CXXXIII.--_To the_ LADY BUSBIE.
[LADY BUSBIE is probably the mother-in-law of R. Blair,
Rutherford's intimate friend. R. Blair married Catherine,
daughter of Hugh Montgomery, Laird of Busbie, in Ayrshire, in
1635. In Welsh's "Life" mention is made of "Mouat of Bushby,"
eight miles from Ayr. He was father of Matthew Mouat of
Kilmarnock.]
(_COMPLETE SURRENDER TO CHRIST--NO IDOLS--TRIALS DISCOVER SINS--A FREE
SALVATION--THE MARRIAGE SUPPER_.)
MISTRESS,--Grace, mercy, and peace be to you.--I am glad to hear that
Christ and ye are one, and that ye have made Him your "one thing,"
whereas many are painfully toiled in seeking many things, and their
many things are nothing. It is only best that ye set yourself apart,
as a thing laid up and out of the gate, for Christ alone; for ye are
good for no other thing than Christ; and He hath been going about you
these many years, by afflictions, to engage you to Himself. It were a
pity and a loss to say Him nay. Verily I could wish that I could swim
through hell, and all the ill weather in the world, and Christ in my
arms. But it is my evil and folly, that except Christ come unsent for,
I dow not go to seek Him: when He and I fall a-reckoning, we are both
behind, He in payment, and I in counting; and so marches lie still
unredd, and accounts uncleared betwixt us. O that He would take His
own blood for counts and miscounts, that I might be a free man, and
none had any claim to me but only, only Jesus. I will think it no
bondage to be rouped, comprised, and possessed by Christ as His
bondman.
Think well of the visitation of your Lord; for I find one thing, which
I saw not well before, that when the saints are under trials, and well
humbled, little sins raise great cries and war-shouts in the
conscience; and in prosperity, conscience is a pope, to give
dispensations, and let out and in, and give latitude and elbow-room to
our heart. Oh, how little care we for pardon at Christ's hand, when we
make dispensations! And all is but bairns' play, till a cross without
beget a heavier cross within, and then we play no longer with our
idols. It is good still to be severe against ourselves; for we but
transform God's mercy into an idol, and an idol that hath a
dispensation to give, for the turning of the grace of God into
wantonness. Happy are they who take up God, wrath, justice, and sin,
as they are in themselves, for we have miscarrying light, that parteth
with the child, when we have good resolutions only. But, God be
thanked, that salvation is not rolled upon our wheels.
Oh, but Christ hath a saving eye! salvation is in His eyelids! When He
first looked on me, I was saved; it cost Him but a look to make hell
quit of me! Oh, but merits, free merits, and the dear blood of God,
were the best gate that ever we could have gotten out of hell! Oh,
what a sweet, oh, what a safe and sure way is it, to come out of hell
leaning on a Saviour! That Christ and a sinner should be one, and have
heaven betwixt them, and be halvers of salvation, is the wonder of
salvation. What more humble could love be? And what an excellent smell
doth Christ cast on His lower garden, where there grow but wild
flowers, if we speak by way of comparison. But there is nothing but
perfect garden flowers in heaven, and the best plenishing that is
there is Christ. We are all obliged to love heaven for Christ's sake.
He graceth heaven, and all His Father's house, with His presence. He
is a Rose that beautifieth all the upper garden of God; a leaf of that
Rose of God for smell is worth a world. O that He would blow His smell
upon a withered and dead soul! Let us, then, go on to meet with Him,
and to be filled with the sweetness of His love. Nothing will hold Him
from us. He hath decreed to put time, sin, hell, devils, men, and
death out of the way, and to rid the rough way betwixt us and Him,
that we may enjoy one another. It is strange and wonderful, that He
would think long in heaven without us; and that He would have the
company of sinners to solace and delight Himself withal in heaven. And
now the supper is abiding us. Christ, the Bridegroom, with desire is
waiting on, till the bride, the Lamb's wife, be busked for the
marriage, and the great hall be redd for the meeting of that joyful
couple. Oh, fools! what do we here? and why sit we still? Why sleep we
in the prison? Were it not best to make us wings, to flee up to our
blessed Match, our Marrow, and our fellow Friend.
I think, Mistress, that ye are looking thereaway, and that this is
your second or third thought. Make forward; your Guide waiteth on you.
I cannot but bless you for your care and kindness to the saints. God
give you to find mercy, in that day of our Lord Jesus; to whose saving
grace I recommend you.
Yours, in our Lord Jesus,