DAVIOT FREE MANSE, 11th November, 1852
My Dear Sir — I long much to hear from you. There is an old proverb, “Out of sight, out of mind.” I hope it is not the case with you. The Lord said — “I heard the groanings of my people which are in Egypt.” Their groanings moved the sacred bowels. He is the same Saviour still, easily touched, though at times He seems as it were to forsake and forget them, yea, seems to turn to be their enemy and to fight against them; to frown upon them; to shut out their prayer; to cover Himself with a cloud, and leave them in the hand of their enemies, to do with them as they please.
But His love was unchangeable. When they were humbled, and brought to see their deceit, to acknowledge their offences, to justify His dealings with them, deliverance was not far off. We see His people in Egypt and in Babylon, when they thought their case was desperate. “Then He said unto me, son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel; behold they say our bones are dried and our hope is lost, we are cut off for our part,” hence He promises to open their graves and cause them to come up out of their graves and bring them to the land of Israel. “Then shall ye know that I am the Lord,” the unchangeable one in love and mercy. He promises to take the third part through the fire, to purify them as silver, to try them as gold, then they shall call upon Him and He shall hear. He will say — They are my people, and they shall say, The Lord is my God. To come to this is worth enduring many trials, from without and from within. The creature in his natural state thinks he has no more to do, but seek the Lord any time he thinks, but when he is brought to concern about his future state, his former sins and ways brought to his remembrance, a sense of the alienation of the heart given, then the Lord appears far off. He will see the Lord sovereign and at liberty to deal with him as he sees meet, to leave him through eternity far off, bound in his chains, and will see it a wonder he could ever come so as to call Him his own, to enjoy His favour. But being once brought to enjoy the smiles of His face, taste the sweetness of the promises, then he will feel himself well paid for all his trials. I long much to hear from your sister. I only had one letter from her since she went home. Let the Word of Truth be your rule in all you do. I shall expect to hear soon from you. — Yours sincerely,
Archd. Cook.
DAVIOT FREE MANSE, 22nd June, 1853.
My Dear Friend, — I received your kind and welcome letter, and I would have answered it sooner, but last Sabbath the communion was dispensed in the other parish, Strathdearn, that I had no time, having so much to do. This week I am to assist at Inverness. The communion is to be there Sabbath first, so that I have very little time today for writing. Our own communion is to be in this parish, if the Lord will, on the third Sabbath of July, and Stratherrick, the next Sabbath after that, or the fourth Sabbath of July, that perhaps you might take a jaunt and see us at that time. From what I hear of your dear sister, I fear she may not be able to accompany you. You did not repent of coming last year, and perhaps you may find some refreshing this year also, that will carry you on a stage.
“Who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well, the rain also filleth the pools. They go from strength to strength, every one of them in Zion appeareth before God.” I see that your father has been taken away; by what I learned from your sister, it appears he has been concerned about his last end for some time past; this ought to be a consolation to you. The salvation of sinful creatures depends not on their assurance, but on the nature of their faith. If their faith be the work of the Spirit of grace, though no stronger than the first movement of a child in his mother’s womb, according to the condition of the covenant of grace, it will land them safe in glory. “He that believes on the Son hath everlasting life.” You said that the Lord appeared to yourself as an angry judge. Those who get glimpses of Him in that way going through the world, will find Him a Saviour in their time of need, when neither flesh nor blood will comfort.
I find my time so limited that I cannot enlarge. Let me hear from you whether we may expect you or not. Two of my children have been very poorly for four or five weeks, but they are this week much better. My dear brother continues poorly. I must, if well, go to assist him at the sacrament. My love to your dear sister. Accept of the same yourself.
Yours sincerely,
Archd. Cook.