you I instructed you of the superstition Idolatry of kneeling in the instant of receiving the Lords supper crosseing in baptisme and the observing of mens dayes vvithout any vvarrant of Christ our perfect lawgiver Countenance not the Surplice the attire of the Massâ— preist the garment of Baals preists the abominable bovving to altars of tree is comeing upon you hate keep your selves from idols forbear in any case to hear the reading of the new fatherlesse service-book full of grosse heresees popish and superstitious errors vvithout any vvarrant of Christ tending to the overthrovv of preaching you ovv no obedience to the bastard Canons they are unlavvfull blasphemous and superstitious all the ceremonies that lie in the Antichrists foul vvomb the vvares of that great mother of fornications the kirk of Rome are to be refused ye see vvhither they lead you Continue still in the Doctrine vvhich ye have recieved ye heard of me the vvhole counsell of God so we no clâ—â—ts upon Christs robe take Christ in his ragges losses as persecuted by men be content to sigh and pant up the mountain vvith Christs crosse on your back let me be repute a false prophet your conscience once said the contrair if your Lord Jesus shall not stand by you and mantaine you and mantaine your cause aganst your enemies I have heard and my soul is greived for it that since my departure from you many among you are turned back from the good old way to the dogs vomite again let me speak to these men it vvas not vvithout Gods speciall direction that the first sentence that ever my mouth uttered to you vvas that of John Chap. 9 39. And Iesus said for judgment came I into the world that they which see not might see they which see might be made blind It is possible my first meeting yours be when vve shall both stand before the dreadfull judge of the World in the name authoritie of the Son of God my great King Master I write by these presents summonds to these men I arrest their souls bodies to the day of our compearance their eternall damnation stands subscribed and sealed in heaven by the hand-write of the great Judge of quick dead and I am ready to stand up as a preaching witnesse against such to their face that day to say Amen to their condemnation except they repent The vengeance of the Gospel is heavier nor the vengeance of the law the Mediators malediction and vengeance is tvvice vengance that vengeance is the due portion of such men there I leave them as bound men ay while they repent amend You vvere vvitnesses hovv the Lords day vvas spent vvhile I vvas among you O sacrilegious robber of Gods day vvhat vvill thou ansvver the Almightie vvhen he seeketh so many Sabbaths back again from thee What vvill the Curser Svvearer Blasphemer doe vvhen his tongue shall be rosted in that broad and burning lake of fire brimstone And what will the drunkard doe when tongue lights liver bones all shall boile frye in a torturing fire for he shall be far from his barrels of strong drinke then there is not a cold well of vvater for him in hell What shall be the case of the wretch the covetous man the opperssor the deceaver the earth worme who can never get his vvombfull of clay when in the day of Christ Gold and Silver must lie burnt in ashes and he must compear and answer his judge and quite his clayie and naughtie heaven woe woe for ever more be to the time-turning Atheist that hath one God and one religion for summer and another God and another religion for winter and the day offanning when Christ fanneth all that is in his barn floor who hath a conscience for every faire and mercat and the soul of him runneth upon these oiled wheels Time Custome the world and Command of men O if the carelesse Atheist and sleeping man who edgeth by all with God forgive our Pastors if they lead us wrong we must doe as they command and layes down his head upon times bosome and giveth his conscience to a deputy and sleepeth so while the smoak of hell fire flie up in his throat and cause him start out of his dooleful bed O if such a man would awake many woes are for the over-guilded and gold-plastered Hypocrite a heavie doom is for the liar and white tongued flatterer and the fleing book of Gods irefull vengeance twentie cubits long and twentie cubits broad that goeth out from the face of God shall enter into the house and in upon the soul of him that stealeth and sweareth falsely by Gods name Zechar. 5 ver 23. I denounce eternall burning hotter then Sodoms flames upon the men that boile in their filthie lusts of fornication adultery incest and the like wickednesse no Room no not a foot-broad for such viledogs within the clean Jerusalem Many of you put off all with this God forgive us we know no better I renew my old answer 2 Thess. 1. the judge is coming in flaming fire with all his mighty Angels to render vengeance to all these that know not God and beleeve Not. I have often told you security shall slay you all men say they have faith as many men and women now as many saints in heaven and all beleeve say ye every foul dog is clean enough good enough for the clean new Jerusalem above Every man hath conversion the new birth but it is not â—â—el come they had never a sick night for sin conversion came to them in a night dream in a word hell will be empty at the day of judgement and heaven panged full Alace it is neither easie nor ordinarie to beleeve to be saved many must stand in the end at heavens gates when they goe to take out their faith they take out a fair nothing or as ye use to speak a blâ—â—â—ume O lamentable Disappointment I pray you I charge you in the name of Christ make fast work of Christ and salvation I know there are some beleevers among you and I write to you O poor broken hearted beleevers all the comforts of Christ in the New and Old Testament are yours O what a father husband you have O if I had pen and ink and ingine to write of him Let heaven and earth be consolidat in massie and pure gold it will not weigh the thousand part of Christs love to a soul even to me a poor prisoner O that is a massie and marvellous love Men and Angels unit your force and strength in one ye shall not heave nor poise it off the ground Ten thousand thousand worlds as many worlds as Angels can number and then as a new world of Angels can multiply would not all be the balk of a ballance to weigh Christs excellencie sweetnesse and love Put ten earth's in one and let a rose grow
but cold comfort in my sufferings I would not beguile others I would have told you plainly but the truth is Christs crown his scepter and the freedom of his Kingdom is that which is now called in question because we will not allow that Christ pay tribute and be a vassall to the shields of the earth therefore the sons of our mother are angry at us but it becometh not Christ to hold any mans stirâ—up It were a sweet and honourable death to die for the honour of that royall princely King Jesus his love is a mystery to the world I would not have beleeved that there was so much in Christ as there is Come see maketh Christ to be known in his excellency glory I wish all this Nation knew how sweet his breath is it is little to see Christ in a book as men doe the world in a card they talke of Christ by the book the tongue no more but to come nigh Christ and hausse him embrace him is another thing Madam I write to your Honour for your encouragement in that honourable profession Christ hath honoured you with Ye have gotten the Sunny side of the brae the best of Christs good things he hath not given you the bastard's portion howbeit ye get strokes sowre looks from your Lord yet beleeve his love more then your own feeling for this world can take nothing from you that is truly yours death can doe you no wrong your rock doeth not ebbe flow but your sea that which Christ hath said he will bide by it he will be your tutour you shall not get your charters of heaven to play you with It is good that ye have lost your credit with Christ that Lord frâ—ewill shall not be your tutour Christ will lippen the taking of you to heaven neither to your self nor any deputy but onely to him self blessed be your tutour When your head shall appear your bridegroom Lord your day shall then dawn it shall never have an afternoon nor an evening shadow Let your childe be Christs let him stay beside you as the lords pledge that you shall willingly render again if God will Madam I finde folks here kind to me but in the night under their breath my masters cause may not come to the crown of the causey others are kind according to their fashion many think me a strange man my cause not good but I care not much for mans thoughts or approbation I think no shame of the crosse The preachers of this town pretend great love but the Prelats have added to the rest this gentle cruelty for so they think of it to discharge me of the pulpits of this town the people murmur cry out against it and to speak truly howbeit Christ is most indulgeat to me otherwise yet my silence on the Lords day keeps me from being exalted above measure froÌ„â—â—artling in the heat of my Lords love Some people affect me for the which cause I hear the preachers here purpose to have my confinement changed to another place so cold is northern love but Christ and I will bear it I have vvrestled long with this sad silence I said what aileth Christ at my service and my soul hath been at a pleading with Christ at yea nay but I will yeeld to him providing my suffering may preach more then my tongue did for I gave not Christ an inch but for twice as good again in a word I am a fool he is God I will hold my peace hereafter Let me hear from your La your Dear Childe pray for a prisoner of Christ who is mindfull of your La Remember my obliged obedience to my good Lady Marre Grace Grace be with you I write pray blessings to your sweet childe Aberd. Nov. 22. 1636. Yours in all Dutiefull obedience in his onely Lord Iesus S. R. To the right honourable Christian Lady my Lady VICOUNTESSE of KENMURE 6 MADAM GRace Mercy peace be to you I received your La letter it refreshed me in my heavinesse the blessing prayers of a prisoner of Christs come upon you Since my coming hither Galloway sent me not a line except what my Brother Earlstoun his son did write I cannot get my papers transported but Madam I want not kindnesse of one who hath the gate of it Christ if he had never done more for me since I was borne hath ingaged my heart gained my blessing in this house of my pilgrimage It pleaseth my welbeloved to dine with a poor prisoner and the Kings spiknard casteth a fragrant smell nothing grieveth me but that I eat my feasts my alone and that I cannot edifie his saints O that this Nation knew what is betwixt him and me none would skar at the crosse of Christ my silence eates me up but he hath told me he thanketh me no lesse then if I were preaching daily he sees how gladly I would be at it therefore my wages are going to the fore up in heaven as if I were still preaching Christ. Captains pay duely bedfast souldiers howbeit they dow not march nor carry armour Though â—srael be not gathered yet shall 〈◊〉 be glorious in the eyes of my Lord my lord shall be my strength Ifâ—â— 49 5. my garland The Banished Minister the teâ—ne of Aberden ashameth me not I have seen the white side of Christs crosse lovely hath he been to his oppressed servant Psal. 146 7. The Lord executeth judgement for the oppressed he giveth food to the hungry the Lord looseth the prisoner the Lord raisetâ— them that are bowed down the Lord preserveth the stranger If it were come to exchanging of crosses I would not exchange my crosse with any I am wel-pleased with Christ he with me I hope none shall hear us It 's true for all this I get my meat with many stroks and am seven times a day up down am often anxious cast down for the case of my oppressed brother yet I hope the Lord will be surty for his servant But now upon some weak very weak experience I am come to love a rumbling and raging devil beit seeing we must have a devil to hold the saints waking I wish a cumbersome devil rather then a secure sleeping one At my first coming hither I took the dorts at Christ and took up a stomaâ—k against him I said he had cast me over the dike of the vineyard like a drie tree but it was his mercy I see that the fire did not burn the drie tree now as if my Lord Jesus had done the fault not I who belied my Lord he hath made the first mends he spake not one word against me but hath come again quickned my soul with his presence nay now I think the very aâ—â—uety and casualities of the crosse of Christ Jesus my Lord these comforts that accompany it better then the worlds
Saviour by your compearance before the Judge of quick dead to stand for Christ and to back him Oh if the Nobles had done their part been zealous for the Lord it had not been as it is now but men think it wisdom to stand beside Christ till his head be broken sing dumb there is a time coming when Christ will have a thick court he will be the glory of Scotland he shall make a diadem a garland a seal upon his heart a ring on his finger of these who have avouched him before this faithlesse generation Howbeit ere that come wrath from the Lord is ordained for this land My Lord I have cause to write this to your Lo for I dare not conceal his kindness to the soul of an afflicted exiled prisoner Who hath more cause to boast in the Lord then such a sinner as I Who am feasted with the consolations of Christ have no pain in my sufferings but the pain of soul-sickness of love for Christ sorrow that I cannot get help to sound aloud the high praises of him who hath heard the fighing of the prisoner is content to lay the head of his oppressed servant in his bosome under his chinne let him feel the smell of his garments This I behooved to write that your Lo might know Christ is as good as he is called to testifie to your Lo the cause your Lo now professeth before this faithless world is Christ's your Lo shall have no shame of it Grace be with you Aberd. March 13. 1637. Your Lo obliged Servant S. R. To the much honoured JOHN OSBURN Provest of Ayr. 43 Much honoured Sir GRrace mercy peace be to you Upon our small acquaintance the good report I hear of you I could not but write to you I have nothing to say but Christ in that honourable place lie hath put you in hath intrusted you with a dear pledge which is his own glory hath armed you with his sword to keep the pledge make a good account of it to God Be not affraid of me Your master can mowe down his enemies make with red hay of fair flowers your time will not be long after your after 〈…〉 will come your evening after evening night serve Christ back him lethis cause be your cause give not an hair breadth of 〈◊〉 away for it is not yours but God's then since ye are going take Christ's tâ—â—tiâ—cat with you out of this life Well done good faithfull servant His well done is worth a shipfull of Good-dayes earthly honours I have cause to say this because I finde him truth it self In my sad dayes Christ laugheth cheerfully saith All will be well Would to God all this Kingdom ye all that know God knew what is betwixt me Christ in this prison what kisses embracements love-communings I take his cross in my armes with joy I blesse it I rejoyce in it suffering for Christ is my garland I would not exchange Christ for ten thousand worlds nay if the comparison could stand I would not exchange Christ with heaven Sir pray for me the prayers blessing of a prisoner of Christ meet you in all your straits Grace be with you Aberd. March 14. 1637. Yours in Christ Iesus his Lord. S. R. To ROBERT GORDON Bailiffe of Ayr. 44 Worthy Sir GRace mercy peace be to you I long to hear from you in paper Remember your Chief's speeches on his death-bed I pray your Sir sell all buy the pearle time will cut you from this world's glory Look what will doe you good when your glasse shall be run out let Christ's love bear most court in your soul that court will bear down the love of other things Christ seeketh your help in your place give him your hand Who hath more cause to encourage others to own Christ then I have for he hath made me sick of love leâ—t me in pain to wrestle with his love love is like to fall a swoon through his absence I mean not that he deserteth me or that I am ebbe of comforts but this is an uncouth pain Oh that I had a heart a love to render to him back again O if principalities powers thrones dominions all the world would help me to praise Praise him in my behalf Remember my love to your wife I thank you most kindly for your love to my brother Grace be with you Aberd. March 13. 1637. Yours in his sweet Lord Iesus S. R. To JOHN KENNEDY Bailiffe of Ayr. 45 GRace mercy and peace be unto you Your nor writing to me cannot binde me up from remembring you now then that at least ye may be a witness a third man to behold in paper what is betwixt Christ me I was in his eyes like a young Orphan wanting known parents casten out in the open fields either Christ behooved to take me up to bring me home to his house and fire-side else I had dyed in the fields now I am homly with Christ's love so that I think the house mine own the master of the house mine also Christ enquired not when he began to love me whether I was fair or black sun-burnt love taketh what it may have He loved me before this time I know but now I have the flower of his love his love is come to a fair bloom like a young rose opened up out of the green leaves it casteth a strong fragrant smell I want nothing but wayes of expressing Christ's love A full vessel would have a vent O if I could smoke out cast out coales to make a fire in many brests of this land Oh it is a pity that there were not many imprisoned for Christ for no other purpose but to write books love-songs of the love of Christ. This love would keep all created tongues of men Angels in exercise busie night day to speak of it Alas I can speak nothing of it but wonder at three things in his love First Freedome O that lumps of sin should get such love for nothing Secondly The Sweetness of his love I give over either to speak or write of it but these that feel it may better bear witness What it is but it is so sweet that next to Christ himself nothing can match it nay I think a soul could live eternally blessed onely on Christ's love feed upon no other thing yea when Christ in love giveth a blow it doeth a soul good it is a kinde of comfort joy to it to get a cuff with the lovely sweet soft hand of Jesus And Thirdly what power strength is in his love I am perswaded it can climb aâ—stâ—ep hill hell upon it's back swim through the water not droâ—n sing in the fire finde no pain triumph in losles prisons sorrows exile disgrace laugh
