down hungry in waiting for the mariage-supper of the lamb neverthelesse I think it the Lords wise love that feeds us with hunger and makes us fat with wants and desertions I know not my deare 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 deare friend John Stuart my weilbeloved brethren in the Lord Mr Blair Mr Hamilton Mr Livingston and Mr Mak-Cleland and acquaint them with my troubles and intreat them to pray for the poor afflicted prisoner of Christ They are deare 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 deare acquantance 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 beleeve and to wait for him and will follow his providence and not goe before it nor stay behind it Now my deare 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 keept spotlesse till the day of Jesus our Lord. I am From Irwing being on my Iourney to Christs palace in Aberden August 4. 1636. Your Brother in affliction in our sweet Lord Jesus S. R. To his Parochiners 2 DEarly beloved longed for in the Lord my crown my joy in the day of Christ Grace be to you and peace from God our father and our Lord Jesus Christ. I long exceedingly to know if the oft-spoken-of match betwixt you 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 greaest share of my sorrow and also of my joy ye are the matter of the tears care fear and daily prayers of an oppressed prisoner of Christ as I am in bonds for my high and lofty one my Royall and princely master my Lord Jesus so I am in bonds for you for I should have sleeped in my warme nest kept the fat world in my armes and the cords of my tabernacle should have been fastned 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 have thrust me out of the vineyard if I should have been broken and drawn on to mire you the Lords flock to cause you eat pastures troden upon with mens feet and to drink foul and muddie waters But truly the almighty was a rerror to me his fear made me afraid O my Lord judge if my ministry be not deare to me but not so dear by many degrees as Christ Jesus my Lord God knoweth the heavie sad Sabbaths I have bad since I laid down at my Masters feet my two shepherds staves I have been often saying as it is writen Lam. 3 52. my enemies chased me sore like a bird without cause they have cut off my life in the dungeon 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 it was to me like the poor mans one eye 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 alwayes be forgotten And my sorrow shall want nothing to compleat it and to make me say what availeth it me to live if ye follow the voice of a stranger of one that cometh in to the sheepfold not by Christ the door but climbeth up another way if the man build his hay and stuble upon the golden foundation Christ Iesus already laid among you ye follow him I assure you the mans work shall burn never bide Gods fire and ye he both shall be in danger of everlasting burning except ye repent O if any pain any sorrow any losse that I can suffer for Christ and for you were laid in pledge to buy Christs love to you and that I could lay my dearest joyes next to Christ my Lord in the gap betwixt you eternall destruction O if I had paper as broad as heaven and earth and inke as the sea and all the rivers and fountaines of the earth were able to write the love the worth the excellency the Sweetnesse and due praises of our dearest and fairest welbeloved and then if ye could read understand it what could I want if my ministry among you should make a marriage between the little bride in that bounds the bridegroom O how rich a prisoner were I if I could obtaine of my Lord before whom I stand for you the salvation of you all O What a prey had I gotten to have you catched in Christs net O then I had cast out my Lords lines his net with a rich gain O then wel-wared pained breast and sore back and a crased body in speaking early and late to you my witnesse is above your heaven would be two heavens to me the salvation of you all as two salvations to me I would subscribe a suspension and a fristing of my heaven for many hundred yeers according to Gods good pleasure if ye were sure in the upper lodging in our fathers house before me I take to witnesse heaven and earth against you I take instruments in the hands of that sun day light that beheld us in the hands of the timber walls of that kirk if I drew not up a fair contract of mariage betvvixt you Christ if I went not with offers betwixt the bridegroome you your conscience did bear you witnesse your mouths confessed that there were many fair trysts meetings drawn on betwixt Christ and you at communion-feasts other occasions there were braclets jewels rings and love-letters sent to you by the bridegroom it was told you what a fair dowrie ye should have and what a house your husband and ye should dwell in and what was the bridgroomes excellencie Sweetnesse might Power The Eternitie and glory of his Kingdome the exceeding deepnesse of his love who sought his black wife through pain fires shame death the grave and swimmed the salt sea for her undergoeing the curse of the law then was made a curse for you ye then consented and said Even so I take him I counsell you beware of the new strange leaven of mens inventions beside and against the word of God contrair to the oath of this kirk novv comeing among
set rent O how many rich off-fallings are in my Kings house I am perswaded dare pawnd my salvation on it that it is Christs truth I now suffet 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 La wrote to me that ye are yet an ill scholler Madam ye must goe in at heavens gates and your book in your hand still learning you have had your own large share of troubls a double portion but iâ— saith your Father counteth you not a baâ—tard fuâ—-begotten bairns are nurtured Heb. 12. 8. I long to hear of the childe I write the blessings of Christs prisoner the mercies of God to him let him be Christs yours betwixt you but let Christ â—e whole play-maker let him be the lender ye the borrower not an owner Madam it is not long since I did write to your La that Christ is keeping mercy for you I bide by it still 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 aâ—â—igh he is a tree of life green blossoming both summer and winter there is a nick in Christianity to the which whosoever cometh they see and feel more then others can doe I invite you of new to come to him Come See will speak better things of him then I can doe come neerer come neerer wil say much God thought never this world a portion worthy of you he would not even you to a gift of dirt clay nay he will not give you Esaâ—'s portion but reserves the inheritance of Jacob for you are ye not well married now have you not a good husband now my heart cannot expresse what sad nights I have for the virgin daughter of my people woe is me for our time is coming Ezek. 7 10. behold the day behold it is come the morning hath gone forth the rod hath blossomed pride hath buâ—ded violence is risen up in a rod of wickedness the sun is gone down upon our prophets A drie wind upon Scotland but neither to fan nor to cleanse but out of all question when the Lord hath cut down his forrest the after-growth 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 the blessing of him that is seperat from his brethren come upon you Yours at Aberden the prisoner of Christ S. R. To the honourable truly noble lady the VICOUNTESSE of KENMURE 7 MADAM GRace mercy peace be to your La I long to hear from you I am here waiting if a good wind long-looked for shaâ—â— at length blow in Christs sailes in this land But I wonder if Jesus be not content to suffer more yet in his members cause beauty of his house rather then he should not be avenged upon this land I hear many worthy men who see more in the Lords dealing then I can take up with my dim sight are of a contrait minde doe beleeve 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 here-away ye have no great cause to think that your stock principall is under the roof of these visible heavens I hope ye would think your self a beguiled and coâ—sened Soul if it were so I would be sorry to counsell your La to make a covenant with time this life but rather desire you to hold in fair generals far off from this ill founded heaven that is on this side of the water It speaketh some what when our Lord bloweth the bloome off our daft hopes in this life loppeth the branches of our worldly joyes well nigh the root on purpose that they should not thrive Lord spill my fools heaven in this life that I may be saved for ever A forfeiture of the saints part of the yolke and marrow of short-laughing happinesse worldly is not such a real evil as our blinded eyes doe conceive I am thinking long now for some deliverance more then before but I know I am in an errour It is possible I am not come to that measure of triall that the Lord is seeking in his work If my friends in Galloway would effectualy doe for my deliverance I would exceedingly rejoyce 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 childe is the Lord be his Father Tutour your onely comforter There is nothing here where I am but profanitie atheisme Grace grace be with your La. Aberd. Feb. 13. 