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
then now food for the journey God give you eyes to see through sickness death to see something beyond death I doubt not but if hell were betwixt you Christ as a river which ye behooved to cross ere ye could come at him but ye would willingly put in your foot make through to be at him upon hope that he would come in himself in the deepest of the river lend you his hand Now I beleeve your hell is dried up ye have onely these two shallow brooks Sickness Death to pass through ye have also a promise that Christ shall doe more then meet you even that he shall come himself goe with you foot for foot yea bear you in his arms O then O then for the joy that is set before you For the love of the man who is also God over all blessed for ever that is standing upon the shore to welcome you run your race with patience The Lord goe with you Your Lord will not have you nor any of his servants to exchange for the worse Death in it self includeth both the death of the soul the death of the body but to God's children the bounds the limits of death are abridged drawn into a more narrow compass So that when ye die a piece of death shall onely seise upon you or the least part of you shall die that is the dissolution of the body for in Christ ye are delivered from the second death therefore as one born of God commit not sin although ye cannot live not sin that serpent shall but eat your earthly part As for your soul it is above the law of Death But it is fearfull dangerous to be a debter and servant to sin for the count of sin ye will not be able to make good before God except Christ both count pay for you I trust also Madam that ye will be carefull 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 fearfull Parliament in heaven is at the very point of coming forth because of the sins of the land For We have cast away the law of the Lord and despised the words of the holy one of Israel Isa. 5 24. Iudgement is turned away backward and justice standeth afar off truth is fallen in the streâ—ts and equity cannot enter Lo the prophet as if he had seen us our Kirk resembleth justice to be handled as an enemy holden out at the ports of our city so is she banished Truth to a person sickly diseased fallen down in a deadly swooning sit in the streets before he can come to an house Isa. 59. 14. The Priests have caused many to stumble at the Law have corrupted the Covenant of Levi Mal. 2. 8. But what will they doe in the end Ier. 5 31. Therefore give the Lord no rest for Zion Stir up your husband your brother 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 prosperity of Zion The peace of God be upon him for his intended courses anent the establishment of a powerfull Ministery in this land Thus not willing to weary your La further I recommend you now alwayes to the grace mercy of that God who is able to keep you that ye fall not The Lord Jesus be with your spirit Anwoth July 27. 1628. Your La servant at all dutifull obedience in Christ S. R. To the Parishoners of KILMACOLME 2 Worthy welbeloved in Christ Iesus our Lord. GRace mercy peace be to you Your letters could not come to my hand in a greater throng of business then I am now pressed with at this time when our Kirk requireth the publike help of us all yet I cannot but answer the heads of both your letters with provision that ye chuse after this a fitter time for writing 1. I would not have you pitch upon me as the man able by lettters to answer doubts of this kinde 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 piâ—ce dry stick that the empty reed may keep no glory to it self 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 pierceth so strongly that it would blow through an iron door this is commonly rather under suffering for Christ then at any other time Sick children get of Christ's pleasant things to play them withall because Jesus is most tender of the sufferer for he was a sufferer himself O if I had but the leavings the drawing of the by-board of a sufferer's table But I leave this to answer yours First ye write that God's vows are lying on you security strong â—â—b 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. 5. 1. Psal. 30. 6. Iob. 29. 18. Matth. 26. 33. Nature is a sluggard loveth not the labour of religion Therefore rest should not be taken till we know the disease be over in the way of turning that it is like a fever past the cool And the quietness the calms of the faith of victory over corruption 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 sleepiness sorrow for a slumbering soul is a token of some watchfulness 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 there is as much need to watch over grace as to watch over sin full men will soon sleep sooner then hungry men 3. For your weakness 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 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 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 Mediator's world Sin is Christ's onely onely fa e market no man should rejoyce at weakness diseases but I think we may have a sort of gladness at boils sores because without them Christ's fingers as a slain Lord
