To Jean McMillan — Letter 58

Loving sister.

Grace, mercy, and peace be to you. I cannot come to you to give you my counsel, and though I would come I cannot stay with you; but I beseech you keep Christ, for I did what I could to put you within hold of him. I told you Christ's will and testament plainly, and kept nothing back that my Lord gave me, and I gave Christ to you with good will. I pray you make him your own, and go not from that truth I taught you by so much as a hair's breadth; that truth shall save you if you follow it. Salvation is not an easy thing, soon gotten; I often told you few are saved and many, many are damned. I pray you make your poor soul sure of salvation, and make the seeking of heaven your daily task. If you never had a sick night and a pained soul for sin, you have not yet truly found Christ. Look to the right marks of having closed with Christ: if you love him better than the world and would give up all the world for him, then that says the work is sound. Oh if you saw the beauty of Jesus and felt the fragrance of his love, you would run through fire and water to be at him. God send you him. Pray for me, for I cannot forget you. Grace be with you.

Aberdeen, 1637. Your loving Pastor, S. R.