1637. Your La at all oblidged obedience in Christ S. R. To the noble Christian lady the VICOUNTESSE of KENMURE 8 MADAM GRace mercy peace be to you I would not omit the occasion to write to your La with the bearer I am glad the childe is well Gods favour even in the eyes of men be seen upon him I hope your La is thinking upon these sad woefull dayes wherein we now live when our Lord in his righteous judgment is sending the kirk the gate she is going to Romes brothell house to seek a lover of her own seeing she hath given up with Christ her husband O what sweet comfort what rich salvation is laid up for these who had rather wash and roll their garments in their own blood then break out from Christ by Apostasie keep your self in the love of Christ stand far aback from the pollutions of the vvorld side not with these times and hold off from coming nigh the signs of a conspiracie with these that are now come out against Christ that ye may be One keept for Christ onely I know your La thinketh upon this and how ye may be humbled for your self this backsliding land for Iavouch that wrath from the Lord is gone out against Scotland I think ay the longer the better of my Royall and worthy master he is become a new welbeloved to me now in renewed consolations by the presence of the spirit of grace and glory Christs garments smell of the powder of the marchant when he cometh out of his Ivory chambers O his perfumed face his fair face his lovely kindly kisses have made me a poor prisoner see there iâ— more to be had of Christ in this life then I beleeved 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
He that is holy keep you from falling establish you till his own glorious appearance Aberd. 1637. Your affectionat lawfull Pastor S. R. To CARDONNESS Younger 192. Much honoured Sir I Long to hear whether or not your soul be hand-fasted with Christ Lose your time no longer Flee the follies of youth Gird up the loins of your minde make you ready for meeting the Lord. I have often summoned you now I summond you again to compear before your Judge to make a reckoning of your life while ye have Time look upon your papers consider your wayes O that there were such an heart in you as to think what an ill conscience will be to you when yeare upon the border of eternity your one foot out of time O then ten thousand thousand floods of tears cannot extinguish these flames or purchase to you one hour's release from that pain O how sweet a day have ye had But this is a fair day that runneth fast away see how ye have spent it consider the necessity of salvation tell me in the fear of God if ye have made it sure I am perswaded ye have a conscience that will be speaking somewhat to you Why will ye die destroy yourself I charge you in Christ's name to rouze up your conscience begin to indent contract with Christ in time while salvation is in your offer This is the accepted time this is the day of salvation play the marchant for ye cannot expect another market-day when this is done therefore let me again beseech you to consider in this your day the things that belong to your peace before they be hid from your eyes Dear Brother fulfill my joy begin to seek the Lord while he may be found Forsake the follies of deceiving vain youth Lay hold upon eternall life Whoring night-drinking mispending of the sabbath neglecting of prayer in your house refusing of an offered salvation will burn up your soul with the terrours of the Almighty when your awakened conscience shall flee in your face Be kinde 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 creature under the law of time within less then fifty yeers when ye look back to it ye shall laugh at the evanishing vanities thereof as feathers flying in the air and at the houses of sand within the sea-mark which the children of men are building Give up with courting of this vain world Seek not the bastard's moveables but the Son's heritage in heaven Take a trial of Christ look unto him his love shall so change you that ye shall be taken with him never chuse to goe from him I have experience of his sweetness in this house of my pilgrimage here My witness who is above knoweth I would not exchange my sighs tears with the laughing of the fourteen Prelats 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 I would fain hope good of you be not discouraged at broken spilt resolutions but to it to it again Wooe about Christ till ye get your soul espoused as a chaste virgin to him Use the means of profiting with your conscience Pray in your family 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 dayes if ye turn aside after the fashions of this world if ye goe not in time to the kirk to wait on the publike worship of God if ye tarry not at it till all the exercises of religion be ended Give God some of your time both morning evening afternoon in so doing rejoyce the heart of a poor oppressed prisoner Rue upon your own soul 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 eternall Covenant establish your heart with his grace present you before his presence with joy Aberd. 1637. Your affectionat loving Pastor S. R. To CARLETOWN 193 Much honoured Sir I Will not impute your not writing to me to forgetfulness how ever I have one above who forgetteth me not nay he groweth in his kindess It hath pleased his holy Majesty to take me from the pulpit teach me many things in my exile prison that were mysteries to me before As 1. I see his bottomless boundless love kindness my jealousies ravings which at my first entry into this furnace were so foolish bold as to say to Christ who is truth it self in his face thou liest I had well nigh lost my grips I wondered if it was Christ or not for the mist smoke of my perturbed heart made me mistake my Master Jesus My faith was dim hope frozen cold my love which caused jealousies it had some warmness heat 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 was still blowing the coal Alas I knew not well before how good skill my Intercessor 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 behinde 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 unkindness repented him of his glooms now what want I on earth that Christ can give to a poor prisoner O 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 doe with me I dare not now nick name or speak one word against the all-seeing 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 to sleep still till my gray hairs and to lie on the sunny side of the mountain in my ministery at Anwoth But now I have nothing to say against a borrowed fire-side another man's house nor Kedars tents where I
satisfie thy desire nor answer thy expectation It 's not my present work to tell thee that he was a Gentleman by extraction That he was educat at Scholes Colleges where he was admired for the Pregnancy of his parts deservedly looked upon even then as a person of whom great things might be expected Of his being pitched upon for a Profession of Philosophy by the College of Edinburgh where he was educat when he was yet very young Of his being called thence to the Ministery in Anwoth to which charge be entered by the means of that worthy Noble-man my Lord Kenmur without giving any engagment to the Bishop where he laboured night day with great success the whole countrey being to him accounting themselves as his particular flock There it was where he wrote that great Master-piece of Learning against the Arminians wich yet was but a compend of what he then intended his Exercitationes Apologeticae Of his persecution by the Prelats who were so sound in the faith as to challenge and accuse him for writting that book Being called before their high Commission court he appeared declined it as none of the Courts of Christ nor was there need of any thing else for a confirmation that it came not from on high but from below save it 's procedor for it's Acts had the very dy and visage of hell upon them If they will plead that it is from above they will be pusled to pitch upon a period or fix upon any other time when it came down except with the fallen Angels but it may be this please such Angells of the Church so they will be called for they boast much of Antiquity And truely that which gives ground â—or this conjecture that it came down from heaven in that company is that it persecuts the saints and servants of the most high if there were none such upon earth it would have no work was by this high Commission put from his ministery sent to Aberdeen where the Doctors found to their confusion that the Puritans were Clergy-men aswell as they Of his