
 measure  and  weigh  all  the  love  that  we  have  for  Christ  by  inches 
 and  ounces  !  Alas,  that  we  should  love  by  measure  and  weight, 
 and  not  rather  have  floods  and  feasts  of  Christ's  love !  0,  that 
 Christ  would  break  down  the  old  narrow  vessels  of  these  narrow 
 and  ebb  souls,  and  make  fair,  deep,  wide,  and  broad  souls,  to 
 hold  a  sea  and  a  full  tide,  flowing  over  all  its  banks,  of  Christ's 
 love  !  0,  that  the  Almighty  would  give  me  my  request !  that  I 
 might  see  Christ  come  to  His  temple  again  (as  He  is  minting,^ 
 
 '  Suspended.  ^  Reviving.  ^  Alone. 
 
 *  On  purpose^  ^  Indicating  hia  pui-pose. 
 
LETTER  ecu.  343 
 
 and  it  is  like/  minding  to  do) ;  and  if  the  land  were  humbled,  the 
 judgments  threatened  are  with  this  reservation,  I  know,  if  Ave  shall 
 turn  and  repent.  0,  what  a  heaven  should  we  have  on  earth,  to 
 see  Scotland's  moon  like  the  light  of  the  sun,  and  Scotland's  sun- 
 light seven-fold,  like  the  light  of  seven  days,  ia  the  day  that  the 
 Lord  bindeth  up  the  breach  of  His  people,  and  healeth  the  stroke 
 of  their  wounds  !  Isa.  xxx.  26.  Alas,  that  we  will  not  pull  and 
 draw  Christ  to  His  old  tents  again,  to  come  and  feed  among  the 
 lilies,  till  the  day  break  and  the  shadows  flee  away !  0,  that  the 
 nobles  would  go  on,  in  the  strength  and  courage  of  the  Lord,  to 
 bring  our  lawful  King  Jesus  home  again !  I  am  persuaded  He 
 shall  return  again  in  glory  to  this  land  :  but  happy  were  they  who 
 could  help  to  convoy  Him  to  His  sanctuary,  and  set  Him  again 
 up  upon  the  mercy-seat  betwixt  the  cherubims.  0  sun,  return  to 
 darkened  Britain  !  0,  fairest  among  all  the  sons  of  men,  0  most 
 excellent  One,  come  home  again,  come  home,  and  win  the  praises 
 and  blessings  of  the  mourners  in  Zion,  the  prisoners  of  hope,  that 
 wait  for  Thee !  I  know.  He  can  also  triumph  in  sufl'ering,  and 
 weep  and  reign,  and  die  and  triumph,  and  remain  in  prison,  and 
 yet  subdue  His  enemies.  But  how  happy  were  I  to  see  the  coro- 
 nation-day of  Christ,  to  see  His  mother,  who  bare  Him,  put  the 
 crown  upon  His  head  again,  and  cry  with  shouting  till  the  earth 
 should  ring,  "Let  Jesus  our  King  live  and  reign  for  evermore." 
 Grace,  grace  be  with  your  ladyship. 
 
 Your  ladyship's  at  all  obedience  in  Christ,         S.  R. 
 Aberdeen,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  CCn.— To  Mr.  Alexander  Colvill  of  Blair. 
 
 Much  honoured  Sir, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you. 
 I  would  desire  to  know  how  my  lord  took  my  letter  I  sent  him, 
 and  how  he  is :  I  desire  nothing,  but  that  he  be  fast  and  honest 
 to  my  royal  Master  and  King.  I  am  well  every  way,  all  praise 
 to  Him,  in  whose  books  I  must  stand  for  ever  as  His  debtor. 
 Only  my  silence  painetli  me.  I  had  one  joy  out  of  heaven,  next 
 to  Christ  my  Lord,  and  that  was  to  preach  Him  to  this  faithless 
 generation,  and  they  have  taken  that  from  me.  It  was  to  me  as 
 the  poor  man's  one  eye,  and  they  have  put  out  that  eye.  I  know 
 the  violence  done  to  me,  and  His  poor  bereft  bride,  is  come  up 
 before  the  Lord  ;  and  suppose  I  see  not  the  other  side  of  my  cross, 
 or  what  my  Lord  will  bring  out  of  it,  yet  I  believe  the  vision  shall 
 not  tarry,  and  that  Christ  is  on  His  journey  for  my  deliverance. 
 He  goeth  not  slowly,  but  passeth  over  ten  mountains  at  one  stride. 
 In  the  meantime,  I  am  pained  with  His  love,  because  I  want  real 
 possession.     When  Christ  cometh  He  stayeth  not  long ;  but  cer 
 
 *  Probable. 
 
344  LETTER  CCIIT. 
 
 tainly  the  blowing  of  His  breath  upon  a  poor  soul  is  heaven  upon 
 earth ;  and  when  the  wind  turneth  into  the  north  and  He  goeth 
 away,  I  die  till  the  wind  change  in  ^  the  west,  and  He  visit  His 
 prisoner.  But  He  holdeth  me  not  often  at  His  door.  I  am  richly 
 repaid  for  suffering  for  Him.  0,  if  all  Scotland  were  as  I  am,  ex- 
 cept my  bonds  !  0,  what  pain  I  have,  because  I  cannot  get  Him 
 praised  by  my  sufferings !  0,  that  heaven  within  and  without, 
 and  the  earth  were  paper,  and  all  the  rivers,  fountains,  and  seas 
 were  ink,  and  I  able  to  write  all  the  paper,  within  and  without, 
 full  of  His  praises,  and  love,  and  excellency,  to  be  read  by  man 
 and  angel !  nay,  this  is  little,  I  owe  my  heaven  for  Christ,  and  to 
 desire,  howbeit  I  should  never  enter  in  at  the  gates  of  the  New 
 Jerusalem,  to  send  my  love  and  my  praises  over  the  wall  to  Christ. 
 Alas,  that  time  and  days  lie  betwixt  Him  and  me,  and  adjourn 
 our  meeting !  It  is  my  part  to  cry,  0,  when  will  the  night  be 
 past,  and  the  day  dawn,  that  we  shall  see  one  another!  Be  pleased 
 to  remember  my  service  to  my  lord,  to  whom  I  wrote ;  and  show 
 him,  that  for  his  affection  to  me,  I  cannot  but  pray  for  him,  and 
 earnestly  desire  that  Christ  miss  him  not  out  of  the  roll  of  those 
 that  are  His  witnesses,  now  when  His  kingly  honour  is  called  in 
 question.  It  is  his  honour  to  hold  up  Christ's  royal  train,  and  to  be 
 an  instrument  to  hold  the  crown  upon  Christ's  head.  Show  him, 
 because  I  love  his  true  honour  and  standing,  that  this  is  my  earnest 
 desire  for  him.  Now  I  bless  you ;  and  the  prayers  of  Christ's 
 prisoner  come  upon  you ;  and  His  sweetest  presence,  whom  ye 
 serve  in  the  Spirit,  accompany  you. 
 
 Yours,  at  all  obhged  obedience  in  Christ,         S.  R. 
 Aberdeen,  June  23,  1637. 
 
 LETTEE  CCIII.— To  Mr.  John  Eow. 
 
 Eeverend  and  dear  Brother, — I  received  yours.  I  bless  His 
 high  and  great  name,  I  like  my  sweet  Master  still  the  longer  the 
 better.  A  sight  of  His  cross  is  more  awesome  ^  than  the  weight 
 of  it.  I  think  the  worst  things  of  Christ,  even  His  reproaches  and 
 His  cross  (when  I  look  on  these  not  with  bleared  eyes),  far  rather 
 to  be  chosen  than  the  laughter  and  worm-eaten  joys  of  my  adver- 
 saries. 0,  that  they  were  as  I  am,  except  my  bonds  !  My  witness 
 is  above,  my  ministry,  next  to  Christ,  is  dearest  to  me  of  anything ; 
 but  I  lay  it  down  at  Christ's  feet,  for  His  glory  and  His  honour 
 as  supreme  Lawgiver,  which  is  dearer  to  me.  My  dear  brother, 
 if  ye  will  receive  the  testimony  of  a  poor  prisoner  of  Christ,  who 
 dare  not  now  dissemble  for  the  world,  I  believe  certainly,  and 
 expect  thanks  from  the  Prince  of  the  kings  of  the  earth  for  my 
 1  Into.  2  Awful. 
 
LETTER  CCIV.  845 
 
 poor  hazards  (such  as  they  are)  for  His  honourable  cause,  whom 
 I  can  never  enough  extol  for  His  running-over  love  to  my  sad 
 soul,  since  I  came  hither.  0  that  I  could  get  Him  set  on  high 
 and  praised !  I  seek  no  more,  as  the  top  and  root  of  my  desires, 
 but  that  Christ  may  make  glory  to  Himself,  and  edification  to  the 
 weaker,  out  of  my  sufferings.  I  desire  ye  would  help  me  both  to 
 pray  and  praise.     Grace  be  with  you. 
 
 Fours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R 
 Aberdeen,  July  8,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  CCIV.— To  the  Lady  Culross. 
 
 Madam, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you.  I  am  much 
 refreshed  with  your  letter,  now  at  length  come  to  me.  I  find  my 
 Lord  Jesus  cometh  not  in  that  precise  way  that  I  lay  wait  for 
 Him,  He  hath  a  gate^  of  His  own.  O,  how  high  are  His  ways 
 above  my  ways  !  I  see  but  little  of  Him.  It  is  best  not  to  ofi'er 
 to  learn^  Him  a  lesson,  but  to  give  Him  absolutely  His  own  will  in 
 coming,  going,  ebbing,  flowing,  and  in  the  manner  of  His  gracious 
 working.  I  want  nothing  but  a  back-burden  of  Christ's  love  :  I 
 would  go  through  hell,  and  the  thick  of  the  damned  devils,  to  have 
 a  hearty  feast  of  Christ's  love ;  for  He  hath  fettered  me  with  His 
 love,  and  run  away,  and  left  me  a  chained  man.  Woe  is  me,  that 
 I  was  so  loose,  rash,  vain,  and  graceless,  in  my  unbelieving  thoughts 
 of  Christ's  love.  But  what  can  a  soul  under  a  non-entry^  (when 
 my  rights  were  wadset^  and  lost)  do  else,  but  make  a  false  libel 
 against  Christ's  love  1  I  know  yourself,  madam,  and  many  more, 
 will  be  witnesses  against  me,  if  I  repent  not  of  my  unbelief ;  for  I 
 have  been  seeking  the  Pope's  wares,  some  hire  for  grace  within 
 myself.  I  have  not  learned,  as  I  should  do,  to  put  my  stock  and 
 all  my  treasure  in  Christ's  hand  ;  but  I  would  have  a  stock  of  mine 
 own ;  and  ere  I  was  aware,  I  was  taking  hire  to  be  the  law's  advo- 
 cate, to  seek  justification  by  works  :  I  forgot  that  grace  is  the  only 
 garland  that  is  worn  in  heaven  upon  the  heads  of  the  glorified. 
 And  now  I  half  rejoice  that  I  have  sickness  for  Christ  to  work 
 upon ;  since  I  must  have  wounds,  well  is  my  souP  I  have  a  day's 
 work  for  my  Physician  Christ.  I  hope  to  give  Christ  His  own 
 calling ;  it  setteth  Him  full  well  to  cure  diseases.  My  ebbings  are 
 very  low,  and  the  tide  is  far  out,  when  my  Beloved  goeth  away; 
 and  then  I  cry,  oh,  cruelty !  to  put  out  the  poor  man's  one  eye, 
 and  that,  that  was  my  joy  next  to  Christ,  to  preach  my  Well- 
 Beloved  ;  then  I  make  a  noise  about  Christ's  house,  looking  un- 
 couth-like in  at  His  window,  and  casting  my  love  and  my  desires 
 over  the  wall,  till  God  send  better.  I  am  often  content  my  bill 
 ^  Way.  '  Teach.  ^  Exclu.'iioii.         *   Pawned.  ^  I  rejoice. 
 
346  LETTER  CCIV. 
 
 lie  in  heaven  till  the  day  of  my  departure,  providing  I  had  assur- 
 ance that  mercy  shall  be  written  on  the  back  of  it,  I  would  not 
 care  for  on-waiting ;  but  when  I  draw  in  a  tired  arm,  and  empty 
 hand  withal,  it  is  much^  to  me  to  keep  my  thoughts  in  order ;  but 
 I  will  not  get  a  gate  for  Christ's  love,  when  I  have  done  all  I  can  ; 
 I  w^ould  fain  yield  to  His  stream,  and  row  with  Christ,  and  not 
 against  Him.  But  while  I  live,  I  see  that  Christ's  kingdom  in  me 
 will  not  be  peaceable,  so  many  thoughts  in  me  rise  up  against  His 
 honour  and  kingly  power.  Surely,  I  have  not  expressed  all  His 
 sweet  kindness  to  me ;  I  spare  to  do  it,  lest  I  be  deemed  to  seek 
 myself ;  but  His  breath  hath  sraelled  of  the  powder  of  the  mer- 
 chants and  of  the  King's  spikenard.  I  think  I  conceive  new 
 thoughts  of  heaven,  because  the  card^  and  the  map  of  heaven,  that 
 He  letteth  me  now  see,  is  so  fair  and  so  sweet,  I  am  sure  we  are 
 niggards  and  sparing  bodies  in  seeking.  I  verily  judge,  we  know 
 not  how  much  may  be  had  in  this  life ;  there  is  yet  something  be- 
 yond all  we  see,  that  seeking  would  light  upon.  0,  that  my  love- 
 sickness  would  put  me  to  a  business,  when  all  the  world  are  found 
 sleeping,  to  cry  and  knock !  But  the  truth  is,  since  I  came  hither, 
 I  have  been  wondering,  that  after  my  importunity  to  have  my  fill 
 of  Christ's  love,  I  have  not  gotten  a  real  sign,  but  have  come  from 
 Him  crying,  Hunger,  hunger.  I  think  Christ  letteth  me  see  meat, 
 in  my  extremity  of  hunger,  and  giveth  me  none  of  it.  When  I  am 
 near  the  apple.  He  draweth  back  His  hand,  and  goeth  away,  to 
 cause  me  to  follow ;  and  again,  when  I  am  within  an  arm's  length 
 to  the  apple,  He  maketh  a  new  break  to  the  gate,  and  I  have  Him 
 to  seek  of  new.  He  seemeth  not  to  pity  my  dwining  and  my 
 swooning  for  His  love,  I  dare  sometimes  put  my  hunger  over  to 
 Him  to  be  judged,  if  I  would  not  buy  Him  with  a  thousand  years 
 in  the  hottest  furnace  in  hell,  so  being  I  might  enjoy  Him.  But 
 my  hunger  is  fed  with  want  and  absence.  I  hunger  and  I  have 
 not,  but  my  comfort  is  to  lie  and  wait  on,  and  to  put  my  poor  soul 
 and  my  sufferings  in  Christ's  hand.  Let  Him  make  anything  out 
 of  me,  so  being  He  be  glorified  in  my  salvation  ;  for  I  know  I  am 
 made  for  Him  !  0  that  my  Lord  may  win  His  own  gracious  end 
 in  me  !  I  will  not  be  at  ease,  while  1  but  stand  so  far  aback.  0, 
 if  I  were  near  Him  and  with  Him,  that  this  poor  soul  might  be 
 satisfied  with  Himself.  Your  son-in-law,  W.  G,,  is  now  truly 
 honoured  for  His  Lord  and  Master's  cause.  When  the  Lord  is 
 fanning  Zion,  it  is  a  good  token  that  he  is  a  true  branch  of  the 
 Vine,  that  the  Lord  beginneth  first  to  dress  him.  He  is  strong  in 
 his  Lord,  as  he  hath  written  to  me,  and  his  wife  is  his  encourager, 
 which  should  make  you  rejoice.  For  your  son,  who  is  your  grief, 
 your  Lord  waited  on  you  and  me  till  we  were  ripe,  and  brought 
 
 1  Difficult.  2  Chart. 
 
LETTER  CCV.  347 
 
 US  in.  It  is  your  part  to  pray  and  wait  upon  Him :  when  he  is 
 ripe,  he  will  be  spoken  for.  Who  can  command  our  Lord's  wind 
 to  blow  ?  I  know  it  shall  be  your  good  in  the  latter  end.  That 
 is  one  of  your  waters  to^  heaven,  ye  could  not  go  about  it ;  there 
 are  the  fewer  behind.  I  remember  you,  and  him,  and  yours,  as  I 
 am  able.  But  alas!  I  am  believed  to  be  something,  and  I  am 
 nothing  but  an  empty  reed.  Wants  are  my  best  riches,  because  I 
 have  these  supplied  by  Christ.  Remember  my  dearest  love  to 
 your  brother :  I  know  he  pleadeth  with  his  harlot  mother  for  her 
 apostasy.  I  know,  also,  ye  are  kind  to  my  worthy  Lady  Ken- 
 mure,  a  woman  beloved  of  the  Lord,  who  hath  been  very  mindful 
 of  my  bonds.  The  Lord  give  her  and  her  child  to  find  mercy  in 
 the  day  of  Christ,  Great  men  are  dry  and  cold  in  doing  for  me  : 
 the  tinkling  of  chains  for  Christ  affrighteth  them :  but  let  my 
 Lord  break  all  my  idols,  I  will  yet  bless  Him,  I  am  obliged  to 
 my  Lord  Lorn  :  I  wish  him  mercy.  Remember  my  bonds  with 
 praises,  and  pray  for  me  that  my  Lord  may  leaven  the  north  by 
 my  bonds  and  sufferings.     Grace  be  with  you. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 
 Aberdeen,  July  9,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  CCV.— To  Alexander  Gordon  of  Knockgray. 
 
 Dear  Brother, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you.  There 
 is  no  question  but  our  mother-church  hath  a  Father,  and  that  she 
 shall  not  die  without  an  heir,  that  her  enemies  shall  not  make 
 Mount  Zion  their  heritage.  We  see  whithersoever  Zion's  enemies 
 go,  suppose  they  dig  many  miles  under  the  ground,  yet  our  Lord 
 findeth  them  out,  and  He  hath  vengeances  laid  up  in  store  for 
 them,  and  the  poor  and  needy  shall  not  always  be  forgotten.  Our 
 hope  was  drooping  and  withering,  and  man  was  saying,  "  What 
 can  God  make  out  of  the  old  dry  bones  of  this  buried  kirk  1 "  the 
 prelates  and  their  followers  were  a  grave  above  us  :  it  is  like  ^  our 
 Lord  is  to  open  our  graves  and  purposeth  to  cause  His  two  slain 
 witnesses  rise  the  third  day.  0  how  long  wait  I  to  hear  our  weep- 
 ing Lord  Jesus  sing  again,  and  triumph,  and  rejoice,  and  divide 
 the  spoil !  I  find  it  hard  work  to  believe  when  the  course  of  pro- 
 vidence goeth  cross-Avays  to  our  faith,  and  when  misted  souls  in  a 
 dark  night  cannot  know  east  by  west,  and  our  sea-compass  seem- 
 eth  to  fail  us.  Every  man  is  a  believer  in  daylight.  A  fair  day 
 seemeth  to  be  made  all  of  faith  and  hope.  What  a  trial  of  gold 
 is  it  to  smoke  it  a  little  above  the  fire !  But  to  keep  gold  perfect 
 yellow-coloured  amidst  the  flames,  and  to  be  turned  from  vessel  to 
 vessel,  and  yet  to  cause  our  furnace  sound,  and  speak  and  cry  the 
 ^  On  the  way  to.  ^  Probable. 
 
348  LETTER  CCV. 
 
 praises  of  the  Lord,  is  another  matter.  I  know  my  Lord  made 
 me  not  for  fire,  howbeit  He  hath  fitted  me  in  some  measure  for 
 the  fire.  I  bless  His  high  name,  that  I  wax  not  pale,  neither  have 
 I  lost  the  colour  of  gold,  and  that  His  fire  hath  made  me  somewhat 
 thin,  and  that  my  Lord  may  pour  me  in  any  vessel  He  pleaseth. 
 For  a  small  wager,  I  may  justly  quit  my  part  of  this  world's 
 laughter,  and  give  up  with  time,  and  cast  out  ^  with  the  pleasures 
 of  this  world.  I  know  a  man  who  wondered  to  see  any  in  this 
 life  laugh  and  sport ;  surely  our  Lord  seeketh  this  of  us,  as  to 
 any  rejoicing  in  present  perishing  things.  I  see  above  all  things, 
 and  that  we  may  sit  down  and  fold  legs  and  arms,  and  stretch 
 ourselves  upon  Christ,  and  laugh  at  the  feathers  that  children 
 are  chasing  here.  For  I  think  the  men  of  this  world,  like  chil- 
 dren in  a  dangerous  storm  in  the  sea,  that  play  and  make  sport 
 with  the  white  foam  of  the  waves  thereof,  coming  in  to  sink  and 
 drown  them  ;  so  are  men  making  fools'  sports  with  the  white  plea- 
 sures of  a  stormy  world  that  will  sink  them.  But  alas,  what  have 
 we  to  do  with  their  sports  that  they  make  !  If  Solomon  said  of 
 laughter  that  it  was  madness,  what  may  we  say  of  this  world's 
 laughing  and  sporting  themselves  with  gold,  and  silver,  and 
 honours,  and  court,  and  broad  large  conquests,  but  that  they  are 
 poor  souls  in  the  height  and  rage  of  a  fever  gone  mad  1  Then  a 
 straw,  a  fig  for  all  created  sports  and  rejoicing  out  of  Christ.  Nay, 
 [  think  that  this  world  at  its  prime  and  perfection,  when  it  is  come 
 to  the  top  of  its  excellency  and  to  the  bloom,  might  be  bought 
 with  an  halfpenny,  and  that  it  would  scarce  weigh  the  worth  of  a 
 drink  of  water.  There  is  nothing  better  than  to  esteem  it  our 
 crucified  idol  that  is  dead  and  slain,  as  Paul  did.  Gal.  vi.  14.  Then 
 let  pleasures  be  crucified,  and  riches  be  crucified,  and  court  and 
 honour  be  crucified ;  and  since  the  apostle  saith,  the  world  is 
 crucified  to  him,  we  may  put  this  world  to  the  hanged  man's  doom 
 and  to  the  gallows,  and  who  will  give  much  for  a  hanged  man  1 
 and  as  little  should  we  give  for  a  hanged  and  crucified  world. 
 Yet  what  a  sweet  smell  hath  this  dead  carrion  to  many  fools  in 
 the  world  !  and  how  many  wooers  and  suitors  findeth  this  hanged 
 carrion  !  Fools  are  pulling  it  off  the  gallows  and  contending  for 
 it.  0,  when  shall  we  learn  to  be  mortified  men,  and  to  have  our 
 fill  of  those  things  that  have  but  their  short  summer-quarter  of 
 this  life  1  If  we  saw  our  Father's  house,  and  that  great  and  fair 
 city,  the  New  Jerusalem,  which  is  up  above  sun  and  moon,  we 
 would  cry  to  be  over  the  Wciter,  and  to  be  carried  in  Christ's  arms 
 out  of  this  borrowed  prison.     Grace,  grace  be  with  you. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  K. 
 
 Aberdeen,  1636. 
 
 ^  Quarrel. 
 
LETTER  CCVI,  349 
 
 LETTER  CCVI.— To  the  Laird  of  Carletown. 
 
 Worthy  Sir, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you.  1  received 
 your  letter,  and  am  heartily  glad  that  our  Lord  hath  begun  to 
 work  for  the  apparent  delivery  of  this  poor  oppressed  kirk.  0 
 that  salvation  would  come  for  Zion  !  I  am  for  the  present  hang- 
 ing by  hope,  waiting  what  my  Lord  will  do  with  me,  and  if  it  will 
 please  my  sweet  Master  to  send  me  amongst  you  again,  and  keep 
 out  a  hireling  from  my  poor  people  and  flock.  It  were  my  heaven, 
 till  I  come  home,  even  to  spend  this  life  in  gathering  in  some  to 
 Christ.  I  have  still  great  heaviness  for  my  silence  and  my  forced 
 standing  idle  in  the  market,  when  this  land  hath  such  a  plentiful 
 thick  harvest ;  but  I  know  His  judgments,  Avho  hath  done  it,  past 
 finding  out.  I  have  no  knowledge  to  take  up  the  Lord  in  all  His 
 strange  ways  and  passages  of  deep  and  unsearchable  providences, 
 for  the  Lord  is  before  me,  and  I  am  so  be-misted  that  I  cannot 
 follow  Him  :  He  is  behind  me,  and  following  at  the  heels,  and  I 
 am  not  aware  of  Him ;  He  is  above  me,  but  His  glory  so  dazzleth 
 ffiy  twilight  of  short  knowledge  that  I  cannot  look  up  to  Him  : 
 He  is  upon  my  right  hand,  and  I  see  Him  not :  He  is  upon  my 
 left  hand,  and  within  me,  and  goeth  and  cometh,  and  His  going 
 and  coming  are  a  dream  to  me  :  He  is  round  about  me,  and  com- 
 passeth  all  my  goings,  and  still  I  have  Him  to  seek :  He  is  every 
 way  higher,  and  deeper,  and  broader  than  the  shallow  and  ebb 
 hand-breadth  of  my  short  and  dim  light  can  take  up  ;  and  there- 
 fore I  would  my  heart  could  be  silent,  and  sit  down  in  the  learned- 
 ly-ignorant wondering  at  that  Lord,  Avhom  men  and  angels  cannot 
 comprehend.  I  know,  the  noon-daj^  light  of  the  highest  angels, 
 who  see  Him  face  to  face,  seeth  not  the  borders  of  His  infmiteness. 
 They  apprehend  God  near  hand,  but  they  cannot  comprehend 
 Him.  And  therefore  it  is  my  happiness  to  look  afar  off  and  to 
 come  near  to  the  Lord's  back  parts,  and  to  light  my  dark  candle 
 at  His  brightness,  and  to  have  leave  to  sit  and  content  myself  with 
 a  traveller's  light,  without  the  clear  vision  of  an  enjoyer.  I  would 
 seek  no  more  till  I  Avere  in  my  country,  but  a  little  watering  and 
 sprinkling  of  a  withered  soul,  Avith  some  half-out-breakings  and 
 half-out-lookings  of  the  beams  and  small  ravishing  ^  smiles  of  the 
 fairest  face  of  a  revealed  and  believed-on  Godhead.  A  little  of 
 God  Avould  make  my  soul  bank-full.  0,  that  I  had  but  Christ's 
 odd  off-fallings,  that  He  would  let  but  the  meanest  of  His  love- 
 rays  and  love-beams  fall  from  Him,  so  as  I  might  gather  and 
 carry  them  Avith  me  !  I  Avould  not  be  ill  to  please  with  Christ, 
 and  veiled  visions  of  Christ ;  neither  would  I  be  dainty  in  seeing 
 and  enjoying  of  Him.  A  kiss  of  Christ  blov/n  over  His  shoulder, 
 ^  Qu.,  soal-ravisliing  ? 
 
350  LETTER  CCVII. 
 
 the  parings  and  crumbs  of  glory  that  fall  under  His  table  in 
 heaven,  a  shower  like  a  thin  May-mist  of  His  love,  would  make 
 me  green,  and  sappy,  and  joyful,  till  the  summer-sun  of  an  eternal 
 glory  break  up.  0,  that  I  had  anything  of  Christ !  0,  that  I  had 
 a  sip  or  half  a  drop  out  of  the  hollow  of  Christ's  hand  of  the  sweet- 
 ness and  excellency  of  that  lovely  One  !  0  that  my  Lord  Jesus 
 would  rue  ^  upon  me,  and  give  me  but  the  meanest  alms  ot  felt 
 and  believed  salvation  !  0,  how  little  were  it  for  that  infinite  sea, 
 that  infinite  fountain  of  love  and  joy,  to  fill  as  many  thousand 
 thousand  little  vessels  the  like  of  me,  as  there  are  minutes  of  hours 
 since  the  creation  of  God  !  I  find  it  true,  that  a  poor  soul  finding 
 half  a  smell  of  the  Godhead  of  Christ,  hath  desires  paining  and 
 wounding  the  poor  heart  so,  with  longings  to  be  up  at  Him,  that 
 make  it  sometimes  think,  were  it  not  better  never  to  have  felt 
 anything  of  Christ  than  thus  to  lie  dying  twenty  deaths  under 
 these  felt  wounds  for  the  want  of  Him  1  0  where  is  He  1  0 
 fairest,  where  dwellest  Thou  ?  0  never-enough- admired  Godhead! 
 hoAV  can  clay  win  up  to  thee  1  How  can  creatures  of  yesterday  be 
 able  to  enjoy  thee  1  0  what  pain  is  it,  that  time  and  sin  should 
 be  as  so  many  thousand  miles  betAvixt  a  loved  and  longed-for 
 Lord,  and  a  dwining  and  love-sick  soul,  who  would  rather  than  all 
 the  world  have  lodging  Avith  Christ !  0  let  this  bit  love  of  ours, 
 this  inch  and  half  span-length  of  heavenly  longing,  meet  Avith  thy 
 infinite  love  !  0,  if  the  little  I  have  Avere  SAvallowed  up  Avith  the 
 infiniteness  of  that  excellency  Avhich  is  in  Christ  ?  0,  that  we 
 little  ones  were  in  at  the  greatest  Lord  Jesus,  our  wants  should 
 soon  be  SAvallowed  up  with  His  fulness.  Grace,  grace  be  Avith 
 you.  Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 
 
 Aberdeen,  May  1,  1637. 
 
 LETTEE  CCVII.— To  Egbert  Gordon  of  Knockbrex. 
 
 Dear  Brother, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  yon.  I  re- 
 ceived your  letter  from  Edinburgh.  I  would  not  Avisli  to  see  an- 
 other heaven  while  ^  I  get  mine  own  heaven,  but  a  neAV  moon  like 
 the  light  of  the  sun,  and  a  ncAv  sun  like  the  light  of  seven  days, 
 shining  upon  my  poor  self,  and  the  church  of  JeAvs  and  GentUes, 
 and  upon  my  withered  and  sun-burnt  mother,  the  Church  of  Scot- 
 land, and  upon  her  sister  churches,  England  and  Ireland ;  and  to 
 have  this  done,  to  the  setting  on  high  our  great  King ;  it  maketh 
 not,'  hovvbeit  I  were  separate  from  Christ,  and  had  a  sense  of  ten 
 thousand  years'  pain  in  hell,  if  this  Avere.  0  blessed  nobility,  0 
 glorious  renoAvned  gentry,  0  blessed  were  the  tribes  in  this  land 
 to  wipe  my  Lord  Jesus's  weeping  face,  and  to  take  the  sackcloth 
 ^  Have  compassion.  -  Till.  ^  j^  ^g  of  qq  consequence. 
 
LETTER  CCVII.  351 
 
 off  Christ's  loins,  and  to  put  His  kingly  robes  upon  Him  ?  0,  if 
 the  Almighty  would  take  no  less  wager  of  me,  than  my  heaven, 
 to  have  it  done !  But  my  fears  are  still  for  wrath  once  upon  Scot- 
 land. But  I  know  her  day  shall  clear  up,  and  glory  shall  be  upon 
 the  top  of  the  mountains,  and  joy  at  the  noise  of  the  married  wife 
 once  again.  0,  that  our  Lord  would  make  us  to  contend,  and 
 plead,  and  wrestle,  by  prayers  and  tears,  for  our  Husband's  re- 
 storing of  His  forfeited  heritage  in  Scotland.  Dear  brother,  I  am 
 for  the  present  in  no  small  battle  betwixt  felt  guiltiness,  and 
 pining  longings,  and  high  fevers  for  my  Well-Beloved's  love. 
 Alas  !  I  think  Christ's  love  playeth  the  niggard  to  me,  and  I  know 
 it  is  not  for  scarcity  of  love,  there  is  enough  in  Him ;  but  my 
 hunger  j)rophesieth  of  in-holding  and  sparingness  in  Christ,  for  I 
 have  but  little  of  Him  and  little  of  His  sweetness.  It  is  a  dear 
 summer^  with  me;  yet  there  is  such  joy  in  the  eagerness  and 
 working  of  hunger  for  Christ,  that  I  am  often  at  this,  that  if  I 
 had  no  other  heaven  but  a  continual  hunger  for  Christ,  such  a 
 heaven  of  ever-working  hunger  were  still  a  heaven  to  me.  I  am 
 sure,  Christ's  love  cannot  be  cruel,  it  must  be  a  rueing^,  a  pitiful, 
 a  melting-hearted  love.  But  suspension  of  that  love  I  think  it 
 half  a  hell,  and  the  want  of  it  more  than  a  whole  hell.  When  I 
 look  to  my  guiltiness,  I  see  my  salvation  one  of  our  Saviour's 
 greatest  miracles  either  in  heaven  or  earth.  I  am  sure  I  may  defy 
 any  man  to  show  me  a  greater  wonder.  But  seeing  I  have  no 
 wares,  no  hire,  no  money  for  Christ,  He  must  either  take  me  with 
 want,  misery,  corruption,  or  then  ^  want  me.  0,  if  He  would  be 
 pleased  to  be  compassionate  and  pitiful-hearted  to  ray  pining 
 fevers  of  longing  for  Him,  or  then  ^  give  me  a  real  pawn  to  keep, 
 out  of  His  own  hand,  till  God  send  a  meeting  betwixt  Him  and 
 me  j  but  I  find  neither  as  yet ;  howbeit  He  who  is  absent  be  not 
 cruel  nor  unkind,  yet  His  absence  is  cruel  and  unkind.  His  love 
 is  like  itself ;  His  love  is  His  love ;  but  the  covering  and  the 
 cloud,  the  vail  and  the  mask  of  His  love,  is  more  wise  than  kind, 
 if  I  durst  speak  my  apprehensions.  I  lead  no  process  now  against 
 the  suspension  and  delay  of  God's  love.  I  would  with  all  my 
 heart  frist  *  till  a  day  ten  heavens,  and  the  sweet  manifestations 
 of  His  love.  Certainly  I  think  I  could  give  Christ  much  on  His 
 word.  But  my  whole  pleading  is  about  intimated  and  borne-in 
 assurance  of  His  love.  0  if  He  would  persuade  me  of  my  heart's 
 desire  of  His  love  at  all.  He  should  have  the  term-day  of  payment 
 at  His  own  carving.  But  I  know  raving  unbehef  speaketh  its 
 pleasure,  while  it  looketh  upon  guiltiness  and  this  body  of  corrup- 
 tion. 0,  how  loathsome  and  burdensome  is  it  to  carry  about  a 
 dead  corpse,  this  old  carrion  of  corruption  !     0,  how  stoadable  ^  a 
 
 '  A  season  of  dearth.        -'  Compassionate.        ^  Else.       *  Dfcfer.       ^  Convenient. 
 
352  LETTER  CCVIII. 
 
 thing  is  a  Saviour  to  make  a  sinner  rid  of  his  chains  and  fetters ! 
 I  have  now  made  a  new  question,  whether  Christ  be  more  to  be 
 loved  for  giving  sanctification,  or  for  free  justification?  And  I 
 hold  He  is  more  and  most  to  be  loved  for  sanctification  :  it  is  in 
 some  respect  greater  love  in  Him  to  sanctify  than  to  justify,  for 
 He  maketli  us  most  like  Himself,  in  His  own  essential  portraiture 
 and  image,  in  sanctifying  us.  Justification  doth  but  make  us 
 happy,  which  is  to  be  like  the  angels  only.  Neither  is  it  such  a 
 misery  to  lie  a  condemned  man  and  under  unforgiven  guiltiness, 
 as  to  serve  sin,  and  work  the  works  of  the  devil ;  and  therefore,  I 
 think,  sanctification  cannot  be  bought,  it  is  above  all  price,  God 
 be  thanked  for  ever  that  Christ  was  a  told-down  price  for  sancti- 
 fication. Let  a  sinner  (if  possible)  lie  in  hell  for  ever,  if  He  make 
 him  truly  holy,  and  let  him  lie  there  burning  in  love  to  God,  re- 
 joicing in  the  Holy  Ghost,  hanging  upon  Christ  by  faith  and  hope: 
 that  is  heaven  in  the  heart  and  bottom  of  hell.  Alas !  I  find  a 
 very  thin  harvest  here,  and  few  to  be  saved.  Grace,  grace  be 
 with  you. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  lovely  and  longed-for  Lord  Jesus,         S.  E. 
 Aberdeen,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  CCVIII— To  my  Lord  Craighall. 
 
 My  Lord, — I  persuade  myself,  notwithstanding  of  the  greatness 
 of  this  temptation,  ye  will  not  let  Christ  want  a  witness  of  you,  to 
 avow  Him  before  this  evil  generation.  And  if  ye  advise  with 
 God's  truth  (the  perfect  testament  of  Christ,  that  forbiddeth  all 
 men's  additions  to  His  worship),  and  with  the  truly  learned,  and 
 with  all  the  sanctified  in  this  land,  and  with  that  warner  within 
 you  (that  will  not  fail  to  speak  against  you,  in  God's  time,  if  ye 
 be  not  now  fast  and  fixed  for  Christ),  I  hope  then  your  lordship 
 will  acquit  yourself  as  a  man  of  courage  for  Christ,  and  refuse 
 to  bow  your  knee  superstitiously  and  idolatrously  to  wood  or 
 stone,  or  any  creature  whatsoever.  I  persuade  myself  when  ye 
 shall  take  good  night  at  ^  this  world,  ye  shall  think  it  God's  truth 
 I  now  write.  Some  fear  your  lordship  have  obliged  yourself  to 
 His  Majesty  by  promise  to  satisfy  his  desire.  If  it  be  so,  my 
 dear  and  worthy  lord,  hear  me  for  your  soul's  good.  Think  upon 
 swimming  ashore  after  this  shipwreck,  and  be  pleased  to  write 
 your  humble  apology  to  His  Majesty ;  it  may  be  God  give  you 
 favour  in  his  eyes.  However  it  be,  far  be  it  from  you  to  think  a 
 promise  made  out  of  weakness,  and  extorted  by  the  terror  of  a 
 king,  should  bind  you  to  wrong  your  Lord  Jesus.     But  for  my- 
 
 1  Of. 
 
LETTEK  CGIX.  353 
 
 self,  J  give  no  faith  to  that  report,  but  I  believe  ye  si  mil  prove 
 fast  to  Christ.     To  His  grace  I  recommend  you. 
 
 Your  lordship's,  at  all  obedience  in  Christ,         S.  E. 
 Aberdeen,  July  8,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  CCIX.— To  my  Lord  Cratghall. 
 
 My  Lord, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you.  I  am  not  only 
 content,  but  I  exceedingly  rejoice,  that  I  find  any  of  the  rulers  of 
 this  land,  and  especially  your  lordship,  so  to  affect  Christ  and  His 
 truth,  as  ye  dare,  for  His  name,  come  to  yea  and  nay  Avith 
 monarchs  in  their  face.  I  hope,  He  Avho  hath  enabled  you  for 
 that,  "will  give  more,  if  ye  show  yourself  courageous,  and  as  His 
 word  speaketh,  a  man  in  the  streets  for  the  Lord.  But  I  pray 
 your  lordship  give  me  leave  to  be  plain  with  you,  as  one  who 
 loveth  both  your  honour  and  your  soul.  I  verily  believe,  there 
 was  never  idolatry  at  Rome,  never  idolatry  condemned  in  God's 
 word  by  the  prophets,  il:  religious  kneeling  before  a  consecrate 
 creature,  standing  in  room  of  Christ  crucified,  in  that  very  act, 
 and  that  for  reverence  of  the  elements  (as  our  act  cleareth),  be  not 
 idolatry.  Neither  will  your  intention  help,  which  is  not  of  the 
 essence  of  worship  ;  for  then  Aaron  saying,  "To-morrow  shall  be 
 a  feast  for  Jehovah,"  that  is,  for  the  golden  calf,  should  not  have 
 been  guilty  of  idolatry  ;  for  he  intended  only  to  decline  the  lash 
 of  the  people's  fury,  not  to  honour  the  calf  Your  intention  to 
 honour  Christ  is  nothing,  seeing  religious  kneeling  by  God's  insti- 
 tution doth  necessarily  import  religious  and  divine  adoration, 
 suppose  our  intention  were  both  dead  and  sleeping.  Otherwise 
 kneeling  before  the  image  of  God,  directing  prayer  to  God,  were 
 lawful,  if  our  intention  go  right.  My  lord,  I  cannot  in  this  l^ounds 
 dispute ;  but  if  Cambridge  and  Oxford,  and  the  learning  of  Britain, 
 will  answer  this  argument,  and  the  argument  '^rom  active  scandal, 
 which  your  lordship  seemeth  to  stand  upon,  I  will  turn  a  formalist, 
 and  call  myself  an  arrant  fool  by  doing  what  I  have  done  in  my 
 suffering  for  this  truth.  I  do  much  reverence  Mr.  L's  learning, 
 but,  my  lord,  I  will  answer  what  he  writes  in  that  to  pervert  you 
 from  the  truth,  else  repute  me,  beside  an  hypocrite,  an  ass  also, 
 and  I  hope  ye  shall  see  something  upon  that  subject,  if  the  Lord 
 permit,  that  no  sophistry  in  Britain  shall  answer.  Courtiers' 
 arguments,  for  the  most  part,  ai'e  drawn  from  their  own  skin,  and 
 not  worth  a  straw  for  your  conscience.  A  marquess  or  a  king's 
 word,  when  ye  stand  before  Christ's  tribunal,  shall  be  lighter  than 
 wind.  The  Lord  knoweth  I  love  your  true  honour  and  the  stand- 
 ing of  your  house,  but  I  would  not  your  honour  or  house  were 
 established  upon  sand,  and  hay,  and  stubble.     But  let  me,  my 
 
354  LETTER  CCIX. 
 
 very  dear  and  worthy  lord,  most  lium1)ly  beseeck  you,  by  the 
 mercies  of  God,  by  the  consolations  of  His  Spirit,  by  the  dear 
 blood  and  wounds  of  your  lovely  Eedeemer,  by  the  salvation  of 
 your  soul,  by  your  compearance  before  the  awful  face  of  a  sin- 
 revenging  and  dreadful  Judge,  not  to  get  in  comparison  together 
 your  soul's  peace,  Christ's  love,  and  His  kingly  honour,  now  called 
 in  question,  with  your  place,  honour,  house,  or  ease,  that  an  inch 
 of  time  will  make  out  of  the  way.  I  verily  believe,  Christ  is  now 
 begging  a  testimony  of  you,  and  is  saying,  "And  will  ye  also 
 leave  me  1"  It  is  possible  the  Avind  shall  not  blow  so  fair  for  you 
 all  your  life,  for  coming  out  and  appearing  before  others,  to  back 
 and  countenance  Christ,  the  fairest  among  the  sons  of  men,  the 
 Prince  of  the  kings  of  the  earth,  Isa.  li.  7.  "  Fear  ye  not  the  re- 
 proach of  men,  neither  be  afraid  of  their  revilings,"  v.  8,  "  For 
 the  moth  shall  eat  them  up  like  a  garment,  and  the  worm  shall 
 eat  them  like  wool."  When  the  Lord  shall  begin  He  shall  make 
 an  end,  and  mow  down  His  adversaries,  and  they  shall  lie  before 
 Him  like  withered  hay,  and  their  bloom  shaken  off  them.  Con- 
 sider how  many  thousands  in  this  kingdom  ye  shall  cause  to  fall 
 and  stumble  if  ye  go  Avith  them,  and  that  ye  shall  be  out  of  the 
 prayers  of  many  who  do  stand  before  the  Lord  for  you  and  your 
 house ;  and  further,  when  the  time  of  your  accounts  cometh,  and 
 your  one  foot  shall  be  within  the  border  of  eternity,  and  the  eye- 
 strings  shall  break,  and  the  face  wax  pale,  and  the  poor  soul  shall 
 look  out  at  the  windows  of  the  house  of  clay,  longing  to  be  out, 
 and  ye  shall  find  yourself  arraigned  before  the  Judge  of  quick  and 
 dead,  to  answer  for  the  putting  to  your  hand  with  the  rest,  con- 
 federate against  Christ,  to  the  overturning  of  His  ark,  and  the 
 loosing  of  the  pins  of  Christ's  tabernacle  in  this  land,  and  shall 
 certainly  see  yourself  mired  in  a  course  of  apostasy,  then,  then  a 
 king's  favour,  and  your  worm-eaten  honour  shall  be  miserable 
 comforters  to  you.  The  Lord  hath  enlightened  you  with  the 
 knowledge  of  His  will :  and  as  the  Lord  liveth,  they  lead  you  and 
 others  to  a  cominunion  with  great  Babel,  the  mother  of  fornica- 
 tions. And  God  said  of  old,  and  continueth  to  say  the  same  to 
 you,  "  Come  out  of  her,  my  people,  lest  ye  be  partakers  of  her 
 plagues."  Will  ye,  then,  go  with  them,  and  set  your  lip  to  the 
 whore's  golden  cup,  and  drink  of  the  wine  of  the  wrath  of  God 
 Almighty  with  them  1  0  poor  hungry  honour  !  0  cursed  plea- 
 sures !  and  0  damnable  ease,  bought  with  the  loss  of  God  !  How 
 many  shall  pray  for  you !  What  a  sweet  presence  shall  ye  find  of 
 Christ  under  your  sufferings,  if  ye  shall  lay  down  your  honour  and 
 place  at  the  feet  of  Christ !  what  a  fair  recompense  of  reward  !  I 
 avouch  before  the  Lord,  that  T  am  now  showing  you  a  way  how 
 the  house  of  Craighall  may  stand  on  sure  pillars  :  if  ye  will  set  it 
 
LETTEK  CCIX.  355 
 
 on  rotten  pillars,  ye  cruelly  wrong  your  posterity.     Ye  have  the 
 "word  of  a  King,  for  an  hundred-fold  more  in  this  life  (if  it  be  good 
 for  you)  and  for  life  everlasting  also.     Make  not  Christ  a  liar,  in 
 distrusting  His  promise.     Kings  of  clay  cannot  back  you  when 
 ye  stand  iDefore  Him  :  a  straw  for  them  and  their  hungry  heaven 
 that  standeth  on  this  side  of  time ;  a  fig  for  the  day's  smile  of  a 
 worm.     Consider  who  have  gone  before  you  to  eternity,  and  would 
 have  given  a  world  for  a  new  occasion  of  avouching  that  truth.    It 
 is  true,  they  call  it  not  substantial,  and  we  are  made  a  scorn  to 
 those  that  are  at  ease,  for  suffering  these  things  for  it ;  but  it  is 
 not  time  to  judge  of  our  losses  by  the  morning,  stay  till  the  even- 
 ing, and  we  shall  count  with  the  best  of  them.     I  have  found  my 
 experience,  since  the  time  of  my  imprisonment  (my  witness  is 
 above),  Christ  sealing  this  honourable  cause  with  another  and  a 
 nearer  fellowship  than  ever  I  knew  before ;  and  let  God  weigh  me 
 in  an  even  balance  in  this,  if  I  would  exchange  the  cross  of  Christ 
 or  His  truth  with  the  fourteen  prelacies,  or  what  else  a  king  can 
 give.     My  dear  lord,  venture  to  take  the  wind  on  your  face  for 
 Christ.     I  believe,  if  He  should  come  from  heaven  in  His  own 
 person,  and  seek  the  charters  of  Craighall  from  you  and  a  demis- 
 sion of  your  place,  and  ye  saw  His  face,  you  would  fall  down  at 
 His  feet  and  say.  Lord  Jesus,  it  is  too  little  for  Thee.     If  any 
 man  think  it  not  a  truth  to  die  for,  I  am  against  him.     I  dare  go 
 to  eternity  with  it,  that  this  day  the  honour  of  our  royal  Lawgiver 
 and  King,  in  the  government  of  His  own  free  kingdom  (who 
 should  pay  tribute  to  no  dying  king),  is  the  true  state  of  the  ques- 
 tion.    My  lord,  be  ye  upon  Christ's  side  of  it,  and  take  the  word 
 of  a  poor  prisoner,  nay  the  Lord  Jesus  be  surety  for  it,  ye  have 
 incomparablj'-  made  the  wisest  choice.     For  my  own  part,  I  have 
 been  so  in  this  prison,  that  I  would  be  half  ashamed  to  seek  more 
 till  I  be  up  at  the  Avell-head.     Few  know  in  this  world  the  sweet- 
 ness of  Christ's  breath,  the  excellency  of  His  love,  which  hath 
 neither  brim  nor  bottom :  the  v/orld  hath  raised  a  slander  upon 
 the  cross  of  Christ,  because  they  love  to  go  to  heaven  by  dry  land, 
 and  love  not  sea-storms.     But  I  write  it  under  my  hand  (and 
 would  say  more,  if  possibly  a  reader  would  not  deem  it  hypocrisy), 
 my  obligation  to  Christ  for  the  smell  of  His  garments,  for  His 
 love-kisses  these  thirty  weeks,  standeth  so  great,  that  I  should, 
 and  I  desire  also  to  choose  to  suspend  my  salvation,  to  have  many 
 tongues  loosed  in  my  behalf  to  praise  Him.     And  suppose  in  per- 
 son I  never  entered  within  the  gates  of  the  New  Jerusalem,  yet  so 
 being  Christ  may  be  set  on  high,  and  I  had  the  liberty  to  cast  my 
 love  and  praises  for  ever  over  the  wall  to  Christ,  I  would  be  silent 
 and  content.     But  0,  He  is  more  than  my  narrow  praises !     0 
 time,  time,  flee  swiftly,  that  our  communion  with  Jesus  may  be 
 
356  LETTEE  CCX. 
 
 perfected  !  I  wish  your  lordship  Avoiikl  urge  Mr.  L.  to  give  his 
 mind  on  the  ceremonies,  and  be  pleased  to  let  me  see  it  as  quickly 
 as  can  be,  and  it  shall  be  answered.  To  His  rich  grace  I  recom- 
 mend your  lordship,  and  shall  remain, 
 
 Yours,  at  all  respective  ^  obedience  in  Christ,         S.  it. 
 Aberdeen,  July  8,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  CCX.— To  the  Lady  Culross. 
 
 Madam, — Your  letter  came  in  due  time  to  me,  now  a  prisoner 
 of  Christ,  and  in  bonds  for  the  Gospel.  I  am  sentenced  with  de- 
 privation and  confinement  within  the  town  of  Aberdeen  ;  but,  oh, 
 my  guiltiness,  the  follies  of  my  youth,  the  neglects  in  my  calling, 
 and  especially  in  not  speaking  more  for  the  kingdom,  crown,  and 
 sceptre  of  my  royal  and  princely  King  Jesus,  do  so  stare  me  in 
 the  face,  that  I  apprehend  anger  in  that  which  is  a  crown  of  re- 
 joicing to  the  dear  saints  of  God  !  This,  before  my  compearance 
 (which  was  three  several  days),  did  trouble  me,  and  burdeneth  me 
 more  now ;  howbeit  Christ,  and  in  Him,  God  reconciled,  met  me 
 with  open  arms,  and  trysted  ^  me  precisely  at  the  entry  of  the 
 door  of  the  chancellor's  hall,  and  assisted  me  to  answer  so,  as  the 
 advantage  that  is,  is  not  theirs,  but  Christ's.  Alas  !  there  is  no 
 cause  of  wondering  that  I  am  thus  borne  down  with  challenges ; 
 for  the  world  hatli  mistaken  me,  and  no  man  knoweth  what  guilti- 
 ness is  in  me,  so  well  as  these  two  (who  keep  my  eyes  now  waking 
 and  my  heart  heavy) ;  I  mean  my  heart  and  conscience,  and  my 
 Lord,  who  is  greater  than  my  heart.  Show  your  brother,  that  I 
 desire  him,  while  he  is  on  the  Avatch-tower,  to  plead  with  his 
 mother;  and  to  plead  with  this  land,  and  spare  not  to  cry  for  my 
 sweet  Lord  Jesus  His  fair  crown,  that  the  interdicted  and  for- 
 liidden  lords  are  plucking  off  His  royal  head.  If  I  were  free  ot 
 challenges  and  a  high  commission  within  my  soul,  I  would  not 
 give  a  straw  to  go  to  my  Father's  house  through  ten  deaths,  for 
 the  truth  and  cause  of  my  lovely,  lovely  One,  Jesus.  But  I  walk 
 in  heaviness  now.  If  ye  love  me  and  Christ  in  me,  my  dear  lady, 
 pray,  pray  for  this  only,  that  by-gones  betwixt  my  Lord  and  me 
 may  be  by-gones  ;  and  that  He  would  pass  from  the  summons  of 
 His  high  commission,  and  seek  nothing  from  me,  but  what  He 
 will  do  for  me  and  work  in  me.  If  your  ladyship  knew  me  as  I 
 do  myself,  you  would  say,  poor  soul,  no  marvel.  It  is  not  my  ap- 
 prehension that  createth  this  cross  to  me,  it  is  too  real,  and  hath 
 sad  and  certain  grounds.  But  I  will  not  believe  that  God  will 
 take  this  advantage  of  me  when  my  back  is  at  the  wall.  He  who 
 forbiddeth  to  add  affliction  to  affliction,  will  He  do  it  Himself? 
 ^  Respectful.  -  Met. 
 
LETTER  CCXI.  6b  I 
 
 Why  should  He  pursue  a  dry  leaf  and  stubble?  Desire  Him  to 
 spare  me  wow.  Also  the  memory  of  the  fair  feast-days  that  Christ 
 and  I  had  in  His  banqueting-house  of  wine ;  and  the  scattered 
 flock,  once  committed  to  me,  and  now  taken  off  my  hand  by  Him- 
 self, because  I  was  not  so  faithful  in  the  end,  as  I  was  in  the  first 
 two  years  of  my  entry,  when  sleep  departed  from  my  eyes,  because 
 my  soul  was  taken  up  with  a  care  for  Christ's  lambs,  even  these 
 add  sorrow  to  my  sorrow.  Now  my  Lord  hath  only  given  me 
 this  to  say,  and  I  write  it  under  mine  own  hand  (be  ye  the  Lord's 
 servant's  witness).  Welcome,  welcome,  sweet,  sweet  cross  of  Christ. 
 Welcome,  fair,  fair,  lovely,  royal  King  with  thine  own  cross.  Let 
 us  all  three  go  to  heaven  together.  Neither  care  I  much  to  go 
 from  the  south  of  Scotland  to  the  north,  and  to  be  Christ's  prisoner 
 amongst  uncouth  faces  ;  a  place  of  this  kingdom  which  I  have  little 
 reason  to  be  in  love  with.  I  know  Christ  shall  make  Aberdeen 
 my  garden  of  delights.  I  am  fully  persuaded  that  Scotland  shall 
 eat  Ezekiel's  book,  that  is  written  Avithin  and  without,  "  Lamen- 
 tation, and  mourning,  and  woe,"  Ezek.  ii.  10.  But  the  saints  shall 
 get  a  drink  of  the  well  that  goeth  through  the  streets  of  the  New 
 Jerusalem  to  put  it  down.^  Thus  hoping  ye  will  think  upon  the 
 poor  prisoner  of  Christ,  I  pray,  grace,  grace  be  with  you. 
 
 Your  ladyship's,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 
 Edinburgh,  July  30,  1636. 
 
 LETTER  CCXI.— To  Alexander  Gordon  of  Earlestown. 
 
 Much  honoured  Sir, — I  find  small  hopes  of  Q.'s  business.  1 
 intend  after  the  council-day  to  go  on  to  Aberdeen.  The  Lord  is 
 with  me,  I  care  not  what  man  can  do.  I  burden  no  man,  and  I 
 want  nothing.  No  king  is  better  provided  than  I  am.  Sweet, 
 sweet,  and  easy  is  the  cross  of  my  Lord.  All  men  I  look  in  the 
 face  (of  whatsoever  rank,  nobles  and  poor,  acquaintance  and 
 strangers)  are  friendly  to  me.  My  Well-Beloved  is  some  ^  kinder 
 and  more  warmly  than  ordinary,  and  cometh  and  visiteth  my  soul. 
 My  chains  are  overgilded  with  gold.  Only  the  remembrance  of 
 my  fair  days  with  Christ  in  Anwoth,  and  of  my  dear  flock  (whose 
 case  is  my  heart's  sorrow),  is  vinegar  to  my  sugared  wine ;  yet 
 both  sweet  and  sour  feed  my  soul.  No  pen,  no  words,  no  ingene^ 
 can  express  to  you  the  loveliness  of  my  only,  only  Lord  Jesus. 
 Thus  in  haste,  making  for  my  palace  at  Aberdeen,  I  bless  you, 
 your  wife,  your  eldest  son,  and  other  children.  Grace  be  with 
 you.  Yours,  in  his  only,  only  Lord  Jesus,         S,  R. 
 
 Edinburgh,  Sept.  5,  1636. 
 
 '  Enable  them  to  swallow  it.  -  Somewhat.  •*  Genius. 
 
358  LETTERS  CCXII.   AND  CCXIII. 
 
 LETTER  CCXIL— To  Robert  Gordon  of  Knockbrex. 
 
 My  dearest  Brother,— I  see  Christ  thinketli  shame  (if  I  may 
 speak  so)  to  be  in  such  a  poor  man's  common  ^  as  mine.  I  burden 
 no  man,  I  want  nothing ;  no  face  hath  gloomed  upon  me  since  I 
 left  you.  God's  sun  and  fair  weather  conveyeth  me  to  my  time- 
 paradise  ill  Aberdeen.  Christ  hath  so  handsomely  fitted  for  my 
 shoulders  this  rough  tree  of  the  cross,  as  that  it  hurteth  me  no 
 ways.  My  treasure  is  up  in  Christ's  coffers  ;  my  comforts  are 
 greater  than  ye  can  believe  ;  my  pen  shall  lie  for  penury  of  words 
 to  write  of  them.  God  knoweth  I  am  filled  with  the  joy  of  the 
 Holy  Ghost.  Only  the  memory  of  you,  my  dearest  in  the  Lord, 
 my  flock,  and  others,  keepeth  me  under,  and  from  being  exalted 
 above  measure  :  Christ's  sweet  sauce  hath  this  sour  mixed  with 
 it ;  but  0  such  a  sweet  and  pleasant  taste  !  I  find  small  hopes  of 
 Q.'s  matter.  Thus  in  haste.  Remember  me  to  your  wife,  and  to 
 William  Gordon.     Grace  be  with  you. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  only,  only  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 
 
 Edinburgh,  Sept.  5,  1636. 
 
 LETTER  CCXIIL-To  My  Lord  Lowdoun. 
 
 Right  honourable  and  my  very  worthy  Lord, — Grace, 
 mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you.  Hearing  of  your  lordship's  zeal  and 
 courage  for  Christ  our  Lord,  in  owning  His  honouralole  cause,  I 
 am  bold  (and  I  plead  pardon  for  it)  to  speak  in  paper  by  a  line  or 
 two  to  your  lordship  (since  I  have  not  access  any  other  Avay),  be- 
 seeching your  lordship  by  the  mercies  of  God,  and  by  the  ever- 
 lasting peace  of  your  soul,  and  by  the  tears  and  prayers  of  our 
 mother-church,  to  go  on  as  ye  have  worthily  begun  in  purging  orf 
 the  Lord's  house  in  this  land,  and  plucking  down  the  sticks  of 
 Antichrist's  filthy  nest,  this  wretched  prelacy,  and  that  black 
 kingdom,  whose  wicked  aims  have  ever  been,  and  still  are,  to  make 
 this  fat  world  the  only  compass  they  would  have  Christ  and  re- 
 ligion to  sail  by,  and  to  mount  up  the  man  of  sin,  their  god-father, 
 the  Pope  of  Rome,  upon  the  highest  stair  of  Christ's  throne,  and 
 to  make  a  velvet-church  (in  regard  of  parliament  grandeur  and 
 worldly  pomp,  whereof  always  their  stinking  breath  smelleth), 
 and  to  put  Christ  and  truth  in  sackcloth  and  prison,  and  to  eat 
 the  bread  of  adversity,  and  drink  the  water  of  affliction.  Half  an 
 eye  of  any,  not  misted  Avith  the  darkness  of  Antichristian  smoke, 
 may  see  it  thus  in  this  land ;  and  now  our  Lord  hath  begun  to 
 awaken  the  nobles  and  others  to  plead  for  borne-down  Christ  and 
 His  weeping  gospel.     My  dear  and  noble  lord,  the  eye  of  Christ 
 
 S  Debt. 
 
LETTER  CCXIIl. 
 
 350 
 
 is  upon  you  ;  the  eyes  of  many  noble,  many  holy,  many  learned 
 and  wurtliy  ones  in  our  neighbour  churches  about  are  upon  you. 
 This  poor  church,  your  mother  and  Christ's  spouse,  is  holding  up 
 her  hands  and  heart  to  God  for  you,  and  doth  beseech  you  with 
 tears  to  plead  for  her  Husband,  his  kingly  sceptre,  and  for  the 
 liberties  that  her  Lord  and  King  hath  given  to  her,  as  to  a  free 
 kingdom  that  oweth  spiritual  tribute  to  none  on  earth,  as  being 
 the  free-born  princess  and  daughter  to  the  King  of  kings.  This 
 is  a  cause  that  before  God,  His  angels,  the  world,  before  sun  and 
 moon,  needeth  not  to  blush.  0  what  glory  and  true  honour  is  it 
 to  lend  Christ  your  hand  and  service,  and  to  be  amongst  the  re- 
 pairers of  the  breaches  of  Zion's  walls,  and  to  help  to  build  the 
 old  waste  places,  and  stretch  forth  the  curtains,  and  strengthen 
 the  stakes  of  Christ's  tent  in  this  land !  0  blessed  are  they  who, 
 when  Christ  is  driven  away,  will  bring  Him  back  again,  and  lend 
 Him  lodging  !  And  blessed  are  ye  of  the  Lord  ;  your  name  and 
 honour  shall  never  rot  or  wither  in  heaven  (at  least),  if  ye  deliver 
 the  Lord's  sheep,  that  have  been  scattered  in  the  dark  and  cloudy 
 day,  out  of  the  hands  of  strange  lords  and  hirelings,  who,  with 
 rigour  and  cruelty,  have  caused  them  to  eat  the  pastures  trodden 
 upon  with  their  foul  feet,  and  to  drink  muddy  water,  and  who 
 have  spun  out  such  a  world  of  yards  of  indifferencies  in  God's 
 worship,  to  make  and  weave  a  web  for  the  Antichrist  (that  shall 
 not  keep  any  from  the  cold),  as  they  mind  nothing  else,  but  that 
 by  the  bringing-in  of  the  Pope's  foul  tail  first  upon  us  (their 
 wretched  and  beggarly  ceremonies),  they  may  thrust  in  after  them 
 the  Antichrist's  legs  and  thighs,  and  his  belly,  head,  and  shoulders; 
 and  then  cry  down  Christ  and  the  Gospel,  and  up  the  merchandise 
 and  wares  of  the  great  whore.  Fear  not,  my  worthy  lord,  to  give 
 yourself  and  all  ye  have  out  for  Christ  and  His  Gospel.  No  man 
 dare  say,  who  ever  did  thus  hazard  for  Christ,  that  Christ  paid 
 him  not  his  hundred-fold  in  this  life  duly,  and  in  the  life  to  come, 
 life  everlasting.  This  is  His  own  truth  ye  now  plead  for,  for  God 
 and  man  cannot  but  commend  you  to  beg  justice  from  a  just 
 prince  for  oppressed  Christ,  and  to  plead  that  Christ,  who  is  the 
 king's  Lord,  may  be  heard  in  a  free  court  to  speak  for  Himself, 
 when  the  standing  and  established  laws  of  our  nation  can  strongly 
 plead  for  Christ's  crown  in  the  pulpits,  and  His  chair  as  Lawgiver 
 in  the  free  government  of  His  own  house.  But  Christ  shall  never 
 be  content  and  pleased  with  this  land,  neither  shall  His  hot  fiery 
 indignation  be  turned  away,  so  long  as  the  prelate  (the  man  that 
 lay  in  Antichrist's  foul  womb,  and  the  Antichrist's  lord  bailiff) 
 shall  sit  lord-carver  in  the  Lord  Jesus  his  courts.  The  prelate 
 is  both  the  egg  and  the  nest  to  cleck^  and  bring  forth  Popery. 
 
 1  Hatch. 
 
36U  LETTER  CCXIV. 
 
 Plead,  tlierefore,  in  Christ's  beluilf,  for  the  plucking  down  of  the 
 nest  and  crushing  of  the  egg,  and  let  Christ's  kingly  office  sufter 
 no  more  unworthy  indignities.  Be  vahant  for  your  royal  King 
 Jesus  ;  contend  for  Him :  your  adversaries  shall  be  moth-eaten 
 worms,  and  shall  die  as  men.  Christ  and  His  honour  now  lieth 
 upon  your  shoulders,  let  Him  not  fall  to  the  ground  :  cast  your 
 eye  upon  Him,  who  is  quickly  coming  to  decide  all  the  contro- 
 versies in  Zion,  and  remember  the  sand  in  your  night-glass  will 
 run  out.  Time  with  wings  will  fly  away,  eternity  is  hard  upon 
 you,  and  what  will  Christ's  love-smiles  and  the  light  of  His  lovely 
 and  soul-delighting  countenance  be  to  you  in  that  day,  when  God 
 shall  take  up  in  His  right  hand  this  little  lodge  of  heaven  (like  as 
 a  shepherd  lifteth  up  his  little  tent),  and  fold  together  the  two 
 leaves  of  His  tent,  and  put  the  earth  and  all  the  plenishing^  of  it 
 into  a  fire,  and  turn  this  clay  idol,  the  god  of  Adam's  sons,  into 
 smoke  and  wliite  ashes  !  0  !  What  hire,  and  how  many  Avorlds 
 would  many  then  give  to  have  a  favourable  decreet  of  the  Judge  1 
 Or  what  money  would  they  not  give  to  buy  a  mountain,  to  be  a 
 grave  above  both  soul  and  body,  to  hide  them  from  the  awesome^ 
 looks  of  an  angry  Lord  and  Judge?  I  hope  your  lordship  thinketh 
 upon  this,  and  that  ye  mind  loyalty  to  Christ  and  to  the  king 
 both.  Now  the  very  God  of  peace,  the  only  wise  God,  establish 
 and  strengthen  you  upon  the  rock  laid  in  Zion. 
 
 Your  lordship's,  at  all  obedience  in  Christ,         S.  R, 
 AberdePii,  Jan.  4,  1 63  ?. 
 
 LETTER  CCXIV.— To  a  Christian  Gentlewoman. 
 
 Mistress, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you.  Though  not 
 acquainted,  yet  at  the  desire  of  a  Chiistian  brother,  I  thought 
 good  to  write  a  line  unto  you,  intreafcing  you  in  the  Lord  Jesus, 
 under  your  trials,  to  keep  an  ear  open  to  Christ,  who  can  speak 
 for  Himself,  howbeit  your  visitations  and  your  own  sense  should 
 dream  hard  things  of  His  love  and  favour.  Our  Lord  never 
 getteth  so  kind  a  look  of  us,  nor  our  love  in  such  a  degree,  nor  our 
 faith  in  such  a  measure  of  steadfastness,  as  he  getteth  out  of  the 
 furnace  of  our  tempting  fears  and  sharp  trials.  I  verily  believe 
 (and  too  sad  proofs  in  me  say  no  less)  that  if  our  Lord  would 
 grind  our  whorish  lust  in  powdei",  the  very  old  ashes  of  our  cor- 
 ruption should  take  life  again,  and  live  and  hold  us  under  so  much 
 bondage,  that  may  humble  us,  and  make  us  sad,  till  we  be  in  that 
 country,  where  we  shall  need  no  physic  at  all.  0  what  violent 
 means  doth  our  Lord  use  to  gain  us  to  Him,  as  if  indecl  we  were 
 a  prize  worthy  His  fighting  for  !     And  be  sure,  if  leading  would 
 
 ■'■  Fnrnitiirf;.  -  Awful. 
 
LETTER  CCXIV.  361 
 
 do  the  turn,  He  would  not  use  pnlliug  of  hair  and  drawing.  But 
 the  best  of  us  will  bide  a  strong  pull  of  our  Lord's  right  arm 
 ere  we  follow  Him.  Yet  I  say  not  this  as  if  our  Lord  always 
 measured  afflictions  by  so  many  ounce-weights,  answerable  to  the 
 grain-weights  of  our  guiltiness.  I  know  He  doth  in  many  (and 
 possibly  in  you)  seek  nothing  so  much  as  faith :  that  can  endure 
 summer  and  winter  in  their  extremity.  0,  how  precious  to  the 
 Lord  is  faith  and  love,  that  when  thrashed,  beaten,  and  chased 
 away,  and  boasted^  (as  it  were)  by  God  himself,  doth  yet  look 
 warm-like,  love-like,  kind-like,  and  life-like,  home-over  to  Christ, 
 and  would  be  in  at  Him,  ill  and  well  as  it  may  be  !  Think  not 
 much  that  your  husband,  or  the  dearest  to  you  in  the  world, 
 proveth  to  have  the  bowels  and  mercy  of  the  ostrich,  hard,  and 
 rigorous,  and  cruel.  For  Psalm  xxvii.  10.  The  Lord  taketh  up 
 such  fallen  ones  as  these.  I  could  not  wish  a  more  sweet  life,  nor 
 more  satisfying  expressions  of  kindness,  till  I  be  up  at  that  Prince 
 of  kindness,  than  the  Lord's  saints  find,  when  the  Lord  taketh  up 
 men's  refuse,  and  lodgeth  this  world's  out-laws,  whom  no  man 
 seeketh  after.  His  breath  is  never  so  hot,  His  love  casteth  never 
 such  a  flame,  as  when  this  world,  and  those  who  should  be  the 
 helpers  of  our  joy,  cast  water  on  our  coal.  It  is  a  sweet  thing  to 
 see  them  cast  out,  and  Grod  take  in ;  and  to  see  them  throw  us 
 away  as  the  refuse  of  men,  and  God  take  us  up  as  His  jewels  and 
 His  treasure.  Often  He  maketh  gold  of  dross,  as  once  He  made 
 the  cast-away  stone,  the  stone  rejected  by  the  builders,  the  head 
 of  the  corner.  The  princes  of  this  world  would  not  have  our 
 Lord  Jesus  a  pinning ^  in  the  wall,  or  to  have  any  place  in  the 
 building ;  but  the  Lord  made  Him  the  Master-stone  of  power  and 
 place.  God  be  thanked,  that  this  world  hath  not  power  to  cry  us 
 down  so  many  pounds,  as  rulers  cry  down  light  gold  or  light 
 silver.  We  shall  stand  for  as  much  as  our  Master-coiner  Christ, 
 whose  coin,  arms,  and  stamp  we  bear,  will  have  us  :  Christ  hath 
 no  miscarrying  balance.  Thank  your  Lord,  who  chaseth  your 
 love  through  two  kingdoms,  and  followeth  you  and  it  over  sea  to 
 have  you  for  Himself,  as  He  speaketh,  Hos.  iii.  For  God  layeth 
 up  His  saints,  as  the  wale^  and  the  choice  of  all  the  world  for 
 Himself;  and  this  is  like  Christ  and  His  love.  0,  what  in  heaven, 
 or  out  of  heaven,  is  comparal^le  to  the  smell  of  Christ's  garments'? 
 Nay,  suppose  our  Lord  would  manifest  His  art,  and  make  ten 
 thousand  heavens  of  good  and  glorious  things,  and  of  new  joys  de- 
 vised out  of  the  deep  of  infinite  wisdom,  He  could  not  make  the 
 like  of  Christ ;  for  Christ  is  God,  and  God  cannot  be  made  :  and, 
 therefore,  let  us  hold  us  with  Clu'ist,  howbeit  we  might  have  our 
 wale  3  and  will  of  an  host  of  lovers,  as  many  as  three  heavens  cotdd 
 
 '  Thi^eatened.  ^  Fasteninaf.  '  Pick. 
 
362  LETTER  CGXIV. 
 
 contain.  0  that  He  and  we  were  together  !  O,  when  Christ  and 
 ye  shall  meet  about  the  outmost  march ^  and  borders  of  time  and 
 the  entry  into  eternity,  ye  shall  see  heaven  in  His  face  at  the  first 
 look,  and  salvation  and  glory  sitting  in  His  countenance  and  be- 
 twixt His  eyes  !  Faint  not,  the  miles  to  heaven  are  but  few  and 
 short :  He  is  making  a  green  bed  (as  the  word  speaketh,  Cant,  i.) 
 of  love  for  Himself  and  you.  Thsre  are  many  heads  lying  in 
 Christ's  bosom ;  but  there  is  room  for  yours  among  the  rest.  And 
 therefore  go  on,  and  let  hope  go  before  you.  Sin  not  in  your 
 trials,  and  the  victory  is  yours.  Pray,  Avrestle,  and  believe,  and 
 ye  §liall  overcome  and  prevail  with  God  as  Jacob  did.  No  windle- 
 straAvs,^  no  bits  of  clay,  no  temptations,  which  are  of  no  longer 
 life  than  an  hour,  will  then  be  able  to  withstand  you,  when  once 
 ye  have  prevailed  with  God.  Help  me  with  your  prayers,  that  it 
 would  please  the  Lord  to  give  me  house-room  again  to  speak  of 
 His  righteousness  in  the  great  congregation,  if  it  may  seem  good 
 in  His  sight.     Grace,  grace  be  with  you. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R 
 
 Aberdeen,  July  6,  1637. 
 
 ^  Eoimdary  ®  Stalks  of  grasa. 
 
THE 
 
 SECOND  PART, 
 
 CONTAINING 
 
 SOME  LETTERS  OF  THE  SAME  AUTHOK  FROM  ANWOTH,  BEFORE  HIS  CONFINEMENT 
 
 AT  ABERDEEN  ;   AND  OTHERS  FROM  ST  ANDKEW.S,   LONDON,  ETC. ,  AFTER 
 
 HIS  ENLARGEMENT. 
 
 LETTER  L— To  the  Viscountess  of  Kenmure. 
 
 I\Iadam, — All  dutiful  obedience  in  the  Lord  remembered.  I 
 have  heard  of  your  ladyship's  infirmity  and  sickness  with  griei, 
 yet  I  trust  ye  have  learned  to  say,  "  It  is  the  Lord,  let  Him  do 
 whatsoever  seemeth  good  in  His  eyes."  It  is  now  many  years 
 since  the  apostate  angels  made  a  question,  whether  their  will  or  the 
 will  of  their  Creator  should  be  done,  and  since  that  time,  fro  ward 
 mankind  hath  always  in  that  same  suit  of  law  compeared  to  plead 
 with  them  against  God  in  a  daily  repining  against  His  will ;  but 
 the  Lord,  being  both  party  and  judge,  hath  obtained  a  decreet,  and 
 saith,  Isa.  xlvi.  10,  "My  counsel  shall  stand,  and  I  will  do  all  my 
 pleasure."  It  is  then  best  for  us,  in  the  obedience  of  faith  and  in 
 an  holy  submission,  to  give  that  to  God  which  the  law  of  His 
 almighty  and  just  poAver  will  have  of  us.  Therefore,  madam,  your 
 Lord  willeth  you  in  all  states  of  life  to  say,  "  Thy  will  be  done  in 
 earth,  as  it  is  in  heaven,"  and  herein  shall  ye  have  comfort,  that 
 He  who  seeth  perfectly  through  all  your  evils,  and  knoweth  the 
 frame  and  constitution  of  your  nature,  and  what  is  most  healthful 
 for  your  soul,  hokleth  every  cup  of  aflliction  to  your  head  with 
 His  OAvn  gracious  hand.  Never  believe  that  your  tender-hearted 
 Saviour,  who  knoweth  the  strength  of  your  stomach,  will  mix  that 
 cup  with  one  di'achm-weight  of  poison.  Drink  then  with  the 
 patience  of  the  saints,  and  the  God  of  patience  bless  your  physic. 
 I  have  heard  your  ladyship  complain  of  deadness,  and  want  of  the 
 bestirring  power  of  the  life  of  God ;  but  courage,  He  who  walked 
 in  the  garden  and  made  a  noise  that  made  Adam  hear  His  voice, 
 Avill  also  at  some  time  walk  in  your  soul  and  make  you  hear  a 
 more  sweet  word.  Yet  ye  will  not  always  hear  the  noise  and  the 
 din  of  His  feet  when  He  walketh.  Ye  are  at  such  a  time,  like 
 Jacob  mourning  at  the  supposed  death  of  Joseph,   when  Joseph 
 
364  LETTEl;  1.  [PAKT  II. 
 
 was  living.  The  new  creature,  the  image  of  the  second  Adam,  is 
 living  in  you,  and  yet  ye  are  mourning  at  the  supposed  death  of 
 the  life  of  Christ  in  you.  Ephraim  is  bemoaning  and  mourning, 
 Jer.  xxxi.  18,  when  he  think eth  God  is  far  off  and  heareth  not, 
 and  yet  God  is  like  the  Bridegroom  (Cant.  ii.)j  standing  only  be- 
 hind a  thin  wall  and  laying  to  His  ear,  for  He  saith  himself,  v.  18, 
 "  I  have  surely  heard  Ephraim  bemoaning  himself."  I  have  good 
 confidence,  madam,  that  Christ  Jesus,  Avhom  your  soul,  through 
 forests  and  mountains,  is  seeking,  is  within  you.  And  yet  I  speak 
 not  this  to  lay  a  pillow  under  your  head,  or  to  dissuade  you  from 
 an  holy  fear  of  the  loss  of  your  Christ,  or  of  provoking  and  stirring 
 up  the  Beloved  before  He  please  by  sin.  I  know,  in  spiritual  con- 
 fidence the  devil  will  come  in,  as  in  all  other  good  works,  and  cry, 
 Half  mine,  and  so  endeavour  to  bring  you  under  a  fearful  sleep, 
 till  He  whom  your  soul  loveth  be  departed  from  the  door,  and 
 have  left  off  knocking ;  and,  therefore,  here  the  Spirit  of  God  must 
 hold  your  soul's  feet  in  the  golden  mid-line,  betwixt  confident 
 resting  in  the  arms  of  Christ,  and  presumptuous  and  drowsy  sleep- 
 ing in  the  bed  of  fleshly  security.  Therefore,  worthy  lady,  so 
 count  little  of  yourself,  because  of  your  own  wretchedness  and  sin- 
 ful drowsiness,  that  ye  count  not  also  little  of  God  in  the  course 
 of  His  unchangeable  mercy.  For  there  be  many  Christians  most 
 like  unto  young  sailors,  who  think  the  shore  and  the  whole  land 
 doth  move,  when  the  ship  and  they  themselves  are  moved ;  just 
 so,  not  a  few  do  imagine  that  God  moveth,  and  saileth,  and 
 changeth  places,  because  their  giddy  souls  are  under  sail,  and  sub- 
 ject to  alteration,  to  ebbing  and  flowing ;  but  the  foundation  of 
 the  Lord  abideth  sure.  God  knoweth  that  ye  are  His  own. 
 Wrestle,  fight,  go  forward,  watch,  fear,  believe,  pray  ;  and  then  ye 
 have  all  the  infallible  symptoms  of  one  of  the  elect  of  Christ  with- 
 in you.  Ye  have  now,  madam,  a  sickness  before  you  :  and  also 
 after  that,  a  death  ;  gather  then,  now,  food  for  the  journey.  God 
 give  you  eyes  to  see  through  sickness  and  death,  and  to  see  some- 
 thing beyond  death.  I  doubt  not,  but  if  hell  were  betwixt  you 
 and  Christ,  as  a  river  which  ye  behoved  to  cross  ere  ye  could 
 come  at  Him,  but  ye  would  willingly  put  in  your  foot,  and  make 
 through  to  be  at  Him,  upon  hope  that  He  would  come  in  Himself, 
 in  the  deepest  of  the  river,  and  lend  you  His  hand.  Now,  I  be- 
 lieve your  hell  is  dried  up,  and  ye  have  only  these  two  shallow 
 brooks,  sickness  and  death,  to  pass  through ;  and  ye  have  also  a 
 promise,  that  Christ  shall  do  more  than  meet  you,  even  that  He 
 shall  come  Himself,  and  go  with  you  foot  for  foot,  yea  and  bear 
 you  in  His  arms.  0  then  !  0  then  for  the  joy  that  is  set  before 
 you,  for  the  love  of  the  Man  (whc  "^  also  God  over  all,  blessed  for 
 ever)  that  is  standing  upon  the  shore  to  welcome  you  :  run  your 
 
PART  IT.]  LETTER  II.  365 
 
 race  with  patience.  The  Lord  go  with  you.  Your  Lord  will  not 
 have  you.  nor  any  of  His  servants,  to  exchange  for  the  worse. 
 Death  in  itself  includeth  both  the  death  of  the  soul  and  the  death  of 
 the  body ;  but  to  God's  children  the  bounds  and  the  limits  of  death 
 are  abridged,  and  drawn  into  a  more  narrow  compass.  So  that 
 when  ye  die,  a  piece  of  death  shall  only  seize  upon  you,  or  the 
 least  part  of  you  shall  die,  and  that  is  the  dissolution  of  the  body  ; 
 for  in  Christ  ye  are  delivered  from  the  second  death  :  and  there- 
 fore, as  one  born  of  God,  commit  not  sin  (although  ye  cannot  live 
 and  not  sin),  and  that  serpent  shall  Init  eat  your  earthly  part.  As 
 for  j^our  soul,  it  is  above  the  law  of  death.  But  it  is  fearful  and 
 dangerous  to  be  a  debtor  and  servant  to  sin ;  for  the  count  of  sin 
 ye  will  not  be  able  to  make  good  before  God,  except  Christ  both 
 count  and  pay  for  you.  I  trust  also,  madam,  that  ye  will  be  care- 
 ful to  present  to  the  Lord  the  present  estate  of  this  decaying  kirk. 
 For  what  shall  be  concluded  in  parliament  anent  ^  her,  the  Lord 
 knoweth.  Sure  I  am,  the  decree  of  a  most  fearful  parliament  in 
 heaven  is  at  the  very  point  of  coming  forth  because  of  the  sins  of 
 the  land;  for  we  "Have  ca.'^t  away  the  law  of  the  Lord,  and 
 despised  the  words  of  the  holy  One  of  Isi\ael,"  Isa.  v.  24;  "Judg- 
 ment is  turned  away  backward,  and  justice  standeth  afar  off; 
 truth  is  fallen  in  the  streets,  and  equity  cannot  enter,"  Isa.  lix.  14. 
 Lo  the  prophet,  as  if  He  had  seen  us  and  our  kirk,  resembleth 
 justice  to  be  handled"  as  an  enemy,  holden  out  at  the  ports  of  our 
 city,  so  is  she  banished  ;  and  truth  to  a  person  sickly  and  diseased, 
 fallen  down  in  a  deadly  swooning  fit  in  the  streets,  before  he  can 
 come  to  an  house.  "  The  priests  have  caused  many  to  stumble  at 
 the  law,  and  have  corrupted  the  covenant  of  Levi,"  Mai.  ii.  8. 
 "  But  what  will  they  do  in  the  end  *?"  Jer.  v.  3L  Therefore,  give 
 the  Lord  no  rest  for  Zion ;  stir  up  your  husband,  your  brotlaer, 
 and  all  with  whom  ye  are  in  favour  and  credit,  to  stand  upon  the 
 Lord's  side  against  Baal.  I  have  good  hope  your  husband  loveth 
 the  peace  and  prosperity  of  Zion.  The  peace  of  God  be  upon  him, 
 for  his  intended  courses,  anent  ^  the  establishment  of  a  powerful 
 ministry  in  this  land.  Thus,  not  willing  to  weary  your  ladyship 
 farther,  I  recommend  you  now  and  always  to  the  grace  and  mercy 
 of  that  God,  who  is  able  to  keep  you,  that  ye  fall  not.  The  Lord 
 Jesus  be  with  your  spirit.  Your  ladyship's  servant,  at  all  dutiful 
 obedience  in  Christ,  S.  R. 
 
 Anwoth,  July  27, 1628. 
 
 LETTER  H.— To  the  Parishioners  of  Kilmacolm. 
 Worthy  and  well-beloved  in  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord,— 
 Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you.     Your  letters  could  not  come 
 
 ^  Concerning.  -  Eepresenteth  j\istice  as  being  treated. 
 
366  LETTER  II.  [pari 
 
 11. 
 
 to  my  hand  in  a  greater  throng  of  business  than  I  am  now  pressed 
 with  at  this  time,  when  our  kirk  requireth  the  public  help  of  us 
 all ;  yefc  I  cannot  but  answer  the  heads  of  both  your  letters,  with 
 provision  that  ye  choose  after  this  a  fitter  time  for  writing.  1.  I 
 would  not  have  you  pitch  upon  me,  as  the  man  able  by  letters  to 
 answer  doubts  of  this  kind,  while  there  are  in  your  bounds  men 
 of  such  great  parts  most  able  for  this  work.  I  know  the  best  are 
 unable,  yet  it  pleaseth  that  Spirit  of  Jesus  to  blow  His  sweet  wind 
 through  a  piece  of  dry  stick,  that  the  empty  reed  may  keep  no 
 glory  to  itself;  but  a  minister  can  make  no  such  wind  as  this  to 
 blow,  he  is  scarce  able  to  lend  it  a  passage  to  blow  through  him. 
 2.  Know  that  the  wind  of  this  Spirit  hath  a  time  when  it  bloweth 
 sharp  and  pierceth  so  strongly  that  it  would  blow  through  an  iron 
 door,  and  this  is  commonly  rather  under  suffering  for  Christ  than 
 at  any  other  time.  Sick  children  get  of  Christ's  pleasant  things 
 to  play  them  withal,  because  Jesus  is  most  tender  of  the  sufferer, 
 for  He  was  a  sufferer  Himself.  0,  if  I  had  l^ut  the  leavings  and 
 the  drawing  of  the  by-board  ^  of  a  sufferers  table !  But  I  leave  this 
 to  answer  yours. 
 
 First,  ye  write  that  God's  vows  are  lying  on  you,  and  secuiity 
 strong  and  sib^  to  nature,  stealing  on  you  who  are  weak.  I 
 answer,  1.  Till  we  be  in  heaven,  the  best  have  heavy  heads,  as  is 
 evident,  Cant.  v.  1,  Psalm  xxx.  6,  Job  xxix.  18,  Matt.  xxvi.  33. 
 Nature  is  a  sluggard,  and  loveth  not  the  labour  of  religion :  there- 
 fore rest  should  not  be  taken  till  we  know  the  disease  be  over  and 
 in  the  way  of  turning,  and  that  it  is  like  a  fever  past  the  cool. 
 And  the  quietness,  and  the  calms  of  the  faith  of  victory  over  cor- 
 ruption, would  be  entertained  in  place  of  security,  so  that  if  I 
 sleep,  I  would  desire  to  sleep  faith's  sleep  in  Christ's  bosom.  2. 
 Know  also,  none  that  sleep  sound  can  seriously  complain  of  sleepi- 
 ness ;  sorrow  for  a  slumbering  soul  is  a  token  of  some  watchful- 
 ness of  spirit.  But  this  is  soon  turned  into  wantonness  (as  grace 
 in  us  too  often  is  abused) ;  therefore,  our  waking  must  be  watched 
 over,  else  sleep  will  even  grow  out  of  watching ;  and  there  is  as 
 much  need  to  watch  over  grace  as  to  watch  over  sin.  Full  men 
 will  soon  sleep,  and  sooner  than  hungry  men.  3.  For  your  weak- 
 ness to  keep  off  security,  that  like  a  thief  stealeth  upon  you,  I 
 would  say  two  things.  (1.)  To  want  complaints  of  weakness,  is 
 for  heaven  and  angels  that  never  sinned,  not  for  Christians  in 
 Christ's  camp  on  earth.  I  think  our  weakness  maketh  us  the 
 church  of  the  redeemed  ones,  and  Christ's  field  that  the  Mediator 
 should  labour  in.  If  there  were  no  diseases  on  earth,  there  needed 
 no  physicians  on  earth  :  if  Christ  had  cried  down  weakness,  He 
 might  have  cried  down  His  own  calling;   but  weakness  is  our 
 
 '  Side-table.  -  Akin. 
 
PART  II.]  LETTEK  II.  367 
 
 Mediator's  world.  Sin  is  Christ's  only,  only  fair  and  market.  No 
 man  should  rejoice  at  weakness  and  diseases;  but  I  think,  we  may 
 have  a  sort  of  gladness  at  boils  and  sores,  because  without  them 
 Christ's  fingers,  as  a  slain  Lord,  should  never  have  touched  our 
 skin,  I  dare  not  thank  myself,  but  I  dare  thank  God's  depth  of 
 wise  providence,  that  I  have  an  errand  in  me,  while  I  live,  for 
 Christ  to  come  and  visit  me,  and  bring  Avith  Him  his  drugs  and 
 his  balm.  0  how  sweet  is  it  for  a  sinner  to  put  his  weakness  in 
 Clirist's  strengthening  hand,  and  to  father  a  sick  soul  upon  such  a 
 physician,  and  to  lay  weakness  before  Him,  to  weep  upon  Him, 
 and  to  plead  and  pray ;  weakness  can  speak  and  cry,  when  we 
 have  not  a  tongue :  Ezek.  xvi.  6,  "  And  when  1  passed  by  thee, 
 and  saw  thee  polluted  in  thine  own  blood,  I  said  unto  thee,  when 
 thou  wast  in  thy  blood.  Live."  The  kirk  could  not  speak  one 
 word  to  Christ  then,  but  blood  and  guiltiness  out  of  measure 
 spake,  and  drew  out  of  Christ  pity,  and  a  word  of  life  and  love. 
 (2.)  For  weakness,  Ave  have  it,  that  we  may  employ  Christ's 
 strength  because  of  our  weakness.  Weakness  is  to  make  us  the 
 strongest  things ;  that  is,  when  having  no  strength  of  our  own, 
 we  are  caiTied  upon  Christ's  shoulders,  and  walk  (as  it  were)  upon 
 His  legs.  If  our  sinful  weakness  swell  up  to  the  clouds,  Christ's 
 strength  will  swell  up  to  the  sun,  and  far  above  the  heaven  of 
 heavens.  2.  Ye  tell  me  that  there  is  need  of  counsel  for  strength- 
 ening of  new  beginners ;  I  can  say  little  to  that,  who  am  not  well 
 begun  myself;  but  I  know,  honest  beginnings  are  nourished  by 
 Him,  even  by  lovely  Jesus,  who  never  yet  put  out  a  poor  man's 
 dim  candle,  Avho  is  wrestling  betwixt  light  and  darkness.  I  am 
 sure  if  new  beginners  would  urge  themselves  upon  Christ,  and 
 press  their  souls  upon  Him,  and  importune  Him  for  a  draught  of 
 His  sweet  love,  they  could  not  come  wrong  to  Christ.  Come  once 
 in  upon  the  right  nick  and  step  of  His  lovely  love,  and  I  defy  you 
 to  get  free  of  Him  again.  If  any  beginners  fall  off  Christ  again, 
 and  miss  Him,  they  never  lighted  upon  Christ  as  Christ ;  it  was 
 but  an  idol,  like  Jesus,  they  took  for  Him.  3.  Whereas  ye  com- 
 plain of  a  dead  ministry  in  your  bounds,  ye  are  to  remember,  that 
 the  Bible  among  you  is  the  contract  of  marriage,  and  the  manner 
 of  Christ's  conveying  His  love  to  your  heart  is  not  so  absolutely 
 dependent  upon  even  lively  preaching,  as  that  there  is  no  conver- 
 sion at  all,  no  life  of  God,  but  that  Avhich  is  tied  to  a  man's  lips. 
 The  daughters  of  Jerusalem  have  done  often  that  which  the  watch- 
 man could  not  do.  Make  Christ  your  minister.  He  can  woo  a  soul 
 at  a  dyke-side^  in  the  field  ;  He  needeth  not  us,  hoAvbeit  the  flock 
 be  obliged  to  seek  Him  in  the  shepherd's  tents.  Hunger  of 
 Christ's  making  may  thrive,  even  under  steAvards  who  mind  not 
 
 ^  The  side  of  a  wall. 
 
368  LETTEK  II.  [part  II. 
 
 the  feeding  of  the  flock.  O  blessed  sou],  that  can  leap  over 
 a  man,  and  look  above  a  pulpit,  up  to  Christ,  who  can  preach 
 home  to  the  heart,  howbeit  we  were  all  dead  and  rotten  !  4. 
 So  to  complain  of  yourself  as  to  justify  God  is  right,  and  pro- 
 viding ye  justify  His  Spirit  in  yourself;  for  men  seldom  advo- 
 cate against  Satan's  work  and  sin  in  themselves,  but  against  God's 
 work  in  themselves.  Some  of  the  people  of  God  slander  God's 
 grace  in  their  souls,  as  some  wretches  use  to  do,  who  complain  and 
 murmur  of  want.  I  have  nothing  (say  they),  all  is  gone,  the 
 ground  yieldeth  but  weeds  and  windlestraws  ;^  whenas  their  fat 
 harvest,  and  their  money  in  bank,  maketli  them  liars.  But  for 
 myself,  alas !  I  think  it  is  not  my  sin,  I  have  scarce  wit  to  sin  this 
 sin.  But  I  advise  you  to  speak  good  of  Christ  for  His  beauty  and 
 sweetness,  and  speak  good  of  Him  for  His  grace  to  yourselves.  5. 
 Light  remaineth,  ye  say,  but  ye  cannot  attain  to  painfulness.^ 
 See  if  this  complaint  be  not  booked  in  the  New  Testament  ;  and 
 the  place,  Rom.  vii.  18,  is  like  this,  "  To  will  is  present  with  me, 
 but  how  to  perform  that  which  is  good,  I  know  not."  But  every 
 one  hath  not  Paul's  spirit  in  complaining,  for  often  in  us,  com- 
 plaining is  but  an  humble  backbiting  and  traducing  of  Christ's 
 new  work  in  the  soul.  But  for  the  matter  of  the  complaint,  I 
 would  say,  the  light  of  glory  is  perfectly  obeyed  in  loving,  and 
 praising,  and  rejoicing,  and  resting  in  a  seen  and  known  Lord : 
 but  that  liglit  is  not  hereaway  in  any  clay  body ;  for  while  we  are 
 here,  light  is  in  the  most  part  broader  and  longer  than  our  narrow 
 and  feckless^  obedience.  But  if  there  be  liglit  with  a  fair  train 
 and  a  great  back,  I  mean,  armies  of  challenging  thoughts,  and  sor- 
 row for  coming  short  of  performance,  in  what  we  know  and  see 
 ought  to  be  performed,  then  that  sorrow  for  not  doing  is  accepteii 
 of  our  Lord  for  doing.  Our  honest  sorrow  and  sincere  aims,  to- 
 gether with  Christ's  intercession,  pleading  that  God  would  wel- 
 come that  which  we  have,  and  forgive  what  we  have  not,  must  be 
 our  life,  till  we  be  over  the  bound-road,  and  in  the  other  country 
 where  the  law  will  get  a  perfect  soul.  6.  In  Christ's  absence, 
 there  is  (as  ye  write)  a  willingness  to  use  means,  but  heaviness 
 after  the  use  of  them  because  of  formal  and  slight  performance. 
 In  Christ's  absence,  I  confess,  the  work  lieth  behind ;  but  if  ye 
 mean  absence  of  comfort,  and  absence  of  sense  of  His  sweet  pres- 
 ence, I  think  that  absence  is  Christ's  trying  of  us,  not  simply  our 
 sin  against  Him.  Therefore,  howbeit  our  obedience  then  be  not 
 sugared  and  sweetened  with  joy  (which  is  the  sweetmeat  bairns 
 would  still  be  at),  yet  the  less  sense  and  the  more  willingness  in 
 olDeying,  the  less  formality  in  our  obedience,  howbeit  we  think  not 
 so ;  for  I  believe  many  think  obedience  forma!  and  lifeless,  exce[)t 
 ^  Useless  grass.  -  Pains-taking.  ^  Feeble. 
 
PART  11. J  LETTER  II.  369 
 
 the  winr!  be  fair  in  the  west,  and  sails  filled  with  joy  and  sense, 
 till  souls,  like  a  ship  fair  before  the  wind,  can  spread  no  more  sail ; 
 but  I  am  not  of  their  mind  who  think  so.  But  if  ye  mean  by  ab- 
 sence of  Christ,  the  withdrawing  of  His  working  grace,  I  see  not 
 how  Avillingness  to  use  means  can  be  at  all  under  such  an  absence. 
 Therefore,  be  humbled  for  heaviness  in  that  obedience,  and  thank- 
 ful for  willingness :  for  the  Bridegroom  is  busking^  His  spouse 
 often  times  while  she  is  half  sleeping,  and  your  Lord  is  working 
 and  helping  more  than  ye  see.  Also,  I  recommend  to  you  heaviness 
 for  formality  and  lifeless  deadness  in  obedience.  Be  casten  down 
 as  much  as  ye  will  or  can  for  deadness,  and  challenge  that  slow  and 
 dull  carcase  of  sin  that  will  neither  lead  nor  drive  in  your  spiritual 
 obedience.  0  how  sweet  to  lovely  Jesus  are  bills  and  grievances 
 given  in  against  corruption  and  the  body  of  sin  !  I  would  have 
 Christ,  in  such  a  case,  fashed-  (if  I  may  speak  so)  and  deaved^ 
 with  our  cries,  as  ye  see  the  apostle  doth,  Eom.  vii.  24,  ^'  0 
 wretched  man  that  I  am !  who  shall  deliver  me  from  the  body  of 
 this  death  1 "  Protestations  against  the  law  of  sin  in  you,  are  law- 
 grounds  why  sin  can  have  no  law  against  you.  Seek  to  have  your 
 protestation  discussed  and  judged,  and  then  shall  ye  find  Christ  on 
 your  side  of  it.  7.  Ye  hold  that  Christ  must  either  have  hearty 
 service  or  no  service  at  all.  If  ye  mean.  He  will  not  halve  a 
 heart,  or  have  feigned  service,  such  as  the  hypocrites  give  Him,  ] 
 grant  you  that.  Christ  must  have  honesty  or  nothing.  But  if  yc 
 mean.  He  will  have  no  service  at  all  where  the  heart  draweth 
 aback  in  any  measure,  I  would  not  that  were  true,  for  my  part  of 
 heaven  and  all  that  I  am  worth  in  the  world.  If  ye  mind  to  walk 
 to  heaven  without  a  cramp  or  a  crook,  I  fear  you  must  go  your 
 lone.'*  He  knoweth  our  dross  and  defects,  and  sweet  Jesus  pitieth 
 us  when  weakness  and  deadness  in  our  obedience  is  our  cross  and 
 not  our  darling.  8.  The  liar  (as  ye  write)  challengeth  the  work 
 as  formal ;  yet  ye  bless  your  cautioner  for  the'  ground-work  He 
 hath  laid,  and  dare  not  say  but  you  have  assurance  in  some 
 measure.  To  this  I  say,  (1.)  It  shall  be  no  fault  to  save  Satan's 
 labour,  and  challenge  it  yourself,  or  at  least  examine  and  censure; 
 but  beware  of  Satan's  ends  in  challenging,  for  he  mindeth  to  put 
 Christ  and  you  at  odds.^  (2.)  Welcome  home  faith  in  Jesus,  who 
 washeth  still  when  we  have  defiled  our  souls  and  made  ourselves 
 loathsome,  and  seek  still  the  blood  of  atonement  to  faults  little  or 
 meikle.*^  Know  the  gate'^  to  the  well,  and  lie  about  it.  (3.)  Make 
 meikle^  of  assurance,  for  it  keepeth  your  anchor  fixed.  9.  Out- 
 breakings  (ye  say)  discourage  you,  so  that  ye  know  not  if  ever  ye 
 shall  win  again  to  such  overjoying  consolations  of  the  Spirit  in 
 
 ^  Adorning.  ^  Annoyed.  ^  Deafened.  *  Alone. 
 
 ®  Variance.  « Great.  '^  Road.  *  Much. 
 
 2  A 
 
370  LETTER  II.  [PAET  II. 
 
 this  life,  as  formerly  ye  had. ;  and  therefore  a  question  may  be,  if, 
 after  assurance  and  mortification,  the  children  of  God  be  ordinarily 
 fed  with  sense  and  joy?  I  answer,  I  see  no  inconvenience  to 
 think  it  is  enough  in  a  race  to  see  the  gold  at  the  starting-place, 
 howbeit  the  runners  never  get  a  view  of  it  till  they  come  to  the 
 rink's^  end,  and  that  our  wise  Lord  thinketh  it  fittest  we  should 
 not  always  be  fingering  and  playing  with  Christ's  apples.  Our 
 Well-Beloved,  I  know,  will  sport  and  play  with  His  bride,  as  much 
 as  He  thinketh  will  allure  her  to  the  rink's^  end.  Yet  I  judge  it 
 not  Tinlawful  to  seek  renewed  consolations,  providing,  (1.)  the 
 he'cirt  be  submissive  and  content  to  leave  the  measure  and  timing 
 of  them  to  Him.  (2.)  Providing  they  be  sought  to  excite  us  to 
 praise,  and  strengthen  our  assurance,  and  sharpen  our  desires  after 
 Himself.  (3.)  Let  them  be  sought  not  for  our  humours  or  swell- 
 ing of  nature,  but  as  the  earnest  of  heaven  ;  and  I  think  manj'' 
 do  attain  to  greater  consolations  after  mortification  than  ever  they 
 had  formerly.  But  I  know  our  Lord  walketh  here  still  by  a 
 sovereign  latitude,  and  keepeth  not  the  same  way  as  to  one  hair- 
 breadth without  a  miss,  towards  all  His  children.  As  for  the 
 Lord's  people  with  you,  I  am  not  the  man  fit  to  speak  to  them.  I 
 rejoice  exceedingly  that  Christ  is  engaging  souls  amongst  you. 
 But  I  know  in  conversion  all  the  winning  is  in  the  first  buying  (as 
 we  use  to  say),  for  many  lay  false  and  bastard  foundations,  and 
 take  up  conversion  at  their  foot,  and  get  Christ  for  as  good  as  half 
 nothing,  and  had  never  a  sick  night  for  sin,  and  this  maketh  loose 
 work.  I  pray  you  dig  deep ;  Christ's  palace-work,  and  His  new 
 dwelling,  laid  upon  hell  felt  and  feared,  is  most  firm :  and  heaven 
 grounded  and  laid  upon  such  a  hell,  is  surest  work,  and  will  not 
 wash  away  with  Avinter  storms.  It  were  good  that  professors  were 
 not  like  young  heirs,  that  come  to  their  rich  estate  long  ere  they 
 come  to  their  wit,  and  so  is  seen  on  it  i^  the  tavern,  and  the  cards, 
 and  the  harlots  steal  their  ridges  from  them,  ere  ever  they  be 
 aware  what  they  are  doing.  I  know,  a  Christ  bought  with  strokes 
 is  sweetest.  2.  I  recommend  to  you  conference  and  prayer  at 
 private  meetings  :  for  warrant  whereof,  see  Isa.  ii.  3,  Jer.  i.  4,  5, 
 Hos.  ii,  1,  2,  Ezek.  viii.  20-23,  Mai.  iii.  16,  Luke  xxiv.  13-17, 
 John  XX.  19,  Acts  xii.  12.  Col  iii.  16,  and  iv.  6,  Ephes.  iv.  29, 
 1  Peter  iv.  10,  1  Thess.  v.  14,  Heb.  iii.  13,  and  x.  25.  Many 
 coals  make  a  good  fire,  and  this  is  a  part  of  the  communion  of 
 saints.  I  must  entreat  you,  and  your  Christian  acquaintances  in 
 the  parish,  to  remember  me  to  God  in  your  prayers,  and  my  flock 
 and  ministry,  and  my  transportation  and  removal  from  this  place, 
 which  I  fear  at  this  assembly.     And  be  earnest  with  God  for  our 
 
 ^  Course's.  -  The  result  is  as  might  be  expected. 
 
PART  II.]  LETTER  III.  371 
 
 mother  kirk.     For  warxt  of  time,  I  have  put  you  all  in  one  letter. 
 The  rich  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  be  with  you  all. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         &  R 
 
 Anv.'otli,  Auir.  5,  1639. 
 
 LETTER  III.— To  a  Christian  Gentlewoman. 
 
 Mistress, — My  love  in  Christ  remembered  to  you.  I  was 
 indeed  sorrowful  at  my  departure  from  you,  especially  since  ye 
 were  in  such  heaviness  after  your  daughter's  death;  yet  I 
 do  persuade  myself,  ye  know  that  the  weightiest  end  of  the  cross 
 of  Christ  that  is  laid  upon  you,  lieth  upon  your  strong  Saviour: 
 for  Isaiah  saith,  chap.  Ixii.  9,  "In  all  your  aflElictions  He  is 
 afflicted."  0  blessed  second,  who  suffereth  with  you  !  and  glad 
 may  your  soul  be,  even  to  walk  in  the  fiery  furnace  with  one  like 
 unto  the  Son  of  Man,  who  is  also  the  Son  of  God.  Courage,  up 
 your  heart,  when  ye  do  tire.  He  will  bear  both  you  and  your 
 burden,  Ps.  Iv.  22.  Yet  a  little  while  and  ye  shall  see  the 
 salvation  of  God.  Remember  of  what  age  your  daughter  was,  as 
 long  was  your  lease  of  her;  if  she  was  18,  19,  or  20  years  old,  I 
 know  not,  sure  I  am,  seeing  her  term  was  come,  and  your  lease  run 
 out,  ye  can  no  more  justly  quarrel^  your  great  Superior  for  taking 
 His  own,  at  His  just  term-day,  than  a  poor  farmer  can  complain 
 that  his  master  taketh  a  portion  of  his  own  land  to  himself  when 
 his  lease  is  expired.  Good  mistress,  if  ye  would  not  be  content 
 that  Christ  would  hold  from  you  the  heavenly  inheritance,  which 
 is  made  yours  by  His  death,  shall  not  that  same  Christ  think 
 hardly  of  you,  if  ye  refuse  to  give  Him  your  daughter  willingly, 
 who  is  a  part  of  His  inheritance  and  conquest  1  I  pray  the  Lord 
 to  give  you  all  your  own,  and  to  grace  you  with  patience  to  give 
 God  his  also  :  he  is  an  ill  debtor  who  payeth  that  which  he  hath 
 borrowed  with  a  grudge.  Indeed,  that  long  loan  of  such  a  good 
 daughter,  an  heir  of  grace,  a  member  of  Christ  (as  I  believe), 
 deserveth  more  thanks  at  your  Creditor's  hand,  than  that  ye 
 should  gloom  and  murmur  when  He  craveth  but  His  own :  I 
 believe  ye  would  judge  them  to  be  but  thankless  neighbours,  who 
 would  pay  you  a  sum  of  money  after  this  manner.  But  what,  do 
 ye  think  her  lost,  when  she  is  but  sleeping  in  the  bosom  of  the 
 Almighty?  Think  her  not  absent,  who  is  in  such  a  Friend's 
 house.  Is  she  lost  to  you,  who  is  found  to  Christ?  If  she  were 
 with  a  dear  friend,  although  ye  should  never  see  her  again,  your 
 care  for  her  would  be  but  small,  0,  now,  is  she  not  with  a  dear 
 Friend,  and  gone  higher  upon  a  certain  hope  that  ye  shall  in  the 
 resurrection  see  her  again,  when  (be  ye  sure)  she  shall  neither  be 
 
372  LETTER  III.  [part  II. 
 
 hectic  nor  consumed  in  body  1  Ye  would  be  sorry  either  to  be,  or 
 to  be  esteemed,  an  Atheist;  and  yet  not  1,  but  the  apostle, 
 1  Tb«ss.  iv.  13,  thinketh  those  to  be  hopeless  Atheists  who  mourn 
 excessively  for  the  dead.  But  this  is  not  a  challenge  on  my  part, 
 I  do  speak  this  only  fearing  your  weakness ;  for  your  daughter 
 was  a  part  of  yourself,  and  therefore,  nature  in  you  being,  as  it 
 were,  cut  and  halved,  will  indeed  he  grieved;  but  ye  have  to 
 rejoice,  that  when  a  part  of  you  is  on  earth,  a  great  part  of  you  is 
 glorified  in  heaven.  Follow  her,  but  envy  her  not ;  for  indeed  it 
 is  self-love  in  us  that  maketh  us  mourn  for  them  that  die  in  the 
 Lord.  Why  ?  Because  for  them  we  cannot  mourn,  since  they  are 
 never  happy  till  they  be  dead  ;  therefore  we  mourn  for  our  own 
 private  respect.  Take  heed,  then,  that  in  showing  your  affection 
 in  mourning  for  your  daughter,  ye  be  not,  out  of  seli-affection, 
 mourning  for  yourself.  Consider  what  the  Lord  is  doing  in  it; 
 your  daughter  is  plucked  out  of  the  fire,  and  she  resteth  from  her 
 labours  ;  and  your  Lord  (in  that)  is  trying  you,  and  casting  you 
 in  the  fire  :  go  through  all  fires  to  your  rest.  And  now  remember 
 that  the  eye  of  God  is  upon  you,  beholding  your  patience  and 
 faith  :  He  delighteth  to  see  you  in  the  burning  bush,  and  not  con- 
 sumed ;  and  He  is  gladly  content  that  such  a  weak  woman  as  ye 
 should  send  Satan  away  frustrate  of  his  design.  Now  honour 
 God,  and  shame  the  strong  roaring  lion,  when  ye  seem  weakest. 
 Should  such  a  one  as  ye  faint  in  the  day  of  adversity?  Call  to 
 mind  the  days  of  old :  the  Lord  yet  liveth ;  trust  in  Him 
 although  He  should  slay  you.  Faith  is  exceeding  charitable,  and 
 believeth  no  evil  of  God,  Now  is  the  Lord  laying  in  the  one  scale 
 of  the  balance  your  making  conscience  of  submission  to  His 
 gracious  will ;  and,  in  the  other,  your  affection  and  love  to  your 
 daughter:  which  of  the  two  will  you,  then,  choose  to  satisfy? 
 Be  wise,  then,  and,  as  I  trust  ye  love  Christ  better  than  a  siniul 
 woman,  pass  by  your  daughter,  and  kiss  the  Lord's  rod.  Men 
 do  lop  the  branches  off  their  trees  round  about,  to  the  end  they 
 may  grow  up  high  and  tall.  The  Lord  hath  this  way  lopped 
 your  branch,  in  taking  from  you  many  children,  to  the  end 
 ye  should  grow  upward,  like  one  of  the  Lord's  cedars,  setting 
 your  heart  above,  where  Christ  is  at  the  right  hand  of  the  Father: 
 what  is  next,  but  that  your  Lord  cut  down  the  stock  after  Ha 
 hath  cut  the  branches  1  Prepare  yourself ;  ye  are  nearer  your 
 daughter  this  day  than  ye  were  yesterday ;  while  ye  prodigally 
 spend  time  in  mourning  for  her,  ye  are  speedily  posting  after  her. 
 Eun  your  race  with  patience  :  let  God  have  His  own,  and  ask  of 
 Him,  instead  of  your  daughter,  which  He  hath  taken  from  you, 
 the  daughter  of  faith,  which  is  patience,  and  "  in  patience  possess 
 your  souL"     Lift  up  your  head ;  ye  do  not  know  how  near  your 
 
PART  IL]  LETTER  IV.  373 
 
 relemption  doth  draw.     Thus  recommending  you  to  the  Lord, 
 who  is  able  to  establish  yon,  I  rest. 
 Your  loving  and  aftectionate  friend  in  the  Lord  Jesus,     S.  R. 
 
 .Inwoth,  April  23,  1628. 
 
 LETTER  IV.— To  the  Elect  and  Noble  Lady,  my  Lady 
 
 Kenmure. 
 
 Madam, — Saluting  your  ladyship  with  grace  and  mercy  from 
 God  our  Father,  and  from  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  I  was  sorry, 
 at  my  departure,  leaving  your  ladyship  in  grief,  and  Avould  still 
 be  grieved  at  it,  if  I  were  not  assured  that  ye  have  one  with  you 
 in  the  furnace,  "  whose  visage  is  like  unto  the  Son  of  God."  I  am 
 glad  that  ye  have  been  acquainted,  from  your  youth,  with  the 
 wrestlings  of  God,  and  that  ye  get  scarce  liberty  to  swallow  down 
 your  spittle,  being  casten  from  furnace  to  furnace ;  knowing  if  ye 
 were  not  dear  to  God,  and  if  your  health  did  not  require  so  much 
 of  Him,  He  would  not  spend  so  much  physic  upon  you.  All  the 
 brethren  and  sisters  of  Christ  must  be  conformed  to  His  image 
 and  copy  in  suffering,  Rom,  viii.  17,  and  some  do  more  vively^ 
 resemble  the  copy  than  others.  Think,  madam,  that  it  is  a  pari 
 of  your  glory  to  l)e  enrolled  among  those  whom  one  of  the  elders 
 (Rev.  vii.  14,)  pointed  out  to  John  :  "  These  are  they  which  came 
 out  of  great  tribulation,  and  have  washed  their  robes,  and  made 
 them  white  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb."  Behold  your  Forerunner 
 going  out  of  the  world,  all  in  a  lake  of  blood ;  and  it  is  not  ill  to 
 die  as  He  did.  Fulfil,  with  joy,  the  remnant  of  the  grounds  and 
 remainders  of  the  afilictions  of  Christ  in  your  body.  Ye  have  lost 
 a  child ;  nay,  she  is  not  lost  to  you  who  is  found  to  Christ ;  she  is 
 not  sent  away,  but  only  sent  before,  like  unto  a  star,  which,  going 
 out  of  our  sight,  doth  not  die  and  vanish,  but  shiueth  in  another 
 hemisphere:  ye  see  her  not,  yet  she  doth  shine  in  another  countr}-. 
 If  her  glass  was  but  a  short  hour,  what  she  wanteth  of  time,  that 
 she  hath  gotten  of  eternity ;  and  ye  have  to  rejoice  that  ye  have 
 now  some  plenishing  ^  up  in  heaven.  Build  your  nest  upon  no 
 tree  here ;  for  ye  see  God  hath  sold  the  forest  to  death  ;  and  every 
 tree,  whereupon  we  would  rest,  is  ready  to  be  cut  down,  to  the 
 end  we  may  flee,  and  mount  up,  and  build  upon  the  rock,  and 
 dwell  in  the  holes  of  the  rock.  What  ye  love  besides  Jesus,  your 
 husband,  is  an  adulterous  lover.  Now  it  is  God's  special  blessing 
 to  Judah,  that  He  will  not  let  her  find  her  paths  in  following  her 
 strange  lovers,  Hos.  ii.  6.  "  Therefore,  behold,  I  will  hedge  up 
 her  way  with  thorns,  and  make  a  wall,  that  she  shall  not  find  her 
 paths,"  V.  7.     "  And  she  shall  follow  after  her  lovers,  but  she  shall 
 
 1  Vividly.  ^  Furniture. 
 
374  LETTEE  IV.  [part  II. 
 
 not  overtake  them."  O,  thrice  happy  Judah,  when  God  buildeth 
 a  double  stone  wall  betwixt  her  and  the  fire  of  hell !  The  world 
 and  the  things  of  the  world,  madam,  is  the  lover  ye  naturally 
 affect  beside  your  own  husband,  Christ.  The  hedge  of  thorns, 
 and  the  wall  which  God  buildeth  in  your  way,  to  hinder  you  from 
 this  Icrrer,  is  the  thorny  hedge  of  daily  grief,  loss  of  children, 
 weakness  of  body,  iniquity  of  the  time,  uncertainty  of  estate,  lack 
 of  worldly  comfort,  fear  of  God's  anger  for  old,  unrepented-of  sins. 
 What  lose  ye,  if  God  twist  and  plait  the  hedge  daily  thicker  1 
 God  be  blessed,  the  Lord  will  not  let  you  find  your  paths  :  return 
 to  your  first  husband ;  do  not  weary,  neither  think  that  death 
 walketh  towards  you  with  a  slow  pace ;  ye  must  be  riper  ere  ye 
 be  shaken;  your  days  are  no  longer  than  Job's,  that  were  "swifter 
 than  a  post,  and  passed  away  as  the  ships  of  desire,  and  as  the 
 eagle  that  hasteth  for  the  prey,"  Job  ix.  25,  26.  There  is  less 
 sand  in  your  glass  now  than  there  was  yesternight ;  this  span- 
 length  of  ever-posting  time  will  soon  be  ended  ;  but  the  greater  is 
 the  mercy  of  God,  the  more  years  ye  get  to  advise  ^  upon  what 
 terms,  and  upon  what  conditions  ye  cast  your  soul  in  the  huge 
 gulf  of  never-ending  eternity.  The  Lord  hath  told  you  what  ye 
 should  be  doing  till  He  come;  "Wait  and  hasten,  (saith  Peter) 
 for  the  coming  of  our  Lord  : "  all  is  night  that  is  here,  in  respect 
 of  ignorance  and  daily  ensuing  troubles,  one  always  making  way 
 to  another,  as  the  ninth  wave  of  the  sea  to  the  tenth  :  therefore 
 sigh  and  long  for  the  dawning  of  that  morning,  and  the  breaking 
 of  that  day  of  the  coming  of  the  Son  of  man,  when  the  shadows 
 shall  flee  away.  Persuade  yourself  the  King  is  coming ;  read  His 
 letter  sent  before  Him,  Eev.  iii.  11, — "Behold  I  come  quickly." 
 Wait  with  the  wearied  night-watch  for  the  breaking  of  the  eastern 
 sky,  and  think  that  ye  have  not  a  morrow ;  as  the  wise  father 
 said,  who,  being  invited  against  to-morrow  to  dine  with  his  friends, 
 answered,  "  These  many  days  I  have  had  no  morrow  at  all."  I 
 am  loth  to  weary  you  ;  show  yourself  a  Christian  by  suffering 
 without  murmuring,  for  which  sin  fourteen  thousand  and  seven 
 hundred  were  slain,  Num.  xvi.  49.  "  In  patience  possess  your 
 soul ; "  they  lose  nothing  who  gain  Christ.  Thus  remembering 
 my  brother's  and  my  wife's  humble  service  to  your  ladyship,  I 
 commend  you  to  the  mercy  and  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus,  assuring 
 you  that  your  day  is  coming,  and  that  God's  mercy  is  abiding  you. 
 The  Lord  Jesus  be  with  your  spirit. 
 
