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LETTER XC.

To JANET KENNEDY.

Mistress,

night-fancies of a miserable life of sin. Shame on us, who sit still fettered with the love and liking of the loan of a piece of dead clay. O GRACE, mercy, and peace be unto poor fools, who are beguiled with you. Ye are not a little obliged to painted things, and this world's fair his rich grace, who hath separated weather and smooth promises, and you for himself, and for the promis rotten worm-eaten hopes! May not ed inheritance, with the saints in the devil laugh to see us give out light, from this condemned and guil- our souls, and get in but corrupt and ty world. Hold fast Christ, con- counterfeit pleasures of sin? O for tend for him: it is a lawful plea to a sight of eternity's glory, and a litgo to holding and drawing for Christ; tle tasting of the Lamb's marriageand it is not possible to keep Christ supper! Half a draught or a drop peaceably, having once gotten him, of the wine of consolation, that is up except the devil were dead. It must at our banqueting house, out of be your resolution to set your face Christ's own hand, would make our against Satan's northern tempests stomachs loath the brown bread and and storms, for salvation: nature the sour drink of a miserable life. would have heaven come to us while O how far are we bereft of wit, to sleeping in our beds. We would all chase and hunt and run, till our buy Christ, so being we might make souls be out of breath, after a conprice ourselves; but Christ is worth demned happiness of our own makmore blood and lives than either you ing! and do we not sit far in our or I have to give him. When we own light, to make it a matter of shall come home and enter to the children's play to skink and drink possession of our brother's fair king over paradise, and the heaven that dom, and when our heads shall find Christ did sweat for, even for a blast the weight of the eternal crown of of smoke, and for Esau's morning glory, and when we shall look back breakfast? O that we were out of to pains and sufferings, then shall ourselves, and dead to this world, we see life and sorrow, to be less and this world dead and crucified to than one step or stride from a prison us! and when we should be close to glory; and that our little inch of out of love and conceit of any masktime-suffering is not worthy of our ed and fairded lover whatsoever, first night's welcome home to heav- then Christ would win and conquer to en. O what then will be the weight himself a lodging in the inmost yolk of every one of Christ's kisses! Oh of our heart; then Christ should be how weighty, and of what worth our night song, and our morning shall every one of Christ's love- song: then the very noise and din smiles be! Oh when once he shall of our Well-beloved's feet when he thrust a wearied traveller's head be- cometh, and his first knock or rap at twixt his blessed breasts, the poor the door should be as the news of soul shall think one kiss of Christ two heavens to us. Oh that our hath fully paid home forty or fifty eyes and our soul's smelling should years wet feet, and all its sore hearts go after a blasted and sun-burnt and light sufferings, it had in follow-flower, even this fair-plaistered outing after Christ! O thrice blinded sided world; and then we have souls, whose hearts are charmed and neither eye nor smell for the Flower bewitched with dreams, shadows, of Jesse, for that Plant of Renown, feckless things, night vanities, and for Christ, the choicest, the fairest,

the sweetest Rose that ever God these two sabbaths or three in private, planted! O let some of us die to taking instruments in the name of feel the smell of him! and let my God, that my Lord Jesus and I part of this rotten world be forfeited have kissed each other in Aberdeen, and sold for evermore, providing I the house of my pilgrimage. I seek may anchor my tottering soul upon not an apple to play me with, he Christ! I know it is sometimes at knoweth, whom I serve in the Spirit, this; Lord, what wilt thou have for but a seal; I but beg earnest, and Christ? But, O Lord, canst thou am content to suspend and frist be budded and propined with any gift glory while supper-time. I know for Christ? O Lord, can Christ be this world will not last with me; for sold? or rather, may not a poor pri- my moon-light is noon-day light, soner have him for nothing? If I and my four-hours above my feasts, can get no more, O let me be pain-when I was a preacher; at which ed to all eternity, with longing for times also I was embraced very often him! The joy of hungering for in his arms. But who can blame Christ should be my heaven for ev- Christ to take me on behind him, if ermore. Alas, that I cannot draw I may say so, on his white horse, or souls and Christ together.! But I in his chariot, paved with love, desire the coming of his kingdom, through a water? Will not a father and that Christ, as I assuredly hope take his little dawted Davie in his he shall, would come upon wither-arms, and carry him over a ditch or ed Scotland, as rain upon the new-a mire? My short legs could not mown grass. O let the King come! step over this laire or sinking mire; O let his kingdom come! Olet and therefore my Lord Jesus will their eyes rot in their eye-holes, who will not receive him home again to reign and rule in Scotland! Grace, grace be with you.

Your's in his sweet Lord Jesus, Aberdeen, 1637.

LETTER XCI.

S. R.

To his Reverend and dear Brother Mr.
DAVID DICKSON.