returning to his former Charge upon that happy change of affairs in the Yeer 1638 his being shorthly after sent to the profession of Theology in the Vniversity of St Andrews by the Generall Assembly where he was also called to be worthy Mr Blair's Collegue in the Ministery which being the seat of the Arch-preâ—ate was the very Nursery of all superstition in worship Errour in Doctrine the sink of all Profanity in conversation amongst the Students where God did so singularly second his servants indefatigable pains both in teaching in the Schooles preaching in the Congregation that it became forth with a Lebanon out of which were taken Cedars for building the house of the Lord through the whole land Not a few of whom are this day amongst these who have obtained mercy of the Lord to be his faithfull witnesses against Scotland's present shamfull unparaleelled defection Of his being sent with other worthy Ministers by the Generall Assembly to the famous Synod at London where during the time of his aboad he published severall pieces In a word of his unparaleelled painfullness holy Zeal in being about his Master's business so that he seemed to pray Constantly to preach constantly to catechise constantly to be still in visiting the sick in exhorting from house to house to teach as much in the schooles spend as much time with the young men as if he had been sequestrat from all the world besids withall to write as much as if he had been constantly shut up in his closet sufficient proof whereof hath been given to the world by the many pieces he hath published but the great bulk of Manuscripts which he hath left behinde him must lie buried with himself will put this further out of doubt so that one Mr Rutherfoord seemed to be many able godly men in one or one who was furnished with the grace and abilities of many It is not I say my present purpose to give any particular account to the world of these or of the many things he had to wrestle with especially towards the end of his dayes of his edifying death that may be done herafter by a more dexterous hand skillfull pen with much advantage edification to the Church of God Onely I may say that if amongst the heathens Hercules was looked upon as so far both above the applause of any who undertook to commend him beyond the reach of the obloquie reproach of any who had so fallen out with his wits as to derogat from his worth that it was a Probleme amongst them whether he who undertook to praise him or he who vented any thing to his prejudice did commit the greatest Soloecisme though it was but Belluina gloria whereof he could boast I suppose with more reasoÌ„ among them who know better to make the true paralleel betwixt things that differ are more fit to judge of that which is of true worth great price in the sight of God I should seem more ridiculous to say much to the advantage of the Author whose praise without the help of my blunt pen is in all the Churches of Christ whose manner of life in all Godliness holy conversation rendered him dear to the lovers of holmess who hath left his name for a blessing to the chosen of God he was a true Iohn the Baptist indeed totus vox a voice in habit gesture conversation in a word in his life at his death he obtained that mercy of the Lord even when he said nothing to preach to all who beheld his conversation which was observed to be in heaven while he conversed amongst men that their was nothing good but to draw near to God And now being got up above amongst these pages of honour who wait upon the King 's own person having taken up his place amongst the spirits of just men made perfect after which this saint often panted for which he prayed night day he doth by these Epistles which he hath left behinde him wherein thou wilt perceive how his soul was drawn forth in uncessant longings after that whereof he is now possessed cry aloud to you his companions the saints that are in the world to come up hither see that which cannot be seen while ye are there that which is onely worth the seeing that which if it were known would make you quarrel with death for delaying to shut your eyes upon other objects Leave the dark world doth he say come up hither to this blessed land of light where all our childish thoughts of God are gone evanished in this noon-day-vision where the understanding is fully illuminat there is no cloud to be-night or eclipse the soul in it's uptakings of God where the will hath a through compliance with a perfect complacencie in the will
acceptable to them for whom they were at first written to these for whom they are now principally intended because the life emphasis of the Phrase is often found to lie in that very word But having kept thee under too long an arrest in the entry I leave thee now to peruse these profitable Epistles which are an account of the many sweet hours comfortable soliloquies which that eminent saint sufferer had with God in the furnace of his affliction Wherein there is much to be seen beyond the ordinary attainment of a Christian even who hath made some remarkable progress is no small proficient in the wayes of God I nothing doubt but when thou perceivest while thou readest how much pure zeal to God doth burne in these lines thou wilt Lament the lose of such a blessed instrument now when the Church of God is brought so very low there are so few of all the sons whom she hath nourished brought up to take her by the hand I grant it is both a rational religious sorrow for when we remember the many eminent lights the removal of whom hath brought a sad darke night upon the Church which did laâ—ly shine amongst us most say they are gone who were our faithfull guids it would almost seem pardonable to abandon our selves to sorrow refuse to be comforted Quis â—alia fando tempereâ— a lachrimis Yet give me leave to suggest these things 1 Let not the tear so blinde thine eye as not to observe the goodness of God who gave us such It was a saying of an eminent excercised Christian worthy to be remembred in this present case to be put upon record for posterity perceiving many sorrowfull upon the removal of one of the most burning shining lights that Britain had to boast of that great Interpreter Mr Durhame I mean turne your tears sighes for this loss said that worthy person though it seem to you almost irreeparable an age hardly producing such an other into songs of praises doe not so indulge your sorrow because the Master hath called home an Ambassadour who did so faithfully successfully negotiat for him as ye forget in the mean time to praise the Lord of the harvest who thrust forth such a labourer into his vinyard Let not the greatness of your grief make you forget the riches of his goodness to the Church of Christ in Scotland in that there was a Mr Durhame to die out of it So I say when in reading of these thou remembers that the worthy Author is gone to his rest yet be not guilty of so much ingratitude through the excess of thy grief as to froget God's care of kindness to the Church of Scotland who amongst others gave her a Mr Rutherfoord one who was not onely famous at home abroad for his great Learning but such a Minister of the Gospel as I suppose there is not a godly Minister in the Nation who knew his painfulness his tenderness his zeal his shining Gospel adorning Conversation that will think he wrongs himself in giving the presence to him whose watching weeping unwearied pains to propagate the truth profite the souls of men made him without a match or equal Left deep convictions of short-coming even upon them who may with a rational confidence expect the approbation of well done good faithfull servants at the day of their appearance die in the faith of this that when the great shepherd shall appear they shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away 2 If no other consideration can dâ—y up thy tears or divert thy sorrow while thou doest remember thy own the Churches loss yet remember that this is sufficient to make the mourne in hope that the residâ—e of the spirit is with him We cannot I grant weep back again though it 's like some would be content to weep themselves blinde if that were lawfull would doe it our famous faithfull Knoxes Davidsons Welshes Bruces Hendersons Rutherfoords Gilâ—spies Guthries with a great many 〈◊〉 sids of their brethren companions who did build fight with them were the restorers of the breaches amongst us whereby they obtained a good report are at this day of blessed memory indeed but is there no hope to see them alive in other mens persons I grant their is but little appearance of that for the present For Alas may we say where is theâ—e a man of that spirit to be found Yet let us not adde this to all the rest of our provocations in this wilderness-lot to limit the holy one of Israel since these had nothing but what they did receive he can furnish the Church with men of the same