 Yours,  in  the  Lord  Jesus,  at  all  dutitul  obedience,     S.  ii,. 
 Anwoth,  Jan.  15,  1629. 
 
 ^  CoHJcider. 
 
PART  II.]  LETTEK  V.  375 
 
 LETTER  v.— To  my  LADY  Keotiure. 
 
 Madam, — Saluting  you  in  Jesus  Christ,  to  my  grief  I  must  bid 
 you  (it  may  be)  for  ever  farewell  in  paper,  having  small  assurance 
 ever  to  see  your  face  again,  till  the  last  general  assembly,  where 
 the  whole  church  universal  shall  meet :  yet  promising,  by  His 
 grace,  to  present  your  ladyship  and  your  burdens  to  Him,  who  is 
 able  to  save  you  and  give  you  an  inheritance  with  the  saints,  after 
 a  more  special  manner  than  ever  I  have  done  before.  Ye  are 
 going  to  a  country  where  the  Sun  of  Righteousness  in  the  Gospel 
 shineth  not  so  clearly  as  in  this  kingdom  ;  but  if  ye  would  know 
 where  He,  whom  your  soul  loveth,  doth  rest,  and  where  He  feed- 
 eth  at  the  noon-tide  of  the  day,  wherever  ye  be,  "get  you  forth 
 by  the  footsteps  of  the  flock,  and  feed  yourself  beside  the  shep- 
 herds' tents,"  Cant.  i.  7.  That  is,  ask  for  some  of  the  watchmen 
 of  the  Lord's  city,  who  will  tell  you  truly  and  will  not  lie,  where 
 ye  shall  find  Him  whom  your  soul  loveth.  I  trust  ye  are  so  be- 
 trothed in  marriage  to  the  true  Christ,  that  ye  will  not  give  your 
 love  to  any  false  Christ.  Ye  know  not  how  soon  your  marriage 
 day  will  come;  nay,  is  not  eternity  hard  upon  you?  It  were  time, 
 then,  that  ye  had  your  wedding  garment  in  readiness  :  be  not 
 sleeping  at  your  Lord's  coming.  I  pray  God,  ye  may  be  upon 
 your  feet  standing  when  He  knocketh.  Be  not  discouraged  to  go 
 from  this  country  to  another  part  of  the  Lord's  earth,  "  The  earth 
 is  His  and  the  fulness  thereof,"  Ps.  xxiv.  1.  This  is  the  Lord's 
 lower  house ;  while  we  are  lodged  here,  we  have  no  assurance  to 
 lie  ever  in  one  chamber,  but  must  be  content  to  remove  from  one 
 corner  of  our  Lord's  nether-house  to  another,  resting  in  hope,  that 
 when  we  come  up  to  the  Lord's  upper-city,  Jerusalem  that  is  above, 
 we  shall  remove  no  more,  because  then  we  shall  be  at  home  :  and 
 go  wheresoever  ye  will,  if  your  Lord  go  with  you,  ye  are  at  home, 
 and  your  lodging  is  ever  taken  before  night,  so  long  as  He,  who  is 
 Israel's  dwelling-house,  is  your  home,  Ps.  xc.  1.  Believe  me, 
 madam,  my  mind  is,  that  ye  are  well  lodged,  and  that  in  your 
 house  there  are  fair  ease-rooms  and  pleasant  lights,  if  ye  can  in 
 faith  lean  down  your  head  upon  the  breast  of  Jesus  Christ ;  and 
 till  this  be,  ye  shall  never  get  a  sound  sleep.  Jesus,  Jesus  be  your 
 shadow  and  your  covering.  It  is  a  sweet  soul-sleep  to  lie  in  the 
 arms  of  Christ,  for  His  breath  is  very  sweet.  Pray  for  poor  friend- 
 less Zion.  Alas !  no  man  will  speak  for  her  now,  although  at 
 home  in  her  own  country  she  hath  good  friends,  her  Husband 
 Christ,  and  His  Father,  her  Father-in-law.  Beseech  your  Hus- 
 band to  be  a  friend  to  Zion,  and  pray  for  her.  I  have  received 
 many  and  divers  dashes  and  heavy  strokes  since  the  Lord  called 
 me  to  the  ministry  ;  but,  indeed,  I  esteem  your  departure  from  us 
 
376  LETTER  VI.  [PART  11 
 
 amongst  the  weightiest ;  but  I  perceive,  God  will  have  us  to  be 
 deprived  of  wliatsoever  we  idolise,  that  He  may  have  His  own 
 room.  I  see  exceeding  small  fruit  of  my  ministry,  and  would  be 
 glad  to  know  of  one  soul  to  be  my  crown  and  rejoicing  in  the  day 
 of  Christ.  Though  I  spend  my  strength  in  vain,  yet  my  labour  is 
 with  my  God,  Isa.  xlix.  9.  I  wish  and  pray  that  the  Lord  would 
 harden  my  face  against  all,  and  make  me  to  learn  to  go  with  my 
 face  against  a  storm.  Again,  I  commend  you,  body  and  spirit,  to 
 Him  who  hath  loved  us,  and  washed  us  from  our  sins  in  His  own 
 blood.  Grace,  grace,  grace  for  ever  be  with  you.  Pray,  pray 
 continually. 
 
 Your  ladyship's,  at  all  dutiful  obedience  in  Christ,     Sb  R. 
 Anwoth,  Sept.  14,  1629. 
 
 LETTER  VL— To  John  Kennedy. 
 
 My  loving  and  most  aitectionate  Brother  in  Christ,—! 
 salute  you  with  grace,  mercy,  and  peace  from  God  our  Father, 
 and  from  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  I  promised  to  write  to  you,  and 
 although  late  enough,  yet  now  I  make  it  good.  I  heard  with  grief 
 of  your  great  danger  of  perishing  by  the  sea,  but  of  your  merciful 
 deliverance  with  joy.  Sure  I  am,  brother,  Satan  will  leave  no 
 stone  unrolled  (as  the  proverb  is)  to  roll  you  off  your  Rock,  or,  at 
 least,  to  shake  and  unsettle  you  :  for  at  that  same  time,  the 
 mouths  of  wicked  men  were  opened  in  hard  speeches  against  you 
 by  land,  and  the  prince  of  the  power  of  the  air  was  angry  with 
 you  by  sea.  See  then  how  much  ye  are  obliged  to  that  malicious 
 murderer,  who  would  beat  you  with  two  rods  at  one  time ;  but, 
 blessed  be  God,  his  arm  is  short :  if  the  sea  and  winds  would  have 
 obeyed  him,  ye  had  never  come  to  land.  Thank  your  God,  Avho 
 saith.  Rev.  i.  18,  "I  have  the  keys  of  hell  and  of  death."  Dent. 
 xxxii.  39,  "  I  kill  and  I  make  alive."  1  Sam.  ii.  6,  "  The  Lord 
 bringeth  down  to  the  grave,  and  bringeth  up."  If  Satan  were 
 jailer,  and  had  the  keys  of  death  and  of  the  grave,  they  should  be 
 stored  with  more  prisoners.  Ye  were  knocking  at  these  black 
 gates,  and  ye  found  the  doors  shut ;  and  we  do  all  welcome  you 
 back  again.  I  trust  ye  know  it  is  not  for  nothing  that  ye  are 
 sent  to  us  again  :  the  Lord  knew  ye  had  forgotten  something  that 
 was  necessary  for  your  journey  ;  that  your  armour  was  not  as  yet 
 thick  enough  against  the  stroke  of  death.  Now,  in  the  strength 
 of  Jesus,  dispatch  your  business ;  that  debt  is  not  forgiven,  but 
 fristed  :^  death  hath  not  bidden  you  farewell,  but  hath  only  left 
 you  for  a  short  season.  End  your  journey,  ere  the  night  come 
 upon  you ;  have  all  in  readiness  against  the  time  that  ye  must  sail 
 
 '  Postponed. 
 
FaRT  II.]  LETTER  VI.  377 
 
 through  that  black  and  impetuous  Jordan  ;  and  Jesus,  Jesus,  who 
 knoweth  both  these  depths,  and  the  rocks,  and  all  the  coasts,  be 
 your  Pilot ;  that  last  tide  will  not  wait  for  you  one  moment ;  if 
 ye  forget  anything,  when  your  sea  is  full  and  j^our  foot  in  that 
 ship,  there  is  no  returning  again  to  fetch  it.  What  ye  do  amiss 
 in  your  life  to-day,  ye  may  amend  it  to-morrow  ;  for  as  many  suns 
 as  God  maketh  to  arise  upon  you,  ye  have  as  many  new  lives  ; 
 but  ye  can  die  but  once  ;  and  if  ye  mar  or  spill  ^  that  business,  ye 
 cannot  come  back  to  mend  that  piece  of  work  again  ;  no  man 
 sinneth  twice  in  dying  ill :  as  we  die  but  once,  so  we  die  but  ill 
 or  well  once.  Ye  see  how  the  numl^er  of  your  months  is  written 
 in  God's  book ;  and  as  one  of  the  Loi-d's  hirelings,  ye  must  work 
 till  the  shadow  of  the  evening  come  upon  you,  and  ye  shall  run 
 out  your  glass  even  to  the  last  pickle^  of  sand.  Fulfil  your  course 
 with  joy,  for  we  take  nothing  to  the  grave  with  us  but  a  good  or 
 evil  conscience.  And  although  the  sky  clear  after  this  storm,  yet 
 clouds  will  engender  another.  Ye  contracted  with  Christ,  I  hope, 
 when  first  ye  began  to  follow  Him,  that  ye  would  bear  His  cross  ; 
 fulfil  your  part  of  the  contract  with  patience,  and  break  not  to 
 Jesus  Christ.  Be  honest,  brother,  in  your  bargaining  with  Him  ; 
 for  who  knoweth  better  how  to  bring  up  children  tlian  our  God  'I 
 For  (to  lay  aside  His  knowledge,  of  the  which  there  is  no  search- 
 ing out)  He  hath  been  practised  in  bringing  up  His  heirs  these 
 5000  years,  and  His  bairns  are  all  well  brought  up,  and  many  of 
 them  are  honest  men  now  at  home,  up  in  their  own  house  in 
 heaven,  and  are  entered  heirs  to  their  Father's  inheritance.  Now, 
 the  form  of  His  bringing  up  was  by  chastisements,  scourging,  cor- 
 recting, nurturing.^  See  if  He  maketh  exception  of  any  of  His 
 bairns,  Eev.  iii.  19,  Heb.  xii.  7,  8.  No.  His  eldest  Son  and  His 
 Heir,  Jesus,  is  not  excepted,  Heb.  ii.  10.  Sufifer  we  must,  ere  we 
 were  born  God  decreed  it ;  and  it  is  easier  to  complain  of  His  de- 
 cree than  to  change  it.  It  is  true,  terrors  of  conscience  cast  us 
 down ;  and  yet  without  terrors  of  conscience  we  cannot  be  raised 
 up  again.  Fears  and  doubtings  shake  us;  and  yet  without  fears 
 and  doubtings  we  would  soon  sleep  and  lose  our  grips  of  Christ. 
 Tribulation  and  temptations  will  almost  loose  us  at  the  root ;  and 
 yet  without  tribulations  and  temptations,  we  can  now  no  more 
 grow,  than  herbs  or  corn  without  rain.  Sin  and  Satan  and  the 
 world  will  say,  and  cry  in  our  ear,  that  we  have  a  hard  reckoning 
 to  make  in  judgment ;  and  yet  none  of  these  three,  except  they 
 lie,  dare  say  in  our  face,  that  our  sin  can  change  the  tenor  of  the 
 new  covenant.  Forward  then,  dear  brother,  and  lose  not  your 
 grips  ;  hold  fast  the  truth,  for  the  world  sell  not  one  drachm- 
 weight  of  God's  truth,  especially  now  when  most  men  measure 
 
 '  Spoil.  '-'  Grain.  •  Discipline. 
 
378  LETTEK  VI.  [PAET  tt. 
 
 truth  by  time,  like  young  seamen  setting  their  compass  by  a  cloud  ; 
 for  now  time  is  father  and  mother  to  truth,  in  the  thoughts  and 
 practices  of  our  evil  time.  The  God  of  truth  establish  us ;  for, 
 alas !  now  there  are  none  to  comfort  the  prisoners  of  hope  and 
 the  mourners  of  Zion.  We  can  do  little  except  pray  and  mourn 
 for  Joseph  in  the  stocks :  and  let  their  tongue  cleave  to  the  roof 
 of  their  mouth,  who  forget  Jerusalem  now  in  her  day :  and  the 
 Lord  remember  Edom,  and  render  to  him  as  He  hath  done  to  us. 
 Now,  brother,  I  will  not  weary  you,  but  I  intreat  you,  remember 
 my  dearest  love  to  Mr.  David  Dickson,  with  whom  I  have  small 
 acquaintance ;  yet  I  bless  the  Lord,  I  know  he  both  prayeth  and 
 doeth  for  our  dying  kirk.  Eemember  my  dearest  love  to  John 
 Stuart,  whom  I  love  in  Christ ;  and  show  him  from  me,  I  do 
 always  remember  him,  and  hope  for  a  meeting.  The  Lord  Jesus 
 establish  him  more  and  more,  though  he  be  already  a  strong  man 
 in  Christ.  Eemember  my  heartiest  affection  in  Christ  to  William 
 liodger,  whom  I  also  remember  to  God.  I  wish  the  first  news  I 
 hear  of  him  and  you,  and  all  that  love  our  common  Saviour  in 
 those  bounds,  may  be,  that  ye  are  so  knit  and  linked  and  kindly 
 fastened  in  love  with  the  Son  of  God,  that  ye  may  say,  "  Now,  if 
 we  would  never  so  fain  escape  out  of  Christ's  hands,  yet  love  liath 
 so  bound  us  that  we  cannot  get  our  hands  free  again ;  He  hath  so 
 ravished  our  hearts,  that  there  is  no  loosing  of  His  grips  ;  the 
 chains  of  His  soul-ravishing  love  are  so  strong  that  the  grave  nor 
 death  will  not  break  them."  I  hope,  brother,  yea  I  doubt  not  of 
 it,  but  ye  lay  me,  and  my  first  entry  to  the  Lord's  vineyard,  and 
 my  fiock,  before  Him  who  hath  put  me  in  His  work ;  as  the  Lord 
 knoweth,  since  first  I  saw  you,  I  have  been  mindful  of  you. 
 Marion  Macnaught  doth  remember  most  heartily  her  love  to  you, 
 and  to  John  Stuart.  Blessed  be  the  Lord,  tliat  in  God's  mercy  I 
 found  in  this  country  such  a  "woman,  to  whom  Jesus  is  dearer  than 
 her  own  heart,  when  there  be  so  many  that  cast  Christ  over  their 
 shoulder.  Good  brother,  call  to  mind  the  memory  of  your  worthy 
 father,  now  asleep  in  Christ ;  and,  as  his  custom  was,  pray  con- 
 tinually, and  wrestle  for  the  life  of  a  dying  breathless  kirk,  and 
 desire  John  Stuart  not  to  forget  poor  Zion ;  she  hath  few  friends, 
 and  few  to  speak  one  good  word  for  her.  Now  I  commend  you, 
 your  whole  soul,  and  body,  and  spirit,  to  Jesus  Christ  and  His 
 keeping,  hoping  ye  will  die  and  live,  stand  and  fall,  with  the 
 cause  of  our  Master,  Jesus.  The  Lord  Jesus  Himself  be  with 
 your  spirit. 
 
 Your  loving  brother  in  our  Lord  Jesuij,         {i.  E. 
 Anwotb,  Feb.  2,  1632. 
 
^AST  U.]  LETTEK  VII.  379 
 
 LETTER  VII.— To  my  Lady  Kenmuiie. 
 
 Madaivt, — I  have  longed  exceedingly  to  hear  of  your  life,  anu 
 health,  and  growth  in  the  grace  of  God.  I  lacked  the  opportunity 
 of  a  bearer,  in  respect  I  did  not  understand  of  the  hasty  departure 
 of  the  last,  by  whom  I  might  have  saluted  your  ladyship,  and 
 therefore  I  could  not  write  before  this  time.  I  intreat  you,  madam, 
 let  me  have  two  lines  from  you,  concerning  your  present  condition. 
 I  know  ye  are  in  grief  and  heaviness,  and  if  it  were  not  so,  ye 
 might  be  afraid,  because  then  your  way  should  not  be  so  like  the 
 way  that,  our  Lord  saith,  leadeth  to  the  New  Jerusalem.  Sure  I 
 am,  if  ye  knew  what  were  before  you,  or  if  ye  saw  but  some 
 glances  of  it,  ye  would,  with  gladness,  swim  through  the  present 
 tioods  of  sorrow,  spreading  forth  your  arras,  out  of  desire  to  be  at 
 land.  If  God  have  given  you  the  earnest  of  the  Spirit,  as  part  of 
 payment  of  God's  principal  sum,  ye  have  to  rejoice ;  for  our  Lord 
 will  not  lose  His  earnest,  neither  will  He  go  back  or  repent  Him 
 of  the  bargain.  If  ye  find  at  some  time  a  longing  to  see  God,  joy 
 in  the  assurance  of  that  sight  (howbeit  that  feast  be  but  like  the 
 passover  that  cometli  about  only  once  a  year),  peace  of  conscience, 
 liberty  of  prayer,  the  doors  of  God's  treasure  casten  up  to  the  soul, 
 and  a  clear  sight  of  Himself  looking  out,  and  saying,  with  a 
 smiling  countenance,  "  Welcome  in  to  me,  afilicted  soul."  This  is 
 the  earnest  that  He  giveth  sometimes,  and  which  maketh  glad  the 
 heart,  and  is  an  evidence  that  the  bargain  will  hold.  But,  to  the 
 end  ye  may  get  this  earnest,  it  were  good  to  come  oft  in  terms  of 
 speech  with  God,  both  in  prayer  and  hearing  of  the  word.  For 
 this  is  the  house  of  wine,  where  ye  meet  with  yonr  Well-Beloved  ; 
 here  it  is  where  He  "kisseth  you  with  the  kisses  of  His  mouth,"  and 
 where  ye  feel  the  smell  of  His  garments,  and  they  have  indeed  a 
 most  fragrant  and  glorious  smell.  Ye  must,  I  say,  wait  upon 
 Him,  and  be  often  communing  with  Him,  whose  "  lips  are  as  lilies, 
 dropping  sweet  smelling  myrrh,"  and  by  the  moving  thereof.  He 
 will  assuage  your  grief;  for  the  Christ  that  saveth  you  is  a  speak- 
 ing Christ;  the  Church  knoweth  Him,  Cant,  ii,,  by  His  voice, 
 and  she  can  discern  His  tongue  amongst  a  thousand.  I  say  this 
 to  the  end  ye  should  not  love  those  dumb  masks  of  Antichristian 
 ceremonies,  that  the  church,  where  ye  are  for  a  time,  hath  casten 
 over  the  Christ  whom  your  soul  loveth.  This  is  to  set  before  you 
 a  dumb  Christ.  But  when  our  Lord  cometh.  He  speaketh  to  the 
 heart  in  the  simplicity  of  the  Gospel.  I  have  neither  tongue  nor 
 pen  to  express  to  you  the  happiness  of  such  as  are  in  Christ. 
 When  ye  have  sold  all  that  ye  have,  and  bought  the  field  wherein 
 this  pearl  is,  ye  will  think  it  no  bad  market ;  for,  if  ye  be  in  Him, 
 nil  His  is  yours,  and  ye  are  in  Him,  therefore  "  because  He  liveth. 
 
380  LETTER  VII.  [?Aiir  II. 
 
 ye  shall  live  also,"  John  xiv.  19.     And  what  is  that  else,  but  as  if 
 
 the  Son  had  said,  I  will  not  have  heaven,  except  my  redeemed 
 ones  be  with  me ;  they  and  I  cannot  live  asunder,  "  abide  in  me, 
 and  I  in  you,"  John  xv.  5.  0  sweet  communion,  when  Christ  and 
 we  are  through  other,^  and  are  no  longer  two  !  "  Father,  I  will 
 that  those  whom  thou  hast  given  me,  be  with  me  where  I  am,  to 
 behold  my  glory  that  thou  hast  given  me,"  John  xvii.  24.  Amen, 
 dear  Jesus,  let  it  be  according  to  that  word.  I  wonder  that  ever 
 your  heart  should  be  casten  down,  if  ye  believe  this  truth ;  and 
 they  are  not  worthy  of  Jesus  Christ,  who  will  not  suffer  forty 
 years'  trouble  for  Him,  since  they  have  such  glorious  promises  : 
 but  we  fools  believe  those  promises,  as  the  man  that  read  Plato's 
 writings  concerning  the  immortality  of  the  soul ;  so  long  as  the 
 book  was  in  his  hand,  he  believed  all  was  true,  and  that  the  soul 
 could  not  die ;  but  so  soon  as  he  laid  by  the  book,  presently  he 
 began  to  imagine  that  the  soul  is  but  a  smoke  or  aiiy  vapour,  that 
 perisheth  with  the  expiring  of  the  breath.  So  we,  at  starts,  do 
 assent  to  the  sweet  and  precious  promises  ;  but,  laying  aside  God's 
 book,  we  begin  to  call  all  in  question.  It  is  faith  indeed  to  believe 
 without  a  pledge,  and  to  hold  the  heart  constant  at  this  work,  and 
 when  we  doubt,  to  run  to  the  law  and  to  tlie  testimony,  and  stay 
 there.  Madam,  hold  you  here  ;  here  is  your  Father's  testament ; 
 read  it ;  in  it  He  hath  left  to  you  remission  of  sins,  and  life  ever- 
 lasting. If  all  til  at  ye  have  here  be  crosses,  and  troubles,  down- 
 castings,  frequent  desertions,  and  departure  of  the  Lord,  who  is 
 suiting  -  you  in  marriage,  courage ;  He  who  is  wooer  and  suitor, 
 should  not  be  an  household-man  with  you,  till  ye  and  He  come  up 
 to  His  Father's  house  together.  He  purposeth  to  do  you  good  at 
 your  latter  end,  Deut.  viii.  16,  and  to  give  you  rest  from  the 
 days  of  adversity,  Ps.  xciv.  13.  "  It  is  good  to  bear  the  yoke  of 
 God  in  your  youth,"  Lam.  iii.  27.  "  Turn  in  to  your  stronghold 
 as  a  prisoner  of  hope,"  Zech.  ix.  12.  "For  the  vision  is  for  an 
 appointed  time,  but  at  the  end  it  shall  speak  and  not  lie ;  though 
 it  tarry,  wait  for  it,  because  it  will  surely  come,  it  will  not  tarry," 
 Hab.  ii.  3.  Hear  Himself  saying,  Isa.  xxvi.  20,  "  Come,  my  people, 
 (rejoice.  He  calleth  on  you),  enter  thou  into  thy  chambers,  and 
 shut  thy  doors  about  thee,  hide  thyself,  as  it  were  for  a  little 
 moment,  till  the  indignation  be  past."  Believe  then,  believe,  and 
 be  saved :  think  not  hard,  if  ye  get  not  your  will,  nor  your  de- 
 lights in  this  life ;  God  will  have  you  to  rejoice  in  nothing  but 
 Himself.  "  God  forbid  that  ye  should  rejoice  in  anything  but  in 
 the  cross  of  Christ,"  Gal.  iv.  16,  Our  church,  madam,  is  decaying. 
 She  is  like  Ephraim's  cake,  and  gray  hairs  are  here  and  there  upon 
 her,    and  she   knoweth  it  not,  Hosea  vii.   9.      She  is    old  and 
 
 ^  Each  other.  "  Courtinc;. 
 
PART  II.]  LETTER  VIIl.  381 
 
 gray-haired,  near  the  grave,  and  no  man  taketh  it  to  heart.  Her 
 wine  is  sour  and  is  corrupted.  Now,  if  Phineas'  wife  did  live, 
 she  might  travail  in  birth  and  die,  to  see  the  ark  of  God  taken, 
 and  the  glory  departing  from  our  Israel.  The  power  and  life  of 
 religion  is  away.  "  Woe  be  to  us,  for  the  day  goeth  away,  for  the 
 shadows  of  the  evening  are  stretched  out,"  Jer.  vi.  4.  Madam, 
 Zion  is  the  ship  wherein  ye  are  carried  to  Canaan ;  if  ye  suffer 
 shipwreck,  you  will  be  casten  overboard,  upon  death  and  life,  to 
 swim  to  land  upon  broken  boards.  It  were  time  for  us,  by  prayer, 
 to  put  upon  our  Master-Pilot  Jesus,  and  to  cry,  "  Master,  save  us, 
 we  perish."  Grace,  grace  be  with  you.  We  would  think  it  a 
 blessing  to  our  kirk  to  see  you  here  ;  but  our  sins  withliold  good 
 things  from  us.  The  great  Messenger  of  the  covenant  preserve 
 you  in  body  and  spirit.  Yours,  in  the  Lord,  S.  R. 
 Anv.  oth,  Feb.  1,  1630.  
 
 LETTER  VIIL— To  my  Lady  Kexmure. 
 Madam, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  multiplied  upon  you.  I 
 received  your  ladyship's  letter,  in  the  which,  I  perceive  your  case 
 in  this  world  smelleth  of  worship  ^  and  communion  with  the  Son 
 of  God  in  His  sufferings.  Ye  cannot,  ye  must  not  have  a  more 
 pleasant  or  more  easy  condition  here  than  He  had,  who  "through 
 afflictions  was  made  perfect,"  Heb.  ii.  10.  We  may  indeed  think, 
 cannot  God  bring  us  to  heaven  with  ease  and  prosperity  1  Who 
 doubteth  but  He" can?  But  His  infinite  wisdom  thinketh  and  de- 
 creeth  the  contrary,  and  we  cannot  see  a  reason  of  it,  yet  He  hath 
 a  most  just  reason.  We  never  with  our  eyes  saw  our  own  soul, 
 yet  we  have  a  soul ;  we  see  many  rivers,  but  we  know  not  their 
 first  spring  and  original  fountain,  yet  they  have  a  beginning. 
 Madam,  when  ye  ai'e  come  to  the  other  side  of  the  water,  and  have 
 set  down  your  foot  on  the  shore  of  glorious  eternity,  and  look  back 
 again  to  the  waters  and  to  your  Avearisome  journey,  and  shall  see 
 in  that  clear  glass  of  endless  glory  nearer  to  the  bottoni  of  God's 
 wisdom,  ye  shall  then  be  forced  to  say,  "If  God  had  done  other- 
 wise with  me  than  he  hath  done,  I  had  never  come  to  the  enjoying 
 of  this  crown  of  glory."  It  is  your  part  now  to  believe  and  sufier, 
 and  ho}je,  and  wait  on.  For  I  protest  in  the  presence  of  that  all- 
 discerning  eye,  who  knoweth  what  I  write  and  what  I  think,  that 
 I  would  not  want  the  sweet  experience  of  the  consolations  of  God 
 for  all  the  bitterness  of  affliction  :  nay,  whether  God  come  to  His 
 children  with  a  rod  or  a  crown,  if  He  come  Himself  Avith  it,  it  is 
 well.  Welcome,  welcome  Jesus,  what  way  soever  Thou  come,  if 
 we  can  get  a  sight  of  Thee  :  and  sure  I  am,  it  is  better  to  be  sick, 
 providing  Christ  come  to  the  bed-side  and  draAv  the  curtains,  and 
 say,  Courage,  I  am  thy  salvation,  than  to  enjoy  health,  being  lusty 
 1  Qu.  Fellowship. 
 
382  LETTER  VIII.  [part  II. 
 
 and  strong,  and  never  to  be  visited  of  God.  Worthy  and  dear 
 lady,  in  the  strength  of  Christ,  figlit  and  overcome.  Ye  are  now 
 your  lone,^  but  ye  may  have  for  the  seeking,  three  always  in  your 
 company,  the  Fatbar,  Son,  and  Holy  Spirit :  I  trust  they  are  near 
 you.  Ye  are  now  deprived  of  the  comfort  of  a  lively  ministry ;  so 
 was  Israel  in  their  captivity;  yet  hear  God's  promise  to  them, 
 Ezek.  xi.  16,  "Therefore  say.  Thus  saith  the  Lord  God,  although  I 
 have  cast  them  far  off  among  the  heathen,  and  although  I  have 
 scattered  them  among  the  countries,  yet  will  I  be  to  them  as  a  little 
 sanctuary  in  the  countries  where  they  shall  come."  Behold  a  sanc- 
 tuary ;  for  a  sanctuary,  God  Himself,  in  the  place  and  room  of  the 
 temple  of  Jerusalem  :  I  trust  in  God,  carrying  this  temple  about 
 with  you,  ye  shall  see  Jehovah's  beauty  in  His  house.  We  are  in 
 great  fears  of  a  great  and  fearful  trial  to  come  upon  the  kirk  of  God ; 
 for  those  who  would  build  their  houses  and  nests  upon  the  aslies 
 of  mourning  Jerusalem,  have  drawn  our  king  upon  hard  and 
 dangerous  conclusions  against  such  as  are  termed  Puritans,  for  the 
 rooting  of  them  out.  Our  prelates  (the  Lord  take  the  keys  of  His 
 house  from  these  bastard  porters)  assure  us  that  for  such  as  will 
 not  conform,  there  is  nothing  but  imprisonment  and  deprivation. 
 The  spouse  of  Jesus  will  ever  be  in  the  fire ;  but  I  trust  in  my  God, 
 she  shall  not  consume,  because  of  the  good  will  of  Him  who  dwell- 
 eth  in  the  bush,  for  He  dwelleth  in  it  with  good-will.  All  sort  of 
 crying  sins  without  controlment  abound  in  our  land ;  the  glory  of  the 
 Lord  is  departing  from  Israel,  and  the  Lord  is  looking  back  over 
 His  shoulder,  to  see  if  any  will  say.  Lord,  tarry ;  and  no  man  re- 
 questeth  Him  to  stay.  Corrupt  and  false  doctrine  is  openly  preach- 
 ed by  the  idol  shepherds  of  the  land.  For  myself,  I  have  daily 
 griefs  through  the  disobedience  unto  and  contempt  of  the  word  of 
 God.  I  was  summoned  before  the  high  commission  by  a  profligate 
 person  in  this  parish,  convicted  of  incest :  in  the  business,  Mr. 
 Alexander  Colville  {for  respect  to  your  ladyship)  was  my  great 
 friend,  and  wrote  a  most  kind  letter  to  me  :  "The  Lord  give  him 
 mercy  in  that  day."  Upon  the  day  of  my  compearance,  the  sea 
 and  Avinds  refused  to  give  passage  to  the  Bishop  of  St.  Andrews. 
 I  intreat  your  ladyship,  thank  Mr.  Alexander  Colville  with  two 
 lines  of  a  letter.  My  wife  now,  after  long  disease  and  torment  for 
 the  space  of  a  year  and  a  month,  is  departed  this  life ;  the  Lord 
 hath  done  it,  blessed  be  His  name.  I  have  been  diseased  of  a  fever 
 tertian  for  the  space  of  thirteen  weeks,  and  am  yet  in  that  sickness, 
 so  that  I  preach  but  once  on  the  sabbath  with  great  difficulty.  I 
 am  not  able  either  to  visit  or  examine  the  congregation.  The 
 Lord  Jesus  be  with  your  spirit. 
 
 Your  ladyship's,  at  all  obedience,         S.  E. 
 Anwoth,  June  26,  1630. 
 
 ^  Alone. 
 
PART  ll]  LETTER  IX.  3^3 
 
 LETTER  IX.— To  my  Lady  Kenmure. 
 
 Madam, — Having  saluted  you  in  the  Lord  Jesus,  I  thought  it 
 my  duty,  having  the  occasion  of  this  bearer,  to  write  again  unto 
 your  ladyship,  though  I  have  no  new  purpose  but  what  I  wrote  of 
 before.  Yet  ye  cannot  be  too  often  awakened  to  go  forward  to- 
 wards your  city,  since  your  way  is  long,  and  (for  anything  ye  know) 
 your  day  is  short ;  and  your  Lord  requireth  of  you,  as  ye  advance 
 in  years,  and  steal  forward  insensibly  towards  eternity,  that  your 
 faith  may  grow  and  ripen  for  the  Lord's  harvest ;  for  the  great 
 Husbandman  giveth  a  season  to  His  fruits,  that  they  may  come 
 to  maturity  ;  and  having  gotten  their  fill  of  the  tree,  they  may  then 
 be  shaken  and  gathered  in  for  His  use :  whereas  the  wicked  rot 
 upon  the  tree,  and  their  branch  shall  not  be  green.  Job  xv.  32,  33. 
 "He  shall  shake  off  His  unripe  grapes  as  the  vine,  and  shall  cast 
 off  His  flower  as  the  olive."  It  is  God's  mercy  to  you,  madam, 
 that  He  giveth  you  your  fill,  even  to  loathing,  of  this  bitter  world, 
 that  ye  may  willingly  leave  it,  and  like  a  full  and  satisfied  ban- 
 queter, long  for  the  drawing  of  the  table :  and  at  last,  having  tram- 
 pled under  your  feet  all  the  rotten  pleasures  that  are  under  sun 
 and  moon ;  and  having  rejoiced  as  though  ye  rejoiced  not,  and 
 having  bought  as  though  ye  possessed  not,  1  Cor.  vii.  30,  ye  may, 
 like  an  old  crazy  ship,  arrive  at  your  Lord's  harbour,  and  be  made 
 welcome,  as  one  of  those  who  have  ever  had  one  foot  loose  from 
 this  earth,  longing  for  that  place  where  your  soul  shall  feast  and 
 banqaet  for  ever  and  ever  upon  a  glorious  sight  of  the  incompre- 
 hensible Trinity,  and  where  ye  shall  see  the  fair  face  of  the  Man 
 Christ,  even  the  beautiful  face,  that  was  once  for  your  cause  more 
 marred  than  any  of  the  visages  of  the  sons  of  men,  Isa.  lii.  14,  and 
 was  all  covered  with  spitting  and  blood.  Be  content  to  wade 
 through  the  waters  betwixt  you  and  glory  with  Him,  holding  His 
 hand  fast;  for  He  knoweth  all  the  fords.  Howbeit  ye  may  be 
 ducked,  yet  ye  cannot  drown,  being  in  His  company  ;  and  ye  may, 
 all  the  way  to  glory,  see  the  way  bedewed  with  His  blood,  who  is 
 the  Forerunner.  Be  not  afraid,  therefore,  when  ye  come  even  to 
 the  black  and  swelling  river  of  death,  to  put  in  your  foot  and  wade 
 after  Him  ;  the  current,  how  strong  soever,  cannot  carry  you  down 
 the  water  to  hell ;  the  Son  of  God  His  death  and  resurrection  are 
 stepping-stones  and  a  stay  to  you  ;  set  down  your  feet  by  faith 
 upon  these  stones,  and  go  through  as  on  dry  land ;  if  ye  knew 
 what  He  is  preparing  for  you,  ye  would  be  too  glad  :  He  will  not 
 (it  may  be)  give  you  a  full  draught  till  ye  come  up  to  the  well- 
 head, and  drink,  yea  drink,  abundantly  of  the  pure  river  of  the 
 ^\'ater  of  life,  that  proceedeth  out  from  the  throne  of  God,  and  from 
 the  Lamb.    Rev.  xxii.  1.    Madam,  tire  not,  weary  not,  I  dare  find 
 
384  LETTER  IX.  [PAUT  II. 
 
 you  the  Son  of  God  caution,  when  ye  are  got  up  thither,  and  have 
 casten  your  eyes  to  view  the  golden  city,  and  the  fair  and  never- 
 withering  tree  of  life,  that  beareth  twelve  manner  of  fruits  every 
 month,  ye  shall  then  say,  four  and  twenty  hours'  abode  in  that 
 place  is  worth  threescore  and  ten  years'  sorrow  upon  earth.  If  ye 
 can  but  say  ye  long  earnestly  to  be  carried  up  thither  (as  I  hope, 
 ye  cannot  for  shame  deny  Him  the  honour  of  having  wrought  that 
 desire  in  your  soul),  then  hath  your  Lord  given  you  earnest ;  and, 
 madam,  do  ye  believe  that  our  Lord  will  lose  His  earnest,  and  rue^ 
 of  the  bargain,  and  change  His  mind,  as  if  He  were  "  a  man  that 
 can  lie,  or  the  son  of  man  that  can  repent"?  Nay,  He  is  unchange- 
 able, and  the  same  this  year  that  He  was  the  former  year.  And 
 his  Son  Jesus,  Avho  upon  earth  ate  and  drank  with  publicans  and 
 sinners,  and  spake  and  conferred  with  whores  and  harlots,  and  put 
 up  His  holy  hand  and  touched  the  leper's  filthy  skin,  and  came 
 evermore  nigh  sinners,  even  now  in  glory  is  yet  that  same  Lord. 
 His  honour  and  His  great  court  in  heaven  hath  not  made  Him 
 forget  His  poor  friends  on  earth  :  in  Him,  honours  change  not 
 manners,  and  He  doth  yet  desire  your  company.  Take  Him  for 
 the  old  Christ,  and  claim  still  kindness  ^  to  Him,  and  say,  0,  it  is 
 so,  He  is  not  changed,  but  I  am  changed.  Nay,  it  is  a  part  of  His 
 unchanged  love,  and  an  article  of  the  new  covenant,  to  keep  you 
 that  ye  cannot  dispone  ^  Him,  nor  sell  Him.  He  hath  not  played 
 fast  and  loose  with  ns  in  the  covenant  of  grace,  so  that  we  may 
 run  from  Him  at  our  pleasure.  His  love  hath  made  the  bargain 
 surer  than  so  ;  for  Jesus,  as  the  cautioner,  is  bound  for  us,  Heb.  vii. 
 22  ;  and  it  cannot  stand  with  His  honour  to  die  in  the  burrows  * 
 (as  we  use  to  say)  and  lose  these,  whom  He  must  render  again  to 
 the  Father,  when  He  shall  give  up  the  kingdom  to  Him.  Consent 
 and  say  Amen  to  the  promises,  and  ye  have  sealed  that  God  is 
 true,  and  Christ  is  yours.  This  is  an  easy  market :  ye  but  look  on 
 with  faith ;  for  Christ  suffered  all  and  paid  all.  Madam,  fearing 
 I  be  tedious  to  your  ladyship,  I  must  stop  here,  desiring  always  to 
 hear  that  your  ladyship  is  well,  and  that  ye  have  still  your  face  up 
 the  mountain.  Pray  for  us,  madam,  and  for  Zion,  whereof  ye  are 
 a  part.  We  expect  a  trial.  God's  wheat  in  this  land  must  go 
 through  Satan's  sieve,  but  their  faith  shall  not  fail.  I  am  still 
 wrestling  in  our  Lord's  work,  and  have  been  tried  and  tempted 
 with  brethren  Avho  look  awry  to  the  Gospel.  Now  He  that  is 
 able  to  keep  you  until  that  day,  preserve  your  soul,  body  and  spirit, 
 and  present  you  before  His  face,  with  His  own  Ijride,  spotless  and 
 blameless.  Your  ladyship's,  to  be  commanded  always  in  the 
 Lord  Jesus,  S.  K 
 
 Anwoth,  Nov.  26,  1631. 
 
 1  Eepeiit.  ^  Kindred.  ^  Cast  him  oil. 
 
 ''  A  Scottish  law  term,  raeauiiiL;  to  fail  in  his  GnL^^genlent. 
 
TAUT  II.]  LETTER  X.  385 
 
 LETTER  X.— To  my  Lady  Kenmure. 
 
 MADA:ii, — I  am  grieved  exceedingly  that  your  ladyship  should 
 think,  or  have  cause  to  think,  that  such  as  love  you  in  God,  in 
 this  country,  are  forgetful  of  you.  For  myself,  madam,  I  owe  to 
 your  ladyship  all  evidences  of  my  high  respect  (in  the  sight  of  my 
 Lord,  whose  truth  I  preach,  I  am  bold  to  say  it)  for  His  rich 
 grace  in  you.  My  communion  ^  put  off  till  the  end  of  a  longsome 
 and  rainy  harvest,  and  the  presbyterial  exercise  (as  the  bearer  can 
 inform  your  ladyship)  hindered  me  to  see  you  :  and  for  my  people's 
 sake  (finding  them  like  hot  iron,  that  cooleth  being  out  of  the 
 fire,  and  that  is  pliable  to  no  work),  I  do  not  stir  abroad,  neither 
 have  I  left  them  at  all,  since  youc  ladyship  was  in  this  country, 
 save  at  one  time  only,  about  two  years  ago ;  yet  I  dare  not  say 
 but  it  is  a  fault,  howbeit  no  defect  in  my  afi'ection  :  and  I  trust  to 
 make  it  up  again  so  soon  as  possibly  I  am  able  to  wait  upon  you. 
 Madam,  I  have  no  new  purpose  to  write  unto  you,  but  of  that 
 which  I  think,  nay  which  our  Lord  thinketh,  needful,  that  one 
 thing,  Mary's  good  part,  which  ye  have  chosen,  Luke  x.  42. 
 Madam,  all  that  God  hath,  both  Himself  and  the  creatures,  He  is 
 dealing  and  parting  amongst  the  sons  of  Adam  ;  there  are  none  so 
 poor  as  that  they  can  say  in  His  face,  He  hath  given  them  nothing; 
 but  there  is  no  small  odds  betwixt  the  gifts  given  to  lawful  bairns 
 and  to  bastards  ;  and  the  more  greedy  ye  are  in  suiting,^  the  more 
 willing  He  is  to  give,  delighting  to  be  called  open-handed.  I  hope 
 your  ladyship  laboureth  to  get  assurance  of  the  surest  patrimony, 
 even  God  Himself.  Ye  will  find  in  Christianity  that  God  aimeth 
 in  all  His  dealings  with  His  childreii,  to  bring  them  to  a  high  con- 
 tempt of,  and  deadly  feud  with  the  Avorld ;  and  to  set  an  high 
 price  upon  Christ,  and  to  think  HiKi  one  who  cannot  be  bought 
 for  gold,  and  well  worthy  the  fighting  for.  And  for  no  other 
 cause,  madam,  doth  the  Lord  withdraw  from  you  the  childish  toys 
 and  the  earthly  delights  that  He  giveth  unto  others,  but  that  He 
 may  have  you  wholly  to  Himself.  Think  therefore  of  the  Lord, 
 as  of  one  who  cometh  to  woo  you  in  marriage  when  ye  are  in  the 
 furnace.  He  seeketh  His  answer  of  you  in  affliction,  to  see  if  ye 
 will  say.  Even  so  I  take  Him.  Madam,  give  Him  this  answer 
 pleasantly,  and  in  your  mind  do  not  secretly  grudge  nor  murmur. 
 When  He  is  striking  you  in  love,  beware  to  strike  again.  That  is 
 dangerous ;  for  those  who  strike  again  shall  get  the  last  blow.  If 
 I  hit  not  upon  the  right  string,  it  is  because  I  am  not  acquainted 
 with  your  ladyship's  present  condition;  but  I  believe  your 
 ladyship  goeth  on  foot,  laughing  and  putting  on  a  good  coun- 
 tenance before  the  world,  and  yet  ye  carry  heaviness  about  with 
 ^  That  is,  the  dispensation  of  the  Lord's  Supper.  -  Suin^. 
 
 2  B 
 
386  LETTER  X.  [PAllT  11. 
 
 you.  Ye  do  well,  madam,  not  to  make  them  witnesses  of  your 
 grief  who  cannot  be  curers  of  it,  but  be  exceedingly  charitable  of 
 your  dear  Lord.  As  there  be  some  friends  worldly,  of  whom  ye 
 will  not  entertain  an  ill  thought,  far  more  ought  ye  to  believe 
 good  evermore  of  your  dear  Friend,  that  lovely  fair  Person,  Jesus 
 Christ.  The  thorn  is  one  of  the  most  cursed,  and  angry,  and 
 crabbed  weeds  that  the  earth  yieldeth,  and  yet  out  of  it  springeth 
 the  rose — one  of  the  sweetest-smelled  flowers,  and  most  delightful 
 to  the  eye  that  the  earth  hath.  Your  Lord  shall  make  joy  and 
 gladness  out  of  your  afilictions  ;  for  all  His  roses  have  a  fragrant 
 smell.  Wait  for  the  time  when  His  own  holy  hand  shall  hold 
 them  to  your  nose ;  and  if  ye  would  have  present  comfort  under 
 the  cross,  be  much  in  prayer ;  for  at  that  time  your  faith  kisseth 
 Christ,  and  He  kisseth  the  soul.  And,  0,  if  the  breath  of  His  holy 
 mouth  be  sweet,  I  dare  be  caution,  out  of  some  small  experience, 
 that  ye  shall  not  be  beguiled  ;  for  the  world  (yea,  not  a  few  ^  num- 
 ber of  God's  children)  know  not  well  what  that  is  which  they  call 
 •^  Godhead ;  but,  madam,  come  near  to  the  Godhead,  and  look 
 down  to  the  bottom  of  the  well :  there  is  much  in  Him,  and  sweet 
 were  that  death  to  drown  in  such  a  well.  Your  grief  taketh 
 liberty  to  work  upon  your  mind,  when  ye  are  not  busied  in  the 
 meditation  of  the  ever-delighting  and  all-blessed  Godhead.  If  ye 
 would  lay  the  price  ye  give  out  (which  is  but  some  few  years'  pain 
 and  trouble)  beside  the  commodities  ,ye  are  to  receive,  ye  would 
 see  they  are  not  worthy  to  be  laid  in  the  balance  together ;  but  it 
 is  nature  that  maketh  you  look  what  ye  give  out,  and  weakness  of 
 faith  that  hindereth  you  to  see  what  ye  shall  take  in.  Amend 
 your  hope,  and  frist  ^  your  faithful  Lord  a  while  :  He  maketh  Him- 
 self your  debtor  in  the  new  covenant ;  He  is  honest,  take  His  word, 
 Nahum  i.  9,  "Afiliction  shall  not  spring  up  the  second  time  ;"  Rev. 
 xxi.  7,  "He  that  overcometh  shall  inherit  all  things."  Of  all  things, 
 then,  which  we  want  in  this  life,  madam,  I  am  able  to  say  nothing, 
 if  that  be  not  believed  which  ye  have,  Rev.  ii.  7,  and  Rev,  iii.  5, 
 *'  The  overcomer  shall  be  clothed  in  white  raiment,"  &c.,  and  ver. 
 28,  "  To  the  overcomer  I  will  give  to  sit  with  me  in  my  throne, 
 as  I  overcame,  and  am  set  down  with  my  Father  in  His  throne." 
 Consider,  madam,  if  ye  are  not  high  up  now,  and  far  ben  ^  in  the 
 palace  of  our  Lord,  when  ye  are  upon  a  throne  in  white  raiment  at 
 lovely  Christ's  elbow.  0,  thrice  fools  are  we,  who,  like  new-born 
 princes  weeping  in  the  cradle,  know  not  that  there  is  a  kingdom 
 before  them.  Then  let  our  Lord's  sweet  hand  square  us  and  ham- 
 mer us,  and  strike  off  the  knots  of  pride,  self-love  and  world-wor- 
 ship, and  infidelity,  that  He  may  make  us  stones  and  pillars  in  His 
 Father's  house,  Rev.  iii.  12.    Madam,  Mdiat  think  ye  to  take  bind- 
 
 '  Small.  ^  Trasfc.  ^  In  tlio  inner  .apartments. 
 
PART  II.]  LETTER  XI.  387 
 
 ing  with  the  fair  corner-stone  Jesus  ?  The  Lord  give  you  wisdom 
 to'beUeve  and  hope— your  day  is  coming.  I  hope  to  be  a  witness 
 of  3^our  joy,  as  I  have  been  a  hearer  and  beholder  of  your  grief 
 Think  ye  much  to  follow  the  Heir  of  the  crown,  who  had  exper- 
 ience of  sorrows,  and  was  acquainted  with  grief  1  Isa.  liii.  It  were 
 pride  to  aim  to  be  above  the  King's  Son.  It  is  more  than  we  de- 
 serve that  we  are  equals  in  glory,  in  a  manner.  Now  commend- 
 ing you  to  the  dearest  grace  and  mercy  of  God,  I  rest, 
 
 Your  ladyship's,  at  all  obedience  in  Christ,         S.  E. 
 Anwoth,  Jan.  4,  1632. 
 
 LETTER  XL— To  my  Lady  Kenmure. 
 
 Madam, — Understanding  a  little  after  the  writing  of  my  last 
 letter,  ot  the  going  ot  this  bearer,  I  would  not  omit  the  opportun- 
 ity of  remembering  your  ladyship,  still  harping  upon  that  string, 
 which  in  our  whole  life-time  is  never  too  often  touched  upon,  nor 
 is  our  lesson  well  enough  learned,  that  there  is  a  necessity  of  ad- 
 vancing in  the  way  to  the  kingdom  of  God,  of  the  contempt  of  the 
 world,  of  denying  ourself,  and  bearing  of  our  Lord's  cross,  which 
 is  no  less  needful  for  us  than  daily  food ;  and  among  many  marks 
 that  we  are  on  this  journey,  and  under  sail  towards  heaven,  this  is 
 one,  when  the  love  of  God  so  filleth  our  hearts  that  we  forget  to 
 love  and  care  too  much  for  the  having  or  wanting  of  other  things; 
 as  one  extreme  heat  burneth  out  another.  By  this,  madam,  ye 
 know  ye  have  betrothed  your  soul  in  marriage  to  Christ,  when  ye  do 
 malce  but  small  reckoning  of  all  otlier  suitors  and  Avooers,  and  when 
 ye  can  (having  little  in  hand,  but  much  in  hope)  live  as  a  young 
 heir,  during  the  time  of  his  nonage  and  minority,  being  content  to 
 be  as  hardly  handled  and  under  as  precise  a  reckoning  as  servants, 
 because  his  hope  is  upon  the  inheritance.  For  this  cause,  God's 
 bairns  "take  well  with  spoiling  of  their  goods,"  Heb.  x.  34,  "know- 
 ing in  themselves,  tliat  they  have  in  heaven  a  better  and  an  enduring 
 substance."  That  day  that  the  earth  and  the  works  therein  shall 
 be  burned  with  fire,  2  Pet.  iii.  10,  your  hidden  hope  and  your  hid- 
 den life  shall  appear.  And  therefore  since  ye  have  not  now  many 
 years  to  your  endless  eternity,  and  know  not  how  soon  the  sky 
 above  your  head  will  rive,^  and  the  Son  of  man  will  be  seen  in  the 
 clouds  of  heaven,  what  better  and  wiser  course  can  ye  take  than  to 
 think  that  your  one  foot  is  here  and  your  other  foot  in  the  life  to 
 come,  and  to  leave  off  loving,  desiring,  or  grieving  for  the  wants 
 that  shall  be  made  up  when  your  Lord  and  ye  shall  meet,  and  when 
 ye  shall  give  in  your  bill,  that  day,  of  all  your  wants  here  ?  If  your 
 losses  be  not  made  up,  je  have  place  to  challenge  the  Almighty  ■ 
 
 »  Reud. 
 
388  LETTER  XT.  [PAKT  II. 
 
 but  it  shall  not  be  so.  Ye  shall  then  rejoice  with  joy  unspeak- 
 able and  full  of  glory,  and  your  joy  shall  none  talce  from  you,  John 
 xvi.  22.  It  is  enough  that  the  Lord  hath  promised  you  great  things, 
 only  let  the  time  of  bestowing  them  be  in  His  own  carving.  It  is 
 not  for  us  to  set  an  hour-glass  to  the  Creator  of  time,  since  He  and 
 we  differ  only  in  the  term  of  payment.  Since  He  hath  promised 
 payment,  and  we  believe  it,  it  is  no  great  matter  ;  we  will  put  that 
 in  His  own  will,  as  the  frank  buyer  who  cometh  near  to  wliat  the 
 seller  seeketh,  useth  at  last  to  refer  the  difference  to  his  will,  and 
 so  cutteth  off  the  course  of  mutual  jirigging.^  Madam,  do  not 
 prig  with  your  frank-hearted  and  gracious  Lord,  about  the  time  of 
 the  fulfilling  of  your  joys  :  it  will  be,  God  hath  said  it.  Bide  His 
 harvest,  wait  on  upon  His  Whitsunday.  His  day  is  better  than 
 your  day,  He  putteth  not  the  hook  ^  in  the  corn  till  it  be  ripe  and 
 lull-eared.  The  great  angel  of  the  covenant  bear  you  company, 
 till  the  trumpet  shall  sound  and  the  voice  of  the  archangel  awaken 
 the  dead.  Ye  shall  find  it  your  only  happiness,  under  whatever 
 thing  disturbeth  and  crosseth  the  peace  of  your  mind  in  this  life>, 
 to  love  nothing  for  itself,  but  only  God  for  Himself  It  is  the 
 crooked  love  of  some  harlots,  that  they  love  bracelets,  earrings, 
 and  rings  better  than  the  lover  that  sendeth  them.  God  will  not 
 be  so  loved ;  for  that  were  to  behave  as  harlots,  and  not  as  the 
 chaste  spouse,  to  abate  from  our  love  when  these  things  are  pulled 
 away.  Our  love  to  Him  should  begin  on  earth,  as  it  shall  be  in 
 heaven ;  for  the  bride  taketh  not  by  a  thousand  degrees  so  much 
 delight  in  her  wedding-garment  as  she  doth  in  her  bridegroom ;  so 
 we,  in  the  life  to  come,  howbeit  clothed  with  glory  as  with  a  robe, 
 shall  not  be  so  much  affected  with  the  glory  that  goeth  about  us, 
 as  with  the  Bridegroom's  joyful  face  and  presence.  Madam,  if  ye 
 can  win  to  this  here,  the  field  is  won,  and  your  mind,  for  anything 
 ye  want,  or  for  anything  your  Lord  can  take  from  you,  shall  soon 
 be  calmed  and  quieted.  Get  Himself  as  a  pawn,  and  keep  Him 
 till  your  dear  Lord  come  and  loose  the  pawn, ^  and  rue  *  upon  you, 
 and  give  you  all  again  that  He  took  from  you,  even  a  thousand 
 talents  for  one  penny.  It  is  not  ill  to  lend  God  willingly,  Avho 
 otherwise  both  will  and  may  take  from  you  against  your  will.  It 
 is  good  to  play  the  usurer  with  Him,  and  take  in,  instead  of  ten  of 
 the  hundred,  an  hundred  of  ten,  often  an  hundred  of  one.  Madam, 
 fearing  to  be  tedious  to  you,  I  break  off  here,  commending  you 
 (as  I  trust  to  do  while  I  live),  your  person,  ways,  burdens,  and  all 
 that  concerneth  you,  to  that  Almighty,  who  is  able  to  bear  you 
 and  your  burdens.  I  still  remember  you  to  Him  who  will  cause 
 you  one  day  to  laugh.  I  expect  that,  whatever  ye  can  do  by  word 
 or  deed  for  the  Lord's  friendless  Zion,  ye  will  do  it.  She  is  your 
 ^  Ohafferiry.  '  Sickle.  *  Eelease  the  pledge.  •*  Take  pity. 
 
PART  II.J  LETTJiK  XTT.  389 
 
 mother,  forget  her  not ;  for  the  Lord  intendeth  to  melt  and  try 
 this  land,  and  it  is  high  time  we  were  all  upon  our  feet,  and  falling 
 about  to  try  what  claim  we  have  to  Christ.  It  is  like  '^  the  bride- 
 groom will  be  takeR  from  us,  and  then  we  shall  mourn.  Dear 
 Jesus,  remove  not,  else  take  us  with  Thee !  Grace,  grace  be  with 
 you  for  ever. 
 
 Your  ladyship's,  at  all  dutiful  obedience,         S.  R. 
 Anwotb,  Jan.  14,  1632. 
 
 LETTER  XII.— To  my  Lady  Kenmure. 
 
 Madam, — Your  ladyship  will  not  (I  know)  weary  nor  offend  - 
 though  I  trouble  you  with  many  letters  ;  the  memory  oi  what  ob- 
 ligations I  am  under  to  your  ladyship  is  the  cause  of  it.  1  am 
 possibly  impertinent  in  what  I  write,  because  of  my  ignorance  of  )•  our 
 present  estate.  But  for  all  that  is  said,  I  have  learned  of  M.  W. 
 D.  that  ye  have  not  changed  upon  nor  wearied  of  your  sweet  Mas- 
 ter, Christ,  and  His  service ;  neither  were  it  your  part  to  chango 
 upon  Him,  who  "resteth  in  His  love."  Ye  are  among  honourably 
 company,  and  such  as  affect  grandeur  and  court.  But,  madam, 
 thinking  upon  your  estate,  I  think  I  see  an  improvident  wooer 
 coming  too  late  to  seek  a  bride,  because  she  is  contracted  already 
 and  promised  away  to  another,  and  so  the  wooer's  busking  ^  and 
 bravery  (who  cometh  to  you,  as  who  but  he)  is  in  vain.  The 
 outward  pomp  of  this  busy  wooer,  a  beguiling  world,  is  now 
 coming  in  to  suit  *  your  soul  too  late,  when  ye  have  promised 
 away  your  soul  to  Christ  many  years  ago.  And  I  know, 
 madam,  what  answer  ye  may  now  justly  make  to  the  late  suitor, 
 even  this.  Ye  are  too  long  of  coming :  my  soul,  the  bride,  is  a- 
 way  already,  and  the  contract  with  Christ  subscribed,  and  I 
 cannot  choose  but  I  must  be  honest  and  faithful  to  Him.  Honour- 
 able lady,  keep  your  first  love,  and  hold  the  first  match  with  that 
 soul-delighting  lovely  Bridegroom,  our  sweet,  sweet  Jesus,  fairer 
 than  all  the  children  of  men,  the  Rose  of  Sharon,  and  the  fairest 
 and  sweetest-smelled  rose  in  all  His  Father's  garden,  there  is  none 
 like  Him.  I  would  not  exchange  one  smile  of  His  lovely  face 
 with  kingdoms.  Madam,  let  others  take  their  silly  feckless  ^  hea- 
 ven in  this  life,  envy  them  not ;  but  let  your  soul,  like  a  tarrying 
 and  mislearned  child,  take  the  dorts  ^  (as  Ave  use  to  speak),  or 
 cast  at  all  things  and  disdain  them,  except  one  only;  either  Christ 
 or  nothing  :  your  Well-Beloved,  Jesus,  will  be  content  that  ye  be 
 here  devoutly  proud,  and  ill  to  please,  as  one  that  contemneth  all 
 husbands  but  Himself.     Either  the  King's  Son  or  no  husband  at 
 
 1  Probable.  -  Be  offended.  "  Ornaments. 
 
 ■*  Sue.  3  Worthless.  «  Sulk. 
 
390  LETTER  XII.  [part  II. 
 
 all ;  this  is  humble  and  worthy  timbiticn.  What  have  ye  to  do  to 
 dally  with  a  whorish  and  foolish  world  1  Your  jealous  Husband 
 will  not  be  content  that  ye  look  by  ^  Him  to  another ;  He  will  be 
 jealous,  indeed,  and  offend  ^  if  ye  kiss  another  but  Himself.  What 
 weights  do  burden  you,  madam,  I  know  not ;  but  think  it  great 
 mercy  that  your  Lord  from  your  youth  hath  been  hedging  in  your 
 out-straying  aff'ections,  that  they  may  not  go  a-whoring  from  Him- 
 self. If  ye  were  His  bastard,  He  would  not  nurture  ^  you  so.  If 
 ye  were  for  the  slaughter,  ye  would  be  fattened.  But  be  content, 
 ye  are  His  wheat  growing  in  our  Lord's  field.  Matt.  xiii.  25,  38. 
 And  if  wheat,  ye  must  go  under  our  Lord's  threshing  instrument, 
 in  His  barnfloor,  and  through  His  sieve,  Amos  ix.  9,  and  through 
 His  mill  to  be  bruised,  as  the  Prince  of  your  salvation,  Jesus,  was, 
 Isa.  liii.  9,  that  ye  may  be  found  good  bread  in  your  Lord's  house. 
 Lord  Jesus,  bless  the  spiritual  husbandry,  and  separate  you  from 
 the  chaff'  that  dow  *  not  bide  the  wind.  I  am  persuaded  your 
 glass  is  spending  itself  by  little  and  little,  and  if  ye  knew  who  is 
 before  you,  ye  would  rejoice  in  your  tribulations.  Think  ye  it  a 
 small  honour  to  stand  before  the  throne  of  God  and  the  Lamb,  and 
 to  be  clothed  in  white,  and  to  be  called  to  the  marriage-supper  of 
 the  Lamb,  and  to  be  led  to  the  fountain  of  living  waters,  and  to 
 come  to  the  well-head,  even  God  Himself,  and  get  your  fill  of  the 
 clear,  cold,  sweet,  refreshing  water  of  life,  the  King's  own  well, 
 and  to  put  up  your  own  sinful  hand  to  the  tree  of  life,  and  take 
 down  and  eat  the  sweetest  apple  in  all  God's  heavenly  paradise, 
 Jesus  Christ,  your  life  and  your  Lord  1  Up  your  heart :  shout  for 
 joy,  your  King  is  coming  to  fetch  you  to  His  Father's  house. 
 Madam,  I  am  in  exceeding  great  heaviness,  God  thinketh  it  best 
 for  my  own  soul  thus  to  exercise  me,  thereby  (it  may  be)  to  fit  me 
 to  be  His  mouth  to  others.  I  see  and  hear,  at  home  and  abroad, 
 nothing  but  matter  of  grief  and  discouragement,  which  indeed 
 maketh  my  life  bitter.  And  I  hope  in  God  never  to  get  my  will 
 in  this  world  ;  and  I  expect  ere  long  a  fiery  trial  upon  the  church, 
 for  as  many  men  almost  in  England  and  Scotland,  as  many  false 
 friends  to  Christ,  and  as  many  pulling  and  drawing  to  pull  the 
 crown  off"  His  holy  head,  and  for  fear  that  our  Beloved  stay  amongst 
 us  (as  if  His  room  were  more  desirable  than  Himself)  men  are  bid- 
 ding Him  go  seek  His  lodging.  Madam,  if  ye  have  a  part  in  silly 
 friendless  Zion  (as  I  know  ye  have),  speak  a  word  on  her  behalf 
 to  God  and  man.  If  ye  can  do  nothing  else,  speak  for  Jesus,  and 
 ye  shall  thereby  be  a  witness  against  this  declining  age.  Now, 
 from  my  very  soul,  laying  and  leaving  you  on  the  Lord,  and  de- 
 siring a  part  in  your  prayers  (as  my  Lord  knoweth,  I  remember 
 
 1  Past.  2  rpake  offeTice. 
 
 ^  DiscipllBe.  ■*  Ca3X. 
 
PART  II.]  LETTER  XIII.  391 
 
 you),  I  deliver  over  your  body,  spirit,  and  all  your  necessities  to 
 the  hands  of  our  Lonl,  and  remain  for  ever, 
 
 Your  ladyship's,  in  your  sweet  Lord  Jesus  and  mine,      S,  R, 
 
 Anwoth,  Feb.  13,  1632. 
 
 LETTER  XIIL— To  my  Lady  KENMrRE. 
 Madam, — The  cause  of  my  not  writing  to  your  ladyship  is  not 
 my  forgetfulness  of  you,  but  the  want  of  the  opportunity  of  a  con- 
 venient bearer,  for  I  am  under  more  than  a  simple  obligation  to  be 
 kind  (in  paper,  at  least)  to  your  ladyship.  I  bless  our  Lord  through 
 Christ,  who  hath  brought  you  home  again  to  your  country,  from 
 that  place,  where  ye  have  seen  with  your  eyes  that  which  our 
 Lord's  truth  taught  you  before,  to  wit,  that  worldly  gloiy  is  nothing 
 but  a  vapour,  a  shadow,  the  foam  of  the  water,  or  something  less 
 and  lighter,  even  nothing ;  and  that  our  Lord  hath  not  Avithout 
 cause  said  in  His  word,  1  Cor.  vii.  31,  "  The  countenance  or  fashion 
 of  this  world  passeth  away."  In  which  place,  our  Lord  compareth 
 it  to  an  image  in  a  looking-glass,  for  it  is  the  looking-glass  of 
 Adam's  sons.  Some  come  to  the  glass,  and  see  in  it  the  picture 
 of  honour,  and  but  a  picture  indeed  ;  for  true  honour  is  to  be  great 
 in  the  sight  of  God.  And  others  see  in  it  the  shadow  of  riches, 
 and  but  a  shadow  indeed  ;  for  dumble  riches  stand  as  one  of  the 
 maids  of  Wisdom  upon  her  left  hand,  Prov.  iii.  16.  And  a  third 
 sort  see  in  it  the  face  of  painted  pleasures,  and  the  beholders  will 
 not  believe  but  the  image  they  see  in  this  glass  is  a  living  man, 
 till  the  Lord  come  and  break  the  glass  in  pieces,  and  remove  the 
 face ;  and  then,  like  Pharaoh  awakened,  they  say,  "  And  behold 
 it  was  a  dream."  I  know  your  ladyship  thinketh  yourself  little  in 
 the  common  of  ^  this  world,  for  the  favourable  aspect  of  any  of 
 these  three  painted  faces  ;  and  blessed  be  our  Loi'd  that  it  is  so  : 
 the  better  for  you.  Madam,  they  are  not  wortliy  to  be  wooers  to 
 suit  2  in  marriage  your  soul,  that  looks  to  a  higher  match  than  to 
 be  married  upon  ^  painted  clay.  Know,  therefore,  madam,  the 
 place  whither  our  Lord  Jesus  cometh  to  woo  a  bride,  it  is  even  in 
 the  furnace  ;  for  if  ye  be  one  of  Zion's  daughters  (which  I  ever 
 put  beyond  all  question,  since  I  first  had  occasion  to  see  in  your 
 ladyship  such  ]U'egnant  evidences  of  the  grace  of  God),  the  Lord, 
 who  hath  His  fire  in  Zion,  and  His  furnace  in  Jerusalem,  Isa.  xxxi. 
 9,  is  purifying  you  in  the  furnace.  And  therefore  be  content  to 
 live  in  it,  and  every  day  to  be  adding  and  sewing-to  a  passment  * 
 to  your  wedding  garment,  that  ye  may  be  at  last  decored  ^  and 
 trimmed  as  a  bride  for  Christ,  a  bride  of  His  own  busking,*^ 
 beautified  in  the  hidden  man  of  the  heart,  f'.-.rgetting  your  father's 
 
 '  Debt  to.  2  Sue.  ^  rj^^^  4  Ornament. 
 
 ^  Rendered  comely.  •  Dracssing. 
 
392  LETTER  XIII.  [part  II. 
 
 houfie,  "  so  shall  the  King  greatly  desire  your  beauty,"  Ps.  xlv. 
 11.  If  your  ladyship  be  not  changed  (as  1  hope  ye  are  not),  I 
 believe  ye  esteem  yourself  to  be  of  those  whom  God  hath  tried 
 these  many  years  and  refined  as  silver.  But,  madam,  I  will  show 
 your  ladyship  a  privilege  that  others  want,  and  ye  have  in  this 
 case.  Such  as  are  in  prosperity,  and  are  fatted  with  earthly  joys, 
 and  increased  with  children  and  friends,  though  the  word  of  God 
 is  indeed  written  to  such  for  their  instruction ;  yet  to  you  who  are 
 in  trouble  (spare  me,  madam,  to  say  this  ^),  from  whom  the  Lord 
 hath  taken  many  children,  and  whom  He  hath  exercised  other- 
 wise, there  are  some  chapters,  some  particular  promises  in  the 
 word  of  God  made,  in  a  most  special  manner,  which  should  never 
 have  been  yours,  so  as  they  noAV  are,  if  ye  had  your  portion  in  this 
 life,  as  others  ;  and  therefore,  all  the  comforts,  promises,  and 
 mercies  God  ofFereth  to  tlie  afflicted,  they  are  as  many  love-letters 
 written  to  you  ;  take  them  to  you,  madam,  and  claim  your  right, 
 and  be  not  robbed.  It  is  no  small  comfort,  that  God  hath  written 
 some  scriptures  to  you  which  He  hath  not  written  to  others.  Ye 
 seem  rather  in  this  to  be  envied  than  pitied  ;  and  ye  are  indeed  in 
 this  like  people  of  another  world,  and  those  that  are  above  the 
 ordinary  rank  of  mankind,  whom  our  King  and  Lord,  our  Bride- 
 groom Jesus,  in  His  love-letter  to  his  Well-Beloved  spouse,  hath 
 named,  beside  all  the  rest,  and  hath  written  comforts  and  His 
 hearty  commendations,  in  the  56tli  of  Isa.  ver.  4,  5,  Ps.  cxlvii. 
 2,  3,  to  you.  Eead  these  and  the  like,  and  think  your  God  is  like 
 a  friend  that  sendeth  a  letter  to  a  whole  house  and  family ;  but 
 speaketh  in  His  letter  to  some  by  name,  that  are  dearest  to  Him 
 in  the  house.  Ye  are  then,  madam,  of  the  dearest  friends  of  the 
 Bridegroom.  If  it  were  lawful,  I  would  envy  you,  that  God 
 honoured  you  so  above  many  of  His  dear  children.  Therefore, 
 madam,  your  part  is,  in  this  case  (seeing  God  taketh  nothing  from 
 you,  but  that  which  He  is  to  supply  with  His  own  presence),  to 
 desire  your  Lord  to  know  His  own  room,  and  take  it  even  upon 
 Him  to  come  in,  in  the  room  of  dead  children,  "  Jehovah,  know 
 thy  own  place,  and  take  it  to  thee,"  is  all  ye  have  to  say.  Madam, 
 I  persuade  myself  that  this  world  is  to  you  an  uncouth  inn,  and 
 that  ye  are  like  a  traveller,  who  hath  his  bundle  upon  his  back, 
 and  his  staff  in  his  hand,  and  his  feet  upon  the  door-threshold.  Go 
 forward,  honourable  and  elect  lady,  in  the  strength  of  your  Lord 
 (let  the  world  bide  at  home  and  keep  the  house),  with  your  face 
 toward  Him,  Avho  longeth  more  for  a  sight  of  you,  than  ye  can  do 
 for  Him  :  ere  it  be  long  He  will  see  us.  I  hope  to  see  you  laugh 
 as  cheerfully  after  noon,  as  ye  have  mourned  before  noon.  The 
 hand  of  the  Lord,  the  hand  of  the  Lord  be  with  you  in  your 
 ^  Excuse  me  for  saying,  or  Permit  me  to  say. 
 
PART  n.]  LETTER  XIV.  393 
 
 journey.  What  have  ye  to  Jo  here  1  This  is  not  your  mountain 
 of  rest ;  arise  then  and  set  your  foot  up  the  mountain  ;  go  up  out 
 of  the  wilderness  leaning  upon  the  shoulder  of  your  Beloved,  Cant. 
 viii,  5.  If  ye  knew  the  welcome  that  abideth  you  when  ye  come 
 home  ye  would  hasten  your  pace ;  for  ye  shall  see  your  Lord  put 
 up  His  own  holy  hand  to  your  face,  and  wipe  all  tears  from 
 your  eyes ;  and  I  trow,  then  ye  shall  have  some  joy  of  heart. 
 Madam,  paper  willeth  me  to  end  before  affection.  Eemember  the 
 estate  of  Zion  ;  pray  that  Jerusalem  may  be  as  Zechariah  prophe- 
 sied ;  chap.  xii.  3.  "  A  burdensome  stone  for  all,"  that  whoso- 
 ever boweth  down  to  roll  the  stone  out  of  the  way  may  hurt  and 
 break  the  joints  of  their  back,  and  strain  their  arms,  and  disjoint 
 their  shoulder-blades ;  and  pray  Jehovah  that  the  stone  may  lie 
 still  in  its  own  place,  and  keep  bond  with  the  comer-stone  :  I  hope 
 it  shall  be  so  ;  He  is  a  skilled  Master-builder  who  laid  it.  I 
 would,  madam,  under  great  heaviness  be  refreshed  with  two  lines 
 from  your  ladyship's  pen,  which  I  refer  to  your  own  wisdom. 
 Madam,  I  should  seem  undutiful  not  to  show  you  that  great  soli- 
 citation is  made  by  the  town  of  Kirkcudbright,  for  to  have  the  use 
 of  my  poor  labours  amongst  them.  If  the  Lord  shall  call,  and 
 His  people  cry,  who  am  I  to  resist  1  But  without  His  seen  calling, 
 and  till  the  flock  whom  I  now  oversee  be  planted  with  one  to  whom 
 I  dare  intrust  Christ's  spouse,  gold  nor  silver,  nor  favour  of  men, 
 I  hope,  shall  not  loose  me.  I  leave  your  ladyship,  praying  more 
 earnestly  for  grace  and  mercy  to  be  with  you,  and  multiplied  upon 
 you  here  and  hereafter,  than  my  pen  can  express.  The  Lord 
 Jesus  be  with  your  spirit. 
 
 Yonv  ladyship's,  at  all  obedience  in  the  Lord,         S.  li, 
 Kirkoudbright, 
 
 LETTER  XIV.— To  my  Lady  Kenmure. 
 
 Madam, — Having  saluted  you,  with  grace  and  mercy  from  God 
 our  Father  and  from  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  I  long  both  to  see 
 your  ladyship  and  to  hear  how  it  goeth  with  you.  I  do  remember 
 you,  and  present  you  and  your  necessities  to  Him,  who  is  able  to 
 keep  you  and  present  you  blameless  before  His  face  with  joy  :  and 
 my  prayer  to  our  Lord  is,  that  ye  may  be  sick  of  love  for  Him  who 
 died  of  love  for  you  ;  I  mean,  your  Saviour  Jesus.  And  0  sweet 
 were  that  sickness,  to  be  soul-sick  for  Him  !  and  a  living  death  it 
 were,  to  die  in  the  fire  of  the  love  of  that  soul-lover,  Jesus  !  And, 
 madam,  if  ye  love  Him,  ye  will  keep  His  commandments ;  and 
 this  is  not  one  of  the  least,  to  lay  your  neck  cheerfully  and  wil- 
 lingly  under  the  yoke  of  Jesus  Christ,  For  I  trust  your  ladyship 
 did  first  conti'act  and  bargain  with  the  Son  of  God  to  follow  Him 
 
394  LETTER  XIV.  [PAKT  II. 
 
 upon  these  terms,  that  by  His  grace  ye  should  endure  hardship  and 
 suffer  affliction  as  the  soldier  of  Christ.  Tliey  are  not  worthy  of 
 Jesus,  who  will  not  take  a  blow  for  their  Master's  sake.  For  our 
 glorious  peace-maker,  when  He  came  to  malvc  up  the  friendship 
 betwixt  God  and  us,  God  bruised  Him  and  stroke^  Him,  the  sinful 
 world  also  did  beat  Him  and  crucify  Him ;  yet  He  took  buffets  of 
 botli  the  parties  :  and  honour  to  our  Lord  Jesus,  He  would  not 
 leave  the  field  for  all  that,  till  He  had  made  peace  betwixt  the  par- 
 ties. I  persuade  myself,  your  sufferings  are  but  like  your  Saviour's 
 (yea,  incomparably  less  and  lighter),  which  are  called  but  a 
 "  bruising  of  His  heel,"  Gen.  iii.  15,  a  wound  far  from  the  heart. 
 "  Your  life  is  hid  with  Christ  in  God,"  Col.  iii.  3,  and  therefore, 
 ye  cannot  be  rol^bed  of  it.  Our  Lord  handleth  us  as  fathers  do 
 their  young  children ;  they  lay  up  jewels  in  a  place  above  the 
 reach  of  the  short  arm  of  bairns,  else  bairns  would  put  up  their 
 hands  and  take  them  down,  and  lose  them  soon.  So  hath  our 
 Lord  done  with  our  spiritual  life.  Jesus  Christ  is  the  high  coffer, 
 in  the  which  our  Lord  hath  hid  our  life,  we  children  are  not  able 
 to  reach  up  our  arm  so  high,  as  to  take  down  that  life  and  lose  it, 
 it  is  in  our  Christ's  hand.  0,  long,  long  may  Jesus  be  Lord-keeper 
 of  our  life  !  and  happy  are  they  that  can,  with  the  Apostle,  2  Tim. 
 i.,  lay  their  soul  in  pawn  in  the  hand  of  Jesus,  for  He  is  able  to 
 keep  that  which  is  committed  in  pawn  to  Him  against  that  day. 
 Then,  madam,  so  long  as  this  life  is  nob  hurt,  all  other  troubles  are 
 but  touches  in  the  heel.  I  trust  you  will  soon  be  cured.  Ye 
 know,  madam,  kings  have  some  servants  in  their  court  that  receive 
 not  present  wages  in  their  hand,  but  live  upon  their  hopes.  The 
 King  of  kings  also  hath  servants  in  His  court,  that  for  the  present 
 get  little  or  nothing  but  the  heavy  cross  of  Christ,  troubles  without 
 and  terrors  within ;  but  they  live  upon  hope  ;  when  it  cometh  to 
 the  parting  of  the  inheritance,  they  remain  in  the  house  as  heirs. 
 It  is  better  to  be  so,  than  to  get  present  payment  and  a  portion  in 
 this  life,  an  inheritance  in  this  world  (God  forgive  me,  that  I  should 
 honour  it  with  the  name  of  an  inheritance,  it  is  rather  a  farm-room ),- 
 and  then  in  the  end  to  be  casten  out  of  God's  house  with  this 
 word,  "  Ye  have  received  your  consolation,  ye  will  get  no  more." 
 Alas  !  What  get  they  ?  The  rich  glutton's  heaven.  0,  but  our 
 Lord,  Luke  xvi. ,  maketh  it  a  silly  heaven  !  He  fared  well  (saith  our 
 Lord)  and  delicately  every  day.  0  no  more  !  a  silly  heaven ! 
 Truly  no  more,  except  that  he  was  clothed  in  purple,  and  that  is  all. 
 I  persuade  myself,  madam,  ye  have  joy  when  ye  think  that  your 
 Lord  hath  dealt  more  graciously  with  your  soul.  Ye  have  gotten 
 little  in  this  life.  It  is  true  indeed.  Ye  have  then  the  more  to  crave, 
 yea  ye  have  all  to  crave.    For  except  some  tastings  of  the  first  fruits, 
 
 ^  Struck.  -  Hired  room. 
 
PART  II.]  LETTEi;  XV.  395 
 
 and  some  kisses  of  His  mouth,  Avhom  your  soul  lovetli,  ye  get  no 
 more.  But  I  cannot  tell  you  what  is  to  come  ]  yet  I  may  speak 
 as  our  Lord  doth  of  it.  The  foundation  of  the  city  is  pure  gold, 
 clear  as  crystal :  the  twelve  ports  are  set  with  precious  stones.  If 
 orchards  and  rivers  commend  a  soil  upon  earth,  there  is  a  paradise 
 there,  wherein  groweth  the  tree  of  life,  that  beareth  twelve  manner 
 of  fruits  every  month,  which  is  seven  score  and  four  harvests  in 
 the  year  :  and  there  is  there,  a  pure  river  of  water  of  life,  proceed- 
 ing out  of  the  throne  of  G-od  and  of  the  Lamb  ;  and  the  city  hath 
 no  need  of  the  light  of  the  sun  or  moon,  or  of  a  candle,  for  the 
 Lord  God  Almighty  and  the  Lamb  is  the  light  thereof ;  madam, 
 believe  and  hope  for  this,  till  ye  see  and  enjoy.  Jesus  is  saying  in 
 the  Gospel,  come  and  see  :  and  He  is  come  down  in  the  chariot  of 
 truth,  wherein  He  rideth  through  the  world,  to  conquer  men's 
 souls,  Ps.  xlv.  4.  And  is  now  in  the  world  saying,  who  will  go 
 ■with  me  1  will  ye  go  ?  my  Father  will  make  you  welcome  and  give 
 you  house-room;  for  in  my  Father's  house  are  many  dwelling- 
 places.  Madam,  consent  to  go  with  Him.  Thus  I  rest,  commend- 
 ing you  to  God's  dearest  mercy. 
 
 Yours,  in  the  Lord  Jesus,         S.  E. 
 Atiwotb.  
 
 LETTER  XV.— To  my  Lady  Kenmure. 
 Madam, — I  am  afraid  now  (as  many  others  are)  that  at  the 
 sitting  down  of  our  parliament,  our  Lord  Jesus  his  spouse  shall  be 
 roughly  handled :  and  it  must  be  so,  since  false  and  declining 
 Scotland,  whom  our  Lord  took  off  the  dunghill  and  out  of  hell, 
 and  made  a  fair  bride  to  Himself,  hath  broken  her  faith  to  her 
 sweet  Husband,  and  hath  put  on  the  forehead  of  a  whore  ;  and 
 therefore  He  saith  He  will  remove  :  would  God  we  could  stir  up 
 ourselves  to  lay  hold  upon  Him,  who  being  highly  provoked  with 
 the  handling  He  hath  met  with,  is  ready  to  depart.  Alas,  we  do 
 not  importune  Him,  by  prayer  and  supplication,  to  abide  amongst 
 us  !  If  we  could  but  weep  upon  Him,  and  in  the  holy  pertinacy 
 of  faith,  wrestle  with  Him,  and  say,  "  We  will  not  let  thee  go,"  it 
 may  be  that  then.  He,  who  is  easy  to  be  entreated,  would  yet, 
 notwithstanding  of  our  high  provocations,  condescend  to  stay  and 
 feed  among  the  lilies,  till  that  fair  and  desirable  day  break,  and 
 the  shadows  flee  away.  Ah  !  what  cause  of  mourning  is  there, 
 when  our  gold  is  become  dim,  and  the  visage  of  our  Nazarites, 
 sometimes  whiter  than  snow,  is  now  become  blacker  than  a  coal ; 
 and  Levi's  house,  once  comparable  to  fine  gold,  is  now  changed, 
 and  become  like  vessels  in  whom  He  hath  no  pleasure  !  Madam, 
 think  upon  this,  that  when  our  Lord,  who  hath  His  handkerchief 
 to  wipe  the  face  of  the  mourners  in  Zion,  shall  come  to  wipe  away 
 
396  LETTER  XVI.  [PAKT  II. 
 
 all  tears  from  their  eyes,  He  may  wipe  yours  also  in  the  passing 
 amongst  others.  I  am  confident,  madam,  that  our  Lord  will  yet 
 build  a  new  house  to  Himself  of  our  rejected  and  scattered  stones  ; 
 for  our  Bridegroom  cannot  want  a  wife.  Can  He  live  a  widower? 
 Nay,  he  will  embrace  both  us,  the  little  young  sister,  and  the  elder 
 sister,  the  church  of  the  Jews,  and  there  will  yet  be  a  day  of  it ; 
 and  therefore  we  have  cause  to  rejoice,  yea,  to  sing  and  shout  for 
 joy.  The  church  hath  been,  since  the  world  began,  ever  hanging 
 by  a  small  thread,  and  all  the  hands  of  hell  and  of  the  wicked  have 
 been  drawing  at  the  thread  ;  but  God  be  thanked,  they  only  break 
 their  arms  by  pulling,  but  the  thread  is  not  broken,  for  the  sweet 
 fingers  of  Christ  our  Lord  have  spun  and  twisted  it.  Lord,  hold 
 the  thread  whole.  Madam,  stir  up  your  husband  to  lay  hold  upon 
 the  covenant,  and  to  do  good.  What  hath  he  to  do  with  the 
 world?  It  is  not  his  inheritance.  Desire  him  to  make  home 
 over,^  and  put  to  his  hand  to  lay  one  stone  or  two  upon  the  wall 
 of  God's  house  before  he  go  hence.  I  have  heard  also,  madam, 
 that  your  child  is  removed ;  but  to  have  or  want  is  best,  as  He 
 pleaseth.  Whether  she  be  with  you  or  in  God's  keeping,  think  it 
 all  one ;  nay,  think  it  the  better  of  the  two  by  far,  that  she  is  with 
 Him.  I  trust  in  our  Lord  that  there  is  something  laid  up  and 
 kept  for  you  ;  for  our  kind  Lord,  who  hath  wounded  you,  will  not 
 be  so  cruel  as  not  to  allay  the  pain  of  your  green  wound ;  and 
 therefore  claim  Christ  still  as  your  own,  and  own  Him  as  your  one 
 thing.  So  resting,  I  recommend  your  ladyship,  your  soul,  and 
 spirit,  in  pawn  to  Him,  who  keepetli  all  His  Father's  pawns,  and 
 will  make  an  account  of  them  faithfully,  even  to  that  "  Fairest 
 amongst  the  sons  of  men,"  our  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  the  fairest,  the 
 sweetest,  the  most  delicious  rose  in  all  His  Father's  great  rield. 
 The  smell  of  that  rose  perfume  your  soul. 
 
 Your  ladyship's,  in  his  sweetest  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 
 Anwoth,  April  1, 1633. 
 
 LETTER  XVL— To  my  Lady  Kenmure. 
 
 Madam, — T  determined,  and  was  desirous  also,  to  have  seen  your 
 ladyship,  but  because  of  a  pain  in  my  arm  I  could  not.  I  know 
 ye  will  not  impute  it  to  any  unsuitable  forgetfulness  of  your  lady- 
 ship, from  whom,  at  my  first  entry  to  my  calling  in  this  country, 
 and  since  also,  I  received  such  comfort  in  my  affliction,  as  I  trust 
 in  God  never  to  forget  it,  and  shall  labour  by  His  grace  to  recom- 
 pense it,  the  only  way  possible  to  me,  and  that  is,  by  presenting 
 your  soul,  person,  house,  and  all  your  necessities  in  prayer  to  Him, 
 whose  I  hope  ye  are,  and  who  is  able  to  keep  you  till  that  day  of 
 appearance,  and  to  present  you  before  His  face  with  joy.     I  am 
 
 '  For  home. 
 
PART  II,]  LETTER  XVI.  397 
 
 confident  your  ladyship  is  going  forward  in  the  begun  journey  to 
 your  Lord  and  Fatlier's  home  and  kingdom ;  howbeit  ye  want  not 
 temptations  within  and  without.  And  wlio  among  the  saints  hath 
 ever  taken  that  castle  without  stroke  of  sword  'i  The  chief  of  the 
 house,  our  elder  Brother,  our  Lord  Jesus  not  being  excepted,  who 
 won  His  own  house  and  home,  due  to  Him  by  birth,  with  much 
 blood  and  many  blows.  Your  ladyship  hath  the  more  need  to 
 look  to  yourself,  because  our  Lord  hath  placed  you  higher  than  the 
 rest,  and  your  way  to  heaven  lieth  through  a  more  wild  and  waste 
 wilderness  than  the  way  of  many  of  your  fellow-travellers  ;  not 
 only  through  the  midst  ol  this  wood  of  thorns,  the  cumbersome 
 world,  but  also  through  these  dangerous  paths,  the  vain  glory  of 
 it :  the  consideration  whereof  hath  often  moved  me  to  pity  your 
 soul,  and  the  soul  of  your  worthy  and  noble  husband.  And  it  is 
 more  to  you  to  win  heaven,  being  ships  of  greater  burden,  and  in 
 the  main  sea,  than  for  little  vessels,  that  are  not  so  much  at  the 
 mercy  and  reverence  of  the  storms  ;  because  they  may  come  quietly 
 to  their  port  by  launching  alongst  the  coast.  For  the  which  cause 
 ye  do  much,  if  in  the  midst  of  such  a  tumult  of  business,  and 
 crowd  of  temptations,  ye  shall  give  Christ  Jesus  His  own  court  ^ 
 and  His  own  due  place  in  your  soul.  I  know  and  am  persuaded, 
 that  that  lovely  One,  Jesus,  is  dearer  to  you  than  many  kingdoms  ; 
 and  that  ye  esteem  Him  your  Well-Beloved,  and  the  standard- 
 bearer  among  ten  thousand,  Cant.  v.  10.  And  it  becometh  Him 
 lull  well  to  take  the  place  and  the  board-head  in  your  soul  before 
 all  the  world.  I  knew  and  saw  Him  with  you  in  the  furnace  of 
 affliction ;  for  there  He  wooed  you  to  Himself,  and  chose  you  to 
 be  His ;  and  now  He  craveth  no  other  hire  of  you  but  your  love, 
 and  that  He  get  no  cause  to  be  jealous  of  you.  And  therefore, 
 dear  and  worthy  lady,  be  like  to  the  fresh  river,  that  keepeth  its 
 own  fresh  taste  in  the  salt  sea.  This  world  is  not  worthy  of  your 
 soul ;  give  it  not  a  good-day,  Avhen  Christ  cometh  in  competition 
 with  it.  Be  like  one  of  another  country  ;  home  and  stay  not ;  for 
 the  sun  is  fallen  low,  and  nigh  the  tops  of  the  mountains,  and  the 
 shadows  are  stretched  out  in  great  length.  Linger  not  by  the 
 way  :  the  world  and  sm  would  train  you  on,  and  make  you  turn 
 aside  :  leave  not  the  way  for  them,  and  the  Lord  Jesus  be  at  the 
 voyage !  Madam,  many  eyes  are  upon  you,  and  many  would  be 
 glad  your  ladyship  should  spill  ^  a  Christian,  and  mar  a  good  pro- 
 fessor. Lord  Jesus,  mar  their  godless  desires,  and  keep  the  con- 
 science whole  without  a  crack  !  If  there  be  a  hole  in  it,  so  that  it 
 take  in  water  at  a  leck,^  it  will  with  difficulty  mend  again.  It  is 
 a  dainty,  delicate  creature,  and  a  rare  piece  of  the  workmanship  of 
 your  Maker;  and  therefore  deal  gently  with  it,  and  keep  it  entire, 
 ^  Influence.  *  Spoil.  '•'  Leak. 
 
398  LETIKllXVJl.  [PART  II. 
 
 that,  amidst  this  world's  glory,  your  ladyship  may  learn  to  enter- 
 tain Christ ;  and  whatsover  creature  your  ladyship  findeth  not  to 
 smell  of  Him,  it  may  have  no  better  relish  to  you  than  the  white 
 of  an  egg.  Madam,  it  is  a  part  of  the  truth  of  your  profession,  to 
 drop  words  in  the  ears  of  your  noble  husband  continually,  of 
 eternity,  judgment,  deatli,  hell,  heaven,  the  honourable  profession, 
 the  sins  of  his  father's  house  :  He  must  reckon  with  God  for  his 
 father's  debt.  Forgetting  of  accounts  payeth  not  debt ;  nay,  the 
 interest  of  a  forgotten  bond  runneth  up  v/ith  God,  to  interest  upon 
 interest.  I  know,  he  looketh  homeward  and  loveth  the  truth ; 
 but  I  pity  him  with  my  soul,  because  of  his  many  temptations. 
 Satan  layeth  upon  men  a  burdea  of  cares  above  a  load,  and  maketh 
 a  pack-horse  of  men's  souls,  when  they  are  wholly  set  upon  this 
 Avorld,  We  owe  the  devil  no  such  service  ;  it  were  wisdom  to 
 throw  off  that  load  into  a  mire,  and  to  cast  all  our  cares  over  upon 
 God.  Madam,  think  ye  have  no  child  ;  subscribe  a  bond  to  your 
 Lord,  that  she  shall  be  His,  if  He  take  her ;  and  thanks,  and 
 praise,  and  glory  to  His  holy  name  shall  be  the  interest  for  a  year's, 
 loan  of  her.  Look  for  crosses,  and  while  it  is  fair  weather,  mend 
 the  sails  of  the  ship.  Now,  hoping  your  ladyship  will  pardon  my 
 tediousness,  I  recommend  your  soul  and  person  to  the  grace  and 
 mercy  of  our  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  in  whom  I  am. 
 
 Your  ladyship's,  at  all  dutiful  obedience  in  Christ,         S.  R. 
 Anwortb,  Nov.  15,  1633. 
 
 LETTER  XVII.— To  my  Lady  Kenmure. 
 
 Madaini, —  Having  received  a  letter  from  some  of  the  worthiest 
 of  the  ministry  in  this  kingdom,  the  contents  whereof  I  am  desired 
 to  communicate  to  such  professors  in  these  parts  as  I  know  love 
 the  beauty  of  Zion,  and  are  afflicted  to  see  the  Lord's  vineyard 
 trodden  under  foot  by  the  wild  boars  out  of  the  wood  who  lay  it 
 M^aste,  I  could  not  but  also  desire  your  ladyship's  help,  to  join  with 
 the  rest,  desiring  you  to  impart  it  to  my  lord,  your  husband,  and 
 if  ye  think  it  needful,  I  shall  write  to  his  lordship  as  Mr  G.  G. 
 shall  advertise  me.  Know,  therefore,  that  the  best  affected  of  the 
 ministry  have  thougiit  it  convenient  and  necessary  at  such  a  time 
 as  this,  that  all  who  love  the  truth  should  join  their  prayers  to- 
 gether, and  cry  to  God  with  humiliation  and  fasting.  The  times, 
 which  are  agreed  upon,  are,  the  two  first  ^  sabbaths  of  February 
 next,  and  the  six  days  intervening  betwixt  these  sabbaths,  as  they 
 may  conveniently  be  had,  and  the  first  sabbath  of  every  quarter. 
 And  the  causes,  as  they  are  written  to  me,  are  these.  1.  Besides 
 the  distresses  of  the  reformed  churches  abroad,  the  many  reigning 
 sins  of  uncleanness,  ungodliness,  and  unrighteousness  in  this  land^,, 
 
 ^  First  two. 
 
PAKT  II. J  LETTER  XVIU.  399 
 
 the  present  judgments  on  the  land,  and  many  more  hanging  over 
 us,  whereof  few  are  sensible,  or  j^et  know  the  right  and  true  cause 
 of  them.  2.  The  lamentable  and  pitiful  estate  of  a  glorious  church 
 (in  so  short  a  time,  against  so  many  bonds)  in  doctrine,  sacraments, 
 and  discipline,  so  sore  persecuted  in  the  persons  of  faithful  pastors 
 and  professors  ;  and  the  door  of  God's  house  kept  so  strait  by 
 bastard-porters,  insomuch  that  worthy  instruments,  able  for  the 
 work,  are  held  at  the  door — the  rulers  having  turned  over  religion 
 into  policy,  and  the  multitude  ready  to  receive  any  religion  that 
 shall  be  enjoined  by  authority.  3.  In  our  humiliation,  besides 
 that  we  are  under  a  necessity  of  deprecating  God's  wrath,  and 
 vowing  to  God  sincerely  new  obedience,  the  weakness,  coldness, 
 silence,  and  lukewarmness  of  some  of  the  best  of  the  ministry,  and 
 the  deadness  of  professors,  who  have  suffered  the  truth  both  se- 
 cretly to  be  stolen  away,  and  openly  to  be  plucked  from  us,  would 
 be  confessed.  4.  Atheism,  idolatry,  profanity,  and  vanity  would 
 be  confessed.  Our  king's  heart  recommended  to  God  ;  and  God 
 entreated  that  he  would  stir  up  the  nobles  and  the  people  to  turn 
 from  their  evil  ways.  Thus,  madam,  hoping  that  your  ladysliip 
 Avill  join  with  others,  that  such  a  work  be  not  slighted  at  such  a 
 necessary  time,  when  our  kirk  is  at  the  overturning,  I  will  promise 
 to  myself  your  help,  as  the  Lord  in  secrecy  and  prudence  shall 
 enable  you,  that  your  ladyship  may  rejoice  with  the  Lord's  people 
 Avhen  deliverance  shall  come  ;  for  true  and  sincere  humiliation 
 come  always  speed,  with  God ;  and  Avhen  authority,  king,  court, 
 and  churchmen  oppose  the  truth,  Avhat  other  armour  have  we  but 
 prayer  and  faith  1  Whereby  if  we  wrestle  with  Him,  there  is 
 ground  to  hope  that  those  who  would  remove  the  burdensome 
 stone  out  of  its  place  shall  but  hurt  their  back,  and  the  stone  shall 
 not  be  moved,  at  least  not  removed.  Zech.  xii.  3.  Grace,  grace 
 be  with  you,  from  Him  who  hath  called  you  to  the  inheritance  ol 
 the  saints  in  light.  Your  ladyship's,  at  all  submissive  obedience 
 in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  H. 
 
 Anwoth,  Jan.  23,  1634. 
 
 LETTER  XVIIL— To  my  Lady  Kenmuke. 
 
 Madam, — All  submissive  and  dutiful  obedience  in  our  Lord 
 Jesus  remembered.  I  trust  I  need  not  much  entreat  your  lady 
 ship  to  look  to  Him  who  hath  stricken  you  at  this  time  :  but  my 
 duty  in  the  memory  of  that  comfort  I  found  in  your  ladyship's 
 kindness  when  I  was  no  less  heavy,  in  a  case  not  unlike  that, 
 speaketh  to  me  to  say  something  now ;  and  I  wish  I  could  ease 
 your  ladyship  at  least  with  words.  T  am  persuaded  your  physician 
 will  not  slay  you  but  purge  you  :  and  seeing  He  calleth  Himself 
 
400  LETTSR  xviir.  [part  il 
 
 the  cliirurgeon,  who  maketh  the  wound  and  bindetb  it  up  again 
 (for  to  lance  a  wound  is  not  to  kill,  but  cure  the  }Datient),  Deut. 
 xxxii.  30,  1  Sam.  ii.  6,  Job  vi.  18,  Hos.  vi.  1,  I  believe,  faith  will 
 teach  you  to  kiss  a  striking  Lord,  and  so  acknowledge  the  sove- 
 reignty of  God,  in  the  death  of  a  child,  to  be  above  the  power  of 
 us  mortal  men,  who  may  pluck  up  a  flower  in  the  bud  and  not  be 
 blamed  for  it.  If  our  dear  Lord  pluck  up  one  of  his  roses,  and 
 pull  down  sour  and  green  fruit  before  harvest,  who  can  challenge 
 Him  1  for  He  sendeth  us  to  His  world  as  men  to  a  market,  wherein 
 some  stay  many  hours,  and  eat  and  drink,  and  buy  and  sell,  and 
 pass  through  the  fair  till  they  be  weary,  and  such  are  those  who 
 live  long  and  get  a  hearty  fill  of  this  life.  And  others  again  come 
 slipping  into  the  morning-market,  and  do  neither  sit  nor  stand, 
 nor  buy  nor  sell,  but  look  about  them  a  little,  and  pass  presently 
 home  again, — and  these  are  infants  and  young  ones  who  end  their 
 short  market  in  the  morning,  and  get  but  a  short  view  of  the  fair. 
 Our  Lord,  who  hath  numbered  man's  months  and  set  him  bounds 
 that  he  cannot  pass,  Job  xiv.  5,  hath  written  the  length  of  our 
 market,  and  it  is  easier  to  complain  of  the  decree  than  to  change 
 it.  I  verily  believe,  when  I  write  this,  your  Lord  hath  taught 
 your  ladyship  to  lay  your  hand  on  your  mouth.  But  I  shall  be 
 far  from  desiring  your  ladyship,  or  any  others,  to  cast  by  a  cross 
 like  an  old  useless  bill  ^  that  is  only  for  the  fire  ;  but  r,ather  would 
 wish  each  cross  were  looked  in  the  face  seven  times,  and  M^ere  read 
 over  and  over  again.  It  is  the  messenger  of  the  Lord,  and  speaks 
 something ;  and  the  man  of  understanding  will  hear  the  rod  and 
 Him  that  hath  appointed  it.  Try  v/hat  is  the  taste  of  the  Lord's 
 cup,  and  drink  with  God's  blessing,  that  ye  may  grow  thereby.  I 
 trust  in  God,  whatever  other  speech  it  utter  to  your  soul,  this  is 
 one  word  in  it.  Job  v.  17,  "  Behold,  blessed  is  the  man  whom  God 
 correcteth  ;"  and  that  it  saith  to  you,  ye  are  from  home  while 
 here,  ye  are  not  of  this  world,  as  your  Redeemer  Christ  was  not  of 
 this  Avorld.  There  is  something  keeping  for  you  which  is  worth 
 the  having.  All  that  is  here  is  condemned  to  die — to  pass  away 
 like  a  snow-ball  before  a  summer-sun  ;  and  since  death  took  first ^ 
 possession  of  something  of  yours,  it  hath  been  and  daily  is  creeping 
 nearer  and  nearer  to  yourself,  howbeit  with  no  noise  of  feet.  Your 
 Husbandman  and  Lord  hath  lopped  off  some  branches  already,  the 
 tree  itself  is  to  be  transplanted  to  the  high  garden :  in  a  good 
 time  be  it ;  our  Lord  ripen  your  ladyship.  All  these  crosses  (and 
 indeed  when  I  remember  them,  they  are  heavy  and  many ;  peace, 
 peace  be  the  end  of  them)  are  to  make  you  white  and  ripe  for 
 the  Lord's  harvest-hook.  I  have  seen  the  Lord  weaning  you  from 
 the  breasts  of  this  world :  it  was  never  His  mind  it  should  bo 
 
 ^  Billefc  of  wood.  *  First  took. 
 
PART  Il.'J  LETTER  XIX.  401 
 
 your  patrimony ;  and  God  be  thanked  for  that ;  ye  look  the  liker 
 one  of  the  heirs.  Let  the  movables  go,  why  not  1  they  are  not 
 yours.  Fasten  your  grips  upon  the  heritage ;  and  our  Lord  Jesus 
 make  the  charters  sure,  and  give  your  ladyship  to  grow  as  a  palm 
 tree  on  God's  Mount  Zion ;  howbeit  shaken  with  winds,  yet  the 
 root  is  fast.  This  is  all  I  can  do,  to  recommend  your  case  to  your 
 Lord,  who  hath  you  written  upon  the  palms  of  His  hands.  If  I 
 were  able  to  do  more,  your  ladyship  may  believe  me  that  gladly 
 I  would.  I  trust  shortly  to  see  your  ladj^ship.  Now,  He  who 
 hath  called  you,  confirm  and  establish  your  heart  in  grace,  unto 
 the  day  of  the  liberty  of  the  sons  of  God.  Your  ladyship's,  at  all 
 submissive  obedience  in  his  sAveet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 
 
 Ardwell,  April  29,  1634. 
 
 LETTER  XIX.— To  my  Lady  Kenmure. 
 
 My  very  noble  and  worthy  Lady,— So  oft  as  I  call  to  mind 
 the  comforts  that  I  myself,  a  poor  friendless  stranger,  received 
 from  your  ladyship  here  in  a  strange  part  of  the  country,  when  my 
 Lord  took  from  me  the  delight  of  mine  eyes,  as  the  word  speaketh, 
 Ezek.  xxiv.  16  (which  wound  is  not  yet  fully  healed  and  cured),  I 
 trust  your  Lord  shall  remember  that,  and  give  you  comfort  now, 
 at  such  a  time  as  this  wherein  your  dearest  Lord  hath  made  you  a 
 widow,  that  ye  may  be  a  free  woman  for  Christ,  who  is  now  suit- 
 ing ^  for  marriage-love  of  you;  and,  therefore,  since  you  lie  alone 
 in  your  bed,  let  Christ  be  as  a  bundle  of  myrrh,  to  sleep  and  lie  all 
 the  night  betwixt  your  breasts.  Cant.  i.  13,  and  then  your  bed  is 
 better  filled  than  before.  And  seeing  amongst  all  crosses  spoken 
 of  in  our  Lord's  word,  this  givetli  you  a  particular  right  to  make 
 God  your  Husband  (which  was  not  so  youi's  while  your  husband 
 was  alive),  read  God's  mercy  out  of  this  visitation.  And  albeit  I 
 must,  out  of  some  experience,  say,  the  mourning  for  the  husband 
 of  your  youth  be  by  God's  own  mouth  the  heaviest  worldly  sorrow, 
 Joel  i.  8 ;  and  though  this  be  the  weightiest  burden  that  ever  lay 
 upon  your  back,  yet  ye  know  (when  the  fields  are  emptied,  and 
 your  husband  now  asleep  in  the  Lord)  if  ye  shall  wait  upon  Him, 
 who  hideth  His  face  for  a  while,  that  it  lieth  upon  God's  honour 
 and  truth  to  fill  the  field  and  to  be  a  husband  to  the  widow.  See 
 and  consider  then  what  ye  have  lost,  and  how  little  it  is.  There- 
 fore, madam,  let  me  entreat  you,  in  the  bowels  of  Christ  Jesus,  and 
 by  the  comforts  of  His  Spirit,  and  your  appearance  before  Him,  let 
 God,  and  men,  and  angels  now  see  what  is  in  you.  The  Lord  hath 
 pierced  the  vessel,  it  Avill  be  known  Avhether  there  be  in  it  wine  or 
 water :  let  your  faith  and  patience  be  seen,  that  it  may  be  known 
 
 ^  Suing. 
 
 2  C 
 
402  LETTER  XIX.  [PART  II, 
 
 your  only  Beloved,  first  and  last,  hath  been  Christ.  And  there- 
 fore, now,  were  your  whole  love  upon  Him,  He  alone  is  a  suitable 
 object  for  your  love  and  all  the  affections  of  your  soul.  God  hatli 
 dried  up  one  channel  of  your  love  by  the  removal  of  your  husband. 
 Let  now  that  speat^  run  upon  Christ.  Your  Lord  and  Lover  hath 
 graciously  taken  out  your  husband's  name  and  your  name  out  of 
 the  summons  that  are  raised  at  the  instance  of  the  terrible  sin-re- 
 venging Judge  of  the  world  against  the  house  of  Kenmure.  And 
 I  dare  say  that  God's  hammering  of  you  from  your  youth  is  only  to 
 make  you  a  fair,  carved  stone  in  the  high  upper  temple  of  the  New 
 Jerusalem.  Your  Lord  never  thought  this  world's  fair  painted 
 glory  a  gift  worthy  of  you,  and  therefore  would  not  bestow  it  on 
 you,  because  He  is  to  propine^  you  with  a  better  portion  :  let  the 
 movables  go,  the  inheritance  is  yours.  Ye  are  a  child  of  the  house, 
 and  joy  is  laid  up  for  you  :  it  is  long  in  coming,  but  not  the  worse 
 for  that.  I  am  now  expecting  to  see,  and  that  with  joy  and  com- 
 fort, that  which  I  hoped  of  you  since  I  knew  you  fully,  even  that 
 ye  have  laid  such  strength  upon  the  Holy  One  of  Israel,  that  ye 
 defy  troubles,  and  that  your  soul  is  a  castle  that  may  be  besieged, 
 but  cannot  be  taken.  What  have  ye  to  do  here  1  This  world 
 never  looked  like  a  friend  upon  you — ye  owe  it  little  love — it 
 looked  ever  sour-like  upon  you :  howbeit  ye  should  woo  it,  it  will 
 not  match  with  you,  and  therefore  never  seek  warm  fire  under  cold 
 ice.  This  is  not  a  field  where  your  happiness  groweth  ;  it  is  up 
 above,  where,  Rev.  vii.  9,  "  there  are  a  great  multitude,  which  no 
 man  can  number,  of  all  nations,  and  kindreds,  and  people,  and 
 tongues,  standing  before  the  throne  and  before  the  Lamb,  clothed 
 with  white  robes,  and  palms  in  their  hands."  What  ye  could  never 
 get  here,  ye  shall  find  there.  And  withal,  consider  how,  in  all 
 these  trials  (and  truly  they  have  bgen  many),  your  Lord  hath  been 
 loosing  you  at  the  root  from  perishing  things,  and  hunting  after 
 you  to  grip  your  soul.  Madam,  for  the  Son  of  God's  sake,  let  Him 
 not  miss  His  grip,  but  stay  and  abide  in  the  love  of  God,  as  Jude 
 saith,  ver.  21.  Now,  madam,  I  hope  your  ladyship  will  take  these 
 lines  in  good  part,  and  wherein  I  have  fallen  short,  and  failed  to 
 your  ladyship  in  not  evidencing  what  I  was  obliged  to  your  more 
 than  undeserved  love  and  respect,  I  request  for  a  full  pardon 
 for  it.  Again,  my  dear  and  noble  lady,  let  me  beseech  you  to  lift 
 up  your  head,  for  the  day  of  your  redemption  draweth  near.  And, 
 remember,  that  star  that  shined  in  Galloway  is  now  shining  in  an- 
 other world.  Now  I  pray  that  God  may  answer  His  own  style  to 
 your  soul,  and  that  He  may  be  to  you  the  God  of  all  consolations. 
 Thus  I  remain. 
 
 Your  ladyship's,  at  all  dutiful  obedience  in  the  Lord,       S.  R. 
 
 Anwoth,  Sep.  14,  1634. 
 
 '  Flood.  ^  Present. 
 
PART  II.]  LETTER  XX.  403 
 
 LETTER  XX.— To  my  Lady  Kenmuee. 
 
 Madam, — All  dutiful  obedience  in  our  Lord  remembered.  I 
 know  ye  are  now  near  one  of  those  straits  in  which  ye  have  been 
 before.  But  because  your  outward  comforts  are  fewer,  I  pray  Him, 
 whose  ye  are,  to  supply  what  ye  want  another  way ;  for  howbeit 
 we  cannot  win  to  the  bottom  of  His  wise  providence  who  ruleth 
 all,  yet  it  is  certain  this  is  not  only  good  Avhich  the  Almighty  hath 
 done,  but  it  is  best ;  and  He  hath  reckoned  all  your  steps  to  hea- 
 ven, and  if  your  ladyship  were  through  this  water,  there  are  the 
 fewer  behind ;  and  if  this  were  the  last,  I  hope  your  ladyship  hath 
 learned  by  on- waiting  to  make  your  acquaintance  with  death, 
 which  being  to  the  Lord,  the  woman's  seed,  Jesus,  only  a  bloody 
 heel,  and  not  a  broken  head.  Gen.  iii.  15,  cannot  be  ill  to  His 
 friends,  who  get  far  less  of  death  than  Himself.  Therefore,  madam, 
 seeing  ye  know  not  but  the  joui'ney  is  ended,  and  ye  are  come  to 
 the  water-side,  in  God's  wisdom,  look  all  your  papers  and  your 
 counts,  and  whether  ye  be  ready  to  receive  the  kingdom  of  heaven 
 as  a  little  child,  in  whom  there  is  little  haughtiness  and  much 
 humility.  I  would  be  far  from  discouraging  your  ladyship,  but 
 there  is  an  absolute  necessity  that,  near  eternity,  we  look  ere  we 
 leap — seeing  no  man  winneth  back  again  to  mend  his  leap.  I  am 
 confident  your  ladyship  thinketh  often  upon  it,  and  that  your  old 
 Guide  shall  go  before  you  and  take  your  hand.  His  love  to  you 
 will  not  grow  sour,  nor  wear  out  of  date,  as  the  love  of  men,  which 
 groweth  old  and  gray-haired  often  before  themselves.  Ye  have  so 
 much  the  more  reason  to  love  a  better  life  than  this,  because  this 
 world  hath  been  to  you  a  cold  fire,  with  little  heat  to  the  body, 
 and  as  little  light,  jind  much  smoke  to  hurt  the  eyes.  But,  madam, 
 your  Lord  would  have  you  thinking  it  but  dry  breasts,  full  of 
 wind  and  empty  of  food.  Li  this  late  visitation  that  hath  befallen 
 your  ladyship,  ye  have  seen  God's  love  and  care  in  such  a  measure 
 that  I  thought  our  Lord  brake  the  sharp  point  of  the  cross,  and 
 made  us  and  your  ladyship  see  Christ  take  possession  and  infeft- 
 ment  upon  earth  of  Him  who  is  now  reigning  and  triumphing  with 
 "  the  hundred  forty  and  four  thousand,  who  stand  with  the  Lamb 
 on  Mount  Zion."  I  know  the  sweetest  of  it  is  bitter  to  you  ;  but 
 your  Lord  will  not  give  you  painted  crosses :  He  pareth  not  all 
 the  bitterness  from  the  cross,  neither  taketh  He  the  sharp  edge 
 quite  from  it ;  then  it  should  be  of  your  waling ^  and  not  of  His, 
 which  should  have  as  little  reason  in  it  as  it  should  have  profit  for 
 us.  Only,  madam,  God  commandeth  you  now  to  believe  and  cast 
 anchor  in  the  dark  night,  and  climb  up  the  mountain.  He  who 
 hath  called  you,  establish  you  and  confirm  you  to  the  end.     I  had 
 
 ^  Choosing. 
 
404  ^  LETTEIIS  XXI.  AND  XXII.  [PART  II. 
 
 a  purpose  to  have  visited  your  ladyship,  but  when  I  thought  better 
 upon  it,  the  truth  is,  I  cannot  see  wliat  my  company  could  profit 
 you  :  and  this  hath  broken  off  my  purpose,  and  no  other  thing. 
 I  know  many  honourable  friends  and  worthy  professors  will  see 
 your  ladyship,  and  that  the  Son  of  God  is  with  you  ;  to  whose  love 
 and  mercy,  from  my  soul,  I  recommend  your  ladyship,  and  re- 
 main, your  ladyship's,  at  all  dutiful  obedience,  in  his  sweet  Lord 
 Jesus,  S.  lu 
 
 Anwoth,  Nov.  29,  1634. 
 
 LETTER  XXL— To  my  Lady  Kenmure. 
 
 Madam, — My  humble  obedience  in  the  Lord  remembered. 
 Know  it  hath  pleased  the  Lord  to  let  me  see,  by  all  appearance, 
 my  labours  in  God's  house  here  are  at  an  end ;  and  I  must  now 
 learn  to  suffer,  in  the  which  I  am  a  dull  scholar.  By  a  strange 
 providence  some  of  my  papers,  anent  the  corruptions  of  this  time, 
 are  come  to  our  king's  hand.  I  know,  by  the  wise  and  well 
 affected,  I  shall  be  censured  as  not  wise  nor  circumspect  enough, 
 but  it  is  ordinary  that  that  should  be  a  part  of  the  cross  of  those 
 who  suffer  for  Him.  Yet  I  love  and  pardon  the  instrument.  I 
 would  commit  my  life  to  him,  howbeit  by  him  this  hath  befallen 
 me  ;  but  I  look  higher  than  to  him.  I  make  no  question  of  your 
 ladyship's  love  and  care  to  do  what  ye  can  for  my  help  ;  and  am 
 persuaded  that  in  my  adversities  your  ladyship  will  wish  me  well. 
 I  seek  no  other  thing,  but  that  my  Lord  may  be  honoured  by  me 
 in  giving  a  testimony.  I  was  willing  to  do  Him  more  service  • 
 but  seeing  He  will  have  no  more  of  my  labours,  and  this  land  will 
 thrust  me  out,  I  pray  for  grace  to  learn  to  be  acquaint  with  misery, 
 if  I  may  give  so  rough  a  name  to  such  a  mark  of  those  Avho  shall 
 be  crowned  with  Christ.  And  howbeit  I  will  possibly  prove  a 
 faint-hearted,  unwise  man  in  that,  yet,  I  dare  say  I  intend  other- 
 wise. And  I  desire  not  to  go  on  the  lee-side  or  sunny  side  of 
 religion,  to  put  truth  betwixt  me  and  a  storm  :  my  Saviour  did 
 not  so  for  me,  who,  in  His  suffering,  took  the  windy  side  of  the 
 hill.  No  further,  but  the  Son  of  God  be  with  you.  Your  lady- 
 ship's, in  the  Lord  Jesus,  S.  E. 
 
 Anwoth,  Dec.  5,  163i. 
 
 LETTER  XXIL— To  my  Lady  Kenmure. 
 
