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 Chrijlidn Reader , 
 
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 T HIS is a day that calls for mourning and la¬ 
 mentation, girding with facjccloth, &c. a day 
 of calamity and rebuke; a day wherein iniquity a 
 hounds, the life and power of godlinefs in a great 
 meafure decayed ; enemies high and Bourlihing; t’m. 
 work and people of God very low* And that ■ which 
 is an aiHi&ing ingredient in the cup, is this, that fuels 
 
 as feem to have the glory of (rod moil at heart 'are 
 taken^ away, and few {tiling their place, to appear 
 
 honeftiy in lilting, and keeping up, a faithful 
 te/iimony for the precious truths of Chuff, puu'Vdbid 
 with his own blood, although many pt;oieih* "' <s ^ 
 fame. But, alas! are too like the woman 
 not the true mother of the child, but arc-/;, 
 of our Lord’s ieffirnony, aliho*. we are eq v V 
 ed, by- covenant, to both the parts of ikj 
 againft a corrupt church and ftate. 
 
 The pious author of the foil 
 r/>rn in Crcchmcrc, Orr pariih > 
 year 1706, or f.oneft parents? 
 cation. And he lived, {top 
 and civil life, carefi 
 
 ., <.asdU,l in 2 / 
 
 religious duties; fuch as ' 
 morning; reading ‘of t. 
 helps ; careful and dili 
 ordinances, (being th 
 
 AS 
 
 
fe'nt elL *) and had Tome kind of. delight 
 
 therein, and loved them beft, who was moll pious. 
 
 He was tender as to the outward, in obferving the 
 Lord’s day; and when carelefs or remifs in any of 
 thefe, he wanted not the checks of a natural confci- 
 ericej yea, in the fight of man, he walked in both 
 the tables of the law blamelefs; and was thought to 
 be in no ill cafe by others, and under fecurity him- 
 felf little fearing his {fate. Thus continuing until 
 about the 21ft year of his age. Yet he told me feve- 
 ral times, that if he had died in that ftate he had liv¬ 
 ed, he was perfwaded he had died a ft ranger to that 
 grace of God that brihgeth falvation to fouls. And •. 
 about the forefaid time it pleafea the Lord, to take an 
 effectual dealing with him, by his word and fpirit, 
 powerfully convincing, and thoroughly awakening 
 him, making him to fee his loft ftate by nature, and 
 his inability and infulHciency to help himfelf; and 
 made him to fee fin, in his beft and moft folemn per¬ 
 formances ; the wandering of his heart in time of duty, 
 and, on the Lord’s day, became his great burden, 
 the Lord byhis word and fpirit difeovering to him, that ' 
 myf ^ of iniquity feated in the heart. Then he 
 r V felt fome thing of the need of a Saviour, and 
 
 «'puld not help himfelf in more or in lefs. This J 
 o\eed ftill growing, and the heart’s deceit he¬ 
 re and more laid home upon him, in fuch 
 that he was at the point of defpair, being 
 y, with the apprehenftons of an an- 
 ught, ready to deftroy, and con- 
 fhould deftroy him, he feeing \ 
 his greateft fins, becaufe gone \ 
 1 retted upon. About which 
 ■> do, and durft not tell his 
 l feeing the Lord to be 
 "ailing him. He thought 
 ’■hat great duty of fcjiwg 
 nind of the Lord con- / 
 cerning 
 
r 
 
 I 
 
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 I- 
 
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 t- 
 
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 tv] rfS 
 
 cerning his lamentable condition, ^ 
 bled in Mind what to do; for, to try that duty in the 
 day time, he thought it \*roulcf be known, then he re- 
 folved to try it upon the night $ yet fearful thoughts, 
 terrified him,which continued to prevail for fcimetime: 
 And he was frighted with night vifions and dreams. 
 He fixing upon a night, but the enemy prevailed fo far, 
 as to wreft the weapon out of his hand. This being 
 in the Winter feafon, his trouble remained until May. 
 He then-refolved upon another night, to try that 
 weighty duty, which accordingly he efiayed, upon the 
 twelfth night of May, 1726. and fpending that time 
 in prayer and felf examination, he being more and 
 more, as he thought, dead, lifelefs, and unconcerned, 
 then all hopes of being faved, was nigh loft. And thus 
 he continued until about fun rifing. And being about 
 to conclude, and leave the place, the Lord laid it 
 home upon his heart, that all he had been doing, was 
 ' but a butting of the branches, not touching the root, 
 which fet him to work a-hew, to feek a full view and 
 difcovery of thatfpringof corruption, that lyes ip the 
 heart. And fo being enabled, by the holy Spirit, to 
 take up, and apprehend the Lord Jefus Chrift, by fa- 
 ving Faith, being made willing, by a day of his pow¬ 
 er, to receive him in all his offices and relations, on 
 his own terms,without referve; and that with his whole 
 heart and foul, acquiefcing with the bleft device of fal- 
 vation, through Jefus Chrift, by faith, feeing it eve¬ 
 ry way fuiting his neceffity, a covenant ordered in all 
 things, and fure, which became all his falvatior 
 Then he was fomewhat fenfible of making applic 
 on to the bleft fountain opened for David’s houfe, 
 Jerufalem’s inhabitants, even the blood of the & 
 nant, for wafhing away the filth and pollution of fit’ 
 and for appeafing the wrath of a fin-revengir 
 The Lord at that time witneffing to the tru 
 threatnings, making him to believe, that 1 
 was liable to all the curfes of a broken law 
 
 A 3 
 
r vi ] 
 
 nnr.t, he . Mfelf to be the man that was guiltv, 
 
 and a child of wrath, as well 3s others. 
 
 But the ftorm was wonderfully changed into a fvveet 
 calm ; and at that time he could not tell the cafe he 
 was in, and whither forrow or joy moft prevailed. 
 By faith he faw the remedy, and believed the truth of 
 the promifes, having that fweet promife, Heb. 13.5. 
 
 1 ■will never have thee nor for fake thee, fealed upon his 
 foul; then he faw more than he could exprefs of his 
 own vilenefs and unworthinefs, and of the preciouf- 
 refs and worth of matchlefs Chriff. O! what he faw 
 of the free"grace, free mercy, and none-fuch free 
 love of God in Chrift Jefus, in the ranfoming and re- 
 deeming'of ele£l Tinners, and of himfelf in particular, 
 whom he faw the chief of finners! He then thought 
 he would doubt no more ; yet on the fame day he was 
 tempted to queftion the truth thereof, thinking the 
 words not the fame, as in the text, this put him to 
 try prayer again, and it pleafed the Lord to renew the 
 fame with power and life, and as much offenfible pre- 
 fence as his capacity could bear; which enjoyment, 
 he durft never altogether deny, to his dying day. 
 
 Now, this blcffed work being begun, which ap¬ 
 peared more and more in his after life and converfati- 
 cn, the Lord often renewing the intimations of his 
 love to his foul, and many other promifes he fet home 
 with power upon him, through the reft of his life, 
 which I cannot remember; and he did not record 
 them, being afraid of miftakes: they were moftly cn 
 ’ays he was his alone. It being his ordinary to obferve 
 c day in the month for falling, prayer, etc. Some 
 which I remember, were thefe following, viz. 
 one time, being like to queftion the truth and 
 Conftancy of the Lord’s loving-kindnefs, that promife 
 fet home with power, Ifa. 54. 10. For the monn- 
 ■ll depart , and the hills he removed , hut my io- 
 ■nejs Jhall not depart, etc. At another ome, 
 alone, that came fweetly in his way. 
 
 
 70 
 
. 'John 17. 10. All mins are thine v and thine are mine , 
 that the Lord helped him chearfully unto, and judged 
 it a blefled bargan. At another time, being under 
 heavinefs for the lofs of a foul friend, that was his 
 comfort in the 31ft of Jer. ver. 3. I have loved thee 
 with an everlajling love , etc. At another time, that 
 in the 12 th of If a. 1 ft ver. 1 was angry with thee , but 
 my anger is turned away. As alfo that in the 72 Ffal. 
 ver. 7. In God my glory placed is , and my falvation 
 fure. 
 
 He likewife told me time and place, when and 
 where, the Lord thus manifefted himfelf to him, by 
 thefe promifes, his frame before, in the time, and af¬ 
 ter, and (1.) Before, hewasufually under deep excr- 
 cifes, forrowing that he could not forrow, and be 
 rightly grieved for his fins. And-(2.) In the time 
 thereof, when the Lord’s word came, it healed him, 
 filled his heart with joy and peace in believing, and 
 brought light and life with it, which continued for fome 
 time, being under fome calmnefs and ferenity of fpi- 
 rit; then hatred at all fin increafed, and love to the 
 Lord and the concerns of his glory, was on the grow¬ 
 ing hand. When the Lord was fenfibly prefent, then 
 he rejoiced; but when abfent, thefe were his forrow- 
 Y ful hours; then nothing in the wojjd could revive 
 ' " him, until the cloud was removed again. 
 
 From the forefaid year, he longed to be at his fa¬ 
 ther’s lioufe; yea, and that when molt prospering, 
 both fpiritually and temporally, his defires then to be 
 away.were increafed; which continued until his dying 
 day. 
 
 Now, after the Lord thus manifefted himfelf to 
 his foul, he began to fearch into the defections and 
 backflidings of church and ftate ; and the Lord gave 
 him fuch knowledge thereof, that he d-urft' not conti- 
 nue to join in fuch a complex coUrfe of defection, 
 is joyntly carried on, by church and ftate, at thisd 
 neither could he have peace and faliefa&ion in (0 dos 
 t A 4. ' ’ 
 
[ viii ,] 
 
 yet, thinking it a bard and difficult matter for any, 
 to feparate from a church, although in many things 
 corrupt, until they, for themfelves, fee fufficient 
 grounds of reparation; and alfo fully perfwaded in 
 their own mind, of it’s being their duty, and what the 
 Lord iscalling them to, at this finning day. Thefe bore 
 fuch weigh? with him,that heheard fometimes, until the 
 year 1734. He never joined further than fimple hear¬ 
 ing; and that with little fatisfadion: promifcuous ad- 
 miffions to the Lord’s table was a great grief to him, 
 
 • which he feared was too much praCtifed by all parties in 
 thefe lands. 
 
 About 1734, the Lord clearing it to him, by his 
 word and fpirit, to be his duty to feparate from the pre¬ 
 sent Eraftian eftablifhment, of church and ftate, he 
 being made to fee, that lamentable defection they had 
 made, from the once attained to work of reformation, 
 of which guilt all ranks are chargeable before the Lord 
 this day; and he being convinced of his own guilt that 
 way, alfo confidering how deep covenant breaking 
 draws in fcripture, Ezek. 17. 19. As 1 live, faith 
 the Lord , mine oath that he hath defpifed , etc. Rom. 
 
 I. 31. 2 Tim. 3, 3. Likewife confidering his being 
 under thefe covenant tyes and obligations; as alfo how 
 far the Lord countenanced his people, in carrying on * 
 that glorious work, betwixt 1638, *and 1650 inclu- 
 five, when they entered into thefe covenants, to feek 
 the Lord, and to keep places of power and truft in 
 church and Hate, and army free of malignants, or per- 
 fons diflaffe&ed to the covenants, Neh. 5. 13. And 1 
 jhvck my lap and faid, Si God Jhake out from his houfe 
 and labour, every man that perf ormeth not thisprornife , 
 etc. But altho’ the greateit part foon broke thefe co¬ 
 venants, and left the right ways of the Lord, yet the 
 Lord left not himfelf without manv witnefies, but ftili 
 eeped upfome to teffify againft thefe backflidingcour- 
 and defections, whom he brought to the full view, 
 i right ftate of the teftimony, by degrees, until 
 
 Torvwd 1 
 
. [. Ix 3 
 
 Norwood excommunication, where they caft out the 
 tyrant’s intereft, acknowledging their fin, that the 
 fame was not done, „ when he brake the covenants, 
 and a<St of dalles. Then having the teftimony right¬ 
 ly dated , the Lord helped and honoured that fmall 
 remnant, not only to witnefs for, but alfo to feal that 
 caufe with their blood, in teftifying againfi; the fin* 
 of that day, and complyers of all forts; the makers of 
 antichriftian laws, as well as the executors thereof: 
 and that not fo much for their killing the faints, as for 
 their breaking God’s law and covenants, and their 
 robbing the Lord Jefus Chrift of his incommunicable 
 crown rights, and royal prerogatives, as King in Zion. 
 
 This fuffering period continued, untill it pleafed 
 the Lord to break the rod of oppreJTors in part, and 
 gave temporal deliverance, when the prince of Orange 
 came in, in the year 1688. But alafs? Z ion yet 
 undelivered ! he being received, and 
 
 et up, contrary 
 
 to the word of God, Deut. 17. 15. and oath of the 
 
 covenant being a ftranger, and of idolatrous princi¬ 
 ples, and fworn at his coronation to be of the commu¬ 
 nion of the church of England , and to maintain pre¬ 
 lacy, diametrically oppofite to the word of God, and 
 reforming laws of thefe lands. 
 
 For alfo the then reprefentatives of thefe lands, had 
 forfeited their right to reprefent, the Britilh parliament 
 at the revolution, being made up of luch as bad taken 
 away the lives of the Lord’s witneffes, and not brought 
 to condign punilhment, according toa&sand laws of 
 church and {fate, betwixt 1638, and 1656. Alfo, 
 the church, at the time &forefaid, was e r afHanly fet¬ 
 tled by the ftate, (witnefs the a£is at that time, and 
 the claim of right,) and made up of fcandalous mem¬ 
 bers: fuch as, (1.) The indulged ; and, (2.) Silent 
 minivers, who lay by from the difcharge of the mini- 
 ftrym the dayof trial, when raoft need was. And, (3.) 
 Curates, to the number of three hundred and fixty 
 five, that took their collations frombifhipsj who. in 
 
 the? 
 

 [ X ] 
 
 their lives, were fcandalous and prophane; many of 
 which had their hands deeply imbrued in the blood 
 of the faints, of thefe three kind% were the firft aflem- 
 bly at the revolution made up; and they were receiv¬ 
 ed, without being brought to acknowledge their for¬ 
 mer unfafthfulnefs, apoftacies, and backfiiding, cour- 
 fes of covenant breaking: yea, alas for it! fo far were 
 they from this, that upon the contrary, MefT. Shields 
 Linning, and Boyd , were required to acknowledge it 
 as their fin, their former faithfulnefs in joining that 
 remnant, who was jeoparding their lives upon the 
 high places of the fields, for their dear Lord and 
 mafter’s honourable caufe and declarative glory. The 
 truth of this will the more plainly appear, if we con- 
 fider this, that neither at, nor fince the revolution, in 
 any of their pretended aflemblies, they never gaye a 
 publickand faithful teftimony againfi all the incroach- 
 ments made upon the right and priviledges of the 
 church, and fhending the blood of the Lord’s people, 
 becaufe of their firm adherance to his truths; nor yet 
 have they ever given their public approbation of the 
 faithful contendings of thefe witnefles, who loved not 
 their lives unto the death. 
 
 From all which, it is too evident, that profeft mi- 
 • niftersar.d magiftrates in thir, lands, at this day, hath ^ 
 ferved themfelves heirs to all thefe iinful courfes, and 
 the .b'ood-fhed of the Lord’s witnefles, Jer. 2. 34.. 
 Mo, in thy fir is is found the blood of the fouls of the 
 ■f oot innocents , etc. Luke II. 50, 51. That the blood 
 of all the prophets , etc. Yet it is a fignal token of the 
 Lord’s great goodnefs to thefe lands, that he hath ftill 
 continued and kept up a remnant to witnefs for his 
 truths, and kingly power, againft both a corrupt 
 church and ftate. 
 
 And our author ever faw an inconfiftancy in fepa- 
 rating from the church, and not from the ftate like- 
 V-’ife, for thefe reafons, (1.) Becaufe we were re¬ 
 formed both in a civil and eclefiaftick capacity, (2.) 
 
 Becaufe I 
 
f xi ] 
 
 ' Becaufe we are equally bound in our folemn covenant-, 
 tyes to both parts of this reformation ; as alfo the acts- 
 i and laws of both church and Hate, as they are record¬ 
 ed in our informatory vindication. (-3.) BecaufS bpth 
 at the revolution were eraftianly mixed, and corruptly 
 fettled, upon an anti fcriptural foundation-, "(4^) 
 Becaufe both have broken thefe covenants and good 
 laws of the land, and are eqi 11 carrying on a courfe of 
 covenant breaking and uiu pacion, which ftill began 
 at the ftate, and fo mainly to be teftified againft. (5.) 
 Becaufe the pretened Briiijh parliaments are made up of 
 malignants, and lordly bdhops; (the civil places and 
 powers of kirk men condemned by the word ofGod,and 
 1 reforming laws of the land) and prelacy being abjured 
 by the covenants. (6.) Becaufe they both profefs and 
 praftife a power in church matters; that being for* 
 merly declared to be effential to the crown: yet fome 
 hath the confidence to affirm it, that, that explanatory 
 aft, among others, are refcinded ; juft as Saul faid 
 too confidently and falfely to Samuel , that he badper- 
 formed the Lord’s command concerning the Amalekites, 
 I Sam. 15. 13. to whom Ifhall onlyanfwer, as Samuel 
 to Saul, 14* 15* And Samuel faid , what meanetb 
 
 ( the bleating of the fheep in mine ears , and the lowing of 
 the oxen which I hearP What means the contrary 
 praftifed by the fo called kings fince the revolution;; 
 fucb as their impofing of finful oaths, in lieu of the 
 covenants, as minifterial qualifications, Adis 23. for 
 fettling the quiet and peace of the church, frlne 12th, 
 1603? alfo calling and adjourning of\iflemblies*by 
 vertue of their own power, as was foon praftifed af¬ 
 ter that fettlement, the affembly being called and 
 adjourned, that for more than two ye- rs there was 
 not an affembly holden in aUScotlandl O! heaven dare- 
 ing usurpation and fupremacy ! likewife appointing 
 caufes and diets of faffing to be obferved under pain of 
 penalty? alfo the oath of fupremacy included in the 
 bofom of that aft concerning captain Partem, impofed 
 - in 
 
[ xii ] 
 
 in the year *737? by which it is evident, (whatever 
 fome may ignorantly fay,) that none can fo much as 
 own their power in civil things, without being guilty; 
 and in fo far are confenting to the robbing the Lord 
 Jefus Chrift of his kingly power: for, as Mr. Cargill 
 fays in his dying teftimony, it is but a cheating of the 
 confcience to do otherwife, than fully caft of fuch as 
 thus robs the Lord of his glory; for feeing it is made 
 eflential of the crown, their is no diftindtion we can 
 make, that can free the confcience of the acknowled¬ 
 ger, from being a partaker of this facrilegious robbing 
 of Gcd. . ' 
 
 Thefe things above mentioned are fome of the main 
 grounds and reafons of his withdrawing from the pre- 
 fent eftablifhment of church and date, becaufe he was 
 convinced from the word of God, that the owning of 
 them, 2s now corrupted, was no lefs to him, than a 
 walking contrary to the word of God, and our folcrnn 
 engagements; and in fo far, atrampling upon the blood 
 of a famous cloud of witnefTes. And things greatly 
 prevailed with him, feeing thir nations had fo far 
 changed their God and their glory, in fetting up idols 
 of jealoufy, prelacy, and the fupremacy, contrary to 
 our folemn vows to the moll high God. 
 
 He being now, for fome time alone, and none to * 
 join with him, andfeeking light and direction from the 
 Lord, was helped to take up his ground, where flood 
 that famous and faithful minifter and martyr of Jefus 
 Chrift, Mr. James Renwick ; who, with the party 
 that adhered *o him, came through along fiery trial, 
 with a well ftated teftimony for our Lord’s royal pre¬ 
 rogatives. And fo he joined with a remnant of thefe 
 that yet adhere to that teftimony for truth, handed 
 down to pofterity, who is endeavouring, (tho’ in great 
 vveaknefs,) to cleave clofe to our covenants: and re¬ 
 formation, who are looked upon, as the worlds fools 
 and maa-men, by thefe led away with the defection, 
 and glorying in that which is their fhame. And he 
 
 died 
 
i . [ xiu ] 
 
 died in fhe faith of it, that the Lord will keep up a 
 remnant, (however few,) from the common polluti¬ 
 ons, untill he return again, and revive his work and 
 people, when the glory of the fecond temple Avail 
 exceed that of the former, and no more a Cana anile 
 L in the houfe of the Lord. 
 
 Now, concerning the time of his late diftrefs and 
 death. His pain in his fhoulder and left arm began in 
 Feb. 3d, 1748. and came to fome height againft the 
 h middle of Feb. then it increafed by degrees; fo that, 
 for fometime, wcarifome days and nights was appoint- 
 * ed for him; yet he had it to fay, that the Lord’s good- 
 nefs and mercy held him up, and was his flay, Pfai. 
 84. 18. For the fpace of two months time, he was 
 l'orely tofled up, and down, fieep departed from his 
 eyes: and he often faid, that the Lord was good to 
 . him; feeing it pleafed God to deprive him of fleep and 
 jieft in the night, he likewife took away all anxious 
 defires that way; faying, his mercy many times pre¬ 
 vented him; for thefe nights he feared moil how to 
 v win through, thefe were his eafteft nights. He was 
 helped patiently to wait for the out gate ; fo that the 
 Lord left him not fo far as deliberatly to queftion his 
 ftate, or to quarrel at his holy will in afflicting him; 
 $ but in a great meafure furnifhed him with new ftipplV 
 every day in helping him through the trial. About 
 the2ift, of April, when, at a great height of aching 
 pain, it pleafed the Lord to give it a commifflo'n to go 
 through the reft of his body. Then he was confined 
 to bed, and death daily expeded; and at that time, 
 he was now and then dropping a word to the com¬ 
 mendation of free grace, and telling part of what the 
 Lord had done for his foul. He aimed to give his Left: 
 cpunfel and laft advice to friends and neighbours, as 
 the Lord helped him, and brought it in his way; If I 
 \ could relate the fame, it would be too volumnious, 
 therefore I fhall only give you the account of the nature 
 of his adrefs, in as few words as I can. 
 
 | , . When 
 
i _ , r xiv j 
 
 When at one time his difl'olution feemed to oe near, 
 feverals being: in the houfe, and he being under more 
 than an ordinary gaie of the Spirit, brake forth in the 
 commendation of free grace,bleffing the Lord for what 
 he had done for his foul, faying, he was a brand pluckt 
 out of the burning. He gave account of time and 
 place of his conversion ; and that he was fully confirm¬ 
 ed of bis inteieft in the Lord Jefus Chrift, from fure 
 fcripture grounds and evidences. He told them, that 
 the Lord had brought him thrpugh near three months 
 of a fbarp trial,yet mercifully dealt with him. He like- 
 wife put them in mind of the wrath of God, that the 
 wicked in hell are bound over unto, faying, Suppofe 
 the pains of hell were no worfe to endure, than that 
 fmall trial of a continuing aching pain, that is in my 
 arm, yet he thought it would put him out of his right 
 mind, to be allured of being bound over to fuch a pain, 
 through never ending eternity, to have no reft day I 
 nor night; yet nothing, lefs than nothing in compa- j 
 rifon of the wrath of God, that ail the impenitent and 
 unconverted fnall undoubtedly be bound over unto, 
 and no eviting oft'. O! fly, fly faft from the wrath 
 ro come: time will not tarry. He put them in mind j 
 of the fhortnefs of their time, and the greatnefs of 
 their work, the precioufnefs of the foul, faying, O 
 the worth and immortality of the foul! better than 
 millions of world’s; that no lefs could r2nfom and re¬ 
 deem, than the precious blood of the eternal Son of 
 God. O the difficulty, and yet the necelfity of con- 
 verfion work. Except ye be born again , ye cannot fee 
 the kingdom of God , John. 3. 3. 
 
 Saying, us before, he now feems to be dying, be¬ 
 ing now near twenty two years in Chrift Jefus allured 
 of his interdf, if his heart deceived him not; and fince 
 he had looked upon the world, and things therein, j 
 but as a vvilderncfs and flrange land: and had been 
 longing to be at his Father’s houfe. And he then re- 
 joyced to think of the time being at hand, of the con- 
 
 uma'ion 
 
t 
 
 [ XV ] 
 
 fumation of the marriage; when all his troubles fliould 
 evanifh in a moment, and forever be forgot. Hede- 
 fired others to praife the Lord, for bisrfree love and 
 tender mercies towards him, a poor withered ihrub, 
 lefs than the left of his mercies. He expreft his great 
 concern for the fouls of others thus, that notwithstand¬ 
 ing of his great defire to be at his Father’s houfe, vet 
 if it pleafed the Lord to fpare him, and to make him 
 inftrumentai of doing good to any poor thing that be¬ 
 long to him, he would willingly fufpend heaven for a 
 time; yea, if he fhould harle him through hell, if it 
 were a mean to win any poor foul to Chrift, he de- 
 fired chearfully to fubmit. He likewife put them in 
 mind of original Sin, by the the breach of the firft co¬ 
 venant in Adam ; faying, O! dig deep; be not 
 Fight and overly in that fearch. O ! pray that the 
 Lord may fearch all the nooks and fecret chambers of 
 your hearts, fearching for iniquity, until there be 
 none. Search as upon life and death; for there is no 
 lefs at the ftake. And any one fin allowed off, and' 
 given way to, will ruin the whole foul. There will 
 be no excufe; for, in his bleffed word, he hath fet 
 the way of life and death before us, faying, choofe one. 
 O ! be fo wife in time, as to make fuch a right choice, 
 as ye fhall never have caufe to rue. Speaking of conver- 
 fion, hefaid,I thinkthe Lord’s ordinary way inbringing 
 in poor things to himfelf, is firft to convince and make 
 fenfible of their mifery, before they come to fee, and 
 take up the remedy: and fo wounds them by a law- 
 work J before he heal them with the fvveet calm voice 
 of thetgofpel. He gave them feveral marks and evi¬ 
 dences of that real, inward change, and thorough 
 converfion work, earneftly defiring to try themfelves 
 by thefe, left they fliould but deceive, and be deciev- 
 ed, and meet with a fad difappointment in the end. 
 fome of which marks you’ll find in his following let¬ 
 ters, for which reafon I forbear. 
 
 He earneitly befeeched them, to fet about the im¬ 
 provement 
 
ik t . ™ ] 
 
 provement of precious time ; the time of youth, the 
 time of health and flrength : O be diligent in duties ! 
 flip no opportunities of doing and getting' good : for I 
 may fay, that I know it in part from experience, that 
 the time of trials and afflidtions will have enough ado 
 with themfelvcs, therefore do not delay or put off the 
 great work till laft : for I am now in a great meafure 
 laid by, unfit for duty. Some faying that they were 
 Jforry to fee him in that cafe, to whom he replied, al¬ 
 though he was confined within the four ports of that 
 bed, yet he was in no ill cafe, and was heartily fals¬ 
 ified and content with his lot; and was longing and 
 waiting for the day of his difiolution, which he hoped 
 was near obtained, when all his tears fhould for ever 
 be wiped away ; and he fhould for ever be fully free’d 
 from a body of fin and death, that had long clogged and 
 born him down in the way of duty heaven-ward. He * 1 
 hoped to win to his Father’s houfe, for ever to be with 
 the Lord. He frequently was made to wonder at the 
 free love and grace of God in Chrift Jefus: and in par¬ 
 ticular, in parting by others, in many things far be¬ 
 yond him. And in pitching upon fuch a poor withe¬ 
 red fhrub, and heir of hell, as by nature he was. But 
 herein was his free grace and love manifefted towards 
 him; and it was only that which made him to differ 
 from others, both with refpedfc to his own ftate, 
 and the fin and duty of the day. He told them that 
 he had full peace and fatisfa&ion in what he had done, 
 concerning the caufe and teftimony, that for force time 
 he had profeffed to own; and that he was fully per- 
 fwaded in his own mind, from feripture and reafon, 
 that that honourable caufe is the Lord’s (which thefe 
 lands once thought it their glory to own,) viz. Be¬ 
 tween 1638, and 1650: and he will plead it; yea, 
 tho’ all now in being owning that good caufe were 
 taken away, yet the Lord will not leave himfelf with¬ 
 out witnefles, for that fame caufe, until he return 
 |he captivity, and the fet time of Z ion's deliverance > 
 
 come. 
 
[ XVii | 
 
 Come. It was his grief that he joined To lohg With 
 .thefe that had betrayed our Lord’s caufe and intereft, 
 faying, alas! that I went on fo long in joining thefe cor¬ 
 rupt courfes, carried on by all ranks! alas! that I have 
 not been more for the Lord and his noble caufe than 
 I have been! alas! for my untendernefs and unfaith- 
 fulnefs in the concerns of his glory! but he hath, and 
 will (I hope) blot out my tranfgreffions. 
 
 Some afked his judgment of that new feci called the 
 Seceders and Affociates , (another name than ever any 
 of our Lord’s teftimony-fcearers took to themfelves,) 
 but no wonder, for a new way of {fating their tefti- 
 t mony, and a new fcheme of dodtrine* in many filing* 
 contrary to the word of God, and judgment of all our 
 found orthodox divines, in our reforming and contend¬ 
 ing periods; and favours ftrongly of antinomianifm* 
 I muft do the juftice to tell the reader* that he Was iio 
 favourer of that new way, but held by the word of 
 God, confeffion of faith, and judgment of found di¬ 
 vines particularly, fuch as Mr. Giilefpie , one the ark 
 of the covenant and of the tefiament ; Mr. Rutherfocrd 
 on the covenant , and trial and triumph of faith ; 
 Durham on Revelation ; Mr. Brown on jujlification * 
 Mr. Dickfon , on cafes of confcience^ etc. iiuttore- 
 f turn to his own reply. He faid, that they had made 
 a profeffion of owning his caufe, but they have not 
 taken up ground rightly, nor the true ffate of our 
 Lord’s teftimony. And I greatly fear that they have 
 been a mean to fettle many a poor ignorant, miftn- 
 forined foul, upon their lies; both as to their own 
 cafe, and the teftimony of the day : being great flat¬ 
 terers of thefe of their own way; and great cenfurers* 
 yea, rafh, and unwarantable, unprecedented* unfea- 
 fonable cenfurers of thefe that are not of their perfwa j 
 (ion. I think they are, sna fhaii be yet further dif- 
 covered; and will not be honoured of the Lord to work 
 any publick deliverance 
 
 h Ha 
 
[ xviil '] 
 
 He was charitable as to his private judgment of pri¬ 
 vate perfons ftates, and middled not to judge that way. 
 
 It pleafed the Lord to bring him back, beyond his 
 expectation, to endure here two year^affliction, being 
 ftill in the furnace; and for fome more then three 
 months was confined to his bed ; and fo far laid, that 
 he could not turn himfelf, but as others did it for him : 
 all which tfine he was helped to endure with a holy 
 patience, and a chearful fubmiffion, although his 
 pains fometimes were very pinching. For which 
 three months, death was daily expected ; and many 
 vifitsbeing made him,he,as formerly,aimed to renew his 
 laft advice; {tillcommending free grace, religion, and 
 godlinefs, yi the life and power thereof; and the way 
 he had followed for feveral years in which he had 
 peace, and in no doubt about; but ay more and more 
 confirmed in the truth thereof; and defired to praife 
 the Lord that ever brought him to the knovvledgc 
 thereof, and honoured him to own that honourable 
 caufe, fealed with the blood of fo many famous 
 vvitnefies. 
 
 As his affiiCtion grew, his patience grew, kindly 
 fubmitting to his Mafter’s will, acknowledging him 
 juft ; feeing a-needs-be for it, and that it was feafon- 
 able, being better to be hedged in with thorns, rather * 
 then go out of his way ; faying. If he took him through 
 hell, (as it weie,) and gave him heaven at laft, it 
 was well. 
 
 'l ake this as a very fhort abridgement of. his laft 
 advice, which he gave according to their relations and 
 ilations in the world, bound or free, married or un¬ 
 married ; defiring matters and parents to confider the 
 tyes and charges they lye under ; ye have the charge 
 of fouls upon you ; and if any of thefe perifh through 
 your fault, their blood will be required at your hand. 
 
 Q !-confider what it is for you to have the charge of 
 fouls ! and v allow your fervants and chTldren time to 
 ferve the Lei J ; and take account of their deligence 
 
 . > that ! 
 
% 
 
 [ xlx ] 
 
 that way, and command or reprove as ye find heedful. 
 Alas! the fad account that many will have to make : 
 remember your Matter is in heaven, you that the * 
 Lord have given children, as Pharaoh’s daughter faid 
 to Mcfes’s mother, Take that child , and bring him up 
 for mS\ To the Lord hath given you thefe children, 
 faying, Bring them up for me. I think parents fhould 
 feek their children from the Lord, and when born, 
 give them back to him ; yea, as foonasyecan be 
 concerned for their falvation, to pray with them and 
 for them; to bring them up in the fear, nurture, and 
 admonition of the Lord ; telling them of their fall in 
 Adam , and the way of recovery through Chrift Jefus, 
 as foon as they are capable of taking up good or ill; ' 
 
 and if ye do not, fad will your account be. As to 
 fervants and children, thefe he exhorted to be obedient 
 to their matter’s and parents, in the Lord ; not with 
 eye fervice, but fingle, as to the Lord, etc. Re¬ 
 member to love, fear, and obey the Lord, in the days 
 of your youth. O! beware of the evil cuttoms and 
 polutions of youth, and of the day and age ye live in! 
 woes me to think of the evil example ye have at this 
 day ! O ! ttudy to obferve both the tables of the law, 
 without referve! O! half not your duty ! negledl not 
 prayer, evening.and morning alone, and in families; 
 and be watchingan opportunity for prayer through the 
 day : and that time which others fpend in their paf- 
 times, fteal away quietly alone, and pour out your 
 hearts before the Lord, as he enables : and duty at 
 that time, may be more refrefhing than at other times. 
 
 I like not their religion that is put off with their 
 morning and evening devotion. O! be tender of 
 the Lord’s day ; fpend the whole time in the exercife 
 of his own appointment: fpeak not your own words; 
 think not your own thoughts.; nor find your own 
 pleafures, upon his holy day, If a. 58. 13. Join not 
 the companies of fuch as takes freedom to fpeak wordly 
 difcourfe on his day. Mind that the eyes of an all- 
 
 feeing ■ 
 
' [ XX ] 
 
 feeing God, the heart fearching and rein trying one, 
 are upon you always, Heb. 4. 12. and fees and knows 
 in fecret. Live within light of death, judgment, and 
 eternity ; and daily preparing for the fame, as if every 
 day were your laft. O ! be always upon your watch 
 tower, with your loins girt, your lamps burning, left 
 ye meet with a mid-night furprifal,being unarmed and 
 unprepared. 
 
