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

LETTER CLXXXVI.

Madam,

To my Lady BOYD.

am sure, I should be happy and hearty commendation, till we meet, blest. Pray for me, that I may find I am confounded with wonder to house-room in the Lord's house, to think what it shall be, when the speak in his name. Remember my fairest among the sons of men shall dearest love in Christ to your wife. lay a king's sweet soft cheek to Grace, grace be with you. the sinful cheeks of poor sinners. O time, time, go swiftly, and S. R. hasten that day! sweet Lord Jesus, post, come flying like a young hart or a roe upon the mountains of separation. I think, we should tell the hours carefully, and look often how low the sun is; for love hath no ho, it is pained, pained in itself, till it GRACE, mercy and peace from God come in grips with the party beour Father, and from our Lord loved. 2. I find Christ's absence, Jesus Christ, be multiplied upon love's sickness, and love's death; you. I have reasoned with your the wind that bloweth out of the son at large; I rejoice to see him airth, where my Lord Jesus reign. set his face in the right airth, now eth, is sweet-smelled, soft, joyful, when the nobles love the sunny-side and heartsome to a soul burnt with of the gospel best, and are afraid absence. It is a painful battle, for that Christ want soldiers, and shall a soul sick of love to fight with not be able to do for himself. Mad- absence and delays;, Christ's not am, our debts of obligation to Christ yet, is a stounding of all the joints are not small; the freedom of grace and liths of the soul; a nod of his and salvation is the wonder of men head, when he is under a mask, and angels; but mercy in our Lord would be half a pawn; to say, Fool, scorneth hire; ye are bound to lift what aileth thee? he is coming, Christ on high, who hath given you would be life to a dead man, I am eyes to discern the devil, now com- often in my dumb sabbaths seeking ing out in his whites, and the idol- a new plea with my Lord Jesus, atry and apostacy of the time well God forgive me; and I care not if washen with fair pretences; but the there be not two or three ounce, skin is black, and the water foul: weight of black wrath in my cup. It were art I confess, to wash a 3. For the third thing, I have seen black devil and make him white. I my abominable vileness; if I were am in strange up's and down's, and well known, there would none in seven times a day I lose ground; this kingdom ask how I do. Many I am put often to swimming, and take my ten to be an hundred, but again my feet are set on the rock I am a deeper hypocrite and shallowthat is higher than myself; he hath er professor than every one believ now let me see four things I never eth, God knoweth I feign not; but saw before; 1. The supper shall be I think my reckonings on the one great cheer, that is up in the great page written in great letters, and hall, with the Royal King of glory, his mercy to such a forlorn and when the four-hours, the standing wretched creature on the other, more drink, in this dreary wilderness, is so than a miracle. If I could get my sweet; when he bloweth a kiss afar finger-ends upon a full assurance, I off to his poor heart-broken mourn- trow, I should grip fast; but my ers in Zion, and sendeth me but his cup wanteth not gall; and, upon

my part, despair might be almost enough praised King returneth to excused, if every one in this land his sinful prisoner, I ride upon the I divide saw my inner side; but I know I high places of Jacob. was one of them who have made Shechem, I triumph in his strength. great sale and a free market to free If this kingdom would glorify the grace; if I could be saved, as I Lord, in my behalf, I desire to be would fain believe, sure I am, I have weighed in God's even balance in given Christ's blood, his free grace, this point, if I think not my wages and the bowels of his mercy, a paid to the full; I shall crave no large field to work upon, and Christ more hire of Christ. Madam, pity hath manifested his art I dare not me in this, and help me to praise say, to the uttermost; for he can, if him: for, whatever I be, the chief he would, forgive all the devils and of sinners, a devil, and a most guildamned reprobates, in respect of ty devil; yet it is the apple of the wideness of his mercy; but I say Christ's eye, his honour and glory, to an admirable degree. 4, I am as the head of the church, that I stricken with fear of unthankfulness. suffer for now, and that I will go This apostate kirk hath played the to eternity with. I am greatly in harlot with many lovers; they are love with Mr. M. M. I see him spitting in the face of my lovely stamped with the image of God. I King, and mocking him, and I can hope well of your son, my Lord not mend it; and they are running Boyd. Your Ladyship and your away from Christ in troops, and I children have a prisoner's prayers. do not mourn and be grieved for Grace, grace be with you. it. I think Christ lieth like an old Your Ladyship's at all obedience, in Christ. S. R. forecasten castle, forsaken of the Aberdeen, May, 1st, 1637. inhabitants; all men run away now from him; truth, innocent truth, goeth mourning and wringing her hands in sackloth and ashes. Wo, wo, wo is me, for the virgin daughter of Scotland! wo, wo to the inhabitants of this land! for they are gone back with a perpetual backsliding. These things take me so up, that a borrowed bed, another yourself to Christ, my dear brother. man's fire side, the wind upon my It is a great business to make quit face. 1 being driven from my of superfluities, and of those things lovers, and dear acquaintance, and which Christ cannot dwell with. I my poor flock find no room in my am content with my own cross, that sorrow. I have no spare or odd Christ hath made mine an eternal sorrow for these; only I think, the lot, because it is Christ's and mine sparrows and swallows, that build together. I marvel not, that winter their nests in the kirk of Anwoth, is without heaven; for there is no blessed birds. Nothing hath given winter within it; all the saints theremy faith a harder back-set till it fore have their own measure of crack again, than my closed mouth. winter, before their eternal sumBut let me be miserable myself mer. Oh for the long day, and the alone, God keep my dear brethren high sun, and the fair garden, and from it; but still I keep breath, and the King's great city up above these when my royal, and never, never-visible heavens! What God layeth

