CCXLIX.--_To_ JAMES BAUTIE.
[JAMES BAUTIE, in 1637, seems to have been preparing for the
ministry. He became chaplain to the regiment of the Lord of Ards,
in Ireland, and was ordained minister over the Presbyterian
congregation at Ballywater, in the county of Down, in 1642. He
was clerk to the Presbytery in 1644. Refusing to take the oath of
fidelity to the Commonwealth in 1650, he was first imprisoned,
and then banished out of the kingdom. We know nothing of his
after history. Another person is found occupying his charge in
1661. The name "Bautie" is now unknown. It may, however, be the
same as "Beatie," or "Beattie," a name very common in
Dumfriesshire. But see note in the Index.]
(_SPIRITUAL DIFFICULTIES SOLVED._)
LOVING BROTHER,--Grace, mercy, and peace be unto you.--I received your
letter, and render you thanks for the same; but I have not time to
answer all the heads of it, as the bearer can inform you.
1. Ye do well to take yourself at the right stot[361] when ye wrong
Christ by doubting and misbelief. For this is to nickname Christ, and
term Him a liar, which being spoken to our prince, would be hanging or
beheading. But Christ hangeth not always for treason. It is good that
He may registrate[362] a believer's bond a hundred times, and more
than seven times a day have law against us; and yet He spareth us, as
a man doth the son that serveth him. No tender-hearted mother, who may
have law to kill her sucking child, would put in execution that law.
[361] The rebound of a ball. Ye do well to recall your thoughts ere
they have gone too far.
[362] A bond "registered" means kept on record, so that it cannot be
taken out.
2ndly, For your failings, even when ye have a set tryst with Christ,
and when ye have a fair, seen advantage, by keeping your appointment
with Him, and salvation cometh to the very passing of the seals, I
would say two things.--1. Concluded and sealed salvation may go
through and be ended, suppose you write your name to the tail of the
covenant with ink that can hardly be read. Neither think I ever any
man's salvation passed the seals, but there was an odd trick or slip,
in less or more, upon the fool's part who is infested in heaven. In
the most grave and serious work of our salvation, I think Christ had
ever good cause to laugh at our silliness, and to put us on His
merits, that we might bear weight. 2. It is a sweet law of the New
Covenant, and a privilege of the new burgh, that citizens pay
according to their means. For the New Covenant saith not, "So much
obedience by ounce-weights, and no less, under the pain of damnation."
Christ taketh as poor men may give. Where there is a mean portion, He
is content with the less, if there be sincerity; broken sums, and
little, feckless obedience will be pardoned, and hold the foot with
Him. Know ye not that our kindly Lord retaineth His good old heart
yet? He breaketh not a bruised reed, nor quencheth the smoking flax;
if the wind but blow, He holdeth His hand about it till it rise to a
flame. The law cometh on with three O-yeses, "with all the heart, with
all the soul, and with all the strength;" and where would poor folks,
like you and me, furnish all these sums? It feareth me (nay, it is
most certain), that, if the payment were to come out of our purse,
when we should put our hand into our bag, we should bring out the
wind, or worse. But the New Covenant seeketh not heap-mete, nor
stented obedience, as the condition of it; because forgiveness hath
always place. Hence I draw this conclusion: that to think matters
betwixt Christ and us go back for want of heaped measure, is a piece
of old Adam's pride, who would either be at legal payment, or nothing.
We would still have God in our common, and buy His kindness with our
merits. For beggarly pride is devil's honesty, and blusheth to be in
Christ's common, and scarce giveth God a grammercy, and a lifted cap
(except it be the Pharisee's unlucky, "God, I thank Thee"), or a bowed
knee to Christ. It will only give a "Good-day" for a "Good-day" again;
and if He dissemble His kindness, as it were in jest, and seem to
misken it, it in earnest spurneth with the heels, and snuffeth in the
wind, and careth not much for Christ's kindness. "If He will not be
friends, let Him go," saith pride. Beware of this thief, when Christ
offereth Himself.
