[JOHN GORDON of Cardoness, younger, like his father, previously noticed (Letter LXXXII.), was naturally a man of strong passions. Judging from this letter, he appears not only to have been neglectful of religion, but to have freely indulged in the follies and vices of youth. Rutherford warns him of his sin and danger with much freedom and affectionate earnestness; and these warnings, it is to be hoped, were not in vain. He was in the Covenanters' army, in England, in 1644, as appears from a letter of his preserved among the Wodrow MSS. It is dated "Sunderland, 28th March 1644," and is addressed to Mr. Thomas Wylie. It is written in a religious strain. After referring to the success of the army, and to the account of this drawn up by Mr. Robert Douglas, it contains in the close the following passage:--"I entreat you be kind to my wife, and deal with her neither to take my absence, nor the form of coming from her, in evil part; for, in God's presence, public duties and nothing else removed me, or marred the form of my removal. Be earnest with her that she seek a nearer acquaintance with Christ: and fail not to pray for her and her family, and me." (Wodrow MSS., vol. xxix.)] (_REASONS FOR BEING EARNEST ABOUT THE SOUL, AND FOR RESIGNATION._) HONOURED AND DEAR BROTHER,--I wrote of late to you: multitudes of letters burden me now. I am refreshed with your letter. I exhort you in the bowels of Christ, set to work for your soul. And let these bear weight with you, and ponder them seriously: _1st_, Weeping and gnashing of teeth in utter darkness, or heaven's joy. _2ndly_, Think what ye would give for an hour, when ye shall lie like dead, cold, blackened clay. _3rdly_, There is sand in your glass yet, and your sun is not gone down. _4thly_, Consider what joy and peace are in Christ's service. _5thly_, Think what advantage it will be to have angels, the world, life and death, crosses, yea, and devils, all for you, as the King's serjeants and servants, to do your business. _6thly_, To have mercy on your seed, and a blessing on your house. _7thly_, To have true honour, and a name on earth that casteth a sweet smell. _8thly_, How ye will rejoice when Christ layeth down your head under His chin, and betwixt His breasts, and drieth your face, and welcometh you to glory and happiness. _9thly_, Imagine what pain and torture is a guilty conscience; what slavery to carry the devil's dishonest loads. _10thly_, Sin's joys are but night-dreams, thoughts, vapours, imaginations, and shadows. _11thly_, What dignity it is to be a son of God. _12thly_, Dominion and mastery over temptations, over the world and sin. _13thly_, That your enemies should be the tail, and you the head.