me leave to wish to love thee O flower and bloom of heaven earth's love O Angels wonder O thou the Father 's eternally sealed love O thou God's old delight give me leave to stand beside thy love look in wonder give me leave to wish to love thee if I can doe no more 2. We being born in atheism bairns of the house that we are come off it is no new thing my dear Brother for us to be under jealousies mistakes about the love of God what think ye of this that the man Christ was tempted to beleeve there were but two Persons in the blessed Godhead that the Son of God the substantial coerernal Son was not the lawfull Son of God Did not Satan say If thou be the Son of God 3. Ye say that ye know not what to doe Your Head said once that same word or not far from it Ioh. 12. 27. Now is my soul troubled what shall I say faith answered Christ's What shall I say with these words O tempted Saviour askest thou What shall I say say pray Father save me from this hour What course can ye take but pray first Christ his own comforts He is no dyvour take his word Oh say ye I cannot pray Ans. Honest sighing is faith breathing whispering him in the ear the life is not out of faith where there is sighing looking up with the eyes breathing towards God Eam 3 36. Hide not thine ear at my breathing But what shall I doe in spiritual exercises say ye Ans. 1. If ye knew particularly what to doe it were not a spiritual exercise 2. In my weak judgement ye would first say I will lorifie God in beleeving David's Salvation the Bride's Marriage with the Lamb love the Church's stain husband although I cannot for the present beleeve mine own Salvation 3. Say I will not pass from my claim suppose Christ would pass from his claim to me it shall not goe 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 then not pray at all let my broken words goe up to heaven when they come up into the great Angel's golden censer that compassianat Advocate will put together my broken prayers perfume them Words are but Accidents of Prayer Oh say y I am slain with hardness of heart troubled with confused and melancholious thoughts Ans. My dear Brother What would ye conclude thence that ye know not well who ought you I grant Oh my heart is hard Oh my thoughts of faithless sorrow Ergo I know not who ought me were good Logick in heaven amongst Angels 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 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 Musick your song for Complaining feeling of want doeth often swallow up your Praises What think ye of these who goe 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 caution my heaven surety for your Salvation Lend Christ your Melancholy for Satan hath no right to make a chamber in your Melancholy borrow joy comfort from the Comforter bid the Spirit doe his office in you remember that faith is one thing and the feeling notice of faith another God forbid that feeling were Proprium quarto modo to all the Saints that this were good reasoning No feeling no grace I am sure ye were not alwayes 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 easie for me to speak words syllables of peace but Isa. 57. 19. telleth you I create peace there is but one Creator ye know O that ye may get a Letter of peace sent you from heaven Pray for me for grace to be faithfull gifts to be able with tongue pen to glorifie God I forget you not St. Andrewes Jan 8. 1640. Yours in his sweet Lord Iesus S. R. To my Lady BOYD. 32 MADAM I Received your La letter but because I was still going through the countrey for the affairs of the Church I have had no time to answer it I had never more cause to fear then I have now when my Lord hath restored me to my second created heaven on earth hath turned my apprehended fears into joyes 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 O that this land would repent and lay burthens of praises upon the top of fair mount Zion Madam except this land be humbled a Reformation is rather my wonder then 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 bargain and would gladly give again better cheap then they bought us they devoured Iacob and eat up his people as bread now Iacob is grown a living childe in their womb and they would fain be delivered of the childe and render the birth Our Lord shall be midwife O that this land be not like Ephraim an unwise son that stayeth too long in the place of breaking forth of children Your La is blessed with children who are honoured to build up Christ's waste places again I beleeve your La will think them well bestowed on that work and that Zion's beauty is your joy this is a mark and evidence for heaven which helpeth weak ones to hold their grip when other marks fail them I hope your La is at a good understanding with Christ and that as becometh a Christian ye take him up aright for many mistake and misshape Christ in his comings and goings Your wants and falls proclaim ye have nothing of your own but what ye borrow nay your self 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 ye cannot over-love him Take up your house in Christ let him dwell in you and abide ye in him 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