 Madam, — I  received  your  ladyship's  letter  from  I.  G.  I  thank 
 our  Lord  ye  are  as  well,  at  least,  as  one  may  be,  who  is  nofc  come 
 home.  It  is  a  mercy  in  this  stormy  sea  to  get  a  second  wind;  for 
 none  of  the  saints  get  a  first,  but  they  must  take  the  winds  as  the 
 
TAKT  II.]  LETTER  XXII.  405 
 
 Lord  of  the  seas  causeth  them  to  blow ;  and  the  inn,  as  the  Lord 
 and  Master  of  the  inns  hath  ordered  it :  if  contentment  were  here, 
 heaven  were  not  heaven.  Whoever  seek  the  world  to  be  their 
 bed,  shall  at  best  find  it  short  and  ill  made,  and  a  stone  under 
 their  side  to  hold  them  waking,  rather  than  a  soft  pillow  to  sleep 
 upon  :  ye  ought  to  bless  your  Lord  that  it  is  not  worse.  We  live 
 in  a  sea  where  many  have  suffered  shipwreck,  and  have  need  that 
 Christ  sit  at  the  helm  of  the  ship.  It  is  a  mercy  to  win  to  heaven, 
 though  with  much  hard  toil  and  heavy  labour,  and  to  take  it  by 
 violence,  ill  and  well  as  it  may  be  :  better  go  swimming  and  wet 
 through  our  waters,  than  drown  by  the  way ;  especially  now  when 
 truth  suffereth,  and  great  men  bid  Christ  sit  lower,  and  contract 
 himself  in  less  bounds,  as  if  He  took  too  much  room.  I  expect 
 our  n^\\  prelate  shall  try  my  sitting :  I  hang  by  a  thread,  but  it 
 is  (if  I  may  speak  so)  of  Christ's  spinning :  there  is  no  quarrel 
 more  honest  or  honoui'able  than  to  suffer  for  truth  :  but  the  worst 
 is,  that  this  kirk  is  like  to  sink,  and  all  her  lovers  and  friends 
 stand  afar  off",  none  mourn  with  her,  and  none  mourn  for  her. 
 But  the  Lord  Jesus  will  not  be  put  out  of  His  conquest  so  soon 
 in  Scotland.  It  will  be  seen,  the  kirk  and  truth  will  rise  again 
 within  three  days,  and  Christ  again  shall  ride  upon  His  white 
 horse ;  howbeit  His  horse  seem  now  to  stumble,  yet  He  cannot 
 fall :  the  fulness  of  Christ's  harvest  in  the  end  of  the  earth  is  not 
 yet  come  in.  I  speak  not  this  because  I  would  have  it  so,  but 
 upon  better  grounds  than  my  i>aked  liking :  but  enough  of  this 
 sad  subject.  I  long  to  be  fully  assured  of  your  ladyship's  welfare, 
 and  that  your  soul  prospereth,  especially  now  in  your  solitary  life, 
 when  your  comforts  outward  are  few,  and  when  Christ  hath  you 
 for  the  very  up-taking.  I  know.  His  love  to  you  is  still  running 
 over,  and  His  love  hath  not  so  bad  a  memory  as  to  forget  you  and 
 your  dear  child,  who  hath  two  fathers  in  heaven,  the  one  the 
 "  Ancient  of  days."  I  trust  in  His  mercy.  He  hath  something  laid 
 up  for  him  above,  however  it  may  go  with  him  here.  I  know,  it 
 is  long  since  your  ladyship  saw  this  world  turned  your  step-mother 
 and  did  forsake  you.  Madam,  ye  have  reason  to  take  in  good 
 part  a  lean  dinner  and  spare  diet  in  this  life,  seeing  your  large 
 supper  of  the  Lamb's  preparing  will  recompense  all :  let  it  go, 
 which  was  never  yours,  but  only  in  sight,  not  in  property.  The 
 time  of  your  loan  will  wear  shorter  and  shorter,  and  time  is 
 measured  to  you  by  ounce-weights  :  and  then  I  know  your  hope 
 shall  be  a  full  ear  of  corn  and  not  blasted  with  wind  :  it  may  be 
 your  joy,  that  your  anchor  is  up  within  the  vail,  and  that  the 
 ground  it  is  cast  upon,  is  not  false,  but  firm.  God  hath  done  His 
 part,  I  hope  you  will  not  deny,  to  fish  and  fetch  home  all  your 
 love  to  Himself;  and  it  is  but  too  narrow  and  short  for  Him,  if  it 
 
406  LETTER  XXIII.  [PART  II. 
 
 were  more  :  if  ye  were  before  pouring  all  your  love  (if  it  had  been 
 many  gallons  more)  in  upon  your  Lord,  if  drops  fell  by^  in  the  in- 
 pouring,  He  forgiveth  you.  He  hath  done  now  all  that  can  be 
 done  to  win  beyond  it  all,  and  hath  left  little  to  woo  your  love 
 from  Himself,  except  one  only  child  :  what  is  His  purpose  herein. 
 He  knoweth  best,  who  liath  taken  your  soul  in  tutoring.  Your 
 faith  may  be  boldly  charitable  of  Christ,  that  however  matters  go, 
 the  worst  shall  be  a  tired  traveller,  and  a  joyful  and  sweet  M^el- 
 come  home  :  the  back  of  your  winter  night  is  broken.  Look  to 
 the  east,  the  day  sky  is  breaking ;  think  not  that  Christ  loseth 
 time  or  lingereth  unsuitably.  0,  fair,  fair,  and  sweet  morning ! 
 We  are  but  here^  as  sea-passengers,  if  we  look  right,  we  are  upon 
 our  country  coast ;  our  Redeemer  is  fast  coming  to  take  this  old 
 worm-eaten  world,  like  an  old  moth-eaten  garment,  in  His  two 
 hands,  and  to  roll  it  up,  and  lay  it  by  Him.  These  are  the  last 
 days,  and  an  oath  is  given,  Rev.  x.,  by  G-od  himself,  that  time 
 "  shall  be  no  more  :"  and  when  time  itself  is  old  and  gray-haired, 
 it  were  good  we  were  away.  Thus,  madam,  ye  see  I  am,  as  my 
 custom  is,  tedious  in  my  lines  :  your  ladyship  will  pardon  it.  The 
 Lord  Jesus  be  with  your  spirit. 
 
 Your  ladyship's,  at  all  obedience  in  Christ,         S.  R. 
 Anwoth,  Jan.  18,  1636. 
 
 LETTER  XXHI.— To  my  Lady  Kenmure. 
 
 Right  Honourable, — I  cannot  find  time  for  writing  some 
 things  I  intended  on  Job,  I  have  been  so  taken  up  with  the  broils 
 that  we  are  incumbered  with  in  our  calling ;  for  our  prelate  will 
 have  us  either  to  swallow  our  light  over,  and  digest  it,  contrary 
 to  our  stomachs,  howbeit  we  should  vomit  our  conscience  and  all, 
 in  this  troublesome  conformity  ;  or  then^  he  will  try  if  deprivation 
 can  convert  us  to  the  ceremonial  faith.  I  write  to  your  ladyship, 
 madam,  not  as  distrusting  your  affection  or  willingness  to  help  me, 
 as  your  ladyship  is  able,  by  yourself  or  others,  but  to  advertise 
 you  that  I  hang  by  a  small  thread.  For  our  learned  prelate,  be- 
 cause we  cannot  see  with  his  eyes,  so  far  in  a  mill-stone  as  his 
 light  doth,  will  not  follow  his  Master,  meek  Jesus,  who  waiteth 
 upon  the  wearied  and  short-breathed  in  the  way  to  heaven  :  and 
 where  all  see  not  alike,  and  some  are  weaker,  He  carrieth  the 
 lambs  in  His  bosom,  and  leadeth  gently  those  that  are  with  young. 
 But  we  must  either  see  all  the  evil  of  ceremonies  to  be  but  as  in- 
 different straws,  or  suffer  no  less  than  to  be  casten  out  of  the 
 Lord's  inheritance.  Madam,  if  I  had  time  I  would  write  more  at 
 length,  but  your  ladyship  will  pardon  me  till  a  fitter  occasion. 
 
 ^  Past.  2  Here  but.  ^  Else, 
 
TAKT  II.J  LETTEK,  XXIV.  407 
 
 Grace  be  with  you  and  your  child,  and  bear  you  company  to  your 
 best  home. 
 
 Your  ladyship's,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  K. 
 Anwoth,  June  8,  1636. 
 
 LETTER  XXIV.— To  Earlestown,  Elder. 
 
 Much  honoured  Sir, — I  have  heard  of  the  mind  and  malice 
 of  your  adversaries  against  you  :  it  is  like  ^  they  will  extend  the 
 law  they  have  in  length  and  breadth,  answerable  to  their  heat  of 
 mind ;  but  it  is  a  great  part  of  your  glory  that  the  cause  is  not 
 yours,  but  your  Lord's,  whom  ye  serve ;  and  I  doubt  not  but 
 Christ  Avill  count  it  His  honour  to  back  His  weak  servant ;  and  it 
 were  a  shame  for  Him  (with  reverence  to  His  holy  name)  that  He 
 should  suffer  Himself  to  be  in  the  common  of  ^  such  a  poor  man  as 
 ye  are,  and  that  ye  should  give  out  for  Him,  and  not  get  in  again. 
 Write  up  your  depursements^  for  your  master  Christ,  and  keep  the 
 count  what  you  give  out,  whether  name,  credit,  goods,  or  life; 
 and  suspend  your  reckoning  till  nigh  the  evening ;  and  remember 
 that  a  poor  weak  servant  of  Christ  wrote  it  to  you,  ye  shall  have 
 Christ,  a  King,  caution  for  your  incomes,  and  all  your  losses. 
 Reckon  not  from  the  forenoon  :  take  the  word  of  God  for  your 
 warrant,  and  for  Christ's  act  of  cautionery,  howbeit  body,  life,  and 
 goods  go  for  Christ  your  Lord,  and  though  ye  should  lose  the 
 head  for  Him;  yet  (Luke  xxi.  18,  19)  "There  shall  not  one  hair 
 of  your  head  perish.  In  patience  therefore  possess  your  soul." 
 And  because  ye  are  the  first  man  in  Galloway  called  out,  and 
 questioned  for  the  name  of  Jesus,  His  eye  hath  been  upon  you,  as 
 upon  one  whom  He  hath  designed  to  be  among  his  witnesses. 
 Christ  hath  said,  Alexander  Gordon  shall  lead  the  ring,  in  wit- 
 nessing a  good  confession ;  and  therefore  He  hath  put  the  garland 
 of  suffering  for  Himself,  first  upon  your  head.  Think  yourself  so 
 much  the  more  obliged  to  Him,  and  fear  not ;  for  He  layeth  His 
 right  hand  on  your  head.  He  who  was  dead,  and  is  alive,  will 
 plead  your  cause,  and  will  look  attentively  upon  the  process  from 
 the  begmning  to  the  end ;  and  the  Spirit  of  glory  shall  rest  upon 
 you.  (Rev.  ii.  10),  "Fear  none  of  these  things  which  thou  shalt 
 suffer  :  behold  the  devil  shall  cast  some  of  you  into  prison,  that  ye 
 may  be  tried,  and  ye  shall  have  tribulation  ten  days."  "  Be  thou 
 faithful  unto  the  death,  and  I  will  give  thee  the  crown  of  life." 
 That  lovely  one,  Jesus,  who  also  became  the  Son  of  Man,  that  He 
 might  take  strokes  for  you,  write  the  cross-sweetening  and  soul- 
 supporting  sense  of  these  Avords  in  your  heart.  These  rumbling 
 wheels  of  Scotland's  ten  days'  tribulation  are  under  His  look  who 
 
 ^  Probable.  ^  Indelited  to.  ^  Disbuvsements. 
 
408  LETTEli  XXIV.  [PAKT  II, 
 
 liatli  seven  eyes.  Take  a  house  on  your  head,  and  slip  yourself  by 
 faith  in  under  Christ's  wings,  till  the  storm  be  over.  And,  re- 
 member, when  they  have  drunken  us  down,  "  Jerusalem  will  be 
 a  cup  of  trembling  and  of  poison"  (Zech.  xii.  2).  They  shall  be 
 fain  to  vomit  out  the  saints ;  for  "  Judah  (ver.  6)  shall  be  a 
 hearth  of  fire  in  a  sheaf,  and  they  shall  devour  all  the  people  round 
 about,  on  the  right  hand,  and  on  the  left."  Woe  to  Zion's  enemies, 
 they  have  the  worst  of  it ;  for  we  have  writ  for  the  victory.  Sir, 
 ye  were  never  honourable  till  now ;  this  is  your  glory,  that  Christ 
 hath  put  you  in  the  roll  with  Himself  and  the  rest  of  the  Avit- 
 nesses,  who  are  "  come  out  of  great  tribulation,  and  have  washed 
 their  garments,  and  made  them  white  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb." 
 Be  not  cast  down  for  what  the  servants  of  Antichrist  cast  in  your 
 teeth,  that  ye  are  a  head  to,  and  favourer  of  the  Puritans,  and 
 leader  to  that  sect.  If  your  conscience  say,  "  Alas  !  here  is  much 
 din,  and  little  done"  (as  the  proverb  is),  because  ye  have  not  done 
 so  much  service  to  Christ  that  way  as  ye  might  and  should  ;  take 
 courage  from  that  same  temptation ;  for  your  Lord  Christ  looketh 
 upon  that  very  challenge,  as  a  hungering  desire  in  you  to  have 
 done  more  than  ye  did ;  and  that  filleth  up  the  blank,  and  He  will 
 accept  of  what  ye  have  done  in  that  kind.  If  great  men  be  kind 
 to  3^ou,  I  pray  you  overlook  them ;  if  they  smile  on  yon,  Christ 
 but  borroweth  their  face,  to  smile  through  them  upon  His  afflicted 
 servant.  Know  the  well-head  ;  and  for  all  that  learn  the  way  to 
 the  well  itself.  Thank  God  that  Christ  came  to  your  house  in 
 your  absence,  and  took  with  Him  some  of  your  children.  He 
 presumed  that  much^  on  your  love,  that  ye  would  not  offend  ;'- 
 and  howbeit  He  should  take  the  rest,  He  cannot  come  upon  your 
 wrong  side.  I  question  nob,  if  they  were  children  of  gold,^  but 
 ye  think  them  well  bestowed  upon  Him.  Expound  well  two  rods 
 on  you,  one  in  your  house  at  home,  another  on  your  own  person 
 abroad.  Love  thinketh  no  evil ;  if  ye  were  not  Christ's  wheat, 
 appointed  to  be  bread  in  His  house,  He  would  not  grind  you  thus. 
 But  keep  the  middle  line,  neither  despise  nor  faint,  Heb.  xii.  6. 
 Ye  see  your  Father  is  homely  with  you  :  strokes  of  a  father 
 evidence  kindness  and  care ;  take  them  so.  I  hope  your  Lord 
 hath  manifested  Himself  to  you,  and  suggested  these  or  more 
 choice  thoughts  about  His  dealing  with  you  :  we  are  using  our 
 weak  nioyen'^  and  credit  for  you,  up  at  our  own  court,  as  we  dow,* 
 we  pray  the  King  to  hear  us,  and  the  Son  of  man  to  go  side  for 
 side  with  you,  and  hand  in  hand,  in  the  fiery  oven,  and  to  quicken 
 and  encourage  your  unbelieving  heart,  when  ye  droop  and  de 
 spond.  Sir,  to  the  honour  of  Christ  be  it  said,  my  ftiitli  goeth  with 
 my  pen  now  :  I  am  presently  believing  Christ  shall  bring  you  out 
 
 ^  So  fax.         2  Be  ofjende£i_  3Q«.  "God'?         influence.         ^Cnn. 
 
PART  II.]  LETTER  XXV.  409 
 
 Truth  in  Scotland  shall  keep  the  crown  of  the  causeway  yet ;  the 
 saints  shall  see  religion  go  naked  at  noonday,  free  from  shame  and 
 fear  of  men.  We  shall  yet  divide  Shechem,  and  ride  upon  the 
 high  places  of  Jacob.  Remember  my  obliged  respects  and  iove  to 
 my  Lady  Kenmure  and  her  sweet  child. 
 
 Yours,  ever  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 
 Anwoth,  July  6,  1636. 
 
 LETTER  XXV.— To  the  Viscountess  of  Kenmure. 
 
 Madam, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you.  I  know  ye  are 
 near  many  comforters,  and  that  the  promised  Comforter  is  near 
 hand  also  ;  yet,  because  I  found  your  ladyship  comfortable  to  my- 
 self, in  my  sad  days,  that  are  not  yet  over  my  head,  it  is  my  part, 
 and  more  in  many  respects  (howbeit  I  can  do  little,  God  knoweth, 
 in  that  kind),  to  speak  to  you  in  your  wilderness-lot.  I  know, 
 dear  and  noble  lady,  this  loss  of  your  dear  child  came  upon  you, 
 one  piece  and  part  of  it  after  another ;  and  that  ye  was  looking  for 
 it,  and  that  now  the  Almighty  hath  brought  on  you  that  which 
 ye  feared  ;  and  that  your  Lord  gave  you  lawful  warning.  And  I 
 hope,  for  His  sake,  who  brewed  and  masked^  this  cup  in  heaven, 
 ye  will  gladly  drink,  and  salute  and  welcome  the  cross.  I  am 
 sure,  it  is  not  your  Lord's  mind  to  feed  you  with  judgment  and 
 wormwood,  and  to  give  you  waters  of  gall  to  drink,  Ezek.  xxxiv. 
 16,  Jer.  ix.  15.  I  know  your  cup  is  sugared  with  mercy;  and 
 that  the  withering  of  the  bloom,  the  flower,  even  the  white  and 
 red  of  worldly  joys,  is  for  no  other  end  but  to  buy  out  at  the 
 ground  the  reversion  of  your  heart  and  love.  Madam,  subscribe 
 the  Almighty's  will ;  put  your  hand  to  the  pen,  and  let  the  cross 
 of  your  Lord  Jesus  have  your  submissive  and  resolute  Amen.  If 
 ye  ask  and  try  whose  this  cross  is?  I  dare  say,  it  is  not  all  your 
 own,  the  best  half  of  it  is  Christ's  ;  then  your  cross  is  no  born 
 bastard,  but  lawfully  begotten,  "  It  sprang  not  out  of  the  dust," 
 Job  V.  6.  If  Christ  and  ye  be  halvers^  of  this  suffering,  and  He 
 say,  half  mine,  what  should  ail  you  1  And  I  am  sure,  I  am  here 
 right  upon  the  style  of  the  word  of  God.  Phil.  iii.  10,  "The  fel- 
 lowship of  Christ's  suff'erings."  Col.  i.  28,  "  The  remnant  of  the 
 afiiictions  of  Christ."  Heb.  xi.  26,  "The  reproacli  of  Christ."  It 
 were  but  to  shift  the  comforts  of  God,  to  say,  Christ  had  never 
 such  a  cross  as  mine,  He  had  never  a  dead  child,  and  so  this  is 
 not  His  cross ;  neither  can  He  in  that  meaning  be  the  owner  of 
 this  cross.  But  I  hope,  Christ,  when  He  married  you,  married 
 you  and  all  the  crosses,  and  woe-hearts^  that  follow  you,  and  the 
 word  maketh  no  exception,  Isa.  Ixiii.  9,  "  In  all  their  afflictions 
 
 ^  Infused.  -  Sharera.  •*  JSorrowu 
 
410  LETTEll  XXV.  [part  II. 
 
 He  was  afflicted."  Then  Christ  bore  the  first  stroke  of  this  cross, 
 it  rebounded  off'  Him  on  upon  you,  and  ye  got  it  at  the  second 
 hand,  and  ye  and  He  are  halvers^  in  it.  And  I  shall  believe  for 
 my  part,  He  inindeth  to  distil  heaven  out  of  this  loss,  and  all 
 others  the  like ;  for  wisdom  de>''ised  it,  and  love  laid  it  on,  and 
 Christ  owneth  it  as  His  own,  and  putteth  your  shoulder  only  be- 
 neath a  piece  of  it.  Take  it  with  joy  as  no  bastard  cross,  but  as 
 a  visitation  of  God  well-born  ;  and  spend  the  rest  of  your  appointed 
 time,  till  your  change  come,  in  the  work  of  believing ;  and  let 
 faith,  that  never  yet  made  a  lie  to  you,  speak  for  God's  part  of  it, 
 "  He  will  not.  He  doth  not  make  you  a  sea  or  a  whale-fish,  that 
 He  keepeth  you  in  ward,"  Job  vii.  12.  It  may  be,  ye  think  not 
 many  of  the  children  of  God  in  such  a  hard  case  as  yourself;  but 
 what  would  ye  think  of  some,  who  would  exchange  afflictions,  and 
 give  you  to  the  boot  1  but  I  know,  yours  must  be  your  own  alone, 
 and  Christ's  together.  I  confess  it  seemed  strange  to  me  that 
 your  Lord  should  have  done  that  which  seemeth  to  ding^  out  the 
 bottom  of  your  comforts  worldly  ;  but  we  see  not  to  the  ground 
 of  the  Almighty's  sovereignty ;  "  He  goeth  by  on  our  right  hand, 
 and  on  our  left  hand,  and  we  see  Him  not."  We  see  but  pieces 
 of  the  broken  links  of  the  chain  of  His  providence,  and  He  coggeth 
 the  wheels  of  His  own  providence,  that  we  see  not.  0  let  the 
 Former  work  His  own  clay  in  what  frame  He  pleaseth  !  "  Shall 
 any  teach  the  Almighty  knowledge?"  If  He  pursue  dry  stubble, 
 who  dare  say,  "What  doest  thou?"  Do  not  wonder  to  see  the 
 Judge  of  the  world  weave  in  one  web  your  mercies,  and  the 
 judgments  of  the  house  of  Kenraure.  He  can  make  one  web  of 
 coatraries.  But  my  weak  advice,  Avith  reverence  and  correction, 
 were  for  you,  dear  and  worthy  lady,  to  see  how  far  mortification 
 goeth  on,  and  what  scum  the  Lord's  fire  casteth  out  of  you.  I 
 know  ye  see  your  knottiness,  since  our  Lord  whiteth^  and  heweth, 
 and  planeth  you  ;  and  the  glancing  of  the  furnace  is  to  let  you  see 
 what  scum  or  refuse  ye  must  want,*  and  what  froth  is  in  nature, 
 that  must  be  boiled  out,  and  taken  off  in  the  fire  of  your  trials. 
 I  do  not  say,  heavier  afflictions  prophesy^  heavier  guiltiness;  a 
 cross  is  often  but  a  false  prophet  in  this  kind ;  but  I  am  sure,  our 
 Lord  would  have  the  tin  and  the  bastard  metal  in  you  removed ; 
 lest  the  Lord  say,  "  The  bellows  are  burnt,  the  lead  is  consumed  in 
 the  fire,  the  founder  melteth  in  vain,"  Jer.  vi.  29.  And  I  shall 
 hope,  that  grief  shall  not  so  far  smother  your  light,  as  not  to 
 practise  this  so  necessary  a  duty,  to  concur  with  Him  in  this 
 blessed  design.     I  would  gladly  plead  for  the  Comforter's  part  of 
 
 ^  Sharers.  -  ]  >i-ive. 
 
 *  Taketh  off  the  bark,  so  as  to  show  the  white  wood.         ■*  Be  deprived  of. 
 ^  rroclaim. 
 
PAKT  II,]  LETTEK  XXVI.  411 
 
 it,  not  against  you,  madam  (for  I  am  sure  ye  are  not  His  party ^), 
 but  against  your  gi'ief,  which  will  have  its  own  violent  incursions 
 in  your  soul ;  and  I  think  it  be  not  in  your  power  to  help  it.  But 
 I  must  say,  there  are  comforts  allowed  upon  you  ;  and  therefore 
 want  them  not.  When  ye  have  got  a  running-over  soul  with  joy 
 now,  that  joy  Avill  never  be  missed  out  of  the  infinite  ocean  of  de- 
 light which  is  not  diminished  by  drinking  at  it,  or  drawing  out  of 
 it.  It  is  a  Christian  art,  to  comfort  yourself  in  the  Lord  ;  to  say, 
 I  was  obliged  to  render  back  again  this  child  to  the  Giver ;  and  if 
 I  have  hacl  four  years'  loan  of  him,  and  Christ  eternity's  possession 
 of  him,  the  Lord  hath  kept  conditions  with  me.  If  my  Lord  would 
 not  have  him  and  me  to  tryst  ^  both  in  one  hour,  at  death's  door- 
 threshold  together,  it  is  His  wisdom  so  to  do,  I  am  satisfied  ;  my 
 tryst ^  is  suspended,  not  broken  off,  nor  given  up.  Madam,  I 
 would  I  could  divide  sorrow  with  you,  for  your  ease ;  but  I  am 
 but  a  beholder,  it  is  easy  to  me  to  speak.  The  God  of  comfort 
 speak  to  you,  and  allure  you  with  His  feasts  of  love.  My  removal 
 from  my  flock  is  so  heavy  to  me,  that  it  maketh  my  life  a  burden 
 to  me  ;  I  had  never  such  a  longing  for  death.  The  Lord  help  and 
 hold  up  sad  clay.  I  fear  ye  sin  in  drawing  Mr.  William  Dalgleish 
 from  this  country,  where  the  labourers  are  few,  and  the  harvest 
 great.  Madam,  desire  my  Lord  Argyle  to  see  for  provision  to  a 
 pastor  for  this  poor  people.     Grace  be  with  you. 
 
 Your  ladyship,  at  all  obedience  in  Christ,         S.  li. 
 Kirkcudbright,  Oct.  1,  1639. 
 
 LETTER  XXVL— To  the  Persecuted  Church  in  Ireland. 
 
 Much  honoured,  reverend,  and  dearly  beloved  in  our 
 Lord, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you  all.  I  know  there  are 
 many  in  this  nation,  more  able  than  I,  to  speak  to  the  sufferers 
 for,  and  witnesses  of  Jesus  Christ ;  yet  pardon  me  to  speak  a  little 
 to  you,  who  are  called  in  question  for  the  Gospel,  once  committed 
 to  you.  I  hope  ye  are  not  ignorant,  that  if  peace  was  left  to  you 
 in  Christ's  testament,  so  the  other  half  of  the  testament  was  a 
 legacy  of  Christ's  sufferings,  John  xvi.  35,  "  These  things  I  have 
 spoken,  that  in  me  ye  might  have  peace ;  in  the  world,  ye  shall 
 have  trouble."  Because  then  ye  are  made  assignees  and  heirs  to  a 
 life-rent  of  Christ's  cross,  think  that  fiery  trial  no  strange  thing ; 
 for  the  Lord  Jesus  shall  be  no  loser  by  purging  the  dross  and  tin 
 out  of  His  church  in  Ireland  :  His  wine-press  is  but  squeezing  out 
 the  dregs,  the  scum,  the  froth,  and  refuse  of  that  church.  I  had 
 once  the  proof  of  the  sweet  smell,  and  the  honest  and  honourable 
 peace,  of  that  slandered  thing,  the  cross  of  our  Lord  Jesus.  But 
 '  Opponent.  '^  Meet.  *  Meeting. 
 
412  LETTER  XXVI.  [PART  II. 
 
 though  (alas !)  tliat  these  golden  days  that  then  I  had,  be  now  in 
 a  great  part  gone  ;  yet  I  dare  say,  that  the  issue  and  out-gate  of 
 your  sutferings  shall  be  the  advantage,  the  golden  reign  and  do- 
 minion of  the  Gospel,  and  the  high  glory  of  the  never-enough- 
 praised  Prince  of  the  kings  of  the  earth,  and  the  changing  of  the 
 brass  of  the  Lord's  temple  among  you  into  gold,  and  the  iron  into 
 silver,  and  the  wood  into  brass ;  "  your  officers  shall  yet  be  peace, 
 and  your  exactors  righteousness,"  Isa.  Ix.  17,  18.  Your  old  fallen 
 walls  shall  get  a  new  name,  and  the  gates  of  your  Jerusalem  shall 
 get  a  new  style;  "they  shall  call  your  walls.  Salvation,  and  your 
 gates.  Praise."  I  know  that  deputy,  prelates,  papists,  temporizing 
 lords,  and  proud  mockers  of  our  Lord,  crucifiers  of  Christ  for  His 
 coat,  and  all  your  enemies,  have  neither  fingers  nor  instruments  of 
 war  to  pick  out  one  stone  out  of  your  wall,  for  each  stone  of  your 
 wall  is  salvation.  I  dare  give  you  my  royal  and  princely  Master's 
 word  for  it,  that  Ireland  shall  be  a  fair  bride  to  Jesus,  and  Christ 
 shall  build  on  her  a  palace  of  silver.  Cant.  viii.  9.  Therefore,  weep 
 not  as  if  there  were  no  hope  ;  fear  not,  put  on  strength,  "put  on 
 your  beautiful  garments,"  Isa.  Hi.  1.  "  Your  foundation  shall  be 
 sapphires,"  Isa.  liv.  11,  12.  "Your  windows  and  gates  precious 
 stones."  Look  over  the  water,  and  behold  and  see  who  is  on  the 
 dry  land  waiting  for  your  landing ;  your  deliverance  is  concluded, 
 subscribed,  and  sealed  in  heaven  :  your  goods  that  are  taken  from 
 you,  for  Christ  and  His  truth's  sake,  are  but  arrested  and  laid  in 
 pawn,  and  not  taken  away.  There  is  much  laid  up  for  you  in  His 
 store-house,  whose  the  earth  and  the  fulness  thereof  is  ;  your  gar- 
 ments are  spun,  and  your  flocks  are  feeding  in  the  fields  ;  your 
 bread  is  laid  up  for  you,  your  drink  is  browen,^  your  gold  and  sil- 
 ver is  at  the  bank,  and  the  interest  goeth  on  and  groweth ;  and 
 yet  I  hear,  that  your  task-masters  do  rob  and  spoil  you  and  fine 
 you  :  your  piisons  (my  brethren)  have  two  keys,  the  deputy,  pre- 
 lates, and  officers  keep  but  the  iron  keys  of  the  prison  wherein 
 they  put  you ;  but  He  that  hath  created  the  smith,  hath  other 
 keys  in  heaven ;  therefore  ye  shall  not  die  in  the  prison  :  other 
 men's  ploughs  are  labouring  for  your  bread,  your  enemies  are 
 gathering  in  your  rents.  He  that  is  kissing  His  bride  on  this  side 
 of  the  sea  in  Scotland,  is  beating  her  beyond  the  sea  in  Ireland, 
 and  feeding  her  with  the  bread  of  adversity  and  the  water  of  af- 
 fliction ;  and  yet  He  is  the  same  Lord  to  both.  Alas  !  I  fear  that 
 Scotland  be  undone  and  slain,  with  this  great  mercy  of  reformation, 
 because  there  is  not  here  that  life  of  religion,  answerable  to  the 
 huge  greatness  of  the  work  that  dazzleth  our  eyes.  For  the  Lord 
 *is  rejoicing  over  us  in  this  land,  as  the  bridegroom  rejoiceth  over 
 the  bride,  and  the  Lord  hath  changed  the  name  of  Scotland  ;  they 
 
 Brewed. 
 
PART  II.]  LETTER  XXVL  413 
 
 call  us  now  no  more  forsaken  nor  desolate,  but  our  land  is  called 
 Hephzibali  and  Beulah.  Isa.  Ixii.  4,  "  For  the  Lord  delighteth  in 
 us,  and  this  land  is  married  to  Himself;"  "  There  is  now  an  high- 
 way made  through  our  Zion,  and  it  is  called  the  way  of  holiness  ; 
 the  unclean  shall  not  pass  over  it;  the  Avayfaring  men,  though 
 fools,  shall  not  err  in  it ;  the  wilderness  doth  rejoice  and  blossom 
 as  the  rose  :  the  ransomed  of  the  Lord  are  returned  back  unto  Zion, 
 with  songs  and  everlasting  joy  upon  their  heads,"  Isa.  xxxv.  The 
 Canaanite  is  put  out  of  our  Lord's  house  ;  there  is  not  a  beast  left 
 to  do  hurt  (at  least  professedly)  in  all  the  holy  mountain  of  the 
 Lord ;  our  Lord  is  fallen  to  wrestle  with  His  enemies,  and  hath 
 brought  us  out  of  Egypt ;  we  have  the  strength  of  an  unicorn. 
 Numb,  xxiii.  22.  The  Lord  hath  eaten  up  the  sons  of  Babel,  He 
 hath  broken  their  bones,  and  hath  pierced  them  through  with  His 
 arrows  ;  we  take  them  captives  whose  captives  we  Avere,  and  we 
 rule  over  our  oppressors.  Isa.  xiv.  2.  It  is  not  brick,  nor  clay, 
 nor  Babel's  cursed  timber  and  stones,  that  is  in  our  second  temple ; 
 but  our  princely  King  Jesus  is  building  His  house  all  palace-work 
 and  carved  stones,  it  is  the  habitation  of  the  Lord.  We  do  wel- 
 come Ireland  and  England  to  our  Well-Beloved.  We  invite  you, 
 0  daughters  of  Jerusalem,  to  come  down  to  our  Lord's  garden,  and 
 seek  our  Well-Beloved  with  us  ;  for  His  love  will  suffice  both  you 
 and  us  :  we  do  send  love-letters  over  the  sea,  to  request  you  to 
 come  and  to  marry  our  King,  and  to  take  part  of  our  bed  ;  and  we 
 trust  our  Lord  is  fetching  a  blow  upon  the  beast  and  the  scarlet- 
 coloured  Avhore,  to  the  end  He  may  bring  in  His  ancient  widow- 
 wife,  our  dear  sister,  the  church  of  the  Jews.  0,  what  a  heavenly 
 heaven  Avere  it  to  see  them  come  in  by  this  mean,  and  suck  the 
 breasts  of  their  little  sister,  and  renew  their  old  love  Avith  their 
 first  Husband,  Christ  our  Lord  !  They  are  booked  in  God's  Avord, 
 as  a  bride  contracted  upon  ^  Jesus  :  0  for  a  sight,  in  this  flesh  of 
 mine,  of  the  prophesied  marriage  between  Christ  and  them  !  The 
 kings  of  Tarshish  and  the  isles  must  bring  presents  to  our  Lord 
 Jesus,  Ps.  Ixxii.  10.  And  Britain  is  one  of  the  chiefest  isles  : 
 why  then  but  we  may  believe  that  our  kings  of  this  island  shall 
 come  in,  and  bring  their  glory  to  the  New  Jerusalem,  Avherein 
 Christ  shall  dwell  in  the  latter  days  !  It  is  our  part  to  pray,  that 
 the  kingdoms  of  the  earth  may  become  Christ's.  Noav  I  exhort 
 you  in  the  Lord  Jesus,  not  to  be  dismayed  nor  afraid  for  the  two 
 tails  of  these  tAvo  smoking  fire-brands,  the  fierce  anger  of  the 
 deputy  Avith  his  civil  poAver,  and  of  the  bastard  prelates  Avith  the 
 power  of  the  beast,  for  they  shall  be  cut  off :  they  may  Avell  eat 
 you  and  drink  you,  but  they  shall  be  forced  to  vomit  you  out  again' 
 alive.     If  two  things  were  firmly  believed,  sufferings  Avould  have 
 
 '  To. 
 
414  LETTER  XXVI.  [PART  IL 
 
 no  weiglit.  If  the  fellowship  of  Christ's  sufferings  were  well  known, 
 who  would  not  gladly  take  part  with  Jesus  1  for  Christ  and  we 
 are  halvers  ^  and  joint-owners  of  one  and  the  same  cross  :  and 
 therefore,  he  that  knew  well  what  sufferings  were,  as  he  esteemed 
 all  things  but  loss  for  Christ,  and  did  judge  them  but  dung,  so  did 
 he  also  judge  of  them,  that  He  might  know  the  fellowship  of  His 
 sufferings,  Phil.  iii.  10.  0  how  sweet  a  sight  is  it  to  see  a  cross 
 betwixt  Christ  and  us ;  to  hear  our  Redeemer  say,  at  every  sigh 
 and  every  blow,  and  every  loss  of  a  believer,  half  mine  !  so  they 
 are  called  the  sufferings  of  Christ,  and  the  reproach  of  Christ,  Col. 
 ii.  24,  Heb.  xi.  26.  As  when  two  are  partners  and  owners  of  a 
 ship,  the  half  of  the  gain,  and  the  half  of  the  loss  belongeth  to 
 either  of  the  two  ;  so  Christ  in  our  sufferings  is  half-gainer  and 
 half-loser  with  us.  Yea,  the  heaviest  end  of  the  black  tree  of  the 
 cross  lieth  on  your  Lord  ;  it  falleth  first  upon  Him,  and  it  but  re- 
 boundeth  off  Him  upon  you  ;  "  The  reproaches  of  them  tliat  re- 
 proached thee  are  fallen  upon  me,"  Ps.  Ixix.  9.  Your  sufferings 
 are  your  treasure,  and  are  greater  riches  than  the  treasures  of 
 Egypt,  Heb.  xi.  26.  And  if  your  cross  come  first  through  Christ's 
 fingers,  ere  it  come  to  you,  it  receiveth  a  fair  lustre  from  Him,  it 
 getteth  a  taste  and  a  relish  of  the  King's  spikenard  and  of  heaven's 
 perfume ;  and  the  lialf  of  the  gain,  when  Christ's  shipful  of  gold 
 Cometh  home,  shall  be  yours.  It  is  an  augmenting  of  your  treasure 
 to  be  rich  in  sufferings,  "  to  be  in  labours  abundant,  in  stripes 
 above  measure,"  2  Cor.  xi.  23 ;  "  and  to  have  the  sufferings  of 
 Christ  abounding  in  you,"  2  Cor.  i.  5,  is  a  part  of  heaven's  stock. 
 Your  goods  are  not  lost  which  they  have  plucked  from  you,  for 
 your  Lord  hath  them  in  keeping ;  they  are  but  arrested  and  seized 
 upon.  He  shall  loose  the  arrest.  "  Ye  shall  be  fed  with  the  heri- 
 tage of  Jacob  your  father ;  for  the  mouth  of  the  Lord  hath  spoken 
 it,"  Isa.  xxxviii.  14.  Till  I  shall  be  in  the  hall-fl,oorof  the  highest 
 palace,  and  get  a  draught  of  glory  out  of  Christ's  hand,  above  and 
 beyond  time,  and  beyond  death,  I  will  never,  it  is  like,^  see  fairer 
 days  than  I  saw  under  that  blessed  tree  of  my  Lord's  cross.  His 
 kisses  then  were  king's  kisses,  these  kisses  were  sweet  and  soul-re- 
 viving. One  of  them  at  that  time  was  worth  two  and  a  half  (if  I 
 may  speak  so)  of  Christ's  week-day  kisses.  0  sweet,  sweet  for 
 evermore,  to  see  a  rose  of  heaven  growing  in  as  ill  ground  as  hell  ; 
 and  to  see  Christ's  love,  His  embracements,  His  dinners  and  sup- 
 pers of  joy,  peace,  faith,  goodness,  long-suffering  and  patience, 
 growing  and  springing  like  the  flowers  of  God's  garden,  out  of  such 
 stony  and  cursed  ground  as  the  hatred  of  the  prelates  and  the 
 mahce  of  their  high  commission,  and  the  Antichrist's  bloody  hand 
 and  heart !     Is  not  here  art  and  wisdom  ?     Is  not  here  heaven  in- 
 
 ^  Partners.  -  Probable. 
 
PART  II.]  LETTER  XXVI.  415 
 
 dented  in  hell  (if  I  may  say  so)  like  a  jewel  set  with  skill  in  a  ring 
 with  the  enamel  of  Christ's  cross  ?  The  ruby  and  riches  of  glory, 
 that  growth  up  out  of  this  cross,  is  beyond  telling.  Now  the 
 blackest  and  hottest  wrath,  and  most  fiery  and  all-devouring  in- 
 dignation of  the  Judge  of  men  and  angels,  shall  come  upon  them 
 that  deny  our  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  and  put  their  hand  to  that  oath 
 of  wickedness  now  pressed.  The  Lord's  coal  at  their  heart  shall 
 burn  them  up  both  root  and  branch.  The  estates  of  great  men, 
 that  have  done  so,  if  they  do  not  repent,  shall  consume  away,  and 
 the  ravens  shall  dwell  in  their  houses,  and  their  glory  shall  be 
 shame.  0,  for  the  Lord's  sake,  keep  fast  by  Christ,  and  fear  not 
 man  that  shall  die  and  wither  as  the  grass.  The  deputy's  bloom 
 shall  fail,  and  the  prelates  shall  cast  their  flower,  and  the  east  wind 
 of  the  Lord,  of  the  Lord  strong  and  mighty,  shall  blast  and  break 
 them.  Therefore,  fear  them  not,  they  are  but  idols,  that  can 
 neither  do  evil  nor  good.  Walk  not  in  the  way  of  those  people 
 that  slander  the  footsteps  of  our  royal  and  princely  anointed  King 
 Jesus,  now  riding  upon  His  white  horse  in  Scotland.  Let  Jehovah 
 be  your  fear.  That  decree  of  Zion's  deliverance,  passed  and  sealed 
 up  before  the  throne,  is  now  ripe,  and  shall  bring  forth  a  child, 
 even  the  ruin  and  fall  of  the  black  prelates'  kingdom  and  the 
 Antichrist's  throne  in  these  kingdoms.  The  Lord  hath  begun,  and 
 He  shall  make  an  end.  Who  did  ever  hear  the  like  of  this  1 
 Before  Scotland  travailed,  she  brought  forth  ;  and  before  her  pain 
 came,  she  was  delivered  of  a  man  child,  Lsa.  Ixvi.  7,  8.  And  when 
 all  is  done,  suppose  there  Avere  no  sweetness  in  our  Lord's  cross ; 
 yet  it  is  sweet  for  His  sake,  for  that  lovely  one,  Jesus  Christ, 
 whose  crown  and  royal  supremacy  is  the  question  this  day  in 
 Great  Britain  betwixt  us  and  our  adversaries.  And  who  would 
 not  think  Him  worthy  of  the  suffering  for  ?  What  is  burning 
 quick  1  What  is  drinking  of  our  own  heart's  blood  1  and  what  is 
 a  draught  of  melted  lead  for  His  glory  1  Less  than  a  drink  of  cold 
 water  to  a  thirsty  man,  if  the  right  price  and  due  value  were  put 
 on  that  worthy,  worthy  Prince,  Jesus.  0  !  who  can  weigh  Him  ? 
 Ten  thousand  thousand  heavens  would  not  be  one  scale,  or  the  half 
 of  the  scale  of  the  balance  to  lay  Him  in.  0  black  angels,  in 
 comparison  with  Him  !  0  dim,  and  dark,  and  lightless  sun,  in 
 regard  of  ^  that  fair  Sun  of  righteousness  !  0  feckless  and  worthless 
 heaven  of  heavens,  when  they  stand  beside  my  worthy,  and  lofty, 
 aud  high,  and  excellent  Well-Beloved !  0  weak  and  infirm  clay 
 kings  !  0  soft  and  feeble  mountains  of  brass,  and  weak  created 
 strength,  in  regard  of  ^  our  mighty  and  strong  Lord  of  armies  !  0 
 foolish  wisdom  of  men  and  angels,  when  it  is  laid  in  the  balance 
 beside  that  spotless  substantial  Wisdom  of  the  Father  !  If  heaven 
 ^  In  comparison  with. 
 
416  LETTEK  XXVI.  [PART  U. 
 
 jind  earth,  and  ten  thousand  heavens,  even  round  about  these 
 heavens  that  now  are,  were  all  in  one  garden  of  paradise,  decked 
 with  all  the  fairest  roses,  flowers,  and  trees,  that  can  come  forth 
 from  the  art  of  the  Almighty  Himself ;  yet  set  but  our  one  Flower, 
 that  groweth  out  of  the  root  of  Jesse,  beside  that  orchard  of  pleasure, 
 one  look  of  Him,  one  view,  one  taste,  one  smell  of  His  sweet  God- 
 head would  infinitely  exceed,  and  go  beyond,  the  smell,  colour, 
 beauty,  and  loveliness  of  that  paradise.  0  to  be  with  child  of  His 
 love,  and  to  be  suffocated  (if  that  could  be)  with  the  smell  of  His 
 sweetness,  were  a  sweet  fill  and  lovely  pain  !  0  worthy,  worthy 
 loveliness  !  0  less  of  the  creatures,  and  more  of  Thee  !  0,  open 
 the  passage  of  the  well  of  love  and  glory  on  us  dry  pits  and 
 withered  trees  !  0,  that  Jewel  and  Flower  of  heaven  !  If  our 
 Beloved  were  not  mistaken  by  us,  and  unknown  to  us.  He  would 
 have  no  scarcity  of  Avooers  and  suitors  ;  He  would  make  heaven 
 and  eai^  both  see  that  they  cannot  quench  His  love,  for  His  love 
 is  a  sea.  0,  to  be  a  thousand  fathoms  deep  in  this  sea  of  love  ! 
 He,  He  Himself,  is  more  excellent  than  heaven  ;  for  heaven,  as  it 
 Cometh  into  the  souls  and  spirits  of  the  glorified,  is  but  a  creature  ; 
 and  He  is  something,  and  a  great  something,  more  than  a  creature. 
 0  what  a  life  were  it  to  sit  beside  this  well  of  love,  and  drink  and 
 sing,  and  sing  and  drink  ;  and  then  to  have  desires  and  soul- 
 faculties  stretched  and  extended  out  many  thousand  fathoms  in 
 length  and  breadth,  to  take  in  seas  and  rivers  of  love  !  I  earnestly 
 desire  to  recommend  this  love  to  you,  that  this  love  may  cause 
 you  to  keep  His  commandments,  and  to  keep  clean  fingers,  and 
 make  clean  feet,  that  ye  may  walk  as  the  redeemed  of  the  Lord. 
 Woe,  woe  be  to  them  that  put  on  His  name,  and  shame  this  love 
 of  Christ  with  a  loose  and  profane  life  ;  their  feet,  their  tongue, 
 and  hands,  and  eyes  give  a  shameless  lie  to  the  holy  Gospel,  which 
 they  profess.  I  beseech  you  in  the  Lord,  keep  Christ,  and  walk 
 with  Him ;  let  not  His  fairness  be  spotted  and  stained  by  godless 
 living.  0  !  who  can  find  in  their  heart  to  sin  against  love  1  And 
 such  a  love  as  the  glorified  in  heaven  shall  delight  to  dive  into 
 and  drink  of  for  ever ;  for  tliey  are  evermore  drinking  in  love,  and 
 the  cup  is  still  at  their  head,  and  yet  without  loathing  ;  for  they 
 still  drink,  and  still  desire  to  drink,  for  ever  and  ever ;  is  not  this 
 a  long-lasting  supper?  Now,  if  any  of  our  country  people,  pro- 
 fessing Christ  Jesus,  have  brought  themselves  under  the  stroke 
 and  wrath  of  the  Almighty,  by  yielding  to  Antichrist  in  an  hair- 
 breadth, but  especially  by  swearing  and  subscribing  that  blasphe- 
 mous oath  (which  is  the  church  of  Ireland's  black  hour  of  tempta- 
 tion), I  would  entreat  them,  by  the  mercies  of  God  at  their  last 
 summons,  to  repent,  and  openly  confess  before  the  world,  to  the 
 glory  of  the  Lord,  their  denial  of  Christ.     Or  otherwise,  if  either 
 
PABT  II.]  LETTER  XXVII.  417 
 
 man  or  woman  will  stand  and  abide  by  that  oath,  then,  in  the 
 name  and  authority  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  I  let  them  see  that  they 
 forfeit  their  part  of  heaven  ;  a-nd  let  them  look  for  no  less  than  a 
 back-burden  of  the  pure  unmixed  wrath  of  God,  and  the  plague  of 
 apostates  and  deniers  of  our  Lord  Jesus.  Let  not  me,  a  stranger 
 to  you,  who  never  saw  your  face  in  the  flesh,  be  thought  bold  in 
 writing  to  you ;  for  the  hope  I  have  of  a  glorious  Church  in  that 
 land,  and  the  love  of  Christ,  constraineth  me.  I  know,  the  worthy 
 servants  of  Christ,  who  once  laboured  among  you,  cease  not  to 
 write  to  you  also ;  and  I  shall  desire  to  be  excused  that  I  do  join 
 with  them.  Pray  for  your  sister  church  in  Scotland,  and  let  me 
 entreat  you  for  the  aid  of  your  prayers  for  myself,  and  flock,  and 
 ministry,  and  my  fear  of  a  transportation  from  this  place  of  tile 
 Lord's  vineyard.  Now,  the  very  God  of  peace  sanctify  you 
 throughout.  Grace  be  with  you  all.  Your  brother  and  companion 
 in  the  kingdom  and  patience  of  Jesus  Christ,  S.  R. 
 
 Anwoth,  1639.  
 
 LETTEE  XXVIL— To  his  Reverend  and  Much  Honoured  Brother, 
 Dr.    Alexander  Leighton,  Christ's  prisoner  in  bonds  at 
 London. 
 Reverend  and  much  honoured  Prisoner  of  Hope, — Grace, 
 mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you.     It  was  not  my  part,  whom  our  Lord 
 hath  enlarged,  to  forget  you  His  prisoner.     When  I  consider  how 
 long  your  night  hath  been,  I  think  Christ  hath  a  mind  to  put  you, 
 in  free  grace's  debt,  so  much  the  deeper,  as  your  suff'erings  have 
 been  of  so  long  a  continuance.     But  what  if  Christ  mind  ^  you  no 
 joy  but  public  joy,  with  enlarged  and  triumphing  Zion  ]     I  think,/ 
 sir,  ye  wouldjoye  i^  best,  to  share  and  divide  your  song  of  joy^ 
 with^ETony  and  to  have  mystical  Christ  in  Britain  halver  -  and ') 
 
 '  compartner  with  your  enlargement.     I  am  sure,  your  joy,  border-  ' 
 ing  and  neighbouring  with  the  joy  of  Christ's  bride,  would  be  so 
 
 (much  the  sweeter  that  it  were  public.  I  thought,  if  Christ  had 
 halved  my  mercies,  and  delivered  His  bride  and  not  me,  that  His 
 praises  should  have  been  double  to  what  they  are ;  but  now  two 
 rich  mercies,  conjoined  in  one,  have  stolen  from  our  Lord  more 
 than  half  praises.  0,  that  mercy  should  so  beguile  us,  and  steal 
 away  our  counts  and  acknowledgments !  Worthy  sir,  I  hope  I 
 need  not  exhort  you  to  go  on  in  hoping  for  the  salvation  of  God. 
 There  hath  not  been  so  much  taken  from  your  time  of  ease  and 
 created  joys  as  eternity  shall  add  to  your  heaven.  Ye  know,  when 
 one  day  in  heaven  hath  paid  you,  yea,  and  overpaid  your  blood, 
 bonds,  sorrow,  and  sufferings,  that  it  would  trouble  angels'  under- 
 standing to  lay  the  count  of  that  surplus  of  glory  which  eternity  can 
 
 '  Intend.  2  gJiai-er. 
 
 2d 
 
415?  LETTER  XXVII.  [PAliT  II. 
 
 and  will  give  you.  O,  bub  your  sand-glass  of  sufferings  and  losses 
 Cometh  to  little,  when  it  shall  be  counted  and  compared  with  the 
 glory  that  abideth  you  on  the  other  side  of  the  water !  Ye  have 
 no  leisure  to  rejoice  and  sing  here,  while  time  goeth  about  you,  and 
 where  your  psalms  will  be  short ;  therefore  ye  will  think  eternity 
 and  the  long  day  of  heaven,  that  shall  be  measured  with  no  other 
 sun  nor  horologe  than  the  long  life  of  the  "  Ancient  of  days,"  to 
 measure  your  praises,  little  enough  for  you.  If  your  span-length 
 of  time  be  cloudy,  ye  cannot  but  think  your  Lord  can  no  more 
 take  your  blood  and  your  bands  Avithout  the  income  and  recom])ense 
 of  free  grace,  than  H  e  would  take  the  sufferings  of  Paul,  and  His 
 other  dear  servants,  that  were  well  paid  home,  beyond  all  count- 
 ing, Kom.  viii.  18.  If  the  wisdom  of  Christ  hath  made  you  Anti- 
 christ's eye-sore,  and  his  envy,  ye  are  to  thank  God  that  such  a 
 piece  of  clay  as  ye  are  is  made  the  field  of  glory  to  work  upon.  It 
 was  the  potter's  aim  that  the  clay  should  praise  Him  :  and  I  hope 
 it  satisfieth  you  that  your  clay  is  for  His  glory.  0,  who  can  suffer 
 enough  for  such  a  Lord  1  and  who  can  lay  out  in  bank  enough  of 
 pain,  shame,  losses,  tortures,  to  receive  in  again  the  free  interest 
 of  eternal  glory  ?  2  Cor.  iv.  1 7.  O,  how  advantageous  a  bargain- 
 ing is  it  with  such  a  rich  Lord  !  If  your  hand  and  pen  had  been  at 
 leisure  to  gain  glory  in  paper,  it  had  been  but  paper-glory ;  but 
 the  bearing  of  a  public  cross  so  long,  for  the  now  controverted 
 privileges  of  the  crown  and  sceptre  of  free  King  Jesus,  the  Prince 
 of  the  kings  of  the  earth,  is  glory  booked  in  heaven.  Worthy  and 
 dear  brother,  if  ye  go  to  weigh  Jesus's  sweetness,  excellency,  glory, 
 and  beauty,  and  lay  sore  against  Him  your  ounces  or  drachms  of 
 suffering  for  Him,  ye  shall  be  straitened  two  ways.  1.  It  will  be 
 a  pain  to  make  the  comparison,  the  disproportion  being  by  no 
 understanding  imaginable  :  nay,  if  heaven's  arithmetic  and  angels 
 were  set  to  work,  they  should  never  number  the  degrees  or  differ- 
 ence. 2.  It  should  straiten  you  to  find  a  scale  for  the  balance 
 to  lay  that  high  and  lofty  One,  that  over-transcending  Prince  of 
 excellency  into.  If  your  mind  could  fancy  as  many  created  hea- 
 vens as  time  hath  had  minutes,  trees  have  had  leaves,  and  clouds 
 have  had  rain-drops,  since  the  first  stone  of  the  creation  was  laid, 
 they  should  not  make  half  a  scale  to  bear  and  weigh  boundless  ex- 
 cellency into.  And  therefore  the  King,  whose  marks  ye  are  bear- 
 ing, and  whose  dying  ye  carry  about  with  you  in  your  body,  is,  out 
 of  all  cry  and  consideration,  beyond  and  above  all  our  thoughts. 
 For  myself,  I  am  content  to  feed  upon  wondering  sometimes,  at 
 the  beholding  but  of  the  borders  and  skirts  of  the  incomparable 
 glory  which  is  in  that  exalted  Prince ;  and  I  think  ye  could  wish 
 for  more  ears  to  give  Him  than  ye  have,  since  ye  hope  these  ears 
 
PART  II.]  LETTER  XXVIII.  419 
 
 ye  now  have  given  Him  ^  shall  be  passages  to  take  in  the  music  of 
 His  glorious  voice.  I  would  fain  both  believe  and  pray  for  a  new 
 bride  of  Jews  and  Gentiles  to  our  Lord  Jesus,  after  the  land  of 
 graven  images  shall  be  laid  waste ;  and  that  our  Lord  Jesus  is  on 
 horseback,  hunting  and  pursuing  the  beast ;  and  that  England  and 
 Ireland  shall  be  well-swept  chambers  for  Christ  and  His  righteous- 
 ness to  dwell  in ;  for  He  hath  opened  our  graves  in  Scotland,  and 
 the  two  dead  and  buried  witnesses  are  risen  again,  and  are  pro- 
 phesying. 0,  that  ])rinces  would  glory  and  boast  themselves  in 
 carrying  the  train  of  Christ's  robe-royal  in  their  arras  !  Let  me 
 die  within  half  an  hour  after  I  have  seen  the  Son  of  God's  temple 
 enlarged,  and  the  cords  of  Jerusalem's  tent  lengthened,  to  take  in 
 a  more  numerous  company  for  a  bride  to  the  Son  of  God.  0,  if 
 the  corner  or  foundation-stone  of  that  house,  that  new  house,  were 
 laid  above  my  grave.  0  !  who  can  add  to  Him,  who  is  that  great 
 All !  If  He  would  create  suns  and  moons,  new  heavens,  thousand 
 thousand  degrees  more  perfect  than  these  that  now  are ;  and  again 
 make  a  new  creation  ten  thousand  thousand  degrees  in  perfection 
 beyond  that  new  creation ;  and  again,  still  for  eternity  multiply 
 new  heavens  ;  they  should  never  be  a  perfect  resemblance  of  that 
 infinite  excellency,  order,  weight,  measure,  beauty,  and  sweetness 
 that  is  in  Him.  0  how  little  of  Him  do  we  see  !  0  how  shallow 
 are  our  thoughts  of  Him !  0  if  I  had  pain  for  Him,  and  shame 
 and  losses  for  Him,  and  more  clay  and  spirits  for  Him  ;  and  that  T 
 could  go  upon  earth  without  love,  desire,  hope,  because  Christ  hath 
 taken  away  my  love,  desire,  and  hope  to  heaven  with  Him  !  I 
 know,  worthy  sir,  your  sufierings  for  Him  are  your  glory :  and 
 therefore  weary  not ;  His  salvation  is  near  hand,  and  shall  not 
 tarry.     Pray  for  me.     His  grace  be  with  you. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 
 St.  Andrews,  Nov.  22,  1639. 
 
 LETTER  XXVHL— To  Mr.  Henry  Stuart,  his  Wife,  and  Two 
 Daughters,  all  Prisoners  of  Christ  at  Dublin. 
 
 "  Tear  none  of  these  things  which  ye  shall  sufter,"  &c. — Rev.  ii.  10. 
 
 Truly  honoured  and  dearly  Beloved, — Grace,  mercy,  and 
 peace  be  to  you,  from  God  our  Father,  and  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
 Think  it  not  strange,  beloved  in  our  Lord  Jesus,  that  Satan  can 
 command  keys  of  prisons,  and  bolts,  and  chains  ;  this  is  a  piece  of 
 the  devil's  princedom  that  he  hath  over  the  world.  Interpret  and 
 understand  our  Lord  well  in  this  ;  be  not  jealous  of  His  love, 
 
 ^  Dr.  Alexander  Leighton,  father  of  Archbishop  Leighton.  siiifered  eleven 
 years'  imprisonment,  had  his  nose  slit,  and  his  ears  cut  off. 
 
420  LETTER  XXVIII.  [PAKT  II. 
 
 though  He  make  devils  and  men  His  nnder-servants  to  scour  the 
 rust  off  your  faith,  and  purge  you  from  your  dross.  And  let  me 
 charge  you,  O  prisoners  of  hope,  to  open  your  window,  and  to  look 
 out  by  faith  and  behold  heaven's  post,  that  speedy  and  swift  sal- 
 vation of  God,  that  is  coming  to  you.  It  is  a  broad  river  that 
 faith  will  not  look  over  ;  it  is  a  mighty  and  a  broad  sea,  that  they 
 of  a  lively  hope  cannot  behold  the  furthest  bank  and  other  shore 
 thereof  ;  look  over  the  water,  your  anchor  is  fixed  within  the 
 vail :  the  one  end  of  the  cable  is  about  the  prisoner  of  Christ,  and 
 the  other  is  entered  within  the  vail,  whither  the  Forerunner  is 
 entered  for  you,  Heb.  vi.  19,  20.  It  can  go  straight  through  the 
 flames  of  the  fire  of  the  M'rath  of  men,  devils,  losses,  tortures, 
 death,  and  not  a  thread  of  it  be  either  singed  or  burnt;  men  and 
 devils  have  no  teeth  to  bite  it  in  two.  Hold  fast  till  He  come  : 
 your  cross  is  of  the  colour  of  heaven  and  Christ,  and  passmented^ 
 over  with  the  faith  and  comforts  of  the  Lord's  faithful  covenant 
 with  Scotland ;  and  that  dye  and  colour  will  abide  the  foul  weathei, 
 and  neither  be  stained  nor  cast  the  colour ;  yea  it  reflects  a  scad  ^ 
 like  the  cross  of  Christ,  whose  holy  hands  many  a  day  lifted  up  to 
 God,  praying  for  sinners,  were  fettered  and  bound,  as  if  these 
 blessed  hands  had  stolen  and  shed  innocent  blood.  When  your 
 lovely,  lovely  Jesus  had  no  better  than  the  thief's  doom,  it  is  no 
 wonder  that  your  process  be  lawless  and  turned  upside  down  ;  for 
 He  was  taken,  fettered,  bufi'eted,  whipped,  spitted  upon,  before 
 He  was  convicted  of  any  fault,  or  sentenced.  0,  such  a  pair  of 
 suff'erers  and  witnesses,  as  high  and  royal  Jesus,  and  a  poor  piece 
 of  guilty  clay,  marrowed^  together  under  one  yoke  !  0,  how  lovely 
 is  the  cross  with  such  a  second  !  I  believe  that  your  prison  is 
 enacted  in  God's  court,  not  to  keep  you  till  your  hope  breathe  out 
 its  life  and  last ;  your  cross  is  under  law  to  restore  you  again  safe 
 to  your  brethren  and  sisters  in  Christ ;  take  heaven  and  Christ's 
 back-bond  for  a  fair  back-door  out  of  your  suff'ering.  The  Saviour 
 is  on  His  journey  with  salvation  and  deliverance  lor  Mount  Zion ; 
 and  the  sword  of  the  Lord  is  drunk  with  blood,  and  made  fat  with 
 fatness ;  His  sword  is  bathed  in  heaven  against  Babylon,  for  it  is 
 the  day  of  the  Lord's  vengeance,  and  the  year  of  recompense  is  for 
 the  controversy  of  Zion.  And  persuade  yourselves,  the  streams  of 
 the  rivers  of  Babylon  shall  be  pitch,  and  the  dust  of  the  land 
 "  brimstone  and  burning  pitch,"  Isa.  xxxiv.  8.  And  if  your  deli- 
 verance be  conjoined  with  the  deliverance  of  Zion,  it  shall  be  two 
 salvations  to  you.  It  were  good  to  be  armed  before-hand  for 
 death,  or  bodily  tortures  for  Christ ;  and  to  think  what  a  crown 
 of  honour  it  is,  that  God  hath  given  you  pieces  of  living  clay,  to 
 be  tortured  witnesses  for  saving  truth  ;  and  that  ye  are  so  happy 
 
 ^  Adorned.  ^  Shadow.  '  Joined. 
 
PART  II.]  LETTEK  XXVIII.  421 
 
 as  to  have  some  pints  of  blood  to  give  out  for  the  crown  of  that 
 royal  Lord,  who  hath  caused  you  to  avouch  Himself  before  men. 
 If  ye  can  lend  fines  of  three  thousand  pounds  sterling  for  Christ, 
 let  heaven's  register,  and  Christ's  count-book,  keep  in  reckoning 
 your  depursements^  for  Him ;  it  shall  be  engraven  and  printed  in 
 great  letters  upon  heaven's  throne,  what  you  are  willing  to  give 
 for  Him  ;  Christ's  papers  of  that  kind  cannot  be  lost  or  fall  by. 
 Do  not  wonder  to  see  clay  boast  ^  the  great  potter,  and  to  see 
 blinded  men  threaten  the  Gospel  with  death  and  burial,  and  to 
 raze  out  truth's  name.  But  where  will  they  make  a  grave  for  the 
 Gospel  and  the  Lord's  bride  1  earth  and  hell  shall  be  but  little 
 bounds  for  their  burial ;  lay  all  the  clay  and  rubbish  of  this  inch 
 of  the  whole  earth  above  our  Lord's  spouse,  yet  it  will  not  cover 
 her,  nor  hold  her  down  ;  she  shall  live  and  not  die;  she  shall  be- 
 hold the  salvation  of  God.  Let  your  faith  frist  ^  God  a  little,  and 
 be  not  afraid  for  a  smoking  fire-brand ;  there  is  more  smoke  in 
 Babylon's  furnace  than  there  is  fire.  Till  doomsday  shall  come, 
 they  shall  never  see  the  kirk  of  Scotland  and  our  covenant  burnt 
 to  ashes ;  or  if  it  should  be  thrown  in  the  fire,  yet  it  cannot  be  so 
 burnt  or  buried  as  not  to  have  a  resurrection ;  angry  clay's  wind 
 shall  shake  none  of  Christ's  corn  ;  He  will  gather  in  all  His  wheat 
 into  His  barn ;  only  let  your  fellowship  with  Christ  be  renewed. 
 Ye  are  sibber*  to  Christ  now,  when  you  are  imprisoned  for  Him, 
 than  before ;  for  now  the  strokes  laid  on  you  do  come  in  remem- 
 brance before  our  Lord,  and  He  can  own  His  own  wounds.  A 
 drink  of  Christ's  love,  which  is  better  than  wine,  is  the  drink-silver 
 which  suffering  for  His  Majesty  leaves  behind  it.  It  is  not  your 
 sins  which  they  persecute  in  you,  but  God's  grace  and  loyalty  to 
 King  Jesus  ;  they  see  no  treason  in  you  to  your  prince,  the  king 
 of  Britain,  albeit  they  say  so  ;  but  it  is  heaven  in  you  that  earth 
 is  fighting  against,  and  Christ  is  owning  His  own  cause.  Grace  is 
 a  party  that  fire  will  not  burn,  nor  water  drown  ;  when  they  have 
 eaten  and  drunken  you,  their  stomach  shall  be  sick,  and  they  shall 
 spue  you  out  alive.  0,  what  glory  is  it  to  be  suffering  abjects  for 
 the  Lord's  glory  and  royalty  !  Nay,  though  His  servants  had  a 
 body  to  burn  for  ever  for  this  Gospel,  so  being  that  triumphing 
 and  exalted  Jesus's  high  glory  did  rise  out  of  these  flames,  and  out 
 of  that  burning  body  ;  0,  what  a  sweet  fire !  0,  what  soul-re- 
 freshing torment  should  that  be  !  What  if  the  pickles  ^  of  dust 
 and  ashes  of  the  burnt  and  dissolved  body  were  musicians  to  sing 
 His  praises,  and  the  highness  of  that  never-enough-exalted  Prince 
 of  ages !  0,  what  love  is  it  in  Him  that  He  will  have  such 
 musicians  as  we  are,  to  tune  that  psalm  of  His  everlasting  praises 
 in  heaven  !     0,  what  shining  and  burning  flames  of  love  are  those, 
 
 ^  Pnvraentn.  -  Kail  against.  -^  Wait  for.  *  Nearer.  'Grains. 
 
422  LETTER  XXVIII.  [PART  II. 
 
 that  Christ  will  divide  His  share  of  life,  of  heaven  and  glory  with 
 you,  Luke  xxii.  2'J,  John  xvii.  24,  Rev.  iii.  21.  A  part  of  His 
 throne,  one  draught  of  His  wine  (His  wine  of  glory  and  life,  that 
 comes  from  under  the  throne  of  God,  and  of  the  Lamb),  and  one 
 apple  of  the  tree  of  life,  will  do  more  than  make  up  all  tlie  ex- 
 penses and  charges  of  clay  lent  out  for  heaven.  0 !  oh,  but  we 
 have  short,  and  narrow,  and  creeping  thoughts  of  Jesus,  and  do 
 but  shape  Christ  in  our  conceptions  according  to  some  created  por- 
 traiture !  0  angels,  lend  in  your  help  to  make  love-books  and 
 songs  of  our  fair,  and  white,  and  ruddy  Standard-bearer  amongst 
 ten  thousand.  0  heavens  !  0  heaven  of  heavens  !  0  glorified  ten- 
 ants and  triumphing  householders  with  the  Lamb,  put  in  new 
 psalms  and  love-sonnets  of  the  excellency  of  our  Bridegroom,  and 
 lielp  us  to  set  Him  on  high !  ,  0,  indwellers  of  earth  and  heaven, 
 sea  and  air,  and  0  all  ye  created  beings  within  the  bosom  of  the 
 outmost  circle  of  this  great  world,  0  come,  help  to  set  on  high  the 
 praises  of  our  Lord  !  0  fairness  of  creatures,  blush  before  His  un- 
 created beauty !  0  created  strength,  be  amazed  to  stand  before 
 your  strong  Lord  of  hosts  !  0  created  love,  think  shame  of  thy- 
 self before  this  unparalleled  love  of  heaven  !  0  angel  of  wisdom, 
 hide  thyself  before  our  Lord,  whose  understanding  passeth  finding 
 out !  0  sun,  in  thy  shining  beauty,  for  shame  put  on  a  web  of 
 darkness,  and  cover  thyself  before  thy  briglitest  Master  and 
 Maker !  O,  who  can  add  glory,  by  doing  or  suffering,  to  this 
 never-enough-admired-and-praised  Lover !  0,  we  can  but  bring 
 our  drop  to  this  sea,  and  our  candle,  dim  and  dark  as  it  is,  to  this 
 clear  and  lightsome  Sun  of  heaven  and  earth  !  0,  but  we  have 
 cause  to  drink  ten  deaths  in  one  cup  dry,  to  swim  through  ten 
 seas,  to  be  at  that  land  of  praises,  where  we  shall  see  that  wonder 
 of  wonders,  and  enjoy  this  Jewel  of  heaven's  jewels  !  0  death,  do 
 thy  utmost  against  us  !  O  torments  !  0  malice  of  men  and  devils, 
 waste  thy  strength  on  the  witnesses  of  our  Lord's  testament !  O 
 devils,  bring  hell  to  help  you,  in  tormenting  the  followers  of  the 
 Lamb  !  We  will  defy  you  to  make  us  too  soon  happy,  and  to  waft 
 us  too  soon  over  the  water,  to  the  land  where  the  noble  plant,  the 
 "  Plant  of  Renown,"  groweth.  0  cruel  time,  that  torments  us, 
 and  suspends  our  dearest  enjojanents,  that  we  wait  for,  when  we 
 shall  be  bathed  and  steeped,  soul  and  body,  down  in  the  depths  of 
 this  love  of  loves  !  0  time,  I  say,  run  fast !  0  motions,  mend 
 your  pace !  0  Well-Beloved,  be  like  a  young  roe  upon  the  moun- 
 tains of  separations !  Post,  post,  and  hasten  our  desired  and 
 hungered-for  meeting ;  love  is  sick  to  hear  tell  of  to-morrow.  And 
 what  then  can  come  wrong  to  you,  0  honourable  witnesses  of  His 
 kingly  truth  1  Men  have  no  more  of  you  to  work  upon  but  some 
 few  inches  and  span-lengths  of  sick,  coughing,  and  phlegmatic 
 
PART  11.]  LETTER  XXVIII.  423 
 
 clay :  your  spirits  are  above  their  benches,  courts,  or  high  com- 
 missions ;  your  souls,  your  love  to  Christ,  your  faith  cannot  be 
 summoned,  nor  sentenced,  nor  accused,  nor  condemned  by  pope, 
 deputy,  prelate,  ruler,  or  tyrant ;  your  faith  is  a  free  lord,  and 
 cannot  be  a  captive  :  all  the  malice  of  hell  and  earth  can  but  hurt 
 the  scabbard  of  a  believer ;  and  death  at  the  worst  can  get  but  a 
 clay-pawn  in  keeping,  till  your  Lord  make  the  King's  keys,  and 
 open  your  graves.  Therefore  upon  luck's  head  (as  we  use  to  say) 
 take  your  fill  of  His  love,  and  let  a  postway  or  causeway  be  laid 
 betwixt  your  prison  and  heaven,  and  go  up  and  visit  your  treasure. 
 Enjoy  your  Beloved,  and  dwell  upon  His  love,  till  eternity  come  in 
 tune's  room,  and  possess  you  of  your  eternal  happiness.  Keep 
 your  love  to  Christ,  lay  up  your  faith  in  heaven's  keeping,  and 
 follow  the  Chief  of  the  house  of  the  martyrs,  that  witnessed  a  fair 
 confession  before  Pontius  Pilate ;  your  cause  and  His  is  all  one. 
 The  opposers  of  His  cause  are  like  drunken  judges  and  transported, 
 who  in  their  cups  would  make  acts  and  laws  in  their  drunken  courts, 
 that  the  sun  should  not  rise  and  shine  on  the  earth ;  and  send  their 
 officers  and  pursuivants  to  charge  the  sun  and  moon  to  give  no 
 more  light  to  the  world ;  and  would  enact  in  their  court-books 
 that  the  sea,  after  once  ebbing,  should  never  flow  again ;  but 
 would  not  the  sun,  and  moon,  and  sea  break  these  acts,  and  keep 
 their  Creator's  directions  1  The  devil,  the  great  fool,  and  father 
 of  these  under-fools,  is  older  and  more  malicious  than  wise,  that 
 sets  the  spirits  in  earth  on  work,  to  contend  and  clash  with  heaven's 
 wisdom,  and  to  give  mandates  and  law-summons  to  our  Sun,  to 
 our  great  Star  of  heaven,  Jesus,  not  to  shine,  in  the  beauty  of  His 
 Gospel,  to  the  chosen  and  bought  ones.  O  thou  fair  and  fairest 
 Sun  of  Righteousness,  arise  and  shine  in  thy  strength,  whether 
 earth  and  hell  will  or  not !  0  victorious,  0  royal,  0  stout,  princely 
 soul-conqueror,  ride  prosperously  upon  truth ;  stretch  out  thy 
 sceptre  as  far  as  the  sun  shines,  and  the  moon  waxeth  and  waneth. 
 Put  on  thy  glittering  crown,  O  thou  Maker  of  kings,  and  make 
 but  one  stride,  or  one  step  of  the  whole  earth,  and  travel  in  the 
 greatness  of  thy  strength,  Isa.  Ixiii.  1,  2.  And  let  thy  apparel  be 
 rpd,  and  all  dyed  with  the  blood  of  thy  enemies :  thou  art  tallen 
 righteous  Heir  by  line  to  the  kingdoms  of  the  world.  Laugh  ye 
 at  the  giddy-headed  clay-pots,  and  stout  brain-sick  worms,  that 
 dare  say  in  good  earnest,  "  This  man  shall  not  reign  over  us ; " 
 as  though  they  were  casting  the  dice  for  Christ's  crown,  who  of 
 them  shall  have  it.  I  know  ye  believe  the  coming  of  Christ's 
 kingdom ;  and  that  there  is  a  hole  out  of  your  prison  through 
 which  ye  see  daylight.  Let  not  faith  be  dazzled  with  the  temp- 
 tations from  a  dying  deputy,  and  from  a  sick  prelate  ;  believe  under 
 a  cloud,  and  wait  ibr  Him,  when  there  is  no  moonlight  nor  star- 
 
4.24  LETTER  XXIX.  [PART  II. 
 
 liglit.  Let  faith  live  and  breathe,  and  lay  hold  on  the  sure  salva- 
 tion  of  God,  when  clouds  and  darkness  are  about  you,  and 
 appearance  of  rotting  m  the  prison  before  you;  take  heed  of 
 unbelieving  hearts,  which  can  father  lies  upon  Christ ;  beware  of, 
 "Doth  His  promise  fail  for  evermore?"  Ps.  Ixxvii.  8.  For  it 
 was  a  man  and  not  God  that  said  it,  who  dreamed  tliat  a  promise 
 of  God  could  fail,  fall  a-swoon,  or  die.  We  can  make  God  sick, 
 or  His  promises  weak,  when  we  are  pleased  to  seek  a  plea  with 
 Christ.  0  sweet,  0  stout  word  of  faith.  Job  xiii.  15,  "Though 
 He  slay  me,  yet  will  I  trust  in  Him."  0  sweet  epitaph,  written 
 on  the  grave-stone  of  a  dying  believer,  to  wit,  "  I  died  hoping,  and 
 my  dust  and  ashes  believe  life  ! "  Faith's  eyes,  that  can  see  through 
 a  millstone,  can  see  through  a  gloom  of  God,  and  under  it  read 
 God's  thoughts  of  love  and  peace.  Hold  fast  Christ  in  the  dark ; 
 surely  ye  shall  see  the  salvation  of  God.  Your  adversaries  are  ripe 
 and  dry  for  the  fire ;  yet  a  little  Avhile,  and  they  shall  go  up  in  a 
 flame ;  "  The  breath  of  the  Lord,  like  a  river  of  brimstone,  shall 
 kindle  about  them,"  Isa.  xxx.  33.  What  I  write  to  one,  I  write 
 to  you  all,  that  are  sound-hearted  in  that  kingdom,  whom,  in  the 
 bowels  of  Christ,  I  would  exhort,  not  to  touch  that  oath.  Albeit 
 the  adversaries  put  a  fair  meaning  on  it,  yet  the  swearer  must 
 swear  according  to  the  professed  intent  and  godless  practice  of  the 
 oath-makers,  which  is  known  to  the  world  ;  otherwise  I  might 
 swear  that  the  creed  is  false,  according  to  this  private  meaning 
 and  sense  put  upon  it.  0  let  them  not  be  beguiled,  to  wash  per- 
 jury, and  the  denial  of  Christ  and  the  Gospel,  with  ink-water, 
 some  foul  and  rotten  distinctions.  Wash,  and  wash  again  and 
 again  the  devil  and  the  lie,  it  shall  be  long  ere  their  skin  be  white. 
 I  profess  it  should  beseem  men  of  great  parts,  rather  than  me,  to 
 write  to  you  ;  but  I  iove  your  cause,  and  desire  to  be  excused,  and 
 must  entreat  for  the  help  of  your  prayers,  in  this  my  weighty 
 charge  here,  for  the  university  and  pulpit,  and  that  ye  would  en- 
 treat your  acquaintance  also  to  help  me.  Grace  be  with  you  all. 
 Amen.  Your  brother  and  companion  in  the  patience  and  kingdom 
 of  Jesus  Christ,  S.  R. 
 
 St  Andrews,  1640. 
 
 LETTER  XXIX.— For  Mrs.  Pont,  Prisoner  at  Dublin. 
 
 Worthy  and  dear  Mistress, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to 
 you.  The  cause  ye  suffer  for,  and  your  willingness  to  suff"er,  is 
 ground  enough  of  acquaintance  for  me  to  Avrite  to  you,  although 
 I  do  confess  myself  unable  to  speak  for  a  prisoner  of  Christ's  en- 
 couragement. I  know  ye  have  advantage  beyond  us  who  are  not 
 under  suffering ;  for  your  sighing  (Ps.  cii.  20)  is  a  written  bill 
 for  the  ears  of  your  head,  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  your  breathing 
 
PART  II.]  LETTER  XXIX.  425 
 
 (Lam.  iii.  51),  and  your  looking  up  (Ps.  v.  3,  and  Ixix.  3) :  and 
 therefore  your  meaning  half-speken,  half-unspoken,  will  seek  no 
 jailer's  leave,  but  will  go  to  heaven  without  leave  of  prelate  or 
 deputy,  and  be  heartily  welcome ;  so  that  ye  may  sigh  and  groan 
 out  your  mind  to  Him,  Avho  hath  all  the  keys  of  the  king's  three 
 kingdoms  and  dominions.  I  dare  believe  your  hopes  shall  not 
 die  ;  your  trouble  is  a  part  of  Zion's  burning,  and  ye  know  who 
 guides  Zion's  furnace,  and  who  loves  the  ashes  of  His  burnt  bride, 
 because  His  servants  love  them,  Ps.  cii.  14.  I  believe  your  ashes 
 (if  ye  were  burnt  for  this  cause)  shall  praise  Him  ;  for  the  wrath 
 of  men  and  their  malice  shall  make  a  psalm  to  praise  the  Lord, 
 Ps.  Ixxvi.  10.  And,  fberefore,  stand  still  and  behold,  and  see 
 what  the  Lord  is  to  do  for  this  island.  "  His  work  is  perfect," 
 Deut.  xxxii.  4.  The  nations  have  not  seen  the  last  end  of  His 
 work  ;  His  end  is  more  fair  and  more  glorious  than  the  beginning. 
 Ye  have  more  honour  than  ye  can  be  able  to  guide  well,  in  that 
 your  bonds  are  made  heavy  for  such  an  honourable  cause  :  the  seals 
 of  a  controlled  Gospel,  and  the  seals  by  bonds,  and  blood,  and 
 sufferings,  are  not  committed  to  every  ordinary  professor.  Some 
 that  would  back  Christ  honestly  in  summer-time,  would  but  spill  ^ 
 the  beauty  of  the  Gospel  if  they  were  put  to  suffering.  And 
 therefore  let  us  believe,  that  wisdom  dispenseth  to  every  one  here, 
 as  He  thinks  good,  who  bears  them  up  that  bear  the  cross  ;  and 
 since  our  Lord  hath  put  you  to  that  part,  which  was  the  flower  of 
 His  own  sufferings,  we  all  expect  that  as  ye  have  in  the  strengtli 
 of  our  Captain  begun,  so  ye  will  go  on  without  fainting.  Provi- 
 dence maketh .  use  of  men  and  devils  for  the  refining  of  all  the 
 vessels  of  God's  house,  small  and  great,  and  for  doing  of  two  works 
 at  once  in  you,  both  for  smoothing  of  a  stone  to  make  it  take  bond 
 with  Christ  in  Jerusalem's  wall,  and  for  witnessing  to  the  glory  of 
 this  reproached  and  borne-down  Gospel,  which  cannot  die,  though 
 hell  were  made  a  grave  about  it.  It  shall  be  timeous  ^  joy  for  you, 
 to  divide  joy  betwixt  you  and  Christ's  laughing  bride  in  these 
 three  kingdoms.  And  what  if  your  mourning  continue  till  mysti- 
 cal Christ  in  Ireland  and  in  Britain  and  ye  laugh  both  together  1 
 Your  laughing  and  joy  were  the  more  blessed,  that  one  sun  should 
 shine  upon  Christ,  the  Gospel,  and  you,  laughing  altogether  in 
 these  three  kingdoms.  Your  time  is  measured,  and  your  days  and 
 hours  of  suffering  from  eternity  were  by  infinite  wisdom  con- 
 sidered. If  heaven  recompense  not  to  your  own  mind  inches  of 
 sorrow,  then  I  must  say  that  infinite  mercy  cannot  get  you  pleased  ; 
 but  if  the  first  kiss  of  the  Avhite  and  ruddy  cheek  of  the  Standard- 
 bearer  and  "  Chief  among  ten  thousand  "  (Cant.  v.  10)  shall  over- 
 pay your  prison  at  Dublin  in  Ireland,  then  ye  shall  have  no  counts 
 
 1  Mar.  -  Seasonable 
 
426  LETTER  XXX.  [PART  II. 
 
 unanswered  to  give  in  to  Christ.  If  your  faith  cannot  see  a  nearer 
 term-day,  yet  let  me  charge  your  hope  to  give  Christ  a  new  day, 
 till  eternity  and  time  meet  in  one  point.  A  paid  sum,  if  ever 
 paid,  is  paid,  if  no  day  be  broken  to  the  hungry  creditor ;  take 
 heaven's  bond  and  subscribed  obligation  for  the  sum,  John  xiv.  3. 
 If  hope  can  trust  Christ,  I  know  He  can  and  will  pay ;  but  when 
 all  is  done  and  suffered  by  you,  ten  hundred  deaths  for  lovely, 
 lovely  Jesus,  is  but  eternity's  halfpenny  ;  figur^  and  cyphers 
 cannot  lay  the  proportion.  0,  but  the  surplus  of  Christ's  glory 
 is  broad  and  large!  Christ's  items  of  eternal  glory  are  hard  and 
 cumbersome  to  telL  and  if  ye  borrow  by  faith  and  hope  ten  days, 
 or  ten  hundred  years,  from  that  eternity  of  glory  that  abides  you, 
 ye  are  paid,  and  more,  in  your  own  hand.  Therefore,  0  prisoner 
 of  hope,  wait  on ;  posting,  hasting  salvation  sleeps  not.  Antichrist 
 is  bleeding,  and  in  the  way  to  death  ;  and  he  bites  sorest  when  he 
 bleeds  fastest.  Keep  your  intelligence  ^  betwixt  you  and  heaven, 
 and  your  court  ^  with  Christ ;  He  hath  in  heaven  the  keys  of  your 
 prison,  and  can  set  you  at  liberty  when  He  pleaseth.  His  rich 
 grace  support  you.  I  pray  you  help  me  with  your  prayers.  Grace 
 be  with  you.  l^our  brother,  in  the  patience  and  kingdom  of 
 Jesus  Christ,  S.  K. 
 
 St.  Andrews,  1640. 
 
 LETTER  XXX.— To  Mr.  James  Wilson. 
 
 Dear  Brother, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  multiplied  upon 
 you.  I  bless  our  rich  and  only  wise  Lord,  who  careth  so  for  His 
 new  creation  that  He  is  going  over  it  again,  and  trying  every 
 piece  in  you,  and  blowing  away  the  motes  of  His  new  work  in 
 you.  Alas  !  I  am  not  so  fit  a  physician  as  your  disease  requireth  : 
 sweet,  sweet,  lovely  Jesus  be  your  Physician,  where  His  under- 
 chirurgeon  cannot  do  anything  for  putting  in  order  the  wheels, 
 paces,  and  goings  of  a  married^  soul.  I  have  little  time  :  but  yet 
 the  Lord"  hath  made  me  so  concern  myself  in  your  condition,  that 
 
 1  dow  *  not,  I  dare  not  be  altogether  silent.     First,  ye  doubt  from 
 
 2  Cor.  xiii.  5  whether  ye  be  in  Christ  or  not  1  and  so,  whether  ye 
 be  a  reprobate  or  not  ?  I  answer  three  things  to  the  doubt.  (1.) 
 Ye  owe  charity  to  all  men,  but  most  of  all  to  lovely  and  loving 
 Jesus,  and  some  also  to  yourself,  especially  to  your  renewed  self ; 
 because  your  new  self  is  not  yours,  but  another  Lord's,  even  the 
 work  of  His  own  Spirit :  therefore,  to  slander  His  work  is  to  wrong 
 Himself.  " Love  thinketh  no  evil!"  if  ye  love  grace,  think  not 
 ill  of  grace  in  yourself ;  and  ye  think  ill  of  grace  in  yourself  when 
 ye  make  it  but  a  bastard  and  a  work  of  nature.  For  a  holy  fear 
 that  ye  be  not  Christ's,  and  withal  a  care  and  a  desire  to  be  His, 
 
 1  Correspondence.  -  Solicitation.  '■'  Qu.  Marred.  ■*  Caii- 
 
PART  II.]  LETTER  XXX.  427 
 
 and  not  your  own,  is  not,  nay,  cannot  be  bastard  nature.  The 
 ureat  Advocate  pleadetli  hard  for  you  ;  be  upon  the  Advocate's 
 side,  0  poor  feared ^  cHent  of  Christ !  Stay  and  side  with  such  a 
 lover,  who  pleadeth  for  no  other  man's  goods  but  His  own  (for  He, 
 if  I  may  say  so,  scorn eth  to  be  enriched  with  an  unjust  conquest) ; 
 and  yet  He  pleadeth  for  you,  whereof  your  letter  (though  too  full 
 of  jealousy)  is  a  proof.  For  if  ye  were  not  His,  your  thouglits, 
 which  I  hope  are  but  the  suggestion  of  His  Spirit  (that  only  bring- 
 eth  the  matter  in  debate,  to  make  it  sure  to  you),  would  not  be 
 such,  nor  so  serious,  as  these.  Am  I  His?  or,  Whose  am  I?  (2.) 
 Dare  ye  forswear  your  owner,  and  say  in  cold  blood,  I  am.  not 
 His  1  What  nature  or  corruption  saith,  at  starts  in  you,  I  regard 
 not.  Your  thoughts  of  yourself,  when  sin  and  guiltiness  round 
 you  in  the  ear,  and  when  ye  have  a  sight  of  your  deservings,  are 
 apocrypha,  and  not  scripture,  I  hope.  Hear  what  the  Lord  saith 
 of  you,  "He  will  speak  peace:"  if  your  Master  say,  "I  quit  you,"  I 
 shall  then  bid  you  eat  ashes  for  bread,  and  drink  waters  of  gall 
 and  wormwood.  But  howbeit  Christ  out  of  His  own  mouth  should 
 seem  to  say,  I  came  not  for  thee,  as  He  did.  Matt.  xv.  24;  yet  let 
 me  say,  the  words  of  tempting  Jesus  are  not  to  be  stretched  as 
 Scripture,  beyond  His  intention,  seeing  His  intention  in  speaking 
 them  is  to  strengthen,  not  to  deceive ;  and  therefore  here  faith 
 may  contradict  what  Christ  seemeth  at  first  to  say,  and  so  may  ye. 
 I  charge  you,  by  the  mercies  of  God,  be  not  that  ^  cruel  to  grace 
 and  the  new  birth,  as  to  cast  water  on  your  own  coal  by  mis- 
 belief;  if  ye  must  die  (as  I  know  ye  shall  not),  it  were  a  folly  to 
 slay  yourself,  (3.)  I  hope  ye  love  the  new  birth  and  a  claim  to 
 Christ,  howbeit  ye  do  not  make  it  good  ;  and  if  ye  were  in  hell, 
 and  saw  the  heavenly  face  of  lovely,  ten  thousand  times  lovely 
 Jesus,  that  hath  God's  hue,  and  God's  fair,  fair  and  comely  red 
 and  white,  wherewith  it  is  beautified  beyond  comparison  and 
 imagination,  ye  could  not  forbear  to  say,  0,  if  I  could  but  blow  a 
 kiss  from  my  sinful  mouth,  from  hell  up  to  heaven,  upon  His 
 cheeks,  that  are  as  a  "  bed  of  spices,  as  sweet  flowers,"  Cant.  v. 
 13.  I  hope  ye  dare  say,  0  fairest  sight  of  heaven  !  0  boundless 
 mass  of  crucified  and  slain  love  for  me,  give  me  leave  to  wish  to 
 love  thee  !  0  flower  and  bloom  of  heaven  and  earth's  love  !  O 
 angels'  wonder  !  0  thou,  the  Father's  etei-nally  sealed  love  !  And 
 0  thou,  God's  old  delight,  give  me  leave  to  stand  beside  thy  love, 
 and  look  in  and  wonder,  and  give  me  leave  to  wish  to  love  thee, 
 if  I  can  do  no  more  !  2.  We  being  born  in  Atheism,  and  baii-ns 
 of  the  house  that  we  are  come  of,  it  is  no  new  thing,  my  dear 
 brother,  for  us  to  be  under  jealousies  and  mistakes  about  the  love 
 of  God.  What  think  ye  of  this,  that  the  man  Christ  was  tempted 
 '  Ti'mid.  -  So. 
 
428  LETTER  XXX.  [PAKT  II. 
 
 to  believe  there  were  but  two  persons  in  tbe  blessed  Godhead,  and 
 that  the  Son  of  God,  the  substantial  and  co-eternal  Son,  was  not 
 the  lawful  Son  of  God?     Did  not  Satan  saj,  "  If  thou  be  the  Son 
 of  God"?     3.  Ye  say  that  ye  know  not  what  to  do.     Your  Head 
 said  once  that  same  Avord,  or  not  far  from  it^  John  xii.  27,  "  Now 
 is  my  soul  troubled,  and  what  shall  I  say?"     And  faith  answered 
 Christ's,    "What  shall  I  say?"    with  these   words,    0    tempted 
 Saviour,  askest  thou,  "what  shall  I  say?"     Say,  "  pray.  Father, 
 save  me  from  this  hour."     What  course  can  ye  take,  but  pray, 
 and  frist^  Christ's  own  comforts  ?     He  is  no  dyvour, ^  take  His 
 word.     0  (say  ye),  I  cannot  pray.     Answer,  Honest  sighing  is 
 faith  breathing  and  whispering  Him  in  the  ear.     The  life  is  not 
 out  of  faith  where  there  is  sighing,  looking  up  with  the  eyes,  and 
 breathing  towards  God.     Lam.  iii.  36,  "  Hide  not  thine  ear  at  my 
 breathing."     But  Avhat  shall  I  do  in  spiritual  exercises  ?  say  ye. 
 Answer,  1.  If  ye  knew  particularly  what  to  do,  it  were  not  a 
 spiritual  exercise.     2.  In  my  weak  judgment,  ye  would  ^  first  say, 
 I  will  glorify  God  in  believing  David's  salvation  and  the  bride's 
 marriage  with  the  Lamb,  and  love  the  church's  slain  Husband, 
 although  I  cannot  for  the  present  believe  mine  own  salvation.     3. 
 Say,  I  will  not  pass  from  my  claim ;  suppose  Christ  Avould  pass 
 from  His  claim  to  me,  it  shall  not  go  back  upon  my  side ;  howbeit 
 my  love  to  Him  be  not  worth  a  drink  of  water,  yet  Christ  shall 
 have  it  such  as  it  is.     4.  Say,  I  shall  rather  spill*  twenty  prayers, 
 than  not  pray  at  all.     Let  my  broken  words  go  up  to  heaven  ; 
 when  they  come  up  into  the  great  Angel's  golden  censer,  that 
 compassionate  Advocate  will  put  together  my  broken  prayers,  and 
 perfume  them.     Words  are  but  accidents  of  prayer.     0  (say  ye),  I 
 am  slain  with  hardness  of  heart,  and  troubled  with  confused  and 
 melancholious  thoughts  !     Answer  :  my  dear  brother,  what  would 
 ye  conclude  thence,  that  ye  know  not  well  who  ought ^  you?   I 
 grant,  0  my  heart  is  hard  !     0  my  thoughts  of  faithless  sorrow ! 
 Ergo,  I  know  not  who  ought  ^  me,  were  good  logic  in  heaven 
 amongst  angels  and  the  glorified ;  but  down  in  Christ's  hospital, 
 where  sick  and  distempered  souls  are  under  cure,  it  is  not  worth 
 a  straw  ;  give  Christ  time  to  end  His  work  in  your  heart ;  hold 
 on  in  feeling  and  bewailing  your  hardness,  for  that  is  softness,  to 
 feel  hardness.     2.  I  charge  you  to  make  psalms  of  Christ's  praises 
 for  His  begun  work  of  grace  ;  make  Christ  your  music  and  your 
 song  ;  for  complaining  and  feeling  of  want  doth  often  swallow  up 
 your  praises.     What  think  ye  of  those  who  go  to  hell  never 
 troubled  with  such  thoughts  ?     If  your  exercise  be  the  way  to  hell, 
 God   help  me  ;  I  have  a  cold  coal  to  blow  at,  and  a  blank  paper 
 for  heaven  :  I  give  you  Christ's  caution, "^  and  my  heavezi  surety  for 
 
 1  Expect.         -  Debtor.         ^  Shuuld.       ■*  W.istu.       ^  Owns.        ^  Sedulity. 
 
PART  II.]  LETTER  XXXI.     "  429 
 
 your  salvation.  Lend  Christ  your  melancholy,  fbr  Satan  hath  no 
 right  to  make  a  chamber  in  your  melancholy  ;  borrow  joy  and 
 comfort  from  the  Comforter ;  bid  the  Spirit  do  His  office  in  you ; 
 and  remember,  that  faith  is  one  thing,  and  the  feeling  and  notice 
 of  faith  another  ;  God  forbid  that  feeling  were  proprium  quarto 
 modo,  to  all  the  saints  ;  and  that  this  were  good  reasoning,  No 
 feeling,  no  grace.  I  am  sure,  ye  were  not  always  these  twenty 
 years  by-past,  actually  knowing  that  ye  live  ;  yet  all  this  time  ye 
 are  living ;  so  is  it  with  the  life  of  faith.  But  alas  !  dear  brother, 
 it  is  easy  for  me  to  speak  words  and  syllables  of  peace,  but  Isa. 
 Ivii.  19,  telleth  you,  "  I  create  peace  ;"  there  is  but  one  Creator, 
 ye  know.  0,  that  ye  may  get  a  letter  of  peace  sent  you  from 
 heaven  !  Pray  for  me,  and  for  grace  to  be  faithful,  and  gifts  to  be 
 able  with  tongue  and  pen  to  glorify  God.     I  forget  you  not. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus.         S.  R. 
 St.  Amlrews,  .Jan.  8,  1640. 
 
 LETTER  XXXI.— To  my  Lady  Boyd. 
 
 Madam, — I  received  your  ladyship's  letter ;  but  because  I  was 
 still  going  through  the  country  for  the  affairs  of  the  church,  I  have 
 had  no  time  to  answer  it.  I  had  never  more  cause  to  fear  than  I 
 have  now,  when  my  Lord  hath  restored  me  to  my  second  created 
 heaven  on  earth,  and  hath  turned  my  apprehended  fears  into  joys, 
 and  great  deliverance  to  His  church,  whereof  I  have  my  share  and 
 part.  Alas,  that  weeping  prayers,  answered  and  sent  back  from 
 heaven  with  joy,  should  not  have  laughing  praises  !  0,  that  this 
 land  would  repent,  and  lay  burdens  of  praises  upon  the  top  of  fair 
 Mount  Zion.  Madam,  except  this  land  be  humbled,  a  reformation 
 is  rather  my  wonder  than  belief  at  this  time  ;  but  surely  it  must 
 be  a  wonder,  and  what  is  done  already  is  a  wonder.  Our  Lord 
 must  restore  beauty  to  His  churches  without  hire,  for  we  were 
 sold  without  money,  and  now  our  buyers  repent  them  of  the  bar- 
 gain, and  would  gladly  give  again  better-cheap  ^  than  they  bought 
 us  :  they  devoured  Jacob,  and  ate  up  his  people  as  bread  ;  now 
 Jacob  is  grown  a  living  child  in  their  womb,  and  they  would  fain 
 be  delivered  of  the  child,  and  render  the  birth  ;  our  Lord  shall  be 
 midwife.  0,  that  this  land  be  not  like  Ephraim,  an  unwise  son 
 that  stayeth  too  long  in  the  place  of  breaking  forth  of  children  ! 
 Your  ladyship  is  blessed  with  children,  who  are  honoured  to  build 
 up  Christ's  waste  places  again  ;  I  believe  your  ladyship  will  think 
 them  well  bestowed  on  that  work,  and  that  Zion's  beauty  is  your 
 joy.  This  is  a  mark  and  evidence  for  heaven,  Avhich  helpeth  weak 
 ones  to  hold  their  grip  when  other  marks  fail  them.     I  hope  your 
 
 '  Cheaper. 
 
430  LETTEli  XXXI.  [part  II. 
 
 ladyship  is  at  a  good  understanding  with  Christ,  and  that,  as  be- 
 cometh  a  Christian,  ye  take  Him  up  aright  (for  many  mistake  and 
 mis-shape  Christ)  in  His  comings  and  goings  ;  your  wants  and  falls 
 proclaim  ye  have  nothing  of  your  own,  but  what  ye  borrow  (nay, 
 yourself  is  not  your  own) ;  but  Christ  hath  given  Himself  to  you. 
 Put  Christ  to  the  bank,  and  heaven  shall  be  your  interest  and 
 income ;  love  Him,  for  you  cannot  over-love  Him  ;  take  up  your 
 house  in  Christ,  let  Him  dwell  in  you  and  abide  ye  in  Him,  and 
 then  ye  may  look  out  of  Christ,  and  laugh  at  the  clay-heavens  that 
 the  sons  of  men  are  seeking  after  in  this  side  of  the  water. 
 Christ  mindeth^  to  make  your  losses  grace's  great  advantage. 
 Christ  will  lose  nothing  of  you ;  nay,  not  your  sins,  for  He  hath 
 an  use  for  them,  as  well  as  for  your  service ;  howbeit  ye  are  to 
 loathe  yourself  for  these.  I  hope  ye  fetch  all  the  heaven  ye  have 
 here  in  this  life,  from  that  which  is  up  above,  and  that  your  anchor 
 is  casten  as  high  and  deep  as  Christ.  0,  but  it  is  far  and  many 
 a  mile  to  His  bottom  !  If  I  had  known  long  since  as  I  do  now, 
 (though  still,  alas !  I  am  ignorant),  what  was  in  Christ,  I  would 
 not  have  been  so  late  in  starting  to  the  gate  to  seek  Him,  0, 
 what  can  I  do  or  say  to  Him  who  hath  made  the  north  render  me 
 back  again  ?  A  grave  is  no  sure  prison  to  Him  for  the  keeping  of 
 dry  bones.  Woe  is  me  that  my  foolish  sorrow  and  unbelief,  being 
 on  horseback,  did  ride  so  proudly  and  witlessly  over  my  Lord's 
 providence ;  but  wdien  my  faith  was  asleep,  Christ  was  awake ; 
 and  now,  when  I  am  awake,  I  say,  He  did  all  things  well.  0,  in- 
 finite wisdom  !  0,  incomparable  loving  kindness  !  Alas,  that  the 
 heart  I  have  is  so  little  and  worthless  for  such  a  Lord  as  Christ 
 is !  0,  what  odds  find  the  saints  in  hard  trials,  when  they  feel 
 sap  at  their  roots,  betwixt  them  and  sun-burnt  withered  professors  ; 
 crosses  and  storms  cause  them  to  cast  their  blooms  and  leaves. 
 Poor  worldlings,  what  will  ye  do,  when  the  span-length  of  your 
 forenoon's  laughter  is  ended,  and  when  the  weeping  side  of  pro- 
 vidence is  turned  to  you  1  I  put  up  all  the  favours  ye  have  be- 
 stowed on  my  brother  upon  Christ's  score,  in  whose  book  are  many 
 such  counts,  and  who  will  requite  them.  I  wish  yoa  to  be  builded 
 more  and  more  upon  the  stone  laid  in  Zion,  and  then  ye  shall  be 
 the  more  fit  to  have  a  hand  in  rebuilding  our  Lord's  fallen 
 tabernacle  in  this  land,  in  which  ye  shall  find  great  peace  when  ye 
 come  to  grips  with  death,  the  king  of  terrors.  The  God  of  peace 
 be  with  your  ladyship,  and  keep  you  blameless  till  the  day  of  our 
 Lord  Jesus.  Your  ladyship's,  at  all  obedience  in  his  sweet  Lord 
 and  Master,  S.  H. 
 
 St.  Andrews. 
 
 ^  latendetb. 
 
PART  11.]  LETTER  XXXII.  431 
 
 LETTER  XXXII.— To  His  Very  Dear  Friend,  John  Fennick. 
 
 Much  honoured  and  dear  Friend, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace 
 be  to  you.  The  necessary  impediments  of  my  calling  have  hither- 
 to kept  me  from  making  a  return  to  your  letter,  the  heads  where- 
 of I  shall  now  briefly  answer.  As,  1.  I  approve  your  going  to  the 
 Fountain  when  your  own  cistern  is  dry  :  a  difference  there  must 
 be  betwixt  Christ's  well  and  your  borrowed  water  ;  and  why  but 
 ye  have  need  of  emptiness  and  drying  up,  as  well  as  ye  have  need 
 of  the  well  1  Want,  and  a  hole  there  must  be  in  your  vessel,  to 
 leave  room  to  Christ's  art ;  His  well  hath  its  own  need  of  thirsty 
 drinkers,  to  commend  infinite  love,  which  from  eternity  did  brew 
 such  a  cellar  of  living  waters  for  us.  Ye  commend  His  free  love ; 
 and  it  is  well  done  :  0,  if  I  could  help  you,  and  if  I  could  be  mas- 
 ter-convener, to  gather  an  earthful  and  an  heavenful  of  tongues, 
 dipped  and  steeped  in  my  Lord's  well  of  love,  or  His  wine  of  love, 
 even  tongues  drunken  with  His  love,  to  raise  a  song  of  praises  to 
 Him,  betwixt  the  east  and  west  end,  and  furthest  points  of  the 
 broad  heavens  !  If  I  were  in  your  case  (as  alas  !  my  dry  and  dead 
 heart  is  not  now  in  that  garden),  I  would  borrow  leave  to  come 
 and  stand  upon  the  banks  and  coasts  of  that  sea  of  love,  and  be  a 
 feasted  soul,  to  see  love's  fair  tide,  free  love's  high  and  lofty  waves, 
 each  of  them  higher  than  ten  earths,  flowing  in  upon  pieces  of  lost 
 clay.  0  welcome,  welcome,  great  sea  !  0,  if  I  had  as  much  love, 
 for  wideness  and  breadth,  as  twenty  outmost  shells  and  spheres  of 
 the  heaven  of  heavens,  that  I  might  receive  in  a  little  flood  of  His 
 free  love  !  Come,  come,  dear  friend,  and  be  pained,  that  the  King's 
 wine-cellar  of  free  love,  and  His  banqueting-house  (0  so  wide,  so 
 stately  !  O  so  Godlike,  so  glory-like !)  should  be  so  abundant,  so 
 overflowing,  and  your  shallow  vessel  so  little,  to  take  in  some  part 
 of  that  love.  But  since  it  cannot  come  in  ^  you,  for  want  of  room, 
 enter  yourself  in  this  sea  of  love,  and  breathe  under  these  waters, 
 and  die  of  love,  and  live  as  one  dead  and  drowned  of  this  love. 
 But  why  do  you  complain  of  waters  going  over  your  soul,  and  that 
 the  smoke  of  the  terrors  of  a  wrathful  Lord  doth  almost  suff"ocate 
 you,  and  bring  you  to  death's  brink  1  I  know  the  fault  is  in  your 
 eyes,  not  in  Him  :  it  is  not  the  rock  that  fleeth  and  moveth,  but 
 the  green  sailor  :  if  your  sense  and  apprehension  be  made  judge  of 
 His  love,  there  is  a  graven  image  made  presently,  even  a  changed 
 god,  and  a  foe  god,  Avho  was  once,  "  when  ye  washed  your  steps 
 with  butter,  and  the  rock  poured  you  out  rivers  of  oil "  "(Job  xxix. 
 6),  a  Friend-God.  Either  now  or  never  let  God  work  :  ye  had 
 never,  since  ye  was  a  man,  such  a  fair  field  for  faith ;  for  a  painted 
 hell  and  an  apprehension  of  wrath  in  your  Father,  is  faith's  oppor- 
 
 ^  Into. 
 
432  LETTER  XXXII.  [PAKT  II. 
 
 tunity  to  try  what  strength  is  in  it.  Now,  give  God  as  large  a 
 measure  of  charity  as  ye  have  of  sorrow  :  now  see  faith  to  be  faith 
 indeed,  if  ye  can  make  your  grave  betwixt  Christ's  feet,  and  say, 
 " Though  He  should  slay  me,  I  will  trust  in  Him;"  His  believed 
 love  shall  be  my  winding-sheet,  and  all  my  grave-clothes ;  I  shall 
 roll  and  sew  in  my  soul,  my  slain  soul,  in  that  web.  His  sweet  and 
 free  love.  And  let  Him  write  upon  my  grave.  Here  lieth  a  believ- 
 ing dead  man,  breathing  out  and  making  a  hole  in  death's  broad- 
 side, and  the  breath  of  faith  cometh  forth  through  the  hole.  See 
 now  if  ye  can  overcome  and  prevail  with  God,  and  wrestle  God's 
 tempting  to  death,  quite  out  of  breath,  as  that  renowned  wrestler 
 did,  Hos.  xii.  3,  "  And  by  his  strength  he  had  power  with  God ; " 
 ver.  4,  "  Yea,  he  had  power  over  the  angel  and  prevailed."  He  is 
 a  strong  man  indeed,  who  overmatcheth  Heaven's  strength,  and 
 the  Holy  One  of  Israel,  the  strong  Lord,  which  is  done  by  a  secret 
 supply  of  divine  strength  within,  wherewith  the  weakest,  being 
 strengthened,  overcome  and  conquer.  It  shall  be  great  victory  to 
 blow  out  the  flame  of  that  furnace  ye  are  now  in  with  the  breath 
 of  faith.  And  when  hell,  men,  malice,  cruelty,  falsehood,  devils, 
 the  seeming  glooms  of  a  sweet  Lord,  meet  you  in  the  teeth,  if  ye 
 then,  as  a  captive  of  hope,  as  one  fettered  in  hope's  prison,  run  to 
 your  stronghold,  even  from  God  glooming  to  God  glooming ;  and 
 believe  the  salvation  of  the  Lord  in  the  dark,  which  is  your  only 
 victory  ;  your  enemies  are  but  pieces  of  malicious  clay ;  they  shall 
 die  as  men,  and  be  confounded.  But  that  your  troubles  are  many 
 at  once,  and  arrows  come  in  from  all;,airts,^  from  country,  friends, 
 wife,  children,  foes,  estate,  and  right-down  from  God,  who  is  the 
 hope  and  stay  of  your  soul,  I  confess  is  more,  and  very  heavy  to 
 be  borne :  yet  all  these  are  not  more  than  grace ;  all  these  bits  of 
 coals,  casten  in  your  sea  of  mercy,  cannot  dry  it  up.  Your  trou- 
 bles are  many  and  great,  yet  not  an  ounce-weight  beyond  the  mea- 
 sure of  infinite  wisdom,  I  hope,  nor  beyond  the  measure  of  grace 
 that  He  is  to  bestow ;  for  our  Lord  never  yet  brake  the  back  of 
 His  child,  nor  spilt  ^  His  own  work.  Nature's  plastering  and  coun- 
 terfeit work  He  doth  often  break  in  sherds,  and  putteth  out  a 
 candle  not  lighted  at  the  Sun  of  righteousness  ;  but  He  must  che- 
 rish His  own  reeds,  and  handle  them  softly ;  never  a  reed  getteth 
 a  thrust  with  the  Mediator's  hand,  to  lay  together  the  two  ends  of 
 the  reed.  0  what  bonds  and  ligaments  hath  our  chirurgeon  of 
 broken  spirits,  to  bind  up  all  His  lame  and  bruised  ones  with :  cast 
 your  disjointed  spirit  in  His  lap,  and  lay  your  burden  upon  one 
 who  is  so  willing  to  take  your  cares  and  your  fears  off  you,  and  to 
 exchange  and  niffer  ^  your  crosses,  and  to  give  you  new  for  old,  and 
 gold  for  iron,  even  to  give  you  "  garments  of  praise  for  the  spirit 
 
 *  Quarters.  -  Spoiled.  ^  Barter. 
 
PART  II.]  LETTER  XXXII.  433 
 
 of  heaviness."  It  is  true  in  a  great  part  what  ye  write  of  this 
 kirk,  that  the  letter  of  religion  only  is  reformed,  and  scarce  that; 
 I  do  not  believe  our  Lord  will  build  His  Zion  in  this  land  upon 
 this  skin  of  reformation.  So  long  as  our  scum  remaineth,  and  our 
 heart-idols  are  kept,  this  work  must  be  at  a  stand ;  and  therefore 
 our  Lord  must  yet  sift  this  land,  and  search  us  with  candles;  and 
 I  know  He  shall  give  and  not  sell  us  His  kingdom.  His  grace  and 
 our  remaining  guiltiness  must  be  compared,  and  the  one  must  be 
 seen  in  the  glory  of  it,  and  the  other  in  the  sinfulness  of  it.  But 
 I  desire  to  believe,  and  would  gladly  hope  to  see,  that  the  glancing 
 and  shining  lustre  of  glory,  coming  from  the  diamonds  and  stones 
 set  in  the  crown  of  our  Lord  Jesus,  shall  cast  rays  and  beams  many 
 thousand  miles  about.  I  hope  Christ  is  upon  a  great  marriage ; 
 and  that  His  wooing  and  suiting^  of  His  excellent  bride,  doth  take 
 its  beginning  from  us,  the  ends  of  the  earth.  0  what  joy  and  what 
 glory  would  I  judge  it,  if  my  heaven  should  be  suspended  till  I 
 might  have  leave  to  run  on  foot,  to  be  a  witness  of  that  marriage 
 glory,  and  see  Christ  put  on  the  glory  of  His  last  married  bride, 
 and  His  last  marriage  love  on  earth,  when  He  shall  enlarge  His 
 love-bed,  and  set  it  upon  the  top  of  the  mountains,  and  take  in  the 
 elder  sister,  the  Jews,  and  the  fulness  of  the  Gentiles  !  It  were 
 heaven's  honour  and  glory  upon  earth,  to  be  His  lacquey,  to  run 
 at  His  horse-foot,  and  hold  up  the  train  of  His  marriage  robe-royal, 
 in  the  day  of  our  high  and  royal  Solomon's  espousals.  But,  0 
 what  glory  to  have  a  seat  or  bed  in  King  Jesus's  chariot,  that  is 
 bottomed  with  gold,  and  paved,  and  lined  over,  and  floored  within 
 with  love,  "for  the  daughters  of  Jerusalem,"  Cant.  iii.  10.  To  lie 
 upon  such  a  King's  love,  were  a  bed  next  to  the  flower  of  heaven's 
 glory.  I  am  sorry  to  hear  you  speak,  in  your  letter,  of  a  God 
 angry  at^  you,  and  of  the  sense  of  His  indignation,  which  only 
 ariseth  from  suffering  for  Jesus  all  that  is  now  come  upon  you.  In- 
 deed apprehended  wrath  flameth  out  of  such  ashes  as  apprehended 
 sin,  but  not  from  suffering  for  Christ.  But,  suj)pose  ye  were  in 
 hell,  for  by-gones  and  for  old  debt,  I  hope  ye  owe  Christ  a  great 
 sum  of  charity,  to  believe  the  sweetness  of  His  love.  I  know  what 
 it  is  to  sin  in  that  kind ;  it  is  to  sin  out  (if  it  were  possible)  the 
 unchangeableness  of  a  Godhead  out  of  Christ,  and  to  sin  away  a 
 lovely  and  unchangeable  God.  Put  more  honest  apprehensions 
 upon  Christ,  put  on  His  own  mask  upon  His  face,  and  not  your 
 vail  made  of  unbelief,  which  speaketh  as  if  He  borrowed  love  to 
 you,  from  you  and  your  demerits,  and  sinful  deservings.  0,  no  ! 
 Christ  is  man,  but  He  is  not  like  man  ;  He  hath  man's  love  in 
 heaven,  but  it  is  lustred  with  God's  love,  and  it  is  very  God's  love 
 ye  have  to  do  with.  When  your  wheels  go  about,  He  standeth 
 1  Suing.  «  With. 
 
 2  £ 
 
434  LETTEll  XXXII.  [part  II. 
 
 still.  Let  God  be  God,  and  be  ye  a  man,  and  have  ye  the  deserving 
 of  man,  and  the  sin  of  one,  who  hath  suffered  your  Well-Beloved 
 to  slip  away,  nay,  hath  refused  Him  entrance,  when  He  was  knock- 
 ing, till  His  head  and  locks  were  frozen  :  yet  what  is  that  to  Him  1 
 His  book  keepeth  your  name,  and  is  not  printed  and  reprinted, 
 and  changed  and  corrected.  And  why  but  He  should  go  to  His 
 place,  and  hide  Himself^  howbeit  His  departure  be  His  own  good 
 work,  yet  the  belief  of  it,  in  that  manner,  is  your  sin ;  but  wait  on 
 till  He  return  with  salvation,  and  cause  you  to  rejoice  in  the  latter 
 end.  It  is  not  much  to  complain ;  but  rather  believe  than  com- 
 plain, and  sit  in  the  dust,  and  close  your  mouth,  till  He  make  your 
 sown  light  grow  again  ;  for  your  afflictions  are  not  eternal,  time 
 will  end  them,  and  so  shall  ye  at  length  see  the  Lord's  salvation  ; 
 His  love  sleepeth  not,  but  is  still  in  working  for  you;  His  salvation 
 will  not  tarry  nor  linger ;  and  suffering  for  Him  is  the  noblest 
 cross  that  is  out  of  heaven.  Your  Lord  had  the  wale  ^  and  choice 
 of  ten  thousand  other  crosses,  beside  this,  to  exercise  you  withal ; 
 but  His  wisdom  and  His  love  waled  and  chose  out  this  for  you, 
 beside  them  all ;  and  take  it  as  a  choice  one,  and  make  use  of  it, 
 so  as  ye  look  to  this  world  as  your  stepmother,  in  your  borrowed 
 prison.  For  it  is  a  love-look  to  heaven,  and  the  other  side  of  the 
 water,  that  God  seeketh  ;  and  this  is  the  fruit,  the  flower,  and 
 bloom  growing  out  of  your  cross,  that  ye  be  a  dead  man  to  time, 
 to  clay,  to  gold,  to  country,  to  friends,  wife,  children,  and  all  pieces 
 of  created  nothings ;  for  in  them  there  is  not  a  seat  nor  bottom 
 for  your  soul's  love.  0  what  room  is  for  your  love  (if  it  were  as 
 broad  as  the  sea)  up  in  heaven  and  in  God !  and  whatwould  not  Christ 
 give  for  your  love  1  God  gave  so  much  for  your  soul ;  and  blessed 
 are  ye  if  ye  have  a  love  for  Him,  and  can  call  in  your  soul's  love 
 from  all  idols,  and  can  make  a  God  of  God,  a  God  of  Christ,  and 
 draw  a  line  betwixt  your  heart  and  Him.  If  your  deliverance 
 come  not,  Christ's  presence  and  His  believed  love  must  stand  as 
 caution  and  surety  for  your  deliverance,  till  your  Lord  send  it  in 
 His  blessed  time  ;  for  Christ  hath  many  salvations,  if  we  could  see 
 them  ;  and  I  would  think  it  better-born  ^  comfort  and  joy,  that 
 Cometh  from  the  faith  of  deliverance,  and  the  faith  of  His  love, 
 than  that  which  cometh  from  deliverance  itself.  It  is  not  much 
 matter,  if  ye  find  ease  to  your  afflicted  soul,  what  be  the  means, 
 either  of  your  own  wishing,  or  of  God's  choosing ;  the  latter  I  am 
 sure  is  best,  and  the  comfort  strongest  and  sweetest :  let  the  Lord 
 absolutely  have  the  ordering  of  your  evils  and  troubles,  and  put 
 them  off  you,  by  recommending  your  cross  and  your  furnace  to 
 Him,  who  hath  skill  to  melt  His  own  metal,  and  knoweth  well 
 what  to  do  with  His  furnace  :  let  your  heart  bo  willing  that  God's 
 
 '  Selection  '■*  Nobler. 
 
