LETTER XVII.

To the Right Honourable my Lord LOWDON.
My very noble and honourable Lord,

the glory of manifested justice in giving of his foes a dash, the testimony of his faithful servants, who do glorify him, when he rideth upon poor weak worms, and triumpheth GRACE, mercy and peace be to you. in them? I desire you to pray, that I make bold to write to your LordI may come out of this furnace with ship, that you may know the honourhonesty, and that I may leave able cause ye are graced to profess, Christ's truth no worse than I found is Christ's own truth. Ye are many it; and that this most honourable ways blessed of God, who hath taken cause may neither be stained nor upon you to come out to the streets weakened. As for your case, my with Christ on your forehead, when reverend and dearest brother, ye are so many are ashamed of him and the talking of the north and south: hide him, as it were, under their and looked to so, as if ye were all cloak, as if he were a stolen Christ. crystal glass; your motes and dust If this faithless generation, and shall soon be proclaimed, and trump especially the nobles of this kingets blown at your slips: but I know dom, thought not Christ dear wares, ye have laid help upon one that is and religion expensive, hazardous mighty. Intrust not your comforts and dangerous, they would not slip to men's airy and frothy applause, from his cause as they do, and stand neither lay your down-castings on looking on with their hands folded the tongues of salt mockers and re- behind their back when lowns are proachers of godliness; as deceivers, running with the spoil of Zion on and yet true; as unknown, and yet their back, and the boards of the still known. God hath called you Son of God's tabernacle. Law and to Christ's side, and the wind is now justice are to be had to any, especiin Christ's face in this land; and ally for money and moyen; but seeing you are with him, ye cannot Christ can get no law, good, cheap, expect the lee-side, or the sunny nor dear. It were the glory and side of the brae: but I know ye honour of you, who are the nobles have resolved to take Christ upon of this land, to plead for your wrongany terms whatsoever; I hope ye ed Bridegroom, and his oppressed do not rue, though your cause be Spouse, as far as zeal and standing hated, and that prejudices are taken law will go with you. Your ordiup against it. The shields of the nary logic from the event, that it world think our Master cumbersome will do no good, to the cause, and wares, and that he maketh too great therefore silence is best, till the din, and that his cords and yokes Lord put to his own hand, is not, make blains and deep scores in with reverence to your Lordship's their neck; therefore they kick, learning, worth a straw; events are they say, This man shall not reign God's; let us do and not plead against Let us pray one for God's office, let him sit at his own another; he who hath made you a helm, who moderateth all events; it chosen arrow in his quiver, hide you is not a good course to complain, in the hollow of his hand. that we cannot get a providence of Your's in his sweetest Lord Jesus, gold, when our laziness, cold zeal, S. R. temporizing, and faithless fearfulness spilleth God's providence. Your Lordship will pardon me: I am not of that mind, that tumults or arms

over us.

Aberdeen, March 9, 1637.

I am

Your Lordship's obliged servant in Christ› Aberdeen, March 9, 1637.

LETTER XVIII.

Gospel.
Reverend and dear Brother,

S. R.

is the way to put Christ on his which deserveth not such a name; throne: or that Christ will be served, it were better that men should see and truth vindicated only with the that their wisdom be holy, and their arm of flesh and blood: nay, Christ holiness wise. I must be bold to doth his turn with less din than with desire your Lordship to add to your garments rolled in blood. But I former favours to me, for the which would the zeal of God were in the your Lordship hath a prisoner's nobles to do their part for Christ: blessing and prayers, this, that ye and I must be pardoned to write to would be pleased to befriend my your Lordship this, I cannot, I brother, now suffering for the same dare not but speak to others what cause; for he is to dwell nigh God hath done to the soul of his your Lordship's bounds; your Lordpoor, afflicted, exiled prisoner: his ship's word and countenance may comfort is more than I ever knew help him. Thus recommending your before; he hath sealed the honour-Lordship to the saving grace, and able cause I now suffer for, and I tender mercy of Christ Jesus our shall not believe that Christ will Lord, I rest, put his Amen and ring upon an imagination: he hath made all his promises good to me, and hath filled up all the blanks with his own hand; I would not exchange my bonds with the plaistered joy To Mr. WILLIAM DALGLISH, Minister of the of this whole world: it hath pleased him to make a sinner, the like of me, an ordinary ban- GRACE, mercy and peace be to you. queter in his house of wine, with I am well; my Lord Jesus is kinder that royal, princely one, Christ to me than ever he was; it pleaseth Jesus. O what weighing! O what him to dine and sup with his afflicted telling is in his love! how sweet prisoner; a King feasteth me, and must he be, when that black and his spikenard casteth a sweet smell. burdensome tree, his own cross Put Christ's love to the trial, and is so perfumed with joy and glad-put it upon our burdens, and then ness! O for help to lift him up by it will appear love indeed: we employ praises on his royal throne! I seek not his love, and therefore we know no more but that his name may be it not. I verily count more of the spread abroad in me, that meikle sufferings of my Lord, than of this good may be spoken of Christ on world's lustred and over gilded glory. my behalf: this being done, my dare not say but my Lord Jesus losses, place, stipend, credit, ease, hath fully recompensed my sadness and liberty, shall all be made up to with his joys; my losses with his my full contentment and joy of own presence. I find it a sweet and heart. I will be confident your rich thing to exchange my sorrows Lordship will go on in the strength with Christ's joys, my afflictions with of the Lord, and keep Christ and that sweet peace I have with himavouch him, that he may read your self. Brother, this is his own truth name publicly before men and angels. I now suffer for; he hath sealed my I will entreat your Lordship to exhort sufferings with his own comforts, and encourage that nobleman your and I know he will not put his seal chief to do the same; but I am wo, upon blank paper: his seals are not many of you find a new wisdom, dumb, nor delusive, to confirm

