ANWOTH, _Aug. 20, 1633_.
[124] The village and church of _Carsphairn_ stood not far from
Kenmure Castle, and very near Earlston and Knockgray. The road from
Dalmellington is bare, with steep, rocky hills on either side of the
glen. The "Ken" may be meant by "that water" in the next sentence.
XXX.--_To my_ LADY KENMURE.
(_RANK AND PROSPERITY HINDER PROGRESS--WATCHFULNESS--CASE OF
RELATIVES._)
MADAM,--I determined, and was desirous also, to have seen your
ladyship, but because of a pain in my arm I could not. I know ye will
not impute it to any unsuitable forgetfulness of your Ladyship, from
whom, at my first entry to my calling in this country (and since
also), I received such comfort in my affliction as I trust in God
never to forget, and shall labour by His grace to recompense in the
only way possible to me; and that is, my presenting your soul, person,
house, and all your necessities, in prayer to Him, whose I hope you
are, and who is able to keep you till that Day of Appearance, and to
present you before His face with joy.
I am confident your Ladyship is going forward in the begun journey to
your Lord and Father's home and kingdom. Howbeit ye want not
temptations within and without. And who among the saints hath ever
taken that castle without stroke of sword? the Chief of the house, our
Elder Brother, our Lord Jesus, not being excepted, who won His own
house and home, due to Him by birth, with much blood and many blows.
Your Ladyship hath the more need to look to yourself, because our Lord
hath placed you higher than the rest, and your way to heaven lieth
through a more wild and waste wilderness than the way of many of your
fellow-travellers,--not only through the midst of this wood of thorns,
the cumbersome world, but also through these dangerous paths, the
vain-glory of it; the consideration whereof hath often moved me to
pity your soul, and the soul of your worthy and noble husband. And it
is more to you to win heaven, being ships of greater burden, and in
the main sea, than for little vessels, that are not so much in the
mercy and reverence of the storms, because they may come quietly to
their port by launching alongst the coast. For the which cause ye do
much, if in the midst of such a tumult of business, and crowd of
temptations, ye shall give Christ Jesus His own court and His own due
place in your soul. I know and am persuaded, that that lovely One,
Jesus, is dearer to you than many kingdoms; and that ye esteem Him
your Well-beloved, and the Standard-bearer among ten thousand (Cant.
v. 10). And it becometh Him full well to take the place and the
board-head in your soul before all the world. I knew and saw Him with
you in the furnace of affliction; for there he wooed you to Himself,
and chose you to be His; and now He craveth no other hire of you but
your love, and that He get no cause to be jealous of you. And,
therefore, dear and worthy lady, be like to the fresh river, that
keepeth its own fresh taste in the salt sea. This world is not worthy
of your soul. Give it not a good-day when Christ cometh in competition
with it. Be like one of another country. Home! and stay not; for the
sun is fallen low, and nigh the tops of the mountains, and the shadows
are stretched out in great length. Linger not by the way. The world
and sin would train you on, and make you turn aside. Leave not the way
for them; and the Lord Jesus be at the voyage!
Madam, many eyes are upon you, and many would be glad your Ladyship
should spill a Christian, and mar a good professor. Lord Jesus, mar
their godless desires, and keep the conscience whole without a crack!
If there be a hole in it, so that it take in water at a leak, it will
with difficulty mend again. It is a dainty, delicate creature, and a
rare piece of the workmanship of your Maker; and therefore deal gently
with it, and keep it entire, that amidst this world's glory your
Ladyship may learn to entertain Christ. And whatsoever creature your
Ladyship findeth not to smell of Him, may it have no better relish to
you than the white of an egg.
Madam, it is a part of the truth of your profession to drop words in
the ears of your noble husband continually of eternity, judgment,
death, hell, heaven, the honourable profession, the sins of his
father's house. He must reckon with God for his father's debt:
forgetting of accounts payeth no debt. Nay, the interest of a
forgotten bond runneth up with God to interest upon interest. I
knoweth he looketh homeward, and loveth the truth; but I pity him with
my soul because of his many temptations. Satan layeth upon men a
burden of cares above a load,[125] and maketh a pack-horse of men's
souls when they are wholly set upon this world. We owe the devil no
such service. It were wisdom to throw off that load into a mire, and
cast all our cares over upon God.
[125] A burden above a load, or a load above a burden, is a phrase for
a very heavy weight.
Madam, think ye have no child. Subscribe a bond to your Lord that she
shall be His if He take her; and thanks, and praise, and glory to His
holy name shall be the interest for a year's loan of her. Look for
crosses, and while it is fair weather mend the sails of the ship.
Now hoping your Ladyship will pardon my tediousness, I recommend your
soul and person to the grace and mercy of our sweet Lord Jesus, in
whom I am,
Your Ladyship's, at all dutiful obedience in Christ,