PART  II.]  LETTEK  XXXIII.  435 
 
 fire  have  your  tin,  and  brass,  and  dross.  To  consent  to  want  cor- 
 ruption, is  a  greater  mercy  than  many  professors  do  well  know  ; 
 and  to  refer  the  manner  of  God's  physic  to  His  own  wisdom,  whe- 
 ther it  be  by  drawing  blood,  or  giving  sugared  drinks  :  that  He 
 cureth  sick  folks  without^  pain,  it  is  a  great  point  of  faith ;  and 
 to  believe  Christ's  cross  to  be  a  friend,  as  He  Himself  is  a  friend, 
 is  also  a  special  act  of  faith ;  but  when  ye  are  over  the  water  this 
 case  shall  be  a  yesterday,  past  an  hundred  years  ere  ye  were  born; 
 and  the  cup  of  glory  shall  wash  the  memory  of  all  this  away,  and 
 make  it  as  nothing.  Only  now  take  Christ  in  with  you  under  your 
 yoke,  and  "  let  patience  have  her  perfect  work  :"  for  this  haste  is 
 your  infirmity.  The  Lord  is  rising  up  to  do  you  good  in  the  lat- 
 ter end.  Put  on  the  faith  of  His  salvation,  and  see  Him  posting 
 and  hasting  towards  you.  Sir,  my  employments  being  so  great, 
 hinder  me  to  write  at  more  length;  excuse  me.  I  hope  to  be 
 inindful  of  you.  I  shall  be  obliged  to  you,  if  ye  help  me  with  your 
 prayers  for  this  people,  this  college,  and  my  own  poor  soul.  Grace 
 be  with  you.     Remember  my  love  to  your  wife. 
 
 Yours,  in  Christ  Jesus,         S.  R 
 St.  Andrews,  Feb.  13,  1640. 
 
 LETTER  XXXni.— To  the  Much  Honoured  Peter  Stirling. 
 
 Much  honoured  and  worthy  Sir, — I  received  yours,  and 
 cannot  but  be  ashamed  that  mistaking  love  hath  brought  me  in 
 court '^  and  account  in  the  heart  of  God's  children,  especially  of 
 another  nation.  I  should  not  make  a  lie  of  the  grace  of  God,  if  I 
 should  think  I  have  little  share  of  it  myself.  0  how  much  better 
 were  it  for  me  to  stand  in  the  counting-table  of  many  for  a  half- 
 penny, and  to  be  esteemed  a  liker,  rather  than  a  lover  of  Christ ! 
 If  I  were  Aveighed,  vanity  should  bear  down  the  scale,  as  having 
 weight  in  the  balance  above  me,  except  my  lovely  Saviour  should 
 cast  in  beside  me  some  of  his  borrowed  worth.  And,  oh,  if  I 
 were  writing  now  sincerely  in  this  extenuation,  which  may  be,  and 
 I  fear  is,  subtle  and  cozening  pride  !  I  would  I  could  love  some- 
 thing of  heaven's  worth  in  you  and  all  of  your  metal.  0  how 
 happy  were  I,  if  I  could  regain  and  conquer  back  from  the  crea- 
 ture my  sold  and  lost  love,  that  I  might  lay  it  upon  heaven's 
 Jewel,  that  ever,  ever  blooming  Flower  of  the  highest  garden, 
 even  my  soul-redeeming  and  never-enough-prized  Lord  Jesus  !  0, 
 that  He  would  wash  my  love,  and  put  it  on  the  Mediator's  wheel, 
 and  refine  it  from  its  dross  and  tin,  that  I  might  propine  and  gift 
 that  Lord,  so  love-worthy,  with  all  my  love  !  0,  if  I  could  set  a 
 lease  of  thousands  of  years,  and  a  suspension  of  my  part  ot  heaven  s 
 ^  Qu.  With.  "  Favour. 
 
436  LETTEK  XXXIV.  [PART  II. 
 
 glory,  and  frist  ^  till  a  long  day  my  desired  salvation,  so  being  I 
 could,  in  this  lower  Isitchen  and  under-vault  of  His  creation,  be 
 feasted  with  His  love,  and  that  I  might  be  a  foot-stool  for  His 
 glory,  before  men  and  angels  !  0,  if  He  would  let  out  heaven's 
 fountain  upon  withered  me,  dry  and  sapless  me  !  if  I  were  but  sick 
 of  love  for  His  love  (and,  oh,  how  woidd  that  sickness  delight  me !), 
 how  sweet  would  that  easing  and  refreshing  pain  be  to  my  soul ! 
 I  shall  be  glad  to  be  a  witness  to  behold  the  kingdoms  of  the 
 world  become  Christ's.  I  could  stay  out  of  heaven  many  yeai-s, 
 to  see  that  victorious  triumphing  Lord  act  that  prophesied  part  of 
 His  soul-conquering  love,  in  taking  into  His  kingdom  the  greater 
 sister,  that  kirk  of  the  Jews,  who  sometimes  courted  our  Well- 
 Beloved  for  her  little  sister  (Cant.  viii.  8),  to  behold  Him  set  up 
 as  an  ensign  and  a  banner  of  love  to  the  ends  of  the  Avorld.  And 
 truly  we  are  to  believe  that  His  Avrath  is  ripe  for  the  land  of 
 graven  images,  and  for  the  falling  of  that  millstone  in  the  midst  of 
 the  sea.     Grace  be  with  you. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  E. 
 St.  Andrews,  March  6,  1640. 
 
 LETTER  XXXIV.— To  the  Lady  Fingask. 
 
 Madam, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  bo  to  you.  Though  nol 
 acquainted,  yet  at  the  desire  of  a  Christian,  I  make  bold  to  write 
 a  line  or  two  unto  you  by  way  of  counsel  (howbeit  I  be  most  unfit 
 for  that).  I  hear,  and  I  bless  the  Father  of  lights  for  it,  that  ye 
 have  a  spirit  set  to  seek  God,  and  that  the  posture  of  your  heart 
 is  to  look  heaven-ward  ;  which  is  a  work  and  cast  of  the  Mediator 
 Christ's  right  hand,  who  putteth  on  the  heart  a  new  frame,  for  the 
 which  I  Avould  have  your  ladyship  to  see  a  tie  and  bond  of  obedi- 
 ence laid  upon  you,  that  all  may  be  done,  not  so  much  fi'om  obli- 
 gation of  law,  as  from  the  tie  of  free  love  ;  that  the  law  of 
 ransom-paying  by  Christ  may  be  the  chief  ground  of  all  your 
 obedience,  seeing  that  ye  are  not  under  the  law  but  under  grace. 
 Withal,  know  that  unbelief  is  a  spiritual  sin,  and  so  not  seen  by 
 nature's  light ;  and  that  all  that  conscience  saith  is  not  Scripture  : 
 suppose  your  heart  bear  witness  against  you,  for  sins  done  long 
 ago ;  yet  because  many  have  pardon  -with  God,  that  have  not 
 peace  with  themselves,  ye  are  to  stand  and  fall  by  Christ's  esteem 
 and  verdict  of  you,  and  not  by  that  which  your  heart  saith.  Sup- 
 pose it  may  by  accident  be  a  good  sign  to  be  jealous  of  your 
 heavenly  Husband's  love,  yet  it  is  a  sinful  sign  ;  as  there  be  some 
 happy  sins  (if  I  may  speak  so),  not  of  themselves,  but  because 
 they  are  neighboured  with  faith  and  love.     And  so,  worthy  lady, 
 
 *  Foi-bear. 
 
PAliT  II.J  LETTER  XXXIV.  437 
 
 I  would  have  you  hold  by  this,  that  the  ancient  love  of  an  old 
 Husband  standeth  firm  and  sure  ;  and  let  faith  hang  by  this  small 
 thread,  that  He  loved  you  before  He  laid  the  corner-stone  of  the 
 world ;  and  therefore  He  cannot  change  His  mind,  because  He  is 
 God,  and  rests  in  His  love.  Neither  is  sin  in  you  a  good  reason 
 wherefore  ye  should  doubt  of  Him,  or  think,  because  sin  hath  put 
 you  in  the  courtesy  and  reverence  of  justice,  that  therefore  He  is 
 wroth  with  you  ;  neither  is  it  presumption  in  you  to  lay  the  burden 
 of  your  salvation  upon  One  mighty  to  save  ;  so  being  ye  lay  aside 
 all  confidence  in  yourself,  worth,  and  righteousness.  True  faith  is 
 humble,  and  seeth  no  way  to  escape  but  only  in  Christ :  and  I 
 believe  ye  have  put  an  esteem  and  high  price  upon  Christ ;  and 
 they  cannot  but  believe,  and  so  be  saved,  who  love  Christ,  and  to 
 whom  He  is  precious  ;  for  the  love  of  Christ  hath  chosen  Christ  as 
 a  lover ;  and  it  were  not  like  God,  if  ye  should  choose  Him  as 
 your  liking,  and  He  not  choose  you  again  ;  nay,  He  hath  prevented^ 
 you  in  that ;  for  ye  have  not  chosen  Him,  but  He  hath  chosen 
 you.  0  consider  His  loveliness  and  beauty,  and  that  there  is 
 nothing  which  can  commend,  and  make  fair,  heaven  or  earth,  or 
 the  creature,  that  is  not  in  Him  in  infinite  perfection  ;  for  fair  sun 
 and  fair  moon  are  black,  and  think  shame  to  shine  before  His 
 fairness,  Isa.  xxiv.  23.  Base  heavens  and  excellent  Jesus ;  weak 
 angels,  and  strong  and  mighty  Jesus  ;  foolish  angel-wisdom,  and 
 only  wise  Jesus ;  short-living  creature,  and  long-living  and  ever- 
 living  Ancient  of  days ;  miserable,  and  sickly,  and  wretched  are 
 those  things  that  are  within  time's  circle,  and  only,  only  blessed 
 Jesus  !  If  ye  can  wind  in  in  His  love  (and  He  giveth  you  leave  to 
 love  Him,  and  allurements  also),  what  a  second  heaven's  paradise, 
 a  young  heaven's  glory  is  it,  to  be  hot  and  burned  with  fevers  of 
 love-sickness  for  Him  !  and  the  more  your  ladyship  drink  of  this 
 love,  there  is  the  more  room  and  the  greater  delight  and  desire 
 for  this  love.  Be  homely,  -  and  hunger  for  a  feast  and  fill  of  His 
 love ;  for  that  is  the  borders  and  march ^  of  heaven.  Nothing 
 hath  a  nearer  resemblance  to  the  colour,  and  hue,  and  lustre  of 
 heaven,  than  Christ  loved,  and  to  breathe  out  love-words  and 
 love-sighs  for  Him.  Eemember  what  He  is  ;  when  twenty 
 thousand  millions  of  heaven's  lovers  have  worn  their  hearts  thread- 
 bare of  love,  all  is  nothing,  yea,  less  than  nothing  to  His  matchless 
 worth  and  excellency  ;  0,  so  broad  and  so  deep  as  the  sea  of  His 
 desirable  loveliness  is  !  Glorified  spirits,  triumphing  angels,  the 
 crowned  and  exalted  lovers  of  heaven,  stand  without  His  loveli- 
 ness, and  cannot  put  a  circle  on  it.  0,  if  sin  and  time  were  from 
 betwixt  us  and  that  royal  and  King's  love  !  That  high  Majesty, 
 eternity's  bloom,  and  flower  of  high  lustred  beauty,  might  shine 
 
 '  Anticipated.  -  Familiar.  ^  Boundary, 
 
438  LETTER  XXXV,  [PART  II, 
 
 upon  pieces  of  created  spirits,  and  might  bedew  and  overflow  us, 
 who  are  portions  of  endless  misery  and  lumps  of  redeemed  sin  ! 
 Alas,  Avhat  do  I  ?  I  but  spill  and  lose  words  in  speaking  highly 
 of  Him,  who  will  abide  and  be  above  the  music  and  songs  of 
 heaven,  and  never  be  enough  praised  by  us  all ;  to  whose  bound- 
 less and  bottomless  love  I  recommend  your  ladyship,  and  am, 
 Your  ladyship's,  in  Christ  Jesus,  S,  R. 
 
 St.  Andrews,  March  27,  1640. 
 
 LETTER    XXXV.— To  his  Reverend  and  Dear   Brother,  Mr. 
 David  Dickson. 
 
 Reverend  and  dear  Brother, — Ye  look  like  the  house 
 whereof  ye  are  a  branch  ;  the  cross  is  a  part  of  the  life-rent  that 
 lieth  to  all  the  sons  of  the  house,  I  desire  to  suffer  with  you,  if  I 
 could  take  a  lift  of  your  house-trial  off  you  ;  but  ye  have  preached 
 it  ere  I  knew  anything  of  God.  Your  Lord  may  gather  His  roses, 
 and  shake  His  apples,  at  which  season  of  the  year  He  pleaseth  ; 
 each  husbandman  cannot  make  harvest  when  he  pleaseth,  as  He 
 can  do  ;  ye  are  taught  to  know  and  adore  His  sovereignty  which 
 He  exerciseth  over  you,  which  yet  is  lustred  with  mercy.  The 
 child  hath  but  changed  a  bed  in  the  garden,  and  is  planted  up 
 higher,  nearer  the  sun,  where  he  shall  thrive  better  than  in  this 
 out-field  moor-ground.  Ye  must  think  your  Lord  would  not  want 
 him  one  hour  longer ;  and  since  the  date  of  your  loan  of  him  was 
 expired  (as  it  is,  if  ye  read  the  lease),  let  Him  have  His  own  with 
 gain,  as  good  reason  were.  I  read  on  it  an  exaltation  and  a  richer 
 measure  of  grace,  as  the  sweet  fruit  of  your  cross  ;  and  I  am  bold 
 to  say,  that  that  college,  where  your  Master  hath  set  you  now, 
 shall  find  it.  I  am  content  that  Christ  is  so  homely  ^  with  my 
 dear  brother,  David  Dickson,  as  to  borrow  and  lend,  and  take  and 
 give  with  him ;  and  ye  know  what  are  called  the  visitations  of 
 such  a  friend  ;  it  is  to  come  to  the  house  and  be  homely  with  what 
 is  yours.  I  persuade  myself  upon  His  credit,  He  hath  left  drink- 
 money,  and  that  He  hath  made  the  house  the  better  of  Him.  I 
 envy  not  His  waking  love,  who  saw  that  this  water  was  to  be 
 passed  through,  and  that  now  the  number  of  crosses  lying  in  your 
 way  to  glory  are  fewer  by  one  than  when  I  saw  you ;  they  must 
 decrease.  It  is  better  than  any  ancient  or  modern  commentary  on 
 your  text  that  ye  preached  upon  in  Glasgow.  Read  and  spell 
 right,  for  He  knoweth  what  He  doth ;  He  is  only  lopping  and 
 snedding  ^  a  fruitful  tree,  that  it  may  be  more  fruitful.  I  congra- 
 tulate heartily  with  you.  His  new  welcome  to  your  new  charge. 
 Dearest  brother,  go  on  and  faint  not ;  something  of  yours  is  in 
 
 '  Familiar.  '  Pruning. 
 
PART  11.]  LETTER  XXXVI.  439 
 
 heaven,  beside  the  flesh  of  your  exalted  Saviour,  and  ye  go  on  after 
 your  own.  Time's  thread  is  shorter  by  one  inch  than  it  was.  An 
 oath  is  sworn  and  passed  the  seals,  whether  afflictions  will  or  not, 
 ye  must  grow  and  swell  out  of  your  shell,  and  live,  and  triumph, 
 and  reign,  and  be  more  than  conqueror ;  for  your  Captain,  who 
 leadeth  you  on,  is  more  than  conqueror,  and  He  makes  you  a 
 partaker  of  His  conquest  and  victory.  Did  not  love  to  you  compel 
 me,  I  would  not  fetch  water  to  the  well,  and  speak  to  one  who 
 knoweth  better  than  I  can  do  what  God  is  doing  with  him.  Ee- 
 member  my  love  to  your  wife,  to  Mr.  John,  and  all  friends  there. 
 Let  us  be  helped  by  your  prayers,  for  I  cease  not  to  make  mention 
 of  you  to  the  Lord  as  I  dow.^     Grace  be  with  you. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,        vS.  K 
 St.  Andrews,  May  23,  1640,. 
 
 LETTER  XXXVI.— To  my  Lady  Boyd. 
 
 Madam, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you.  Impute  it  not 
 ,0  a  disrespective  ^  forgetfulness  of  your  ladyship,  who  ministered 
 to  me  in  my  bonds,  that  I  write  not  to  you.  I  wish  I  could  speak 
 or  write  what  might  do  good  to  your  ladyship ;  especially  now, 
 when  I  think  ye  cannot  but  have  deep  thoughts  of  the  deep  and 
 bottomless  ways  of  our  Lord,  in  taking  away,  with  a  sudden  and 
 wonderful  stroke,  your  brethren  and  friends.  Ye  may  know,  all 
 that  die  for  sin,  die  not  in  sin ;  and  that  none  can  teach  the  Al- 
 mighty knowledge  :  He  answereth  none  of  our  courts^;  and  no 
 man  can  say,  "  What  doest  thou  1 "  It  is  true  your  brethren  saw 
 not  many  summers ;  but  adore  and  fear  the  sovereignty  of  the 
 great  Potter,  who  maketh  and  marreth  His  clay-vessels  when  and 
 how  it  pleaseth  Him.  This  under-garden  is  absolutely  His  own, 
 and  all  that  groweth  in  it.  His  absolute  liberty  is  law-biding  ; 
 the  flowers  are  His  own ;  if  some  be  but  summer  apples,  He  may 
 pluck  them  down  before  others.  0,  what  wisdom  is  it  to  believe 
 and  not  to  dispute,  to  subject  the  thoughts  to  His  court,  and  not  to 
 repine  at  any  act  of  His  justice  !  He  hath  done  it,  all  llesh  be 
 silent.  It  is  impossible  to  be  submissive  and  religiously  patient, 
 if  ye  stay  your  thoughts  down  among  the  confused  rollings  and 
 wheels  of  second  causes,  as  0,  the  place  !  0,  the  time  !  0,  if  this 
 had  been,  this  had  not  followed  !  0,  the  linking  of  this  accident 
 with  this  time  and  place  !  Look  up  to  the  master-motion  and  the 
 first  wheel ;  see  and  read  the  decree  of  heaven  and  the  Creator  of 
 men,  who  breweth  death  to  His  children,  and  the  manner  of  it. 
 And  they  see  far  in  a  millstone,  and  have  eyes  that  make  a  hole 
 to  see  through  the  one  side  of  a  mountain  to  the  other,  who  can 
 
 ^  Can.  "  Disrespectful.  ■"'  Inquirisa, 
 
440  LETTER  XXXVI.  [PART  II. 
 
 take  up  His  ways ;  "  How  unsearchable  are  His  judgments,  and 
 His  ways  past  finding  out ! "  His  providence  halteth  not,  but 
 goeth  with  even  and  equal  legs ;  yet  are  they  not  the  greatest 
 sinners  upon  whom  the  tower  of  Siloam  fell.  Was  not  time's 
 lease  expired,  and  the  sand  of  heaven's  sand-glass  set  by  our  Lord 
 run  out?  Is  not  he  an  unjust  debtor,  who  payeth  due  debt  with 
 chiding  ?  I  believe,  christian  lady,  your  faith  leaveth  that  ^  much 
 charity  to  our  Lord's  judgments,  as  to  believe,  howbeit  ye  be  in 
 dlood  sib-  to  that  cross,  that  yet  ye  are  exempted  and  freed  from 
 the  gall  and  wrath  that  is  in  it.  I  dare  not  deny  but  (Job  xviii. 
 15)  "The  king  of  terrors  dwelleth  in  the  wicked  man's  taber- 
 nacle :  brimstone  shall  be  scattered  on  his  habitation ; "  yet, 
 madam,  it  is  safe  for  you  to  live  upon  the  faith  of  His  love,  whose 
 arrows  are  over-watered  and  pointed  with  love  and  mercy  to  His 
 own,  and  who  knoweth  how  to  take  you  and  yours  out  of  the  roll 
 and  book  of  the  dead.  Our  Lord  hath  not  the  eyes  of  flesh,  in 
 distributing  wrath  to  the  thousandth  generation  without  excep- 
 tion. "  Seeing  ye  are  not  under  the  law,  but  under  grace,"  and 
 married  to  another  husband ;  wrath  is  not  the  court  that  ye  are 
 liable  to.  As  I  Avould  not  wish,  neither  do  I  believe,  your  ladyship 
 doth  despise;  so  neither  faint.  Eead  and  spell  aright  all  the 
 words  and  syllables  in  the  visitation,  and  miscall  neither  letter  nor 
 syllable  in  it.  Come  along  with  the  Lord,  and  see,  and  lay  no 
 more  weight  upon  the  law  than  your  Christ  hath  laid  upon  it.  If 
 the  law's  bill  get  an  answer  from  Christ,  the  curses  of  it  can  do 
 no  more.  And  I  hope  ye  have  resolved  that  if  He  should  grind 
 you  to  powder,  your  dust  and  powder  shall  believe  His  salvation. 
 And  who  can  tell  what  thoughts  of  love  and  peace  our  Lord  hath 
 to  your  children  1  I  trust  He  shall  make  them  famous  in  execut- 
 ing the  written  judgments  upon  the  enemies  of  the  Lord ;  "  This 
 honour  have  all  His  saints,"  Ps.  cxlix.  9  ;  and  that  they  shall  bear 
 stones  on  their  shoulders  for  building  that  city,  that  is  called, 
 Ezek.  xlvi.  35,  "  The  Lord  is  there."  And  happy  shall  they  be 
 who  have  a  hand  in  the  sacking  of  Babel,  and  come  out  in  the 
 year  of  vengeance,  for  the  controversy  of  Zion  against  the  land  of 
 graven  images.  Therefore,  madam,  let  the  Lord  make  out  of  your 
 father's  house  any  work,  even  of  judgment,  that  He  pleaseth. 
 What  is  wrath  to  others,  is  mercy  to  you  and  your  house.  It  is 
 faith's  work  to  claim  and  challenge  loving-kindness  out  of  all  the 
 roughest  strokes  of  God.  Do  that  for  the  Lord  which  ye  will  do 
 for  time ;  time  will  calm  your  heart  at  that  which  God  hath  done, 
 and  let  our  Lord  have  it  now.  What  love  ye  did  bear  to  friends 
 now  dead,  seeing  they  stand  now  in  no  need  of  it,  let  it  fall  as 
 just  legacy  to  Christ.     0,  how  sweet  to  put  out  many  strange 
 
 iSo.  »Near. 
 
PART  II.]  LETTER  XXXVI.  441 
 
 lovers,  and  to  put  in  Christ !  It  is  much  for  our  half-slain  affec- 
 tions to  part  with  that  which  we  believe  we  have  right  unto  ;  but 
 the  servant's  will  should  be  our  will ;  and  he  is  the  best  servant 
 who  retaineth  least  of  his  own  will,  and  most  of  his  master's. 
 That^  much  wisdom  must  be  ascribed  to  our  Lord,  that  He 
 knoweth  how  to  lead  His  own  in-through  and  out-through  the 
 little  time-hells  and  the  pieces  of  time-during  wraths  in  this  life ; 
 and  yet  keep  safe  His  love,  without  any  blur  upon  the  old  and 
 great  seal  of  free  election.  And  seeing  His  mountains  of  brass, 
 the  mighty  and  strong  decrees  of  free  grace  in  Christ,  stand  sure, 
 and  the  covenant  standeth  fast  for  ever,  as  the  days  of  heaven,  let 
 Him  strike  and  nurture,^  His  striking  must  be  a  very  act  of 
 saving  ;  seeing  strokes  upon  His  secret  ones  come  from  the  soft 
 and  heavenly  hand  of  the  Mediator,  and  His  rods  are  steeped  and 
 watered  in  that  flood  and  river  of  love  that  cometh  from  the  God- 
 man's  heart  of  our  soul-loving  and  soul-redeeming  Jesus.  I  hope 
 ye  are  content  to  frist^  the  Cautioner  of  mankind  His  own  con- 
 quest, heaven,  till  He  pay  it  you,  and  bring  you  to  a  state  of 
 glory,  where  He  shall  never  crook  a  finger  upon,  nor  lift  a  hand 
 to  you  again.  And  be  content,  and  withal  greedily  covetous  of 
 grace,  the  interest  and  pledge  of  glory.  If  I  did  not  believe  your 
 crop  to  be  on  the  ground,  and  your  part  of  that  heaven  of  the 
 saints'  heaven,  white  and  ruddy,  fair,  fair  and  beautiful  Jesus  were 
 come  to  the  bloom  and  the  flower,  and  near  your  hook,"*  I  would 
 not  write  this  ;  but  seeing  time's  thread  is  short,  and  ye  are  upon 
 the  entry  of  heaven's  harvest,  and  Christ,  the  field  of  heaven's 
 glory,  is  white  and  ripe-like,  the  losses  that  I  write  of  to  your 
 ladyship  are  but  summer  showers,  that  will  only  wet  your 
 garments  for  an  hour  or  two,  and  the  sun  of  the  New  Jerusalem 
 shall  quickly  dry  the  wet  coat ;  especially  seeing  rains  of  affliction 
 cannot  stain  the  image  of  God,  or  cause  grace  cast  the  colour.  And 
 since  ye  will  not  alter  upon  Him,  who  will  not  change  upon  you, 
 I  durst  in  weakness  think  myself  no  spiritual  seer,  if  I  should  not 
 prophesy  that  daylight  is  near,  when  such  a  morning-darkness  is 
 upon  you  ;  and  that  this  trial  of  your  christian  mind  towards  Him, 
 whom  ye  dare  not  leave,  howbeit  He  should  slay  you,  shall  close 
 with  a  doubled  mercy.  It  is  time  for  faith  to  hold  fast  as  much 
 of  Christ  as  ever  ye  had,  and  to  make  the  grip  stronger,  and  to 
 cleave  closer  to  him,  seeing  Christ  loveth  to  be  believed  in,  and 
 trusted  to.  The  glory  of  laying  strength  upon  one  that  is  mighty 
 to  save  is  more  than  we  can  think.  That  piece  of  service,  of  be- 
 lieving in  a  smiting  Eedeemer,  is  a  precious  part  of  obedience. 
 0  what  glory  to  Him  to  lay  over  the  burden  of  our  heaven  upon 
 Him  that  purchased  for  us  an  eternal  kingdom  !     O  blessed  soul, 
 
 ^  So.  -Discipline.  ^  Leave  in  his  hand.  '•Sickle, 
 
442  LETTER  XXXVII.  fPART  II. 
 
 who  can  adore,  and  kiss  His  lovely,  free  grace.     The  rich  grace  of 
 Christ  be  with  your  spirit. 
 
 Yours,  at  all  obedience  in  Christ  Jesus,         S    R. 
 Cc.  Andrews,  Oct.  15,  1640. 
 
 LETTER  XXXVIL— To  Agnes  M'Math. 
 
 Dear  Sister, — If  our  Lord  hath  taken  away  your  child,  your 
 lease  of  him  is  expired ;  and  seeing  Christ  would  want  him  no 
 longer,  it  is  your  part  to  hold  your  peace,  and  worship  and  adore 
 the  sovereignty  and  liberty  that  the  Potter  hath  over  the  clay, 
 and  pieces  of  clay-nothings,  that  He  gave  life  unto.  And  what  is 
 man,  to  call  and  summon  the  Almighty  to  his  lower  court  down 
 here  ?  "  For  He  giveth  account  of  none  of  His  doings."  And  if 
 ye  will  take  a  loan  of  a  child,  and  give  him  back  again  to  our 
 Lord,  laughing,  as  His  borrowed  goods  should  return  to  Him; 
 believe  he  is  not  gone  away,  but  sent  before ;  and  that  the  change 
 of  the  country  should  make  you  think,  he  is  not  lost  to  you  who 
 is  found  to  Christ,  and  that  he  is  now  before  you,  and  that  the 
 dead  in  Christ  shall  be  raised  again.  A  going-down  star  is  not 
 annihilated,  but  shall  appear  again.  It  he  hath  casten  his  bloom 
 and  flower,  the  bloom  is  fallen  in  heaven  in  Christ's  lap  ;  and  as 
 he  was  lent  a  while  to  time,  so  is  he  given  now  to  eternity,  which 
 will  take  yourself ;  and  the  difference  ot  your  shipping  and  his 
 to  heaven  and  Christ's  shore,  the  land  of  life,  is  only  in  some  few 
 years,  which  weareth  every  day  shorter,  and  some  short  and  soon- 
 reckoned  summers  will  give  you  a  meeting  with  him.  But  what, 
 with  himi  Nay,  with  better  company: — with  the  Chief  and 
 Leader  of  the  heavenly  troops,  that  are  riding  on  white  horses, 
 that  are  triumphing  in  glory.  If  death  were  a  sleep  that  had  no 
 wakening,  we  might  sorrow.  But  our  Husband  shall  quickly  be 
 at  the  bed-sides  of  all  that  lie  sleeping  in  the  grave,  and  shall 
 raise  their  mortal  bodies.  Christ  was  death's  cautioner,  who  gave 
 His  word  to  come  and  loose  all  the  clay-pawns,  and  set  them  at 
 His  own  right  hand :  and  our  cautioner,  Christ,  hath  an  act  of 
 law-surety  upon  death,  to  render  back  His  captives.  And  that 
 Lord  Jesus,  who  knoweth  the  turnings  and  windings  that  is  in 
 that  black  trance  ^  of  death,  hath  numbered  all  the  steps  of  the 
 stair  up  to  heaven  ;  He  knoweth  how  long  the  turnpike  is,  or  how 
 many  pair  of  stairs  high  it  is,  for  He  ascended  that  way  Himself 
 (Rev.  i.  18),  "  I  was  dead  and  am  alive."  And  now  He  liveth  at 
 the  right  hand  of  God,  and  His  garments  have  not  so  much  as  a 
 smell  of  death.  Your  afflictions  smell  of  the  children's  case ;  the 
 bairns  of  the  house  are  so  nurtured  ;  and  suffering  is  no  new  life, 
 it  is  but  the  rent-  of  the  sons — bastards  have  not  so  much  of  the 
 
 '  Passscje.  *  Income. 
 
TART  II.]  LETTER  XXXVIII.  443 
 
 rent.  Take  kindly  and  heartsomoly  with  His  cross,  who  never 
 yet  slew  a  child  with  the  cross.  He  breweth  your  cup,  therefore 
 drink  it  patiently,  and  with  the  better  will.  Stay  and  wait  on 
 till  Christ  loose  the  knot  that  fasteneth  His  cross  on  your  back ; 
 for  He  is  coming  to  deliver.  And  I  pray  you.  sister,  learn  to  be 
 worthy  of  His  pains  who  correcteth  ;  and  let  Him  wring,  and  be 
 ye  washen ;  for  He  hath  a  father's  heart  and  a  father's  hand,  who 
 is  training  you  up,  and  making  you  meet  for  the  high  hall.  This 
 school  of  suffering  is  a  preparation  for  the  King's  higher  house  ; 
 and  let  all  your  visitations  speak  all  the  letters  of  your  Lord's 
 summons.  They  cry,  1.  0  vain  world!  2.  0  bitter  sin!  3.  0 
 short  and  uncertain  time!  4.  0  fair  eternity,  that  is  above  sick- 
 ness and  death  !  5.  0  kingly  and  princely  Bridegroom  !  hasten 
 glory's  marriage,  shorten  time's  short-spun  and  soon-broken  thread, 
 and  conquer  sin !  6.  0  happy  and  blessed  death,  that  golden 
 bridge  laid  over  by  Christ  my  Lord,  betwixt  time's  clay-banks  and 
 heaven's  shore  !  "And  the  Spirit  and  the  bride  say,  Come;"  and 
 answer  ye  with  them,  "Even  so,  come,  Lord  Jesus,  come  quickly!" 
 Grace  be  with  you. 
 
 Your  brother,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  K. 
 St.  Andrews,  Oct.  15,  1640. 
 
 LETTER  XXXVni.— To  Mr.  Matthew  Mowat. 
 
 Reverend  and  dear  Brother, — What  am  I  to  answer  you  ] 
 Alas  !  my  books  are  all  bare,  and  show  me  little  of  God ;  I  would 
 fain  go  beyond  books  into  His  house  of  love  to  see  Himself.  Dear 
 brother,  neither  ye  nor  I  are  parties  worthy  of  His  love  or  know- 
 ledge. Ah !  how  hath  sin  bemisted  and  blinded  us,  that  we  can- 
 not see  Him !  But  for  my  poor  self,  I  am  pained  and  like  to 
 burst,  because  He  will  not  take  down  the  wall,  and  fetch  His  un- 
 created beauty,  and  bring  His  matchless,  white  and  ruddy  face 
 out  of  heaven  once  errand,^  that  I  may  have  heaven  meeting  me 
 ere  I  go  to  it,  in  such  a  wonderful  sight.  Ye  know  that  majesty 
 and  love  do  humble,  because  homely  love  to  sinners  dwelleth  in 
 Him  with  majesty.  Ye  should  give  Him  all  His  own  court-styles. 
 His  high  and  heaven-names.  What  am  I,  to  shape  conceptions  of 
 my  highest  Lord  1  How  broad,  and  how  high,  and  how  deep  He 
 is  above  and  beyond  what  these  conceptions  are,  I  cannot  tell ; 
 but  for  my  own  weak  practice  (which,  alas  !  can  be  no  rule  to  one 
 so  deep  in  love-sickness  with  Christ  as  ye  are),  I  would  fain  add 
 to  my  thoughts  and  esteem  of  Him,  and  make  Him  more  high, 
 and  would  wish  a  heart  and  love  ten  thousand  times  wider  than 
 the  utmost  circle  and  curtain  that  goeth  about  the  heaven  of 
 
 ^  On  purpose. 
 
■i44  LETTER  XXXIX  [PART  II 
 
 heavens,  to  entertain  Him  in  that  heart  and  with  that  love.  But 
 that  which  is  your  pain,  my  dear  brother,  is  mine  also ;  I  am  con- 
 founded with  the  thoughts  of  Him.  I  know  God  is  casten  (if  I 
 may  speak  so)  in  a  sweet  mouhl,  and  lovely  image,  in  the  person 
 of  that  heaven's  jewel,  the  Man  Christ ;  and  tliat  the  steps  of  that 
 steep  ascent  and  stair  to  the  Godhead,  is  the  flesh  of  Christ,  the 
 new  and  living  way ;  and  there  is  footing  for  faith  in  that  curious 
 ark  of  the  humanity.  Therein  dwelleth  the  Godhead  married 
 upon^  our  humanity.  I  would  be  in  heaven,  suppose  I  had  not 
 another  errand,  but  to  see  that  dainty  golden  ark,  and  God  per- 
 sonally looking  out  at  ears  and  eyes,  and  a  body,  such  as  we 
 sinners  have,  that  I  might  wear  my  sinful  mouth  in  kisses  on  Him 
 for  evermore.  And  I  know,  all  the  three  blessed  Persons  should 
 be  well  pleased  that  my  piece  of  faint  and  created  love  should 
 first  coast  upon  the  Man-Christ ;  I  should  see  them  all  through 
 Him,  I  am  called  from  writing  by  my  great  employments  in  this 
 town,  and  have  said  nothing  :  but  what  can  I  say  of  Him  1  Let 
 us  go  and  see. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S,  R. 
 St.  Andrews,  1640 
 
 LETTER  XXXIX.— To  my  Lady  Kenmure, 
 
 Madam, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  your  ladyship.  I  am 
 heartily  sorry  that  your  ladyship  is  deprived  of  such  a  husband, 
 and  the  Lord's  kirk  of  so  active  and  faithful  a  friend.  I  know, 
 your  ladyship  long  ago  made  acquaintance  with  that,  wherein 
 Christ  will  have  you  joined  in  a  fellowship  with  Himself,  even  with 
 His  own  cross  ;  and  hath  taught  you  to  stay  your  soul  upon  the 
 Lord's  good  will,  who  giveth  no  account  of  His  matters  to  any  of 
 us.  When  He  hath  led  you  through  this  water,  that  was  in  your 
 way  to  glory,  there  are  fewer  behind ;  and  His  order  in  dismiss- 
 ing us,  and  sending  us  out  of  the  market,  one  before  another,  is  to 
 be  reverenced  One  year's  time  of  heaven  shall  swallow  up  all 
 sorrows,  even  beyond  all  comparison ;  what  then  will  not  a  dura- 
 tion of  blessedness  so  long  as  God  shall  live,  fully  and  abund- 
 antly recompense  1  It  is  good  that  our  Lord  hath  given  a  debtor,^ 
 obliged  by  gracious  promises,  for  more  in  eternity  than  time  can 
 take  from  you  ;  and  I  believe  your  ladyship  hath  been  now  many 
 years  advising  and  thinking  what  that  glory  will  be  which  is  abid- 
 ing the  pilgrims  and  strangers  on  the  earth,  when  they  come  home, 
 and  which  we  may  think  of,  love,  and  tliirst  for,  but  we  cannot 
 comprehend  it,  nor  conceive  of  it  as  it  is;  far  less  can  we  ov^er-think 
 or  over-love  it.     0  so  long  a  chapter,  or  rather  so  large  a  volume 
 
 ^  To.  ^  Apparently  an  acknowledgment  of  indebtedness. 
 
PART  II.]  LETTEK  XL.  445 
 
 as  Christ  is,  in  that  divinity  of  glory  !  There  is  no  more  of  Him 
 let  down  now,  to  be  seen  and  enjoyed  by  His  children,  but  as  much 
 as  may  feed  hunger  in  this  life,  but  not  satisfy  it.  Your  ladyship 
 is  a  debtor  to  the  Son  of  God's  cross,  that  is  Avearing  out  love  and 
 affiance  in  tlie  creature  out  of  your  heart  by  degrees  ;  or  rather  the 
 obligation  standeth  to  His  free  grace,  who  careth  for  your  ladyship 
 in  this  gracious  dispensation,  and  Avho  is  preparing  and  making 
 ready  the  garments  of  salvation  for  you  ;  and  who  calleth  you  •with 
 a  new  name,  that  the  mouth  of  the  Lord  hath  named,  and  purpos- 
 eth  to  make  you  "a  crown  of  glory,  and  a  roj^al  diadem  in  the 
 hand  of  your  God,"  Isa.  Ixii.  2,  3.  Ye  are  obliged  to  frist  ^  Him 
 more  than  one  heaven  ;  and  yet  He  craveth  not  a  long  day ;  it  is 
 fast  coming,  and  is  sure  payment.  Though  ye  gave  no  hire  for 
 Him,  yet  hath  He  given  a  great  price  and  ransom  for  you ;  and  if 
 the  bargain  were  to  make  again,  Christ  would  give  no  less  for  yoa 
 than  what  He  hath  already  given  ;  He  is  far  from  ruing.^  I  shall 
 wish  you  no  more,  till  time  be  gone  out  of  the  way,  than  the  ear- 
 nest of  that  which  He  hath  purchased  and  prepared  for  you,  which 
 can  never  be  fully  preached,  written,  or  tlioiight  of,  since  it  hath 
 not  entered  into  the  heart  to  consider  it.  So  recommending  your 
 ladyship  to  the  rich  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus,  I  am,  and  rest,  your 
 ladyship's,  at  all  respective  ^  observance  in  Christ  Jesus,  S.  E. 
 St.  Andrews. 
 
 LETTER  XL.— To  Mistress  Taylor. 
 
 Mistress, —  Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you.  Though  I  have 
 no  relation  worldly,  or  acquaintance  with  you,  yet  (upon  the  testi- 
 mony and  importunity  of  your  elder  son  now  at  London,  Avhere  I 
 am,  but  chiefly  because  I  esteem  Jesus  Christ  in  you  to  be  in  place 
 of  all  relations)  I  make  bold  in  Christ  to  speak  my  poor  thoughts 
 to  you  concerning  your  son  lately  fallen  asleep  in  the  Lord  (who 
 was  sometime  under  the  ministry  of  the  worthy  servant  of  Christ, 
 my  fellows-labourer,  Mr.  Blair,  and  by  whose  ministry  I  hope  he 
 reaped  no  small  advantage)  I  know  grace  rooteth  not  out  the 
 affections  of  a  mother,  but  putteth  them  on  His  wheel  who  maketh 
 all  things  new,  that  they  may  be  refined ;  therefore  sorrow  for  a 
 dead  child  is  alloAved  to  you,  though  by  measure  and  ounce- weights : 
 the  redeemed  of  the  Lord  have  not  a  dominion  or  lordship  over 
 their  sorrow  and  other  affections,  to  lavish  out  Christ's  goods  at 
 their  pleasure  :  "  For  ye  ai'e  not  our  own,  but  bought  with  a  price;" 
 and  your  sorrow  is  not  your  own,  nor  hath  He  redeemed  you  by 
 halves ;  and  therefore  ye  are  not  to  make  Christ's  cross  no  cross. 
 He  commandeth  you  to  weep ;  and  that  princely  One,  who  took 
 *  Tnust  Him  with.  ^  liepenting.  ^  liespectfuL 
 
446  LETTER  XL.  [PAllT  II. 
 
 up  to  heaven  with  Him  a  man's  heart  to  be  a  compa.5sionate  High 
 Priest,  became  your  fellow  and  companion  on  earth,  by  weejiing 
 for  the  dead,  John  xi,  35.  And  therefore  ye  are  to  love  that  cross, 
 because  it  was  once  on  Christ's  shoulders  before  you ;  so  that  by 
 His  own  practice  He  hath  overgilded  and  covered  your  cross  with 
 the  Mediator's  lustre.  The  cup  ye  drink  was  at  the  lip  of  sweet 
 Jesus,  and  He  drank  of  it ;  and  so  it  hath  a  smell  of  His  breath. 
 And  I  conceive  ye  love  it  not  the  worse  that  it  is  thus  sugared ; 
 therefore  drink,  and  believe  the  resurrection  of  your  son's  body : 
 if  one  coal  of  hell  could  fall  off  the  exalted  head  Jesus,  Jesus  the 
 Prince  of  the  kings  of  the  earth,  and  burn  me  to  ashes,  knowing  I 
 were  a  partner  with  Christ,  and  a  fellow-sharer  with  Him  (though 
 the  unworthiest  of  men),  I  think  I  should  die  a  lovely  death  in  that 
 fire  with  Him.  The  worst  things  of  Christ,  even  His  cross,  have 
 much  of  heaven  from  Himself ;  and  so  hath  your  Christian  sorrow, 
 being  of  kin  to  Christ's  in  that  kind.  If  your  sorrow  were  a  bas- 
 tard, and  not  of  Christ's  house  (because  of  the  relation  ye  have  to 
 Him  in  conformity  with  His  death  and  sufferings),  I  should  the 
 more  compassionate  your  condition ;  but  kind  and  compassionate 
 Jesus,  at  every  sigh  ye  give  for  the  loss  of  your  now-glorified  child 
 (so  I  believe,  as  is  meet),  with  a  man's  heart,  crieth,  "  Half  mine." 
 I  was  not  a  witness  to  his  death,  being  called  out  of  the  kingdom ; 
 but  ye  shall  credit  those  whom  I  do  credit  (and  I  dare  not  lie),  he 
 died  comfortably.  It  is  true,  he  died  before  he  did  so  much  ser- 
 vice to  Christ  on  earth,  as  I  hope  and  heartily  desire  your  son  Mr. 
 Hugh  (very  dear  to  me  in  Jesus  Christ)  shall  do.  But  that  were 
 a  real  matter  of  sorrow,  if  this  were  not  to  counterbalance  it,  that 
 he  hath  changed  service-houses,  but  hath  not  changed  services  or 
 Master,  "  And  there  shall  be  no  more  curse,  but  the  throne  of  God 
 and  of  the  Lamb  shall  be  in  it,  and  His  servants  shall  serve  Him," 
 Rev.  xxii.  3.  What  He  could  have  done  in  this  lower  house,  he  is 
 now  upon  that  same  service  in  the  higher  house  ;  and  it  is  all  one, 
 it  is  the  same  service,  and  the  same  Master,  only  there  is  a  change 
 of  conditions.  And  ye  are  not  to  think  it  a  bad  bargain  for  your 
 beloved  son,  where  he  hath  gold  for  copper  and  brass,  eternity  for 
 time,  I  believe  Christ  hath  taught  you  (for  I  give  credit  to  such 
 a  witness  of  you  as  your  son  Mr.  Hugh)  not  to  sorrow  because  he 
 died.  All  the  knot  ^  must  be,  he  died  too  soon,  he  died  too  young, 
 he  died  in  the  morning  of  His  life,  this  is  all ;  but  sovereignty 
 must  silence  your  thoughts.  I  was  in  your  condition  ;  I  had  but 
 two  children,  and  both  are  dead  since  I  came  hither.  The  supremo 
 and  absolute  Former  of  all  things  giveth  not  an  account  of  any  of 
 His  matters.  The  good  husbandman  may  pluck  his  roses,  and 
 gather  in  his  lilies  at  midsummer,  and,  for  aught  I  dare  say,  in 
 
 1  Pifficultv. 
 
PAKT  II.]  LETTEK  XLl.  447 
 
 the  beginning  of  the  first  summer  month  ;  and  he  may  transplant 
 young  trees  out  of  the  lower  ground  to  the  higher,  where  they  may 
 have  more  of  the  sun,  and  a  more  free  air,  at  any  season  of  the  year. 
 What  is  that  to  you  or  me  ?  the  goods  are  his  own.  The  Creator 
 of  time  and  winds  did  a  merciful  injury  (if  I  dare  borrow  the 
 word)  to  nature,  in  landing  the  passenger  so  early.  They  love  the 
 sea  too  well  who  complain  of  a  fair  wind,  and  a  desirable  tide, 
 and  a  speedy  coming  ashore,  especially  a  coming  ashore  in  that 
 land  where  all  the  inhabitants  have  everlasting  joy  upon  their 
 heads.  He  cannot  be  too  early  in  heaven  ;  his  twelve  hours  were 
 not  short  hours.  And  withal,  if  ye  consider  this,  had  ye  been  at 
 his  bed-side,  and  should  have  seen  Christ  coming  to  him,  ye  would 
 not,  ye  could  not  have  adjourned  Christ's  free  love,  who  would 
 want  Him  no  longer.  And  dying  in  another  land,  where  his 
 mother  could  not  close  his  eyes,  is  not  much.  Who  closed  Moses' 
 eyes?  and  Avho  put  on  his  winding-sheet?  For  aught  I  know,  nei- 
 ther father,  nor  mother,  nor  friend,  but  God  only.  And  there  is 
 as  expedite,^  fair,  and  easy  a  way  betwixt  Scotland  and  heaven,  as 
 if  he  had  died  in  the  very  bed  he  was  born  in.  The  whole  earth 
 is  his  Father's  ;  any  corner  of  his  Father's  house  is  good  enough  to 
 die  in.  It  may  be  the  living  child  (I  speak  not  of  Mr.  Hugh)  is 
 more  grief  to  you  than  the  dead.  Ye  are  to  wait  on,  if  at  any  time 
 God  shall  give  Him  repentance ;  Christ  waited  as  long  possibly  on 
 you  and  me,  certainly  longer  on  me  ;  and  if  He  should  deny  repen- 
 tance to  him,  I  could  say  something  to  that ;  but  I  hope  better 
 things  of  him.  It  seemeth  that  Christ  will  have  this  world  your 
 step-dame  ;  I  love  not  your  condition  the  worse,  it  may  be  a  proof 
 that  ye  are  not  a  child  of  this  lower  house,  but  a  stranger.  Christ 
 seeth  it  not  good  only,  but  your  only  good,  to  be  led  thus  to  heaven ; 
 and  think  this  a  favour,  that  He  hath  bestowed  upon  you,  free, 
 free  grace,  that  is  mercy  without  hire,  ye  paid  nothing  for  it. 
 And  who  can  put  a  price  upon  anything  of  royal  and  princely  Jesus 
 Christ  ?  And  that  God  hath  given  to  you  to  suffer  for  Him  the 
 spoiling  of  your  goods,  esteem  it  as  an  act  of  free  grace  also  ;  ye  are 
 no  loser,  having  Himself,  and  I  persuade  myself,  if  ye  could  prize 
 Christ,  nothing  could  be  bitter  to  you.  Grace,  grace  be  with  you. 
 Your  brother  and  well-wisher,  S.  K 
 London,  Id  15. 
 
 LETTER  XLL— To  Barbara  Hamilton. 
 
 Worthy  Friend, — Grace  be  to  you.     I  do  unwillingly  writo 
 
 unto  you  of  that  which  God  hath  done  concerning  your  son-in-law  ; 
 
 only,  I  believe,  ye  look  not  below  Christ,  and  the  highest  and  most 
 
 supreme  act  of  providence,  which  moveth  all  wheels.     And  cer- 
 
 '  Expeditious. 
 
448  LETTER  XLI.  [PART  II. 
 
 tainly,  what  came  down  enacted,  and  concluded  in  the  great  book 
 before  the  throne,  and  signed  and  subscribed  with  the  hand  which 
 never  did  wrong,  should  be  kissed  and  adored  by  us.  We  see 
 God's  decrees,  when  they  bring  forth  their  fruits,  all  actions,  good 
 and  ill,  sweet  and  sour,  in  their  time ;  but  we  see  not  presently 
 the  after-birth  of  God's  decree,  to  wit,  His  blessed  end,  and  the 
 good  that  He  bringeth  out  of  the  womb  of  His  holy  and  spotless 
 counsel.  We  see  His  working  and  we  sorrow ;  the  end  of  His 
 counsel  and  working  lieth  hidden  and  underneath  the  ground,  and 
 therefore  we  cannot  believe.  Even  amongst  men,  we  see  hewn 
 stones,  timber,  and  a  hundred  scattered  parcels  and  pieces  of  a 
 house,  all  under  tools,  hammers,  and  axes,  and  saws ;  yet  the 
 house,  the  beauty  and  ease  of  so  many  lodgings  and  ease-rooms,  we 
 neither  see  nor  understand  for  the  present ;  these  are  but  in  the 
 mind  and  head  of  the  builder  as  yet.  We  see  red  earth,  unbroken 
 clods,  furrows,  and  stones ;  but  we  see  not  summer  lilies,  roses, 
 and  the  beauty  of  a  garden.  If  ye  give  the  Lord  time  to  work  (as 
 often  he  that  believeth  not  maketh  haste,  but  not  speed),  His  end 
 is  under  the  ground ;  and  ye  shall  see  it  was  your  good  that  your 
 son  hath  changed  dwelling-places,  but  not  his  Master.  Christ 
 thought  good  to  have  no  more  of  his  service  here  ;  yet,  Kev.  xxii. 
 3,  "His  servants  shall  serve  Him;"  He  needeth  not  us  or  our  ser- 
 vice either  in  earth  or  in  heaven ;  but  ye  are  to  look  to  Him,  who 
 giveth  the  hireling  both  his  leave  and  his  wages,  for  his  naked 
 aim  and  purpose  to  serve  Christ,  as  well  as  for  his  labours  ;  it  is 
 put  up  in  Christ's  account :  Such  a  labourer  did  sweat  forty  years 
 in  Christ's  vineyard ;  howbeit  he  got  not  leave  to  labour  so  long, 
 because  He  who  accepteth  of  the  will  for  the  deed  counteth  so. 
 None  can  teach  the  Lord  to  lay  an  account ;  He  numbereth  the 
 drops  of  rain,  and  knoweth  the  stars  by  their  names ;  it  Avould 
 take  us  much  studying  to  give  a  name  to  every  star  in  the  firma- 
 ment, great  or  small.  See  Lev.  xiii.  1 3,  "  And  Aaron  held  his 
 peace;"  ye  know  his  two  sons  were  slain  whilst  they  offered 
 strange  fire  to  the  Lord.  Command  your  thoughts  to  be  silent. 
 If  the  soldiers  of  Newcastle  had  done  this,  ye  might  have  stomach- 
 ed ;  1  but  the  Aveapon  was  in  another  hand :  Hear  the  rod  what 
 it  preacheth,  and  see  the  name  of  God,  Micah  vi.  9  ;  and  know 
 that  there  is  somewhat  of  God  and  heaven  in  the  rod.  The  majesty 
 of  the  unsearchable  and  bottomless  ways  and  judgments  of  God 
 is  not  seen  in  the  rod,  and  the  seeing  of  them  require th  the  eyes  of 
 the  man  of  wisdom.  If  the  sufferings  of  some  other  Avith  you  iu 
 that  loss  could  ease  you,  ye  want  them  not.  But  He  can  do  no 
 wrong,  He  cannot  halt ;  His  goings  are  equal,  who  hath  done  it. 
 I  know  our  Lord  airaeth  at  more  mortification  ;  let  Him  not  como 
 
 '  Usen  indignant. 
 
PART  II.]  LETTER  XLII.  449 
 
 in  vain  to  your  honse,  and  lose  the  pains  of  a  merciful  visit.  God, 
 the  founder,  never  melteth  in  vain ;  howbeit  to  as  He  seemeth 
 often  to  lose  both  fire  and  metal :  but  I  know  ye  are  more  in  this 
 Avork  than  I  can  be  ;  there  is  no  cause  to  faint  or  weary.  Grace 
 be  with  you,  and  the  rich  consolations  of  Jesus  Christ  sweeten 
 your  cross  and  support  you  under  it.     I  rest, 
 
 Yours,  in  his  Lord  and  Master,         S.  R. 
 London,  Oct.  15,  1645. 
 
 LETTER  XLIL— To  Mistress  Hume. 
 
 Loving  Sister, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you.  If  ye 
 have  anything  better  than  the  husband  of  your  youth,  ye  are 
 Jesus  Christ's  debtor  for  it ;  pay  not  then  your  debts  with  grudg- 
 ing. Sorrow  may  diminish  from  the  sweet  fruit  of  righteousness ; 
 but  quietness,  silence,  submission,  and  faith,  put  a  crown  upon 
 your  sad  losses  :  ye  know  whose  voice  the  voice  of  a  crying  rod  is, 
 Micah  vi.  9.  The  name  and  majesty  of  the  Lord  is  written  on  the 
 rod ;  read  and  be  instructed.  Let  Christ  have  the  room  of  the 
 husband :  he  hath  now  no  need  of  you,  or  of  your  love  :  for  he 
 enjoyeth  as  much  of  the  love  of  Christ  as  his  heart  can  be  capable 
 of  I  confess  it  is  a  dear-bought  experience  to  teach  you  to  under- 
 value the  creature ;  yet  it  is  not  too  dear  if  Christ  think  it  so.  I 
 know  that  the  disputing  of  your  thoughts  against  his  going  hither, 
 the  way  and  manner  of  his  death,  the  instruments,  the  place,  the 
 time,  will  not  ease  your  spirits,  except  ye  rise  higher  than  second 
 causes,  and  be  silent  because  the  Lord  hath  done  it ;  if  we  measure 
 the  goings  of  the  Almighty  and  His  ways,  the  bottom  whereof  we 
 see  not,  we  quite  mistake  God.  0  how  little  a  portion  of  God  seo 
 we  !  He  is  far  above  our  ebb  and  narrow  thoughts ;  He  ruled  the 
 world  in  wisdom  ere  we,  creatures  of  yesterday,  were  born,  and 
 shall  rule  it  when  we  shall  be  lodging  beside  the  worms  and  cor- 
 ruption. Only  learn  heavenly  wisdom,  self-denial,  and  mortifica- 
 tion by  this  sad  loss  ;  I  know  that  it  is  not  for  nothing  (except  ye 
 deny  God  to  be  wise  in  all  He  doeth)  that  ye  have  lost  one  in 
 earth.  There  hath  been  too  little  of  your  love  and  heart  in 
 heaven,  and  therefore  the  jealousy  of  Christ  hath  done  this  ;  it  is 
 a  mercy  that  he  contendeth  with  you  and  all  your  lovers  ;  I  should 
 desire  no  greater  favour  for  myself  than  that  Christ  laid  a  neces- 
 sity, and  took  on  such  bonds  upon  Himself — such  an  one  I  must 
 have,  and  such  a  soul  I  cannot  live  in  heaven  without,  John  x.  16. 
 And  believe  it,  it  is  incomprehensible  love  that  Christ  saith,  "If I 
 enjoy  the  glory  of  my  Father,  and  the  crown  of  heaven  far  above 
 men  and  angels,  I  must  use  all  means,  though  never  so  violent,  to 
 have  the  company  of  such  an  one  for  ever  and  ever."     If  with  the 
 
 2f 
 
450  LETTEK  XLIII.  [PART  II, 
 
 eyes  of  wisdom,  as  a  child  of  wisdom,  ye  justify  your  mother,  the 
 wisdom  of  God  (whose  child  ye  are),  ye  shall  kiss  and  embrace 
 this  loss,  and  see  much  of  Christ  in  it.  Believe  and  submit,  and 
 refer  the  income  of  the  consolations  of  Jesus,  and  the  event  of  the 
 trial,  to  your  heavenly  Father,  who  numbereth  all  your  hairs. 
 And  put  Christ  in  his  own  room  in  your  love  ;  it  may  be  He  hath 
 either  been  out  of  His  own  place,  or  in  a  place  of  love  inferior  to 
 His  worth.  Eepair  Christ  in  all  His  wrongs  done  to  Him,  and 
 love  Him  for  a  Husband ;  and  He,  "  that  is  a  Husband  to  the 
 widow,"  shall  be  that  to  you,  which  He  hath  taken  from  you. 
 Grace  be  with  you.     Your  sympathizing  brother,  S.  K. 
 
 London,  Oct.  15,  1645. 
 
 LETTER  XLin.— To  Baebara.  Hamilton. 
 
 Loving  Sister, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you.  I  have 
 heard  with  grief  that  Newcastle  hath  taken  one  more  in  a  bloody 
 account  than  before,  even  your  son-in-law,  and  my  friend ;  but  1 
 hope  ye  have  learned  that^  much  of  Christ  as  not  to  look  to 
 wheels  rolled  round  about  on  earth.  Earthen  vessels  are  not  to 
 dispute  with  their  Former  ;  pieces  of  sinning  clay  may,  by  reason- 
 ing and  contending  with  the  Potter,  mar  the  work  of  Him,  "  who 
 hath  His  fire  in  Zion  and  His  furnace  in  Jerusalem ;"  as  bullocks, 
 sweating  and  wrestling  in  the  furrow,  make  their  yoke  more  heavy. 
 In  quietness  and  rest  ye  shall  be  saved  ;  if  men  do  anything  con- 
 trary to  our  heart,  we  may  ask  both,  who  did  it  and,  what  is 
 done  1  and  why?  When  God  hath  done  any  such  thing,  we  are  to 
 inquire  who  hath  done  it  1  and  to  know  that  this  cometh  from  the 
 Lord,  "  who  is  wonderful  in  counsel  ;"  but  we  are  not  to  ask  what 
 or  why]  If  it  be  from  the  Lord,  as  certainly  there  is  no  evil  in 
 the  city  without  him,  Amos  iii.  6,  it  is  enough  ;  the  fairest  face  of 
 His  spotless  way  is  but  coming,  and  ye  are  to  believe  His  works 
 as  well  as  His  word.  Violent  death  is  a  sharer  with  Christ  in 
 His  death,  which  was  violent.  It  maketh  not  much  what  way  we 
 go  to  heaven  ;  the  happy  home  is  all,  where  the  roughness  of  the 
 way  shall  be  forgotten.  He  is  gone  home  to  a  friend's  house,  and 
 made  welcome,  and  the  race  is  ended.  Time  is  recompensed  with 
 eternity,  and  copper  with  gold.  God's  order  is  in  wisdom,  the 
 husband  goes  home  before  the  wife,  and  the  throng  of  the  market 
 shall  be  over  ere  it  be  long,  and  another  generation  where  we  now 
 are ;  and  at  length  an  empty  house,  and  not  one  of  mankind  shall 
 be  upon  the  earth,  within  the  sixth  part  of  an  hour  after  the  earth 
 and  the  works  that  are  therein  shall  be  burnt  up  with  fire.  I  fear 
 more  that  Christ  is  about  to  remove,  when  He  carrieth  home  so 
 much  of  His  plenishing  ^  beforehand.  We  cannot  teach  the  Al- 
 ^  So.  -  Furniture. 
 
I'AllT  II.]  LETTER  XLIV.  451 
 
 mighty  knowledge ;  when  He  was  directing  the  bullet  against  His 
 servant,  to  fetch  out  the  soul,  no  wise  man  could  cry  to  God, 
 Wrong,  wrong,  Lord,  for  he  is  thine  own.  There  is  no  mist  over 
 His  eyes,  who  is  "wonderful  in  counsel;"  if  Zion  be  buildedwith 
 your  son-in-law's  blood,  the  Lord  (deep  in  counsel)  can  glue  to- 
 gether the  stones  of  Zion  with  blood,  and  with  that  blood  which 
 is  precious  in  His  eyes.  Christ  hath  fewer  labourers  in  His  vine- 
 yard than  He  had ;  but  some  more  witnesses  for  His  cause,  and 
 the  Lord's  covenant  with  the  three  nations.  What  is  Christ's 
 gain  is  not  your  loss ;  let  not  that,  which  is  His  holy  and  wise 
 will,  be  your  unbelieving  sorrow.  Though  I  really  judge  I  had 
 interest  in  his  dead  servant,  yet  because  he  now  liveth  to  Christ, 
 I  quit  the  hopes  I  had  of  his  successful  labouring  in  the  ministry  ; 
 I  know  he  now  praiseth  the  grace  that  he  was  to  preach ;  and  if 
 there  were  a  better  thing  on  his  head  now  in  heaven  than  a  crown, 
 or  anything  more  excellent  than  heaven,  he  would  cast  it  down 
 before  His  feet  who  sitteth  on  the  throne.  Give  glory  therefore  to 
 Christ,  as  he  now  doth,  and  say,  "  Thy  will  be  done."  The  grace 
 and  consolation  of  Christ  be  with  you. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  sweet  Ijord  Jesus,         S.  E. 
 London,  Nov.  15, 1645. 
 
 LETTER  XLIV,— To  the  Viscountess  of  Kenmure, 
 
 Madam, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  your  ladyship.  Though 
 Christ  lose  no  time,  yet  when  sinful  men  drive  His  chariot,  the 
 wheels  of  His  chariot  move  slowly.  The  woman,  Zion,  as  soon  as 
 she  travailed,  brought  forth  her  children ;  yea,  Isa.  Ixvi.  7,  "  Be- 
 fore she  travailed,  she  brought  forth ;  before  her  pain  came,  she 
 was  delivered  of  a  man-cliild."  Yet  the  deliverance  of  the  people 
 was  with  the  woman's  going  with  child  seventy  years,  that  is  more 
 than  nine  months.  There  be  many  oppositions  in  carrying  on  the 
 work  ;  but  I  hope  the  Lord  will  build  His  own  Zion,  and  evidence 
 to  us  that  it  is  done,  "  not  by  might,  nor  by  power,  but  by  the 
 Spirit  of  the  Lord,"  Madam,  I  have  heard  of  your  infirmities  of 
 body  and  sickness,  I  know  the  issue  shall  be  mercy  to  you ;  and 
 that  God's  purpose,  which  lieth  hidden  under-ground  to  you,  is  to 
 commend  the  sweetness  of  His  love  and  care  to  you  from  your 
 youth.  And  if  all  the  sad  losses,  trials,  sicknesses,  infirmities,  griefs, 
 heaviness,  and  inconstancy  of  the  creature,  be  expounded  (as  sure 
 I  am  they  are),  the  rods  of  the  jealousy  of  a  Husband  in  heaven, 
 contending  with  all  your  lovers  on  earth  (though  there  were 
 millions  of  them)  for  your  love,  to  fetch  more  of  your  love  home  to 
 heaven,  to  make  it  single,  unmixed,  and  chaste  to  the  fairest  in 
 heaven  and  earth,  to  Jesus  the  Prince  of  ages  ;  ye  will  forgive  (to 
 
452  LETTER  XLV.  [PART   II 
 
 borrow  that  word)  every  rod  of  God,  and  not  let  the  sun  go  down 
 on  your  wrath,  against  any  messenger  of  your  afflicting  and  cor- 
 recting Father.  Since  your  ladyship  cannot  but  see  that  the  mark 
 at  which  Christ  hath  aimed  at  these  twenty-four  years  and  above, 
 is  to  have  the  company  and  fellowship  of  such  a  sinful  creature  in 
 heaven  with  Him,  for  all  eternity ;  and  because  He  will  not  (such 
 is  the  power  of  His  love)  enjoy  His  Father's  glory,  and  that  crown 
 due  to  Him  by  eternal  generation,  without  you  by  name,  John 
 xvii.  24,  John  x.  16,  John  xiv.  3;  therefore,  madam,  believe  no 
 evil  of  Christ ;  listen  to  no  hard  reports  that  His  rods  make  of 
 Him  to  you.  He  hath  loved  you,  and  washed  you  from  your 
 sins  ;  and  what  would  ye  have  more  1  Is  that  too  little,  except 
 He  adjourn  ^  all  crosses  till  ye  be  where  ye  shall  be  out  of  all 
 capacity  to  sigh,  or  to  be  crossed  1  I  hope  ye  can  desire  no  more, 
 no  greater,  nor  more  excellent  suit,  than  Christ  and  the  fellowship 
 of  the  Lamb  for  evermore ;  and  if  that  desire  be  answered  in 
 heaven  (as  I  am  sure  it  is,  and  ye  cannot  deny  but  it  is  made  sure 
 to  you),  the  want  of  these  poor  accidents  of  a  living  husband,  of 
 many  children,  of  a  healthful  body,  of  a  life  of  ease  in  the  world, 
 without  one  knot  in  the  rush,  are  nobly  made  up,  and  may  be 
 comfortably  borne.     Grace,  grace  be  with  your  ladyship. 
 
 Your  ladyship's,  at  all  obedience  in  Christ,         S.  R. 
 London,  Oct.  16,  1645. 
 
 LETTER  XLV.— To  a  Christian  Friend,  upon  the  Death 
 of  his  Wife. 
 
 Worthy  Friend, — I  desire  to  suffer  with  you,  in  the  loss  of  a 
 loving  and  good  wife,  now  gone  before  (according  to  the  method 
 and  order  of  Him  whose  understanding  there  is  no  searching  out), 
 whither  ye  are  to  follow.  He  that  made  yesterday  to  go  before 
 this  day,  and  the  former  generation,  in  birth  and  life,  to  have 
 been  before  this  present  generation,  and  hath  made  some  flowers 
 to  grow,  and  die,  and  wither  in  the  month  of  May,  and  others  in 
 June,  cannot  be  challenged  in  the  order  He  hath  made  of  things 
 without  souls.  And  some  order  He  must  keep  also  here,  that  one 
 might  bury  another ;  therefore  I  hope  ye  shall  be  dumb  and  silent, 
 because  the  Lord  hath  done  it.  What  creatures  or  under-causes 
 do  in  sinful  mistakes,  are  ordered  in  wisdom  by  your  Father,  at 
 whose  feet  your  own  soul  and  your  heaven  lieth,  and  so  the  days 
 of  your  wife.  If  the  place  she  hath  left  were  any  other  than  a 
 prison  of  sin,  and  the  home  she  is  gone  to  any  other  than  where 
 her  Head  and  Saviour  is  King  of  the  land,  your  grief  had  been 
 more  rational ;  but  I  trust,  your  faith  of  the  resurrection  of  the 
 
 1  Put  off. 
 
PART  II.J  LBTTEK  XL VI.  453 
 
 dead  in  Christ  lo  glory  and  immortality  will  lead  you  to  suspend 
 your  longing  for  her,  till  the  morning  and  dawning  of  that  day, 
 when  the  Archangel  shall  descend  with  a  shout  to  gather  all  His 
 prisoners  out  of  the  grave  up  to  Himself.  To  believe  this  is  best 
 for  you,  and  to  be  "silent  because  He  hath  done  it"  is  your  wis- 
 dom. It  is  much  to  come  out  of  the  Lord's  school  of  trial  wiser 
 and  more  experienced  in  the  ways  of  God;  and  it  is  our  happiness, 
 when  Christ  openeth  a  vein.  He  taketh  nothing  but  ill  blood  from 
 His  sick  ones.  Christ  hath  skill  to  do  (and  if  our  corruption  mar 
 not)  the  art  of  mercy  in  correcting.  We  cannot  of  ourselves  take 
 away  the  tin,  the  lead,  and  the  scum  that  remaineth  in  us ;  and  if 
 Christ  be  not  Master-of-work,  and  if  the  furnace  goes  its  lone,^  He 
 not  standing  nigh  the  melting  of  His  own  vessel,  the  labour  were 
 lost,  and  the  founder  should  melt  in  vain.  God  knoweth,  some  of 
 us  have  lost'-^  much  fire,  sweating,  and  pains  to  our  Lord  Jesus  : 
 and  the  vessel  is  almost  marred,  the  furnace  and  rod  of  God  spilt,^ 
 and  daylight  burnt,  and  the  reprobate  metal  not  taken  away,  so 
 as  some  are  to  answer  to  the  majesty  of  God  for  the  abuse  of 
 many  good  crosses,  and  rich  afflictions  lost  without  the  quiet  fruit 
 of  righteousness ;  and  it  is  a  sad  thing  when  the  rod  is  cursed, 
 that  never  fruit  shall  grow  on  it.  And,  except  Christ's  dew  fall 
 down,  and  His  summer  sun  shine,  and  His  grace  follow  afflictions, 
 to  cause  them  bring  forth  fruit  to  God,  they  are  so  fruitless  to  us 
 that  our  evil  ground  (rank  and  fat  enough  for  briers)  casteth  up  a 
 crop  of  noisome  weeds.  "  The  rod  (as  the  prophet  saith,  Ezek. 
 vii.  10,  11)  blossometh,  pride  buddeth  forth,  violence  riseth  up 
 into  a  rod  of  wickedness;"  and  all  this  hath  been  my  case  under 
 many  rods  since  I  saw  you.     Grace  be  with  you. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  K. 
 London,  1645. 
 
 LETTER  XLVL— To  a  Christian  Brother. 
 
 Reverend  and  beloved  in  the  Lord, — It  may  be  I  have  been 
 too  long  silent,  but  I  hope  ye  will  not  impute  it  to  forgetfulness 
 of  you.  As  I  have  heard  of  the  death  of  your  daughter  with 
 heaviness  of  mind  on  your  behalf ;  so  am  I  much  comforted  that 
 she  hath  evidenced  to  yourself  and  other  witnesses  the  hope  of 
 the  resurrection  of  the  dead.  As  sown  corn  is  not  lost  (for  there 
 is  more  hope  of  that  which  is  sown  than  of  that  which  is  eaten,  1 
 Cor.  XV.  20)  ;  so  also  is  it  in  the  resurrection  of  the  dead ;  the 
 body  is  "  sown  in  corruption,  it  is  raised  in  incorruption  ;  it  is 
 soAvn  in  dislionour,  it  is  raised  in  glory."  I  hope  ye  wait  for  the 
 crop  and  harvest :  "  For  if  we  believe  that  Jesus  died  and  rose 
 ^  Alone.  *  Caused  tlie  loss  of.  ^  Llade  without  efcect. 
 
454  LETTER  XLVII.  [PART  II. 
 
 again,  even  so  also  them  which  sleep  in  Jesus  will  God  bring  with 
 Him."  1  Thess.  iv.  1 4.  Then  they  are  not  lost  who  are  gathered 
 into  that  congregation  of  the  first-born,  and  the  general  assembly 
 of  the  saints.  Though  we  cannot  outrun  nor  overtake  them  that 
 are  gone  before,  yet  we  shall  quickly  follow  them  ;  and  the  differ- 
 ence is,  that  she  hath  the  advantage  of  some  months  or  years  of 
 the  crown,  before  you  and  her  mother.  And  we  do  not  take  it 
 ill  if  our  children  outrun  us  in  the  life  of  grace ;  why  then  are  we 
 sad  if  they  outstrip  us  in  the  attainment  of  the  life  of  glory  1  It 
 would  seem  that  there  is  more  reason  to  grieve  that  children  live 
 behind  us  than  that  they  are  glorified  and  die  before  us.  All  the 
 difference  is  in  some  poor  hungry  accidents  of  time,  less  or  more, 
 sooner  or  later.  So  the  godly  child,  though  young,  died  an 
 hundred  years  old  •  and  ye  could  not  now  have  bestowed  ^  her 
 better,  though  the  choice  was  Christ's,  not  yours.  And  I  am  sure, 
 sir,  ye  cannot  now  say,  she  is  married  against  the  will  of  her 
 parents ;  she  might  more  readily,  if  alive,  fall  in^  the  hands  of  a 
 worse  husband  ;  but  can  ye  think  that  she  could  have  fallen  in  ^ 
 the  hands  of  one  better  ?  And  if  Christ  marry  with  your  house, 
 it  is  your  honour,  not  any  cause  of  grief,  that  Jesus  should  por- 
 tion any  of  yours,  ere  she  enjoy  your  portion :  is  it  not  great 
 love  1  The  patrimony  is  more  than  any  other  could  give.  As 
 good  a  husband  is  impossible  ;  to  say  a  better,  is  blasphemy.  The 
 King  and  Prince  of  ages  can  keep  them  better  than  ye  can  do. 
 While  she  was  alive,  ye  could  entrust  her  to  Christ,  and  recommend 
 her  to  His  keeping ;  now  by  an  after-faith  ye  have  resigned  her 
 unto  Him,  in  whose  bosom  do  sleep  all  that  are  dead  in  the  Lord ; 
 ye  would  have  left  her  to  glorify  the  Lord  upon  earth,  and  He 
 hath  borrowed  her  (with  promise  to  restore  her  again,  1  Cor,  xv. 
 53;  1  Tliess.  iv.  15,  16)  to  be  an  organ  of  the  immediate  glorify- 
 ing of  Himself  in  heaven.  Sinless  glorifying  of  God  is  better  than 
 sinful  glorifying  of  Him.  And  sure  your  prayers  concerning  her  are 
 fulfilled.  I  shall  desire,  if  the  Lord  shall  be  pleased  the  same  way 
 to  dispose  of  her  mother,  that  ye  have  the  same  mind.  Christ  cannot 
 multiply  injuries  upon  you  ;  if  the  fountain  be  the  love  of  God  (as  I 
 hope  it  is),  ye  are  enriched  with  losses.  Ye  know^  all  I  can  say 
 better,  before  I  was  in  Christ,  than  I  can  express  it.  Grace  be 
 with  you.     Yours,  in  Christ  Jesus,  S.  K 
 
 London,  Jau.  6,  1646. 
 
 LETTER  XLVII. —To  a  Christian  Gentlewoman. 
 Mistress, — Grace,  mercy  and  peace  be  to  you.     If  death,  which 
 is  before  you  and  us  all,  were  any  other  thing  but  a  friendly  dis- 
 solution and  a  change,  not  a  destruction  of  life,  it  would  seem  a 
 ^  Disposed  of,  -  Into.  ^  Qu.  Knew, 
 
PART  II.]  LETTER  XLVll.  455 
 
 hard  voyage  to  go  through  such  a  sad  and  dark  trance,  so  thorny 
 a  valley,  as  is  the  wages  of  sin.  But  I  am  confident  the  way  ye 
 know,  though  your  foot  never  trod  in  that  black  shadow ;  the  loss 
 of  life  is  gain  to  you.  If  Christ  Jesus  be  the  period,  the  end  and 
 lodging-home,  at  the  end  of  your  journey,  there  is  no  fear,  ye  go 
 to  a  friend  ;  and  since  ye  have  had  a  communion  with  Him  in  this 
 life,  and  He  hath  a  pawn  and  pledge  of  yours,  even  the  largest 
 share  of  your  love  and  heart,  ye  may  look  death  in  the  face  with 
 joy.  If  the  heart  be  in  heaven,  the  remnant  of  you  cannot  be 
 kept  the  prisoner  of  the  second  death.  But  though  He  be  the 
 same  Christ  in  the  other  life  ye  found  Him  to  be  here,  yet  He  is 
 so  far  in  His  excellency,  beauty,  sweetness,  irradiations,  and  beams 
 of  majesty,  above  what  He  appeared  here,  when  He  is  seen  as  He 
 is,  that  ye  shall  misken^  Him,  and  He  shall  appear  a  new 
 Christ !  and  His  kisses,  breathings,  embracements,  the  perfume, 
 the  ointment  of  His  name  poured  out  on  you,  shall  appear  to  have 
 more  of  God,  and  a  stronger  smell  of  heaven,  of  eternity,  of  a  God- 
 head, of  majesty  and  glory  there  than  here.  As  water  at  the 
 fountain,  apples  in  the  orchard  and  beside  the  tree,  have  more  of 
 their  native  sweetness,  taste,  and  beauty,  than  when  transported 
 to  us  some  hundred  miles.  I  mean  not  that  Christ  can  lose  any 
 of  His  sweetness  in  the  carrying,  or  that  He  in  His  Godhead  and 
 loveliness  of  presence  can  be  changed  to  the  worse,  betwixt  the 
 little  spot  of  the  earth  ye  are  in,  and  the  right  hand  of  the  Father, 
 far  above  all  heavens ;  but  the  change  will  be  in  you,  when  ye 
 shall  have  new  senses,  and  the  soul  shall  be  a  more  deep  and  more 
 capacious  vessel,  to  take  in  more  of  Christ ;  and  when  means,  the 
 chariot,  the  Gospel  that  He  is  now  carried  in,  and  ordinances  that 
 convey  Him,  shall  be  removed.  Sure  ye  cannot  now  be  said  to 
 see  Him  face  to  face,  or  to  drink  of  the  wine  of  the  highest  foun- 
 tain, or  to  take  in  seas  and  tides  of  fresh  love  immediately  without 
 vessels,  midses,^  or  messengers,  at  the  fountain  itself,  as  ye  shall 
 do  a  few  days  hence ;  when  ye  shall  be  so  near  as  to  be  with 
 Christ  (Luke  xxiii.  43,  John  xvii.  24,  Phil.  i.  23,  1  Thess.  iv.  17). 
 Ye  would,  no  doubt,  bestow  a  day's  journey,  yea,  many  days' 
 journey  on  eai'th,  to  go  up  to  heaven,  and  fetch  down  anything  of 
 Christ ;  how  much  more  may  ye  be  willing  to  make  a  journey  to 
 go  in  person  to  heaven  (it  is  not  lost  time,  but  gained  eternity)  to 
 enjoy  the  full  Godhead ;  and  tlien  in  such  a  manner,  as  He  is  not 
 there  in  His  week-day's  apparel  as  He  is  here  with  us,  in  a  drop 
 or  the  tenth  part  of  a  night's  dewing  of  grace  and  sweetness  ;  but 
 He  is  there  in  His  marriage-robe  of  glory,  richer,  more  costly. 
 more  precious,  in  one  hem  or  button  of  that  garment  of  fountain- 
 majesty,  than  a  million  of  worlds.  0,  the  well  is  deep  !  Ye  shall 
 '  Not  know.  -  Means. 
 
456  LETTER  XLVII.  [PART  II. 
 
 then  think  that  preachers,  and  sinful  ambassadors  on  earth,  did 
 but  spill  1  and  mar  His  praises,  when  they  spoke  of  Him,  and 
 preached  His  beauty.  Alas  !  we  but  make  Christ  black  and  less 
 lovely,  in  making  such  insignificant,  and  dry,  and  cold,  and  low 
 expressions  of  His  highest  and  transcendent  super-excellency  to 
 the  daughters  of  Jerusalem,  Sure  I  have  often,  for  my  own  part, 
 sinned  in  this  thing.  No  doubt,  angels  do  not  fulfil  their  task 
 according  to  their  obligation,  in  that  Christ  kept  their  feet  from 
 falling  with  the  lost  devils ;  though  I  know  they  are  not  behind 
 in  going  to  the  utmost  of  created  power  ;  but  there  is  sin  in  our 
 praising,  and  sin  in  the  quantity,  besides  other  sins.  But  I  must 
 leave  this — it  is  too  deep  for  me.  Go  and  see,  and  we  desire  to  go 
 with  you  ;  but  we  are  not  masters  of  our  own  diet.^  If  in  that 
 last  journey  ye  tread  on  a  serpent  in  the  way,  and  thereby  wound 
 your  heel,  as  Jesus  Christ  did  before  you,  the  print  of  the  wound 
 shall  not  be  known  at  the  resurrection  of  the  just.  Death  is  but 
 an  awsome  ^  step  over  time  and  sin  to  sweet  Jesus  Christ,  who 
 knew  and  felt  the  worst  of  death  ;  for  death's  teeth  hurt  him.  We 
 know  death  hath  no  teeth  now,  no  jaws,  for  they  ai'e  broken  ;  it  is 
 a  free  prison,  citizens  pay  nothing  for  the  grave  ;  the  jailer,  who 
 had  the  power  of  death,  is  destroyed  :  praise  and  glory  be  to  the 
 First-begotten  of  the  dead.  The  worst  possibly  that  may  be,  is, 
 that  ye  leave  behind  you  children,  husband,  and  the  church  of 
 God  in  miseries ;  but  ye  cannot  get  them  to  heaven  with  you  for 
 the  present ;  ye  shall  not  miss  them,  and  Chiist  cannot  miscount 
 one  of  the  poorest  of  His  lambs.  No  lad,  no  girl,  no  poor  one 
 shall  be  a-missing,  ere  ye  see  them  again  in  the  day  that  the  Son 
 shall  render  up  the  kingdom  to  his  Father.  The  evening  and  the 
 shadow  of  every  poor  hireling  is  coming — the  church  of  Christ's 
 sun  in  this  life  is  declining  low — not  a  soul  of  the  militant  com- 
 pany will  be  here  within  few  generations ;  our  Husband  will  send 
 for  them  all.  It  is  a  rich  mercy,  we  are  not  married  to  time 
 longer  than  the  course  be  finished.  Ye  may  rejoice  that  ye  go 
 not  to  heaven,  till  ye  know  that  Jesus  is  there  before  you,  that 
 when  ye  come  thither,  at  your  first  entry  ye  may  find  *  the  smell 
 of  His  ointments.  His  myrrh,  aloes,  and  cassia.  And  this  first  sa- 
 lutation of  His  will  make  you  find  it  is  no  uncomfortable  thing  to 
 die.  Go  and  enjoy  your  gain  ;  live  on  Christ's  love  while  ye  are 
 here,  and  all  the  way.  As  for  the  church  ye  leave  behind  you, 
 the  government  is  upon  Christ's  shoulders,  and  He  will  plead  for 
 the  blood  of  His  saints.  The  bush  hath  been  burning  above  five 
 thousand  years,  and  we  never  yet  saw  the  ashes  of  this  fire  :  "Yet 
 a  little  while,  and  the  vision  shall  not  tarry ;  it  shall  speak  and 
 uot  lie."  I  am  more  afraid  of  my  duty  than  of  the  Head  Christ's 
 ^  SpoiL  "  Appointed  time.  ^  Solemn.  ■*  Perceive 
 
PAKT  II.]  LETTER  XLVIII.  457 
 
 government :  He  cannot  fail  to  bring  judgment  to  victory.  0, 
 that  we  could  wait  for  our  hidden  life !  0,  that  Christ  Avould 
 remove  the  covering,  draw  aside  the  curtain  of  time,  and  rend  the 
 heavens  and  come  down  !  0,  that  shadows  and  night  were  gone, 
 that  the  day  would  break,  and  He  that  feedeth  among  the  lilies 
 would  cry  to  His  heavenly  trumpeters,  make  ready,  let  us  go  down 
 and  fold  together  the  four  corners  of  the  world,  and  marry  the 
 bride.  His  grace  be  with  you.  Now,  if  I  have  found  favour  with 
 you,  and  if  ye  judge  me  faithful,  my  last  suit  to  you  is,  that  ye 
 would  leave  me  a  legacy,  and  that  is,  that  my  name  be  at  the 
 very  last  in  your  prayers  ;  as  I  desire  also  it  may  be  in  the  prayers 
 of  those  of  your  Christian  acquaintance  with  whom  ye  have  been 
 intimate.     Your  brother,  in  his  own  Lord  Jesus,  S.  E.. 
 
 London,  Jan.  9,  1646. 
 
 LETTER  XLVIII.— To  my  Lady  Kenmure. 
 
 Madam, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you.  It  is  the  least  of 
 the  princely  and  royal  bounty  of  Jesus  Christ  to  pay  a  king's  debts, 
 and  not  to  have  His  servants  at  a  loss.  His  gold  is  better  than 
 yours,  and  His  hundred-fold  is  the  income  and  rent  of  heaven, 
 and  far  above  your  revenues.  Ye  are  not  the  first  Avho  have 
 casten  up  your  accounts  that  way.  Better  have  Christ  your 
 factor  than  any  other  ;  for  He  tracleth  to  the  advantage  of  His 
 poor  servants.  But  if  the  hundred-fold  in  this  life  be  so  well  told, 
 as  Christ  cannot  pay  you  with  miscounting  or  deferred  hope ;  0 
 Avhat  must  the  rent  of  that  land  be  which  rendereth  every  day, 
 and  every  hour  of  the  years  of  long  eternity,  the  whole  rent  of  a 
 year,  yea,  of  more  than  thousand  thousands  of  ages,  even  the 
 weighty  income  of  a  rich  kingdom,  not  every  summer  once,  but 
 every  moment !  That  sum  of  glory  will  take  you  and  all  the 
 angels  telling.  To  be  a  tenant  to  such  a  landlord,  where  every 
 berry  and  grape  of  the  large  field  beareth  no  worse  fruit  than 
 glory,  fulness  of  joy,  and  pleasures  that  endure  for  evermore ;  I 
 leave  it  to  yourself  to  think  what  a  summer,  what  a  soil,  what  a 
 garden  must  be  there  ;  and  what  must  be  the  commodities  of  that 
 highest  land,  where  sun  and  moon  are  under  the  feet  of  the  in- 
 habitants. Surely  the  land  cannot  be  bought  with  gold,  blood, 
 banishment,  loss  of  father  and  mother,  husband,  wife,  children. 
 We  but  dwell  here,  because  we  can  do  no  better ;  it  is  need,  not 
 virtue,  to  be  sojourners  in  a  prison  :  to  weep,  and  sigh,  and,  alas, 
 to  sin,  sixty  or  seventy  years  in  a  land  of  tears ;  the  fruits  that 
 grow  here  are  all  seasoned  and  salted  with  sin.  0,  how  sweet  is 
 it,  that  the  company  of  the  First-born  should  be  divided  in  two 
 great  bodies  of  an  army,  and  some  in  their  country,  and  some  in 
 
458  '  LETTER  XLIX.  [PAKT  11. 
 
 the  way  to  their  country  !  If  it  were  no  more  but  to  see  once  the 
 face  of  the  Prince  of  this  good  land,  and  to  be  feasted  for  eternity 
 with  the  fatness,  sweetness,  dainties  of  the  rays  and  beams  of 
 matchless  glory  and  incomparable  fountain-love,  it  were  a  well- 
 spent  journey,  to  creep,  hands  and  feet,  through  seven  deaths  and 
 seven  hells,  to  enjoy  Him  up  at  the  well-head.  Only  let  us  not 
 wear}"-,  the  miles  to  that  land  are  fewer  and  shorter  than  when  we 
 first  believed  ■  strangers  are  not  wise  to  quarrel  with  their  host, 
 and  complain  of  their  lodging  ;  it  is  a  foul  way,  but  a  fair  home. 
 
 0  that  I  had  but  such  grapes  and  clusters  out  of  the  land,  as  I 
 have  sometimes  seen  and  tasted  in  the  place  whereof  your  lady- 
 ship maketh  mention  !  but  the  hope  of  it  in  the  end  is  a  heart- 
 some  ^  convoy  in  the  way.  If  I  see  little  more  of  the  gold  till  the 
 race  be  ended,  I  dare  not  quarrel ;  it  is  the  Lord.  I  hope  His 
 chariot  shall  go  through  these  three  kingdoms,  after  our  sufferings 
 shall  be  accomplished.     Grace  be  with  you. 
 
 Your  ladyship's,  in  Jesus  Christ,         S.  R. 
 London,  Jan.  26,  1646. 
 
 LETTER  XLIX.— To  Mr.  J.  G. 
 
 Reverend  and  dear  Brother, — I  shall  with  my  soul  desire 
 the  peace  of  these  kingdoms,  and  I  do  believe,  it  shall  at  last 
 come,  as  a  river,  and  as  the  mighty  Avaves  of  the  sea ;  but  0  that 
 we  were  ripe  and  in  readiness  to  receive  it !  The  preserving  of 
 two  or  three  or  four  or  five  berries,  in  the  utmost  boughs  of  the 
 olive-tree,  after  the  vintage,  is  like  to  be  a  great  matter  ere  all  be 
 done ;  yet  I  know  a  cluster  in  both  kingdoms  shall  be  saved,  for  a 
 blessing  is  in  it ;  but  it  is  not,  I  fear,  so  near  to  the  dawning  of 
 the  day  of  salvation,  but  that  the  clouds  must  send  down  more 
 showers  of  blood  to  water  the  vineyard  of  the  Lord,  and  to  cause 
 it  to  blossom.  Scotland's  scum  is  not  yet  removed ;  nor  is  Eng- 
 land's dross  and  tin  taken  away ;  nor  the  filth  of  our  blood 
 purged  by  the  Spirit  of  judgment  and  the  Spirit  of  burning  ;  but 
 
 1  am  too  much  on  this  sad  subject.  As  for  myself,  I  do  esteem 
 nothing  out  of  heaven,  and  next  to  a  communion  with  Jesus 
 Christ,  more  than  to  be  in  the  hearts  and  prayers  of  the  saints ; 
 I  know  He  feedeth  there  amongst  the  lilies  till  the  day  break.  But 
 I  am  at  a  low  ebb,  as  to  any  sensible  communion  with  Christ ; 
 yea,  as  low  as  any  soul  can  be,  and  do  scarce  know  where  I  am  ; 
 and  do  now  make  it  a  question,  if  any  can  go  to  Him,  who 
 dwelleth  in  light  inaccessible,  through  nothing  but  darkness. 
 Sure,  all  that  come  to  heaven  have  a  stock  in  Christ ;  but  I  know 
 not  where  mine  is.     It  cannot  be  enough  for  me  to  believe  the 
 
 »  Cheerful. 
 
PART  11,]  LETTER  L.  45'J 
 
 salvation  of  others,  and  to  know  Christ  to  be  the  Honeycomb, 
 the  Rose  of  Sharon,  the  paradise  and  Eden  of  the  saints  and  first- 
 born written  in  heaven,  and  not  to  see  afar  the  borders  of  that 
 good  land.  But  what  shall  I  say  1  Either  this  is  the  Lord  making 
 grace  a  new  creation,  where  there  is  pure  nothing  and  sinful 
 nothing  to  work  upon ;  or  I  am  gone.  I  should  count  my  soul 
 engaged  to  yourself,  and  others  there  with  you,  if  ye  would  but 
 carry  to  Christ  for  me  a  letter  of  ciphers  and  nonsense  (for  I  know 
 not  how  to  make  language  of  my  condition),  only  showing  that  I 
 have  need  of  His  love  ;  for  I  know,  many  fair  and  washed  ones 
 stand  now  in  white  before  the  throne,  who  were  once  as  black  as 
 I  am.  If  Christ  pass  His  word  to  wash  a  sinner,  it  is  less  to  Him 
 than  a  word  to  make  fair  angels  of  black  devils ;  only  let  the  art 
 of  free  grace  be  engaged.  I  have  not  a  cautioner  to  give  surety, 
 nor  doth  a  Mediator,  such  as  He  is  in  all  perfection,  need  a  me- 
 diator. But  what  I  need.  He  kuoweth ;  only,  it  is  His  depth  of 
 wisdom  to  let  some  pass  millions  of  miles  over  score  in  debt,  that 
 they  may  stand  between  the  winning  and  the  losing,  in  need  of 
 more  than  ordinary  free  grace.  Christ  hath  been  multiplying 
 grace  and  mercy  above  these  five  thousand  years  ;  and  the  latter- 
 born  heirs  have  so  much  greater  guiltiness,  that  Christ  hath  passed 
 more  experiments  and  multiplied  essays  of  heart-love  on  others, 
 by  misbelieving,  after  it  is  past  all  question,  many  hundreds  of 
 ages,  that  Christ  is  the  undeniable  and  now  uncontroverted  trea- 
 surer of  multiplied  redemptions ;  so  now  He  is  saying,  the  more  of  the 
 disease  there  is,  the  more  of  the  physician's  art  of  grace  and  tender- 
 ness there  must  be  ;  only  I  know,  no  sinner  can  put  infinite  grace 
 to  it,  so  as  the  Mediator  shall  have  difficulty  or  much  ado,  to  save 
 this  or  that  man  ;  millions  of  hells  of  sinners  cannot  come  near  to 
 exhaust  infinite  grace.  I  pray  you  (remembering  my  love  to  your 
 wife  and  friends  there)  let  me  find  that  I  have  solicitors  there 
 amongst  your  acquaintance,  and  forget  not  Scotland. 
 
 Your  brother,  in  Jesus  Christ,         S.  K. 
 London,  Jan.  30,  1646. 
 
 LETTER  L.— To  my  Lady  Kenmure. 
 
 Madam, — It  is  too  like  ^  the  Lord's  controversy  with  these  two 
 nations  is  but  yet  beginning,  and  that  we  are  ripened  and  white 
 for  the  Lord's  sickle.  For  the  particular  condition  your  ladyship 
 is  in,  another  might  speak  (if  they  would  say  all)  of  more  sad 
 things.  If  there  were  not  a  fountain  of  free  grace  to  Avater  the 
 dry  ground,  and  an  uncreated  wind  to  breathe  on  withered  and 
 dry  bones,  we  were  gone.     The  wheels  of  Christ's  chariot,  to 
 
 ^  Probable. 
 
460  LETTER  LI.  [PART  II. 
 
 pluck  us  out  of  the  womb  of  many  deaths,  are  winged  like  eagles. 
 All  I  have  is,  to  desire  to  believe  that  Christ  will  show  all  good- 
 will to  save  :  and  as  for  your  ladyship,  I  know  that  the  Lord  Jesus 
 carriethon  no  design  against  you,  but  seeketh  you  to  save  and  re- 
 deem you  :  He  lieth  not  in  wait  for  your  falls,  except  it  be  to  take 
 you  up  ;  His  way  of  redeeming  is  ravishing  and  taking  ;  there  aro 
 more  miracles  of  glorified  sinners  in  heaven  than  can  be  on  the 
 earth.  Nothing  of  you,  madam,  nay,  not  your  leaf,  can  wither. 
 Verily,  it  is  a  king's  life  to  follow  the  Lamb ;  but  when  ye  see 
 Him  in  His  own  country  at  home,  ye  will  think  ye  never  saw  Him 
 before  :  "  He  shall  be  admired  of  all  them  that  believe,"  2  Thess. 
 i.  10.  Ye  may  judge  how  far  all  your  now  sad  days  and  tossings, 
 changes,  losses,  wants,  conflicts,  shall  then  be  below  you.  Ye 
 look  to  the  cross,  now  it  is  above  your  head  and  seems  to  threaten 
 death,  as  having  a  dominion ;  but  it  shall  then  be  so  far  below 
 your  thoughts,  or  your  thoughts  so  far  above  it,  that  ye  shall  have 
 no  leisure  to  lend  one  thought  to  old  dated  crosses,  in  youth,  in 
 age,  in  this  country  or  in  that,  from  this  instrument  or  from 
 another ;  except  it  be  to  the  heightening  of  your  consolation,  being 
 now  got  above  and  beyond  all  these  :  old  age,  and  waxing  "  old 
 as  a  garment,"  is  written  on  the  fairest  face  of  the  creation,  Ps. 
 cii.  26,  27.  Death,  from  Adam  to  the  second  Adam's  appearance, 
 playeth  the  king,  and  reigneth  over  all  ;  the  prime  Heir  died.  His 
 children,  which  the  Lord  hath  given,  follow  Him ;  and  we  may 
 speak  freely  of  the  life  which  is  here ;  were  it  heaven,  there  were 
 not  much  gain  in  godliness  ;  but  there  is  a  rest  for  the  people  of 
 God.  Christ-man  possesseth  it  now  1600  years  before  many  of 
 His  members  j  but  it  weareth  not  out.     Grace  be  with  you. 
 
 Your  ladyship's,  in  his  sweet  Lord,         S.  E. 
 
 Lonaon,  Feb.  16,  IGiO. 
 
 LETTER  LI.— To  the  Lady  Ardross. 
 
 Madam, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you.  It  hath  seemed 
 good  (as  I  hear)  to  Him  who  hath  appointed  n  bounds  for  the 
 number  of  our  months,  to  gather-in  a  sheaf  of  ripe  corn  (in  the 
 death  of  your  Christian  mother)  into  His  garner.  It  is  the  more 
 evident  that  winter  is  near,  when  apples,  without  violence  of  wind, 
 do  of  their  own  accord  fall  oif  the  tree.  She  is  now  above  the 
 winter,  with  a  little  change  of  place,  not  of  a  Saviour ;  only  she 
 enjoyeth  Him  now  without  messages,  and  in  His  own  immediate 
 presence,  from  whom  she  heard  by  letters  and  messengers  before. 
 I  grant,  death  is  to  her  a  very  new  thing,  but  heaven  was  pre- 
 pared of  old ;  and  Christ  as  enjoyed  in  His  highest  throne,  and  as 
 loaded  with  glory,  and  incomparably  exalted  above  men  n.nd  angels, 
 
PART  II.]  LETTER  LII.  461 
 
 having  such  a  heavenly  circle  of  glorified  harpers  and  musicians 
 above,  compassing  the  throne  with  a  song,  is  to  her  a  new  thing ; 
 but  so  new  as  the  first  summer-rose,  or  the  first  fruits  of  that 
 h(;avenly  field,  or  as  a  new  paradise  to  a  traveller,  broken  and 
 worn  out  of  breath  with  the  sad  occurrences  of  a  long  and  dirty 
 way.  Ye  may  easily  judge,  madam,  what  a  large  recompense  is 
 made  to  all  her  service,  her  walking  with  God,  and  her  sorrows, 
 with  the  first  cast  of  the  soul's  eye  upon  the  shining  and  admir- 
 ably beautifid  face  of  the  Lamb,  that  is  in  the  midst  of  that  fair 
 and  white  army  that  is  there ;  and  with  the  first  draught  and  taste 
 of  the  fountain  of  life,  fresh  and  new  at  the  well-head ;  to  say 
 nothing  of  the  enjoying  of  that  face,  without  a  date,i  for  more 
 than  this  term  of  life  which  we  now  enjoy.  And  it  cost  her  no 
 more  to  go  thither  but  to  suffer  death  to  do  her  this  piece  of  ser- 
 vice ;  for  by  Him,  who  was  dead,  and  is  alive,  she  was  delivered 
 from  the  second  death.  What  then  is  the  first  death  to  the 
 second  1  Not  a  scratch  of  the  hide  of  a  finger,  to  the  endless 
 second  death.  And  now  she  sitteth  for  eternity  meal-free,"  in  a 
 very  considerable  land,  which  hath  more  than  four  summers  in 
 the  year.  0  what  spring-time  is  there  !  even  the  smelling  of  the 
 odours  of  that  great  and  eternally  blooming  Rose  of  Sharon  for 
 ever  and  ever !  What  a  singing  life  is  there  !  there  is  not  a  dumb 
 bird  in  all  that  large  field,  but  all  sing  and  breathe  out  heaven, 
 joy,  glory,  dominion,  to  the  high  Prince  of  that  new-found  land ; 
 and  verily  the  land  is  the  sweeter,  that  Jesus  Christ  paid  so  dear 
 a  rent  for  it,  and  He  is  the  glory  of  the  land.  All  which,  I  hope, 
 does  not  so  much  mitigate  and  allay  your  grief,  for  her  part  (and 
 truly  this  should  seem  sufficient)  as  the  unerring  expectation  of 
 the  dawning  of  that  day  upon  yourself,  and  the  hope  ye  have  of 
 the  fruition  of  that  same  King  and  kingdom  to  your  own  soul ; 
 certainly  the  hope  of  it,  when  things  look  so  dark-like  on  both 
 kingdoms,  must  be  an  exceeding  great  quickening  to  languishing 
 spirits,  who  are  far  from  home  while  we  are  here.  What  misery, 
 to  have  both  a  bad  way  all  the  day,  and  no  hope  of  lodging  at 
 night !  But  He  hath  taken  up  your  lodging  for  you.  I  can  say 
 no  more  now;  but  I  pray  that  the  very  God  of  peace  may  establish 
 your  heart  to  the  end.  I  rest,  madam,  your  ladyship's,  at  all 
 respective  ^  obedience  in  the  Lord,  S.  H. 
 
 London,  Feb.  24,  1646. 
 
 LETTEE  LIL— To  M.  0. 
 
 Sir, — I  can  write  nothing  for  the  present  concerning  these  times 
 (whatever  others  may  think)  but  that  which  speaketh  wi'ath  and 
 1  Period.  -  Without  charge.  ^  Respectful. 
 
462  LETTEK  Lll.  [pART  II. 
 
 judgment  to  these  kingdoms.  If  ever  ye,  or  any  of  that  land,  re- 
 ceived the  Gospel  in  truth  (as  I  am  confident  ye  and  they  did), 
 there  is  here  a  great  departure  from  that  faith,  and  our  sufferings 
 are  not  yet  at  an  end.  However,  I  dare  testify  and  die  for  it,  that 
 once  Christ  was  revealed  in  the  power  of  His  excellency  and  glory 
 to  the  saints  there,  and  in  Scotland,  of  which  I  was  a  witness ;  I 
 pray  God  none  deceive  you,  or  take  the  crown  from  you.  Hell  or 
 the  gates  of  hell  cannot  ravel,  ^  mar,  or  undo  what  Christ  hath  once 
 done  amongst  you.  It  may  be  that  I  am  incapable  of  new  light, 
 and  cannot  receive  that  spirit  (whereof  some  vainly  boast) ;  "  but 
 that  which  was  from  the  beginning,  which  we  have  heard,  which 
 we  have  seen  with  our  eyes,  which  we  have  looked  upon,  and  our 
 hands  have  handled,  even  the  Word  of  Life,"  1  John  i.  2,  3,  hath 
 been  declared  to  you.  Thousands  of  thousands,  walking  in  that 
 light  and  that  good  old  way,  have  gone  to  heaven,  and  are  now 
 before  the  throne ;  truth  is  but  one,  and  hath  no  numbers.  Christ 
 and  Antichrist  are  both  now  in  the  camp,  and  are  come  to  open 
 blows.  Christ's  poor  ship  saileth  in  a  sea  of  blood,  the  passengers 
 are  so  sea-sick  of  a  high  fever,  that  they  miscall  one  another ; 
 Christ  (I  hope)  shall  bring  the  broken  bark  to  land.  I  had  rather 
 swim  for  life  and  death  on  an  old  plank,  or  a  broken  board,  to 
 land  with  Christ,  than  to  enjoy  the  rotten  peace  we  have  hitherto 
 had.  It  is  like  ^  the  Lord  will  take  a  severe  course  with  us,  to 
 cause  the  children  of  the  family  to  agree  together.  I  conceive  that 
 Christ  hath  a  great  design  of  free  grace  to  these  lands ;  but  His 
 wheels  must  move  over  mountains  and  rocks.  He  never  yet  wooed 
 a  bride  on  earth,  but  in  blood,  in  fire,  and  in  the  wilderness.  A 
 cross  of  our  own  choosing,  honeyed  and  sugared  with  consolations, 
 we  cannot  have :  I  think  not  much  of  a  cross,  when  all  the 
 children  of  the  house  weep  with  me  and  for  me  ;  and  to  suffer  when 
 we  enjoy  the  communion  of  saints  is  not  much ;  but  it  is  hard 
 when  saints  rejoice  in  the  suffering  of  saints,  and  redeemed  ones 
 hurt,  yea,  even  go  nigh  to  hate,  redeemed  ones.  I  confess,  I  im- 
 agined there  had  no  more  been  such  an  affliction  on  earth,  or  in 
 the  world,  than  that  one  elect  angel  should  fight  against  another ; 
 but  for  contempt  of  the  communion  of  saints,  we  have  need  of  new- 
 born crosses,  scarce  ever  heard  of  before.  The  saints  are  not  Christ, 
 there  is  no  misjudging  in  Him,  there  is  much  in  us ;  and  a  doubt 
 it  is  if  we  shall  have  fully  one  heart  till  we  enjoy  one  heaven ;  our 
 star-light  hideth  us  from  ourselves,  and  hideth  us  one  from  another, 
 and  Christ  from  us  all ;  but  He  will  not  be  hidden  from  us.  I 
 shall  wish  that  all  the  sons  of  our  Father  in  that  land  be  of  one 
 mind,  and  that  they  be  not  shaken  nor  moved  from  the  truth  once 
 received.  Christ  was  in  that  Gospel,  and  Christ  is  the  same  now 
 ^  Tande.  -  Probable. 
 
PART  II. J  LETTER  LIIT.  463 
 
 that  He  was  iu  the  prelates'  time ;  that  Gospel  cannot  sink,  it  will 
 make  you  free  and  bear  you  out :  Christ,  the  subject  of  it,  is  the 
 chosen  of  God,  and  cometh  from  Bozrah,  with  garments  dyed  in 
 blood.  Ireland  and  Scotland  both  must  be  His  field,  in  which  He 
 shall  feed  and  gather  lilies.  Suppose  (which  yet  is  impossible) 
 that  some  had  an  eternity  of  Christ,  in  Ireland,  and  a  sweet  summer 
 of  the  Gospel,  and  a  feast  of  fat  things  for  evermore  in  Ireland, 
 and  one  should  never  come  to  heaven,  it  should  be  a  desirable  life; 
 the  King's  spikenard,  Christ's  perfume,  His  apples  of  love,  His 
 oint'ments,  even  down  in  this  lower  house  of  clay,  are  a  choice  hea- 
 ven. 0  what  then  is  the  King  in  His  own  land  !  where  there  is 
 such  a  throne,  so  many  king's  palaces,  ten  thousand  thousands  of 
 crowns  of  glory,  that  want  heads  yet  to  fill  them !  0  so  much 
 leisure  as  shall  be  there  to  sing  !  0  such  a  tree  as  groweth  there 
 in  the  midst  of  that  paradise,  where  the  inhabitants  sing  eternally 
 under  its  branches  !  To  look  in  at  a  window,  and  see  the  branches 
 burdened  with  the  apples  of  life,  to  be  the  last  man  that  shall 
 come  in  thither,  were  too  much  for  me.  I  pray  you  remember  me 
 to  the  Christians  there,  and  remember  our  private  covenant.  Grac^, 
 be  with  you.                 Your  friend,  in  the  Lord  Jesus  S,  R. 
 
 London,  April  17,  1646         
 
 LETTER  LIIL— To  Earlstown,  Elder. 
 Sir, — I  know  ye  have  learned  long  ago,  ere  I  knew  anything  of 
 Christ,  that  if  we  had  the  cross  at  our  own  election,  we  would  either 
 have  law-surety  for  freedom  from  it,  or  then  ^  we  would  have  it 
 honeyed  and  sugared  with  comforts,  so  as  the  sweet  should  over- 
 master the  gall  and  wormwood.  Christ  knoweth  how  to  breed  the 
 sons  of  His  house,  and  ye  will  give  Him  leave  to  take  His  own 
 way  of  dispensation  with  you ;  and  though  it  be  rough,  forgive 
 Him  ;  He  defieth  you  to  have  as  much  patience  to  Him,  as  He 
 hath  borne  to  you.  I  am  sure  there  cannot  be  a  drachm-weight 
 of  gall  less  in  your  cup ;  and  ye  would  not  desire  He  should  both 
 afflict  you  and  hurt  your  soul.  When  His  people  cannot  have  a 
 providence  of  silk  and  roses,  they  must  be  content  with  such  an 
 one  as  He  carveth  out  for  them.  Ye  would  not  go  to  heaven  but 
 with  company,  and  ye  may  peiooive  that  the  way  of  those  who 
 went  before  you  was  through  blood,  suff'erings,  and  many  afflictions ; 
 nay,  Christ,  the  captain,  went  in  over  the  door-threshold  of  para- 
 dise, bleeding  to  death.  I  do  not  think  but  ye  have  learned  to 
 stoop,  though  ye  (as  others)  be  naturally  stiff";  and  that  ye  have 
 found  that  the  apples  and  sweet  fruits,  which  grow  on  that  crabbed 
 tree  of  the  cross,  are  as  sweet  as  it  is  sour  to  bear  it ;  especially 
 considering  that  Christ  hath  borne  the  whole  complete  cross,  and 
 
464  LETTEK  LIV.  [PART  II. 
 
 His  saints  bear  but  bits  and  chips  ;  as  the  apostle  saith,  "  the  rem- 
 nants or  leavings  of  the  cross."  I  judge  you  ten  thousand  times 
 happy  that  ever  ye  were  grace's  debtor;  for  certainly  Christ  hath  en- 
 gaged you  over  head  and  ears  to  free  grace ;  and  take  the  debt  with 
 you  to  eternity,  Immanuel's  highest  land,  where  ye  find  before  you 
 a  houseful  of  Christ's  everlasting  debtors,  the  less  shame  to  you. 
 Yea,  and  this  lower  kingdom  of  grace  is  but  Christ's  hospital  and 
 guest-house  of  sick  folks,  whom  the  brave  and  noble  physician, 
 Christ,  hath  cured,  upon  a  venture  of  life  and  death.  And  if  ye 
 be  near  the  water-side  (as  I  know  ye  are),  all  that  I  can  say  is  this, 
 sir,  that  I  feel  by  the  smell  of  that  land,  which  is  before  you,  that 
 it  is  a  goodly  country,  and  it  is  well  paid  for  to  your  hand ;  and 
 He  is  before  you,  who  will  heartily  welcome  you.  0  to  suck  those 
 breasts  of  full  consolation  above,  and  to  drink  Christ's  new  wine 
 up  in  His  Father's  house,  is  some  greater  matter  than  is  believed ! 
 Since  it  was  brewed  from  eternity  for  the  Head  of  the  house,  and 
 so  many  thousand  crowned  kings ;  rubs  in  the  way,  Avhere  the 
 lodging  is  so  good,  are  not  much.  He  that  brought  again  from 
 the  dead  the  great  Shepherd  of  the  sheep,  by  the  blood  of  the 
 eternal  covenant,  establish  you  to  the  end. 
 
 Your  friend  and  servant,  in  Christ  Jesus,         S.  R. 
 London,  May  15,  1C46. 
 
 LETTER  LIV.— To  his  Reverend  and  Worthy  Brother, 
 Mr.  George  Gillespie. 
 
 Reverend  and  dear  Brother, — I  cannot  speak  to  you.  The 
 way  ye  know,  the  passage  is  free  and  not  stopped,  the  print  of  the 
 footsteps  of  the  Forerunner  is  clear  and  manifest,  many  have  gone 
 before  you.  Ye  will  not  sleep  long  in  the  dust  before  the  day  break: 
 it  is  a  far  shorter  piece  of  the  hinder  end  of  the  night  to  you,  than 
 to  Abraham  and  Moses.  Beside  all  the  time  of  their  bodies  rest- 
 ing under  corruption,  it  is  as  long  yet  to  their  day  as  to  your 
 morning  light  of  awakening  to  glory ;  though  their  spirits,  having 
 the  advantage  of  yours,  have  had  now  the  forestart  of  the  shore 
 before  you.  I  dare  say  nothing  against  His  dispensations  ;  I  hope 
 to  follow  quickly  :  the  heirs  that  are  not  there  before  you,  are  post- 
 ing with  haste  after  you,  and  none  shall  take  your  lodging  over 
 your  head.  Be  not  heavy,  the  life  of  faith  is  now  called  for  :  do- 
 ing was  never  reckoned  in  your  accounts  (though  Christ  in  and  by 
 you  hath  done  more,  than  by  twenty,  yea  an  hundred  gray-haired 
 and  godly  pastors),  believing  now  is  your  last.^  Look  to  that 
 word,  Gal.  ii.  20,  "  Nevertheless  I  live,  yet  not  I,  but  Christ  liveth 
 in  me."  Ye  know  the  /  that  liveth,  and  the  /  that  liveth  not ;  it 
 ^  That  is,  the  extreme  or  full  amount  of  who,t  you  have  to  do. 
 
PART  II.]  LETTER  LV.  465 
 
 is  not  single  ye  that  liveth,  Christ  by  law  liveth  in  the  broken 
 debtor ;  it  is  not  a  life  by  doing  or  holy  walking,  but  the  living 
 of  Christ  in  you.  If  ye  look  to  yourself  as  divided  from  Christ,  ye 
 must  be  more  than  heavy ;  all  your  wants  (dear  brother)  be  upon 
 Him ;  ye  are  His  debtor.  Grace  must  sum  and  subscribe  your 
 accounts  as  paid  ;  stand  not  upon  items,  and  small  or  little  sancti- 
 ti cation  :  ye  know,  inherent  holiness  must  stand  by,  when  imputed 
 is  all.  I  fear  the  clay-house  is  a-taking  down  and  undermining ; 
 but  it  is  nigh  the  dawning,  look  to  the  east,  the  dawning  of  glory 
 is  near  ;  your  guide  is  good  company,  and  knoweth  all  the  miles, 
 and  the  ups  and  clowns  in  the  way ;  the  nearer  the  morning,  the 
 darker.  Some  traveller  seeth  the  city  twetity  miles  off.  and  at  a 
 distance  ;  and  yet  within  the  eighth  part  of  a  mile  he  cannot  see  it. 
 It  is  all  keeping,  that  ye  would  now  have,  till  ye  need  it ;  and  if 
 sense  and  fruition  come  both  at  once,  it  is  not  your  loss :  let  Christ 
 tutor  you,  as  He  thinks  good,  ye  cannot  be  marred  nor  miscarry 
 in  His  hand.  Want  is  an  excellent  qualification,  and  "  no  money, 
 no  price,"  to  you  (who,  I  know,  dare  not  glory  in  your  own  right- 
 eousness) is  fitness  warrantable  enough  to  cast  yourself  upon  Him, 
 who  justifieth  the  ungodly.  Some  see  the  gold  once,  and  never 
 again  till  the  race's  end ;  it  is  coming  all  in  a  sum  together,  when 
 ye  are  in  a  more  gracious  capacity  to  tell  it  than  now.  "  Ye  are 
 not  come  to  the  mount  that  burnetii  with  fire,  nor  unto  blackness, 
 darkness,  and  tempest ;  but  ye  are  come  to  Mount  Zion,  unto  the 
 city  of  the  living  God,  the  heavenly  Jerusalem,  and  to  an  innumer- 
 able company  of  angels,  to  the  general  assembly  and  church  of  the 
 first-born  which  are  written  in  heaven,  and  to  God  the  judge  of  all, 
 and  the  spirits  of  just  men  made  perfect,  and  to  Jesus  the  Media- 
 tor of  the  new  covenant,  and  to  the  blood  of  sprinkling,"  &c.  Ye 
 must  leave  the  wife  to  a  more  choice  Husband,  and  the  children  to 
 a  better  father.  If  ye  leave  any  testimony  to  the  Lord's  work  and 
 covenant,  against  both  malignants  and  sectaries  (which  I  suppose 
 may  be  needful),  let  it  be  under  your  hand,  and  subscribed  before 
 faithful  witnesses. 
 
 Your  loving  and  afflicted  brother,         S.  R. 
 St.  Andrews,  Sept.  27,  1643. 
 
 LETTER  LV.— To  Mistress  Gillespie. 
 
 Dear  Sister, — I  have  heard  how  the  Lord  hath  visited  you  in 
 removing  the  child  Archibald.  I  hope  you  see  the  setting  down 
 of  the  weight  of  your  confidence  and  affection  upon  any  created 
 thing,  whether  husband  or  child,  is  a  deceiving  thing ;  and  that 
 the  creature  is  not  able  to  bear  your  weight,  but  sinketh  down  to 
 very  nothing  under  your  confidence  :  and  therefore  ye  are  Christ's 
 
 2  G 
 
466  LETTER  LV.  [PART  II. 
 
 debtor  for  all  providences  of  this  kind,  even  in  that  He  buildeth  a 
 hedge  of  thorns  in  your  way ;  for  so  ye  see  His  gracious  intention 
 is  to  save  you  (if  I  may  say  so)  whether  ye  will  or  not.  It  is  a 
 rich  mercy  that  the  Lord  Christ  will  be  Master  of  your  will  and  of 
 all  your  delights,  and  that  His  way  is  so  fair  for  the  landing  of 
 husband  and  children  before  hand,  in  the  country  whitherto  ye  are 
 journeying.  No  matter  how  little  ye  be  engaged  to  the  world, 
 since  ye  have  such  experience  of  cross  dealing  in  it ;  had  ye  been 
 a  child  of  the  house,  the  world  would  have  dealt  more  warmly  with 
 its  own  :  there  is  less  of  you  out  of  heaven,  that  the  child  is  there, 
 and  the  husband  is  there,  but  much  more  that  your  Head,  and  Kins- 
 man and  Eedeemer  doth  fetch  home  such  as  are  in  danger  to  be 
 lost ;  and,  from  this  time  forward,  fetch  not  your  comforts  from 
 such  broken  cisterns  and  dry  wells  :  if  the  Lord  pull  at  the  rest, 
 ye  must  not  be  the  creature  that  shall  hold  when  He  draweth. 
 Truly,  to  me  your  case  is  more  comfortable  than  if  the  fireside 
 were  well  plenished  ^  with  ten  children.  The  Lord  saw  ye  was 
 able,  by  His  grace,  to  bear  the  loss  of  husband  and  child  ;  and  that 
 ye  were  that  ^  weak  and  tender,  as  not  to  be  able  to  stand  under 
 the  mercy  of  a  gracious  husband,  living  and  flourishing  in  esteem 
 with  authority,  and  in  reputation  for  godliness  and  leai-ning ;  for 
 He  knoweth  the  weight  of  these  mercies  would  crush  you  and 
 break  you ;  and  as  there  is  no  searching  out  of  His  understanding, 
 so  He  hath  skill  to  know  what  providence  will  make  Christ  dear- 
 est to  you ;  and  let  not  your  heart  say,  it  is  an  ill-waled^  dispens- 
 ation. Sure  Christ,  who  hath  seven  eyes,  had  before  Him  the  good 
 of  a  living  husband  and  children  for  Margaret  Murray,  and  the 
 good  of  a  removed  husband  and  children  translated  to  glory. 
 Now  He  hath  opened  His  decree  to  you,  say,  Christ  hath  made  for 
 me  a  wise  and  gracious  choice,  and  I  have  not  one  word  to  say  on 
 the  contrary.  Let  not  your  heart  charge  anything,  or  unbelief 
 libel  injuries  upon  Christ ;  because  He  will  not  let  you  alone,  nor 
 give  you  leave  to  play  the  idolatress  with  such  as  have  not  that 
 right  to  your  love  that  Christ  hath.  I  should  wish,  at  the  reading 
 of  this,  that  ye  may  fall  down  and  make  a  surrender  of  those  that 
 are  gone,  and  these  that  are  yet  alive,  to  Him.  And  for  you,  let 
 Him  have  all ;  and  wait  for  Himself,  for  He  will  come  and  will  not 
 tarry.  Live  by  faith,  and  the  peace  of  God  guard  your  heart;  He 
 cannot  die  whose  ye  are.  My  wife  suffers  with  you,  and  remem- 
 bereth  her  love  to  you.  Your  brother  in  Christ,         S.  E.. 
 