Aberdeen,

Your brother in bonds,

S. R.

imaginations and lies. Go on, my what ye hear the bishop is to do with dear brother, in the strength of the them. Grace be with you. Lord, not fearing man that is a worm, nor the son of man that will die. Providence hath a thousand keys to open a thousand sundry doors, for the deliverance of his own, when it is even come to a conclamatum

LETTER XIX.

est. Let us be faithful; and care To Mr HUGH M'KAIL, Minister of the Gospel. for our own part, which is to do and Reverend and Dear Brother,

suffer for him, and lay Christ's part I BLESS you for your letter; he is on himself, and leave it there. Duties come down as rain upon the mown are ours, events are the Lord's: grass, he hath revived my withered when our faith goeth to meddle with root, and he is as the dew of herbs. events, and to hold a court (if II am most secure in this prison; may so speak) upon God's provi- salvation is for walls in it, and what dence, and beginneth to say, How think ye of these walls? he maketh wilt thou do this and that? we lose the dry plant to bud as the lily, ground, we have nothing to do there, and to blossom as Lebanon; the it is our part to let the Almighty Great Husbandman's blessing com exercise his own office, and steer his eth down upon the plants of rightown helm; there is nothing left us, eousness. Who may say this, my but to see how we may be approved dear brother, if I, his poor exiled of him, and how we may roll, the stranger and prisoner, may not say weight of our weak souls, in well it? Howbeit all the world should doing, upon him who is God be silent, I cannot hold my peace. onnipotent: and when, what we thus O how many black counts hath essay miscarrieth, it shall neither Christ and I rounded over together be our sin nor cross. Brother re in the house of my pilgrimage! and member the Lord's word to Peter; how fat a portion he hath given to a 'Simon, Lovest thou me? Feed my hungry soul! I had rather have sheep' no greater testimony of our Christ's four-hours, than have dinner love to Christ can be, than to feed and supper both in one from any painfully and faithfully his lambs. I other: his dealing, and the way of his am in no better neighbourhood with judgments are past finding out. No the ministers here than before; they preaching, no book, no learning cannot endure that any speak of me, could give me that, which I behoved or to me. Thus I am, in the mean to come and get in this town. time, silent, which is my greatest what of all this, if I were not misgrief. Dr. Baron hath disputed with led and confounded, and astonished me, especially about Arminian con how to be thankful, and how to get troversies, and for the ceremonies: him praised for evermore? And three yokings laid him by; and I which is more, he hath been pleased have not been troubled with him to pain me with his love, and my since. Now he hath appointed a pain groweth through want of real dispute before witnesses; I trust possession. Some have written to Christ and truth shall do for them- me, that I am possibly too joyful selves. I hope, brother, ye will of the cross, but my joy overleapeth help my people, and write to me the cross, it is bounded, and ter

But

minates upon Christ. I know the sun will over-cloud and eclipse, and

F

Madam,

men.

LETTER XX.

To my Lady BOYD.

