: heaven; and time shall file off, by our corrupt nature: Alas! that is a little and little, our iron bolts, which friend near of kin and blood to are now on legs and arms, and out- himself, and will not fail to fall date, and wear out trouble thread-upon us: and hence it is, that bare and holely, and then wear them he, who saveth to the uttermost, and to nothing for what I suffered yes-leadeth many sons to glory, is still terday, I know, shall never come righting my salvation, and twenty again to trouble me. O that we times a-day I ravel my heaven, and could breathe out new hope, and then I must come with my ill-ravel. new submission, every day, in Christ's led work to Christ, to cumber him, lap For certainly, a weight of glo- as it were, to right it, and to seek ry well weighed, yea, encreasing to again the right end of the thread, and a far more exceeding and eternal to fold up again my eternal glory weight, shall recompense both weight with his own hand, and to give a and length of light, and clipped and right cast of his holy and gracious short-dated crosses; our waters are hand to my marred and spilt salvabut ebb, and come neither to our vation. Certainly, it is a cumberchin, nor to the stopping of our some thing, to keep a foolish child breath. I may see, if I would bor- from falls and broken brows, and row eyes from Christ, dry land, and weeping for this and that toy, and that near; why then should we not rash running, and sickness, and chillaugh at adversity, and scorn our dren's diseases; ere he win through short-born and soon dying tempta- them all, and win out of the mires, tions! I rejoice in the hope of that he costeth meikle black cumber and glory to be revealed, for it is no un-fashrie to his keepers: and so is a becertain glory we look for; our hope liever a cumbersome piece of work, is not hung upon such an untwisted and an ill-ravelled hesp, as we use to thread, as, I imagine so, or, it is say, to Christ; but God be thanked, likely; but the cable, the strong tow for many spilt salvations, and many of our fastened anchor, is the oath ill-ravelled hesps hath Christ mended, and promise of him who is eternal since first he entered tutor to lost verity; our salvation is fastened with mankind. O what could we, children, God's own hand, and with Christ's do without him? how soon would we own strength, to the strong rock of mar all! But the less of our weight God's unchangeable nature. Mal. be upon our own feeble legs, and the iii. 6. "I am the Lord, I change more that we be on Christ the strong not; and therefore ye sons of Jacob Rock, the better for us; it is good are not consumed." We may play, for us, that ever Christ took the and dance, and leap upon our worthy and immovable Rock; the ground is sure and good, and will bide hell's brangling, and devil's brangling, and the world's assaults. Oh if our faith could ride it out, against the high and proud waves and winds, when our sea seemeth to be all on fire! O how oft do I let my grips go! I am put to swimming and half sinking. I find the devil hath the advantage of the ground, in this battle; for he fighteth on known ground, in cumber off us; it is our heaven, to lay many weights and burdens upon Christ, and to make him all we have, root and top, beginning and ending of our salvation; Lord hold us here, Now to this tutor, and rich Lord, I recommend you; hold fast till he come, and remember his prisoner, Grace, grace be with you. Your's in his and your Lord Jesus, Aberdeen, 1637. S. R. LETTER CXXX. To Mr. WILLIAM DALGLEISH. Reverend and Dear Brother. right and his church's lawful calling. Dear brother, let Christ be dearer and dearer to you; let the conquest GRACE, mercy and peace be to you. of souls be top and root, flower and I received your letter; I bless our bloom of your joys and desires, on high and only wise Lord, who hath this side of sun and moon; and on broken the snare that men had laid the day, when the Lord shall pull for you; and I hope, that now he up the four stakes of this clay tent shall keep you in his house, in de- of the earth, and the last pickle of spite of the powers of hell. Who sand shall be at the nick of falling knoweth, but the streets of our down in your watch-glass, and the Jerusalem shall yet be filled with master shall call the servants of the young men, and with old men, and vineyard to give them their hire; ye boys, and women with child; and will esteem the bloom of this world's that they shall plant vines in the glory like the colours of the rainbow, mountains of Samaria? I am sure, that no man can put in his purse the wheels, paces and motions of and treasure; your labour and pains this poor church are tempered and shall then smile upon you. My ruled, not as men would, but accor- Lord now hath given me experience, ing to the good pleasure and infinite howbeit weak and small, that our wisdom of our only wise Lord. I best fare here is hunger; we are but am here waiting in hope, that my at God's by-board, in this lower innocency, in this honourable cause, house: we have cause to long for shall melt this cloud that men have supper-time, and the high table, up casten over me. I know, my Lord in the high palace; this world dehad his own quarrels against me, serveth nothing but the outer-court and that my dross stood in need of of our soul. Lord, hasten the marthis hot furnace but I rejoice in riage supper of the Lamb. I find this, that fair truth, beautiful truth, it still peace to give up with this (whose glory my Lord cleareth to present world, as with an old deme more and more) beareth me courted and cast-off lover; my bread company; and that my weak aims and drink in it, is not so much worth, to honour my Master, in bringing that I should not loath