and Chrift together! But I defire the coming of his kingdom, and that Chrift (as I affuredly hope he fhall) would come upon withered Scotland, as rain upon the new mown grofs. O let the King come! O let his kingdom come! O let their eyes rot in their eye-holes, who will not receive him home again to reign and rule in Scotland! Grace, grace be with you. Aberd. 1637. Yours in his fweet Lord Jefus, S. R. 91. To his reverend and dear brother Mr. DAVID DICKSON. Reverend and dear eft brother, 7 Hat 7Hat joy have I out of heaven's gates, but that my Lord Jefus be glorified in my bonds? Bleffed be ye of the Lord, who contribute any thing to my obliged and indebted praises. Dear brother, help me a poor dyvour to pay the interest, for I cannot come nigh to render the principal. It is not jest nor sport which maketh me to speak and write as I do : never before came to that nick or pitch of communion with Christ, that I have now attained unto. For my confirmation, I have been these two fabbaths or three in private, taking inftruments in the name of God, that my Lord Jefus and I have kissed each other in Aberdeen, the houfe of my pilgrimage. I feek not an apple to play me with, he knoweth, whom I serve in the Spirit, but a feal; I but beg earnest, and am content to fufpend and frist glory while fuppertime. I know this world will not laft with me; for my moon. light is noon-day light, and my four hours above my feasts, when I was a preacher; at which times alfo I was embraced very often in his arms. But who can blame Christ to take me on behind him (if I may fay fo) on his white horse, or in his chariot paved with love, through a water? Will not a father take his little dawted Davie in his arms, and carry him over a ditch or a mire? My fhort legs could not step over this laire or finking mire; and therefore my Lord Jefus will bear me through. If a change come and a dark day, fo being that he will keep my faith without flaw or crack, I dare not blame him, howbeit I get no more while I come to heaven: but ye know, the phyfic behoved to have fugar; my faith was fallen afwoon, and Chrift but held a fwooning man's head. Indeed I pray not for a dawted bairn's diet; he knoweth I would have Chrift four or fweet; any way, fo being it be Chrift indeed: I ftand not now upon paired apples, or fugared difhes; but I cannot blame him to give, I must gape and make a wide mouth. Since Chrift will not pantry-up joys, he must be welcome, who will not bide away: I seek no other fruit, but that he may be glorified; he knoweth I would take hard fare to have his name fet on high. I blefs you for your counfel: I hope Epift. 92. hope to live by faith, and swim without a mass or bundle of joyful fenfe under my chin; at least to venture, albeit I should be ducked. Now for my caufe: I think the council fhould be effayed, and the event referred to God: duties are ours, and events are God's. I fhall go through yours upon the covenant at leisure, and write to you my mind there-anent; and anent the Arminian contract betwixt the Father and the Son. I beseech you, set to, to go through scripture. Yours on the Hebrews is in great request with all who would be acquaint with Chrift's teftament. I parpofe (God willing) to fet about Hofea, and to try if I can get it to the prefs here. It refresheth me much, that ye are so kind to my brother; I hope your counsel fhall do him good; I recommend him to you, fince I am fo far from him. I am glad, that the dying fervant of God, famous and faithful Mr. Cunningham, fealed your miniftry before he fell asleep. Grace, grace be with you. Aberdeen, March 7. Yours in his fweet Lord 92. To the much honoured WILLIAM RIGG of Athernie. Much honoured Sir, Grace, mercy and peace be to you. I received your long I looked-for and fhort letter; I would ye had spoke more to me, who stand in need. I find Chrift, as ye write, ay the longer the better, and therefore cannot but rejoice in his falvation, who hath made my chains my wings, and hath made me a king over my croffes, and over my adverfaries: glory, glory, glory to his high, high and holy name! not one ounce, not one grainweight more is laid on me, than he hath enabled me to bear; and 1 am not fo much wearied to fuffer, as Zion's haters are to perfe Oh if I could find a way, in any measure, to ftrive to be even with Chrift's love! but that I must give over. Oh who would help a dyvour to pay praifes to the King of faints, who triumpheth in his weak fervants! I fee, if Chrift but ride upon a worm or feather, his horfe will neither stumble nor fall; the worm Jacob is made by him a new fharp threshing inftrument, having teeth, to thresh the mountains, and beat them small, and to make the hills as chaff, and to fan them, fo as the wind fhall carry them away, and the whirlwind fhall fcatter them, Ifa. xli. 14. 