able, than to fuffer for truth; but the worft is, that this kirk is like to fink, and all her lovers and friends ftand afar off, none mourn with her, and none mourn for her. But the Lord Jefus will not be put out of his conqueft fo foon, in Scotland: it will be feen, the kirk and truth will rise again within three days, and Christ again fhall ride upon his white horse; howbeit his horse seem now to ftumble, yet he cannot fall: the fulness of Christ's harvest in the end of the earth is not yet come in. I fpeak not this, because I would have it fo, but upon better grounds than my naked liking. But enough of this fad fubject. I long to be fully affured of your Ladyship's welfare, and that your foul profpereth, especially now in your folitary life, when your comforts outward are few, and when Christ hath you for the very uptaking. I know his love to you is still running over, and his love hath not fo bad a memory as to forget you and your dear child, who hath two Fathers in heaven, the one the Ancient of days. I truft in his mercy, he hath fomething laid up for him above, however it may go with him here. I know, it is long fince your Ladyship saw this world turned your step mother, and did forfake you. Madam, ye have reafon to take in good part a lean dinner and fpare diet, in this life, feeing your large fupper of the Lamb's preparing will recompenfe all: let it go, which was never your's, but only in fight, not in property: the time of your loan will wear fhorter and fhorter, and time is measured to you by ounce-weights: and then I know, your hope fhall be a full ear of corn, and not blafted with wind: it may be your joy, that your anchor is up within the vail, and that the ground it is caft upon, is not falfe, but firm. God hath done his part: I hope ye will not deny to fish and fetch home all your love to himself; and it is but too narrow and short for him, if it were more: if ye were before pouring all your love (if it had been many gallons more) in upon your Lord, if drops fell by in the in-pouring, he forgiveth you: he hath done now all that can be done, to win beyond it all, and hath left little to woo your love from himfelf, except one only child: what is his purpose herein, he know eth beft, who hath taken your foul in tutoring. Your faith may be boldly charitable of Christ, that, however matters go, the worst shall be a tired traveller, and a joyful and sweet welcome-home. The back of your winter night is broken: look to the east, the day sky is breaking; think not that Chrift lofeth time, or lingereth unfuitably. O fair, fair and fweet morning! We are but as fea paffengers; if we look right, we are upon our country coaft; our Redeemer is fast coming, to take this old worm-eaten world, like an old moth-eaten garment, in his two hands, and to roll it up, and lay it by him. Thefe are the last days, and an oath is given, Rev. x. by God himself, that time fhall be no more: and when time itself is old and gray haired, it were good we were away. Thus Thus, Madam, ye fee I am, as my custom is, tedious in my lines; your Ladyship will pardon it, The Lord Jefus be with your fpi rit. I Anwoth, Jan. 18. 1635. Your Ladyfhip's at all obedience 23. To my Lady KENMURE. Right honourable, in Christ, S. R. Cannot find a time for writing fome things I intended on Job, I have been fo taken up with the broils, that we are incumbered with in our calling: for Prelates will have us either to swallow our light over, and digeft it, contrary to our stomachs, howbeit we fhould vomit our confcience and all, in this troublesome conformity; or then he will try if deprivation can convert us to the ceremonial faith. I write to your Ladyfhip, Madam, not as diftrusting your affection, or willingness to help me, as your Ladyship is able by yourself or others, but to advertise you, that I hang by a small thread: for our learned Prelate, because we cannot fee with his eyes, fo far in a mill-ftone, as his light doth, will not follow his Master, meek Jefus, who waited upon the wearied and short-breathed in the way to heaven: and where all fee not alike, and some are weaker, he carrieth the lambs in his bofom, and leadeth gently those that are with young. But we must either fee all the evil of ceremonies to be but as indifferent ftraws, or fuffer no lefs than to be caften out of the Lord's inheritance. Madam, if I had time, I would write more at length; but your Ladyship will pardon me, till a fitter occafion. Grace be with you and your child, and bear you company to your best home. 24, Your Ladyfhip's in his sweet TO EARLSTOUN Elder. Much honoured Sir, Have heard of the mind and malice