the whole ordering and disposing of my sufferings Let him tutour me tutour my crosses as he thinketh good there is no danger nor hazard in following such a guide howbeit he should lead me through hell if I could put faith foremost fill the fieldwith a quiet on-waiting beleeving to see the salvation of God I know Christ is not obliged to let me see both the sides of my cross turn it over over that I may see all My faith is richer to live upon credit Christ's borrowed money then to have much in my hand Alas I have forgotten that faith in times past hath stopped a lek in my crazed barke hath filled my sailes with a fair wind I see it a work of God that experiences are all lost when summonds of improbation to prove our Charters of Christ to be counterfit are raised against poor souls in their heavie trials but let me be a sinner worse then the chief of sinners yea a guilty devil I am sure my welbeloved is God when I say Christ is God my Christ is God I have said all things I can say no more I would I could build as much on this my Christ is God as it would bear I might lay all the world upon it I am sure Christ untried and untaken up in the power of his love Kindness mercies goodness wisdom long-suffering greatness is the rock that dim-sighted travellers dash their foot against so stumble fearfully But my wounds are sorest pain me most to sin against his love his mercy if he would set me my conscience by the ears together resolve not to rid the plea but let us deal it betwixt us my spitting upon the fair face of Christ's love mercies by my Jealousies unbelief and doubting would be enough to sink me Oh oh I am convinced O Lord I stand dumb before thee for this Let me be mine own Judge in this and I take a dreadfull doom upon me for it for I still misbeleeve though I have seen that my Lord hath made my cross as if it were all Crystal so as I can see thorow it Christs fair face and heaven and that God hath honoured a lump of sinfull flesh and blood the like of me 〈◊〉 to be Christ's honourable Lord-prisoner I ought to esteem the walls of the theeves-hole if I were shut up in it or any stinking dungeon all hung with tapestrie most beautifull for my Lord Jesus yet I am not so shut up but that the sun shineth upon my prison the fair wide heaven is the covering of it But my Lord in his sweet visits hath done more for he make me finde that he will be a confined prisoner with me he lieth down riseth up with me when I sigh he sigheth When I weep he suffereth with me I confesse here is the blessed issue of my sufferings already begun that my heart is filled with hunger desire to have him glorified in my sufferings Blessed ye of the Lord Madam if ye would help a poor Dyvour cause others of your acquaintance in Christ help me to pay my debt of love even reall praises to Christ my Lord. Madam let me charge you in the Lord as ye will answer to him help me in this duty which he hath tyed about my neck with a chain of such singular expressions of his loving kindness to set on high Christ to hold in my honesty at his hands for I have nothing to give him O that he would arrest comprise my love my heart for all I am a Dyvour who have no more free goods in the world for Christ save that it is both the whole heritage I have all my movables besides Lord give the thirsty man a drink Oh to be over the ears in the well Oh to be swattering swimming over head ears in Christ's love I would not have Christ's love entering in me but I would enter into it be swallowed up of that love But I see not my self here for I fear I make more of his love then of himself whereas himself is far beyond much better then his love Oh if I had my sinfull armes filled with that lovely one Christ Blessed be my rich Lord Jesus who sendeth not away beggers from his house with a toom dish He filleth the vessels of such as will come seek We might beg our selves rich if we were wise if we could but hold out our withered hands to Christ learn to suit seek aske knock I ow my salvation for Christ's glory low it to Christ desire that my hell yea a new hell seven times hotter then the old hell might buy praises before men and Angels to my Lord Jesus providing alwayes I were free of Christ's hatred displeasure What am I to be forfeited sold in soul body to have my great royall King set on high and extolled above all O if I knew how high to have him set all the world far far beneath the soles of his feet Nay I deserve not to be the matter of his praises far less to be an agent in praising of him But he can win his own glory out of me out of one worse then I if any such be if it please his holy Majesty so to doe he knoweth that I am not now flattering him Madam let me have your prayers as ye have the prayers blessing of him that is separated from his Brethren Grace Grace be with you Aberd. June 15. 1637. Your own in his sweet Lord Iesus S. R. To the Earle of Cassills 42 My very Noble honourable Lord. I make bold out of the honourable Christian report I hear of your Lo having no other thing to say but that which concerneth the honourable cause which the Lord hath enabled your Lo to professe to write this that it is your Lo crown your glory your honour to set your shoulder under the Lords glory now falling to the ground to back Christ now when so many think it wisdom to let him send for himself the shields of the earth ever did doe still beleeve that Christ is a cumbersom neighbour that it is a pain to hold up his yea's nay's They fear he take their chariots their crownes their honour from them but my Lord standeth in need of none of them all But it is your glory to own Christ his buried truth for let men say what they please the plea with Sion's enemies in this day of Jacob's trouble is If Christ should be King no mouth steak lawes but his It concerneth the apple of Christ's eye his royall priviledges what now is debated Christ's Kingly honour is come to yea nay But let me be pardoned my my dear Noble Lord to beseech you by the mercies of God by the comforts of the Spirit by the wounds of your dear
Christ And if I were not so my sufferings had melted me away in ashes and smoke I thank my Lord that he hath something in me that this fire cannot consume Remember my love to your husband show him from me I desire that he may set aside all things make sure work of salvation that it be not a seeking when the sand-glass is run out time eternity shall tryst together There is no errand so wieghty as this O that he would take it to heart Grace be with you Aberd. Yours in Christ Iesus his Lord. S. R. To the Lady DUNGUEIGH 65 MISTRESS I Long to hear from you how ye goe on with Christ I am sure that Christ ye once met I pray you fasten your grips there is holding drawing much sea-way to heaven we are often sea-sick but the voyage is so needfull that we must on any termes take shipping with Christ. I beleeve it is a good countrey we are going to there is ill lodging in this smoaky house of the world in which we are yet living Oh that we should love smoke so well clay that holdeth our feet fast It were our happiness to follow on after Christ to anchor our selves upon the rock in the upper side of the vail Christ Satan are now drawing to parties they are blinde who see not Scotland divided in two camps Christ coming out with his white banner of love he hangeth that over the heads of his souldiers And the other Captain the Dragon is coming out with a great black flag crieth the world the world case honour a whole skin and a soft couch there lie they leave Christ to fend for himself My counsel is that ye come out leave the multitude let Christ have your company Let them take clay this present world who love it Christ is a more worthy noble portion Blessed are these who get him It is good ere the storm rise to make ready all to be prepared to goe to the camp with Christ seeing he will not keep the house nor sit at the fire-side with couchers A showr for Christ is little enough Oh I finde all too little for him Woe woe woe 's me that I have no propine for my Lord Jesus My love is so feckless that it is a shame too offer it to him Oh if it were as broad as heaven as deep as the sea I would gladly bestow it upon him I persâ—ade you God is wringing grapes of red wine for Scotland this land shall drink spue fall His enemies shall drink the thick of it the grounds of it But Scotland's withered tree shall blossom again Christ shall make a second marriage with her take home his wife out of the furnace but if our eyes shall see it he knoweth who hath created time Grace be with you Aberd. 1637. Yours in his sweet Lord Iesus S. R. To JONET MCCULLOCH 66 Loving Sister GRace mercy peace be to you Hold on your course for it may be I will not soon see you venture through the thick of all things after Christ tine not your Master Christ in the throng of this great market Let Christ know how heavy how many a stone weight you your cares burdens crosses sins are let him bear all Make the heritage sure to your self get charters writs passâ—d through put on arms for the battel keep you fast by Christ then let the wind blow out of what airth it will your soul will not blow in the sea I finde Christ the most steadable friend and companion in the world to me now the need usefulness of Christ i seen best in trials Oh if hebe not well worthy of his room Lodge him in house heart stir up your husband to seek the Lord I wonder he hath never written to me I doe not forget him I taught you the whole counsel of God delivered it to you it will be inquired for at your hands have it in readiness against the time that the Lord ask for it make you to meet the Lord rest sleep in the love of that fairest among the sons of men Desire Christ's beauty give out all your love to him let none fall by Learn in prayer to speak to him help your mother's soul desire her from me to seek the Lord his salvation it 's not soon found many miss it Grace be with you Aberd. 1637. Your Loving Pastor S. R. To my Lord CRAIGHALL 67 My Lord. I cannot expound your Lo contrary tides and these tentations wherewith ye are assaulted to be any other thing but Christ trying you saying unto you will ye also leave me I am sure Christ hath a great advantage against you if ye play foul play to him in that the holy Spirit hath done his part in evidencing to your conscience that this is the way of Christ wherein ye shall have peace the other as sure as God liveth the Antichrist's way Therefore as ye fear God fear your light stand in aw of a convincing conscience it is far better for your Lo to keep your conscience to hazard in such a honourable cause your place then wilfully against your light to come under guiltiness Kings cannot heal broken consciences when death judgement shall comprize your soul your counsellers others cannot become caution to Justice for you Ere it be long our Lord will put a finall determination to Acts of Parliament mens laws will clear you before men Angels of mens unjust sentences Ye received honour place Authority riches reputation from your Lord to set forward advance the liberties freedom of Christ's Kingdom Men whose consciences are made of stoutness think little of such matters which notwithstanding incroach directly upon Christ's prerogative royal So would men think it a light matter for VZZah to put out his hand to hold the Lord 's falling ark but it cost him his life And who doubteth but a carnal friend will advise you to shut your window pray beneath your breath Ye make too great a dâ—â— with your prayers so would a head-of-wit speak if ye were in Daniel's place But mens overguilded reasons will not help you when your conscience is like to rive with a double charge Alas alas when will this world learn to submit their wisdom to the wisdom of God I am sure your Lo hath found the truth goe not then to search it over again for it is ordinary for men to make doubts when they have a minde to desert the truth Kings are not their own men their wayes are in God's hand I rejoyce am glad that ye resolve to walk with Christ howbeit his court be thin Grace be with your Lo Aberd. Sept. 7. 1637. Your Lo in his sweet Master and Lord Iesus S. R. To WILLIAM
RIGGE of Atherny 68 Worthy much honoured Sir GRace mercy peace be to you How sad a prisoner would I be if I knew not that my Lord Jesus had the keys of the prison himself that his death blood hath bought a blessing to our crosses aswell as to our selves I am sure troubles have no prevailing right over us if they be but our Lord's Serjeants to keep us in ward while we are in this side of heaven I am perswaded also that they shall not goe over the bound-road nor enter in to heaven with us for they finde no welcome there where there is no more death neither sorrow nor crying neither any more pain therefore we shall leave them behinde us Oh if I could get as good a gate of sin even this wofull wretched body of sin as I get of Christ's cross Nay indeed I think the cross beared bâ—th me it self rather then I it in comparison of the tyranny of the lawless flesh wicked nighbour that dwelleth beside Christ's new creature But Oh this is that which presseth me down paiâ—eth me Jesus Christ in his saints sitteth neighbour with an ill second corruption deadness coldness pride lust worldliness self-love security falshood a world of â—oâ— the like which I finde in me that are daily doing violence to the new man O but we have cause to carry low sails to cleave fast to free grace free free grace Blessed be our Lord that ever that way was found out If my one foot were in heaven my soul half in if free-will corruption were absolute Lords of me I should never win wholly in O but the sweet new living way that Christ hath stroke up to our home be a safe way I finde now presence accâ—ss a greater dainty then bâ—fore but yet the bridegroom looketh through the lattes thorow the hole of the door O if he I were in fair dry land together in the other side of the water Grace be with you Aberd. Sept. 30. 1637 Yours in his sweet Lord Iesus S R. To the Lady KILCONQUHAIR 69 MISTRESS GRace mercy peace be to you I received your letter I am heartily content ye love own this oppâ—essed and wronged cause of Christ that now whâ—n so many are miscarried ye are in any measure taken with the love of Jesuâ— weary not but come in see if there be not more in Christ then the tongue of men Angels can express If ye seek a gate to heaven the way is in him or he is it What ye want is treasured up in Jesus he saith all his are yours even his Kingdom he is content to divide it betwixt him you yea his throne his glory Luk. 21. 29. Ioh. 17. 24. Rov 3. 21. Therefore take pains to climb up to that besâ—eged house to Christ for devils men armies of temptations are lying about the house to hold out all that are out it is taken with violence It is not a smooth easie way neitâ—er will your weather be fair pleasant but whosoever saw the invisible God the fair city make no reckoning of lossâ—s or crosses in ye must be cost you what it will stand not for a price for all that ye have to win the castle the rights to it are won to you it is disponed to you in your Lord Jesus's testament see what a fair legacy your dying friend Christ hath left you And there wanteth nothing but possession Then get up in the strength of the Lord get over the water to possâ—ss that good land It is better then a land of olives wine-trees for the tree of life that beareth twelve manner of fruits every moneth is there before you a pure river of life clear as crystal proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb is there Your time is short therefore lose no time Gracious faithfull is he who hath called you to his Kingdom glory The city is yours by free conquest by promise therefore let no uncouth Lord-idol put you from your own The devil hath cheated the simple heir of his Paradise by enticing us to taste of the forbidden fruit hath as it were bought us out of our kindly heritage But our Lord Christ Jesus hath done more then bought the devil by for he hath redeemed the wodset made the poor heir free to the inheritaÌ„ce If we knew the glory of our elder brother in heaven we would long to be there to see him to get our fill of heaven We children think the earth a fair garden but it is but God's out-field wilde cold barren ground All things are fading that are here It is our happiness to make sure Christ to our selves Thus remembring my love to your husband wiâ—king to him what I write to you I commit you to God's tender mercy Aberd. Sepr 13. 1637. Yours in his sweet Lord Iesus S. R. To the Lady CRAIGHALL 70 Honourable and Christian Lady GRace mercy peace be to you I cannot but write to your La of the sweet glorious termes I am in with the most joyful King that ever was under this well thrifing prosperous cross it is my Lord's salvation wrought by his own right hand that the water doeth not suffocat the breath of â—â—pe joyfull courage in the Loâ—d Jesus For his own person is still in the camp with his poor souldier I see the cross is tied with Christ's hand to the end of an honest profession We are but fools to endeavour to loose Christ's knot When I consider the comforts of God I durst not consent to sell or wod-set my short life-rent of the cross of the Lord Jesus I know that Christ bought with his own blood a right to sanctified blessed crosses in as far as they blow me over the water to my long desired home it were not good that Christ should be the buyer I the seller I know time death shall take sufferings fairly off my hand I hope we shall have an honest parting at night when this piece cold frosty afternoon-tide of my evil rough day shall be over Well is my soul of either sweet or sowre that Christ hath any part or portion in if he be at the one end of it it hall be well with me I shall die ere I libell faults against Christ's cross it hall have my testimonial under my hand as an honest saving mean of Christ for mortification faith's growth I have a stronger assurance since I came over Forth of the excellency of Jesus then I had before I am rather about him then in him while I am absent from him in this house of clay But I would be in heaven for no other cause but to essay try what boundies joy it must be to be over head ears in my welbeloved Christ's love O that fair one
