Rutherford Revised (251)

251.  To Lady Dungoueich    From Aberdeen 1637

(She was Sarah, sister to Marion M'Naught and married to Samuel Lockhart, merchant in Edinburgh.)

Mistress,- I long to hear from you and how you go on with Christ. I am sure that Christ and you once met. I pray you fasten your grips, There is holding and drawing and much sea way to heaven, and we are often seasick; but the voyage is needed so much, that we must on any terms ship with Christ. I believe we are going to a good country, and in this smoky house of the world in which we yet live, there is bad accommodation. Oh, that we should love smoke so well, and clay That holds our feet fast! It is our happiness to follow after Christ, and to anchor ourselves on he Rock in the upper side of the veil. Christ and Satan are now arranging parties. And they are blind who do not see Scotland divided into two camps, and Christ coming out with His white banner of love; and He hangs that over the heads of His soldiers. And the other captain, the Dragon, is coming out with a great√ black flag, and cries, 'The world, the world! Leisure, honour and a whole skin and sonft couch.' And there they lie and leave Christ to fend for Himself. 
  My advice is that you come out and leave the crowd, and let Christ have your company. Let them take clay and this present world who love it. Christ is a more worthy and noble part; blessed are those who get Him. It is good to make everything ready before the storm rises, and to be prepared to go to the camp with Christ, seeing He will not keep the house nor is at home witht hose seated. A shower for Christ is little enough. Oh I find all too little for Him! Wo, wp,wo,wo is me that I have no giftfor my Lord Jesus. My love is so worthless that it is a shame to offer it to Him! Oh if it was as broad as heaven's deeps the sea, I would gladly give it to Him! I persade you that God is crushing grapes of red wine for Scotland; and that this land will drink and vomit and fall. His enemies will drink the thick of it, and the dregs of it. But Scotland's withered tree will blossom again; and Christ will make a second marriage with her, and take her home, His wife out of the furnace. But if our eyes will see it, He knows who created time. Grace be with you.
   Yours, in his sweet Lord Jesus,  S.R.