Vol 16 - TO MARGARET BALLANTINE.

TO MARGARET BALLANTINE.
GRACE, mercy, and peace, be unto you! It is more than time that I should have written to you; but it is yet good time, if I could help your soul to mend your pace, and to go more swiftly to your heavenly country. For truly ye have need to make all haste, because the inch of your day that remaineth will quickly slip away; for whether we sleep or wake, our glass runneth; the tide waiteth for no man. Beware of a deception in the matter of your salvation! Woe, woe, for evermore, to them that lose that prize! For what is behind, when the soul is once lost, but that sinners warm, their clayhouses at a fire of their own kindling, for a day or two, which does rather suffocate with its smoke, than warm them, and at length'. he down in sorrow, and are clothed with everlasting shame I would seek no further measure of faith, to begin with, than to believe steadfastly the doctrine of GOD's justice, his all devouring wrath and everlasting burning, where sinners are burned soul and body, in, a lake of fire and brimstone, There they would wish no other goods, but the thousandth part of a fountain to cool their tongue. They, would there buy death by. enduring pain and torment for as many years as GOD hath, created drops of rain since the creation: but there is no market" there for buying or selling life or death. Alas, the greatest part of this world: run to the place of torment rejoicing and dancing, eating,: drinking, and sleeping. My counsel to you is, that ye start in time after CHRIST; for, if ye go quickly, CHRIST is not far before you: ye shall overtake him. O LORD GOD, what is so needful as, this Salvation,—Salvation Fie upon this foolish world, that would give so little for Salvation! O if there were a free market of Salvation proclaimed in that day when the trumpet of GOD shall awake the dead, how many buyers would there be then! GOD send me no more happiness, but that Salvation which the blind world (to their eternal woe) letteth slip through their fingers! GOD says to them, (Isaiah 1:11,) " This shall ye have at my hand, ye shall he down in sorrow." And truly this is as ill made a bed to he upon, as one could wish: for he cannot sleep soundly, nor rest quietly, who has sorrow for his pillow. Rouse, rouse up therefore your soul; and ask how CHRIST and your soul met together. I am sure they never got CHRIST, who were not once sick at the heart for him. Too, too many whole souls think they have met with CHRIST, who had never a wearied night for the want of him. But, alas, what richer are men, because they dreamed the last night that they had much gold, and, when they awoke in the morning, they found it was but a dream What are all the sinners in the world, in that day when heaven and earth shall go up in a flame of fire, but a number of beguiled dreamers Every one shall say of his hunting and his conquest, a Behold, it was a dream." Every man in that day will tell his dream. I beseech you in the LORD JESUS, beware, beware of unsound work in the matter of your salvation: ye may not, ye cannot, be safe without CHRIST. This day strike hands with CHRIST, that there may be no happiness to you but CHRIST, no hunting for any thing but CHRIST, no bed at night (when death cometh) but CHRIST. I know this much of CHRIST, He is not ill to be found, nor lordly of his love. Woe had been my portion for even more, if CHRIST had made a dainty of himself to me: but, GOD be thanked, I gave nothing for CHRIST; and now, I protest before men and angels, CHRIST cannot be exchanged, CHRIST cannot be sold, CHRIST cannot be weighed. Where would angels, or all the world, find a balance to weigh him in All lovers, blush when ye stand beside CHRIST! Woe upon all love, but the love of CHRIST; shame, for evermore, be upon all other glory! I cry, Death upon all lives, but the life of CHRIST! O what is it that holdeth us asunder! O that once we could have a fair meeting! Thus, recommending CHRIST to you, and you to Him for evermore, I rest. Grace be with you!
Yours in JESUS,
Aberdeen, 1637.