parts zeal With men who will shine in light so that their enemies must lay their hand upon their mouth when they have spoken burne in love to God his interests truely it concerns all the people of God to be much in importuning him that he would again give us such standard bearers that that he would remember us now in our low estate by raising up such who may be as the Charets horsemen of Israel when the spirit of most is under such a faint the men of might doe not finde their hands If we were up doing in this which is one great part of our work in such a sad time gave him no rest who knowes but he would yet breath upon many who are now as dry bones without life or motion make them stand up for him plead his cause against them who have lifted up their head against heaven their heel against his people They who by falling asleep till their hair was cut that they were not in case to shake themselves as at other times when their enemies were upon them might yet spil their adversaries sport bring down their Babel about their ears if the spirit of the Lord came upon them as at othertimes Or if this were not to be expected he could raise up a generation who would serve him with more zeal faithfulness then we have done that in such a number as should make his Church say who hath begotten me all these And where have they been It my be that he who waits to be gracious is waiting to be enâ—…ated to doe this good thing for us Surely if we were a people of prayer particularly for this Church Nation-mercy we might be surprised now when we have scarce a tokenn for good when our lukwarme temper hath banished the faith of such a mercy almost out of the earth with such a reâ—urâ—â— aâ— that I will clothethy Priests with salvation thy saiâ—…s â—all yet shout aloud for joy I will pour down such a plentifull the â—sure of the spirit upon them that by their zeal faithfulness the years which thiâ— cankerworme caterpillar of luke warness hath eaten up
our cup in which there is no taste of hell My dear Brother ye know all these better then 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 O what praises I ow him I would I were in my free heritage that I might begin to pay my debts to Jesus I entreat for your prayers praises I forget not you Aberd. Sept. 17. 1637 Your brother and fellow sufferer in and for Christ. S. R. To Mr DAVID DICKSON 73 Reverend and welbeloved brother in the Lord. I Bless the Lord who hath so wonderfully stopped the on-going of that lawless process against you The Lord reigneth hath a saving eye upon you your ministery therefore fear not what men can doe I bless the Lord that the Irish ministers finde employment the professors comfort of their ministery Beleeve me I durst not as I am now disposed hold an honest brother out of the pulpit I trust the Lord shall guard you 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 mens conscience will not start at small sins But if some had been where I have been since I came from you a little more would have caused their eye water troubled their peace O how ready are we to incline to the world's-hand Our arguments being well examined are often drawn from our skin the whole skin a peaceable tabernacle is a topick maxime in great request in our Logick I finde a little breirding of God's seed in this town for the which the Doctors have told me their minde that they cannot bear with it and have examined and threatned the people that haunt my company I fear I get not leave to winter here and whether I goe I know not I am ready at the Lord's call I would I could make acquaintance with Christ's cross for I finde comforts lie to 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 doe 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 wash it restore it to me again I would have a minde 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 he in my sleep stealeth away out of my arms when I awake I misâ— him I am much comforted with my Lady Piâ—sligo a good woman acquainted with God's wayes Grace be with you Aberd. Sept. 11. 1637. Yours in his sweet Lord. Iesus S. R. To the right honourable my Lord LOWDOUN 75. Right honourable GRace mercy peace be to your Lo I rejoyce exceedingly that I hear your Lo hath a good minde to Christ his now-born-down truth My very dear Lord goe on in the strength of the Lord to carry your honour worldly glory to the new Ierusalem For this cause your Lo received these of the Lord this is a sure way for the establishment of your house if ye be of these who are willing in your place to build Zion's old waste places in Scotland Your Lo wanteth not God's man's law both now to come to the streets for Christ suppose the bastard laws of man were against you it is an honest zealous errour 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 most truly dread â—overaign who hath many crowns on his head the liberties of his house he will hold you up Blessed shall they be who take Babel's little ones dash their heads against stones I wish your Lo 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 pullin up the stakes looâ—ng the cords of the tent of Christ but I am peswaded that that wisdom is cried down in heaven shall never passe for true wisdom itâ— the Lord whose word crieth shame upon wit against Christ truth accordingly it shall prove shame confusion of face in the end Our Lord hath given your Lo 〈◊〉 of a better stamp learning also wherein yeare not behinde th disputer and the sâ—â—be O what a blessâ—d thing iâ— it to see Noâ—ility Learning Sanctification all co curre in one For these ye ow your sel to Christ his â—ingdom God hath be-wildered bâ—-misted the wit the learning of the scribes disputer of this time they look asquint to the Bible This blinding be-â—…ing world blindfoldeth mens light that they are affraid to se straight out bâ—fore them nay their very light playeth the knave or woâ—s to truth Your Lo knoweth within a little while Policy against trutâ— will bluâ—h the works of men shall burn even their spider-wâ—b who spin out many hundred ells webs of indifferencie in the Lord's worship moe then ever â—oses who would have anâ—oof mâ—â—t rial Daniel who would have a look out at a wiâ—dow a matter of life death then ever I say these men of God dreamed of Alas that men dare shape carve cut clippe our King 's princâ—ly Testament in length and breadth and in all dimensions answerable to the conceptions of such policy as a h ad-of-wit thinketh a safe and trim way of serving God How have men forgotten the Lord that they dà re goe against even that truth which once they preached themselves howbeit their sermons now be as thin sown as strav-berriâ—s in a wood or wilderness Certainly the sâ—eetest safest course is for this short time of the afternoon of this olâ— declining world to stand for Jesus he hath said it it is our part to beleeve it that ere is be long Time shall be no more and the heaven shall wax old as a garment 〈◊〉 Doe we not see it already an old hollie threed-bare garment doeth not or ple laâ—e ature tâ—â—l us that the Lord will fold up the old garment 〈◊〉 and lay it aside that the heavens shall be folded together as a scroll this pest-house shall be burnt with fire that both plenishing walls shall melt with fervent heat for at the Lord 's coming he will doe with this earth as men doe with a leper house he wil burn the walls with fire the plenishing of the house also 2 Pet. 3 10 11 12. My very Daer Lord how shall ye rejoyce in that day to have Christ Angels heaven your own conscience to smile upon you I am perswaded one
Christ but his coat Oh how forlorn 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 imprisoned Truth weeping in sackcloth before the Judges Parliament the Rulers of the land But her bill is cast by them Holiness hideth it self fearing the streets for the reporoaches persecution of men Justice is fallen a swoon in the gate the long shadows of the evening are stretched out upon us Woe woe to us for our day flyeth away what remaineth but that the Antichrist set down his tent in the midst of us except your Lo others with you read Christ's supplication 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 dear Lord as ye have begun goe on in the mighty power and strength of the Lord to cause our Lord in his Gospel and afflicted members laugh 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 the sun like the light of seven dayes in one ye can doe noless then run bear up the head of your dying swooning mother-mother-Church 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 the robber not by the door Christ now their song is Authority Authority obedience to Church-Governours When such a bastard lawless pretended step-dame as our prelacy is gone mad it is your place who are the Nobles to rise binde them at least law should fetter such wilde bulls as they are who push all who oppose themselves to their domination Alas What have we lost since Prelats were made Master coiners to change our gold in 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 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 casten under the earth Let the holy one of Israel be your fear be couragious for the Lord and his truth Remember your accounts coming upon you with wings as fast as time posteth away Remember what peace with God in Christ the presence of the Son of God in the revealed felt sweetness of his love will be to you when eternity shall put time to the door ye shall take good-night at Time this little shepherd's tent of clay this Innes of a borrowed earth I hope your Lo is now then sending out thoughts to view this world's naughtiness vanity the hoped-for glory of the life to come that ye resolve that Christ shall have your self all yours at command for him his honour Gospel Thus trusting your Lo Will pardon my boldness I pray that the onely wise God the very God of peace may preserve strengthen establish you to the end Aberd. 