 The Lord’s word was made his comfort in his afHidlion, 
 thefe forementioned promifes were renewed to him in his 
 JDiltrefs, and many others that I cannot remember: many 
 times he took farewell of all things in the world, and com¬ 
 mitted his foul to the Lord, thinking death at hand Some^T 
 few hours before his being aiked, what he thought of death-, * 
 and the way he had been owning; as to the way he had peace 
 and clearnels, but concerning death he was not without fear; 
 yet,believing it was unftmged : he longed to be at it, and well 
 when at his fathers houfe. When fears that way arife, that 
 word was fweetly brought in mifywy,There is hope in thine end. 
 
 So I hope all ihall be well with me in the end. And being 
 very low, the let time come, and the work fully finifhed, ’us 
 hoped he fdl aficcp in the Lord, 5th of April, about clay t 
 break in the year 175:0. And them which fleep in Jefus , will 
 Ged bring w'ith him. —Befidcs thefe letters, there is 5 times 
 perfonal covenanting, and 4 years private caufes of falls, 
 twelvetimes in the year, all drawn up by himfcJf, which far 
 the time is purpofely omitted. 
 
 Chriftian reader, To detain thee longer from the perufnl of 
 
 thefe religious letters, I forbear. Thou will line! in them 
 
 great concern for the glory of God, and the falvation of 
 foals, the corning and increah of our Lord's kingdom, which 
 
 lay near his heart, they are plain and eafy, not a high flighty 
 llile, or for a vain glorious oltentation, but for the private 
 edification of thofe lie fent them to. Read and confider them 
 carefully and diligently. Lay afide ail prejudice and a party 
 fpicit, lb much prevailing at this day. Any miltakes or ef- 
 capes in writing, or tranlcribing pore not on, carp not at: 
 receive what may be for thy edification, blefs the Lord far 
 it. That the fame may encourage and rellote the heart ol 
 the godly, convince, awaken and win gain-fayeis, i« thee.tr- 
 nctl defire and fincere prayer ol him, who defires to Be thy 
 wtll-wHher, John Curs. 
 
[ i 3 
 
 WILLIAM SMITH’S LETTE R’s. 
 
 LETTER I. 
 
 Wo Thomas Affleck, in Congonth Kirk-Gnnzeon. 
 
 '; Christian Friend, 
 
 I Thought it not unproper to fend you thefe few 
 lines, at this time, tho’ but confuled, hoping 
 you will not take it ill at my hand that I ufe this free¬ 
 dom with you ; Chriftian freedom and love being'much • 
 decayed, from among the people of God, altho 8 it hath 
 been fweet and defireable to many of the Lord’s children, 
 in all periods of the church, it being followed with his 
 Itgnal prefence: but it may be difcerned by any think¬ 
 ing, exercifed foul, that the.Spirit of God is in a great 
 meafure withdrawn from ofdinances, both publick and 
 private, at this day; which indeed ought to be caufe of 
 mourning and humiliation to all the people of God,who 
 ought always to btpr effing forward towards the mark 
 and prize of the high calling of God in Chrifl fefus ; but 
 inftead of this there is a woful neuterality and indiffe- 
 rency in the matters of our Lord Jefus Chrift, that hath 
 feized upon the generality and mold part of this genera¬ 
 tion, fo that there is few that can difcern between fin 
 and duty, pretence and abfence. There is gfeat’caute 
 to be crying out with Jeremiah, O ! that my head were 
 as wavers, and mine eyes as a fountain of tears, that l 
 
 A ' might 
 
f 
 
 . .[ * ] 
 
 might weep in the night andday for mine oivn and the 
 lands fms ; for furely when the Lord leaves a perfon, a 
 family, a congregation, or a common-wealth, it is ftill 
 fin upon their part that is the procuring caufe thereof: 
 and it is therefore our duty to be examining our felves, 
 to try that we be not that Achan in the camp of Ifrael, 
 that is the caufe of his departure from us and the land. 
 
 Dear friend, you know how it hath been with you 
 fince the laft time I fpoke with you, at feme length, 
 fome confiderable time ago, tho’ I do look upon you 
 to be more capable for giving me a fuitablc advice, than 
 I am to give to you, yet allow me alittle, as it were, 
 to fharpen year fpirit, that you may be making another 
 errand to heaven. O the little employment that we 
 are giving to our blefled Lord this day ! for tho’ he well 
 knows our wants, cafe, and condition, and what we 
 have need of, yet he declares, from his word, that 
 he’ll be enquired of by the houfe of Ifrael, to do thefe 
 things for them ; for he likes it well to have his chil¬ 
 dren homely with him : but, alas! the moft part are 
 Satisfying themfelves with going about the externals of 
 religion, and are refting on and contenting them¬ 
 felves with, (I mean) their morning and evening 
 devotion, and there attendance upon publick ordinan¬ 
 ces ; and fo thinks, with themfelves, they are in the j 
 , fair way to heaven ; no, no *, it will not be every one 
 that fays, Lord, Lord , fall enter into the kingdom of 
 heaven. T he word of God founds an alarm unto us, 
 faying, Strait is the gate , and narrow is the ivay , that 
 lea'deth to life, and few there be that find it. It were 
 our great intereft to be examining ourfelves, fo as to be 
 getting counts cleared and marches rid betwixt the. 
 Lord and our own fouls, while he is in treating 
 terms with us, before it be too late, and before it be 
 hid from our eyes. The foolifh virgins had lamps, I 
 mean, the leaves of a profeflion, and came a very 
 great length, to the very door of mercy, and yet the 
 Lord declared, that he did not know them, and bade 
 
 them 
 
them depart. So, dear friend, we had need to be 
 making fure work between the Lord and poor fouls ; 
 and to plead with him, that he would bring us out 
 of all falfe rcfts and grounds; fo as that we may not 
 reft on any thing here fhort of his bleft fdf j fo that 
 we may experience the work of God upon cur own 
 fouls. 
 
 I {hall propofe three or four marks which we may 
 try ourfelves by. ift, If the teftrmony of the fbirit of 
 -God be vyitnefling with our fpirits that we are his 
 Children. 2dly,' If we have an high eReem of his 
 word, in finding it the power of God, in its power¬ 
 ful effects, as to convince, awaken, and wound the 
 confidence ^ and then to find it thus, as to rejoice and 
 Comfort the heart under the deepeft aiftrefs, as it is in 
 the 19. Pfal. 3dly, If,we can fay the defire of our foul 
 is towards him and the remembrance of his name, as 
 it is I fa. 26. 8. fo as we can fay, with the pfalmift, 
 Whom have I in heaven but the-: and there is none upon, 
 earth that lean defire beftdes thee , Pfal. 73. 25. 4dly, If 
 Chrift be precioys to our fouls, as it is 1 Pet. 2 > ft 
 unto you, therefore , that believe he is precious. As alio 
 the fpoufe in the Song, file was wholly nonplufied how 
 to commend him, and fo concludes with that, He is 
 altogether lovely , the armour-bearer and chief among ten 
 thoufands . Friend, try yourfelf by thefe, and Exa- 
 . mine what way your heart (lands engaged to the Lord ; 
 and if you find a foul longing after him, to the drawing 
 out of your defires and affedtions into a fpiritual hun¬ 
 gering and thirfting after that bread of life, and water 
 of life, Cfirift Jefus ; being willing to receive him 
 as the pearl of great price ; willing to fell all, and to 
 part with all things for him, who if the bright and 
 morning far that gives light to all the lefi’er ftars of Iris 
 true Ifrae) ; for he hath faid, he will be a fun andfnle'd, 
 and he'll give grace here and glory hereafter , and no* r 
 thing that is good will he withold from them ihat walks 
 uprightly before, and fears hime Not to infill, is there 
 • . A 2 nos 
 
\ [ 4 ] ' 
 
 not caufe of mourning and humiliation this day, to fee 
 how fin is abounding among all ranks, from the higheft 
 to the loweft, and how the people of God is broken 
 in mind and judgment,, and divided one from another, 
 and any that is aiming to take truth’s part, is fuffering 
 perfection by the tongues and pens,not only of open e- 
 nemies, but alfo of profefTed friends, to the condemning 
 of all that is not of their way ? but fuch as are aiming, 
 at the glory of God, and is defiring to put honour up¬ 
 on his name and caufe, by appearing for his declarative 
 glory, from a principle of internal love, in this day of 
 calamity and rebuke, i't is a token for good to that 
 foul: for an empty profeflion will avail nothing to us, 
 if their be not truth in the inward parts. 
 
 Dear friend, ftudy to be muqh for him: be much 
 in wreflling with the Lord by prayer: give him no 
 reft till he come, and make Jerusalem a praife thro’ 
 the whole earth: be concerned for the truths of Chrift, 
 and the poor church, that is fo very low at this day. 
 Truth is fuffering one the account of the filence of moft 
 part; and fuch as are aiming at giving their teftimony 
 againft the fin and defections of thefe days, are 
 proceeded againft, and reproached on the account of 
 the duty. But this is a great mercy, that the brethren, 
 by office, yea, all ranks of perfons, friend? and re¬ 
 lations, may alter and change with refpeCi to there 
 love one to another, vet it is not fo with our bleffed 
 Lord ; for them that he loves he loves with an ever- 
 lafting love, an indearing love ; a love of good will: 
 he loves them unto the end. Yea, faith the Lord, my 
 counfelJballJland , and 1 will do all my pleafure. O ! 
 pray, pray, for the down-pouring of the fpirit, that 
 we may mourn for our own and the lands fins ; and 
 to plead with the Lord for a well informed judgment, 
 and a reformed life ; fo as we may indeavour to be for 
 his glory in all that we do: and that he may fharpen 
 our (pints, and work up our hearts and wills to a com- 
 plyance w’ith his will whatever he’ may call us to, or 
 
 difpofc 
 
r s 3 
 
 difpofe of us for. If our foul and heart be after him, 
 ' and if we be ftill ftuding to be more like to him, and 
 for him, and yet may be walking in darknefs and have 
 no light, in fuch a cafe, he commands us to truft in 
 him, and to ftay ourfelves upon him for he hath promi- 
 fed, that him that followeth on to know , foallknow : but 
 if we flight and mifimprove time, means, and mercies, 
 our blood will be upon our own head; for we have the 
 clear light of his word, where life and death is fet be¬ 
 fore us; and he bids us choofe one ; for, as I live , faith 
 the Lord , 1 have no pleafure in the death offinners, but 
 rather that they Jisould repent , *and live: turn ye , turn 
 ye , why will ye die , 0 houfe of Ifrael! 
 
 * Now I fhall clofe, wifhing the Lord may help you 
 forward in your chriftian race. There is word of wars, 
 and rumours of wars abroad ; and the poor church at 
 home broken, and like to break and divide further. O 
 ftudy toget matters rightbeween the Lord and your own 
 Soul! and take a hearty lift of Zion’s low cafe; for 
 let matters go as they will, as to the outward, it fhall 
 with the righteous, and fuch as fears his name, go well. 
 So defiring the help of your prayers, I reft and remain 
 your friend, and foul’s well-wiftier in our Lord Jefus, 
 
 Crochmore , fan. \ 
 5th, 1734.. j 
 
 William Smith. 
 
 
 LETTER II. 
 Tinnald. 
 
 To John Mundely in Rinnerhead , 
 
 Christian Friend, 
 
 I Received the teftimony of thefe four minifters, to 
 the dodtrine, worfliip, difcipline, and government 
 of the church of Scotland j there giving the . r eafons of 
 
 A3 V a 
 
[ .6 ] 
 
 a defcent, etc. But particularly, becaufe of that act 
 pafled in the Aflembly, 1732. concerning the fettlement 
 of vacant congregations , againft which they entred 
 fome kind of protection, in there pretended Aftem- 
 bly, which was in fo far duty. As for my judgment 
 concerning this, it is but little f can fay, having little ex¬ 
 perience of thefe things. Right experience is a good 
 fchool-matter; but it is our duty to be trying all thefe 
 things by the touch-ftone of the Lord’s word, like the 
 noble Bereans, ASls 17. 11. Taking nothing upon 
 truft,but all upon tryal,efpecially in fuch a fnaringdayvas 
 this is, when many falfe Chrift’s, and falfe prophets, 
 are crying lo here and lo there ; and, if it were poffi- 
 ble would deceive the very elecl, Mat. 24. But who 
 are they that is following the Lord fully ? fo as to take 
 up the whole of the teftimony; according to the word 
 cfGod, and the attained to reformation in thefe lands; 
 iworn to, and fealed with the blood of a famous cloud 
 of witnefles, zvho loved not there lives unto the death, 
 hut overcome by the blood of the Lamb , and the word of 
 their tejlimor.y , Rev. 12. n. There is many profeffing 
 to avouch the Lord to be there God, and to own his 
 own caufe; who is practically difowning the true tefti¬ 
 mony, either in whole or in part; but well is the poor 
 thing that is going on in the way of commanded duty, 
 unbyafedly with a tingle eye to the glory of God, de- 
 firing to be led by his fpirit; pleading with him for re- 
 folution arid folution, in hard difficult cafes according 
 to his reveal’d will in his word. I think it is a difficult 
 matter for any perfon, minifter or prafeffor, without 
 byafs of judgment, to efpoufe the Lord’s caufe and 
 quarrel honeftiy in a publick way ; and to hold on to 
 the end without turning afide 2gain to crooked ways: 
 For we may obfcrve it fallingout thusmany times; many 
 fuch inftanccs to be feen in our day, to the making 
 the way cfGod, and godlinefs, to be ill fpokenofon 
 there account ; fo that^ think when the Lord comes 
 to plead the caufe, that is his own, and to avenge the 
 
 quarreL 
 
quarrel of a broken and burnt covenant, it will be a rare 
 perfon that will not be found to have a hand in the tref- 
 pafs. 
 
 Dear friend, let us examine our felves, and try 
 wherein we are guilty, fo as to turn again to the Lord; 
 that we may be hid in the day of hi? anger, in the rock 
 Chrift. Ah! what fhall I fay? I think its a heavy 
 Judgment from the Lord, againft this poor land, that 
 he hath divided his own, in his anger, and fcattered 
 them in his hot difpleafure; fo that communion and 
 fellowfhip, amongft the people of God, is greatly in¬ 
 terrupted and marred; altho’ it h&th been fweet and 
 lefrelhing to the fouls of his people when they have heard 
 others telling their experiences, and what the Lord 
 hath done for their fouls. It hath, as it were, put 
 a new edge upon their fpirits, and afforded them ano¬ 
 ther errand to the throne of free grace, for help to try 
 themlelves by the touch-ftone of the fcriptures, to fee 
 if their hopes and evidences for heaven were of the bright 
 ftamp, fo as to bide the tryal; for it will not be a name 
 to live, or a fair flourifhing profeflion that will do the 
 turn; not every one that faith , Lord, Lord , etc. Alas! 
 many a one makes profeflion of religion, in thefe lands, 
 at this day, that knows nothing of it in truth and rea¬ 
 lity ; fo that our need is the greater to try and prove 
 our felves, what we know of heart religion and 
 foul exercife; and if we experience any thing of the fa- . 
 ving, illuminating work of the Spirit of God upon our 
 hearts and fouls; which will be beft known by its fruits 
 and effects, and powerful operations, even fo the mak¬ 
 ing the poor thing to fee an emptinefs in themfelves, 
 and in all created comforts and enjoyments, fhort of 
 his bleft felf; yea, to their being brought to fee their 
 own viienefs, fo as to be caften down in themfelves,and 
 made to fee their own ruin and loft ftate by nature, 
 while out of Chrift ; and then they are brought to fee 
 an excellency and worth in the Lord Jefus Chrift above 
 all things'in the world; fo that he becomes the pearl of 
 
 A 4 great 
 
[ 8 ] 
 
 great price: that is a fure mark and chara&er of a child 
 of God ; for, to them that believes he is precious. O ! 
 happy foul that can fay on good grounds, I know himjn 
 whom 1 have believed ; and that my redeemer liveth. So 
 that the defire of the foul is going out after the Lord, 
 as a hungry man for meat, and a thirfty man 
 for drink, and the naked for clothing ; fo as chearful- 
 Jy to acquiefce in the noble device of falvation, through 
 y Chrift Jefus; being brought to believe, that there is no- 
 other way of falvation, but in and through his merits 
 and mediation; For there is no other name> etc. A<fts. 
 He hath prononced them bleft who hunger and thirji 
 after righteoujnefs, for they fall be filled. Mat. 5. 6. • 
 
 Now, dear friend, let us try by thefe marks, if we 
 be of his children ; if our hearts be drawn out after him - 
 with love; counting all things but lofs and dung, in 
 comparifon of that excellency that is in Chrift Jefus. 
 Confider upon thefe things; and I wifh the Lord may 
 help us to confider upon them till we experience the 
 truth of them upon our fouls. So defiring your fym- 
 pathy and prayer, I remain your friend, tho’ feck- 
 jefs in our Lord, 
 
 Crochmore , July ? William Smithy 
 
 * 737 - $ 
 
 L E T T E R III. To a Chtijlian acquaintance. 
 
 Christian Friend, \ 
 
 I T hath been the lot of all fuch as fetteth their face 
 heaven-ward to meet with tryals and afflictions in 
 the way thither; yet this fhould not difeourage the 
 true child of God ; becaufe its the way he hath carved 
 out for his from eternity. Likewife he hath promifed 
 
 to 
 
r 9 ] 
 
 to be with them in trouble, Pfal. 93. 15. Forfuchas 
 fow in tears , Jhall reap in joy , feeing that, our light 
 affliftons, that lafteth but as for a moment , worketh for 
 us, a far more exceeding, and eternal weight of glory. 
 While tuc look not at the things which are feen,for the/e 
 are temporal, but thefe things which are not feen, which 
 are eternal. But yet it is, no doubt,difcouraging to the 
 poor thing,when hehath caften them into the furnace of 
 affliction, he leaves them there deftitute of his fenfi- 
 able prefence, and out-laying tokens of his love : and 
 when he is thus hiding his face, and feemingly denying 
 to he2r the cry and prayer of the poor patient ; then 
 the poor child is ready to fall a doubting, and made to 
 queftion their intereft in him, and fo to cry out, their 
 hope is perijhed from the Lord ; and that one day or ether 
 they Jhall fall by the hand of Saul , or fome other of their 
 foul enemies. And tho’ the poor thing may be 
 reading the Lord’s anger in the difpenfation, yet it is 
 out of his fatherly love and compaffion that he is war¬ 
 ring the rod upon his own child : and to know that it 
 is out of love, I think this looks like a promising evi¬ 
 dence, when the poor patient is made to fall down at 
 his footftool, and there to juftifie him in the way of his 
 procedure, faying. Good is the will of the Lord ; fo as 
 to acknowledge him as jujl in all his ways, and holy 
 in all his works : yea, and to condemn thernfelves ; by 
 feeing fin to be the procuring caule of all our mlferies, 
 fo as to mourn over them, and to be humbled before 
 the Lord, as they are difhonouring to him and ruin¬ 
 ing to our own fouls. Sin being fodifcovered,in the evil 
 and bitternefs thereof, to the making us cry out, with 
 Job, Wherefore 1 abhor myfelf, and repent in dujl and 
 afhes , Job. 42. 6. So that the poor thing’s will is bowed 
 to the Lord’s will: yea, and in fome meafure, is de¬ 
 firing wholly to be at his difpofal, whither by life or 
 by death ; and fo put there cafe wholly into his own 
 hand, fo that whether they die or live, they may be the 
 Lord’s: that if he fee it meet to raife them up, by 
 
 bringing 
 
f 10 ] 
 
 bringing back from the gates of death, Pfal 39. 13. 
 he may help to improve the new leafe of life, for his 
 glory ; being made to endeavour a fuller conformity to 
 his holy law, both in heart and in life : alfo if it be his 
 will to call off by death, to be heartly willing, to be 
 abfent from the body , and prefent with the Lord ; and 
 to be freed from a body of fin and death. Seing death 
 is the believers grand cure ; being the death of all there 
 lulls, and the funeral of all there forrows: for the poor 1 
 thing wins to be a partaker of that inheritance of the 
 faints in light. Friend try if it be thus with you, yet 
 donot refl there but look where your charter-right lyes; 
 read over'your evidences for heaven : put your felf to 
 the tryal : examine your felf by the touch ftoneof tl}e - 
 fcripture; their is a needs be that we be trved as filver is 
 tryed in thefurnaee,beingfeven times purified. O! pray . 
 that the Lord may, of his infinite mercy, make the fur- I 
 nace of affiidfion, you are now under, to be of fuch 
 a nature and quality, as may tend to purge, purify, 
 and refine you ; fo as you may have it to fay, (to the 
 praife of his free grace,) that in fome meafure, you 
 have left your drofs, tin, and unrighteoufnefs; and 
 is come forth as gold, out of the furnace. I hope you 
 will be aware of putting on, in your own ilrength, 
 fick-bed purpofes and resolutions, if it pleafe the Lord 
 to recover you, you will do otherwife than before ; but 
 expedts you are putting one thefe, and making thefe, 
 in the Lord’s {Length; and defigning to follow out 
 thefe in his name and ftrength, by grace enabling 
 you ; hoping this is your defire before the Lord. O ! 
 labour to cleave clofs to the Lord by faith, and to be 
 ftrong in him, and in the power of his might. Call 
 not away your confidence ; but let your light fo Ihine 
 before men, that the way of godlinefs may be well 
 thought.of, and the Lord may get all the glory, and 
 your foul may be edified and get profit thereby, fo as,by 
 your holy convefation, ye may be making it evident, 
 that ye are of thofe that are bearing about, in youf 
 
body the marks of the dying of the Lord Jefus; fo as to 
 walk worthy of Inm to all zvell-pleafng. But not intend- 
 in» to be large, leaft I heap up words without know¬ 
 ledge, having little experience of thefe things a fore- 
 faid my felf, yet I hope ye will not take it ill that I 
 life this freedom with you, being a poor, weak, weil- 
 wifher. I only add a few things by way of advice: 
 only fear the Lord, and ferve him ip fpirit, and in 
 truth, and beware of drawing hack, or turning afide to 
 crocked ways, leaf he lead you forthwith the workers of ini¬ 
 quity^ Pfal. 125. 5. Watch ye, Jland faji in the faith,quit 
 you like men bejlrong, 1 Cor. 16. 13. For it is him that 
 fighteth the good fight of faith fnall be crowned with the 
 my.ftery; fo that its he that overcometh fhall inherit 
 all things. O! flacker, not your diligence; but, add to 
 your faith virtue ; read 2 Pet. 1. 5. to 9, etc. Wait on 
 the Lord, and be Jlrong, as it is in Pfal. 27. ult. So 
 wifhing your recovery, and further advancement in the 
 way of truth and holinefs, and that the Lord may help 
 you, to put the iartie into practice, is the defire of him, 
 who Is your fouls vvell-wiiher and friend, 
 
 Crcchmore fun'e ? William Smith, 
 
 5th, 1738. 3 
 
 LETTER IV. To a Chriflian acquaintance. 
 Dear Friend, 
 
 B \ this, I let you know, that I have been in feme 
 meafure of bodily health fince I laft faw you; it- 
 is a fair flower, alas! ill improven by me among many 
 other valuable mercies that I enjoy, beftow’d upon me 
 by the Lord. I may fay with regret and lamentation, 
 that I never had a due efieem. and value of the wor-th of 
 
 fuch 
 
[ .12 ] 
 
 fuch fingular priviledges, as to ffudy the great end of 
 my creation, and of having thefe talents beftowed upon 
 me, even the glory of God, and the honouring of his 
 name, to the evidencing the fame, by bringing forth 
 the fruits of a new life, in fome fort anfwerable to 
 the talents he hath beftowed upon me ; yet, notwithl- 
 ftanding of my ingratitude, he continues to be graci¬ 
 ous, and is calling to repentance and amendment of 
 life, what by one mean, what by another ; yea, is calling 
 all ianks and degrees of perfons, for the external call 
 reaches all, none being excluded, if they do not ex¬ 
 clude themfelves; fo that none can pretend ignorance or 
 excufe; we having the clear light of the Lord’s word, 
 wherein the way of life and death is plainly let before 
 us, biding uschufe one. O! that we were fo wife' as 
 to mind and conlider our latter end ; for he hath de¬ 
 clared, he hath no pleafure in our death ; hut is inviting 
 us to repent , faying, Turn ye, turn ye, whywillye die t 
 O houfe of Ifrael! Therefore it will be our only wifdom 
 to turn at his call, and to plead much upon his promi- 
 fes, and upon that promife, Ezek. 36. 26. that he may 
 fprinkle clean water upon us; and to take away the 
 ffony heart, and to give us the heart of flefti; the foft 
 tender heart, the broken and contrite heart; a heart 
 fenlible, and made willing to comply with his offers of 
 grace and falvation ; for in him is our help: fo that tho* 
 our fins be of a crimfon dye, and a fcarlet colour, yet 
 this muff not fear us ; but to plead with l?lm, who 
 hath promifed that he will blot out all our iniquities as 
 a thick cloud : for it is in and through Chrilt we are 
 to have remiffion ; for it is only thofe he hath made 
 free, that {hall be free indeed: the blood ofChrift ap- 
 ply’d to the foul by faith, cleanfeth from all fin: there¬ 
 fore we muff refolve, through Chrift, to keep up a 
 conftant, impartial warfare againft all fin whatfoever, 
 fo as not to allow of any fin ; for if we fpare fin, fin 
 will not fpare us: the life of the foul will gang for the 
 life of fin : and, fliould we give entertainment to 
 , our 
 
t 13 ] 
 
 our*mortal enemies? no, no; we fliould go to ourbo» 
 fom, friend, and plead with him, for a thorough dif- 
 covery of this hidden myftrey of iniquity ; and then to 
 plead with him for help, telling him, that we have no 
 power or might of our own , to go out againjl thefe en¬ 
 emies but our eyes are towards the Lord ; for he it is that 
 (hall bring our feet out of the nets: for he hath pro- 
 mifed, that he will not fuffer us to be tempted above 
 what we are made able to bear ; fo as when the enemy 
 corpes in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord Jhall lift up 
 a flandard againjl him, I Cor. 10. 13. Ija. 59. 19. 
 For tho’ there be no discharge of this war, while here, 
 the blefh (fill lufting-'againft the Spirit,fo that we can - 
 not do the things that we would, yet there is hope ; for 
 if we ftrive lawfully we (hall be crowned with the 
 maftery : and if we fight the good'fight of faith, we 
 (hall overcome at the laft, and inherit all things : he 
 hath forwaiened us, that its through many tribulations 
 we triuft go through, ere we enter the kingdom : and 
 that its through faith and patience, we come to inherit 
 the promife ; for its him that followeth on to know, 
 (hall know, Hof 6, 3. and fuch as feeks him, with 
 all their heart, (hall find him. Altho’ man in his heft 
 (fate here, is wholly vanity, but the day is coming when 
 that which is perfect (hall come, then that which is in 
 part (hall be done away. I think thefe whofe hearts 
 the Lord hath endeared with love to himfelf, will be 
 much longing for that day, when they (hall enjoy him 
 without a cloud ; and to get full and compleat victory 
 over a body of fin and death; where there (hall be nei¬ 
 ther fin nor finning, and fo (hall be ever with him, 
 in whofe prefence there is fullnefs of joy, and at his 
 right-hand are pleasures forevermore, etc. Not intend- 
 ing to pafs the bounds of a letter, I forbear, in this 
 weighty iubjedt, leaving it to your own conlideration 
 and experience : and for what he hath made you know 
 of thefe things, blefs him for the fame; for it is fuch 
 as are making improvement of the talents he hath given 
 
 that 
 
[ 14 1 
 
 that hath the promife they (hall get more abundance. 
 O ! walk tenderly, fo as to be approved of ; and that, - 
 by your walk and converfation, the mouth of galn- 
 fayers may he ftopt, and put to filence; and made to 
 'fa y, furely the caufe is the Lord’s, and he will plead 
 <:: but if you fall back from that purity of zeal, you 
 have been profefling, through the whole track of your 
 rime, in keeping up of fome mint of a teftimony, (ac¬ 
 cording to your place and ftation,) againft the many u- 
 f’urpations made upon the prerogatives royal of the Son 
 of God, it will harden in fo far the hearts of the wick¬ 
 ed, and fadden the hearts of the moll faithful, and make 
 the way of truth to be ill fpo.ken off, on your account. 
 O! be not foon fhaken in your mind ; but ftand faft 
 in the liberty wherewith, and wherein this church was 
 made free: but let us endeavour to keep thefe things'* 
 committed tons, and fworn to in our national and fo- 
 lemn engagements that we ly under to be for him. 
 Beware of wearying. Give him no reft till he come 
 and make Jerufalem the praife of the whole earth, and 
 eftablifh truth and righteoufnefs in thefe lands. He hath 
 promifed, that the rod of the wickid Jhallnot ly always 
 upon tf)£ back of the righteous , left they fir tech forth 
 there hands unto iniquity: for he will be for us, while 
 we be tor him ; and if we forfake him, he will forfal^e 
 us. Then wo to us when he departs from us. Now 
 as you have been waiting, fo I hope you defire and re* 
 foive thro’ grace to wait for the falvation of the Lord; 
 when he will plead his caufe, and turn back the long 
 captivity of his work and people, to the making his Ja¬ 
 cob to rejoice, and his Iirael tofing, at that deliverance 
 he will bring. Alas! there hath been along time of apo- 
 ftacy and defe&ion, from his caufe and intereftin thefe 
 lands j and their is ftiil a going on from evil to worfe,and 
 yet a leaning upon the Lord, and faying, Vs he not a- 
 mongjl us. Yet I think, to any txercifed foul, who 
 have the fpirit of difeerning, may fed, bv fad experi- * 
 ence, that there is a great reftramt of the fpirit of con- 
 
 verfion j 
 
V 
 
 i 
 
 ! 
 
 .. r*5 ] 
 
 •verfion; and a fpirit of profanity and wickednefs let 
 loofe, io that the Devil is come down, with great 
 power and. wrath, to the drawing many away to the 
 working of all iniquity with greedinefs, to their decla¬ 
 ring their fin as Sodom, and hiding it not like to Go¬ 
 morrah. Alas! the land is defiled, and made to groan 
 under the inhabitants, becaufe we have tranfgrefied the 
 law, changed his ordinances, and broken the everlad- 
 ing covenant ; fo that the Lord’s hand, is lifted up, 
 in the difpenfation of his providence, even from on 
 feafon of the year unto another; fo that times and fea- 
 fons are altered, and he is frowning upon us, and hath 
 been infixing his leffer judgments many times, and, 
 many ways ; fome times threatning us with fcarcity of 
 ■bread, by fhaking winds ; yet he hath wonderfully 
 preferved the fears of many, by preferring the lame, 
 tho’ in danger; yetwehavebeen, and remains foftupjd 
 and unconcerned, that in a great meafure, we have nei¬ 
 ther fenfe nor feeling, but is turned light and profane; 
 for altho’ he hath been inflicting his judgments on the 
 flronger cattle, for feveral years* in many places, the 
 fame yet remaining, the poor beads forely differing, 
 their groans have been heard at a didance, yet we have 
 not been affeCted and concerned with this, they rafter¬ 
 ing for our fins. 
 
 But, to come to the prefent cafe and difpenfation, 
 whereby the Lord is fpeaking loudly to us, by lock¬ 
 ing up the earth from our ufe, for the fpaceof two 
 months, and alfo covered the fame with deep fnow; 
 and, by the fharpnefs of the dorm, we hear frem o- 
 ther places, fome of our fellow creatures have dropt 
 down dead in the field. The beads is alfo languifhing; 
 the poor fheep for want cf food being covered; in 
 many places they arc lying as dung upon the face of 
 the earth. Alas l we feem to be a generation meted 
 out for fome terrible droak from the Lord; for indead 
 of marking, and obferving the opperations of his band, 
 fo as to be turning to hint while he is foiitlngus, and 
 
 while 
 
[ 16 ] 
 
 while his hand is lifted up in anger ; but, inftead of 
 this, there hath been a linful rejoicing in that which 
 is a judgment, ( tho’ many of us is not feeing it thus;} 
 a vain (porting away of our time in our (o called recrea¬ 
 tions. I have been aftonifhed to think of the loftinefs 
 of a poor generation; and that portion offcripture hath 
 come fome times in my view, in Lev. 26. you may 
 read it at your leifure ; the Lord there threatens, that, 
 if we will not by all thde be reclaimed, he will puniflf 
 us yet (even times more for our iniquities. Surely the 
 mqafure of our affliction will be very great, when he 
 calls to remembrance, for he will not always be frlent, 
 but will fpeakout in the way of his judgments; and who 
 fhall hand in the day of his fierce anger and fiery indig¬ 
 nation that’s to go through the breadth and length of 
 thefe lands? I think they will be few that will be found 
 to have the mark, that the Lord will give the com mi f- 
 fion in that day to pafs by, when he comes to be avenged on 
 fiich a nation as this: he hath faid it, yea, fworn it, as 
 J live , faith the Lord , I will even deal with you as ye 
 have done, who hath defpifed the oath, in breaking the 
 Covenant. O! what an exceeding weight of wrath 
 are we liable unto in thefe three covenanted nations ! 
 It will be our only wifdom to be preparing for the day 
 of wrath that is haftening faft on, fo that whatevef 
 way it go with us, as to the outward, yea, tho’ our 
 bodies fhould dung the wilderneis, and be a facrifice 
 to the fowls of heaven; what a matter of this if the 
 Lord get glory, and Zion be delivered, and we get 
 our fouls for a prey. Not to limit the Lord, and if 
 my heart deceive me not, I long for the day when our 
 Lord fhall be feen, wearing his own crown; when he 
 will turn to the people a pure language; when they 
 fhall all call upon the name of the Lord, and ferve him 
 with one confent; when he will heal our breaches,and 
 love us freelv, and to define all controverfics in truth’s 
 favour; making iniquity, as alhamed, to flop its 
 mouth. O ! pray, pray, for the accomplilhment of 
 
t 17 ] 
 
 thefe things in due time. Refolve to wait on him, and 
 keep his way, that you may have it to fay with Job, 
 Aly feet hath held his Jleps ; and his ways I have kept , 
 and not declined. Endeavouring to walk before him in 
 all good confcience; fo I leave you to the care of him 
 who dwelt in the bufh: defiring your fympathy,prayer- 
 ways for me, I remain, as formerly, your fouls well" 
 wither, while I am, 
 
 ,1 , ' ' W ' s 
 
 Crochmore,Feb. ? William Smith 0 
 
 9th, 1740. S 
 
 L E T T E R V, Jo William Wifon , in Skelitoun 3 
 Clydjdale. 
 