of God where the affections doe eternally run in a straight line towards him are for ever put beyond hazard of diverting towards any other thing or of being enamoured with any other object Though I have no purpose to insist on the particulars of his life or death I say yet before I close this section there are two things which I cannot I ought not for all the haste to conceal or let pass without a remarke because one was looked upon by many as a thing very observable the other will I know be taken notice of welcomed by all the people of God The first relats to the time when this faithfull labourer was removed to his rest which was the night following that darke dismall day wherein the Act Rescissorie was past the Lord thereby shewing a special piece of indulgence to his servant in not adding grief to his sorrow but hiding it from these eyes which had accoustomed themselves to trickle down without intermission both for what he saw what he foresaw Since the Parliament of Scotland so solemnly engaged to God would at once burst all these bonds cast away these Cords from them which were neither our bondage nor our burden but the badge of that glorious liberty whereinto with a strong hand he had vindicat us upon the matter they would needs say to the God whose sworne subjects servants they were be gone from us he would not let his faithfull servant whose zeal to the work of God was such that if the report of this shamefull revolt had not killed him at the first hearing outright yet it alone without any other sicknesse would have been more then enough to have brought down his head with sorrow to the grave see another sun arise upon that Land out of which the sun of righteousness was banished by a law And alas Who would desire to dwell where Christ may not reside with freedom honour safety Who that prefers Jerusalem to there chief joy would love to out-live the departing of the glory Might not Jesus Christ have said to our Parliament for which of my good deeds is it that ye stone me Have I been a wildernesse or land of drought unto you Were ye not honourable renowned amongst the Churches abroad after ye became precious in my sight Did I not make your Adversaries sensible that he who touched you touched the apple of mine eye so long as ye were stedfast in my Covenant even after ye had left your first love declined from the integrity of your espousalls I onely visited this transgression with the rod this iniquity with strips nevertheless my loving kindness did I not utterly take from you nor suffered I my faithfulness to fail though I punished you as a Nation I dwelt amongst you as a Church I did not remove your teachers into corners but your eyes did see these ye did still hear the joyfull sound as if all that had been to little I gave you the desire of your heart restored you to your civill liberties which ye had sinned away set you down in a free Parliament And doe ye thus requit me What is this my entertainment where I was once crowned cryed up for a King What a strange astonishing change is this that the very persons who swore unto me the Oath of alleagance did sing in my company spreading their garments in the way with shouting are now crying Crucifie him Crucifie him Shall I not have whereupon to lay my head except it be on a cold stone in a prison amongst a people who after a most solemne manner had given themselves away unto me Can these be the very men who with hands lifted up to heaven did so often so solemnly swear before my father before his holy Angels in the sight of all the Nations that they would be mine and that I should have their lives fortuns at my disposal Is it possible that these are the men who carryed as if they would have pluckt out their very eyes given them unto me who now plat a crown of thornes put upon my head Is this the Nation Parliament who swore that they would serve the Lord their God that according to the Paterne shewed them in the mount bound their soul to his obedience by an Oath and as they should answer to him or expect a comfortable appearance before the judge of quick and dead Are they might he say the very same persons or is it another generation who have not heard of that solemne transaction betwixt me the Nation who have used me worse then the very Gaderens though these were void of religion yet they had so much civility as to complement me out of their coasts pray me to be gone without committing any other Act of hostility against me or beating me out of their borders with tuck of drum but now shall it be by a law sedition treason to assert any obligation to me from all these Oaths Shall it be a Note of incapacity for any place of trust in Church or State to say that the land is under the Oath of God that no power on earth can loose themselves or make void that obligation as to others nay that the formal abjuring of these engagments to me shall be if not the unum necessarium yet the sine quo non to qualify a man for any publike employment Ah! Scotland by dealing thus with thy Covenanted God what hast thou done may not God who was thy own God expostulat with thee as he did with that people Jer. 2 10 11 12. Goe abroad amongst the Nations turne over all History sacred profane Call for the records of the nations see if in these thou caust finde any who have dealt with their God as thou hast done A precedent thou mayest possibly finde but a paralleel in every respect thou canst not Thou art singular by thy self in committing these two evils but such two as are