Your's in his sweet Lord Jesus. Anwoth, April 22d, 1635. LETTER XIV. ම්ම For MARION MACNAUGHT. Christ, upon terms of suffering for to the mouth of the Red sea; and him: for the cross is an old mailing, howbeit we were, for his honour's and plot of ground that lieth to sake he must dry it up. It is our Christ's house: our Chief had ay part to die gripping and holding fast that rent lying to his inheritance; his faithful promise. If the beast but tell her, The day is near the should get leave to ride through the dawning, the sky is reviving, our land, and to seal such as are his, he Beloved will be on us, ere ever we will not get one lamb with him, for be aware; the Antichrist, and death, these are secured, and sealed as the and hell, and Christ's enemies and servants of God. In Christ's name, ours will be bound, and cast into let Christ take his barn-floor, and the bottomless pit. The Lord Jesus all that is in it, to a hill and winnow be with your spirit. it; let him sift his corn, and sweep his house, and seek his gold. The S. R. Lord shall cog the rumbling wheels, or turn them: for the remainder of wrath doth he restrain: he can loose the belt of kings; to God their belt, wherewith they are girt, is knit with a single draw-knot. As for a pastor Loving and dear Sister, to your town, your conscience can FOR Zion's sake hold not your peace, bear you witness, you have done neither be discouraged for the on- your part; let the Master of the going of this persecution; Jehovah vineyard now see to his garden, is in this burning bush. The floods seeing you have gone on, till he may swell and roar, but our ark hath said, Stand still: the will of shall swim above the waters; it can- the Lord be done; but a trial is not not sink, because a Saviour is in it. to give up with God, and believe no Because our Beloved was not let in more. I thank my God in Christ, I by his spouse, when he stood at the find the force of my temptation adoor with wet and frozen head; bated, and its edge blunted, since therefore he will have us to seek I spoke to you last: I know not, if him a while and while we are seek- the tempter be hovering, until he ing, the watchmen, that go about find the dam gather again, and me the walls, have stricken the poor more secure; but it hath been my woman, and have taken away her burden; and I am yet more confivail from her; but yet a little while, dent, the Lord will succour and deand our Lord will come again: liver. I intend, God willing, that Scotland's sky will clear again; her our communion shall be celebrated moment must go over. I dare in the first sabbath after Pasch: our faith say, and write (I am not now Lord, that great Master of the feast, dreaming) Christ is but seeking send us one hearty and heartsome (what he will have, and make) a supper; for I look it shall be the clean glistering bride out of the fire: last: but we expect, when the shaGod send him his errand; but he dows shall flee away, and the day cannot want what he seeks. In the dawn, and our Lord shall come to mean time, one way or other, he his garden, that he shall feed us in shall find or make a nest for his green pastures without fear ; the mourning dove. What is this we dogs then shall not be hounded out are a doing, breaking the neck of amongst the sheep. I earnestly deour faith? We are not come as yet sire your prayers, for assistance at Anwoth, මෙම Thus in haste. you and yours. Your's in Christ, our work; and put others with you rejoice and believe. Your's in his sweet Lord Jesus, Anwoth, 1635. LETTER XV. For MARION MACNAUGHT. Mistress, I LETTER XVI. For MARION MACNAUGHT. S. R. FEAR that you be moved and cast down, because of the late wrong that your husband received in your town council: but I pray you, comfort yourself in the Lord; for a just cause bides under the water only as long as wicked men hold their hand above it; their arm will weary, and then the just cause shall swim above, and the light that is sown for the righteous shall spring and grow up. My love in Christ remembered. If ye were not strangers here, the Having appointed a meeting with dogs of the world would not bark at Mr. D. D. and knowing that B. will you, 2 Cor. vi. 8. You shall see all not keep the presbytery, I cannot the windings and turnings that are see you now commend my jour-in your way to heaven, out of God's ney to God; my soul blesseth you word: for he will not lead you to for your last letter. Be not dis- the kingdom at the nearest ; but you couraged, Christ will not want the must go through honour and dishoisles-men; the isles shall wait for nour, by evil report and good rethis law: we are his inheritance, and port; as deceivers, and yet true; he will sell no part of his inheritance. ver. 9. As unknown, and yet well For the sins of this land, and our known; as dying, and behold we breach of the covenant, contempt of live; as chastened, and not killed; the gospel, and our defection from ver. 10. As sorrowful, and yet althe truth, he hath set up a burning ways rejoicing. The world is one furnace in mount Zion: but I say it, of the enemies that we have to fight and will abide by it, The grass shall with, but a vanquished and overyet grow green on our mount Zion: come enemy, and like a beaten and there shall be a dew all the night forlorn soldier; for our Jesus hath upon the lillies, amongst which taken the armour from it; let me Christ feedeth, until the day break, then speak to you in his words; Be and the shadows flee away: and the of good courage saith the Captain of moth shall eat up the enemies of our salvation, for I have overcome Christ, Isa. 1. 