of your adverfaries against you it is like they will extend the law they have, in length and breadth, anfwerable to their heat of mind; but it is a great part of your glory, that the caufe is not yours, but your Lord's ' whom ye ferve: : and I doubt not, but Christ will count it his honour, to back his weak fervant; and it were a fhame for him (with reverence to his holy name) that he fhould fuffer himself to be in the common of fuch a poor man as ye are, and that ye fhould give out for him, and not get in again: write up your depursements for your Master Chrift, and keep the count what ye give out, whether name, credit, goods or life, and fufpend your reckoning till nigh the the evening; and remember that a poor weak fervant of Chrift wrote it to you, ye shall have Christ, a King, caution for your incomes and all your loffes. Reckon not from the forenoon: take the word of God for your warrant, and for Christ's act of cautionry, howbeit body, life and goods go for Chrift your Lord, and though ye fhould lofe the head for him; yet, Luke xxi. 18. there fball not one hair of your head perish, ver. 19. In patience therefore poffefs your foul. And because ye are the firft man in Galloway called out, and questioned for the name of Jefus, his eye hath been upon you, as upon one whom he defigned to be among his witneffes. Chrift hath faid, Alexander Gordon fhall lead the ring, in witnefling a good confeffion; and therefore he hath put the garland of fuffering for himself first upon your head: think yourself fo much the more obliged to him, and fear not; for he layeth his right-hand on your head. He who was dead and is alive will plead your caufe, and will look attentively upon the process from the beginning to the end: and the Spirit of glory fhall rest upon you, Rev. ii, 10. Fear none of these things which thou shalt fuffer: behold the devil fball caft fome of you into prifon, that ye may be tried, and ye fball have tribulation ten days. Be thou faithful unto the death, and I will give thee the crown of life. This lovely One Jefus, who also became the Son of man, that he might take strokes for you, write the cross-sweetening and foul-fupporting sense of thefe words in your heart. These rumbling wheels of Scotland's ten days tribulation are under his looks, who hath seven eyes. Take an houfe on your head, and flip yourself by faith under Christ's wings, till the storm be over: and remember, when they have drunk us down, Jerufalem will be a cup of trembling and of poifon, Zech. xii. 2. They shall be fain to vomit out the faints; for Judah, ver. 6. fhall be an hearth of fire in a fheaf, and they shall devour all the people round about, on the right-hand, and on the left. Wo to Zion's enemies, they have the worst of it: for we have writ for the victory. Sir, Ye were never honourable till now: this is your glory, that Chrift hath put you in the roll with himfelf, and the reft of the witneffes, who are come out of great tribulation, and have washed their garments, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Be not caft down, for what the fervants of Antichrist cast in your teeth, That ye are a head to, and favourer of the Puritans, and leader to that fect. If your confcience fay, Alas, here is much din and little dope, (as the proverb is) because ye have not done so much service to Chrift that way as ye might and fhould take courage from that fame temptation; for your Lord Chrift looketh upon that very challenge, as an hungering defire in you to have done more than ye did; and that filleth up the blank, and he will accept of what ye have done in that kind. If great men be kind to you, I pray you overlook them; if they YY fmile Epist, 25. fmile on you, Chrift but borroweth their face, to fmile through them upon his afflicted fervant: know the Well-head; and for all that, learn the way to the Well itself. Thank God that Chrift came to your house in your abfence, and took with him fome of your children: he prefumeth that much on your love, that ye would not offend; and howbeit he should take the reft, he cannot come upon your wrong fide: I queftion not, if they were children of gold, but ye think them well beftowed upon him. Expound two rods on you, one in your houfe at home, another on your own person abroad: love thinketh no evil; if ye were not Chrift's wheat, appointed to be bread in his houfe, he would not grind you. But keep the middle line, neither defpife nor faint, Heb. xii. 6. Ye fee your Father is homely with you: ftrokes of a father evidence kindnefs and care; take them fo. I hope your Lord hath manifefted himself to you, and fuggested these or more