1637. Your Lo at all command obedience in Chrst. S. R. To the Lady ROVVALAND 107 MADAM THough not acquainted I am bold in Christ to speak to vour La in paper I rejoyce 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 minde to you now when so many are shut up in unbelief O the sweet change ye have made in leaving the black kingdom of this world sin coming over to our bridegroom 's new kingdom to know to be taken with the love of the beautifull Son of God I beseech you Madam in the Lord make now sure work see that the old house be casten down 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 onely he whom ye have met with His sweet smell his lovely voyce his fair face his sweet working in the soul will not lye they will soon tell if it be Christ indeed I think your love to the saints speaketh that it is he therefore I say be sure that ye take Christ himself take him with his father's blessing his father alloweth him well upon you your lines are well fallen it could not have been better nor so well with you if they had not fallen in these places In heaven or out of heaven there is nothing better nothing so sweet excellent as the thing ye have lighted on 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 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 losse or thought of trouble cannot finde lodging there they are but the markes of our Lord Jesus down in this wide innes stormy countrey on this side of death Sorrow the saints are not married together of suppose it were so heaven shall make a divorce I finde his sweet presence eateth out the bitterness of sorrow suffering I think it a sweet thing that Christ saith of my cross Halfmine that he divideth these sufferings with me taketh the largest share to himself nay that I my whole cross are wholly Christ's O what a portion is Christ O that the saints would dig deeper in the treasures of his wisdom excellency Thus recommending your La to the goodwill tender mercies of our Lord I rest Aberd. Sept. 7. 1637 Yours La in his sweet Lord Iesus S. R. To ROBERT GORDON Of Knockbrex 108 My very worthy dear Friend GRace mercy peace be unto you Though all Galloway should have forgotten me I would have expected a letter from you ere now But I will not expound it to be forgetfulness of me Now My dear Brother I cannot shew you how matters goe betwixt Christ and me I finde my Lord going and coming seven times a day His visits are short but they are both frequent sweet I dare not for my life think of a challenge of my Lord I hear ill tales hard reports of Christ from the Tempter and my flesh but love beleeveth no evil I may swear that they are lyars and that apprehensions make lyes of Christ's honest and unalterable love to me
glory ye shall see him to be all things and that incomparable jewel of gold that ye should seek howbeit ye should sell wod-set forfeit your few years portion of this life's joyes O happy soul for evermore who can rightly compare this life with that long-lasting life to come can ballance the weighty glory of the one with the light golden vanity of the other The day of the Lord is now near hand all meÌ„ shall come out in their black 's white 's as they are There shall be no borrowed lying colours in that day when Christ shall be called Christ no longer nicknamed now men borrow Christ his white colour the lustre fairding of Christianity but how many counterfeit masks will be burnt in the day of God in the fire that shall burn the earth 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 chains with the gold chains Lordly rents smiling happy-like heavens of the men of this world I am far from thoughts of repenting because of my losses 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 suffer pains like hell's pains far more the short hell that the saints of God have in this life Sir I wish your soul may be more acquainted with the sweetness of Christ. Grace grace be with you Abord 1637. Yours in his onely Lord Master S. R. To his Parishoners at Anwoth 149 Dearly beloved in our Lord. GRace mercy peace from God our father from our Lord Jesus Christ be multiplied upon you I long exceedingly to hear of your on-going advancement in your journey to the Kingdom of God My onely joy out of heaven is to hear that the seed of God sowen among you is growing coming to an harvest for I ceased not while I was among you in season out of season according to the measure of grace given unto me to warn stir up your mindes 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 warn you in the great dreadfull name and in the soveraign authority 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 dayes are come coming when many forsake Christ Jesus he saith to you will ye also leave me Remember that I forewarned you to forbear the dishor ouring of the Lord's blessed name in swearing bâ—â—spheming cursing And the prefaning 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 word thinking and meditating on God's nature word and works And that every day at morning and at right at least ye should sanctifie the Lord by praying in your houses publickly in the hearing 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 according to the example of Christ our Lord that is that ye should sit as banquetters at one table with our King eat drink divide the elements one to another The timber 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 baptisme was unlawfull and against Christ's ordinances And that no day besides the sabbath which is of his own appointment should be kept holy and sanctified with preaching the publick worship of God for the memory of Christ's birth death resurrection ascension seeing such dayes so observed are unlawfull wil-worship and not warranted in Christ's word And that every thing in God's worship not warranted by Christ's Testament word was unlawfull And also that Idolatry worshipping of God before hallowed creatures adoring of Christ by kneeling before bread wine was unlawfull And that ye should be humble sober modest forbearing pride envy malice wrath hatred contentim debate lying slandering stealing defrauding your neighbours in grass corn or cattell in buying or selling borrowing or lending taking or giving in bargains or covenants And that ye should work with your own hands be content with that which God hath given you That ye should studie to know God his will and keep in minde the doctrine of the Catechisme 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 beleeve in the Son of God and obey his commandments and learn to make your accounts in time with your judge because death judgement 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 any thing to my self 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 repent My soul pitieth you that ye should suck dry breasts be put to draw at dry wells O that ye would esteem highly of the lamb of God your welbeloved Christ Jesus whose vertues and praises I preached unto you with joy which he did countenance accompany with some power and that ye would call to minde the many fair dayes and glorious feasts in our Lord's house of wine that ye and I have 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 wantoness I here under my hand in the name of Christ my Lord write to such persons all the plagues of God the curses that ever I preached in the pulpit of Anwoth against the childrens of disobedience And as the Lord liveth the Lord Jesus shall make good what I write unto you Therefore Dearly beloved fulfill my joy Fear the great and dreadfull name of the Lord seek God with me Scotland's judgement sleepeth not awake repent the sword of the Lord shall goe from the North to the South from the East to the West and through all the corners of the land and that sword shall be drunk with your blood amongst
