are come back to us again to help us; even howbeit we be but halfus to pray for Christ's fair bride, a hungered of Christ here, and many marrow dear to him. Be not cast a time dine behind noon, yet the down in heart, to hear that the world supper of the Lamb will come in barketh at Christ's strangers, both time, and will be set before us, bein Ireland and in this land; they do fore we famish, and lose our stomit because their Lord hath chosen achs. You have cause to hold up him out of this world; and this is your heart in remembrance and hope one of our Lord's reproaches, to be of that fair long summer-day; for hated and ill intreated by men: the in this night of your life wherein silly stranger in an uncouth country you are in the body, absent from the must take with smokey inns, and Lord, Christ's fair moon-light in coarse cheer, and a hard bed, and a his word, and sacraments, in prayer, barking ill-tongued host It is not feeling, and holy conference, hath long to-day, and he will to his jour- shined upon you to let you see the ney upon the morrow, and leave way to the city. I confess our diet them all indeed our fair morning here is but sparing, we get but tastis at hand, the day-star is near the ings of our Lord's comforts; but rising, and we are not many miles the cause of that is not, because our from home; what matter of ill en- Steward Jesus is a niggard, and nartertainment in the smokey inns of row-hearted, but because our stomthis miserable life? we are not to achs are weak, and we are narrowstay here, and we will be dearly wel-hearted: but the great feast is comcome to him whom we go to; and I ing, when our hearts shall be enhope, when I shall see you clothed larged, and the chambers of them in white raiment, washen in the blood made fair and wide, to take in the of the Lamb, and shall see you even great Lord Jesus: come in then, at the elbow of your dearest Lord Lord Jesus, to hungry souls, gaping and Redeemer, and a crown upon for thee. In this journey take the your head, and following our Lamb Bridegroom, as you may have him, and lovely Lord whithersoever he and be greedy of his smallest crumbs; goeth, you will think nothing of all but, dear mistress, buy none of these days, and you shall then re-Christ's delicates spiritual with sin, joice, and no man shall take your or fasting against your weak body; joy from you: and it is certain, remember you are in the body, and there is not much sand to run in it is the lodging house, and you may your Lord's sand-glass, and that day not, without offending the Lord, is at hand, and till then your Lord suffer the old walls of that house to in this life is giving you some little fall down, through want of necesfeasts. It is true, you see him not sary food: your body is the dwelling now, as you shall see him then; house of the Spirit, and therefore, your Well-beloved standeth now be- for the love you carry to the sweet hind the wall, looking out at the Guest, give a due regard to his window, Cant. ii. 9. and you see house of clay: when he looseth the but a little of his face; then you wall, why not? welcome, Lord Jeshall see all his face, and all the Sa- sus; but it is a fearful sin in us, by viour, a long and high and broad hurting the body by fasting, to loose Lord Jesus, the most lovely Person one stone, or the least piece of timamong the children of men. O joy ber in it: for the house is not our of joys! that our souls know there own, the Bridegroom is with you is such a great supper preparing for yet; so fast, as that also you may feast and rejoice in him. I think | fears for myself. I can be content upon your magistrates; but he that of shame in that work, if my Lord is clothed in linen, and hath the and Master be honoured; and therewriter's inkhorn by his side, hath fore petition our Lord, especially to written up their names in heaven see to his own glory, and to give already; pray, and be content with bread to his hungry children, howhis will; God hath a council-house beit I go hungry away from the in heaven, and the end will be mercy feast. Request Mr. Robert from unto you. For the planting of your me, if he come not, remember us to town with a godly minister, have our Lord. I have neither time, nor your eye upon the Lord of the har- a free disposed mind to write to you vest; I dare promise you, God in anent your own case. Send me this life shall fill your soul with the word, if all your children and husfatness of his house, for your care band be well: seeing they are not to see Christ's children fed; and your yours, but your dear Lord's, esteem posterity shall know it, to whom I them but as borrowed, and lay them pray for mercy, and that they may down at God's feet; your Christ to get a name amongst the living in you is better than they all. You will Jerusalem; and if God portion them pardon my unaccustomed short letwith his children, their rent is fair, ter, and remember me, and that and I hope it shall be so. The Lord honourable feast to our Lord Jesus. Jesus be with your spirit. He was with us before, I hope he will not change upon us, but I fear S. R. I have changed upon him; but Lord, let old kindness stand! Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Your's ever in Christ, Anwoth, Sept. 19, 1632. මම LETTER X. For MARION MACNAUGHT. Anwoth. Your's in his sweet Lord Jesus, LETTER XI. For MARION MACNAUGHT. S. R. Well-beloved sister in Christ, You shall understand, I have received a letter from Edinburgh, that it is suspected that there will be a general assembly, or then some meeting of the bishops; and that at My tender affection in Christ rethis synod there will be some com- membered. I left you in as great missioners chosen by the Bishop: heaviness as I was in since I came which news have so taken up my to this country: but I know you mind, that I am not so settled for doubt not, but (as the truth in studies as I have been before; and Christ is) my soul is knit to your therefore was never in such fear for soul, and to the souls of all yours, the work. But because it is written and would, if I could, send you the to me as a secret, I dare not reveal largest part of my heart inclosed in it to any, but to yourself, whom I this letter; but by fervent calling know; and therefore I intreat you, upon my Lord, I have attained some not for any comfort of mine, who am victory over my heart, which runbut one man, but for the glory and neth often not knowing whither, honour of Jesus Christ, the Master and of my beguiling hopes which of the banquet, be more earnest with I know now better than I did; and God, and in general shew others of trusts in my Lord, to hold aloof your Christian acquaintance my from the enticings of a seducing heart, by which I am daily cozened; the Lord's work, in that matter be and minds not, by his grace, who twixt him and the baillie; now the hath called me according to his e-Lord hath honoured him, and made ternal purpose, to come so far with him famous for virtue, honesty and in the grips of my foolish mind, integrity, two several times before gripping about any folly coming its the nobles of this kingdom. Your: way, as the woodbine or ivy goeth Lord liveth, we will go to his throne about the tree. I adore and kiss of grace again; his arm is not shortthe providence of my Lord, who ened. The king is certainly ex knoweth well what is most expedi-pected. Ill is feared; we have cause ent for me, and for you, and your for our sins, to fear that the Bridechildren; and I think of you, as of groom shall be taken from us; by myself, that the Lord, who turneth our sins, we have rent his fair gar(in his deep wisdom) about all the ments, and we have stirred up and wheels and turnings of such chan-awakened our Beloved; pray him ges, shall also dispose of that for to tarry, or then to take us with the best of you and yours. In the him. It were good that we should presence of my Lord, I am not knock and rap at our Lord's door: able, howbeit I would, to conceive we may not tire to knock oftener amiss of you, in that matter: grace, than twice or thrice, he knoweth grace for ever upon you and your the knock of his friends. I am still seed; and it shall be your portion, what I was ever to your dear chil in despite of all the powers of dark-dren, tendering their souls happiness: do not make more question of ness, and praying that grace, grace, this. But the Lord saw a nail in grace, mercy, and peace from God, my heart loose, and he hath now even God our Father, and our Lord fastened it, honour be to his Majesty. Jesus, may be their portion; and I hear your son is entered to the that now, while they are green and school ; if I had known of the day, young, their hearts may take band I would have begged from our Lord, with Jesus the Corner-stone, and that he would have put the book in win once in, in our Lord and Savihis hand, with his own hand; I our's house, and then they will not trust in my Lord it is so, and I con- get leave to flit. Pray for me, and ceive hope to see him a star to give especially for humility and thankful, light in some room of our Lord's ness. I have always remembrance house; and purpose, by the Lord's of you and your husband, and dear grace; as I am able, (if our Lord children: the Lord Jesus be with call you to rest before me) when your spirit. you are at home, to do the uttermost of my power to help him every way, in grace and learning, and his brother, and all your children; and I hope you would expect that of me. Further you shall know, that Mr. W. D. is come home, who saith it is a miracle that your husband in this process before the council, escaped both discredit and da- My love in Christ remembered. mage; let it not be forgotten, he God hath brought me home from a was in our apprehension, to our place where I have been exercised grief, cast down and humbled in with great heaviness, and I have Your's evermore in my dear Lord Jesus and yours, Anwoth. LETTER XII. S. R, මම To MARION MACNAUGHT. found at home new matter of heavi work. Grace, grace upon your soul ness, yet dare not but in all things and body, and all yours. give thanks in my business in E Your's in Christ, S. R. LETEER XIII. For MARION MACNAUGHT. dinburgh, I have not sinned, nor Anwoth. wronged my party, by his own confession, and by the confession of his e friends; I have given my goods for peace, and the saving of my Lord's truth from reproaches, which is dearer to me than all I have. My mother is weak, and I think shall I KNOW your heart is cast down, leave me alone; but I am not alone, for the desolation like to come upon because Christ's Father is with me. this kirk, and the appearance that For your business anent your town, an hireling shall be thrust in upon I see great evidences; but Satan Christ's flock in that town; but and his instruments are against it, send a heavy heart up to Christ, it and few set their shoulders to will be welcome. These who are Christ's shoulder to help him; but with the beast and the dragon must he will do all his alone; and I dare make war with the Lamb: but the not but exhort you to believe, and Lamb shall overcome them; for he persuade you, that the hungry in is the Lord of lords, and King of your