I dare not say that I am a dry tree or that I have no room at all in the vineyard but yet I often think that the sparrows are blessed who may resort to the house of God in Anwoth from which I am banished Temptations that I supposed to be striken dead and laid upon their back rise again and revive upon me yea I see that while I live temptations will not die The devil seemeth to brag boast as much as if he had more court with Christ then I have as if he had charmed blasted my ministery that I shall doe no more good in publike but his wind shaketh no corn I will not beleeve Christ would have made such a mint to have me to himself and have taken so much pains upon me as he hath done and then slip so easily from possession and lose the glory of what he had done Nay since I came to Aberden I have been taken up to see the new land the fair palace of the Lamb And will Christ let me see heaven to break my heart never give it to me I shall not think my Lord Jesus giveth a dumb earnest or putteth his sealâ— to blank paper or intendeth to put me off with fair and false promises I see that now which I never saw well before 1. I see faith's necessity in a fair day is never known aright but now I miss nothing somuch as faith Hunger in me runneth to fair and sweet promises but when I come I am like a hungry man that wanteth teeth or a weak stomack having a sharp appetite that is filled with the very sight of meat or lik one stupified with cold under the water that would fain come to land but cannot grip any thing casten to him I can let Christ grip me but I cannot grip him I love to be kissed and to sit on Christ's knee but I cannot set my feet to the ground for afflictions bring the cramp upon my faith All I dow doe is to hold out a lame faith to Christ like a begger holding out a stump in stead of an arm or leg and cry Lord Iesus work a miracle O what would I give to have hands arms to grip strongly fold heart somly about Christ's neck to have my claim made good with reall possession I think my love to Christ hath feet abundance ruinneth swiftly to be at him but it wanteth hands and fingers to apprehend him I think I would give Christ every morning my blessing to have as much faith as I have love hunger at least I miss faith more then love hunger 2. I see mortification to be crucified to the world is not so highly accounted of by us as it should be O how heavenly a thing is it to be dead dumb deaf to this world 's sweet musick I confess it hath pleased his Majesty to make me laugh at children who are wooing this world for their match I see men lying about the world as Nobles about a King's court I wonder what they are a doing there As I am at this present I would scorn to court such a feckless petty Princesse or buy this world's kindness with a bow of my knee I scarce now either hear or see what it is that this world offereth me I know it 's little it can take from me as little it can give me I recommend Mortification to you above any thing For alas we but chase feathers flying in the air tire our own spirits for the froth overguilded clay of a dying life One sight of what my Lord hath let me see within this short time is worth a world of worlds 3. I thought courage in the time of trouble for Christ's sake a tâ—ing that I might take up at my foot I thought the very remembrance of the honesty of the cause would be enough but I was a fool in so thinking I have much adoe now to win to one smile but I see joy groweth up in heaven it is above our short arm Christ will be steward dispenser himself nonâ— else but He Therefore now I count much of one dram weight of spirituall joy one smile of Christ's face is now to me as a Kingdom yet he is no niggard to me of comforts Truly I have no cause to say that I am pinched with penury or that the consolations of Christ are dried up for he hath poured down rivers upon a dry wilderness the like of me to my admiration in my very swoonings he holdeth up my head stayeth me with flagons of wine comforteth me with apples My house bed is strowed with kisses of love Praise praise with me O if ye I betwixt us could lift up Christ upon his throne howbeit all Scotland should cast him down to the ground My Brother's case toucheth me neer I hope ye will be kinde to him give him your best counsel Remember my love to your Brother to your wife G. M. desire him to be faithfull repent of his hypocrisie and say that I wrote it to you I wish him salvation Write to me your minde anent C. E. And C. Y. And their wives I. G. Or any others in my parish I fear I am forgotten amongst them but I cannot forget them The prisoner's prayers and blessing come upon you Grace grace be with you Aberd. Feb 9. 1637. Your Brother in the Lord Iesus S. R. To my Lord. BALMERINOCH 109 My very Noble truly honourable Lord. I Make bold to write newes to your Lo from my prison though your Lo have experience more then I can have At my first entry here I was not a little casten down with challenges for old unrepented of sins Satan my own apprehensions made a lye of Christ that he had casten a dry withered tree over the dike of the vineyard but it was my folly blessed be his great name the fire cannot burn the dry tree He is pleased noâ— to feast the exiled prisoner with his lovely presence for it suiteth Christ well to be kinde he dineth suppeth with such a sinner as I am I am in Christ's tutouring here He hath made me content with a borrowed fire-side it casteth as much heat as mine own I want nothing at all but reall possession of Christ And he hath given me a pawne of that also which I hope to keep till he come himself to loose the pawne I cannot get help to praise his high name He hath made me a King over my losses imprisonment banishment onely my dumb sabbaths stick in my throat But I forgive Christ's wisdom in that I dare not say one word He hath done it I will lay my hand upon my mouth If any other had done it to me I could not have born it Now My Lord I must tell your Lo That I would not give a drink of cold water for this clay idol this plaistered
but too lazie and careless in seeking of it It is all our riches we have here glory in the bud I wish I could set out â—ree Grace I was the Law 's man under the Law under a curse but Grace brought me from under that hard Lord I rejoyce that I am Grace's Free-holder I pay tribute to none for heaven seeing my land heritage holdeth of Christ my new King Infinite wisdom hath devised this excellent way of Free-holding for sinners It is a better way to heaven then the old way that was in Adam's dayes It hath this fair advantage that no man's emptiness want layeth an inhibition upon Christ or hindereth his salvation that is far best for me but our new Land-Lord putteth the names of Dyvours Adam's forlorn Heirs beggers crooked blinde in the free charters Heaven Angels may wonder that we have gotten such a gate of sin hell Such a back-entry out of hell as Christ made brought out the captives by is more then my poor shallow thoughts can comprehend I would think sufferings glory I am sometimes not far from it if my Lord would give me a new almes of free grace I hear that the Prelats are intending banishment for me but for more grace no other hire I would make it welcome The bits of this clay-house the earth the other side of the sea are my father's If my sweet Lord Jesus would bud my sufferings with a new measure of grace I were a rich man But I have not now of a long time found such high spring-tides as formerly The sea is out the wind of his Spirit calm I cannot buy a wind or by requesting the sea cause it to flow again onely I wait on upon the banks shore-side till the Lord send a full sea that with up-sailes I may lift up Christ Yet sorrow for his absence is sweet sighes with Saw ye him whom my soul loveth have their own delights Oh that I might gather hunger against his long-looked for return Well were my soul if Christ were the element mine own element that I loved breathed in him if I could not live without him I allow not laughter upon my self when He is away yet He never leaveth the house but the leaveth drink-money behinde him a pawne that he will return Woe woe to me if he should goe away take all his flitting with him Even to dream of him is sweet To build a house of pining wishes for his return to spin out a web of sorrow care languishing sighes either dry or wet as they may be because he hath no leisure if I may spâ—aâ— so to make a visite or to see a poor friend sweetneth refreâ—heth the thoughts of the heart A mistie dew will stand for rain doe some good keep some greenness in the herbs till our Lord's clouds â—ue upon the earth send down a watering of rain Truly I think Christ's mistie dew a welcome message from heaven till my Lorâ—'s rain fall Woe woe is me for the Lord's vineyard in Scotland Howbeit the Father of the house embrace a childe feed him kiss him yet it is sorrow and sadness to the children that our poor mother hath gotten her leave that our Father hath given up house It is an unheartsom thing to see our Father mother agree so ill yet the Bastards if they be fed care not O Lord cait not water on Scotland's smoking coal It is a strange gate the saints goe to heaven our enemies often eat drink us we goe to heaven through their bellies stomacks they vomit the church of God undigested among their hands even while we are shut up in prisons by them we advance in our jâ—urney Remember my service to my Lord your kinde Son who was kinde to me in my bonds was not ashamed to own me I would be glad that Christ got the morning-service of his life now in his young years It would sute him well to give Christ his young green love Christ's stamp and seal would goe far down in a young soul If he would receive the thrust of Christ's stamp I would desire him to make search for Christ for Nobles now are but dry friends to Christ. The Grace of God our Father the goodwill of him who dwelt in the bush be with your La. Aberd. 1637. Yours in his sweet Lord Iesus S. R. To the Lady CARDONNESS ELDER 180. Worthy welbeloved in the Lord GRace mercy peace be to you I long to hear from you in paper that I may know how your soul prospereth My desire longing in to hear that ye walk in the truth that ye are content to follow the despised but most lovely Son of God I cannot but recommend him unto you as your husband your welbeloved your portion your comfort your joy I speak this of that lovely one because I praise commend the foord as we use to speak as I finde it He hath watered with his sweet comforts an oppressed prisoner He was alwayes kinde to my soul but never so kinde as now in my greatest extremittes I dine sup with Christ He visiteth my soul with the visitations of love in the night-watches I perswade my soul that this is the way to heaven his own Truth I now suffer for I exhort you in the name of Christ to continue in the truth which I delivered to you Make Christ sure to your soul for your day draweth nigh to an end Many slide back now who seemed to be Christ's friends prove dishonest to him But be ye faithfull to the death ye shall have the crown of life This span-length of your dayes whereof the Spirit of God speaketh Psal. 39. will within a short time come to a finger-breadth at length to nothing O how sweet comfortable shall the feast of a good conscience be to you when your eye-strings shall break your face wax pale the breath turn cold your poor soul come sighing to the windows of the house of clay of your dying body shall long to be out to have the jaylor to open the door that the prisoner may be set at liberty Ye draw nigh the water-side look your accounts Ask for your guide to take you to the other side Let not the world be your portion What have ye to doe with dead clay Ye are not a bastard but a lawfull begotten childe therefore set your heart on the inheritance Goe up before hand and see your lodging Look through all your father's rooms in heaven in your father's house are many dwelling-places Men take a sight of lands ere they buy them I know Christ hath made the bargain already But be kinde to the house ye are going to see it often Set your heart on things that are above where Christ is at the right
none of it When I am near the apple he draweth back his hand goeth away to cause me follow And again when I am within an arm-length to the apple he maketh a now break to the gate I have him to seek of new He seemeth not to pity my dwining my swooning for his love I dare sometimes put my hunger over to him to be judged if I would not buy him with a thousand years in the hottest furnace in hell sobeing I might enjoy him But my hunger is fed with want absence I hunger I have not but my comfort is to lie wait on to put my poor soul my sufferings in Christ's hand Let him make any thing out of me sobeing he be glorified in my salvation for I know I am made for him O that my Lord may win his own gracious end in me I will not be at ease while I but stand so far aback O if I were near him with him that this poor soul might be satisfied with himself Your son in law W. G. is now truly honoured for his Lord and Master's cause when the Lord is fanning Zion it is a good token that he is a true branch of the vine that the Lord beginneth first to dress him He is strong in his â—â—râ— as he hath written to me and his wife is his encourager which should make you rejoyce For your son who is your grief your Lord waited on you and me till we were â—ipe and brought us in It is your part to pray wait upon him When he iâ— ripe he will bâ— spoken for who can command our Lord's wind to blow I know it shall be your good in the latter end That is one of your waters to heaven ye could not goe about it there are the fewer behinde I remember you him yours as I am able But alas I am beleeved to be something I am nothing but an emptie reed Wants are my best riches because I have these suppâ—…ed by Christ Remember my dearest love to your brother I know he pleadeth with his harlot-mother for her Apostasie I know also ye are kinde to my worthy Lady Kenmure a woman beloved of the Lord who hath been very mindfull of my bonds The Lord give her to finde mercy her childe in the day of Christ. Great men are dry and cold in doing for me the tinckling of chains for Christ affrighteth them but let my Lord break all my idols I will yet bless him I am obliged to my Lord Lorâ— I wish him mercy Remember my bonds with praises and pray for me that my Lord my leaven the North by my bands sufferings Grace be with you Aberd. July 9. 1637 Yours â—his s swe Lord Iesus S. R. To ALEXANDER GORDON Of Knockgray 206. Dear Brother GRace mercy peace be to you There is no question but our mother-church hath a father that she shall not die withont an heir that her enemies hall not make mount Zion theâ— heritage We see whethersoever Zion's enemies goe suppose they dig many miles under the ground yet our Lord findeth them out and he hath vengeances laid up in â—orâ— for them the poor needy shall not alwayes be forgotten Our hope was drouping withering man was saying what can God make out of the old dry bones of this buried Kirk The Prelats their followers were a grave above us it is like our Lord is to open our graves purposeth to cause his two slain witnesses rise the third day O how long wait I to hear our weeping Lord Jesus sing again triumph rejoyce divide the spoil I finde it hard work to beleeve when the course of providence goeth cross-wayes to our faith when misted souls in a dark night cannot know East by West our sea Compass seemeth to fail us Every man is a beleever in day-light A fair day seemeth to be made all of faith hope What a trial of gold is it to smoke it a little above the fire But to keep gold perfect â—ellow-coloured amidst the flames to be turned from vessel to vessels yet to cause out furnace sound speak cry the praises of the Lord is another matter I know my Lord made me not for fire howbâ—it he hath fitted me in some measure for the fire I bless his high name that I wax not pale neither have I lost the colour of gold and that his fire hath made me somewhat thin that my Lord may pour me in any vessel he pleaseth For a small wager I may justly quite my part of this world's laughter give up with time cast out with the pleasures of this world I know a man who wondered to see any in this life laugh sport surely our Lord seeketh this of us as to any rejoycing in present perishing things I see above all things that we may sit down fold legs arms stretch our selves upon Christ laugh at the feathers that children are chasing here For I think the men of this world like children in a dangerous storm in the sea that play make sport with the white foam of the waves thereof coming in to sink drown them so are men making fool's sports with the white pleasures of a stormy world that will sink â—em But alas what have we to doe with their sports that they make If Solomon said of Laughter that it was madness what may we say of this world 's laughing sporting themselves with gold silver honours court broad large conquests but that they are poor souls in the height and rage of a fever gone mad Then a straw a fig for all created sports and rejoycing out of Christ Nay I think that this world at it's prime perfection when it is is come to the top of it's excellency and to the bloom might be bought with an half penny that it would scarce weigh the worth of a drink of water There is nothing better then to esteem it our crucified idol that is dead slain as Paul did â—al 6 14. Then let pleasures be crucified riches be crucified court honour be crucified since the Apostle faith the world is crucified to him we may put this world to the hanged man's doom and to the gallowes who will give much for a hanged man as little should we give for a hanged crucified world Yet what a sweet smell hath this dead carrion to many fools in the world and how many wooers and suiters findeth this hanged carrion Fools are pulling it off the gallowes and contending for it O when shall we learn to be mortified men to have our fill of these things that have but their short summer-quarter of this life If we saw our father's house and that great and fair citie the new Ierusalem which is up above sun moon we would cry to be over the water