to be carried in Christ's arms out of this borrowed prison Grace grace be with you Aberd. 1637. Yours in his sweet Lord Iesus S. R. To the â—aird of CARLETOUN 207 Worthy Six GRace mercy and peace be to you I received your letter am heartily glad that our Lord hath begun to work for the apparent delivery of this poor oppressed Kirk O that salvation would come for Zion I am for the present hanging by hope waiting what my Lord will doe with me if it will please my sweet Master to send me amongst you again keep out a hireling from my poor people flock It were my heaven till I come home even to spend this liâ—e in gathering in some to Christ. I have still great heaviness for my silence my forced standing idle in the market when this land hath such a plentifull thick harvest but I know his judgements who hath done it pass fiâ—…ding out I have no nowledge to take up the Lord in all his strange wayes 〈◊〉 pâ—ssages of deep unsearchable providences for the Lord is bâ—fore me I am so be-misted that I cannot follow him He is behinde me and following at the heels and I am not aware of him he is above me but his glory so 〈◊〉 my twilight of short knowledge that I cannot look up to him He is upon my right hand and I see him no He is upon my left hand and within me and goeth and comâ—th his going coming are a drâ—aâ—… to me He is round about me compâ—…th â—l my goingâ— aâ—d still I have him to eek He is every way higher dâ—eper broadâ—r then the shallow ebbe hand-breadth of my shoâ—t dâ—… light can take up therefore I would my heart could be silent sit down in the learnedly-ignorant wondering at that Lord whom m n Angâ—ls caâ—not comprehend I know the noon-day-light of the highest Angels who see him face to face seeth not the borders of his infiniteness 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 to light my dark candle at his brightness to have leave to sit content my self with a traveller's light without the clear vision of an enjoyer I would seek no more till I were in my countrey but a little watering sprinkling of a withered soul with some half out breakin gs half-outlookings of the beam and small raviâ—hing smiles of the fairest face of a revealed beleeved on Godhead A little of God would make my soul bank-full O that I had but Christ's odde off fallings that he would let but the meanest of his love-rayes love-beams fall from him so as I might gather carry them with me I would not be ill to please with Christ and vailed visions of Christ neither would I be dainty in seeing and enjoying of him A kiss of Christ blowen over his shoulder 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 joyfull till the summer-sun of an eternall glory break up O that I had any thing of Christ O that I had a sip or half a drop out of the hollow of Christ's hand of the sweetness excellency of that lovely One O that my Lord Jesus would â—ue upon me give me but the meanest almes of felt beleeved salvation O how little were it for that infinite sea that infinite fountain of love 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 finde it true that a poor soul finding half a smell of the Godhead of Christ hath desires paining 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 any thing of Christ then thus to lie dying twenty deaths under these felt wounds for the want of him O where is he O fairest Where dwellest thou O never enough admired Godhead how can clay win up to thee How can creatures of yesterday be able to enjoy thee O what pain is it that time sin should be as so many thousand miles betwixt a loved longed-for Lord a dwining love-sick soul who would rather then all the world have lodging with Christ O let this bit love of ours this inch half span-length of heavenly longging meet with thy infinite love O if the little I have were swallowed up with the infiniteness of that excellency which is in Christ O that we little ones were in at the greatest Lord Jesus our wants should soon be swallowed up with his fulness Grace grace be with you Aberd. May. 1. 1637. Yours in his sweet Lord Iesus S. R. To ROBERT GORDON Of Knockbrex 208 Dear Brother GRace mercy peace be to you I received your letter from Edinburgh I would not wish to see another heaven whâ—â—e I get mine own heaven but a new moon like the light of the sun a new sun like the light of seven days shining upon my poor self the Church of Iews Gentiles upon my withered sun-burnt mother the Church of Scotland upon her sister Churches England Ireland to have this done to to the setting on high our great King it maketh not howbeit I were separate from Christ had a sense of ten thousand years pain in hell if this were O blessed Nobility O glorious renouned Gentry O blessed were the tribes in this land to wipe my Lord Jesus's weeping face to take the sackcloth off Christ's loins to put his kingly robes upon him O if the Almighty would take no less wager of me then my heaven to have it done But my fears are still for wrath once upon Scotland But I know her day shall clear up glory shall be upon the top of the mountains and joy at the noise of the married wife once again O that our Lord would make us to contend plead wrestle by prayers tears for our husband's restoring of his forfeited heritage in Scotland Dear Brother I am for the present in no small battel betwixt felt guiltiness and pining longings high fevers for my welbeloved's love Alas I think Christ's love playeth the niggard to me I know it is not for scarcity of love there is enough in him but my hunger prophesieth 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 working of hunger for Christ that I am often at this that if I had no other heaven but a continuall 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
his face with joy 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 O 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 Iesus And Madam if ye love him ye will keep his commandements this is not one of the least to lay your neck cheerfully willingly under the yoke of Jesus Christ For I trust your La did first contract and bargain with the Son of God to follow him upon these terms that by his grace ye should endure hardship suffer affliction as the souldier of Christ They 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 make up the friendship betwixt God us God bruised him strooke him the sinfull world also did beat him and crucifie him yet he took buffets of both the parties and honour to our Lord Jesus he would not leave the field for all that till he had made peace betwixt the parties I perswade â—y self your sufferings are but like your Saviour's yea incomparably less lighter which are called but a bruising of his â—eel Gen. 3. 15 a wound far from the heart Your life is hid with Christ in God Col. 3. 3. And therefore ye cannot be robbed of it Our Lord handleth us as fathers doe their young children they lay up jewels in a place above the reach of the short arm of bairns else â—aiâ—ns would put up their hands take them down 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 lose it it is in our Christ's hand O long long may Jesus be Lord-keeper of our life happy are they that can with the Apostle 2 Tim. 1. lay their soul in pawne in the hand of Jesus for he is able to keep that which is committed in pawne to him against that day Then Madam so long as this life is not hurt all ether troubles are but touches in the heel I trust ye 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 heavie cross of Christ troubles without terrours 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 then to get present payment 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 farme-room 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 Oh but our Lord Luk. 16. maketh it a sillie heaven He fared well saith our Lord delicately every day Oh no more A sillie heaven Truly no more except that he was clothed in purple that is all I perswade my self 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 some kisses of his mouth whom your soul loveth ye get no more But I cannot tell you what is to come yet I may speak as our Lord doeth of it The foundation of the city is pure gold clear as crystall the twelve ports are set with precious stones If orchards rivers commend a soil upon earth there is a Paradise there wherein groweth the tree of life that beareth twelve manner of fruits every moneth which is seven score four harvests in the year there is there a pure river of water of life proceeding out of the throne of God of the Lamb the city hath no need of the light of the sun or moon or of a candle for the Lord God Almighty the Lamb is the light thereof Madam beleeve and hope for this till ye see enjoy Jesus is saying in the Gospel Come see he is come down in the chariot of Truth wherein he rideth through the world to conquer mens souls Psal. 45. 4. is now in the word saying Who will goe with me will ye goe my Father will make you welcome give you house-room for in my Father's house are many dwelling places Madam consent to goe with him Thus I rest commending you to God's dearest mercy Anwoth Yours in the Lord Iesus S. R. To my Lady KENMURE 16. 