 Christian Friend, 
 
 I Long to hear from you, and how it is with you ; 
 
 for my part it is not with me as lome time it hath, 
 been, altho’ it be a da t y that calls to be doubling our 
 diligence, yet I find a great difficulty therein, for I am 
 fo dead and Jryed, lifelefsand unconcerned, both with 
 refpeef to my own cafe,and Zion’s cafe, in this finning 
 day our lot is fallen in, that I cannot be rightly exer- 
 cifed as I ought. Alas! I think many of us in this ge¬ 
 neration feems to be harened from his fear, that nei¬ 
 ther word nor rod will prevail with us to turn to the 
 Lord, while he is fmiting us, and threatning us with; 
 fcantnefr of bread, by this prefent drought; whereby 
 many of the leffer fountains hath been itopt, now of 
 a long time j beads of the field fufFering on that account; 
 many dying with the long ftorm formerly, and this 
 prefent drought following, after till this time, except in 
 lome places where there hath been fome fhowers; & when 
 he is making the clouds to empty themfeives upon^the 
 fcorched places of the earth,it Rems lobe wifh a gloom4 
 
 B and 
 
r is'] 
 
 and in anger by reafon of the high winds, and nipping 
 colds immediately following the fame ; fo that our fum- \ 
 mer is turned to be a winter; and, alas! we are a win¬ 
 ter-like generation, that hath neither fenfe nor feeling 
 as w’e ought. When I have been labouring fometimes, 
 tho’ in a weak and fmall meafure, to ccmpofe my 
 fpirit, that I might think of the prelent cafe of affairs, 
 fo that my eyes might affect mine heart, yet I am un¬ 
 der fuch a dead frame of fpirit, that I cannot make 
 right improvement of the uptaking difpenfations of pro¬ 
 vidences. Alas for it! that I am not my alone in this, 
 for its too plain and evident, that its the plague of 
 many of this prefent generation, to be ftupid, fenfelefs, 
 and unconcerned; w’hen thinking thus, that feripture 
 hath come in my w T av, Becaufe ye are a people of no 
 underjlanding , therefore he that made you, will not have ** 
 mercy on you, and he that formed you, will Jhew you no 
 favour , Ifa. 27. II. yea, hVo unto us when he departs 
 from us, and gives us up to our hearts lufls, to wander 
 in ways of our own deviftngs, after the finful imaginati¬ 
 ons of our wicked hearts. O ! we may wonder at the 
 forbearence and long-fuffering patience of a holy God 
 towards us : he hath made it evident that he afflidts 
 not willingly, nor grieves when he is grieved ; fo that 
 we may juftly fay, that it is our iniquities that hath 
 feperate between us and our God ; and our fins that 
 hath hid his face from us. O pray that the Lord may 
 open our eyes to fee our fins! and that vve have done 
 this, and to make us acknowledge our offences, and 
 to feek him in our afflictions, now when he is threat- 
 ning the returning to his place, and hiding his face 
 from us. O! they are fingularly happy whom the 
 Lord is helping to be fuitably affedted, and rightly, 
 exercifed at this day, whofe heart the Lord hath 
 wounded, and healed, broken and bound up, and fo 
 made tender and flexible, to the pouring out of the ' 
 foul before the Lord; mourning over, and for our 
 own and the land’s fins. For my own part, I fear I am 
 
 a 
 
C *9 ] 
 
 a dried, withered, (limb, chat delerves to be caft o- 
 ver the hedge, as ufelefs and a cumberer of the 
 ground. O ! the myftery of iniquity that is in the 
 heart! O! the poliutionsand defilements that is there! 
 the feven abominations of the heart: well may the 
 heart be called deceitful above all things. I am 
 forely harrafied and perplexed with the prevailing pow¬ 
 er of indwelling fin. And that which is word of all, 
 is the want of the right fenfe and feeling thereof, fo as 
 to be grieved and made to mourn in the bitternefs of 
 my foul, that there is any thing of a yielding to, and 
 confederacy with thefe bofom enemies that’s feeking 
 the life of the foul ; yet praifes to his praife-worthy 
 fiame, that in any meafure he hath opened mine eyes 
 to fee, thefe fubtil foes, fo as to be refilling and oppof- 
 ing thefe in their fpring, bud, and firfi: rife, that they’ 
 get not the confent of the will and judgment; yea, I 
 have undertaken, in the Lord’s flrength, to keep up a 
 conftant and continual warfare, impartially againft ail 
 fin whatsoever, and fo have entered a proteft againft 
 them, prayer-ways, defiring to plead upon his faithful- 
 neis, who hath promifed, that ivhen the enetm comes 
 in as a flood, etc. Iflaiah 59. 19. for my hope is in him, 
 and my expedition is from him. I would fain claim 
 -kinunefs, and plead aquaintance with him. And to 
 fay in humility and fear, My Lord and my God. I 
 think, in as far as I knew rny own heart, I may fay 
 there is nothing in all the world I am more afraid of 
 than finning againft the Lord, and of falling away, in 
 this dav of apoftaev, and defection, when meeting 
 with new trials and temptations, that’s before me in 
 thus fnaring day ; and nothing I defire more, next, to 
 the flourifni.ng of our Lord’s kingdom, and the down 
 fall of Satan’s, than the day of full and compleat re¬ 
 demption to my foul, to be delivered from a body of 
 fin and death, and fo for ever to be with the Lord, 
 which is far better. « 
 
 Thus having given fome account of my cafe, I for- 
 
 B 7. tear 
 
[ t 2° J 
 
 bear any further at the time, defiring your fympathy 
 in prayer to the Lord for me, that he may make me 
 to know more of lnmfelf and his way, in truth and in 
 reality, and more of the myftery of iniquity ; that I 
 may experience heart religion and the power and life of 
 godlinefs, and to fearch out iniquity till there be none. 
 
 t 
 
 W illiam Smithy. 
 
 f t," •• 
 
 n 
 
 ' # • 
 
 LETTER. VI. To Jgncfs Gafs , in Rinner-head, 
 Tinnald. 
 
 CftRisTiAN Friend, 
 
 A Ltho’ your aquaintance and mine be but fmall, 
 we living at a diftance from other, yet, for the 
 fpaceof feveral years, I have heard frequently from you, 
 while our friend lived ; b.u^it pleafed the Lord to call 
 him hence, he having ferved his generation ; and I 
 may fay he was one who wifhed well to Zion, and 
 Zion’s well wifhers, and was longing for the deliver¬ 
 ance thereof j that Zion’s King might be feen in his 
 beauty, wearing his own crown, and his ftately fleps 
 of majefty, feen in his fan< 5 Iuary, and his prefence 
 made to fill the temple. But, what {hall I fay ? it 
 is fuch that he is taking from the evil to come, away 
 home to himfelf, fetting them at his right-hand, where 
 is fullnefs of joy and pleafures for evermore ; where they 
 {hall fee him v/ithout a cloud, and have an uninterrupt¬ 
 ed fellowfhip and communion with the Father, Son, 
 
 2nd Spirit, three in one, and one in three ; and alfo 
 with faints and angels, as children of one father; to <•.: 
 fing the fong of Mofes , and the Lamb, thefe fweet ha- 
 lelujahs through the endlefs ages of eternity. Such 
 
 indeed 
 
 I reft your friend, 
 
 Crochmore^Ju);e ? 
 
 7 th, 1740. 5 ' 
 
[ 21 3 
 
 indeed are the only happy ; for they in this tabernacle 
 do groan , being burdened ; I mean, fuch whom the 
 Lord is leading out to the wildernefs of a right, and 
 deep law work ; and there feeding them with the bread 
 of tears, and waters of affliction, until they come to 
 fee their mifery by the fall, as being loft and undone 
 while out of C hrift Jefus ? fo being made to experience 
 the fpirit of bondage, caft down in themfelves; and 
 made to groan inwardly, under the feeling fenfe of the 
 preffureof a body of fin and death : and fo to cry out, 
 with the Jaylor , and thefe at Peter’s preaching. Men 
 and brethren, what/hall we do to be faved? Surely fuch 
 as are thus exercifed will be made to feek a remedy: and 
 there will be bred in that foul fome real defires after 
 Chrift the Lord, as was in Thaccheus , when he climb’d 
 up unto the Sycomore-tree that he might get a fuller 
 view of Jefus, hearing that he was to come that way ; 
 and there the Lord manifefted himfelfuntohis foul^vea, 
 ourbleffed Lord pronounces them bleffed who hungers 5 c 
 thirds after righteoufnefs, faying, They (hall be filled 
 Thefe whofe defires are going out after him, fo as no¬ 
 thing can fatisfy them but himfelf, he hath promifed 
 he will fatisfy the longing foul : and he will give the oyl 
 of joy for mourning , and the garments of praife for the 
 fpirit of heavinefs. But, ah ! how few are their in this 
 our day, that makes it evident, by theirdives and con- 
 verfations, that they have been with Jefus ? how few 
 are thefe that know any thing of the pangs of the new 
 birth ; that work of regeneration, and falsification, 
 which all the children ofGod,who comes toyears is made 
 to experience fome thing of, in more or lefs, his way 
 being various, with different perfons, and with the 
 fame perfons at different times. Dear friend, what the 
 Lord hath made you to know of thefe, blefs him for 
 it: his grace is free ; whom he will, he choofeth ; and 
 whom he will, he hardneth, Rom. 9. 18. His way is 
 in the fea , etc. Pfal. 77. 19. And he that hath begun 
 a good work, will alfo carry it on, and perfect that 
 
 B 3 wofk 
 
r 22 ] „ 
 
 work at the end} for its his prerogative; he changeth not ; 
 and them he once loves, he loves unto the end. His 
 gifts and callings are without repentance , Rom. 11. 29. 
 When he is giving you fume thing of the joys and con- 
 folations of his Spirit, for your fupport and comfort in 
 tins finning day, I hope you will be mindful of all the 
 bairns.of the family, wifhing a fhare of that joy and 
 .confolation, for the bearing up of their fp+rits in this 
 difcouraging- time. So wifhing it may be our mercy, 
 and thejriercy of all his, to know the Lord favingly, ■ 
 and what Ifrael ought to do in this our day, I reft your 
 well wifher, 
 
 Crcchmorc , Aug. 
 
 26. 1740. 
 
 ---— 
 
 LETTER VII. 7 o William Wilfon in Skcli- 
 tcwn . 
 
 Christian Friend, 
 
 I Received yours, wherein you give me fome account 
 of your difconfplate cafe and condition, through 
 heavinefs and grief, moftly on the account erf the 
 Lord’s delaying his return to thefe lands with delive¬ 
 rance to Zion ; to thir lands the place, of his reft, 
 and reft glorious ; yet this is ground of encouragement 
 to the poor fainting foul in particular, and the church 
 in general, that Zion’s King livetb, and every delay 
 of the anfwer of prayer, isjiot a denial of prayer put up 
 in faith : tho* the viflon tarry on its appointed time, 
 yet at the end it fhall fpeak, and not lie : he is there¬ 
 by calling to wait, upon him in the way of his judg¬ 
 ments ; it will furcly come, and will not tarry : for 
 lie that is cur God is the God of falvation, Pfal. 68. 
 20. And he will not always be wroth with man, left 
 v the 
 
 . . . - e- . * 
 
 
 William Smith. 
 
 
 » » 
 
V, t 2 3■.] f 
 
 the foul he hath made fhould fail before him ; and hi? 
 own children be like to fink under thefe fea-waves, of 
 foul trouble ; being like to fay, in their hafte, is bis 
 mercy clean gone, will he be favourable no more. Yet 
 tho’ he may hide his face from the poor thing for a time, 
 forthetrialoftheirfaithandobedienceto him,on theway 
 of duty, yet forall that his faithfulnefs ftands engaged for 
 fuch j he will be for us while we are for him ; but if 
 we for fake him, he will forfake us, 2 Chron. 15, 2. 
 He that believes is not to make hafte finfully for out 
 gate. Be encouraged, for the righteous Jhallbold on his 
 way, and they that are of clean hands Jhall be Jlronger 
 andJlronger, Job. He hath promifed, that the rod of 
 the wicked Jhall not ly , etc. Pfal. 125. 5. It is ordinarly 
 1 the Lord’s way with a perfon in particular, or the 
 ' , urch in general, that its in the midft of extremity, 
 fteps in and manifefts his power and glory, as he 
 uii tolfrael atthe red-fea; for he will not leave them de¬ 
 pute of his favour, whofe hope the Lord is: it is to the 
 upright light doth arife. Tho’, if needs be they are in 
 heavinefs for a time, through manifold temptations, 
 for the trial of their faith, being much more precious 
 than that of gold, which perifheth, may be found un¬ 
 to the praife and glory of God, 1 Pet. 1. 7. and O ! 
 what ground of comfort hath all thofe whom he has 
 carried as to the top of mount Pifgah, and taken off 
 the cloud for a time, and given them faith’s views of 
 his return, and given them to behold his glory, that 
 fhall fill thir covenanted lands, as the waters cover the 
 fea; when he fhall purge the church, and make her 
 fear him, and his prefence fhall fill the temple ? Yet 
 it is no great wonder, tho’ fuch as he hath letten fee 
 thefe things, tho’ they may have fome fad and forrow- 
 full hours, and fad hearts, becaufe of his long ftaying 
 away ; yet it is the duty of fuch, to be pofelfing their 
 fouls in patience, for his time is a good time ; yea, the 
 beft time. We muft be prepared for deliverance, by 
 being emptied form velfel to vefl'el, and made to fee 
 our bondage and captivity : and by experiencing this, 
 
 JB 4 our 
 
r 24 ] 
 
 our deliverance will be the more fweetand refrefhing ; i 
 and if we continue with him in this hour and power of 
 darknefs, then he that (hall come, will come, and will 
 rot tarry ; he fhall apfe for the fighs of the poor, and 
 the crys of the needy, to the bringing back of the 
 lengthened-out captivity ; when he (hall turn his hand 
 upon us, and purely purge away our drofs, and take 
 away our tin, etc. If my heart deceive me not, I long 
 for that day, tho’ my body fhould dung the wildernefs 
 if I get my foul for a prey. But, ah ! I may fay my 
 leannefs, my fouls leannefs, and the prevailing power 
 of corruption that’s ftrong and violent. O that the 
 Lord, may difcover it more throughly in the way of 
 mercy to my foul ! and give deliverance therefrom. 
 
 Now, my dear friend, be not immoderate in your 
 grief, but, with David , encourage your felf in the 
 Lord : Zion’s King liveth, and he hath faid, Becaufe 
 1 live, ye Jball live alfo. And, ye Jball fee me again , 
 and your hearts fall rejoyce. Be not cruel to your 
 body, it being a lodging for the foul, and bought 
 with a price, the price of the precious blood of the 
 eternal Son of God, if one of that fele< 5 ted number. 
 No man ever yet hated his own body> etc. Eph. Give 
 not way to the growing of your trouble, but wait on 
 the Lord , and be Jlrong , and he will afford Jlrengtb y 
 Pfal, 27. 14. Being all at prefent, I leave you to his 
 care who dwelt in the bufh. Reds your well-wilher 
 and friend, while I am, 
 
 Crothmore , Sep. ? William Smith. 
 
 1 6, 1740. ‘ $ 
 
 LET- 
 
[ 25 ] 
 
 LETTER VIII. To William WUfon in Skilitom, 
 Clydfdale. 
 
 Loving Friend, 
 
 T HE laft time I wrote to you, I gave you ac¬ 
 count that my father was very uneafy, by reafon 
 of a great cough and fhortnefs of breath, infident to 
 old age, he being advanced unto the age of feventy 
 two years. Altho’ this trouble hath been of feveral 
 years continuance, yet fo mite^ate that he was ca¬ 
 pable of going out and coming in, until of late his af¬ 
 fliction became more heavy, and ins body wafted a- 
 way gradually ; yet it pleated the Lord to allow him 
 that meafure of ftrength and heart, that it was his 
 ufual practice to go out feveral times a-day, to call 
 upon the Lord by prayer; and then to return, and 
 read the Lord’s word, lamenting that he could hot at¬ 
 tain and retain the truths thereof, he much growing in a 
 fenfe of his need, and in longing defines after the Lord 
 Jefus Chrift. And death being in his view, his pe¬ 
 tition to the Lord was, to prepare him for that long 
 journey, and deep Jordan he had to go through, beg¬ 
 ging this for Chritt’s fake. He was confined to bed 
 November 15th. His affliCtion was pleafant, being 
 much in meditation with the Lord to the laft; in that 
 exercife he departed this life, November 20th, and 
 was decently buried. I defire not to lament his death 
 immoderately, hoping that it is in mercy to his foul. 
 When he was in time, and weeping over him, con- 
 fidering the tryals that was incident to me after his 
 death, that came before me, Weep not for me , etc. 
 It was a charge he left upon me, not to be fore dif- 
 couraged concerning his death, telling me he had 
 lived a long time with me, and now he defired a fub- 
 
 miflion 
 
[ 26 ] 
 
 million to the will of the Lord, and fo defired to roll 
 himfeif upon the arms of the free mercy of God in 
 Chrift. I havefome ground of hope concerning him, 
 fo that I ought not to forrowas thefe who have no hope, 
 Thef 4. 13. But now I may fay, in foine meafure, 
 that which I greatly feared is come upon me: I look 
 upon this tryal as the beginning of my public tryal; and 
 what may be the meafure and quality thereof, the 
 Lord only knoweth; and what he is about to do with 
 me, he alone knoweth: fo far as I know my own y 
 heart, and I defire to put my mouth in duft, - and to 
 keep filent before him, fubmitting my felf to his bleft 
 will, whatever way he may carve out my lot, or dif- 
 pofe of me, in a way for his own glory. However, 
 dangerous my cafe be at this time, I am afraid of hard- 
 nefs under the tryal; the enemy being bufy in feeking 
 advantage over the poor thing, when under perplexity; 
 yet I defire to wait upon the Lord, and to look for 
 him, who wiil make light to arife out of darknefs, 
 and can bring the beft of order out of the greateft of 
 confufion: he hath promifed, to them that fear him, 
 the fun of righteoufnefs (hall arife , with healing under 
 his wings. Altho’ I dare not fay with confidence, | 
 that I fear the Lord, yet I would fain fay with Nehe- 
 miah , that 1 defire to fear his name. O that it were 
 my mercy to know God, and to walk worthy of him 1 
 fo as I might have it to Civ in the end. His way I have 
 kept , and not declined. But now I am involved, with 
 the moft part of this generation, in a courfe of apofta- 
 cy and defection from the Lord, his caufe and cove- - 
 nants; yet I think I dare not feek to procure fhelter 
 and refuge to my felf, by remaining under this throne 
 of iniquity, and fubmitting my fejf thereunto, and fo 
 come to join in a confederacy with them that are carry¬ 
 ing on a combination againlt the Lord and his anointed, 
 by robbing him, of his crown rights, and royal pre¬ 
 rogatives, as he is King, Head, Lord, and Law- , 
 giver in Zion, his own houfe ; thereby letting up their 
 
 threfh- 
 
1 ,27 ], 
 
 threfitolds by his threfholds—--And alfo filling their 
 
 matters houfe with violence and deceit-But in 
 
 teftimonv, agaifift thefe, and all other incroachments 
 made upon the rights and liberties of the church, I re- 
 . fo've, through grace, to fuffer my felf to be deprived 
 of thefe pi iviledges, the moft part of the generation is 
 injoying, without check or challenge, from a confci- 
 ence convicted of guilt; not ccnfidering, that thereby 
 they aje helping the ungodly , and loving them that hate 
 Lord , 2 Chron. 19. 2. 1 think, in as far as I know 
 . my own heart, I dare not be one of thefe confederates, 
 r by engaging my felf in this finful affociation, and 
 giving, for their fupport, toll, tribute, and fupply, 
 ►which belongs to a lawful magiftrate, having a right to 
 reigp and bear rule over thefe covenanted nations be- 
 • ing qualified according to the word of God, and the 
 good and laudable laws of this nation, while they were 
 keeping covenant with the Lord : thefe being declared, 
 by authority, to be the fundamental ttipulation of 
 government in thir lands, to all generations; being 
 confirmed by the oath of the covenant; witnefs the 
 adfs of church and ftate, between 1638, and 1649 ; 
 the coronation oath of Scotland in her heft times, 
 when adting for the Lord : but now, when it is come 
 to my door, that I mutt either fubmit to their autho¬ 
 rity, or decline ; but fubmit, I dare not being con¬ 
 vinced of the evil thereof; and if the Lord give me 
 grace and ftrength to follow out my refolution, I will 
 be a perfon much wondered at by many in this day, 
 ‘that I fhculd thruft my felf out, as they think, from 
 being more ufeful in a public ftation, when I may 
 (according to their judgment) enjoy my priviledg.es 
 without fin : that I cannot, nor dare not fay, while 
 I cannot have thefe but by fupporting thefe, tf^tt have 
 entered themfelves heirs to all the perjury and blood- 
 fhed of the faints and fervants of God, that is lying a- 
 bout the throne of Britain, for which the Lord will 
 make inquifition, and require this at the hands of fin¬ 
 ful 
 
[ 28 ] 
 
 full complyers with church and ftate ; yea, all ranks 
 of us; yea this fo far prevailed with me, when I was 
 attending the ordinances, and hearing the word preach- " 
 ed by thofe profeffing to be the ambafladors of Jefus 
 Cbrift ; yet, alas! makes it evident too, too evident, 
 by their finful practices, that they are time-fervers, 
 and men pleafers, who are not (landing faft in the 
 liberty wherein the Lord made this church free. I 
 thought, while I was owning fuch, that I was in fo 
 far {Lengthening their hands, 2nd incouraging them 
 inthatcourfeofdefedlion they are carryingon, and while 
 I was thus fubmitting to the minifters and magilirates, . * 
 confederating together, in ufurping upon the Mediator’s 
 rights and prerogatives, I was in fo far trampling up¬ 
 on the blood of the faints, that fealed the Lord’s ho¬ 
 nourable caufe with their blood, and leaving their dy¬ 
 ing teftimony againft the indignities done to his declar¬ 
 ative glory. 
 
 Thus I have given you fome account of my judge¬ 
 ment of this time j the reafon I have fo freely written 
 to you concerning my cafe and judgment, is, that you 
 may take it before the Lord : I delire ye may fet fome 
 time a part more than ordinary, to plead with him up¬ 
 on my account, that he may teach me the way I fhould 
 go j I am labouring under many difficulties at this time, 
 beg of the Lord that he may make all work for his 
 glory, and my foul’s comfort; and that he may fanfli- 
 fy this prefent trial to me, and keep back from ftupi- 
 dity and unconcernednefs, under the rod ; that what 
 ever way he difpofe of me with refpe£t to my lot, dif¬ 
 ficulties is like to bulk in my eye ; but whatever trial 
 he may ware upon me, if he make that the rod in his 
 hand, to drive me more out of myfelf, home-ward to 
 his bleft felf, to the injoying communion and fellow- 
 fhip with him, making good his promife, that he will 
 be with the poor thing in trouble. The fenfiblc ex¬ 
 perience of thefe will fweeten all troubles, trials, and 
 afflictions.; and tho’ he may hide his face from me, 
 
 and t 
 
C 29 3 
 
 and feem to rejeft me, and caft me off, yet I ctefire to 
 wait upon the Lord , that hideth his face from the houfe 
 of Jacob, and to look for him ; in whom the fatherlefs 
 findeth mercy. So I reft, at the time, as formeily, 
 your poor well-wifher and friend, 
 
 Crochmore , Dec. ? William Smith . 
 
 1 ft, 1740. S 
 
 LETTER. IX. To Adam Milligan , in clofe 
 Prifon in Dumfries , being under Sentence of Deaths 
 to be delivered ivitb care. 
 
 , ' ■ , ' * 1 ' 1 •'i-.'iV;; - 
 
 Adam, 
 
 I Having had a defign to write to you ere this time, 
 but, by reafon, of the death of my dear father, I 
 have been fome-what confus’d,and throng at this time, 
 becaufe that I have given up with houfes and land, fave 
 one little houfe, that I have refervcd for myfelf to live 
 in : if my heart deceive me not, and that very far, 
 I dare not enjoy my priviledges, in the way that the 
 moft part of the generation is enjoying them ; I mean, 
 by ftrengthening and fupporting a throne of iniquity, 
 that many has entred themfelves heirs unto at the perjury, 
 blood, and wickednefs that is lying about that throne; 
 the truths of God being buried and lyes bleeding on 
 the ground, for which the Lord is wroth, and is, in 
 a great meafure, departed from us, and leaving us to 
 wander in ways of our own, after our own imagina¬ 
 tions : it fhould be our great concern to be putting our 
 fclves to the trial, how it is with us, that we be not 
 the Achans that’s in the camp of ourlfrael, that’s the 
 caufe of the Lord’s departure. But to fay no more in 
 •general, I would h^ve you to comider in particular, 
 that by Adam's fall, you are liable to death temporal. 
 
fpiritual and eternal. Woe’s me for it! You have gi¬ 
 ven proof and evidence, by your praCtice, that the 
 fear of God hath not been before your eyes ; tho’ you 
 are come of religious parents, who was at much pains 
 with you, in your education and learning as to Eng- 
 lilh ; but it pleas’d the Lord to call away, now of a 
 long time, your religions father, he having ferved his 
 generation, by the will of God, the Lord being kind 
 yo him, in calling him away to himfelf, while you were 
 young and under reftraining bounds, fo that you did 
 not difcover your felf fo openly, but was partly reflec¬ 
 ted and efteemed of by fome for the refpeCt many had 
 unto your religious parents ; and as the Lo;d was kind 
 unto your dear father, fo alfo to your mother, who 
 hath had many a forrowful day upon your account,and 
 tho’ (he fuffered much reproach by many (of her refet- 
 ting and receiving from you other peoples goods,) I 
 fnppofe, as (lie was innocent of this, that this was but 
 the fmalleft part of her forrow and affliction ; the chief 
 caufe was the love to vour foul, which is more worth 
 then millions of worlds; you giving proof and evi¬ 
 dence, by your converfation, that you are among that 
 black roll, fpoken of by the Apoftle, Epb. 5. 5. Gal. 
 5. 19, 20, 21. 1 Cor. 6. 9, 10. Rev. 21. 27. you 
 may read over thefe at your Leafure : I need not men¬ 
 tion any moe unto you, your ct nfcience will bear wit- 
 nefs, that you are the perfon that is guilty, and fo is 
 excluded, by the divine law of God. You have gone 
 on from one evil to another, wilfully and with an high 
 hand, againft clear light, and knowledge. It was 
 your praCtice, for fome tune, to teach and inltruCi 
 children ; wherein you heard the fcriptures read before 
 vou, tho’ you had lived in the neglect thereof your 
 felf ; but you have taken no heed to walk in the ways 
 of the Lord : you have got many warnings to leave 
 your former ways : he hath been laying the ax to your 
 root, and threatning to cut vou down, what by one 
 mean what by another ; and it is likely you have tak- 
 
r 3* ] . 
 
 en on refolutions before, when you have been in feem- 
 L ing danger of death ; that if the Lord would deliver 
 you, you .would ftudy to leave your former ways, and 
 turn again to the Lord : but you have left your pur- 
 pofes and refolutions, with your deliverances: fo, when 
 you have flighted all means and mercies you are to think 
 it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah than 
 for you. Beware of your refting fatisfied with making 
 confeflion of (in : wicked Cain had a convi£Hon of the 
 murther of righteous Abel, Gen. 4. 13. when he cry- 
 • ed out. My punifhment is greater then I can bear . 
 
 And alfo Judas had a convi£lion. Mat. 'i-j. 3, 4, 5. 
 ,1. you may read over thefe fcriptures; and, O that the 
 Lord would \)vork in you a thoroughconviflion ofyour of- 
 fendingand finningagainfta holy God! that you may, in 
 humility^ and with fear, cry out with the Pfalmift 
 David, Pfal. 51. 2, to 13. and on-ward you muft be 
 thoroughly fenlible ofyour need, and then make appli¬ 
 cation to the fountain for wafhing and cleanfing; for, 
 if our bleffed Lord wafh you not, you have no part in 
 him, John 13. 8. Be-not deceived, God will not be 
 mocked ; tho’ you may make fair {hows and pretences, 
 and fpeak as with the tongue of men and angels ; yet. 
 if there be no truth in the inward parts ; it will avail 
 you nothing ; The facrifice of the wicked is but an abo¬ 
 mination to the Lord, Prov. 15. 8* fo that it will not 
 be every one that faith , Lord , Lord, fnall enter into the 
 kingdon\of heaven, Luke 13. 25, 26, 27, 28. Take 
 heed to your felf: beware of guile and falfhood, there 
 is no unrighteoufnefs with God , all is naked and open 
 to the eyes of him ivitb whom we have to do, Hefc. 4. 13. 
 Be in good earned ; examine your felf j put the matter 
 home to your door, how you (hall meet with death, 
 and enter upon eternity : Beware of going down to the 
 ' pit with a lie in your right-hand: the hypocrites hope 
 fl:all perijh. 
 
 What is the hope of the hypocrite when God tak- 
 eth away his foul ? Job 27. 8. For as death leaves you 
 
 jud^ 
 
r 32 3 
 
 judgment will find you ; and ye fhall be brought be¬ 
 fore the tribunal of God, and there receive the juft 
 fentence ofabfolution or condemnation: for, it is thefe 
 the Son hath made free that Jhall be free indeed , John 
 8. 36. Beware of taking to your fell the children’s por¬ 
 tion and allowance ; while you are but a baftard, you 
 have no right to the inheritance of the children of the 
 kingdom: and tho’ you have feem’d to call off all fear, 
 by your many relapfes into the fame fins, after many 
 warnings and admonitions, and now your cup feems 
 to be near full, the day of your execution and death 
 being appointed by jnen, for the execution of juftice 
 upon you, as a juft malefadtor ; and you know what 
 thoughts you have of death and a future ftate. I doubt 
 not but you would ; with Balaam , defire to die the 
 death of the righteous, and your laji end be like theirs ; 
 but you have not ftudied to live the life of the righte¬ 
 ous : you have gone on frowardiy in flighting the calls 
 of the Lord, fet at nought all his counfel, and would 
 have none of his reproof; therefore he threatens, that 
 he veiil laugh at your calamity , and mock when your 
 fear cometh. You may read this from Prov. 1. 24, 
 25, 26, 27, 28, 29. etc. 
 
 Now, having endeavoured, in fome weak meafure, 
 to lay before you the terrors of the law, which ftiould 
 be as a fchoolmafter in leading you to Chrift, know 
 you any thing what it is to find the word to be the pow¬ 
 er of God in convincing,awakening,and wounding the 
 confcience ? Pfal. 19. 7. The law of the Lord being 
 perfedf, converting the foul: know you any thing of 
 this law-work, that fpirit of bondage, fo as to cry out, 
 with the Apoftle, Rom. 7. 18, 25 ? You may read 
 over thefe, and confider if ye know any thing of the 
 cxercileof thatbleffed man when he cry’d out, JVretcb- 
 cd man that lam! who fall deliver me from the body of 
 this fin and death? Know you any thing of that 
 work of regeneration, that unlefs a man be born again, 
 he cannot enter into the kingdom of God? John 3. 3. 
 
‘. *fobn 1.13. But being led out here a little beyond my 
 defign, I come now to put you in mind a little, that 
 our blefled Lord is willing, to receive all fuch fenfibld, 
 returning Tinners, that hath a fenfe of their need: you 
 may read the parable of the prodigal Ton, recorded 
 Luke 15. You may read from ver. 11. to 20th, and 
 there you have the kindly entertainment he met with, 
 that \vhile he was yet afar ofF,hisfather (aw him,and had 
 compaflion on him, and ran and fell on his neck and 
 killed him, ver. 21. And the fon faid unto him. Fa- 
 . ther , I have finned , etc. But the loving father did 
 not upbraid fo foolilh a fon, but faid unto his fervant* 
 
 ‘ Bring forth the bejh robe, and put it on him : You may 
 
 read forwards: You have been the prodigal fon ; and 
 you know what fenfe you have of your need : you fee 
 this prodigal fpoken of here, when he was afar off his 
 father faw him, There being more joy in heaven over one 
 finner that repenteth , then over nintey and nine juji per- 
 fans , Luke 15. 7. And tho’ you have flood long out 
 againft him, yet there is room for the returning finner, 
 Luke 14. 22. room in the mercy of God and the me¬ 
 rits of Chrift; yea, he hath promifed that he willfprin¬ 
 kle clean water upon you , andycu foal! be clean : a new 
 ' heart he hath promifed, etc. Ezek. 36. 26, 27. Tho* 
 your fins be as the fear let, they Jhall be white , as fnow 5 
 and tho* they be red like crimfon , they (hall be as the 
 wool, Ifa. 1. j 8. Our Lord’s call is to fuch as are 
 weary and heavy laden, Mat. ti. 28. yet of our 
 felves we cannot move a hairs-breadth ; there mull be a 
 drawing on his part ere therebea-comingonour part, 
 John 6. 44. And fuch as comes to him he faith, that 
 he will in no wife cafe them cut , John 6. 37. We find, 
 concerning the labourers that was fent into the vine¬ 
 yard, fpoken of Mat. 20th. you may read from the 
 t beginning, to ver. 11. That fuch as came in at the 
 t . eleventh hour, received their wages in full, with fuch 
 as came in at the fixth, and ninth hour: we have ano- 
 t iher inftance of the free grace of God in Chrift, in that 
 
 C fyyeet 
 
 . 
 