the grave in the faith of the justnesse of our cause I speak nothing of the mantaining the greatnesse of men not subordinate to the Prince of the Kings of the earth I Judge that the blood of the witnesses of Jesus is found upon the skirts of this society asweel as in Babylons skirts I beleeve the way of the Lord is Col Gilbert Ker's strength glory should be countent to want my part of him which is I confesse precious dear in Christ so he be spent in the service of him who will anone make inquisition for the blood of the truely godly which these men have shedafter fair warning that they were the godly of Scotland Worthy Sir beleeve faint not set your shoulder under the glory of Jesus that is misprised in Scotland give a testimony for him he hath many names in Scotland who shall walk with him in white This despised Covenant shall ruine Malignants Sectaries Atheisâ—s Yet a little while behold he cometh walketh in the greatnesse of his strength his garments dyed with blood Oh for the sad terrible day of the Lord upon England their ships of Tarshish their fenced Cities c. because of a broken Covenant A conference with the enemy not to hinder Acting O that the Lord would thereby or some other way remove the cloud that is over you if authority would concurre were to be desired but it can hardly be exspected however in the way of duty in the silence of faith goe on if ye perish ye are the first of the creation with whom the Lord hath taken that dispensation I should humbly advise you Sir to look to that Dying behold we live killed all the day long yet more then conquerours There shall be the heat warmenesse of life in your graves buried bones But look not for the Lord 's coming the higher way onely for he may come the lower way O how little of God doe we see how mysterious is he Christ known is amongst the greatest secrets of God Keep your self in the love of God in order to that as far in obedience subjection to the King whose salvation true happinesse my soul desireth to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake to the foundamentall lawes of this kingdom as your Lord requireth Sir ye are in the hearts prayers of the Lord's people in this kingdom in the other two The Lord hath said There is a blessing in the cluster of graps destroy it not Grace grace be upon the head of him that is separated from his brethren the goodwill of him that dwelt in the bush be with you Perth 23. Nov. 1650. Your servant in his sweet Lord Iesus S. R. To the worthy much honoured Collonel G. KER 60. Much honoured worthy Sir I know not why the people of God should not take notice of the bonds of any who have blood in readinesse to be let out for his cause And I judge it was not of you that ye died not in the undecided controversie which the Lord of the whole earth hath with the men whom he hath sent against us Dear much honoured in the Lord Let me intreat you to be far from the thoughts of leaving this Land I see it finde it that the Lord hath covered the whole land with a cloud in his anger but though I have been tempted to the like I had rather be in Scotland beside angry Jesus Christ knowing he mindeth no evil to us then in any Eden or garden in the earth If we can remain united with the Lord's remant in the land he layeth up wrath for all sort of Adversaries in Britain Though I never see the glory of his glistering sword shining in Britain I would be solaced in the innocent thoughts far from revenge that the saints shall dip their feet in the blood of the sâ—ain of the Lord truely Sir I suppose ye cannot but come to these thoughts weak desires before the hearer of prayers for as little as ye think of value your self for me if I could minde you in your bonds I purpose not to stand to the account ye give or thoughts ye have of your self though I know ye are not in a whit more or lesse before him who weigheth his own according to the weight of imputed righteousnesse for my apprehensions Christ cannot mistake you men may the calculation esteem of free grace maketh you to be what ye are I hope to see you an everlastingly obliged debter to him whom ye shall praise but never pay And truely ye have no riches but that debt and I know ye Love to be ingaged to Jesus Christ the most excellent of creditors much joy sweetnesse may ye have in standing written in his book I desire to doe it my self I would have you also highly to esteem the designe of Christ who hath raised the riches of the glory of so much grace above the Circle of the heaven of heavens out of very nothings contrived his thoughts of love so that ' lumps of glorified clay should stand before him for all ages the burdenes loaden debters of free eternally free grace Sir ye cannot cast the count of the rents of your so great inheritance of glory Grace be with you Edinb May. 18. 1651. Your servant in his own Lord Iesus S. R. To the much honoured truely worthy Collonel G. KER Habakuk 2 3 4. 61. Much honoured worthy Sir YOur chains now shine as much for Christ the cause being his as your sword was made famous in acting for that cause And blessed are such as can willingly tender to Christ both action blood doing suffering Resisting unto blood is little for that precious never-enough exalted Redeemer who when ye were a buying gave blood somewhat dearer then ye gave for him even the blood of God Act. 20 28. I know a man who upon the receit of a letter that ye were killed the people of God destroyed wished that he might be quickly under the wall of the higher palace from under the dint of the storm who longed to have the weather-beaten crazie bark safely landed in that harbour of eternall quietnesse What further service Christ hath for you I know not it is enough in that your captivity ye offer your service to Christ but if I see any thing it looks like a mercifull defeat I see the Nobles the State falling off from Christ the night coming upon the Prophets which we would pray to prevent because it is a rare thing to see a fallen star win ever up again to the firmament to shine And what if this be the thick darkness going before the break of day Sure Sir the Sun shall rise upon Scotland but if I shall see it or how near it is to day I leave that to him even unto Iehovah who creats upon every dwelling in
of God are unsavoury The wind of thy mouth though accompanied with all the venome thou canst vomit up will not blast the Authors reputation it will onely be a blazing of thy own shame then thou wilt see thy self so unhappy as to have hit the marke at which thou didst not aime For without doing him any hurt who is far above thy reach thy tongue falls upon thy own head in striking at one whom thou canst not wound thy sword rebounds back upon thy self enters into thine own bowells but if thou remainest a man of imperswasion hast so much pleasure in publishing thine own shame I cannot help it it is sufficient for me to have warned thee of thy hazard nor shall I endeavour hence forth to deprive the world of their liberty since thou wilt have it so to look upon thee according to the character which thou hast given of thy self that is Deest aliquid intus to make the a man a Christian since this Brutish shape pleases thee thou mayest goe eat grasse let alone this bread which is onely designed for Children And so I leave thee to make use of that liberty of saying what thou pleases which thou hast now purchased with the loss of thy own reputation If any think it had been more convenient to have concealed the names of these to whom the Author wrote for some reasons obvious in regard of the present Lamentable posture of affairs when it is almost sufficent to make a man guilty that ever he was really zealous for God I have onely this to say for my self that I designed their honour not their prejudice nor hurt in prefixing their names Neither can I well imagine what ever others may apprehend what prejudice they can sustain by this since none or very few of them come from the Author as returns to any thing they had written to him there being no law either discharging him to write or any persons to receive his letters there can be no transgression upon their part so nothing to ground a prejudice or found a rational plea against them And much less in that their names are prefixed or if there be any thing in this blame worthy I alone am in the transgression who have done it without consulting themselves or asking their consent yet in order to the satisfaction of any who may be offended at what is done I have this to say for my self further that I was induced to it first that thereby it might appear these were indeed the very Letters which that faithfull sufferer witness of Jesus Christ wrote though there is sufficient in the stile straine to put this beyond debat no forgeries 2. many of these worthy persons being removed whereby the Church of God is at a seen sad loss in that she is deprived of so many who would have weeped made supplication on her behalfe in this day of her distress when not a few of her friends have dealt treacherously with her are become her enemies their Posterity might think themselves wronged if I should have deprived their worthy Predecessors by suppressing their names smothering their affection to the work of God of the honour of making their faithfullness known to the world And truely I judged it the least that was due to the memory of these who ought to be had in everlasting remembrance to erect this poor monument over their grave wherby they may live amongst the posterity when they are gone as persons who obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithfull in their generation that when the account of such comes to be taken it may be said this that man was borne there 3. I did it to encourage the posterity of such to be followers of the faith patience of their worthy progeâ—â—tors and that the may not without shame horrour think of declining or turning aside either to the right or left hand from the way of these dear relations who by following the Lord fully in an evil time left them a noble Paterne worthy of imitation 4. As for such who are yet alive I hope they will think that God by this Providence is making a honourable mention of their fidelity before the nations is remembring for them the Love of their espousals when they went after him thereby to ingage them to cleave more closely adhere more firmely to him with full purpose of heart when the generality have gadded about to change their way many of his professed disciples have gone back are like to walk no more with him And upon the other hand God will have this to be a witness before the world against any of them who shall depart from the good way of the Lord be offended in him because of persecution I hope what ever hazard threaten these who abide in Christs company that they will never forsake him nor give him cause to say what iniquity have ye found in me that ye are gone far from me But if it should prove otherwise they may be sure that he whose soul hath no pleasure in any man that draws back hats the work of such as turne aside will count himself ingaged in a peculiar way to lead them forth with the workers of iniquity but we hope for better things of them all though we thus speak If none of these reasons which moved me to doe this be strong enough then let it be judged my weakness for it is more fit that I should pass in the world as such which is no great mistake then these honourable worthy persons should suffer any prejudice by a deed whereto they had not the least accession Reader much pains hath been taken in collecting these together that they might be in the hands of many a thing greatly desired of a long time by the godly which have been hitherto onely in some broken imperfect parcells in the hands of a few Severall of the most correct copies that could be had have been carefully compared many fruits therby corrected which were crept in by their being often transcribed that by unskillfull hands If it fall out so as I suppose it shall not often be found that they who have the Autographs by them perceive any difference in a word or senteÌ„ce betwixt this printed copy these let them imput it to my want of he principals for though I had a good number of them yet it was not possible for me to get the most part In some very few places also to the end that this book might be of more universall use it may be that a scottish word which would have darkned the sense or rendered the sentence wholly unintelligble to strangers is either changed into some equivalent one or a synonimous terme inserted by it but in most places these words are retained without any alteration because either alteration or addition would have made them less taking with
set rent O how many rich off-fallings are in my Kings house I am perswaded dare pawnd my salvation on it that it is Christs truth I now suffet for I know his comforts are no dreams he would not put his seal on blank paper nor deceive his afflicted ones that trust in him Your La wrote to me that ye are yet an ill scholler Madam ye must goe in at heavens gates and your book in your hand still learning you have had your own large share of troubls a double portion but iâ— saith your Father counteth you not a baâ—tard fuâ—-begotten bairns are nurtured Heb. 12. 8. I long to hear of the childe I write the blessings of Christs prisoner the mercies of God to him let him be Christs yours betwixt you but let Christ â—e whole play-maker let him be the lender ye the borrower not an owner Madam it is not long since I did write to your La that Christ is keeping mercy for you I bide by it still now I write it under my hand love him dearly win in to see him there is in him that which you never saw he is aâ—â—igh he is a tree of life green blossoming both summer and winter there is a nick in Christianity to the which whosoever cometh they see and feel more then others can doe I invite you of new to come to him Come See will speak better things of him then I can doe come neerer come neerer wil say much God thought never this world a portion worthy of you he would not even you to a gift of dirt clay nay he will not give you Esaâ—'s portion but reserves the inheritance of Jacob for you are ye not well married now have you not a good husband now my heart cannot expresse what sad nights I have for the virgin daughter of my people woe is me for our time is coming Ezek. 7 10. behold the day behold it is come the morning hath gone forth the rod hath blossomed pride hath buâ—ded violence is risen up in a rod of wickedness the sun is gone down upon our prophets A drie wind upon Scotland but neither to fan nor to cleanse but out of all question when the Lord hath cut down his forrest the after-growth of Lebanon shall flourish they shall plant vines in our mountains and a cloud shall yet fill the Temple Now the blessing of our dearest Lord Jesus the blessing of him that is seperat from his brethren come upon you Yours at Aberden the prisoner of Christ S. R. To the honourable truly noble lady the VICOUNTESSE of KENMURE 7 MADAM GRace mercy peace be to your La I long to hear from you I am here waiting if a good wind long-looked for shaâ—â— at length blow in Christs sailes in this land But I wonder if Jesus be not content to suffer more yet in his members cause beauty of his house rather then he should not be avenged upon this land I hear many worthy men who see more in the Lords dealing then I can take up with my dim sight are of a contrait minde doe beleeve the Lord is coming home again to his house in Scotland I hope he is on his journey that way yet I look not but that he shall feed this land with their own blood before he establish his throne amongst us I know your Honour is not looking after things here-away ye have no great cause to think that your stock principall is under the roof of these visible heavens I hope ye would think your self a beguiled and coâ—sened Soul if it were so I would be sorry to counsell your La to make a covenant with time this life but rather desire you to hold in fair generals far off from this ill founded heaven that is on this side of the water It speaketh some what when our Lord bloweth the bloome off our daft hopes in this life loppeth the branches of our worldly joyes well nigh the root on purpose that they should not thrive Lord spill my fools heaven in this life that I may be saved for ever A forfeiture of the saints part of the yolke and marrow of short-laughing happinesse worldly is not such a real evil as our blinded eyes doe conceive I am thinking long now for some deliverance more then before but I know I am in an errour It is possible I am not come to that measure of triall that the Lord is seeking in his work If my friends in Galloway would effectualy doe for my deliverance I would exceedingly rejoyce but I know not but the Lord hath a way whereof he will be the only reaper of praises Let me know with the bearer how the childe is the Lord be his Father Tutour your onely comforter There is nothing here where I am but profanitie atheisme Grace grace be with your La. Aberd. Feb. 13. 1637. Your La at all oblidged obedience in Christ S. R. To the noble Christian lady the VICOUNTESSE of KENMURE 8 MADAM GRace mercy peace be to you I would not omit the occasion to write to your La with the bearer I am glad the childe is well Gods favour even in the eyes of men be seen upon him I hope your La is thinking upon these sad woefull dayes wherein we now live when our Lord in his righteous judgment is sending the kirk the gate she is going to Romes brothell house to seek a lover of her own seeing she hath given up with Christ her husband O what sweet comfort what rich salvation is laid up for these who had rather wash and roll their garments in their own blood then break out from Christ by Apostasie keep your self in the love of Christ stand far aback from the pollutions of the vvorld side not with these times and hold off from coming nigh the signs of a conspiracie with these that are now come out against Christ that ye may be One keept for Christ onely I know your La thinketh upon this and how ye may be humbled for your self this backsliding land for Iavouch that wrath from the Lord is gone out against Scotland I think ay the longer the better of my Royall and worthy master he is become a new welbeloved to me now in renewed consolations by the presence of the spirit of grace and glory Christs garments smell of the powder of the marchant when he cometh out of his Ivory chambers O his perfumed face his fair face his lovely kindly kisses have made me a poor prisoner see there iâ— more to be had of Christ in this life then I beleeved we think all is but a little earnest a four hours a small tasting we have or is to be had in this life which is true compared with the inheritance but yet I know it is more It is the Kingdom of God within us Woe woe is me that I have not ten loves for that one