city shall be fed, and the rest kings; and they who are with him that want a stomach, the parings of are called, and chosen, and faithful, God's loaf will suffice them; and Rev. xvii. 14. Our ten days will therefore believe it shall be well. have an end; all the former things I may not leave my mother to come shall be forgotten, when we shall and confer with you of all particu- be up before the throne; Christ lars; I have given such directions to hath been ever thus in the world, he our dear friend as I can, but the hath always the defender's part, and event is in our Lord's hand. God's hath been still in the camp, fighting Zion abroad flourisheth, and his the church's battles. The enemies arm is not shortened with us, if we of the Son of God will be fed with could believe. There is scarcity their own flesh, and shall drink and famine of the word of God in their own blood; and therefore Edinburgh. Your sister Jean la- their part of it shall at last be found boureth mightily in our business; hard enough; so that we may look but hath not as yet gotten an an- forward and pity them. Until the swer from J. P. Mr. A. C. will number of the elect be fulfilled, work what he can. My Lady saith Christ's garments must be rolled in she can do little, and that it suiteth blood: he cometh from Edom, from not her husband well to speak in the slaughter of his enemies, Isa. sech an affair; I told her my mind lxiii. 1. clothed with dyed garments, plainly. I long to know of your es- glorious in his apparel, travelling in tate; remember me heartily to your the greatness of his strength. Who dear husband; grace be the portion is this (saith he) that appears in this of your children. I know you are glorious posture? Our great He, mindful of the green wound of our that He who is mighty to save; sister kirk in Ireland: bid our Lord whose glory shineth, while he sprinklay a plaister to it; he hath good leth the blood of his adversaries upskill to do so, and set others to on his garments, and staineth all 1 his raiment. The glory of his righ-, the fire, and choose his own in the teous revenges shineth forth in these furnace of affliction: but, be it so, stains: but seeing our world is not he can not, he will not slay his here away, we poor children, far children; love will not let him make from home, must steal through a full end; the covenant will cause many waters, weeping as we go, him hold his hand. Fear not then and withal believing, that we do the (saith the First and the Last, He Lord's faithfulness no wrong, seeing who was dead and is alive) we see he hath said, Isa li. 12 I, even I, not Christ sharpening and furbishing am he that comforteth you; who art his sword for his enemies; and thou that art afraid of a man that therefore our faithless hearts say, as shall die, and of the son of man that Zion did, The Lord hath forsaken shall be made as grass? Isa. xliii. 2. me But God reproveth her, and When thou passest through the wa- saith, Well, well, Zion, is that well ters, I will be with thee; and thro' said ? think again on it; you are in the rivers, they shall not overflow the wrong to me, Isa. xlix. 15. Can thee; when thou walkest through a woman forget her sucking child, the fire, thou shalt not be burnt, that she should not have compassion neither shall the flame kindle upon on the fruit of her womb? Yea, she thee.' There is a cloud gathering, may; yet will I not forget thee. and a storm coming; this land shall Ver. 16. Behold, I have graven thee be turned upside-down; and if ever upon the palms of my hands. You the Lord spake to me (think on it) break your heart, and grow heavy, Christ's bride will be glad of an hole and forget that Christ hath your to hide her head in; and the dragon name engraven on the palms of his may so far prevail, as to chase the hands, in great letters. In the name woman and her Man-child over sea: of the Son of God believe, buried but there shall be a gleaning, two or Scotland, dead and buried in her three berries left in the top of the dear Bridegroom, shall rise the third olive tree, of whom God shall say, day again, and there shall be a new Destroy them not: for there is a growth after the old timber is cut blessing in them. Thereafter there down. I recommend you and your shall be a fair sun blink on Christ's burdens, and heavy heart to the old spouse, and clear sky, and she supportings of his grace and goodshall sing as in the days of her youth. will who dwelt in the bush, to him The Antichrist and the great red who was separate from his brethren. dragon will lop Christ's branches, Try your husband afar off, to see if and bring his vine to a low stump, he can be induced to think upon gounder the feet of those who carry ing to America. O to see the sight the mark of the beast; but the Plant next to Christ's coming in the clouds, of Renown, the Man whose name is the most joyful! our elder brethren, the BRANCH, will bud forth again the Jews, and Christ fall upon one and blossom as the rose, and there another's neck, and kiss each other! shall be fair white flourishes again, They have been long asunder, they with most pleasant fruits upon that will be kind to one another when Tree of life a fair season may he they meet: O day! O longed for, have! Grace, grace be upon that and lovely day, dawn! O sweet Jeblessed and beautiful Tree! under sus, let me see that sight that will be whose shadow we shall sit, and his as life from the dead, Thee and thy fruit shall be sweet to our taste. ancient people in mutual embraces ! But Christ shall woo his handful in Desire your daughter to close with |