choice thoughts about his dealing with you: we are ufing our weak moyen and credit for you, up at our own court; as we dow, we pray the king to hear us, and the Son of man to go fide for fide with you, and hand in hand, in the fiery oven, and to quicken and encourage your unbelieving heart, when ye droop and defpond. Sir, to the honour of Chrift be it faid, my faith goeth with my pen now I am prefently believing Chrift fhall bring you out. Truth in Scotland fhall keep the crown of the causeway yet; the faints fhall fee religion go naked at noon-day, free from shame and fear of men: we shall divide Shechem, and ride upon the high places of Jacob. Remember my obliged respects and love to my Lady Kenmure and her fweet child. Anwoth, July 6. 1636. Madam, Race, Yours ever in his fweet 25. To the Viscountess of K ENMURE. and peace be to you: I know ye are near many Gomforters, and that the promifed Comforter is near hand al fo; yet, because I found your Ladyfhip comfortable to myself, in my fad days, that are not yet over my head, it is my part, and more in many respects (howbeit I can do little, God knoweth, in that kind) to fpeak to you in your wilderness lot. I know, dear and noble Lady, this lofs of your dear child came upon you, one piece and part of it after another; and that ye was looking for it, and that now the Almighty hath brought on you that which ye feared; and that your Lord gave you lawful warning: and I hope, for his fake, who brewed and mafked this cup in heaven, ye will gladly drink, and falute and welcome the crofs. I am fure, it is not your Lord's mind to feed you with judgment and worm wood, and to give you waters of gall to drink, Ezek. xxxiv. 16. Jer ix. 15. know, your cup is fugared with mercy; and that the withering of the bloom, the flower, even the white and red of worldly joys, is for no other end, but to buy out at the ground the reversion of your heart and love. Madam, fubfcribe to the Almighty's will; put your hand to the pen, and let the cross of your Lord Jefus have your fubmiffive and refolute AMEN. If ye afk and try whofe this crofs is? I dare fay, it is not all your own, the best half of it is Christ's; then your crofs is no born-bastard, but lawfully begotten, it fprang not out of the duft, Job v. 6. If Chrift and ye be halvers of this fuffering, and he fay, half-mine, what should ail you? And I am here right upon the stile of the word of God, Phil. iii. 10. The fellowship of Christ's sufferings, Col. i. 29, The remnant of the afflictions of Chrift, Heb. xi. 28. reproach of Chrift. It were but to shift the comforts of God, to fay, Christ had never fuch a cross as mine, he had never a dead child, and fo this is not his crofs, neither can he in that meaning be the owner of this cross: but I hope, Chrift when he married you, married you and all the croffes and wo-hearts that follow you and the word maketh no exception, Ifa. lxiii. 9, In all their afflictions he was afflicted: then Chrift bore the first stroke of this cross, it rebounded off him on upon you, and ye get it at the second hand, and ye and he are halvers in it: and I fhall believe, for my part, he mindeth to distil heaven out of this lofs, and all others the like; for wisdom devised it, and love laid it on, and Chrift owneth it as his own, and putteth your shoulder only beneath a piece of it. Take it with joy as no bastard-cross, but as a vifitation of God well-born; and fpend the reft of your appointed time, till your change come, in the work of believing; and let faith, that never yet made a lie to you, fpeak for God's part of it, 'He will not, he doth not make you a fea or a whale fish, that he keepeth you in. ward, Job vii. 12.' It may be, ye think not many of the children of God in fuch a hard cafe as yourself; but what would ye think of fome, who would exchange afflictions, and give you to the boot? but I know, yours must be your own alone, and Christ's together. I confefs it seemed strange to me, that your Lord should have done that which feemeth to ding out the bottom of your comforts worldly: but we fee not to the ground of the Almighty's fovereignty; he goeth by on our right-hand, and on our left hand, and we fee him not: we fee but pieces of the broken links of the chains of his providence, and he coggeth the wheels of his own providence, that we fee not. O let the Former work his own clay in what frame he pleaseth! Shall any teach the Almighty knowledge? if he purfue dry ftubble, who dare fay, what doft thou? do not wonder, to fee the Judge of the world weave in one web, your mercies and the judgments of the houfe of Kenmure: he can make one web of |