comprehensive of all others such two as a third is not possible departing from the living God digging to thy self broken Cisterns that can hold no water Thou wilt finde what folly is in this I wish it be not too late to pain thy self in digging an empty Cisterne in forsaking the fountain of all consolation that a broke on too as it hath nothing in it so it can hold nothing if it had it is not this to commit two such evils as makes a soul or nation truely miserably And yet this hast thou done O! may not the heavens be astonished horribly afraid at this requital we have given unto Jesus Christ yea we were so bent to backsliding so hasty head-strong in departing from him that we seemed to have lost togither with our loyalty to the son of God all respect to our own reputation as it often falls out that men lose the
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
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 beleeved under suffering for Christ that I my self 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 Oh if we could take pains for the Kingdom of heaven but we sit down upon some ordinary markes of God's children thinking we have as much as will seperat us from a Reprobat and thereupon we tak the play and cry Holy-day thus the devil casteth water on our fire blunteth our zeal and care but I see heaven is not at the next door I see howbeit my challenges be many I suffer for Christ dare hazard my salvation upon it for some times my Lord cometh with a fair hour O but his love be sweet delightfull comfortable half a kiss is sweet but our doting love will not be content of a right to Christ unless we get posfession like the man who will not be content of rights to bought land except he get also the ridges and acers 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 pawne in the loof of our hand living on trust by faith may well content us Madam I know your La knoweth this and that made me bold to write of it that others might reap some what by my bonds for the truth for I should desire and I aime 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 La your 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 La I rest Aberd. Your La in his sweetest Lord Iesus S. R. To Mr. DAVID DICKSON 21 Reverend Dear Brother GRace mercy and peace be unto you I finde great men especially old friends skar to speak for me but my kingly Royall Master biddeth me try his moyen to the uttermost I shall finde a friend at hand I still depend on him his court is as before the prisoner is welcome to him the black crabbed 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 Kings 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 my self 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 beleeve it his love paineth me more then 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 gloomes 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 suggared-cross forceth me to say this to you ye shall have wailed meat the sick bairn is often times the spilt baâ—rn ye shall command all the house I hope ye help a tired prisoner to pray and praise had I but the annuell of annuell to give to my Lord Jesus it should ease my pain but Alace 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 goe further North I have good cause to work for my Master for I am well paid before the hand I am not behinde howbeit I should not get one smile more till my feet be up within the Kings 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 am sure that I may give you and them a commission 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 superfluites in Aberd I cannot get an house in this town wherein to leave drink-silver in my Master's name save one onely 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 Aberd. Yours in his sweet Lord Iesus S. R. To Mr MATHEW MOWAT 22 REverend and dear brother I am a very far misstaken 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 Tutour I would have more then my Tutour alloweth upon me but it is good that a bairns wit is not the rule which regulateth my Lord Jesus let him give what he will it shall ay be above merit my ability to gain therewith I would not wish a better stock while heaven be my stock then to live upon credit at Christs hands daily borrowing surely running over love that vast hudge boundlesse love of Christ that there is telling in for man and Angel is the onely thing I fainest would be in hands with He knoweth I have little but the love of that love that I shall be happy suppose I never get another heaven but onely an eternall lasting feast of that love but suppose my wishes were poor He is not poor Christ all the seasons of the yeer is dropping sweetnesse if I had vessels I might fill them but my old riven holly and running out dish even when I am at the well can bring little away Nothing but Glory will make tight and fast our looking and rifty vessels Alace I have skailed more of Christs Grace love faith humility and godly sorrow then I have brought with me How little of the sea can a childe carry in his hand as little
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