 9 • ' 'M 
 
. 4 [ 34 - ] 
 
 fweet promife made to to the thief upon the crofs, when 1 
 our blefled Lord fays unto him, This day Jhalt thou It 
 with me inparadife, Luke 23. 43. And, O! tha this 
 might be your mercy and allowance, that you may have 
 it to fay, on good grounds, come here all ye that fear 
 God , and Til tell you uihat he hath done for my Joul. 
 Pray much for a heart truly touched with a fenfe of 
 your finsj and for a thorough convidtion, and that the 
 Lord may make you a polifhed fhaft for his ufe ; that 
 you may be as a brand pluckt from the burning, your 
 giving proof and evidence of this before, or at your laft 
 appearance on the fcaffold, what ground of rejoycing 
 would it be unto the people of God! and what com¬ 
 fort unto your near relations! But, O! beware that 1 
 you take not the holy name of Gad in vain , for the • 
 ' Lord will not hold them guilt lefs that taketh his name in 
 vain, Exod. 20. 7. Pray for heart-tendernefs, and that 
 the Lord may not give up with you, and leave you to 
 hardnefs, fo as to have neither fenfe nor feeling of your 
 cafe. But leaving you to the care of him that dwelt 
 in the bufh, wifhing the fpirit of the Lord may reach 
 you favingly and effedlualy, and as you are to fufFer and 
 die, your fins may die with you, fo as your foul may 
 be faved in the day of the Lord Jefus, and have a free 
 entrance into glory, where there fhall be neither tempt- 
 „ er to tempt, nor creature to yield; and that this may 
 be your mercy and portion, is the hearty defire of him 
 
 who is your fouls well-wifher, 
 
 Crochmore Mayl 
 
 25th, 1741. 5 
 
 JVilliam Smith , 
 
 * • f •% 
 
 j t/ l M 
 
 \ ' 
 
 LETTER, 
 
r 35 3 
 
 g sa * ■ ■ — » > ■ n . .—■ — um 
 
 L E T T E R X, To Adam Milligan , /« chfe Pri fon 
 in DrumfrieSy beimg under Sentence of Death , iki 
 care of Mr. Donaldfan. Jay lor. Hajle t hafle . 
 
 My dear acquaintance, 
 
 T HIS day I have deceived from you a letter, dated 
 y«Kfloth, diredted tome,or any oftHe members of 
 the fociety meeting in Orr, the time being fo (hort, 
 that l have not time to write an anfwer unto you, be-* 
 ing to give yours of my hand this night, fo as it may 
 go to the meeting to morrow when they meet toge¬ 
 ther ; I know not but fome of my dear friends may an¬ 
 fwer yours by write, which may tend more to your e- 
 dification and fatisfadfion; but tho’ they fhould give 
 you no anfwer by write, you are not to miftake them 
 
 in that cafe; I fpoke with J -- C --yefternight j 
 
 you know he was up feeing you on Wednesday. I told 
 him your earned: defire to be remembered by the meet¬ 
 ing; your time being fhort, the day of your execution, 
 and death being now within lefs than five days; fo that 
 I know he will be careful to acquaint the members 
 thereof, of your defire. 
 
 But to fay no more this way; my heart rejoyceth 
 within me, to hear you marking and obferving the 
 goodnefs of the Lord towards you, in telling what he hath 
 done for your foul: you fay you are tolled betwixt hope 
 and fear; but you own you have got fome fcripture 
 promifes (weedy and powerfullymanifefted toyourfoul, 
 which is the only anchor that keeps you from finking: 
 and that you have, with the utmoft fincerity you were 
 capable of, entered into a perfonal covenant with the 
 Lord, you being willing to receive Jefus Chriff in all 
 his threefold offices. Our bleffed Lord hath promifed. 
 Then foal! ye feck me, and find me t when ye feek me 
 
 C 2, with 
 
with allyoitr heart ffer. 29. 13. And tho’ you are much 
 complaining of the hardnefs of your heart, I like your 
 cafe much the better; you are not your lone here: the 
 Prophet crys out, The heart is deceitful above all things , 
 and defperatly wicked, Jer. 17.9. Such indeed as re¬ 
 gard iniquity in their hearts, the Lord will not hear 
 their Praver, Pfal. 66. 18. One leek will fink the 
 whole vtffel: we muft fearch here with all diligence, and 
 digdeep, that we be not entertaining one beloved Agag: 
 forifwefparefin: the life of the foul will go for the life of 
 fm:and fuch as are not acquainted with the plagues of their 
 own heart, are unaquainted with true religion. As 
 there was a ftrugle in the womb of Rcb'ekah by the 
 twins, fo, I think, there will be a ftrugle in the womb 
 of the new nature, which the children of God come 
 to years, will be made to know fomething of, in more 
 or lefs: and as the heart is the very fpring and fountain 
 of all evil before converfion and regeneration, yet when 
 the Lord works favingly upon the heart, by fowing in 
 the feeds of grace, it becomes the moft noble part. Our 
 blefled Lord hath promifed to dwell with the humble in 
 heart , Ifa. 57. 15. But the truly fenfible finner, that 
 is mourning over the plagues of his own heart, before 
 the Lord, and fo is pleading with him that he may 
 circumcife this uncircumcifed heart to fear him, and 
 the Pfalmift cries out, Unite my heart to fear thy name, 
 Pfal. 86. 11. He was there wreftling under the plagues 
 of his own heart ; yea, it is to be feared, that fuch as 
 know nothing of the windings and turnings, thefe ups 
 and downs, that the Pfalmift fpeaks of, are ftrangers 
 to the true fear of the Lord : becaufe they have no changes , 
 therefore they fear not God) Pfal. 55. 19. Heaven is 
 only the place that will be free of complaints. There 
 will be no complaints heard in the ftreets of that city; 
 but all Tinging one Tong, the fong of Mofes and the 
 Lamb. Eye hath not feen, nor ear heard , neither hath 
 it entered into the heart of man to conceive) what the 
 Lord hath laid up for them that love him , 1 Cor. 2. 6. 
 My dear acquaintance, ftudy tu know more of this 
 
 princely 
 
V . ' r 37 3 
 
 princely Lord Jelus; and as you lament that you can¬ 
 not fpeak more to his praife, and to the commendation 
 of free grace, blefs him for what he hath made you 
 know of him; he that hath begun the good work, hath 
 alfo promifed he will perform it unto the day of Jefus 
 Chrift, Phil. i. 6. O! matchlefs love! our blefled 
 Lord Jefus coming down from the bofom of the father, 
 & fuffering his glory to be vailed,by taking upon him the 
 finful infirmities of poor loft fallen man, that was ut¬ 
 terly loft and undone ; but he being willing to under¬ 
 take the poor ele&s plea, and fatisfied what law and 
 juftice required in the room of his younger brethren : 
 Greater love hath no man, then that a man lay down 
 his life for his friend. Our blefled Lord trode the 
 wine prefs of the fathers wrath alone , and drank that 
 bitter cup which he fo often prayed, if it were poflible it 
 might pafs from him, Mat. 26. 42. Butlove to the ele£t 
 made our blefled Lord undergo all patiently, faying 
 unto the Father, Thy will be done. And will we re¬ 
 quite the kindnefs of our Lord thus, as not to turn at 
 his reproof? He hath given you precept upon precept ; 
 line upon line , till your heart was won to himfelf, as 
 you give the account ofyour covenanting with the Lord, 
 and receiving him upon his own terms. I defire to be¬ 
 lieve that your aim wasfingle, without regarding iniqui¬ 
 ty in your heart; and tho’ the enemy may fore afl'ault, 
 you in feekingtocaftyoudown from yourexcellency,yet 
 you are not to caft away your confidence ; but be jlrong 
 in the Lord , and in the power of his might. Tho’ the 
 archers may fore fhoot at you, and hate you, but y©ur 
 bow abiding in ftrength, and the arms of your hands 
 may be made ftrong by the mighty God of Jacob, Gen. 
 49. 23, 24. Your faith being ftrengthened and your 
 hope confirmed. O that this may be your mercy ! look 
 over your evidences, and, feek to get acquaintance 
 renewed, and to get a new love token out of the King’s 
 own hand ; for as our bodies muft have daily nourifh- 
 ment for tfieir fupport, fo the believer would be daily 
 
 C 3 - drawing 
 
r 
 
 r 38 j 
 
 ihg water out of the we!!s of falvation, for the fatisfy- 
 ins: their tbirfty foul, If a. 12. chap, and I think fuch 
 as knows nothing of thefeebbings and flowings,(Imean) 
 abfence and prefence, fuch can neither mourrf over 
 his abfence, nor rejoice in bis prefence : ftrangers is not 
 to intermeddle with the believers joy, andtho’ the faith 
 of his own children may be at a ftand, fo as to cry out. 
 Is bis mercy clean gone ? will he be favourable no more ? 
 here is ccmfort for fuch, that it is the prerogative 
 royal of our blcffed Lord ; that he is the Loi‘d y he changes 
 not; therefore the fans of Jacob are not confumed , Mai. 
 3. 6. You muft cafl all your care upon him who.careth 
 for you : ahd as you would defire to fpeak to the com¬ 
 mendation of free-grace, (even at your laft appearance 
 upon the fcaffoid,) commit the weight of all unto the 
 Lord, who forbids to take thought what we fhall fpenk y 
 for it fhall be given in that hour , Mark 13. 11. If our 
 bielTed Lord fee it for his glory ; he will fill your mouth 
 with his praife, in making you declare what he hath 
 done for your foul. But you muft beJlill and know that 
 he is God , Plal. 46. 10. I would have you conlidering 
 what was your frame when thefe feriptures came iweet- 
 }y and powerfully into your foul, as you fay. f irft, 
 were you not drawn out with wonder and admiration 
 at the free-grace and love of God in Chrift towards 
 you. 2dly. Were you not made to count all things but 
 as lofs and dung , in comparifon of the excellency of the 
 knowledge of God in Chrijl Jefus , Phil. 3. 7, 8. etc. 
 3dly, Were you not made to cry out, Whom have 1 in 
 ,'heaven but thee ; or in e'arth that I defirc bejides thee y 
 Pfal. 73. 25. and where Jefus Chrift is received and 
 accepted of in the terms of the new covenant, and loved 
 for himfeif, and not for his benefits ; grieving for fin 
 as it is diihonouring to God; and fo efteeming of no 
 life but, a life hid with Chrift in God (\ think ) where 
 it is thus, it looks like more than a common work of 
 the fpirit. Try your felf again if you find the ftream 
 of our afiliutiuns running cut after the Lord, upon 3 
 
 fpirit' 
 
I 
 
 » 
 
 ir 
 
 C 39 1 
 
 fpjritual ana heavenly channel ; for, if any man be-in 
 Chri/i, be is a new creature , 2 Cor. 5. 17. But I 
 leave you to the cofideration of thefe things; wifhing 
 the fpint of the Lord may breathe upon you, in difpel- 
 ling your clouds, m iking your darknefs light, fo as 
 in his light you may fee light, and that you may go off* 
 the ffage of time into eternity rejoycing in the hope of 
 the glory of God, which hope being as an anchor to 
 the foul, fure and fledfalt, and entereth into that with¬ 
 in the vail, where Jefus Chrift, our blefled forerunner 
 is entered, and hath taken poffeffion in the room and 
 Head of all the elc£f ; and that you may have it to fay. 
 Ye know in wbotn you have believed , and that which you 
 have commited unto him , he will keep againjl that day , 
 2 Tim. 1. 12. and Co in the end receive that fweet 
 welcome. Come ye bleffed of my father ; enter into the 
 mafters joy , the joy of thy Lord ; and be forever with 
 him, where there fhall be neither fin nor finking. This 
 is thedefire of him who is your fouls well-wifher, tho’ 
 fecklefs, 
 
 William Smith . 
 
 P. S. Now, my dear acquaintance, I have writ¬ 
 ten my laff advice unto you, as you are a dying man ; 
 and l hope you will excufe me if I have written any 
 thing that you are difatisfied with, either in my former 
 letter fent unto you, dated, May 25. or in this: I have 
 endeavoured, tho’ in weaknefs, to write without pre¬ 
 judice to you, or any other, but out of love 
 to your foul; fo you muff accept of them as the 
 Jaft token of my love to you ; not knowing if ever I 
 fhall fee you in time ; not to impofe any thing on you, 
 or ih the leaft to trouble you in your meditation with 
 the Lord, which you ought to be much employ’d with, 
 when you are alone; you being to appear before the great 
 judge now within a few days: mind the kindnefs of 
 
 C 4 the 
 
r 40 ] 
 
 the Lord unto you ; acknowlege him in all your ways | 
 beg he may not deprive you of the exercife of your rea- 
 fon unto the very laft. I could be glad to hear that 
 you have left behind you, or fent in a letter to any 
 friend, the manner of yhe Lords dealing with you, and 
 thofe feriptures which you have for your anchor. I 
 would not have you concealing this with a defign to 
 make it known at the very laft, you know not but you 
 may go away under a cloud, as many a dear faint hath 
 done before you: therefore, if you think it fuitable to 
 you, when you are under fome lively gale of the fpi- 
 yit of God, fet thefe feriptures down, with the frame 
 youweie under at the manifeftation thereof, you may 
 do it in a letter to a friend, if you can write it, if you 
 have not done it already : but I leave this to your own 
 freedom, wjfhing the fpirit of the Lord may be your 
 dire&or, and may carry your foul fafe into Abraham’s 
 bofom, and fo be ever with the Lord. This being all 
 in hafte, and never to trouble you more this way, I 
 leave you with my kind fervice to you, 
 
 Crechtmrey July ? Farewell, IVilliam Smith . 
 
 3d, 1741. 5 
 
 L E T T E R XII. To Mr. Robert Douglas , isj 
 
 Birkh'ul, Nithf 4 ale. 
 
 Loving Frienp, 
 
 fTl H E laft time I had occafion to be with you, you 
 Jj_ were fome what uneafy in your mind, concern- 
 Your poflefliop ; fome luffing after it, and that like to 
 be taken from. you, that you have fo long enjoyed, al- 
 tbo’ with much difficulty, becaufe of not f'ubje£!ing 
 your felf to the prefect pretended, powers in thir 
 and ycur not giving, that to them, for their aid 
 
r 41 1 
 
 v and fupport, which is due, to a lawful and rightly 
 qualified magiftrate, according to the word of Gnd, and 
 foundamental, laws of the land, and practices of this 
 church in covenanting with the Lord ; whereby our 
 fubjeftion to the civil magiftrate comes to ftand upon 
 thefe grounds, and with that limitation, which'is irt 
 the defence of the true religion, as attained to in thefe 
 covenanted lands. But, alas! thefea.ftsand laws are 
 now refcinded and laid afide; and thefe covenants once 
 owned and adhered to by all ranks, and allways bind¬ 
 ing upon thefe lands, being apart of the qualifications 
 of minifiers, and magiftrates, and all other inferior 
 officers in church, ftate, and army, are burnt and bur- 
 ried by a throne of iniquity, framing mifchief by a latv- 
 
 * decree : but alas! in ftead thereof, thefe fo called 
 kings and magiftrates in our day, they muff be of the 
 communion of the prelatical church of England , and 
 fworn to maintain the fame in all her antichriftian rites 
 and ceremonies belonging to that idolatrous herarchy ; 
 and likewife, to defend the church of Scotland , acord- 
 ing to her Eraftian and aptifcriptural conftitution, al- 
 tho’ profefling to be prefby terians, yet their praftices 
 (hews them to be Eraffians, by confounding and mix¬ 
 ing the two diftinft fanhedrins and laws together, both 
 in the conftitution and practice ; which is fo evident, 
 that he who runs may read it: witnefs that aft, King 
 James VI. 1592. whereon the revolution church is 
 fettled ; together with the tottering inclinations of the 
 people; which aft hath patronage in the very bofom 
 of it; as alfo, the ecclefiaftical fupremacy, to the rob¬ 
 bing Zion’s King of his crown-rights, and the church 
 of her intrinfical power; and the putting that crown 
 upon the head of a poor mortal creature, a vile mon¬ 
 ger ! O! heaven-daring wickednefs! for which the 
 Lord (hall be avenged on fuch a nation as this. But 
 I need not write to you afte/ this manner, as if you 
 
 * needed my information concerning thefe things, for 
 it is evident by your praftice, that you have been 
 
 v witneffing 
 
r 4* ] 
 
 witnelfing againfl: thefe courfes of defection and back- 
 flidings from the Lord, his caufe and covenants: and 
 as you have been long contending againfl: the profeft 
 magiftrates and miniflers of this nation, and refufing 
 to give them any thing, any manner of way, that 
 belongs to the lawful and rightly qualified governors: 
 and now it appears, becaufe of this, you are thrufl: 
 from your pofleflion, and now pofleft b.v others. I 
 am very unfit - to give you an advice in fuchacafe; 
 but,confider as it is on the account of truth you are now 
 fuffering, the plea is the Lord’s, and he will plead.it in 
 his good time; labour to bear it patiently, CaJling 
 all your care upon him who careth for you ; for he hath 
 promifed: He that leaveth houfes and lands, etc. For 1 
 his name fake, Jhall receive an hundred fold in Vo is 
 life , and in the world to come , life cverlajling. O I 
 but they are happy whom the Lord is leading out of 
 all things here, and filling their hearts and fouls with 
 love to himfelf. He is calling us in all our ways to 
 acknowledge him , and he will dir eft our paths. I hope 
 ye have been defiring to fubmit your felf and your all 
 to him; fo as he may be the carver out of your lot, 
 and his will to be your will: he hath promifed. He 
 will make ail work together for good to them that love 
 him , Rom. 8. 28. Hu way is in the fea, etc. Study 
 to be acquaint with the Lord’s mind and will, in the 
 difpenfation ofhis providence, fo as we may learn in- 
 ftru&ion therefrom; and keep iilent before the Lord, 
 juftifying him in the way of his procedure, as being 
 fujl in aH his ways, and holy in all his works. And 
 be not anxious zvbatye Jhall eat, or what ye Jhall drink , 
 or wherewithal ye Jhall be cloathed , Mat. For, he 
 will withhold no good from them that love him , and 
 walks uprightly before him, Pfal. 84. ir. Yen, their 
 bread Jhall be given them, and their waterfall be fure, 
 
 Ifa. For, he will be for us while we are for him, 2 
 Chron. 15. 2. They are happy that can,-on good 
 grounds, plea^ upon their covenant relation with the 
 
- 
 
 [ 43 ] 
 
 Lord, and upon the former loving-kindnefs, fo as to 
 fay, I know him in whom 1 have believed. However, 
 it may be with them as to the outward j yea, tho’ tem¬ 
 poral enjoyments (hould feem to fail, yet fuch as ..re 
 called to rejoyce in the Lord , and to be glad in the Gdd 
 of their falvation, Hab. 3. 17. 18. And as the Lord, 
 (I hope,) hath made you to experience his tendtr mer¬ 
 cy and loving-kindnefs, that ye dare not dem ; ^nd 
 he zvho hath begun a good work , will aljo perfot ?n it to 
 the end, Phil. 1.6. 
 
 But I leave you, wifhing the Lord may fan&ifv all 
 your erodes, and make up all outward Ioffes you fu- 
 ftain, (to you and yours) on the account of truth, with 
 more of the enjoyment of his bleft felf. So defiring ycur 
 fympathy in prayer, that the Lord may make me to 
 know him in truth ; and to be found of him in the way 
 of truth, wifhing the fame to be the mercy of all the 
 travail of his foul, I remain your friend, as formerly. 
 
 Crochmore , "Jan. \ 
 
 1 Ith, 1742. 3 
 
 William Smith , 
 
 LETTER. XIII. 
 
 Dear Friend, 
 
 I Would be glad to know how you are, and have 
 been lince I faw you; for my felf. I have been in 
 my ordinary health fince; and I am made to wonder 
 what may be in that difpenfation of the Lord’s provi¬ 
 dence, in vifiting this corner with more than ordinary 
 afflidlion, now upwards of a year. Death hath not 
 been fo frequent, yet there are feverals carried off in all 
 periods of life, both upon the right hand and upon the 
 left, behind and before: fome younger than we, and 
 feme older than we, which fr.ould teach us the un- 
 
 cer- 
 
C 44- 1 
 
 certainty of our time here: and by this the Lord is, as 
 it were, faying, O! that we were wife and underjiood 
 this, fo as to confider our latter end , Deut. 32. 29. 
 But that which I was obferving before, was, that 
 tho’afflidtion hath been long in this corner; yea, even 
 in this place where my abode is; for, fince Auguft 
 Jaff, the Lord hath been continuing afflidfion in thir 
 two families; and it hath pleafed him to make a breach 
 in the one famliy, by calling away the head and one 
 of the members thereof, a daughter about twelve 
 years of age, and was laid in their graves both in one 
 day: but what I would obferve further, is this, that 
 the Lord hath taken each perfon in thir families thro* 
 his afflicting hand, except poor unworthy me; and 
 you know it is the baftards portion to be without 
 chaftifement, Heh. 12, 8. Alas! Icannot read the 
 language of this difpenfation ; only I defire to be at 
 his difpofal; Let him do with me what feemeth good in 
 his fight , and that he may give me my foul for a prey. 
 O! they are happy, whom the Lord is making to ex¬ 
 perience, and to reap the fruits and effedis of all the 
 tryals and afflidtions he is bringing in their way, and’ 
 tryfting them with, to the winning their hearts and 
 fouls to himfelf with love; making thefe means of 
 drawing them out of themfelves, into Chrift the Rock 
 of ages. Pray that this may be the effects of this pre- 
 fent afflidtion, that many may have it to fay. It is 
 good for them they were efflified, Pfal. 119. 71. 
 
 But leaving this fubjedt, you know fomething con¬ 
 cerning my prerent circumftances, and altho’ I have 
 difadvantages at prefent, yet I have priviledges, which, 
 if the Lord beftow upon me a heart to improve, will 
 very far over-baliance all my Ioffes and wants; and if 
 my heart deceive me not, it was on the account of 
 truth, that Ifuffered, and therefore I defire chcarfully 
 to fubmit to the Lord’s will in my prefent lot. 
 
 Dear friend, I would have you to improve your pre¬ 
 fent opportunities and priviledges, fuch as, wholfom 
 
 inftrudti- 
 
r 45 j 
 
 inflruclions, and a good example from yout pious pa¬ 
 rents, from your youth up, teaching you in the good 
 ways of the Lord ; few enjoying the like priviledges in 
 this finning day of backfliding: and that you have been 
 made to own the fame good caufe with them, beware 
 of turning afide, or wearying, but bold on in the ways 
 of the Lord , for in due time ye Jhall reap , if ye faint 
 not. Pray that the Lord may help you to wait on him, 
 and to keep his ways, and he will give (Length, Pfal. 
 27. 14. For our time is a time of darknefs, confuli- 
 ons, and divifions. You know, when Ifrael was in 
 the wildernefs, when the cloud covered the tabernacle 
 they journeyed not; and when the cloud was taken up, 
 they journeyed again, Exod. 40. read from verfe 34, to 
 ult. O for the day when he (hall remove the cloud of 
 his anger, and the caufes thereof! and when he will 
 heal our breaches, and love us freely’, and we become 
 one ftick in his hand. It is good that we fhould both 
 hope , and quietly wait for the falvation of the Lord , 
 Lam. 3. 26. For tho’ our eyes (hould not fee Jerufalem 
 a quiet habitation, nor the King’s prefence billing the 
 temple, yet we mull wait in the way of our duty ; He 
 that believeth Jhall not make ( fmful ) hajle, Ifa. It is in 
 the road of duty, that he is to be found; and he that 
 finds him, findetblife , Prov. 34. 3J. And tho’we be 
 meeting with many difcouragements in our lot, yet we 
 are not to envy or grudge at the profperity and enjoy¬ 
 ments of thefe, in our day, who are enjoying their pri¬ 
 viledges upon the ruins of the work of God; but rather, 
 to be willing to fufpend thefe to the day of our death, 
 than to feek the procuring of thefe, by going out of the 
 road of duty. I write not this, to impofe my light up¬ 
 on you, as a rule; no, no; Search the fcriptures whe¬ 
 ther thefe things be fo , Adis. 17. 1 r. So wi(hing that 
 the Lord may lead,guide,and inllruct you in the way of 
 all truth and duty,fo as to have peace with the Lord,and 
 peace with a good confcience; and fo in the end have 
 his teftimony, Well dm 3 good and faithful fervent, 
 
 enter 
 
 ) 
 
[ 46 ] L 
 
 enter into the joy of thy Lord , Mat. 25. 21. And make 1 
 you kn -.w him in truth and reality, and to follow him 
 in the way of truth, is the prayer of him who is your 
 poor well wither, and friend, 
 
 Crochmore , Jan.l William Smith. 
 
 12 th, 1743. 
 
 LETTER XIV. TV James Smith , Merchant 
 in England- * 
 
 Dear Friend, 
 
 S OME days ago I received yours, which was accep¬ 
 table to me: altho’ your acquaintance and mine 
 be but fmall, yet feeing you have ufed fo much free¬ 
 dom with me, as to impart fomewhat of your mind, 
 and to feek my weak advice, which fomewhat ingage 3 
 me to write thir few lines to you. You fay ye are 
 tryfted to be among a people that declares, by their 
 practice, they are ftrangers to the true fear of the 
 Lord, and fo wagts the priviledge of chriftian com¬ 
 munion and fellowfhip, which the Lord requires and 
 approves of, Mai. 3. 16, 17. And ye are not re- 
 folved what to do concerning your remaining there, 
 or returning back you fay, while your father lived, 
 you wanted not a good friend at the throne of grace; 
 but you muft remember, that the more inexcufable will 
 you be, if you improve it not; that you were priviledg- 
 ed with fuch a father; as you call him a friend at the 
 throne of grace, that was labouring to teach and inftrucH: 
 you in the right ways of the Lord. Study, above all 
 things, to acquaint your felf with the Lord , and be at 
 ■peace, and thereby goodJhall come unto thee , Job 22. 
 21. And in order to your knowing the Lord, you 
 muft be convinced, that our fir ft parents being made 
 
 * after 
 
r 47 1 „ . 
 
 after the Image of God, Gen. i. 27. God put them 
 into the garden of Eden to drefs and keep it, Gen. 2. 
 15. And entered into a a venant with them, upon 
 condition of perfect obedience, promifing life, if they 
 kept the fame; alfo threatning with death for the breach 
 thereof, Gen. 2. 16, 17. And they being the head and re- 
 prefentativeof their pofterity, if thev had flood,alt theirs 
 had flood in them; fo they breaking God’s covenant, 
 they fell, and we finned in them, and fell with them, 
 in theirfirft tranfgreflion; and all proceeding from them, 
 by ordinary generation, are equally guilty, Eph. 2. 3. 
 But, I think, till once we be convinced of our origi¬ 
 nal guilt from Adam , feeing cur felves lying under the 
 wrath of God, liable to law-wrath and law-vengeance 
 on the account of the breach of the fir ft covenant of 
 works, we will .never fee our need of Chrift, or make 
 application to the bleft remedy provided in the new co¬ 
 venant of grace, the blood of fprinkling, for cleaning 
 and wafhing of us, from all iniquity: them the Son 
 makes free, are free indeed, John 8. 36. The'ebeig 
 tio condemnation to them who are in Chriji Jefus , Rom, 
 8. 1. 
 
 O ! the early difplays and manifeflations of the co¬ 
 venant of grace! Gen. 3. 15. O! wonder and ad¬ 
 mire at the free grace and love of God in making 
 choice of his only Son Jefus Chrift to fatisfie law and 
 juftice! and the wifdom of God in finding out fuch 
 a way, as frees the rebels, repairs the law, and makes 
 it honourable, Jfa. And the Son’s willingnefs in un¬ 
 dertaking the bufinefs, even to fulfil all righteoufnefs,. 
 in the room and ftead of all the eleft! by becoming 
 obedient to death, even the death of the crofs, Phil, 2. 
 8. Gal. 3. 13. Mat. 20. 28. read alfo Mat. 26. 
 where he cries. My Soul is exceeding forrowful, even 
 unto death, verfes 38, to 45. praying earneftly, If 
 it were pcffible that that cup might pafs from him. Yet he 
 fubmits lweetly to the will of the f ather, faying, Not 
 my will, but thy will be done . So being betrayed int-o 
 
 the 
 
[ I 
 
 the hands of finners, he payed the whole debt, to the 
 utmoft farthing, law and juftice required : and de¬ 
 clared that it was finifhed, before he gave up the ghoft. 
 Mat. 27. 50. Luke 23. 40. Confider what coft and 
 expeneeit was to ourbleft Lord, in purchasing life and 
 falvation to an elect world, even at no lefs rate than 
 the price of his precious Blood, and the laying down 
 his life a ranfom for many ; and he cheerfully fubmits, 
 faying, I delight to do thy will O my God ! Pfal. 40. 7, 
 
 8.1 would have you to confider that your lot is try fled 
 to be in a land,once reformed, lying under many obli¬ 
 gations to be for the Lord, wherein ye have life and 
 death fet before you. O fhat you may be fo wife at 
 to confider your latter end , Deut. 32 29. be careful in - 
 reading the fcriptures, 'John 5. 39. Ifa. 8.20. Deut. 
 J7. 19. Study to live holily : follow peace with all men , 
 Heb. 12. 14. Study to be juft in your commerce and 
 trading, mind the omnifcient, eye of an all feeing God 
 . is upon you ,Heb. 4. 13. Eye the glory of God in all 
 that ye do, 1 Cor. 10. 31. Beware of lying or diftem- 
 bfing for outward gain or advantage ; read Rev. 21.8. 
 beware of evil company ; you know tho’ Jofeph was 
 a good man, yet when he came to be advanced into 
 Pharaoh's court, he w r as tainted with their evil cu- 
 ftoms in part, when he comes to fwear by the life of 
 Pbaraoby Gen. 42. 15. Be tender of the holy fab- 
 bath: you are not to fpeak your own words, nor to 
 find your own pleafures in his holy day, Ifa. 58. 13. 
 beware of hearing thefe hirelings which we in our co¬ 
 venants are fworn againft. Ceafe from the inftructi- 
 ons that caufeth to err from the word of knowledge, 
 Prov. 19. 27. Do not reft on means, but look be¬ 
 yond all thefe to the Lord; and be reftlefs until ye know 
 what it is to receive the intimation of his love, mani- 
 fefted to your foul, grounded upon fcripture promifes. 
 Plead with him for the out-making of the promifes to « 
 you ; and that of the new heart, Etcek. 36. 26, 27. 
 £xek. 11. 19. Examine yqur felf how it is with you, 
 
 and 
 
r 49 i 
 
 and where the ftream of your affections are going, if 
 you be hating fin, and loving the Lord above all things, 
 and fo finds new difpofitions in your foul, new defires 
 after the Lord ; If any man be in Chriji , he is a new 
 creature^ 2 Cor. 5. 17. Study to know what regene¬ 
 ration is, without which no man can enter into the 
 kingdom of heaven, John 3. 3. Read the parable of the 
 ten virgins, ftrive to enter in, for rpany fhall ftrive to 
 enter in, and {hall not be able, for firait is the gate, 
 and, narrow is the way that Leads to life> and few there 
 he that find it y Luke 13. 24. Seek the Lord while he 
 may be founds call uponhimivhilehe isnear, Ifa. 55. 6, 7. 
 The Lord threatens that if you will not hearken to his 
 voice, while he is now calling and ftretching forth his 
 hand to receive you, that he will laugh at your calamity , 
 and mock when your fear cometh, Prov. 1. 23. Be much 
 in the duty of fecret prayer, Ifa. 26. 20. Plead with 
 the Lord that he may (hew his ways, and teach you 
 his paths, lead you in truth, and teach you Pfal. 25. 
 5. Pfal. 43. 3. Let your converfation be without covet- 
 cufnefs , Heb. 13. 5. And guard againft all appearance 
 of evil. if 
 
 But, to conclude, as for your removing from where 
 you are to your native country, or to remain, I can 
 advife you to no other thing than to commit yourfelf 
 and your all to the Lord ; and by prayer and Applica¬ 
 tion, make your requefts known to the Lord, fee that 
 your eye be fingle, having the glory of God for your 
 fcope, aim, and defign in all your undertakings. Be 
 often thinking upon death, judgment, and eternity, and 
 look where the ground of your fure hopes lye, Pfal. 119. 
 49. Put a bill of divorce into the hands of all other 
 lovers j and love the Lord with all your heart and with 
 all your foul, fo as ye may have it to fay, on good 
 grounds, Whom have I in heaven but thee , and there 
 is none on earth that I defere befiies thee , Pfal. 73. 25. 
 Confider thefe advices and try them by the fcriptures 
 of truth, and in as far as is agreeable therewith, receive 
 
 D and 
 
[ 5 ° ] 0 
 
 and pra&ife them. So wifhing the Lord may make you 
 
 to know, and do your duty in this cloudy and dark day, 
 
 I reft yours, and all Zion's friends, 
 
 Crochmore , Feb. 7 William Smith. 
 
 27th, 1742. S 
 
 LETTER XV. To Andrew Colvin , in Orr 
 Parijh. 
 
 Christian Friend, 
 
 A S you have been ufeful to fuch, by chriftian ad¬ 
 vices,as were under affli£tions,and trials that hath 
 been matter of heavinefsand discouragement to them, 
 cfpecially when the Lord, in his holy and wife provi¬ 
 dence, hath called away fuch as have been near and 
 dear unto them, whom they loved as their own life. 
 There is a fubmiflion called for in fuch a cafe, left by 
 over much Sorrowing for the want of them, the Lord 
 fhould be provoked to teftify his difpleafure, by fur¬ 
 ther lengthening out the trial, and lo punilh them for 
 their iin in quarreling at his will. 
 