15, 16. Christ's enemies are but breaking their own heads in pieces upon the Rock laid in Zion, and the Stone is not removed out of its place. Faith hath caufe to take courage from our very afflictions; the devil is but a wet-ftone, to fharpen the faith and patience of the faints: I know he but heweth and polisherh ftones all this time, for the new Jerufalem. But in all this, three things have much moved me, fince it hath pleased my Lord to 143 turn my moon-light into day light. First, He hath yoked me to work, to wrestle with Christ's love of longing, wherewith I am fick, pained, fainting, and like to die, because I cannot get him felf, which I think a ftrange fort of defertion; for I have not himfelf, (whom if I had, my love-fickness would cool, and my fever go away; at least, I should know the heat of the fire of complacency, which would cool the fearching heart of the fire of defire) and yet I have no penury of his love; and fo I dwine, I die, and he feemeth not to rue on me. I take inftruments in his hand, that I would have him, but I cannot get him; and my best sheer is black hunger: I blefs him for that feaft. Secondly, Old challenges now and then revive, and caft all down; I go halting and fighing, fearing there be an unfeen procefs yet coming out, and that heavier than I can answer. I cannot read diftinctly my furety's act of cautionary for me in particular, and my discharge; and fenfe, rather than faith, affureth me of what I have; fo unable am I to go, but by a hold. I could (with reverence of my Lord) forgive Chrift, if he would give me as much faith, as I have hunger for him, I hope, the pardon is now obtained, but the peace is not fo fare to me, as I would wish: yet, one thing I know, there is not a way to heaven, but the way he hath graced me to profefs and fuffer for. Thirdly, Wo, wo is me for the virgin-daughter of Scotland, and for the fearful defolation and wrath appointed for this land; and yet all are fleeping, eating and drinking, laughing and fporting as if all were well. Oh our dim gold! our dumb, blind pastors! the fun is gone done upon them, and our nobles bid Chrift fend for himself if he be Chrift it were good, we should learn in time the way to our ftrong hold. Sir, howbeit not acquainted, remember my love to your wife. I pray God establish you. Aberd. March 9. 1637. Yours in his fweet Lord Jefus, S. R. 93. To JOHN EWART Ballie of Kirkcudbright. My very worthy and dear friend, Cannot but moft kindly thank you, for the expreffions of your I love. and refpect to me is a great comfort to me. I blefs his high and glorious name, that the terrors of great men have not affrighted me from open avouching the Son of God; nay, his cross is the sweetest burden that ever I bare; it is fuch a burden, as wings are to a bird, or fails to a ship, to carry me forward to my harbour. I have not much caufe to fall in love with the world; but rather to with, that he who fitteth upon the floods, would bring my broken ship to land, and keep my confcience safe, thefe dangerous times: for wrath from the Lord is coming on Epift. 94. this finful land. It were good, that we prifoners of hope knew of our strong-hold to run to, before the storm come on; therefore, Sir, I beseech you by the mercies of God, and comforts of his Spirit, by the blood of your Saviour, and by your compearance before the fin-revenging Judge of the world, keep your garments clean, and stand for the truth of Christ, which ye profefs. When the time fhall come that your eye strings shall break, your face wax pale, your breath grow cold, and this house of clay fhall totter, and your foot fhall be over the march, in eternity; it fhall be your comfort and joy, that ye gave your name to Christ. The greatest part of the world think heaven at the next door, and that Christianity is an eafy tafk; but they will be beguiled. Worthy Sir, I befeech you make fure work of falvation: I have found by experience that all I could do hath had much ado in the day of my trial; and therefore lay up a fure foundation for the time to come. I cannot requite you, for your undeserved favours to me and my now afflicted brother; but I trust to remember you to God. Remember me heartily to your kind wife. Yours in his only Lord Jefus S. R. Aberdeen, March 13. 