Lord. Is not Christ now crying Who will help me Who will come out with me to take part with me share in the honour of my victory over these mine enemies who have said Wee â—ill not have this man to rule over us My very honourable and dear Lord joyn joyn aâ— ye doâ— with Christ he is more worth to you your posterity then this world's May flowers withering Riches Honour that shall goe away as smoke evanish in a night-vision shall in one half hour after the blast of the Archangel's trumpet lie in white ashes Let me beseech your Lo to draw by the lap of Time's curtain look in through that window to great endless Eternity consider if a worldly price suppose this little round clay globe of this ashie 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 soul ravishing countenance in that day when so many joints and knees of thousand thousands wailing shall stand before Christ trembling shouting making their prayers to hills mountains to fall upon them and hide them from the face of the Lamb. O how many would sell Lordships Kingdoms that day buy Christ But Oh the market shall be closed ended ere then Your Lo hath now a blessed venture of winning court with the Prince of the Kings of the earth He himself weeping truth born down fallen in the streets an oppressed Gospel Christ's bride with watery eyes spoiled of her vail her hair hanging about her eyes forced to goe in ragged apparel the banished silenced imprisoned prophets of God who have not the favour of liberty to prophesie 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 shall fight for you thus shall ye cause the blessing of these who are ready to perish come upon you ye shall make the heart of this your mother-mother-Church to sing for joy The Lamb his armies are with you the Kingdoms of the earth are the Lord 's I am perswaded there is not another Gospel nor another saving truth then that which ye now contend for I dare hazard my heaven salvation upon it that this is the onely saving way to glory Grace grace be with your Lo Aberd. 1637. Your Lo at all respective obedience in Christ. S. R. To ROBERT GORDON Bailiffe of Ayr. 135 Worthy Sir GRace mercy 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 deliverance of his own who are truly blessed on-waiters What is the dry miscarrying hope of all them who are not in Christ but confusion wind O how pitifully and miserably are the children of this world beguiled whose wine cometh home to them water their gold brass tin And what wonder that hopes builded upon sand should fall sink It were good for us all to abandon the forlorn blasted withered hope we have had in the creature let us henceforth come drink water out of our own well even the fountain of living waters build our selves our hope upon Christ our rock But alas that naturall 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 of our heart Our poor lean and empty dreams of confidence in some-thing beside God are no further travelled then up down the naughty feckless creatures God may say of us as he said Amos 6 13. Ye rejoyce in a thing of nougâ—t Surely we spin our spider's web with pain and build our rotten and tottering house upon a lye and falshood and vanity O when will we learn to have thoughts higher then the sun and moon and learn our joy hope confidence and our soul's desires to look up to our best countrey and to look down to clay tents set up for a night's lodging or two in this unknown land laugh at our childish conceptions imaginations that suck our joy out of creatures woe sorrow losses grief O sweetest Lord Jesus O fairest Godhead O flower of man angels why are we such strangers to far-off beholders of thy glory O it were our happiness for evermore that God would cast a pest a botch a leprosie upon our part of this great whore a fair and well busked World that clay might no longer deceive us but O that God may burn and blast our Hope hereaway rather then our Hope should live to burn us Alas the wrong side of Christ to speak so his blackside his suffering side his wounds his bare coat his wants his wrongs the oppressions of men done to him are turned towards mens eyes they see not the best fairest side of Christ nor see they his amiable face and his beauty that man and angels wonder at Sir lend your thoughts to thâ—se things learn to contemn this world 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 seeking after night and day Fire will flee over the earth and all that is in it even destruction from the Almighty Fy fy upon that hope that shall be dryed up by the root Fy upon the drunken night-bargains And the drunken and mad covenant that sinners make with death and hell after cups and when mens 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 in the morning when the last trumpet shall awake them then they rue the block It is time 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 company that it is with and round whisper in to it newes of eternity death judgement heaven and hell Grace grace be with you Aberd. 1637. Yours in his sweet Lord Iesus S. R. To ALEXANDER GORDON Of Earlestown 136 Much honoured Sir GRace mercy peace be to you It is like if ye the Gentry Nobility of this nation be men in the streets as the word speaketh for the Lord that he will now deliver his flock