 I hope ye will guard againft this now when the trial 
 is come to your own family, the Lord calling away 
 your loving and deal fon of late,your lofs is indeed great, 
 jBut he having ferved his generation by the will of God 
 fell on Jleep , A£ts 13. 36. You are called to ftudy that 
 ye Sorrow not as them that have no hope, 1 Thef. 4. 13. 
 John the divine had his commiftion to writ e^BleJJed arc 
 the dead that die in the Lord, Rev. 14. 13. And feeing 
 thefe is fuch joy in heaven over one (inner that repent- 
 eth, Luke 15. 7. fo ought there alfo to be joy and 
 thankfgiving upon earth, when the Bride, the Lambs j 
 Wife, is made ready at the confumation of the Mar- 
 rage, when they fhall win beyond finning and Sorrow^ 
 
 ing 
 
n f ] 
 
 mg, where there lhall be neither tempter to tempt nor 
 creature that can yield. I hope ye are not without 
 the comfort of, as being the portion of your loving 
 fon, who was pleafant and lovely in his life, and give 
 you fome evidences, which I hope ye cannot deny,'of 
 the grace of God being implanted in his foul, being de- 
 iirabJe at death. O that none fuch work of the re¬ 
 deeming love! nothing being more admirable than that 
 contrivance, in beginning, carrying on, and perfecting 
 the work of man’s falvation. And what comfort will 
 it be, when all the bairns of the family will be gathered 
 home, and all join in hinging that one fweet fong of 
 Mofes and the Lamb? Eye bath not feen , nor ear beard , 
 etc. 2 Cor. 2. 9. Ifa. 64. 4. I think they are truly 
 happy whom the Lord, in mercy to their fouls, is tak¬ 
 ing home to himfelf, and barling out of the flood-mark 
 of his wrath, which is hanging over thefe guilty nati¬ 
 ons. The cup feems to be faft filling up; and who of 
 us will not be found to be thefe treacherous dealers 
 that hath dealt falfly with the Lord in his covenant,and 
 fo lyable to the judgments threatned againft fuch? 
 Ezek. 16. 58. Hof 9. 9. Our lot is tryfled to be in 
 a very dark and cloudy day; the Lord hiding his face 
 even from his own; in a great meafure, fo that many 
 are at a ftand, I fupoofe, what is fin and what is du¬ 
 ty. They are hagpy whom the Lord is teaching, by 
 his word and Spirit, what the fin and duty of the day 
 we live in is; and fo is refolving to wait upon the Lord 
 that hideth his face , etc. Ifa. 8. 17. But you being 
 more acquainted with thefe tilings than I, and more 
 meet to give me an advice, yet fometimes the chil¬ 
 dren cf God deprives themfelves of the comfort that he 
 allows upon them, and fo is not pofejfng theirJoul with 
 patience , Luke 21. 13. The Lord feeing it meet to 
 tryft his children with tryals and affii&ions, to take 
 their hearts of? from all things here, and fo to empty 
 them from veflel to vefl'eh that thereby the whole, and 
 all of tfic heart, may be win to himfelf, who will be 
 
 D 2 in 
 
r 52 ] 
 
 in the room and {lead of all other things to them: and 
 unto fuch as dare not deny his former Ioving-kindnefs 
 by the intimation of his love to their foul, ought to be 
 glad and rejoyce in the Lord, who hath promifed, he 
 will be better unto them than ten font. And that the 
 Lord may make up all wants and lofies to you, and 
 your near concerns, with the enjoyment of himfelf, 
 and alfo raife up inftruments for the reviving of his bu¬ 
 ried, is the defire of him who is your well-wifher and 
 friend, 
 
 Crocbmore,Oftob. 7 William Smith . 
 
 9th, 1742. 5 
 
 LETTER XVI. To James Smith Merchant 
 in England. 
 
 Loving Friend, 
 
 B Y this letter received from you, you give me the 
 account you received mine, of the date, Sept. 27. 
 I am glad that ye acknowledge the goodnefs of the 
 Lord, both in furnifhing me with matter; which ye 
 fay was fuitable to your cafe; and alfo in directing it 
 fafely to you. If there be any thing in it that hath had 
 any tendency to the reaching of you, either in the 
 way of convi&ion, reproof, inftrudlion, comfort, or 
 confolation, blefs the Lord for it; His way is in the 
 fea> etc. And if your heart be in any meafure engag¬ 
 ed to the Lord, I think ye will be made to fee yourfelf 
 loft and undone while out of him; and fin in fome 
 meafure, will become your grief and burden: and ye 
 will be more afraid of finning againft the Lord, than 
 of any other thing in the world; and to abhor your felf, 
 and repent in dufl anda[hes t Job. 42. 6. And jf ye ex¬ 
 perience any thing of this convidlion of fin, try if it be 
 
C 53 ] 
 
 of the right ftamp: read that penetentia! confeffion of 
 the bleft Pfalmift David , Pfal. 51. throughout. There 
 are fome convictions of fin will never land in a thorough 
 converfion, as ye may fee of wicked Cain ; he had a 
 conviction of the murther of righteous Abel , when he 
 crys out, My punijhment is greater than I can bear , 
 Gen. 4. 13. And Judas had a convi'Ction of betray¬ 
 ing innocent blood. Mat. 28. 3, 4, 5.Examine yourfelf 
 concerning the reality of your convictions, that ye de¬ 
 ceive not your felf: plead with him, that what ye know 
 not , he may teach you. Job. 34. 32. For if ye feek him 
 in fincerity, and follow on to know the Lord, ye (hall 
 know, Hof. 6. 3. Make much ufe of your bible, 
 which holns forth the way of Life, and the way of 
 death; and will make us utterly inexcufable, altho* 
 we had no other helps in all the world. Pray for the 
 right underftanding of the holy fcriptures of truth; ig¬ 
 norance will be no perfons excufe; read Ifa. 27. 11. 
 You fay it is better to have communion and fellowfhip 
 with the people of God, than to dwell in tents of 
 wickednefs : the bleft Pfalmift rather made choice of 
 the fmalleft office in the houfe of God, even to be a 
 door-keeper, than to dwell in tents of fin, Pfal. 84. 
 10. Indeed it is dangerous to confederate with the 
 Lord’s enemies, Ifa. 8. 12. 1 Tim. 5. 22. Numb. 16. 
 26. And altho* communion and fellowfhip with the 
 people of God be both a duty and priviledge, and well 
 ' warranted from the word of God, Mai. 3. 16. Heb. 
 10. 24, 25. yet many that is injoying thefe priviledges, 
 and profeffing friendfhip to our Lord, and to own the 
 true religion, alas! are yet ftrangers in heart to com¬ 
 munion and fellowfhip with the Lord: it will not be 
 every one that faith. Lord, Lord , Jkall enter , etc. 
 Mat. 7. 21. Beware of leanning to means, how law¬ 
 ful foever they may be in themfelves; but ftudv to have 
 it to fay, w r ith the Apoftle, that truly your fdloiujbip is 
 with the Father , and his Son , Jefus Chrift ? 1 John 1.3. 
 religion is fuch a myftery to many of us that are the 
 
 D 3 ' pro- 
 
C 54 I 
 
 profeffors thereof, that we are altogether Grangers there¬ 
 unto ; read I Tim. 3. 16. And without controverfy , 
 etc. O ! feekto beaquainted with this great myftery, 
 God in Chrift Jefus, and the myftery of the new na¬ 
 ture *, For in Chrijl Jefus , neither circumcifion , nor 
 uncircumcifton availeth, but a new creature. Gal 6. 15. 
 2 Cor. 5. 17. Put your felf to the trial, what ye know 
 of this new principle, in having old things done away 
 and every old thing become new: finding your affecti¬ 
 ons, in feme meafure, mortified to the world, and 
 the things thereof, fo as to count all former gain and 
 phafures , but as lofs and dung , in comparifon of the ex¬ 
 cellency of the knowledge of God in Chrijl Jefus , Phil. 3. 
 7, 8. Found ye ever the word of God to be the power 
 thereof, to the wounding, awakening, and convin¬ 
 cing of your confcience and alfo to rejoice the heart, 
 Pfal. 19. 7, 8. for their muft be a fowing in tears, be¬ 
 fore there be the harveft of joy, Pfal. 126. 5. I think 
 if ye be one that hath travelled through the pangs of 
 the ne\*f bifth, through the wildernefs of a law work 
 upon your own foul, by experiencing fometbing of that 
 fpirit of bondage, fo as to be almofi: diftraCted, as you 
 may fee of Heman , Pfal. 88. throughout, but the Lord’s 
 ways are various in the in-bringing of his own children, 
 fo that his method and ways arenot after t he fame man¬ 
 ner and meafure with every individual child of the fa¬ 
 mily. But for your further knowledge in this I recom¬ 
 mend to yQu, the furious perufal of tha.t worthy and 
 noble piece, called the trial of afaving interejl in Chrifl ; 
 written by that fervant of Jefus Chrift, Mr. IVilliam 
 Guthrie : read it carefully, and examine your felf by 
 it, as ye go along: take nothing upon truft, but all 
 upon trial, as the noble Bereans Afts 17. ii. They 
 were commended for fearching the feriptures, whither 
 the doctrine of the Apoftles were fo. A noble ex¬ 
 ample. O 1 but we have great need in this our day, 
 a day of trouble and perplexity, to ftudy to be acquaint 
 with the fcripturcs of truth, Ifa. 22. 5. Ah ! our vvo- 
 
 ful 
 
ful diviftons and confufions which feems ftill to be on 
 the growing hand. Alas for it! I truly fear, that 
 altho’ their be many that are profefling to witnefs for 
 our Lord, and his born down truths, witnefs, and is 
 making; fome appearances this way ; yet I fear, among 
 all thefe there are but few whofe heart are trembling, 
 for the ark of God : read i Sam. 4. throughout, and 
 you will hear what effects thefe tydingshad upon fome 
 when they heard that the ark of God was taken. And, 
 O but they are very few, who is preferring Jerusalem 
 to their chief joy! Pfal. 137. 6. Endeavour always 
 to fet the Lord before your eyes; fludying in whatfo- 
 ever ye do , to do all to the glory of God, and your fouls 
 comfort, 1 Cor. 10. 31. Give up with all fin, Pfal. 66. 
 18. Labour to make a full and free refignation of your 
 felf, and your all to the Lord, to be his, and for him, 
 Pfal. 50. 5. May the God of all Grace, ftablifh, 
 ftrengthen and fettle you; to whom be glory and do¬ 
 minion for ever, Amen , 1 Pet. 5. 10, n. I reft your’s 
 and all Zion’s friends, that are friends indeed, - 
 
 Crochmore , May ? William Smith. 
 
 21 ft, 1743- $ 
 
 LETTER XVII. Tto James Creightoun , in 
 Drumwhirn , in Ballmaclellan. 
 
 Christian Friend, 
 
 I M U S T acknowledge that your refpeift to me is 
 a thoufand times more, than defervings ; 
 fuch a poor withered fhrub as I am, that is fo barren 
 and fruitlefs, altho’ the Lord hath been vlilting about 
 me, with one trial upon the back of ano¬ 
 ther ; calling away my father formerly, and now late¬ 
 ly my good brother, which deprives me doubtlefs of 
 
 D 4 ‘ • fome 
 
[ 5 « ] 
 
 fome freedom that I expected ; but what fhall I fay ? 
 The Lord is jujl in his ways , and holy in all his works , 
 Pfal. 145. 17. and, he is in one mind , and who can 
 turn him ? and what his foul defir eth , even that he doth', 
 for he performeth the things that are appointed for me , 
 and many Juch things are with him , Job 23. 13, 14. I 
 think it is a great matter to read the mind of the Lord 
 rightly in trying difpenfations. Surely he is calling me 
 to be more denied to all things here, that the all of my 
 heart may be win with love to his glorious felf. O that 
 thefe trials may have that effect upon me! That I may 
 fee fin the procuring caufe of all this evil j That I may 
 abhor my felf etc. Job 42. 6. The ground that is often 
 watered , and b’ingetb forth fruit anfwerable to the 
 pains , receiveth bleffings from God ; but that which bear- 
 eth briers and thorns , is rejetted , and nigh unto curflngy 
 ivhofe end is to be burned , Heb. 6. 7, 8. Woes me for 
 my hardnefs and ftupidity under his fpeaking providen¬ 
 ces ! I thinly it fome evidence of Life, where there is 
 a righ’f fenfe ofdeadnefs: for that which is dead hath 
 neither fenfe nor feeling : it is a good fign when our 
 deadnefs becomes our burden and exercife, and is for¬ 
 cing us to make application to the throne of free grace, 
 and there to plead with the Lord for the out-making of 
 the promifes ; and that he would pour water upon 
 him that is thirjly , and floods upon the dry ground , Ifa. 
 44 - 3 - ° ■ admire the free grace and love of God in 
 Chrilt ! that altho’ he is intirely acquainted with all 
 our ways, and well knoweth our hearts, and what we 
 have need of, Pfal. 139. 3, 4. yet he allows us to 
 come and make our requeft known to him, faying, Put 
 mein remembrance. Let us plead together, etc. Phil. 
 4. 6. Ifa. 43. 26, (). 0 to be fo wife fo as to underfland 
 cur latter end , Deut. 32. 29. 
 
 Dear friend, ye know how it is with you in this 
 day of trouble, and of treading down, and of perplexi¬ 
 ty, Jj’a. 22. 5. I think them in a good fure cafe, tho' 
 they may be labouring under deadnefs and darknefs, 
 
 that 
 
[ 57 3 
 
 that can on good grounds, plead upon the Lord’s for¬ 
 mer loving-kindnefles, Pfal. 89. 49. and may claim 
 to that, in 1 Sam. 23. 5. Although ?ny houfe be not fits 
 with God , yet he hath made with me, etc. Happy is the 
 perfon in tucn a cafe! O praife the Lord for what he 
 hath made you to know of that cafe! He that hath be¬ 
 gun the good work, will perform it, unto the day of 
 Jefus Chrijl , Phil. i. 6. It being the prerogative royal 
 of our bled Lord, that he changeth not, Mai. 36. 
 When we think of the great length that the foolifh vir¬ 
 gins came, fpoke of, Mat. 25. they had the leaves of 
 a profeflion, but yet wanted the fubftantials of religion, 
 the oyl of true grace in the heart j a greater length 
 then many of us, the profeflers of this generation are 
 yet come, and yet they were reje&ed. O but this 
 may be gripping to us! we have great need to dudy to 
 beridof ourfelves,and ofourownfpirits, foas we be not 
 led by a party fpirit, but that the glory of God may 
 be our ultimate and laft end, in all things that we do. 
 I think it is truly a matter of lamentation, that fuch as 
 are children of one father, and travelling to one place, 
 fhould be fo unacquainted with the bled head, and al- 
 fo with one another; that we Ihould thus fall out by 
 the way : it was the charge of Jofeph to his brethren 
 that thtyjhouldnotfallout by the way, Gen.45.24. ah ! 
 our divifions that is growing ; and yet many dreaming 
 of a reformation, and feems to be rejoicing in the tem- 
 ple-worfhip we are called to plead with our mother 
 while there is any hope of reclaiming; and Jht is to put 
 away her whoredoms out of her fight, and her adulteries 
 from between her-breads, led (he be dripped naked, 
 and fet as in the day when fhe was born, etc. Hof 
 2. 2, 3. O that our Lord would haden the fet time, 
 when he will purge the church, and bring his fheep 
 to his fold 1 and there {ball be one Shepherd and one 
 fold! John ro. 16. And when he {hall feed his fheep, 
 and nourifh them with the breads of pure gofpel ordi¬ 
 nances, difpenfed in his way, in purity and with pow¬ 
 er. 
 
[ 58 1 
 
 er, by his fent fervants, clothed with his commiffion, 
 entering in at the right door! John io. i. Being qua¬ 
 lified according to the comely order of the covenanted 
 church of Scotland in her beft times, between 1638 
 and 1650. And declaring the wholecounfel ofGod,being 
 ft ee from the blood of all men , A£ls 20. 26, 27. I 
 think, fuch of us, as is profeflxng to be friends to our 
 Lord, whether profeft minifters or private perfons, 
 Ihould ftudy to do nothing againft the truth and caufe 
 we profefs to own and avouch, by pra&ifing contrary 
 to our profeflion; for that which is not of faith is Jin t 
 Rom. 14. 23. O that our converfation were as be- 
 - comes the gofpel of Chrift ! So as to ftand faft in one 
 fpirit, with one mind, driving together for the 
 faith of the gofpel, Phil. 1. 27. Be not offended 
 at my freedom, but take it as a love-token. Now, 
 as ye know thefe things, beware, left ye be led afide 
 with the error yf the wicked, and fall from your own 
 ftedfaftnefs; but grow in grace, and in the knowledge 
 of our Lord Jefus. I reft your well-wifher, 
 
 Crochmore , May\ William Smith: 
 
 23 d - J 743- ^ 
 
 LETTER XVIII. Another Letter to the fame 
 Friend. 
 
 Cristian Friend, 
 
 I Received the account, according to your defire, 
 that fince 1 faw you laft in Augujl , you have been 
 confined to your bed, and taken with fainting fits; in 
 which, your fpirits w'ere like to fink, your faith and 
 hope like to fail you, and evanifli; and your defiring 
 my fympathy, prayer-ways, to the Lord for you. You 
 have fent a very weighty ccmmiftion to an unfkilful 
 
 hand. 
 
[ 59 1 
 
 hand. Dear friend, if ye knew my inner-fide, you 
 would not thus efteem me: I cannot give you an ad¬ 
 vice fo fuitable as yo.ur own experiences may afford 
 you, if ye would allow confcience a free vote, and 
 not crofs it’s light,it being the Lord’s depute in the foul. 
 Take care and beware that ye quench not the motions 
 of the Spirit; and give not way to the infections of Sa¬ 
 tan, and an heart of unbelief that prevails moft; and 
 he is moft bufy, when the poor doubting foul is at the 
 weakeft; when their faith and hope is over clouded. 
 The Pfalmift, like to be overcome under the hidings 
 of his face, recollects himfelf again, faying, 0 ! Why 
 art thou caft down, O my foul? why hi me fo difnayed? 
 The again aCts, faith upon the Lord, trufting in him, 
 Pfal. 42. 5. The poor traveller and fojourner, that 
 is fetting his face towards the Canaan above, muft not 
 think that he is always to have a fun-fhine, but alfo 
 fun-eclipfes, and dark clouds of defertion and with- 
 drawings, for the tryal and exercife of their faith, and 
 other graces, that is more precious than geld, 1 Pet. 
 1. 7. Beware of cafting away your confidence: Be 
 Jlrong in the Lord, and in the power of his might, Eph. 
 6. IO. Labour to exercife your faith and patience, in 
 , refolving withthe church,thatyr willwait upon the Lord 
 that hideth his face, Ifa. 8. 17. and in calling to mind 
 the days of old-, the years of the right hand of the moft 
 high, Pfal. 77. 5, 10, 11. It is good in fuch a time, 
 if ye can plead upen old acquaintance, and claim kind- 
 nefs on a covenant relation to him, 2 Sam. 23. 5. and 
 truly this may be the poor things comfort, altho’ not 
 always growing in the fenfe of it; The gifts and cal¬ 
 lings of God are without repentance: and, he is the 
 Lord that changetb not, Mai. 3. 6. Beware of weary¬ 
 ing under the rod ; for, our light afflictions, which is 
 hut for a moment, worketh for us, a far more ex¬ 
 ceeding, and eternal weight "of glory , 2 Cor. 4. 17. 
 . Rom. 8. 17. Rev. 3. 21. You know there is winter 
 as well, as fummer ; Weeping may endure for a night , 
 
 hut 
 
r 6o ] 
 
 but joy cometh in the morning, Pfal. 30. 5. Be not over- 
 fore difcouraged, through the Lord’s lengthning out 
 the thread of your tryals and afflictions; for, it is out 
 of his fatherly love and compaffion, that he chaftifeth 
 his own children, Heb. 12. 6. You fee in verfe 8th 
 of that chapter, that it is the baftards portion to be 
 without chaftifement: you may read the whole of the 
 chapter j and deprive not your felf of that comfort that 
 he allows upon you. I hope ye dare not deny, but ye 
 have received the earneft of the Spirit, fealed upon your 
 foul, 2 Cor. 1. 22. O but the words of God be words 
 mojl pure ! they be like filver tried , Pfal. 12. 6. And 
 they that can’t on good grounds, claim right to Chrift, 
 and one gofpel promife, have a right to all the promifes; 
 tho’ the poor doubting believer may fear it is prefumpti- 
 on in them to meddle with thefe divine myfteries; yet 
 confider, the promifes are all in Chrijl ; yea , and in 
 him , Amen, to the glory of God , 2 Cor. 1. 20. I 
 think it is dangerous to apply healing to our felves, be¬ 
 fore we know what it is to be wounded thoroughly, by 
 the word and Spirit of God, to the experiencing a law- 
 
 work upon our fouls, in more or lefs, Ath 2. 37- 
 
 16. 30. Strive to enter in at the fir ait gate ; for ma¬ 
 ny JhallJlrive to enter in % and (hall not be able y Luke 
 13. 24. But I need not enlarge this way to you, 
 whom, I hope, the Lord hath made to experience that 
 work upon your own foul. But, O that others, who 
 are ftrangers thereto, may take heed to themfelves, 
 what they are doing ! and that they intermeddle not 
 with the believers joy, Prov. 14. 10. Rev. 2. 17. O ! 
 give all diligence to make your calling and election fure ! 
 2 Pet. I. JO. 
 
 Now, dear friend, ftudy a humble fubmifflon to 
 the Lord’s will. I hope ye have tryed to put your 
 cafe, and your all into his hand ; and is willing to be 
 at his difpofal, whither by death or life hold there. 
 Happy is the man whom God in mercy correCleth : 
 therefore, Defpife not thou the chajlifement of the Lord , 
 
 for 
 
[ 61 ] , r 
 
 for he maketh fore , and bindeth up : he woundeth, and 
 his hands make whole : he Jhall deliver thee in fix trou¬ 
 bles , yea, in Jeven there Jhall no evil touch thee , Job. 5. 
 17, 18, ig. Read Ifa. 43. 2. When thoupajfejl thro’ 
 the waters, / iwiZ />* thee, etc. Our Lord hath 
 promifed, for the comfort of his own, that he will be 
 with them through the fires, and through the waters 
 of the greateft tryals and afflictions that they have to 
 meet with here: this is good news, that he will not 
 forfake his own handy-work, but will perform it to 
 the end : therefore look only to the Lord, and a<ft faith 
 upon him, who giveth power to the faint, and to them 
 that have no might, he increafeth flrength, Ifa. 40. 29. 
 2 Cor. 12. 9. And that you may be Jlrengthened with 
 all might in the inner-man, according to his glorious 
 power , unto all patience and long- fuffer mg, with joyful - 
 nefs, Col. 1. ir. So commending you to God, and 
 to the word of his grace, which is able to build you 
 up, and to give you an inheritance among all them 
 that are fan&ified, fo I reft your poor well-wifker, 
 
 Crochmore, Ofiob. ? William'Smith. 
 
 3t2d, 1740. 5 
 
 LETTER XIX, To fame Chrijlian Friends , 
 in Clydfdale. 
 
 Christian Friends, in our Lord Jesus, 
 
 A S there is now many in this our age, that is pro- 
 fefflng friendfhip to our blefied Lord, and cal¬ 
 ling themfelves by the name of Ifrael, but not in truth 
 and righteoufnefs, Ifa, 48. 1. Alas! for the little 
 exercife and experience of heart-religion that is among 
 the profeflors of this day ! Ah ! how little of felf- 
 fearching, felf tryal, and felf-examination 3 foastgknow 
 
 how 
 
[ 62 ] 
 
 how it {lands betwixt God and our own fouls ! And 
 that which ought to be our firft work, is by many of 
 us delayed till death feize upon us, and begin, to fit 
 down upon our eye lids; and yet, what defire may 
 fuch have, to die the death of the righteous ? others of 
 them given up to hardnefs, fo as to have neither fenfe 
 nor feeling, and never avyakened, till they enter into 
 an unalterable date of mifery, which {hall never have 
 an end. O ! what need have we then of examining 
 our J,elves , whither we be in the faith , and to prove 
 our oten felves? 2 Cor. 13. 5. fo as we may attain to 
 that well-grounded hope, that will be as an anchor of 
 the foul , both fure and Jledfafl , and entereth to that 
 ivithin the vail , Heb. 6. 19. And furely fuch as the 
 .Lprd hath given the intimation of his love to their fouls, 
 will, in fome meafure, be defiring and endeavouring, 
 terthe utmoft of their power, in their place and {lation, 
 the enlargement of our Lord’s kingdom, with the 
 downfal of the kingdom of Satan, that feems to be high 
 and flourifhing this day , and how many are the aiders 
 and fupporters thereof, that is joining in a confedera¬ 
 cy and combination againft the Lord, to the weakning 
 the hands, and fadning the hearts of fuch as are defiring 
 and aiming to be faithful for him, in this day of defec¬ 
 tion ? And yet, in the midft of all our confufions, 
 the Lord is carrying on his own work, and will per¬ 
 fect what concerns his own glory: he will not &e filent, 
 but will fpeak out; He will finijh the ivork y and cut 
 it floor t in righteeufefs , Rom. 9. 28. O but they are 
 few in this our day, that is ftudying to keep the word 
 of our Lord’s patience! Rev. 3. 10. O but it be mat¬ 
 ter of lamentation, that fuch as are children of one fa¬ 
 ther, travelling to one place, fliould thus differ and 
 fail out by the way ! the Lord thus teftifying his dif- 
 pleafure, by dividing the bairns of the lame family, 
 which is furely fad, when one faint dare not be ftleiit, 
 but teftify againft another faint, left they fliould be 
 unfaithful ftewards, by not improving their talents for 
 „ I "' their 
 
[ *3 ] 
 
 their matters glory. Ah I their Teems to be a deep 
 fleep feized upon the mottpart of this generation, that 
 will not be alarmed till the Lord fpeak terrible things 
 in righteoufnefs: Why Jhould we.he flricken any more, 
 we will revolt more and more , Ifa. 1.5. Ah ! how 
 heavy a judgment is it, to be given up to our own hearts 
 lujls, to wander in ways of our own , Pfal. 81. 12. 
 Our divifions hath mared that communion that hath 
 been refreftiing to the Lord’s people, and inftead of that, 
 there is now a fighting againft one another, with tongue 
 and pen, and every one of us juftifying our own ways, 
 few taking with their fins. Lord, help us to be tab¬ 
 ling all our complaints at the throne of free grace; in 
 every thing making our requejls known to God , Phil. 4. 6. 
 Alas! the little correfpondence that is amongft fuch 
 as are witnelfing for our Lord’s born down truths, and 
 againft the incroachments thereupon, by an apoftatif- 
 ing generation: yea, even among fuch as are of one 
 mind and judgment, in the points of the teftimony, 
 and defiring to efpoufe the fame covenanted caufe. 
 O! that every thing may be laid afide, that hath a 
 tendency to the difhonouring of God, or the wrong¬ 
 ing of truth, fo that there may be a joint fellowlhip 
 and correfpondence among fuch as defires to be 
 friends to our Lord ; for the further edification, and 
 mutual comfort of the body, to the Jlrengthning the 
 things that remain, that arc ready to die , Rev. 3. 2. 
 I reft your real friend, 
 
 Cr 
 
 illiam Smith . 
 
 LETTE R 
 
C 64 J 
 
 LETTER XX. To Charles Living/lon , in 
 Kirkcudbright, 
 
 Cristian Friend, 
 
 T HO’ your acquaintance and mine lyes moftly by 
 write, and that being but fmall, yet I have 
 heard of you, that you have madefome appearance of 
 owning the Lord’s caufe and teftimony, and to teflify a- 
 gainfl fuch as hath difown’d the fame, by withdrawing 
 from the aflemblies of fuch as hath wronged the truth. I 
 am very unmeet to give you an advice ; much more 
 {landing in need of one from you. Ah ! the great ne- 
 gle& of chriftian communion and fellowfhip amongfl: 
 the members of his myftical body. Alas! that there 
 is fuch a decay of love to our blefled Lord Jefus, his 
 caufe and intereft amongfl his profefl friends, and of 
 love one to another: I think this hath a prefage and 
 fore-token of wrath from the Lord, to be inflidled in 
 his due time. And, O! what will be the meafure of 
 the cup of Scotland's punifhment! Scotland's priviled- 
 ges hath been very great! (he might have been called 
 J/i’phzi-bah, Beula , the Lord delighteth in her , being 
 married to him, Ifa. 62. 4. but is now of a long time 
 revolted from under his yoke and covenant, and bafe- 
 Jy betrayed her trufl, fo that we, like men, have tranf- 
 greffed the covenant, for which the Lord threatens us, 
 that he will deal with us, as we have dealt with him , 
 etc. Ezek. 16. 59. And we feem, in a great mea¬ 
 fure, to be hardned from the true fear of the Lord ; fo 
 that inflead of repenting, and being humbled before 
 him, for our manifold fins and iniquities, there is a 
 juflifying of our ways, and refuiingto beafhamed; for 
 which the Lord is wroth : and, as he threatens in Hof- 
 5. 15. to return to his place, till they acknowledge their 
 , offence. 
 
I 
 
 [ 65 ] 
 
 offence , etc. ah ! is not this fufillmg in our day r but, 
 I think, the greateft part of this generation hath loft 
 that fpirit of difcerning, as to know what is fin and 
 what is duty ; too many of us preferring our own con¬ 
 cerns, to the concerns of his glory. O ! who of us is 
 preferring 'Jerufalem to our chief joy? Pfal. 137. 5. 
 O ! what is become of the zeal of the greatefi: part of 
 • the profefifors of Scotland! how is the edge blunted, 
 and their zeal become cold and remifs ! O that this 
 were the purpofe and refolution of all the inhabitants of 
 thefe three covenanted nations, that we will arife and 
 return to ourfirjl HuJband,for then it was better with us 
 than it is now! Hof. 2.7. He hath long exercifed his 
 patience and forbearence towards us, having no pica - 
 Jure in our death , etc. Exe.k. 18. 32. yet We know 
 not but the time may be near, when the Lord will 
 change his difpenfations, and will fpeak terrible tilings 
 in righteoufnefs, againft us, Pfal. 65. 5. Rev . 14. 18. 
 And becaufe ye arc a people of no under (landing , etc. 
 Ifa. 27. 11. a heavy fentence, tho’juil! Ignorance 
 Will not excufe us. O ! be earneft in pleading with 
 the Lord, that he may bring us into himfelf, who is 4 
 flrong one in the day of trouble and rebuke. It is on¬ 
 ly thofc the Son snakes free , that (ball be free indeed , 
 John 8. 36. What the matter, tho’ we fliould fall 
 in the common calamity and our bodies dung the vvil- 
 dernefs, if our Lord be glorified, Zion delivered, and 
 we get our fouls for a prey ? and tho’ we fhould. never 
 fee Z ion delivered, nor get one fingle fight of the Kuigjs 
 face, in his glorious return to thefe poor lands, when 
 he fhall be feen in his beauty, wearing his own crown, 
 and his (lately goings be feen in the fandluary; yet let 
 us be pleading in good earned with him, *hat he may- 
 work his own work, and perfe£l w ; bat concerns his own 
 glory, and our fouls-well-being; tbs' the vifion tarry , 
 wait , etc. Haj. 2. 3. 
 
 Our firoak hath been long tbreatned, and our ruin 
 foretold, by his faithful fervams, whpfe words 
 ' E ha 
 
„ . , . r 66 ] 
 
 ne will not fuffer to fall to the ground ; yet it feeme to 
 be a light matter to many of us in this generation. 
 O! that we were deeply humbled, every one of us for j 
 our own, and the land’s fins before the Lord, foasto i 
 mourn apart, as it is in Zech. 12. Ji, to 14. Yet ; 
 we have ground to fear, becaufe of our great provocati¬ 
 ons, that we have done againft a holy and wife God, 
 that he will not be intreated, to the turning away the 
 fiercenefs of his great wrath, from thir finful nations. 
 No, I fear, thoi’ Mofcs and Samuel flood before him , 
 his mind could not be towards us> Jer. 15. 1. Yea, 
 though Noah, Daniel, and Job, were to plead , and 
 make interceilion for fuch, yet when the Lord fwears 9 
 as he lives , they Jhall deliver neither jon nor daughter , 
 etc. Ezek. 4. 20. Yet we are not to limit the holy 
 One, as to the way of his procedure, but to leave 
 him a latitude to work as he pleafes, who doth all 
 things well, making all work for his glory and their 
 good that love him. Let us’ftudy to get an intereft 
 in the Lord Jefus Chrift fecured and cleared up, and 
 then we fhall be happy in time, and through eternity. 
 That this may be our mercy, and the mercy and por¬ 
 tion of all thelfrael of God, is the prayer of him, who 
 defires you to pray for me, who is under heavinefs at 
 the time, and take a lift of the low cafe of Zion t fo I 
 reft yours, and all Z ion's friends, 
 
 Crochmore , Aug.\ William Smith • 
 
 6th, 1744. 5 
 
 LETTER 
 
 l 
 
U7 1 
 
 LETTER XXI. To John Oliphant , in Bone % 
 Jedburgh , Teviotdale* 
 
 Christian Friend, 
 
 I THINK itfhould be the ftudyof all the Tons and 
 daughters of Zion, to endeavour in good earneft, 
 to caji off the works of darknefs , and to put on the ar¬ 
 mour of light, Rom. 13. 12. and to lay ajide every 
 weight , and the fin that doth fo eafily befet us, and to 
 run with patience the race that is Jet before us , Heb» 
 12. 1. O the many clogs and dead weights that the 
 poor thing hath weighing and finking' them down, in 
 ‘travelling through thisour wildernefs and journey here,in 
 going towards the Canaan above ! fo that there is great 
 need of patience, that after we have done the will of 
 Goa . we might receive the promife, Heb. 10. 36. Ah I 
 how many are there of us,that are ready to think with 
 our felves, that we have a right to the promife, and fo 
 may be claiming kindred to our bleffed Lord, and yet 
 be but meer Grangers to him, and to the faving work 
 of his fpirit, upon our own fouls? It is not every one 
 that faith Lord, Lord , that Jhall enter into the kingdom, 
 cf heaven , Mat. 7. 22, 23. O but Regeneration and 
 converfion-work be a great myftery,' to many of us, 
 that are the profefl'ors in this our day ! Few knowing 
 what it is, to be brought through the pangs of the new 
 birth, fo as to be born again; for except a wan be born 
 again , he cannot enter into the kingdom of God , John 3. 
 3. BeCaufe, fir ait is the gate , and narrow is 
 the way which leadeth unto life, and few there be that 
 find it. Mat. 7. 14. O but we have great need to ftudy 
 to make fure work betwixt God, and our own fouls, 
 by examining and proving ourfelves, etc. 2 Cor. 13. 5. 
 For if arty man be in Chrifl , he is a new creature , old 
 
 E 2 things 
 
[ 68 ] 
 
 things are paji away , behold I ’ all things are become new , 
 
 2 Cor. 5. 17. We ought to be putting our feives 1 
 to the trya!^ what we know of this new and living 
 principle, by a folid and well-grounded experience, 
 upon our own fouls; being fa convinced, of, and made ! 
 to fee our loft and undone ftate by nature, as being the 
 children of wrath even as others , Eph. 2. 3. For lure- 
 ly, till we be convinced of this our natural ftate, and 
 made to fee that we cannot recover our feives out of 
 the fame, being deadintrefpaffesandinfms, Eph. 2. 
 
