Vol 16 - TO THE LAIRD OF CALLY.

TO THE LAIRD OF CALLY.
WORTHY SIR,
GRACE, mercy, and peace, be to you! My suit to you is, that ye would lay the foundation sure in your youth. When ye begin to seek CHRIST, try, I pray you, upon what terms ye covenant to follow him, and lay your accounts what it may cost you; that neither summer nor winter may cause you to change your Master. Keep fair to him; and be honest and faithful, that he find not a breach in you. Surely, ye are now in the throng of temptation! When youth is come to its fairest bloom, then the Devil, and the lusts of a deceiving world, and sin, are upon horseback, and follow with upsails. If this were not, PAUL needed not to. have written to a holy youth, TIMOTHY, (a faithful Preacher of the Gospel,) " Flee youthful lusts." Give CHRIST your virginlove; you cannot put your love and heart in a better hand. O if ye knew him, and saw his beauty, your love, your heart, your desires, would close with him, and cleave to him. I would seek nothing more to make me happy for evermore, than a clear sight of the beauty of JESUS My LORD: let my eyes enjoy his fairness, and look him for ever in the face, and I have all that can be wished. Get CHRIST rather than gold or silver; seek CHRIST, although. ye should lose all things for him. GOD send me a full view of his beauty, if it be possible that my view of it can be full here: but much enjoyment of the love of CHRIST, in this world, needeth not to abate the desire of the soul to see him in the other world, where he is seen as he is. I am glad, with all my heart, that ye have given your morning age to this LORD: hold on, and weary not; faint not; resolve upon suffering for CHRIST; fear not ten days' tribulation, for CHRIST'S cross is sweetened with comforts, and has a taste of CHRIST himself. I esteem it my glory, my joy, and my crown; and I bless him for this honor, to be yoked with CHRIST, and married in suffering with him, who therefore was born, and therefore came into. the world, that he might hear witness to the truth. Take pains, above all things, for salvation; for, without running, fighting, sweating, wrestling, heaven is not taken. O happy soul, that crosseth nature, and delighteth to gain that crown of glory! The very hope of heaven is like wind and sails to the soul, and like wings, when the feet come out of the snare. O! for what stay we here Up, up, after our LORD JESUS! This is not our rest what have we to do in this prison, except only to take meat and houseroom in it for a time Grace, Grace be with you!
Your soul's well wisher, and CHRIST'S prisoner,
Aberdeen, 1637. S. It.