 St.  Andrews,   Aug.  14,  1659. 
 
 *  rurnished.  -  So.  *  Badly  chosen. 
 
PART  II.]  LETTER  LVl.  467 
 
 LETTER  LVI.— To  the  Worthy  and  Much  Honoured  Colonel 
 
 G.  Ker. 
 
 Much  honoured  and  truly  worthy, — I  hope  I  shall  not 
 need  to  show  you  that  ye  are  in  greater  hazard  from  yourself  and 
 your  own  spirit,  which  would  be  watched  over  (that  your  actings 
 for  God  may  be  clean,  spiritual,  purely  for  God,  for  the  Prince  of 
 the  kings  of  the  earth),  than  you  can  be  in  danger  from  your 
 enemies.  0  how  hard  is  it  to  get  the  intentions  so  cut  off  from 
 and  raised  above  the  creature,  as  to  be  without  mixture  of  creature 
 and  carnal  interests,  and  to  have  the  soul  in  heavenly  actings 
 only,  only  eyeing  Himself,  and  acting  from  love  to  God,  revealed 
 to  us  in  Jesus  Ciirist !  Ye  will  find  yourself,  your  delights,  your 
 solid  glory  (far  above  the  air  and  breathings  of  mouths,  and  the 
 thin,  short,  poor  applauses  of  men)  before  you  in  God.  All  the 
 creatures,  all  the  swords,  all  the  hosts  in  Britain,  and  in  this  poor 
 globe  of  the  habitable  world,  are  but  under  Him  single  ciphers 
 making  no  number,  the  product  being  nothing,  and  but  painted 
 men,  and  jiainted  swords  in  a  brod,^  without  influence  from  Him. 
 And,  0,  what  of  God  is  in  Gideon's  sword,  when  it  is  the  sword 
 of  the  Lord  !  I  wish  a  sword  from  heaven  to  you,  and  orders  from 
 heaven  to  you  to  go  out,  and  as  much  peremptoriness  of  a  heavenly 
 will,  as  to  say  and  abide  by  it,  I  will  not,  I  shall  not  go  out, 
 except  thou  go  with  me.  I  desire  not  to  be  rash  in  judging,  but 
 I  am  a  stranger  to  the  mind  of  Christ,  if  our  adversaries,  who 
 have  unjustly  invaded  us,  be  not  now  in  the  camp  of  those  that 
 make  war  with  the  Lamb ;  but  the  Lamb  shall  overcome  them  at 
 length  ;  for  He  is  the  Lord  of  lords  and  King  of  kings,  and  they 
 who  are  with  Him  are  called  and  chosen,  and  faithful ;  and  though 
 ye  and  I  see  but  the  dark  side  of  God's  dispensations  this  day 
 towards  Britain,  yet  the  fair,  beautiful,  and  desirable  close  of  it 
 must  be  the  confederacy  of  the  nations  of  the  world  with  Britain's 
 Lord  of  armies.  And  let  me  die  in  the  comforts  of  the  faith  of 
 this,  that  a  throne  shall  be  set  up  for  Christ  in  this  island  of  Great 
 Britain  (which  is  and  shall  be  a  garden  more  fruitful  of  trees  of 
 righteousness,  and  payeth,  and  shall  pay  more  thousands  to  the 
 Lord  of  the  vineyard,  than  is  paid  in  thrice  the  bounds  of  Great 
 Britain  upon  the  earth),  and  then  there  can  be  neither  papist, 
 prelate,  cavalier,  malignant,  nor  sectary  who  dare  draw  a  sword 
 against  Him  that  sitteth  upon  the  throne.  Sir,  I  shall  wish  a 
 clean  army,  so  far  as  may  be,  that  the  shout  of  a  King,  who  hath 
 many  crowns,  may  be  among, you  ;  and  that  ye  may  fight  in  faith 
 and  prevail  with  God  first.  Think  it  your  glory  to  have  a  sword 
 to  act,  and  suffer,  and  die  (if  it  please  Him),  so  being  ye  may  add 
 
 ^  On  a  board. 
 
468  LETTER  LVII.  [PART  II. 
 
 anything  to  the  declarative  glory  of  Christ,  the  Plant  of  Eenown, 
 Immanuel,  God  with  us.  Happy  and  thrice  blessed  are  they,  by 
 whose  actings,  or  blood,  or  pain,  or  loss,  the  diadems  and  rubies  of 
 His  highest  and  glorious  crown  (whose  ye  are)  shall  glister  and 
 shine  in  this  quarter  of  the  habitable  world.  Though  He  need 
 not  Gilbert  Ker,  nor  his  sword ;  yet  this  honour  have  ye  with  his 
 redeemed  soldiers,  to  call  Christ  High  Lord  General,  of  whom  ye 
 hope  for  pay,  and  all  arrears  well  told.  Go  on,  worthy  sir,  in  the 
 courage  of  faith,  following  the  Lamb ;  make  not  haste  unbeliev- 
 ingly ;  but  in  hope  and  silence  keep  the  watch-tower  and  look  out ; 
 He  will  come  in  His  own  time.  His  salvation  shall  not  tarry ;  He 
 shall  place  salvation  in  Britain's  Zion  for  Israel's  glory.  His  good 
 will,  who  dwelt  in  the  bush  and  it  burnt  not,  be  yours,  and  with 
 you.     I  am,  yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 
 
 St.  Andrews,  Aug.  10,  1650. 
 
 LETTER  LVH.— To  the  Worthy  and  Much  Honoured  Colonel 
 
 G.  Ker. 
 
 Much  honoured  and  worthy  Sir,— What  I  wrote  to  you 
 before,  I  spoke  not  upon  any  private  warrant,  I  am  where  I  was ; 
 Cromwell  and  his  army  (I  shall  not  say  but  there  may  be,  and 
 are,  several  sober  and  godly  amongst  them,  who  have  either  joined 
 through  mis-information,  or  have  gone  alongst  with  the  rest  in  the 
 simplicity  of  their  hearts,  not  knowing  anything)  fight  in  an  unjust 
 cause  against  the  Lord's  secret  ones  ;  and  now,  to  the  trampling 
 of  the  worship  of  God  and  persecuting  tlie  people  of  God  in  Eng- 
 land and  Ireland,  he  hath  brought  upon  his  score,  the  blood  of 
 the  people  of  God  in  Scotland.  I  entreat  you,  dear  sir,  as  ye  de- 
 sire to  be  serviceable  to  Jesus  Christ,  whose  free  grace  prevented 
 you  when  ye  were  His  enemy,  go  on  without  fainting,  equally 
 eschewing  all  mixture  with  sectaries  and  malignants ;  neither  of 
 the  two  shall  ever  be  instrumental  to  save  the  Lord's  people,  or 
 build  His  house.  And  without  prophesying  or  speaking  further, 
 than  He,  whose  I  am,  and  whom  I  desire  to  serve  in  the  Gospel 
 of  His  Son,  shall  warrant,  I  desire  to  hope,  and  do  believe  there 
 is  a  glory,  and  a  majesty  of  the  Prince  of  the  kings  of  the  earth, 
 that  shall  shine  and  appear  in  Great  Britain,  which  shall  darken 
 all  the  glory  of  men,  confound  sectaries  and  malignants,  and  re- 
 joice the  spirits  of  the  followers  of  the  Lamb,  and  dazzle  the  eyes 
 of  beholders.  Sir,  I  suppose  that  God  is  to  gather  malignants  and 
 sectaries,  ere  all  be  done,  as  sheaves  in  a  barn-floor;  and  to  bid 
 the  daughter  of  Zion  arise  and  thresh.  I  hope  ye  will  mix  with 
 none  of  them.  I  am  abundantly  satisfied,  that  our  army,  through 
 the  sinful  miscarriage  of  men,  hath  fallen ;  and  dare  say,  it  is  a 
 
PART  II.]  LETTER  LVIII.  469 
 
 better  and  a  more  comfortable  dispensation,  than  if  the  Lord  had 
 given  us  the  victory,  and  the  necks  of  the  reproachers  of  the  way 
 of  God,  because  He  hath  done  it.  For,  1.  More, blood,  blasphe- 
 mies, cruelty,  treachery,  must  be  upon  the  accounts  of  the  men 
 whose  land  the  Lord  forbid  us  to  invade.  2.  Victory  is  such  a 
 burdening  and  weighty  mercy,  that  we  have  not  strength  to  bear 
 it  as  yet.  3.  That  was  not  the  army,  nor  Gideon's  three  hundred 
 by  whom  He  is  to  save  us.  We  must  have  one  of  the  Lord's 
 carving.  4.  Our  enemies  on  both  sides,  are  not  enough  hardened, 
 nor  we  enough  mortified  to  multitude,  valour,  and  creatures. 
 Grace,  grace  be  with  you. 
 
 Your  friend  and  servant,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,      S.  R. 
 St.  Andrews,  Sept.  5,  1650. 
 
 LETTER  LVIIL— To  the  Worthy  and  Much  Honoured 
 Colonel  G.  Ker. 
 
 Much  honoured  and  worthy  Sir, — It  is  considerable  that 
 the  Lord  may,  and  often  doth,  call  to  a  Avork,  and  yet  hide  Him- 
 self, and  try  the  faith  of  His  own.  If  I  conceive  aright,  the  Lord 
 hath  called  you  to  act  against  that  enemy ;  and  the  withdrawers 
 of  their  sword,  in  my  weak  apprehension,  add  their  zeal  unto,  and 
 take  upon  them  the  guilt  of  that  unjust  invasion  of  this  land, 
 made  by  Cromwell's  army,  and  of  the  blood  of  the  Lord's  people 
 in  this  kingdom ;  since  the  sword,  put  into  the  hand  of  His 
 children,  is  to  execute  wrath  and  vengeance  upon  evil  doers.  The 
 Lord's  time  of  appearing  for  His  broken  land  is  reserved  to  the 
 breathings  of  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord,  such  as  came  upon  Gideon 
 and  Samson,  and  that  is  an  act  of  princely  and  royal  sovereignty 
 in  God.  Ye  are,  sir,  to  lay  hold  on  opportunities  of  providence, 
 and  to  wait  for  Him ;  as  for  your  particular  treating  by  yourselves 
 Avith  the  invaders  of  our  land,  I  have  no  mind  to  it,  and  do  look 
 upon  their  way  as  a  carrying  on  of  the  mystery  of  iniquity  (for 
 Babylon  is  a  seat  of  many  names).  Sir,  let  this  controversy  stand 
 undecided,  till  the  second  appearance  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  our 
 appeal  lie  before  the  throne  undiscussed  till  that  day.  I  hope  to 
 lie  down  in  the  grave,  in  the  faith  of  the  justness  of  our  cause.  I 
 speak  nothing  of  the  maintaining  the  greatness  of  men,  not  sub- 
 ordinate to  the  Prince  of  the  kings  of  the  earth.  I  judge  that 
 the  blood  of  the  witnesses  of  Jesus  is  found  upon  the  skirts  of  this 
 society,  as  well  as  in  Babylon's  skirts.  I  believe  the  way  of  the 
 Lord  is  Colonel  Gilbert  Ker's  strength  and  glory ;  and  should  be 
 content  to  want  my  part  of  him  (which  is,  I  confess,  precious  and 
 dear  in  Christ),  so  he  be  spent  in  the  service  of  Him,  who  will 
 anon  make  inquisition  for  the  blood  of  the  truly  godly,  which 
 
470  LETTEK  LIX.  [PART  II. 
 
 these  men  have  shed  after  fair  warning  that  they  were  the  godly 
 of  Scotland.  Worthy  sir,  believe,  faint  not,  set  your  shoulder 
 under  the  glory  of  Jesus,  that  is  misi^rised^  in  Scotland,  and  give 
 a  testimony  for  Him  ;  He  hath  many  names  in  Scotland,  who 
 shall  walk  with  Him  in  white.  This  despised  covenant  shall  ruin 
 malignants,  sectaries,  and  atheists.  Yet  a  little  while  and  behold 
 He  Cometh,  and  walketh  in  the  greatness  of  His  strength,  and 
 His  garments  dyed  with  blood.  0,  for  the  sad  and  terrible  daj; 
 of  the  Lord  ujoon  England,  their  ships  of  Tarshish,  their  fenced 
 cities,  &c.,  because  of  a  broken  covenant !  A  conference  with  the 
 enemy,  not  to  hinder  acting  (0  that  the  Lord  would  thereby,  or 
 some  other  way,  remove  the  cloud  that  is  over  you),  if  authority 
 would  concur,  were  to  be  desired;  but  it  can  hardly  be  expected; 
 however,  in  the  way  of  duty  and  in  the  silence  of  faith  go  on ;  if 
 ye  perish,  ye  are  the  first  of  the  creation  with  whom  the  Lord 
 hath  taken  that  dispensation.  I  should  humbly  advise  you,  sir, 
 to  look  to  that,  "  Dying  and  behold  we  live,  killed  all  the  day 
 long,  and  yet  more  than  conquerors."  There  shall  be  the  heat 
 and  warmness  of  life  in  your  graves  and  buried  bones.  But  look 
 not  for  the  Lord's  coming  the  higher  way  only,  for  He  may  come 
 tlie  lower  way.  0  how  little  of  God  do  we  see,  and  how  mysteri- 
 ous is  He!  Christ  known  is  amongst  the  greatest  secrets  of  God. 
 Keep  yourself  in  the  love  of  God,  and  in  order  to  that,  as  far  in 
 obedience  and  subjection  to  the  king  (whose  salvation  and  true 
 happiness  my  soul  desireth),  and  to  every  ordinance  of  man  for 
 the  Lord's  sake,  and  to  the  fundamental  laws  of  this  kingdom,  as 
 your  Lord  requireth.  Sir,  ye  are  in  the  hearts  and  prayers  of  the 
 Lord's  people  in  this  kingdom,  and  in  the  other  two.  The  Lord 
 hath  said,  "  There  is  a  blessing  in  the  cluster  of  grapes,  destroy 
 it  not."  Grace,  grace  be  upon  the  head  of  him  that  is  separated 
 from  his  brethren,  and  the  good  will  of  Him  that  dwelt  in  the 
 bush  be  with  you. 
 
 Your  servant,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R, 
 Perth,  Nov.  23,  1G50. 
 
 LETTER  LIX.— To  the  Worthy  and  Much  Honoured  Colonel 
 
 G.  Ker. 
 
 Much  honoured  and  worthy  Sir, — I  know  not  why  the 
 people  of  God  should  not  take  notice  of  the  bonds  of  any  who 
 have  blood  in  readiness  to  be  let  out  for  His  cause.  And  I  judge 
 it  was  not  of  you,  that  ye  died  not  in  the  undecided  controversy, 
 which  the  Lord  of  the  whole  earth  hath  with  the  men  whom  He 
 hath  sent  against  us.     Dear  and  much  honoured  in  the  Lord,  let 
 
 ^  Undervalued. 
 
PAKT  II.]  LETTER  LX.  471 
 
 nie  entreat  you  to  be  far  from  the  thoughts  of  leaving  this  land. 
 I  see  it,  and  find  it,  that  the  Lord  hath  covered  the  whole  land 
 with  a  cloud  in  His  anger ;  but  though  I  have  been  tempted  to  the 
 like,  I  had  rather  be  in  Scotland,  beside  angry  Jesus  Christ, 
 knowing  He  mindeth  no  evil  to  us,  than  in  any  Eden  or  garden 
 in  the  earth.  If  we  can  remain  united  with  the  Lord's  remnant 
 in  the  land.  He  layeth  up  wrath  for  all  sort  of  adversaries  in 
 Britain.  Though  I  never  see  the  glory  of  His  glistering  sword 
 shining  in  Britain,  I  would  be  solaced  in  the  innocent  thoughts 
 (far  from  revenge)  that  the  saints  shall  dip  their  feet  in  the  blood 
 of  the  slain  of  the  Lord  :  and  truly,  sir,  1  suppose,  ye  cannot  but 
 come  to  these  thoughts  and  weak  desires  before  the  hearer  of 
 prayers,  for  as  little  as  ye  think  of  and  value  yourself  For  me, 
 if  I  could  mind  you  in  your  bonds,  I  purpose  not  to  stand  to  the 
 account  ye  give,  or  thoughts  ye  have  of  yourself;  though  I  know 
 ye  are  not  a  Avhit  more  or  less  before  Him  (who  weigheth  His 
 own  according  to  the  weight  of  imputed  righteousness)  for  my 
 apprehensions.  Christ  cannot  mistake  you,  men  may,  and  the 
 calculation  and  esteem  of  free  grace  maketh  you  to  be  what  ye 
 are.  I  hope  to  see  you  an  everlastingly  obliged  debtor  to  Him, 
 whom  ye  shall  praise,  but  never  pay.  And  truly  ye  have  no 
 riches  but  that  debt ;  and  I  know  ye  love  to  be  engaged  to  Jesus 
 Christ,  the  most  excellent  of  creditors :  much  joy  and  sweetness 
 may  ye  have  in  standing  written  in  His  book.  I  desire  to  do  it 
 myself,  and  I  would  have  you  also  highly  to  esteem  the  design  of 
 Christ,  who  hath  raised  the  riches  of  the  glory  of  so  much  grace, 
 above  the  circle  of  the  heaven  of  heavens,  out  of  very  nothings  ; 
 and  contrived  His  thoughts  of  love,  so  that  lumps  of  glorified  clay 
 should  stand  before  Him  for  all  ages,  the  burdened  and  loaden 
 debtors  of  free,  eternally  free  grace.  Sir,  ye  cannot  cast  the  count 
 of  the  rents  of  your  so  great  inheritance  of  glory.  Grace  be  with 
 you.     Your  servant,  in  his  own  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 
 
 Edinburgh,  May  18,  1651. 
 
 LETTER  LX.— To  the  Much  Honoured  and  Truly  Worthy 
 Colonel  G.  Ker. 
 Habakkuk  ii.  3,  4. 
 
 Much  honoured  and  worthy  Sir, — Your  chains  now  shine 
 as  much  for  Christ,  the  cause  being  His,  as  your  sword  was  made 
 famous  in  acting  for  that  cause  ;  and  blessed  are  such  as  can  wil- 
 lingly tender  to  Christ  both  action  and  blood,  doing  and  suffer- 
 ing. Resisting  unto  blood  is  little  for  that  precious  and  never- 
 enough-exalted  Redeemer,  who,  when  ye  were  a-buying,  gave 
 blood  somewhat  dearer  than  ye  gave  for  Him,  even  the  blood  of 
 
472  LETTEK  LX.  [PART  II. 
 
 God,  Acts  XX.  28.  I  know  a  man  who,  upon  the  receipt  of  a 
 letter  that  ye  were  killed,  and  the  people  of  God  destroyed, 
 "v^nshed  that  he  might  be  quickly  under  the  wall  of  the  higher 
 palace,  from  under  the  dint  of  the  storm,  and  who  longed  to  have 
 the  weather-beaten  and  crazy  bark  safely  landed  in  that  harbour 
 of  eternal  quietness.  What  farther  service  Christ  hath  for  you  I 
 know  not ;  it  is  enough,  that  in  your  captivity  ye  offer  your  ser- 
 vice to  Christ ;  but  if  I  see  anything,  it  looks  like  a  merciful  defeat. 
 I  see  the  nobles  and  the  state  falling  off  from  Christ,  and  the 
 night  coming  upon  the  prophets,  which  we  would  pray  to  prevent; 
 because  it  is  a  rare  thing  to  see  a  fallen  star  win  ever  up  again  to 
 the  firmament  to  shine.  And  what  if  this  be  the  thick  darkness 
 going  before  the  break  of  day  1  Sure,  sir,  the  sun  shall  rise  upon 
 Scotland ;  but  if  I  shall  see  it,  or  how  near  it  is  to-day,  I  leave  that 
 to  Him,  even  unto  "  Jehovah,  who  creates  upon  every  dwelling  in 
 Mount  Zion,  and  upon  her  assemblies,  a  cloud,  and  a  smoke  by 
 day,  and  the  shining  of  a  flaming  fire  by  night."  But,  sir,  "  the 
 wilderness  shall  rejoice  and  blossom  as  a  rose ; "  and  happy  he, 
 who  hath  a  bone  or  an  arm,  to  put  the  crown  upon  the  head  of 
 our  highest  King,  whose  chariot  is  paved  with  love  :  were  thei'e 
 ten  thousand  millions  of  heavens  created  above  these  highest 
 heavens,  and  as  many  above  them,  and  again  as  many  above  them, 
 till  angels  were  weained  with  counting,  it  were  but  too  low  a  seat 
 to  fix  the  princely  throne  of  that  Lord  Jesus  (whose  ye  are)  above 
 them  all.  Created  heavens  are  too  low  a  seat  of  majesty  for  Him. 
 Since  then  there  is  none  equal  to  your  Master  and  Prince,  who 
 hath  chosen  out  for  you,  amongst  many  sufferings  for  sin,^  that 
 only  cross  which  cometh  nearest  in  likeness  to  His  own  cross, 
 watered  with  consolations,  take  courage  and  comfort  yourself  in 
 Him,  who  hath  chosen  you  to  glory  hereafter,  and  to  a  conformity 
 with  Him  here.  We  fools  would  have  a  cross  of  our  own  choos- 
 ing, and  would  have  our  gall  and  wormwood  sugared,  our  fire 
 cold,  and  our  death  and  grave  warmed  with  heat  of  life  ;  but  He 
 who  hath  brought  many  children  to  glory  and  lost  none,  is  our 
 best  tutor.  I  wish  when  I  am  sick,  that  He  may  be  Keeper  and 
 Comforter.  I  judge  it  a  blessed  fall,  that  we  are  forfeited  heirs, 
 broken  and  out  of  credit,  and  that  Christ  is  become  a  Tutor  in  the 
 place  of  free-will,  and  that  we  are  no  more  our  own.  I  am  broken 
 and  wasted  with  the  wrath  that  is  on  the  land,  and  have  been 
 much  tempted  with  a  design  to  have  a  pass  from  Christ,  which  if 
 I  had,  I  would  not  stay  to  be  a  witness  of  our  defection  for  no 
 man's  entreaty  ;  but  I  know  it  is  my  softness  and  weakness,  who 
 would  ever  be  ashore,  when  a  fit  of  sea-sickness  cometh  on  ;  though 
 I  know  I  shall  come  soon  enough  to  that  desirable  country,  and 
 
 1  Qu.  Him  ? 
 
PART  II.j  LETTER  LXI.  473 
 
 shall  not  be  displaced,  none  shall  take  my  lodging.  Sir,  many 
 eyes  are  upon  you,  and  the  godly  are  exceedingly  refreshed  that 
 ye  listen  not  to  the  ways  of  many  about  you,  who  with  fair  words 
 make  merchandise  of  souls.  Sir,  if  the  way  you  are  in  be  not  the 
 way  of  Christ,  then  woe  to  me,  for  I  am  eternally  lost ;  but  truly, 
 the  Lord  Christ's  dealing  with  Colonel  Gilbert  Ker  hath  proven 
 to  me,  that  the  new  testament  and  the  covenant  of  grace  is  a 
 piece,  that  a  solemn  meeting  and  assembly  of  all  created  angels, 
 join  all  their  wits  together,  could  not  have  devised.  Since,  sir,  ye 
 paid  nothing  for  the  change  that  Christ  made,  and  ye  will  take 
 that  debt  of  free  grace  to  heaven  with  you  (for  what  was  Christ 
 Jesus  indebted  to  you  more  than  to  all  your  kindred  and  name  1) 
 therefore,  since  ye  are  made  His  own,  follow  no  other  way.  What 
 is  my  salvation  though  I  should  lay  it  in  pawn  (it  is  but  a  poor 
 pledge)  that  this,  this  only  is  the  way  1  but  Christ  is  surety  Him- 
 self, that  it  is  the  way  ;  the  Forerunner  went  before  you,  and  He 
 is  safely  landed,  and  there  is  a  fair  company  before  you  of  such 
 "  as  have  come  out  of  great  tribulation,  and  have  washed  their 
 garments,  and  made  them  white  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb  ; "  to 
 whom  these  promises  are  now  performed  :  "  He  that  overcomes 
 Bhall  eat  of  the  tree  of  life,  that  is  in  the  midst  of  the  paradise  of 
 God ;  and  God  shall  wipe  away  all  tears  from  their  eyes ;  and 
 there  sliall  be  no  more  death,  neither  sorrow,  nor  crying,  neither 
 shall  there  be  any  more  pain.  He  that  sitteth  on  the  throne  shall 
 dwell  among  them  ;  they  shall  hunger  no  more,  neither  thii'st  any 
 more,  neither  shall  the  sun  light  on  them,  nor  any  heat ;  for  the 
 Lamb,  that  is  in  the  midst  of  the  throne,  shall  feed  them,  and 
 shall  take  them  unto  the  living  fountains  of  waters."  I  may,  sir, 
 possibly  keep  you  from  better  work.  The  God  of  peace,  that 
 brought  again  from  the  dead  the  great  Shepherd  of  the  sheep, 
 through  the  blood  of  the  eternal  covenant,  make  you  perfect. 
 
 Yours,  in  Jesus  Christ,         S.  R. 
 St.  Andrews,  Jan.  7,  1651. 
 
 LETTER  LXL— To  the  Much  Honoured  and  Truly  Worthy 
 Colonel  G.  Ker. 
 
 Much  honoured  and  worthy  Sir, — I  have  heard  of  your 
 continued  captivity  in  England,  as  well  as  in  this  afflicted  land ; 
 but  go  where  you  will,  ye  cannot  go  from  under  your  Shadow, 
 which  is  broader  than  many  kingdoms.  Ye  change  lodgings  and 
 countries :  but  the  same  Lord  is  before  you,  if  ye  were  carried  away 
 captive  to  the  other  side  of  the  sun,  or  as  far  as  the  rising  of  the 
 morning-star.  It  is  spoken  to  your  mother,  who  hath  yet  received 
 no  bill  of  divorce,  which  was  written  to  Judah,  Mic,  iv.  10,  "Be  in 
 pain  and  labour  to  bring  forth,  0  daughter  of  Zion,  like  a  woman 
 
474  LETTER  LXI.  [PART  II. 
 
 ill  travail :  for  now  shalt  thou  go  forth  out  of  the  city,  and  thou 
 shalt  dwell  in  the  field,  and  thou  shalt  go  even  to  Babylon,  there 
 shalt  thou  be  delivered,  there  the  Lord  shall  redeem  thee  from  the 
 hand  of  thine  enemies."  England  shall  be  countable  for  you,  to 
 render  you  back,  Isa.  xliv.  6,  "  I  will  say  to  the  north,  give  up  ; 
 and  to  the  south,  keep  not  back."  It  is  a  sermon  that  flesh  and 
 blood  laugheth  at,  Ezek.  xxxvii.  4,  "  Prophesy  upon  these  dry 
 bones,  and  say  unto  them,  0  ye  dry  bones,  hear  the  word  of  the 
 Lord  !"  It  is  a  preaching  to  the  cold  grave,  "  Thus  saith  the  Lord 
 unto  the  bones,  behold  I  will  cause  breath  to  enter  into  you,  and 
 ye  shall  live,  and  I  will  lay  sinews  upon  you,  and  bring  flesh  upon 
 you,  and  cover  you  with  skin,  and  put  breath  in  you,  and  ye  shall 
 live."  Eev.  xx.  13,  "And  the  sea  gave  up  the  dead  that  were  in 
 it."  Berwick  must  render  back  the  Scottish  captives,  and  Colonel 
 Gilbert  Ker  Avith  them.  Isa.  xliii.  14,  "For  thus  saith  the  Lord, 
 your  Redeemer,  the  Holy  One  of  Israel,  for  your  sake  I  have  sent 
 to  Babylon,  and  have  brought  down  all  their  nobles,  and  the  Chal- 
 deans, whose  cry  is  in  the  ships."  Deut.  xxx.  4,  "  If  any  of  them 
 be  driven  out  to  the  utmost  parts  of  heaven,  from  thence  will 
 the  Lord  thy  God  gather  thee,  and  from  thence  will  He  fetch  thee." 
 Zech.  viii.  7,  "  Thus  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts,  behold  I  Avill  save  my 
 people  from  the  east  country,  and  from  the  west  country,  and  I 
 will  bring  them,  and  they  shall  dwell  in  the  midst  of  Jerusalem, 
 and  they  shall  be  my  people,  and  I  will  be  their  God,  in  truth  and 
 in  righteousness."  Sir,  ye  are  both  booked  by  the  Lord  who  writ- 
 eth  up  the  people,  Ps.  Ixxxvii.  5,  6,  and  counted  to  the  Lord,  as 
 one  of  the  house  and  stock.  Ps.  xxii.  30,  Fear  not,  faint  not,  all 
 your  hairs  are  numbered.  It  is  the  desire  of  the  people  of  God, 
 that  as  your  bonds  hitherto  have  been  exemplary  to  the  strength- 
 ening of  the  feeble,  and  to  the  stopping  of  the  mouth  of  the  adver- 
 sary, without  any  declining  to  the  right  or  left  hand,  so  your 
 sufferings  in  the  place  ye  now  go  to,  may  be  (as  we  are  confident 
 in  the  Lord  of  you,  and  in  humility  boast  of  His  grace  in  you) 
 savoury,  convincing,  and  like  unto  this  honourable  cause  that  will 
 prevail  in  Britain,  contrary  to  all  the  machinations  and  counsels  of 
 devils  and  men  ;  and  though  there  were  no  other  ink  in  the  pen  I 
 now  write  with,  but  some  dewing  of  my  last  cooling  blood,  this  I 
 purpose  (His  grace,  whose  I  am,  enabling  me)  to  stand  to.  Sir, 
 we  desire  to  adore  no  instruments,  yet  we  conceive  the  shining  and 
 rays  of  grace  from  the  fountain  Jesus  Christ,  the  fulness  of  the 
 Godhead,  bestowed  on  sinful  men,  hold  forth  the  good  thoughts  of 
 Christ  to  this  poor  land,  whose  multiplied  graves,  and  whose  souls 
 under  the  altar,  slain  by  sectaries  and  malignants,  cry  aloud  to  hea- 
 ven. I  see  nothing,  sir,  if  the  Lord  be  not  near  (though  I  dare 
 not  say  how  soon)  to  awake  for  the  year  of  Zion's  controversy,  Isa. 
 
PART  II.]  LETTER  LXI.  475 
 
 xxxiv.  5,  "  For  my  sword  shall  be  bathed  in  heaven  ;"  behold  it 
 shall  come  down  upon  England,  and  the  residue  of  his  enemies  in 
 Scotland.  Woe  is  me  for  England,  that  land  shall  be  soaked  with 
 blood,  and  their  dust  made  fat  with  fatness ;  that  pleasant  land 
 shall  be  a  wilderness,  and  the  dust  of  their  land  pitch;  a  judgment 
 upon  their  walled  towns,  their  pleasant  fields,  their  strong  ships, 
 &c.,  if  they  do  not  repent.  Ye  have  not,  I  conceive,  seen  such 
 searching  and  trying  times  as  now  these  are,  and  yet  the  question 
 will  be  drawn  to  a  more  narrow  state,  and  multitudes  Avill  yet  leave 
 the  cause ;  for  we  took  all  into  the  covenant  that  oifered  to  build 
 with  us,  but  Christ  must  have  but  a  small  remnant ;  few  nobles,  if 
 any,  few  ministers,  few  professors ;  though  our  way  standeth  un- 
 changed, 2  Cor.  vi.  8,  "  By  honour  and  dishonour,  by  good  report, 
 and  evil  report,  as  deceivers  and  yet  true,  as  unknown  and  yet 
 well  known,  as  dying  and  behold  we  live,  as  chastened  and  yet  not 
 killed."  Neither  is  this  your  condition  alone,  but  the  experienced 
 lot  of  all  the  saints  that  have  gone  before  you :  it  is  one  and  the 
 same  cross  of  Christ,  but  there  be  sundry  faces,  and  diverse  circum- 
 stances in  the  same  remnant,  the  sufferings  of  Christ  and  yours. 
 Sir,  to  be  delivered  to  soldiers  and  in  captivity,  iooketh  like  His 
 suffering,  of  whom  Isaiah  saith,  chap.  liii.  8,  "  He  was  taken  from 
 prison,  and  from  judgment ;"  yea,  and  taken  bound,  John  xviii.  12. 
 When  the  cause  is  the  truth  of  God,  the  lustre  and  face  of  suffer- 
 ing is  so  much  the  more  lovely,  that  it  hath  the  hue  and  colour  of 
 Christ's  sufferings,  who  endured  contradiction  of  sinners,  and  de- 
 spised the  shame.  0,  it  is  a  great  word,  "  Christ  shamed  and 
 Christ  abased  !"  but  thus  was  the  Head,  and  so  are  the  members 
 dealt  with  in  the  world  :  and  truly  anything  of  Christ,  even  the 
 worst  of  Him  (to  speak  so),  His  reproach  and  shame,  are  lovely. 
 Though  superstitious  love  to  the  material  cross  He  suffered  upon 
 be  foolery,  and  doating  upon  the  holy  grave  be  cursed  idolatry, 
 yet  is  there  a  communion  with  Him  in  His  sufferings  most  desir- 
 able, 1  Pet.  iv.  15,  "But  rejoice  inasmuch  as  ye  are  partakers  of 
 Christ's  sufferings  :"  in  which  sense,  the  cup  that  His  lips  touched 
 hath  the  sweeter  taste,  even  though  death  were  in  it ;  the  grave, 
 because  He  did  lie  in  it,  is  so  much  the  softer,  and  the  more  re- 
 freshful a  bed  of  rest;  and  that  part  of  the  sky  and  clouds  that 
 the  Beloved  shall  break  through  and  come  to  judgment,  it  is  as 
 lovely  a  piece  of  the  created  heaven  as  any  is,  if  we  may  love  the 
 ground  He  goeth  on  the  better ;  but  all  this  is  to  be  understood  in 
 a  spiiitual  manner.  The  Lord  calleth  you,  sir  (upon  whom  the 
 Spirit  of  God  and  His  glory  resteth),  to  put  your  soul's  amen  to 
 this  dispensation  ;  and  requireth  of  us,  that  our  desires  follow  the 
 now-declared  decree  of  God,  concerning  the  desolation  of  our  sin- 
 ful land,  so  many  ways  guilty  of  a  despised  Gospel  and  a  broken 
 
476  LETTER  LXI,  [PART  II, 
 
 covenant,  and  that  with  all  submission.     Certainly  no  man  hath 
 failed  more  in  this  thing  than  he  who  writeth  to  you  ;  for  1  have 
 brought  my  health  in  great  hazard,  and  tormented  my  spirit  with 
 excessive  grief  for  our  present  provocations  and  the  rentings^  of  our 
 kirk  ;  and  I  see  it  is  a  challenging  of,  and  a  bold  pleading  against 
 Him,  "  upon  Avhose  shoulder  the  government  is,"  Isa.   xxii.  22. 
 The  Father  hath  put  a  glorious  trust  upon  Christ,  verse  23,  "And 
 I  will  fasten  Him  as  a  nail  in  a  sure  place,  and  He  shall  be  for  a 
 glorious  throne  to  His  Father's  house."  Verse  24,  "And  they  shall 
 hang  upon  Him  all  the  glory  of  His  Father's  house,  the  offspring 
 and  the  issue,  all  vessels  of  small  quantity,  from  the  vessels  of  cups 
 even  to  all  the  vessels  of  flagons."     Our  unbelieving  apprehensions 
 do  so  quarrel  at  the  prosperity  of  enemies  in  an  evil  cause,  that  we 
 wrestle  with  defeats,  spoiling,  captivity  of  the  godly,  killing  of  His 
 people,  the  wasting  of  our  land,  starving  and  famishing  of  the  king- 
 dom, which  is  worse  than  the  sword ;  but  this  is  a  sinful  contra- 
 dicting of  the  Lord's  revealed  decree.    His  wisdom  saith,  "  Spoiling 
 and  desolation  is  best  for  Scotland ;"  and  we  say.  Not ;  and  so  ac- 
 cuse Christ  of  misgovernment,  and  of  not  being  true  to  the  trust 
 put  upon  Him  :  but  since  He  doth  not  drag  the  government  at  His 
 heels,  but  hath  it  upon  His  shoulder ;  and  since  the  nail  fastened 
 In  a  sure  place  cannot  be  broken,  nor  can  the  smallest  vessel  fail 
 to  find  sweet  security  in  dependence  upon  Him ;  since  all  the  weight 
 of  heaven  and  eai'th,  of  redeemed  saints  and  confirmed  angels,  is 
 upon  His  shoulder,  I  am  a  fool  and  brutish  to  imagine,  that  I  can 
 add  anything  to  Christ's  special  care  of  and  tenderness  to  His  peo- 
 ple.    He  who  keepeth  the  basins  and  knives  of  His  house,  and 
 bi'ingeth  the  vessels  back  again  to  the  second  temple,  Ezra  i.  8-10, 
 must  have  a  more  tender  care  of  His  redeemed  ones,  than  of  a  spoon, 
 or  of  Peter's  old  shoes,  which  yet  must  not  be  lost  in  his  captivity, 
 Acts  xii.  8.     O,  for  grace  to  suff'er  Christ  to  tutor  His  own  minors 
 and  young  heirs  !     But  we  cannot  endure  to  be  under  the  actings 
 of  His  government ;  we  love  too  much  to  be  our  own.     0,  how 
 sweet  to  be  wholly  Christ's,  and  wholly  in  Christ !     To  be  out  of 
 the  creature's  owning,  and  made  complete  in  Christ,  to  live  by 
 faith  in  Christ ;  and  to  be  once  for  all  clothed  with  the  created 
 majesty  and  glory  of  the  Son  of  God,  wherein  He  makes  all  His 
 friends  and  followers  sharers !     To  dwell  in  Immanuel's  high  and 
 blessed  land,  and  live  in  that  sweetest  air,  where  no  wind  bloweth, 
 but  the  breathings  of  the  Holy  Ghost ;  no  seas  or  floods  flow,  but 
 "  the  pure  water  of  life,  that  proceedeth  from  under  the  throne  and 
 from  the  Lamb ; '  no  planting  but,  "  the  tree  of  life,  that  yieldeth 
 twelve  manner  of  fruits  every  month  !"     What  do  we  here  but  sin 
 and  suffer?     0,  when  shall  the  night  be  gone,  the  shadows  flee 
 
 ^  Rendiiigs. 
 
PART  IL]  letter  LXII.  477 
 
 away,  and  the  morning  of  that  long,  long  day,  without  cloud  or 
 night,  dawn  !  The  Spirit  and  the  bride  say,  "  Come."  O  when 
 shall  the  Lamb's  wife  be  ready,  and  the  Bridegroom  say,  "  Come  !" 
 Worthy  sir,  I  mind  you  to  the  hearer  of  prayer.  0  help  me  in 
 that  kind  !     The  Spirit  of  Jesus  be  with  your  spirit. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  only,  only  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 
 at  Ajidrews,  May  14,  1651. 
 
 LETTER  LXII.— To  my  Lady  Kenmure. 
 
 Madam, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you.  We  are  fallen 
 in  winnowing  and  trying  times  ;  I  am  glad  that  your  breath 
 serveth  you  to  run  to  the  end,  in  the  same  condition  and  way 
 wherein  ye  have  walked  these  twenty  years  past ;  it  is  either  the 
 way  of  peace,  or  we  are  yet  in  our  sins,  and  have  missed  the  way. 
 The  Lord  (it  is  true)  hath  stained  the  pride  of  all  our  glory  ;  and 
 now  last  of  all,  the  sun  hath  gone  down  upon  many  of  the  pro- 
 phets ;  but  stumble  not ;  men  are  men,  and  God  appeareth  more 
 and  more  to  be  God,  and  Christ  is  still  Christ.  Madam,  a  stronger 
 than  I  am  had  almost  stumbled  me  and  cast  me  down.  But  oh 
 what  mercy  is  it  to  discern  betwixt  what  is  Christ's  and  what  is 
 man's,  and  what  way  the  hue,  colour,  and  lustre  of  gifts  and  grace 
 dazzle  and  deceive  our  weak  eyes.  0,  to  be  dead  to  all  things 
 that  are  below  Christ,  were  it  even  a  created  heaven  and  created 
 grace  !  Holiness  is  not  Christ ;  nor  are  the  blossoms  and  flowers 
 of  the  tree  of  life  the  tree  itself.  Men  and  creatures  may  wind 
 themselves  in  between  us  and  Christ ;  and  therefore  the  Lord  hath 
 done  much  to  take  out  of  the  way  all  betwixt  Him  and  us  ;  there 
 are  not  in  our  way  now  kings,  or  armies,  or  nobles,  or  judicatories, 
 or  strongholds,  or  watchmen,  or  godly  professors.  The  fairest 
 things,  and  most  eminent  in  Britain,  are  stained,  and  have  lost 
 their  lustre ;  only,  only  Christ  keeps  His  greenness  and  beauty, 
 and  remaineth  what  He  was.  0 !  if  He  were  more  and  more 
 excellent  to  our  apprehensions  than  ever  He  was  {whose  excellency 
 is  above  all  apprehensions),  and  still  more  and  more  sweet  to  our 
 taste.  I  care  for  nothing  if  so  be  I  were  nearer  to  Him,  and  yet 
 He  flieth  not  from  me  ;  I  flee  from  Him,  but  He  pursueth.  I 
 hear  your  ladyship  hath  the  same  esteem  of  the  despised  cause  and 
 covenant  of  our  Lord  ye  had  before.  Madam,  hold  you  there ;  I 
 dare  and  would  gladly  breathe  out  my  spirit  in  that  way,  with  a 
 nearer  communion  and  fellowship  Avith  the  Father  and  the  Son, 
 and  would  seek  no  more,  but  that  I  might  die  believing  ;  and  also, 
 I  would  hope,  that  the  earth  shall  not  cover  the  blood  of  the  godly 
 slain  in  Scotland,  but  that  the  Lord  will  make  inquisition  for  their 
 blood,  when  the  sufferings  of  the  saints  in  these  lands  shall  be  ful- 
 
478  LETTERS  LXIIl.  AND  LXIV,  [PART  II. 
 
 filled.     The  good  will  of  Him  that  dwelt  in  the  bush  be  with 
 you. 
 
 Your  ladyship's,  at  all  observance,  in  the  Lord  Jesus,     S.  R. 
 
 Glasgow,  Sept.  28,  1651. 
 
 LETTER  LXIIL— To  my  Lady  Kenmure. 
 
 Madam, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you.  I  know  ye  think 
 of  an  out-going,  and  that  your  quartering  in  time,  and  your  abode 
 in  this  life  is  short ;  for  we  flee  away  as  a  shadow  ;  the  declining  of 
 the  sun,  and  the  lengthening  of  the  shadow,  saith  our  journey  is 
 short  and  near  the  end  ;  I  speak  it  because  I  have  warnings  of  my 
 removal.  Madam,  I  know  not  any  against  whom  the  Lord  is  not ; 
 for  he  is  against  "  the  proud  and  lofty ;  the  day  of  the  Lord  is 
 upon  all  the  cedars,  upon  all  the  high  mountains,  upon  every  high 
 tower,  and  upon  every  fenced  wall,  upon  all  the  ships  of  Tarshish, 
 and  upon  all  pleasant  pictures."  I  know  not  anything  comparable 
 to  a  nearness  and  spiritual  communion  with  the  Father  and  the 
 Son  Christ ;  there  is  much  deadness  and  Avitheredness  upon  many 
 spirits  sometimes  near  to  God  ;  and  I  wish  the  Lord  had  not  more 
 to  saj'^,  and  to  do  against  the  land.  Ye  have,  madam,  in  your  ac- 
 counts, mercies,  deliverances,  rods,  warnings,  plenty  of  means, 
 consolations,  when  refuge  failed  you,  when  you  looked  on  the  right 
 hand,  and  behold  no  man  would  know  you,  nor  care  for  your  soul 
 when  young  and  weak,  manifestations  of  God,  the  out-goings  of 
 the  Lord  for  you,  experiences,  answers  from  the  Lord  ;  by  all  which 
 ye  may  be  comforted  now,  and  confirmed  in  the  certain  hope,  that 
 grace,  free  grace,  in  a  fixed  and  established  surety,  shall  perfect 
 that  good  work  in  you.  Happy  they  Avho  see  not  and  yet  believe ! 
 Grace,  grace  eternally  in  our  Lord  Jesus  be  with  you. 
 
 Yours,  in  the  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 
 
 Edinburgh,  May  27,  1653. 
 
 LETTER  LXIV.— To  my  Lady  Kenmure. 
 
 Madam, — I  have  been  so  long  silent,  that  I  am  almost  ashamed 
 now  to  speak.  I  hear  of  your  weakly  condition  of  body,  which 
 speaketh  some  warning  to  you,  to  look  for  a  longer  life,  where  ye 
 shall  have  more  leisure  to  praise  than  time  can  give  you  here.  It 
 shall  be  a  loss  to  many ;  but  sure,  yourself,  madam,  shall  be  only 
 free  of  any  loss.  And  truly,  considering  what  days  we  are  now 
 fallen  into,  if  sailing  were  not  serving  of  the  Lord  (which  I  can 
 hardly  attain),  a  calm  harbour  were  very  good,  when  storms  are  so 
 high.  The  Forerunner,  who  hath  landed  first,  must  help  to  bring 
 the  sea-beaten  vessel  safe  to  the  port,  and  the  sick  passengers,  who 
 
PART  II.]  LETTER  LXV.  479 
 
 are  following  the  Forerunner,  safe  ashore.  Much  deadness  prevail- 
 eth  over  sonae,  but  there  is  much  life  in  Him,  who  is  the  resurrec- 
 tion and  the  life,  to  quicken.  0  what  of  our  hid  life  is  without  us, 
 and  how  little  and  poor  a  stock  is  in  the  hand  of  some  !  The  only- 
 wise  God  supply  Avhat  is  wanting ;  the  more  ye  want,  and  the 
 more  your  joy  hath  run  on,  the  more  is  owing  to  you  by  the  pro- 
 mise of  grace;  bygones^  of  waterings  from  heaven,  which  your 
 ladyship  wanted  in  Kenmure,  Rusco,  the  West,  Glasgow,  Edinburgh, 
 England,  &c.,  shall  all  come  in  a  great  sum  together ;  the  marriage- 
 supper  of  the  Lamb  must  not  be  marred  with  too  large  a  four- 
 hours'  refreshment.  Know,  madam,  He  who  hath  tutored  you 
 from  the  breasts,  knoweth  how  to  time  his  own  day-shinings  and 
 love-visits.     Grace,  that  runs  on,  be  with  you. 
 
 Yours,  in  the  Lord,  at  all  observance,         S.  E. 
 St.  Andrews. 
 
 LETTER  LXV.— To  my  Lady  Kenmure. 
 
 Madam, — I  confess  I  have  cause  to  be  grieved  at  my  long 
 silence,  or  laziness  in  writing.  I  am  also  afflicted  to  hear  that  such, 
 who  were  debtors  to  your  ladyship  for  better  dealing,  have  served 
 you  with  such  prevarication ;  ye  know  crookedness  is  neither  strong 
 nor  long-enduring ;  and  ye  know  likewise,  that  these  things  spring- 
 not  out  of  the  dust.  It  is  sweet  to  look  upon  the  lawless  and  sin- 
 ful stirrings  of  the  creatures,  as  ordered  by  a  most  holy  hand  in 
 heaven.  0,  if  some  could  make  peace  with  God !  It  would  be 
 our  wisdom,  and  afford  us  much  sweet  peace,  if  oppressors  were 
 looked  upon  as  passive  insti'uments,  like  the  saw  or  axe  in  the  car- 
 penter's hand ;  they  are  bidden  (if  such  a  distinction  may  be  ad- 
 mitted), but  not  commanded  of  God  (as  Shimei  was,  2  Sam.  xvi. 
 10)  to  do  what  they  do.  Madam,  these  many  years  the  Lord  hath 
 been  teaching  you  to  read  and  study  well  the  book  of  holy,  holy 
 and  spotless  sovereignty,  in  suffering  from  some  nigh-hand  and 
 some  far  off.  Whoever  be  the  instruments,  the  replying  of  clay 
 to  the  potter,  the  former  of  all,  is  unbeseeming  the  nothing-crea- 
 ture. I  hope  He  shall  clear  you  ;  but  when  Zion's  public  evils  lie 
 not  nigh  some  of  us,  and  leave  no  impression  upon  our  hearts,  it  is 
 no  wonder  that  we  be  exercised  with  domestic  troubles ;  but  I 
 know  ye  are  taught  of  God  to  prefer  Jerusalem  to  your  chiefest 
 joy.  Madam,  there  is  no  cause  of  fainting ;  wait  upon  the  not- 
 tarrying  vision,  for  it  will  speak.  The  only  wise  God  be  with  you, 
 and  God,  even  your  own  God,  bless  you. 
 
 Yours,  at  all  observance,  in  God,         S.  E. 
 
 St.  Andrews,  June  1657. 
 
 '  Arrears. 
 
480  '  LETTERS  LXVl.  AND  LXVII.  [PAKT  II. 
 
 LETTEE  LXVL— To  my  Lady  Kenmure. 
 
 Madam, — I  should  not  forget  you ;  but  my  deadness  under  a 
 threatening  stroke,  both  of  a  falKng  church,  a  broken  covenant,  a 
 despised  remnant,  and  craziness  of  body  (that  I  cannot  get  a  piece 
 of  sickly  clay  carried  about  from  one  house  or  town  to  another) 
 lies  most  heavy  on  me.  The  Lord  hath  removed  Scotland's  crown, 
 for  we  owned  not  His  crown ;  we  fretted  at  His  catholic  govern- 
 ment of  the  world,  and  fretted  that  He  would  not  be  ruled  and 
 led  by  us,  in  breaking  our  adversaries ;  and  He  makes  us  suffer 
 and  pine  away  in  our  iniquities,  under  the  broken  government  of 
 His  house.  It  is  like  ^  it  would  be  our  snare,  to  be  tried  with  the 
 honour  of  a  peaceable  reformation,  we  might  mar  the  carved  work 
 of  His  house,  worse  than  those  against  whom  we  cry  out.  It  is 
 like  ^  He  hath  bidden  us  lie  on  our  left  side  three  hundred  and 
 ninety  days,  and  yet  so  astonishing  is  our  stupidity,  that  we  moan 
 not  our  sore  side.  Out  gold  is  become  dim,  the  visage  of  our 
 Nazarites  is  become  black,  the  sun  is  gone  down  on  our  seers,  the 
 crown  is  fallen  from  our  head,  we  roar  like  bears.  Lord  save  us 
 from  that,  "He  that  hath  made  them  will  not  have  mercy  on  them." 
 The  heart  of  the  scribe  meditates  terror.  0,  madam,  if  the  Lord 
 would  help  us  to  more  self-judging,  and  to  make  sure  an  interest 
 in  Christ !  Ah,  we  forget  eternity,  and  it  approacheth  quickly. 
 Grace  be  with  you. 
 
 Your  ladyship's,  at  all  obedience  in  the  Lord,         S.  R. 
 
 St.  Andrews,  Nov.  20,  1657. 
 
 LETTER  LXVII.— To  my  Lady  Kenmure. 
 
 Madam, — I  am  ashamed  of  my  long  silence  to  your  ladyship. 
 Your  tossings  and  wanderings  are  known  to  Him,  upon  whom  ye 
 have  been  cast  from  the  breasts,  and  who  hath  been  your  God  of 
 old.  The  temporal  loss  of  creatures,  dear  to  you  there,  may  be  the 
 more  easily  endured,  that  the  gain  of  One  who  only  hath  immor- 
 tality groweth.  There  is  an  universal  complaint  of  deadness  of 
 spirit  on  all  that  know  God.  He  that  writes  to  you,  madam,  is  as 
 deep  in  this  as  any,  and  is  afraid  of  a  strong  and  hot  battle,  before 
 time  be  at  a  close ;  but  no  matter,  if  the  Lord  crown  all  with  the 
 victorious  triumphing  of  faith.  God  teacheth  us  by  terrible  things 
 in  righteousness.  We  see  many  things,  but  we  observe  nothing. 
 Our  drink  is  sour ;  gray  hairs  are  here  and  there  on  us,  and  we 
 change  many  lords  and  rulers ;  but  the  same  bondage  of  soul  and 
 body  remains.  We  live  little  by  faith,  but  much  by  sense,  accord- 
 ing to  the  times,  and  by  human  policy.     The  watchmen  sleep,  and 
 
 ^  Probable. 
 
PAKT  II. J  LETTER  LXVIIl.  481 
 
 the  people  perish  for  lack  of  knowlege.  How  can  we  be  enlight- 
 ened when  we  turn  our  backs  on  the  sun  ?  And  must  we  not  be 
 withered  when  we  leave  the  fountain  ?  It  should  be  my  only  de- 
 sire to  be  a  minister,  gifted  with  the  white  stone,  and  the  new 
 name  written  on  it.  I  judge  it  were  fit  (now  when  tall  professors, 
 and  when  many  stars  fall  from  heaven,  and  God  poureth  the  isle 
 of  Great  Britain  from  vessel  to  vessel,  and  yet  we  sit  and  are 
 settled  on  our  lees)  to  consider  (as  sometimes  I  do ;  but,  ah ! 
 rarely)  how  irrecoverable  a  woe  it  is  to  be  under  a  beguile  in  the 
 matter  of  eternity;  and  what  if  I,  who  can  have  a  subscribed  testi- 
 monial of  many  who  shall  stand  at  the  right  hand  of  the  Judge, 
 shall  miss  Christ's  approving  testimony,  and  be  set  upon  the  left 
 hand  among  the  goats?  There  is  such  a  beguile,  Matt.  vii.  22, 
 Matt.  XXV.  8-12,  Luke  xiii.  25,26.  And  it  befals  many;  and  what 
 if  it  befal  me,  who  have  but  too  much  art  to  cozen  my  own  soul 
 and  others,  with  the  flourish  of  ministerial  or  country  holiness  1 
 Dear  lady,  I  am  afraid  of  prevailing  security  !  we  watch  little  (I 
 have  mainly  relation  to  myself) ;  we  wrestle  little ;  I  am  like  one 
 travelling  in  the  night,  who  sees  a  spirit,  and  sweats  for  fear,  and 
 dare  not  tell  it  to  his  fellow  for  fear  of  increasing  his  own  fear ; 
 however  I  am  sure,  when  the  Master  is  nigh  His  coming,  it  were 
 safe  to  write  over  a  double  and  a  new  copy  of  our  accounts,  of  the 
 sins  of  nature,  childhood,  youth,  riper  years,  and  old  age.  What 
 if  Christ  have  another  written  representation  of  me  than  I  have 
 of  myself?  Sure  His  is  right;  and  if  it  contradict  my  mistaking 
 and  sinfully  erroneous  account  of  myself,  ah  !  where  am  I  then  ] 
 But,  madam,  I  discourage  none :  I  know  Christ  Iiath  made  a  new 
 marriage-contract  of  love,  and  sealed  it  with  His  blood,  and  the 
 trembling  believer  shall  not  be  confounded.  Grace  be  with  you. 
 Yours,  at  all  obedience  in  Christ,  S.  E. 
 St.  Andrews,  May  26,  1659. 
 
 LETTER  LXVin.— To  my  Lady  Kenmure. 
 
 Madam, — I  should  be  glad  that  the  Lord  would  be  pleased  to 
 lengthen  out  more  time  to  you,  that  ye  miglit  yet,  before  your 
 eyes  be  shut,  see  more  of  the  work  of  the  right  hand  of  the  Lord, 
 in  reviving  a  now-swooning  and  crushed  land  and  church.  Though 
 I  was  lately  knocking  at  death's  gate,  yet  could  I  not  get  in,  but 
 was  sent  back  for  a  time.  It  is  well,  if  I  could  yet  do  any  service 
 to  Him ,  but  ah,  what  deadness  lieth  upon  the  spirit !  and  dead- 
 ness  breedeth  distance  from  God,  Madam,  these  many  years  the 
 Lord  hath  let  you  see  a  clear  difference  betwixt  those  who  serve 
 God  and  love  His  name,  and  those  who  serve  Him  not ;  and  I 
 judge  ye  look  upon  the  way  of  Christ  as  the  only  best  way,  and 
 
 2  H 
 
482  LETTER  I.XVIII.  [PAKT  II. 
 
 that  ye  would  not  exchange  Christ  for  the  world's  god,  or  their 
 mammon,  and  that  ye  can  give  Christ  a  testimony  of  Chief  among 
 ten  thousand.  True  it  is,  that  many  of  us  have  fallen  from  our 
 first  love ;  but  Christ  hath  renewed  His  first  love  of  our  espousals 
 to  Himself,  and  multiplied  the  seekers  of  God,  all  the  country 
 over,  even  where  Christ  was  scarce  named,  east  and  west,  and 
 south  and  north,  above  the  number  that  our  fathers  ever  knew. 
 But  ah,  madam,  what  shall  be  done  or  said  of  many  fallen  stars, 
 and  many  near  to  God  complying  woefully,  and  sailing  to  the 
 nearest  shore  1  Yea,  and  we  are  consumed  in  the  furnace,  but 
 not  melted ;  burnt,  but  not  purged ;  our  dross  is  not  removed, 
 but  our  scum  remains  in  us ;  and  in  the  furnace  we  fret,  we  faint, 
 and  (which  is  more  strange)  we  slumber.  The  fire  burnetii  round 
 about  us,  and  we  lay  it  not  to  heart ;  gray  hairs  are  upon  us,  and 
 we  know  it  not.  It  were  now  a  desirable  life  to  send  away  our 
 love  to  heaven ;  and  well  becometh  it  us  to  wait  on  for  the  ap- 
 pointed change,  yet  so  as  we  should  be  meditating  thus  :  Is  there 
 a  new  world  above  the  sun  and  moon  1  and  is  there  such  a  blessed 
 company,  harping  and  singing  hallelujahs  to  the  Lamb  up  above'? 
 Why  then  are  we  taken  with  a  vain  life  of  sighing  and  sinning  1 
 0,  where  is  our  wisdom,  that  we  sit  still  laughing,  eating,  sleeping 
 prisoners,  and  do  not  pack  up  all  our  best  things  for  the  journey, 
 desiring  always  to  be  clothed  with  our  house  from  above,  not 
 made  with  hands  !  Ah  !  we  savour  not  the  things  that  are  above, 
 nor  do  we  smell  of  glory  ere  we  come  thither ;  but  we  transact 
 and  agree  with  time  for  a  new  lease  of  clay-mansions.  Behold  He 
 Cometh,  Ave  sleep,  and  turn  all  the  work  of  duties  into  a  dispute 
 of  events  for  deliverance ;  but  the  greatest  haste,  to  be  humbled 
 for  a  broken  and  a  buried  covenant,  is  first  and  last  forgotten : 
 and  all  our  grief  is,  the  Lord  lingers,  enemies  triumph,  godly  ones 
 suffer,  Atheists  blaspheme.  Ah  !  we  pray  not,  but  wonder  that 
 Christ  Cometh  not  the  higher  way,  by  might,  by  power,  by  gar- 
 ments rolled  in  blood ;  what  if  He  come  the  lower  way  1  Sure 
 we  sin  in  putting  the  book  in  His  hand,  as  if  we  could  teach  the 
 Almighty  knowledge ;  we  make  haste,  we  believe  not.  Let  the 
 only  Avise  God  alone.  He  stirs  well,  He  draws  straight  lines, 
 though  we  think  and  say  they  are  crooked  :  it  is  right  that  some 
 should  die  and  their  breasts  full  of  milk ;  and  yet  we  are  angry 
 that  God  dealeth  so  with  them.  0,  if  I  could  adore  Him  in  His 
 hidden  Avays,  AAdien  there  is  darkness  under  His  feet,  and  darkness 
 in  His  pavilion,  and  clouds  are  about  His  throne  !  Madam,  hoping, 
 believing,  patient  praying  is  our  life ;  He  loses  no  time.  The 
 Lord  Jesus  be  Avith  your  spirit. 
 
 Yours,  at  all  obliged  observance  in  Christ,         S.  R. 
 
 St.  Andrews,  Sept.  12,  16.W. 
 
PART  il]  letter  lxix.  483 
 
 LETTER  LXIX.— To  his  Reverend  and  dear  Brethren,  Mr. 
 Guthrie,  Mr.  Trail,  and  the  rest  of  their  Brethren  Im- 
 prisoned in  the  Castle  of  Edinburgh. 
 
 Reverend,  very  dear,  and  now  much  honoured  prisoners 
 FOR  Christ, — I  am,  as  to  the  point  of  light  at  the  outmost  of 
 persuasion  in  that  kind  that  this  is  the  cause  of  Christ  ye  now 
 suffer  for,  and  not  men's  interest :  if  it  be  for  men,  let  us  leave  it ; 
 but  if  we  plead  for  God,  our  own  personal  safety  and  man's 
 deliverance  will  not  be  peace.  There  is  a  salvation  called  the 
 salvation  of  God,  which  is  cleanly,  pure,  spiritual,  unmixed,  near 
 to  the  holy  Word  of  God ;  it  is  that  which  we  would  seek,  even 
 the  favour  of  God  that  He  bears  to  His  people,  not  simple  glad- 
 ness, but  the  gladness  and  goodness  of  the  Lord's  chosen.  And 
 sure,  though  I  be  the  weakest  of  His  witnesses,  and  unworthy  to 
 be  amongst  the  meanest  of  them,  and  am  afraid  the  cause  be  hurt 
 (but  it  cannot  be  lost)  by  my  unbelieving  faintness,  I  should  not 
 desire  a  deliverance  separated  from  the  deliverance  of  the  Lord's 
 cause  and  people.  It  is  enough  to  me  to  sing  when  Zion  sings, 
 and  to  triumph  when  Christ  triumpheth :  I  should  judge  it  an 
 unhappy  joy  to  rejoice  when  Zion  sigheth.  "Not  one  hoof"  will  be 
 your  peace.  If  Christ  doth  own  me,  let  me  be  in  the  grave  in  a 
 bloody  winding-sheet,  and  go  from  the  scaffold  in  four  quarters  to 
 a  grave  or  no  grave,  I  am  His  debtor,  to  seal  with  sufferings  this 
 precious  truth.  But  oh  !  when  it  comes  to  the  push,  I  dare  say 
 nothing,  considering  my  weakness,  Avickedness,  and  faintness. 
 But  fear  not  ye,  ye  are  not,  ye  shall  not  be  alone,  the  Father  is 
 with  you  ;  it  was  not  an  unseasonable,  but  a  seasonable  and  neces- 
 sary duty  ye  were  about.  Fear  Him  who  is  Sovereign ;  Christ  is 
 Captain  of  the  castle,  and  Lord  of  the  keys.  The  cooling  well- 
 spring  and  refreshment  from  the  promises  is  more  than  the  frown- 
 ings  of  the  furnace.  I  see  snares  and  temptations  in  caijitulating, 
 composing,  ceding,  minching,^  with  distinctions  of  circumstances, 
 formalities,  compliments  and  extenuations  in  the  cause  of  Christ. 
 A  long  spoon,  the  broth  is  hell-hot.  Hold  a  distance  from  carnal 
 compositions,  and  much  nearness  to  the  fountain,  to  the  favour 
 and  refreshing  light  from  the  Father  of  lights,  speaking  in  His 
 oracles ;  this  is  sound  health  and  salvation.  Angels,  men,  Zion's 
 elders,  eye  us  ;  but  what  of  all  these  1  Christ  is  by  us  and  looks 
 on  us,  and  writes  up  all.  Let  us  pray  more,  and  look  less  to 
 men.  Remember  me  to  Mr.  Scott  and  all  the  rest.  Blessings  be 
 upon  the  head  of  such  as  are  separated  from  their  brethren  : 
 Joseph  is  a  fruitful  bough  by  a  well.     Grace  be  with  you.     Your 
 
 1  Mincing. 
 
484  LETTER  LXX.  [PAKT  II 
 
 loving  brother  and  companion  in   the  kingdom  and  patience  of 
 Jesus  Christ,  S.  K. 
 
 St.  Andrews,  1660. 
 
 LETTER  LXX.— To  Mr.  Robert  Campbell. 
 
 Reverend  and  dear  Brother, — Ye  know  this  is  a  time  in 
 which  all  men  almost  seek  their  own  things,  and  not  the  things 
 of  Jesus  Christ.  Ye  are  your  lone,^  as  a  beacon  on  the  top  of  a 
 mountain  ;  but  faint  not,  Christ  is  a  numerous  multitude  Himself, 
 yea,  millions  :  though  all  the  nations  were  convened  against  Him 
 round  about,  yet  doubt  not  but  He  will  at  last  arise  for  the  cry 
 of  the  poor  and  needy.  For  me,  I  am  now  near  to  eternity,  and 
 for  ten  thousand  worlds  I  dare  not  adventure  to  pass  from  the 
 protestation  against  the  corruptions  of  the  time,  nor  go  alongst 
 with  the  shameless  apostasy  of  the  many  silent  and  dumb  watch- 
 men of  Scotland ;  but  I  think  it  my  last  duty  to  enter  a  protesta- 
 tion in  heaven,  before  the  righteous  Judge,  against  the  practical 
 and  legal  breach  of  covenant,  and  all  oaths  imposed  on  the  con- 
 sciences of  the  Lord's  people,  and  all  popish,  superstitious,  and 
 idolatrous  mandates  of  men.  Know  that  the  overthrow  of  the 
 sworn  reformation,  the  introducing  of  popery  and  the  mystery  of 
 iniquity,  is  now  set  on  foot  in  the  three  kingdoms,  and  whosoever 
 would  keep  their  garments  clean  are  under  that  command, 
 "Touch  not,  taste  not,  handle  not."  The  Lord  calls  you,  dear  brother, 
 to  be  still  "  stedfast,  immovable,  and  abounding  in  the  work  of  the 
 Lord."  Our  royal  kingly  Master  is  upon  His  journey,  and  will 
 come  and  will  not  tarry ;  and  blessed  is  the  servant  who  shall  be 
 found  watching  when  He  cometh ;  fear  not  men,  for  the  Lord  is 
 your  light  and  salvation.  It  is  true,  it  is  somewhat  sad  and  com- 
 fortless, that  ye  are  your  lone  ;i  but  so  it  was  with  our  precious 
 Master ;  nor  are  ye  your  lone,^  for  the  Father  is  with  you.  It  is 
 possible  I  shall  not  be  an  eye-witness  to  it  in  the  flesh ;  but  I 
 believe  He  comes  quickly,  who  will  remove  our  darkness,  and 
 will  shine  gloriously  in  the  isle  of  Britain,  as  a  crowned  King, 
 either  in  a  formally  sworn  covenant,  or  in  His  own  glorious  way, 
 which  I  leave  to  the  determination  of  His  infinite  wisdom  and 
 goodness ;  and  this  is  the  hope  and  confidence  of  a  dying  man, 
 who  is  longing  and  fainting  for  the  salvation  of  God.  Beware  of 
 the  ensnaring  bonds  and  obligations,  by  anj--  hand-writ  or  other 
 ways,  to  give  unlimited  obedience  to  any  authority,  but  only  in 
 the  Lord ;  for  all  innocent  self-defence  (which  is  according  to  the 
 covenant,  the  word  of  God,  and  the  laudable  example  of  the 
 Reformed  churches)  is  now  intended  to  be  utterly  subverted  and 
 
 *  Alone. 
 
PART  II.]  LETTER  LXX.  485 
 
 condemned.  And  what  is  taken  from  Christ,  as  the  flower  of 
 His  prerogative  royal,  is  now  put  ujion  the  head  of  a  mortal 
 power,  which  must  be  that  great  idol  of  indignation,  that  pro- 
 voketh  the  eyes  of  His  glory.  Dear  brother,  let  us  mind  the 
 rich  promises  that  are  made  to  those  that  overcome,  knowing  that 
 those  that  endure  to  the  end  shall  be  saved.  Thus  recommending 
 you  to  the  rich  grace  of  God,  I  remain, 
 
 Your  affectionate  brother  in  Chri&t,         S.  R. 
 St.  Andrews,  1661. 
 
THE 
 
 THIRD  PART. 
 
 CONTAINING 
 
 SOME  MORE  LETTERS  OF  THE  SAME  AUTHOR  FROM  ANWOTH,  EDINBURGH,  ETC. 
 
 LETTER  I.— For  Marion  M'Naught. 
 
 Well-beloved  and  dear  Sister, — My  love  in  Christ  remem- 
 bered. I  have  sent  to  you  your  daughter  Grissel,  with  Robert 
 Gordon,  who  came  to  fetch  her.  I  am  in  good  hopes  that  the 
 seed  of  God  is  in  her,  as  in  one  born  of  God,  and  God's  seed  will 
 come  to  God's  harvest.  I  have  her  promise  she  shall  be  Christ's, 
 for  I  have  told  her  she  may  promise  much  in  His  worthy  name ; 
 for  He  becomes  caution  to  His  Father  for  all  such  as  resolve  and 
 promise  to  serve  Him.  I  will  remember  her  to  God.  I  trust  you 
 will  acquaint  her  with  good  company,  and  be  diligent  to  know 
 with  whom  she  loveth  to  haunt.  Remember  Zion  and  our  neces- 
 sities. I  bless  your  daughter  from  our  Lord,  and  pray  the  Lord 
 to  give  you  joy  and  comfort  of  her.  Remember  my  love  to  your 
 husband,  to  William,  and  to  Samuel,  your  sons.  The  Lord  Jesus 
 Christ  be  with  your  spirit. 
 
 Youi-s  at  all  power  in  the  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 
 
 Anwoth,  June  6,  1624. 
 
 LETTER  IL— For  Marion  M'Naught. 
 
 Loving  and  dear  Sister, — If  ever  you  would  pleasure  me, 
 entreat  the  Lord  for  me  now  when  I  am  so  comfortless,  and  so 
 full  of  heaviness  that  I  am  not  able  to  stand  under  the  burden 
 any  longer.  The  Almighty  hath  doubled  His  stripes  upon  me,  for 
 my  wife  is  so  sore  tormented  night  and  day,  that  I  have  wondered 
 why  the  Lord  tarrieth  so  long.  My  life  is  bitter  unto  me,  and  I 
 fear  the  Lord  be  my  contrair  party.^  It  is  (as  I  now  know  by 
 experience)  hard  to  keep  sight  of  God  in  a  storm,  especially  when 
 He  hides  Himself  for  the  trial  of  His  children.  If  He  would  be 
 pleased  to  remove  His  hand,  I  have  purpose   to  seek  Him  more 
 
 ^  Opponent,  enemy. 
 
PAKT  III.]  LETTER  III,  487 
 
 than  I  have  done.  Happy  are  they  that  can  win  away  with  their 
 soul ;  I  am  afraid  of  His  judgments.  I  bless  my  God,  that  there 
 is  a  death,  and  a  heaven ;  I  would  weary  to  begin  again  to  be  a 
 Christian,  so  bitter  is  it  to  drink  of  the  cup  that  Christ  drank  of, 
 if  I  knew  not  that  there  is  no  poison  in  it.  God  give  us  not  of 
 it  while  ^  we  vomit  again,  for  we  have  sick  souls  when  God's 
 physic  works  not.  Pray  that  God  would  not  lead  my  wife  into 
 temptation.  Woe  is  my  heart  that  I  have  done  so  little  against 
 the  kingdom  of  Satan  in  my  calling ;  for  he  would  fain  attempt 
 to  make  me  blaspheme  God  in  his  face ;  I  believe,  I  believe  in  the 
 strength  of  Him  who  hath  put  me  in  his  work,  he  shall  fail  in 
 that  which  he  seeks.  I  have  comfort  in  this,  that  my  Captain, 
 Christ,  hath  said,  I  must  fight  and  overcome  the  world,  John 
 xiv.  30 ;  and  with  a  weak,  spoiled,  weaponless  devil,  John  xvi. 
 33.  "  The  prince  of  this  world  cometh,  and  hath  nothing  in  me." 
 Desire  Mr.  Robert  to  remember  me,  if  he  love  me.  Grace,  grace 
 be  with  you,  and  all  yours ;  remember  Zion.  There  is  a  letter 
 procured  from  the  king  by  Mr.  John  Maxwell  to  urge  conformity, 
 to  give  the  communion  at  Christmas  in  Edinburgh.  Hold  fast 
 that  which  you  have,  that  no  man  take  the  crown  from  you.  The 
 Lord  Jesus  be  with  your  spirit. 
 
 Vours,  in  the  Lord,         S.  R. 
 Anwoth,  Nov.  17,  1629.        
 
 LETTER  IIL— For  Marion  M'Naught. 
 
 Well-beloved  and  dear  Sister, — My  love  in  the  Lord  Jesus 
 remembered.  I  understand  that  you  are  still  under  the  Lord's 
 visitation  in  your  former  business  with  your  enemies,  which  is 
 God's  dealing ;  for  till  He  take  His  children  out  of  the  furnace, 
 that  knoweth  how  long  they  should  be  tried,  there  is  no  deliver- 
 ance ;  but  after  God's  highest  and  fullest  tide,  that  the  sea  of  trou- 
 ble is  gone  over  the  souls  of  His  children,  then  comes  the  gracious 
 long-hoped-for  ebbing  and  drying  up  of  the  waters.  Dear  sister, 
 do  not  faint ;  the  wicked  may  hold  tiie  bitter  cup  to  your  head, 
 but  God  mixeth  it,  and  there  is  no  poison  in  it :  they  strike,  but 
 God  moves  the  rod ;  Shimei  curseth,  but  it  is  because  the  Lord 
 bids  Him.  I  tell  you,  and  I  have  it  from  Him  before  whom  I 
 stand  (for  God's  people),  there  is  a  decree  given  out,  in  the  great 
 court  of  the  highest  heavens,  that  your  present  troubles  shall  be 
 dispersed  as  the  morning  cloud,  and  God  shall  bring  forth  your 
 righteousness  as  the  light  of  the  noontide  of  the  day.  Let  me  en- 
 treat you  in  Christ's  name,  to  keep  a  good  conscience  in  your  pro- 
 ceedings in  that  matter,  and  beware  of  yourself;  yourself  is  a  more 
 dangerous  enemy  than  I  or  any  Avithout  you.    Innocence  and  an  up- 
 
 1   Until. 
 
488  LETTER  III.  [part  III. 
 
 right  cause  is  a  good  advocate  before  God,  and  shall  plead  for  you, 
 and  win  your  cause.  And  count  much  of  your  Master's  approbation, 
 and  His  smiling ;  He  is  now  as  the  king  that  has  gone  to  a  far 
 country.  God  seems  to  be  from  home  (if  I  may  say  so),  yet  He 
 sees  the  ill  servants,  who  say  our  Master  deferreth  His  coming,  and 
 so  strike  their  fellow-servants.  But  patience,  my  beloved,  Christ 
 the  King  is  coming  home,  the  evening  is  at  hand,  and  He  will  ask 
 an  account  of  His  servants  ;  make  a  fair,  clear  count  to  Him.  So 
 carry  yourself,  as  at  night  you  may  say,  "  Master,  I  have  wronged 
 none,  behold,  you  have  your  own  with  advantage."  0  !  your  soul 
 then  will  esteem  much  of  one  of  God's  kisses  and  embracements, 
 in  the  testimony  of  a  good  conscience.  The  wicked,  howbeit  they 
 be  casting  many  evil  thoughts,  bitter  words,  and  sinful  deeds  be-, 
 hind  their  back,  yet  they  are  in  so  doing  clerks  to  their  own  pro- 
 cess, and  doing  nothing  all  their  life,  but  gathering  dittays^  against 
 themselves.  For  God  is  angry  at  the  wicked  every  day ;  and  I 
 hope  your  present  process  shall  be  sighted  one  day  by  Him  who 
 knoweth  your  just  cause ;  and  the  bloody  tongues,  crafty  foxes, 
 double  engrained  hypocrites,  shall  appear  as  they  are  before  His 
 Majest)^,  when  He  shall  take  the  mask  off  their  faces ;  and,  0, 
 thrice  happy  shall  your  soul  be  then,  when  God  finds  you 
 covered  with  nothing  but  the  white  robe  of  the  saints'  innocence, 
 and  the  righteousness  of  Jesus  Christ.  You  have  been  of  late  in 
 the  King's  wine-cellar,  where  you  were  welcomed  by  the  Lord  of 
 the  inn,  upon  condition  that  ye  would  walk  in  love ;  put  on  love, 
 and  brotherly  kindness,  and  long-suffering ;  wait  as  long  upon  the 
 favour  and  turned  hearts  of  your  enemies,  as  your  Christ  waited 
 upon  you,  and  as  dear  Jesus  stood  at  your  soul's  door  with  dewy 
 and  rainy  locks,  the  long  cold  night ;  be  angry  but  sin  not.  I 
 persuade  myself  that  holy  unction  within  you,  Avhich  teacheth  you 
 all  things,  is  also  saying,  Overcome  evil  with  good.  If  that  had 
 not  spoken  in  your  soul,  at  the  tears  of  your  aged  pastor,  you 
 would  not  have  agreed,  and  forgiven  his  foolish  son  who  wronged 
 you,  but  my  Master  bade  me  tell  you,  God's  blessing  shall  be  upon 
 you  for  it ;  and  from  Him  I  say,  Grace,  grace,  grace  and  everlast- 
 ing peace  be  upon  you.  It  is  my  prayer  for  you,  that  your  carriage 
 may  grace  and  adorn  the  Gospel  of  that  Lord  who  hath  graced  you. 
 I  heard  your  husband  is  also  sick ;  but  I  beseech  you  in  the  bowels 
 of  Jesus,  welcome  every  rod  of  God  ;  for  I  find  not  in  the  whole 
 book  of  God,  a  greater  note  of  the  child  of  God,  than  to  fall  down 
 and  kiss  the  feet  of  an  angry  God ;  and  when  He  seems  to  put  you 
 away  from  Him,  and  loose  your  hands  that  grip  Him,  to  look  up 
 in  faith,  and  say,  I  shall  not,  I  will  not  be  put  away  from  thee, 
 howbeit  thy  Majesty  draw  to  free  Thyself  off  me ;  yet,  Lord,  give 
 ^  Accusations. 
 
PAIIT  III.]  LETTEK  III.  489 
 
 me  leave  to  hold  and  cleave  unto  Thyself.  I  will  pray  that  your 
 husband  may  return  in  peace ;  your  decree  comes  from  heaven, 
 look  up  thither,  "  For  many  (says  Solomon)  seek  the  face  of  the 
 ruler,  but  every  man's  judgment  cometh  of  the  Lord ;"  and  be  glad 
 that  it  is  so,  for  Christ  is  the  clerk  of  your  process,  and  will  see 
 that  all  go  right ;  and  I  persuade  myself  He  is  saying,  "  Yonder 
 servants  of  mine  are  wronged ;  for  my  blood.  Father,  give  them 
 justice."  Think  you  not,  dear  sister,  but  our  High  Priest,  our 
 Jesus,  the  Master  of  requests,  presents  our  bills  of  complaint  to  the 
 Great  Lord  Justice.  Yea,  I  believe  it,  since  He  is  our  Advocate, 
 and  Daniel  calls  Him  the  Spokesman,  whose  hand  presents  all  to  the 
 Father.  For  other  business,  I  say  nothing,  while  ^  the  Lord  give 
 me  to  see  your  face.  I  am  credibly  informed,  that  multitudes  of 
 England,  and  especially  worthy  preachers,  and  silenced  preachers 
 of  London,  are  gone  to  New  England ;  and  I  know  one  learned 
 holy  preacher,  who  hath  written  against  the  Arminians,  who  is 
 gone  thither.  Our  blessed  Lord  Jesus,  who  cannot  get  leave  to 
 sleep  with  His  spouse  in  this  land,  is  going  to  seek  an  inn  where 
 He  will  be  better  entertained ;  and  what  marvel,  wearied  Jesus, 
 after  He  had  travelled  from  Geneva,  by  the  ministry  of  worthy 
 Mr.  Knox,  and  was  laid  down  in  His  bed,  and  reformation  begun, 
 and  the  curtains  drawn,  had  not  gotten  His  dear  eyes  well  together, 
 when  irreverent  bishops  came  in,  and  with  the  din  and  noise  of 
 ceremonies,  holy  days,  and  other  Eomish  corruptions,  they  awake 
 our  Beloved ;  others  came  to  His  bedside  and  drew  the  curtains, 
 and  put  hands  on  His  servants,  banished,  deprived  and  confined 
 them ;  and  for  the  pulpit  they  got  a  stool  and  a  cold  fire  in  the 
 blackness;  and  the  nobility  drew  the  covering  off  Him,  and  have  made 
 Him  made  a  poor  naked  Christ,  in  spoiling  His  servants  of  the  tithes 
 and  kirk-rents.  And  now  there  is  such  a  noise  of  crying  sins  in 
 the  land,  as  the  want  of  the  knowledge  of  God,  of  mercy  and 
 truth ;  such  swearing,  whoring,  lying,  and  blood  touching  blood, 
 that  Christ  is  putting  on  His  clothes,  and  making  Him  like  an  ill 
 handled  stranger,  to  go  to  other  lands.  Pray  Him,  sister,  to  He 
 down  again  with  His  Beloved.  Eemember  my  dearest  love  to 
 John  Gordon,  to  whom  I  will  write  when  I  am  strong,  and  to  John 
 Brown,  Grissel,  Samuel,  and  William ;  grace  be  upon  them.  As 
 you  love  Christ,  keep  Christ's  favour,  and  put  not  upon  Him  when 
 He  sleeps,  to  awake  Him  before  He  please.  The  Lord  Jesus  be 
 with  your  spirit.  Your  brother  in  Christ,         S.  R. 
 
 Anwotli,  July  21,  1630. 
 
 '  Till. 
 
490  LETTER  IV.  [part  III. 
 
 LETTER  IV.— For  Marion  M'Naught. 
 
 Well  beloved  Sister, — I  have  been  thinking,  since  ray  de- 
 parture from  you,  of  the  pride  and  malice  of  your  adversaries,  and 
 ye  may  not  (since  ye  have  heard  the  book  of  the  Psalms  so  often) 
 take  hardly  with  this ;  for  David's  enemies  snuffed  at  him,  and 
 through  the  pride  of  their  heart  said,  "  The  Lord  will  not  require 
 it,"  Psal.  X.  1 3.  I  beseech  you,  therefore,  in  the  bowels  of  Christ, 
 set  before  your  eyes  the  patience  of  your  forerunner  Jesus,  "  who, 
 when  He  was  reviled,  reviled  not  again ;  when  He  suffered.  He 
 threatened  not ;  but  committed  Himself  to  Him  who  judgeth 
 righteously,"  1  Pet.  ii.  23.  And  since  your  Lord  and  Redeemer, 
 with  patience,  received  many  a  black  stroke  on  His  glorious  back, 
 and  many  a  buffet  of  the  unbelieving  world,  and  says  of  Himself 
 (Isa.  i.  6),  "  I  gave  my  back  to  the  smiters,  and  my  cheeks  to  them 
 that  plucked  off  the  hair  :  I  hid  not  my  face  from  shame  and  spit- 
 ting ;"  follow  Him,  and  think  it  not  hard  that  you  receive  a  blow 
 with  your  Lord  ;  take  part  with  Jesus  of  His  suffering,  and  glory 
 in  the  marks  of  Christ.  If  this  storm  were  over,  you  must  prepare 
 yourself  for  a  new  wound ;  for,  five  thousand  years  ago,  our  Lord 
 pi'oclaimed  deadly  war  betwixt  the  seed  of  the  woman  and  the 
 seed  of  the  serpent ;  and  marvel  not  that  one  town  cannot  keep 
 the  children  of  God  and  the  children  of  the  devil ;  for  one  belly 
 could  not  keep  Jacob  and  Esau ;  one  house  could  not  keep  peaceably 
 together  Isaac  the  son  of  the  promise,  and  Ishmael  the  son  of  the  hand- 
 maid. Be  you  upon  Christ's  side  of  it,  and  care  not  what  flesh 
 can  do ;  hold  yourself  fast  by  your  Saviour,  howbeit  you  be  buf- 
 feted, and  those  that  follow  Him;  "  yet  a  little  while  and  the  wicked 
 shall  not  be :"  see  2  Cor.  iv.  8,  9.  "  We  are  troubled  on  every 
 side,  yet  not  distressed ;  we  are  perplexed,  but  not  in  despair ; 
 persecuted,  but  not  forsaken;  cast  down,  but  not  destroyed."  If 
 you  can  possess  your  soul  in  patience,  their  day  is  coming.  Wor- 
 thy and  dear  sister,  know  to  carry  yourself  in  trouble ;  and  when 
 you  are  hated  and  reproached,  the  Lord  shows  it  to  you,  Psal.  xliv. 
 17,  "All  this  is  come  upon  us,  yet  have  we  not  forgotten  thee, 
 neither  have  we  dealt  falsely  in  thy  covenant."  Psal.  cxix.  92, 
 "  Unless  thy  law  had  been  my  delight,  I  had  perished  in  mine  af- 
 flictions." Keep  God's  covenant  in  your  trials  ;  hold  you  by  His 
 blessed  word,  and  sin  not ;  flee  anger,  wrath,  grudging,  envying, 
 fretting ;  forgive  an  hundred  pence  to  your  fellow-servant,  because 
 your  Lord  hath  forgiven  you  ten  thousand  talents.  For  I  assure 
 you  by  the  Lord,  your  adversaries  shall  get  no  advantage  against 
 you,  except  you  sin,  and  offend  your  Lord  in  your  suff'erings;  but 
 the  way  to  overcome  is  by  patience,  forgiving  and  praying  for  your 
 enemies,  in  doing  whereof  you  heap  coals  upon  their  heads,  and 
 
PART  III.]  LETTER  V.  491 
 
 your  Lord  shall  open  a  door  to  you  in  your  troubles.  Wait  upon 
 Him,  as  the  night-watch  waiteth  for  the  morning ;  He  will  not 
 tarry,  go  up  to  your  watch-tower,  and  come  not  down,  but  by  prayer, 
 and  faith,  and  hope,  wait  on.  When  the  sea  is  full,  it  will  ebb  again ; 
 and  so  soon  as  the  wicked  are  come  to  the  top  of  their  pride,  and 
 are  waxed  high  and  mighty,  then  is  their  change  approaching, 
 "  They  that  believe  make  not  haste."  Remember  Zion,  forget  her 
 not ;  for  her  enemies  are  many,  for  the  nations  are  gathered  to- 
 gether against  her  :  "  But  they  know  not  the  thoughts  of  the  Lord, 
 neither  understand  they  His  counsel  :  for  He  shall  gather  them  as 
 the  sheaves  into  the  floor  :  arise  and  thresh,  0  daughter  of  Zion," 
 Mic.  iv.  12,  13.  Behold  God  hath  gathered  His  enemies  together 
 as  sheaves  to  the  threshing;  let  us  stay  and  rest  upon  these  promises. 
 Now  again,  I  trust  in  our  Lord  you  shall  by  faith  sustain  yourself, 
 and  comfort  yourself  in  your  Lord,  and  be  strong  in  His  power ; 
 for  you  are  in  the  beaten  and  common  way  to  heaven,  when  you 
 are  under  our  Lord's  crosses ;  you  have  reason  to  rejoice  in  it, 
 more  than  in  a  crown  of  gold,  and  rejoice  and  be  glad  to  bear  the 
 reproaches  of  Christ.  I  rest  recommending  you  and  yours  for  ever 
 to  the  grace  and  mercy  of  God. 
 
 Yours,  in  Christ,  S.  R. 
 
 Anwoth,  Feb.  11,   1631. 
 
 LETTER  v.— For  Marion  M'Naught. 
 
 Well-beloved  in  the  Lord, — You  are  not  unacquainted  with  the 
 day  of  our  communion;^  I  entreat,  therefore,  the  aid  of  your  prayers 
 for  that  great  work,  which  is  one  of  our  feast  days,  wherein  our 
 Well-Beloved  Jesus  rejoiceth,  and  is  merry  with  His  friends.  Good 
 cause  have  we  to  wonder  at  His  love,  since  the  day  of  His  death 
 was  such  a  sorrowful  day  to  Him,  even  the  day  when  His  mother, 
 the  kirk,  crowned  Him  with  thorns,  and  He  had  many  against 
 Him,  and  compeared  His  lone  ^  in  the  field  against  them  all ;  yet 
 He  delights  with  us  to  remember  that  day.  Let  us  love  Him,  and 
 be  glad  and  rejoice  in  His  salvation.  I  am  confident  that  you  shall 
 see  the  Son  of  God  that  day ;  and  I  dare  in  His  name  invite  you 
 to  His  banquet.  Many  a  time  you  have  been  well  entertained  in 
 His  house,  and  He  changes  not  upon  His  friends,  nor  chides  them 
 for  too  great  kindness ;  yet  I  speak  not  this  to  make  you  leave  off 
 to  pray  for  me,  who  have  nothing  of  myself,  but  in  so  far  as  daily 
 I  receive  from  Him,  who  is  made  of  His  father  a  running-over 
 fountain,  at  which  I  and  others  may  come  with  thirsty  souls,  and 
 fill  our  vessels ;  long  hath  this  well  been  standing  open  to  us  ; 
 Lord  Jesus,  lock  it  not  up  again  upon  us.  I  am  sorry  for  our 
 ^  Dispensation  of  the  Lord's  Supper.  *  Alone. 
 
492  LETTER  VI.  [part  III. 
 
 desolate  kirk  ;  yet  I  dare  not  but  trust,  so  long  as  there  be  any  of 
 God's  lost  money  here,  He  shall  not  blow  out  the  candle.  Lord, 
 make  fair  candlesticks  in  His  house,  and  remove  the  blind  lights. 
 I  have  been  this  time  by-past  thinking  much  of  the  incoming  of  the 
 kirk  of  the  Jews — pray  for  them.  When  they  were  in  their  Lord's 
 house,  at  their  Father's  elbow,  they  were  longing  for  the  incoming 
 of  their  little  sister,  the  kirks  of  the  Gentiles.  They  said  to  their 
 Lord,  Cant.  viii.  ver.  8,  "  We  have  a  little  sister,  and  she  hath  no 
 breasts,  what  shall  we  do  for  our  sister,  in  the  day  when  she  shall 
 be  spoken  for  f  Let  us  give  them  a  meeting,  what  shall  we  do 
 for  our  elder  sister  the  Jews  1  Lord  Jesus,  give  them  breasts. 
 That  were  a  glad  day  to  see  us  and  them  both  set  down  to  one  table, 
 and  Christ  at  the  head  of  the  table.  Then  would  our  Lord  come 
 shortly  with  His  fair  guard,  to  hold  His  great  court.  Dear  sister,  be 
 patient  for  the  Lord's  sake,  under  tlie  wrongs  that  you  suffer  of  the 
 wicked.  Your  Lord  shall  make  you  see  your  desire  on  your  enemies, 
 some  of  them  shall  be  cut  off,  Job  xv.  33,  "They  shall  shake  off  their 
 unripe  grapes  as  the  vine,  and  cast  off  their  flower  as  the  olive ;" 
 God  shall  make  them  like  unripe  sour  grapes,  shaken  off  the  tree 
 with  the  blast  of  God's  wrath ;  and  therefore  pity  them  and  pray 
 for  them  ;  others  of  them  must  remain  to  exercise  you,  God  hath 
 said  of  them.  Let  the  tares  grow  up  until  harvest.  Matt.  xiii.  It 
 proves  you  to  be  your  Lord's  wheat.  Be  patient,  Christ  went  to 
 heaven  with  many  a  wrong.  His  visage  and  countenance  was  all 
 marred  more  than  the  sons  of  men.  You  may  not  be  above  your 
 Master ;  many  a  black  stroke  received  innocent  Jesus,  and  He  re- 
 ceived no  mends, ^  but  referred  them  all  to  the  great  court-day, 
 when  all  things  shall  be  righted.  I  desire  to  hear  from  you,  within 
 a  day  or  two,  if  Mr.  Robert  remain  in  his  purpose  to  come  and 
 help  us.  God  shall  give  you  joy  of  your  children.  I  pray  for  them 
 by  their  names.  I  bless  you  from  our  Lord,  your  husband  and 
 children.     Grace,  grace,  and  mercy  be  multiplied  upon  you. 
 
 Yours,  in  the  Lord  for  ever,         S.  R. 
 Anwoth,  May  7,  1631. 
 
 LETTER  VI.— For  Marion  M'Naught. 
 
 Well-beloved  Sister, — My  love  in  Christ  remembered.  I 
 have  received  a  letter  from  Edinburgh,  certainly  informing  me, 
 that  the  English  service,  and  the  organs,  and  King  James's  psalms, 
 are  to  be  imposed  upon  our  kirk,  and  the  bishops  are  dealing  for 
 a  general  assembly.  A.  R.  hath  confirmed  the  news  also,  and 
 says  he  spoke  with  Sir  William  Alexander,  who  is  to  come  down 
 with  his  prince's  warrant  for  that  effect.     I  am  desired,  in  the 
 
 ^  Amends. 
 
PART  III.]  LETTER  VI.  493 
 
 received  letter,  to  acquaint  the  best  aft'ected  about  me  with  that 
 storm ;  therefore  I  entreat  you,  and  charge  you  in  the  Lord's 
 name,  pray  ;  but  do  not  communicate  this  to  any,  till  I  see  you. 
 My  heart  is  broken  at  the  remembrance  of  it,  and  it  was  my  fear, 
 and  answereth  to  my  last  letter  except  one,  that  I  wrote  unto 
 you.  Dearly  beloved,  be  not  casten  down,  but  let  us,  as  our 
 Lord's  doves,  take  us  to  our  wings,  for  other  armour  we  have 
 none,  and  flee  into  the  hole  of  the  Rock.  It  is  true,  A.  R.  says, 
 the  worthiest  men  in  England  are  banished,  and  silenced  about 
 the  number  of  sixteen  or  seventeen  choice  gospel  preachers,  and 
 the  persecution  is  already  begun.  Howbeit  I  do  not  write  this 
 unto  you  Avith  a  dry  face,  yet  I  am  confident  in  the  Lord's  strength, 
 Christ  and  His  side  shall  overcome,  and  you  shall  be  assured,  the 
 kirk  were  not  a  kirk,  if  it  were  not  so  ;  as  our  dear  Husband  in 
 wooing  His  kirk  received  many  a  black  stroke ;  so  His  bride  in 
 Avooing  Him  gets  many  blows,  and  in  this  wooing  there  are  strokes 
 upon  both  sides  ;  let  it  be  so,  the  devil  will  not  make  the  marriage 
 go  back,  neither  can  he  tear  the  contract,  the  end  shall  be  mercy. 
 Yet  notwithstanding  of  all  this,  we  have  no  warrant  of  God  to 
 leave  off  all  lawful  means.  I  have  been  writing  unto  you  the 
 counsels  and  draughts  of  men  against  the  kirk ;  but  they  know 
 not,  as  Micah  says,  the  counsel  of  Jehovah.  The  great  men  of  the 
 world  may  make  ready  the  fiery  furnace  for  Zion ;  but  trow  ye 
 that  they  can  cause  the  fire  to  burn  1  No,  He  that  made  the  fire, 
 1  trust  shall  not  say  Amen  to  their  decreet.  I  trust  in  my  Lord, 
 that  God  hath  not  subscribed  their  bill,  and  their  conclusions  have 
 not  yet  passed  our  great  King's  seal.  Therefore,  if  ye  think  good, 
 address  yourself  first  to  the  Lord,  and  then  to  A.  R.  anent  the 
 business  that  you  know.  I  am  most  unkindly  handled  by  the 
 presbytery ;  and,  as  if  I  had  been  a  stranger,  and  not  a  member 
 of  that  seat,  to  sit  in  judgment  with  them,  I  was  summoned  by 
 their  order  as  a  witness  against  B.  A.,  but  they  have  got  no  ad- 
 vantage in  that  matter.  Other  particulars  you  shall  hear,  God 
 willing,  at  meeting.  Anent  the  matter  betwixt  you  and  I.  E.,  I 
 remember  it  to  God.  I  entreat  you  in  the  Lord,  be  submissive  to 
 His  will,  for  the  higher  that  their  pride  mounts  up,  they  are  the 
 nearer  a  fall ;  the  Lord  will  more  and  more  discover  that  man. 
 Let  your  husband  in  all  matters  of  judgment  take  Christ's  part  for 
 the  defence  of  the  poor  and  needy  and  the  oppressed  ;  for  the 
 maintenance  of  equity  and  justice  in  the  town ;  and  take  you  no 
 fear ;  He  shall  take  your  part,  and  then  you  are  strong  enough. 
 What  1  howbeit  you  receive  indignities  for  your  Lord's  sake,  let  it 
 be  so.  When  He  shall  put  His  holy  hand  up  to  your  face  in 
 heaven,  and  dry  your  face,  and  wipe  the  tears  from  your  eyes, 
 judge  ye,  if  you  will  not  have  cause  then  to  rejoice.     Anent  other 
 
494  LETTERS  VII.  AND  VIII.  [PAKT  III. 
 
 particulars,  if  you  would  speak  with  me,  appoint  any  of  the  first 
 three  days  of  the  next  week  in  Carletoun,  when  Carletoun  is  at 
 home,  and  acquaint  me  with  your  desires ;  and  remember  me  to 
 God,  and  my  dearest  affection  to  your  husband,  and  for  Zion's  sake 
 hold  not  your  peace.  The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  be  witli  you, 
 and  your  husband,  and  children. 
 
 Yours,  in  the  Lord,  S.  E. 
 
 Amvoth,  June  2,  1631. 
 
 LETTER  VII. —For  Marion  M'Naught. 
 
 Dear  Mistress, — I  have  not  time  this  day  to  write  to  you ; 
 but  God  knowing  my  present  state  and  necessities  of  my  calling, 
 will  I  hope  spare  my  mother's  life  for  a  time,  for  the  which  I  have 
 cause  to  thank  the  Lord.  I  entreat  you,  be  not  cast  down  for 
 that  which  I  wrote  before  to  you,  anent  the  planting  of  a  minister 
 in  your  town  :  believe,  and  you  shall  see  the  salvation  of  God.  I 
 write  this,  because  when  you  suff"er  my  heart  suffereth  with  you. 
 I  do  believe  your  soul  shall  have  joy  in  your  labours  and  holy  de- 
 sires for  that  work.  Grace  be  upon  you,  and  your  husband,  and 
 children.  Yours,  ever  in  Christ,         S.  R. 
 
 Anwoth. 
 
 LETTER  VIIL— For  Marion  M'Naught. 
 
 Beloved  Mistress, — My  dearest  love  in  Christ  remembered  to 
 you.  Know  that  Mr.  Abraham  showed  me  there  is  to  be  a  meet- 
 ing of  the  bishops  at  Edinburgh  shortly  :  the  causes  are  known  to 
 themselves.  It  is  our  part  to  hold  up  our  hands  for  Zion.  How- 
 beit  it  is  reported  they  came  sad  from  court.  It  is  our  Lord's 
 wisdom  that  His  kirk  should  ever  hang  by  a  thread,  and  yet  the 
 thread  breaketh  not,  being  hanged  upon  Him,  who  is  the  sure 
 nail  in  David's  house,  Isa.  xxii.  22  ;  upon  whom  all  the  vessels, 
 great  and  small,  do  hang,  and  the  nail  (God  be  thanked)  neither 
 crooketh  nor  can  be  broken.  Jesus,  that  flower  of  Jesse  set  with- 
 out hands,  getteth  many  a  blast,  and  yet  withers  not,  because  He 
 is  His  Father's  noble  rose,  casting  a  sweet  smell  tlirough  heaven 
 and  earth,  and  must  grow ;  and  in  the  same  garden  with  Him 
 grow  the  saints,  God's  fair  and  beautiful  lilies,  under  wind  and  rain, 
 and  all  sun-burned,  and  yet  life  remaineth  at  the  root.  Keep 
 within  His  garden,  and  you  shall  grow  with  them,  till  the  greac 
 Husbandman,  our  dear  Master-Gardener,  come  and  transplant  you 
 from  the  lower  part  of  His  vineyard,  up  to  the  higher,  to  the  very 
 heart  of  His  garden,  above  the  wrongs  of  the  rain,  sun,  or  wind  ; 
 and  then  wait  upon  the  times  of  the  blowing  of  the  sweet  south 
 
PAKT  III.]  LETTER  VIII.  495 
 
 and  north  wind  of  His  gracious  Spirit,  that  may  make  you  cast  a 
 sweet  smell  in  your  Beloved's  nostrils,  and  bid  your  Beloved  come 
 down  to  His  garden,  and  eat  of  His  pleasant  fruits,  Cant.  iv.  16, 
 and  He  will  come.  You  will  get  no  more  but  this  until  you  come 
 up  to  the  well-head,  where  you  shall  put  up  your  hand  and  take 
 down  the  apples  of  the  tree  of  life,  and  eat  under  the  shadow  of 
 that  tree ;  these  apples  are  sweeter  up  beside  the  tree  than  they 
 are  down  here  in  this  piece  of  a  clay  prison  house.  I  have  no  joy 
 but  in  the  thoughts  of  these  times.  Doubt  not  of  your  Lord's  part, 
 and  the  spouse's  part,  she  shall  be  in  good  case.  That  word  shall 
 stand,  Hos.  xiv.  5,  "  I  shall  be  as  the  dew  to  Israel,  he  shall  grow 
 up  as  the  lily,  and  cast  out  his  root  as  Lebanon ;"  verse  6,  "  His 
 branches  shall  spread,  his  beauty  shall  be  as  the  olive  tree,  and  his 
 smell  as  Lebanon."  Isa.  xi.  12,  "  Christ  shall  set  up  His  colours, 
 and  His  ensign  for  the  nations,  and  shall  gather  together  the  out- 
 casts of  Israel."  Ezek.  xxxvii.  11,  "Then  the  Lord  said  to  me, 
 Son  of  man,  these  dead  bones  are  the  whole  house  of  Israel ;  be- 
 hold they  say,  our  bones  are  dried,  our  hope  is  lost,  we  are  cut  off 
 for  our  parts  ;"  verse  12,  "  Therefore  prophesy  unto  them,  and  say, 
 thus  saith  the  Lord  God,  behold,  0  my  people,  I  will  open  your 
 gi'aves,  and  cause  you  come  up  out  of  your  graves,  and  bring  you 
 into  the  land  of  Israel."  These  promises  are  not  Avind,  but  the 
 breasts  of  our  beloved  Christ,  which  we  must  suck  and  draw  com- 
 fort out  of.  Ye  have  cause  to  pity  those  poor  creatures  that  stand 
 out  against  Christ  and  the  building  of  His  house.  Silly^  men,  they 
 have  but  a  feckless  ^  and  silly  ^  heaven,  nothing  but  meat  and  cloth, 
 and  laugh  a  day  or  two  in  the  world ;  and  then,  in  a  moment,  go 
 down  to  the  grave,  and  they  shall  not  be  able  to  hinder  Christ's 
 building.  He  that  is  Master  of  work  will  lead  stones  to  the  wall 
 over  their  belly  ;  and  for  that  present  tumult,  that  the  children  of 
 this  world  raise  anent  the  planting  of  your  town  with  a  pastor,  be- 
 lieve and  stay  upon  God  (as  you  still  shame  us  all  in  believing)  j 
 go  forward  in  the  strength  of  the  Lord  ;  and  from  my  Lord  I  savj 
 before  Avhom  I  stand,  have  your  eyes  upon  none  but  the  Lord  oi 
 armies,  and  the  Lord  shall  either  let  you  see  what  you  long  to  see, 
 or  then  else  fulfil  your  joy  more  abundantly  another  way.  You 
 and  yours,  and  the  children  of  God  whom  you  care  for  in  this  town, 
 shall  have  as  much  of  the  Son  of  God's  supjier,  cut  and  laid  down 
 upon  your  trenchers,  be  who  he  will  that  carveth,  as  shall  feed  you 
 to  eternal  life ;  and  be  not  cast  down  for  all  that  is  done,  your  re- 
 ward is  laid  up  with  God.  I  hope  to  see  you  laugh  and  leap  for 
 joy.  Will  the  temple  be  built  without  din  and  tumult?  No; 
 God's  stones  of  His  house  in  Germany  are  laid  with  blood,  and  the 
 Son  of  God  no  sooner  begins  to  chop  and  hew  stones  with  His 
 
 1  Fond.  a  Worthless. 
 
496  LETTER  VIII,  [part  UI. 
 
 hammer,  but  as  soon  the  sword  is  drawn.  If  the  work  were  of 
 men,  the  world  would  set  their  shoulders  to  yours ;  but  in  Christ's 
 work,  two  or  three  must  fight  against  a  presbytery  (though  His 
 own  court)  and  a  city.  This  proveth  that  it  is  Christ's  errand, 
 and  therefore  that  it  shall  thrive.  Let  them  lay  iron  chains  cross 
 over  the  door  :  stay,  and  believe,  and  wait  while  ^  the  Lion  of  the 
 tribe  of  Judah  come,  and  He  that  comes  from  heaven,  clothed  with 
 the  rainbow,  and  hath  the  little  book  in  His  hand,  when  He  takes 
 a  grip  of  their  chains,  He  will  lay  the  door  on  the  broadside,  and 
 come  in,  and  go  up  to  the  pulpit,  and  take  the  men  with  Him 
 whom  He  hath  chosen  for  His  work ;  therefore  let  me  hear  from 
 you,  whether  you  be  in  heaviness,  or  rejoicing  under  hope,  that  I 
 may  talve  part  of  your  grief  and  bear  it  with  you,  and  get  part  of 
 your  joy,  which  is  to  me  also  as  my  own  joy.  And  as  to  what  are 
 your  fears  anent  the  health  or  life  of  your  dear  children,  lay  it 
 upon  Christ's  shoulders :  let  Him  bear  all ;  loose  your  grips  of 
 them  all ;  and  when  your  clear  Lord  pulleth,  let  them  go  with 
 faith  and  joy.  It  is  a  tried  faith  to  kiss  a  Lord  that  is  taking 
 from  you.  Let  them  be  careful,  during  the  short  time  that  they 
 are  here,  to  run,  and  get  a  grip  of  the  prize  ;  Christ  is  standing  in 
 the  end  of  their  way,  holding  up  the  garland  of  endless  glory  to 
 their  eyes,  and  is  crying,  Kun  fast,  and  come,  and  receive.  Happy 
 are  they  if  their  breath  serve  them  to  run,  and  not  to  weary,  while  ^ 
 their  Lord,  with  His  own  dear  hand,  puts  the  crown  upon  their 
 head.  It  is  not  long  days,  but  good  days,  that  make  life  glorious 
 and  happy ;  and  our  dear  Lord  is  gracious  to  us,  who  shorteneth 
 and  hath  made  the  way  to  glory  shorter  than  it  was  :  so  that  the 
 crown  that  Noah  did  fight  for  five  hundred  years,  children  may 
 now  obtain  it  in  fifteen  years ;  and  heaven  is  in  some  sort  better 
 for  us  now  than  it  was  to  Noah  ;  for  the  man  Christ  is  there  now, 
 who  was  not  come  in  the  flesh  in  Noah's  days.  You  shall  show 
 this  to  your  children,  whom  my  soul  in  Christ  blesseth,  and  entreat 
 them,  by  the  mercies  of  God  and  the  bowels  of  Jesus  Christ,  to 
 covenant  with  Jesus  Christ  to  be  His,  and  to  make  up  the  bond  of 
 friendship  betwixt  their  souls  and  their  Christ,  that  they  may  have 
 acquaintance  in  heaven,  and  a  friend  at  God's  right  hand  :  such  a 
 Friend  at  court  is  much  worth.  Now  I  take  my  leave  of  you, 
 praying  my  Christ  and  your  Christ  to  fulfil  your  joy,  and  more 
 graces  and  blessings  from  our  sweet  Lord  Jesus  to  your  soul,  your 
 husband's  and  children's,  than  ever  I  wrote  of  letters  of  A,  B,  C, 
 to  you.     Grace,  grace  be  with  you. 
 
 Yours,  in  my  sweet  Master  Jesus  Christ,         S.  E. 
 Auwotb,  March  9,  1632. 
 
 1  UntU. 
 
PART  111.]  LETTER  IX.  497 
 
 LETTER  IX.— For  Marion  M'Naught. 
 
 Dearly  beloved  Mistress, —  My  love  in  Christ  remembered. 
 You  are  not  ignorant  what  our  Lord  in  His  love-visitation  hath 
 been  doing  with  your  soul,  even  letting  you  see  a  little  sight  of  that 
 dark  trance  ^  you  must  go  through  ere  you  come  to  glory.  Your 
 life  hath  been  near  the  grave,  and  you  Avere  at  the  door,  and  you 
 found  the  door  shut  fast ;  your  dear  Christ  thinking  it  not  time  to 
 open  these  gates  to  you,  till  ye  have  fought  some  longer  in  His 
 camp  ;  and  therefore  He  willeth  you  to  put  on  your  armour  again, 
 and  to  take  no  truce  with  the  devil,  or  this  present  world.  You 
 are  little  obliged  to  any  of  the  two  :  but  I  rejoice  in  this,  that 
 when  any  of  the  two  comes  to  suit  -  your  soul  in  marriage,  you 
 have  an  answer  in  readiness  to  tell  them,  "  you  are  too  long  in 
 coming.  I  have  many  a  year  since  promised  my  soul  to  another, 
 even  to  my  dearest  Lord  Jesus,  to  whom  I  must  be  true :"  and 
 therefore  you  are  come  back  to  us  again  to  help  us  to  pray  for 
 Christ's  fair  bride,  a  marrow  ^  dear  to  Him.  Be  not  cast  down  in 
 heart,  to  hear  that  the  world  barketh  at  Chiist's  strangers,  both  in 
 Ireland  and  in  this  land  ;  they  do  it  because  their  Lord  hath  chosen 
 them  out  of  this  world ;  and  this  is  one  of  our  Lord's  reproaches, 
 to  be  hated  and  ill-treated  by  men.  The  silly  stranger  in  an  un- 
 couth country  must  take  with  smoky  inns,  and  coarse  cheer,  and 
 a  hard  bed,  and  a  barking,  ill-tongued  host.  It  is  not  long  to-day, 
 and  he  will  to  his  journey  on  the  morrow,  and  leave  them  all.  In- 
 deed our  fair  morning  is  at  hand,  the  day-star  is  near  the  rising, 
 and  we  are  not  many  miles  from  home  ;  what  matters  the  ill  en- 
 tertainment in  the  smoky  inns  of  this  miserable  life  1  we  are  not 
 to  stay  here,  and  we  will  be  dearly  welcome  to  Him  whom  we  go 
 to.  And  I  hope,  when  I  shall  see  you  clothed  in  white  raiment, 
 washed  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb,  and  shall  see  you  even  at  the 
 elbow  of  your  dearest  Lord  and  Redeemer,  and  a  crown  upon  your 
 head,  and  following  our  Lamb,  and  lovely  Lord,  whithersoever  He 
 goeth,  you  will  think  nothing  of  all  these  days,  and  you  shall  then 
 rejoice,  and  no  man  shall  take  your  joy  from  you.  It  is  certain, 
 there  is  not  much  sand  to  run  in  your  Lord's  sand-glass,  and  that 
 day  is  at  hand,  and  till  then  your  Lord  in  this  life  is  giving  you 
 some  little  feasts.  It  is  true,  you  see  Him  not  now,  as  you  shall 
 see  Him  then ;  your  Well-Beloved  standeth  now  behind  the  wall, 
 looking  out  at  the  window.  Cant.  ii.  9,  and  you  see  but  a  little  of 
 His  face ;  then  you  shall  see .  all  His  face,  and  all  the  Saviour,  a 
 long,  and  high,  and  broad  Lord  Jesus,  the  loveliest  person  among 
 the  children  of  men.  0  joy  of  joys  !  that  our  souls  know  there  is 
 such  a  great  supper  preparing  for  us,  even  howbeit  we  he  but  half 
 
 "  Woo.  2  Partner. 
 
 2  I 
 
4:98  LETTER  IX.  [part  III. 
 
 hungered  of  Christ  here,  and  many  a  time  dine  behind  noon,  yet 
 the  supper  of  the  Lamb  will  come  in  time,  and  will  be  set  before  us, 
 before  we  famish  and  lose  our  stomachs.^  You  have  cause  to  hold 
 up  your  heart  in  remembrance  and  hope  of  that  fair,  long  summer 
 day ;  for  in  this  night  of  your  life,  wherein  you  are  in  the  body, 
 absent  from  the  Lord,  Christ's  fair  moonlight  in  His  word  and 
 sacraments,  in  prayer,  feeling,  and  holy  conference,  hath  shined 
 upon  you,  to  let  you  see  the  way  to  the  city.  I  confess  our  diet 
 here  is  but  sparing,  we  get  but  tastings  of  our  Lord's  comforts ; 
 but  the  cause  of  that  is  not  because  our  Steward  Jesus  is  a  niggard 
 and  narrow-hearted,  but  because  our  stomachs  are  weak,  and  we 
 are  narrow-hearted  :  but  the  great  feast  is  coming,  when  our  hearts 
 shall  be  enlarged,  and  the  chambers  of  them  made  fair  and  wide, 
 to  take  in  the  great  Lord  Jesus  :  come  in  then,  Lord  Jesus,  to  hun- 
 gry souls,  gaping  for  thee.  In  this  journey,  take  the  Bridegroom, 
 as  you  may  have  Him,  and  be  greedy  of  His  smallest  crumbs ;  but, 
 dear  mistress,  buy  none  of  Christ's  delicates  spiritual  with  sin,  or 
 fasting  against  your  weak  body :  remember  you  are  in  the  body, 
 and  it  is  the  lodging-house,  and  you  may  not,  without  offending 
 the  Lord,  suffer  the  walls  of  that  house  to  fall  down  through  want 
 of  necessary  food ;  your  body  is  the  dwelling-house  of  the  Spirit, 
 and  therefore,  for  the  love  you  carry  to  the  sweet  guest,  give  a 
 due  regard  to  His  house  of  clay ;  when  He  looseth  the  wall,  why 
 not,  welcome  Lord  Jesus  ?  but  it  is  a  fearful  sin  in  us,  by  hurting 
 the  body  by  fasting,  to  loose  one  stone,  or  the  least  piece  of  tim- 
 ber in  it ;  for  the  house  is  not  our  own,  the  Bridegroom  is  with 
 you  yet :  so  fast,  as  that  also  you  may  feast,  and  rejoice  in  Him. 
 I  think  upon  your  magistrates ;  but  He  that  is  clothed  in  linen, 
 and  hath  the  writer's  ink-horn  by  His  side,  hath  written  up  their 
 names  in  heaven  already ;  pray,  and  be  content  with  His  will ; 
 God  hath  a  council-house  in  heaven,  and  the  end  will  be  mercy 
 unto  you.  For  the  planting  of  your  town  with  a  godly  minister, 
 have  your  eye  upon  the  Lord  of  the  harvest;  I  dare  promise 
 you,  God  in  this  life  shall  fill  your  soul  with  the  fatness  of  His 
 house,  for  your  care  to  see  Christ's  bairns  fed  ;  and  your  posterity 
 shall  know  it,  to  whom  I  pray  for  mercy,  and  that  they  may  get 
 a  name  amongst  the  living  in  Jerusalem  :  and  if  God  portion  them 
 with  His  bairns,  their  rent  is  fair,  and  I  hope  it  shall  be  so.  The 
 Lord  Jesus  be  with  your  spirit. 
 
 Yours,  ever  in  Christ,         S.  R. 
 Anwoth,  Sept.  19,  1632. 
 
 '  Appetites. 
 
PART  III.]  LETTERS  X.  AND  XI.  499 
 
 LETTER  X.— For  Marion  M'Naught. 
 