 1. We will never, in good earneft, make application 
 to the fountain-head, Chrift Jefus, for wafhing and 
 cleanfing; for if he ivajlo us not , tue have no part in him , 
 John 13. 8. O to know what it is to be brought from 
 nature to grace, and from the power of fin and Satan 
 unto God ! being made to hate all fin, and to give up 
 with the fame, without fecret referve; for if we re¬ 
 gard iniquity in our heart , the Lord luill not hear our 
 prayer , Pfal. 66. 18. The facrifice of the wicked is an 
 abomination to the Lord , Prov. 15. 8. But it is the 
 prayer of the upright that's his delight . We are alfo 
 to try what way the ftream of our affections is going, 
 if we be turned from the love of fin, to the hatred of it; 
 and thereby the ftream of our affections going out to¬ 
 wards the Lord ; running after him upon a fpiritual 
 and heavenly channel; loving him purely for himfelf, 
 and fo to fay, with the Pfalmift, Whom have 1 in hea- 
 nxfp.but thee , etc. Pfal. 73. 25. And furely the greater 
 difeovery we get of our own vilenefs, the more ami¬ 
 able and lovely will our blefled Lord be unto us. Ah ! 
 our heart evils and abominations ! The heart being de¬ 
 ceitful above all things and defperatley wicked , who can 
 know it , Jer. 17. 10. J the Lordfearch the heart, l 
 try the reins. O the wickednefs of the heart! and, 
 what an heavy judgment it is to be fo far left and given 
 up of God,as not to have a fenfe and feeling of the fame? 
 for, how can that perfon beaffe&ed with the plagues 
 «i the heart that is not feeing the fame ? no, no, we 
 
 mult 
 
, C 69 :1 
 
 muft be trying to lay our cafe before the Lord, and 
 in every thing by prayer and j'application, with thank - 
 fulnefs to make our requefis know to God , Phil. 4. 6. ' 
 And he hath promifed, that then ye j.hall feek him , and 
 find him, when ye feek him with all the heart , Dent. 29 
 13. and alfo, Hof. 6. 3. Then frail we know'', if we 
 follow on to know the Lord. He that hath begun the 
 good work will carry it on, and perform it until the day of 
 Jefus Chrift, Phil. 1.6. We are to examine our felves 
 if we be the perfons, that is made to experience, in 
 fome meafure, the beginning, increafe, and growth 
 of this good work, upon our own fouls, by the gracious 
 effedfs it produceth in heart, fandtification and holi- 
 nefs: and {till to be prefling after a larger meafure of 
 the fame,and to refolve through grace to keep up a con- 
 ftant and continual warfare againft all fin whatfoever, 
 and not to allow the fame peaceable pofleflion in the 
 foul, but to hew in pieces our beloved Jgags, for the 
 life of the foul (hall go'for the life 0^ fin; and ah! will 
 we give kindly entertainment to our mortal enemy, 
 that is feeking our utter ruin. But we have need to 
 plead with the Lord, in good earneft, that he will 
 cloath us with that armour fpoken of Eph. 6. from 
 ver. 11. to the 18. O to guard againft the wiles of the 
 cunning deceiver, that is going about feeking whom he 
 ma y devour! yet he is but a chain’d adverfary ; whin 
 the enemy comes in as a flood, the fpirit of the Lord fh'all 
 lift up a Jlandard againft him , Ifa. 59. ig. And happy 
 are all fuch, as have the Lord to fight thc-ir battles; 
 having him for their God, in a fpccial covenant rela¬ 
 tion. 
 
 But pafling this, I would give you my mind a little 
 concerning the cafe of this dark and difmalday,in which 
 our lot is fallen out to be in, alas! I am but very fhort- 
 fighted therein, yet I think they are in part ftrangers 
 in our I fra el, that is not feeing the Lord angry, and 
 contending with this peer land ; and truly it is no won¬ 
 der, we were once a purg’d and reformed land, where- 
 
r.7° ] 
 
 in the Lord wrought wonders amongft: us: but alas! 
 how are we fallen from our firft love, and is turn’d as 
 the dog to his vomit, and the fow that was walked, to 
 her wallowing in the mire ! 2 Pet. 2. 22. I think we 
 feem to be the age in which the Apoftle Paul writes of, 
 2 Tim. g. read from the beginning to the 5. ver. O ! 
 how applicable is this to us in this poor land ? who of 
 us can fay we are free? and, what a heavy judgment 
 is it when fuch as arc children of on father, and tra¬ 
 velling to one place, fhould thus fall out by the way irk 
 going thither? ah! that we cannot lament over our 
 fad divifions this day ; and every one cf us to be fcarch- 
 ing out the caufe thereof; for it is hill fin on our part. 
 He is calling on us now to return, for we are fallen 
 by' our iniquities , Hof. 14. 1. 7 he Lord is angry with 
 us, and is teftifying hi3 difpleafure, even by the out¬ 
 ward difpenfations of his providence, fo that the foun¬ 
 dations of the earth is gone out of it’s courfc,becaufe of 
 fm and iniquity, Pfal. 82. 5. O ! how is our feafons 
 altered, fo that our mercies we enjoy, comes with a 
 gloom, and in anger ? and yet we are not affe&ed 
 therewith, and indeed, I think this is a fad prefage and 
 fore-token of a more heavy judgment abiding thefe fin- 
 ful nations; that when we are not effedled with thefe 
 teller judgments, fo as to be returning to the Lord, 
 but is walking contrary, and will not hearken to him, 
 he threatens, that he will bring J'even times more 
 plagues upon us , according to our fins , Lev. 26. 28. We 
 have loft the fpirit of difcerning; our eyes feem to be 
 (hut that we do not fee the Lord’s hand lifted up, te- 
 ftifving many ways his'difpleafure againft usj and tho* 
 his judgments are in the earth, yet, alas! who of us 
 is learning righteoufnefs therefrom ,? you may read 
 ffa. 26. 9. to 11. And, how applicable are thefe to us? 
 Jfa, 2 7. ir. in this generation $ for, we arc a people 
 cf no underfunding: therefore he that made us , will 
 pA have mercy on us , and he that formed us> will 
 thiW us W favour i fVhy fhould vjs be Jlricken any 
 
 ir.ore t 
 
more, we will revolt more and more , Ifa. I, 5. And 
 how is all ranks degenerate, from the higbeft to the 
 lowcft, Mic. 3. throughout, and let us confider that 
 the cafe be not applicable to thir poor lands, and, O ! 
 who may abide the day of his coming f for , we with our 
 fathers have finned, Pfal. 106. 6. Ezek. 16. 59. For 
 thus faith the Lord, I will even deal with thee, as thou, 
 haji done in breaking the covenant . Land fins, brings 
 on land ftroaks and judgments; yea, judgment is fome- 
 time inevitable, that the Lord will not be intreated 
 by his own favourites to turn away from the executi¬ 
 on thereof; as we may fee in Jer. 15. 1. Then faid 
 the Lord unto me, tho y Mofes and Samuel flood before 
 me, yet my mind could not be toward this people ; caft 
 them out of my fight, and let them go hence. We may 
 alfo fee a paralel cafe, in Ezek. 14. 14. and, alfo, 
 how the Lord confirms the fame again and again; as 
 in ver. 16. 18, 20. O let us ftudy, in good earneft 
 to get our peace made fure with God in Chrilf, and 
 then, tho y the mountains fnould depart, and the hills be 
 removed, yet my kindnejs fall not depart from thee, nei¬ 
 ther foall the covenant of my peace be removed, faith the 
 Lord that hath mercy on thee , Ifa. 54. 10. But tho* 
 we fhould never meet with national judgments, to our 
 falling in the publick calamity, yet we are certain of 
 this, that we have death to meet-with ; therefore let 
 us mind the things that belong to our fouls-pcace, before 
 they be hid from our eyes , Luke 19. 42. and to labour 
 to get our intereft clear'd up, and made fure by his 
 word and fpirit, and fo fay, upon good grounds, with 
 the difciple Thomas, My Lord and my God, John 20. 
 28. and fo to be faithful for him, in this day of divi- 
 fions and confufions; and our Lord hath promifed to 
 fuch. Rev. 3. 10. Becaufe thou haf kept the word of 
 my patience, I alfo will keep the from the hour of temp¬ 
 tation, which fo- 3 .ll come upon all the ivorld , to try them 
 that dwell cm the earth : He that overcometh fiyill inherit 
 ill things , Rev. 21. 7. But, to add no more; may 
 
 E 4 the 
 
r 72 ] . 
 
 the Lord of his infinite mercy bring us info covenant 
 with him, that in the end we may have it to fay, Lo 
 this is our God , and we have zvaitcd for him , and he 
 will fave us : this is the Lord , we will rejoyce in his 
 falvation, Ifa. 25. 8, 9. And fo I reft yours, and all 
 Zion's friends and well-wiftiers, 
 
 Crochmorc , March 7 William Smith. 
 
 19th, 1745. 5 
 
 LETTER XXII. To William Wilfon in ShU 
 litoun ,. in Clydfdale. 
 
 Christian Friend, 
 
 S Y this I only acquaint you, that I am in health of 
 body at prefent, a talent not improven ; but is, 
 witii.the fluggard, idling away time; and with the 
 tflan void of under (landing, fpoken of Prov. 24. 30. 
 And, what fhall I fay ? the Lord is giving me line up - 
 - on line , and precept upon precept , Ifa. 28. 19. Yet 
 my ear, in a great meafure, feems to be elofed, and 
 fhut up,that I will notliften to his voice,whenhe is now 
 calling me by his word and providence, to return to 
 him, ah, the plague of the heart ! well may it be faid; 
 The heart is deceitful above all things , and defperatclyi 
 wicked , who can know it? Jer. 17. 9. If our hearts 
 were known one to another, we would loath and ab¬ 
 hor one another ; yet our Lord knoweth our thoughts 
 ofar off, Pfal. 139. 2. All things are naked id open before 
 him, with whom we have to do , Hcb. 4. 13. But the 
 want of the right belief, and the lively exercife of this 
 upon my own foul, is the caufe of my unwatchfulhefs 
 and unte.ndernefs in life and practice; in notftudying 
 timeouflv to refill and oppofe thefe fpiritual enemies, 
 in their ftrft fpringaud rife. O ! to be helped to plead 
 
 with 
 
C 73 3 
 
 with the Lord, in good earneft, for a fpirit of difcern- 
 ing, that I may oppofe that enemy Satan, when he is 
 fpewing out a flood of temptations; fo that, by faith, 
 
 1 may eye the promifer, and fo plead with him upon 
 promife, that when the enemy comes in as a flood , the 
 fpirit of the Lord will lift up a flandard againjl him , 
 jfa. 59. 19. But, alas! there is many times a yield¬ 
 ing to the temptations of the grand deceiver, that wel! 
 knows the bait to lay before us, that we are moll ready 
 to be caught with ; an imaginary pleafure and fatis- 
 fadtion in the enjoyment of this priviledge and the o- 
 ther, which is but momentary ; and all thefe may take 
 to themfelves wings and flee away, and fo will leave 
 us in the day of our ftrait and neceflity, fo that all re¬ 
 fuge will fail us; and nothing fhort of a clear’d up in- 
 tereft in God alone ; through JefdS Chrift, will ftand 
 us in ftead, and be comfortable unto us in a dying 
 hour. O that we were fo wife , that we would confider 
 cur latter end ! Deut. 32. 29. Biit alas! that which 
 ought to be our firft work, is, by many of us, put of 
 to the laft ; and fo death feizes upon us, as an armed 
 man, while we are unprepared, and not ready. O 
 the immortality of the foul! it being an ever-living 
 fubftance that cannot be diflblved; but, at the difiolu- 
 tion of the body, muft enter into an unalterable ftate 
 of happinefs or mifery, which (hall never have an end. 
 O to be in readinefs! having our loins girt, and our 
 lamps burning, that, at the bridegroom’s voice, we 
 may be ready to obey his call, and go in therewith, 
 before the door be (hut. O to be making all fure for 
 1 the coming of our Lord ! for we know not at what 
 time, whither at,mid-night or cock-crowing. O the 
 need w 7 e have to watch, left we be found fleeping ! for 
 I think, this is the time in which the wife and foo'ifii 
 are fleeping together. Ah, the formality that is a- 
 mongft us that are the profeflors of this age and gene¬ 
 ration ! deep fecurity has feized upon us, for Wa 
 are hardned under the Lord’s threatning rod ; 
 
 his 
 
[ 7+ 1 
 
 his anger is burning againft us, yet we will not under¬ 
 hand. Our Lord threatens, that he will not build, 
 but deftroy fuch as doth not regard the doing of his 
 hand, Pfal. 28. 5. The Lord is wroth with us, and 
 juftly difpleafed ; he is breaking us, with breach upon 
 breach; and hath divided us in his anger , and fcatter- 
 edus in his wrath', yet there is a juftifyingof cur felves, 
 and a refufing to take with guilt, every one of us pure 
 in our own eyes, and yet we are not purged from our 
 filthinefs, Prov. 30. 12. The Lord is plfo teftifying 
 his difpleafure againft us in the very feafons, fo that 
 we may fee the foundations of the earth is gone out of 
 courfe, becaufe of fin and iniquity, Pfal , 82. 5. The 
 Lord is giving us our outward enjoyment with a gloom 
 and in anger, many ways the Lord hath been trying 
 us in times part, and of late, to fee if by all thefe we 
 will be reclaimed ; and, how fad a fymptom and fore¬ 
 token is it, of a further and more fharp judgment to be 
 infli&ed upon us, when, by thefe Idler ftroaks and 
 judgments, we are not wrought upon, to return to 
 him that fmiteth: he threatens, that he willpunifh us 
 feven times more for our iniquities , Lev. 26. 21. And, 
 O! who may abide the day of hiscoming,when he arifes 
 to plead the controverfy of Z*W,when he declares,that 
 he will even deal with us^ as we have done , who have 
 defpifed the oath, in breaking the covenant? Ezek. 16. 
 59. O to have him for our hiding phce, who will 
 be a covert from the heat, and a refuge from the form, 
 when the blafl of the terrible one is as aJlorm againjl the 
 wall! Ifa. 21. 1. Yet it will be well with them 
 that fear him, Tho y the mountains fnould depart, and 
 the hills be removed , yet my kindnefs J,hall not depart 
 from thee \ neither floall the covenant of my peace be re¬ 
 moved, faith the Lord, Ifa. 54. 10. And that the fame 
 may be our mercy and portion, to know God 2s our 
 God in covenant, and fo to walk worthy of him unto 
 
 all 
 
all well-pleafing, is the defire of him who is your affec¬ 
 tionate friend and well-wtfner, 
 
 Crochmcre , April ? I Villi am Sjniih 4 
 
 ift, 1745. 5 
 
 LETTER XXIII. To Mr . Robert Douglas , 
 in Birkbllly Nitbj'dale. 
 
 Christian^ Friend, 
 
 I T HINIC, as it ought to be the care and ftudyof 
 all fuch, as is aiming to fet their faces Zion-ward y 
 to know of the welfare of one another: yet, how 
 much more ground of comfort fhould it be,to hear from 
 one another, of our walking in the ways of truth and 
 holinefs, in fearing of God, and in keeping of his com¬ 
 mandments, which includes the whole of man’s duty? 
 Eccl. 12. 13. Our lot is fallen out to be in a time of 
 apoftacy and defe&ion from the truth once own’d, 
 fworn unto, and contended for, by fome of all ranks 
 in this land ; many of whom was honoured to feal 
 thefe truths they contended for, with their blood ; and 
 as it hath pleafed the Lord, to fpirit and raife fome to 
 appear and contend for thefe once enjoyed priviledges, 
 and is labouring to bear teftimony againft all fueh, of 
 every ftation and degree, as hath, and is making de- 
 fedlion therefrom ; and fo is endeavouring to be faith¬ 
 ful for the Lord, in this hour and power of darknefs. 
 Lube 22. 53. It hath pleafed the Lord, for holy and 
 wife ends, known to his bleffed felf, to lengthen out 
 our tryal, that he may prove and try us as he did Ifra- 
 el in the wildernefs, until that generation was wafted 
 away, that faw the Lord’s mighty works, and did not 
 believe on him. You know it was only Caleb and 
 JoJbuaf amongil the many thoufands, that the Lord 
 
i . r 76 i 
 
 honoured to enjoy the promifed Land, Num. 26. 55, 
 —32. 11, 12. Ah ! what fhall become of us, that 
 are the profefTors of this generation, that are calling 
 our felves by the name of Ifrael, but not in truth and 
 in righteoufnefs ? Ifa. 48. 1. NothwithGanding, of 
 the many deliverances the Lord hath wrought for us, 
 yet we are forgetful of his goodnefs, and not mindful 
 of his covenant. Many ways the Lord is contending 
 with us, and teGifying his difpleafure againft us, by 
 breaking us with breach upon breach, fo that we are 
 fcattered abroad as fheep upon the mountains. But, 
 alas ! who of us is it, that is fearching out wherein 
 lyes the procuring caufe of all this, it being fin upon 
 our part ? every one of us is labouring to juftify our 
 felves; and by this, we, in a manner, put the blame 
 of all over upon the Lord, himfelf. Ah ! will we 
 thus requite the Lord, foolifi and unwife as we are ! 
 furely the Lord will not .always bear with fuch a nati¬ 
 on as this , that hath changed her glory for that which is 
 no glory , Jer. 2. H. but, let him that glorieth, glory 
 in this , that he underjlandeth and knoweth me, that I 
 am the Lord, Jer. 9. 24. And truly, if we be Gran¬ 
 gers to this true and faving knowledge ofGod inChriG, 
 we are Grangers to our felves; and what is it we can 
 have to glory in ? nothing in reality but an empty Gia- 
 dow without fubGance ; light is fowen for the righteous 
 and gladnefs for the upright in heart, Pfal. 97. 11. It is 
 thefe, and thefe only, that hath ground to rejoyce,that 
 the Lord hath brought up from this wildernefs Gate of 
 defertion, in being fenfible of their diGance, and en- 
 Grangement from God, and fo being enemies to him , by 
 wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled, Col. 1. 21. 
 And to fuch as the Lord hath given the intimation of 
 his love to their foul, by his word and fpirit, in the 
 pardon and remiflion of fin ; and of their being begot¬ 
 ten again to him through a lively hope, it is only fuch, 
 as hath ground to rejoyce, tho’ in the midG of many 
 tryals and temptations: they may be in hcavintfs for 
 
 a 
 
r 77 ]. 
 
 a time, for the tryal o f their faith, being much more 
 precious than gold which perijheth, i Pet. i. 6, 7. Tho* 
 the Lord may fufpend, fQr a time, the fen fe of his 
 love, even from his own dear children, for the tryal of 
 their faith and obedience to him, yet he hath faid, / 
 will fee you again,and your hearts Jhall rejoyce , John 16. 
 22. So that we are to beware of looking back ; for, in 
 due time we Jhall reap if we faint not, Gal. 6. 9. Then 
 Jballvje know if we follow on to know, Hof. 6. 3. And 
 as the Lord is teftifying his difpleafure againft us by di¬ 
 viding us in his anger, fo alfo by the outward dif- 
 penfations of his providence; fo that from one 
 feafon to another, the Lord is contending with us, and 
 yet we feem to know it not. iO! how applicable is 
 that in lfa. 27.11. latter part of the verfe. For it is a 
 people of no underflanding: therefore, he that made them 
 will not have mercy on than, and he that formed them, will 
 fbew them no favour. We may fee the foundations of 
 the earth are gone out of courfe, becaufe of fin and ini¬ 
 quity, Pfal. 82. 5. Yet there is not a turning to the 
 hand that fmiteth, but quarreling and murmuring a- 
 gainft the Lord. And, alas ! may not many of us in 
 this generation fay, as Alicah did, Judges 18. 24. 
 They have taken aivay my gods and vohat have I mor e ; 
 and many of us hath no other airth to look unto, but 
 mammon, the god of this world. Let us ftudy in 
 good carneft to get the one thing needful fecured, fo as 
 we may have it to fay, upon good grounds, with 
 Habakkuk, 3. 17, 18. Although the fg-tree, etc. O 
 let us be importunate with the Lord at a throne of gr«ce, 
 In every thing by prayer and Japplication, to make our 
 rcquejls knovjn to God, Phil. 4. 6. And to pray that he 
 may fend forth his light and truth to be guides to lead us 
 through this our wildernefsJlate here, rial. 43. 3. And 
 fo may bekeeped back from the many fnares and temp¬ 
 tations that we are meeting with, in our aiming to foL 
 low the Lord in the way or duty, O for heart efta- 
 blilhment in the Lord, and in the truth of his way, fo 
 
 that 
 
. r 78 3 
 
 that we may have it to fay in the end, My foot hath 
 held his Jfrps, his ways have I kept and not declined ! 
 Job 23. 11. And as the Lord hath made you to ex¬ 
 perience the life and power of religion upon your own 
 foul, beware of queftioning the truth thereof, when 
 under a temptation, and when you are at the weakeft 
 caft not away your confidence; but, beJirong in the 
 Lord and in the power of })is might ; and pray fora 
 greater meafure of a public fpirit, that you may be 
 further concerned for all the travel of Chrift’s foul, fo 
 as all the ele£t may be brought in, that thereby he 
 may be glorified and exalted, and all iniquity may 
 Hop her mouth and be aflhamed, Pfal. 10 j. So defir¬ 
 ing. your fympathy, I reft your poor well-wither, tho* 
 fecklefs. 
 
 Crochmore , Jprill 
 9th, 1745. S 
 
 William Smith » 
 
 LETTER XXIV. 
 
 lie, in England . 
 
 To Mary Millar , in Rick- 
 
 Dear Cusin, 
 
 I 
 
 Received yours, but long after the date ; in which 
 letttr, tho’ written and fubfcribed in your father’s 
 name, yet I obfervc in your letter directed to me, 
 that you look upon me to be the pen-man, which, I 
 own, in the advices therein. You fay you were re- 
 frefhed therewith : and, if your heart was in any mea¬ 
 fure more engaged to the Lord, to the loving of him, 
 and you made to fee more of your own vilenefs, as 
 being loft and undone out of him, if it be thus with 
 you, blcfs the Lord for it, and let him have the glo¬ 
 ry. Our Lord hath his own holy and bleiled ends, in 
 bringing in the children of the kingdom; for, whom 
 
 he 
 
C 79 I 
 
 be did foreknotV, he alfo did predejiinate, to le conform 
 to the image of his fon, that he might be the firji born 
 among many brethren : moreover, whom he did prede - 
 Jiinate , them he alfo called ; and whom he called, them 
 he alfo jujlified', read the eight chapter of the Romans 
 throughout. O ftudy to be acquainted with the fcrip- 
 . tures of truth, for thefe are they that tejlify of me , fays 
 our Lord! John 5. 39. Alas for it! many of us in 
 this generation are deftroying our felves for lack of 
 knowledge, Hof. 4. 6. Ignorance will be no man or 
 woman’s excufe : read Ifa. 27. n. latter part of the 
 verfe, for it is a people of no underfunding, therefore 
 he that made them will not have mercy on ' them, and he 
 that formed them will few them no favour. And as 
 Eliphaz faid to fob , Acquaint now thy felf with him , 
 and be at peace : thereby good fall come unto thee. O 
 but we are in a very dangerous condition, while we 
 are unacquainted with the Lord, Grangers to the faving 
 work of his fpirit upon our own fouls! we are lying 
 open every moment to the wrath and difpleafure of a 
 holy God, to be inflidted upon us, being the guilty ' 
 criminals. Our Lord hath been long waiting upon 
 us, and calling after us, what by one mean, what by 
 another, faying, Why will ye die, O houfe of Ifraeil 
 the Lord declaring he hath no pleafure in our death; 
 read Ezek. 33.11. O labour to be convinced of your 
 polution, derived from our firft parents! read Rom. 
 
 5. 13. And as every fin is a tranfgrefiion of the holy 
 law of God, O ! what muft the mifery of fuch be, 
 who dies under unpardoned iniquity ? O to be adiing 
 faith on Jefus Chrift, the bleft fecond Adam , and com¬ 
 ing to him with our finger upon our fore, and fo, in 
 good earneft, to plead with him for wafhing and clean- 
 ling; for, if he waf us not we have no part with him , 
 John 13. 3 . Seek the Lord while he may be found, call 
 upon him while he is near', read Ifa . 55. 6, 7. And 
 our Lord hath promifed, fer. 19. 13. And ye fall 
 feek me and fnd me, when ye fall fear eh fr me with 
 
r so j 
 
 all your heart. O beware that ye do not regard ini¬ 
 quity in your heart I for if ye do, the Lord will not 
 hear your prayer, Pfal. 66. 18. Beware that you ne¬ 
 glect not fecret prayer; but in every thing by prayer 
 and fupplication make your requejls known unto God , 
 Phil. 4. 6. He is our bofom friend, that we are to 
 make our moan to, and he will not leave the poor thing 
 deftitute of his favour, whofe hope is in him. Labour 
 to improve every difpentation, the Lord in his holy 
 and wife providence, is tryfting you with. He will 
 make all work for his glory, and the good of fuch as 
 fear him. And as it hath pleafed the Lord to tryft 
 your lot now for fome time, to be from amongft your 
 own friends and kindred, O labour to walk circum - 
 fpeftly, redeeming the time becaufe the days are evil 9 
 Eph. 5. 15, 16. Mind the eye of a holy God is upon 
 you, who knows you in-throw and out-throw. Pvead, 
 ■Pfal. 179. throughout, ftudy in whatfoeveryou do, 'ti 
 do all to the glory of God, 1 Cor. 10. 31. Labour to 
 ^ refrain from, and fhun evil company be not overcome 
 S.+ef evil, but overcome evil with good, Rom. 12. 21. 
 Seek good, and not evil , that ye may live, and fo the 
 Lord God of hojis /hall be with you, Amos 5. 14. Study 
 the duties incumbent upon you,both as to the firft and 
 fecond tables of the law, I mean your duty to God, 
 and alfo to man, be faithful to your mafter, not with 
 eye-Service, as men-pleafers, but as the fervant of 
 Cbrifl, doing the will of God from the heart, Eph. 6. 
 5, 6. Labour to be acquaint with fuch as are fearers of 
 the Lord, for thefe are the excellent ones of the earth ; 
 read Mai. 3. 16. Then they that feared the Lord, 
 Jpake often one to another, etc. But I reft, wifhing the 
 fpirit of the Lord, may be with you, that ye may be 
 filled with knowledge of his will, in all wifdotn and jpi- 
 rjtual underjlanding ; that ye may walk worthy of the 
 Lord, unto all pleafug, e!c. Col 19. 10. And that 
 
 . 5011 
 
[ 8r ] 
 
 you and I may endeavour to put thefe few advices into 
 practice, is the deiire and prayer of him who is your 
 ' affe&ionate friend, 
 
 William Smith. 
 
 Crochmore , May\ 
 
 I 4 th > * I 743 - •> 
 
 LETTER XXV. <fo James Crelghtoun , ? Si 
 
 a vi n lliYi/l r! 6 lln Yi 
 
 Drumwhirtiy in Ballmaclellan 
 Christian Friend, 
 
 OU defire that I would come and fee you upon 
 
 I Mondny firft. You know that we live aeon- 
 fiderable way diftant one from another, fo that we 
 have not the occafion to fee and fpeak with other face 
 to face: I think it fhould be the concern of all fuch 
 as is aiming to feek the Lord in fincerity, to be mind¬ 
 ful of one another; ourblelfed Lord gives this as the 
 mark and character of his own child, that every one 
 that loveth him that begat , loveth alfo him that is begot¬ 
 ten of him , i John 5. 1. I think where there is a true 
 love to the Lord bred and begotten in the heart, it 
 will produce this efteft, a love to all fuch as hath a 
 refemblance of the image of their heavenly father: and 
 when our love to one another proceeds from this fpring 
 and channel, and through no by-ends, I think this 
 looks like fome fymptom or token of the work of the 
 fpirit of God upon the foul; as you may fee Prov. 8. 
 17. where our Lord fays, 1 love them that love me ; 
 and them that feek me early Jhall find me. Alas for it! 
 there are many of us, that are the profefiors of this 
 age, that hath a feeming love to our Lord, being 
 fome what tender-like in our practice and outward 
 converfation; and becaufe of this, we pafs for chrifti- 
 ans in the common regiiter among men, and fo may 
 
 F 
 
 have 
 
. [ fe 3 
 
 have a name to live, and yet be dead, dryed and 
 withered at the root; and fuch as our liord will not 
 own as his, as we may fee. Mat. 25. O but we 
 have great need to examine and prove our felves whe¬ 
 ther we be in the faith! : 2 Cor. 13. 5. That we 
 may take a narrow obferve of our felves, what way 
 the ftrearn of our affections are running moftly after; 
 for furely where the Lord hath wrought gracioufly 
 and effectually, by his fpirit, upon the heart of the 
 poor thing, bringing from nature to grace, and from 
 the power of lin and Satan unto God, fuch, in fome 
 meafure, will be made to find new difpofitions, 
 new inclinations, new defires, new wills, new affec¬ 
 tions; therefore, If any man be in Chrijl, he is a 
 new creature ; old things are pajl away } behold , all 
 things are become new , 2 Cor. 5. 17. And furely 
 where this new creature is wrought in any meafure, 
 there will be a ftruggle and warfare betwixt the flefh 
 rind the fpirit, the unrenewed and renewed part; and 
 this warfare mull be carried on conftantly and con¬ 
 tinually againft all fin whatfoever; for, If we regard 
 iniquity in our hearts , the Lord will not hear our pray - 
 erSy Pfal. 66. 18. And, the iveapons of our war¬ 
 fare mud not be carnal , but mighty through God , to 
 tire pulling down of flrong holds , cafling down imagina¬ 
 tions , 2 Cor. 10. 4, 5. And for enabling us to 
 hold.on in this warfare we muff fludy to get on that 
 armour fpoken, Eph. 6. from the ir, to the 18. 
 Without which, we will be overcome. Our Lord 
 hath promifed, Ifa. 59. 19. latter part of the verfe 
 
 •- —And through him t we Jhall do valiantly , for 
 
 he it is, that Jhall tread down our enemies , Pfal. 60. 
 12. And though we may be labouring under mani¬ 
 fold temptations and difeouragements, from a body 
 of fin within, and temptations without, and the hid¬ 
 ing of the Lord’s countenance, he covering himfelf 
 as with a cloud, that our prayers cannot pafs through; 
 and then, in fuch a cafe, thofc who are the true chil¬ 
 dren 
 
„ [ 8 3 l 
 
 then of God falls a doubting and queftioning the truth 
 of grace,, when walking in darknefs and hath no light} 
 yet fuch as are the true fearers of the Lord, and can 
 claim upon his former loving-kindnefles, fuch as to 
 truft in the Lord) and flay upon his God, Ifa. 50. ic. 
 So great is the cunning of Satan, that grand deceiver, 
 that he falls Hill upon the poor thing, when in the 
 dark, and when their back is at the wall, and when 
 they are at the weakeft; but at fuch a time the poor 
 thing is not a free agent; and fo is not fit to try them* 
 felves when under temptation. We are not to caft 
 away our confidence, but to he Jirong in the Lord, 
 and in the power of his might , Eph. 6. 10. But 
 what am I, that I fhould write after this manner to 
 you, who is much more capable to give me an ad¬ 
 vice, who is a poor withered (hrub ; but that the 
 Lord,may enable you and me to put the fame into 
 practice, is the defire of him, who is your foul’s 
 wellwilher, 
 
 Crochmore , July ? 
 
 6th, 1745. 5 
 
 William Smith , 
 
 POSTSCRIPT. 
 
 I H E A R there is a concern upon your fpirit, con 
 cerning that weighty work that you have in view, 
 now in a ihort time to be fet about, I mean, the re¬ 
 novation of our covenants, and the adminiftration, and 
 celebration of the Lotq’s (upper, by the profeft wit* 
 neifes for our Lord, that hath formed tbemfelves into 
 aprefbytery, called, The reforming prefatory, in the 
 church of Scotland ; they being three in number, viz, 
 Meffurs "John AT Adi Han, Nairn, and AdarfbalT, 
 whereof, 1 fuppole you are a member of the fociety, 
 and in followfhip with fuch as owns the above-men* 
 
 F 2 tioned 
 
r 8 4 > ] 
 
 tioned to be your lawful minifters. I hear you have 
 a thought of going to attend at that occafion, (if the 
 Lord will,) you know how your judgment ferves you, 
 and if you be under a purpofe and refolution to hold up 
 your right-hand, and give your firm adherence unto 
 our covenants national and folemn league. You very 
 well know, that an oath is to be taken in truths in 
 righteoufnefs , and in judgment: we are to confider the 
 duties we fwear to perform, and the fins and defec¬ 
 tions we fwear to extirpate, and withftand to the ut- 
 moft of our power : and when we fwear and promife 
 unto, and before the great God of heaven and earth, 
 O! is there not great need to be clear in the matter, 
 that we do not, as formerly, ftill prefift, and walk 
 contrary to the engagements we there lye under, and 
 falfify our oath to the great God ? I do not fee, for 
 my part, how a perfon, or perfons, can give their 
 adherence, and hold up their hands, and fwear unto 
 the whole covenanted reformation, wherein defeCion 
 is a part of the oath, that we are fworn againft: is 
 not that a taking of the great name of God in vain ; 
 and yet, fuch perfons never to come out of their de¬ 
 fection,but is aiders and fupporters of that which theyare 
 fworn againft. I think there ought to be great care 
 taken, in reading and confidering the oath, before en¬ 
 tering thereunto, that we may have underftanding of 
 the fame; that, it may be fworn in truth , judgment , 
 and righteoufnefs , as is above mentioned, fo as we may 
 not rafbly take the great name of God in vain. Do 
 not think I am impofing my weak light upon you for 
 your rule, no, no: fearchthefcriptures, that is the uner- 
 ringrule;and fet fome time apart for falling,prayer,and 
 humiliation; and feek light from theLord,what ye (hall 
 do, both concerning the renovation of our covenants, 
 and alfo of the Lord’s fupper: and tho’ I make no 
 doubt, but that you have a right to eat of that bread, 
 and drink of that cup; yet you are to ftudy to be 
 clear in your judgment; and can look no other ways 
 
 upon 
 
■ C 8 5 3 
 
 upon the difpenfers, than that they have a right to dif- 
 penfe the bread of life 5 for your receiving of the 
 fame from their hands, you fully join with, and ap¬ 
 proves of, them as having a right to difpenfe the fame. 
 But I trouble you no further j I hope you, or others, 
 will not take prejudice at my writing thus unto you j 
 but if you be not fatisfied with what I have written, 
 I wifh you would let me know, by write: fo wifhing 
 the Lord may raife up, and fpirit inftruments for the 
 carrying on of his work, and perfedt what concerns 
 his glory, and fend forth his light and truth to be our 
 guides , in this dark day, Pfal. 43. 3. So wifhing that 
 you, and all concerned about that great work, may 
 be helped to a£t fingly, in a way, as God may be glo¬ 
 rified, and truth advanced, is the defire and prayer of 
 him who is your’s, and all Zion’s friends, 
 
 William Smith . 
 
