Xvi. to Mr Robert Blair

Blair became minister of Bangor in Northern Ireland in 1623. But after

nine years there he was deposed for nonconformity with a number of

other ministers. A group of them took ship to emigrate to America in

search of religious liberty but were forced by the weather to return,

which is the occasion of this letter. In 1638 Blair was called to be

minister in Aye and later in St. Andrew, where he became a close friend

of Rutherford. In 1661 he was summoned before the Privy Council for a

sermon on the Covenant and deprived of his church. He died in 1666. See

also Letter LIV.

REVEREND AND DEARLY BELOVED BROTHER, -- Grace, mercy, and peace from God

our Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, be unto you.

It is no great wonder, my dear brother, that ye be in heaviness for a

season, and that God's will (in crossing your design and desires to

dwell amongst a people whose God is the Lord) should move you. I deny

not but ye have cause to inquire what His providence speaketh in this

to you; but God's directing and commanding Will can by no good logic be

concluded from events of providence. The Lord sent Paul on many errands

for the spreading of His Gospel, where he found lions in his way. A

promise was made to His people of the Holy Land, and yet many nations

were in the way, fighting against, and ready to kill them that had the

promise, or to keep them from possessing the good land which the Lord

their God had given them. I know that ye have most to do with

submission of spirit; but I persuade myself that ye have learned, in

every condition wherein ye are cast, therein to be content, and to say,

'Good is the will of the Lord, let it be done.' I believe that the Lord

tacketh His ship often to fetch the wind, and that He purposeth to

bring mercy out of your sufferings and silence, which (I know from mine

own experience) is grievous to you. Seeing that He knoweth our willing

mind to serve Him, our wages and stipend is running to the fore with

our God, even as some sick soldiers get pay, when they are bedfast and

not able to go to the field with others.

When they have eaten and swallowed us up, they shall be sick and

vomit us out living men again; the devil's stomach cannot digest the

Church of God. Suffering is the other half of our ministry, howbeit the

hardest; for we would be content that our King Jesus should make an

open proclamation, and cry down crosses, and cry up joy, gladness,

ease, honor, and peace. But it must not be so; through many afflictions

we must enter into the kingdom of God. Not only by them, but through

them, must we go; and wiles will not take us past the cross. It is

folly to think to steal to heaven with a whole skin

For myself, I am here a prisoner confined in Aberdeen, threatened to

be removed to Caithness, because I desire to edify in this town; and am

openly preached against in the pulpits in my hearing.

There are none here to whom I can speak; I dwell in Kedar's tents.

Refresh me with a letter from you.

Dear brother, upon my salvation, this is His truth that we suffer

for. Courage! Courage! Joy, Joy, for evermore! O for help to set my

crowned lying on high! O for love to Him Who is altogether lovely -

that love which many waters cannot quench, neither can the floods

drown!

I remember you, and bear your name on my breast to Christ. I beseech

you, forget not His afflicted prisoner.

Your brother and fellow prisoner.

ABERDEEN, Feb. 7, 1637