 Well-beloved  Sister  in  Christ, — You  shall  understand,  I 
 have  received  a  letter  from  Edinburgh,  that  it  is  suspected  that 
 there  will  be  a  general  assembly,  or  then  ^  some  meeting  of  the 
 bishops,  and  that  at  this  synod  there  will  be  some  commissioners 
 chosen  by  the  bishop,  which  news  have  so  taken  up  my  mind,  that 
 I  am  not  so  settled  for  studies  as  I  have  been  before,  and  therefore 
 was  never  in  such  fear  for  the  Avork  ;  but  because  it  is  written  to 
 me  as  a  secret,  I  dare  not  reveal  it  to  any  but  to  yourself,  whom 
 I  know  ;  and  therefore,  I  entreat  you,  not  for  any  comfort  of  mine, 
 who  am  but  one  man,  but  for  the  glory  and  honour  of  Jesus  Christ, 
 the  Master  of  the  banquet,  be  more  earnest  with  God,  and  in 
 general  show  others  of  your  Christian  acquaintance  my  fears  for 
 myself,  I  can  be  content  of  shame  in  that  work,  if  my  Lord  and 
 Master  be  honoured,  and  therefore  petition  our  Lord  especially  to 
 see  His  own  glory,  and  to  give  bread  to  His  hungry  bairns,  how- 
 beit  I  go  hungry  away  from  the  feast.  Eequest  Mr.  Robert  from 
 me,  if  he  come  not,  to  remember  us  to  our  Lord.  I  have  neither 
 time  nor  a  free-disposed  mind  to  write  to  you  anent  ^  your  own 
 case.  Send  me  word  if  all  your  children  and  husband  be  well ; 
 seeing  they  are  not  yours,  but  your  dear  Lord's,  esteem  them  but 
 as  borrowed,  and  lay  them  down  at  God's  feet ;  your  Christ  to 
 you  is  better  than  they  all.  You  will  pardon  my  unaccustomed 
 short  letter,  and  remember  me,  and  that  honourable  feast,  to  our 
 Lord  Jesus.  He  was  with  us  before,  I  hope  He  will  not  change 
 upon  us,  but  I  fear  I  have  changed  upon  Him  ;  but,  Lord,  let  old 
 kindness  stand !     Jesus  Christ  be  with  your  spirit. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 
 
 Anwoth. 
 
 LETTER  XL— To  Marion  M'Naught. 
 
 Well-beloved  and  dear  Sister,— My  tender  affection  in 
 Christ  remembered.  I  left  you  in  as  great  heaviness  as  I  was  in 
 since  I  came  to  this  country;  but  I  know  you  doubt  not  but  (as 
 the  truth  in  Christ  is)  my  soul  is  knit  to  your  soul,  and  to  the  soul 
 of  all  yours,  and  I  would,  if  I  could,  send  you  the  largest  part  of 
 my  heart  enclosed  in  this  letter ;  but  by  fervent  calling  upon  my 
 Lord,  I  have  attained  some  victory  over  my  heart,  which  runneth 
 often  not  knowing  whither,  and  over  my  beguiling  hopes,  which  I 
 know  now  better  than  I  did.  I  trust  in  my  Lord,  to  hold  aloof 
 from  the  enticings  of  a  seducing  heart,  by  which  I  am  daily  coz- 
 ened, and  I  mind  not  by  His  grace,  who  hath  called  me  according 
 ^  Else.  2  Respecting. 
 
500  LETTER  XI.  [part  III. 
 
 to  His  eternal  purpose,  to  come  so  far  within  the  grips  of  my  fool- 
 ish mind,  gripping  about  any  folly  coming  in  its  way,  as  the  Avood- 
 bine  or  ivy  goeth  about  the  tree.  I  adore  and  kiss  the  providence 
 of  my  Lord,  who  knoweth  well  what  is  most  expedient  for  me,  and 
 for  you,  and  your  children ;  and  I  think  of  you  as  of  myself,  that 
 the  Lord  who  (in  His  deep  wisdom)  turneth  about  all  the  wdieels 
 and  turning  of  such  changes,  shall  also  dispose  of  that  for  the  best 
 to  you  and  yours.  In  the  presence  of  my  Lord,  I  am  not  able, 
 howbeit  I  would,  to  conceive  amiss  of  you  in  that  matter.  Grace, 
 grace  for  ever,  be  upon  you  and  your  seed ;  and  it  shall  be  your 
 portion,  in  despite  of  all  the  powers  of  darkness ;  do  not  make 
 more  question  of  this.  But  the  Lord  saw  a  nail  in  my  heart  loose, 
 and  He  hath  now  fastened  it,  honour  be  to  His  Majesty.  I  hear 
 your  son  is  entered  to  the  school ;  if  I  had  known  of  the  day,  I 
 would  have  begged  from  our  Lord,  that  He  would  have  put  the 
 book  in  his  hand,  with  His  own  hand  ;  I  trust  in  my  Lord  it  is  so, 
 and  I  conceive  hope  to  see  him  a  star  to  give  light  in  some  room 
 of  our  Lord's  house,  and  purpose  by  the  Lord's  grace,  as  I  am  able 
 (if  our  Lord  call  you  to  rest  before  me),  when  you  are  at  your 
 home,  to  do  to  the  uttermost  of  my  power  to  help  him  every  way, 
 in  grace  and  learning,  and  his  brother,  and  all  your  children,  and 
 I  hope  you  would  expect  that  of  me.  Further  you  shall  know, 
 that  Mr.  W.  D.  is  come  home,  who  saith  it  is  a  miracle,  that  your 
 husband  in  this  process  before  the  council,  escaped  both  discredit 
 and  damage  :  let  it  not  be  forgotten,  he  was  in  our  apprehension, 
 to  our  grief,  cast  down  and  humbled  in  the  Lord's  work,  in  that 
 matter  betwixt  him  and  the  bailie  ;  now  the  Lord  hath  honoured 
 him,  and  made  him  famous  for  virtue,  honesty,  and  integrity,  two 
 several  times  before  the  nobles  of  this  kingdom.  Your  Lord  liveth, 
 we  will  go  to  His  throne  of  grace  again,  His  arm  is  not  shortened. 
 The  king  is  certainly  expected.  Ill  is  feared  ;  we  have  cause,  for 
 our  sins,"  to  fear  that  the  Bridegroom  shall  be  taken  from  us ;  by 
 our  sins,  we  have  rent  His  fair  garments,  and  Ave  have  stirred  up 
 and  awakened  our  Beloved ;  pray  Him  to  tarry,  or  then  ^  to  take 
 us  with  Him ;  it  were  good  that  we  should  knock  and  rap  at  our 
 Lord's  door.  We  may  not  tire  to  knock  oftener  than  twice  or 
 thrice,  He  knoweth  the  knock  of  His  friends,  I  am  still,  Avhat  I 
 was  ever  to  your  dear  children,  tendering  their  souls'  happiness, 
 and  prayiag  that  grace,  grace,  grace,  mercy,  and  peace,  from  God, 
 even  God  our  Father,  and  our  Lord  Jesus,  may  be  their  portion, 
 and  that  noAv  while  they  are  green  and  young,  their  hearts  may 
 take  band  with  Jesus  the  Corner-stohe,  and  Avin  once  in,  in  our 
 Lord  and  Saviour's  house,  and  then  they  will  not  get  leave  to  flit.^ 
 Pray  for  me,  and  especially  for  humility  and  thankfulness.  I  have 
 1  Else.  *  Remove. 
 
PART  III.]  LETTERS  XII.  AND  XIII.  501 
 
 always  remembrance  of  you,  and  your  husband,  and  dear  children. 
 The  Lord  Jesus  be  with  your  spirit. 
 Yours,  evermore  in  my  dear  Lord  Jesus  and  yours,  S.  R. 
 
 Anwoth. 
 
 LETTER  XIL— To  Marion  M' Naught. 
 
 Well-beloved  and  dear  Sister, —  My  love  in  Christ  remem- 
 bered. God  hath  brought  me  home  from  a  place  where  I  have 
 been  exercised  with  great  heaviness ;  and  I  have  found  at  home 
 new  matter  of  great  heaviness ;  yet  dare  not  but  in  all  things  give 
 thanks.  In  my  business  in  Edinburgh  I  have  not  sinned,  nor 
 wronged  my  party,  by  his  own  confession  and  by  the  confession  of 
 his  friends ;  I  have  given  of  my  goods  for  peace,  and  the  saving  of 
 my  Lord's  truth  from  reproaches,  which  is  dearer  to  me  than  all  I 
 have.  My  mother  is  weak,  and  I  think  shall  leave  me  alone  ;  but 
 I  am  not  alone,  because  Christ's  Father  is  with  me.  For  your 
 business  anent  your  town,  I  see  great  evidences ;  but  Satan  and 
 his  instruments  are  against  it,  and  few  set  their  shoulders  to  Christ's 
 shoulder  to  help  Him ;  but  He  will  do  all  His  lone,i  and  I  dare 
 not  but  exhort  you  to  believe,  and  persuade  you  that  the  hungry 
 in  your  city  shall  be  fed,  and  the  rest  that  want  a  stomach,  the 
 parings  of  God's  loaf  will  suffice  them ;  and  therefore,  believe  it 
 shall  be  well.  I  may  not  leave  my  mother  to  come  and  confer 
 with  you  of  all  particulars ;  I  have  given  such  directions  to  our 
 dear  friend  as  I  can,  but  the  event  is  in  our  Lord's  hand.  God's 
 Zion  abroad  flourisheth,  and  His  arm  is  not  shortened  with 
 us,  if  we  could  believe.  There  is  scai-city  and  a  famine  of  the  word 
 of  God  in  Edinburgh.  Your  sister,  Jean,  laboureth  mightily  in 
 our  business  ;  but  hath  not  as  yet  gotten  any  answer  from  I.  P. 
 Mr.  A.  C.  will  work  what  he  can  ;  my  lady  saith  she  can  do  little, 
 and  that  it  suiteth  not  her  nor  her  husband  well  to  speak  in  such 
 an  affair :  I  told  her  my  mind  plainly.  I  long  to  know  of  your 
 estate  ;  remember  me  heai'tily  to  your  dear  husband  :  grace  be  the 
 portion  of  your  bairns.  I  know  you  are  mindful  of  the  green 
 Avound  of  our  sister  kirk  in  Ireland  ;  bid  our  Lord  lay  a  plaster  to 
 it.  He  hath  good  skill  to  do  so,  and  set  others  to  work.  Grace, 
 grace  upon  your  soul  and  body,  and  all  yours. 
 
 Yours,  in  Christ,         S.  R. 
 
 Anwoth. 
 
 LETTER  XIIL— For  Marion  M'Naugiit. 
 
 Well-beloved  and  dear  Sister, — I  know  your  heart  is  cast 
 down  for  the  desolation  like  to  come  upon  this  kirk,  and  the  ap 
 
 '  By  himself. 
 
502  LETTER  XIII.  [part  III. 
 
 pearance  that  a  hireling  shall  be  thrust  in  upon  Christ's  ftock  in 
 that  town  ;  but  send  a  heavy  heart  up  to  Christ,  it  shall  be  wel- 
 come. Those  who  are  with  the  beast  and  the  dragon,  must  make 
 war  with  the  Lamb ;  but  the  Lamb  shall  overcome  them,  for  He  is 
 the  Lord  of  lords  and  King  of  kings,  and  they  who  are  with  Him 
 are  called,  and  chosen,  and  faithful,  Eev.  xvii.  14.  Our  ten  days 
 shall  have  an  end  ;  all  the  former  things  shall  be  forgotten,  when 
 we  shall  be  up  before  the  throne.  Christ  hath  been  ever  thus  in 
 the  world.  He  hath  always  the  defender's  part,  and  hath  been  still 
 in  the  camp,  fighting  the  church's  battles.  The  enemies  of  the 
 Son  of  God  will  be  fed  with  their  own  flesh,  and  shall  drink  their 
 own  blood ;  and  therefore  their  part  of  it  shall  at  last  be  found 
 hard  enough ;  so  that  we  may  look  forward  and  pity  them  :  until 
 the  number  of  the  elect  be  fulfilled,  Christ's  garments  must  be 
 rolled  in  blood.  He  cometh  from  Edom,  from  the  slaughter  of 
 His  enemies,  Isa.  Ixiii.  1,  "clothed  with  dyed  garments,  glorious 
 in  His  apparel,  travelling  in  the  greatness  of  His  strength."  Who 
 is  this  (saith  He)  that  appears  in  this  glorious  posture  1  Our  great 
 He,  that  He  who  is  mighty  to  save  ;  whose  glory  shineth  while 
 He  sprinkleth  the  blood  of  His  adversaries  and  staineth  all  His 
 raiment.  The  glory  of  His  righteous  revenges  shineth  forth  in 
 these  stains;  but  seeing  our  world  is  not  here-away,  we  poor 
 children,  far  from  home,  must  steal  through  many  waters,  weep- 
 ing as  we  go,  and  withal  believing  that  we  do  the  Lord's  faithful- 
 ness no  wrong,  seeing  He  hath  said,  Isa.  li.  12,  "I,  even  I,  am  He 
 that  comforteth  you ;  who  art  thou  that  art  afraid  of  a  man  that 
 shall  die,  and  of  the  son  of  man  that  shall  be  made  as  grass  ? " 
 Isa.  xliii.  2,  "  When  thou  passest  through  the  waters,  I  will  be 
 with  thee ;  and  through  the  rivers,  they  shall  not  overflow  thee ; 
 when  thou  walkest  through  the  fire  thou  shalt  not  be  burnt, 
 neither  shall  the  flames  kindle  upon  thee."  There  is  a  cloud 
 gathering,  and  a  storm  coming ;  this  land  shall  be  turned  up-side 
 down,  and  if  ever  the  Lord  spake  to  me  (think  on  it),  Christ's 
 bride  will  be  glad  of  a  hole  to  hide  her  head  in ;  and  the  dragon 
 may  so  prevail,  as  to  chase  the  woman  and  her  man-child  over 
 sea ;  but  there  shall  be  a  gleaning,  two  or  three  berries  left  in  the 
 top  of  the  olive-tree,  of  whom  God  shall  say,  destroy  them  not, 
 for  there  is  a  blessing  in  them.  Thereafter  there  shall  be  a  fair 
 sun-blink  on  Christ's  old  spouse,  and  a  clear  sky,  and  she  shall 
 sing  as  in  the  days  of  her  youth.  The  Antichrist  and  the  great 
 red  dragon  will  lop  Christ's  branches,  and  bring  His  vine  to  a  low 
 stump,  under  the  feet  of  those  who  carry  the  mark  of  the  beast ; 
 but  the  Plant  of  renown,  the  man  whose  name  is  the  Branch,  will 
 bud  forth  again  and  blossom  as  the  rose,  and  there  shall  be  fair 
 white  flourishes  again  with  most  pleasant  fruits  upon  that  tree  of 
 
PART  III.J  LETTER  XIV.  503 
 
 life.  A  fair  season  may  He  have  !  Grace,  grace  be  upon  that 
 blessed  and  beautiful  tree,  under  whose  shadow  we  shall  sit,  and 
 His  fruit  shall  be  sweet  to  our  taste.  But  Christ  shall  woo  His 
 handful  in  the  fire,  and  choose  His  own  in  the  furnace  of  affliction; 
 but  be  it  so,  He  dow^  not,  He  will  not  slay  His  children;  love  will 
 not  let  Him  make  a  full  end.  The  covenant  will  cause  Him  hold 
 his  hand.  Fear  not  then,  saith  the  First  and  the  Last,  He  who 
 was  dead  and  is  alive.  We  see  not  Christ  sharpening  and  furbish- 
 ing His  sword  for  His  enemies ;  and  therefore  our  faithless  hearts, 
 say,  as  Zion  did,  "  the  Lord  hath  forsaken  me."  But  God  reprov- 
 eth  her,  and  saith,  "  Well,  well,  Zion,  is  that  well  said  1  think 
 again  on  it;  you  are  in  the  wrong  to  me."  Isa.  xlix.  15,  "Can  a 
 woman  forget  her  sucking  child,  that  she  should  not  have  com- 
 passion on  the  fruit  of  her  womb  1  yea,  she  may ;  yet  will  I  not 
 forget  thee;"  ver.  16,  "Behold,  I  have  engraven  thee  upon  th3 
 palms  of  my  hands."  You  break  your  heart  and  grow  heavy,  and 
 forget  that  Christ  hath  your  name  engraven  on  the  palms  of  His 
 hands  in  great  letters.  In  the  name  of  the  Son  of  God,  believe 
 that  buried  Scotland,  dead  and  buried  with  her  dear  Bridegroom, 
 shall  rise  the  third  day  again,  and  there  shall  be  a  new  growth 
 after  the  old  timber  is  cut  down.  I  recommend  you  and  your 
 burdens,  and  heavy  heart,  to  the  supporting  of  His  grace  and 
 good-will,  who  dwelt  in  the  bush,  to  Him  who  was  separated  from 
 His  brethren.  Try  your  husband  afar  oflf,  to  see  if  he  can  be  in- 
 duced to  think  upon  going  to  America.  0  to  see  the  sight,  next  to 
 Christ's  coming  in  the  clouds,  the  most  joyful !  our  elder  brethren, 
 the  Jews  and  Christ  fall  upon  one  another's  necks,  and  kiss  each 
 other !  they  have  been  long  asunder,  they  will  be  kind  to  one 
 another  when  they  meet.  0  day,  0  longed-for  and  lovely  day, 
 dawn  !  0  sweet  Jesus,  let  me  see  that  sight,  which  will  be  as  life 
 from  the  dead,  thee  and  thy  ancient  people  in  mutual  embraces  ! 
 Desire  your  daughter  to  close  with  Christ,  upon  terms  of  suffering 
 for  Him  ;  for  the  cross  is  an  old  mealing  ^  and  plot  of  ground  that 
 lieth  to  Christ's  house.  Our  dear  Chief  had  aye  that  rent  lying 
 to  His  inheritance ;  but  tell  her  the  day  is  near  the  dawning,  the 
 sky  is  riving,  our  Beloved  will  be  on  us  ere  ever  we  be  aware,  the 
 Antichrist,  and  death,  and  hell,  and  Christ's  enemies  and  ours 
 will  be  bound,  and  cast  into  the  bottomless  pit.  The  Lord  Jesus 
 be  with  your  spirit.  Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 
 Anwoth,  April  22,  1635.       
 
 LETTER  XIV.— To  Marion  M'Naught. 
 
 Loving  and  dear  Sister, — For  Zion's  sake  hold  not  your 
 peace,  neither  be  discouraged,  for  the  on-going  of  this  persecution; 
 '  Can.  -  Croft. 
 
504  LETTER  XIV.  [PART  III. 
 
 Jehovah  is  in  this  burning  bush.  The  floods  may  swell  and  roar, 
 but  our  ark  shall  swim  above  the  waters ;  it  cannot  sink,  because 
 a  Saviour  is  in  it.  Because  our  Beloved  was  not  let  in  by  His 
 spouse  when  He  stood  at  the  door  with  His  wet  and  frozen  head, 
 therefore  He  will  have  us  to  seek  Him  awhile ;  and  while  we  are 
 seeking,  the  watchmen  that  go  about  the  walls  have  stricken  the 
 poor  woman,  and  have  taken  away  her  veil  from  her :  but  yet  a 
 little  while  and  our  Lord  will  come  again.  Scotland's  sky  will 
 clear  again,  her  moment  must  go  over ;  I  dare  in  faith  say  and 
 write  (I  am  not  now  dreaming),  Christ  is  but  seeking  (what  He 
 will  have  and  make)  a  clean  glistering  bride  out  of  the  fire.  God 
 send  Him  His  errand ;  but  He  cannot  Avant  what  He  seeks.  In 
 the  meantime,  one  way  or  other  He  shall  find  or  make  a  nest  for 
 His  mourning  dove.  What  is  this  we  are  doing,  breaking  the 
 neck  of  our  faith  1  We  are  not  come  as  yet  to  the  mouth  of  the 
 Red  Sea ;  and  howbeit  we  were,  for  His  honour's  sake  He  must 
 dry  it  up.  It  is  our  part  to  die  gripping,  and  holding  fast  His 
 faithful  promise.  If  the  beast  should  get  leave  to  ride  through 
 the  land,  and  to  seal  such  as  are  his,  he  will  not  get  one  lamb 
 with  him,  for  these  are  secured  and  sealed  as  the  servants  of  God. 
 In  God's  name,  let  Christ  take  His  barn-floor,  and  all  that  is  in 
 it,  to  a  hill  and  winnow  it ;  let  Him  sift  His  corn,  and  sweep  His 
 house,  and  seek  His  gold.  The  Lord  shall  cog  the  rumbling 
 wheels,  or  turn  them,  "  for  the  remainder  of  wrath  doth  He 
 restrain."  He  can  loose  the  belt  of  kings !  to  God  tlieir  belt 
 wherewith  they  are  girt  is  knit  with  a  single  draw-knot.  As  for 
 a  pastor  to  your  town,  your  conscience  can  bear  you  witness  you 
 have  done  your  part ;  let  the  Master  of  the  vineyard  now  see  to 
 His  garden,  seeing  you  have  gone  on  till  He  hath  said,  "  Stand 
 still ;"  the  will  of  the  Lord  be  done  ;  but  a  trial  is  not  to  give  up 
 with  God,  and  believe  no  more.  I  thank  my  God  in  Christ,  I 
 find  the  force  of  my  temptation  abated,  and  its  edge  blunted,  since 
 I  spoke  to  you  last.  I  know  not  if  the  tempter  be  hovering,  until 
 he  find  the  dam  gather  again,  and  me  more  secure ;  but  it  hath 
 been  my  burden,  and  I  am  yet  more  confident  the  Lord  will  suc- 
 cour and  deliver.  I  intend,  God  willing,  that  our  communion 
 shall  be  celebrated  the  first  Sabbath  after  Pasch  :  our  Lord,  that 
 great  Master  of  the  feast,  send  us  one  hearty  and  heartsome 
 supper ;  for  I  look  it  shall  be  the  last.  But  we  expect,  when  the 
 shadows  shall  flee  away,  and  our  Lord  shall  come  to  His  garden, 
 that  He  shall  feed  us  in  green  pastures  without  fear ;  the  dogs 
 shall  not  then  be  hounded  out  amongst  the  sheep.  I  earnestly 
 desire  your  prayers  for  assistance  at  our  work ;  and  i)ut  others 
 with  you  to  do  the  same.  Eemember  me  to  your  husband,  and 
 desire  your  daughter  to  be  kind  to  Christ,  and  seek  to  win  near 
 
PART  III.]  LETTERS  XV.  AND  XVI.  505 
 
 Him ;  He  will  give  her  a  welcome  into  His  house  of  wine,  and 
 bring  her  into  the  King's  chambers  ;  0  how  will  the  sight  of  His 
 face,  and  the  smell  of  His  garments,  allure  and  ravish  the  heart  ! 
 Now  the  love  of  the  lovely  Son  of  God  be  with  you. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  sweet  Jesus,         S.  R 
 Anwoth,  1635. 
 
 LETTER  XV.— For  Marion  M'Naught. 
 
 Mistress, — My  love  in  Christ  remembered.  Having  appointed 
 a  meeting  Avith  Mr.  D.  D.,  and  knowing  that  B.  will  not  keep^ 
 the  presbyterj'-,  I  cannot  see  you  now.  Commend  my  journey  to 
 God  ;  my  soul  blesseth  you  for  your  last  letter.  Be  not  discour- 
 aged, Christ  will  not  want  the  isles-men,  the  isles  shall  wait  for 
 His  law.  We  are  His  inheritance,  and  He  will  sell  no  part  of  His 
 inheritance ;  for  the  sins  of  this  land,  and  our  breach  of  the  cove- 
 nant, contempt  of  the  Gospel,  and  our  defection  from  the  truth. 
 He  hath  set  up  a  burning  furnace  in  our  Mount  Zion.  But  I  say 
 it,  and  will  abide  by  it,  the  grass  shall  yet  grow  green  on  our 
 Mount  Zion ;  there  shall  be  dew  all  the  night  upon  the  lilies, 
 amongst  which  Christ  feedeth  until  the  day  break,  and  the  shadows 
 flee  away.  And  the  moth  shall  eat  up  the  enemies  of  Christ,  Isa.  1.  9. 
 Let  them  make  a  fire  of  their  own,  and  walk  in  the  light  thereof, 
 it  shall  not  let  them  see  to  go  to  their  bed  ;  but  they  shall  lie 
 down  in  sorrow ;  therefore  rejoice  and  believe.  Tiius  in  haste ; 
 grace,  grace  be  with  you  and  yours. 
 
 Yours,  in  Christ,         S.  R. 
 
 Anwoth. 
 
 LETTER  XVI.— For  Marion  M'Naught. 
 
 Loving  and  dear  Sister, — I  fear  that  you  be  moved  and  cast 
 down  because  of  the  late  wrong  that  your  husband  received  in 
 your  town-council ;  but  I  pray  you  comfort  yourself  in  the  Lord, 
 for  a  just  cause  bides  under  the  water  only  as  long  as  wicked  men 
 hold  their  hands  above  it ;  their  arm  Avill  weary,  and  then  the 
 just  cause  shall  swim  above,  and  the  light  that  is  sown  for  the 
 righteous  shall  spring  and  grow  up.  If  ye  were  not  strangers 
 here,  the  dogs  of  the  world  would  not  bark  at  you,  2  Cor.  vi.  8. 
 You  shall  see  all  windings  and  turnings  that  are  in  your  way  to 
 heaven  out  of  God's  word ;  for  He  will  not  lead  you  to  the  king- 
 dom at  the  nearest ;  but  you  must  go  through  "  honour  and  dis- 
 honour, by  evil  report  and  good  report,  as  deceivers  and  yet  true;" 
 ver.  9,  "  As  unknown  and  yet  well  known,  as  dying  and  behold 
 
 '  Attend. 
 
506  LETTER  XVI.  [PART  III. 
 
 we  live,  as  chastened  and  not  killed;"  v.  10,  "As  sorrowful  and 
 yet  always  rejoicing."  The  world  is  one  of  the  enemies  that  we 
 have  to  fight  with,  but  a  vanquished  and  overcome  enemy,  and 
 like  a  beaten  and  forlorn  soldier ;  for  our  Jesus  hath  taken  the 
 armour  from  it :  let  me  then  speak  to  you  in  His  words,  "  Be  of 
 good  courage,"  saith  the  Captain  of  our  salvation,  "  for  I  have 
 overcome  the  world."  You  shall  neither  be  free  of  the  scourge  of 
 the  tongue,  nor  of  disgraces,  even  if  it  were  bufFetings  and  spit- 
 tings upon  the  face,  as  was  our  Saviour's  case,  if  you  follow  Jesus 
 Christ.  I  beseech  you  in  the  bowels  of  our  Lord  Jesus,  keep  a 
 good  conscience  (as  I  trust  you  do) :  you  live  not  upon  men's 
 opinion ;  gold  may  be  gold,  and  have  the  king's  stamp  upon  it, 
 when  it  is  trampled  upon  by  men.  Happy  are  you,  if,  when  the 
 world  trampleth  npon  you  in  your  credit  and  good  name,  yet  you 
 are  the  Lord's  gold,  stamped  with  the  King  of  heaven's  image, 
 and  "sealed  by  his  Spirit  unto  the  day  of  your  redemption." 
 Pray  for  the  Spirit  of  love,  1  Cor.  xiii.  7,  "  Love  beareth  all 
 things,  it  believeth  all  things,  hopeth  all  things,  and  endureth  all 
 things."  And  I  pray  you  and  your  husband,  yea,  I  charge  you 
 before  God,  and  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  the  elect  angels,  pray 
 for  these  your  adversaries  :  read  this  to  your  husband  from  me ; 
 and  let  both  of  you  "  put  on,  as  the  elect  of  God,  bowels  of  mer- 
 cies." And,  sister,  remember  how  many  thousands  of  talents  of 
 sins  your  Master  hath  forgiven  you  :  forgive  ye,  therefore,  your 
 fellow-servants  one  talent ;  follow  God's  command  in  this,  "  and 
 seek  not  after  your  own  heart,  and  after  your  own  eyes  "  in  this 
 matter,  as  the  Spirit  speaks,  Numb.  xv.  39.  Ask  never  the 
 counsel  of  your  own  heart  here  ;  the  world  will  blow  up  your 
 heart  now,  and  cause  it  swell,  except  the  grace  of  God  cause  it  to 
 fall.  Jesus,  even  Jesus  the  eternal  Wisdom  of  the  Father,  give 
 you  wisdom ;  I  trust  God  shall  be  glorified  in  you ;  and  a  door 
 shall  be  opened  unto  you  as  the  Lord's  prisoners  of  hope,  as  Zecha- 
 riah  speaks.  It  is  a  benefit  to  you  that  the  wicked  are  God's  fan 
 to  purge  you ;  and  I  hope  they  shall  blow  away  no  corn  or  spiri- 
 tual graces,  but  only  your  chaff".  I  pray  you,  in  your  pursuit, 
 have  so  recourse  to  the  law  of  men,  that  you  wander  not  from  the 
 law  of  God.  Be  not  cast  down  :  if  you  saw  Him,  who  is  standing 
 on  the  shore,  holding  out  His  arms  to  welcome  you  to  land,  you 
 would  not  only  wade  through  a  sea  of  wrongs,  but  through  hell 
 itself,  to  be  at  Him ;  and  I  trust  in  God  you  see  Him  sometimes. 
 The  Lord  Jesus  be  with  your  spirit,  and  all  yours. 
 
 Your  brother,  in  the  Lord,         S.  li. 
 Anwoth. 
 
TART  III.]  LETTEK  XVII.  507 
 
 LETTER  XVII.— For  Marion  M'Naught. 
 
 Worthy  and  dear  Mistress, — My  dearest  love  in  Christ  re- 
 membered. As  to  the  business,  which  I  know  you  Avould  so  fain 
 have  taken  effect,  my  earnest  desire  is,  that  you  stand  still ;  haste 
 not,  and  you  shall  see  the  salvation  of  God.  The  great  Master- 
 gardener,  the  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  in  a  wonderful 
 providence,  with  His  own  hand  (I  dare,  if  it  were  to  edification, 
 swear  it)  planted  me  here,  where  by  His  grace,  in  this  part  of  His 
 vineyard,  I  grow.  I  dare  not  say  but  Satan  and  the  world  (one 
 of  his  pages,  whom  he  sends  his  errands)  have  said  otherwise ; 
 and  here  I  will  abide  till  the  great  Master  of  the  vineyard  think 
 fit  to  transplant  me ;  but  when  He  sees  meet  to  loose  me  at  the 
 root,  and  to  plant  me  where  I  may  be  more  useful,  both  as  to  fruit 
 and  shadow ;  and  Avhen  He  who  planted  pulleth  up  that  He  may 
 transplant,  who  dare  put  to  their  hand  and  hinder  1  If  they  do, 
 God  shall  break  their  arm  at  the  shoulder-blade,  and  do  his  turn. 
 When  our  Lord  is  going  west,  the  devil  and  world  go  east ;  and 
 do  you  not  know  that  it  hath  been  ever  this  way  betwixt  God  and 
 the  world,  God  drawing,  and  they  holding ;  God  yea,  and  the 
 world  nay?  but  they  fall  on  their  back  and  are  frustrate,  and  our 
 Lord  holdeth  His  grip.  Wherefore  doth  the  world  say,  that  our 
 Christ,  the  Goodman  of  this  house.  His  dear  kirk,  "  hath  feet  like 
 fine  brass,  as  if  they  burned  in  a  furnace  "  1  (Rev.  i.  15);  for  no 
 other  cause,  but  because  where  our  Lord  setteth  down  His  brazen 
 feet,  He  will  forward ;  and  whithersoever  He  looketh,  He  will 
 follow  His  look ;  and  His  feet  burn  all  under  them,  like  as  fire 
 doth  stubble  and  thorns.  I  think  He  hath  now  given  the  world 
 a  proof  of  His  exceeding  great  power,  when  He  is  doing  such 
 great  things,  wherein  Zion  is  concerned,  by  the  sword  of  a  Swedish 
 king,  as  of  a  Gideon.  As  you  love  the  glory  of  God,  pray  instantly 
 (yea,  engage  all  your  praying  acquaintance,  and  take  their  faithful 
 promise  to  do  the  like)  for  this  king,  and  every  one  that  Zion's 
 King  armeth  to  execute  the  written  vengeance  on  Babylon.  Our 
 Lord  hath  begun  to  loose  some  of  Babylon's  corner-stones ;  pray 
 Him  to  hold  on ;  for  that  city  must  fall,  and  the  birds  of  the  air 
 and  the  beasts  of  the  earth  must  make  a  banquet  of  Babylon  ;  for 
 He  hath  invited  them  to  eat  the  flesh  of  that  whore,  and  to  drink 
 her  blood  :  and  the  cup  of  the  Lord's  right  hand  shall  be  turned 
 unto  her,  and  shameful  spewing  shall  be  upon  her  glory.  He, 
 whose  word  must  stand,  hath  said,  "  Take  this  cup  at  the  hand  of 
 the  Lord,  and  drink,  and  be  drunken,  and  spew,  and  fall,  and  rise 
 no  more"  (Jer.  xxv.  27).  Our  Jesus  setting  up  Himself  as  His 
 Father's  ensign  (Isa.  xi.  10);  as  God's  fair  white  colours,  that  His 
 soldiers  may  flock  about  Him  :  long,  long  may  these  colours  stand! 
 
•508  LETTER  XVII.  [PART  III. 
 
 It  is  long  since  He  displayed  a  banner  against  Babylon  in  the  sight 
 of  men  and  angels  :  let  us  rejoice  and  triumph  in  our  God.  The 
 victory  is  certain ;  for  when  Christ  and  Babel  wrestle,  then  angels 
 and  saints  may  prepare  themselves  to  sing,  "  Babylon  the  great 
 is  fallen,  is  fallen."  Howbeit  that  Prince  of  renown,  precious 
 Jesus,  be  now  weeping  and  bleeding  in  His  members,  yet  Christ 
 will  laugh  again ;  and  it  is  time  enough  for  us  to  laugh  when  our 
 Lord  Christ  laugheth,  and  that  will  be  shortly  :  for  when  we  hear 
 of  "  wars  and  rumours  of  wars,"  the  Judge's  feet  are  then  before 
 the  door,  and  He  must  be  in  heaven,  giving  order  to  the  angels  to 
 make  themselves  ready,  and  prepare  their  hooks  and  sickles  for 
 that  great  harvest.  Christ  will  be  upon  us  in  haste  :  watch  but  a 
 little,  and  ere  long  the  skies  will  rive,'  and  that  fair  lovely  person, 
 Jesus,  shall  come  in  the  clouds,  freighted  and  loaded  with  glory; 
 and  then  all  these  knaves  and  foxes,  that  destroyed  the  vines, 
 shall  call  to  the  hills,  and  cry  to  the  mountains  to  cover  them,  and 
 hide  them  from  the  face  of  Him  who  sitteth  upon  the  throne,  and 
 from  the  wrath  of  the  Lamb.  Remember  me  to  your  husband  ; 
 and  desire  him  from  me  to  help  Christ,  and  to  take  His  part,  and 
 in  judgment  sit  ever  beside  Him,  and  receive  a  blow  patiently  for 
 His  sake ;  for  He  is  worthy  to  be  suffered  for,  not  only  to  blows, 
 but  also  to  blood.  He  shall  find  that  innocence  and  uprightness 
 in  judgment  shall  hold  its  feet,  and  make  him  happy,  when  jouk- 
 ing  2  will  not  do  it.  I  speak  this,  because  a  person  said  to  me, 
 "  I  pray  God,  the  country  be  not  in  worse  case  now,  when  the 
 provost  and  bailies  are  agreed,  than  formerly."  To  whom  I  replied, 
 "  I  trust  the  provost  is  agreed  with  the  man's  person,  but  not  with 
 his  faults."  I  pray  for  you,  with  my  whole  soul  and  desire,  that 
 your  children  may  walk  in  the  truth ;  and  that  the  Lord  luay 
 shine  upon  them,  and  make  their  faces  to  shine,  when  the  faces  of 
 others  shall  blush.  I  dare  promise  them  in  His  name,  whose  truth 
 I  preach,  if  they  will  but  try  God's  service,  that  they  shall  find 
 Him  the  sweetest  Master  that  ever  they  served  :  and  desire  them 
 from  me,  but  to  try  for  a  while  the  service  of  this  blessed  Master, 
 and  then  if  His  service  be  not  sweet,  if  it  afford  not  what  is 
 pleasant  to  the  soul's  taste,  change  Him  upon  trial,  and  seek  a 
 better.  Christ  is  an  unknown  Christ  to  young  ones,  and  therefore 
 they  seek  Him  not,  because  they  know  Him  not.  Bid  them  come 
 and  see,  and  seek  a  kiss  of  His  mouth ;  and  then  they  will  find 
 His  mouth  is  so  sweet,  that  they  will  be  everlastingly  chained 
 unto  Him  by  their  own  consent.  If  I  have  any  credit  with  your 
 children,  I  entreat  them  in  Christ's  name  to  try  Avhat  truth  and 
 reality  there  is  in  what  I  say,  and  leave  not  His  service  till  they 
 have  found  me  a  liar.  I  give  you,  your  husband,  and  them  to 
 1  Kend.  ^  Bendins. 
 
PART  III.]  LETTER  XVIII.  509 
 
 His  keeping,  to  whom  I  have,  and  dare  A^enture  myself  and  soul, 
 even  to  our  dear  friend  Jesus  Christ,  in  whom  I  am,     Yours, 
 
 S.  R. 
 
 Anwoth. 
 
 LETTER  XVIII.— For  Marion  M^Naught. 
 
 Well-beloved  Sister, — My  dearest  love  in  Christ  remembered 
 to  you.  Know  that  I  am  in  great  heaviness,  for  the  pitiful  case  of 
 our  Lord's  kirk.  I  hear  the  cause  why  Dr.  Burton  is  committed 
 to  prison,  is,  his  writing  and  preaching  against  the  Arminians.  I 
 therefore,  entreat  the  aid  of  your  prayers  for  myself,  and  the 
 Lord's  captives  of  hope,  and  for  Zion.  The  Lord  hath,  and  daily 
 lets  me  see  clearly,  how  deep  furrows  Arminianism  and  the  fol- 
 lowers of  it  shall  draw  upon  the  back  of  God's  Israel  (but  our 
 Lord  cuts  the  cords  of  the  wicked).  Isa.  xlix.  14,  "  Zion  said,  the 
 Lord  hath  forsaken  me,  and  my  Lord  hath  forgotten  me."  Lam.  i. 
 2,  "  Zion  weepeth  sore  in  the  night,  and  her  tears  are  upon  her 
 cheeks  ;  amongst  all  her  lovers  she  hath  none  to  comfort  her ;  all 
 her  friends  have  dealt  treacherously  with  her ;  they  are  become 
 her  enemies."  Isa.  i.  22,  "  Our  silver  has  become  dross,  our  wine 
 is  mixed  with  water."  Lam.  iv.  1,  "  How  is  the  gold  become  dim? 
 how  is  the  most  fine  gold  changed]  the  stones  of  the  sanctuary  are 
 poured  out  in  the  top  of  every  street ;"  ver.  2,  "  The  precious  sons 
 of  Zion,  comparable  to  fine  gold,  how  are  they  esteemed  as  earthen 
 pitchers,  the  work  of  the  hands  of  the  potter."  It  is  time  now 
 for  the  Lord's  secret  ones,  who  favour  the  dust  of  Zion,  to  cry. 
 How  long,  Lord  ?  And  to  go  up  to  their  watch  tower,  and  to 
 stay  there,  and  not  to  come  down,  until  the  vision  speak ;  for  it 
 shall  speak,  Hab.  ii.  3.  In  the  meantime,  the  "just  shall  live  by 
 faith."  Let  us  wait  on,  and  not  weary.  I  have  not  a  thread  to 
 hang  upon  and  rest,  but  this  one,  Isa.  xlix.  1 5,  "  Can  a  woman 
 forget  her  sucking  child,  that  she  should  not  have  compassion  on 
 the  son  of  her  womb  ?  yea,  she  may  forget,  yet  will  I  not  forget 
 thee  ; "  ver.  1 6,  "  Behold,  I  have  graven  thee  upon  the  palms  of 
 my  hands ;  thy  walls  are  continually  before  me."  For  all  outward 
 helps  do  fail ;  it  is  time  therefore  for  us  to  hang  ourselves,  as  our 
 Lord's  vessels,  upon  "'the  nail  that  is  fastened  in  a  sure  place." 
 We  would  make  stakes  of  our  fastening,  but  they  will  break.  Our 
 Lord  will  have  Zion  on  his  own  nail.  Edom  is  busy  within  us, 
 and  Babel  without  us,  against  the  handful  of  Jacob's  seed.  It 
 were  best  that  we  were  upon  Christ's  side  of  it,  for  His  enemies 
 will  get  the  stakes  to  keep  (as  the  proverb  is).  Our  greatest 
 difficulty  will  be  to  win  on  upon  the  Rock  now,  when  the  wind 
 and  waves  of  persecution  are  so  lofty  and  proud.    Let  sweet  Jesuf? 
 
510  LETTER  XIX.  [PART  III. 
 
 take  us  by  the  hand ;  neither  must  we  think  that  it  will  be  other- 
 wise, for  it  is  told  to  the  souls  under  the  altar,  Rev.  vi.  11,  "  That 
 their  fellow-servants  must  be  killed  as  they  were."  Surely  it  can- 
 not be  long  to-day.  Nay  hear  Hira  say,  "  Behold  I  come,  my  dear 
 bride,  think  not  long.  I  shall  be  at  you  at  once,  I  hear  you,  and 
 am  coming."  "Amen,  even  so  come,  Lord  Jesus,  come  quickly;" 
 for  the  prisoners  of  hope  are  looking  out  at  the  prison  windows, 
 to  see  if  they  can  behold  the  King's  ambassador  coming  with  the 
 King's  warrant  and  the  keys.  I  write  not  to  you  by  guess  now, 
 because  I  have  a  warrant  to  say  unto  you,  the  garments  of  Christ's 
 spouse  must  be  once  again  dyed  in  blood,  as  long  ago  her  Hus- 
 band's were ;  but  our  Father  sees  His  bleeding  Son.  What  I 
 write  unto  you,  show  it  to  I.  G-.  Grace,  grace,  grace,  and  mercy 
 be  with  you,  your  husband,  and  children. 
 
 Yours,  in  the  Lord,         S.  R. 
 Anwoth. 
 
 LETTER  XIX.— For  Marion  M'Naugiit. 
 
 Well-beloved  and  dear  sister  in  Christ, — I  could  not  get 
 an  answer  written  to  your  letter  till  now,  in  respect  ^  of  my  wife's 
 disease,  and  she  is  yet  mightily  pained.  I  hope  that  all  shall  end 
 in  God's  mercy.  I  know  that  an  afflicted  life  looks  very  like  the 
 way  that  leads  to  the  kingdom,  for  the  apostle.  Acts  xiv.  22,  hath 
 drawn  the  line,  and  the  King's  market-way,^  "Through  much 
 tribulation  to  the  kingdom."  The  Lord  grant  us  the  whole 
 armour  of  God.  Ye  write  to  me  concerning  your  people's  dis- 
 position, how  that  their  hearts  are  inclined  toward  the  man  ye 
 know,  and  whom  ye  desire  most  earnestly  yourself.  He  would 
 most  gladly  have  the  Lord's  call  for  transplantation  ;  for  he  knows 
 all  God's  plants,  set  by  his  own  hand,  thrive  well :  and  if  the  work 
 be  of  God,  He  can  make  a  stepping-stone  of  the  devil  himself,  for 
 setting  forward  the  work.  For  yourself,  I  would  advise  you  to 
 ask  of  God  a  submissive  heart.  Your  reward  shall  be  with  the 
 Lord,  although  the  people  be  not  gathered  (as  the  prophet  speaks) ; 
 and  suppose  the  word  do  not  prosper,  God  shall  account  you,  "  a 
 repairer  of  the  breaches."  And  take  Christ  caution,  ye  shall  not 
 lose  your  reward.  Hold  your  grip  fast.  If  ye  knew  the  mind  of 
 the  glorified  in  heaven,  they  think  heaven  come  to  their  hand  at 
 an  easy  market,  when  they  have  got  it  for  three  score,  or  four 
 score  years'  wrestling  with  God.  When  ye  are  come  thither,  ye 
 shall  think  all  I  did  in  respect  of  my  rich  reward  now  enjoyed  of 
 free  grace  was  too  little.  Now  then  for  the  love  of  the  Prince  of 
 your  salvation,  who  is  standing  at  the  end  of  your  way,  holding 
 1  By  reason.  *  Highway. 
 
PART  III.]  LETTER  XX.  511 
 
 up  in  His  hand  the  prize  and  the  garland  to  the  race-riinners  ;  for- 
 ward, faint  not,  forward,  take  as  many  to  heaven  with  you  as  ye 
 are  able  to  draw.  The  more  ye  draw  with  you  ye  shall  be  the 
 welcomer  yourself.  Be  no  niggard  or  sparing  churl  of  the  grace 
 of  God ;  and  employ  all  your  endeavours  for  establishing  an 
 honest  ministry  in  your  town,  now  when  ye  have  so  few  to  speak 
 a  good  word  for  you.  I  have  many  a  grieved  heart  daily  in  my 
 calling.  I  would  be  undone,  if  I  had  not  access  to  the  King's 
 chamber  of  presence,  to  show  Him  all  the  business.  The  devil 
 rages  and  is  mad,  to  see  the  water  drawn  from  his  own  mill ;  but 
 would  to  God,  we  could  be  the  Lord's  instruments  to  build  the 
 Son  of  God's  house.  Pray  for  me.  If  the  Lord  furnish  not  new 
 timber  from  Lebanon,  to  build  the  house,  the  work  will  cease.  I 
 look  to  Him,  who  hath  begun  well  with  me,  I  have  His  hand- 
 writing. He  will  not  change.  Your  daughter  is  well,  and  longs 
 for  a  Bible.  The  Lord  establish  you  in  peace.  The  Lord  Jesus 
 be  with  your  spirit. 
 
 Yours,  at  all  power  in  Christ,         S.  R. 
 Anwotb. 
 
 LETTER  XX.— For  Marion  M'Naught. 
 
 Mistress, — My  love  in  Christ  remembered.  Our  communion 
 is  on  Sabbath  come  eight  days ;  I  will  entreat  you  to  recommend 
 it  to  God,  and  to  pray  for  me  in  that  work.  I  have  more  sins 
 upon  me  now  than  the  last  time.  Therefore  I  will  beseech  you 
 in  Christ,  seek  this  petition  to  me  from  God,  that  the  Lord  would 
 give  me  grace  to  vow  and  perform  new  obedience.  I  have  cause 
 to  suit^  this  of  you,  and  show  it  to  Thomas  Carson,  Fergus  and 
 Jean  Brown,  for  I  have  been,  and  am,  exceedingly  cast  down,  and 
 am  fighting  against  a  malicious  devil,  of  whom  I  can  win  little 
 ground.  And  I  would  think  a  spoil,  plucked  from  him  and  his 
 trusty  servant,  sin,  a  lawful  and  just  conquest,  and  it  were  no  sin 
 to  take  from  him.  In  the  name  of  the  Good-man  of  our  house, 
 our  King  Jesus,  I  invite  you  to  the  banquet.  He  saith,  ye  shall 
 be  dearly  welcome  to  Him.  And  I  desire  to  believe  (howbeit  not 
 without  great  fear),  He  shall  be  as  hearty  in  His  own  house,  as 
 He  has  been  before.  For  me  it  is  but  small  reckoning,  but  I 
 would  fain  have  our  Father  and  Lord  to  break  the  fair  loaf, 
 Christ,  and  to  distribute  His  slain  Son  amongst  the  bairns  of  His 
 house.  And  that  if  any  were  a  step-bairn,  in  respect  of  comfort 
 and  sense,  it  were  rather  myself  than  His  poor  bairns.  Therefore, 
 bid  our  Well-Beloved  come  to  His  garden  and  feed  among  the 
 lilies     And  as  concerning  Zion,  I  hope  our  Lord,  who,  Zech.  ii., 
 
 ^  Entreat. 
 
512  LETTER  XXI.  [PAET  III. 
 
 sent  His  angel  with  a  measuring-line  in  his  hand,  to  measure  the 
 length  and  breadth  of  Jerusalem,  in  token  He  would  not  want  a 
 foot-length,  or  inch  of  His  own  free  heritage,  shall  take  order 
 with  those,  who  have  taken  away  many  acres  of  His  own  land 
 from  Him.  And  God  will  build  Jerusalem  in  the  old  stead ^  and 
 place,  where  it  was  before,  in  this  hope  rejoice  and  be  glad. 
 Christ's  garment  was  not  dipped  in  blood  for  nothing,  but  for 
 His  bride  whom  He  bought  with  strokes,  I  will  desire  you  to 
 remember  my  old  suits  to  God ;  God's  glory  and  the  increase  of 
 light,  that  I  dry  not  up.  For  your  town,  hope  and  believe  that 
 the  Lord  will  gather  in  His  loose  sheaves  among  you  to  His  barn, 
 and  send  one  with  a  well-toothed  sharp  hook,  and  strong  gardies,^ 
 to  reap  His  harvest.  And  the  Lord  Jesus  be  Husbandman,  and 
 oversee  the  growing.  Kemember  my  love  to  your  husband  and 
 to  Samuel.  Grace  upon  you  and  your  children ;  Lord  make  them 
 corner-stones  in  Jerusalem,  and  give  them  grace  in  their  youth, 
 to  take  band  with  the  fair  chief  Corner-stone,  who  was  hewed 
 out  of  the  mountain  without  hands,  and  got  many  a  knock  with 
 His  Father's  fore-hammer,^  and  endured  them  all,  and  the  Stone 
 did  neither  cleave  nor  break :  upon  that  Stone  make  your  soul  to 
 lie.     King  Jesus  be  with  your  spirit. 
 
 Your  friend,  in  his  Well-Beloved  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 
 
 Anwoth. 
 
 LETTER  XXL— For  Marion  M'Naught. 
 
 Much  honoured  and  dear  Mistress, — My  love  in  Christ 
 remembered.  I  am  grieved  at  the  heart  to  write  anything  to  you, 
 to  breed  heaviness  to  you.  And  what  I  have  written,  I  wrote  it 
 with  much  heaviness.  But  I  entreat  you  in  Christ's  name,  when 
 my  soul  is  under  wrestlings,  and  seeking  direction  from  our  Lord 
 (to  whom  His  vineyard  belongeth),  whither  I  shall  go,  give  me 
 liberty  to  advise,  and  try  all  paths,  to  see  whether  He  goeth 
 before  me  and  leadeth  me.  For  if  I  were  assured  of  God's  call  to 
 your  town,  let  my  arm  fall  from  my  shoulder-blade,  and  lose 
 power,  and  my  right  eye  be  dried  up,  which  is  the  judgment  of 
 the  idol  shepherd,  Zech.  xi.  17,  if  I  would  not  swim  through  the 
 water,  without  a  boat,  ere  I  sat  His  bidding.  But  if  ye  knew  my 
 doubtings  and  fears  in  that,  ye  would  suffer  with  me.  Whether 
 they  be  temptations,  or  impediments  cast  in  by  God,  I  know  not ; 
 but  you  have  now  cause  to  thank  God  ;  for  seeing  the  bishop  hath 
 given  you  such  a  promise,  he  will  give  you  an  honest  man,  more 
 willingly  than  he  will  permit  me  to  come  to  you.  And  as  I  ever 
 entreated  you,  put  the  business  out  of  your  hand  in  the  Lord's 
 reverence  ;^  and  try  of  Him,  if  ye  have  warrant  of  Him  to  seek 
 
 Site.       ^  Arms.       ^  A  laa-ge  hammer  wielded  by  both  hands.       ''  Option, 
 
PART  III.]  LETTER  XXII.  513 
 
 no  man  in  the  world  but  one  only,  when  there  are  choice  of  good 
 men  to  be  had ;  howbeit  they  be  too  scarce,  yet  they  are.  And 
 what  God  saith  to  me  in  the  business,  I  resolve  by  His  grace  to 
 do,  for  I  know  not  what  He  will  do  with  me,  but  God  shall  fill 
 you  with  joy,  ere  the  business  be  ended ;  for  I  persuade  myself 
 our  Lord  Jesus  hath  stirred  you  up  already  to  do  good  in  the 
 business,  and  ye  shall  not  lose  your  reward.  I  have  heard  your 
 husband  and  Samuel  have  been  sick.  The  Man  who  is  called  the 
 Branch  and  God's  Fellow,  who  standeth  before  His  Father,  will 
 be  your  stay  and  help.  Zech.  xiii.  7.  I  would  I  were  able  to 
 comfort  your  soul;  but  have  patience  and  stand  still.  "  He  that 
 believeth  maketh  not  haste."  This  matter  of  Cramond  cast  in  at 
 this  time  is  either  a  temptation,  having  fallen  out  at  this  time,  or 
 then^  it  will  clear  all  my  doubts,  and  let  you  see  the  Lord's  will. 
 But  I  never  knew  my  own  part  in  the  business  till  now,  I  thought 
 1  was  more  willing  to  have  embraced  the  charge  in  your  town 
 than  I  am,  or  am  able  to  win  to.  I  know  ye  pray  that  God 
 would  resolve  me  what  to  do ;  and  will  interpret  me  as  love 
 biddeth  you,  "  which  thinketh  not  ill,  and  believeth  all  things, 
 and  hopeth  all  things."  Would  ye  have  more  than  the  Son  of 
 God  1  And  ye  have  Him  already,  and  ye  shall  be  fed  by  the  carver 
 of  the  meat,  be  that  who  he  will ;  and  those  who  are  hungry  look 
 more  to  the  meat,  than  to  the  carver.  I  cannot  see  you  the  next 
 week.  If  my  lady  come  home,  I  must  visit  her.  The  week  there- 
 after there  will  be  a  presbytery  at  Girtoun.  God  will  dispose  of 
 the  meeting.  Grace  upon  you,  and  your  seed,  and  husband.  The 
 Lord  Jesus  be  with  your  spirit. 
 
 Yours,  in  Christ,         S.  R. 
 Ar.woth. 
 
 LETTER  XXn.— For  Marion  M'Naught. 
 
 Worthy  and  beloved  Mistress, — My  love  in  Christ  remem- 
 bered. I  have  sent  you  a  letter  from  Mr.  David  Dickson,  concern- 
 ing the  placing  of  Mr.  Hugh  Mackail  with  themselves ;  therefore  I 
 write  to  you  now,  only  to  entreat  you  in  Christ,  not  to  be  dis- 
 couraged thereat ;  be  submissive  to  the  will  of  your  dear  Lord, 
 who  knoweth.  best  what  is  good  for  your  soul  and  your  town 
 both ;  for  God  can  come  over  greater  mountains  than  these,  we 
 believe  ;  for  He  worketh  His  greatest  works,  contrary  to  carnal 
 reason  and  means.  "  My  ways  are  not,"  saith  our  Lord,  "  as  your 
 ways ;  neither  are  my  thoughts  as  your  thoughts,"  Isa.  Iv.  I  am 
 no  whit  put  from  my  belief  for  all  that ;  believe,  pray,  and  use 
 means.     We  shall  cause  Mr.  John  Kerr,  who  convoyed  myself  to 
 
 1  Else. 
 
 2  K 
 
514  LETTER  XXllI.  [PART  III. 
 
 Lochinvar,  to  use  means  to  seek  a  man,  if  Mr.  Hugh  fail  us.  Our 
 Lord  has  a  little  bride  among  you,  and  I  trust  He  will  send  one 
 to  woo  her  to  our  sweet  Lord  Jesus.  He  will  not  want  His 
 wife  for  the  suiting.^  And  He  has  means  in  abundance  in  His 
 hand,  to  open  all  the  slots  ^  and  bars,  that  Satan  draws  over  the 
 door :  He  cometh  to  His  bride  leaping  over  the  mountains,  and 
 skipping  over  the  hills,  His  way  to  His  spouse  is  full  of  stones, 
 mountains,  and  waters ;  yet  He  putteth  in  His  foot  and  wadeth 
 through ;  He  will  not  want  her,  and  therefore,  refresh  me  with 
 two  words,  concerning  your  confidence,  and  courage  in  our  Lord, 
 both  about  that  and  about  His  own  Zion ;  for  He  wooeth  His 
 wife  in  the  burning  bush ;  and  for  the  good-will  of  Him  that 
 dwelleth  in  the  bush,  the  bush  is  not  consumed.  It  is  better  to 
 weep  with  Jerusalem  in  the  forenoon,  than  to  weep  with  Babel 
 after  noon,  in  the  end  of  the  day.  Our  day  of  laughter  and  re- 
 joicing is  coming ;  yet  a  little  while  and  ye  shall  see  the  salvation 
 of  God.  I  long  to  see  you,  and  to  hear  how  your  children  are, 
 especially  Samuel.  Grace  be  their  heritage  and  portion  from  the 
 Lord ;  and  the  Lord  be  their  lot,  and  then  their  inheritance  shall 
 please  them  well.  Remember  my  love  to  your  husband.  The 
 Lord  Jesus  be  with  your  spirit. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 
 Anwoth. 
 
 LETTER  XXIII.— For  Marion  M'Naught. 
 
 Well-beloved  Sister, — My  love  in  Jesus  Christ  remembered. 
 Your  daughter  is  well,  thanks  be  to  God  :  I  trust  in  Him,  ye  shall 
 have  joy  of  her.  The  Lord  bless  her.  I  am  now  presently 
 going  about  catechising.  The  bearer  is  in  haste.  Forget  not 
 poor  Zion,  and  the  Lord  remember  you,  for  we  shall  be  shortly 
 winnowed ;  "  Jesus  pray  for  us  that  our  faith  fail  not."  I  would 
 wish  to  see  you  a  Sabbath  with  us,  and  we  shall  stir  up  one 
 another,  God  willing,  to  seek  the  Lord ;  for  it  may  be  He  hide 
 Himself  from  us  ere  it  be  long.  Keep  that  which  you  have,  ye 
 will  get  more  in  heaven.  The  Lord  send  us  to  the  shore,  out  of 
 all  the  storms,  with  our  silly^  souls  sound  and  whole  with  us. 
 For  if  liberty  of  conscience  come,  as  is  rumoured,  the  best  of  us 
 all  will  be  put  to  our  wits  to  seek  how  to  be  freed.  But  we  shall 
 be  like  those,  who  have  their  chamber  to  go  in  unto,  spoken  of, 
 Isa.  xxvi.  20.  Read  the  place  yourself,  and  keep  you  within  your 
 house  while*  the  storm  be  past.  If  you  can  learn  a  ditty  ^  against 
 C,  try,  and  cause  try,  that  we  may  see  the  Lord's  righteous 
 judgment  upon  the  devil's  instruments.    We  are  not  much  obliged 
 
 ^  Wooing.  ^  Bolts.  3  Weak.  •*  Till.  ^  Charge. 
 
PART  III.]  LETTERS  XXIV.  AND  XXV.  515 
 
 to  liis  kindness.  I  wish  all  such  wicked  doers  were  cut  off.  These 
 in  haste.  I  bless  you  in  God's  name,  and  all  yours.  Your  daughter 
 desires  a  Bible  and  a  gown  ;  I  hope  she  shall  use  the  Bible  well, 
 which  if  she  do,  the  gown  is  the  better  bestowed.  The  Lord 
 Jesus  be  with  your  spirit. 
 
 Yours,  for  ever  in  Christ,         S.  R. 
 Anwoth 
 
 LETTER  XXIV.— For  Marion  M'Naught. 
 
 Mistress, — My  love  in  Jesus  Christ  remembered.  I  am  in 
 good  health,  honour  to  my  Lord,  but  my  wife's  disease  increaseth 
 daily,  to  her  great  torment  and  pain  night  and  day ;  she  has  not 
 been  in  God's  house  since  our  communion,  neither  out  of  her  bed. 
 I  have  hired  a  man  to  Edinburgh  to  Dr.  Jeally  and  to  John 
 Hamilton.  I  can  hardly  believe  her  disease  is  ordinary ;  for  her 
 life  is  bitter  to  her.  She  sleeps  none,  but  cries  as  a  woman 
 travailing  in  birth.  What  will  be  the  event,  He  that  hath  the 
 keys  of  the  grave  knoweth.  I  have  been  many  times,  since  I  saw 
 you,  that  I  have  besought  the  Lord  to  loose  her  out  of  the  body, 
 and  to  take  her  to  her  rest.  I  believe  the  Lord's  tide  of  afflic- 
 tions will  ebb  again ;  but  at  present  I  am  exercised  with  the 
 wrestlings  of  God,  being  afraid  of  nothing  more  than  this,  that 
 God  hath  let  loose  the  tempter  upon  my  house.  "  God  rebuke 
 him  and  his  instruments."  Because  Satan  is  not  cast  out  but  hy 
 fasting  and  prayer,  I  entreat  you,  remember  our  estate  to  our 
 Lord,  and  entreat  all  good  Christians  whom  you  know,  but  espe- 
 cially your  pastor,  to  do  the  same.  It  becomes  us  still  to  knock, 
 and  to  lie  at  the  Lord's  door,  until  we  die  knocking.  If  He  will 
 not  open,  it  is  more  than  He  has  said  in  His  word ;  but  He  is 
 faithful.  I  look  not  to  win  away  to  my  home  without  wounds 
 and  blood.  Welcome,  welcome  cross  of  Christ,  if  Christ  be  with 
 it.  I  have  not  a  calm  spirit  in  the  work  of  my  calling  here,  being 
 daily  chastised ;  yet  God  hath  not  put  out  my  candle,  as  He  does 
 to  the  wicked.     Grace,  grace  be  with  you  and  all  yours. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  Lord,         S.  R. 
 
 Anwoth. 
 
 LETTER  XXV.— To  Marion  M'Naught. 
 
 Worthy  and  well-beloved  Mistress, — My  love  in  Christ 
 remembered.  I  know  ye  have  heard  of  the  purpose  of  my  adver- 
 saries, to  try  what  they  can  do  against  me  at  this  synod,  for  the 
 work  of  God  in  your  town  when  I  was  at  your  communion.  They 
 intend  to  call  me  in  question  at  the  synod  for  treasonable  doc- 
 trine.    Therefore,  help  me  with  your  prayers,  and  desire  your 
 
516  LETTER  XXVI.  [PAET  IIL 
 
 acquaintance  to  help  me  also.  Your  ears  heard  how  Christ  was 
 there.  If  He  suffer  His  servant  to  get  a  broken  head  in  His  own 
 Kingly  service,  and  not  either  help  or  revenge  the  wrong,  I  never 
 saw  the  like  of  it.  There  is  not  a  night-drunkard,  time-serving, 
 idle,  idol-shepherd  to  be  spoken  against,  I  am  the  only  man  ;  and 
 because  it  is  so,  and  I  know  God  will  not  help  them,  lest  they  be 
 proud,  I  am  confident  their  process  shall  fall  asunder.  Only  be 
 ye  earnest  with  God  for  hearing,  for  an  open  ear,  and  reading  of 
 the  bill,  that  He  may  in  heaven  hear  both  parties,  and  judge  ac- 
 cordingly ;  and  doubt  not,  fear  not,  they  shall  not,  who  now  ride 
 highest,  put  Christ  out  of  His  kingly  possession  in  Scotland.  The 
 jiride  of  man  and  his  rage  shall  turn  to  the  praise  of  our  Lord. 
 It  is  an  old  feud,  that  the  rulers  of  the  earth,  the  dragon  and  his 
 angels,  have  carried  to  the  Lamb  and  His  followers ;  but  the 
 followers  of  the  Lamb  shall  overcome  by  the  Word  of  God,  and 
 believe  this,  and  wait  on  a  little,  till  they  have  got  their  wombfuU 
 of  clay  and  gravel,  and  they  shall  know,  howbeit  stolen  waters  be 
 sweet,  Esau's  portion  is  not  worth  his  hunting.  Commend  me  to 
 your  husband,  and  send  me  word  how  Grissel  is.  The  Son  of 
 God  lead  her  through  the  water.  The  Lord  Jesus  be  with  your 
 spirit. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  only,  only  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 
 
 Anwotb. 
 
 LETTER  XXVL— For  Marion  M'Naught. 
 
 Mistress, — My  love  in  Christ  remembered.  At  the  desire  of 
 this  bearer,  whom  I  love,  I  thought  to  request  you,  if  ye  can  help 
 his  wife  with  your  advice,  for  she  is  in  a  most  dangerous  and 
 deadly-like  condition.  For  I  have  thought  she  was  changed  in 
 her  carriage  and  life  this  sometime  by-past,  and  had  hope  that 
 God  would  have  brought  her  home,  and  now  by  appearance  she 
 will  depart  this  life,  and  leave  a  number  of  children  behind  her. 
 If  ye  can  be  entreated  to  help  her,  it  is  a  work  of  mercy.  My 
 own  wife  is  still  in  exceeding  great  torment  night  and  day.  Pray 
 for  us ;  for  my  life  was  never  so  wearisome  to  me.  God  hath 
 filled  me  with  gall  and  wormwood ;  but  I  believe  (which  holds  up 
 my  head  above  the  water)  it  is  good  for  a  man  (saith  the  Spirit  of 
 God,  Lam.  iii.)  "  that  he  bear  the  yoke  in  his  youth."  I  do  re- 
 member you.  I  pray  you  be  humble  and  believe ;  and  I  entreat 
 you  in  Jesus  Christ,  pray  for  John  Stuart  and  his  wife,  and  desire 
 your  husband  to  do  the  same.  Remember  me  heartily  to  Jean 
 Brown  ;  desire  her  to  pray  for  me  and  my  wife  ;  I  do  remember 
 her.  Forget  not  Zion.  Grace,  grace  upon  them  and  peace  that 
 pray  for  Zion.     She  is  the  ship  we  sail  in  to  Canaan.     If  she  be 
 
PART  III.]  LETTER  XXVII.  517 
 
 broken  on  a  rock,  we  will  be  cast  overboard  to  swim  to  land  be^ 
 twixt  death  and  life.  The  grace  of  Jesus  be  with  your  husband 
 and  children. 
 
 YourS;  in  Christ,         S.  E. 
 Anwoth. 
 
 LETTER  XXVIL— For  Marion  M'Naught. 
 
 Dear  Sister, — I  longed  much  to  have  conferred  with  you  at 
 this  time.  I  am  grieved  at  anything  in  your  house  that  grieveth 
 you ;  and  shall,  by  my  Lord's  grace,  suit^  my  Lord  to  help  you  to 
 bear  your  burden,  and  to  come  in  behind  you,  and  give  you  and 
 your  burdens  a  put^  up  the  mountain.  Know  you  not  that  Christ 
 wooeth  His  wife  in  the  furnace'?  Isa.  xlviii.  10,  "Behold  I  have 
 refined  thee,  but  not  with  silver ;  I  have  chosen  thee  in  the  fur- 
 nace of  affliction  ;"  He  casteth  His  love  on  you,  when  you  are  "in 
 the  furnace  of  affliction."  You  might  indeed  be  casten  down  if 
 He  brought  you  in  and  left  you  there ;  but  when  He  leadeth  you 
 through  the  waters,  think  ye  not  that  He  has  a  sweet  soft  hand  ! 
 You  know  His  love-grip  already  ;  you  shall  be  delivered,  wait  on ; 
 Jesus  will  make  a  road,  and  come  and  fetch  home  the  captive  ; 
 you  shall  not  die  in  prison,  but  your  strokes  are  such  as  were 
 your  Husband's,  who  was  wounded  in  the  house  of  His  friends  : 
 strokes  were  not  newings^  to  Him,  and  neither  are  they  to  you  ; 
 but  your  winter-night  is  near  spent :  it  is  near  hand  the  dawning ; 
 I  will  see  you  leap  for  joy ;  the  kirk  shall  be  delivered.  This 
 wilderness  shall  bud  and  grow  up  like  a  rose.  Christ  got  a  char- 
 ter of  Scotland  from  His  Father,  and  who  will  bereave  Him  of 
 His  heritage,  or  put  our  Redeemer  out  of  His  mealing,^  until  His 
 tack^  be  run  out?  I  must  have  you  praying  for  me  ;  I  am  black- 
 shamed  for  evermore  with  Christ's  goodness ;  and,  in  private,  on 
 the  17th  and  18th  of  August,  I  got  a  full  answer  of  my  Lord  to 
 be  a  graced  minister,  and  a  chosen  arrow  hidden  in  His  own 
 quiver.  But  know,  this  assurance  is  not  kept  but  by  watching 
 and  prayer ;  and  therefore,  dear  mistress,  help  me  ;  I  have  gotten 
 now,  honour  to  my  Lord,  the  gate*^  to  0]3en  the  slote,'''  and  shoot 
 the  bar  of  His  door  :  and  I  think  it  easy  to  get  anything  from  the 
 King  by  prayer,  and  to  use  holy  violence  with  Him.  Christ  was 
 in  the  Carspharne  kirk,  and  opened  the  people's  hearts  wonder- 
 fully :  Jesus  is  looking  up  that  water,  and  minting  ^  to  dwell 
 amongst  them.  I  would  we  could  give  Him  His  welcome  homo 
 to  the  moors.     Now  peace  and  grace  be  upon  you  and  all  yours. 
 
 Yours,  in  Christ,         S.  R. 
 
 Anwoth,  Aug.  20,  1633. 
 
 ^  Plead  with.  -  Push.  ■^  Unfamiliar  things.  ■*  Croft. 
 
 6  Lease.  "  Method.      ''  Bolt.  »  Intendins. 
 
518  LETTER  XXVIII.  "  [PART  III. 
 
 LETTER  XXVIIL— For  Marion  M'Naught. 
 
 Mistress, — My  love  in  Christ  remembered.  I  am  in  care  and 
 fear  for  this  work  of  our  Lord's,  now  near  approaching,  because  of 
 the  danger  of  the  time,  and  I  dare  not  for  my  soul  be  silent ;  to 
 see  my  Lord's  house  burning,  and  not  cry,  fire,  fire ;  therefore, 
 seek  from  our  Lord  wisdom  spiritual,  and  not  black  policy,  to 
 speak  with  liberty  our  Lord's  truth.  I  am  cast  down,  and  would 
 fain  have  access  and  presence  to  the  King  that  day,  even  howbeit 
 I  should  break  up  iron  doors.  I  believe  you  will  not  forget  me, 
 and  you  will  desire  Jean  Brown,  Thomas  Carson,  and  Marion  Car- 
 son to  help  me.  Pray  for  well-cooked  meat,  and  an  heartsome 
 Saviour  with  joy  crying  welcome  in  my  Father's  name.  I  am 
 confident  Zion  shall  be  well ;  the  bush  shall  burn  and  not  con- 
 sume, for  the  good  will  of  Him  that  dwelt  in  the  bush.  But  the 
 Lord  is  making  on  a  fire  in  Jerusalem,  and  purposeth  to  blow  the 
 bellows,  and  to  melt  the  tin  and  brass,  and  bring  out  a  fair, 
 beautiful  bride  out  of  the  furnace,  that  will  be  married  over  again 
 upon  1  the  new  Husband,  and  sing  as  in  the  days  of  her  youth, 
 when  the  contract  of  marriage  is  written  over  again ;  but  I  fear 
 the  bride  be  hidden  for  a  time  from  the  dragon,  that  pursueth  the 
 woman  with  child  ;  but  what,  howbeit  we  go  and  lurk  in  the 
 wilderness  for  a  time,  for  the  Lord  will  take  His  kirk  to  the 
 wilderness,  and  speak  to  her  heart :  nothing  casteth  me  down,  but 
 only  I  fear  the  Lord  will  cast  down  the  shepherds'  tents,  and  feed 
 His  own  in  a  secret  place.  But  let  us,  however  matters  frame, 
 cast  over  the  affairs  of  the  bride  upon  the  Bridegroom :  "  the 
 government  is  upon  His  shoulders,"  and  he  dow  ^  bear  us  all  well 
 enough ;  that  fallen  star,  the  prince  of  the  bottomless  pit,  knoweth 
 it  is  near  the  time  when  he  shall  be  tormented,  and  now  in  his 
 evening  he  has  gathered  his  armies  to  win  one  battle  or  two  in 
 the  edge  of  the  evening,  at  the  sun  going  down  ;  and  when  our 
 Lord  has  been  watering  His  vineyards  in  France,  and  Germany, 
 and  Bohemia,  how  can  we  think  ourselves  Christ's  sister  if  we  be 
 not  like  Him,  and  our  other  great  sisters  1  I  cannot  but  think, 
 seeing  the  ends  of  the  earth  are  given  to  Christ,  Ps.  ii.  8  (and 
 Scotland  is  the  end  of  the  earth),  and  so  we  are  in  Christ's  charter- 
 tailzie,^  but  our  Lord  will  keep  His  possession.  We  fall  by 
 promise  and  law  to  Christ ;  He  won  us  with  the  sweat  of  His 
 iDrows  (if  I  may  say  so) ;  His  Father  promised  Him  His  life-rent 
 of  Scotland.  Glory,  glory  to  our  King,  long  may  He  wear  His 
 crown  !  0  Lord,  let  us  never  see  another  King !  0  let  Him  come 
 down  like  rain  upon  the  new-mown  grass  !  I  had  you  in  remem- 
 brance on  Saturday  in  the  morning  last,  in  a  great  measure,  and 
 1  To.  '  ■  Can.  ^  Deed  of  entail 
 
PART  III.]  LETTERS  XXIX,  AND  XXX.  519 
 
 was  brought  thrice  on  end  in  remembrance  of  you  in  my  prayer 
 to  God.     Grace,  grace  be  your  portion. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 
 
 Auwoth,  March  2,  1G31. 
 
 LETTER  XXIX.— For  Marion  M'Naught. 
 
 Mistress,  — My  love  in  Christ  remembered.  Please  you  under- 
 stand, to  mj^  grief,  our  communion  is  delayed  till  Sabbath  come 
 eight  days,  for  the  laird  and  lady  have  earnestly  desired  me  to  de- 
 lay it,  because  the  laird  is  sick,  and  he  fears  he  be  not  able  to 
 travel,  because  he  has  lately  taken  physic.  The  Lord  bless  that 
 work ;  commend  it  to  God  as  you  love  me.  For  I  love  not  Satan's 
 thorns  cast  in  the  Lord's  way.  The  Lord  rebuke  him.  I  trust 
 in  God's  mercy,  Satan  has  gotten  but  a  delay,  but  no  free  dis- 
 charge that  his  kingdom  shall  not  be  hurt.  Commend  the  laird 
 to  your  God.  I  pray  you  advertise  your  people,  that  they  be  not 
 disappointed  in  coming  here.  Show  such  of  them  as  you  love  in 
 Christ  from  me,  that  Jesus  Christ  will  be  Avelcomer  when  He 
 comes,  in  that  He  has  sharpened  their  desires  for  eight  days'  space. 
 Your  daughter  is  well,  I  hope,  every  Avay.  Forget  not  God's  kirk; 
 they  are  but  bastards,  and  not  sons  and  daughters,  that  mourn 
 not  for  Zion.  Lord  hear  us.  No  further.  Jesus  Christ  be  with 
 your  spirit.  I  shall  remember  you  and  your  new  house.  Lord 
 Jesus  go  from  the  one  house  to  the  other. 
 
 Yours,  at  all  power  in  the  Lord,         S.  R. 
 
 Anwoth. 
 
 LETTER  XXX.— For  Marion  M'Naught. 
 
 Well-beloved  Mistress, — My  love  in  Christ  remembered.  1 
 hear  this  day  your  town  is  to  choose  a  commissioner  for  the  parlia- 
 ment, and  I  was  written  to  from  Edinburgh  to  see  that  good  men 
 should  be  chosen  in  your  bounds ;  and  I  have  heard  this  day  that 
 Robert  Glendinning  or  John  Ewart  look  to  be  chosen.  I  beseecli 
 you  see  this  be  not :  the  Lord's  cause  craveth  other  witnesses  to 
 speak  for  Him  than  such  men  ;  and  therefore  let  it  not  be  said, 
 that  Kirkcudbright,  which  is  spoken  of  in  this  kingdom  for  their 
 religion,  hath  sent  a  man  to  be  their  mouth  that  will  speak  against 
 Christ.  Such  a  time  as  this  will  not  fall  out  once  in  half  an  age. 
 I  would  entreat  your  husband  to  take  it  upon  him ;  it  is  an 
 honourable  and  necessary  service  for  Christ ;  and  show  him,  that 
 I  wrote  unto  you  for  that  effect.  I  fear  William  Glendinning  hath 
 not  skill  and  authority.  I  am  in  great  heaviness ;  pray  for  me, 
 for  we  must  take  our  life  in  our  hand  in  this  ill  time.     Let  us  stir 
 
520  LETTER  XXXI.  [PART  III. 
 
 up  ourselves  to  lay  our  Lord's  bride  and  her  wrongs  before  our 
 Husband  and  Lofd.     Lord  Jesus  be  with  your  spirit. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 
 
 Anwoth,  May  20. 
 
 LETTER  XXXL— For  Marion  M'Naught. 
 
 Well-beloved  Sister, — My  old  and  dearest  love  in  Christ  re- 
 membered. Know  that  I  have  been  visiting  my  Lady  Kenmure, 
 her  child  is  Avith  the  Lord  :  I  entreat  you  visit  her ;  and  desire 
 the  good  wife  of  Barcaple  to  visit  her,  and  Knockbrex,  if  you  see 
 him  in  the  town.  My  lord  her  husband  is  absent,  and  I  think 
 she  will  be  heavy :  you  know  what  Mr.  W.  Dalgleish  and  I  de- 
 sired you  to  deal  for,  at  my  Lord  Kirkcudbright's  hand.  Send  me 
 word,  if  you  obtained  anything  at  my  lord's  hands,  anent  the 
 giving  up  of  our  names  to  the  high  commission  ;  for  I  hear  it  is  not 
 for  nothing  that  the  bishop  hath  taken  that  course.  Our  Lord 
 knows  best  what  is  good  for  an  old  kirk  that  is  fallen  from  her 
 first  love,  and  hath  forgotten  her  Husband  days  without  number : 
 a  trial  is  like  to  come  on ;  but  I  am  sure  our  Husbandman  Christ 
 shall  lose  chaff  but  no  corn  at  all.  Yet  there  is  a  dry  wind  com- 
 ing, but  neither  to  fan  nor  to  purge.  Happy  are  they  who  are 
 not  blown  away  with  the  chaff,  for  we  will  but  suffer  temptation 
 for  ten  days :  but  those  who  are  faithful  to  the  death,  shall  re- 
 ceive the  crown  of  life.  I  hear  daily  what  hath  been  spoken  of 
 myself,  most  unjustly  and  falsely;  and  no  marvel,  the  dragon  with 
 the  swing  of  his  tail,  hath  made  the  third  part  of  the  stars  to  fall 
 from  heaven,  and  the  fallen  stars  would  have  many  to  fall  with 
 them.  If  ever  Satan  was  busy,  now  when  he  knoweth  his  time  is 
 short,  he  is  busy  ;  "  yet  a  little  while  and  he  that  shall  come,  will 
 come,  and  will  not  tarry."  I  know  ere  it  be  long,  the  Lord  shall 
 come  and  redd^  all  pleas  betwixt  us  and  our  enemies.  Now  wel- 
 come, Lord  Jesus,  go  fast.  Send  me  word  about  Grissel  your 
 daughter,  who  I  remember  in  Christ,  and  desire  her  to  cast  herself 
 into  His  arms,  who  was  born  of  a  woman,  and  being  the  Ancient 
 of  days  was  made  a  young  weeping  child.  It  was  not  for  nothing 
 that  our  brother  Jesus  was  an  infant.  It  was,  that  He  might  pity 
 infants  of  believers,  who  were  to  come  out  of  the  womb  into 
 the  world.  I  believe  our  Lord  Jesus  shall  be  waiting  on  with 
 mercy,  mercy,  mercy  to  the  end  of  that  battle,  and  bring  her 
 through  with  life  and  peace,  and  a  sign  of  God's  favour.  I  will 
 expect  advertisement 2  from  you,  and  especially  if  you  fear  her. 
 Mistress,  you  remember  that  I  said  to  you,  anent ^  your  love  to 
 me  and  my  brother  begun  in  Christ;  you  know  we  are  here  but 
 *  Decide.  "  Information.  ^  Coiiceruing, 
 
PART  III.]  LETTER  XXXII,  521 
 
 strangers,  and  you  have  not  yet  found  us  a  dry  well,  as  others 
 have  been.  Be  not  overcome  of  any  susj^icion;  I  trust  in  God, 
 the  Lord,  who  knit  us  together,  shall  keep  us  together.  It  is  time 
 now  that  the  lambs  of  Jesus  should  all  run  together,  when  the 
 Avolf  is  barking  at  them ;  yet  I  know,  ere  God's  bairns  want  a  cross, 
 their  love  amongst  themselves  shall  be  a  cross ;  but  our  Lord  giveth 
 love  for  another  end.  I  know  you  will  with  love  cover  infirmities ; 
 and  our  Lord  give  you  wisdom  in  all  things;  I  think  love  hath 
 broad  shoulders,  and  will  bear  many  things,  and  yet  neither  faint, 
 nor  sweat,  nor  fall  under  the  burden.  Commend  me  to  your  hus- 
 band and  dear  Grissel;  I  think  on  her.  Lord  Jesus  be  in  the  fur- 
 nace with  her,  and  then  she  will  but  smoke,  and  not  burn.  De- 
 sire Mr.  Robert  to  excuse  my  not  seeing  of  him  at  his  house;  I 
 have  my  own  reasons  therefor.  Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  with 
 you.  Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 
 
 Anwoth,  April  25,  1634. 
 
 LETTER  XXXIL— For  Marion  M'Naught. 
 
 Mistress, — My  dearest  love  in  Christ  remembered.  I  entreat 
 you  charge  your  soul  to  return  to  rest,  and  to  glorify  your  dearest 
 Lord  in  believing;  and  know,  that  for  the  good  will  of  Him  that 
 dwelleth  in  the  bush,  the  burning  kirk  shall  not  be  consumed  to 
 ashes;  but,  Deut.  xxxiii.  16,  "Blessing  shall  come  on  the  head  of 
 Joseph,  and  upon  the  top  of  the  head  of  him  that  was  separate 
 from  his  brethren."  And  are  not  the  saints  separate  from  their 
 brethren,  and  sold  and  hated  1  For,  Gen.  xliv.  23,  "  The  archers 
 have  sorely  grieved  Joseph,  and  shot  at  him,  and  hated  him;" 
 ver.  24,  "  But  his  bow  abode  in  strength,  and  the  arms  of  his 
 hands  were  made  strong  by  the  hands  of  the  mighty  God  of 
 Jacob.  From  Him  is  the  shepherd  and  the  stone  of  Israel ; "  the 
 stone  of  Israel  shall  not  be  broken  in  pieces.  It  is  hammered 
 upon  by  the  children  of  this  world,  and  we  shall  live  and  not  die. 
 Our  Lord  hath  done  all  this  to  see  if  we  will  believe,  and  not  give 
 over ;  and  I  am  persuaded,  you  must  of  necessity  stick  by  your 
 Avork.  The  eye  of  Christ  hath  been  upon  all  this  business  ;  and 
 He  taketh  good  heed  to  who  is  for  Him,  and  who  is  against 
 Him ;  let  us  do  our  part,  as  we  would  be  approved  of  Christ. 
 The  Son  of  God  is  near  to  His  enemies  ;  if  they  were  not  deaf, 
 they  may  hear  the  din  of  His  feet :  and  He  will  come  with  a  start 
 upon  His  weeping  bairns,  and  take  them  on  His  knee,  and  lay 
 their  head  in  His  bosom,  and  dry  their  watery  eyes ;  and  this  day 
 is  fast  coming ;  "  Yet  a  little  time,  and  the  vision  will  speak,  it 
 will  not  tarry,"  Hab.  ii.  3.  These  questions  betwixt  us  and  our 
 adversaries  will  all  be  decided  in  yonder  day,  when  the  Son  of 
 
522  LETTER  XXXII,  [PART  III. 
 
 God  shall  come  and  redd  ^  all  pleas  ;  and  it  will  be  seen  whether 
 we  or  they  have  been  for  Christ,  and  who  have  been  pleading  for 
 Baal.  It  is  not  known  what  we  are  now,  but  when  our  Life  shall 
 appear  in  glory,  then  we  shall  see  who  laughs  fastest  that  day ; 
 therefore  Ave  must  possess  our  souls  in  patience,  and  go  into  our 
 chamber,  and  rest  while  ^  the  indignation  be  past.  We  shall  not 
 weep  long,  when  our  Lord  shall  take  us  up  in  the  day  that  He 
 gathereth  His  jewels;  and,  Mai.  iii.  IG,  "They  that  feared  the 
 Lord  spoke  often  one  to  another ;  and  the  Lord  hearkened  and 
 heard  it,  and  a  book  of  remembrance  Avas  written  before  Him,  for 
 them  that  feared  the  Lord,  and  thought  upon  His  name."  And  I 
 shall  never  be  of  another  faith,  but  our  Lord  is  heating  a  furnace 
 for  the  enemies  of  His  kirk  in  Scotland.  It  is  true  the  spouse  of 
 Christ  hath  played  the  harlot,  and  hath  left  her  first  Husband ; 
 and  the  enemies  think  they  offend  not,  for  we  have  sinned  against 
 the  Lord  ;  but  they  shall  get  the  devil  to  their  thanks ;  the  rod 
 shall  be  cast  into  the  fire,  that  we  may  sing  as  in  the  days  of  our 
 youth.  My  dear  friend,  therefore  lay  down  your  head  upon 
 Christ's  breast ;  weep  not,  the  Lion  of  the  tribe  of  Judah  will 
 arise.  The  sun  is  gone  down  upon  the  prophets,  and  our  gold  is 
 become  dim,  and  the  Lord  feedeth  His  people  with  waters  of  gall 
 and  wormwood ;  yet  Christ  standeth  but  behind  the  wall.  His 
 bowels  are  moved  for  Scotland.  "  He  waiteth  (as  Isaiah  saith) 
 that  He  may  show  mercy,"  If  we  could  go  home,  and  take  our 
 brethren  with  us,  Aveeping  Avith  our  face  toAvards  Zion,  asking  the 
 way  thitherward,  He  would  bring  back  our  captivity.  We  may 
 not  think  that  God  has  no  care  of  His  honour,  while  men  tread  it 
 under  their  feet ;  He  will  clothe  Himself  with  vengeance,  as  with 
 a  cloak,  and  appear  against  our  enemies  for  our  deliverance.  Ye 
 Avere  never  yet  beguiled,  and  God  Avill  not  noAV  begin  with  you ; 
 wrestle  still  Avith  the  Angel  of  the  covenant,  and  you  shall  get  the 
 blessing;  fight — He  delighteth  to  be  overcome  by  wrestling. 
 Commend  me  to  Grissel,  desire  her  to  learn  to  know  the  adver- 
 saries of  the  Lord,  and  to  take  them  as  her  adversaries ;  and  to 
 learn  to  know  the  right  gate  in  to  the  Son  of  God.  0  but  ac- 
 quaintance Avith  the  Son  of  God,  to  say,  "  My  Well-Beloved  is 
 mine  and  I  am  His,"  is  a  sweet  and  glorious  course  of  life,  that 
 none  know  but  those  who  are  sealed  and  marked  in  the  forehead 
 with  Christ's  mark,  and  the  new  name  that  Ch-rist  writeth  upon 
 His  own,     Grace,  grace,  and  mercy  be  with  you. 
 
 Yours,  in  Christ,         S.  R. 
 Aawoth,  Sept.  25,  1634. 
 
 »  Decide.  «  Till. 
 
PAliT  III.]  LETTERS  XXXIII.  AND  XXXIV.  623 
 
 LETTER  XXXIII.— For  Marion  M'Naught. 
 
 Well-beloved  Mistress, — I  charge  you  in  the  name  of  the 
 Son  of  God,  to  rest  upon  your  Rock,  that  is  higher  than  yourself; 
 "  be  not  afraid  of  a  man  Avho  is  a  worm,  nor  for  the  Son  of  man 
 who  shall  die."  God  be  your  fear.  Encourage  your  husband.  I 
 would  counsel  you  to  write  to  Edinburgh  to  some  advised  lawyers, 
 to  understand  Avhat  your  husband,  as  the  head  magistrate,  may  do 
 in  opposing  any  intruded  minister,  and  in  his  carriage  toward  the 
 new  prelate,  if  he  command  him  to  imprison  or  lay  hands  upon 
 any ;  and,  in  a  word,  how  far  he  may  in  his  office  disobey  a  pre- 
 late, without  danger  of  law  ;  for  if  the  bishop  come  to  your  town, 
 and  find  not  obedience  to  his  heart,  it  is  like  ^  he  will  command 
 the  provost  to  assist  him,  against  God  and  the  truth.  Ye  will 
 have  more  courage  under  the  persecution ;  fear  not,  take  Christ's 
 caution,  who  said  (Luke  xxi.  18),  "There  shall  not  one  hair  of 
 your  head  perish."  Christ  will  not  be  in  your  common  to  have 
 you  giving  out  anything  for  Him,  and  not  give  you  all  incomes 
 with  advantage.  It  is  His  honour  His  servants  should  not  be 
 berried^  and  undone  in  His  service ;  you  were  never  honoured  till 
 now.  And  if  your  husband  be  the  first  magistrate  who  shall 
 suffer  for  Christ's  name  in  this  persecution,  he  may  rejoice  that 
 Christ  hath  put  the  first  garland  on  his  head,  and  upon  yours. 
 Truth  will  yet  keep  the  crown  of  the  causey  ^  in  Scotland ;  Christ 
 and  truth  are  strong  enough.  They  judge  us  now  ;  we  shall  one 
 day  judge  them,  and  sit  on  twelve  thrones  and  judge  the  twelve 
 tribes.  Believe,  believe,  for  they  dare  not  pray,  they  dare  not 
 look  Christ  in  the  face ;  they  have  been  false  to  Christ,  and  He 
 will  not  sit  with  the  wrong :  ye  know,  it  is  not  our  cause,  for  if 
 we  would  quit  our  Lord,  we  might  sleep  for  the  present  in  a 
 sound  skin,  and  keep  our  place,  means,  and  honour,  and  be  dear 
 to  them  also,  but  let  us  at  once  put  all  we  have  over  in  Christ's 
 hand.  Fear  not  for  my  papers,  I  shall  dispatch  them ;  but  you 
 will  be  examined  for  them  :  the  Spiiit  of  Jesus  give  you  inward 
 peace.  Desire  your  husband  from  me  to  prove  honest  to  Christ  ] 
 he  shall  not  be  a  loser  at  Christ's  hand. 
 
 Yours,  ever  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 
 
 Anwoth,  July  8,  1635. 
 
 LETTER  XXXIV.— For  Marion  M'Naught. 
 
 YVell-beloved  Sister, — My  love  in  Christ  remembered.      I 
 hear  of  good  news  anenf*  our  kirk  ;  but  I  fear  that  our  king  will 
 not  be  resisted,  and  therefore  let  us  not  be  secure  and  careless.     I 
 ^  Probable.  ^  Plundered.  ^  Causeway.  *  Concerning. 
 
524  LETTER  XXXIV.  [PAKT  III. 
 
 do  wonder  if  this  kirk  come  not  through  our  Lord's  fan,  since 
 there  is  so  much  chaff  in  it ;  howbeit  I  persuade  myself,  the  Son 
 of  God's  wheat  will  not  be  blown  away.  Let  us  be  putting  on 
 God's  armour,  and  be  strong  in  the  Lord  :  if  the  devil  and  Zion's 
 enemies  strike  a  hole  in  that  armour,  let  our  Lord  see  to  that ;  let 
 us  put  it  on  and  stand.  We  have  Jesus  on  our  side,  and  they  are 
 not  worthy  such  a  Captain,  who  would  not  take  a  blow  at  his 
 back.  We  are  in  sight  of  His  colours  ;  His  banner  over  us  in  love ; 
 look  up  to  that  white  banner  and  stand  :  I  persuade  you  in  the 
 Lord  of  victory.  My  brother  writeth  to  me  of  your  heaviness, 
 and  of  temptations  that  press  you  sore.  I  am  content  it  be  so ; 
 you  bear  about  with  you  the  mark  of  the  Lord  Jesus :  so  it  was 
 with  the  Lord's  apostle,  when  he  was  to  come  with  the  Gospel  to 
 Macedonia.  2  Cor.  vii.  5,  his  flesh  had  no  rest,  he  was  troubled  on 
 every  side,  and  knew  not  what  side  to  turn  him  unto ;  without 
 were  fightings,  and  within  were  fears.  In  the  great  work  of  our 
 redemption,  your  lovely,  beautiful,  and  glorious  Friend,  and  well- 
 beloved  Jesus,  was  brought  to  tears  and  strong  cries,  so  as  His 
 face  was  wet  with  tears  and  blood,  arising  from  a  holy  fear  and 
 ihe  weight  of  the  curse.  Take  a  drink  of  the  Son  of  God's  cup, 
 and  love  it  the  better  that  He  drank  of  it  before  you ;  there  is  no 
 poison  in  it.  I  wonder  many  times  that  ever  a  child  of  God 
 should  have  a  sad  heart,  considering  what  their  Lord  is  preparing 
 for  them.  Is  your  mind  troubled  anent  that  business  that  we 
 have  now  in  hand  in  Edinburgh  1  1  trust  in  my  Lord,  the  Lord 
 shall  in  the  end  give  to  you  your  heart's  desire,  even  howbeit  the 
 business  frame  not ;  the  Lord  shall  feed  your  soul,  and  all  the 
 hungry  souls  in  that  town ;  therefore,  I  request  you  in  the  Lord, 
 pray  for  a  submissive  will,  and  pray  as  your  Lord  Jesus  bids  you, 
 "  Thy  Avill  be  done  on  earth  as  it  is  in  heaven."  And  let  it  be 
 that  your  faith  be  brangied^  with  temptations.  Believe  ye  that 
 there  is  a  tree  in  our  Lord's  garden  that  is  not  often  shaken  with 
 wind  from  all  the  four  airts  1  ^  Surely  there  is  none.  Rebuke 
 your  soul,  as  the  Lord's  prophet  doth,  Psalm  xlii.,  "  Why  art  thou 
 cast  down,  0  my  soul,  why  art  thou  disquieted  within  me  1 "  That 
 was  the  word  of  a  man,  who  was  at  the  very  overgoing  of  the  brae 
 and  mountain ;  but  God  held  a  grip  of  him.  Swim  through  your 
 temptations  and  troubles  to  be  at  that  lovely  amiable  person, 
 Jesus,  to  whom  your  soul  is  dear.  In  your  temptations  run  to  the 
 promises,  they  be  our  Lord's  branches  hanging  over  the  water, 
 that  our  Lord's  silly ^  half-drowned  children  may  take  a  grip  of 
 them ;  if  you  let  that  grip  go,  you  will  fall  to  the  ground.  Are 
 you  troubled  with  the  case  of  God's  kirk  1  our  Lord  will  evermore 
 have  her  betwixt  the  sinking  and  the  swimming ;  He  Avill  have 
 ^  Distracted.  *  Quarters.  •*  Feeble. 
 
PART  III.]  LETTER  XXXIV.  525 
 
 her  going  through  a  thousand  deaths,  and  through  hell  as  a  cripple 
 woman,  halting  and  wanting  the  power  of  her  one  side,  Micah  iv. 
 6,  7,  that  God  may  be  her  staff.  That  broken  ship  will  come  to 
 land,  because  Jesus  is  the  pilot.  Faint  not,  you  shall  see  the  sal- 
 vation of  God  ;  else  say,  that  God  never  spake  His  word  by  my 
 inouth ;  and  I  had  rather  never  have  been  born,  ere  it  were  so 
 with  me  ;  but  my  Lord  hath  sealed  me.  I  dare  not  deny,  I  have 
 also  been  in  heaviness  since  I  came  from  you,  fearing  for  my  un- 
 thankfulness  that  I  be  deserted ;  but  the  Lord  will  be  kind  to  me 
 whether  I  will  or  not ;  I  repose  that^  much  in  His  rich  grace,  that 
 He  will  be  loath  to  change  upon  me.  As  you  love  me,  pray  for 
 me  in  this  particular.  After  advising  with  Carletoun,  I  have 
 written  to  Mr.  David  Dickson  anent  Mr.  Hugh  M'Kail,  and  desired 
 him  to  write  his  mind  to  Carletoun,  and  Carletoun  to  Edinburgh, 
 that  they  may  particularly  remember  Mr.  Hugh  to  the  Lord  ;  and 
 I  happened  upon  a  convenient  trusty  bearer  by  God's  wonderful 
 l^rovidence.  No  further:  I  recommend  you  to  the  Lord's  grace, 
 and  your  husband  and  children.  The  Lord  Jesus  be  with  your 
 spirit.  Yours,  in  the  Lord,         S.  R. 
 
 Edinburgh. 
 
 P.S. — Mistress, — I  had  not  time  to  give  my  advice  to  your 
 daughter  Grissel;  you  shall  carry  my  words  therefore  to  her. 
 Show  her  now,  that  in  respect  of  her  tender  age,  she  is  in  a 
 manner  as  clean  paper,  ready  to  receive  either  good  or  ill,  and 
 that  it  were  a  sweet  and  glorious  thing  for  her  to  give  herself  up 
 to  Christ,  that  He  may  write  upon  her  His  Father's  name,  and 
 His  own  new  name.  And  desire  her  to  acquaint  herself  with  the 
 book  of  God ;  the  promises  that  our  Lord  writes  upon  His  own, 
 and  performeth  in  them  and  for  them,  are  contained  there.  I 
 persuade  you,  when  I  think  that  she  is  in  the  company  of  such 
 parents,  and  hath  occasion  to  learn  Christ,  I  think  Christ  is  woo- 
 ing her  soul.  And  I  pray  God  she  may  not  refuse  such  a  Hus- 
 band; and  therefore  I  charge  her,  and  beseech  her  by  the  mercies 
 of  God,  by  the  wounds  and  blood  of  Him  who  died  for  her,  by  the 
 Avorth  of  truth,  which  she  heareth  and  can  read,  by  the  coming  of 
 the  Son  of  God  to  judge  the  world,  that  she  would  fulfil  your  joy, 
 and  learn  Christ  and  walk  in  Christ.  She  shall  think  this  the 
 truth  of  God  many  years  after  this ;  and  I  will  promise  to  myself, 
 in  respect  of  the  beginnings  that  I  have  seen,  that  she  shall  give 
 herself  to  Him  that  gave  Himself  for  her.  Let  her  begin  at 
 prayer,  for  if  she  remember  her  Creator  in  the  days  of  her  youth. 
 He  will  claim  kindness-  to  her  in  her  old  age.  It  shall  be  a  part 
 of  my  prayers,  that  this  may  be  effectuate  ^  in  her,  by  Him  who  is 
 ^  So.  2  Qi,.  Kindred.  »  Effected. 
 
526  LETTEK  XXXV.  [PAKT  III. 
 
 able  to  do  exceeding  abundantly ;  to  whose  grace  again  I  recom- 
 mend you,  n,nd  her,  and  all  yours. 
 
 LETTER  XXXV.— To  Marion  M'Naught. 
 
 Well-beloved  Sister, — I  know  you  have  heard  of  the  success 
 of  our  business  in  Edinburgh.  I  do  every  presbytery  day  see  the 
 faces  of  my  brethren  smiling  upon  me,  but  their  tongues  convey 
 reproaches  and  lies  of  me  a  hundred  miles  off,  and  have  made  me 
 odious  to  the  bishop  of  St.  Andrews,  who  said  to  Mr.  W.  D.  that 
 ministers  in  Galloway  were  his  informers,  whereupon  no  letter  of 
 favour  could  be  procured  from  him,  for  effectuating  ^  of  our  busi- 
 ness ;  only  I  am  brought  in  the  mouths  of  men,  who  otherwise 
 knew  me  not,  and  have  power  (if  God  shall  permit)  to  harm  me ; 
 yet  I  entreat  you  in  the  bowels  of  Christ  Jesus,  be  not  cast  down. 
 I  fear  your  sorrow  exceed  because  of  this  ;  and  I  am  not  so  careful 
 for  myself  in  the  matter  as  for  you.  Take  courage,  your  dearest 
 Lord  will  light  your  candle,  which  the  wicked  would  fain  blow 
 out  ;  and  as  sure  as  our  Lord  liveth,  your  soul  shall  find  joy  and 
 comfort  in  this  business ;  howbeit  you  see  all  the  hounds  in  hell 
 let  loose  to  mar  it ;  their  iron  chains  to  our  dear  mighty  Lord  are 
 but  straws,  which  He  can  easily  break :  let  not  this  temptation 
 stick  in  your  throat,  swallow  it,  and  let  it  go  down ;  our  Lord 
 give  you  a  drink  of  the  consolations  of  His  Spirit,  that  it  may 
 digest.  You  never  knew  one  in  God's  book  who  put  to  their 
 hand  to  the  Lord's  work  for  His  kirk,  but  the  world  and  Satan 
 did  bark  against  them,  and  bite  also  where  they  had  power.  You 
 will  not  lay  one  stone  on  Zion's  wall,  but  they  will  labour  to  cast 
 it  down  again.  For  myself,  the  Lord  letteth  me  see  now  greater 
 evidences  of  a  calling  to  Kirkcudbright  than  ever  He  did  before, 
 and  therefore  pray,  and  possess  your  soul  in  patience.  Those  that 
 were  doers  in  the  business  have  good  hopes  that  it  will  yet  go 
 forward  and  prosper.  As  for  the  death  of  the  King  of  Sweden 
 (which  is  thought  to  be  too  true)  we  can  do  nothing  else  but 
 reverence  our  Lord,  who  doth  not  ordinarily  hold  Zion  on  her 
 Rock  by  the  sword  and  arm  of  flesh  and  blood,  but  by  His  own 
 mighty  and  out-stretched  arm  :  her  King,  that  reigneth  in  Zion, 
 yet  liveth,  and  they  are  plucking  Him  round  about  to  pull  Him 
 off  His  throne,  but  His  Father  hath  crowned  Him,  and  who  dare 
 say  it  is  ill  done  1  The  Lord's  bride  will  be  up  and  down,  above 
 the  water  swimming,  and  under  the  water  sinking,  until  her 
 lovely  and  mighty  Redeemer  and  Husband  set  His  head  through 
 these  skies,  and  come  with  His  fair  court  to  redd  ^  all  their  pleas 
 and  give  them  the  hoped-for  inheritance  ;  and  then  we  shall  lay 
 1  Effecting.  =  Settle. 
 
PART  III.]  LETTER  XXXVI.  527 
 
 down  our  swords  and  triumph,  and  fight  no  more.  But  do  not 
 think  for  all  this,  that  our  Lord  and  chief  Shepherd  will  want  one 
 weak  sheep,  or  the  silliest  dying  lamb  that  He  hath  redeemed. 
 He  will  tell  His  flock,  and  gather  them  all  together,  and  make  a 
 faithful  account  of  them  to  the  Father,  who  gave  them  to  Him. 
 Let  us  learn  to  turn  our  eyes  off  men,  that  our  whorish  hearts 
 doat  not  on  them,  and  woo  our  old  Husband,  and  make  Him  our 
 darling,  for  Jer.  xxv.  27;  "Thus  saith  the  Lord  to  the  enemies 
 of  Zion,  drink  ye  and  be  drunk  and  spue  and  fall,  and  rise  no 
 more,  because  of  the  sword  that  I  send  amongst  you,"  verse  28. 
 "  And  it  shall  be  if  they  refuse  to  take  the  cup  in  thy  hand  to 
 drink,  then  shall  thou  say  to  them,  thus  saith  the  Lord  of  Hosts, 
 ye  shall  certainly  drink."  You  see  our  Lord  brewing  a  cup  of 
 poison  for  His  enemies,  which  they  must  drink,  and  because  of 
 this  have  sore  bowels  and  sick  stomachs,  yea  burst ;  but  Jer.  1.  4, 
 When  Zion's  captivity  is  at  an  end,  "  The  children  of  Israel  shall 
 come,  they  and  the  children  of  Judah  together,  going  and  weeping ; 
 they  shall  go  and  seek  the  Lord  their  God."  Verse  5,  "They 
 shall  ask  the  way  to  Zion,  with  their  faces  thitherward,  saying, 
 Come  and  let  us  join  ourselves  to  the  Lord,  in  an  everlasting 
 covenant  that  shall  not  be  forgotten."  This  is  spoken  to  us  and 
 for  us,  who,  with  woe  ^  hearts,  ask.  What  is  the  way  to  Zion  1 
 It  is  our  part,  who  know  how  to  go  to  our  Lord's  door,  and  to 
 knock  by  prayer,  and  how  to  lift  Christ's  slot,'-^  and  shoot  the  bar 
 of  His  chamber  door,  to  complain  and  tell  Him  how  the  Lord 
 handleth  us,  and  how  our  King's  business  goeth,  that  He  may  get 
 up  and  lend  them  a  blow,  who  are  tigging  ^  and  playing  with 
 Christ  and  His  spouse.  You  have  also,  dear  mistress,  house- 
 troubles,  in  sickness  of  your  husband  and  bairns,  and  in  spoiling 
 of  your  house  by  thieves  :  take  these  rods  in  patience  from  your 
 Lord.  He  must  still  move  you  from  vessel  to  vessel,  aud  grind  you 
 as  our  Lord's  wheat,  to  be  bread  in  His  house  ;  but  when  all  these 
 strokes  are  over  your  head,  what  will  ye  say  to  see  your  Well- 
 Beloved  Christ's  white  and  ruddy  face,  even  His  face  who  is 
 worthy  to  bear  the  colours  among  ten  thousand  1  Cant.  v.  Hope 
 and  believe  to  the  end.  Grace  for  evermore  be  multiplied  upon 
 you,  your  husband,  and  children. 
 
 Your  own,  in  His  dearest  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 
 Edinburgh,  December  1634. 
 
 LETTER  XXXVL— To  Marion  M'Naught. 
 
 My  dear  and  well-beloved  in  Christ,— I  am  yet  under  trial, 
 and  have  appeared  before  Christ's  forbidden  lords  for  a  testimony 
 ^  Sorrowful.  -  Bolt.  ^  Sporting. 
 
628  LETTERS  XXXVII.  AND  XXXVIII.  [PART  III. 
 
 cigainst  them.  The  chancellor  and  the  rest  tempted  me  with 
 questions,  nothing  belonging  to  my  summons,  which  I  wholly  de- 
 clined, notwithstanding  of  his  threats.  My  newly  printed  book 
 against  the  Arminians  was  one  challenge  ;  not  lording  the  prelates 
 was  another.  The  most  part  of  the  bishops,  when  I  came  in, 
 looked  more  astonished  than  I,  and  heard  me  with  silence  :  some 
 spoke  for  me,  but  my  Lord  ruled  it  so  as  I  am  filled  with  joy  in 
 my  sufferings,  and  I  find  Christ's  cross  sweet.  What  they  intend 
 against  the  next  day  I  know  not.  Be  not  secure,  but  pray.  Our 
 bishop  of  Galloway  said,  if  the  commission  should  not  give  him 
 his  will  of  me,  with  an  oath  (he  said),  he  would  write  to  the  king. 
 The  chancellor  summoned  me  in  judgment  to  appear  that  day 
 eight  days.  My  Lord  has  brought  me  a  friend  from  the  Highlands 
 of  Argyle,  my  Lord  of  Lorn,  who  hath  done  as  much  as  was 
 within  the  compass  of  his  power.  God  gave  me  favour  in  his 
 eyes.  Mr,  Robert  Glendinning  is  silenced,  till  he  accepts  a 
 colleague.  We  hope  to  deal  yet  for  Him.  Christ  is  worthy  to 
 be  intrusted.  Your  husband  will  get  an  easy  and  good  way  of 
 his  business.  Ye  and  I  both  shall  see  the  salvation  of  God  upon 
 Joseph,  separate  from  his  brethren.     Grace  be  with  you. 
 
 S.  R. 
 
 Edinburgh,  1636. 
 
 LETTER  XXXVn.— For  Marion  M'Naught. 
 
 Honoured  and  dearest  in  the  Lord, — Grace,  mercy,  and 
 peace  be  to  you.  I  am  well,  and  my  soul  prospereth ;  I  find 
 Christ  with  me ;  I  burden  no  man ;  I  want  nothing ;  no  face 
 looketh  on  me,  but  it  laugheth  on  me.  Sweet,  sweet  is  the 
 Lord's  cross.  I  overcome  my  heaviness.  My  Bridegroom's  love- 
 blinks  fatten  my  weary  soul.  I  soon  go  to  my  King's  palace  at 
 Aberdeen :  tongue,  and  pen,  and  wit  cannot  express  my  joy. 
 Remember  my  love  to  Jean  Gordon,  to  my  sister  Jean  Brown,  to 
 Grissel,  to  your  husband.  Thus  in  haste.  Grace  be  with  you. 
 Yours,  in  his  only,  only  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 
 
 Edinburgh,  April  5,  1636. 
 
 P.S. — My  charge  is  to  you  to  believe,  rejoice,  sing,  and  triumph: 
 Christ  has  said  to  me,  Mercy,  mercy,  grace,  and  peace  for  Marion 
 M'Naught. 
 
 LETTER  XXXVHL— For  Marion  M'Naught. 
 
 Worthy  and  dearest  in  the  Lord, — I  rejoice  you  are  a 
 partaker  of  the  sufferings  of  Christ ;    faint  not,  keep   breath. 
 
PART  III.]  LETTER  XXXIX.  529 
 
 Believe,  howbeit  men,  and  husbands,  and  friends  proA'^e  Aveak,  yet 
 your  strength  faileth  not.  It  is  not  pride  for  a  drowning  man  to 
 grip  to  the  rock.  It  is  your  glory  to  lay  hold  on  your  Rock.  0 
 woman  greatly  beloved,  I  testify  and  avouch  it  in  my  Lord,  that 
 the  prayers  you  sent  to  heaven  these  many  years  by-gone  are 
 come  up  before  the  Lord,  and  shall  not  be  forgotten.  What  is  it 
 that  will  come,  I  cannot  tell ;  but  I  know,  as  the  Lord  liveth, 
 these  cries  shall  bring  down  mercy.  I  charge  you,  and  those 
 people  with  you,  to  go  on  without  ftdnting  or  fear,  and  still 
 believe,  and  take  no  nay-say.  If  ye  leave  off,  the  field  is  lost;  if 
 you  can  continue,  our  enemies  shall  be  like  a  tottering  wall  and  a 
 bowing  fence.  I  Avrite  it  (and  keep  this  letter),  utter,  utter  deso- 
 lation shall  be  to  your  adversaries  and  to  the  haters  of  the  virgin 
 daughter  of  Scotland.  The  bride  shall  yet  sing,  as  in  the  days  of 
 her  youth :  salvation  shall  be  her  Avails  and  buhvarks.  The  dry 
 olive  tree  shall  bud  again,  and  dry  dead  bones  shall  live  ;  for  the 
 Lord  shall  prophesy  to  the  dry  bones,  and  the  Spirit  shall  come 
 upon  them,  and  they  shall  live.  I  rejoice  to  hear  of  John  Carson  ; 
 I  shall  not  forget  him.  Remember  me  to  Grissel,  and  Jean  BroAvn. 
 Your  husband  hath  made  me  heavy ;  but  be  courageous  in  the 
 Lord.  I  send  blessings  to  Samuel  and  William ;  shoAV  them  that 
 I  Avill  them  to  seek  God  in  their  youth.     Grace  is  yours. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  SAveet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 
 Aberdeen,  July  8,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  XXXIX.— To  Marion  M'Naught. 
 
 Much  honoured  and  dearest  in  our  saveet  Lord  Jesus, — 
 Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  from  God  our  Father  and  from  our  Lord 
 Jesus.  I  knoAV  the  Lord  will  do  for  your  town.  I  hear  the 
 bishop  is  afraid  to  come  amongst  you,  for  so  it  is  spoken  in  this 
 town  3  and  many  here  rejoice  to  pen  a  supplication  to  the  council, 
 for  bringing  me  home  to  my  place,  and  for  repairing  other  Avrongs 
 done  in  the  country:  and  see  if  you  can  procure  that  three  or 
 four  hundred  in  the  country,  noblemen,  gentlemen,  countrymen, 
 and  citizens,  subscribe  it— the  more  the  better.  It  may  be  it 
 affright  the  bishop,  and  by  laAv  no  advantage  can  be  taken  against 
 you  for  it.  I  have  not  time  to  write  to  Carletoun  and  Knockbrex, 
 but  I  Avould  you  did  speak  them  in  it,  and  let  them  advise  Avith 
 Carletoun.  Mr.  A.  thinketh  Avell  of  it,  and  I  think  others  shall 
 approve  it.  I  am  still  in  good  case  Avith  Christ;  my  court ^  is  no 
 less  than  it  Avas ;  the  door  of  the  Bridegroom's  house  of  Avine  is 
 open,  Avlien  such  a  poor  stranger  as  I  come  athort.^  I  change,  but 
 Christ  abideth  still  the  same.  They  have  put  out  my  one  poor 
 ^  Favour.  -  Athwart,  or  in  the  way. 
 
 2l 
 
530  LETTER  XL.  [PART  IIL 
 
 eye,  my  only  joy,  to  preach  Christ,  and  to  go  errands  betwixt  Him 
 and  His  bride.  What  my  Lord  will  do  with  me,  I  know  not :  it 
 is  like^  that  I  shall  not  winter  in  Aberdeen,  but  where  it  shall  be 
 else,  I  know  not.  There  are  some  blossomings  of  Christ's  king- 
 dom in  this  town,  and  the  smoke  is  rising,  and  the  ministers  are 
 raging  ;  but  I  love  a  rumbling  and  a  roaring  devil  best.  I  beseech 
 you  in  the  Lord,  my  dear  sister,  Avait  for  the  salvation  of  God. 
 Slack  not  your  hands  in  meeting  to  pray ;  fear  not  flesh  and  blood, 
 we  have  been  all  over-feared,^  and  that  gave  loons  ^  the  confidence 
 to  shut  me  out  of  Galloway.  Remember  my  love  to  John  Carson 
 and  Mr.  John  Brown,  I  never  could  get  my  love  off  that  man ;  I 
 think  Christ  hath  something  to  do  with  him.  Desire  your  hus- 
 band from  me  not  to  think  ill  of  Christ  for  His  cross,  many  mis- 
 ken*  Christ  because  He  hath  the  cross  on  His  back  ;  but  He  will 
 cause  us  ail  to  laugh  yet.  I  beseech  you,  as  ye  would  do  any- 
 thing for  me,  to  remember  my  Lady  Marischal  to  God,  and  her 
 son  the  Earl  of  Marischal,  especially  her  Christian  daughter,  my 
 Lady  Pitsligo.  I  shall  go  to  death  with  it,  that  Christ  will  re- 
 turn again  to  Scotland,  with  salvation  in  His  wings,  and  to  Gal- 
 loway.    Grace  be  with  you. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  E. 
 Aberdeen,  Sept.  7,  1637. 
 
 LETTEE  XL.— For  Marion  M'Naught. 
 
 "And  in  that  day  I  will  make  Jerusalem  a  burdensome  stone  for  all  people,  all 
 that  burden  themselves  with  it  shall  be  cut  in  pieces  ;  though  all  the  people 
 of  the  earth  be  gathered  together  against  it." — Zech.  xii.  3. 
 
 Well-beloved  Sister, — I  have  been  sparing  to  write  to  you, 
 because  I  was  heavy  at  the  proceedings  of  our  late  parliament, 
 where  law  should  have  been.  They  would  not  give  our  Lord 
 Jesus  fair  law  and  justice,  nor  the  benefit  of  the  house,  to  hear 
 either  the  just  grievances,  or  the  humble  supplications  of  the  ser- 
 vants of  God  :  nothing  resteth,  but  that  we  lay  our  grievances  be- 
 fore our  crowned  King  Jesus  who  reigns  in  Zion.  And  howbeit 
 it  be  true,  that  the  Acts  of  the  Perth  Assembly  for  conformity  are 
 established,  and  the  king's  jDower  to  impose  surplice  and  other 
 mass-apparel  ujDon  ministers  be  confirmed,  yet  what  men  conclude 
 is  not  scripture.  Kings  have  short  arms  to  overturn  Christ's 
 throne ;  and  our  Lord  hath  been  walking  and  standing  upon  His 
 feet  at  this  parliament,  when  fifteen  earls  and  lords,  and  forty-four 
 commissioners  for  boroughs,  with  some  barons,  have  voted  for  our 
 kirk,  in  face  of  a  king,  who,  with  much  awe  and  terror  (with  his 
 own  hand),  Avrote  up  the  voters  for  or  against  himself.     Long  be- 
 
 ^  Probable.  ^  Too  timid.  •*  Fellows.  ■*  Do  not  know. 
 
