Christ's invitation, and I dare answer for it, ye shall say as it is in Psalm xvi. 7. “ I bless the Lord who gave me counsel." Remember there is a 66 WO to him, by whom offences come," this wo was denounced by Christ, and it is heavier than the wo of the law; it is the Mediator's vengeance, and that is double vengeance to those who are enlightened. Free yourself from unlawful anguish, about advising and resolving: when you have found the truth, hold it fast, go not again to make a new search and inquiry for it-it is easy to force conscience to believe as you will, not as you know: it is easy for you to cast your light into prison, and detain God's truth in unrighteousness; but that prisoner will break ward to your incomparable torture. Fear your light, and stand in awe of it; for it is from God. Now may the Prince of peace, he who brought again from the dead the great Shepherd of his sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, establish you, and give you sound light, and counsel you to follow Christ. Remember my obliged service to my Lord your father, and mother, and to your lady. Grace be with you. Your Lordship's in all obedience,

Aberdeen, Aug. 10, 1637.

S. R.

To PATRICK CARSEN.

Dear and loving Friend,

I CANNOT but, upon the opportunity of a bearer, exhort you to resign the love of your youth to

Christ, and in this day while your sun is high, and your youth serveth you to seek the Lord and his face, for there is nothing out of heaven so necessary for you as Christ, and you cannot be ignorant that your day will end, and the night of death will call you from the pleasures of this life, and a doom passed at death, standeth for ever, even as long as God liveth. Youth is ordinarily but too fit a season for Satan's purposes, for pride and vanity abound in it. O that there were such a heart in you as to fear the Lord, and to dedicate your soul and body to his service. When the time comes that your poor soul is set at liberty from its prison-house of clay, then a good conscience, and your Lord's favour, will be worth all this world's glory: seek it as your garland and crown. Grace be with you.

My well-beloved and dear Friend,

EVERY one seeketh not God, and far fewer find him, because they seek amiss: he is to be sought far above all things, if men really desire to find what they seek. Leave feathers and shadows to children, and go seek your well-beloved. Your only errand to the world is to win Christ; therefore let Christ have all your love without dividing it: it is little enough if there were more of it; the serving of the

world and sin hath but a base reward; vapour instead of pleasure, and but a night-dream for true ease to the soul. Go where you will, your soul will find no rest but in Christ's bosom-inquire for him, come to him, and rest you on the slain Son of God. I sought him, and I found him, and I have in him all I can wish or want: he hath made me a king over the world. Princes cannot overcome me. O if you and all knew what sweet terms of mercy are between him and his people! Grace be with you. Yours in the Lord,

Aberdeen, March 11, 1637.

To LADY BOYD.

S. R.

Madam,

I WOULD have written to your Ladyship ere now, but the opinion some have of there being that in me, which I know there is not, hath put me out of love with writing to any; for it is easy to make a public show of religion, but alas! it is not so easy to have it meet for Christ's eye. My Lord knows how far behind I am; I have received much love from Christ, but I give him little or none again. My white side appears on paper to men; but at home and within, I find much black work, and great cause for a low sail and little boasting; and yet though I see the reproaches of conscience to be just, the manner of the tempter's pressing them, is, I think, dishonest. My comfort is, that Christ may be glorified by

I

Infinite

bestowing his saving grace on such a one as me. wish all professors would fall in love with grace; all our song should be of his free grace: we are but too lazy and careless in seeking it—it is all our riches here, and glory in the bud; I wish I could speak all its value. I was the law's man, and under the law, and under a curse; but grace brought me from under that hard lord, and I rejoice that I am grace's freeholder. I pay tribute to none for heaven, for my heritage holdeth of Christ, my King. wisdom hath devised this excellent way of freeholding for sinners: it is a better way to heaven, than the old way that was in Adam's days; it hath this fair advantage, that no man's emptiness and want layeth any restraint on Christ, or hindereth his salvation; and that is well for me! Our new Landlord putteth the names of Adam's forlorn heirs, bankrupts and beggars, the crooked and the blind, in his free charters. Heaven and angels may wonder that we have gotten such a way of escape from sin and hell; and this way which Christ has made, and brought out the poor captives by, is more than my poor shallow thoughts can comprehend. I would think sufferings, glory, (and I am sometimes not far. from it,) if my Lord would shed upon me a fresh supply of free grace; but I have not now, nor for a long time, found such high spring-tides as formerly: the sea is out, and the wind of his Spirit calm, and I cannot cause the wind to blow, nor by requesting the sea cause it to flow again; I can only wait upon the banks and shore-side, till the Lord send a full sea, that with spread sails I may magnify Christ

yet sorrow for his absence is sweet; and sighs, with "Saw ye him whom my soul loveth?" have their own delights. Well were my soul, if Christ were the element, mine own element, and that I lived and breathed in him, and could not live without him. I know no joy when he is away, yet he never leaveth without a pledge that he will return. Wo, wo to me if he should depart altogether! even to dream of him is sweet; to build a house of pining wishes for his return, to spin out a web of sorrow, and care, and languishing, and sighs, because he hath no leisure (if I may speak so,) to visit a poor friend, sweeteneth and refresheth the thoughts of the heart. A misty dew will stand for rain, and do some good, and keep some greenness in the herbs, till our Lord's clouds break upon the earth, and send down a refreshing rain truly I.think Christ's misty dew a welcome message from heaven, till my Lord's rain fall.

Remember my service to my Lord, your kind son, who was kind to me in my bonds, and was not ashamed to own me. I would be glad that Christ got the morning service of his life now in his youthful years; it would behoove him well to give Christ his young and early love; Christ's stamp and seal would go deep in a young soul, if he would yield himself to the impression; I would desire him to make search for Christ.-The peace of God our Father, and the good-will of him who dwelt in the bush, be with your Ladyship.

Aberdeen, 1637.

Yours in the Lord Jesus,

S. R