صور الصفحة
PDF
النشر الإلكتروني

Epift. 19. lufive, to confirm imaginations and lies. Go on, my dear brother, in the ftrength of the Lord, not fearing man that is a worm, nor the fon of man that will die. Providence hath a thousand keys to open a thousand fundry doors, for the deliverance of his own, when it is even come to a conclamatum eft. Let us be faithful, and care for our own part, which is to do and fuffer for him, and lay Christ's part on himself, and leave it there. Duties are ours, events are the Lord's: when our faith goeth to meddle with events, and to hold a court (if I may fo fpeak) upon God's providence, and beginneth to fay, How wilt thou do this and that? we lofe ground: we have nothing to do there, it is our part to let the Almighty exercise his own office, and ftir his own helm; there is nothing left us, but to fee how we may be approved of him, and how we may roll the weight of our weak fouls (in well doing) upon him who is God omnipotent: and when, what we thus effay mifcarrieth, it shall neither be our fin nor crofs, Brother, remember the Lord's word to Peter, Simon, loveft thou me? feed my sheep' no greater teftimony of our love to Chrift can be, than to feed painfully and faithfully his lambs. I am in no better neighbourhood with the minifters here than before; they cannot endure that any speak of me, or to me. Thus I am, in the mean time, filent (which is my greatest grief.) Dr. Barron hath difputed with me, especially about Arminian controverfies, and for the ceremo nies; three yokings laid him by: and I have not been troubled with him fince. Now he hath appointed a difpute before witneffes; I truft Chrift and truth fhall do for themfelves. I hope, brother, ye will help my people, and write to me what ye hear the bishop is to do to them. Grace be with you.

Aberdeen.

Your brother in bonds, S. R.

19. 70 Mr. HUGH M'KAIL, Minifter of the Gofpel. Reverend and dear brother,

Blefs you for your letter: he is come down as rain upon the

mown grafs, he hath revived my withered root, and he is as the dew of herbs. I am most secure in this prifon: falvation is for walls in it, and what think ye of these walls? he maketh the dry plant to bud as the lilly, and to bloffom as Lebanon: the great Hufbandman's bleffing cometh down upon the plants of righte oufnefs. Who may fay this (my dear brother) if I, his poor exiled ftranger and prifoner, may not fay it? Howbeit all the world should be filent, I cannot hold my peace. O how many black counts hath Chrift and I rounded over together in the house of my pilgrimage! and how fat a portion hath he given to a hungry foul! I had rather have Chrift's four-hours, than have dinner and fupper both in one from any other: his dealing, and the way of his judgments are

past

paft finding out. No preaching, no book, no learning could give me that, which I behoved to come and get in this town. But what of all this, if I were not misted and confounded, and astonshed how to be thankful, and how to get him praised for evermore? And which is more, he hath been pleased to pain me with his love, and my pain groweth through want of real poffeffion. Some have written to me, that I am poffibly too joyful of the crois, but my joy over leapeth the crofs, it is bounded and terminate upon Christ. I know the fun will over-cloud and eclipfe, and I thail again be put to walk in the fhadow: but Chrift must be welcome to come and go as he thinketh meet; yet he would be more welcome to me, I trow, to come than go: and, I hope, he pitieth and pardoneth me, in cafting apples to me, at fuch a fainting time as this; holy and bleffed is his name. It was not my flatttering of Christ, that drew a kifs from his mouth; but he would fend me as a spy into this wilderness of fuffering, to fee the land, and to try the ford: and I cannot make a lie of Chrift's crofs; I can report nothing but good both of him and it, left others fhould faint. I hope, when a change cometh, to caft anchor at mid-night upon the Rock (which he hath taught me to know in this day light) whither I may run, when I muft fay my leffon without book, and believe in the dark. I am fure it is fin to tarrow of Chrift's good meat, and not to eat when he faith, Eat, O well-beloved, and drink abundantly.' If he bear me on his back, or carry me in his arms over this water, I hope for grace to fet down both my feet on dry ground, when the way is better: but this is flippery ground; my Lord thought good I should go by an hold, and lean on my Well-beloved's fhoulder: it is good to be ever taking from him. I defire he may get the fruit of praifes for doating and thus dandling me upon his knee: and I may give my bond of thankfulness, fo being I have Chrift's back-bond again for my relief, that I fhall be ftrengthened by his powerful grace, to pay my vows to him. But truly I find we have the advantage of the brae upon our enemies: we are more than conquerors, through him who hath loved us; and they know not wherein our ftrength lieth. Pray for me; grace be with you. Aberdeen.