1637. 94. To WILLIAM FULLERTON Provoft of Kirkcudbright. Much honoured Sir, Grace, mercy and peace be to you. I am obliged to your love in God. I beseech you, Sir, let nothing be fo dear to you as Chrift's truth, for falvation is worth all the world; and therefore be not afraid of men, that shall die; the Lord fhall do for you in your suffering for him, and fhall blefs your house and feed; and ye have God's promife, that ye shall have his presence in fire, water, and in feven tribulations. Your day will wear to an end, and your fun go down. In death it will be your joy, that ye have ventured all ye have for Chrift; and there is not a promise of heaven made, but to fuch as are willing to fuffer for it it is a caítle taken by force. This earth is but the clayportion of bastards; and therefore no wonder the world smile on its own; but better things are laid up for his lawfully begotten bairns, whom the world hateth: I have experience to speak this, for I would not exchange my prison and fad nights, with the court, honour, and eafe of my adverfaries: my Lord is pleased to make many unknown faces to laugh upon me, and to provide a lodging for me; and he himfelf vifiteth my foul with feasts of fpiritual comforts. O how fweet a mafter is Chrift! Bleffed are they who lay down all for him. I thank you kindly for your love to my diftreffed brother. Ye have the bleffing and prayers of the prifoner of Chrift to you, your wife and children. Remember member my love and bleffing to William and Samuel: I defire them in their youth to feek the Lord, and fear his great name, to pray twice a day (at least) to God, and to read God's word; to keep themfelves from curfing, lying, and filthy talking. Now the only wife God, and the prefence of the Son of God, be with 95. To the worthy and much honoured, Mr. ALEXANDER COLVILL of Blair. Much bonoured Sir, Race, mercy and peace be to you. The bearer hereof, but none is fo kind as my only royal King and Master, whofe crofs is my garland. The King dineth with his prifoner, and his spikenard cafteth a smell. He hath led me up to fuch a pitch and nick of joyful communion with himself, as I never knew before: when I took back to by-gones, I judge myfelf to have been a child at A, B, C, with Chrift. Worthy Sir, pardon me, I dare not conceal it from you, it is as a fire in my bowels, (in his prefence who feeth me I speak it,) I am pained, pained with the love of Chrift; he hath made me fick, and wounded me: hunger for Chrift out-runneth faith; I miss faith more than love. Oif the three kindoms would come and fee! O if they knew his kindness to my foul! It hath pleased him to bring me to this, that I will not strike fails to this world, nor flatter it, nor adore this clay-idol that fools worship; as I am now difpofed, I think I will neither borrow nor lend with it; and yet I get my meat from Chrift with nurture; for seven times a day I am lifted up and caften down. My dumb fabbaths burden my heart, and make it bleed: I want not fearful challenges and jealoufies fometimes of Chrift's love, that he hath caften me over the dike of the vineyard, as a dry tree. But this is my infirmity; by his grace I take myfelf in these ravings: it is kindly that faith and love both be fick, and fevers are kindly to moft joyful communion with Chrift. Ye are blessed, who avouch Chrift openly before the Prince of his kingdom, whofe eyes are upon you: it is your glory to lift him up on his throne, to carry his train, and bear up the hem of his robe royal: he hath an hiding-place for M. A. C. against the ftorm: go on, and fear not what man can do. The faints feem to have the worst of it, (for apprehenfions can make a lie of Chrift and of his love) but it is not fo: providence is not rolled upon unequal and crooked wheels: all things work together for the good of thofe who love God, and are called accor |