Reverend and dearest Brother,

bear me through. If a change come and a dark day, so being that he will keep my faith without flaw or crack, I dare not blame him, howbeit I get no more while I come to heaven: but ye know, the physic behoved to have sugar; my faith was fallen aswoon, and Christ but held up a swooning man's head. Indeed I pray not for a dawted child's diet; he knoweth I would have Christ sour or sweet; any way, so being it be WHAT joy have I out of heaven's Christ indeed; I stand not now upgates, but that my Lord Jesus be on pared apples, or sugared dishes; glorified in my bonds? Blessed be but I cannot blame him to give, I ye of the Lord, who contribute any must gape and make a wide mouth, thing to my obliged and indebted Since Christ will not pantry-up joys, praises. Dear brother, help me, a he must be welcome, who will not poor dyvour, to pay the interest, for bide away; I seek no other fruit, I cannot come nigh to render the but that he may be glorified; he principal. It is not jest nor sport knoweth I would take hard fare to which maketh me to speak and write have his name set on high. I bless you as I do: I never before came to that for your counsel; I hope to live by nick or pitch of communion with faith, and swim without a mass or Christ, that I have now attained unto. bundle of joyful sense under my For my confirmation, I have been chin; at least to venture, albeit I

should be ducked. Now for my in any measure, to strive to be even case; I think the council should be with Christ's love! but that I must essayed, and the event referred to give over. Oh who would help a God: duties are ours, and events dyvour to pay praises to the king of are God's. I shall go through your's saints, who triumpheth in his weak upon the covenant at leisure, and servants! I see if Christ but ride write to you my mind there-anent; upon a worm or feather, his horse and anent the Arminian contract be- will neither stumble nor fall; the twixt the Father and the Son. I worm Jacob is made by him a new beseech you, set to, to go through sharp threshing instrument, having Scripture. Your's on the Hebrews teeth to thresh the mountains, and is in great request with all who beat them small, and to make the would be acquaint with Christ's hills as chaff, and to fan them, so as testament. I purpose, God willing, the wind shall carry them away, and to set about Hosea, and to try if I the whirlwind shall scatter them, can get it to the press here. It Isa. xli. 14, 15, 16. Christ's enemies refresheth me much, that ye are so are but breaking their own heads in kind to my brother; I hope your pieces upon the Rock laid in Zion, counsel shall do him good; I re- and the Stone is not removed out of commend him to you, since I am its place. Faith hath cause to take so far from him. I am glad, that courage from our very afflictions; the dying servant of God, famous the devil is but a whet-stone to and faithful Mr. Cunninghame, seal-sharpen the faith and patience of ed your ministry before he fell a- the saints: I know he but heweth sleep. Grace, grace be with you.

Your's in his sweet Lord Jesus, Aberdeen, March 7, 1673. S. R.

LETTER XCII.

To the much Honoured WILLIAM RIGG of Athernie.

Much Honoured Sir,

and polisheth stones all this time for the new Jerusalem. But in all this, three things have much moved me, since it hath pleased my Lord to turn my moon-light into day-light. First, he hath yoked me to work, to wrestle with Christ's love of longing, wherewith I am sick, pained, fainting, and like to die, because I cannot get himself, which I think a GRACE, mercy and peace be to strange sort of desertion; for I have you. I received your long looked-not himself, whom if I had, my lovefor and short letter; I would ye had sickness would cool, and my fever spoke more to me, who stand in go away; at least, I should know need. I find Christ, as ye write, ay the heat of the fire of complacen❤ the longer the better, and therefore cy, which would cool the scorching cannot but rejoice in his salvation, heat of the fire of desire, and yet I who hath made my chains my wings, have no penury of his love; and so and hath made me a king over my I dwine, I die, and he seemeth not crosses, and over my adversaries; to rue on me. I take instruments glory, glory, glory to his high, high in his hand, that I would have him, and holy name! not one ounce; not but I cannot get him; and my one grain-weight more is laid on cheer is black hunger: I bless him me, than he hath enabled me to for that feast. Secondly, Old chaland I am not so much weari-lenges now and then revive, and ed to suffer, as Zion's haters are to cast all down; I go halting and persecute. Oh if I could find a way sighing, fearing there be an unseen

bear;

best

process yet coming out, and that cause to fall in love with the world. heavier than I can answer. 1 can- but rather to wish, that he who sitnot read distinctly my surety's act teth upon the floods, would bring of cautionary for me in particular, my broken ship to land, and keep and my discharge; and sense, rather my conscience safe, in these dangerthan faith, assureth me of what Ious times, for wrath from the Lord have; so unable am I to go, but by is coming on this sinful land. It a hold. I could, with reverence of were good, that we prisoners of hope my Lord, forgive Christ, if he would knew of our strong hold to run to, give me as much faith, as I have before the storm come on; therefore, hunger for him. I hope, the pardon Sir, I beseech you by the mercies is now obtained, but the peace is of God, and comforts of his Spirit, not so sure to me, as I would wish: by the blood of your Saviour, and yet, one thing I know, there is not by your compearance before the sina way to heaven, but the way he revenging Judge of the world, keep hath graced me to profess and suffer your garments clean, and stand for for. Thirdly, Wo, wo is me for the the truth of Christ, which ye provirgin-daughter of Scotland, and for fess. When the time shall come the fearful desolation and wrath ap- that your eye-strings shall break, pointed for this land; and yet all are your face wax pale, your breath sleeping, eating, and drinking, grow cold, and this house of clay laughing and sporting, as if all were shall totter, and your foot shall be well. Oh our dim gold! our dumb, over the march, in eternity, it shall blind pastors! the sun is gone down be your comfort and joy, that ye upon them, and our nobles bid gave your name to Christ. The Christ fend for himself, if he be greatest part of the world think Christ: it were good, we should heaven at the next door, and that learn in time the way to our strong Christianity is an easy task; but they hold. Sir, howbeit not acquainted, will be beguiled. Worthy Sir, I remember my love to your wife. I pray God establish you.