me now so as God maketh an honest cross my daily sorrow and for fear of scandal and stumbling I must hide this day of the law 's pleading I know not if this court kept within my soul be fenced in Christ's name If certainty of salvation were to be bought God knoweth if I had ten earths I would not prig with God like a fool I beleeved under suffering for Christ that I my self should keep the key of Christ's treasures and take out comforts when I listed and eat and be fat But I see now a sufferer for Christ will be made to know himself and will be holden at the door as well as another poor sinner and will be fain to eat with the bairns and to take the by-board and glad so my blessing on the cross of Christ that hath made me see this Oh if we could take pains for the Kingdom of heaven but we sit down upon some ordinary markes of God's children thinking we have as much as will seperat us from a Reprobat and thereupon we tak the play and cry Holy-day thus the devil casteth water on our fire blunteth our zeal and care but I see heaven is not at the next door I see howbeit my challenges be many I suffer for Christ dare hazard my salvation upon it for some times my Lord cometh with a fair hour O but his love be sweet delightfull comfortable half a kiss is sweet but our doting love will not be content of a right to Christ unless we get posfession like the man who will not be content of rights to bought land except he get also the ridges and acers laid upon his back to carry home with him However it be Christ is wise and we are fools to be browden and fond of a pawne in the loof of our hand living on trust by faith may well content us Madam I know your La knoweth this and that made me bold to write of it that others might reap some what by my bonds for the truth for I should desire and I aime at this to have my lord well spoken of and honoured howbeit he should make nothing of me but a bridge over a water Thus recommending your La your son and children to his grace who hath honoured you with a name and room among the living in Jerusalem and wishing Grace to be with your La I rest Aberd. Your La in his sweetest Lord Iesus S. R. To Mr. DAVID DICKSON 21 Reverend Dear Brother GRace mercy and peace be unto you I finde great men especially old friends skar to speak for me but my kingly Royall Master biddeth me try his moyen to the uttermost I shall finde a friend at hand I still depend on him his court is as before the prisoner is welcome to him the black crabbed tree of my Lord's cross hath made Christ and my soul very entire he is my song in the night I am often laid in the dust with challenges and apprehensions of his anger and then if a mountain of iron were laid upon me I cannot be heavier and with much wrestling I win in to the Kings house of wine and for the most part my life is joy and such joy through his comforts as I have been afraid to shame my self and to cry out for I can scarce bear what I get Christ giveth me a measure heaped up pressed down and running over and beleeve it his love paineth me more then prison and banishment I cannot get a gate of Christ's love had I known what he was keeping for me I would never have been so faint-hearted In my heaviest times when all is lost the memory of his love maketh me think Christ's gloomes are but for the fashion I seek no more but a vent to my wine I am smothered and ready to burst for want of a vent Think not much of persecution it is before you but it is not as men conceive of it my suggared-cross forceth me to say this to you ye shall have wailed meat the sick bairn is often times the spilt baâ—rn ye shall command all the house I hope ye help a tired prisoner to pray and praise had I but the annuell of annuell to give to my Lord Jesus it should ease my pain but Alace I have nothing to pay he will get nothing of poor me but I am woe I have not room enough in my heart for such a stranger I am not cast down to goe further North I have good cause to work for my Master for I am well paid before the hand I am not behinde howbeit I should not get one smile more till my feet be up within the Kings dining-hall I have gone through yours upon the Covenant it hath edified my soul and refreshed an hungry man I judge it sharp sweet quick and profound take me at my word I fear it get no lodging in Scotland The Brethren of Ireland write not to me chide with them for that I am sure that I may give you and them a commission and I will bide by it that you tell my beloved I am sick of love I hope in God to leave some of my rust and superfluites in Aberd I cannot get an house in this town wherein to leave drink-silver in my Master's name save one onely there is no sale for Christ in the North he is like to lie long on my hand ere any accept him Grace be with you Aberd. Yours in his sweet Lord Iesus S. R. To Mr MATHEW MOWAT 22 REverend and dear brother I am a very far misstaken man if others knew how poor my stock were they would not think upon the like of me but with compassion for I am as one kept under a strict Tutour I would have more then my Tutour alloweth upon me but it is good that a bairns wit is not the rule which regulateth my Lord Jesus let him give what he will it shall ay be above merit my ability to gain therewith I would not wish a better stock while heaven be my stock then to live upon credit at Christs hands daily borrowing surely running over love that vast hudge boundlesse love of Christ that there is telling in for man and Angel is the onely thing I fainest would be in hands with He knoweth I have little but the love of that love that I shall be happy suppose I never get another heaven but onely an eternall lasting feast of that love but suppose my wishes were poor He is not poor Christ all the seasons of the yeer is dropping sweetnesse if I had vessels I might fill them but my old riven holly and running out dish even when I am at the well can bring little away Nothing but Glory will make tight and fast our looking and rifty vessels Alace I have skailed more of Christs Grace love faith humility and godly sorrow then I have brought with me How little of the sea can a childe carry in his hand as little
prophet speaketh for the Lord his truth To his rich grace sweet presence the everlasting consolation of the promised comforter I recomend your Lo am Aberd. Sept. 7. 1637. Your Lo in his sweet Lord Iesus S. R. To my Lady Boyd 40. My Very Honourable Christian Lady GRace mercy peace be to you I received your letter am well pleased that your thoughts of Christ stay with you that your purpose still is by all means to take the Kingdom of heaven by Violence which is no small conquest and it is a degree of watchfulness thankfulness also to observe sleepiness unthankfulness we have all good cause to complain of false light that playeth the thief stealeth away the lantern when it cometh to the practice of constant walking with God our journey is ten times a day broken in ten pieces Christ getteth but onely broken halfed and tired work of us alas too often against the hair I have been some what neerer the bridegroom but when I draw nigh see my vileness for shame I would be out of his presence again but yet desire of his soul-refreshing love puteth blushing-me under an arrest O what am I so loathsom a burden of sin to stand beside such a beautifull holy Lord such an high lofty one who inhabiteth eternity but since it pleaseth Christ to condescend to such an one as me let shamefaâ—â—eness be laid aside lose it self in his condescending love I would heartily be content to keep a corner of the Kings hall Oh if I were at the yonder end of my weak desires then should I be where Christ my Lord lover lives reigns there I should be overlastingly solaced with the sight of his face satisfied with the surpassing sweetness of his matchless love But truly now I stand in the nether side of my desires with a drowping head panting heart I look up to fair Jesus standing a far off from us while corruption death shall scour refine the body of clay rot out the bones of the old man of sin In the mean time we are blessed in sending word to the beloved that we love to love him and till then there is joy in wooing suiting lying about his house looking in at the windows sending a poor souls groans wishes thorow a hole of the door to Jesus till God send a glad meeting And blessed be God that after a low-ebbe so sad a word Lord Iesus it is long since I saw thee That even then our wings are growing the absence of sweet Jesus breedeth a new fleece of desires longings for him I know no man hath a velvet cross but the cross is made of that which God will have it But verily howbeit it be no warrantable market to buy a cross yet I dare not say O that I had liberty to sell Christs cross lest therewith also I should sell joy comfort sense of love patience the kind visits of a bridegroom And therefore blessed be God we get crosses unbought good cheap Sâ—â—â— I am it were better to buy crosses for Christ then to sell them howbeit neither be allowed to us And for Christ's joyfull coming going which your La speaketh of I bear with it as love can permit it should be enough to me if I were wise that Christ will have joy sorrow halfers of the life of the saints and that each of them should have a share of our dayes as the night and the day are kindly partners and halfers of Time and take it up betwixt them But if sorrow be the greediest halfer of our dayes here I know joy's day shall dawn doe more then recompense all our sad hours Let my Lord Jesus since he will doe so weave my bit and span-length of time with white black well and woe with the bridgroom's coming and his sad departure as warp woof in one web let the rose be neighboured with the thorn yet hope that maketh not ashamed hath written a letter and lines of hope to the mourners in Zion that it shall not be long so when we are over the water Christ shall cry down crosses and up heaven for evermore down hell down death down sin down sorrow up glory up life up joy for evermore In this hope I sleep quietly in Christ's bosome while he come who is not slack would sleep so were it not that the noise of the devil Sin 's feet the cryes of an unbeleeving heart awaken me but for the present I have nothing whereof I can accuse Christ's cross Oh if I could please my self in Christ onely I hope Madam your Sons will improve their power for Jesus for there is no danger neither is there any question or justling betwixt Christ Authority though our enemies falsly state the question as if Christ and Authority could not abide under one roof the question onely is betwixt Christ and men in Authority Authority is for from Christ sib to him how then can he make a plea with it Nay the truth is wormes Gods of clay are risen up against Christ. If the fruit of your La Womb be helpers of Christ ye have good ground to rejoyce in God All your La can expect for your goodwill to me my Brother a wronged stranger for Christ is the prayers of a prisoner of Iesus to whom I recommend your La house children in whom I am Aberd. Sept. 8. 1637. MADAM Your 〈◊〉 in Christ. S. R. To the Lady Culross 41 MADAM GRace mercy peace be to you I dare not say I wonder that ye have never written to me in my bonds because I am not ignorant of the cause yet I could not but write to you I know not whether joy or heaviness in my soul carrieth it away sorrow without any mixture of sweetness hath not often love-thoughts of Christ but I see the devil can insinuat himself ride his errands upon the thoughts of a poor oppressed prisoner I am woe that I am making Christ my unfriend by seeking pleas against him because I am the first in the Kingdom put to utter silence because I cannot preach my Lord's righteousness in the great congregation I am notwithstanding the less solicitous how it goe if there be not wrath in my cup. But I know I but claw my wounds when my physician hath forbidden me I would beleeve in the dark upon luck's head take my hazard of Christ's goodwill rest on this that in my fever my Physician is at my bed-side that he sympathizeth with me when I sigh My borrowed house another man's bed fire-side other losses have to room in my sorrow a greater heat to eat out a less fire is a good remedie for some burning I beleeve when Christ draweth blood he hath skill to cut the right veine that he hath taken
the truth is now he hath childed himself friends with me hath taken away the mask hath renewed his wounted favour in such a manner that he hath paid me my hundred-fold in this life one to the hundred This prison is my banqueting house I am handled as softly delicatly as a dâted childe I am nothing behinde I see with Christ he can in a moneth make up a yeers losses I write this to you that I may entreat nay adjure charge you by the love of our welbeloved to help me to praise to tell all your Christian acquaintance to help me for I am as deeply drowned in his debt as any Dyvour can be yet in this fair sun-blenke I have something to keep me from startling or being exalted above measure His word is a fire shut up in my bowels I am weary with forbearing the ministers in this town are saying they shall have my prison changed into less bounds because they see God with me my mother hath born me a man of contention one that striveth with the whole earth The late wrongs oppressions done to my brother keep my sails low yet I defie crosses to embarke me in such a plea against Christ as I was troubled with of late I hope to overhope overbeleeve my troubles I have cause now to trust Christ's promise more then his gloom Remember my hearty affection to your wife My soul is grieved for the success of our brethrens journey to New-England but God hath somewhat to reveal that we see not Grace be with you Pray for the prisoner Aberd. Jan. 1. 1637. Yours in his onely L. Iesus S. R. To MARGARET BALANTINE 47 MISTRESS GRace mercy peace be unto you It is more then time that I should have written to you but it is yet good time if I could help your soul to mend your pace to goe more swiftly to your heavenly countrey 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 bideth no man Beware of a beguile in the matter of your salvation woe woe for evermore to them that lose that prize for what is behinde when the soul is once lost but that sinners warme their bits of clay-houses at a fire of their own kindling for a day or two which doeth rather suffocat with it's smoke then warme them at length they lie down in sorrow are clothed with everlasting shame I would seek no further measure of faith to begin withall then to beleeve really stedfastly the doctrine of God's Justice his all-devouring wrath everlasting burning where sinners are burnt soul body in a river great lake of fire brimstone Then they would wish no more goods but the thousand part of a cold fountain well to coole their tongue they would then buy death with enduring of pain torment for as many yeers as God hath created drops of rain since the creation but there is no market in buying or selling life or death there Oh alas the greatest part of this world run to the place of that torment rejoycing dancing eating drinking sleeping my counsel to you is that ye start in time to be after Christ for if ye goe quickly Christ is not far before you Ye shall overtake him O Lord God what is so needfull as this salvation salvation Fie upon this condemned foolish world that will give so little for salvation Oh 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 be then God send me no more happiness but that salvation which the blinde world to their eternall woe letteth slip through their fingers Therefore look if ye can give out your money as Isa speaketh 55 2. for bread lay Christ his blood in wodset for heaven It is a dry hungry bairn's-part of goods that Esau's are hunting for here I see thousands following the chase and in the pursuit of such things while in the mean time they lose the blessing when all is done they have caught nothing to rost for supper but lie down hungry besides they goe to their bed when they die without a candle for God saith to them Isa 50 21. This shall ye have at my haâ—d ye shall lie down in sorrow And truly this is as ill made a bed to lie upon as one could wish for he cannot sleep soundly nor rest sweetly who hath sorrow for his pillow Rouze rouze up therefore your soul spier how Christ and your soul met together I am sure they never got Christ who were not once sick at the yolk of 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 that they dreamed the last night they had much gold 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 earth shall goe up in a flame of fire but a number of beguiled dreamers every one shall say of his hunting his conquest Behold it was a dream every man in that day will tell his dream I beseeeh you in the Lord Jesus beware beware of unsound work in the matter of your salvation ye may not ye cannot ye dow not want Christ then after this day conveen all your lovers before your soul give them their leave strike hands with Christ that there after 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 Christ Christ who but Christ. I know this much of Christ. He is not ill to befound not Lordly of his love woe had been my part of it for evermore if Christ had made a dainty of himself to me but God be thanked I gave nothing for Christ now I protest before men Angels Christ cannot be exchanged Christ cannot be sold Christ cannot be weighed Where would Angels or all the world finde a ballance to weigh him in All lovers blush when ye stand beside Christ woe upon all love but the love of Christ. Hunger hunger for evermore be upon all heavens but Christ. Shame shame for evermore be upon all glory but Christ's glory I cry death death upon all life 's 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 Aberd. 1637. Yours in his sweet Lord Iesus S. R. To JONET KENNEDY 48 Loving Dear Sister GRace mercy and peace be unto you I received your letter I know the savour of Christ in you that the virgins love