LETTER CLXXXVII.

To Mr. THOMAS GARVEN.
Dear Brother,

be to you.

GRACE, mercy and peace
I rejoice, that ye cannot be quit of
Christ, if I may speak so, but he
must, he will have you. Betake

on, let me suffer; for some have for we have no other armour in one cross, some seven, some ten, these evil times but prayers, now some half a cross: yet all the saints when wrath from the Lord is gone have whole and full joy, and seven out against this backsliding land; crosses have seven joys. Christ is for ye know we can have no true cumbered with me, to speak so, and public fasts, neither are the true my cross, but he falleth not off me, causes of our humiliation ever laid we are not at variance. I find the before the people. Now, very worvery glooms of Christ's wooing a thy Sir, I am glad in the Lord, that soul sweet and lovely; I had rather the Lord reserveth any of your have Christ's buffet and love-stroke, place, or of note, in this time of than another king's kiss: speak evil common apostacy, to come forth in of Christ who will, I hope to die public to bear Christ's name before with love thoughts of him. Oh men, when the great men think that there are so few tongues in Christ a cumbersome neighbour, heaven and earth to extol him! I and that religion carrieth hazards, wish his praises go not down amongst trials, and persecutions' with it. I us; let not Christ be low and persuade myself, it is your glory lightly esteemed in the midst of us and your garland, and shall be your but let all hearts and all tongues joy in the day of Christ, and the cast in their portion, and contribute standing of your house and seed to something, to make him great in inherit the earth, that you truly and mount Zion. Thus recommending sincerely profess Christ: neither is you to his grace, and remembering our King, whom the Father hath my love to your wife and mother, crowned in mount Zion, so weak, and your kind brother R. B. and that he cannot do for himself, and entreating you to remember my his own cause. I verily believe, bonds, I rest,

Your's in his sweet Lord Jesus, Aberdeen, Sept. 8th, 1637.

LETTER CLXXXVIII.

To the Laird of MONCRIEF.

Much honoured Sir,

they are blessed who can hold the crown upon his head, and carry up S. R. the train of his robe-royal, and that he shall be victorious and triumph in this land. It is our part to back our royal King, howbeit there were not six in all the land to follow him. It is our wisdom now to take up, GRACE, mercy, and peace be to you. and discern the Devil and the AnAlthough not acquaint, yet at the tichrist coming out in their whites, desire of your worthy sister, the and the apostacy and idolatry of Lady Leys, and upon the report of this land washen with foul water, I your kindness to Christ, and his op- confess it is art to wash the devil pressed truth, I am bold to write to till his skin be white. For myself, you, earnestly desiring you to join Sir, I have bought a plea against with us (so many as in these bounds Christ, since I came hither, in judg. profess Christ,) to wrestle with God, ing my princely Master angry at one day of the week, especially me, because I was cast out of the Wednesdays, for mercy to this fal- vineyard as a withered tree, my len and decayed kirk, and to such dumb sabbaths working me much as suffer for Christ's name, and sorrow: but I see now sorrow hath for your own necessities, and the not eyes to read love written upon necessities of others, who are by the cross of Christ; and therefore I covenant engaged in that business; pass from my rash plea: wo, wo is

Your's at all obedience in Christ,
Aberdeen, May 14, 1637.