PAKT  III.]  LETTER  XL.  531 
 
 fore  this  kirk,  in  the  second  psahn,  the  ends  of  the  earth,  Scotland 
 and  England,  were  gifted  of  the  Father  to  His  Son  Christ ;  and 
 that  is  an  old  act  of  parliament,  decreed  by  our  Lord,  and  printed 
 four  thousand  years  ago  :  their  acts  are  but  yet  printing.  The 
 first  act  shall  stand,  let  all  the  potentates  of  the  world,  who  love 
 Christ's  room  better  than  Himself,  rage  as  they  please.  Though 
 the  mountains  be  carried  into  the  midst  of  the  sea,  yet  there  is  a 
 river  that  cometh  out  of  the  sanctuary,  and  the  streams  of  it  re- 
 fresh the  city  of  God.  That  Weil  is  not  yet  cried  down  in  Scot- 
 land, nor  can  it  dry  up  ;  therefore  still  believe  and  trust  in  God's 
 salvation.  If  you  knew  the  whole  proceedings,  it  is  the  Lord's 
 mercy  that  matters  have  gone  at  our  parliament  as  they  have  gone. 
 The  Lord  Jesus,  in  our  king's  ears,  to  His  great  provocation  and 
 grief,  hath  gotten  many  witnesses ;  and  we  saw  in  all,  the  Son  of 
 God  overturning  their  policy,  and  making  the  world  know  how 
 well  He  loveth  His  poor  sun-burnt  bride  in  Scotland.  "The  Lord 
 liveth,  and  blessed  be  the  God  of  our  salvation."  For  the  matter 
 betwixt  your  husband  and  Carletoun,  I  trust  in  God  it  shall  be 
 removed ;  it  hath  grieved  me  exceedingly.  I  have  dealt  with 
 Carletoun,  and  shall  deal ;  put  it  off  yourself  upon  the  Lord  that 
 it  burden  you  not.  I  have  heard  of  your  daughter's  marriage  ;  I 
 pray  the  Lord  Jesus  to  subscribe  the  contract,  and  be  at  the  ban- 
 quet, as  He  was  at  the  marriage  in  Cana  of  Galilee.  Show  her 
 from  me,  that  though  it  be  true  that  God's  children  have  prayed 
 for  her,  yet  the  promise  of  God  is  made  to  her  prayers  and  faith 
 especially ;  and  therefore  I  would  entreat  her  to  seek  the  Lord  to 
 be  at  the  wedding.  Let  her  give  Christ  the  love  of  her  virginity 
 and  espousals,  and  choose  Him  first  as  her  Husband,  and  that 
 match  shall  bless  the  other.  It  is  a  new  world  she  entereth  into, 
 and  therefore  she  hath  need  of  new  acquaintance  with  the  Son  of 
 God,  and  of  a  renewing  of  her  love  to  Him,  whose  love  is  better 
 than  wine.  1  Cor.  vii.  29,  "The  time  is  short, let  the  married  be 
 as  though  they  were  not  married  : "  verse  30,  "  They  that  weep  as 
 though  they  wept  not ;  they  that  rejoice  as  though  they  rejoiced 
 not;  they  that  buy  as  though  they  possessed  not:"  verse  31, 
 "  They  that  use  this  world  as  though  they  used  it  not,  for  the 
 fashion  of  this  world  passeth  away."  Grace,  grace  be  her  portion 
 from  the  Lord.  I  know  that  you  have  a  care  on  you  of  it,  that 
 all  be  right ;  but  let  Christ  bear  all.  You  need  not  pity  Him  {if 
 I  may  say  so) ;  put  Him  to  it,  He  has  strength  enough.  The  Spirit 
 of  the  Lord  Jesus  be  with  you. 
 
 Your  friend,  in  his  dearest  friend  Christ  Jesus,     S.  K. 
 
 Aberdeen. 
 
532  LETTERS  XLI.  AND  XLIl.  [PART  III. 
 
 LETTER  XLI.— For  Marion  M'Naught. 
 
 My  dearly  and  well-beloved  Sister,— Grace,  mercy,  and 
 peace  be  to  you.  I  am  well,  honour  to  God.  I  have  been  before 
 a  court  set  up  within  me  of  terrors  and  challenges  ;  but  my  sweet 
 Lord  Jesus  hath  taken  the  mask  off  His  face,  and  said,  kiss  thy 
 fill ;  and  I  will  not  sm  other  nor  conceal  the  kindness  of  my  King 
 Jesus.  He  hath  broken  in  upon  the  poor  prisoner's  soul,  like  the 
 swelling  of  Jordan.  I  am  bank  and  brim  full,  a  great  high  spring- 
 tide of  the  consolations  of  Christ  hath  overflowed  me.  I  would 
 not  give  my  weeping  for  the  fourteen  prelates'  laughter ;  they  have 
 sent  me  here  to  feast  with  my  King;  His  spikenard  casteth  a  sweet 
 smell.  The  Bridegroom's  love  hath  run  away  with  my  heart.  0 
 love,  love,  love  !  0  sweet  are  my  royal  King's  chains  !  I  care  not 
 for  fire  nor  torture.  How  sweet  were  it  to  me  to  swim  the  salt 
 sea  for  ray  new  Lover,  my  second  Husband,  my  first  Lord.  I 
 charge  you  in  the  name  of  God,  not  to  fear  the  wild  beasts  that 
 entered  into  the  vineyard  of  the  Lord  of  hosts.  The  false  prophet 
 is  the  tail;  God  shall  cut  the  tail  from  Scotland.  Take  your  com- 
 fort and  droop  not,  despond  not ;  pray  for  my  poor  flock.  I  would 
 take  a  penance  on  my  soul  for  their  salvation.  I  fear  the  entering 
 of  a  hireling  upon  my  labours  there  will  cut  off"  my  life  with  sor- 
 row. There  I  wrestled  with  the  angel  and  prevailed  ;  wood,  trees, 
 meadows,  and  hills  are  my  witnesses,  that  I  drew  on  a  fair  meet- 
 ing betwixt  Christ  and  Anwoth.  My  love  to  your  husband,  to 
 dear  Carletoun,  to  my  beloved  brother  Knockbrex.  Forget  not 
 Christ's  prisoner.     I  long  for  a  letter  under  your  own  hand. 
 
 Your  friend,  and  Christ's  prisoner,     S.  R. 
 
 Aberdeen,  Nov.  22,  1637, 
 
 LETTER  XLH.— For  Marion  M'Naught. 
 
 My  dearly  beloved  Sister, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to 
 you.  I  complain  that  Galloway  is  not  kind  to  me  in  paper  ;  I 
 have  received  no  letters  these  sixteen  weeks  but  two.  I  am  well, 
 my  prison  is  a  palace  to  me,  and  Christ's  banqueting-house.  My 
 Lord  Jesus  is  as  kind  as  they  call  Him.  0  that  all  Scotland  knew 
 my  case,  and  had  pai-t  of  my  feast !  I  charge  you  in  the  name  of 
 God,  I  charge  you  to  believe  ;  fear  not  the  sons  of  men,  the  worms 
 shall  eat  them.  To  pray  and  believe  now  when  Christ  seems  to 
 give  you  a  nay-say  is  more  than  it  was  before ;  die  believing,  die 
 and  Christ's  promise  in  your  hand.  I  desire,  I  request,  I  charge 
 your  husband,  and  that  town,  to  stand  for  the  truth  of  the  Gospel. 
 Contend  with  Christ's  enemies ;  and  I  pray  you  show  all  profes- 
 sors whom  you  know  my  case.     Help  me  to  praise.     The  minis- 
 
PAllT  III.]  LETTERS  XLIII,  AND  XLIV.  533 
 
 ters  here  envy  me,  they  will  have  my  prison  changed.  My  mother 
 hath  born  me  a  man  of  contention,  and  one  that  striveth  with  the 
 Avhole  earth.  Eemember  my  love  to  your  husband.  Grace  be 
 with  you.     Yours,  in  the  Lord,  S.  R. 
 
 Aberdeen,  Jan.  3,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  XLIIL— For  Marion  M'Naught. 
 
 Loving  and  dear  Sister, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you. 
 Your  letter  hath  refreshed  my  soul ;  you  shall  not  have  my  advice 
 to  make  haste  to  go  out  of  that  town,  for  if  you  remove  out  of 
 Kirkcudbright  they  will  easily  imdo  all ;  you  are  God's  work,  and 
 in  His  way  there ;  be  strong  in  the  Lord ;  the  devil  is  weaker 
 than  you  are,  because  "  stronger  is  He  that  is  in  you,  than  he  that 
 is  in  the  world."  Your  care  of,  and  love  showed  towards  me, 
 now  a  prisoner  of  Christ,  is  laid  up  for  you  in  heaven,  and  you 
 shall  know  that  it  is  come  up  in  remembrance  before  God.  Pray, 
 pray  for  my  desolate  flock,  and  give  them  your  counsel,  when  you 
 meet  with  any  of  them.  It  shall  be  my  grief  to  hear  that  a  wolf 
 enter  in  upon  my  labours  ;  but  if  the  Lord  permit  it,  I  must  be 
 silent.  My  sky  shall  clear ;  for  Christ  layeth  my  head  in  His 
 bosom,  and  admitteth  me  to  lean  there.  I  never  knew  before 
 what  His  love  was,  in  such  a  measure  ;  if  He  leave  me.  He  leaveth 
 tne  in  pain,  and  sick  of  love ;  and  yet  my  sickness  is  my  life  and 
 health.  I  have  a  fire  within  me ;  I  defy  all  the  devils  in  hell,  and 
 all  the  prelates  in  Scotland,  to  cast  water  on  it.  I  rejoice  at  your 
 courage  and  faith.  Pray  still,  as  if  I  were  on  my  journey  to  come 
 and  be  your  pastor.  What  iron  gates  or  bars  are  able  to  stand  it 
 out  against  Christ  1  for  when  He  bloweth,  they  open  to  Him.  I 
 remember  your  husband.     Grace,  grace  be  with  you. 
 
 Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 
 
 Aberdeen,  March  11,  1637. 
 
 LETTER  XLIV.— For  GrisselFullerton. 
 
 Mistress, — Remembering  well  what  relation  I  had  to  your  dear 
 mother  (now  blessed  and  perfected  with  glory),  and  being  confi- 
 dent that  yourself  looketh  that  way,  which,  (except  I  be  eternally 
 lost)  is  the  way  of  peace  and  of  life,  I  should  be  ungrateful  to  for- 
 get those,  whom,  by  the  covenant  of  the  Lord,  I  cannot  but 
 remember  to  God.  I  shall  speak  nothing  to  you  of  the  present 
 sad  differences ;  but  if  I  have,  or  ever  had  any  nearness  to  God, 
 that  other  way,  which  I  trust  I  shall  never  follow,  is  the  way  of 
 man ;  and  for  the  present  powers,  I  suffer  from  them,  and  look 
 for  more.      God  hath  a  controversy  with  them ;    and  my  soul 
 
534  LETTERS  XLV.  AND  XLVI.  [PAET  III. 
 
 enter  not  into  their  secrets.  Only  I  would  beseech,  request,  and 
 obtest  you  in  the  Lord,  and  by  your  appearance  before  Christ,  to 
 follow  the  way  of  the  Lord,  and  the  steps  trod  by  the  gracious  in 
 that  place,  which  the  Lord  followed  with  life  and  power.  My 
 heart  is  filled  with  sorrow,  considering  what  communion  with  God 
 some  of  that  country  had,  and  how  much  they  were  in  edifying 
 and  helping  one  another  in  His  way,  and  how  little  of  that  there 
 is  now  in  that  country.  Your  mother  kept  in  life  in  that  place, 
 and  quickened  many  about  her  to  the  seeking  of  God.  My  desire 
 to  you  is,  that  you  should  succeed  her  in  that  way,  and  be  letting 
 a  word  fall  to  your  brethren  and  others,  that  may  encourage  them 
 to  look  toward  the  way  of  God ;  you  will  have  need  of  it  ere  it  be 
 long.  See  how  you  may  have  a  gracious  minister,  and  no  neutral 
 there,  to  succeed  and  follow  the  servant  of  God,  now  asleep  in  the 
 Lord.  There  is  a  great  and  wide  difference  between  a  name  of  godli- 
 ness and  the  power  of  godliness.  That  is  hottest,  when  there  are 
 fewest  Avitnesses.  The  deadness  upon  many,  and  the  defection  of 
 the  land,  is  great.  Blessed  are  they  who  seek  the  Lord  and  His 
 face.  I  shall  entreat  you  to  remember  me  to  your  husband  and 
 all  friends.     I  desire  to  forget  none  who  are  in  Christ, 
 
 Your  brother,  in  the  Lord,         S.  R. 
 Edinburgh,  March  14,  1653. 
 
 LETTER  XLV.— To  a  Gentlewoman. 
 
 Mistress, — I  beseech  you  have  me  excused,  if  the  daily  employ- 
 ments of  my  calling  shall  hinder  me  to  see  you,  according  as  I 
 would  wish,  for  I  dare  not  go  abroad,  since  many  of  my  people 
 are  sick,  and  the  time  of  our  communion  draweth  near.  But 
 frequent  the  company  of  your  worthy  and  honest-hearted  pastor, 
 Mr.  Robert,  to  whom  the  Lord  hath  given  the  tongue  of  the 
 learned,  to  minister  a  word  in  due  season  to  the  weary.  Remem- 
 ber me  to  him,  and  to  your  husband.  The  Lord  Jesus  be  with 
 your  spirit.  Your  affectionate  friend,         S.  R. 
 
 LETTER  XLVL— For  William  Fullerton,  Provost  of  Kirkcud- 
 bright. 
 
 Much  honoured  and  very  dear  Friend, — Grace,  mercy,  and 
 peace  be  to  you.  I  am  in  good  case,  blessed  be  the  Lord,  remain- 
 ing here  in  this  unco  ^  town  a  prisoner  for  Christ  and  His  truth  ; 
 and  I  am  not  ashamed  of  His  cross,  my  soul  is  comforted  with 
 the  consolations  of  His  sweet  presence,  for  whom  I  suffer.  I 
 earnestly  entreat  you,  to  give  your  honour  and  authority  to  Christ 
 
 ^  Strange. 
 
PART  III.)  LETTER  XLVII.  5oO 
 
 and  for  Christ ;  and  be  not  dismayed  for  flesh  and  blood,  while 
 you  are  for  the  Lord,  and  for  His  truth  and  cause.  And  howbeit 
 we  see  truth  put  to  the  worse  for  the  time ;  yet  Christ  Avill  be  a 
 friend  to  truth,  and  will  do  for  those,  who  dare  hazard  all  that 
 they  have  for  Him  and  for  His  glory.  Sir,  our  fair  day  is  coming, 
 and  the  court  will  change,  and  wicked  men  will  weep  after  noon, 
 and  sorer  than  the  sons  of  God,  who  weep  in  the  morning.  Les 
 us  believe  and  hope  for  God's  salvation.  Sir,  I  hope  I  need  not 
 write  to  you  for  your  kindness  and  love  to  my  brother,  who  it 
 now  to  be  distressed  for  the  truth  of  God  as  well  as  I  am.  I 
 think  myself  obliged  to  pray  for  you,  and  your  worthy  and  kind 
 bed-fellow  and  children,  for  your  love  to  him  and  me  also.  I  hope 
 your  pains  for  us  in  Clirist  shall  not  be  lost.  Thus  recommending 
 you  to  the  tender  mercy  and  loving  kindness  of  God,  I  rest. 
 
 Your  very  loving  and  affectionate  brother,         S.  R. 
 Aberdeen,  Sept.  21,  1636. 
 
 LETTER  XLVH.— For  the  Right  Honourable  Viscountess 
 Kenmure. 
 
 Madam, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  your  ladyship.  I  long 
 to  hear  from  you  and  that  dear  child,  and  for  that  cause  I  trouble 
 you  with  letters.  I  am  for  the  present  thinking  the  sparrows  and 
 the  swallows  that  build  their  nests  in  Anwoth  blessed  birds.  The 
 Lord  hath  made  all  my  congregation  desolate.  Alas,  I  am  oft  at 
 this,  "  Show  me  wherefore  thou  contendest  with  me."  0  earth, 
 earth,  cover  not  the  violence  done  to  me.  I  know  it  is  my  faith- 
 less jealousy  in  this  my  dark  night,  to  take  a  friend  for  a  foe ; 
 yet  hath  not  my  Lord  made  a  plea  with  me.  I  chido  with  Him, 
 but  He  giveth  me  fair  words  :  seeing  my  sins,  and  the  sins  of  my 
 youth  deserved  strokes,  how  am  I  obliged  to  my  Lord,  who 
 amongst  many  crosses  hath  given  me  a  waled  ^  and  a  chosen  cross, 
 to  suffer  for  the  name  of  my  Lord  Jesus !  Since  I  must  have 
 chains.  He  would  put  golden  chains  on  me,  watered  over  with 
 many  consolations.  Seeing  I  must  have  sorrow  (for  I  have  sinned, 
 0  preserver  of  mankind).  He  hath  waled  ^  out  for  me  joyful  sorrow, 
 honest,  spiritual,  and  glorious  sorrow.  My  crosses  come  through 
 mercy  and  love's  fingers,  from  the  kind  heart  of  a  brother,  Christ 
 my  Lord ;  and  therefore  they  must  be  sweet  and  sugared.  0 
 what  am  I !  such  a  lump,  such  a  rotten  mass  of  sin,  to  be  counted 
 a  bairn  worthy  to  be  nurtured  ^  and  stricken  with  the  best  and 
 most  honourable  rod  in  my  Father's  house,  the  golden  rod  where- 
 with my  eldest  brother,  though  Lord,  heir  of  the  inheritance,  and 
 his  faithful  witnesses,  were  stricken  withal.     It  would  be  thoueht 
 
 ^  Selected.  -Chastened. 
 
536  LETTEK  XLVIL  [I'ART  III. 
 
 that  I  should  be  thankful  and  rejoice ;  but  my  beholders  and 
 lovers  in  Christ  have  eyes  of  flesh,  and  have  made  my  one  to  be 
 ten  ;  and  I  am  somebody  in  their  books  :  my  witness  is  above, 
 there  are  armies  of  thoughts  within  me  saying  the  contrary,  and 
 laughing  at  their  wide  mistake.  If  my  inner-side  were  seen,  my 
 dnng  would  stink,  I  would  lose  and  forfeit  love  and  respect  at  the 
 nands  of  any  that  love  God ;  pity  would  come  in  the  place  of 
 these.  0,  if  they  would  yet  set  me  lower,  and  my  "'Veil-Beloved 
 Ohrist  higher !  I  would  I  had  grace  and  strength  of  my  Lord,  to 
 be  joyful  and  contentedly  glad  and  cheerful,  that  God's  glory 
 might  ride  and  openly  triumph  before  the  view  of  men,  angels, 
 devils,  earth,  heaven,  hell,  sun,  moon,  and  all  God's  creatures,  up- 
 on my  pain  and  sufferings  ;  providing  always  I  felt  not  the  Lord's 
 hatred  and  displeasure.  But  I  fear  His  fair  glory  be  but  fouled  in 
 coming  through  such  a  foul  creature  as  I  am.  If  I  could  be  the 
 sinless  matter  of  glorifying  Christ,  howbeit  to  my  loss,  pain,  suf- 
 ferings, and  extremity  of  wretchedness,  how  would  my  soul 
 rejoice  !  but  I  am  far  from  this.  He  knoweth,  His  love  hath  made 
 me  a  prisoner,  and  bound  me  hand  and  foot :  but  it  is  my  pain 
 that  I  cannot  win  loose,  nor  get  loose  hands,  and  a  loose  heart,  to 
 do  service  to  my  Lord  Jesus,  and  to  speak  His  love.  I  confess 
 that  I  have  neither  tongue  nor  pen  to  do  it.  Christ's  love  is  more 
 than  my  praises,  and  above  the  thoughts  of  the  angel  Gabriel,  and 
 all  the  mighty  hosts  that  stand  before,  the  throne  of  God.  I  think 
 shame,  I  am  sad  and  cast  down  to  think  that  my  foul  tongue  and 
 my  polluted  heart  should  come  in  to  help  others  to  sing  aloud  the 
 praises  of  the  love  of  Christ ;  all  I  dow  ^  is  to  wish  the  choir  to 
 grow  throng,  and  to  grow  in  the  extolling  of  Christ.  Woe,  woe 
 is  me,  for  my  guiltiness  seen  to  few ;  my  hidden  wounds,  still 
 bleeding  within  me,  are  before  the  eyes  of  no  men ;  but  if  my 
 sweetest  Lord  Jesus  were  not  still  bathing,  washing,  balming, 
 healing,  and  binding  them  up,  they  should  rot,  and  break  out  to 
 my  shame.  I  know  not  what  will  be  the  end  of  my  suffering  :  I 
 have  seen  but  the  one  side  of  my  cross  ;  what  will  be  the  other 
 side  He  knoweth  who  hath  His  fire  in  Zion.  Let  Him  lead  me, 
 if  it  were  through  hell.  I  thank  my  Lord,  that  my  on-waiting 
 and  holding  my  peace  as  I  do,  to  see  what  more  Christ  will  do  for 
 me,  is  my  joy.  0  if  my  ease,  joy,  pleasure  for  evermore,  were 
 laid  in  wadset  ^  and  in  pledge  to  buy  praises  to  Christ !  But  I  am 
 far  from  this.  It  is  easy  for  a  poor  soul,  in  the  deep  debt  of 
 Christ's  love,  to  spit  farther  than  he  dow^  leap  or  jump,  and  to 
 feed  upon  broad  wishes  that  Christ  may  be  honoured  ;  but  in  per- 
 formance I  am  stark  naught.  I  have  nothing,  nothing  to  give 
 Christ  but  i:)Overty,  except  He  would  comprise  ^  and  arrest  my  soul, 
 
 '  Can.  ^  Mortgage.  ^  Apprehend. 
 
PAKT  III  ]  LETTER  XLVIII.  537 
 
 and  my  love  (oh,  oh  if  He  would  do  that !)  I  have  nothing  for 
 Him.  He  may  indeed  seize  upon  a  dyvour's  ^  person,  soul  and 
 body ;  but  he  hath  no  goods  for  Christ  to  meddle  with  :  but  how 
 glad  would  my  soul  be  if  he  would  forfeit  ^  my  love,  and  never 
 give  it  me  again.  Madam,  I  would  be  glad  to  hear  that  Christ's 
 claim  to  you  were  still  the  more,  and  that  you  were  still  going 
 forward,  and  that  you  were  nearer  Him.  I  dow^  not  honour 
 Christ  myself,  but  I  wish  all  others  to  make  sail  to  Christ's  house; 
 I  would  I  could  invite  you  to  go  into  your  Well-Beloved's  house 
 of  wine,  and  that,  upon  my  word,  you  would  then  see  a  new 
 mystery  of  love  in  Christ  that  you  never  saw  before.  I  am  some- 
 what encouraged  in  that  your  ladyship  is  not  dry  and  cold  to 
 Christ's  prisoner,  as  some  are.  I  hope  it  is  put  up  in  my  Master's 
 count-book.  I  am  not  much  grieved,  that  my  jealous  Husband 
 break  in  pieces  my  idols,  tliat  either  they  dare  not,  or  will  not  do 
 for  me.  My  Master  needeth  not  their  help,  but  they  need  to  be 
 that  *  serviceable  as  to  help  Him.  Madam,  I  have  been  that  ^ 
 bold  as  to  put  you,  and  that  sweet  child,  into  the  prayers  of  Mr. 
 Andrew  Cant,  Mr.  James  Martin,  the  Lady  Leyes,  and  some 
 others  in  this  country  that  truly  love  Christ ;  be  pleased  to  let  me 
 hear  how  the  child  is.  The  blessings  that  came  upon  the  head  of 
 Joseph,  and  the  top  of  the  head  of  Him  who  was  separated  from 
 His  brethren,  and  the  good  will  of  Him  who  dwelt  in  the  bush, 
 be  seen  upon  him  and  you.  -  Madam,  I  can  say,  by  some  little 
 experience,  more  now  than  before  of  Christ  to  you.  I  am  still 
 ujDon  this,  that  if  you  seek,  there  is  a  pose,^  a  hidden  treasure,  and 
 a  gold  mine  in  Christ  you  never  yet  saw ;  then  come  and  see. 
 Thus  recommending  you  to  God's  dearest  mercy,  I  rest,  your  own, 
 in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  at  all  obedience,  S.  R. 
 
 Aberdeen,  June  17,  1637. 
 
 P.S. — My  Lady  Marischal  is  very  kind  to  me,  and  her  son  also. 
 
 LETTER  XLVin.— The  Right  Honourable  Viscountess 
 Kenmure. 
 
 My  very  noble  and  dear  Lady, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace 
 be  to  you.  The  Lord  hath  brought  me  safely  to  Aberdeen.  I 
 have  gotten  lodging  in  the  hearts  of  all  I  meet  with  ;  no  face  that 
 hath  not  smiled  upon  me ;  only  the  in-dwellers  of  this  town  are 
 dry,  cold,  and  in  general  they  consist  of  Papists,  and  men  of 
 Gallio's  metal,  firm  in  no  religion ;  and  it  is  counted  no  wisdom 
 here  to  countenance  a  confined  and  silenced  minister.  But  the 
 shame  of  Christ's  cross  shall  not  be  my  shame.     Queensberry's 
 
 ^  Debtor's.      -  Foreclose  the  mortgage  of.     ^  Can.     *  So.     ^  Concealed  wealth. 
 
538  LETTER  XLVIII.  [PART  III. 
 
 attempt  seemeth  to  sleep,  because  the  bishop  of  Galloway  was 
 pleased  to  say  to  the  treasurer,  that  I  had  committed  treason, 
 which  word  blunted  the  treasurer's  borrowed  zeal.  So  I  thank 
 God,  who  will  not  have  me  to  anchor  my  soul  upon  false  ground, 
 or  upon  flesh  and  blood ;  it  is  better  it  be  fastened  within  the 
 veil.  I  find  my  old  challenges  reviving  again,  and  my  love  often 
 jealous  of  Christ's  love,  when  I  look  upon  my  own  guiltiness. 
 And  I  verily  think  that  the  world  hath  too  soft  an  opinion  of  the 
 gate  to  heaven,  and  that  many  shall  get  a  blind  and  sad  beguile 
 for  heaven ;  for  there  is  more  ado  than  a  cold  and  frozen  Lord, 
 Lord.  It  must  be  a  way  narrower  and  straiter  than  we  conceive, 
 for  the  righteous  shall  scarcely  be  saved.  It  were  good  to  take  a 
 more  judicious  view  of  Christianity ;  for  I  have  been  doubting  if 
 ever  I  knew  any  more  of  Christianity  than  the  letters  of  the  name. 
 I'll  not  lie  on  my  Lord,  I  find  often  much  joy,  and  unspeakable 
 comfort,  in  His  sweet  presence,  who  sent  me  hither ;  and  I  trust 
 this  house  of  my  pilgrimage  shall  be  my  palace,  my  garden  of 
 delights,  and  that  Christ  will  be  kind  to  poor  sold  Joseph,  who  is 
 separated  from  his  brethren.  I  would  be  sometimes  too  hot  and 
 too  joyful,  if  the  heart-breaks  at  the  remembrance  of  sin,  and  fair, 
 fair  feast-days  with  King  Jesus,  did  not  cool  me  and  sour  my  sweet 
 joys.  O !  how  sweet  is  the  love  of  Christ,  and  how  wise  is  that 
 love  !  But  let  faith  frist^  and  trust  a  while,  it  is  no  reason  sons 
 should  off'end,  that  the  father  giveth  them  not  twice  a  year  hire, 
 as  he  doth  to  hired  servants.  Better  that  God's  heirs  live  upon 
 hope  than  upon  hire.  Madam,  your  ladyship  knoweth  what 
 Christ  hath  done,  to  have  all  your  love  ;  and  that  He  alloweth 
 not  His  love  upon  your  dear  child ;  keep  good  quarters  with 
 Christ  in  your  love.  I  verily  think  that  Christ  hath  said,  "  I 
 must  needs-force^  have  Jean  Campbell  for  myself;"  and  He  hath 
 laid  many  oars  in  the  water,  to  fish  and  hunt  home-over  your 
 heart  to  heaven.  Let  Him  have  His  prey ;  it  is  good  to  have 
 recourse  often,  and  to  have  the  door  open  to  our  stronghold,  for 
 the  sword  of  the  Lord,  the  sword  of  the  Lord,  is  for  Scotland : 
 and  yet  two  or  three  berries  shall  be  left  in  the  top  of  the  olive- 
 tree.  If  a  word  can  do  my  brother  good  in  his  distress,  I  know 
 your  ladyship  will  be  willing  and  ready  to  speak  it,  and  more 
 also.  Now  the  only  wise  God,  and  your  only,  only  One,  He  who 
 dwelt  in  the  bush,  be  with  you.  I  write  many  kisses  and  many 
 blessings  in  Christ  to  your  dear  child,  the  blessings  of  his  father's 
 God,  the  blessings  due  to  the  fatherless  and  the  widow  be  yours 
 and  his. 
 
 Your  ladyship's,  in  his  only,  only  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 
 
 Aberdeen. 
 
 1  Wait.  ^  Of  necessity. 
 
PART  III.]  LETTEK  XLIX.  539 
 
 P.S, — Madam, — Be  pleased  at  a  fit  time  to  try  my  Lord  of 
 Lorn's  mind,  if  his  lordship  would  be  pleased,  that  I  dedicate 
 another  work  against  the  Arminians  to  his  honourable  name.  For 
 howbeit  I  would  compare  no  patron  to  his  lordship  :  and  though 
 I  have  sufficient  experience  of  his  love,  yet  it  is  possible,  that 
 his  lordship  think  it  not  expedient  at  this  time.  But  I  expect 
 your  ladyship's  answer.  And  I  hope  your  ladyship  will  be 
 plain. 
 
 LETTER  XLIX.— For  the  Eight  Honourable,  my  Lady  Boyd. 
 
 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 
 Ave  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  hath  : 
 wo  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,  pro- 
 mise, 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.  13,  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  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,  0  Lord,  my  strength  and  Eedeemer ;"  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  a  worship  for  some  errors  of 
 a  church,  the  independency  of  single  congregations,  a  church  of 
 visible  saints,  and  other  tenets  of  Brownists,  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  ; 
 the  Lord  lay  it  not  to  their  charge,  who  depart  from  the  covenant 
 of  God  with  this  land,  to  follow  such  lying  vanities. 
 
 I  did  see  lately  your  daughter  the  Lady  Ardross,  the  Lord  hath 
 ^  With  respect  to. 
 
540  LETTERS  L.  AND  LI.  [PART  IIL 
 
 given  her  a  child  and  deliverance.     Now  recommending   your 
 ladyship  to  the  rich  grace  of  Christ,  I  rest, 
 
 Yours,  at  all  respective^  observance  in  Christ,         S.  R. 
 St  Andrews. 
 
 LETTER  L. — To  John  Henderson,  in  Rusco. 
 
 Loving  Friend, — I  earnestly  desire  your  salvation.  Know  the 
 Lord,  and  seek  Christ ;  you  have  a  soul  that  cannot  die.  See  for 
 a  lodging  for  your  poor  soul :  for  that  house  of  clay  will  fall ; 
 heaven  or  nothing,  either  Christ  or  nothing.  Use  prayer  in  your 
 house,  and  set  your  thoughts  often  upon  death  and  judgment :  it 
 is  dangerous  to  be  loose  in  the  matter  of  your  salvation ;  few  are 
 saved.  Men  go  to  heaven  in  ones  and  twos,  and  the  whole  world 
 lieth  in  sin.  Love  your  enemies,  and  stand  by  the  truth  which  I 
 have  taught  you  in  all  things.  Fear  not  men,  but  let  God  be 
 your  fear.  Your  time  will  not  be  long;  make  the  seeking  of 
 Christ  your  daily  task ;  ye  may,  when  ye  are  in  the  fields,  speak 
 to  God.  Seek  a  broken  heart  for  sin ;  for  without  that  there  is 
 no  meeting  with  Christ.  I  speak  this  to  your  wife,  as  well  as  to 
 yourself.  I  desire  your  sister  in  her  fears  and  doubtings  to  fasten 
 her  grips  on  Christ's  love  ;  I  forbid  her  to  doubt,  for  Christ  loveth 
 her,  and  hath  her  name  written  in  His  book,  her  salvation  is  fast 
 coming;  Christ  her  Lord  is  not  slow  in  coming,  nor  slack  in  His 
 promise.     Grace  be  with  you. 
 
 Your  loving  pastor,         S.  R. 
 
 Aberdeen. 
 
 LETTER  LI.— To  James  Murray's  Wife. 
 
 My  very  dear  and  worthy  Sister, — You  are  truly  blessed 
 in  the  Lord,  however  a  sour  world  gloom  and  frown  on  you,  if  ye 
 continue  in  the  faith,  settled  and  grounded,  and  be  not  moved 
 away  from  the  hope  of  the  gospel.  It  is  good  there  is  a  heaven, 
 and  it  is  not  a  night-dream  and  a  fancy.  It  is  a  wonder  that  men 
 deny  not  that  there  is  a  heaven,  as  they  deny  there  is  any  way  to 
 it  but  of  men's  making.  You  have  learned  of  Christ  that  there  is 
 a  heaven  ;  contend  for  it,  and  for  Christ :  bear  well  and  submis- 
 sively the  hard  thrust  of  this  stepmother  world,  which  God  will 
 not  have  to  be  yours.  I  confess  it  is  hard,  and  would  God  I 
 were  able  to  lighten  you  of  your  burden ;  but  believe  me,  this 
 world,  which  the  Lord  will  not  have  to  be  yours,  is  but  the  dross, 
 refuse,  and  scum  of  God's  creation,  the  portion  of  the  Lord's  poor 
 hired  servants;  the  moveables,  not  the  heritage;  a  hard  bone 
 
 ^  Respectful. 
 
PART  III.]  LETTER  LII.  541 
 
 cast  to  the  dogs,  holden  out  of  the  New  Jerusalem,  whereupon 
 they  rather  break  their  teeth  than  satisfy  their  appetite.  It  is 
 your  Father's  blessing  and  Christ's  birthright  that  our  Lord  is 
 keeping  for  you ;  and  persuade  yourself  also  that  (if  it  be  good 
 for  them  and  you)  your  seed  also  shall  inherit  the  earth  ;  for  that 
 is  promised  to  them,  and  God's  bond  is  as  good  as  if  He  would 
 give  every  one  of  them  a  bond  for  thousand  thousands.  Ere  you 
 were  born,  crosses  in  number,  measure,  and  weight,  were  written 
 for  you ;  and  your  Lord  will  lead  you  through  them  :  make  Christ 
 sure,  and  the  world  and  the  blessings  of  the  earth  shall  be  at 
 Christ's  back  and  beck.  I  see  many  professors  for  the  fashion, 
 professors  of  glass ;  I  would  make  a  little  knock  of  persecution 
 ding^  them  in  twenty  pieces,  and  the  world  would  laugh  at  the 
 sherds.  Therefore  make  fast  work ;  see  that  Christ  be  the  ground- 
 stone  ^  of  your  professioa;  the  sore  wind  and  rain  will  not  wash 
 away  His  building,  His  Avork  hath  no  less  date  than  to  stand  for 
 evermore.  I  should  twenty  times  have  perished  in  my  affliction, 
 if  I  had  not  laid  my  weak  back  and  pressing  burden  both  upon 
 the  stone,  the  corner-stone  laid  in  Zion ;  I  am  not  twice  fain  (as 
 the  proverb  is),  but  once  and  for  ever,  of  this  stone.  Now  the 
 God  of  peace  establish  you  to  the  day  of  the  appearance  of  Jesus 
 Christ.  Yours,         S.  E. 
 
 St,  Andrews. 
 
 LETTER  LH.— For  the  Right  Honourable  Viscountess 
 Kenmure. 
 
 Madam, — Grace,  mercy,  and  j^eace  to  you.  I  am  glad  to  hear 
 that  your  ladyship  is  in  any  tolerable  health,  and  shall  pray  that 
 the  Lord  may  be  your  strength  and  rock.  Sure  I  am,  that  He 
 took  you  out  of  the  womb ;  and  you  have  been  casten  on  Him 
 from  the  breasts ;  I  am  confident  that  He  Aviil  not  leave  you  till 
 He  crown  the  begun  work  in  you.  There  is  nothing  here  but 
 divisions  in  the  church  and  assembly ;  for  beside  Brownists  and 
 Independents  (who  of  all  that  differ  from  us,  come  nearest  to 
 walkers  with  God),  there  are  many  other  sects  here  of  Anabap- 
 tists, Libertines,  who  are  for  all  opinions  in  religion ;  fleshly  and 
 abominable  Antinomians  and  Seekers,  who  are  for  no  church 
 ordinances,  but  expect  apostles  to  come  and  reform  churches; 
 and  a  world  of  others,  all  against  the  government  of  presbyteries. 
 Luther  observed,  when  he  studied  to  reform,  that  two-and-thirty 
 sundry  sects  arose,  of  all  which  (I  have  named  but  a  part),  except 
 those  called  Seekers,  who  were  not  then  arisen,  he  said,  God 
 should  crush  them,  and  that  they  should  rise  again,  both  which 
 
 ^  Drive.  2  Foundation. 
 
542  LETTER  LIII.  [PART  III. 
 
 we  see  accomplished.  In  the  assembly  we  have  well  near  ended 
 the  government,  and  ai-e  upon  the  power  of  synods,  and  I  hope 
 near  at  an  end  with  them,  and  so  I  trust  to  be  delivered  from  this 
 prison  shortly.  The  king  hath  dissolved  the  treaty  of  peace  at 
 Uxbridge,  and  adhereth  to  his  sweet  prelates ;  and  would  abate 
 nothing  but  a  little  of  the  rigour  of  their  courts,  and  a  suspending 
 of  laws  against  the  ceremonies,  not  a  taking  away  of  them.  The 
 not  prospering  of  your  armies  there  in  Scotland,  is  ascribed  here 
 to  the  sins  of  the  land,  and  particularly  to  the  divisions  and  back- 
 slidings  of  many  from  the  cause,  and  the  not  executing  of  justico 
 against  bloody  malignants.  My  wife,  here  under  the  physician, 
 remembers  her  service  to  your  ladyship.  So  recommending  you 
 to  the  rich  grace  of  Christ,  I  rest, 
 
 Your  ladyship's,  at  all  obedience  in  Christ,         S.  R 
 London,  March  4,  1644. 
 
 LETTER  LIIL— For  the  Right  Honourable  my  Lady  Boyd. 
 
 Madam, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  to  you.  I  received  your 
 letter  on  May  19th.  We  are  here  debating,  with  much  conten- 
 tion of  disputes,  for  the  just  measures  of  the  Lord's  temple.  It 
 pleaseth  God  that  sometimes  enemies  hinder  the  building  of  the 
 Lord's  house ;  but  now,  friends,  even  gracious  men  (so  I  conceive 
 of  them),  do  not  a  little  hinder  the  work.  Thomas  Goodwin, 
 Jeremiah  Burroughs,  and  some  others,  four  or  five  who  are  for  the 
 Independent  Avay,  stand  in  our  way,  and  are  mighty  opposites  to 
 Presbyterian  government.  We  have  carried  through  some  pro- 
 positions for  the  scripture  right  of  presbytery,  especially  in  the 
 church  of  Jerusalem,  Acts  ii.  and  iv.  and  v.  and  vi.  and  xv.,  and 
 the  church  of  Ephesus,  and  are  going  on  upon  other  grounds  of 
 truth  ;  and,  by  the  way,  have  proven  that  ordination  of  pastors 
 belongeth  not  to  a  single  congregation,  but  to  a  college  of  pres- 
 byters, whose  it  is  to  lay  hands  upon  Timothy  and  others,  1  Tim. 
 iv.  14;  V.  17,  Acts  xiii.  1-3;  viii.  5,  6.  We  are  to  prove  that 
 one  single  congregation  hath  not  power  to  excommunicate,  which 
 is  opposed  not  only  by  Independent  men,  but  by  many  others  : 
 the  truth  is,  we  have  many  and  grieved  spirits  witli  the  work  ; 
 and  for  my  part,  I  often  despair  of  the  reformation  of  this  land, 
 which  saw  never  anything  but  the  high  places  of  their  fathers,  and 
 the  remnant  of  Babylon's  pollutions ;  and  except  that  not  by 
 might,  nor  by  power,  but  by  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord,  I  should 
 think  God  hath  not  yet  thought  it  time  for  England's  deliver- 
 ance :  for  the  truth  is,  the  best  of  them  almost  have  said,  "  a  half 
 reformation  is  very  fair  at  the  first,"  which  is  no  other  thing,  than 
 "  it  is  not  time  vet  to  build  the  house  of  the  Lord  ;"  and  for  that 
 
PART  III.]  LETTER  LIV.  543 
 
 cause  many  houses,  great  and  fair,  in  the  land  are  laid  desolate. 
 Multitudes  of  Anabaptists,  Antinomians,  Familists,  Separatists, 
 are  here  ;  the  best  of  the  people  are  of  the  Independent  way.  As 
 for  myself,  I  know  no  more  if  there  be  a  sound  Christian  (setting 
 aside  some,  yea  not  a  few  learned,  some  zealous  and  faithful 
 ministers,  whom  I  have  met  with)  at  London  (though  I  doubt  not 
 but  there  are  many)  than  if  I  were  in  Spain,  which  maketh  me 
 bless  God,  that  the  communion  of  saints,  how  desirable  soever, 
 yet  is  not  the  thing,  even  that  great  thing,  Christ  and  the  remis- 
 sion of  sins.  If  Jesus  were  unco,^  as  His  members  are  here,  I 
 should  be  in  a  sad  and  heavy  condition.  The  House  of  Peers  are 
 rotten  men,  and  hate  our  commissioners  and  our  cause  both.  The 
 life  that  is,  is  in  the  House  of  Commons,  and  many  of  them  also 
 have  their  religion  to  choose.  The  sorrows  of  a  travailing  woman 
 are  come  on  the  land.  Our  army  is  lying  about  York,  and  have 
 blocked  up  them  of  Newcastle,  and  six  thousand  Papists  and 
 Malignants,  with  Mr.  Thomas  Sydserf  and  some  Scottish  prelates  ; 
 and  if  God  deliver  them  into  their  hands  (considering  how  strong 
 the  parliament's  armies  are,  how  many  victories  God  hath  given 
 them  since  they  entered  into  covenant  with  Him,  and  how  weak 
 the  king  is),  it  may  be  thought  the  land  is  near  a  deliverance ; 
 but  I  rather  desire  it  than  believe  it.  We  offered  this  day  to  the 
 assembly  a  part  of  a  directory  for  worship,  to  shoulder  out  the 
 service-book :  it  is  taken  into  consideration  by  the  assembly. 
 Your  son  Lindsey  is  well.  I  receive  letters  from  him  almost 
 every  week. 
 
 Yours,  at  all  obedience  in  God,         S.  R 
 London,  May  25,  1644. 
 
 LETTER  LIV.— For  the  Right  Honourable  Lady,  my  Lady 
 Kenmure. 
 
 Madam, — I  am  a  little  moved  at  your  infirmity  of  body  and 
 health ;  I  hope  it  is  to  you  a  real  warning ;  "  and  if  in  this  life 
 only  we  had  hope,  we  should  be  of  all  men  the  most  miserable." 
 Sure  the  huge  generations  of  the  seekers  of  the  face  of  Jacob's  God, 
 must  be  in  a  life  above  the  things  that  are  now  much  taking  with 
 us ;  such  as  to  see  the  sun,  to  enjoy  this  life  in  health,  and  some 
 good  worldly  accommodations  too  :  and  if  we  be  making  that  sure, 
 it  is  our  wisdom.  The  times  would  make  any  that  love  the  Lord 
 sick  and  faint,  to  consider  how  iniquity  aboundeth,  and  how  dull 
 we  are  in  observing  sins  in  ourselves,  and  how  quick-sighted  to  finil 
 them  out  in  others,  and  what  bondage  we  are  in ;  and  yet  very 
 often,  when  we  complain  of  times,  we  are  secretly  slandering  the 
 
 '  Str.n.nn-e. 
 
544  LETTEK  LV.  [PAKT  III. 
 
 Lord's  work  and  wise  government  of  the  world,  and  raising  a  hard 
 report  of  Him.  "  He  is  good,  and  doeth  good,"  and  all  His  ways 
 are  equal.  Madam,  I  have  been  holding  out  to  some  others  (0  if 
 I  could  to  myself)  some  more  of  this,  to  read  and  study  God 
 well,  and  make  the  serious  thoughts  of  a  Godhead,  and  a  God- 
 head in  Christ,  the  work,  and  the  only  work,  all  the  day.  0, 
 we  are  all  little  with  God !  and  do  all  without  God  •  we  sleep 
 and  wake  without  Him ;  we  eat,  we  speak,  we  journey,  we  go 
 aboi.it  worldly  business  and  our  calling,  without  God!  And,  con- 
 sidering what  deadness  is  upon  the  hearts  of  many,  it  were 
 good  that  some  did  not  pi'ay  without  God,  and  preach  and  praise, 
 and  read  and  confer  of  God,  without  God.  It  is  universally  com- 
 plained of  that  there  is  a  strange  deadness  upon  the  land  and  on 
 the  hearts  of  His  people.  0  if  we  could  help  it !  But  He  that 
 watereth  every  moment  His  garden  of  red  wine  must  help  it.  I 
 believe  that  He  will  burn  the  briers  and  the  thorns  that  come 
 against  Him.  I  desire  to  remember  your  ladyship  to  God,  but 
 little  can  I  do  that  way.  His  everlasting  goodness  will  be  with 
 you.  Yours,  in  the  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 
 
 St.  Andrews,  July  24. 
 
 LETTER  LV.— For  the  Right  Honourable  and  Christian  Lady, 
 my  Lady  Kenmure. 
 Madajni, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you.  The  Lord  is 
 gracious  who  keepeth  your  ladyship  in  the  furnace,  when  many 
 put  out  their  hand  to  iniquity  one  way  or  other.  We  are  now 
 shouldering  and  casting  down  one  another  in  the  dark,  and  the 
 godly  hidden  from  the  godly.  We  make  our  own  chains  heavier 
 by  joining  with  the  Lord's  enemies.  Hence  new  sufferings  to  all 
 that  dare  not  say,  "a  confederacy  to  those  to  whom  this  people 
 say  a  confederacy,  nor  fear  their  fear."  As  that  is  my  exercise 
 now,  who  am  not  very  far  from  being  my  lone  ^  (though  I  know  in 
 whom  I  have  believed,  at  least  I  should  know)  in  this  place,  so  I 
 am  afraid  that  the  godly  there  comply  with  those  declared  enemies 
 of  God.  It  will  be  our  strength  to  walk  between  enemies  and 
 malignants  on  either  side ;  this  is  the  day  of  Jacob's  trouble,  yet 
 these  dry  bones  can  and  must  live.  I  know  not  if  I  shall  see  it, 
 but  I  hope  to  take  this  quietness  and  silence  of  faith,  in  the  midst 
 of  the  noises  of  the  alarm  for  war,  to  the  grave  with  me,  that  the 
 Lord  will  build  upon  the  church  of  Britain  and  Ireland  a  palace  of 
 silver,  enclosed  with  boards  of  cedar.  Dear  madam,  faint  not,  the 
 night  is  almost  gone,  "  for  the  vision  is  yet  for  an  appointed  time, 
 but  at  the  end  it  shall  speak,  and  not  lie,  though  it  tarry,  wait  for 
 it,  because  it  will  surely  come,  and  not  tarry."     Madam,  Aveary 
 
 ^  Alone. 
 
PAUT  III.]  LETTEK  LVI.  545 
 
 not ;  none  can  out-bid  your  lodging  in  heaven  :  there  is  more  given 
 for  it  by  Him,  who  hath  bespoken  it  for  Jean  Campbell,  and  taken 
 it  for  her,  than  any  can  offer.  The  ransom  of  blood  standeth.  My 
 wife  remembereth  her  respects  to  your  ladyship.  The  child  is  well. 
 Mrs.  Gillespie  is  well,  we  hear,  but  is  not  here.  Grace,  grace  be 
 with  you.  Yours,  in  his  own  Lord  Jesus  Christ,         S.  R 
 
 St.  Andrews,  Jan.  28,  1653. 
 
 LETTER  LVL— For  the  Honourable  and  Truly  Worthy  Colonel 
 Gilbert  Ker. 
 
 Much  honoured  in  the  Lord, — How  it  is  with  you  may  ap- 
 pear by  your  letters  to  some  with  us.  But  it  is  the  complaint  of 
 not  a  few  of  such,  who  were  in  Christ  before  me,  that  most  of  us 
 inhabit  and  dwell  in  a  parched  land.  The  people  of  the  Lord  are 
 like  a  land  not  rained  upon  :  though  some  dare  not  deny  but  this 
 is  the  garden  of  the  Beloved,  and  the  vineyard  that  the  Lord  doth 
 keep  and  water  every  moment :  yet,  0,  where  are  the  sometime 
 quickening  breathings  and  influences  from  heaven  that  have  re- 
 freshed His  hidden  ones  ?  The  causes  of  His  with  drawings  are 
 unknown  to  us.  One  thing  cannot  be  denied,  but  that  ways  of 
 high  sovereignty  and  dominion  of  grace  are  far  out  of  the  sight  of 
 angels  and  men ;  yea,  and  so  above  the  fixed  way  of  free  promises, 
 such  as,  "  This  do,  and  He  shall  breathe  and  blow  upon  His  gar- 
 den," as  He  hath  put  forth  a  declaration  to  His  hidden  ones  in 
 Scotland,  that  smartings,  wrestlings,  prayings,  complaining,  gracious 
 missing,  cannot  earn  the  visits  from  on  high,  nor  fetch  down 
 showers  upon  the  desert.  It  may  be,  when  we  are  saying  in  our 
 graves,  our  bones  are  dry,  and  our  hope  gone,  that  temporal  and 
 spiritual  deliverance  may  come  both  together ;  and  that  He  will 
 cause  us  feel,  both  the  one  way  and  the  other,  the  good  of  His 
 reign  who  shortly  cometh  to  the  throne,  Ps.  Ixxii.  6,  "  He  shall 
 come  down  like  rain  upon  the  mown  grass ;  as  showers  that  water 
 the  earth  ;"  verse  7,  "  In  his  days  shall  the  righteous  flourish:  and 
 abundance  of  peace  so  long  as  the  moon  endureth;"  verse  12,  "He 
 shall  deliver  the  needy  when  he  crieth,  and  the  poor  also,  and  him 
 that  hath  no  helper;"  verse  14,  "He  shall  redeem  their  soul  from 
 deceit  and  violence  :  and  precious  shall  their  blood  be  in  his  sight." 
 And  though  we  cannot  pray  home  a  sweet  season  that  way,  yet 
 Christ  must  bring  summer  with  Him  when  He  cometh.  Ver.  16, 
 "  There  shall  be  an  handful  of  corn  in  the  earth  upon  the  top  of 
 the  mountains;  the  fruit  thereof  shall  shake  like  Lebanon."  I 
 know  not  if  I  apply  prophecies  as  I  would,  rather  than  as  they  are; 
 when  the  one  Shepherd  is  set  over  them,  even  He  who  shall  stand 
 (0  how  much  do  we  lie)  and  feed  in  the  strength  of  the  Lord,  the 
 
 2  M 
 
546  LETTEK  LVI.  [PART  III. 
 
 isles  (and  this  the  greatest  of  them),  which  wait  for  His  law,  are 
 to  look  for  that,  Ezek.  xxxiv.  26  ;  "  And  I  will  make  them,  and 
 the  places  round  about  my  hill  a  blessing ;  and  I  will  cause  the 
 shower  to  come  down  in  his  season.  There  shall  be  showers  of 
 blessing."  How  desirable  must  every  drop  of  such  a  shower  be  ! 
 And,  Hos.  xiv.  5,  "  I  will  be  as  the  dew  of  Israel,  He  shall  grow 
 as  the  lily,  and  cast  forth  His  roots  as  Lebanon ;"  ver.  6,  "  His 
 branches  shall  spread,  and  His  beauty  shall  be  as  the  olive-tree, 
 and  His  smell  as  Lebanon."  And,  Isa.  Iv.  13,  "Instead  of  the 
 thorn  shall  come  up  the  fir-tree,  and  instead  of  the  brier  shall  come 
 up  the  myrtle-tree  :  and  it  shall  be  to  the  Lord  for  a  name,  for  an 
 everlasting  sign  that  shall  not  be  cut  off."  Isa.  xli.  19,  "I  will 
 plant  in  the  wilderness  the  cedar,  the  shittah-tree,  and  the  oil-tree." 
 Isa.  xliv.  3,  "I  will  pour  water  upon  him  that  is  thirsty,  and  floods 
 upon  the  dry  ground :  I  will  pour  my  Spirit  upon  thy  seed,  and 
 my  blessing  upon  thine  offspring."  And  it  shall  be  no  lost  labour, 
 nor  fruitless  husbandry.  Ver.  6,  "  They  shall  spring  up  as  among 
 the  grass,  as  willows  by  the  water-courses."  But  when  this  shall 
 be  in  Scotland  (and  it  must  be)  is  better  to  believe  than  prophesy : 
 and  quietly  to  hope  and  sit  still  (for  that  is  yet  our  strength), 
 than  to  quarrel  with  Him,  that  the  wheels  of  this  cnariot  move 
 leisurely. 
 
 Yet  this  can  hardly  say  anything  to  us  who  do  so  much  please 
 ourselves  in  our  deadness,  and  are  almost  gone  from  godly  thirst 
 and  missing  too,  being  half-satisfied  with  our  witheredness.  No 
 doubt  we  have  marred  His  influences,  and  have  not  seconded  nor 
 smiled  upon  His  actings  upon  us.  Nor  have  we  been  much  of  His 
 strain  who  (Ps.  cxix.)  doth  eight  times  breathe  out  that  suit, 
 "  Quicken  me,  quicken  me."  So  much  are  we  desirous  to  be  acted 
 upon  by  the  Loi-d  as  blocks  and  stones ;  and  so  prodigal  are  we  of 
 His  motions,  as  if  they  were  no  better  to  be  husbanded.  But  it  is 
 good  that  it  is  not  in  our  power  to  blast  and  undo  His  breathings ; 
 but  His  wind  bloweth  where  He  listeth.  Could  we  but  lean,  and 
 cast  a  quiet  spirit  under  the  dewings  and  showerings  of  Him  that 
 every  moment  watereth  His  vineyard,  how  happy  and  blessed 
 were  we  !  We  neither  open  nor  discern  His  knocking,  nor  do  we 
 feel  His  hand  put  in  through  the  keyhole,  nor  can  we  give  any 
 spiritual  account  of  the  walkings  and  motions  of  Christ,  when  He 
 standeth  behind  the  wall,  when  He  cometh  skipping  over  the 
 mountains,  when  He  cometh  to  His  garden  and  feasteth,  when  He 
 feedeth  among  the  lilies,  when  His  spikenard  casteth  a  smell, 
 when  He  knocketh  and  withdraweth  and  is  nowhere  to  be  found. 
 0  how  little  a  portion  of  God  do  we  see  !  how  little  study  we 
 God  !  How  rarely  read  we  God,  or  are  versed  in  the  lively  aji- 
 prehensions  of  that  great  unknown  All  in  All,  the  glorious  God- 
 
PART  III.]  LETTER  LVI.  5-17 
 
 head,  and  the  Godhead  revealed  in  Christ !  We  dwell  far  from 
 the  well,  and  complain  but  drily  of  our  dryness  and  dulness.  We 
 are  rather  dry  than  thirsty. 
 
 Sir,  there  may  be  artificial  pride  in  this  humility;  but  for  me,  I 
 neither  know  what  He  is,  nor  his  Son's  name,  nor  where  He  dwells. 
 I  hear  a  report  of  Christ  great  enough,  and  that  is  all.  0  !  what 
 is  nearness  to  Him  ?  What  is  that,  to  be  "  in  God,"  to  "  dwell  in 
 God  "  ?  What  a  house  must  that  be,  1  John  iv.  13.  How  far  are 
 some  from  their  house  and  home  !  How  ill  acquaint  with  the 
 rooms,  mansions,  safety,  and  sweetness  of  holy  security  to  be 
 found  in  God  !  0  what  estrangement !  what  wandering  !  what 
 frequent  conversing  with  self  and  the  creature  !  Is  not  here  "  the 
 bed  shorter  than  that  a  man  can  stretch  himself  on  it?  and  the 
 covering  narrower  than  that  he  can  wrap  himself  in  1 "  Isa.  xxviii. 
 20.  When  shall  we  attain  to  a  living  in  only,  only  God !  and  be 
 estranged  from  all  the  poor  created  nothings,  the  painted  shadow- 
 beings  of  yesterday,  which,  an  hour  and  less  before  creation,  were 
 dark  waste  negatives  and  empty  nothings,  and  should  so  have 
 been  for  eternity,  had  the  Lord  suffered  them  to  lie  there  for  ever ! 
 It  is  He,  the  great  He,  "who  sitteth  upon  the  circle  of  the  earth 
 and  the  inhabitants  thereof  are  as  grasshoppers,  that  stretcheth 
 out  the  heavens  as  a  curtain,  and  spreadeth  them  out  as  a  tent  to 
 dwell  in,  that  bringeth  the  princes  to  nothing,  and  maketh  the 
 judges  of  the  earth  as  vanity,"  Isa.  xl.  22,  23.  And  He,  the  only 
 He,  and  there  is  no  He  besides  Him,  Isa.  xliii.  10,  11  ;  xlv.  5. 
 Men  or  angels,  they  are  not  any  of  them  a  he  to  Him.  But  a  liv- 
 ing, bi'eathing,  dying  nothing  is  man  at  his  best,  a  sick  clay-vanity; 
 and  the  angel,  to  Him,  but  a  more  excellent,  living  and  under- 
 standing nothing.  Yet  we  live  at  a  distance  from  Him,  and  we 
 die  and  wither  when  we  are  out  of  God.  0,  if  we  knew  how 
 nothing  we  are  without  Him  !  Sir,  we  desire  to  mind  your  bonds  ; 
 and  are  cheered  and  refreshed  that  we  hear  of  any  of  His  mani- 
 festations, and  His  out-goings,  which  are  prepared  as  the  morning 
 to  you.  We  hope,  nor  need  we  desire  you  not  to  faint,  and  are 
 confident  that  the  anointing  that  abideth  in  you  teacheth  you  so 
 much.  Wait  upon  the  speaking  vision  :  "  Behold  he  cometh  !  be- 
 hold. His  reward  is  Avith  Him,  and  his  work  before  Him  !  "  The 
 only  wise  God  strengthen  you  with  all  might,  according  to  His 
 glorious  power,  unto  all  patience  and  long-suffering  with  joyful- 
 ness. 
 
 Yours,  at  all  observance  in  the  Lord  JesuSj         S.  11. 
 
 St.  Andrews,  July  1653. 
 
548  LETTERS  LVII.,  LVIIL,  AND  LIX.  [PAKT  III. 
 
 LETTEE  LVII.— For  Mr.  John  Scot,  at  Oxnani. 
 
 Eeverend  and  dear  Brother, — I  saw  from  C.  K.  a  testimony 
 of  your  presbytery  against  toleration,  in  which  ye  have  been  in- 
 strumental. The  Lord  give  strength  to  do  more.  I  think  it  both 
 rare  and  necessary,  and  would  account  it  a  great  mercy,  if  there 
 were  an  addition  of  a  postscript  from  divers  ministers  and  elders 
 out  of  all  the  shires  of  Scotland.  It  is  really  the  mind  of  all  the 
 godly  and  tender  in  this  land.  It  is  believed  by  some,  that  the 
 protesting  party  hath  quite  given  over  the  cause.  I  hope  it  is  not 
 so  ;  but  the  Lord  shall  be  yet  victorious  in  His  most  despised  ones. 
 Our  darkness  is  great  and  thick,  and  there  is  much  deadness ;  yet 
 the  Lord  will  be  our  light.  Thus  recommending  you  to  His  grace 
 whose  you  are,  I  am, 
 
 Your  own  brother  in  the  Lord,         S.  R. 
 
 St.  Andrews,  April  2,  1658. 
 
 LETTER  LVIIL— For  Mr.  John  Scot,  at  Oxnam. 
 
 Dear  Brother, — Faint  not ;  but  be  strong  in  the  Lord,  and  in 
 the  power  of  His  might,  I  look  on  it  as  a  rich  mercy  that  the 
 Lord  is  with  you,  strengthening  you  to  quicken  fainters,  to  warm 
 and  warn  any  that  are  cold  or  dead,  or  who  deaden  others.  Be- 
 lieve it  will  be  your  peace  in  the  end.  The  times  are  sad  ;  yet  I 
 persuade  myself  that  the  vision  will  not  tarry,  but  Avill  speak. 
 The  Lord  will  loose  our  captive-bonds.  0,  blessed  he,  though 
 alone,  who  is  found  fast  and  constant  for  the  desirable  interest  of 
 Christ,  My  humble  advice  would  be,  that  you  see  to  the  placing 
 of  the  deacon  and  the  ruling-elder,  or  to  anything  that  may  weaken 
 the  discipline.  Our  second  Book  of  Discipline  should  be  heeded: 
 sessions  purged,  0  !  catechising  and  personal  visiting,  and  speak- 
 ing to  them  sigillatim'^  concerning  their  interest  in  Christ  and  a 
 state  of  conversion,  is  little  in  practice.  The  practice  of  family 
 fasts  is  scarce  known  to  be  an  ordinance  of  God.  It  were  good 
 that  ye  should  confer  with  godly  brethren  in  jDrivate,  concerning 
 the  promoting  of  godliness,  concerning  Christian  conference,  and 
 praying  together,  worshipping  of  God  in  families,  and  solitary 
 fasts.  To  His  grace  who  can  direct,  quicken,  and  strengthen  you, 
 I  recommend  you,  and  am.  Your  loving  brother,         S,  R. 
 
 St.  Andrews. 
 
 LETTER  LIX.— For  Mr.  John  Scot,  at  Oxnam. 
 
 Reverend  and  dear  Brother, — Your  letter  that  came  unto 
 me,  of  August  2d,  to  be  at  Edinburgh  upon  August  2d,  was  un- 
 
 ^  Individually. 
 
PAKT  III.J  LETTERS  LX.  A.ND  LXI.  549 
 
 known  to  me  by  the  sul)scription.  But  since  it  was  written  for 
 so  honourable  and  warrantable  a  truth  of  Christ,  as  a  testimony 
 against  toleration,  if  my  health  would  have  permitted,  and  my 
 daily  menacing  gravel,  I  should  have  come  to  Edinburgh.  What 
 either  counsel,  countenance,  or  clearing  ye  could  have  had  from 
 the  like  of  me,  I  cannot  say,  nor  dare  I  speak  much,  but  with  a 
 reserve  of  the  help  of  His  grace.  I  desire  to  desire,  and  purpose 
 by  strength  from  above,  to  own  that  cause,  and  to  join  with  you 
 and  some  in  this  church,  besides  your  presbytery,  who  will  own 
 that  cause.  Be  strong  in  the  Lord,  and  in  the  power  of  His  might. 
 This  cloud  will  over,  could  we  live  by  faith,  and  wait  on  a  speak- 
 ing and  a  seemingly  delaying  vision.  The  Lord  will  not  tarry. 
 Grace  be  with  you.  Many  are  with  you,  but  there  is  One  who  is 
 above  millions.  Your  own  brother,         S.  R. 
 
 St.  Andrews,  Aus:.  8,  1658. 
 
 LETTER  LX.— For  Mr.  John  Scot,  at  Oxnam. 
 
 Reverend  and  dear  Brother, — No  man  oweth  more  to  the 
 church  of  God  with  you,  than  poor  and  wretched  I.  But  when 
 weakness  of  body,  and  the  Lord  by  it,  did  forbid  me  to  under- 
 take a  lesser  journey  to  Edinburgh,  I  am  forbidden  far  more  to 
 journey  thither.  And  believe  it,  nothing  besides  this  doth  hinder. 
 I  am  unable  to  overtake  what  the  Lord  hath  laid  upon  me  here  ; 
 and  therefore,  I  desire  to  submit  to  sovereignty,  and  must  be 
 silent.  If  my  prayers  and  best  desires  to  the  Lord  could  contri- 
 bute anything  for  promoting  of  His  work,  my  soul's  desire  is,  that 
 the  wilderness,  and  that  place  to  which  I  owe  my  first  breathing, 
 in  which  I  fear  Christ  was  scarce  named,  as  touching  any  reality 
 or  power  of  godliness,  may  blossom  as  a  rose.  So  desiring,  and 
 praying  that  His  name  may  be  great  among  you,  and  entreating 
 that  you  may  believe  that  the  names  of  the  Lord's  adversaries 
 shall  be  written  in  the  earth,  and,  that  "  whoso  will  not  come  up 
 of  all  the  families  of  the  earth  unto  Jerusalem,  to  worship  the 
 King,  the  Lord  of  Hosts,  even  upon  them  shall  be  no  rain,"  and 
 that  the  "  Lord  will  create  glory  upon  every  assembly  in  Mount 
 Zion,"  I  rest.  Your  own  brother  in  the  Lord,         S.  R. 
 
 St.  Andrews,  June  15,  1655. 
 
 LETTER  LXI. —To  Mr.  James  Durham,  Minister  of  the  Gospel 
 at  Glasgow,  some  few  days  before  his  Death. 
 
 Sir, — I  would  ere  now  have  written  to  you,  had  I  not  known 
 that  your  health,  weaker  and  weaker,  could  scarce  permit  you  to 
 hear  or  read.     I  need  not  speak  much.     The  way  ye  know,  and 
 
550  LETTER  LXII.  [PART  III. 
 
 have  preached  to  others  the  skill  of  the  Guide,  and  the  glory  of 
 the  home  beyond  death.  And  when  He  saith,  "  Come  and  see," 
 it  will  be  your  gain  to  obey,  and  go  out  and  meet  the  Bridegroom. 
 What  accession  is  made  to  the  higher  house  of  His  kingdom  should 
 not  be  our  loss,  though  it  be  real  loss  to  the  church  of  God.  But 
 we  count  one  way,  and  the  Lord  counteth  another  way.  He  is 
 infallible,  and  the  only  wise  God,  and  needeth  none  of  us.  Had 
 He  needed  the  staying  in  the  body  of  Moses  and  the  prophets.  He 
 could  have  taken  another  way.  Who  dare  bid  you  cast  your 
 thoughts  back  on  wife  or  children,  when  He  said,  "  Leave  them  to 
 Me,  and  come  up  hither "  1  Or  who  can  persuade  you  to  die  or 
 live,  as  if  that  were  arbitrary  to  us,  and  not  His  alone  who  hath 
 determined  the  number  of  your  months  1  If  so  it  seem  good  to 
 Him;  follow  your  Forerunner  and  Guide.  It  is  an  unknown  land 
 to  you,  who  were  never  there  before  ;  but  the  land  is  good,  and 
 the  company  before  the  throne  desirable,  and  He  who  sitteth  on 
 the  throne  is  His  lone  ^  a  sufficient  heaven.  Grace,  grace  be  with 
 you.  Yours,  in  the  Lord,         S.  R. 
 
 St.  Andrews,  June  15, 1658. 
 
 LETTER  LXII. — Mr.  Rutherford's  Judgment,  sent  to  some 
 brethren,  about  petitioning  his  Majesty  after  his  return,  and 
 for  owning  such  as  were  censured  while  about  so  necessary  a 
 duty. 
 
 Reverend  and  dear  Brethren, — It  is  a  matter  of  difficulty 
 to  me  to  write  at  this  distance,  not  having  heard  your  debates. 
 It  seemeth  that  the  Lord  calleth  us  to  give  information  to  the 
 king's  majesty  of  affairs.  The  Lord's  admirable  providence,  in 
 bringing  him  to  his  throne,  and  laying  aside  others  who  were 
 enemies  to  the  cause  and  sworn  covenant  of  God,  so  that  now  the 
 government  is  in  a  right  line,  is  to  be  adored.  Aiid  I  judge 
 (without  prescribing)  that  some  should  be  sent  to  his  majesty  to 
 congratulate  that  providence ;  and  that  reason  of  our  being  so 
 slow  in  sending  should  be  rendered.  1.  We  should  write,  not  in 
 the  name  of  the  kirk  of  Scotland,  but  in  the  name  of  a  most  con- 
 siderable number  of  godly  ministers,  elders,  and  professors,  who 
 both  pray  for  the  king,  are  obedient  to  his  laws,  and  are  under 
 the  oath  of  God  for  the  sworn  reformation.  2.  It  is  better  now, 
 than  after  sentences  and  trouble,  to  have  recourse  to  Him  who  is 
 by  place  parens  patricB.  3.  We  should  supplicate  in  all  humility 
 for  protection  and  countenance ;  far  more  for  lawful  liberty  to 
 fear  the  bond  of  the  oath  of  the  dreadful  and  most  high  Lord ; 
 avouching  to  his  majesty,  that  the  Lord,  His  holy  name  being 
 
 »  Of  Himself. 
 
PART  III.]  LETTEH  LXIII.  551 
 
 interposed,  will  own  that  government,  and  bless  his  majesty  with 
 a  happy  and  successful  reign,  in  the  owning  thereof,  and  kissing 
 of  the  Son  of  God.  And  when  the  Lord  shall  be  pleased  to  grant 
 that  to  us  which  concerneth  religion,  the  beauty  of  His  house, 
 the  propagating  of  the  Gospel,  the  government  of  the  Lord's 
 kingdom,  without  Popery,  Prelacy,  unwritten  traditions  and 
 ceremonies,  let  his  majesty  try  our  loyalty  with  Avhat  commands 
 he  will  be  pleased  to  lay  on  us,  and  see  if  we  be  found  rebellious. 
 4.  We  should  disclaim  such  as  have  sinfully  complied  with  the 
 late  usurpers  ;  produce  our  written  testimonies  against  them  ;  our 
 not  accepting  of  offices  and  places  of  trust  for  them ;  our  testi- 
 monies against  their  usurpation,  covenant-breaking,  toleration  of 
 all  religions,  corrupt  sectarian  ways,  for  which  the  Lord  hath 
 broken  them.  5.  We  are  represented  to  his  majesty  as  such  who 
 would  not  consent  that  the  remonstrance  of  the  western  forces 
 should  be  condemned  by  the  commission  of  the  general  assembly; 
 whereas,  (1.)  We  did  humbly  desire  that  the  judicature  should  not 
 condemn  nor  censure  that  remonstrance,  till  the  gentlemen  were 
 heard,  and  their  reasons  discussed.  (2.)  Whatever  demur  was  as 
 to  the  banding  or  combining  part  of  it,  we  were  and  are  obliged 
 to  believe  that  they  had  no  sectarian  design  therein,  nor  levelling 
 intention.  (3.)  They  are  gentlemen  most  loyal,  and  never  were 
 enemies  to  his  majesty's  royal  power;  but  only  desired  that 
 security  might  be  had  for  religion  and  the  people  of  God,  and 
 persons  disaffected  to  religion  and  the  sworn  covenant  abandoned ; 
 otherwise  they  were,  and  still  are,  willing  to  hazard  lives  and 
 estates  for  the  just  greatness  and  safety  of  his  majesty,  in  the 
 maintenance  of  the  true  religion,  covenant,  and  cause  of  God. 
 The  only  difficulty  will  be,  where  to  have  fit  men  to  send.  But 
 as  it  will  be  both  sin  and  shame  for  us  to  desert  our  undeservedly 
 now  censured  brethren,  so  it  will  be  our  sin  and  reproach  sinfully 
 to  comply^  with  such  things  and  courses  as  we  testified  against, 
 and  confessed  to  God.  I  can  say  no  more  at  present,  but  that  I 
 am.  Your  loving  brother,         S.  R. 
 
 St.  Andrews,  1660. 
 
 LETTER  LXIII.— Mr.  Rutherford's  Judgment  of  a  Draught 
 or  Minute  of  a  Petition,  to  have  been  presented  to  the  Com- 
 mittee of  Estates,  by  those  Ministers  who  were  then  prisoners 
 in  the  Castle  of  Edinburgh  for  that  other  well-knoAvn  Petition 
 to  his  Majesty,  about  which  they  were  when  seized  upon  and 
 made  Prisoneis. 
 
 "  But  that  no  man  may  mistake  or  judge  ainiss  of  persons  so 
 fixed  in  the  cause  and  faithful  In  their  generation,  know  tliat 
 
552  LETTER  LXIII.  [PART  III. 
 
 this  draught  vras  not  sent  to  Mr.  llutherford  as  a  paper  con- 
 cluded and  condescended  upon  amongst  these  brethren,  whose 
 love  to  truth  made  them  in  all  things  so  tender  that  they 
 were  ever  found  to  abstain  from  all  appearance  of  evil ;  but 
 it  was  more  like  the  suggestion  of  some  other  men  (wherein 
 was  laid  before  them  what  kind  of  address  would  most  pro- 
 bably please,  waiving  the  just  measures  of  what  was  simply 
 duty  in  their  circumstances),  than  anything  flowing  from 
 themselves,  as  the  product  of  a  mature  deliberation.  And, 
 secondly,  know  (which  confirmeth  what  was  said),  that  what- 
 ever it  was,  or  whoever  gave  the  rise  to  it,  yet  it  was  never 
 made  use  of,  nor  presented  to  the  committee  of  estates,  by 
 any  of  these  faithful  men,  whose  praise,  for  their  fidelity, 
 fixedness,  real  and  untainted  integrity,  is  in  the  churches  of 
 Christ." 
 
 Dear  Brother, — I  am  (as  ye  know)  straitened  as  another 
 suffering  man,  but  dare  not  petition  this  committee.  1.  Because 
 it  draweth  us  to  capitulate  with  such  as  have  the  advantage  of 
 the  mount,  the  Lord  so  disposing  for  the  present :  and,  to  bring 
 the  matters  of  Christ  to  yea  and  no  (ye  being  prisoners  and  they 
 the  powers)  is  a  hazard.  2.  A  speaking  to  them  in  write,^  and 
 passing  in  silence  the  sworn  covenant  and  the  cause  of  God,  which 
 is  the  very  present  controversy,  is  contrary  to  the  practice  of 
 Christ  and  the  apostles,  who,  being  accused  or  not  accused,  avouched 
 Christ  to  be  the  Son  of  God  and  the  Messias,  and  that  the  dead 
 must  rise  again,  even  when  the  adversary  misstated  the  question. 
 Yea,  silence  on  the  cause  of  God,  which  adversaries  persecute, 
 seemeth  a  tacit  deserting  of  the  cause,  when  the  state  of  the 
 question  is  known  to  beholders :  and  I  know  the  brethren  intend 
 not  to  leave  the  cause.  3.  I  know  of  no  ofi"ence  that  you  have 
 given  (I  will  not  say  what  offence  may  be  taken)  either  as  to  the 
 matter  or  manner  of  your  petition.  For,  if  what  you  have  done 
 be  a  necessary  duty  laid  aside  by  others,  a  duty  can  never  give 
 an  offence  to  Christ,  and  so  none  to  men  ;  but  Christians  will 
 look  upon  a  pious,  harmless,  and  innocent  petition  to  the  prince, 
 in  the  matter  of  the  Lord's  honour,  and  good  of  His  church  (though 
 proffered  by  one  or  two,  when  they  are  silent,  whose  it  is  to  speak 
 and  act),  as  a  seasonable  duty.  4.  The  draught  of  that  petition, 
 which  you  sent  me,  speaketh  not  one  word  of  the  covenant  of  God, 
 for  the  adhering  to  which  you  now  suffer,  and  which  is  the  object 
 of  men's  hatred,  and  the  destruction  whereof  is  the  great  work 
 of  tlie  times.  And  your  silence  in  this  nick  ^  of  time  appears  to 
 be  a  non-confession  of  Christ  before  men  ;  and  you  want  notliing 
 
 1  Writinsf.  *  Point 
 
PAIIT  III.]  LETTER  LXIII.  553 
 
 to  beget  an  uncleanly  deliverance  but  the  profession  of  silence. 
 5.  There  is  a  promise  and  real  purpose  (as  the  petition  sayeth)  to 
 live  peaceable  under  the  king's  authority.     But,  (1.)  Ye  do  not 
 answer  so  candidlj-  and  ingenuously  the  mind  of  the  rulers,  who, 
 to  your  knowledge,  mean  a  far  other  thing  by  authority  than  ye 
 do.     For  ye  mean,  his  just  authority,  his  authority  in  the  Lord, 
 and  his  just  greatness,  is  in  the  maintenance  of  true  religion,  as 
 in  the  covenant,  confession  of  faith,  and  catechisms,  is  expressed 
 from  the  word  of  God :  they  mean  his  supreme  authority,   and 
 absolute  prerogative  above  laws,  as  their  acts  make  clear,  and  as 
 their  practice  is.     For  they  refused,  to  such  as  were  unwilling  to 
 subscribe  their  bond,  to  add  "authority  in  the  Lord,"  or,  "just 
 and  lawful  authority,"  or  "  authority  as  it  is  expressed  in  the  cove- 
 nant."    But  this  draught  of  a  petition,  under  your  own  hand, 
 yieldeth  the  sense  and  meaning  to  them  which  they  crave.     (2.) 
 That  authority  for  which  they  contend  is  exclusive  of  the  sworn 
 covenant ;  so  that,  except  ye  had  said,  "  we  shall  be  subject  to 
 the  king's  authority  in  the  Lord,  or  according  to  the  sworn  cove- 
 nant," ye  say  nothing  to  the  point  in  hand  ;  and  that,  sure,  is  not 
 your  meaning.     (3.)  Whoever   promised  so  much   of  peaceable 
 living  under  his  majesty's  authority,  leaving  out  the  exposition 
 of  the  fifth  commandment,  as  your  petition  doth,  may  upon  the 
 very  same  ground  subscribe  the  bond  refused  by  the  godly  ;  and 
 so  you  pass  from  the  covenant,  and  make  all  those  by-past  actings 
 of  this  kirk  and  state,  these  years  by-past,  to  be  horrid  rebellion. 
 And  how  deep  that  guiltiness  draweth,  consider.     6.  A  condem 
 ning  of  the  remonstrance,  simply  and  without  any  limitation  and 
 distinction,  is  a  condemning  of  many  precious  ones  in  the  land, 
 and  a  passing  from  the  Causes  of  God's  wrath,^  which  is  the  chiei 
 matter  of  the  remonstrance.     7.  That  nothing  is  before  your  eyes 
 but  the  exoneration  of  your  conscience,  is  indeed  believed  by  the 
 godly  who  know  you ;  but  a  passing  in  silence  of  the  honest 
 materials  in  your  former  petition  to  his  majesty  seemeth  to  be  a 
 deserting  thereof,  since,  in  all  you  petition,  ye  do  not  once  say  ye 
 cannot  but  adhere  to  that  pious  petition,  as  your  necessary  duty. 
 And,  that  ye  intend  in  the  petition  the  happiness  of  his  majesty, 
 is  also  believed.     Dear  brother,  show  to  your  brethren,  that  the 
 Lord  Christ,  in  your  persons,  hath  a  stated  question  betwixt  Him 
 and  the  powers  on  earth.     The  only  wise  God  lead  you,  now  when 
 He  hath  brought  you  forth  in  public,  so  to  act  as  if  ye  did  see 
 Jesus  Christ  by  you,  and  beholding  you.     It  is  easy  for  such  as 
 are  on  the  shore  to  throw  a  counsel  to  those  that  are  tossed  in 
 the  sea.     But  only  by  living  by  faith,  and  by  fetching  strength 
 and  comfort  from  Christ,  can  you  be  victorious,  and  have  right 
 
 1  See  note  on  p.  27. 
 
554  LETTER  LXIV.  [PAKT  III. 
 
 to  the  precious  promises  "  of  the  tree  of  life,"  "  of  the  hidden 
 manna,"  of  the  gifted  "  morning  star,"  and  the  like,  made  to  those 
 who  overcome,  to  whose  strength  and  grace  brethren,  who  desire 
 me  to  remember  you,  do  recommend  you.  I  am,  dear  brother, 
 yours,  in  the  Lord,  S.  R. 
 
 St.  Andrews,  1660. 
 
 LETTER  LXIV.— For  the   Right  Honourable,  my  Lady  Vis- 
 countess of  Kenmure. 
 
 Madam, — It  is  not  my  part  to  be  unmindful  of  you.  Be  not 
 afflicted  for  your  brother  the  Marquis  of  Argyle ;  as  to  the  main, 
 in  my  weak  apprehension,  the  seed  of  God  being  in  him,  and  love 
 to  the  people  of  God  and  His  cause,  it  will  be  well,  the  making 
 of  particular  reckoning  with  the  Lord,  and  of  peace  with  God, 
 and  owning  of  his  cause  when  too  many  disown  it,  will  make  his 
 peace  with  the  King  the  surer.  The  Lord  is  beginning  to  reckon 
 with  such  as  did  forsake  His  cause  and  covenant,  and  until  we 
 return  to  Him,  our  peace  shall  not  be  like  a  river,  and  as  the 
 waves  of  the  sea.  However,  the  opening  of  the  bosom  to  take  in 
 all  the  malignants  can  produce  no  better  fruits.  The  Lord  calleth 
 us  to  flee  into  our  chambers,  and  shut  the  doors,  till  the  indigna- 
 tion be  over,  Isa.  xxvi.  20.  The  lily  among  the  thorns  is  so 
 served ;  He  hideth  Himself,  and  our  mountain  is  removed  and 
 we  are  troubled  ;  but  the  Lord  reigneth,  let  the  earth  tremble, 
 and  let  the  earth  rejoice.  The  Lord,  without  blood,  broke  the 
 yoke  of  usurping  oppressors,  and  laid  them  aside ;  the  same  Lord 
 can  settle  throne  and  kingdom  on  the  pillars  of  heaven ;  but  0, 
 the  controversy  the  Lord  hath  with  Edom,  and  those  who  cove- 
 nanted with  us,  and  then  sold  us ;  and  with  those  of  whom  the 
 Holy  Ghost  speaketh.  Lam.  ii.  14.  "Thy  prophets  have  seen 
 vain  and  foolish  things  for  thee,  they  have  not  discovered  thine 
 iniquity  to  turn  away  thy  captivity,  but  have  seen  for  thee  false 
 burdens  and  causes  of  banishment."  The  time  of  Jacob's  suffering 
 is  but  short,  and  the  vision  will  speak,  could  we  be  from  under 
 deadness,  and  watch  unto  wrestling  and  prayer  with  the  Lord, 
 and  live  more  by  faith,  we  should  be  more  than  conquerors. 
 Wait  upon  the  Lord,  faint  not.  The  Lord  Jesus  be  with  your 
 spirit. 
 
 Yours,  at  all  respective  ^  observance  in  the  Lord,         S.  11. 
 
 St.  Andrews,  July  24,  1660. 
 
 Ilespectful. 
 
PART  III.]  LETTER  LXV.  555 
 
 LETTER  LXV.— For  Mistress  Craig,  upon  the  death  of  her 
 hopeful  son,  who  was  drowned  washing  himself  in  a  river  in 
 France, 
 
 Mistress, — You  have  so  learned  Christ,  as  now  in  the  furnace, 
 what  dross,  and  what  shining  of  faith  may  appear,  must  come 
 forth.  I  heard  of  the  removal  of  your  son  Mr.  Thomas.  Though 
 I  be  dull  enough  in  discerning,  yet  I  was  witness  to  some  spiritual 
 savouriness  of  the  new  birth  and  hope  of  the  resurrection,  which 
 I  saw  in  the  hopeful  youth,  when  he  was,  as  was  feared,  a-dying 
 in  this  city.  And  since  it  was  written  and  advisedly  appointed, 
 in  the  spotless  and  holy  decree  of  the  Lord,  where,  and  before 
 what  witnesses,  and  in  what  manner,  whether  by  a  fever  the 
 mother  being  at  the  bedside,  or  by  some  other  way  in  a  far 
 country  (dear  patriarchs  died  in  Egypt,  precious  to  the  Lord,  and 
 have  wanted  burials,  Ps,  Ixix.  3),  your  safest  way  will  be  to  be 
 silent,  and  command  the  heart  to  utter  no  repining  and  fretting 
 thoughts  of  the  holy  dispensations  of  God.  L  The  man  is  beyond  the 
 hazard  of  dispute,  the  precious  youth  is  perfected  and  glorified.  2. 
 Had  the  youth  lien  year  and  day  pained  beside  a  witnessing  mother, 
 it  had  been  pain  and  grief  lengthened  out  to  you  in  many  portions, 
 and  every  parcel  would  have  been  a  little  death  :  now  His  holy 
 Majesty  hath,  in  one  lump  and  mass,  brought  to  your  ears  the 
 news,  and  hath  not  divided  the  grief  into  many  portions.  3.  It 
 was  not  yesterday's  thought,  nor  the  other  year's  statute  ;  but  a 
 counsel  of  the  Lord  of  old  ;  and,  "  Who  can  teach  the  Almighty 
 knowledge?"  4.  There  is  no  way  of  quieting  the  mind,  and  of 
 silencing  the  heart  of  a  mother,  but  by  godly  submission :  the 
 readiest  way  for  peace  and  consolation  to  clay-vessels  is,  that  it  is 
 a  stroke  of  the  potter  and  former  of  all  things ;  and  since  the  holy 
 Lord  hath  loosed  the  grip,  when  it  was  fastened  sure  on  your 
 part,  I  know  your  light,  and  I  hope  that  your  heart  also,  will  yield : 
 it  is  not  safe  to  be  at  pulling  and  drawing  with  the  omnipotent 
 Lord  ;  let  the  pull  go  with  Him,  for  He  is  strong  ;  and  say,  "  Thy 
 will  be  done  on  earth  as  it  is  in  heaven."  5.  His  holy  method 
 and  order  is  to  be  adored ;  sometimes  the  husband  before  the 
 wife,  and  sometimes  the  son  before  the  mother ;  so  hath  the  only 
 wise  God  ordered  :  and  when  He  is  sent  before  and  not  lost,  in 
 all  things  give  thanks.  6.  Meditate  not  too  much  on  the  sad 
 circumstances,  "the  mother  Avas  not  witness  to  the  last  sigh, 
 possibly  cannot  get  leave  to  wind  the  son,  nor  to  weep  over  his 
 grave  :"  and  "  he  was  in  a  strange  land."  There  is  a  like  near- 
 ness to  heaven  out  of  all  the  countries  of  the  earth.  7.  This  did 
 not  spring  out  of  the  dust;  feed  and  grow  fat  by  this  medicine 
 and  fare  of  the  only  wise  Lord.     It  is  the  art  and  the  skill  of 
 
556  LETTER  LXVI.  [PART  III. 
 
 faith  to  read  what  the  Lord  writeth  upon  the  cross,  and  to  spell 
 and  construct  right  His  sense.  Often  we  miscall  words  and 
 sentences  of  the  cross,  and  either  put  nonsense  on  His  rods,  or 
 burden  his  Majesty  with  slanders  and  mistakes,  when  He  mindeth 
 for  us  thoughts  of  peace  and  love,  even  to  do  us  good  in  the  latter 
 end.  8.  It  is  but  a  private  stroke  on  a  family,  and  little  to  the 
 public  arrows  shot  against  grieved  Joseph  and  the  afflicted ;  but 
 ah  !  dead,  senseless  and  guilty  people  of  God,  this  is  the  day  of 
 Jacob's  trouble.  9.  There  is  a  bad  way  of  wilful  swallowing  of 
 a  temptation  and  not  digesting  it,  or  laying  it  out  of  memory 
 without  any  victoriousness  of  faith.  The  Lord,  who  forbiddeth 
 fainting,  forbids  also  despising.  But  it  is  easier  to  counsel  than  to 
 suffer :  the  only  wise  Lord  furnish  patience.  It  were  not  amiss 
 to  call  home  the  other  youth.  I  am  not  a  little  afflicted  for  my 
 Lady  Kenmure's  condition.  I  desire,  when  you  see  her,  to  re- 
 member my  humble  respects  to  her.  My  wife  heartily  remembers 
 her  to  you,  and  is  wounded  much  in  mind  with  your  present  con- 
 dition, and  suffers  with  you.  Grace  with  you.  Yours,  in  the 
 Lord,  S.  K 
 
 St.  Andrews,  May  4,  16G0. 
 
 LETTER  LXVI.— A  Letter  from  Mr.  Samuel  Eutherford 
 to  Mr.  William  Guthrie,  when  the  army  was  at  Stirling, 
 after  the  defeat  at  Dunbar,  and  the  Godly  in  the  West  were 
 falsely  branded  with  intended  compliance  with  the  Usurpers, 
 about  the  time  when  those  debates  and  that  difference  con- 
 cerning the  Public  Resolutions  arose. 
 
 Reverend  Brother, — I  did  not  dream  of  such  shortness  of 
 breath  and  fainting  in  the  way  toward  our  country.  I  thought 
 that  I  had  no  more  to  do  but  die  in  my  nest,  and  bow  down  my 
 sinful  head  and  let  Him  put  on  the  crown,  and  so  end.  I  have 
 suffered  much,  but  this  is  the  thickest  darkness,  and  the  straitest 
 step  of  the  way  I  have  yet  trodden.  I  see  more  suffering  yet  be- 
 hind, and  I  fear  from  the  keepers  of  the  vine.  Let  me  obtain  of 
 you,  that  you  would  press  upon  the  Lord's  people,  that  they  would 
 stand  far  off  from  these  merchants  of  souls  come  in  amongst  you. 
 If  the  way  revealed  in  the  Word  be  that  way,  we  then  know  these 
 soul-coupers  ^  and  traffickers  show  not  the  way  of  salvation.  Alas  ! 
 alas  !  poor  I  am  utterly  lost ;  my  share  of  heaven  is  gone,  and 
 my  hope  is  poor,  I  am  perished;  and  I  am  cut  off  from  the  Lord, 
 if  hitherto  out  of  the  way ;  but  I  dare  not  judge  kind  Christ,  for 
 if  it  may  be  but  permitted  (with  reverence  to  His  greatness  and 
 
 ^  Merchants  of  souls. 
 
PART  III.]  LETTER  LXVII.  557 
 
 highness  be  it  spoken),  I  will,  before  witnesses,  produce  His  own 
 hand,  that  He  said,  "  This  is  the  way,  walk  thou  in  it :"  and  He 
 cannot  except  against  His  own  seal.  I  profess  I  am  almost  broken 
 and  a  little  sleepy,  and  Avould  fain  put  off  this  body.  But  this 
 is  my  infirmity,  who  would  be  under  the  shadow  and  covert  of 
 that  good  land,  once  to  be  without  the  reach  and  blast  of  that 
 terrible  one.  But  I  am  a  fool,  there  is  none  that  can  overbid,  or 
 take  my  lodging  over  my  head,  since  Christ  hath  taken  it  for  me. 
 Dear  brother,  help  me,  and  get  me  the  help  of  their  prayers  who 
 are  with  you,  in  whom  is  my  delight.  You  are  much  suspected 
 of  intended  compliance  :  I  mean  not  of  you  only,  but  of  all  the 
 people  of  God  Avith  you.  It  is  but  a  poor  thing,  the  fulfilling  of 
 ^y  joy ')  but  let  me  obtest  all  the  serious  seekers  of  his  face,  his 
 secret  sealed  ones,  by  the  strongest  consolations  of  the  Spirit,  by 
 the  gentleness  of  Jesus  Christ,  that  plant  of  renown,  by  your  last 
 accounts,  and  appearing  before  God,  when  the  white  throne  shall 
 be  set  up,  be  not  deceived  with  their  fair  Avords.  Though  my 
 spirit  be  astonished  at  the  cunning  distinctions,  which  are  found 
 out  in  the  matters  of  the  covenant,  that  help  may  be  had  against 
 these  men  ;  yet  my  heart  trembleth  to  entertain  the  least  thought 
 of  joining  with  those  deceivers.  Grace,  grace,  be  with  you,  Amen. 
 Your  own  brother,  in  our  common  Lord  and  Saviour,  S.  E.. 
 St.  Andrews. 
 
 LETTER  LXVIL— For  my  Reverend  Brother,  Christ's  Soldier 
 in  bonds,  Mr.  James  Guthrie,  Minister  of  the  Gospel  at 
 Stirling. 
 
 Dear  Brother, — We  are  very  oft  comforted  with  the  words  of 
 promise,  though  we  stumble  not  a  little  at  the  work  of  holy  pro- 
 vidence. Some  earthly  men  flourishing  as  a  green  herb,  and  the 
 people  of  God  counted  as  sheep  for  the  slaughter,  and  killed  all 
 the  day  long.  And  yet  both  word  of  promise,  and  work  of  pro- 
 vidence, are  from  Him  whose  ways  are  equal,  straight,  holy,  and 
 spotless.  As  for  me,  Avhen  I  think  of  God's  dispensations,  He 
 might  justly  have  brought  to  the  market-cross,  and  to  the  light, 
 my  unseen  and  secret  abominations,  which  would  have  been  no 
 small  reproach  to  the  holy  name  and  precious  truths  of  Christ. 
 But  in  mercy  He  hath  covered  these,  and  shapen  and  carved  out 
 more  honourable  causes  of  suffering,  of  which  we  are  unworthy. 
 And  now,  dear  brother,  much  dependeth  upon  the  way  and 
 manner  of  suffering;  especially,  that  His  precious  truths  be 
 owned,  with  all  heavenly  boldness ;  and  a  reason  of  our  hope 
 given  in  meekness  and  fear :  and  the  royal  crown,  and  absolute 
 
558  LETTER  LXVIIL  [PAKT  III- 
 
 supremacy  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  Prince  of  the  kings  of 
 the  earth,  avouched,  as  becometh.  For  certain  it  is,  Christ  will 
 reign  the  Fathei-'s  King  in  Mount  Zion  ;  and  His  solemn  covenant 
 will  not  be  buried.  It  is  not  denied,  but  our  practical  breach  of 
 covenant  first,  and  then  our  legal  breach  thereof,  by  enacting  the 
 same  mischief,  and  framing  it  into  a  law,  may  heavily  provoke 
 our  sweetest  Lord.  Yet  there  are  a  few  names  in  the  land  that 
 have  not  defiled  their  garments ;  and  a  holy  seed,  on  whom  the 
 Lord  will  have  mercy,  like  the  four  or  five  olive-berries  on  the  top 
 of  the  shaken  olive-tree,  and  their  eye  shall  be  toward  the  Lord 
 their  Maker.  Think  it  not  strange  that  men  devise  against  you, 
 whether  it  be  to  exile,  "  the  earth  is  the  Lord's;"  o_  ^  erpetual 
 imprisonment,  the  Lord  is  your  light  and  liberty ;  or  a  violent 
 and  public  death,  for  the  kingdom  of  heaven  consisteth  in  a  fair 
 company  of  glorified  martyrs  and  witnesses,  of  whom  Jesus 
 Christ  is  the  chief  witness,  who  for  that  cause  was  born,  and 
 came  into  the  world.  Happy  are  ye,  if  you  give  testimony  to  the 
 world  of  your  preferring  Jesus  Christ  to  all  powers.  And  the 
 Lord  Avill  make  innocency  and  Christian  loyalty  of  His  defamed 
 and  despised  witnesses  in  this  land,  to  shine  to  after-generations, 
 and  will  take  the  man-child  up  to  God  and  to  His  throne,  and 
 prepare  a  hiding-place  in  the  wilderness  for  the  mother,  and  cause 
 the  earth  to  help  the  woman.  Be  not  terrified  ;  fret  not ;  forgive 
 your  enemies.  Bless  and  curse  not ;  for  though  both  you  and  I 
 should  be  silent,  sad  and  heavy  is  the  judgment  and  indignation 
 of  the  Lord  that  is  abiding  the  unfaithful  watchmen  of  the  Church 
 of  Scotland.  The  souls  under  the  altar  are  crying  for  justice,  and 
 there  is  an  answer  returned  already.  The  Lord's  salvation  will 
 not  tarry.  Cast  the  burden  of  wife  and  children  on  the  Lord 
 Christ.  He  careth  for  you  and  them.  Your  blood  is  precious 
 in  His  sight.  The  everlasting  consolations  of  the  Lord  bear  you 
 up,  and  give  you  hope :  for  your  salvation  (if  not  deliverance)  is 
 concluded. 
 
 Your  own  brother,         S.  E. 
 St.  Andrews,  Feb.  15, 1661. 
 
 LETTER  LXVHL— To  Aberdeen. 
 
 Reverend  and  dearly  beloved  in  the  Lord, — Grace  be  to 
 you  and  jDeace  from  God  our  Father  and  from  the  Lord  Jesus 
 Christ.  There  were  some  who  rendered  thanks,  with  knees 
 bowed  to  Him,  "  of  whom  is  named  the  whole  family  in  heaven 
 and  earth,"  when  they  heard  of  "your  Avork  of  faith,  and  labour 
 of  love,  and  patience  of  hope  in  our  Lord  Jesus ;"  and  rejoiced 
 not  a  little,  that  where  Christ  was  scarce  named  in  savouriness 
 
PART  III.]  LETTER  LXVIII.  559 
 
 and  power  of  the  gospel,  even  in  Aberdeen,  there  Christ  hath  a 
 few  names  precious  to  Him,  who  sliall  walk  with  Him  in  white. 
 We  looked  on  it  (He  knoweth,  whom  we  desire  to  serve  in  our 
 spirit,  in  the  gospel  of  His  Son)  as  a  part  of  the  fulfilling  of  that, 
 "  The  wilderness  and  solitary  place  shall  be  glad  for  them ;  and 
 the  desert  shall  rejoice  and  blossom  as  a  rose."  But  now  it  is 
 more  grievous  to  us  than  a  thousand  deaths,  when  we  hear  that 
 you  are  shaken,  and  so  soon  removed  from  that  which  you  once 
 acknowledged  to  be  the  way  of  God.  Dearly  beloved,  the  sheep 
 follow  Christ,  who  calleth  them  by  name;  a  stranger  they  will  not 
 follow,  but  they  flee  from  him,  for  they  know  not  the  voice  of  a 
 stranger.  Ye  know  the  way,  by  which  ye  were  sealed  to  the  day 
 of  redemption ;  and  ye  received  the  Spirit  by  the  hearing  of  faith, 
 part  not  Avith  that  way,  except  ye  see  there  be  no  rest  for  your 
 souls  therein ;  neither  listen  to  them  that  say,  many  were  con- 
 verted under  episcopal,  as  well  as  under  presbyterial  government. 
 And  yet  the  godly  gave  testimony  against  bishops ;  for  the  in- 
 struments of  conversion  loathed  episcopacy,  with  the  ceremonies 
 thereof,  and  never  sealed  it  with  their  sufferings.  But  we  shall 
 desire  instances  of  any  engaged  by  oaths,  and  sufferings  of  the 
 faithful  messengers  of  God,  and  the  manifestation  of  the  Lord's 
 presence,  in  the  way  ye  now  forsake,  yet  who  turned  from  it,  and 
 went  one  step  toward  sinful  separation,  and  did  it  in  that  way  ye 
 now  aim  at,  and  did  yet  flourish  and  grow  in  grace.  But  we  can 
 bring  proofs  of  many  who  left  it,  and  went  further  on  to  abomin- 
 able ways  of  error.  And  you  have  it  not  in  your  power,  where 
 you  shall  lodge  at  night,  having  once  left  the  way  of  God,  and 
 many  we  know  lost  peace  and  communion  with  God,  and  fell  into 
 a  condition  of  withering,  and  not  being  able  to  find  their  lovers, 
 were  forced  to  return  to  their  first  husband. 
 
 We  shall  entreat  you,  consider  what  a  stumbling  it  is  to  malig- 
 nant opposers  of  the  way  and  cause  of  God,  who  with  their  ears 
 heard  you,  and  with  their  eyes  saw  you,  so  strenuously  take  part 
 with  the  godly  in  their  sufferings,  and  profess  yourselves  for  reli- 
 gion, truth,  doctrine,  government  of  the  house  of  God,  His  cove- 
 nant and  cause  ;  if  now  you  build  again  what  you  once  destroyed, 
 and  destroy  what  you  builded  ;  and  shall  you  not  make  yourselves, 
 by  so  doing,  transgressors  1  How  shall  it  wound  the  hearts  of  the 
 godly,  stain  the  profession,  darken  the  glory  of  the  gospel,  shake 
 the  faith  of  many,  weaken  the  hands  of  all,  if  you,  and  you  first 
 of  all  in  this  kingdom,  shall  stretch  out  the  hands  to  raze  the 
 walls  of  our  Jerusalem,  by  reason  of  which  the  Lord  made  her 
 terrible,  as  an  army  with  banners  1  For  when  kings  came,  and 
 saw  the  palaces  and  bulwarks  thereof,  they  marvelled  and  were 
 troubled,  and  hasted  away,  fear  took  hold  upon  them  there,  and 
 
560  LETTEK  LXVIII.  [PART  III. 
 
 pain  as  of  a  woman  in  travail.  And  we  shall  be  grieved,  if  you 
 should  be  hsirs  to  the  guiltiness  of  breaking  down  the  same  hedge 
 of  the  vineyard,  for  the  which  the  sad  indignation  of  God  pur- 
 sueth  this  day  the  royal  family,  many  nobles,  houses  great  and 
 fair,  and  all  the  prelatical  party  in  these  three  kingdoms.  And 
 when  your  dear  brethren  are  weak  and  fainting,  shall  we  believe 
 that  you  will  leave  us,  and  be  divided  from  this  so  blessed  a  con- 
 junction? The  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  we  trust,  shall  walk  in  the 
 midst  of  the  golden  candlesticks,  and  be  with  us,  if  you  will  ba 
 gone  from  us. 
 
 Beloved  in  the  Lord,  we  cannot  but  be  persuaded  of  better 
 things  of  you ;  and  we  shall  not  conceal  from  you,  that  we  are 
 ignorant  what  to  answer,  when  Ave  are  reproved  on  your  behalf, 
 in  regard  that  your  change  to  another  gospel  way  (which  the 
 Lord  avert)  is  so  much  the  more  scandalous,  that  the  sudden 
 alteration,  unknown  to  us  before,  now  overtaketh  you,  when  men 
 come  amongst  you,  against  whom  the  furrows  of  the  fields  of  Scot- 
 land do  complain. 
 
 Forget  not,  dear  brethren,  that  Christ  hath  now  the  fan  in  His 
 hand,  and  this  is  also  the  day  of  the  Lord,  that  shall  burn  as  an 
 oven ;  and  that  Christ  now  sitteth  as  a  refiner  of  silver,  purifying 
 the  sons  of  Levi,  and  purging  them  as  gold  and  silver,  that  they 
 may  oflfer  unto  the  Lord  an  offering  of  righteousness,  and  those 
 that  keep  the  word  of  His  (not  their  own)  patience,  shall  be  de- 
 livered from  the  hour  of  temptation,  that  shall  come  on  all  the 
 earth  to  try  them.  If  ye  exclude  all  non-converts  from  the  visible 
 city  of  God,  in  which  daily  multitudes  in  Scotland,  in  all  the  four 
 quarters  of  the  land,  above  whatever  our  fathers  saw  throng  into 
 Christ,  shall  they  not  be  left  to  the  lions  and  wild  beasts  of  the 
 forest,  even  to  Jesuits,  seminary  priests,  and  other  seducers  1  For 
 the  magistrate  hath  no  power  to  compel  them  to  hear  the  gospel, 
 nor  have  ye  any  church  power  over  them,  as  ye  teach ;  and  they 
 bring  not  love  to  the  gospel  and  to  Christ  out  of  the  womb  with 
 them,  and  so  they  must  be  left  to  embrace  what  religion  is  most 
 suitable  to  corrupt  nature.  Nor  can  it  be  a  way  approven  by  the 
 Lord  in  Scripture  to  excommunicate  from  the  visible  Church 
 (which  is  the  office-house  of  the  free  grace  of  Christ,  and  His 
 draw-net)  all  the  multitudes  of  non-converts  baptized,  and  visibly 
 within  the  covenant  of  grace,  which  are  in  Great  Britain,  and  all 
 the  reformed  churches ;  and  so  to  shut  the  gates  of  the  Lord's 
 gracious  calling  upon  all  these,  because  they  are  not,  in  your 
 judgment,  chosen  to  salvation,  when  once  you  are  within  your- 
 selves. For  how  can  the  Lord  call  Egypt  His  people,  and  Assyria 
 the  work  of  His  hands,  and  all  the  Gentiles  (who  for  numbers  are 
 as  the  flocks  of  Kedar  and  the  abundance  of  the  sea)  the  king- 
 
PART  III.]  LETTER  LXVIII.  561 
 
 doms  of  our  Lord,  and  of  His  Christ,  if  you  number  infants,  as 
 many  do,  and  all  such  as  your  charity  cannot  judge  converts,  as 
 others  do,  among  heathens  and  Pagans,  Avho  have  not  a  visible 
 claim  and  interest  in  Christ?  The  candlestick  is  not  yours,  nor 
 the  house ;  but  Christ  fixeth  and  removeth  the  one,  and  buildeth 
 or  casteth  down  the  other,  according  to  His  sovereignty. 
 
 We  in  humility  judge  ourselves,  though  the  chief  of  sinners,  the 
 sons  of  Zion,  and  of  the  seed  of  Christ.     If  you  remove  from  us, 
 and  carry  from  hence  the  candlestick,  let  our  Father  be  judge, 
 and  show  us  why  the  Lord  hath  bidden  you  come  out  from  among 
 us.     We  look  upon  this  visible  Church,  though  black  and  spotted, 
 as  the  hospital  and  guest-house  of  sick,  halt,  maimed,  and  withered, 
 over  which  Christ  is  Lord-Physician  and  Master ;  and  we  would 
 wait  upon  those  that  are  not  yet  in  Christ,  as  our  Lord  waited 
 upon  us  and  you  both.     We  therefore,  your  brethren,  children  of 
 one  Father,  cannot,  but  with  tears  and  exceeding  sorrow  of  heart, 
 earnestly  entreat,  beseech,  and  obtest  you,  by  the  love  of  our 
 Lord  Jesus  Christ,  by  His  sufferings  and  precious  ransom  He  paid 
 for  us  both,  by  the  consolations  of  His  Spirit,  by  your  appearance 
 before  the  dreadful  tribunal  of  our  Lord  Jesus ;  yea,  and  charge 
 you  before  God  and  the  same  Lord  Jesus,  "who  shall  judge  the 
 quick  and  the  dead  at  His  appearing  and  in  His  kingdom  ;"  break 
 not  the  spirits  and  hearts  of  those  to  whom  ye  are  dear  as  their 
 own  soul.     Forsake  not  the  assemblies  of  the  people  of  God  ;  let 
 us  not  divide.     Not  a  few  of  the  people  of  God,  in  this  shire  of 
 Fife,  in  whose  name  I  now  Avrite,  dare  say  if  ye  depart,  ye  shall 
 leave  Christ  behind  you  with  us,  and  the  golden  candlesticks,  and 
 shall  cast  yourselves  (we  much  fear)  out  of  the  hearts  and  prayers 
 of  thousands  dear  to  Jesus  Christ  in  Scotland  :  therefore,  before 
 ye  fix  judgment  and  practice  on  any  untrodden  path,  let  a  day  of 
 humiliation  be  agreed  upon  by  us  all,  and  our  Father's  mind  and 
 will  inquired,  through  our  one  common  Saviour,     And  let  us  see 
 one  another's  faces  at  best  conveniency,  and  plead  the  interest  of 
 Christ  and  be  comforted,  and  not  be  stumbled  at  your  ways.     So, 
 expecting  your  answer,  we  shall  pray  that  the  God  of  peace  who 
 brought  again  from  the  dead  our  Lord  Jesus,  that  great  Shepherd 
 of  the  sheep,  through  the  blood  of  the  everlasting  covenant,  may 
 make  you  perfect  in  every  work  to  do  His  will,  working  in  you 
 that  which  is  well  pleasing  in  His  sight,  through  Jesus  Christ, 
 and  I  shall  remain. 
 
 Your  aflfectionate  brother  in  the  Lord,         S.  K. 
 
 St,  Aiulriiws, 
 
 j5  N 
 
FOURTH  PART. 
 
 ADDITIONAL    LETTEES. 
 
 LETTEE  I.— To  a  Minister  in  Glasgow. 
 
 Sir, — I  long  to  see  you  since  you  gave  a  public  testimony  for 
 your  Master,  and  are  become  a  suflferer  for  Him.  Until  I  shall 
 be  able  to  see  you,  I  thought  it  duty  to  write  to  you  that  I  re- 
 member you  as  I  am  able.  Y'our  zeal  and  faithfulness  for  our 
 Master  and  your  mother  Church  have  made  your  name  honour- 
 able and  precious  among  many  here ;  yea,  have  exceedingly  re- 
 freshed the  bowels  of  the  saints.  Upon  my  word,  sir,  I  say  the 
 truth,  you  have  their  hearts  and  their  approbation  to  what  you 
 have  done,  and  that  you  are  approven  of  God,  I  doubt  not ;  the 
 seal  whereof  I  hope  shall  be  in  your  heart,  to  feast  your  conscience 
 ■\yith  peace,  and  to  cause  your  face  shine  in  innocency.  What  you 
 have  done  with  your  fellow-witnesses,  companions  in  tribulation, 
 shall  turn  to  you  for  a  testimony.  Sir,  when  the  General  As- 
 sembly are  gathered  together  to  their  fathers,  and  you  wearing 
 your  crown  up  at  the  throne  and  following  the  Lamb,  your  name 
 shall  be  precious  and  have  a  savour  of  life  amongst  the  saints ; 
 you  shall  have  your  mother's  blessing,  I  mean  the  Church  of 
 Scotland,  when  you  are  dead  and  rotten.  Though  now  you  seem 
 to  be  a  man  of  strife  and  contention,  yet  you  are  no  otherways 
 for  strife  and  contention  than  your  Master  before  you,  who  came 
 not  to  send  peace,  but  rather  division  and  contention  with  the 
 malignant  party :  and  union  in  judgment  with  men  not  tender  of 
 our  Lord's  interest  is  a  conjunction  and  union  I  hope  you  shall 
 never  think  desirable.  Sectarian  separation  I  am  confident  you 
 never  loved,  though  men  who  are  become  transgressors  in  destroy- 
 ing what  they  have  formerly  been  building,  give  it  forth  so. 
 Woe's  me,  sir,  that  amongst  so  many  hundred  ministers  in  the 
 Church  of  Scotland,  so  few  are  like  to  be  found  willing  to  give  or 
 approve  of  your  and  others'  faithful  testimony.  I  think  that 
 besides  the  evil  of  blindness  that  is  in  the  mind  of  some,  and  the 
 idolizing  of  man's  interest  by  others,  an  uncrucified  world  and 
 
PART  IV.]  LETTER  I.  563 
 
 over-loved  stipends  shall  hinder  many  from  coming  your  length. 
 We  are  debtors  to  you,  and  to  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  that  hath 
 given  to  you  to  care  for  Zion,  that  no  man  seeks  after,  not  caring 
 for  your  own  things  but  the  things  of  God.  Fair  fall  you  ^  that 
 have  quit  all  things  to  follow  Him.  To  you  and  to  others  that 
 will  continue  with  Christ  in  this  hour  of  tribulation,  is  appointed 
 a  kingdom.  Sir,  you  had  more  credit  and  worldly  greatness  to 
 lose  than  many  honest  ministers ;  and  thanks  be  to  God  that  you 
 have  so  learned  Christ  to  be  made  a  man  for  Christ  of  no  reputa- 
 tion for  Him.  Your  despised  Master,  who  made  Himself  while 
 He  was  amongst  us  a  man  of  no  reputation,  is  now  exalted  in 
 glory.  There  is  none  now  to  gibe  Him  by  bowing  the  knee,  none 
 now  to  spit  in  His  face,  none  now  to  bring  Him  under  mocking 
 of  the  purple  robe,  none  to  put  on  His  head  a  crown  of  thorns. 
 And  as  you  now  partake  of  His  suflferings,  so  shall  you  hereafter 
 of  His  glory ;  you  shall  sit  honourably  on  thrones ;  and  when  the 
 chief  Shepherd  appears,  you  shall  receive  the  crown.  I  am  con- 
 vinced that  it  is  for  conscience  toward  God  that  you  suffer.  The 
 bottom  of  your  testimony  and  suffering  is  not  so  narrow  as  some 
 think,  who  study  more  to  decline  the  cross  than  to  be  tender  for 
 every  truth.  School  heads  talk  of  fundamentals  and  non-funda- 
 mentals, and,  say  they,  "  The  present  controversy  is  not  about 
 fundamentals :  ministers  may  keep  their  places,  peace,  and 
 stipends,  and  make  less  din."  But  are  non-fundamentals  nothing? 
 I  would  choose  rather  not  to  be  brought  up  at  school  than  to 
 grow  so  subtile  and  wily  by  school  distinctions,  to  decline  the 
 cross.  Sir,  you  divide  not  from  others  for  nothing ;  you  contend 
 not  for  nothmg  ;  you  suffer  not  for  nothing.  They  that  will  be 
 unfaithful  in  little  will  be  unfaithful  in  much.  Mistake  me  not  as 
 if  I  thought  the  ground  of  your  testimony  a  little  thing  and  a 
 trifle.  I  think  you  and  all  that  be  faithful  to  God  are  bound  to 
 follow  it  to  bonds  and  to  blood.  That  Christ  ought  to  be  a  king 
 in  Scotland,  and  the  people  ought  to  employ  the  liberty  that 
 Christ  hath  bought  to  them  with  His  blood,  is  among  fundamen- 
 tals with  me ;  and  whether  the  way  man  gives  and  allows  to  men 
 that  have  fought  against  the  truth  be  not  naturally  and  by  inter- 
 pretation against  this,  judge.  Sir,  your  Master  did  put  you  in 
 His  vineyard.  You  have  a  testimony  from  many  of  a  faithful 
 and  diligent  labourer.  I  hear  that  you  are  now  violently  thrust 
 out.  I  think  the  Spirit  of  Christ  would  teach  men  sobriety  and 
 forbearance.  I  wish  (and  know  you  will  join  with  me)  that  men's 
 violent  dealing  with  you  provoke  not  the  Lord  to  make  this  the 
 last  General  Assembly  of  the  Church  of  Scotland.  Always  I 
 acknowledge  you  one  ot  the  stars  which  the  Lord  hath  in  His 
 ^  May  good  be  to  you. 
 
564  LETTEE  II,  [PAUT  IV. 
 
 hand, — one  of  the  angels  of  the  Church  of  Scotland, — a  faithful 
 minister  of  the  gospel  at  Glasgow.  You  have  given  a  testimony 
 for  your  Master ;  you  shall  get  a  meeting  when  He  comes  in  the 
 clouds  ;  and  though  there  should  not  be  a  General  Assembly 
 henceforth  in  the  Church  of  Scotland,  judicially  to  acknowledge 
 you  His  minister,  yet  in  the  general  assembly  of  angels  and  men, 
 that  your  Master  in  the  latter  day  shall  call  in  the  clouds,  you 
 shall  get  a  testimony  of  a  minister  of  the  gospel ;  and  from  the 
 Shepherd  and  the  Lord,  the  righteous  Judge,  you  shall  receive 
 the  crown.  I  think  there  is  a  necessity  laid  on  you  to  preach  the 
 gospel,  and  to  call  people  to  the  covenant  of  grace,  wherever  you 
 can  safely  do  it.  I  know  there  are  many  that  will  yet  receive 
 you  as  an  angel  of  God,  and  yet  will  be  followers  of  you  and  of 
 Christ ;  receiving  the  word  in  much  affliction,  with  joy  in  the 
 Holy  Ghost.  The  Lord  give  you  in  all  things  to  approve  your- 
 self as  the  minister  of  God,  in  much  p^itience  and  affliction, — in 
 necessities,  distresses, — in  stripes,  in  imprisonment, — in  labour, 
 and  watching,  and  fasting, — by  honour  and  dishonour, — in  good 
 report  and  ill  report ;  for  now  we  live  if  ye  stand  fast  in  the 
 Lord ;  and  the  God  of  all  peace,  who  hath  called  you  to  His 
 eternal  glory  by  Christ  Jesus,  after  that  you  have  suffered  a 
 while,  make  you  perfect,  stablish,  and  strengthen,  and  settle  you. 
 Remember  me  to  those  that  are  your  companions  in  tribulation, 
 and  in  the  kingdom  and  patience  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  to  your 
 wife,  that  will  be  a  faithful  helper  to  you  in  this  time  of  your 
 affliction. 
 
 Because  I  am  not  able  to  see  you  yet,  and  fearing  that  when  I 
 come  to  Glasgow  I  shall  not  find  }ou  there,  I  thought  good  tu 
 write.  S.  R. 
 
 LETTER  n. — To  a  Person  unknown,  anent  Private  Worship  in 
 Time  and  Place  of  Public. 
 
 Reverend  and  dear  Brother, — I  do  not  knov;  a  private 
 worship,  set  and  intended,  compatible  with  a  public  worship  set 
 and  intended.  Ejaculations  are  fruits  of  public  worship  and 
 breathings  of  the  spirit  in  public  speaking,  but  they  are  aliqtiid 
 cultus  piiblici,  non  cultus  publicus  (something  akin  to  public  Avorship, 
 but  not  i^ublic  worship).  2.  I  know  not  a  member  in  the  kirk 
 who  should  have  a  worship  in  specie  different  from  the  worship  of 
 the  whole  kirk,  and  so  I  do  not  see  (saving  better  judgment)  a 
 lawfulness  of  private  set  praying,  when  there  is  another  set  wor- 
 ship of  praising,  reading,  &c.  3.  I  doubt  if  there  should  be  any 
 set  worship  in  the  kirk  to  which  all  the  hearers  should  not  say 
 Amen,  even  the  rude  and  unbelievers.     But  to  a  private  prayer, 
 
PART  IV.]  LETTERS  III.  AND  IV.  565 
 
 when  the  worship  is  piibhc,  who  can  say  Amen?  4.  I  thhik  the 
 people  may  all  fall  to  their  private  prayers  and  private  reading 
 while  the  minister  preacheth,  if  he  fall  to  praying  when  they  are 
 praising  or  hearing  the  word  read.  5.  I  dai'e  not  say  they  have 
 a  Pharisee's  mind  who  pray  in  public  after  a,  private  manner,  and 
 join  not  with  the  public  service  of  the  kirk,  but  in  natura  ojjeris, 
 I  think  them  more  pharisaical  than  the  other  case  is  Brownish. 
 6.  Brownism's  life  is  in  separation,  but  the  private  supplicator, 
 when  the  kirk  is  praising  and  hearing  the  word  read,  in  my  weak 
 judgment,  is  in  the  act  of  separation  ;  that  I  should  not  say  they 
 are  ignorant  of  BroAvnism,  who  object  this  to  such  as  wdl  not 
 kneel  in  pulpit.  7.  Neither  scripture  nor  act  of  our  assemblies 
 doth  allow  this  human  custom.  I  thinlc  they  dare  not  be  answer- 
 able to  a  General  Assembly  who  dare  call  on  them  to  censure  for 
 a  human  and  uiiorderly  custom  against  the  word  of  God  so  directly. 
 8.  If  such  as  go  not  to  private  pulpit  prayer  neglect  private  prayer 
 before  they  come  in  public,  they  deserve  censure.  Whatever  hath 
 been  my  practice  l;)efore  I  examined  this  custom,  I  purpose  now 
 no  more  to  confound  worships.  And  thus  recommending  you  to 
 the  grace  of  God,  I  rest,  S.  II. 
 