nations in the way fighting against ready to kill them who had the promise or keep them from possâ—ssing that good land which the Lord their God had given them I know ye have most to doe with submission of spirit but I perswade my self ye have learned in every condition wherein ye are cast therein to be content to say good is the will of the Lord let it be done I beleeve the Lord tackleth his ship often to fetch the wind that he purposeth to bring mercy out of your sufferings silence which I know from mine own experience is grievous to you sâ—eing he knoweth our willing minde to serve him our wages stipend is running to the fore with our God even as some tick souldiers get their pay when then they are bed-â—ast not able to goe to the fields with others Though Israel be not gathered yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the Lord my God shall be my strentgh Isa. 49 3. we are to beleeve it shall be thus ere all the play be played Ier. 51 35. The violence done to me my flesh be upon Babylon the great whore's lovers shall the inhabitants of Zion say and my blood be upon Caldea shall Ierusalem say Zech. 12 2. Behold I will make Ierusalem a cap of trembling to all the people about where they shall be in the siege bosh against Iudah and Ierus them v. 3. And is that day I will make Ierusalem a burden so 〈…〉 stone for all people they that burden themselves with it shall be broken in pieces though all the people of the earth be gathered against it When they have eaten swallowed us up they shall be sick vomit us out living men again the devil's stomack cannot digest the Church of God Suffering is the other half of our ministry howbeit the hardest For we would be content our King Jesus would make an open proclamation cry down crosses cry up joy gladness ease honour peace but it must not be so through many affâ—ctions we must enter into the Kingdom of God not onely by them but through them must we goe wiles will not take us by the cross It is folly to think to steal to heaven with a whole skin For myself I am here a prisoner confined in Aberdâ—…n threatned to be removed to Caithness because I desire to edifie in this town I am openly preached against in the pulpits in my hearing tempted with disputations by the Doctors especially by D. B. Yet I am not ashamed of my Lord Jesus his garland crown I would not exchange my weeping with the fourteen Prelat painted laughter At my first coming here I took the Dorts at Christ would forsooth summond him for unkindness I sought a plea of my Lord was tossed with challenges whether he loved me or not disputed all over again that he had done to me because his word was a fire shut up in my bowels I was weary with forbearing because I said I was cast out of the Lord's inheritance but now I see I was a fool My Lord miskend all did bear with my foolish jealousies miskend that ever I wronged his love and now he is come again with mercy under his wings I past from my O witless summonds he is God I see I am man Now it hath pleased him to renew his love to my soul to dâte his poor prisoner Therefore my dear Brother help me to praise shew the Lord's people with you what he hath done to my soul that they may pray praise I charge you in the name of Christ not to omit it for for this cause I write to you that my sufferings may glorifie my royal King edifie his church in Ireland He knoweth how one of Christ's love-coals hath burnt my soul with a desire to have my bonds to preach his glory whose cross I now bear God forgive you if ye doe it not But I hope the Lord will move your heart to proclaim in my behall the sweetness excellency glory of my royal King It is but our soft flesh that hath raised a slander on the cross of Christ I see now the white side of it My Lord's chains are all overguilded O if Scotland Ireland had part of my feast yet I get not my meat but with many strokes There are none here to whom I can speak I dwell in Kedar's tents Refresh me with a letter from you Few know what is betwixt Christ me Dear Brother upon my salvation this is his truth that we suffer for Christ would not seal a blank charter to souls Courage courage joy joy for evermore O joy unspeakable glorious Oh for help to set my crowned King 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 I bear your name on my breast to Christ I beseech you forget not his afflicted prisoner Grace mercy peace be with you Salute in the Lord from me Mr Cuninghame Mr Livingston Mr Ridge Mr Colwart c. Aberd. Feb. 7. 1637. Your Brother fellow prisoner S. R. To JOHN KENNEDY Bailiffe of Ayr. 89 Worthy welbeloved Brother GRace mercy peace be unto you I am yet waiting what our Lord will doe for his afflicted church for my re-entry to my Lord's house Oh that I could hear the forfeiture of Christ now casten out of his inheritance recalled taken off by open proclamation that Christ were restored to be a Free holder and a landed Hieritour in Scotland That the courts fenced in the name of the bastard Prelats their God-father's the Pop's Bailiffes Sherifes were cryed down Oh how sweet a sight were it to see all the Tribes of the Lord in this land fetching home again our banished king Christ to his own palace his Sanctuary and his throne I shall think it mercy to my soul if my faith shall out-watch all this winter night not nod or slumber till my Lord's summer day dawn upon me It is much if faith hope in the sad nights of our heavie trial escape with a whole skin without crack or crook I confess unbelief hath not reason to be either father or mother to it for unbelief is alwayes an irrationall thing but how can it be but such weak eyes as ours must cast water in a great smoke or that a weak head should not turn giddy when the water runneth deep and strong But God be thanked that Christ in his children can endure a stress storm howbeit soft nature would fall down in peices Oh that I had that confidence as to rest rest on this though he should grind me into small powder bray me into dust scatter the dust to the four winds of heaven that my Lord would gather up the powder make me up a new
once cometh nigh hand taketh a hearty look of Christ's inner side shall never wring nor wrestle themselves out of his love-grips again I would rest contented in my prison yea in a prison without light of sun or candle providing Christ I had a love-bed not of mine but of Christ his own making that we might lie together among the lilies till the day break the shadows flee away Who knoweth how sweet a drink of Christ's love is O but to live on Christ's love is a King's life The worst things of Christ even that which seemeth to be the refuse of Christ his hard cross his black cross is white fair the cross receiveth a beautifull lustre a perfumed smell from Jesus Mydear Brother scar not at it While ye have time to stand upon the watch tower to speak contend with this land plead with your harlot-mother who hath been a treacherous half-marrow to her husband Iesus For I would think liberty to preach one day the root top of my desires would seek no more of the blessings that are to be had on this side of time till I be over the water but to spend this my crazed clay-house in his service saving of souls But I hold my peace because he hath done it my shallow ebbe thoughts are not the compass Christ saileth by I leave his wayes to himself for they are far far above me Onely I would contend with Christ for his love and be bold to make a plea with Jesus my Lord for a heart-fill of his love for there is no more left to me What standeth beyond the far end of my sufferings and what shall be the event he knoweth and I hope to my joy shall make me know when God shall unfold his decrees concerning me for there are windings and too 's and fro's in his wayes which blinde bodies like us cannot see This much for further acquaintance So recommending you what is before you to the grace of God I rest Aberd. June 16. 1637. Your very loving Brother in his sweet Lord Iesus S. R. To Mr WILLIAM DALGLEISH 125 Reverend welbeloved Brother GRace mercy peace be unto you I have heard somewhat of your trials in Galloway I bless the Lord who hath begun first in that corner to make you a new Kirk to himself Christ hath the less adoe behinde when he hath refined you Let me entreat you my dearly beloved to be fast to Christ My witness is above My dearest Brother that ye have added much joy to me in my bonds when I hear that ye grow in the grace and zeal of God for your Master Our ministery whether by preaching or suffering will cast a smell through the world both of heaven hell 2 Cor. 2 15 16. I perswade you my dear Brother there is nothing out of heaven next to Christ dearer to me then my ministery the worth of it in my estimation is swelled paineth me exceedingly yet I am content for the honour of my Lord to surrender it back again to the Lord of the vineyard let him doe with me it both what he thinketh good I think my self too little for him let me speak to you how kinde a fellow prisoner is Christ to me Beleeve me this kinde of cross that would not goe by my door but would needs visite me is still the longer the more welcome to me It 's true my silent sabbaths have been are still as glassy yee whereon my faith can scarce hold it's feet I am often blowen on my back and off my feet with a storm of doubting yet truly my bonds all this time cast a mighty and ranck smell of high and deep love in Christ I cannot indeed see through my cross to the far end Yet I beleeve I am in Christ's books in his decree not yet unfolded to me a man triumphing dancing singing over on the other side of the red sea laughing praising the lamb over beyond time sorrow deprivation prelat's indignation losses want of friends death Heaven is not a foul flying in the air as men use to speak of things that are uncertain nay it is well paid for Christ's comprizement lieth on Glory for all the mourners in Zion shall never be loosed Let us be glad rejoyce that we have blood losses wounds to show our Master Captain at his appearance and what we suffered for his cause Woe is me my dear Brother that I say often I am but dry bones which my Lord will not bring out of the grave again that my faithless fears say Oh I am a dry tree that can bear no fruit I am an useless body who â—an beget no children to the Lord in his house Hopes of deliverance look cold uncertain afar off as if I had done with it it is much for Christ if I may say so to get Lawborrows of my sorrow of my quarrelous heart Christ's love playeth me fair play I am not wronged at all but there is a tricking and false heart within me that still playeth Christ foul play I am a cumbersom neighbour to Christ It is a wonder that he dwelleth beside the like of me yet I often get the advantage of the hill above my temptations then I despise the temptation even hell it self the stink of it the instruments of it and am proud of my honourable Master And I resolve whether contrary winds will or not to fetch Christ's harbour I think a willfull stiff contention with my Lord Jesus for his love very lawfull it 's sometimes hard to me to win my meat upon Christ's love because my faith is sick my hope withereth my eyes wax dim unkinde comfort-eclipsing clouds goe over the fair bright light Sâ—n-Jesus And then when I my temptation tryste the matter together we spill all through unbelief Sweet sweet for evermore would my life be if I could keep faith in exercise But I see my fire cannot alwayes cast light I have even a poor man's hard world when he goeth away But surely since my entry hither many a time hath my fair sun shined without a cloud Hot burning hath Christ's love been to me I have no vent to the expression of it I must be content with stoln smothered desires of Christ's glory O how far is his love behinde the hand with me I am just like a man who hath nothing to pay his thousands of debt All that can be gotten of him is to seâ—â—e upon his person Except Christ would seâ—â—e upon my self make the readiest payment that can be of my heart love to himself I have no other thing to give him If my sufferings could doe beholders good edifie his Kirk proclaim the incomparable worth of Christ's love to the world O then how would my soul be overjoyed my sad heart cheered and calmed Dear
Brother I cannot tell what is become of my labours among that people If all that my Lord builded by me be casten down the bottom fallen out of the profession of that parish none stand by Christ whose love I once preached as clearly plainly as I could though far below it's worth excellency to that people if so how can I bear it If another make a foul harvest where I have made a painfull honest sowing it will not soon digest with me but I know his wayes pass finding out Yet my witness both within me above me knoweth my pained breast upon the Lord's day at night my desire to have had Christ awfull amiable sweet to that people is now my joy it was my desire aime to make Christ them one If I see my hopes die in the bud ere they bloom a little come to no fruit I die with grief O my God seek not an account of the violence done to me by my brethren whose salvation I love desire I pray that they I be not heard as contrary parties in the day of our compearance before our judge in that process led by them against my ministery which I received from Christ I know a little inch less then the third part of this span-length hand-breadth of time which is posting away will put me without the stroke above the reach of either brethren or foes And it is a short-lasting injurie done to me to my pains in that part of my Lord's vineyard O how silly an advantage is my deprivation to men seeing my Lord Jesus hath many wayes to recover his own losses is irresistible to compass his own glorious ends that his lilie may grow amongst thorns his little Kingdom exalt it self even under the swords spears of contrary powers But my dear Brother goe on in the strength of his rich grace whom ye serve Stand fast for Christ Deliver the Gospel off your hand your ministery to your Master with a clean undefiled conscience Loose not a pin of Christ's tabernacle Doe not so much as picke with your naile at one board or border of the ark Have no part or dealing upon any terms in a hoof in a closed window or in a bowing of your â—…nce in casting down of the temple But be a mourning speaking witness again them who now ruine Zion Our Master will be on us all in a clap ere ever we wit That day will discover all our white 's our black 's concerning this controversie of poor oppressed Zion Let us make our part of it good that it may be able to abide the fire when hay and stuble shall be burnt to ashes Nothing nothing I say nothing but sound sanctification can abide the Lord's fan I stand to my testimony that I preached often of Scotland Lamentation mourning woe abideth thâ—â— O Scotland O Scotland the fearfull quarrell of a broken Covenant standeth good with thy Lord. Now remember my love to all friends to all my parishoners as if I named each one of them particularly I recommend you God's people committed by Christ to your trust to the rich grace of our alsufficient Lord. Remember my bonds Praise my Lord who beareth me up in my sufferings As ye sinde occasion accorcording to the wisdom given you shew our acquaintance what the Lord hath done to my soul This I seek not verily to hunt my own praise but that my sweetest dearest Master may be magnified in my sufferings I rest Aberd. June 17. 1637. Your brother in his sweet Lord Iesus S. R. To MARION MCKNAUGHT 126 Dearly beloved in our Lord Iesus Christ. GRace mercy peace be to you Few know the heart of a stranger prisoner I am in the hands of mine enemies I would honest lawfull means were essayed for bringing me home to my charge now when Mr A. R. Mr H. R. are restored It concerneth you of Galloway most to use supplications and addresses for this purpose and try if by fair means I can be brought back again As for liberty without I be restored to my flock it is little to me for my silence is my greatest prison However it bâ— I wait for the Lord I hope not to rot in my sufferings Lord give me submission to wait on my heart is sad that my dayes flee away I doe no service to my Lord in his house now when his harvest and the souls of perishing people require it but his ways are not like my wayes neither can I finde him out O that he would shine upon my darkness and bring forth my morning light from under the thick cloud that men have spread over me O that the Almighty would lay my cause in a ballance and weigh me if my soul was not taken up when others were sleeping how to have Christ betrothed with a Bride in that part of the land but that day that my mouth was most unjustly and cruelly closed the bloom fell off my branches and my joy did cast the flower How beit I have been casting my self under Christ's feet and wrestling to beleeve under a hidden and covered Lord yet my fainting cometh before I eat and my faith hath bowed with the sore cast and under this almost insupportable weight O that it break not I dare not say that the Lord hath put out my candle and hath casten water upon my poor coal and broken the stakes of my tabernacle But I have tasted bitterness and eaten gall wormwood since that day my Master laid bonds upon me to speak no more I speak not this because the Lord is uncouth to me but because beholders that stand on dry land see not my sea-storm The witnesses of my cross are but strangers to my sad dayes nights O that Christ would let me alone speak love to me come home to me bring summer with him O that I might preach his beauty glory as once I did before my clay-tent be removed to darkness that I might lift Christ off the ground my branches might be watered with the dew of God my joy in his work might grow green again bud send out a flower But I am but a short sighted creature my candle casteth not light afar off He knoweth all that is done to me how that when I had but one joy no more one green flower that I esteemed to be my garland he came in one hour dried up my flower at the root took away mine onely eye mine onely one crown garland What can I say Surely my guiltiness hath been remembered before him he was seeking to take down my sails to land the flower of my delights and to let it lie on the coast like an old broken ship that is no more for the sea But I praise him for this wailed stroke I welcome this surnace God's
