ABERDEEN, _March 7, 1637_.
CXIII.--_To his Reverend and Dear Brother_, MR. ROBERT DOUGLAS.
[ROBERT DOUGLAS, one of the ablest and most respected ministers
of the Church of Scotland in his day, was the illegitimate son of
Mr. Douglas, who was the son of Sir G. Douglas, Governor of
Lochleven Castle. (Wodrow's "Analecta," iv. 226.) Having finished
his preparations for the ministry, he was ordained to be chaplain
for the forces that served under the celebrated Gustavus of
Sweden. It is said that, in one of Gustavus' engagements,
surveying the battle from an eminence, and observing something
wrong in the left wing of the army which threatened to prove
disastrous, he either personally or by a messenger acquainted the
commanding officer with the circumstance, and that this
information led to victory. When he left the army, the Swedish
monarch parted with him reluctantly, saying, "There is a man who,
for wisdom and prudence, might be a counsellor to any king in
Europe. He might be a moderator to any assembly in the world; and
he might be a general to conduct any army, for his skill in
military affairs." (_Ibid._ iv. 221.) During this period, he
committed to memory the greater part of the Bible, having almost
no other book to read. Returning to his own country, he was
admitted colleague to Mr. James Simson, minister of Kirkcaldy, in
1630. Thence he was translated to Edinburgh in 1641. For a time
he was deceived by the duplicity of James Sharp, but at last he
detected his real character; and when the traitor (shortly before
he went up to London to be consecrated Archbishop) happened to
meet with him, and addressed him as "Brother," Mr. Douglas,
disgusted at his hypocrisy, exclaimed, "Brother! no more brother.
James, if my conscience had been of the make of yours, I could
have been Bishop of St. Andrews sooner than you." In 1669 he was
admitted indulged minister at Pencaitland, where he died at an
advanced age in 1674, and was buried in Edinburgh. (Wodrow's
"History" and "Analecta.")]
(GREATNESS OF CHRIST'S LOVE REVEALED TO THOSE WHO SUFFER FOR HIM.)
MY VERY REVEREND AND DEAR BROTHER,--Grace, mercy, and peace be to
you.--I long to see you on paper. I cannot but write you, that this
which I now suffer for is Christ's truth; because He hath been pleased
to seal my sufferings with joy unspeakable and glorious. I know that
He will not put His seal upon blank paper; Christ hath not dumb seals,
neither will He be a witness to a lie. I beseech you, my dear brother,
to help me to praise, and to lift Christ up on His throne above the
shields of the earth. I am astonished and confounded at the greatness
of His kindness to such a sinner. I know that Christ and I shall never
be even; I shall die in His debt. He hath left an arrow in my heart
that paineth me for want of real possession; and hell cannot quench
this coal of God's kindling. I wish no man to slander Christ or His
cross for my cause; for I have much cause to speak much good of Him.
He hath brought me to a nick and degree of communion with Himself that
I knew not before. The din and gloom of our Lord's cross is more
fearful and hard than the cross itself. He taketh the bairns in His
arms when they come to a deep water; at least, when they lose ground,
and are put to swim, then His hand is under their chin.
Let me be helped by your prayers; and remember my love to your kind
wife. Grace be with you.
Your brother, and Christ's prisoner,