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 deelining Scotland whom our Lord took off the dunghill out of hell made a fair Bride to himself hath broken her faith to her sweet husband hath put on the forehead of a whore therefore he saith he will remove would God we could stir up our selves to lay hold upon him who being highly provoked with the handling he hath met with is ready to depart Alas we doe not importune him by prayer supplication to abide amongst usâ— If we could but weâ—p upon â—â—m in the holy pertinacy of faith wrestle witâ—… say We will not let thee goe it may be that then he who is easy to be intreated would yet notwithstanding of our high provocations condescend to stay feed among the lilies till that fair desirable day break and the shadows flâ—e away Ah! What cause of mourning is there When our gold is become dim the visage of our Nazarites sometimes whiter then snow is now become blacker then a coal Levi's house once comparable to fine gold is now changed 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 all tears froÌ„ 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 widow Nay he will embrace both Us the little young sister the elder sister The church of the Iews there will yet be a day of it therefore we have cause to rejoyce yea to sing shout for joy The Church hath been â—nce
professours in these parts as I know love the beauty of Zion are afflicted to see the Lord's vineyard froden under foot by the wilde boars out of the wood who lay it waste I could not but also desire your La help to joyn with the rest desiring you to impart it to my Lord your husband if ye think it needfull I shall write to his Lo as Mr G. G. shall advertise me Know therefore that the best affected of the Ministery have thought it convenient necessary at such a time as this that all who love the truth should joyn their prayers together cry to God with humiliation fasting The times which are agreed upon are the two first sabbaths of February next the six dayes interveening betwixt these sabbaths as they may conveniently be had 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 unrighteousness in this land the present judgements on the land many moe hanging over us whereof few are sensible or yet know the right true cause of them 2. The lamentable pitifull estate of a glorious Church in so short a time against so many bonds in Doctrine Sacraments Discipline so sore persecuted in the persons of faithfull Pastors and professors and the door of God's house kept so strait by Bastard-Porters in so much that worthy instruments able for the work are held at the door the Rulers having turned over Religion into Policy the Multitude ready to receive any Religion that shall be enjoyned by Authority 3. In our Humiliation besides that we are under a necessity of deprecating God's wrath vowing to God sincerely new obedience the weakness coldness silence luke warmness of some of the best of the Ministery the deadness of Professors who have suffered the truth both secretly to be stoln away openly to be plucked from us would be confessed 4. Atheism Idolatry profanity vanity would be confessed Our King's heart recommended to God God intreated that he would stir up the Nobles the People to turn from their evil waves Thus Madam hoping that your La will joyn 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 my self your help as the Lord in secrecy prudence shall enable you that your La may rejoyce with the Lord's people when deliverance shall come for true sincere humiliation came alwayes speed with God And when Authority King Court Church-men oppose the truth what other armour have we but prayer faith Whereby if we wrestle with him there is ground to hope that these who would remove the burdensom stone out of it's place shall but hurt their back the stone shall not be moved at least not removed Zech 12 3. Grace grace be with you from him who hath called you to the inheritance of the saints in light Anwoth Jan. 23. 1634. Your La at all submissive obedience in his sweet Lord Iesus S. R. To my Lady KENMURE 19 MADAM ALl submissive dutifull obedience in our Lord Jesus remembered I trust I need not much intreat your La to look to him who hath stricken you at this time but my duty in the memory of that comfort I found in your La kindness when I was no less heavy in a case not unlike that speaketh to me to say something now I wish I could ease your La at least with words I am perswaded your Physician will not slay you but purge you seeing he calleth himself the Chirurgian who maketh the wound bindeth it up again for to launce a wound is not to kill but cure the patient Deut. 32. 30. 1 Sam. 2 6. Iob 6 v. 18. Hos. 6. 1. I beleeve Faith will teach you to kiss a striking Lord so acknowledge the soveraignty of God in the death of a childe to be above the power of us mortal men who may pluck up a flower in the bud not be blamed for it If our dear Lord pluck up one of his Roses and pull down sowre green fruit before harvest who can challenge him For he sendeth us to his world as men to a market wherein some stay many hours eat drink buy sell pass through the fair till they be weary such are these who live long get a hearty fill of this life And others again come slipping in to the morning-market doe neither sit nor stand nor buy nor sell but look about them a little pass presently home again and these are infants young ones who end their short market in the morning get but a short view of the fair Our Lord who hath numbered man's moneths set him bounds that he cannot pass Iob. 14 5. hath written the length of our market it is easier to complain of the decree then to change it I verily beleeve when I write this your Lord hath taught your La to lay your hand on your mouth But I shall be far from desiring your La or any others to cast by a cross like an old useless bill that is onely for the fire but rather would wish each cross were looked in the face seven times were read over over again It is the Messenger of the Lord speakes something the man of understanding will hear the rod him that hath appointed it Try what is the taste of the Lord's cup drink with God's blessing that ye may grow thereby I trust in God whatever other speach it utter to your soul this is one word in it Iob. 5. 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 world 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 since Death took first possession of something of yours it hath been daily is creeping nearer nearer to your self howbeit with no noise of feet Your husbandman Lord hath lopped off some branches already the tree it self is to be transplanted to the high harden in a good time be it our Lord ripen your La all these crosses indeed when I remember them they are heavy many peace peace be the end of them are to make you white ripe for the Lord's harvest-hook I have seen the Lord weaning you from the breasts of this world it was never his minde it should be your patrimony God be thanked for that ye look the liker one of the heirs let the moveables goe why not They are not yours fasten your grips upon the heritage our Lord Jesus make the charters sure give
peace be to you If Death which is before you us all were any other thing but a friendly dissolution a change not a destruction of Life it would seem a hard voyage to goe through such a sad dark trance so thorny a valley as is the wages of sin but I am confident the way ye know though your foot never trode in that black shadow the loss of life is gain to you if Christ Jesus be the period the end lodging-home at the end of your journey there is no fear ye goe to a friend since ye have had a communion with him in this life he hath a pawne pledge of yours even the largest share of your love 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 beams of Majesty above what he appeared here when he is seen as he is that ye shall misken him he shall appear a new Christ his kisses breathings embracements the perfume the oyntment of his name poured out on you shall appear to have more of God a stronger smell of heaven of eternity of a Godhead of Majesty glory there then here As water at the fountain apples in the orchard beside the tree have more of their native sweetness taste beauty then 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 lovileness 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 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 conveigh 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 fountain or to take in seas and tides of fresh love immediately without vessels mids's or messengers at the fountain it self as ye shall doe a few dayes hence when ye shall be so near as to be with Christ Luk. 23 43 Ioh 17 24. Phil. 1 23. 1 Thess. 