your hand as ye doe all honour to God to the faâ—ling tottering tabernacle of Christ in this your mother-Church to own Christ's wrongs as your own wrongs O blessed hand which shall wipe and dry the watery eyes of our weâ—ping Lord Jesus now going mourning in sackcloth in his members in his spouse in his truth in the prerogative royal of his Kingly power He needeth not service and help from men but it pleaseth his wisdom to make the wants losses sores and wounds of his spouse a â—ield an office-house for the zeal of his servants to exercise themselves in Therefore my noble dear Lord goe on goe on in the strength of the Lord against all opposition to side with wronged Christ The defending warding of strokes off Christ his Bride the King's daughter is like a piece of the rest of the way to heaven knotty rough stormy full of thorns Many would follow Christ but with a reservation that by open proclamation Christ would cry down crosses cry up fair weather a summer-skie sun till we were all fairly landed at heaven I know your Lo hath not so learned Christ but that ye intend to fetch heaven suppose your father were standing in your way to take it with the wind on your face for so both storm wind was on the fair face of your lovely fore-runner Christ all his way It is possible the success answer not your desire in this worthy cause what then Duties are ours but events are the Lord's I hope if your Lo others with you shall goe on to dive to the lowest ground bottom of the knavery perfidious treachery to Christ of the cursed wretched Prelats the Anti-Christ's first-born the first fruit of his foul womb shall deal with our Soveraign Law going before you for the reasonable impartial hearing of Christ's bill of complaints set your selves singley to seek the Lord his face your righteousness shall break through the clouds that prejudice hath drawn over it ye shall in the strength of the Lord bring our banished departing Lord Jesus home again to his Sanctuary Neither must your Lo advise with flesh blood in this but wink in the dark reach your hand to Christ follow him Let not mens fainting discourage you neither be afraid of mens canny wisdom who in this storm take the nearest shore goe to the lee calm side of the Gospel hide Christ if ever they had him in their cabinets as if they were ashamed of him or as if Christ were stoln wares would blush before the sun My very dear noble Lord ye have rejoyced the hearts of many that ye have made choice of Christ his Gospel whereas such great temptations doe stand in your way But I love your profession the better that it endureth winds If we knew our selves well to want temptations is the greatest temptation of all Neither is father nor mother nor court nor honour in this overlustred world with all it 's paintry fairding any thing else when they are laid in the ballance with Christ but feathers shadows night-dreams straws O if this world knew the excellency sweetness beauty of that high lofty one that fairest among the sons of men verily they should see if their love were bigger then ten heavens all in circles without other that it were all too little for Christ our Lord. I hope your choice shall not repent you when life shall come to that twilight betwixt Time Eternity and ye shall see the utmost border of Time shall draw the curtain look in to Eternity shall one day see God take the heavens in his hands fold them together like an old holly garment set on fire this clay-part of the creation of God consume away in smoke ashes the idol-hopes of poor fools who think there is not a better countrey then this low countrey of dying clay Children can not make comparison aright betwixt this life and that to come therefore the babes of this world who see no better mould in their own brain a heaven of their own coyning because they see no further then the nearest side of Time I dare lay in pawne my hope of heaven that this reproached way is the onely way of peace I finde it is the way that the Lord hath sealed with his comforts now in my bonds for Christ I verily esteem finde chains fetters for that lovely one Christ to be watered over with sweet consolations the love-smiles of that lovely Bridegroom for whose coming we wait when he cometh then shall the black 's white 's of all men come before the sun then shall the Lord put a finall decision upon the pleas that Zion hath with her adversaries And as fast as Time posteth away which neither sitteth nor standeth nor sleepeth as fast is our hand-breadth of this short winter-night flying away the skie of our long lasting day drawing near it's breaking Except your Lo be plâ—ased to plead for me against the tyranny of Prelats I shall be forgotten in this prison for they did shape my doom according to their new lawless Canons which is that a deprived minister shall be utterly silenced not preach at all which is a cruelty contrary to their own former practices Now the onely wise God the very God of peace confirm strengthen establish your Lo upon the stone laid in Zion be with you for ever Aberd. 1637. Your Lo at all respective obedience in his sweet Lord Iesus S. R. To JEAN BROWN 142 MISTRESS GRace mercy and peace be to you I long to hear how your soul prospereth I earnestly desire your on-going toward your countrâ—y I know ye see your day melteth away by little little that in short time ye will be put beyond Time's bounds for life is a post that standeth not still our joyes here are born weeping rather then laughing they die weeping Sin Sin this body of sin and corruption imbittereth poisoneth all our enjoyments O that I were where I shall sin no more O to be freed of these chains iron fetters that we carry about with us Lord loose the sad prisoners Who of the children of God have not cause to say that they have their fill of this vain life like a full and sick stomack to wish at mid-supper that the supper were ended the table drawen that the sick man might win to bed and enjoy rest We have cause to tire at mid-supper of the best messes that this world can dress up for us and to cry to God that he would remove the table put the sin-sick souls to rest with himself O for a long play-day with Christ and our long lasting vacance of rest Glad may their souls be that are safe over the fiâ—th Christ having payed the fraught Happy are
the part of us all if we marrie Himself to marrie the crosses losses reproaches also that follow him for mercy followeth Christ's cross His prison for beauty is made of marble ivory his chains that are laid on his prisoners are golden chains the fighes of the prisoners of hope are perfumes with comforts the like whereof cannot be bred of found in this side of sun moon Follow on after his love â—ire not of Christ but come in and see his beauty excellency feed your soul upon Christ's sweetness This world is not yours neither would I have your heaven made of such mettall as mire clay Ye have the choice waile of all lovers in heaven or out of heaven when ye have Christ the onely delight of God his father Climb up the mountain with joy faint not for time will cut off the men who pursue Christ's followers Our best things here have a worm in them Our joyes besides God in the inner half are but woes sorrowes Christ Christ is that which our love and desires can sleep sweetly rest safely upon Now the very God of peace establish you in Christ Help a prisoner with your prayers and entreat that our Lord would be pleased to visite me with a fight of his beauty in his house as he hath sometimes done Grace be with you Aberd. 1637. Yours in his sweet Lord Iesus S. R. To the Laird of CALLY 152 Worthy Sir GRace mercy peace be to you I have been too long I confess in writing to you My sute now to you in paper since I have no access to speak to you as formerly is that ye would lay the foundation sure in your youth When ye begin to seek Christ try I pray you upon what terms ye covenant to follow him and lay your accounts what it may cost you that summer nor winter nor well nor woe may not cause you change your master Christ Keep fair to him be honest and faithfull that he finde not a crack in you Surely ye are now in the throng of temptations When youth is come to it's fairest bloom then the Devil the lusts of a deceiving world sin are upon horse-back and follow with up sails If this were not Paul needed not to have written to a sanctified holy youth Timothy a faithfull preacher of the Gospel flee the lusts of youth Give Christ your virgin-love ye cannot put your love heart in a better hand O if ye knew him saw his beauty Your love your liking your heart your desires would close with him cleave to him Love by nature when it seeth cannot but cast out it 's spirit and strength upon amiable objects good things things love-worthy and what fairer thing then Christ O fair sun and fair moon and fair stars and fair flowers and fair roses and fair lilies and fair creatures but O ten thousand thousand times fairer Lord Jesus Alas I wronged him in making the comparison this way O black sun moon but O fair Lord Jesus O black flowers black lilies roses but O fair fair ever fair Lord Jesus O all fair things black deformed without beauty when ye are beside that fairest Lord Jesus O black heaven but O fair Christ O black Angels but O surpassingly fair Lord Jesus I would seek no more to make me happy for evermore but a through clear sight of the beauty of Jesus my Lord Let my eyes enjoy his fairness store him for ever in the face I have all that can be wished Get Christ rather then gold or silver seek Christ howbeit ye should lose all things for him They take their marks by the moon look asquint in looking to fair Christ who resolve for the world their ease for their honour court credit or for fear of losses a sore skin that they will turn their back upon Christ his truth Alas how many blinde eyes squint-lookers look this day in Scotland upon Christ's beauty they see a spot in Christ's fair face Alas they are not worthy of Christ who look this way upon him see no beauty in him why they should desire him God send me my fill of his beauty if it be possible that my soul can be full of his beauty here But much of Christ's beauty needeth not abate the eager appetite of a soul sick of love for himself to see him in the other world where he is seen as he is I am glad with all my heart that ye have given your greenest morning age to this Lord Jesus Hold on weary not faint not resolve upon suffering for Christ but fear not ten dayes tribulation for Christ's sowre cross is sugared with comforts hath a taste of Christ himself I esteem it my glory my joy my crown I bless him for this honour to be yoked with Christ married with him in suffering who therefore was born therefore came into the world that he might bear witness to the truth Take pains above all things for salvation for without running fighting sweating wrestling heaven is not taken O happy soul that crosseth nature's stomack delighteth to gain that fair garland crown of glory What a feckless loss is it for you to goe through this wilderness never taste of sin's sugared pleasures What poorer is a soul to want pride lust love of the world the vanities of this vain worthless world Nature hath no cause to weep at the want of such toyes as these Esteem it your gain to be an heir of glory O but that is an eye-look to a fair rent The very hope of heaven under troubles is like wind sails to the soul like wings when the feet come out of the share O for what stay we here Up up after our Lord Jesus this is not our rest nor our dwelling What have we to doe in this prison except onely to take meat house-room in it for a time Grace grace be with you Aberd. 1637. Your soul's welwisher Christ prisoner S. R. To WILLIAM GORDON At Kenmure 153 Dear Brother GRace mercy peace be to you I have been long in answering your letter which came in good time to me It is my aim hearty desire that my furnace which is of the Lord 's kindling may sparkle fire upon standers by to the warming of their hearts with God's love The very dust that falleth from Christ's feet his old ragged clothes his knotty black cross is sweeter to me then Kings golden crowns their time-eaten pleasures I should be a liar false witness if I should not give my Lord Jesus a fair testimonial with my whole soul my word I know will not heighten him he needeth not such props under his feet to raise his glory high But Oh that I could raise him the height of heaven the breadth length often heavens in the
Lord Jesus market-sweet lovely desireable fair to all the world both to Jew and Gentil O let my part of heaven goe for it sobeing he would take my tongue to be his instrument to set out Christ in his whole braveries of love vertue grace sweetness matchless glory to the eyes hearts of Jews Gentiles But who is sufficient for these things O for the help of Angels tongues to make Christ eye-sweet and amiable to many thousands O how little doeth this world see of him how far are they from the love of him seeing there is so much loveliness beauty and sweetness in Christ that no created eye did ever yet see I would that all men knew his glory and that I could put many in at the bridegroom's chamber door to see his beauty to be partakers of his high and deep and broad and boundless love O let all the world come nigh and see Christ and they shall then see more then I can say of him O if I had had a pledge or pawne to lay down for a sea-full of his love that I could come by somuch of Christ as would satisfie griening and longing for him or rather increase it till I were in full possession I know we shall meet therein I rejoyce Sir stand fast in the truth of Christ that ye have received Yeeld not to winds but ride out let Christ be your anchor the onely He whom ye shall look to see in peace Pray for me his prisoner that the Lord would send me among you to feed his people Grace grace be with you Aberd. 1637. Yours in his sweet Lord Iesus S. R. To JOHN FLEMING Bailiffe of Leith 157 Worthy Sir GRace mercy and peace be to you The Lord hath brought me safe to this strange town Blessed be his holy name I finde his cross easie and light and I hope he shall be with his poor sold Joseph who is separated from his brethren His comforts have abounded towards me as if Christ thought shame if I may speak so to be in the common of such a poor man as I am and would not have me lose any thing in his errands My enemies have beside their intention made me more blessed and have put me in a sweeter possession of Christ then ever I had before Onely the memory of the fair dayes I had with my welbeloved amongst the flock intrusted to me keepeth me low and sowreth my unseen joy But it must be so and he is wise who tutoureth me this way For that which my brethren have and I want and others of this world have I am content my faith will frist God my happiness No Son offendeth that his father giveth him not hire twice a year for he is to abide in the house when the inheritance is to be divided It is better God's children live upon hope then upon hire Thus remembring my love to your worthy and kinde wife I bless you and her and all yours in the Lord's name Aberd. Sept 20. 1637. Yours in his onâ—ly onely Lord Iesus S. R. To WILLIAM GLENDINING Bailiffe of Kirkcudbright 158 Worthy Sir GRace mercy peace be to you I am well honour be to God aswell as a râ—joycing prisoner of Christ can be hoping that one day He for whom I now suffer shall enlarge me put me above the threatnings of men I am sometimes sad heavy casten down at the memory of the fair dayes I had with Christ in Anwoth Kirk cudbright cet The remembrance of a feast encreaseth hunger in a hungry man but who knoweth but our Lord will yet cover a table in the wilderness to his hungry bairns build the old waste places in Scotland bring home Zion's captives I desire to see no more glorious sight till I see the Lamb on his throne then to see Mount Zion all green with grass the dew lying upon the tops of the grass the crown put upon Christ's head in Scotland again And I beleeve it shall be so that Christ shall mowe down his enemies fill the pits with their dead bodies I finde people here dry uncouth A man pointed at for suffering dare not be countenanced so that I am like to sit mine alone upon the ground But my Lord payeth me well home again for I have neither tongue nor pen nor heart to express the sweetness excellency of the love of Christ Christ's honey-combs drop hony sloods of consolation upon my soul My chains are gold Christ's cross iâ— all overguilded and perfumed His prison is the garden and orchard of my delights I would goe through burning quick to my lovely Christ I sleep in his arms all the night my head betwixt his breasts My welbeloved is altogether lovely This is all nothing to that which my soul hath felt Let no man for my cause scar at Christ's cross If my stipend place countrey credit had been an Earledom a Kingdom ten Kingdoms and a whole earth all were too little for the crown and scepter of my royall King Mine enemies mine enemies have made me blessed They ave sent me to the bridegroom's chamber Love is his banner over me I live a Kings life I want nothing but heaven and the possession of the crown my earnest is great Christ is no niggard to me Dear Brother be for the Lord Jesus and his heart-broken bride I need not I hope remember my distressed brother to your care Remember my love to your wife Let Christ want nothing of us His garments shall be rolled in the blood of the slain of Scotland Grace grace be with you pray for Christ's prisoner Aberd. Sept. 21. 1637 Yours in his sweet Lord Iesus S. R. To ROBERT GORDON Of Knockbrex 159 Dear Brother GRace mercy peace be to you I am by God's mercy come now to Aberden the place of my confinement setled in an honest man's house I finde the town's-men cold generall dry in their kindness yet I finde a lodging in the heart of many strangers My challenges are revived again I finde old sores bleeding of new so dangerous painfull is an undercotted conscience yet I have an eye to the blood that is physick for such sores But verily I see Christianity is conceived to be more easie lighter then it is so that I sometimes think I never knew any thing but the letters of that name for our nature contenteth it self with little in godliness Our Lord Lord seemeth to us ten Lord Lords little holiness in our ballance is much because it is our own holâ—ness we love to lay small burdens upon our soft natures to make a fair courtway to heaven And I know it were necessary to take more pains then we doe not to make heaven a city more easily taken then God hath made it I perswade my self many runners shall come short get a disappointment Oh how easie is it to deceive our selves