I shall again be put to walk in the shadow; but Christ must be wel come to come and go as he think eth meet; yet he would be more GRACE, mercy and peace be unto welcome to me, I trow, to come you. The Lord hath brought me to than go: and I hope, he pitieth and Aberdeen, where I see God in few. pardoneth me, in casting apples of purpose for me; it consisteth of This town hath been advised upon to me, at such a fainting time as this; holy and blessed is his name. Papists, or men of Gallio's naughty It was not my flattering of Christ, faith; it is counted wisdom in the that drew a kiss from his mouth, most, not to countenance a confined but he would send me as a spy into minister! but I find Christ neither this wilderness of suffering, to see strange nor unkind; for I have found the land, and try the ford; and I many faces smile upon me since I cannot make a lie of Christ's cross; came hither. I am heavy and sad, I can report nothing but good both considering what is betwixt the Lord of him and it, lest others should and my soul, which none seeth but faint. he. I hope, when a change I find men have mistaken me; it would be no art, as I now see, to cometh, to cast anchor at midnight upon the Rock, which he hath taught spin small and make hypocrisy seem me to know in this day-light, whither a goodly web, and go through the I may run, when I must say my market as a saint among men, and lesson without book, and believe in yet steal quietly to hell, without the dark. I am sure it is sin to observation; so easy is it to deceive despise Christ's good meat, and I have disputed whether or not to eat when he saith, Eat Ono I ever knew any thing of Christwell-beloved, and drink abundantly.' ianity, save the letters of that name. If he bear me on his back, or carry Men see but as men, and they call me in his arms over this water; I ten twenty, and twenty an hundred; hope for grace to set down my feet but, O! to be approved of God in on dry ground, when the way is the heart, and in sincerity, is not an better: but this is slippery ground; ordinary mercy. My neglects while my Lord thought good I should I had a pulpit, and other things by an hold, and lean on my Well- whereof I am ashamed to speak, beloved's shoulder; it is good to be meet me now, so as God maketh an ever taking from him. I desire he honest cross my daily sorrow; and, may get the fruit of praises, for for fear of scandal and stumbling, I dawting and thus dandling me on must hide this day of the law's pleadhis knee; and I may give my bonding; I know not, if this court kept of thankfulness, so being I have my soul, be fenced in Christ's Christ's back-bond again for If certainty of salvation relief, that I shall be strengthened were to be bought, God knoweth by his powerful grace, to pay my if I had ten earths, I would not prig with God like a fool. I believed, vows to him. But truly I find we have the advantage of the brae upon under sufferings for Christ, that I our enemies; we are more than conmyself should keep the key of Christ's querors, through him who loved us; treasures, and take out comforts, and they know when I listed, and eat, and be fat; not wherein our strength lyeth. Pray for me; grace will be made to know himself, and but I see now a sufferer for Christ

be with you.

Aberdeen,

go

my

within

name.

Your brother in Christ,

will be holden at the door, as well S. R. as another poor sinner; and will be

LETTER XXI.

To Mr DAVID DICKSON.

Reverend and Dear Brother,

fain to eat with the children, and| take the by-board, and glad so. My blessing on the cross of Christ, that hath made me see this. Oh if we could take pains for the kingdom of GRACE, mercy and peace be unto beaven! but we sit down upon some you. I find great men, especially ordinary marks of God's children, old friends, scar to speak for me; thinking we have as much as will but my kingly and royal Master separate us from a reprobate, and biddeth me try his moyen to the thereupon we take the play, and uttermost, and I shall find a friend cry, Holiday; and thus the devil at hand: I still depend upon him; casteth water on our fire, and blunt- his court is as before; the prisoner eth our zeal and care; but I see is welcome to him; the black crabheaven is not at the next door; and bed tree of my Lord's cross hath I see, howbeit my challenges be made Christ and my soul very entire, many, I suffer for Christ and dare he is my song in the night. I am hazard my salvation upon it; for often laid in the dust with chal. sometimes my Lord cometh with a lenges, and apprehensions of his anfair hour, and O but his be love ger; and then, if a mountain of iron sweet, delightful and comfortable! were laid upon me, I cannot be Half a kiss is sweet; but our doat- heavier; and with much wrestling I ing love will not be content of a win into the King's house of wine, right to Christ, unless we get posand for the most part, my life is joy, session; like the man who will not be and such joy through his comforts, content of rights to bought land, as I have been afraid to shame myexcept he get also the ridges and self, and to cry out, for I can scarce acres laid on his back, to carry bear what I get; Christ giveth me a home with him. However it be, measure heaped up, pressed down, Christ is wise; and we are fools to and running over. And, believe it, be browden and fond of a pawn in his love paineth more than prison and the loof of our hand; living on trus: banishment. I cannot get the way of by faith may well content us. Madam, Christ's love. Had I known what he I know your Ladyship knoweth this, was keeping for me, I would never and that made me bold to write of have been so faint-hearted. In my it, that others might reap somewhat heaviest times, when all is lost, the by my bonds for the truth; for I memory of his love maketh me think should desire, and aim at this, to Christ's glooms are but for the fashhave my Lord well spoken of and ion; I seek no more but a vent to honoured, howbeit he should make my wine; I am smothered and ready nothing of me, but a bridge over a to burst for want of vent. water. Thus recommending your not much of persecution; it is beLadyship, your son and children to fore you; but it is not as men conceive his grace who hath honoured you of it; my sugared cross forceth me with a name and room among the living in Jerusalem, and wishing grace to be with your Ladyship, I

rest.

Your Ladyship's in his sweet Lord Jesus,
Aberdeen.
S. R.

Think

to say this to you, ye shall have wailed meat; the sick child is oftentimes the spoiled child: ye shall command all the house. I hope ye help a tired prisoner to pray and praise; had I but the annual of annual to give to my Lord Jesus, it should ease my pain; but, alas, I have no