the inns, guests to his house, now swell upon and pack up my desires for Christ, me in comforts; and that I am not that I have sent out to the feckless afraid to want a witness in heaven, creatures in it. Grace, grace be that it was my joy to have a crown with you. put upon Christ's head in that country. O what joy would I have, to see the wind turn upon the enemies of the cross of Christ, and to see my Lord Jesus restored with the voice. of praise to his own free throne again; and to be brought amongst you, to see the beauty of the Lord's house! I hope that my country will not be so silly, as to suffer men to pluck you away from them, and that ye will use means to keep my place empty, and to bring me back again to the people, to whom I have Christ's Your affectionate brother and Christ's Aberdeen, 1687. LETTER CXXXI. To the Laird of CALLY. GRACE, mercy and peace be to you. give more pains and diligence to love constraining me, not I but the fetch heaven, than the country sort Lord's word, not I but Christ's of lazy professors, who think their commanding power as King in me! own faith and their own godliness, O what pains; and what a death is because it is their own, best; and it to nature, to turn me, myself, my content themselvs with a coldrife lust, my ease, my credit, over in my custom and course, with a resolution Lord, my Saviour, my King, and to summer and winter in that sort my God, my Lord's will my Lord's of profession that the multitude and grace! But alas! that idol, that the times favour most; and are still whorish creature, myself, is the masshaping and clipping and carving ter idol we all bow to. What made their faith, according as it may best Eve miscarry? and what hurried her stand with their summer sun and a headlong upon the forbidden fruit whole skin; and so breathe out both but that wretched thing, herself? hot and cold in God's matters, ac what drew that brother murderer to cording to the course of the times: kill Abel? that wild himself. What this is their compass they sail toward drove the old world on to corrupt heaven by, instead of a better their ways? who, but themselves, Worthy and dear Sir, separate your- and their own pleasure? What was self from such, and bend yourself to the cause of Solomon's falling into the utmost of your strength and adultry and multiplying of strange breath, in running fast for salvation; wives? what, but himself, whom he and, in taking Christ's kingdom, use would rather please than God? violence. It cost Christ and all his What was the hook that took David followers sharp showers and hot and snared him first in adultery, but sweats, ere they won to the top of his self lust; and then in murder, the mountain: but still our soft na- but his self credit and self honour? ture would have heaven coming to What led Peter on to deny his Lord? our bed-side, when we are sleeping, was it not a piece of himself, and and lying down with us, that we self-love to a whole skin? What might go to heaven in warm clothes; made Judas sell his Master for thirbut all that came there found wet ty pieces of money, but a piece selffeet by the way, and sharp storms, love, idolizing of avaricious self? that did take the skin off their face, What made Demas to go off the and found tos and fros, and ups way of the gospel, to embrace this and downs, and many enemies. It present world? even self-love and is impossible a man can take his love of gain for himself. Every lusts to heaven with him, such wares man blameth the devil for his sins; as these will not be welcome there. but the great devil, the house-devil O how loath are we to forego our of every man, the house-devil that packalds and burdens, that hinder eateth and lyeth in every man's bous to run our race with patience! It som, is that idol that killeth all, is no small work to displease and himself. O blessed are they, who anger nature, that we may please can deny themselves, and put Christ God. O if it be hard to win one in the room of themselves! O would foot or half an inch out of our own to the Lord, I had not a myself, will, our own wit, out of our own but Christ; not a my lust, but ease and worldly lusts; and so to Christ; not a my ease, but Christ; deny ourself, and to say, It is not I not a my honour, but Christ! O but Christ, not I but grace, not I sweet word! Gal. ii. 20. 'I live no but God's glory, not I but God's more, but Christ liveth in me!' O if every one would put away himself, | tle point of your well or ill employhis own self, his own ease, his own ed short and swift posting sandpleasure, his own credit, and his own glass: seek the Lord while he may twenty things, his own hundred be found; the Lord waiteth upon things, that he setteth up as idols a-you. Your soul is of no little price; bove Christ! Dear Sir, I know ye will gold nor silver, of as much bounds be looking back to your old self, and as would cover the highest heaven to your self-lust and self idol, that ye round about cannot buy it. To live set up in the lusts of youth, above as others do, and to be free of open Christ. Worthy Sir, pardon this my sins, that the world crieth shame upfreedom of love. God is my witness, on, will not bring you to heaven; as that it is out of an earnest desire much civility and country discretion after your soul's eternal welfare, that as would lye between you and heavI use this freedom of speech: your en, will not lead you one foot or one sun, I know, is lower, and your inch above condemned nature; and evening-sky and sun setting nearer therefore take pains upon seeking of than when I saw you last: strive to salvation, and give your will, wit, end your task before night, and to humour, the green desires of youth's make Christ yourself, and to ac-pleasures