9. 'Let them make the world. You shall neither be a fire of their own, and walk in the free of the scourge of the tongue, light thereof, it shall not let them nor of disgraces, even if it were bufsee to go to their bed; but they fettings and spittings upon the face, shall lye down in sorrow;" therefore as was our Saviour's case, if you fol 1 low Jesus Christ; I beseech you in shore, holding out his arms to welthe bowels of our Lord Jesus, keep come you to land, you would not a good conscience, as I trust you do, only wade through a sea of wrongs, you live not upon men's opinion; but through hell itself to be at him; gold may be gold, and have the and I trust in God, you see him king's stamp upon it, when it is sometimes. The Lord Jesus be trampled upon by men. Happy are with your spirit, and all yours. you, if when the world trampleth Your brother in the Lord, LETTER XVII. For MARION MACNAUGHT. S. R. upon you in your credit and good Anwoth, name, yet you are the Lord's gold, stamped with the King of heaven's inage, and sealed by his Spirit unto the day of your redemption. Pray for the spirit of love, 1 Cor. xiii. 7. 'Love beareth all things, it believeth all things, hopeth all things, and en- My dearest love in Christ remember. dureth all things. And I pray you ed. As to that business, which I and your husband, yea, I charge know you would so fain have taken you before God, and the Lord Jesus effect my earnest desire is, that you Christ, and the elect angels, pray stand still; haste not, and you shall for these your adversaries, and read see the salvation of God. The great this to your husband from me; and Master gardener, the Father of our let both of you put on, as the elect Lord Jesus Christ, in a wonderful of God, bowels of mercies. And, providence, with his own hand, (I sister, remember how many thou- dare, if it were to edification, swear sands of talents of sins your Master it) planted me here, where by his hath forgiven you; forgive ye there-grace, in this part of his vineyard, I fore your fellow servants one talent grow: I dare not say, but Satan and follow God's command in this, and the world (one of his pages, whom seek not after your own heart, and he sends his errands) have said after your own eyes in this matter, otherwise; and here I will abide till as the Spirit speaks, Numb. xv. 39 the great Master of the vineyard Ask never the counsel of your own think fit to transplant me: but when heart here; the world will blow up he sees meet to loose me at the root, your heart now, and cause it swell, and to plant me where I may be except the grace of God cause it more useful, both as to fruit and fall. Jesus, even Jesus the eternal shadow; and when he who planted, Wisdom of the Father, give you pulleth up that he may transplant, wisdom; I trust God shall be glori who dare put to their hand and fied in you; and a door shall be hinder? If they do God shall break opened unto you, as the Lord's pri. their arm at the shoulder blade, and soners of hope, as Zechariah speaks. do his turn. When our Lord is goIt is a benefit to you, that the wick-ing west, the devil and world go ed are God's fan to purge you; and east; and do you not know, that it I hope they shall blow away no hath been ever this way betwixt God corn, or spiritual graces, but only and the world, God drawing and your chaff; I pray you, in your pur- they holding; God, yea, and the suit, have so recourse to the law of world, nay? but they fall on their men, that you wander not from the back and are frustrate, and our law of God Be not cast down; if Lord holdeth his grip. Wherefore you saw him who is standing on the doth the word say, that our Christ, the Goodman of this house, his dear Jesus be now weeping and bleeding kirk, hath feet like fine brass, as if in his members, yet Christ will they burned in a furnace? Rev. i. 15. laugh again; and it is time enough for no other cause, but because for us to laugh when our Lord where our Lord setteth down his Christ laugheth, and that will be brazen feet, he will forward; and shortly: for when we hear of wars whithersoever he looketh, he will and rumours of wars, the judge's follow his look; and his feet burn feet are then before the door, and all under them, like as fire doth he must be in heaven, giving order stubble and thorns. I think he hath to the angels to make themselves now given the world a proof of his ready, and prepare their hooks and exceeding great power, when he is sickles for that great harvest. Christ doing such great things, wherein will be upon us in haste; watch but Zion is concerned, by the sword of a little, and ere long the skies will the Swedish king, as of a Gideon. As rend, and that fair lovely Person, you love the glory of God, pray in- Jesus, shall come in the clouds, stantly, yea, engage all your praying freighted and loaded with glory; and acquaintance, and take their faithful then all these knaves and foxes, that promise to do the like for this king destroyed the vines, shall call to the and every one that Zion's king arm- hills, and cry to the mountains