S. R.

me, that I should have received a man than I am, if there be any slander of Christ's love to my soul. such: and when all is done, his love And for all this, my Lord Jesus paineth me, and leaveth me under hath forgiven all, as not willing to such debt to Christ, as I can neither be heard with such a fool, and is pay principal nor interest. Oh if content to be, as it were, confined he would comprize myself, and if I with me, and to bear me company; were sold to him as a bond-man, and to feast a poor oppressed pri-and that he would take me home to soner. And now I write it under my his house and fire-side; for I have hand, worthy Sir, that I think well nothing to render to him! Then, and honourably of this cross of after me, let no man think hard of Christ. I wonder that he will take Christ's sweet cross; for I would any glory from the like of me; Inot change my sighs with the paintfind when he but sendeth his hearty ed laughter of all my adversaries. I commendations to me, and but desire grace and patience to wait bloweth a kiss afar off, I am con-on, and to lie upon the brink, till founded with wondering what the the water fill and flow. I know he supper of the Lamb will be, up in is fast coming. Sir, ye will excuse our Father's dining-palace of glory, my boldness; and, till it please God since the four-hours in this dismal I see you, ye have the prayers of wilderness, and when in prisons, a prisoner of Christ, to whom I and in our sad days, a kiss of Christ recommend you, and in whom I is so comfortable. O how sweet and rest. glorious shall our case be, when that fairest among the sons of men shall lay his fair face to our now sinful faces, and wipe away all tears from our eyes! O time, time, run swiftly and hasten this day! O sweet Lord Jesus, come flying like a roe or a young hart! Alas! that we, blind Loving Brother, fools, are fallen in love with moon- HOLD fast Christ without wavering, shine and shadows. How sweet is and contend for the faith, because the wind that bloweth out of the Christ is not easily gotten or kept. airth where Christ is! Every day The lazy professor hath put heaven we may see some new thing in (as it were) at the very next door, Christ; his love hath neither brim and thinketh to fly up to heaven in nor bottom. O if I had help to his bed, and in a night dream; but praise him! He knoweth, if my suf- truly, that is not so easy a thing as ferings glorify his name, and encou- most men believe; Christ himself rage others to stand fast for the hon-did sweat ere he won this city, howour of our supreme Lawgiver, Christ, beit he was the free-born Heir. It my wages then are paid to the full. is Christianity, my heart, to be sin Sir, help me to love that never-cere, unfeigned, honest, and upenough praised Lord. I find now, right-hearted before God; and to that the faith of the saints, under live and serve God, suppose there suffering for Christ, is fair before was not one man or woman in all the wind, and with full sails carried the world dwelling beside you, to upon Christ; and I hope to lose eye you. Any little grace that ye nothing in this furnace but dross; have, see that it be sound and true. for Christ can triumph in a weaker Ye may put a difference betwixt

LETTER CLXXXIX.
To JOHN CLARK.

you and reprobates, if ye have these to me; for the Holy Ghost beareth marks: 1. If ye prize Christ and his me witness, I cannot, I dare not, I truth so, as ye will sell all and buy dow not forget you, nor the souls him, and suffer for it. 2. If the of those with you, who are redeemlove of Christ keepeth you back from ed by the blood of the great Shepsinning, more than the law or fear herd: ye are in my heart in the of hell. 3. If ye be humble, and night watches, ye are my joy and deny your own will, wit, credit, crown in the day of Christ. O ease, honour, the world, and the Lord, bear me witness, if my soul vanity and glory of it. 4. Your pro- thirsteth for any thing out of heavfession must not be barren, and void en, more than for your salvation; let of good works. 5. Ye must in all God lay me in an even balance, and things aim at God's honour; ye try me in this. Love heaven, let must eat, drink, sleep, buy, sell, your heart be on it: up, up, and sit, stand, speak, pray, read, and visit the new land, and view the fair hear the word, with a heart-purpose city, and the white throne, and the that God may be honoured. 6. Ye Lamb, the Bride's husband in his must shew yourself an enemy to sin, Bridegroom's clothes, sitting on it; and reprove the works of darkness, it were time, your soul cast itself such as drunkenness, swearing, and and all your burdens upon Christ. lying, albeit the company should I beseech you by the wounds of hate you for so doing. 7. Keep in mind the truth of God, that ye heard me teach, and have nothing to do with the corruptions and new guises entered into the house of God. 8 Make conscience of your calling, in covenants, in buying and selling. 9. Acquaint yourself with daily praying; commit all your ways and actions to God, by prayer, supplication, and thanksgiving; and count not much of being mocked, for Christ Jesus was mocked before you. Persuade yourself, that this is the way of peace and comfort I now suffer for; I dare go to death and into eternity with it, though men may possibly seek another way. Remember me in your prayers, and the state of this oppressed church. Grace be with you.

Your soul's well-wisher, Aberdeen, 1637.

LETTER CXC.

To CARDONES S, Elder. Much honoured Sir,

your Redeemer, and by your compearance before him, and by the salvation of your soul, lose no more time; run fast, for it is late: God hath sworn by himself, who made the world and time, that time shall be no more, Rev. x. Ye are now upon the very border of the other life; your Lord cannot be blamed for not giving you warning: I have taught the truth of Christ to you, and delivered unto you the whole counsel of God; and I have stood before the Lord for you, and I shall yet still stand. Awake, awake to do righteously. Think not to be eased of the burdens and debts that are on your house, by oppressing any, or being rigorous to those that are under you; remember how I endeavoured to walk before you in this matter, as an example." BeS. R. hold, here am I, witness against me, before the Lord and his anointed, whose ox or whose ass have I taken? whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppressed?" Who knoweth how my soul feedeth upon a good conscience, when I remember how I spent this body in feed

I LONG to hear how your soul prospereth: I wonder that ye write not