ST. ANDREWS, _May 26, 1658_.
CCCLIV.--_To my_ LADY KENMURE.
(_PREVAILING DECLENSION, DECAY, AND INDIFFERENCE TO GOD'S
DEALINGS--THINGS FUTURE._)
MADAM,--I should be glad that the Lord would be pleased to lengthen
out more time to you, that ye might, before your eyes be shut, see
more of the work of the right hand of the Lord, in reviving a now
swooning and crushed land and church. Though I was lately knocking at
death's gate, yet could I not get in, but was sent back for a
time.[509] It is well if I could yet do any service to Him; but, ah!
what deadness lieth upon the spirit! And deadness breedeth distance
from God. Madam, these many years the Lord hath let you see a clear
difference betwixt those who serve God and love His name, and those
who serve Him not. And I judge that ye look upon the way of Christ as
the only best way, and that ye would not exchange Christ for the
world's god, or their mammon, and that ye can give Christ a testimony
of "Chief among ten thousand." True it is that many of us have fallen
from our first love; but Christ hath renewed His first love of our
espousals to Himself, and multiplied the seekers of God all the
country over, even where Christ was scarce named, east and west, south
and north, above the number that our fathers ever knew.[510] But, ah!
Madam, what shall be done or said of many fallen stars, and many near
to God complying wofully, and sailing to the nearest shore? Yea, and
we are consumed in the furnace, but not melted; burned, but not
purged. Our dross is not removed, but our scum remaineth in us; and in
the furnace we fret, we faint, and (which is more strange) we slumber.
The fire burneth round about us, and we lay it not to heart. Grey
hairs are upon us, and we know it not.
[509] Reading the Letters _chronologically_, we are now within two
years of his death, but Lady Kenmure survived many years.
[510] How interesting is this notice of Revival, prefacing and
preparing the church for the days of sore trial that soon burst over
Scotland!
It were now a desirable life to send away our love to heaven. And well
it becometh us to wait for our appointed change, yet so as we should
be meditating thus: "Is there a new world above the sun and moon? And
is there such a blessed company harping and singing hallelujahs to the
Lamb up above? Why, then, are we taken with a vain life of sighing and
sinning? Oh, where is our wisdom, that we sit still, laughing,
eating, sleeping prisoners, and do not pack up all our best things for
the journey, desiring always to be clothed with our house from above,
not made with hands!" Ah! we savour not the things that are above, nor
do we smell of glory ere we come thither; but we transact and agree
with time, for a new lease of clay mansions. Behold, He cometh! We
sleep, and turn all the work of duties into dispute of events for
deliverance. But the greatest haste, to be humbled for a broken and
buried covenant, is first and last forgotten; and all our grief is,
the Lord lingereth, enemies triumph, godly ones suffer, atheists
blaspheme. Ah! we pray not; but wonder that Christ cometh not the
higher way, by might, by power, by garments rolled in blood. What if
He come the lower way? Sure we sin, in putting the book in His hand,
as if we could teach the Almighty knowledge. We make haste; we believe
not. Let the only wise God alone; He steereth well. He draweth
straight lines, though we think and say they are crooked. It is right
that some should die and their breasts full of milk; and yet we are
angry that God dealeth so with them. Oh, if I could adore Him in His
hidden ways, when there is darkness under His feet and darkness in His
pavilion, and clouds are about His throne! Madam, hoping, believing,
patient praying, is our life. He loseth no time.
The Lord Jesus be with your spirit.
Yours, at all obliged observance in Christ,