Commissions your souls your love to Christ your faith cannot be summoned not sentenced nor accused nor condemned by Pope Deputy Prelat Ruler or Tyrant your faith is a free Lord cannot be a captive all the malice of hell earth can but hurt the scabbard of a beleever death at the worst can get but a clay-pawne in keeping till your Lord make the King's keys open your graves Therefore upon luck's head as we use to say take your sill of his love and let a post way or a causey be laid betwixt your prison and heaven and goe up visit your treasure Enjoy your Beloved dwell upon his love till Eternity come in Time's room possess you of your eternal happiness Keep your love to Christ lay up your faith in heaven's keeping 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 transported who in their cups would make Acts Lawes in their drunken courts that the Sun should not rise and shine on the earth and send their Officers Pursevants to charge the Sun and Moon to give no more light to the world would enact in their Court-bookes that the Sea after once ebbing should never flow again But would not the Sun Moon Sea break these Acts keeep their Creator's directions The Devil the great fool father of these under-fools is older more malicious then wise that sets the spirits in earth on work to contend clash with heaven's wisdom and to give mandats and law summonds to our Sun to our great Star of heaven Iesus 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 O Victorious O Royal O stout Princely soul-conqueror ride prosperously upon truth stretch out thy Scepter as far as the Sun shines the Moon waxeth â—…aineth Put on thy glistering crown O thou maker of Kings make but one stride or one step of the whole earth travell in the greatness of thy strength Isa. 63 1 2. let thy apparel be red all dyed with the blood of thy enemies Thou art fallen righteous heir by line to the Kingdoms of the world Laugh ye at the giddy-headed clay pots 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 beleeve the coming of Christ's Kingdom and that their is a hole out of your prison through which ye see day-light let not faith be dazled with the temptation from a dying Deputy from a sick Prelat beleeve under a cloud wait for him when there is no moon-light nor star-light Let faith live breath and lay hold on the sure salvation of God when clouds and darkness are about you and appearance of rotting in the prison before you take heed of unbeleeving hearts which can father lies upon Christ beware of Doeth his promise fail for evermore Psal. 77. 8. For is was a man and not God that said it who dreamed that 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. O sweet O stout word of faith Iob. 13. v. 15. Though he slay me yet will I trust in him O sweet Epitaph written on the grave-stone of a dying beleever To wit I died hoping my dust ashes beleevelife Faith's eyes that can see thorow a mill-stone can see thorow 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 savation of God Your adversaries are ripe and dry for the fire yet a little while and they shall goe up in a flame the breath of the Lord like a river of brimstone shall kindle about them Isa. 30 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 godless practise of the oath-breakers which is known to the world otherwise I might swear that the Creed is false according to yet this private meaning sense put upon it Oh let them not be beguiled to wash petjury and the denial of Christ and the Gospel with ink-water some foul and rotten distinctions Wash and wash again and again the devil the lye it shall be long ere their skin be white I profess it should beseem men of great parts rather then me to write to you but I love your Câ—use desires to be excused and must intreat for the help of your prayers in this my weighty charge here for the University and Pulpit that ye would intreat your acquaintance also to help me Grace be with you all Amen St. Andrewes 1640. Your brother companion in the patience Kingdom of Iesus Christ S. R. For Mistress PONT prisoner at Dublin 30 Worthy dear Mistress GRace mercy peace be to you The cause ye suffer for 〈◊〉 your willingness to suffer is ground enough of acquaintance for me to write to you although I doe confess my self unable to speak for a prisoner of Christ's encouragement I know ye have advantage beyond us who are not under suffering for your sighing Psal. 102. 20. is a witten bill for the ears of your Head the Lord Jesus your breathing Lam. 3. 51. and your looking up Psal. 5. 3. 69. 3. And therefore your meaning half spoken half unspoken will seek no jaylor's leave but will goe to heaven without leave of Prelat or Deputy be heartily welcome so that ye may sigh and groâ—n out your mind to him who hath all the keyes of the King 's three Kingdoms and dominions I dare beleeve your hope shall not die your trouble is a part of Zion's burning and ye know who guides Zion's furnance and who loves the ashes of his burnt Bride because his servants love them Psal. 102. 14. I beleeve your ashes if ye were burnt for this cause shall praise him For the wrath of men their malice shall make a psalm to praise the Lord Psal. 76 10. therefore stand still behold see what the Lord is to doe for this Island his work is perfect Deut. 32 4. the nations have not seen the last end of his work his end is more fair more glorious then the beginning Ye have more honour then 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 the seals by