4 17. ye would no doubt bestow a dayes journey yea many dayes journey on earth to goe up to heaven and fetch down any thing of Christ how much more may ye be willing to make a journey to goe in person to heaven it is not lost time but gained eternity to enjoy the full Godhead then in such a manner as he is not there in his week-dayes apparel as he is here with us in a drop or the tenth part of a night's dewing of grace 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 then a million of worlds O the well is deep ye shall then think that Preachers sinfull Ambassadors on earth did but spill mar his praises when they spoke of him and preached his beauty Alas we but make Christ black less lovely in making such insignificant dry cold low expressions of his highest and transcendent super-excellency to the daughters of Ierusalem Sure I have often for my own part sinned in this thing No doubt Angels doe not fulfill their task according to their obligation in that Christ kept their feet from falling with the lost Devils though I know they are not behinde in going to the utmost of created power but there is sin in our praising sin in the quantity besides other sins but I must leave this it is too deep for me Goe see we desire to goe with you But we are not masters of our own diet If in that last journey ye tread on a serpent in the way 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 awâ—om step over Time Sin to sweet Jesus Christ who knew felt the worst of Death for Death's teeth hurt him We know Death hath no teeth now no jaws for they are broken it is a free prison Citizens pay nothing for the Grave the Jaylor who had the power of Death is destroyed praise glory be to the first begotten of the dead The worst possibly that may be is that ye leave behinde you children husband the Church of God in miseries but ye cannot get them to heaven with you for the present ye shall not miss them Christ cannot miscount one of the poorest of his lambs no lad no girle 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 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 company 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 then the course be finished Ye may rejoyce that ye goe not to heaven till ye know that Jesus is there before you that when ye come thither at your first entry ye may finde the smell of his oyntments his Myrrhe AloeÌ„s Cassia and this first salutation of his will make you finde it is no uncomfortable thing to die Goe and enjoy your gain live on Christ's love while ye are here and all the way as for the Church ye leave behinde 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 we never yet saw the ashes of this fire yet a little while the vision shall not tarry it shall speak not lye I am more afraid of my duty then of the Head Christ's government he cannot fail to bring judgement to victory O that we could wait for our hidden life O that Christ would remove the covering draw aside the curtain of time and rent the heavens come down O that shadows night were gone that the day would break he that feedeth among the lilies would cry to his heavenly trumpetters marke ready let us goe down fold together the four corners of the world marry the Bride His grace be with you Now if I have found favour with you if ye judge me faithfull my last sute to you is that ye would leave me a legacy that is that my name be at the very last in your prayers as I desire
sick night through the terrors of the Almighty would make men whose conscience hath such a wide throat as an image like a Chathedral Church would goe down it have other thoughts of Christ and his worship then now they please themselves with The scarcity of faith in the earth saith We are hard upon the last nick of time Blessed are these who keep their garments clean against the bridegroom's coming There shall be spotted clothes many defiled garments at his last coming therefore few found worthy to walk with him in white I am perswaded my Lord this poor travelling woman our pained Church is with childe of victory shall bring forth a man-childe that shall be caught up to God his throne howbeit the Dragon in his followers be attending the childe-birth-pain as an Egyptian midwife to receive the birth strangle it Isa. 29 8. But they shall be disappointed who thirst for the destruction of Zion they shall be as when a hungry man dreameth that he eateth but behold he awaketh his soul is empty or when a thirsty man dreameth that he drinketh but behold he awaketh is faint 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 feeble these that are as signes wonders in Israel have chosen the best side even the side that victory is upon I think this is no evil policy Verily for my self I am so well pleased with Christ his noble honest-born cross this cross that is come of Christ's house is of kin to himself that I should weep if it should come to niffering barâ—â—ring of lots condition with these that are at ease in Zion I hold still my choice blesse my self in it I see I beleeve there is salvation in this way that is every where spoken against I hope to goe to eternity to venture upon the last evil to the saints even upon death fully perswaded that this onely even this is the saving way for rackel consciences for weary laden sinners to finde ease peace for evermore into 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 â—ntertainment that my good friends the Prelats intend for me which is banishment if they shall obtain their desire effectu at what they design but let it come I rue not that I made Christ my waile my choice I think him ay the longer the better My Lord It shall be good service to God to hold your noble friend Chief upon a good course for the truth of Christ. Now the very God of peace establish your Lo in Christ Jesuâ— unto the end Aberd. Sept 10. 1637. Your Lo in his sweet Lord Iesus S. R. To the Laird of GAITGIRTH 76 Much honoured Sir GRace mercy peace be to you I can doe no more but thank you in paper remember you to him whom I serve for your kindness care of a prisoner I bleâ—s the Lord the cause I suffer for needeth not to bluâ—h before Kings Christs white honest 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 affraid to profess him hide him for fear they suffer loss by avouching him Alas that so many in these dayes are carried with the times As if their conscience rolled upon oyled wheels so doe they goe any way the wind bloweth them because Christ is not market-sweet men put him away from them Worthy much honoured Sir goe on to own Christ his oppressed truth The end of sufferings for the Gospel is rest and gladness light joy is sown for the mourners in Zion and the harvest which is of God's making for time manner is neer Crosses have right claim to Christ in hs members till legs arms whole mystical-Christ be in heaven There will be rain hail stormâ—â—n the saints clouds ever till God cleanse with fire the works of creation till he burn the botch-house of heaven earth that mens sin hath subjected unto vanity They are blessed who suffer sin not for suffering is the badge that Christ hath put upon his followers Take what way we can to heaven the way is hedged up with crosses there is no way but to break through them wit wiles shifts laws will not finde 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 heaven may all be ridden if â—e be well hors'd I mean if we be in Christ not one shall drown by the way but such as love their own destruction Oh if we could wait on for a time beleeve in the dark the salvation of God! At least we are to beleeve good of Christ till he give us the slip which is impossible to take his word for caution that he shall fill up all the blanks in his promises give us what we want but to the unbeleever Christ's Testament is white blank unwritten paper worthy and dear Sir set your face to heaven make you to stoop at all the low entries in the way that ye may receive the Kingdom as a childe without this he that knew the way said there is no entry in O but Christ be willing to lead a poor sinner O 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. Aberd. Sept. 7. 1637. Yours in his sweet Lord Iesus S. R. To the Lady GAITGIRTH 77 Much honoured Christian Lady GRace mercy peace be to you I long to hear how it goeth with you your children 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 ye shall come ere long to be within your arm-length of the glorious crown Your Lord Jesus did sweat pant ere he got up that mount he was at father save me with it it was he who Psal. 22 14. said I am poured out like water all my bones are out of joynt Christ waâ— as if they had broken him upon the wheel my heart is like wax it is melted in the midst of my bowels v. 15. My strength is dried up like a poâ—sheard I am sure ye love the way the better that his holy feet trod it before you Crosses have a smell of crossed pained Christ. I beleeve your Lord will not leave you to