off your hand to Christ. quaint your love and your heart with It is not possible for you to know, the Lord. Stand now by Christ and his truth, when so many fall foully, and are false to him. I hope, ye love him and his truth, let me have power with you to confirm you in him. I think more of my Lord's sweet cross than of a crown of gold, and a free kingdom lying to it, Sir, I emember you in my prayers to the Lord, according to my promise: help me with your prayers, that our Lord would be pleased to bring me amongst you again, with the gospel of Christ. Grace, grace be with you. till experience teach you, how dangerous a time youth is; it is like green and wet timber; when Christ casteth fire on it, it taketh not fire. There is need here of more than ordinary pains, for corrupt nature hath a good back friend of youth: and sinning against light will put out your candle, and stupify your conscience, and bring upon it more coverings and skin, and less feeling and sense of guiltiness; and when that is done, the devil is like a mad horse that hath broken the bridle, and runneth away with his rider whither he listeth. Learn to know that which the apostle knew, the deceitfulness of sin strive to make prayer, and reading, and holy company, and holy conference your delight; and To JOHN, GORDON of Cardoness, Younger. when delight cometh in, ye shall by Dearly beloved in our Lord, little and little smell the sweetness GRACE, mercy, and peace be to you. of Christ, till at length your soul be I long exceedingly to hear of the over head and ears in Christ's sweetcase of your soul, which hath a large ness; then shall ye be taken up to share both of my prayers and care- the top of the mountain with the ful thoughts. Sir, remember that a Lord, to know the ravishments of precious treasure and prize is upon spiritual love, and the glory and exthis short play that ye are now up-cellency of a seen, revealed, felt, on; even the eternity of well or wo and embraced Christ; and then ye to your soul, standeth upon the lit. shall not be able to loose yourself Your's in his sweetest Lord and Master, Aberdeen, 1637. LETTER CXXXII. S. R. off Christ, and to bind your soul to strange wells are poison. Strive to old lovers; then, and never till then, learn some new way against your are all the paces, motions, walkings, corruption, from the man of God, and wheels of your soul in a right M. W. D. or other servants of God: tune, and in a spiritual temper. sleep not sound, till ye find yourself But if this world and the lusts in that case, that ye dare look death thereof be your delight, I know not in the face, and durst hazard your what Christ can make of you; ye soul upon eternity. I am sure, many cannot be metal to be a vessel of ells and inches of the short thread glory and mercy. As the Lord liv- of your life are by-hand since I saw eth, thousand thousands are beguil-you; and that thread hath an end, ed with security, because God, and and ye have no hands to cast a knot, wrath, and judgment are not terrible and add one day or a finger-breadth to them. Stand in awe of God, and to the end of it. When hearing, of the warning and checking of a and seeing, and the outer walls of rebuking conscience: make others the clay-house shall fall down, and to see Christ in you, moving, doing, life shall render the besieged castle speaking and thinking; your actions of clay to death and judgment, and will smell of him, if he be in you: ye find your time worn ebb and run there is an instinct in the new-born out, what thoughts will you then babes of Christ, like the instinct of have of idol-pleasures, that possibly nature that leads birds to build their are now sweet? what bud or hire nests, and bring forth their young, would you then give for the Lord's and love such and such places, as favour? and what a price would ye woods, forests, and wildernesses, then give for pardon? It were not better than other places. The in- amiss to think, What if I were to stinct of nature maketh a man love receive a doom, and to enter into a his mother country, above all coun- furnace of fire and brimstone? what tries; the instinct of renewed nature if it come to this, that I shall have and supernatural grace, will lead no portion but utter darkness? and you to such and such works, as to what if I be brought to this, to be love your country above, to sigh to banished from the presence of God, be clothed with your house not made and to be given over to God's serwith hands, and to call your borrow-jeants, the devil, and the power of ed prison here below, a borrowed the second death?' Put your soul prison; and to look upon it servant- by supposition, in such a case, and like and pilgrim-like; and the pil- consider what horror would take grim's eye and look is a disdainful- hold of you, and what ye would like discontented cast of his eye, his then esteem of pleasing yourself in heart crying after his eye, Fy, fy, the course of sin. O dear Sir, for this is not like my country. I re- the Lord's sake awake to live rightcommend to you the mending of a eously, and love your poor soul! hole, and reforming of a failing, one and after ye have seen this my letor other every week; and put off a ter, say with yourself, The Lord sin, or a piece of it, as of anger, will seek an account of this warning wrath, lust, intemperance, every I have received. Lodge Christ in day, that ye may more easily mas- your family. Receive no stranger ter the remnant of your corruption. hireling as your pastor. I bless your God hath given you a wife; love children. Grace be with you. her, and let her breasts satisfy you: Your lawful and loving Pastor, and, for the Lord's sake, drink no Aberdeen, 1657. waters, but out of your own cistern;} S. R. |