ABERDEEN, _March 13, 1637_.
CXLI.--_To_ JAMES MACADAM.
[John Livingstone ("Histor. Relation"), along with Marion
M'Naught and other such, mentions John Macadam and Christian
Macadam of Waterhead, near Carsphairn, as eminent Christians. The
person to whom this letter is addressed may have been one of that
family. The famous road engineer in our day, Macadam, born at
Waterhead, was descended from this ancient family.
It seems that the Christian Macadam mentioned above was
afterwards Lady Cardoness; and because of her connection with
this correspondent of Rutherford's, we may give the inscription
on her tomb. The tomb is part of the enclosed pile close to the
old Anwoth church. The inscription is on the north side of the
pile:--
"Christian M'Adam, Lady Cardynes. Departed 16th June of 1628.
Ætatis suæ, 33.
"Ye gazers on the trophy of a tomb,
Send out one groan for want of her whose life,
Twice born on earth, now is in earth's womb.
Lived long a virgin, now a spotless wife.
Church keeps her godly life, the tomb her corpse,
And earth her precious name. Who then does lose?
Her husband? No, since heaven her soul doth gain."]
(_THE KINGDOM TAKEN BY FORCE._)
MY VERY DEAR AND WORTHY FRIEND,--Grace, mercy, and peace be to you. I
long to hear of your growing in grace, and of your advancing in your
journey to heaven. It will be the joy of my heart to hear that ye hold
your face up the brae, and wade through temptations without fearing
what man can do. Christ shall, when He ariseth, mow down His enemies,
and lay bulks[231] (as they use to speak) on the green, and fill the
pits with dead bodies (Ps. cx. 6; "the places"). They shall lie like
handfuls of withered hay, when He ariseth to the prey. Salvation,
salvation is the only necessary thing. This clay idol, the world, is
not to be sought; it is a morsel not for you, but for hunger-bitten
bastards. Contend for salvation. Your Master, Christ, won heaven with
strokes: it is a besieged castle; it must be taken with violence. Oh,
this world thinketh heaven but at the next door, and that godliness
may sleep in a bed of down till it come to heaven! But that will not
do it.
[231] Carcases; properly, the _trunk_, or _bulk_ of the man. In some
editions it is written "bouks;" but "_bulks_" is in all the old
editions.
For myself, I am as well as Christ's prisoner can be; for by Him I am
master and king of all my crosses. I am above the prison, and the lash
of men's tongues; Christ triumpheth in me. I have been casten down,
and heavy with fears, and haunted with challenges. I was swimming in
the depths, but Christ had His hand under my chin all the time, and
took good heed that I should not lose breath; and now I have gotten my
feet again, and there are love-feasts of joy, and spring-tides of
consolation betwixt Christ and me. We agree well; I have court with
Him; I am still welcome to His house. Oh, my short arms cannot fathom
His love! I beseech you, I charge you, to help me to praise. Ye have a
prisoner's prayers, therefore forget me not.
I desire Sibylla to remember me dearly to all in that parish who know
Christ, as if I had named them.
Grace, grace be with you.
Yours, in his sweet Lord Jesus,