to eth, to execute the written vengeance cover them, and hide them from the on Babylon; our Lord hath begun face of him who sitteth upon the to loose some of Babylon's corner throne, and from the wrath of the stones; pray him to hold on; for Lamb. Remember me to your husthat city must fall, and the birds of band; and desire him from me to the air and the beasts of the earth help Christ, and to take his part, must make a banquet of Babylon; and, in judgment side ever with him, for he hath invited them to eat the and receive a blow patiently for his flesh of that whore, and to drink her sake; for he is worthy to be suffered blood; and the cup of the Lord's for, not only to blows but also to right-hand shall be turned unto her, blood: he shall find, that innocency and shameful spewing shall be upon and uprightness in judgment shall her glory: He, whose word must hold its feet, and make him happy, stand, hath said, Take this cup at when jouking will not do it. I speak the hand of the Lord, and drink, this, because a person said to me, I and be drunken, and spew and fall, pray God, the country be not,in and rise no more.' Jer. xxv. 27, worse case now, when the provost Our Jesus is setting up himself as and baillies are agreed, than forhis Father's Ensign, Isa. xi. 10. as merly: to whom I replied, I trust God's fair white colours, that his the provost is agreed with the man's soldiers may flock about him; long, person, but not with his faults long may these colours stand! It pray for you, with my whole soul, is long since he displayed a banner and desire that your children may against Babylon, in the sight of walk in the truth: and that the men and angels; let us rejoice and Lord may shine upon them, and triumph in our God, the victory is make their faces to shine, when the certain; for when Christ and Babel faces of others shall blush. I dare wrestle, then angels and saints may promise them in his name, whose prepare themselves to sing, Babylon truth I preach, if they will but try the great is fallen, is fallen. How- God's service, that they shall find beit that Prince of renown, precious him the sweetest Master that ever I Lam. i 2. they served and desire them from hath forgotten me.' me, but to try for a while the ser- Zion weepeth sore in the night, vice of this blessed Master, and and her tears are upon her cheeks; then if his service be not sweet, if amongst her lovers she hath none to it afford not what is pleasant to the comfort her, all her friends have soul's taste, change him upon trial dealt treacherously with her, and and seek a better. Christ is an un-are become her enemies.' Isa. i. 22. known Christ to young ones, and Our silver is become dross, our therefore they seek him not, be- wine is mixed with water.' Lam. cause they know him not. Bid iv. 1. How is the gold become them come and see, and seek a kiss dim? How is the fine gold changed? of his mouth; and then they will the stones of the sanctuary are find his mouth is so sweet, that they poured out in the top of every will be everlastingly chained unto street.' ver. 2. The precious sons him, by their own consent. If I of Zion, comparable to fine gold, have any credit with your children, how are they esteemed as earthen I entreat them in Christ's name, to pitchers, the work of the hands of try what truth and reality is in what the potter?' It is time now for the I say, and leave not his service, till Lord's secret ones, who favour the they have found me a liar: I gave dust of Zion, to cry, How long, you, your husband and them, to his keeping, to whom I have, and dare venture myself and soul, even to our dear Friend Jesus Christ, in whom I am Anwoth, Your's, LETTER XVIII. Lord? and to go up to their watchtower, and to stay there, and not to come down, until the vision speak; for it will speak, Hab. ii. In the mean time, the just shall live by faith. Let us wait on, and not S. R. weary. I have not a thread to hang upon and rest, but this one, Isa. xlix 15. Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, she may forget, yet For MARION MACNAUGHT. will I not forget thee? ver. 16. 'BeWell-beloved sister, hold, I have graven thee upon the My dearest love in Christ remem. palms of my hands, thy walls are bered to you; know that I am in continually before me.' For all great heaviness for the pitiful case of outward helps do fail; it is time our Lord's kirk. I hear the cause therefore for us to hang ourselves, why Dr. Burton is committed to as our Lord's vessels, upon the nail prison, is, his writing and preaching that is fastened in a sure place. We against the Arminians; I therefore would make stakes of our own fastentreat the aid of your prayers for ening, but they will break. Our myself, and the Lord's captives of Lord will have Zion on his own hope, and for Zion The Lord hath nail. Edom is busy within us, and and daily lets me see clearly, how Babel without us, against the handdeep furrows Arminianism, and the ful of Jacob's seed. It were best followers of it shall draw upon the that we were upon Christ's side of back of God's Israel (but our Lord it, for his enemies will get the stakes cuts the cords of the wicked) Isa. to keep, as the proverb is, our greatxlix. 14. But Zion said, The Lord est difficulty will be, to win on upon hath forsaken me, and my Lord the Rock now, when the wind and |