3rdly, No marvel, then, of whisperings, Whether you be in the covenant
or not? for pride maketh loose work of the covenant of grace, and will
not let Christ be full bargain-maker. To speak to you particularly and
shortly:--1. All the truly regenerated cannot determinately tell you
the measure of their dejections; because Christ beginneth young with
many, and stealeth into their heart, ere they wit of themselves, and
becometh homely with them, with little din or noise. I grant that many
are blinded, in rejoicing in a good-cheap conversion, that never cost
them a sick night. Christ's physic wrought in a dream upon them. But
for that; I would say, if other marks be found that Christ is indeed
come in, never make plea with him because he will not answer, "Lord
Jesus, how camest Thou in? whether in at door or window?" Make Him
welcome, since He is come. "The wind bloweth where it listeth;" all
the world's wit cannot perfectly render a reason why the wind should
be a month in the east, six weeks possibly in the west, and the space
of only an afternoon in the south or north. Ye will not find out all
the nicks and steps of Christ's way with a soul, do what ye can; for
sometimes He will come in stepping softly, like one walking beside a
sleeping person, and slip to the door, and let none know He is there.
2. Ye object: The truly regenerate should love God for Himself; and ye
fear that ye love Him more for His benefits (as incitements and
motives to love Him) than for Himself. I answer: To love God for
Himself, as the last end, and also for His benefits as incitements and
motives to love Him, may stand well together; as a son loveth his
mother, because she is his mother, howbeit she be poor: and he loveth
her for an apple also. I hope ye will not say, that benefits are the
only reason and bottom of your love; it seemeth there is a better
foundation for it. Always,[363] if a hole be in it, sew it up shortly.
3. Ye feel not such mourning in Christ's absence as ye would. I
answer: That the regenerate mourn at all times, and all in like
measure, for His absence, I deny. There are different degrees of
mourning, less or more, as they have less or more love to Him, and
less or more sense of His absence; but, some they must have. Sometimes
they miss not the Lord, and then they cannot mourn; howbeit, it is not
long so; at least, it is not always so. 4. Ye challenge yourself that
some truths find more credit with you than others. Ye do well; for God
is true in the least, as well as in the greatest, and He must be so to
you. Ye must not call Him true in the one page of the leaf, and false
in the other; for our Lord, in all His writings, never contradicted
Himself yet. Although the best of the regenerate have slipped here,
always labour ye to hold your feet.
4thly, Comparing the state of one truly regenerate, whose heart is a
temple of the Holy Ghost, and yours, which is full of uncleanness and
corruption, ye stand dumb and discouraged, and dare not sometimes call
Christ heartsomely your own. I answer: 1. The best regenerate have
their defilements, and, if I may speak so, their draff-poke, that will
clog behind them all their days; and, wash as they will, there will be
filth in their bosom. But let not this put you from the well. I
answer: 2. Albeit there be some ounce-weights of carnality, and some
squint look, or eye in our neck to an idol, yet love in its own
measure may be found. For glory must purify and perfect our love, it
never will till then be absolutely pure. Yet, if the idol reign, and
have the whole of the heart, and the keys of the house, and Christ
only be made an underling to run errands, all is not right; therefore,
examine well. 3. There is a twofold discouragement: one of unbelief,
to conclude (and make doubt of the conclusion) for a mote in your eye,
and a by-look to an idol; this is ill. There is another discouragement
of sorrow for sin, when ye find a by-look to an idol; this is good,
and matter of thanksgiving. Therefore, examine here also.
[363] Notwithstanding.
5thly, The assurance of Jesus's love, ye say, would be the most
comfortable news that ever ye heard. Answer: That may stop twenty
holes, and loose many objections. That love hath telling in it, I
trow. Oh that ye knew and felt it, as I have done! I wish you a share
of my feast; sweet, sweet hath it been to me. If my Lord had not given
me this love, I should have fallen through the causeway of Aberdeen
ere now! But for you, hing on; your feast is not far off; ye shall be
filled ere ye go. There is as much in our Lord's pantry as will
satisfy all His bairns, and as much wine in His cellar as will quench
all their thirst. Hunger on, for there is meat in hunger for Christ.