Madam,

[ocr errors]

Your brother in Chrift, S. R.

20. To my Lady BOYD.

GRace, mercy and peace be unto you. The Lord hath brought Ꮐ

me to Aberdeen, where I fee God in few. This town hath been advised upon of purpose for me: it confifteth of Papists, or men of Gallio's naughty faith; it is counted wifdom in the moft, not to countenance a confined minifter! but I fiad Christ neither

Strange

Epift. 20. ftrange nor unkind; for I have found many faces fmile upon me fince I came hither. I am heavy and fad, confidering what is betwixt the Lord and my foul, which none feeth but he. I find men have mistaken me: it would be no art (as I now fee) to fpin fmall, and make hypocrify feem a goodly web, and to go through the market as a faint among men, and yet steal quietly to hell, without observation; fo easy is it to deceive men. I have difputed whether or no I ever knew any thing of Christianity, fave the letters of that name. Men fee but as men, and they call ten twenty, and twenty an hundred; but, O! to be approved of God in the heart, and in fincerity, is not an ordinary mercy. My neglects while I had a pulpit, and other things whereof I am afhamed to fpeak, meet me now, fo as God maketh an honeft cross my daily forrow; and for fear of scandal and stumbling. I must hide this day of the law's pleading: I know not, if this court, kept within my foul, be fenced in Chrift's name. If certainty of falvation were to be bought, God knoweth if I had ten earths, I would not prig with God like a fool. I believed, under fufferings for Chrift, that I myself should keep the key of Chrift's treasures, and take out comforts, when I lifted, and eat, and be fat; but I see now a fufferer for Chrift will be made to know himself, and will be holden at the door, as well as another poor finner; and will be fain to eat with the bairns, and take the by board, and glad fo. My bleffing on the cross of Chrift, that hath made me fee this. Oh if we could take pains for the kingdom of heaven! but we fit down upon fome ordinary marks of God's children, thinking we have done as much as will feparate us from a reprobate, and thereupon we take the play, and cry, Holy-day: and thus the devil cafteth water on our fire, and blunteth our zeal and care: but I fee heaven is not at the next door; and I fee, howbeit my challenges be many, I fuffer for Christ, and dare hazard my falvation upon it; for sometimes my Lord cometh with a fair hour, and O but his love be fweet, delightful, and comfortable! Half a kifs is fweet: but our doating love will not be content of a right to Chrift, unless we get poffeffion; like the man who will not be content of rights to bought land, except he get alfo the ridges and acres laid upon his back, to carry home with him. However it be, Chrift is wife; and we are fools to be browden and fond of a pawn in the loof of our hand living on truft by faith may well content us. Madam, Ì know your Ladyfhip knoweth this, and that made me bold to write of it, that others might reap fomewhat by my bonds for the truth; for Ifhould defire, and aim at this, to have my Lord well spoken of and honoured, howbeit he should make nothing of me, but a bridge over a water. Thus recommending your Ladyfhip, your fon, and children to his grace, who hath honoured you with a name

and

and room among the living in Jerufalem, and wifhing grace to be with your Ladyship, I reft,

Aberdeen.

Your Lady/bip's in his fweet Lord

Jefus, S. R.