 LETTER XXVI. 
 
 1 To a Friend, etc. 
 
 “ ripHIS following letter was wrote to a friend in 
 44 Jl England , of which, we take fome few notes, 
 44 as not being thought proper to publifh the whole, 
 “ it being an anfwer to a former letter from his friend 
 44 to him, wherein he pleads a liberty of conference,and 
 44 approbation of the church of England, which the 
 
 44 pious and worthy author of thefe letters dehorts him 
 
 45 from: and after feveral remarks on his letter, as 
 4C may be feen from the original manufeript, he takes 
 44 notice downward, that a pleading for fuch a liber- 
 4 ‘ ty is exprefly againft the word of God ; and that the 
 4t mod blafphemous fe£ that are this day upon the 
 44 face of the earthy can plead for no more j and that 
 
 F 3 44 an 
 
(( 
 
 if 
 
 if 
 
 [ 86 ] 
 
 an erring conscience cannot be the rule, but only 
 the word of God, the only rule of faith and man¬ 
 ners.” 
 
 He anfvuers another paragraph , the words are, 
 cc That it cannot be faid, that the church of God is 
 cc confined to any fet of people, when Cbrift fays, 
 C{ Other Jheep I have, which is not of this fold. 
 
 Anf. Our Lord, who was that good Shepherd, 
 well knew his own fheep j and tho’ the church of the 
 Jews was the only church at that time, yet he had 
 his fcattered fheep, his hidden ones, that was not of 
 that fold; for the true church is made up of many 
 members, and yet thefe members make up but one 
 body; and our Lord is the head of that body, the 
 church, Col. i. 18. He forefaw alfo the Gentile 
 church that it was to bebrought in: and when you fay, 
 that the church of God cannot be confined to any par¬ 
 ticular (et of people, by this you will have the church, 
 which is but one body, to be divided into feveral pro- 
 feft churches, and yet to be true churches; this is ab- 
 furd ; read Eph. 4. 4, 5, 6. There is one body , and 
 one Spirit j even as ye are called in one hope of your 
 calling: one Lord , one faith , one baptifm , one God and 
 Father of ally who is above ally and through ally and 
 i„ you all. 
 
 He further obferves, thatwe, in thefe covenant- 
 44 cd nations of Scotlandy England , and Irelandy at- 
 44 tained to fuch a reformation in, doctrine, woifhip, 
 44 dicipline, and government, as that we had one 
 
 44 confefiion of faith, one diredlory for worfhip, one 
 4{ form of church-government: and where was the dif- 
 
 45 ferences of adminiflrations then? our aflembly of 
 44 divines at fVejlminfler t who compiled our confefiion 
 44 of faith, hold, that the true church confifts of thefe 
 
 that profefs the true religion, with their children, 
 44 who embrace the fame; out of which (they' lay) 
 44 thus is no poffibility of falvation, confef. 25. chap 
 
 44 --And 
 
C 87 ] , . 
 
 “ - ■ — —And when the fame was examined, and 
 “ found agreeable to the word of God, it was ratified 
 “ bya£l of parliament. 
 
 “ Downward he anfwers feveral obje&ions, raifed 
 
 by the author, and alfo points at feveral fcripture 
 “ texts, for confirmation of what he fays, concern- 
 “ mg a firm and fteady adherence to the truth, in op- 
 “ pofition to prelacy, and the loofe principles of the 
 <c church of England , whether confidered in their po- 
 <c pi(h ceremonies, or a lawlefs and boundlefs liberty 
 “ ofconfcience, which is fo deftru&ive toreformati- 
 “ on principles, and for bearing down the work of 
 <f God in thefe lands. And, in the laft place, fhut 
 “ all up with an advice, to do nothing againft, but 
 “ for the truth, and to hold by that which will yield 
 “ peace in a dying day. 
 
 L E T TE R XXVII. To Wiliam Gray , Book¬ 
 binder in Edinburgh . f 
 
 \ * ' ' ' * 1 
 
 Christian Friend, 
 
 A S it hath pleafed the Lord, in his holy and wife 
 providence, to tryft our lot to fall out in a verv 
 dividing time,ourLord hath now manyprofefled friends, 
 when the fea is calm, and the wind is not blowing 
 fore upon our face; yet fuch as would defire to be 
 faithful for the Lord, in their day and generation, 
 muft refolve to meet with winds and tempefts, and 
 many times like to be driven back, or they win to the 
 Canaan above : and, it is through many tribulations 
 that uue muft enter the kingdom. Our blefled Lord, 
 his lot, was a fuffering lot; as we may underftand 
 by reading the hiftory of his fufterings; yea, when he 
 cries out, that foxes have holes , and the birds of the 
 air have nejls t but the Son of Alan hath not where 
 
 F 4 to 
 
C S8 ] 
 
 to lay his head. And, fhould the fervantbe above his 
 Lord? no, no. Wc have enjoyed along time of 
 peace, beyond many of our fore-fathers, our worthy 
 progenitors, who appeared valiantly, and contended 
 for the promoval of reformation-principles; yea, the 
 Lord gave them fuch a fpirit, as they became willing 
 to feal thefe truths they contended for, with their 
 beft blood j and it pleafed the Lord to accept of many 
 a facrifice, for the confirming of thefe truths; fo 
 that our Lord honoured fome of all ranks and degrees* 
 to feal thefe truths; and hath left their teftimonies 
 againft all forts of perfons, who are walking contrary 
 to thefe engagements that we lye under to the moft 
 high God. And as the Lord honoured thefe three 
 covenanted nations, Scotland , England , and Ireland , 
 to enter into covenant with him, and to be for him, 
 fo it was made evidently to appear, that he was for 
 us, while we were for him : but, as thefe covenants, 
 which was the very bulwarks of the nations, was 
 burned, buried, and condemned to be owned 
 as criminal, and the owners thereof to fuffer death, 
 which they fufFered chearfully, being helped of the 
 Lord: and the blood of thefe noble witneffes hath 
 now had a long cry, Rev. 6. io.' And they cried 
 with a loud voice,faying how long ,0 Lord,holy and true , 
 doji thou not avenge our blood on them that dwell on the 
 earths’ and furely when the Lord comes to plead his 
 own caufe, and avenge his own quarrel, he will re¬ 
 quire the blood of thefe noble worthies at the hands 
 of every unconcerned foul of this generation; as we 
 may fee, Luke u. 51. From the blood of Abel, 
 unto the blood of Zacharias, etc. He will not be filent 
 but will fpeak out, Pfal. 50. 3. And, O! who 
 may abide the day of his coming, when he arifes to 
 (hake terribly the earth, or nations. The Lord is fpeak- 
 ing many ways to us by the difpenfations of his provi¬ 
 dence ; but alas; who of us is learning right lefiions 
 of inftrudlions therefrom ; fo as to be turning to the 
 
 hand 
 
C Bg 3 
 
 hand that fmlteth us ? for he declares, Becaufe we 
 are a people of no under/landing , etc.' tfa. 27. ii. 
 And when he is tryfting us now and then, with 
 the lefter rod’s of affii&ions, to fee if by thefe we would 
 be reclaimed j and if we take not warning by thefe, 
 he threatens to punifh us yet feven times more for our 
 iniquities; read Lev. 26. throughout. We feem to 
 be a generation that is faft ripening for judgment. 
 Oh ! for the many figns and fymptoms thereof, that 
 appears in this generation ; our lamentable divifions. 
 And how is love to our princely Lord waxen cold, 
 and love to one another ? and he is now teftifying his 
 juft difpleafure, by dividing the bairns of the fame fa- 
 mily in his anger: and alfo threatning us with a fo¬ 
 reign enemy, invading thefe lands; and there is a 
 kind of fear among many: but, alas! what is the 
 . efte&s that this produceth ? many fpeaks "but very 
 lightly of it, as a thing impoftible, and that we will 
 never fee: but we are not rightly fearching out the 
 procuring caufe thereof; but furely fuch is not taking 
 warning, and endeavouring to make preparation. Ah! 
 we feem to be fettled on our lies, that no warnings will 
 prevail with us, until the Lord come in the way of his 
 righteous judgments, and make our carcafes to 
 dung the vvildernefs; and then he will make 
 his glory to arife and Ihine forth, out of the ru- 
 bifti of his long-buried work. Scotland’s vifitation 
 hath been long threatned ; and furely the Lord will 
 notlet the words of his faithful fervants fall, without the 
 due accomplifhment; tho ’ the vif.on may tarry on its 
 appointed time , yet at the end it (hall J i peak , and not 
 lie> etc. Hah. 2. 3. It will be our only true wif- 
 dom to be preparing, ftudying to get marches rid, 
 and counts cleared, to get up a free difcharge i for 
 whether or not we meet with national judgments, 
 we have death to meet with undoubtedly j and it will 
 only be peace with God, and peace with a good con- 
 fciqnce, that will yield comfort in a dying hour. O 
 
, . r 90 ] 
 
 let us be reftlefs until we be confirmed of our intereft 
 in Jcfus Chrift ; and then tho y the mountains fhouldde - 
 part , or the hills be removed, yet his'kindnefs fhall not 
 depart , nor the covenant of his peace be removed , faith 
 the Lord that hath mercy on tbee, Ifa. 54. 10. And 
 that this may be our mercy, and the mercy and por¬ 
 tion of all the true Ifrael of God, both to know him, 
 and to walk worthy of him, is the fincere defire, and 
 prayer of him who is your poor well-wifher, 
 
 Crochmore , Aug. ? * William Smith . 
 
 26th, 1745. 5 
 
 LETTER XXVIII. To William.. Wilfon in 
 Skelitoun , Clydfdale. 
 
 Christian Friend, 
 
 I T HIN K it is a very high atainment, and a great 
 priviledge, favingly to know God in Chrift Jefus, 
 and rightly to know our felves; for thefe two, in a 
 great melfure, comprehend the true religion: and, 
 what comfort may this yield the children of God, a- 
 midft the many troubles and trials that may befall tlfllih 
 in this their pilgrimage fojourning-ftate here, when 
 they can, upon good grounds, call him their Lord, 
 and their God, and fo defires to accept of, and re¬ 
 ceive all thefe kindly as coming from the hand of a 
 tender, loving, and affe&ionate Father, who in all 
 the aJfliSiions of his own children , he is afflicted? Ifa. 
 63. 9. And counts all that others of the world doth to 
 his, as done to himfelf: He that toucheth you , toucheth 
 the apple of mine eye , Zech. 2. 8. Ah! the great de¬ 
 cay of love to fo loving a Lord amongft us called pro- 
 fefiTers of this age. The edge is blunted, and our zeal 
 is grown cold; we feem to be fettled on our lies; 
 
 fit ten 
 
C 1 
 
 fitten down, turned formal and fecdre. And, O how 
 difpleafing is this to a holy God ! being ivorth for the 
 provocations of fans and of daughters, Deut. 32. 19. 
 O ! our untendernefs in the matters of our God : our 
 little ftudying to make him the obje£l of our love, 
 and eying his glory in whatfoever we do, 1 Cor. 10. 31.' 
 So as fin may become the object of our hatred. But, 
 I think, this will not be the cafe until we be convinc¬ 
 ed of our loft ftate by nature, as being children of 
 wrath, even as others; and heirs of hell, by the breach 
 of the firft covenant : lying under the condemning 
 fentence of the law. utterly unable to help our fp Ives 
 in lefs or more; being dead in trefpafTes and fins; 
 made alfo to fee fin in its vilenefs : and then, by faith, 
 to fee and clofe with the remedy ; feeing their ruin 
 to be from themfelves, and their relief to be in Chrift. 
 O Ifrael , thou hajl dejlroyed thy felf , but in me is thy 
 help , Hofea 13. 9. The making them feel love to, 
 and defire after him, as theobje&of their love ; im¬ 
 planting In them new defires, new wills, new affec¬ 
 tions, new difpofitions, new inclinations; Old things 
 being done away , behold all things are become new , 2 
 Cor. 5. 17. Then.furely fuch as the Lord is mak¬ 
 ing to experience, in fome meafure, this gracious 
 change, will be endeavouring to fet the Lord before 
 
 them, as the object of their love. And if true love 
 to him were in exercife, there would be a fear of do¬ 
 ing any thing that may grieve or offend him, or caufe 
 the hiding of his face, or the withdrawing of his pre¬ 
 fence from them; for it is fin on our part, that is the 
 caufe of all our mifery ; he being a little difpleafed, 
 and we are the helpers forward of the affli&ion. 
 
 The Lord hath a controverfy with the nations, and 
 he will plead with all flefh ; and when he comes to 
 make inquifition for the wrongs done to his glory, 
 
 then, who of us will not be found guilty ? our Lord 
 is wounded this day in the houfe of his profeffed friends: 
 and though he hath long born with us, yet our eyes 
 
 • feems 
 
[ 9 * 3 
 
 feems to be lhut, that we cannot fee his hand lifted 
 up againft us; and our ears flopped, that we cannot 
 hear him fpeaking to us, neither by word nor rod. 
 Ah! but we have ground to fear, that he is referving 
 usforfome heavy judgments, to be infli&ed upon us 
 in his due time. There is now a great harveft, and 
 we feem to be well ripened; there hath been a great 
 fpring-tide of finning, and we have taken a long time 
 of pleafure therein: but, as we have taken our time 
 of finning againft him, he will take his own time to 
 punifh us, and will work a great work, and cut it 
 {hort in righteoufnefs. O! who may abide the day of 
 his coming, or ftand when he comes to plead ? it 
 will only be thofe that he will fhelter by his power: 
 for he will be a hiding place to his own ; no plague 
 fhall come near their dwelling; no ill fhall befall them, 
 Pfal. gi. io. Safety to them that is neareft the 
 ark; but the voided Jhall be turned into belly and all 
 the nations that forget Gody Pfal. 9. 17. But to fuch 
 as the Lord hath manifefted himfelf gracioufly unto, 
 by the intimation of his love to their foul, by telling 
 them that their iniquities are pardoned, and their fins 
 blotted out; and can plead upon a covenant relation, 
 2 Sam. 23. 5. Such hath x ground of rejoicing, yf/- 
 though the fig-tree Jhould not bloJJ'oniy etc. Hab. 3. 17, 
 18. O ! but they are happy whom the Lord hath 
 thus manifefted himfelf unto, by his word and fpirit, 
 giving them fure grounds of hope, whofe hope fhall 
 not be loft : and furely fuch will be in fome meafure 
 aiming at the glory of God, and feeking the ad¬ 
 vancement of the Mediator’s kingdom. But, alas ! 
 we of this generation are of very narrow fpirits ; and 
 there is but few of public fpirits in this our day, whofe 
 zeal is for the Lord God of hofts : and fuch as is de¬ 
 firing to a£t from a principle of pure zeal, and fo 
 aiming to bear teftirnony againft all fuch,as is wrong¬ 
 ing our Lord in his kingly rights, and royal prero¬ 
 gatives, as he is King and Head of his own church, 
 
 what 
 
r 93 [ 
 
 what although fuch (hould be condemned by men $ 
 yea, by profefled friends, as being guilty of, and 
 going into unwarrantable ftretches and extreams, 
 and dangerous errors on the right hand : it is no new 
 thing for the Lord’s witnefles to be reproached, and 
 as perfons greatly wondered at by them that are at 
 eafe, lfa. 8. 18. Pfal. 123. 4. Surely it ought to 
 be our great ftudy and concern, to endeavour to be 
 rid of our own fpirits, fo as the glory of God be prin¬ 
 cipally in our view, that we may act fo as he may be 
 glorified and exalted, and truth vindicated and fet free: 
 for there ought to be a holy tendernefs and watchful- 
 nefs in our words and walk, that we give no juft 
 caufe of offence to enemies, nor profefled friends, to 
 fpeak evil of the honourable caufe and way, we pro- 
 fefs to own and contend for. O let us beware of 
 giving or taking offence at the fweet crofs of Chrift 1 
 and when reviled, not to revile again y but, in fin- 
 cerity, to lay all before the Lord, tabling all at the 
 throne of grace ; humbly pleading with him that he 
 may look upon our confufed cafe, and he that 
 can bring order out of confufion, and light out of 
 darknefs, may ftep in and vindicate his great name, 
 and make it known who they are that ferve him, 
 and who they are that ferve him not. That the Lord 
 may make us both to know him, and to walk worthy 
 of him, is the defire of himwho is your well-wifher, 
 
 Crochmorty Aug, 7 William Smith, 
 
 I 745 » $ 
 
 L E T 
 
[ 94 ] 
 
 LETTER XXIX. To James Smith , Merchant 
 
 in England. 
 
 Dear Friend, 
 
 OU give me the account of your difappointment 
 
 in coming home to your native land, becaufe of 
 
 fome difcouragement you met with by the way, which 
 caufed you return back again j and ye fay, ye fear 
 your end and defign in it hath not been right or ac¬ 
 ceptable in the light of the Lord, feeing your defire 
 was not fulfilled; for whatfoever ye afo ., according to 
 his will , believing ye receive , etc. So ye conclude 
 from this, your heart hath not been fincere in feeking 
 his counfel therein, for his glory and your good. I 
 am glad that ye are looking home and laying the blame 
 upon your felf. Try and examine yourfelfas to your 
 defigns of coming home, whether or not the glory of 
 God was your ultimate and laft end ; or if any other 
 thing bore the fway with you, and got moft room in 
 your afte&ions: He that loveth father or mother more 
 than me, is not worthy of me, etc. Mat. io. 37. Try 
 if your heart hath been fingle, and if not, feck out, 
 and caft away the byafs, and caftit from you, regard 
 not iniquity in your heart , Pfal. 66. 18. You fay you 
 are afraid of a hypocritical or will-ferving heart; and 
 that ye have oblerved feveral in your time, that carri¬ 
 ed blazing lamps for a time, like the feed that fprang 
 up for a (hort feafon, but foon withered. Alas! for 
 the truth of that is to evidently made out in our day, 
 with many that hath made a proteflion of religion, and 
 7 ,ca! for the glory of God, that upon a very fmall trial 
 hath fallen backward, and made a very fhameful retreat; 
 fo that indeed there is good reafon to fear the hypo- 
 crify’s of our heart, it being deceitful above all things , 
 
 and 
 
and defperately wicked , Jer. 17. 9. Yet I think, there 
 is this difference betwixt the hypocrite and the found 
 believer ; the hypocrite will be very zealous in going 
 about the outward performances of religious duties, 
 that he may be feen, and have a name among men, as 
 is recorded concerning the proud Pharifee,Z,ttf<? 18.10. 
 and downwards ; and the hypocrite is moft afraid of 
 commiting fins that may come to the public view of 
 others, becaufe thereby he comes to lofe his efteem 
 and reputation among men : but the fincere believer, 
 is not fatisfied if theLord be abfent,and not found in the 
 duty; and is fet againft all fin whatfoever,being made to 
 grieve for it, as it is difhonourlng to a holy God, and 
 wounding to their foul; yea, often made to mourn 
 and lament over the fins of the heart, that none know- 
 eth of, but he that fearcheth the heart; Who can un~ 
 derjland his errors? etc. Pfal. 19. 12. 
 
 You defire I would confider and let you know the 
 fureft mark of a believer, and you conclude. I con- 
 fefs, the queftion is very weighty; and woe’s me that 
 I know fo little of the true and well grounded experi¬ 
 ence thereof, upon my own foul! for experience is a 
 noble fchool-mafter that can beft fatisfy in fucha cafe, 
 to the comfort of the weak believer: yet our Lord’s 
 ways are various, as to the in-bringing of his children; 
 the wind bloweth where itlifietb , etc. John 3. 8 .1 think, 
 where the Lord is working favingly, by his word and 
 fpirit, there will be a deep conviction of guilt; yea, 
 and a looking backward to the very original thereof, as 
 having finned in Adam , Rom. 5. 12. Wherefore , as 
 by one man , fin entered into the world , and death by fin t 
 and fo death pajfed upon all men, for that all havefinned. 
 For till once we be made to fee how we are lying un¬ 
 der the fentence of condemnation, for the breach of 
 his divine law, and juftice craving it’s due, that the 
 law be not put in execution againft the offender; I 
 fay, till then, we will never in good earneft, make 
 
* C 96 1 
 
 application to the bleft remedy provided in the new 
 covenant, Chrift Jefus; who istheblefi'edfurety, who 
 Satisfied what law and juftice required, in the room and 
 ftead of the ele<ft. O the agony of the fufferings of 
 Our bleffed Lord, when he drank the bitter cup of his 
 Father’s wrath from the brim to the bottom, fo as his 
 younger brethren are free ! I think, fuch whom the 
 Lord calls, and brings in, (being come to years,) mull, 
 in more or lefs, tafte of the brim of that cup, fo 
 as to know fomething of the fpirit of bondage, by the 
 terrors of a law work upon the foul, and fo made to 
 defpair of relief and out* gate from under the preffure 
 of that wrath, but by coming to, and believing on the 
 name of the only begotten Son of God: for, of our 
 felves we cannot move one hair breadth ; for there is 
 an averfion and enmity in our natures, and we may 
 have the daily experience of this, in a backwardness 
 to what is good,and in a pronenefs to that which is evil: 
 and when the poor things comes to feel it thus with 
 them, then it becomes their grief and exercife, that 
 they cannot be more humbled for fin, which was the 
 caufe of our Lord's death, and that he underwent fuch 
 a lot of differing, and fo is made to wonder and admire 
 at the love of God, in Chrift Jefus, in the redeeming 
 of an e 1 e( 5 l world : and then the poor things defire is, 
 to know how to get an intereft in his death and refur- 
 reefion : and then how to know if they have gotten it. 
 And for your fatisfadfion in this, I (hall only give 
 •nu a fmall hint, by two or three marks of them, the 
 .Lord hath wrought favingly upon. And, 
 r/?, As their will be a convidtion of all fin, fo there will 
 be a confefling of, hatred at, and forrow for all fin, and 
 willingnefs to forfake the fame ; yea, there will be a 
 loathing of our felves , and repenting in dujl and ajhes , 
 job 42. 6. And they will become dead to themfelves, 
 and their own things, fo as to efteem of no life, but 
 a life bid with Chrift in God : and fuch as is made to 
 
 experience 
 
/ 
 
 experience this new life, they will find fuch a change, 
 as what, (while in nature) they counted gain, and took 
 pleafure in, they will now count but lofs and dung, 
 Phil. 3. 7, 8. 
 
 2 dly, I think, where the true feed of grace is fowen 
 in the heart, the poor thing will be made to feel an ad¬ 
 mirable change wrought throughout the whole man ; 
 for, if any man be in Chriji Jefus he is a new creature, 
 etc. 2 Cor. 5. 17. The whole faculties of the foul 
 being Changed ; the underftanding, the will, the me¬ 
 mory, the confcience, and affeCtions; all thefe wili, 
 in fome meafure, be changed ; and running out to¬ 
 wards the Lord, upon a fpiritual and heavenly channel, 
 with pleafure and delight. And altho’ there be, in 
 the eledfc, a remainder of corruption while here, and 
 a lulling betwixt the S^frit and the flefh, fo that they 
 cannot do the things that they would, Gal. 5. 17* 
 yet the poor thing will labour to reftft and oppofe fin, 
 and not to allow it peaceable poffeflion in the foul; 
 being cloathed with our Lord’s armour, fpoken of, 
 Eph. 6. read from ver. 12, to 18. for it is through 
 him that we rauft do '‘valiantly ; for, he it is that 
 Jhall tread down our foes , Pfal. 60.^2. We muft 
 deny our own righteoufnefs as filthy rags; and Jefus 
 Chrift, and his righteoufnefs, will be our choice, and 
 fuch will be faying, whom have 1 in heaven but thee y 
 etc. Pfal. 73. 25. Try your felf by thefe, if the Lord 
 have the fupremacy in your heart and affections, fo 
 that love to him fuperabounds and exc.wds, love to all 
 other objects. 
 
 3ly, Where true love to the Lord hath the chief 
 room and feat in the heart, there wiil be a love to all 
 his ways, caufe and interefts, covenant and people; 
 yea, their will be a love to all fuch, without refpect 
 of perfons, who bear and refemble, the image of their 
 heavenly Father; and not for any by-ends, but purely, 
 becaufc of his image; for, fuch as loves him that begat, 
 
 G loves 
 
C 98 ] 
 
 loves them alfo that is begotten of him I John 5. I. And 
 to fuch as believes, he is precious, 1 Pet. 1. 7. 
 
 Now, try your felf by thefe three marks, and if, 
 on good grounds, ye dare claim right to them; caji 
 not away your confidence , but bejlrong in the Lord, and 
 in the power of his might ; for he that hath begun the 
 good work , will carry it on, and perform it unto the day 
 cffefus Chriji , Phil. 1. 6. bo wilhing the Lord 
 may make you experience the truth of thefe things, 
 is the delire of him who is your foul’s well-wilher, 
 
 Crochmore , Nov. £ William Smith. 
 
 ift* 1745- ^ 
 
 LETTER XXX. To Mr. Robert M ( Kin - 
 nell. Merchant , in Dumfries. 
 
 Cristian Friend, 
 
 A S it hath pleafed the Lord, to work in you a 
 defire after himfelf, and a love to his way, 
 caufe, intereft, covenant, and people, in fuch a mea- 
 fure, as, I hope, ye dare not deny, but that, by his 
 grace enabling you, your defires are to be more and 
 more for him : and it is his pro mile, that they which 
 follow on to know , Jhall know, Hof. 5. 3. He is the 
 poor thing’s bofom friend, to whom they may impart 
 all their fecrets; he being the bleffed fecreteary. And 
 O ! what encouragment is it, that we may come and 
 Jay out all our cafe before him, by prayer and Appli¬ 
 cation ? and, what tho’ he Ihould feem to hide his 
 face, and fhut out our prayers for a time, yet we are 
 called, and allowed, to wait on him , that hideth his 
 face, from the houfe of Jacob, and to look for him , 
 Ifa. 8. 17. Our lot is fallen out to be in a day where¬ 
 in, in a great meafure, our Lord is hiding his face, 
 
 and 
 
[ '<& 3 
 
 and with drawing his prefence and the faddeft of all is, 
 our not having fenfe or feeling thereof $ and while w© 
 want this,, we will never be rightly fearching out the 
 procuring caufes of his anger, which is ftill fin upon 
 our part; yea, it is not fo much the fins of a profane 
 generation, as the provocations of fans and of daugh¬ 
 ters, for which he is angry , and bath hid his face , 
 Deut. 32. 19, 20. O let us be fearching and trying 
 our ways, to return again to the Lord ! 
 
 Dear friend, blefs the Lord for what he hath made 
 you to experience of his way and work in vour foul ; 
 His way is in the fea , etc. Beware of denying the 
 grace of God ; he hath made you to experience, in 
 more or in lefs. Where the feed of faving grace is 
 fowen, and growing in the foul, there will be a war¬ 
 fare againlt all fin continually, without referve, Seif 
 loathing , and repenting , in dujl and afies, Job 42. 6. 
 Grace is of a purifying nature, and it humbles the foul, 
 letting it fee, its own vilenefs and emptynefs; and alfo, 
 its daily need of applying to the remedy provided in 
 the new covenant ; that blood of fprinkling for clean- 
 fing and wafhing ; for, if he tuafl) us not we have no 
 part in him , John 13. 8. I think it a good mark, 
 when the Lord hath bred and begotten in the heart and 
 foul, fuch hungering and thirfting after him, that they 
 ■ are made to count and efteem of all other enjoyments, 
 whatfoever, but as lofs and dung , in comparijonofhim ; 
 and fo is making his candle to Jhine upon their heads , and 
 his dew to abide upon their branches , fpreading his Jkirt 
 over them , and making it a time of love ; then the 
 language of that foul will be. Whom have I in heaven 
 hut thee , or on earth that' I defre befides thee , Pfa). 73. 
 0 .<. Biit, O ! wo be to fin that ever it entered into 
 the world! for it is that which, mars and interrupts 
 that fweet communion betweenGod and the foul; for he 
 cannot, nor will not, dwell with idols ; for he is a 
 pure fpirit, etc. O that mafs of fin and corruption 
 I'ha: hath its, feat in the heart ! for the heart, before 
 
 G 2 con- 
 
, . [ wb; : j 
 
 converfion, is the worft part ; but afterwards, it be¬ 
 comes the beft part, being changed ; and the Lord 
 dwells with the broken and contrite in heart, and the 
 poor things, that are fetting their faces heaven-ward, 
 hath many temptations to encounter with, enemies 
 from within, and from without; yet true faith will 
 keep the field, by ailing a new, as need requires, 
 upon their bleft captain general, who hath promifed. 
 When the enemy comes in as a flood, the Spirit of the 
 Lord will raife up aflandard againft him, Ifa. 59..19. 
 And as .we have bofom enemies to wreitle againft; 
 fo we have enemies outwardly ; and fome of thefe 
 more open and avowed, and fome more hid and ob- 
 fcure. There is great need of watchfulnefs on all 
 hands, that we may endeavour to walk without re¬ 
 buke, amidft a crooked and perverfe generation. 
 
 Dear friend, I make no doubt, but you are under 
 difcouragements many ways, both from within and 
 from without; yet he that believes is not to make, 
 finful hafte. I hope ye are at that, defiring to do all 
 at the direction of the bleft law-giver, whofe will, ye 
 defire to make your will, only wait and rely upon 
 him for light and diredtion, committing the carving 
 cut of your lot wholly to him; beware of fitting his 
 call, do not ftay nor linger as thofe that are flothful, 
 etc. Pfal. 119. 59, 60. 
 
 Now, as ye are Ihewing your diflatisfadlion with 
 the prefent eftablilhment of church and ftate, becaufe 
 of their receding from the ancient foundation, and 
 old covenanted footing, of the covenanted work of 
 reformation, fworn unto by all ranks, and fealed with 
 the blood of a noble cloud of witnefl'es, by your be¬ 
 ing withdrawn from the public ordinances of fuch 
 called the eftablilhed church; and, for fome time, 
 receiving no priviledges from them: you know how 
 it fares with you. Ah! may we not mourn and la¬ 
 ment, that the Comforter that Jhould relieve our fouls 
 is far from us- 3 . and that our Lord, in a great mea- 
 
[ 101 ] . 
 
 fare, is departed from the meetings of his people? 
 Alas ! we may be termed Ichabod , the glory being de¬ 
 parted; for altho’ our Lord hath many profefied friends, 
 now profefling to be teftimony-bearers for him, and 
 owners of the covenanted caufe, yet we have ground 
 to fear, that when the Lord comes to try and weigh 
 every one’s principles, that profefs to own his caufe, 
 by the .touch-ftone of his word, he will have many 
 fomewhat’s againft us: and as our time is a divided 
 time, one faint witnefling againft another, therefore 
 labour to be deliberate in weighing every parties prin¬ 
 ciples, by going to the law and teftimony: .you know 
 the Bereans were commended for that, A£U 17. 11. 
 And, when ye come to be fully perfwaded in your 
 own mind, and refolved, both with refpect to the 
 rightnefs of the caufe, and to have juft fcruples right¬ 
 ly removed, concerning the owners thereof, you are 
 no longer to lye by, but put forth your helping hand, 
 and come out to the help of the Lord againft the migh¬ 
 ty. And that the Lord may give you light from him- 
 felf, and incline your heart, to join with thefe the 
 Lord moft approves of in his fight, and that ye may 
 have peace in the end, when ye come to a dying hour, 
 is the prayer of him who is your real friend, 
 
 Crochmore , March ? William Smith . 
 