Never go from Him, but fash Him (who yet is pleased with the
importunity of hungry souls) with a dish-full of hungry desires till
He fill you; and if He delay, yet come not ye away, albeit ye should
fall aswoon at His feet.
6thly, Ye crave my mind, whether sound comfort may be found in prayer,
when conviction of a known idol is present. I answer: (1st), An idol,
as an idol, cannot stand with sound comforts; for that comfort that is
gotten at Dagon's feet is a cheat or blaflume. Yet sound comfort, and
conviction of an eye to an idol, may as well dwell together as tears
and joy. But let this do you no ill; I speak it for your
encouragement, that ye may make the best of our joys ye can, albeit
you find them mixed with motes. (2ndly), Sole conviction (if alone,
without remorse and grief) is not enough; therefore, lend it a tear if
ye dow win at it.
7thly, Ye question; when ye win to more fervency sometimes with your
neighbour in prayer than when you are alone, whether hypocrisy be in
it or not? I answer, if this be always, no question a spice of
hypocrisy is in it, which should be taken heed to. But possibly
desertion may be in private, and presence in public, and then the case
is clear. A fit of applause may occasion by accident a rubbing of a
cold heart, and so heat and life may come; but it is not the proper
cause of that heat. Hence God, of His free grace, will ride His
errands upon our stinking corruption. But corruption is but a mere
occasion and accident; as the playing on a pipe removed anger from the
prophet, and made him fitter to prophesy (2 Kings iii. 15).
8thly, Ye complain of Christ's short visits, that He will not bear you
company one night; but when ye lie down warm at night, ye rise cold at
morning. Answer: I cannot blame you (nor any other that knoweth that
sweet Guest), to bemoan His withdrawings, and to be most desirous of
His abode and company; for He would captivate and engage the affection
of any creature that saw His face. Since He looked on me, and gave me
a sight of His fair love, He gained my heart wholly, and got away with
it. Well, well may He brook it! He shall keep it long, ere I fetch it
from Him. But I shall tell you what ye should do; treat Him well, give
Him the chair and the board-head, and make Him welcome to the mean
portion ye have. A good supper and kind entertainment maketh guests
love the inn the better. Yet sometimes Christ hath an errand
elsewhere, for mere trial;[364] and then, though ye give Him king's
cheer, He will away; as is clear in desertions for mere trial and not
for sin.
[364] Merely for the purpose of trying the soul, Christ goes away
elsewhere.
9thly, Ye seek the difference betwixt the motions of the Spirit in
their least measure, and the natural joys of your own heart. Answer:
As a man can tell if he joy and delight in his wife, as his wife; or
if he delight and joy in her for satisfaction of his lust, but hating
her person, and so loving her for her flesh, and not grieving when ill
befalleth her: so will a man's joy in God, and his whorish natural
joy, be discovered. If he be sorry for anything that may offend the
Lord, it will speak the singleness of his love to Him.
10thly, Ye ask the reason why sense overcometh faith, Answer: Because
sense is more natural, and near of kin to our selfish and soft nature.
Ye ask, If faith, in that case, be sound? Answer: If it be chased
away, it is neither sound nor unsound, because it is not faith. But it
might be and was faith, before sense did blow out the act of
believing.
Lastly, Ye ask what to do, when promises are borne-in upon you, and
sense of impenitency for sins of youth hindereth application. I
answer, if it be living sense, it may stand with application; and in
this case, put to your hand, and eat your meat in God's name. If
false, so that the sins of youth are not repented of, then, as faith
and impenitency cannot stand together, so neither that sense and
application can consist.
Brother, excuse my brevity; for time straiteneth me, that I get not my
mind said in these things, but must refer that to a new occasion, if
God offer it. Brother, pray for me. Grace be with you.
Yours, in his dearest Lord Jesus,