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TO JOHN EWART, Baillie of Kirkcudbright.
My very worthy and dear friend,

beseech you make sure work of
salvation; I have found by experi-
ence that all I could do hath had
much ado in the day of my trial;
and therefore lay up a sure founda-
tion for the time to come. I cannot re-
quite you, for your undeserved
favours to me and my now afflicted
brother; but I trust to remember
you to God. Remember me heart-
ily to your kind wife.

Your's in his only Lord Jesus,
Aberdeen, March 13, 1687.
S. R.

LETTER XCIV.

I CANNOT but kindly thank you for the expressions of your love: your love and respect to me is a great comfort to me. I bless his high and glorious name, that the terrors of great men have not affrighted me from open avouching the Son of God; nay, his cross is the sweetest burden that ever I bare; it is such a burden, as wings are to a bird, or sails to a ship, to carry me forward GRACE, mercy and peace to my harbour. I have not much I am obliged to your love in God,

To WILIAM FULLERTON, Provost of
Kirkcudbright.

Much honoured Sir,

be to you.

LETTER XCV.

To the Worthy and much Honoured Mr.
ALEX. COLVIL of Blair.

Í beseech you, Sir, let nothing be so dear to you as Christ's truth, for salvation is worth all the world; and therefore be not afraid of men, that Much Honoured Sir, shall die; the Lord shall do for you GRACE, mercy and peace be to you. in your suffering for him, and shall The bearer hereof, M. R F. is most bless your house and seed; and ye kind to me: I desire you to thank have God's promise, that ye shall him: but none is so kind as my have his presence in fire, water, and only royal King and Master, whose in seven tribulations. Your day will cross is my garland. The King wear to an end, and your sun go dineth with his prisoner, and his down. In death it will be your joy, spinkenard casteth a smell. He that ye have ventured all ye have for hath led me up to such a pitch and Christ; and there is not a promise nick of joyful communion with himof heaven made, but to such as are self, as I never knew before: when willing to suffer for it; it is a castle I look back to by-gones, I judge taken by force. This earth is but myself to have been a child at A, the clay portion of bastards; and B, C, with Christ. Worthy Sir, therefore no wonder the world smile pardon me, I dare not conceal it on its own; but better things are from you, it is as a fire in my bowels, laid up for his lawfully begotten in his presence who seeth me I children, whom the world hateth; I speak it, I am pained, pained with have experience to speak this, for the love of Christ; he hath made I would not exchange my prison me sick, and wounded me; hunger and sad nights, with the court, hon- for Christ out-runneth faith; I miss our, and ease of my adversaries: my faith more than love. O if the three Lord is pleased to make many un-kingdoms would come and see! O known faces to laugh upon me, and if they knew his kindness to my to provide a lodging for me; and he soul! It hath pleased him to bring himself visiteth my soul with feasts me to this, that I will not strike sails of spiritual comforts. O how sweet to this world, nor flatter it, nor adore a master is Christ! Blessed are they this clay idol that fools worship: as who lay down all for him. I thank you I am now disposed, I think I will kindly for your love to my distress-neither borrow nor lend with it; and ed brother. Ye have the blessing yet I get my meat from Christ with and prayers of the prisoner of Christ nurture; for seven times a-day I am to you, your wife and children. lifted up and casten down. My Remember my love and blessing to dumb sabbaths burden my heart, William and Samuel: I desire them and make it bleed: I want not fearin their youth to seek the Lord, and ful challenges and jealousies somefear his great name; to pray twice times of Christ's love, that he hath a-day, at least, to God, and to read casten me over the dyke of the vineGod's word; to keep themselves yard as a dry tree. But this is my from cursing, lying, and filthy talk-infirmity; by his grace I take myself ing. Now the only wise God, and in these ravings: it is kindly that the presence of the Son of God, be faith and love both be sick, and fevwith ers are kindly to most joyful communion with Christ. Ye are blessed who avouch Christ openly before the Prince of this kingdom, whose eyes are upon you; it is your glory

you all.

Your's in his sweet Lord Jesus, Aberdeen, March 13, 1637.

S. R

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