 24th, 1746. 3 
 
 LETTER XXXI. To John Donaldfon , in 
 Achen Crieph , Nithfdale. 
 
 t ***' 
 
 Christian Friend, 
 
 A MONG the many difcouragements that we are 
 tryfted with, in this our day and generation, 
 I think this is not among the laft, that even fuch as 
 
 G 3 are 
 

 C 102 1 
 
 are profeifing to be lovers of our Lord Jefus, and te- 
 fiimony-bearers for him, fhould thus fall out among 
 themfelves, with refpedt to the carrying on of the te- 
 ftimony, and fo the work, in part, comes to be mar¬ 
 red, hindred, and much obftrudted, and the mutual 
 comfort and edification ofone another is greatly laid a- 
 fide; and by this the Lord’s name is difhonoured and 
 his glory wronged. I think this time calls loudly un¬ 
 to the people of God, to gather themfelves together , he - 
 fore the decree bring forth, Zeph. 2. 1, 2. I think 
 there is not a greater prefage of the Lord’s anger and 
 difpleafure, with this generation, then the divifions 
 among his own people, efpecially thefe who are of one 
 judgment. Alas ! that we cannot be affected with 
 thefe things; fhould not my foul weep in fecret, that 
 love to our lovely Lord Jefus, and to one another, is 
 thus decayed ? O ! when fhall thefe dark clouds eva- 
 nifh, and the day begin to dawn, and the morning 
 light break forth, and our Lord break through them 
 under the cloud, with the clear fun-fhine of his power 
 and prefence, and gather together his fcattered fheep, 
 that hath been long fcattered upon the mountains, and 
 as allies among the pots ? O! what joy and rejocying 
 will their be, when our Lord, and his fpoufe, joins 
 hands^vgain, and meets together when Z ion fhall be 
 delivered, and he {hall be glorious in the eyes of the 
 remnant ? but, O ! who may abide the day of his 
 coming, when he arifes to plead, and will fhake all 
 nations ? he hath along quarrel and controverfy with 
 thefe poor apoffate covenant-broken lands ; and the 
 judgment, in part, is begun. Their is a great fhaking 
 among the nations, the fword is drawn at home and drawn 
 abroad and blood is fhed, in part, even in thispoor finful 
 land ; and many hath been, and now is fuffering under 
 the feet of a public enemy, that the Lord hath per- 
 juittpd, In his anger, to go through a great part of 
 this kingdom ; and hath, in fome meafure, profpered 
 a? ihsir will, which looks like a judgment i for men 
 * hath 
 
[ io3 3 
 
 hath neither heart nor hand to oppole them, which 
 looks like a great refemblance of Scotland's judgments, 
 that when he inflicts the fame, their wi 11 be neither 
 hands to fight, nor feet to flee, being thus confounded 
 with an awakened and guilty confcience, for walking 
 contrary to the Lord, and corrupting his pure worlhip; 
 read the 26. of Lev.'I 'hey are only happy ones that hath 
 their acquaintance made up between the Lord and their 
 own foul; for their will be no fafety out of him, who 
 is the fure hiding place, and a ftrong hold, in the day of 
 evil: and, blefled are all they that wait for him, for 
 he will come and will not tarry. Let us ftudy to be 
 upon our watch tower, for he will come in a day when 
 we are not looking for him, and in an hour when we 
 are not aware; for it will only be fuch as are found 
 ready, when he comes, that he will receive, when 
 the door (hall be fhut upon others, whatever fair 
 pretences they may make, and however great length 
 they have come; as we may fee in the parable of the 
 wife and foolilh virgins, Mat. 25. So wilhing that 
 it may be your mercy to know, and walk worthy of 
 the Lord, I remain your well-wifher, 
 
 Crochmore , March ? William Smith . 
 
 24th, 1746. 5 
 
 LETTER XXXII. To Janet Raining , in 
 Auchenain , Tinnald. 
 
 Christian Friend, 
 
 I T fhould furely be the defire and concern of all 
 fuch, as is aiming to feek the Lord in fincerity, 
 that his name may be made great, and the crown to 
 flourifh upon his head; his work to thrive and profper; 
 that his kingdom may be enlarged and advanced, in 
 
[ 104 ] 
 
 the hearts and fouls of his people; that they may be 
 helpers forward oneof another, in the way heaven-ward, 
 and carrying on, a joynt teftimony for truth, by wit- 
 nefling for his caufe and intereft, againft all fuch, of 
 every ftation, as hath, or is making defe&ion there¬ 
 from. Surely this is the day that calls us to examine 
 and try our fefves, both as to our own cafe, and the 
 fin and duty of the day, and to be fpeaking often one 
 to another, Mai. 3. 16. Satan, the grand enemy of 
 man’s falvation, is ftill bufy in purfuing the woman’s 
 feed, what by one temptation, what by another, in 
 feekingtocaft themdowhfrom their excellency; butthe 
 Lord hath promifed, his Spirit fhall lift up a ftandard 
 againft him, for he will tread down our foes ; if we 
 be not cloathed with whole armour, Epb. 6. 11, to 
 lB. We will fall in the day of battle. *The believers 
 life here, is a continual warfare ; and tho’ fin be like 
 to prevail, and corruption many times like to carry 
 all before it, as a turrent down the ftream : yet when 
 the poor thing is wreftling againft the fame, and not 
 allowing it peaceable polfefiion in the foul, it is a token 
 the ftrong man is keeping the houfe, for then all is at 
 peace and quiet. 
 
 But to apply to you in particular, I would have 
 you to mind the days of old, and the years of the 
 right-hand of the moft high, etc. Deny not the grace 
 in you ; bode ay luck at his hand ; and beware of 
 limiting him as to the way of his working ; do not try 
 your felf in confufions, or when under a temptation ; 
 that is Satan’s drift to fill the poor thing with perplex¬ 
 ities and difquiet: rejoyce in him when prefent, and 
 hope againft hope, whenheisabfent; thereisa-needs*be, 
 that the poor thing be under heavinefs, through mani¬ 
 fold temptations for a time: but our Lord’s time is a 
 good time ; he hath faid, I will fee you again, and 
 your heart fall rejoyce. Light is Jowen for the righte¬ 
 ous, and gladnefs for the upright in heart, Pfal. 97. 
 
 1 1 . For, why fhould our Lord’s flowersjook fo pale 
 
 and 
 
[ t °5 .1 
 
 and wan, and walk fo difcourag’dly, with their backs 
 bowed down in the way to heaven, as if they ferved 
 an hard matter, and feels no pleafure nor delight there¬ 
 in ? yet, have not they had this to fay, that, IVifdorns 
 •ways are ways of peace , and pleafantnejs ? And hath 
 not fuch great peace, who loves his law, and can fay. 
 His law is my delight, and his Jlatutes a fong to me in. 
 the houfe of pilgrimage ? and then, tho’ weeping may 
 endure for a night , joy cometh in the morning. The 
 poor thing’s troubles are compared to the evening, de¬ 
 noting the fhortnefs thereof, comparifon of that 
 morning of joy that cometh by deliverance j and when 
 they (hall win in to the enjoyment of their Lord, 
 without a cloud to darken that comfort and felicity ; 
 in whofe prejence is fullnefs of joy , and at whofe right 
 hand are pleafures for ever , Pfal. 16. ult. Heaven 
 is only the place that will be free of complaints: and 
 there will be no divifions there, no confufions there;; 
 but all joining in Tinging one fong, the fweet fong of 
 Mofes and the Lamb. And as the poor thing’s work, 
 while here, is to pray without ceafmg , fo their work, 
 when admitted within the gates of the new Jerufa- 
 lem , fhall be praifmg without ceafmg. O ! wonder 
 and admire at this free love of God in Chrift Jefus, 
 nianifefted in his choofing, ranfoming, and redeem¬ 
 ing, calling, and bringing in, fuch as are children of 
 wrath, and heirs of hell, to be fharers with him in his 
 glory ; which eye hath not feen, nor ear heard , nei¬ 
 ther hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive , 
 what our Lord hath laid up for them that love him , and 
 are the called , according to his purpoje ! 
 
 I hope ye dare not deny, that the Lord hath made 
 you to tafte of the firft fruits of the Canaan above, and 
 hath given you the white ftone, etc. Hold faft that 
 which you have received. And when he is giving 
 you a renewed token of his love, O ! praife, praife 
 him for it; let heaven and earth praife him ; angels, 
 and the fouls of the redeemed praife him, out of all 
 
 nations 
 
[ 106 ] 
 
 nations and kindreds, fome of them to fhew forth his 
 praife. When the Lord is drawing out your heart to¬ 
 wards him, and filling your fouls fo, that your affecti¬ 
 ons is mounted upward, O be mindful of all our Lord’s 
 weak followers! O pray that the Lord may give them 
 experience of heart religion, and the myftery ofgodli- 
 nefs, and to eftablilh and confirm in himfelf, and his way, 
 and keep fo to the end, and Ireftyour fouls well-wiftier. 
 
 William Smith. 
 
 LETTER XXXIII. To Mr. Douglas in Birh - 
 
 hilly Clojhurn , 
 
 Dear Sir, 
 
 I BEING now for fome time uneafy, and my 
 bodily ftrength decaying gradually, and with little 
 pain or trouble, either by night or by day. O ! but 
 I may wonder at the long fuffering patience and for- i 
 bearance of a holy God towards me; fo that its made 
 evident to me, (if I had a fpirit to difcern,J that he 
 doth not ajjlitt willingly , nor grieve when he is grieved. 
 Ah? whyfhould he deal thus with fuchadried, wi¬ 
 thered, fhrub as I, fo as to exercife his patience in 
 waring fuch a gentle eafy rod upon me, and to correCl 
 with fuch a tender foft hand ? O to be rightly helped 
 to read the languaige of the trial, and to turn to him 
 while he is fmitting me ! furely the Lord is calling me - 
 to look more off times enjoyments, fo as to be more 
 deny’d to thefe, that the whole, and the all of the 
 heart may be win with love to his bleffed felf, that 
 he may be the object of my love, and fin may become 
 more the objeCt of my hatred j and that I may love all 
 
 that 
 
[ ] 
 
 that he loves, and liate all that he hates; that love to 
 him may be in its love-warm exercife in the foul; and 
 then, when thus with me, I could not but be afraid 
 of every thing that would mar, or hinder that fweet 
 reception into familiarity and communion between 
 him and my foul. Ah! my untendernefs of finning, 
 and of the matters of God, when he is at fuch pains 
 with me, what by his word, and what by his rod; cal¬ 
 ling me to turn in to him, who is a ftrong hold, in 
 the day of trouble ; For, the number of my month’s it 
 with him: And their (hall n<Ahe leaft grain weight 
 be added to my affli&ion, but v&it the purpofe, and 
 fore-ordained counfel determined, mould come to pafs: 
 And he is juji in all his ways and holy in all his works . 
 And I delire to fubmit my felf to his good will and 
 pleafure, do with nre as feemeth good in his fight, on¬ 
 ly that my foul may be precious in his fight, and bound 
 up in the bundle of life with him. And as he feems 
 now to raife me up, and to recover me in part, by 
 giving fome ftrength, before I go hence and be here 
 no more, O ! pray that all thefe furnaces may have 
 that effeCt, as to purge, purify, and refine me, that I 
 may lofs nothing there but drofs, tin, and reprobate 
 mettal; fo as to ftudy more the anfwering the end of 
 my creation, to the evidencing the power of God, 
 by living a holy life and converfation, in all godiinefs. 
 
 Dear fir, pray for the fandtifying improvement of 
 the rod to me, that the fame may be blelt of the Lord, 
 and that he may help me to take this as a warning of 
 what I am further to meet with, fo as to be making 
 fure work for eternity. This is all at prefent, with 
 my fervice to your family. I am your’s, at all obe¬ 
 dience, 
 
 Crochmore , March ? William Smith. 
 
 30th, 4747. 5 
 
 LET- 
 
r 108 ] 
 
 LETTER XXXIV. To Mr. Douglas In Biri- 
 hill , Clojburn. 
 
 Dear Sir, 
 
 I Received yours, but was, and yet am, not able to 
 write you an anfjyer, from under mine own hand, 
 but moft now borrojjpthe hand of another. I need 
 not now inform ytjprconcerning the rife, time, and 
 manner of my trouble, and way of its working, you 
 being acquainted therewith already. I mud own, that 
 my trouble comps fome times to that height, that it 
 feems to me to be fomewhat fhafp; yet the goodnefs 
 of God to me, greatly appears, in bearing me up un¬ 
 der the fame, that he hath not fo far left me, as deli- 
 beratly to quarrel and repine at his holy and blefled 
 will, that faw it meet to meafure out all the kinds and 
 and degrees of my trouble; for if the Lord had not 
 feen a-needs-be for the fame, he would not have war¬ 
 ed the meafure and degree thereof upon me: and I 
 defire to believe, that every grain weight thereof, was 
 contrived and laid out for me from eternity. And 
 there will not the leaft item be added, but what he 
 hath propofed to be done: and as nothing can, or may 
 be added, fo alfo nothing in the leaft may be dimini- 
 (hed; for their is a-needs-be that I be emptied from 
 vefiel to vefTel: and, O! that it may have that effe& 
 upon me, tending to the purifying of my heart from 
 iniquity, lofting nothing in the furnace but thedrofs; 
 and thereby, in fome meafure, may become a vefiel fit 
 and meet for the Mafter’s ufe. 
 
 But to give you fome account how it is with me 
 now, as to my trouble: It hath pleafed the Lord hi¬ 
 therto, in time paft, to make his power appear in the 
 bearingmeup, andin carrying me through, thatlwould 
 
 fain 
 
[ log 3 
 
 fain fay, Hitherto hath the Lord helped. And in fome 
 meafure I think he hath bowed my will to a fubmif- 
 fion to his holy apd blefled will in it. I dare not deny, 
 but there is fome defire in me to be at my father’s houle, 
 where I fhall have the full enjoyment of him, who is 
 the admiration of angels, and the glory of the higher 
 houfe; where there fhall be neither fin nor finning, 
 and all tears (hall be wiped away. But as to my pre- 
 fent trouble, the pain of my fhoulder and. arm, which 
 was (harp fince Thurfday laft, the fame is mitigated, 
 in fome meafure, and hath fome influence upon the 
 reft of my body, fo that I am -yht under the Lord’s 
 afflicting hand ; and I would have all concerned to 
 pray, that the Lord may accomplifh his work, and per¬ 
 fect what concerns his own glory, and my good; for 
 if he hath any more work for me here, he will yet 
 raife me up again, and, I hope, fit me for his work; 
 and if not, here am /, let him do with me what feem - 
 eth him good. I reft your affectionate friend till death , 
 
 Crochmore , April ? William Smith. 
 
 25th, 1748. 5 
 
 LETTER XXXV. To Mr. William Milligan, 
 Merchant in England. 
 
 Dear Friend, 
 
 T HIS comes with my love and refpect to you, 
 I thought it expedient at this time, to inform 
 you, and to give you fome relation concerning your 
 fifter Margaret. The Lord, in his holy and wife 
 providence, having tryfted her lot, to be now, of a, 
 long time in this place, and, (I fuppofe) agreeable tpher 
 defire and inclination. I muft fay all along from her 
 young years, through the traCt of her life, (he hath 
 
 been 
 
been liable to trouble and aftficlion ; and with much 
 patience endured the fame; for it is our Lord's ufe- 
 wal way, whereby he brings in his ftraying fheep to 
 himfelf, as you may fee, Heb. 12.5, 6, 7, 8. ver. 
 It being the baftards portion, to be without chaftife- 
 ment. And indeed thefe chaftifements, whereby he 
 Corre£ts his own child, they are not after one and the 
 fame meafure and degree, with every individu U child, 
 that he brings in to himfelf; feme he exercifeth with 
 a law work upon their foul, by that fpirit of bondage 
 through fear of death, as you may fee in the 88. Pfal . 
 Concerning Heman. you may read that Pfal. over 
 at your leifure. Others he brings in, by his ftiil fmall 
 voice, and doth not exercife them with fuch a mea¬ 
 fure of law work upon their foul; and he hath his own 
 holy and blefted ends in thefe, that the glory of his free 
 grace may be the more manifefted. You may read, 
 4fts 16. from the 30, to 35. concerning the Jaylor. 
 You may fee that the meafure of a law work upon 
 his foul was very fharp; but the fame was but (hort. 
 You may alfo fee concerning Paul, Adis 9. read over 
 the fame throughout. Our Lord's way is in the fea , 
 and his footjleps are in the deep waters. And all the 
 afflictions that he tryfts his children with, while here, 
 it is in truth and faithfulnefs, and there is a-needs-be 
 for all thefe. Our Lord, in the days of his incarna¬ 
 tion and humiliation on earth, his lot was an affiidted 
 lot, as you may read in the hiftory of his fufterings, 
 from his cradle to his grave: and Ihould the fervant be 
 above his Lord ? no, no. IVe mufi drink of the brook 
 in the way y Pfal. no. 7. We moft be .emptied from 
 vefTel to veiTel, or we be vefiels fit ana meet for the 
 mailers ufe. And as all the Hones in Solomon s temple 
 was made fit for the work, before the building, fotbat 
 there was no tool nor hammer made ufe of there in 
 the time of thebuildingjfo that the believers work mufi be 
 perfected while here; for as death leaves us, judgment 
 will find us ; and we moft enter in upon an unalterable 
 ‘ ft ate 
 
r in j 
 
 (late of happinefs, or mifery, that fhall never have an 
 end. And, Oh! but the redemption of the foul be 
 precious! as no lefs could ranfom and redeem it than 
 the blood of the eternal fon of God ; and fo Jo we are 
 not our own , but we are bought with a price ; and fo 
 we are to jludy to glorify him with our bodies and fpirits , 
 which are his. But to religion again, to gave a more 
 full relation concerning your After. Asher lot was a 
 lot of trouble and affliction, fo the confequences fol- 
 lowing and accompanying the fame, appeared in her 
 will being bowed and brought to a humble fubmiflion 
 to the holy will of the Lord therein; and that appear¬ 
 ed in the holinefs of life, and tendernefs of her conver- 
 fation, that file was examplary in this, beyond many. 
 I defired that you might be acquainted with her trou¬ 
 ble, by imparting the fame to you, in a letter to fohn 
 M < ' Mine, which, I fuppofeyou were informed of, fo 
 that I need not inform you a new here. Her trouble 
 grew greater and greater,fo that fhewas ftili afraid of im¬ 
 patience under the fame, longed much to be at the end 
 of her journey, and yet was under a godly jealoufy 
 about her cafe, yet not altogether without ground 
 of hope, for a confiderable number of years, founded 
 upon fcripture precept. And indeed her life and con- 
 verfation gave proof thereof, that (he had been with 
 Jefus of Nazareth ; the place bears witnefs to her 
 many wreftling days and nights, that (he fpent in prayer 
 ttt the Lord ; yea, the timber of that houfe, and (tones 
 in the wall bears witnefs that (he was not one that 
 lived at eafe in Zion. And I rauft fay, that the church 
 of God was deprived of a noble friend, that departed 
 this life the 6th, of this inftant, at ten of the clock 
 beforenoon, in the view of feveral witnefles. And as 
 the church of God hath loft a noble friend, fo you alfo, 
 that are her near relations, in this peace. But what 
 (hall 1 fay, it is the Lord that hath done it, and we 
 ought to put our mouth in the duft, and be blent be¬ 
 fore him. Why may not he do with his own what 
 
 he 
 
[ 112 ] 
 
 he pleafeth? I pray the Lord may fan&ify the difpen- 
 fation to one and all of us, and grant that the fame 
 may have that effect, as to lead us homeward to his 
 blefTed felf, fo as we may be putting ourfelves to the 
 trial, and to be looking over our evidences and our 
 charter-right, that we do not deceive our feives. 
 
 Dear friends, labour to improve the difpenfation, 
 and make fure work for eternity; and fuch as lives to 
 him, and dies in him, the time is coming, when they 
 fhall meet to their everlafting comfort and confolation, 
 never to be more feparate; when there joy (hall be 
 made compleat, and fo to be ever with the Lord. But 
 upon the other hand, what mod the mifery of fuch be, 
 to be thruft out from the prefence of the Lord, into 
 endlefs and intolerable mifery, that (hall never have 
 an end. And that the Lord may prevent this, fo as 
 the fame may not be our judgment, but that it may 
 be our mercy and portion,both toknowGod,and to walk 
 worthy of him, that when we come to fimfli our courfe 
 here, he may receive us to himfelf, and fo be ever with 
 the Lord, finging thefe Hallelujahs through all eter¬ 
 nity. And fo I reft your foul’s well-wfther, 
 
 William Smith, 
 
 To John Robertfon , irt 
 
 Y ESTERDAY your friend and mine, J. C. 
 
 Read me a letter that he had received lately from 
 you, in which you gave account of the trouble and af¬ 
 fliction, that it hath pleafed the Lord to trvftfetpur fa¬ 
 mily with, fince you went to that uncouth place; and 
 alfo, of his calling away by death, the young and 
 tender. I hope you are labouring to juftify the Lord 
 
 in 
 
 Chrochmore , Feb. ? 
 
 15th, 1748. $ 
 
 LETTER XXXVI. 
 
 Caltown of Glafgoui. 
 
 Christian Friend, 
 
C 1*3 .] 
 
 in what he hath done, who giveth and calleth away. 
 Thofe children he hath given you, are but a lend 
 from him, and he is calling you to bring up the is 
 children for him. I hope you have been aiming to 
 teach thefe children, the true fear of the Lord, fuch of 
 them as is come to any meafure of years, being ca¬ 
 pable of inftrudtion in any meafure. And I hope you 
 have been earneft in prayer to the Lord for them, defiring 
 to commit them to hjs blefled teaching, that he may 
 begin his work in their foul, and carry on the fame, 
 and fo perfect what concerns his glory, and their fouls 
 well-being. Beware of quarreling with the Lord, as 
 to the way of his procedure towards you ; tho’ he 
 may feem tocontend withyou; His way isinthefea , and 
 fcotfieps are in the deep waters : So that in the end he 
 will make all to work for his glory, and the good of 
 fuch as fear him. You know, our light affiiEiions x 
 which is but as a moment , worketh for us a far more 
 exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we look not 
 at the things which are feen etc. 2 Cor. 4. 17, 18. 
 what is all thefe momentary afflictions, which is but 
 compared to ten days, which denotes th^ (hortnefs 
 thereof? our blefled Lord Jefus, in the days of his 
 flefh, his lot was a fuffering lot, from his cradle to 
 his grave: and, Jhould thefervant be above his Lordt 
 no, no. We mojl drink of the brook in the way , and jo 
 lift up the bead‘Phi. IIO. 7. It is through many 
 tribulations that we mujl enter the kingdom. But it is 
 him that fights lawfully that fhall he crowned with the 
 maftery. And it is him that overcometh that fliall in¬ 
 herit all things. And, for our encouragment to the 
 work, we have his promife, that him that followeth , on 
 to know ft. ail know, Hof. 6. 3. And that we flail find 
 him five fiearch for him with all the heart , Jer. 29. 13. 
 
 Dear friend, go one forward in your chriflian race, 
 and the joy of the Lord be your ftrength, wifhing the 
 Lord may fanctify, to you, and to your family, all 
 tlie trials he fees meet to lay in your way j and tiiat the 
 
 H efr 
 
['*■*4 3 
 
 effect of all may have that tendency to lead you more 
 out of your felf, and fo that the whole, and the all of 
 ycur heart may be win to his blefTed and glorious felf. 
 O ten thoufand times happy is that foul that hath got 
 there anchor caft upon him! that tho’ Satan, the grand 
 enemy of man’s falvation, may fore affault the poor 
 thing, and raife fea-ftorms and tempefts by the way, 
 yet the poor things that hath their anchor caft upon 
 him, (hall not fuffer fhipwrack. Our Lord, who is 
 the wife pilot will keep the veffel from finking, fo 
 that, when the enemy comes in as a flood , the fpirit of 
 the Lord will lift up a (landard againfl him , Ifa. 59. 
 19. Good news to the troubled and perplexed foul. 
 
 You fignify a little your diffatisfadtion that you have 
 in the place where your lot is tryfted to be for a time, 
 upon fome reafons, which I defire to be cautious 
 anent. I would have you examining your felf what 
 'Was the fpring and motive from which you adted, that 
 *¥ was the caufe of your leaving this place, and going 
 to that uncouth place ; furely tlie glory of God, is to 
 fway us in all our undertakings; and if your eye in 
 your going was partly carnal, and earthly, obferve 
 the‘Lord’s providential dealing towards you, mark 
 the operation of his hand, wherein he may be coredt- 
 ing and chaftiling you, what by one difpenfation of 
 his providence, and what by another; untill you ac¬ 
 knowledge your offence, and feek him in your 
 sfflidtion. And as you fpeak with lamentation con¬ 
 cerning your being deprived of your defire, you mod 
 ply clofe to the head and chief fhepherd, that he may 
 make up wants that way, w’ith more of the enjoyment 
 of his blefTed felf; that he may be in the room and ftead 
 vof all things to you. I hope you are plying to the 
 private means of his appointment, reading of his blcf- 
 fed word, praver, and other private means of his ap¬ 
 pointment. Beware of ftifHing conviction, and 
 fmothering light. O! be tender of that. Beware of 
 heart apoftacy, for, out of the heart proceeds all evil> 
 - etc. 
 
C I! 5 3 n 
 
 etc. ftudy to be clear as to your intereft in Jefus 
 Chrift, and as to the fin and duty of this dark and 
 difmal day. Labour to be cleat as to the ftate of the 
 teftimony. cleave clofe to our Lord’s ftandard, and 
 bide by his collours. beware of faying a confederacy 
 with thefe that is carrying on a.combination againft 
 our Lord, and fo is robbing him of his crown rights 
 and royal prerogatives, as he is King in Z ion. We 
 have opened our mouth to the Lord, and how (hall 
 we draw back? we have fworn alledgence to him, 
 and he hath owned the covenant, and hath taken 
 many a noble facrifice of the hands of poor Scotland , 
 which is a pledge that he will return again. But, O! 
 his coming will be dreadful to his enemies, and to fuch 
 as are out of his way; but he will be glorious in the eyes 
 of the remnant that he will fpare. So defiring to com¬ 
 mit you to the guidance and protection of a holy God f 
 who is able to build you up, and to give you an in¬ 
 heritance among all them that are fan&ified, I reft 
 your real friend, 
 
 Crochmore , Aug. ? William Smith . 
 
 9th, 1748. 5 
 
 P O S C R I P T. 
 
 A S to my prefent ftate of health, I am much re¬ 
 covered giory to his blefled name, and I am 
 fome what healthful, and has attained to a confiderable 
 meafure of ftrength, but there is a fwelling upon the 
 fide of my neck, which remains with the pain of my 
 fhoulder and arm, but my pain£ are more eafy, fince 
 the trouble went into my body, for when I began to 
 
 H 2 in- 
 
fl [ ] 
 
 in war ( 31 )% my pains returned to my neck, {boulder, 
 and arm, and there hath remained ffnce May. I have 
 been at Moffat well, and came home Friday's night 
 laft: my pains remain, I cannot fay, I am worfe. I 
 
 am not yet prepared for deliverance. Pray that the 
 Lord may fandiify the trial to me. Farewell, 
 
 , ’ William Smith. 
 
 The following Letter having fallen by, at the Time 
 that the foregoing- Letters were printing, it is 
 hoped, that'the candid Reader will forgive the 
 Printer for this Ommifion. 
 
 LET T E R XI. To William Wifon in Skeli- 
 
 iovun. 
 
 e ,* . '' i ‘ x 
 
 Christian Friend, 
 
 Y OURS I received, dated A Jay 4th, which gives 
 me account of your receiving mine, which I 
 rent unto you, giving you the account of the death of 
 my dear father, you there fay, you are fomewhat 
 jealous that I offend the Lord, by over much forrow- 
 ing (or want of him; for, you think, I am called to 
 no other thing than a thankful acknowledgment of 
 the Lord’s great mercy, for his goodnefs towards him, 
 etc. Wherein I defire to magnify his holy and great 
 name: And O that he would help me to praife him 
 for'his wonderful love ; in the engaging the heart of 
 rny dear friend, thus to him ! that while he was draw- 
 ing ntar the time of his diffolution, he was more and 
 more in that fweet exercife of meditation with the 
 Lord. ■ 
 
 But paillng tliisf^ I have given you the account of 
 the wav of my fettlement, giving up with houfesand 
 land, fave one little houfc that I am now entered into, 
 
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 and is living alone, without any family: and as I gave 
 you the account before (if my heart deceive me not, 
 and that very far,) I durft do no lefs, leaft other wife 
 I fhoukl have (Lengthened and fupported a throne of 
 iniquity, that is, from time to time, entering themf elves 
 heirs to the bloodfhed and wickednefs, that is lying about 
 that throne; and becaufe of this I would defire-to be 
 out of this confederacy and combination, and defires 
 rather, through grace enabling rfte, to live a quiet re¬ 
 mote life alone, rather than enjoy my priviledges in 
 a way tending to further the breach, and fo to be one 
 that is faying a confederacy with the moft part that is 
 now faying a confederacy; yea, gpd pleading for the 
 lawfulnefs of this confederacy: but J think, -when the 
 •Lord comes back, to plead his owrf c'aufe, and avenge 
 his own quarrel, I think they will be rare and lingular 
 that will not be found to have fome hand in this con¬ 
 federacy againft the Lord and his anointed in 'Zion ; 
 yea, I think, they are happy that the Lord is calling 
 home to himfelf, in mercy to there fouls, with a 
 confcience undefiled with the abominations of this 
 fnaring time, when the people o! God is fo broken in 
 judgment one from another, and that which one fees 
 to be duty, this da\, anorhe/- care not fay thus, but 
 looks upon it to be fin to him, and fo by this the truths 
 of God are queftioned tin;-. day to be truths, one faying, 
 I am of Paul, another of //polios, another of Cephas , 
 another of Chrijl , J Cor. i. 12. Ah! our vvoful 
 divifion which feems to be upon the growing hand , 
 but I would fain believe the. darker our time is like to 
 grow, the nearer the day break is, when the fhadow 
 (hall flc-e away, when we (hall hear a voice behind us 
 faying, this is the ivay walk ye in it: when he puts 
 judgment to the line, and righteoufnefs to the plummet, 
 and fweeps away the refuge of lies, making bare his 
 holy arm in working our deliverance, and fo making 
 darknefs light, that in his light we may fee light. 
 Our time now is a time of darknefs, and confufions 
 
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 at home and abroad. I think we now of this genera¬ 
 tion hath a great refemblance of that people which 
 the Lord fpeaks of by the prophet, Zep. 3. 7. There¬ 
 fore wait ye upon me, faith the Lord, until the day that 
 I rife up to the prey - 9 for my determination is to gather 
 all nations , that I may ajfemble the kingdoms , to pour 
 upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger , 
 etc. Ver. 9. For then will 1 turn to the people a pure 
 language , that they may all call upon the name of the 
 Lord , to ferve him with one confent. I long for the 
 accompliftiment of this fweet promife: tho’ mine eyes 
 fhould not fee his glory filling thir lands, (yea, in 
 humility and fear may I fpeak it,) tho’ he fhould make 
 of me a bridge, as it were, to come over again to thir 
 covenanted lands, and that my body may dung the 
 wildernefs, and be a facrifice to the fowls of the hea¬ 
 vens: here am 1 \ let him do with me what feemeth him 
 good , only that he may receive me to himfelf that where 
 he is, I may be alfo. O blefled change! to be ever 
 with himfelf, where there (hall be neither tempter to 
 tempt, nor.creature to yield; but I dare not be over 
 deiireous in this, tho’ this time be a very dangerous 
 finning time, yet I defire to look to him, and to put 
 my lot wholly over upon him: let him do with me 
 what feemeth him good. If I utter with my lips, or 
 write with my hand, in hypocrify and guile, I pray 
 God may, of his infinite mercy, difeover unto me ; 
 for, if I regard iniquity in my heart , the Lord will not 
 hear my prayer , Pfal. 66. 18. But I delire to plead 
 with the Lord, that what lknow not, he may teach me-, 
 it being the work cf the fpirit to info'r?n the ignorant , 
 fo I defire to look unto him in whom the fatherlefs findeth 
 mercy . 
 
 You fay in your letter, dated March 4th, that 
 there is one thing you look upon as very far wrong in 
 my pradlice, and it is my living alone without join¬ 
 ing in communion and fellowfhip with thofe that l 
 profefs to be one in judgment with, I own this is what 
 
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 I defire to lament over, that I have not the prlviledge 
 of a chriftian fociety that I can in judgment and af¬ 
 fection join with, and fo have fellowfhip weekly to 
 meet together for the ferving the Lord upon his holy 
 day; which lofs I think is very great, and I being liv¬ 
 ing at fuch a diftance from fuch as I defire in judgment 
 and affection to join with, I cannot have the privi- 
 ledge of meeting together upon his holy day, and I am 
 afraid that I may prove to be but an Achan in the camp, 
 and fo by the Lord’s lengthening out the trial, 1 may 
 fall away to dishonour the Lord, and bring a reproach 
 upon the good caufe that I profefled to own, this being 
 fuch a fnaring time, and I having many temptation?, 
 before me 5 yet, neverthelef3 of all this, I defire that 
 the Lord may fo direCt me, by his holy Spirit, as he 
 may lead and inftruCt me in the way that I fhall go, 
 and if he fee it more for his glory, that I join in fellow¬ 
 fhip with fome poor things, and fo be helpers forward 
 one-of another, and {Lengthen what remains of his 
 work, that is very low, I defire to fubmit; only I 
 would defire his word and promife for roy warrant, 
 and then (I think) it would be matter and ground of 
 rejoicing. I defire to pray for this, and I defire you 
 may help me with your prayers for this, that the Lord 
 may fo direct me in this, and in all, as he may be 
 glorified, and I may have peace in the end. I ffave 
 been living without this priviledge now, for feveral 
 years together, and now my lot feems to be very 
 lonefome, becaufe I am tryfted to be alone ; but I 
 have been aiming at the inviting of our bleifed Lord 
 to come along with me, and to be head of my family, 
 * and make me his underling yea, I was fomewhat 
 afraid to enter under the roof, to take up my abode 
 without his promife to come .dong with me there: 1 
 deiire (o far, ('if it were poihble) that I might di? 
 without the threfhold of the door, a death of love to 
 our lovely Lord Jefus, rather then enter therein and 
 enjoy my ciclled houfe, without dm. I would fain 
 
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 Cfhirtl kindnefs to him, and plead acquaintance now 
 c»f above fifteen years experience; fince which time, 
 I have had fume longing to be at the end of my jour¬ 
 ney, when I fhall be free of this body of fin and death 
 that wars againft the foul, but there’s no difcharge 
 from this war while here,in the hcdy, the flejh lu/iing 
 again]}, the fpirit, amlthe jpirii again/} the jiejh , Gal. 
 5. 17. But if I fight lawfu$£l will at laft be crowned 
 with the maftery, it being hi^ that overcometh that 
 (halllnherit all things, grace Ijerjg^ and glory here after. 
 But I. need not lengthen out this way, you are of 
 more folid well-grounded experience of thefe things: 
 I Jefire you may help me further with your experience 
 pray that the Lord may acquaint me throughly with 
 the great myftrey of godlinefs, God in Chrift, and the 
 rnyfirev of the new creature, that I may know what 
 it is to be horn again, fo as to be a new creature in 
 Ghnu Jefus; the well-grounded experience of this 
 tru) vieid comfort amidft the greateft perplexities I 
 may be under : that feripture hath come feveral times 
 before me, Pfal. 91. 15. I-will- be with him Jiill in 
 trouble to deliver him, and honour him 1 will , So if he 
 be with, me who can be againft me? or, who (hall harm 
 rne if I he a follower of that which is good. So this 
 being all at pfefent, I reft and am, as formerly, vour 
 friend iitii- \Ve!l-wifher, 
 
 Crochmore , July ? ' W'liium Stnitf. 
 
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