Letters in Two Parts, Part 1 · LETTER 169 – LETTER 170
To the Lady CARDONNESS. (169)
My dearly beloved & longed for in the Lord.
GRace, mercy & peace be to you: I long to hear how your soul Prospereth & how the Kingdom of Christ thriveth in you. I exhort you & beseech you in the bowels of Christ faint not, weary not: There is a great necessity of heaven, ye must needs have it: All other things, as houses, lands, children, husband, friends, countrey, credit, health, wealth, honour, may be wanted; but Heaven is your one thing necessary, the good part that shall not be taken from you: See that ye buy the field where the pearl is, sell all & make a purchase of salvation: think it not easie, for it is a steep ascent to eternal glory: Many are lying dead by the way that are slain with security. I have now been led by my Lord Jesus to such a nick in Christianity as I think little of former things. Oh what I want! I want so many things, that I am almost asking if I had any thing at all: Every man thinketh he is rich enough in grace, till he take out his purse & tell his money, & then he findeth his pack but poor & light in the day of a heavy trial. I found I had not to bear my expences, and should have fainted if want & penury had not chased me to the store-house of all. I beseech you, make couscience of your wayes, deal kindly & with conscience with your Tenants: to fill a breach or a hole make not a greater breach in the conscience: I wish plenty of love to your soul: let the world be the portion of bastards, make it not yours: after the last trumpet is blowen, the world & all its glory will be like an old house that is burnt to ashes, & like an old fallen castle without a roof. Fy, fy upon us fools who think our selves debters to the world. My Lord hath brought me to this, that I would not give a drink of cold water for this world's kindness: I wonder that men long after, love, or care for these feathers: it is almost an uncouth world to me to think, that men are so mad as to block with dead earth: to give cut conscience & to get in clay again, is a strange bargain. I have written my minde at length to your husband, write to me again his case, I cannot forget him in my prayers, I am looking Christ hath some claim to him: My counsel is, that ye bear with him when passion overtaketh him, A soft answer putteth away wrath, answer him in what he speaketh & apply your self in the fear of God to him, & then ye will remove a pound weight of your heavy cross that way, & so it shall become light. When Christ hideth himself, wait on & make di… till he return, it is not time then to be carelesly patient; I love it to be grieved when he hideth his smiles: yet beleeve his love in a patient on-waiting and beleeving in the dark: Ye must learn to swim & hold up your head above the water, even when the sense of his presence is not with you, to hold up your chin: I trust in God, he shall bring your ship safe to land. I counsel you to study sanctification, & to be dead to this world: urge kindness on Knockbrex, labour to benefite by his company, the man is acquaint with Christ. I beg the help of your prayers, for I forget not you: counsel your husband to fulfill my joy & to seek the Lord's face, shew him from me that my joy & desire is to hear he is in the Lord, God casteth him often in my minde, I cannot forget him, I hope Christ & he have something to doe together: Bless Iohn from me, I write blessings to him & to your husband & the rest of your children. Let it not be said, I am not in your house, through neglect of the Sabbath-exercise.
Aberd. Febr. 20. 1637. Your lawfull & loving Pasior in his onelyonly, onelyonly Lord, S. R.
To JONET McCULLOCH. [170]
Dear Sister.
GRace, mercy & peace be to you: I long to hear how your soul prospereth. I am as well as a prisoner of Christ can be, feasted & made fat with the comforts of God: Christ's kisses are made sweeter to my soul then ever they were. I would not change my Master with all the Kings of clay upon the earth. O, my welbeloved is altogether lovely & loving! I care not what flesh can doe. I perswade my soul, I delivered the truth of Christ to you, slip not from it for no boasts or fear of men: If ye goe against the truth of Christ that I now suffer for, I shall bear witness against you in the day of Christ. Sister, fasten your grips fast on Christ, follow not the guises of this sinfull world: Let not this clay-portion of earth take up your soul, it is the portion of bastards, & ye are a childe of God, therefore seek your father's heritage, send up your heart to see the dwelling house & fair rooms in the new City: Fy, sy upon these who cry up with the World & down with Conscience & Heaven: We have bairns wits, & therefore we cannot prize Christ aright. Counsel your husband & mother to make them for eternity, that day is drawing nigh. Pray for me the prisoner of Christ; I cannot forget you.
Aberd. Febr. 20. 1637. Your lawfull Pasior & Brother, S. R.