 January  16,  1640. 
 
 LETTER  III.— To  Sir  James  Stewa-t,  Lord  Provost  of 
 Edinburgh. 
 
 Eight  Honourable, — The  matter  of  my  transportation  is  so 
 poor  a  controversy,  I  truly  not  being  desirous  to  be  the  subject  ot 
 any  din  in  the  General  Assemby  of  the  Kirk  of  Scotland,  who  have 
 greater  business  to  do,  and  having  suffered  once  the  pain  of  trans- 
 portation, most  humbly  intreat  your  w.  [worships]  that  favour  as 
 to  cast  your  thoughts  upon  some  fitter  man,  for  as  it  is  unbeseem- 
 ing me  to  lie  or  dissemble,  so  I  must  freely  show  you  it  will  but 
 make  me  the  subject  of  suffering  and  passive  obedience,  and  I 
 trust  your  w.  [worships]  intend  not  that  hurt  to  me,  and  I  am 
 persuaded  it  is  not  your  mind.  It  shall  be  my  prayer  to  God,  to 
 send  that  worthy  society  an  able  and  pious  man.  Grace  be 
 with  you. 
 
 Yours,  at  all  humble  observance  in  the  Lord, 
 
 Samuel  Kutherfokd. 
 
 St.  Andrews  the  Last  of  June  1619. 
 
 LETTER  IV.— To  the  Earl  of  Balcarras. 
 
 My  very  honourable  Lord, — I  am  sorry  that  your  Lordship 
 should  be  offended  at  any  sinistrous  misinformation  concerning 
 
566  LETTER  V.  [part  IV. 
 
 your  supposed  discountenancing  of  minister^.  For  the  general  I 
 can  say  nothing,  being  utterly  ignorant  thereof.  I  hope  your 
 Lordship  will  make  the  best  use  of  it  may  be.  For  myself  I  owe 
 no  thanks  to  any  that  have  named  me  as  the  object  of  any  dis- 
 countenancing ;  for  truly  I  value  not  any  of  those  whenas  the 
 conscience  of  my  innocence  showeth  me,  and  for  aught  known  to 
 me,  truly,  that  I  offended  no  nobleman  in  the  kingdom,  far  less 
 my  Lord  Balcarras,  whose  public  deservings  have  been  such  as  I 
 esteem  him  to  have  been  most  instrumental  in  this  work  of  God  : 
 I  hope,  my  Lord,  you  will  pardon  me  to  make  a  little  exception 
 in  the  matter  of  the  late  sinful  Engagement.  And,  therefore,  my 
 Lord,  I  entreat  you  to  forget  that  business ;  for  since  your  Lord- 
 ship said  of  me  in  your  letter  to  Mr.  David  Forret,  more  than  I 
 deserve,  I  shall  be  satisfied  with  it  as  an  expiation — more  than 
 any  discountenancing  of  me  can  amount  unto  by  millions  of  de- 
 grees, and  therefore  entreat  your  Lordship  to  accept  of  this  for 
 any  thing  that  any  could  say  to  your  Lordship  of  that  business. 
 If  I  had  thought  so  much  of  myself  as  the  discountenancing  of  me 
 had  been  a  sinful  neglect  (whereas  I  know  there  is  little  ground 
 for  the  contrary),  I  should  have  spoken  to  your  Lordship  myself. 
 So  trusting  your  Lordship  will  rest  satisfied,  I  am,  your  Lordship's 
 at  power  in  the  Lord.  S.  R. 
 
 St.  Andrews,  Dec.  24,  1649. 
 
 LETTER  v.— To  Lady  Ralston. 
 
 Right  worthy  esteemed  in  your  excellent  Lord  Jesus, — 
 With  much  desire  I  have  longed  to  hear  how  you  were  since  I 
 heard  of  your  being  so  near  the  harbour  as  seemed ;  and  now  to 
 my  great  satisfaction  I  am  informed  of  your  recovery.  As  for 
 yourself  I  grant  to  have  entered  in  at  the  ports  of  the  mansions  of 
 glory  had  been  best  by  far,  but  yet  to  stay  a  little  longer  here  is 
 much  more  comfortable  to  yours.  Therefore,  Mistress,  dearly 
 respected  in  the  Lord,  you  are  even  heartily  welcome  though  to 
 share  yet  further  with  Zion  in  her  manifold  tribulations ;  yea  I 
 believe  yourself  thinks  it  no  disadvantage,  but  rather  one  great 
 addition  of  honour  to  come  back  and  bear  His  reproach  yet  more 
 in  a  world  of  opposition  to  Him.  For  (to  speak  so)  it  is  an  advan- 
 tage that  is  not  to  be  had  in  heaven  itself ;  for  although  the  in- 
 habitants of  that  land  agree  in  one  to  sing  the  song  of  the  Lamb's 
 praise  and  commendation,  so  it  is  here-away,  and  here  only,  where 
 we  have  occasion  to  endure  shame  and  contradiction  for  His  worthy 
 sake.  Considering  therefore  the  honour  of  the  cross,  with  the 
 glory  of  the  life  to  come,  the  saints  are  hereby  rendered  completely 
 happy  and  honourable.     It's  much  selfishness  (as  I  judge  when  I 
 
PA.UT  IV.]  LETTER  V.  567 
 
 get  seen  best^  into  the  mystery  of  our  Lord's  cross),  to  make  post 
 haste  to  be  in  the  land  of  rest,  when  a  storm  of  persecution  is 
 rising  for  Christ ;  for  the  skiggard  and  peevish  spirit  loves  rest 
 upon  any  terms,  though  never  so  dishonourable.  It  is  in  effect 
 then,  far  more  honourable  to  seek  conformity  to  Christ  in  His  cross, 
 than  to  precipitate  in  desiring  to  be  like  Him  in  glory,  and  despise 
 and  fly  away  from  His  sufferings.  We  use  to  say  they  are  very 
 worthy 2  of  the  sweet  who  will  not  endure  the  sour.  I  think 
 Christ's  pilgrim  weeds  (He  being  a  man  of  sorrows  and  griefs)  are 
 more  honourable  than  ever  it  became  the  like  of  us  to  Avear, 
 especially  considering  our  poor  base  descent,  whom  He  will  have 
 honoured  with  conformity  to  himself.  Woe's  me  that  I  and  many 
 the  like  of  me  within  the  land,  look  so  frowardly  on  Christ's  cross, 
 as  though  it  were  not  His  love-allowance  to  all  His  followers.  It's 
 plainly  our  gross  ignorance  that  is  the  cause  thereof.  Faith  I 
 grant  would  suffer  affliction  for  Him  with  good  will  rather  than 
 the  least  iniquity  should  be  committed,  but  sense  loves  no  bands  ■. 
 for  faith  keeping  the  sway,  puts  ofttimes  the  carnal  man  in  bond- 
 age, and  that  occasions  strife  betwixt  the  flesh  and  the  spirit.  The 
 spirit  smells  no  freedom  or  deliverance  but  that  which  comes  from 
 above ;  the  flesh  would  aye  have  deliverance  without  examination 
 of  the  terms  or  wherefrom  it  comes.  As  it  is  the  mark  of  Christ's 
 sheep  that  they  will  hear  His  voice  and  will  not  acknowledge  a 
 stranger,  so  it  is  the  mark  of  faith,  that  it  wiU  only  receive  orders 
 from  heaven.  When  He  declares  his  mind  for  bands  it  submits 
 to  bands,  not  replying  objections  to  the  contrary ;  and  again,  when 
 He  says,  "  Show  yourselves  the  prisoners  of  hope,"  it  discovers 
 time  and  way,  and  obeys  to  come  forth,  but  not  till  then.  But  the 
 flesh  maketh  ever  haste,  and  the  first  and  nearest  ease  is  aye  its 
 best  choice.  The  Lord  keep  His  dear  people  from  wanting  of  any 
 exercise  that  is  measured  out  by  Him  to  them,  now  when  He  hides 
 His  face,  lest  we  be  turned  aside  to  strange  gods  !  and  when  He 
 shows  Himself  again  (as  He  will  assuredly  do),  we  kea^  our  change. 
 It  is  far  safer  to  dwell  a  little  in  faith's  prison  than  in  sense's  fair- 
 est liberty.  I  see  nothing  so  comfortable  an  evidence  of  God's 
 staying  into  and  healing  of  this  broken  and  poor  land,  than  that 
 faithful  testimony  of  His  precious  servants  (and  strengthened  only 
 by  Him),  against  the  late  and  sore  defection.  Yet,  if  the  Lord 
 had  not  left  us  a  remnant  we  had  been  as  Sodom  and  like  to 
 Gomorrah.  And  exalted  be  our  God,  only  wise  and  free  in  His 
 love,  that  ever  any  testimony  was  given,  for  the  hour  of  temptation 
 was  very  dark  to  all  once ;  but  to  some  He  showed  much  light, 
 and  helped  them  with  a  little  help.  Others  also,  able  and  dear  to 
 Him,  He  hath  letten  as  yet  remain  under  the  cloud ;  but  the 
 ^  Get  the  best  sight.  ^  Qu.  Unworthy.  •*  Know. 
 
568  LETTER  VI.  [PAllT  IV. 
 
 mystery  of  His  wisdom  is  so  high  in  this,  that  I  profess  it  may 
 render  all  flesh  humble  in  the  dust,  and  to  glory  henceforth  in 
 nothing  but  in  His  upholding  strength  and  free  love.  Always 
 when  His  due  time  comes  He  will  make  His  servants  see  that 
 which  they  do  not  now  see ;  but  alas !  in  the  meantime  there  is 
 no  harder  matter  of  our  trouble  to  be  looked  to  than  the  grievous 
 differences  of  judgments  and  affections  among  the  Lord's  servants, 
 which  I  know  is  much  pondered  by  you,  and  I  trust  that  all  our 
 worthy  dear  friends  will  labour  to  the  utmost,  according  to  Christ's 
 command,  to  have  the  breach  made  up  again,  that  Satan  get  not 
 advantage  there-through  ;  for  I  think  nothing  makes  more  for  His 
 ends  than  the  defacing  of  union  amongst  the  Lord's  dear  ones.  I 
 think  it  should  be  amongst  our  many  requests  to  Him  in  whom 
 all  the  building  used  to  be  fitly  framed  together  in  love ;  yea  the 
 obtaining  of  this  request  were  a  great  advantage  to  the  poor  kirk. 
 And  if  the  Lord  take  pleasure  in  us,  there  is  yet  hope  in  Israel 
 concerning  this  thing ;  but  if  not,  it  is  like  to  prove  a  probable 
 token  amongst  some  others,  of  Christ's  taking  down  His  tabernacle 
 in  this  land,  which  if  He  do,  we  will  have  sad  days.  But  the  con- 
 sideration of  His  pitiful  compassion  holds  forth  ground  to  believa 
 otherwise,  upon  which  ground  it  is  like  that  He  will  give  us  a  dooi 
 of  hope,  though  He  do  not  give  full  deliverance  yet;  for  our  hope 
 is  not  perished  yet  from  the  Lord,  because  men  and  carnal  reason 
 say  so ;  for  none  of  these  are  bands  or  rules  to  the  Almighty,  yea 
 Zion's  lowest  ebb  shall  be  the  first  step  to  her  rise.  1  have  no 
 other  reason  to  give,  but  The  zeal  of  the  Lord  of  Hosts  shall  per- 
 form it,  and  in  confidence  of  it,  I  remain,  yours  in  all  trouble, 
 October  1G51.  S.  li 
 
 Tender  my  respects  to  your  dear  husband,  who  is  indeed  preci- 
 ous in  the  account  of  the  honest  here,  for  his  faithfulness  in  the 
 hour  of  temptation. 
 
 LETTEE  VI— To  Mr.  Thomas  Wylie. 
 
 Eight  Eeverend, — I  look  on  it  as  a  significant  expression  of 
 your  respect  to  me,  and  above  all  deserving  in  me,  that  you  take 
 notice  of  any  appearance  of  clouds  or  alienation  of  mind  among 
 brethren,  and  am  glad  of  your  testimony  of  my  brother.  I  had 
 no  interest  but  brotherly  advice  and  hearty  desire  of  the  real 
 prospering  of  the  work  of  the  gospel ;  nor  was  it  either  necessary 
 or  expedient,  that  your  w[isdoms]  should  be  troubled  and  put  to 
 any  presbyterial  testimony,  upon  the  ground  of  a  private  missive 
 letter,  written  by  misinformation.  I  give  credit  to  your  testimony, 
 and  judge  much  ought  to  be  laid  upon  it,  and  shall  think  myself 
 
PART  IV.]  LETTEli  VII.  569 
 
 obliged  to  your  w[isdoms],  and  look  on  it  as  a  testimony  of  your 
 affectionate  zeal  to  the  work  of  God.  The  Lord  of  the  harvest 
 thrust  out  labourers  to  His  vineyard,  and  bless  His  work  in  your 
 hands  !  Excuse  me,  dear  and  reverend,  for  my  troubling  you 
 with  any  private  misunderstanding,  I  am  not  a  little  refreshed  to 
 hear  of  your  care  and  zeal  for  the  house  of  God. 
 
 The  Lord  be  with  your  spirit.  Your  unworthy  brother  and 
 fellow-labourer  in  the  gospel,  S.  R. 
 
 St.  Andrews,  March  23,  1653. 
 
 LETTER  Vn.— For  the  Truly  Honourable  Colonel  Gilbert 
 
 Ker. 
 
 Much  Honoured, — I  bless  the  Lord  for  His  good  hand,  Avho 
 declares  that  His  sovereign  presence  is  alike  in  England  and  all 
 places,  and  sways  hearts  as  pleases  Him,  The  book  of  holy 
 providence  is  good  marginal  notes  on  His  revealed  will,  in  His 
 word,  and  speaks  much  to  us,  could  we  read  and  understand  what 
 He  writes  both  in  the  one  and  the  other.  You  see  He  is  not 
 wanting  to  you ;  houses  and  lands  are  His.  The  Lord  led  Abra- 
 ham from  his  own  country  to  a  land  he  knew  not.  It  would  ap- 
 pear He  hath  not  opened  His  mind  to  you  for  leaving  of  this  land, 
 though  I  be  much  afraid  of  a  sick  state,  a  sleeping  ministry,  a 
 covenant-breaking  land,  a  number  of  dead  professors ;  all  these 
 are  gray  hairs  here  and  there  on  Ephraim.  Sure  our  ruin  is  sure 
 if  God  let  us  alone  ;  we  shall  rot  in  our  lies.  But  what  am  I  to 
 determine  of  conclusions  of  mercy  revealed  to  none,  and  thoughts 
 of  peace  in  the  heart  of  the  Lord  towards  an  undeserving  land  1 
 I  should  be  glad  to  see  you,  and  shall  desire  He  may  lead  you  in 
 the  matter  of  your  residence  whom  you  desire  to  be  your  guide 
 and  counsellor.  For  me,  I  am  as  to  my  body,  most  weak  and 
 under  daily  summons,  but  I  sit  still  and  read  not  the  summons  : 
 as  to  my  spirit,  much  out  of  court,  because  out  of  communion 
 with  the  Lord,  and  far  from  what  some  time  hath  been;  deadness, 
 security,  unbelief,  and  distance  from  God  in  the  use  of  means, 
 prevail  more  than  ever.  I  shall  desire  your  help  for  getting  a 
 third  professor.  I  am  in  this  college  between  wind  and  Aveather. 
 Dr.  Colville  is  for  Mr.  James  Sharp,  I  am  for  Mr.  William  Rait, 
 but  know  not  the  event.  My  wife  remembers  her  respects  to  you. 
 Grace  be  with  you.     Yours,  at  all  obedience  in  God, 
 
 St.  Andrews,  April  2,  1654, 
 
 S.  R. 
 
 Remember  my  love  in  Christ  to  Mr.  Livingstone. 
 
570  LETTEK  VIII.  [part  IV. 
 
 LETTER  VIII.— To  the  Presbytery  of  Kirkcudbright. 
 
 Reverend, — The  desire  of  your  w[isdoms]  for  union  to  me,^ 
 who  am  below  such  a  public  mercy,  and  of  so  high  concernment 
 to  the  Church  of  Scotland,  ought  to  be  most  acceptable.  The 
 name  of  peace  is  savoury,  both  good  and  pleasant.  I  so  close 
 Avith  your  godly  and  religious  aim  therein,  as  judging  the  Lord 
 hath  from  heaven  suggested  to  you,  and  inspired  your  spirits  with, 
 a  fervent  thirst  and  intention  to  promote  the  gospel,  that  though 
 I  should  judge  myself,  as  in  truth  I  am,  lower  than  to  suit^  from 
 either  Presbytery  or  Synod  any  favour,  yet  I  shall,  in  all  humility, 
 beseech  your  w[isdoms]  to  prosecute  with  the  power  which  Christ 
 hath  given  you  the  work  of  union ;  and  so  much  the  more  that  I 
 must  shortly  put  off  this  my  tabernacle.  I  offer  to  your  w[isdoms] 
 serious  consideration,  the  evident  necessity  of  union  with  God, 
 and  of  a  serious  and  sound  humiliation  and  lying  in  the  dust  be- 
 fore the  Lord  for  a  broken  covenant,  declining  from  our  former 
 love,  owning  of  such  as  we  sometime  judged  to  be  malignant 
 enemies  and  opposers  of  the  work  of  reformation  and  of  the  sworn 
 covenant  of  God,  despising  of  the  offered  salvation  of  the  Gospel, 
 coldness  and  indifferency  in  purging  the  house  of  God,  and  other 
 causes  of  the  sad  judgments  which  we  now  are  under.  And  my  last 
 and  humble  suit  to  your  w[isdoms]  is,  that  ye  would  be  pleased  to 
 take  in  with  this  union  the  planting  of  the  New  College  with  a 
 third  master.  It  is  a  matter  that  concerns  the  whole  Church  of 
 Scotland  and  seminary  of  the  ministry  thereof,  and  cannot  be 
 done  but  by  a  General  Assembly.  If,  therefore,  you  have,  dear 
 brethren,  judged  me  faithful  of  the  Lord,  and  regard  the  work 
 of  the  Lord,  and  the  promoting  of  the  kingdom  of  Christ  (as  I 
 nothing  doubt  but  it  is  the  desire  of  your  souls),  give  commission 
 to  the  brethren  sent  to  treat  for  union  at  the  meeting  in  Edin- 
 burgh or  elsewhere,  to  join  their  authority  and  power  such  as 
 now  may  be  had,  to  call,  invite,  and  obtest  some  godly  and  able 
 man  to  embrace  the  charge  of  professor  in  the  college  of  divinity 
 in  St.  Andrews.  And  because  Mr.  William  Rait,  minister  at 
 Brechin,  is  a  man  for  learning,  godliness,  prudence,  and  eminent 
 authority  in  the  Church  of  Scotland,  sought  for  to  the  ministry 
 by  the  town  of  Edinburgh,  ^nd  also  by  Aberdeen,  to  preach  the 
 gospel,  and  to  profess  in  the  college,  and  hath  the  approbation  of 
 the  present  masters  of  the  New  College,  the  godly  ministers  of 
 the  Synod  of  Fife,  of  the  Presbytery  of  St  Andrews,  ministers  of 
 the  city  of  St.  Andrews,  it  is  my  soul's  desire,  and  the  hearty  cry 
 of  students  in  the  college,  and  of  the  godly  in  the  city,  that  Mr. 
 William  Rait  may  be  the  man ;  and  that  your  commissioners  may 
 
 '  Sue  for. 
 
I'AKT  IV.]  LETTEliS  IX.  AND  X.  571 
 
 he  moved  to  deal  with  the  commissioners  of  the  Synod  of  Fife 
 and  Apgus  for  that  effect ;  so  shall  you  be  instrumental  to  repair 
 our  breaches,  and  build  his  house.  So  praying  that  your  labours 
 may  not  be  in  vain  in  the  Lord,  I  rest, — the  Lord  Jesus  be  with 
 your  spirit, — your  unworthy  brother  and  fellow-labourer  in  the 
 Lord,  S.  E. 
 
 St.  Andrews,  the  23d  October,  1659. 
 
 LETTER  IX.— To  John  Murray,  minister  at  Methven. 
 
 Reverend  and  dear  Brother, — I  would  gladly  know  the 
 issue  of  your  Synod.  We  did  profess  we  could  not  be  concluded 
 by  the  Synod  of  Fife's  views  of  union,  but  upon  condition  of  the 
 taking  off  the  censures  of  our  brethren,  which  we  think  are  in- 
 juriously inflicted.  Much  is  promised  to  us  for  the  remedying  of 
 these  censures.  I  shall  believe  when  I  see  their  performances. 
 I  hope  you  will  see  that  the  brethren  get  no  wrong,  or  the  house 
 of  God  in  their  persons,  and  send  me  a  line  of  the  conclusion  of 
 the  Synod  in  that  business.  The  paper  of  union  is  very  general, 
 and  comes  to  no  particulars  ;  it  only  tells  the  good  of  union,  and 
 contains  some  obtestations  to  us  that  insinuate  the  unsavouriness 
 of  irregular  courses ;  yet  we  thought  it  not  safe  to  yield  to  any 
 union  of  that  kind  so  long  as  our  brethren  are  under  the  censures. 
 I  much  doubt  of  their  honest  meaning,  and  that  barriers  in  the 
 way  of  entrant  ministers  and  elders  be  revived ;  and  I  see  no 
 engagement  so  much  as  verbal  for  purging ;  but  the  contrary 
 practice  is  here.  Mr.  Robert  Anderson  is  as  much  opposed  as  if 
 he  were  the  most  corrupt  sectary  or  Jesuit. 
 
 My  wife  remembers  her  to  you.  Remember  me  to  your  own 
 bedfellow, — Grace  be  with  you.     Your  own  brother,  S.  R. 
 
 St.  Andrews,  Jan.  25,  1660. 
 
 LETTER  X.— To  the  Same. 
 
 Reverend  and  dear  Brother, — If  I  rightly  apprehend  our 
 condition,  we  are  in  a  way  of  declining.  We  were  within  these 
 few  years  more  in  the  conscionable  use  of  means,  and  the  Lord 
 did  shine  upon  us  in  some  measure,  and  now  we  are  fallen  from 
 that  which  we  were.  It  is  judged  fit  by  some — and  many  of  our 
 solidest  professors, — that  if  we  cannot  have  in  congregations,  yet 
 families  and  private  persons  may  have  days  of  humiliation,  at 
 least  the  last  Wednesday  of  every  month  or  thereabout,  according 
 to  the  best  conveniency  of  Providence.  And  if  this  were  gone 
 about  in  your  county  and  in  Stirlingshire,  Fife,  in  Merse,  Teviot- 
 dale,  the  west,  in  Nithsdale  and  Galloway,  and  other  places,  it 
 would  prove  our  strength  and  help,  for  we  are  few  and  very  low. 
 
572  LETTER  X.  [PAKT  IV. 
 
 Our  adversaries  are  not  idle  ;  and  tliere  is  a  faintness  and  heartless 
 discouragement  on  the  spirits  of  many.  These  are  to  entreat  tliat 
 you  would  combine  with  Mr.  Eobert  Campbell,  Mr.  John  Cruick- 
 shanks,  and  other  of  our  brethren  in  your  bounds,  to  stir  up  one 
 another  that  we  may  wrestle  with  the  Lord  for  the  remnant.  I 
 am  confident  the  Lord  will  yet  be  inquired  of  us  for  this.  Though 
 the  same  particular  day  be  not  observed,  yet  where  many  are  on 
 work,  some  salvation  from  the  Lord's  arm  is  to  be  expected.  I 
 am  decaying  most  sensibly,  and  I  should  look  on  it  as  a  mercy  if 
 the  Lord  would  send  a  Avakening  among  His  own  ;  and  blessed 
 shall  he  be  who  shall  blow  the  trumpet  to  cause  other  sleeping 
 ones  awake,  and  shall  help  to  build  the  wastes  and  the  fallen 
 tabernacle  of  David.  I  shall  earnestly  desire  you  to  bestir  your- 
 selves herein.     I  shall  write  to  J ,  and  to  others  here,  and  do 
 
 the  best  I  can  to  give  you  a  convenient  account,  for  nothing  iii  left 
 to  us  but  that. 
 
 So  remembering  me  to  your  wife,  and  expecting  your  help,  I 
 rest,  your  own  brother,  S.  R. 
 
 Mr,  Eobert  Anderson  is  most  eagerly  desired  for  by  the  parish- 
 ioners of  Leu  chars,  and  as  strenuously  opposed  by  our  brethren 
 here. 
 
LAST  WORDS  OF  SAMUEL  EUTHEEFOED. 
 
 Glory,)  Glory  Dwelleth  in  ImmanueVs  Land.' 
 
 The  sands  of  time  are  sinking, 
 
 The  dawn  of  Heaven  breaks, 
 Tlie  summer  morn  I've  sighed  for. 
 
 The  fair  sweet  morn  awakes  : 
 Dark,  dark  hath  been  the  midnight; 
 
 But  dayspring  is  at  hand. 
 And  glory — glory  dwelleth 
 
 In  Immanuel's  land.    - 
 
 Oh  !  Avell  it  is  for  ever, 
 
 Oh  !  well  for  evermore, 
 My  nest  hung  in  no  forest 
 
 Of  all  this  death-doom'd  shore  t 
 Yea,  l^t  the  vain  world  vanish. 
 
 As  from  the  ship  the  strand, 
 While  glory — glory  dwelleth 
 
 In  Immanuel's  land. 
 
 There  the  Red  Eose  of  Sharon 
 
 Unfolds  its  heartmost  bloom, 
 And  fills  the  air  of  Heaven 
 
 With  ravishing  perfume  ; — 
 Oh,  to  behold  it  blossom. 
 
 While  by  its  fragrance  fann'd, 
 Where  glory — glory  dwelleth 
 
 In  Immanuel's  land  ! 
 
 The  King  there  in  His  beauty, 
 
 Without  a  veil,  is  seen  : 
 .  It  were  a  well-spent  journey. 
 
 Though  seven  deaths  lay  between : 
 The  Lamb,  with  His  fair  armj^. 
 
 Doth  on  Mount  Zion  stand  ; 
 And  glory— glory  dwelleth 
 
 In  Immanuel's  land. 
 
 Oh  !  Christ  He  is  the  fountain, 
 The  deep  sweet  well  of  Love  ! 
 
 The  streams  on  earth  I've  tasted, 
 More  deep  I'll  drink  above : 
 
574:  LAST    WORDS    OF    SAMUEL    RUTHERFORD. 
 
 There,  to  an  ocean  fulness, 
 His  mercy  cloth  expand, 
 
 And  glory — glory  dwelleth 
 In  Immanuel's  land. 
 
 E'en  Anwoth  was  not  heaven — 
 
 E'en  preaching  was  not  Christ ; 
 And  in  my  sea-beat  prison 
 
 My  Lord  and  I  held  tryst : 
 And  aye  my  murkiest  storm-cloud 
 
 Was  by  a  rainbow  spann'd, 
 Caught  from  the  glory  dwelling 
 
 In  Immanuel's  land. 
 
 But  that  He  built  a  heaven 
 
 Of  His  surpassing  love, 
 A  little  New  Jerusalem, 
 Like  to  the  one  above, — 
 '  Lord,  take  me  o'er  the  water,' 
 Had  been  my  loud  demand, 
 '  Take  me  to  love's  own  country, 
 Unto  Immanuel's  land.' 
 
 But  flowers  need  night's  cool  darkness, 
 
 The  moonlight  and  the  dew  ; 
 So  Christ,  from  one  who  loved  it, 
 
 His  shining  oft  withdrew  ; 
 And  then,  for  cause  of  absence, 
 
 My  troubled  soul  I  scann'd — 
 But  glory,  shadeless,  shineth 
 
 In  Immanuel's  land. 
 
 The  little  birds  of  Anwoth 
 
 I  used  to  count  them  blest,^ 
 Now,  beside  happier  altars 
 
 I  go  to  build  my  nest : 
 O'er  these  there  broods  no  silence. 
 
 No  graves  around  them  stand, 
 For  glory,  deathless,  dwelleth 
 
 In  Immanuel's  land. 
 
 Fair  Anwoth  by  the  Sol  way. 
 
 To  me  thou  still  art  dear ! 
 E'en  from  the  verge  of  Heaven 
 
 I  drop  for  thee  a  tear. 
 
LAST   WORDS   OF   SAIMUEL   RUTHERFOKD.  575 
 
 Oh  !  if  one  soul  from  Anwoth 
 
 Meet  me  at  God's  right  hand, 
 My  Heaven  will  be  two  Heavens, 
 
 In  Immanuel's  land ! 
 
 I  have  wrestled  on  towards  Heaven, 
 
 'Gainst  storm,  and  wind,  and  tide  ; — 
 Now,  like  a  weary  traveller, 
 
 That  leaneth  on  his  guide, 
 Amid  the  shades  of  evening. 
 
 While  sinks  life's  ling'ring  sand, 
 I  hail  the  glory  dawning 
 
 From  Immanuel's  land. 
 
 Deep  waters  cross'd  life's  pathway, 
 
 The  hedge  of  thorns  was  sharp  ; 
 Now  these  lie  all  behind  me, — 
 
 Oh,  for  a  well-tuned  harp  ! 
 Oh,  to  join  Halleluiah 
 
 With  yon  triumphant  band. 
 Who  sing,  where  glory  dwelleth 
 
 In  Immanuel's  land  ! 
 
 With  mercy  and  with  judgment 
 
 My  web  of  time  He  wove. 
 And  aye  the  dews  of  sorrow 
 
 Were  lustred  with  His  love  ! 
 I'll  bless  the  hand  that  guided, 
 
 I'll  bless  the  heart  that  plann'd, 
 When  throned  where  glory  dwelleth 
 
 In  Immanuel's  land. 
 
 Soon  shall  the  cup  of  glory 
 
 Wash  down  earth's  bitterest  woes, 
 Soon  shall  the  desert  brier 
 
 Break  into  Eden's  rose  : 
 The  curse  shall  change  to  blessing — 
 
 The  name  on  earth  that's  bann'd, 
 Be  graven  on  the  white  stone 
 
 In  Immanuel's  land. 
 
 Oh  !  I  am  my  Beloved's, 
 
 And  my  Beloved  is  mine  ! 
 He  brings  a  poor  vile  sinner 
 
 Into  His  '  house  of  wine  : ' 
 
6  LAST   WORDS    OF   SAMUEL    RUTHERFOUD. 
 
 I  stand  upon  His  merit, 
 
 I  know  no  other  stand, 
 Not  e'en  where  glory  dwelleth 
 
 In  Immanuel's  land. 
 
 I  shall  sleep  sound  in  Jesus, 
 
 Fill'd  with  His  likeness  rise, 
 To  live  and  to  adore  Him, 
 
 To  see  Him  with  these  eyes : 
 'Tween  me  and  resurrection 
 
 But  Paradise  doth  stand  ; 
 Then — then  for  glory  dwelling 
 
 In  Immanuel's  land  ! 
 
 The  bride  eyes  not  her  garment, 
 
 But  her  dear  Bridegroom's  face  ; 
 I  will  not  gaze  at  glory, 
 
 But  on  my  King  of  Grace — 
 Not  at  the  crown  He  gifteth, 
 
 But  on  His  pierced  hand  : 
 The  Lamb  is  all  the  glory 
 
 Of  Immanuel's  land. 
 
 I  have  borne  scorn  and  hatred, 
 
 I  have  borne  wrong  and  shame. 
 Earth's  proud  ones  have  reproach'd  me, 
 
 For  Christ's  thrice  blessed  name  : 
 Where  God  His  seal  set  fairest 
 
 They've  stamp'd  their  foulest  brand  ; 
 But  judgment  shines  like  noonday 
 
 In  Immanuel's  land. 
 
 They've  summoned  me  before  them. 
 
 But  there  I  may  not  come, — 
 My  Lord  says,  '  Come  up  hither,' 
 
 My  Lord  says,  '  Welcome  home  ! ' 
 My  kingly  King,  at  His  white  throne, 
 
 My  presence  doth  command, 
 Where  glory — glory  dwelleth 
 
 In  Immanuel's  land.* 
 
 *  From  'Immanuers  Land  and  other  Pieces.'     By  Mrs.  CouSTN  (A.  R.  C). 
 (J.  Nisbet  &  Co.) 
 
Opinions   of  the    Press 
 
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 EDINBURSH 
 24  OLD   BAILEY,  bONDON,   E.e. 
 
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 20 
 
Letters 
 
 OF 
 
 Samuel    Rutherford 
 
 With  a  Sketch  of  his  Life  and 
 Biographical  Notices  of  His  Correspondents 
 
 By    the    rev.    ANDREW    A.    BONAR,    D.D. 
 
 AUTHOR   OF    'memoir    AND    REMAINS   OF   ROBERT    MURRAY    m'cHEYNE' 
 
 BUSH   O'   BEILD — RUTHERFORD'S    HOUSE 
 
 EDINBURGH    &    LONDON 
 
 OLIPHANT    ANDERSON    &    FERRIER 
 
 And  all  Booksellers 
 
Oliphant,  Anderson,  &  Ferrier's  Publications. 
 
 Large  8vo,  cloth  extra,  with  14  Illustrations  and  facsimile  of  his  Writing, 
 
 LETTERS  OF  SAMUEL  RUTHERFORD. 
 
 Price  10s.  6d.  New  Edition.  With  a  Sketch  of  his  Life.  Notices 
 of  his  Correspondents,  Glossary,  and  List  of  his  Works.  By 
 Rev.  Andrew  A.  Bonar,  D.D.,  Author  of  '  Memoir  and  Remains 
 of  Robert  Murray  M'Cheyne.' 
 
 Dr.  Marcus  Dods  in  the  British  Weekly  says  : — 
 
 'In  its  own  department  of  devotional  literature,  Rutherford's  Letter's 
 stand  supreme.  For  warmth  of  feeling  they  are  unmatched.  .  .  .  The 
 present  edition  is,  as  they  say  on  school  prizes,  at  once  "prsemium  ac 
 incitamentum,"  a  tribute  paid  by  the  publishers  to  its  past  popularity,  and 
 a  powerful  incentive  to  its  future  fame.  For  in  every  respect  this  is  a 
 perfect  edition.  Not  only  is  it  very  beautiful  in  its  typography,  but  it  is 
 equipped  with  all  an  editor  can  do  for  it — a  life  of  the  author,  biographical 
 and  topographical  notes,  elucidating  the  circumstances  of  his  correspondents, 
 and  explanations  of  difiBcult  words  and  expressions.  All  lovers  of  good  men 
 and  good  books  should  have  it.' 
 
 Mr.  Spurgeon  in  Sword  and  Troioel  says  : — 
 
 '  What  a  wealth  of  spiritual  nourishment  we  have  here  for  half  a  guinea  ! 
 Rutherford  is  beyond  all  praise  of  men.  Like  a  strong-winged  eagle  he 
 soareth  into  the  highest  heaven,  and  with  unblenched  eye  he  looketh  into 
 the  mystery  of  love  divine.  There  is,  to  us,  a  something  mystic,  awe- 
 creating,  and  superhuman  about  Rutherford's  Letters.  This  is  a  noble 
 volume,  and  we  shall  measure  the  soundness  of  Scotch  religion  very  much  by 
 the  sale  of  this  work.  .  .  .  When  we  are  dead  and  gone,  let  the  world  know 
 that  Spurgeon  held  Rutherford's  Letters  to  be  the  nearest  thing  to  inspira- 
 tion which  can  be  found  in  all  the  writings  of  mere  men.' 
 
 Richard  Baxter  said  : — 
 
 '  Hold  off  the  Bible,  such  a  book  the  world  never  saw.' 
 
 Methodist  Times  says  : — 
 
 '  Dr.  Bonar  has  rendered  good  service  to  the  Church  of  Christ  by  publishing 
 this  admirable  edition  of  these  invaluable  letters,  and  by  writing  his  brief 
 but  clear  account  of  Samuel  Rutherford's  life.' 
 
 Richard  Cecil  said  : — 
 
 *  He  is  one  of  my  classics  ;  he  is  a  real  original.' 
 
 EDinburgb   &.   XonDon: 
 
 OLIPHANT    ANDERSON    &    FERRIER. 
 
 And  all  Booksellers, 
 
OUphant,  Anderson,  ^  Ferrier's  Publications. 
 
 The  Scots  Worthies.  By  John  Howie  of  Lochgoin.  Revised 
 from  the  Author's  Original  Edition  by  the  Rev.  W.  H. 
 Carslaw,  M.A.  The  Landscapes  and  Ornaments  by 
 various  artists,  engraved  under  the  superintendence  of 
 Mr  Williamson;  the  Historical  Portraits  by  Mr  Hector 
 Chalmers,  engraved  by  Messrs  Schenck  &  M'Farlane. 
 New  edition,  demy  8vo,  cloth  extra,  with  upwards  of  150 
 Illustrations,  price  5  s, 
 
 "The  popularity  of  this  book,  long  established,  will  certainly  suffer  no  diminution 
 from  the  manner  in  which  it  is  presented  ti)  the  reading  public  in  this  illustrated 
 edition.  It  is  a  handsome  volume,  attractively  bound,  and  beautifully  printed  ;  and 
 the  illustrations,  equally  appropriate  and  effective,  at  once  stimulate  and  giatify 
 historical  interest — supplying  indeed  a  '  National  Portrait  Gallery '  of  no  small  value 
 and  extent.  Great  care,  too,  has  been  bestowed  upon  the  letterpress,  the  work  of 
 revision  having  been  performed  by  a  scholar  who  loves  and  knows  the  subject ;  and 
 altogether  the  work  seems  to  be  nearly  as  fine  an  edition  of  the  Scots  Worthies  as  could 
 be  desired." — Daily  Review. 
 
 "The  well-known  house  ot  Messrs  Oliphant,  Anderson,  &  Ferrier,  of  Edinburgh,  has 
 republished  the  Rev.  W.  H.  Carslaw's  edition  of  the  Scots  Worthies,  and,  in  so  doing, 
 has  put  within  the  reach  of  everybody  one  of  the  most  interesting  and  useful  books  in 
 Scottish  literature.  More  than  one  hundred  years  have  elapsed  since  John  Howie 
 issued  the  first  edition  of  the  famous  book.  No  man  was  better  fitted  for  the  task  of 
 embalming  the  worthies  of  the  Scottish  Covenant  in  the  memories  of  his  fellow-men, 
 for  he  was  a  staunch  Cameronian ;  his  ancestors  had  suffered  in  the  interests  of  tlie  Church 
 of  Christ  in  Scotland  ;  his  home  was  the  centre  of  the  district  in  which  many  of  the 
 most  tragic  scenes  of  Scottish  martyrology  occurred ;  and,  besides  strict  adherence  to 
 truth,  he  had  a  literary  power  which  awakes  surprise  and  admiration.  The  book  was 
 a  household  one  in  the  Presbyterian  homes  in  Scotland  in  its  quaint  early  garb.  An 
 edition  was  issued  with  notes  by  the  late  William  M'Gavin,  author  of  'The  Protestant;' 
 and  other  editions  have  followed.  Mr  Carslaw's  has  already  established  itself  in  public 
 favour,  and  well  it  may.  It  has  all  the  quaintness  of  tlie  original  volume  in  a  condensed 
 form.  It  abounds  in  illustrations  of  well-executed  views  of  Covenanter  localities,  from 
 the  Communion  stones  of  Irongray  to  Dunnottar ;  of  Scottish  pa.aoes,  Falkland, 
 Holyrood,  etc. ;  of  Scottish  abbeys  and  churclies — indeed  it  might  almost  be  called  an 
 illustrated  Gazetteer  of  Scotland.  It  likewise  contains  views  of  places  in  England, 
 Ireland,  and  the  Continent  connected  with  Covenanting  story,  such  as  Westminster, 
 Rotterdam,  and  Londonderry.  It  gives,  moreover,  a  gallery  of  portraits,  from  George 
 Wishart  to  Robert  Traill ;  from  Mary  Queen  of  Soots  to  William  III.  ;  and  from  Arch- 
 bishop Sharpe  to  Claverhouse.  It  is  in  every  way  elegantly  and  quaintly  got  up,  the 
 illustrations  having  old-fashioned  elaborately-decorated  borders.  We  know  of  co 
 book  more  calculated  to  quicken  the  pulse  of  modern  Protestantism,  or  to  give  in  m 
 attractively  biographical  form  the  history  of  the  Church  of  Scotland  through  the  lives, 
 and  doings,  and  deaths  of  her  noblest  sons.  We  therefore  commend  it  to  all  who  wish 
 to  remember  the  dajs  of  former  generations,  or  to  understand  the  glorious  work  done 
 for  Scotland  in  his  chief  book  by  the  old  farmer  of  Lochgoin." — Christian  Leader. 
 
 "The  Scots  Worthies.  By  John  Howie  of  Lochgoin.  An  illustrated  edition,  revised 
 from  the  author's  original  edition,  by  the  Rev.  W.  H.  Carslaw,  M.A. — We  are  glad  to 
 see  this  reprint  of  our  Scottish  Acta  Sanctorum.  It  is  one  of  the  books  that,  lying  on 
 cottage  shelves,  and  conned  over  on  cottars'  Sabbath  nights,  has  helped  to  make 
 Scotchmen  what  they  are.  It  will  be  a  sad  day  for  Scotland  when  she  forgets  the  men 
 whose  deeds  are  so  simply  and  so  quaintly  recorded  by  one  who  had  himself  the  blood 
 of  the  Covenant  in  his  veins,  and  whose  fathers  resisted  unto  blood.  Though  this 
 edition  i=  inexpensive,  the  illustrations  are  admirably  executed.  We  counsel  those 
 who  have  not  the  book  in  their  libraries,  to  placo  it  there,  and  put  it  in  the  WKy  of 
 their  children."— C  P.  Record. 
 
OUphant,  Anderson,  da  Ferrier's  Publications. 
 
 Crown  8vo,  cloth  extra,  price  5s., 
 
 The  Shadow  of  the   Hand,  and   other   Sermons. 
 By  Rev.  W.  A.  Gray,  Elgin. 
 
 '  Earnest,  thoughtful,  and  scholarly  sermons.' — Literary  Churchman. 
 
 '  A  volume  of  delicate,  true,  and  helpful  delineations  of  certain  phases  of 
 Christian  experience.  .  .  .  Conveys  a  most  favourable  impression  of  the 
 original  and  careful  work  that  is  being  done  for  the  pulpit  by  conscientious 
 men.' — Expositor. 
 
 '  It  is  seldom  that  one  meets  with  such  sermons  as  these  coming  from 
 Scotland,  or,  for  the  matter  of  that,  from  England.' — The  Churchman. 
 
 '  The  whole  volume  of  sixteen  sermons  we  can  cordially  recommend.' — 
 Clergyman's  Magazine. 
 
 '  We  commend  the  book  ...  for  its  quiet,  meditative  grace,  and  its  deep 
 feeling  for  Nature.  .  .  .  Maintains  a  high  level  of  vigorous  common  sense, 
 and  is  as  much  alive  to  the  needs  and  characteristics  of  the  world  of  men  as 
 to  the  gentler  impressions  of  the  field  and  sky.' — Homiletic  Magazine. 
 
 'A  book  of  thoughtful  sermons  by  a  Scotch  minister.' — Christian. 
 
 'Exceedingly  thoughtful,  deeply  spiritual  and  practical.' — Christian 
 World. 
 
 '  Discourses  of  rare  excellence.  Give  evidence  of  independent  and  vigor- 
 ous thought,  and  are  characterised  by  much  freshness  and  beaiity;  no  striving 
 after  originality,  and  yet  we  have  it.' — N.  B.  Daily  Mail. 
 
 '  The  thoughts  are  fresh  and  vigorous  ;  the  arrangement  is  clear,  the  tone 
 is  devout.' — Primitive  Methodist  Wm'ld. 
 
 '  Everything  is  brought  to  bear  upon  great  principles  of  the  Christian 
 life.  Devout,  evangelical,  and  fervent,  these  are  very  useful  and  practical 
 sermons.' — British  Quarterly  Review. 
 
 '  Multiplied  evidence  of  homiletic  and  expository  skill,  controlled  and  held 
 in  check  throughout  by  loyal  submission  to  the  word  of  God.' — British  and 
 Foreign  Evangelical  Record. 
 
 '  Substantial  sermons,  which  we  have  read  with  much  pleasure.  We 
 delight  in  their  doctrine,  tone,  and  manner.  The  sermon  on  "  Faith  refusing 
 Deliverance"  strikes  us  as  a  masterpiece;  .  .  .  fine  specimens  of  sennons 
 for  an  educated  Christian  audience.' — Mr.  Spurgeon  in  Sivord  and  Trowel. 
 
 '  Thoughtful,  practical,  and  extremely  elegant.  .  .  .  The  theories  handled 
 are  taken  hold  of  withpower.  The  language  in  many  places  is  exceedingly 
 beautiful.' — Presiyterian  Messenger. 
 
 '  Admirable  sermons.  Evangelical  in  sentiment,  eminently  practical  and 
 useful,  and  abounding  in  fresh  and  attractive  illustrations.' — United  Presby- 
 terian Magazine. 
 
 '  The  most  notable  feature  of  the  book  is  the  amount  of  solid  thought  in 
 it;  next  we  should  mention  the  sustained  and  unfailing  earnestness  of  the 
 sermons.' — Christian  Leader. 
 
 '  Remarkable  for  their  graceful  style  and  literary  finish ;  they  have  a  fresh- 
 ness of  thought,  a  clearness  of  expression,  and  a  current  of  pathos  that  can- 
 not fail  to  interest.' — Aberdeen  Free  Press. 
 
 '  Since  the  Eev.  John  Ker  published  his  single  volume  of  Sermons  some 
 years  ago,  there  has  been  no  such  suggestive  volume  given  to  the  press  as 
 this.' — Northern  Whig,  Belfast. 
 
 '  Evidently  the  product  of  a  very  thoughtful  and  cultured  mind.  .  .  .  Bear 
 the  impress  of  the  nineteenth  century  upon  them.' — Belfast  Witness. 
 
 'Vigorous,  direct,  and  manly.  .  .  .  Sermons  that  can  be  read  without  a 
 sense  of  impatience  or  weariness.' — Westmoreland  Gazette. 
 
Oliphant,  Anderson,  &  Ferriefs  Publications. 
 Fourth  Edition,  crown  8vo,  with  Portraits,  price  58., 
 
 Life  and  Times  of  George  Lawson,  D.D.,  Selkirk. 
 
 By  Rev.  John  Macfarlane,  LL.D. 
 
 Extract  from  Letter  of  Thomas  Carlyle. — '  Your  "  Biography  of 
 Dr.  Lawson  "  has  interested  me  not  a  little ;  bringing  present  to  me  from 
 afar  much  that  is  good  to  be  reminded  of;  strangely  awakening  many 
 thoughts,  many  scenes  and  recollections  of  forty,  of  sixty  years  ago— all  now 
 grown  very  sad  to  me,  but  also  very  beautiful  and  solemn.  It  seems  to  me 
 I  gather  from  your  narrative  and  from  his  own  letters  a  perfectly  credible 
 account  of  Dr.  Lawson's  character,  course  of  life,  and  labours  in  the  world  ; 
 and  the  reflection  rises  in  me  that  perhaps  there  was  not  in  the  British  Islands 
 a  more  completely  genuine,  pious-minded,  diligent,  and  faithful  man. 
 Altogether  original,  too,  peculiar  to  Scotland,  and,  so  far  as  I  can  guess, 
 unique  even  there  and  then.  England  will  never  know  him  out  of  any  book  ; 
 or,  at  least,  it  would  take  the  genius  of  a  Shakespeare  to  make  him  known  by 
 that  method;  but,  if  England  did,  it  might  much  and  wholesomely  astonish 
 her.' 
 
 '  A  book  which  presents  not  only  a  faithful  and  sympathetic  narrative  of 
 the  career  and  works  of  one  of  the  greatest  Scottish  divines  of  his  day,  but 
 many  picturesque  glimpses  and  details  of  Scottish  life  and  character  during 
 the  latter  half  of  the  last,  and  the  first  decades  of  the  present,  century.' — 
 Scotsman. 
 
 '  We  are  right  glad  to  see  a  new  edition  of  the  "  Life  and  Times  of  Dr. 
 liawson,"  for  many  and  many  a  time  have  we  been  amused  and  refreshed  by 
 reading  its  sparkling  pages.  ...  As  Boswell's  "  Life  of  Johnson  "  will  always 
 remain  a  model  of  all  memoirs  from  its  admii-ing  homely  chattiness,  so  will 
 the  "  Life  of  Dr.  Lawson  "  ever  remain  supreme  among  Christian  literary 
 men  as  a  model  of  how  a  man's  portrait  should  be  drawn.' — Sword  and  Trowel 
 
 '"Cockburn's  Memorials,"  and  "Carlyle's  Autobiography,"  and  "Dr. 
 Lawson's  Life  and  Times  "  are  books  which  will  long  be  favourites  at  Scottish 
 firesides.  In  certain  respects  Dr.  Macfarlane's  "  Life  of  Dr.  Lawson"  affords 
 the  most  perfect  picture  of  Scottish  life  and  character  of  the  period;  and  the 
 new  edition  will  afford  many  that  opportunity  of  possessing  themselves  of  a 
 book  which  they  were  deprived  of  by  the  speedy  exhaustion  of  the  early 
 editions.' — North  British  Daily  Mail. 
 
 '  For  the  charming  stories  that  are  told  of  the  simplicity  of  his  character, 
 the  shrewdness  of  his  replies,  the  curious  results  of  his  frequent  absence  of 
 mind,  of  the  manner  in  which  he  comforted  and  counselled  his  friends,  of  the 
 singular  honour  conferred  on  him  by  the  University  of  Aberdeen,  of  the 
 manner  in  which  he  won  the  hearts  of  the  students  who  gathered  around  him 
 when  he  was  appointed  Professor  of  Theology  to  the  Associate  Synod,  and  of 
 the  esteem  in  which  he  was  held  by  rich  and  poor  alike,  we  must  send  our 
 readers  to  the  volume  itself.' — Preachers'  Monthly. 
 
Oliphant,  Anderson,  4"  Ferrier's  Publications. 
 
 New  Edition,  crown  8vo,  cloth,  price  2s.  6d., 
 
 The  Acts  of  the  Apostles  and  the  Epistles  of  St.  Paul, 
 
 arranged  in  the  form  of  a  continuous  History.  With  Notes, 
 Critical  and  Explanatory,  Map,  Gazetteer  of  Places,  and  Ques- 
 tions for  Examinations.     By  Thomas  Morrison,  M.A.,  LL.D. 
 
 '  This  is  the  second  edition  of  a  book  that  will  doubtless  extend  into 
 farther  editions.  It  bears  throughout  evidence  of  careful  preparation,  and 
 the  style — simple,  direct,  and  dignified — is  peculiarly  well  adapted  to  the 
 subject-matter.  The  importance  of  having  the  Scripture  narrative  presented 
 in  a  continuous  form  is  very  great.  But  that  is  not  the  only  value  of  the 
 book,  though  it  is  its  ostensible  purpose.  Dr.  Morrison  not  only  supplies  the 
 historical  setting  so  essential  to  a  true  apprehension  of  the  portions  of  Scrip- 
 ture dealt  with,  but  he  takes  up,  at  convenient  points,  those  controversies, 
 philosophical  and  religious,  which  had  so  important  a  bearing  on  the  early 
 struggles  of  Christianity,  and  makes  that  bearing  plain  to  any  reader  of 
 ordinary  intelligence.  With  the  instinct  of  the  true  teacher,  he  mingles  com- 
 ment with  the  gospel  story  in  such  a  fashion  that  the  difficulties  which 
 constantly  present  themselves  to  the  ordinary  reader  of  the  original  disappear 
 in  the  continuous  narrative.  The  appended  ''  Gazetteer  of  Places  "  is  a  valu- 
 able feature  of  the  book;  and  the  "Miscellaneous  Questions"  and  the  Index 
 will  be  found  no  less  valuable.  Altogether,  this  is  a  book  which  should 
 command  a  wide  circle  of  readers.' — Educational  News. 
 
 '  Dr.  Momson  has  condensed  in  small  compass  much  valuable  infonnation 
 admirably  fitted  to  give  a  clear  and  intelligent  comprehension  of  the  planting 
 of  Clu-istianity.' — Canada  Presbyterian, 
 
 '  Dr.  Morrison  gives  us  in  the  most  compact  fonn,  and  in  a  clear  and 
 ■graceful  style,  the  history  contained  in  the  Acts  and  in  the  Pauline  Epistles. 
 In  fact,  he  gives  us  in  these  200  pages  the  substance  of  Paley,  and  Conybeare 
 and  Howson.  The  narrative  is  skilfully  arranged.  Events  are  given  in  their 
 manifest  order,  and  no  light  furnished  by  recent  research  or  criticism  is 
 overlooked  or  neglected.  It  would  be  an  admirable  Text-book  for  use  in 
 Bible  classes.  The  appendix,  containing  a  full  list  of  places  mentioned  in 
 the  narrative,  with  brief  notes  of  each  place,  adds  to  the  value  of  the  book. 
 — Presbyterian  Witness^  Halifax. 
 
 '  A  clear  and  succinct  narrative,  with  a  map  and  notes.' — Literary  World. 
 
 '  The  plan  of  the  book  is  good,  and  it  is  admirably  carried  out.  The  author 
 gives,  in  the  first  place,  a  continuous  narrative,  which  to  a  large  extent  serves 
 as  a  commentary  on  the  Acts ;  but  inwoven  with  this  we  have  what  is  even 
 more  useful,  a  clear  account  of  the  connection  between  the  narrative  of  Luke 
 and  the  Epistles  of  Paul.  For  Bible  classes,  and  for  many  private  students, 
 this  latter  feature  of  the  volume  makes  it  specially  valuable.' — Scotsman. 
 
 '  Excellent.  By  reading  this  continuous  narrative  with  care,  the  student 
 will  get  a  general  idea  of  the  history  recorded  in  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles,  and 
 he  will  also  have  a  vivid  notion  of  the  suiTOundings  of  the  scenes  described.' 
 — Sivord  and  Trowel. 
 
 '  A  very  useful  volume.  Dr.  Morrison  understands  the  wants  of  teachers 
 and  pupils,  and  satisfactorily  supplies  them.' — British  Weekly. 
 
 '  Students  of  this  portion  of  the  New  Testament  will  do  well  to  take  Dr. 
 Morrison  as  their  guide  and  instructor.' — Christian  Neios. 
 
 '  We  can  heartily  recommend  this  volume,  which  we  may  say  is,  from  several 
 points  of  view,  thorough — we  had  nearly  written  exhaustive.' — Schoolmaster. 
 
 '  We  do  not  know  of  another  book  of  the  same  size  in  which  so  much  infor- 
 mation is  condensed.  To  Sunday-school  teachers,  and  those  who  have  not 
 time  for  extensive  research,  it  is  invaluable.' — Sunday  School  Banner. 
 
Oliphant,  Anderson,  ^  Ferrier's  Publication-^. 
 
 IMPORTANT     ANNOUNCEMENT. 
 
 NEW  AND  CHEAPER  EDITION  OF 
 
 KITTO'S  DAILY  BIBLE  ILLUSTRATIONS, 
 
 REVISED    BY   THE 
 
 REV.    DR.    PORTER, 
 
 PRESIDENT   OF   QUEEN'S   COLLEGE,    BELFAST  ; 
 
 AUTHOR  OF  'Murray's  handbook  of  syria  and  Palestine,' 
 'the  giant  cities  of  bashan,'  etc. 
 
 mitb  IRumcrous  illustrations. 
 
 In  consequence  of  the  First  Edition,  without  Dr.  Porter's  Notes,  being 
 now  out  of  print,  the  Publishers  have  resolved  to  issue  this  New  Edition,  in 
 Eight  Vols.,  for  28s.  complete. 
 
 This  is  identical  as  respects  Paper  and  Printing  with  the  Edition  hitherto 
 published  at  48s.,  while  the  Binding  is  improved. 
 
 These  'Illustrations'  consist  of  Original  Readings  for  a  Year  on 
 subjects  relating  to  Sacred  History,  BiOGRArHY,  Geography,  Antiquities, 
 and  Theology.     Especially  designed  for  the  Family  Circle. 
 
 This  Edition  is  revised  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Porter  of  Belfast,  and  is  enriched 
 by  numerous  Notes  from  his  pen,  bringing  the  results  of  the  latest  researches 
 to  bear  upon  the  subjects  treated  of  in  the  Readings. 
 
 MORNING    SERIES. 
 
 Vol. 
 
 1.  The  Antediluvians  and  Patriarchs. 
 
 2.  Moses  and  the  Judges. 
 
 3.  Samuel,  Saul,  and  David. 
 
 4.  Solomon  and  the  Kings. 
 
 EVENING    SERIES. 
 
 1.  Job  and  the  Poetical  Books. 
 
 2.  Isaiah  and  the  Prophets. 
 
 3.  Life  and  Death  of  our  Lord. 
 
 4.  The  Apostles  and  the  Early  Church. 
 
 Each  volume  is  complete  in  itself,  and  is  sold  separately,  price  3s.  6d. 
 
 FOR   OPINIONS   OF   THE    PRESS     SEE    NEXT    PAGE. 
 
Oliphant,  Anderson,  ^  Ferrier's  Publications. 
 
 Some  Opinions  of  tlie  Press  on  Kitto's  Daily  Bible  Illustrations. 
 
 '  In  practical  service  to  teachers  we  must  perhaps  put  Kitto  first,  but  next 
 to  him  we  think  Dean  Stanley  takes  the  place  of  honour,  at  least  in  relation  to 
 the  Old  Testament.' — Sunday  School  Chronicle. 
 
 '  They  are  not  exactly  a  Commentary,  but  what  marvellous  expositions  you 
 have  there !  You  have  reading  more  interesting  than  any  novel  that  was 
 ever  written,  and  as  instructive  as  the  heaviest  theology.  The  matter  is 
 quite  attractive  and  fascinating,  and  yet  so  weighty,  that  the  man  who  shall 
 study  those  eight  volumes  thoroughly,  will  not  fail  to  read  the  Bible  intelli- 
 gently and  with  growing  interest.' — C.  H.  Spurgeon. 
 
 '  I  never  open  it  without  getting  help,  and  I  find  that  much  more  preten- 
 tious books  are  largely  built  up  of  his  abundant  materials.  Do  yoiu'  best  to 
 spread  the  book,  not  only  among  ministers,  but  also  among  Sabbath-school 
 teachers.' — Alex.  Whyte,  D.D.,  Free  St.  George's. 
 
 '  I  cannot  lose  this  opportunity  of  recommending,  in  the  strongest  language 
 and  most  emphatic  manner  I  can  command,  this  invaluable  series  of  books. 
 I  believe,  for  the  elucidation  of  the  historic  parts  of  Scripture,  there  is  nothing 
 comparable  with  them  in  the  English  or  any  other  language.' — John  Angkll 
 James. 
 
 '  This  work  has  obtained,  as  it  merits,  a  wide  popularity.  Dr.  Kitto 
 throws  light  throughout  the  series  on  many  obscure  allusions,  says  many 
 tender  and  many  startling  things,  opens  his  heart  to  the  reader  as  he  unfolds 
 the  store  of  his  learning — all  his  utterances  being  in  harmony  with  his  avowed 
 design,  to  make  this  work  "  really  interesting  as  a  reading-book  to  the  family 
 circle,  for  which  it  is  primarily  intended.'" — Professor  Eadie  in  his  Life  of 
 Dr.  Kitto. 
 
 '  After  having  consulted  the  best  authorities  on  various  biblical  subjects,  I 
 have  been  struck,  in  coming  back  to  Kitto,  to  find  unmistakable  evidence  that 
 he  had  gone  over  the  same  ground,  and,  without  any  display  of  erudition,  had 
 given  his  readers  the  benefit  of  what  the  most  observant  travellers  and  the 
 best  equipped  scholars  had  written.' — J.  H.  Wilson,  D.D.,  Barclay  Free 
 Church. 
 
 '  I  regard  the  book  as  one  full  of  the  most  healthy  reading.  It  states  the 
 old  truth  clearly,  and  brings  to  bear  upon  it  the  newest  and  freshest  light 
 so  as  to  make  it  interesting  and  memorable.' — Alexander  Mair,  D.D., 
 Morningside. 
 
 '  Witl:in  a  brief  space,  and  without  any  parade  of  learning.  Dr.  Kitto  has 
 brought  to  bear  the  results  of  his  profound  scholarship,  of  his  literary  experi- 
 ence and  unaffected  piety,  to  aid  the  reader  of  the  sacred  volume  intelligently 
 to  understand  its  import.  Amidst  the  multiplicity  of  "  companions  "  to  the 
 Bible,  we  have  never  met  with  one  better  adapted  for  use,  either  in  the  private 
 circle  or  by  the  unlearned  Christian  inquirer.' — Nonconformist. 
 
 '  The  idea  of  the  present  work  is  excellent.  In  "  Readings"  designed  for 
 each  day  of  the  year,  but  so  brief  that  they  may  be  read  aloud  in  ten  minutes, 
 the  author  goes  over  the  outstanding  facts  and  incidents  in  the  sacred 
 narrative ;  and  from  his  boundless  acquirements,  sheds  over  them  a  flood  of 
 charming  illustration.' — Enr/lish  Preshiiterian  Messenger. 
 
 '  We  should  wish  to  see  this  most  useful  book  in  every  house.  It  contains 
 a  fund  of  most  important  biblical  infonnation.' — Church  of  England  Magazine. 
 
 '  For  family  reading,  especially  in  households  which  contain  intelligent 
 young  people,  these  illustrations  are  inestimable.' — Baptist  Magazine. 
 
 '  One  of  the  best  books  of  the  kind.' — Spectator. 
 
 '  It  is  handy  in  shape,  beautifully  printed,  and  well  adapted  for  the  daily 
 use  for  which  it  was  originally  designed,  while  worthy  to  take  its  place  on 
 the  shelves  of  a  libi-ary  as  a  work  of  reference.' — Scotsman. 
 
Oliphant,  Anderson,  &  Ferrier's  Publications. 
 
 Extra  crown  8vo,  cloth,  price  6s., 
 
 Manliness,  and   other   Sermons.     By  Hugh  Stowell 
 
 Brown.      With  a   Preface  by  Alexander   Maclaren,   D.D., 
 
 Manchester. 
 
 CONTENTS :— I.  Manliness.— II.  '  Prepare  to  Meet  thy  God,  O  Israel.'— 
 III.  The  Glory  of  Forgiveness. —IV.  Rationali.sm.- V.  'Abounding  in  the  Work 
 OF  THE  Lord.'— VI.  The  Two  Paths— (Part  I.  The  Path  of  the  Wicked  ;  Part  II. 
 The  Path  of  the  Just).— VII.  Waiting  upon  God.— YIII.  The  Wrestling  of  Jacob. 
 —IX.  Lucre  and  Filthy  Lucre.— X.  Jacob's  Answer  to  Pharaoh.— XI.  'Comfort 
 
 YE,    CO.MFORT   YE   My   PEOPLE.' — XII.    CaRNAL    WEAPONS.— XIII.    NOT   UNTO  SiNAI,  BUT 
 
 UNTO  Sion.— XIV.  The  Salvation  Army.— XV.  A  Prophet's  Mistake.— XVI.  The 
 Epistle  of  Paul  to  Philemon  (Part  I.).— XVII.  The  Epistle  of  Paul  to  Philemon 
 (Part  II.). — XVIII.  Little  Bethlehem.— XIX.  'All  Joy  and  Peace  in  Believing.' 
 —XX.  Bags  with  Holes.— XXI.  The  Gift  of  Christ  the  Pledge  of  all  other 
 Gifts.— XXII.  A  New  Year's  Sermon. 
 
 '  This  volume  contains  abundant  illustrations  of  his  homely  sagacity,  his 
 humour,  his  sarcasm,  his  boldness  of  rebuke,  his  strong,  nervous,  direct 
 style.' — Dr.  Maclaren. 
 
 '  In  these  living  pages,  Hugh  Stowell  Brown,  being  dead,  yet  speaketh; 
 of  the  now  stilled  voice  they  breathe  many  a  tender  and  moving  echo.  By 
 those  especially  who  at  any  period  of  his  career  enjoyed  the  benefit  of  his 
 pulpit  ministrations  this  volume  will  be  prized,  not  only  as  a  memorial  of  the 
 man,  but  as  a  source  of  comfort,  of  guidance,  and  of  help  to  true  siiiritual 
 progress.' — Liverpool  Post. 
 
 '  The  manly,  vigorous  language  of  the  sermons  impresses  the  reader  with 
 admiration  for  the  moral  teaching  conveyed  in  them.' — The  Times. 
 
 '  This  volume  will  serve  to  keep  alive  his  memory  among  those  who  knew 
 him,  while  it  will,  perhaps,  be  no  less  acceptable  to  many  who  had  only  heard 
 of  his  fame.' — Scotsman. 
 
 '  People  who  are  usually  repelled  by  sermons  will  find  in  this  volume  much 
 to  attract  and  charm  them,  for  Mr.  Brown,  in  addition  to  more  imposing  gifts, 
 possessed  in  an  eminent  degree  the  gift  of  "saving  common  sense."' — 
 Manchester  Examiner. 
 
 '  There  is  an  air  of  reality  about  his  discourses  that  rivets  attention  and 
 commands  respect.' — Scots  Observer. 
 
 '  There  is  not  a  single  poor  or  commonplace  sermon  in  the  book.' — British 
 Weekly. 
 
 '  At  length  the  public  has  the  opportunity  of  knowing  Stowell  Brown  in 
 what  was  the  chief  and  the  serious  business  of  his  life.' — Liverpool  Mercury. 
 
 '  Models  of  manly  simplicity  and  robust  common  sense.' — A^.  B.  Daily  Mail. 
 
 '  Fresh,  vigorous  thought,  clear,  incisive  style,  and  sound  evangelical 
 teaching,  pervaded  by  a  truly  catholic  spirit,  characterise  these  twenty-two 
 sermons.' — The  Christian  Age. 
 
 '  A  devout  reader  will  hardly  lay  down  this  book  ^vithout  having  derived 
 profit  from  its  pages.' — The  Record. 
 
 '  It  is  doubtful  if  either  a  better  selection  of  his  sermons  could  have  been 
 made,  or  a  more  appropriate  title  chosen  for  any  collection  of  discourses  by 
 him.' — Nonconfoi'mist. 
 
 '  The  book  will  amply  repay  thoughtful  perusal.' — The  Christian. 
 
 '  Will  be  welcome  to  many  readers.' — Scottish  Leader. 
 
Oltphant,  Anderson,  ^  Ferrier's  Publications. 
 
 Crown  8vo,  cloth,  price  5s., 
 
 The  Gospel  and  Modern  Substitutes.     By  Rev.  A. 
 
 Scott  Matheson,  Dumbarton. 
 
 CONTENTS 
 
 I.  The     Gospel     and     Modern  VII.  The  Gospel  and  Socialism. 
 
 Substitutes.  VIII.  The  Gospel  and  Socialism  — 
 
 II.  The  Gospel  and  Agnosticism.  Social  Grievances. 
 
 III.  The  Gospel  and  Science.  IX.  The  Gospel  and  Socialism 
 
 IV.  The  Gospel  AND  Science — The  —  The     Distribution     of 
 
 Law  of  Heredity.  Wealth. 
 
 V.  The  Gospel  AND  Science — The  X.  The  Gospel  and  Pessimism. 
 
 Law  of  Variation.  XI.  The  Gospel  and  Art. 
 VI.  The  Gospel  and  Positivism. 
 
 '  This  fresh  and  suggestive  book.' — Dail}/  Free  Press. 
 
 '  Mr.  Matheson  shows  most  conclusively  that  if  the  representatives  and 
 interpreters  of  the  Gospel  would  only  give  effect  to  its  wholesome  teaching — 
 that  is  so  human  as  well  as  divine,  so  far-reaching  and  all-embracing — many 
 of  those  modern  notions  and  theories  would  have  no  ground  to  stand  upon 
 either  on  account  of  their  novelty  or  utility.' — Scottish  Congregational ist. 
 
 '  The  author's  aim  is  to  claim  for  Christ  the  best  of  everything  in  Science, 
 Positivism,  and  Socialism,  and  to  make  an  eirenicon  between  Christianity 
 and  the  systems  of  Comte,  Darwin,  Schopenhauer,  and  the  Socialists.' — 
 The  Bock. 
 
 'Timely  and  suggestive.  The  breadth  of  survey  and  courageous  grapple 
 with  some  of  the  difficult  social  as  well  as  the  logical  problems  of  the  day 
 gives  this  book  a  special  value.  For  the  preacher's  library,  to  lend  to  the 
 intelligent  young  men  doubtfully  inclined,  and  as  a  stimulus  to  the  believer 
 who  seeks  to  cope  with  questions  which  on  all  sides  assail  him,  the  volume 
 will  prove  most  valuable.' — Illustrated  Missionary  News. 
 
 '  We  are  always  glad  to  welcome  a  book  from  a  broad-minded  writer  like 
 the  Rev.  A.  Scott  Matheson.  .  .  .  Will  be  found  helpful  in  enabling  Christian 
 workers,  while  keeping  in  view  the  salvation  of  the  individual  as  a  primary 
 object,  to  extend  their  thoughts  to  the  leavening  of  the  tendencies  of  the  day 
 — intellectual,  social,  or  aesthetic — with  that  higher  influence  which  ought 
 to  radiate  through  them  all  from  Christ  the  Saviour  of  the  world.' — Record. 
 
 '  An  exceedingly  suggestive  volume.' — Glasgow  Herald. 
 
 'Very  reasonable,  intelligent,  and  well-written.' — Scotsman. 
 
 '  An  apology  which  ought,  by  the  force  of  its  reasoning  and  the  candour  of 
 its  tone,  to  disarm  hostile  criticism  and  win  many  to  the  faith  of  Christ.' — 
 British  Weekly. 
 
 'A  strong,  good  book,  and  will  commend  itself  by  its  candour  and  sym- 
 pathy. ' — Nonconformist. 
 
Post  8vo,  288  pages,  cloth  gilt,  price  2s.  6d. 
 
 BUNYAN    CHARACTERS 
 
 LECTURES    DELIVERED    IN 
 
 ST.    GEORGE'S    FREE    CHURCH 
 
 EDINBURGH:    BY 
 
 ALEXANDER    WHYTE,    D.D. 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 I.    INTRODUCTORY. 
 II.    EVANGELIST. 
 
 III.  OBSTINATE. 
 
 IV.  PLIABLE. 
 V.    HELP, 
 
 VI.    MR.    WORLDLY-WISEMAN. 
 VII.    GOODWILL. 
 Vlir.    THE   INTERPRETER. 
 IX.    PASSION. 
 X.   PATIENCE. 
 
 XI.    SIMPLE,    SLOTH,    AND   PRESUMPTION. 
 XII.    THE   THREE   SHINING   ONES  AT   THE   CROSS. 
 
 XIII.  FORMALIST  AND  HYPOCRISY. 
 
 XIV.  TIMOROUS  AND   MISTRUST. 
 XV.    PRUDENCE. 
 
 XVI.    CHARITY. 
 XVII.    SHAME. 
 XVIII.    TALKATIVE. 
 XIX.    JUDGE   HATE-GOOD. 
 
 XX.    FAITHFUL   IN   VANITY   FAIR. 
 XXI.    BY-ENDS. 
 XXII.    GIANT   DESPAIR. 
 
 XXIII.  KNOWLEDGE,    A   SHEHPERD. 
 
 XXIV.  EXPERIENCE,   A   SHEPHERD. 
 XXV.    WATCHFUL,    A   SHEPHERD. 
 
 XXVI.    SINCERE,    A   SHEPHERD. 
 
 BMnburgb    S.    XonDon: 
 OLIPHANT    ANDERSON     &     FERRIER. 
 
 And  all  Booksellers. 
 
Olix)hant,  Anderson,  ^  Ferriei'^s  Publications. 
 
 Some  Opinions  of  the  Press  on  Dr.  Alexander  Wlyte's 
 'Bunyan  Lectures.' 
 
 '  Serious,  scholarly,  searching,  and  sound.' — Liverpool  Mercury. 
 
 '  A  most  acceptable  addition  to  Bunyan  literature ;  the  most  important 
 that  has  appeared  for  a  long  time.  The  studies  have  a  freshness  and 
 power  which  comes  of  native  strength,  and  a  thorough  conception  of  the 
 types  of  the  character  dealt  with.' — The  Rock. 
 
 '  Dr.  Whyto  is  a  genius  as  well  as  John  Bunyan.  He  has  the  skill  to  read 
 the  great  tinker's  heart  as  well  as  his  books,  and  he  has  added  to  that  almost 
 as  surpassing  a  gift  as  the  tinker  had  of  setting  his  stoi'y  forth.' — Expository 
 Times. 
 
 '  The  modern  applications  of  that  old  story  of  the  soul's  quest  are  indicated 
 by  many  subtle  and  suggestive  comments  which  often  touch  to  the  quick  the 
 greater  as  well  as  the  lesser  issues  of  faith  and  conduct.  There  is  both 
 vigour  and  vivacity  about  the  book,  fancy  and  feeling,  yet  the  tenderness  is 
 as  conspicuous  as  the  courage ;  it  is  the  outcome  of  mellow  experience  as 
 well  as  independent  thought,  and  multitudes  vnU  welcome  it  because  of  the 
 light  which  it  casts,  not  merely  on  Bunyan's  page,  but  on  the  battle  and 
 burden  which — in  the  nineteenth  century  no  less  than  in  the  seventeenth — 
 confronts  those  who  are  not  content  to  live  at  random.' — Sjoeaker. 
 
 '  The  book  is  one  of  the  most  searching,  fearless,  and  powerful  treatises  on 
 personal  religion  we  have  ever  read,  and  we  wish  that  it  may  find  an  entrance 
 into  all  our  homes,  being  read  alike  by  old  and  young,  masters  and  servants, 
 rich  and  poor.' — Youth. 
 
 '  They  are  full  of  fine  analysis  and  observation  of  character,  and  were 
 written  and  delivered  with  a  view  to  expounding  "  Bunyan"  for  present-day 
 needs.' — The  Bookman. 
 
 'Each  lectm-e  is  in  effect  an  admirable  sermon,  heart-searching,  spirit- 
 stirring,  glowing  with  faith  in  God  and  hatred  of  all  evil.  Genius  is  here, 
 and  it  is  sanctified  genius.  The  lecturer's  words  are  like  the  piercings  of  a 
 sword,  but  the  piercings  are  in  kindness,  and  like  his  Master,  he  wounds  to 
 heal.' — Presbyterian  Witness,  Halifax. 
 
 '  There  is  mellow  Scottish  wisdom  stamped  upon  every  page.  Nothing  so 
 sagely  conscientious,  so  fearlessly  searching,  in  many  ways  so  genially 
 witted,  has  been  spoken  or  written  amongst  us  for  years.' — Christian  Leader. 
 
 '  Sincerity  and  fearlessness  are  the  prevailing  characteristics  of  all  Dr. 
 Whyte's  preaching  and  teaching.  No  more  heart-searching,  conscience- 
 pricking,  soul-stirring,  and  sweetening  book  has  been  published  since 
 Bunyan  gave  his  ' '  Pilgrim's  Progress"  to  the  Church.'— North  Eastern  Daily 
 Gazette. 
 
 EDinbutgb    Si   XouDon: 
 OLIPHANT     ANDERSON     &     F  E  R  R  I  E  R. 
 
 And  all  Booksellers. 
 
Oliphant,  Anderson,  ^  Ferrier^s  Publications. 
 
 Extra  crown  8vo,  in  handsome  antique  cloth  binding,  Illustrated, 
 price  3s.  6d. ;  Cheap  Edition,  linen-fibre  paper  cover,  2s., 
 
 Norman    Reid,    M.A.     By  Jessie  Patrick  Findlay, 
 
 Author  of  '  The  Lost  Tide.' 
 
 '  What  I  have  written  will  give  my  readers  some  idea  of  ''Norman  Eeid, ' 
 on  which  I  congratulate  Mrs.  Findlay  very  heartily.  If  they  will  get  the 
 book  for  themselves,  they  will  find  it  full  of  power  and  pathos,  as  well  as  of 
 excellent  delineations  of  Scottish  life  and  character.'— IFceWt/  Citizen. 
 
 '  There  is  a  firmness  of  touch,  together  with  a  combination  of  varied  gifts, 
 that  stamps  the  authoress  as  one  of  the  most  promising  of  the  young  lady 
 writers  of  fiction  who  have  sprung  up  of  late  years  in  the  northern  kingdom. 
 Norman  Keid  is  a  fine  sample  of  the  best  type  of  the  young  Scotch  minister, 
 uniting  scholarship  and  intellectual  breadth  with  fidelity  to  pastoral  duty, 
 and  a  comprehension  of  the  peculiar  social  demands  of  our  time  upon  the 
 Pulpit  and  the  Church.  Mrs.  Findlay  is  destined  to  take  high  rank  among 
 those  modern  teachers  who  utilise  fiction  for  the  highest  ends.' — Christian 
 Leader. 
 
 '  A  wonderfully  clever  production,  and  possesses  the  merit  of  teaching  a 
 valuable  lesson  without  obtruding  it,  but  one  which  all  readers  of  the  volume 
 will  readily  learn  .  .  .  The  plot  is  finely  conceived,  and  its  denouement 
 equally  skilfully  concealed  till  the  time  arrives  for  its  revelation.' — Southport 
 Visitor. 
 
 '  Good  from  beginning  to  end.  There  are  no  ill-defined  shadowy  people  in 
 the  book — each  character  stands  out  clearly  and  distinctly,  and  the  writer 
 has,  moreover,  the  descriptive  faculty  very  strongly,  both  as  regards  persons 
 and  places.' — Dundee  Advertiser. 
 
 '  Mysie,  the  blind  girl,  is  the  sweete.st  character  in  the  story.  The  Scotch 
 housekeeper  is  admirable,  and  the  native  Doric  true  to  the  life.' — Brechin 
 Advertiser. 
 
 '  A  most  romantic  tale  of  middle-class  life  in  Scotland.' — The  Record. 
 
 '  Some  of  the  details  of  quaint  Scotch  customs  are  well  worth  studying.' — 
 Walsall  Observer. 
 
 '  An  excellent,  wholesome,  and  interesting  story.' — Londonderry  Sentinel. 
 
 '  The  picture  of  Blind  Mysie  is  steeped  in  pathos,  and  the  young-old 
 housekeeper  Katie  has  a  tongue  of  her  own,  which  makes  itself  heard  and 
 remembered.' — The  Rock. 
 
 '  A  novel  with  a  Scottish  Presbyterian  minister  for  its  hero  is  a  rarity,  yet 
 the  story  of  Norman  Reid  and  his  life  in  the  Scottish  town  is  full  of  deep  and 
 very  human  interest.' — Bookseller. 
 
 '  The  authoress  keeps  her  characters  well  together,  and  from  first  to  last 
 of  the  story  the  interest  never  flags,  and  the  reader  is  carried  on  to  the  end 
 in  a  maze  of  expectation.' — Ballymena  Observer. 
 
 '  A  story  exquisitely  told,  and  sure  to  be  read  with  avidity.' — The  Witness, 
 Belfast. 
 
 '  A  conscientiously  written  story.' — The  Academy. 
 
OKpJiant,  Anderson,  ^  Ferrier's  Publications. 
 Crown  8vo,  cloth  extra,  beautifully  Illustrated,  price  3s.  6d., 
 
 Witch  Winnie;  The  Story  of  *A  King's  Daughter.' 
 
 By  Elizabeth  \Y.  Champney. 
 
 'American  school-girls — if  this  story  of  their  life  be  as  true  as  it  is  charming 
 — must  indeed  have  a  good  time  and  enjoy  an  amount  of  freedom  which  in 
 the  old  country  is  denied  to  their  cousins.  Witch  Winnie,  the  fascinating 
 little  heroine  of  the  tale,  is  the  head-centre  of  a  naughty  school  faction  known 
 as  the  "Hornets'  Nest,"  but  in  course  of  time  she  is  won  over  to  a  wiser  and 
 more  duty-loving  set  named  the  "  Amen  Corner."  .  .  .  The  humour  which 
 pervades  this  volume  is  abundant  in  quantity  and  transatlantic  in  quality. 
 We  strongly  recommend  it.' — Academy. 
 
 '  A  delightful  story.  The  characters  are  bright,  joyous,  and  racy.' — 
 Preshyterian  Witness,  Halifax,  N.  S. 
 
 '  Begins  by  recording  some  of  the  ins  and  outs  of  school-girl  life,  the  chief 
 incidents  depending  on  Witch  Winnie,  a  wild  girl,  who  is  always  "getting 
 into  scrapes."  The  story  grows  graver  as  it  runs  on,  and  includes  the 
 founding  of  a  Home  for  Destitute  Children.' — Literary  World. 
 
 '  Winnie  and  her  companions  become  intei-ested  in  a  little  boy  living  in  a 
 poor  locality,  Eicketts  Court ;  and  by  and  bj',  with  the  aid  of  an  elderly 
 lady,  under  whom  they  studied  botany,  they  formed  a  "King's  Daughter 
 Ten,"  for  the  special  purpose  of  benefiting  the  children  in  Eicketts  Court. 
 How  they  succeeded,  and  succeeded  admirably,  as  well  as  how  they  came  to 
 do  good  to  others  directly  and  indirectly,  is  all  told  in  the  narrative,  which 
 is  written  in  a  bright  and  attractive  style,  there  not  being  a  dull  page  from 
 beginning  to  end.' — Stirling  Observer. 
 
 '  Witch  Winnie  is  a  delightful  girl,  though  wild  and  wayward,  and  though 
 she  has  a  remarkable  aptitude  for  getting  into  scrapes,  her  latest  adventure 
 bears  such  important  and  altogether  desirable  results,  that  the  most  strictly 
 proper  maiden  aunt  will  readily  forgive  her.  An  adventure  with  dynamiters, 
 a  ramble  "over  the  hills  and  far  away,"  and  the  account  of  the  remarkable 
 restoration  of  a  wife  to  her  husband,  form  important  features  of  the  book, 
 which  is  one  we  can  heartily  recommend.' — Leytonstone  Express. 
 
 '  A  capital  story,  illustrative  of  the  good  work  done  by  the  band  of  Christian 
 girls  in  America  known  as  "  The  King's  Daughters,"  and  showing  how  much 
 young  girls  who  are  blessed  with  comfortable  homes  can  do  for  their  poorer 
 brothers  and  sisters.' — British  Messenger. 
 
 '  Shows  how  much  was  accomplished  by  a  few  school-girls  whose  somewhat 
 exuberantly  mischievous  spirits  were  hajDi^ily  turned  into  a  useful  channel.' — 
 Southport  Advertiser. 
 
 'Its  bright  and  cheery  pages  ought  to  be  very  widely  welcomed." — Perth- 
 shire A  dvertiser. 
 
 '  Eefreshing  and  charming  as  are  the  chapters  devoted  to  the  doings  and 
 strifes  of  "The  Hornets"  and  "  Amens,"  the  interest  excited  by  them  is 
 completely  eclipsed  by  that  which  the  sterner  portions  of  the  book  awaken.' — 
 Northern  Whig. 
 
 '  Very  brightly  written,  and  the  reader's  interest  is  not  once  allowed  to  flag. 
 — Sheffield  Independent. 
 
 'A  delightful  book,  written  in  a  simple  and  charming  style.' — Dumfries 
 Courier. 
 
 'Unusually  well  illustrated,  the  initial  drawings  to  the  chapters  being 
 specially  well  done.' — Scots  Magazine. 
 
 '  Perfect  character  sketches,  pathetic,  humorous,  and  sensational  incidents 
 woven  into  a  clever  plot,  with  a  noble  motive,  and  a  style  which  is  invariably 
 bright  and  attractive,  frequently  witty,  and  in  entire  sympathy  with  all  the 
 varied  features,  events,  nnd  characters  presented,  combine  to  render  this  a 
 book  to  be  singled  out  from  among  a  thousand.' — Liverpool  Courier. 
 
OUphanf,  Anderson,  ^  Ferrier^s  Publications. 
 
 Extra  crown  8vo,  handsomely  bound  in  cloth,  gilt  top,  price  6s., 
 
 Maitland  of  Laurieston  :  A  Family  History.     By  Annie 
 S.  Swan,  Author  of  '  Aldersyde,'  etc.  etc. 
 
 'If  Ruskin  is  right  in  his  saying  that  the  excellence  of  a  work  is  in  pro- 
 portion to  the  joy  of  the  worlunan,  "Maitland  of  Laurieston"  should  stand 
 second  to  none  in  the  long  list  of  Miss  Swan's  stories.  In  it  she  has  written 
 with  evident  delight  of  scenes  and  people  that  she  knows  and  loves.  The 
 country  round  Musselburgh  and  Leith,  the  ways  of  village  people  living  just 
 beyond  the  shadow  of  the  capital,  the  life  of  students  and  professors  in  the 
 "  grey  metropolis  of  the  North,"  are  painted  for  us  in  fresh  and  brilliant 
 colours.  In  the  Lothians,  Miss  Swan  is  on  her  native  heath,  and  she  is  never 
 so  successful  when  she  wanders  farther  afield.  It  is  always  difficult  to  keep 
 up  the  interest  of  a  book  when  the  principal  characters  are  dead  or  married  ; 
 and  it  is  a  proof  of  Miss  Swan's  skill  that  although  the  wedding  bells  ring  in 
 the  middle  of  the  story,  we  follow  the  characters  with  undiminished  interest 
 to  the  end.  It  would  be  imkind  to  her  many  admirers  to  give  even  a  hint  of 
 the  plot:  they  will  prefer  to  know  that  her  hand  has  lost  none  of  its  cunning, 
 and  that  her  present  story  is  certainly  the  best  she  has  written.' — British 
 WeeUy. 
 
 '  In  "  Maitland  of  Laurieston,"  Annie  Swan  is  seen  at  her  best.' — Northern 
 Daily  Telegraph. 
 
 'The  many  admirers  of  Annie  S.  Swan  will  turn  to  her  new  book  with 
 anticipations  which,  on  finishing  the  story,  have,  they  will  confess,  been 
 more  than  realised.'— i>Mndee  Advertiser. 
 
 '  This  strong  and  wholesome  story  is  in  many  respects  the  best  of  the  long 
 series  which  bears  Miss  Swan's  name.' — Methodist  Times. 
 
 '  An  advance  on  the  author's  j^revious  works.' — Record. 
 
 '  The  strong,  sober,  but  hardly  severe  father,  the  gentle  mother,  and  the 
 boys  and  girls  of  the  Laurieston  household  make  a  delightful  family  group ; 
 indeed,  all  the  homely  rural  sketches  have  a  quite  idyllic  charm.' — Man- 
 chester Examiner. 
 
 'Miss  Swan  is  here  at  her  best.  The  plot  is  natural,  the  interest  is  sus- 
 tained throughout,  and  the  leading  characters  are  so  associated  as  to  bring 
 into  striking  relief  their  characteristics  of  strength  or  weakness.' — Brechin 
 Advertiser. 
 
 '  There  is  something  very  winsome  and  wholesome  about  Miss  Swan's  art. 
 She  can  be  both  tender  and  strong.' — Hull  Mail. 
 
 'A  sweetly  written  and  wholesome  story.' — Scottish  Leader, 
 
 '  Of  all  the  charming  stories  Annie  S.  Swan  has  written,  she  has  produced 
 nothing  better  than  "Maitland  of  Laurieston."' — Sheffield  Daily  Telegraph. 
 
 '  We  are  delighted  with  Annie  Swan's  new  story,  which  proves  very  clearly 
 that  her  intellect  is  as  keen,  her  heart  as  fresh  and  kindly  and  her  hand  as 
 cunning  as  ever.' — Haivick  Advertiser. 
 
 '  The  members  of  the  Laurieston  household  make  a  picturesque  family 
 group,  the  characters  of  the  heads  of  the  family  and  the  boys  and  girls  being 
 graphically  sketched  by  the  pen  of  an  able  writer.  There  is  a  healthy  in- 
 fluence in  all  that  pertains  to  the  rural  home,  which  teaches  the  reader  how 
 to  lead  a  natural  life,  and  walk  in  the  paths  of  virtue.  Any  one  who  knows 
 Mrs.  Burnett- Smith's  powers  when  dealing  with  scenes  and  characters  of 
 Scottish  rural  life,  will  hardly  need  to  be  reminded  of  the  idyllic  charm  which 
 surrounds  her  word  pictures.' — Dumfries  Courier. 
 
 'Very  well  told,  and  is  interesting  from  beginning  to  end.' — Arbroath 
 Guide. 
 
Oliphant,  Anderson,  dc  Ferrier's  Fublications. 
 
 BY    ANNIE    S.    SWAN. 
 
 In  extra  crown  8vo,  cloth,  price  5a., 
 
 The    Gates    of    Eden:     A    Story    of    Endeavour. 
 
 New  Edition.     With  Portrait  of  the  Author. 
 
 '  The  subject  of  Miss  Swan's  "  Gates  of  Eden"  is  one  which  demands,  and 
 receives  from  her  hand,  a  skilful  treatment.  John  Bethune  rears  his 
 motherless  boys  in  accordance  with  a  preconceived  plan.  The  elder  is  to  be 
 a  minister,  the  younger  is  to  follow  the  plough.  Circumstances  seem  to 
 favour  his  scheme  ;  for  the  future  minister  has,  it  appears,  the  advantage  in 
 appearance,  in  manners,  and  in  ability.  But  the  real  truth  is  different.  The 
 depth  of  character  and  the  best  mental  gifts  really  belong  to  the  latter.  How 
 the  young  man,  conscieus  of  his  power,  yet  stedfastly  walks  along  the 
 appointed  path  till  he  is  free  to  choose,  and  how,  once  free,  he  enters  on  his 
 own  way  and  overcomes  all  its  difficulties,  is  very  well  told  in  these  pages. 
 We  have  not  often  seen  a  better  portraiture  than  is  that  of  the  two  brothers. 
 Miss  Swan  is  too  skilful  to  make  the  weaker  of  the  two  a  mere  foil  to  the 
 stronger.  He,  too,  with  all  his  faults,  has  virtues  of  his  own,  and  the  reader 
 is  glad  to  see  them  reaching  their  true  development  before  the  story  is 
 finished.  The  episode  of  the  recoveiy  of  Willie  Lorraine,  a  repentant 
 prodigal,  is  full  of  pathos;  as  is  also  the  love-story  of  Mary  Campbell.  The 
 "Gates  of  Eden"  is  a  worthy  successor  to  the  author's  "  Aldersyde."' — 
 Spectator. 
 
 '  A  distinct  success.  .  .  .  We  follow  the  career  of  twin  brothers  through 
 the  book — Sandy  and  Jamie  Bethune.  Sandy,  apparently  getting  all  the 
 brains,  is  sent  to  St.  Andrews  to  study,  and  his  conceits  and  fine  talk  on  his 
 visits  home  are  humorously  described.  Then  we  see  him  transformed  into 
 the  Rev.  Alexander  Bethune  of  Lochbroom.  Jamie  seems  fit  only  for  the 
 harrows  and  the  loom  at  first,  but  Aunt  Susan  always  sees  deeper  than  this, 
 and  we  read  witt  interest  the  story  of  his  endeavour  to  rise  to  higher 
 things.  His  character  is  well  drawn,  the  earnest,  noble  soul  following 
 God's  leading.' — British  Weekly. 
 
 '  The  "  Gates  of  Eden"  is,  like  most  of  its  predecessors,  a  homely  tale  of 
 Scottish  life  and  manners.  The  homely  dialect  is  given  with  admirable 
 fidelity,  and  there  is  much  truthful  delineation  of  character.' — Scotsman. 
 
 '  The  underlying  conception — that  of  a  contrast  between  two  brothers, 
 the  one  brilliant,  clever,  and  superficial,  but  needing  stem  discipline  before 
 the  real  strength  of  his  nature  can  be  evoked;  the  other  modest,  unselfish, 
 but  earnest  and  indomitable — is  strongly  grasped  from  the  first,  and  is 
 wrought  out  with  such  power  and  consistency  as  to  hold  the  reader's 
 attention  by  a  kind  of  spell.  The  book  is  one  which  everybody  can  read 
 with  pleasure,  and  from  which  many  will  profit.' — Scottish  Leader. 
 
 '  One  of  the  most  dramatically  rendered  scenes  of  the  book  is  that  in 
 which  the  death  of  old  Peter  Bethune  is  described.  If  the  author  had  never 
 written  anything  else,  this  part  of  the  story  would  justify  her  claim  to  the 
 place  in  the  front  rank  of  our  most  gifted  literary  artists.' — Northern 
 Ensign. 
 
 '  A  happy  note  is  struck  at  the  very  outset  of  the  "  Gates  of  Eden,"  and 
 the  quality  of  the  good  beginning  is  maintained  throughout.  .  .  .  The  best 
 of  all  the  stories  that  we  have  yet  received  from  the  pen  of  its  accom- 
 plished authoress.' — Kilmarnock  Standard. 
 
 '  Remarkably  beautiful,  noble  in  spirit,  rich  in  pathos,  strong  in  the 
 triumph  of  an  earnest  purposeful  life.' — Daibj  Mail. 
 
 2p 
 
Olipfiant,  Anderson,  Sf  Ferrie)'''s  Puhlications. 
 Extra  crown  8vo,  cloth,  with  Illustrations  and  Map,  price  5s., 
 
 Calabar  and  its  Mission.    By  Hugh  Goldie. 
 
 'The  United  Presbyterian  Church  has  reason  to  be  proud  of  the  men  it  has 
 sent  out  to  the  Calabar  Eiver,  and  the  work  that  has  been  done  since  the 
 foundation  of  its  Mission  there,  half  a  century  ago.  The  Eev.  Hugh  Goldie 
 was  one  of  the  earliest  of  the  labourers  in  that  field,  having  landed  at  Creek- 
 haven  in  1847,  after  spending  six  years  in  mission  work  in  the  West  Indies. 
 His  book  is  therefore  a  narrative  of  the  vicissitudes  of  fortune,  and  the 
 changes  in  the  native  customs  and  conditions  of  European  intercourse  with 
 this  part  of  the  Oil  Eiver  Protectorate  during  the  past  fifty  years,  by  one  who 
 has  been  himself  an  eye-witness  of  what  he  describes,  or  who  had  his 
 information  at  fii'st-hand  from  the  other  pioneers  of  Christianity  with  whom 
 he  has  been  associated.  The  best  tribute  to  the  success  of  missionary  effort 
 in  this  quarter  is  a  comparison  with  the  state  of  things  that  existed  when 
 Messrs.  Waddell,  Edgerley,  and  Goldie  were  first  brought  into  contact -vvith 
 the  revolting  and  barbarous  practices  of  the  Negro  tribes  on  the  Cross  and 
 Old  Calabar  Rivers,  and  the  improved  behaviour  of  king  and  people  that  have 
 come  imder  the  influence  of  the  Mission.' — Scotsman. 
 
 '  A  very  valuable  and  ably-written  history  of  the  Mission  of  our  Church  in 
 Old  Calabar.  .  .  .  The  history  of  the  progress  is  striking,  and  will  be  read 
 with  unflagging  interest.' — United  Presbyterian  Magazine. 
 
 'We  cannot  have  too  many  such  books.  They  furnish  an  "evidence  of 
 Christianity"  which  it  is  hard  indeed  to  gainsay  or  resist.' — Presbytericm 
 Witness. 
 
 '  The  book  has  a  twofold  interest  and  value,  appealing  to  the  student  of 
 humanity  as  well  as  to  those  who  are  interested  in  Christian  missions,  to 
 the  merchant  as  well  as  to  the  evangelist ;  for  the  truth  is  that  the  history  of 
 its  Mission  is  the  history  of  Calabar,  which  has  just  now  taken  an  important 
 step  in  requesting  to  be  made  a  British  Colony.' — North  British  Daily  Mail. 
 
 'A  book  of  intense  interest  to  all  who  have  the  welfare  of  the  Christian 
 missions  at  heart.  ...  A  clear  and  instructive  account  is  given  of  the 
 country  and  people  of  Calabar,  the  slave  trade  and  its  abolition,  and  the  rise 
 and  progress  of  the  Mission,  the  narrative  abounding  with  personal  and  pictur- 
 esque details,  which  rivet  the  attention  of  the  reader.' — Kilmarnock  Standard. 
 
 '  Tells  of  a  noble  work  in  the  foreign  field,  which  has  been  carried  on,  so  to 
 speak,  with  little  noise.  The  author  has  himself  spent  a  lifetime  of  honour- 
 able service  there,  and  he  narrates  the  rise  and  progress  of  the  Mission  with 
 admirable  fulness.' — British  Messenger. 
 
 '  Mr.  Goldie,  besides  giving  the  history  of  the  rise  and  progress  of  the 
 Mission,  enters  into  the  life,  the  manners,  customs,  etc.,  of  the  people,  and 
 gives  much  most  valuable  information  to  the  student  of  mankind.  It  is  much 
 to  be  hoped  that  Mr.  Goldie  would  give  a  book  on  the  life,  manners,  customs, 
 tales,  riddles  of  the  people,  etc.  No  one  is  fitted  to  do  such  a  work  so  well, 
 as  is  shown  by  the  way  he  has  executed  the  work  now  under  notice.' — 
 Aberdeen  Journal. 
 
 'While  singularly  unjjretentious  in  style,  is  exceedingly  interesting  and 
 full  of  information  that  will  be  highly  appreciated  by  ethnological  students 
 as  well  as  the  general  reader.  There  can  be  no  question  at  all  but  that  the 
 influence  of  the  Mission  on  this  part  of  the  West  Coast  of  Africa  has  been 
 wholly  for  good, — a  fact  which  is  not  so  much  asserted  as  quietly  demon- 
 sti-ated  in  Mr.  Goldie's  narrative.' — Scottish  Leader. 
 
 '  The  missionaries  not  merely  laboured  with  great  zeal  and  devotion,  but 
 have  something  to  show  as  the  reward  of  their  work,  in  the  improvement  cf 
 the  manner  of  life  of  the  natives  and  in  the  exploration  of  the  country.' — 
 Scots  Observer, 
 
Otiphant,  Anderson,  ^-  Ferrier's  Publication^. 
 
 Is.    EDITION    OF   ANNIE   S.    SWAN'S    FAVOURITE    STORY. 
 
 In  pocket  8vo,  with  Frontispiece  by  Elizabeth  Gulland, 
 paper  cover,  Is. ;  cloth,  Is.  6d., 
 
 Aldersyde.    A  Border  Story.     By  Annie  S.  Swan. 
 
 Some  Opinions  of  the  Press  on  former  Editions. 
 
 The  Authoress  has  received  the  following  Autograph  Letter  from  Mr. 
 Gladstone : — 
 
 '  10  Downing  Street, 
 '  Whitehall,  April  16,  18S3. 
 
 'Dear  Madam, — I  have  now  read  the  work  which  you  did  me  the  honour 
 to  present  to  me  with  a  very  kind  inscription,  and  I  feel  obliged  to  add  a  line 
 to  my  formal  acknowledgment  already  sent.  I  think  it  beautiful  as  a  work 
 of  art,  and  it  must  be  the  fault  of  a  reader  if  he  does  not  profit  by  the 
 perusal.  Miss  Nesbit  and  Marget  will,  1  hojie,  long  hold  their  places 
 among  the  truly  living  sketches  of  Scottish  character. — I  remain,  your 
 very  faithful  and  obedient,  W.  E.  GLADSTONE.' 
 
 '  Sir  Walter  Scott  himself  never  delineated  a  character  more  true  to  life 
 than  Janet  Nesbit.' — Stirling  Observer. 
 
 '  Eloquent  of  character  and  well  told.' — Athenceum. 
 'Full  of  quiet  power  and  pathos.' — Academy. 
 
 '  She  has  brought  us  into  the  presence  of  a  pure  and  noble  nature,  and  has 
 reminded  us  that  a  life  of  sorrow  and  disappointments  has  its  deep  com- 
 pensations, and  its  glorious  meaning.' — Literary  World. 
 
 'Hurrah!  our  good  Scotch  stories,  with  their  dear  rough  old  vernacular, 
 are  not  going  to  die  out  just  yet,  or,  if  at  all,  they  are  going  to  die  hard.' — 
 S.S.  Teachers'  Magazine. 
 
 'Beautifully  conceived  and  exquisitely  wiitten.' — Airdrie  Advertiser. 
 
 '  One  of  the  best  Scotch  tales  that  has  appeared  for  many  years.  ...  A 
 wealth  of  local  colouring  and  fineness  of  touch  rarely  to  be  met  in  these  days 
 of  painfully  analytic  writing.' — Kilmarnock  Herald. 
 
 '  A  book  wo  must  read  through  at  a  sitting.  It  lays  hold  of  our  interest  in 
 the  first  page,  and  sustains  it  to  the  end.' — Daily  Review. 
 
 '  Deserves  to  occupy  a  prominent  and  permanent  jolace  among  Scottish 
 works  of  imagination.  .  .  .  Not  a  dull  page  in  the  book ;  while  not  a 
 paragraph  will  be  skipped  lest  some  of  the  finer  touches  should  be  missed.' — 
 Kelso  Chronicle. 
 
 '  We  have  not  read  a  fresher,  livelier,  or  more  wholesomely  stimulating 
 story  for  many  a  dtxj.'— Kilmarnock  Staiidard. 
 
 BOinburgb    &   Xon&on: 
 
 OLIPHANT     ANDERSON     &     FERRIER. 
 And  all  Booksellers. 
 
Oliphant,  Anderson,  <^  Ferrier's  Publications. 
 Small  crown  8vo,  clotli,  with  Portrait  and  Map,  160  pp.,  price  Is., 
 
 The  Story  of  Stanley,  the  Hero  of  Africa,  from  his 
 Boyhood  to  his  Marriage  in  Westminster  Abbey.  By  E.  A. 
 Macdonald.     Tenth  Thousand. 
 
 '  How  Stanley  became  a  journalist,  how  he  found  Livingstone,  how  he 
 crossed  the  Dark  Continent  again,  how  reaching  England  he  became  the  lion 
 of  the  city,  and  how  at  last  he  wooed  and  won  the  heart  of  Dorothy  Tennant 
 and  was  married  in  Westminster  Abbey,  is  told  by  the  author  in  a  style  which 
 will  earn  for  him  the  gratitude  of  all  boys  whose  good  fortune  it  may  be  to 
 read  this  "Story  of  Stanley."  ' — Preston  Guardian. 
 
 '  Fascinating,  well-written,  and  complete,  being  terse  and  vigorous  in 
 style.' — John  o'  Groafs  Journal. 
 
 '  An  exceedingly  interesting  book.  It  is  not  necessary  to  admire  some  of 
 the  traits  of  Stanley's  character  in  order  to  admit  that  he  has  acquired  much 
 legitimate  fame  as  an  African  explorer  ;  and  in  this  story  of  his  life  we  dis- 
 cover the  qualities  which  have  enabled  him  to  attain  distinction  as  the  most 
 travelled  man  of  his  time.' — Northern  Ensign. 
 
 '  This  little  book  will  be  a  treasure  to  young  people,  and  a  useful  bio- 
 graphical sketch  to  keep  on  the  shelf  along  with  the  works  which  Stanley 
 has  given  to  the  world.' — Inverness  Courier. 
 
 '  Relates  the  life  of  the  celebrated  traveller  in  a  very  popular  and  attractive 
 manner.' — Kilmarnock  Standard. 
 
 '  The  incidents  in  the  exjalorer's  life  are  graphically  recounted,  and  within 
 the  compass  one  could  not  well  wish  for  a  better  popular  biography.' — 
 Scottish  Leader. 
 
 '  Written  in  a  very  sympathetic  spirit,  and  with  a  high  appreciation  of  the 
 daring,  pluck,  and  courage  of  the  "finder  of  Livingstone."  Every  important 
 point  in  the  successive  journeys  Stanley  made  into  the  dark  interior  of  Africa 
 is  noted.  "  The  Story  of  Stanley',"  which  sells  at  one  shilling,  is  a  capital  one 
 to  put  into  a  boy's  hand,  with  the  advice  to  read,  mark,  and  inwardly  digest  it.' 
 — Fife  Record. 
 
 '  A  story  of  engrossing  interest,  and  is  told  in  a  simple  but  very  fascinating 
 stj'le.' — Northern  Daily  Telegraph. 
 
 '  Written  in  a  plain  but  graphic  manner,  and  is  an  admirable  book  to  place 
 in  the  hands  of  boys,  portraying  as  it  does  the  life  of  one  of  our  greatest 
 explorers.' — Beverley  Guardian. 
 
 '  This  well-condensed  and  clearly  written  "  Story." — Aberdeen  Free  Press. 
 
 'Mr.  Macdonald  has  known  how  to  study  the  tastes  of  young  readers  in 
 giving  them  an  interesting  and  spirited  account  of  the  explorer's  achieve- 
 ments.'— Scotsman. 
 
 '  Briskly  and  intelligently  told.' —  Yorkshire  Post. 
 
 '  A  capital  book  for  boys. '—  Glasgoio  Herald. 
 
 '  This  is  the  story  of  a  man  who  never  lost  an  opportunity.  The  author 
 gives  a  capital  stimulus  to  boys  to  persevere  amid  all  difficulties,  so  that, 
 though  they  do  not  become  great  travellers,  they  may  be  successful  men  in 
 their  several  spheres  of  life.' — Perthshire  Advertiser. 
 
 '  One  of  the  most  seasonable  of  the  gift  books  of  the  current  j'ear.  In  a 
 thoroughly  attractive  style,  the  life  of  the  hero  of  Africa  is  traced  from  his 
 boyhood  to  his  recent  marriage,  every  eventful  incident  being  truthfully  and 
 graphicplly  depicted,  though,  of  course,  in  a  condensed  form.' — Teacher's  Aid. 
 
 '  Into  comparatively  small  compass  he  has  compressed  material  which  might 
 have  filled  volumes,  but  the  compression  has  been  sympathetically  done,  and 
 the  narrative  is  still  an  intensely  readable  one.' — Literary  World. 
 
 '  Narrates  in  a  lively  and  interesting  fashion  the  career  of  the  great 
 ti-aveller  from  his  boyhood  to  his  marriage  in  Westminster  Abbey.' — Dundee 
 Advertiser. 
 
OUphant,  Anderson,  ^  Ferrier^s  Publications. 
 
 Extra  crown  8vo,  handsomely  bound  in  cloth,  with  Frontispiece,  price  3s.  6d., 
 
 An  Old  Chronicle  of  Leighton.     By  Sarah  Selina 
 
 Hamer,  Author  of  '  Barbara  Leybourne,'  etc.  etc. 
 
 '  A  most  interesting  and  instructive  book.' — Nottingham  Express. 
 
 '  Fascinating  as  was  the  story  of  "Barbara  Leybourne,"  by  Sarah  Selina 
 Hamer, itis  now  surpassed  by  her  "  Old  Chronicleof  Leighton,"  covering  the 
 same  period — between  eighty  and  ninety  years  ago.  A  little  town,  with  hall 
 and  "  small  park  near  to  its  very  heart,"  the  "  tickety-tack  "  of  the  handlooms 
 which  comes  from  the  cottages,  so  scattered  that  the  sound  scarcely  reaches 
 the  market-place ;  the  rectory,  and  the  old  hostelry,  and  the  "  Leighton 
 Arms,"  an  old-world  inn,  are  all  described  so  vividly  that  we  seem  to  live  in 
 the  quaint  little  town  at  the  time  the  story  opens.  We  strongly  advise  our 
 girl  readers  especially  to  buy  the  book  and  enjoy  iV—3fethodist  Recorder. 
 
 '  Nothing  could  be  more  effective  than  the  iirst  view  with  which  we  are 
 favoured  of  Godfrey  Leighton,  the  young  squire,  and  Constance  Darrington, 
 the  rector's  niece.  The  scene  is  laid  in  Lancashire,  in  the  early  years  of  the 
 century,  when  the  chief  topics  of  talk  among  the  working-folk  were  bad 
 trade,  politics,  the  war,  and  the  machineiy  coming  in  (as  the  employees 
 believed)  to  make  matters  worse.  A  high-toned,  conscientiously  executed 
 tale.' — Christian  Leader. 
 
 '  There  is  a  strength  in  the  writing  of  this  book  above  the  ordinary  run  of 
 a  woman's  pen.' — St.  Stephen's  Review. 
 
 'Miss  Earner's  pretty  old-world  story  should  form  the  Christmas  present 
 of  most  mothers  for  their  young  daughters.' — Whitehall  Revieiv. 
 
 '  The  authoress  has  placed  her  story  in  an  old-world  setting,  and  much  of 
 the  quaint  simplicity  of  the  days  when  our  grandmothers  were  young  colours 
 the  tale.' — Dundee  Advertiser. 
 
 '  The  interest  evoked  is  intense,  and  the  delineations  of  Quaker  styles  and 
 idiosyncrasies  at  once  pleasing  and  interesting.  Several  of  the  female 
 characters  portrayed  are  peculiarly  beautiful,  notably  Ruth  and  Mrs.  Raws- 
 thorn  e.' — Southport  Visitor. 
 
 '  The  pretty  little  Quakeress  is  the  most  attractive  figure  in  the  story.' — 
 Inverness  Courier. 
 
 '  A  story  of  the  early  days  of  this  century,  when  the  introduction  of 
 machinery  caused  so  much  trouble  to  north-country  manufacturers,  and  a 
 delightful  Quaker  family  figure  largely  in  its  pages.  The  author  tells  her 
 story  with  much  quiet  humour  and  refinement,  and  the  volume  is  as  pleasant 
 as  it  is  pure  and  wholesome.' — Court  Journal. 
 
 '  The  character  of  the  Quakeress,  Rachel  Rawsthorne,  is  taken  from  life,  and 
 she  is  one  of  the  most  charming  people  in  the  hook.' — Sheffield  Independent. 
 
 'Most  refreshing,  for  it  is  neither  psychological  nor  theological,  and  it  has 
 no  word  or  suggestion  in  it  to  which  any  one  could  object ;  yet  it  is  an 
 honest,  interesting  tale,  really  well  told.' — Walsall  Observer. 
 
 '  A  charming  love  story  in  its  main  plot,  while  a  host  of  subsidiary 
 characters,  and  many  engaging  pictures  of  manners  as  they  appeared  iu  the 
 North  of  England  at  the  beginning  of  this  century,  add  to  the  attractiveness 
 of  the  book.  The  central  figure  of  the  story  is  a  Quaker  girl,  whose  love- 
 making  is  done  with  a  delightful  mixture  of  naturalness  and  demureness.' — 
 Scotsman- 
 
 '  Rachel  Rawsthorne  is  one  of  the  most  charming  girls  we  have  come 
 across  for  a  long  time.  No  wonder  that  Richard  fell  in  love  with  this  dear 
 demure,  yet  warm-hearted  little  Quakeress.'— (??rts^O!«  Weekly  Citizen. 
 
 '  Clergymen  and  workers  among  the  young  are  constantly  asking — What 
 fiction  can  we  safely  put  intu  the  hands  of  young  readers  ?  Why  do  they  not 
 obtain  stories  like  this?  ' — Hull  Mail. 
 
 '  A  story  one  could  not  lay  down  unfinished.' — Leeds  Times. 
 
OUphant,  Anderson,  ^  Ferrier's  Publicatio7is. 
 LIBRARY   EDITION   OF   M'CHEYNE'S   'MEMOIR.' 
 
 Demy  8vo,  cloth  extra,  with  additional  matter  and  newly-engraved 
 Portrait  and  facsimiles  of  Writing,  price  5s., 
 
 JVIEMOIR     AND     F^EMAINS 
 
 OF 
 
 Rev.    ROBERT    MURRAY    M'CHEYNE, 
 
 MINISTER   OF    ST.    PETER'.S    CHURCH,    DUNDEE. 
 
 By   Eev.    ANDEEW   A.    BONAR,   D.D. 
 
 'How  admirable  an  edition  is  this!  the  best  five-shilling  octavo  you  ever 
 saw.  And  it  is  made  richer  than  of  old  by  new  matter  from  the  venerable 
 editor's  pen.' — Expository  Times. 
 
 'Among  the  many  "ideas"  which  are  rapidly  bringing  Messrs.  Oliphant, 
 Anderson,  &  Ferrier  to  the  front  rank  among  publishers,  none  strikes  me  as 
 more  happy  than  the  beautiful  editions  they  are  issuing  of  religious  classics. 
 The  latest  is  Dr.  Andrew  Bonar's  famous  "Memoir  and  Eemains  of  Robert 
 Murray  M'Cheyne."  I  happen  to  have  the  first  edition  in  two  small  black 
 volumes.  It  was  issued  in  1844,  and  the  circulation  must  have  considerably 
 exceeded  a  hundred  thousand.  But  no  copy  is  so  good  to  use  as  the  latest, 
 which  is  a  model  book  in  every  way, — binding,  paper,  and  type, — and  which 
 is  enriched  by  additional  notes  from  the  pen  of  the  revered  author.  It  will 
 rank  as  a  standard  edition  of  an  immortal  book.' — The  British  Weekly. 
 
 '  This  issue  of  a  book  which  has  been  so  widely  valued  as  to  take  the  rank 
 of  an  Evangelical  classic  is  enriched  with  facsimiles  of  M'Cheyne's  hand- 
 writing, while  the  venerable  author  has  introduced  some  additional  informa- 
 tion on  certain  points.  We  wish  the  book  a  fresh  career  of  usefulness  in  its 
 new  form.' — Critical  Review. 
 
 JEMnbucGb    S.    XonCion: 
 OLIPHANT     ANDERSON     &     FERRIER. 
 
 And  all  Booksellers. 
 
THE  REV.  ROBERT  MURRAY  M'CHEYNE 
 
 OF    DUNDEE. 
 
 Memoir  and  Remains.  A  New  Library  Edition. 
 By  Rev.  Andrew  A.  BoNAft,  D.D.  Demy  8vo,  cloth, 
 with  newly-engraved  Portrait,  additional  matter, 
 and  facsimiles  of  Writing,  price  5s. 
 
 Memoir  and  Remains.  By  Rev.  Andrew  A. 
 BoNAR,  D.D.     Extra  crown  8vo,  cloth,  price  3s.  6d. 
 
 Additional  Remains.  Being  Sermons  and  Lectures. 
 Extra  crown  8 vo,  gilt  edges,  5s.    Cheaper  Edition,  3s.  6d. 
 
 Memoir  of  Rev.  Robert  Murray  M'Cheyne. 
 
 By  Rev.  Andrew  A.  Bonar,  D.D.  (without  the 
 Remains).     Small  crown  8vo,  cloth,  Is.  6d. 
 
 Life  of  Rev.  Robert  Murray  M'Cheyne. 
 Abridged  from  Dr.  Bonar's  Memoir.  Small  crown 
 8vo,  Is. 
 
 Letters  to  Inquirers  and  Young  Converts. 
 
 Sewed,  6d.  ;  cloth,  9d. 
 
 Exposition  of  the  Epistles  to  the  Seven 
 Churches  in  Asia.     Sewed,  6d.  ;  cloth,  Is. 
 
 A  Visit  to  the  Holy  Land,  and  Mission  of 
 
 Inquiry  to  the  Jews.  By  Rev.  A.  A.  Bonar  and  Eev. 
 R.  Murray  M'Cheyne.  30th  Thousand.  Crown  8vo, 
 cloth,  3s.  6d. 
 
 BMnburgb  S.  Xon&on: 
 
 OLIPHANT     ANDERSON     &     FERRIER. 
 
A    CLOUD    OF   WITNESSES. 
 
 New  Edition,  demy  8vo,  cloth  exti-a,  with  numerous  Illustrations, 
 and  facsimile  of  original  Title  and  Frontispiece,  price  5s., 
 
 Cloud  of  Witnesses  :  For  the  Royal  Prerogatives  of 
 Jesus  Christ ;  being  the  Last  Speeches  and  Testimonies  of  those 
 who  have  suffered  for  the  Truth  in  Scotland  since  the  year  1680. 
 Reprinted  from  the  Original  Editions,  with  Explanatory  and 
 Historical  Notes.     By  the  Rev.  John  H.  Thomson. 
 
 EDINBURGH    &    LONDON: 
 OLIPHANT     ANDERSON     &     FERRIER. 
 
 And  all  Booksellers. 
 
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