21. To Mr. DAVID DICKSON.

Reverend and dear brother,

Race, mercy and peace be unto you. I find great men, efpe

me; but my kingly

royal Master biddeth me try his moyen to the uttermost, and I fhall find a friend at hand: I still depend on him; his court is as before; the prifoner is welcome to him; the black crabbed tree of my Lord's crofs hath made Chrift and my foul very entire; he is my fong in the night. I am often laid in the dust with challenges, and apprehenfions of his anger; and then, if a mountain of iron were laid upon me, I cannot be heavier: and with much wrestling I win into the King's houfe of wine, and for the most part, my life is joy, and fuch joy through his comforts, as I have been afraid to hame myself, and to cry out, for I can scarce bear what I get: Chrift hiveth me a measured heap up, preffed down, and running over. And, believe it, his love paineth me more than prifon and bani hment. I cannot get a gate of Christ's love. Had I known

what he was keeping for me I would never have been so fainthearted. In my harvest times, when all is loft, the memory of his love maketh me think Chrift's glooms are but for the fashion: I feek no more but a vent to my wine; I am fmothered and ready to burst for want of vent. Think not much of perfecution: it is before you; but it is not as men conceive of it; my fugared cross forceth me to fay this to you, ye shall have wailed meat; the fick bairn is oftentimes the spilt bairn: ye shall command all the house. I hope ye help a tired prifoner to pray and praife: had I but the annual of annual to give to my Lord Jefus, it should cafe my pain; but, alas, I have nothing to pay, he will get nothing of poor me: but I am wo, I have not room enough in my heart for fuch a stranger. I am not caft down to go further North, I have good caufe to work for my Master, for I am well paid before the hand; I am not behind, howbeit I should not get one fmile more till my feet be up within the King's dining hall. I have gone through yours upon the covenant; it hath edified my foul, and refreshed an hungry man: I judge it fharp, fweet, quick and profound: take me at my word, I fear it get no lodging in Scotland. The brethren of Ireland write not to me; chide with them for that: I am fure that I may give you and them a commission (and I will bide by it) that you tell my beloved, I am fick of love. I hope in God to leave fome of my ruft and fuperfluitics in Aberdeen; I

cannot

Epift. 22. cannot get an house in this town wherein to leave drink-filver ia my Master's name, save one only: there is no fale for Christ in the North; he is like to lie long on my hand ere any accept him. Grace be with you,

I

Aberdeen.

Yours in his fweet Lord Jefus, S. R.

22. To Mr. MATTHEW MOWAT.

Reverend and dear Brother,

Am a very far mistaken man; if others knew how poor my stock were they would not think upon the like of me, but with compaffion; for I am as one kept under a ftrict tutor: I would have more than my tutor alloweth upon me, but it is good that a bairn's wit is not the rule which regulateth my Lord Jefus : Let him give what he will, it fhall ay be above merit, and my ability to gain therewith. I would not wish a better stock (while heaven be my stock) than to live upon credit at Christ's hands, daily borrowing: furely running over love that vaft, huge, boundlefs love of Chrift (that there is telling in for man and angel) is the only thing I faineft would be in hands with: he knoweth I have little but the love of that love; and that I fhall be happy, suppose I never get another heaven, but only an eternal lasting feast of that love: but fuppofe my wishes were poor, he is not poor: Chrift all the feafons of the year is dropping fweetness: if I had veffels I might fill them, but my old riven, and running out dish, even when I am at the well can bring little away: nothing but glory will make tight and faft our lecking and rifty veffels. Alas, I have fkailed more of Chrift's grace, love, faith, humility, and godly forrow, than I have brought with me. How little of the fea can a child carry in his hand? as little do I take away of my great fea, my boundlefs and running-over Chrift Jefus. I have not lighted upon the right gate of putting Chrift to the bank, and making myself rich with him: my mifguiding and childish trafficking with that matchlefs pearl, that heaven's jewel, the jewel of the Father's delights hath put me to a great lofs. O that he would take a loan of me, and my stock, and put his name in all my bonds, and ferve himself heir to the poor mean portion I have, and be countable for the talent himself! Gladly would I put Chrift in my room, to guide all; and let me be but a fervant to run errands, and do by his direction, let me be his interdicted heir. Lord Jefus work upon my minority, and let him win a pupil's bleffing. Oh how would I rejoice to have this work of my faivation legally fastened upon Chrift! A back-bond of my Lord Je fus, that it fhould be forthcoming to the oan, should be my happiness: dependency on Chrift, were my fureft way; if Chrift were my bottom I were fure enough. I thought guiding

of

« السابقةمتابعة »