is not with you to hold up your chin I trust in God he shall bring your ship safe to land I counsel you to study sanctification to be dead to this world urge kindness on Knockbrex labour to benefite by his company the man is acquaint with Christ. I beg the help of your prayers for I forget not you counsel your husband to fulfill my joy to seek the Lord's face shew him from me that my joy desire is to hear he is in the Lord God casteth him often in my minde I cannot forget him I hope Christ he have something to doe together Bless Iohn from me I write blessings to him to your husband the rest of your children Let it not be said I am not in your house through neglect of the Sabbath-exercise Aberd. Febr. 20. 1637. Your lawfull loving Pasior in his onely onely Lord S. R. To JONET McCULLOCH 170 Dear Sister GRace mercy peace be to you I long to hear how your soul prospereth I am as well as a prisoner of Christ can be feasted made fat with the comforts of God Christ's kisses are made sweeter to my soul then ever they were I would not change my Master with all the Kings of clay upon the earth O my welbeloved is altogether lovely loving I care not what flesh can doe I perswade my soul I delivered the truth of Christ to you slip not from it for no boasts or fear of men If ye goe against the truth of Christ that I now suffer for I shall bear witness against you in the day of Christ. Sister fasten your grips fast on Christ follow not the guises of this sinfull world Let not this clay-portion of earth take up your soul it is the portion of bastards ye are a childe of God therefore seek your father's heritage send up your heart to see the dwelling house fair rooms in the new City Fy sy upon these who cry up with the World down with Conscience Heaven We have bairns wits therefore we cannot prize Christ aright Counsel your husband mother to make them for eternity that day is drawing nigh Pray for me the prisoner of Christ I cannot forget you Aberd. Febr. 20. 1637. Your lawfull Pasior Brother S. R. To my Lord CRAIGHALL 171 My Lord. I Received Mr Ls letter with your Lo his learned thoughts in the matter of Ceremonies I ow respect to the man's learning for that I hear him opposite to Arminian Heresies but with reverence of that worthy man I wonder to hear such popish-like expression as he hath in his letter as Your Lo may spare doubtings when the King Church have agreed in the settling of such orders the Church's direction in things indifferent circumstantial as if Indifferent Circumstantial were all one should be the rule of every private Christian. I onely viewed the papers in two hour space the bearer hasting me to write I finde the worthy man not so seen in this controversie as some turbulent men of our countrey as he calleth refusers of conformity And let me say it I am more confirmed in non-conformity when I see such a great 〈◊〉 it play the agēt so slenderly but I will lay the blame on the weakness of the cause not on the meanness of Mr Ls. learning I have ever been stil I am confident that Britain cannot answer one argument a scandalo I longed much to hear Mr L. speak to the cause I would say if some ordinary Divine had answered as Mr L. doeth that he understood not the nature of a Scandal but I dare not vilifie that worthyman so I am now upon the heat of some other employment I shall but God willing answer this to the satisfying of any not prejudged I will not say that every one is acquaint with the reason in my letter from God's presence bright shining face in suffering for this cause Aristotle never knew the medium of the clusion Christ saith few know it See Rev. 2. 17. I am sure a conscience standinginaw of the Almighty fearing to make a little hole in the bottom for fear of under-water is a strong medium to hold off an erroneous conclusion in the least wing or lith of sweet sweet Truth that concerneth the royal Prerogative of our Kingly highest Lord Jesus And my witness is in heaven I saw neither pleasure nor profit nor honour to hook me or catch me in entring in prison for Christ but the wind on my face for the present if I had loved to sleep in a whole skin with the ease present delight that I saw on this side of sun moon I should have lived at ease in good hopes to fare as well as others The Lord knoweth I preferred preaching of Christ still doe to any thing next to Christ himself their new Canons took my one my one joy from me which was to me as the poor man's one eye that had no moe alas there is little lodging in their heart for pity or mercy to pluck out a poor man's one eye for a thing indifferent id est for knots of straws things as they mean off the way to heaven I desire not that my name take journey goe a pilgrim to Cambridge for fear I come in the ears of Authority I am sufficiently burnt already In the mean time be pleased to try if the Bishop of St Andrewes Glasgow Galloway's Ordinary will be pleased to abate from the heat of their wrath and let me goe to my charge Few know the heart of a prisoner yet I hope the Lord shall hew his own glory out of as knotty timber as I am Keep Christ my dear worthy Lord pretended paper-arguments from angering the mother-Church that can reel nod stagger are not of such weight as peace with the father husband let the wife gloom I care not if the husband laugh Remember my service to my Lord your father Mother your Lady Grace be with you Aberd. Jan. 24. 1637. Yours at all obodience in Christ S R. To his Reverend dear Brother Mr ROBERT BLAIR 172 Reverend dear Brother THe reason ye gave for your not writing to me affecteth me much giveth me a dash when such an one as ye conceive an opinion of me or any thing in me The truth is when I come home to my self O what penury doe I finde and how feckless is my supposed stock how little have I He to whom I am as crystal who seeth through me perceiveth the least mote that is in me knoweth that I speak what I think am convinced of But men cast me through a gross wide sieve my very dear Brother the room of the least of all saints is too great for the like of me But lest this should seem art to fetch home reputation I speak no more of it It is my worth
to be Christ's ransomed sinner sick one His relation to me is that I am sick He is the physician of whom I stand in need Alas how often play I fast loose with Christ He bindeth I loose he buildeth I cast down he tâ—immeth up a salvation for me I mar it I cast out with Christ he agreeth with me again twenty times a day I forfeit my Kingdom heritage I lose what I had but Christ is at my back and following on to stoop take up that falleth from me Were I in heaven had the crown on my head if Freewill were my tutour I should lose heaven seeing I lose my self what wonder I should let goe lose Jesus my Lord O well to me for evermore that I have cracked my credit with Christ cannot by law at all borrow from him upon my feckless worthless bond faith for my faith reputation with Christ is that I am a creature that God will not put any trust into I was am bewildered with temptations wanted a guide to heaven O what have I to say of that excellent surpassing supereminent thing they call The Grace of God the way of free redemption in Christ And when poor poor I dead in law was sold fettered imprisoned in Justice's closest ward which is hell damnation when I a wretched one lighted upon noble Iesus eternally kinde Iesus tender hearted Iesus nay when he lighted upon me first knew me I found that he scorned to take a price or any thing like hire of Angels or Seraphims or any of his creatures and therefore I would praise him for this that the whole armie of the redeemed ones sit rent-free in heaven Our holding is better then Blench We are all Free-holders seeing our eternall feuduty is but thanks Oh woefull me that I have but spilt thanks broken lame miscarried praises to give him so my silver is not good current with Christ were it not that free merites have stamped it washen it me both And for my silence I see somewhat better through it now If my high lofty one my princely Royall Master say Hold hold thy peace I lay bonds on thee thou speak none I would fain be content let my fire be smothered under ashes without light or flame I cannot help it I take laws from my Lord but I give none As for your journey to F. ye doe well to follow it The camp in Christ's ordinary bed A carried bed is kindly to the Beloved down in this lower house It may be who knoweth but our Lord hath some Centurions ye are sent to Seeing your angry mother denieth you lodging house-room with her Christ's call to unknown faces must be your second wind seeing ye cannot have a first O that our Lord would water again with a new visite this piece withered dry hill of our widow-mount Zion my Dear Brother I will think it comfort if ye speak my name to our welbeloved wherever ye are I am mindefull of you O that the Lord would yet make the light of the moon in Scotland like the light of the sun and the light of the sun seven fold brighter For my self as yet I have received no answer whither to goe I wait on O that Jesus had my love Let matters frame as they list I have some more to doe with Christ yet I would fain we were nearer Now the great shepherd of the sheep the very God of peace establish confirm you till the day of his coming Aberd. Sept. 9 1637. Yours in his lovely sweet Lord Iesus S. R. To the Lady CARLETON 173 MISTRESS GRace mercy and peace be to you My soul longeth once again to be amongst you to behold that beauty of the Lord that I would see in his house But I know not if he in whose hands are all our waves seeth it expedient for his glory I ow my Lord I know submission of spirit suppose he should turn me into a stone or pillar oâ— salt Oh that I were He in whom my Lord could be glorified suppose my little heaven were forfeited to buy glory to him before men and Angels suppose my want of his presence and separation from Christ were a pillar as high as ten heavens for Christ's glory to stand upon above all the world What am I to him How little am I though my feathers stood out as broad as the morning lighâ— to such a high to such a lofty to such a never-enough admired glorious Lord My trials are heavy bâ—cause of my sad sabbaths but I know they are less then my high provocations I seek no more but that Christ may be the gainer and I the loser that he may be raised and hightned and I cryed down and my worth made dust before his glory Oh that Scotland all with one shout would cry up Christ and that his name were high in this land I finde the very utmost borders of Christ's high excellency and deep sweâ—tness heaven and earth's wonder O what is he if I could win in to see his inner side Oh I am run dâ—y of loving and wondering and adoring of that greatest most admirable one Woe woe is me I have not half-love for him Alas what can my drop doe to his great sea What gain is it to Christ that I have casten my little sparkle in his great fire What can I give to him Oh that I had love to fill a thousand worlds that I might emptie my soul of it all upon Christ I think I have now just reason to quite my part of any hope or love that I have to this scum and the refuse of the dross of God's work-manâ—hip this vain earth I ow to this stormy world whose kindness 〈◊〉 heart to me hath been made of iron or of a piece of a wilde sea-Island that never a creature of God yet lodged in not a look I ow it no love no hope therefore Oh if my love were dead to it my soul dead to it What am I obliged to this house of my pilgrimage A straw for all that God hath made to my soul's liking except God that lovely one Iesus Christ Seeing I am not this world's debter I desire I may be striped of all confidence in any thing but my Lord that he may be for me I for my onely onely onely Lord that he may be the morning evening-tide the top the root of my joyes the heart flower yolk of all my soul's delights O let me never lodge any creature in my heart confidence Let the house be for him I rejoyce that sad dayes cut off a piece of the lease of my short life that my shadow even while I suffer weareth long my evening hasteneth on I have cause to love home with all my heart to take the opportunity of the day to hasten to the
and I seek no more Men think it but a stryde or a step over to heaven but when so few are saved even of a mumber like the sand of the sea but a handfull a remnant as God's word saith what cause have we to shake our selves out of our selves to ask our poor soul whether goest thou where shalt thou lodge at night Where are thy charters and writes of thy heavenly inheritance I have known a man turn a key in a door lock it by Many men leap over as they think leap in O see see that ye give not your salvation a wrong cast think all is well leave your soul loose uncertain look to your building to your ground-stone what signes of Christ are in you set this world behinde your back It is time now in the evening to cease from your ordinary work high time to know of your lodging at night It is your Salvation that is in dependence that is a great weighty business though many make light of the matter Now the Lord enable you by his grace to work it out Aberd. 1637. Your lawfull and loving Pastor S. R. To WILLIAM GORDON Of Robertovvn 186 Dear Brother GRace mercy peace be to you So often as I think on our case in our souldiers night-watch of our sighting life in the fields while we are here I am forced to say prisoners in a dungeon condemned by a judge to want the light of the sun and moon candle till their dying day are no more nay not so much to be pitied as we are for they weary of their life they hate their prison But we fall to in our prison where we see little to drink our selves drunk with the night-pleasures of our weak dreams we long for no better life then this but at the blast of the last trumpet the shout of the Archangel when God shall take down the shepherd's tent of this fading world we shall not have somuch as a drink of water of all the dreams that we now build on Alas that the sharp bitter blasts on face sides which meet us in this life have not learned us mortification made us dead to this world We buy our own sorrow we pay dear for it when we spend out our love our joy our desires our confidence upon an handfull of snow ice that time will melt away to nothing go thirstie out of the drunken Innes when all is done Alas that we enquire not for the clear fountain but are so foolish as to drink foul muddy rotten waters even till our bed-time then in the resurrection when we shall be awakned our yesternight's sowre drinke swinish dregs shall rift up upon us and sick sick shall many a soul be then I know no wholesom fountain but one I know not a thing worth the buying but heaven And my own minde is if comparison were made betwixt Christ heaven I would sell heaven with my blessing buy Christ. Oh if I could raise the market for Christ heighten the market a pound for a penny cry up Christ in mens estimation ten thousand talents more then men think of him But they are shaping him crying him down valuing him at their unworthy half-penny or else exchanging bartering Christ with the miserable old fallen house of this vain world or then they lend him out upon interest play the usurers with Christ Because they profess him give out before men that Christ is their treasure stock in the mean time praise of men a name case the summmer-sun of the Gospel is the usury they would be at so when the trial cometh they quite the stock for the interest loose all Happy are they who can keep Christ by himself alone and keep him clean and whole till God come count with them I know in your hard and heavy trials long since ye thought well and highly of Christ but truly no cross should be old to us We should not forget them because years are come betwixt us and them cast them by hand as we doe old clothes We may make a cross old in time new in use as fruitfull as in the beginning of it God is where and what he was seven years agoe what ever change be in us I speak not this as if I thought ye had forgotten what God did to have your love long since but that ye may awake your self in this sleepy age remember fruitfully of Christ's first wooing and suiting of your love both with fire water try if he got his answer or if ye be yet to give him it For I finde in my self that water runneth not faster through a sieve then our warnings slip from us for I have lost casten by hands many summonds the Lord sent to me therefore the Lord hath given me double charges that I trust in God shall not rive me I bless his great name who is no niggard in holding in crosses upon me but spendeth largely his rods that he may save me from this perishing world how plentifull God is in means of this kinde is esteemed by many one of God's unkinde mercies but Christ's cross is neither a cruel nor unkinde mercy but the love-token of a father I am sure a lover chasing us for our well to have our love should not be run away from or fled God send me no worse mercy then the sanctified cross of Christ portendeth I am sure I should be happy blest Pray for me that I may finde house-room in the Lord's house to speak in his name Remember my dearest love in Christ to your wife Grace grace be with you Aberd. 1636. Yours in his sweet Lord Iesus S. R. To my Lady BOYD. 187 MADAM GRace mercy peace from God our father from our Lord Jesus Christ be multiplied upon you I have reasoned with your son at large I rejoyce to see him set his face in the right airth now when the Nobles love the sunny side of the Gospel best and are afraid that Christ want souldiers and shall not be able to doe for himself Madam our debts of obligation to Christ are not small the freedom of grace salvation is the wonder of man and Angels but mercy in our Lord scorneth hire Ye are bound to lift Christ on high who hath given you eyes to discern the Devil now coming out in in his white 's the Idolatry and Apostacy of the time well washen with fair pretences but the skin is black the water foul It were art I confess to wash a black Devil and make him white I am in strange up's down's seven times a day I lose ground I am put often to swimming and again my feet are set on the rock that is higher then my self He hath now let me see 4 Things I never saw before 1.
we list O what difficulty is there in our christian journey how often come we short of many thousand things that are Christ's due and we consider not how far our dear Lord is behinde with us Mistress I cannot render you thanks as I would for your kindness to my Brother â—n opprâ—ssâ—d stranger but I remember you unto the Lord as I am able I entreat you think upon me his prisoner pray that the Lord would be pleased to give me â—oom to speak to 〈◊〉 people in his name Grace grace be with you Aberd. 1637 Yours in his sweet Lorâ— and Master S. R. To FULWOOD Younger 195 Much honoured Sir GRace mercy peace be to you Upon the report of this worthy bearer concerning you I thought good to speaâ— a woâ—d to you It is enough for acquaintance that we are one in Christ My earnest desire to you is that ye would in the fear of God compare your inch hand-breadth of time with vaste Eternity your thoughts of this now fair blooming and green world with the thoughts ye shall have of it when corruption worms shall make their houses in your eye-holes shall eat your flesh make that body dry bones if ye doe so I know then that your light of this world's vanity shall be more clear then now it is And I am perswaded ye shall then think that mens labours for this clay-idol are to be laughed at Therefore come near and take a view of that transparent beauty that is in Christ which would busie the love of ten thousand millions of world's Angels hold them all at work Surely I am grieved that men will not spend their whole love upon that royal princely Welbeloved that High lofty One For it is cursed love that runneth another way then upon him And for my self if I had ten loves ten souls O how glad would I be if he would break in upon me take possession of them all Woe woe is me that He I are so far asunder I hope we shall be in one countrey one house together truly pain of love-sickness for Jesus maketh me to think it long long long to the dawning of that day Oh that he would cut short years moneths hours overleap Time that we might meet And for this truth Sir that ye profess I avow before the world of men Angels that it is the way onely way to our countrey the rest are by-wayes that what I suffer for is the apple of Christ's eye even his honour as Law-giver King of his Church I think death too little ere I forsook it Doe not Sir I beseech you in the Lord make Christ's court thinner by drawing back from him it is â—oo thin already for I dare pledge my heaven upon it he shall win this plea the fools that plea against him shall lose the wager which is their part of salvation except they take better heed to their wayes Sir free grace that we give no hire for is a jewel our Lord giveth to few Stand fast in the hope ye are called unto Our Master will rend the clouds will be upon us quicâ—ly clear our cause bring us all out in our black 's white 's Clean clean garments in the Bridegroom's eye are of great worth Step over this hand-breadth of world's glory in to our Lord 's new world of grace ye will laugh at the feathers that children are chasing in the air I veâ—â—ly judge that this Inneâ— men are building their nest in is not worth a drink of cold water It is a rainny and smoky house bâ—st we come out of it lest we be choked with the smoke thereof O that my adversaries knew how sweet my sighs for Christ are what it were for a sinner to lay his head between Christ's breasts to be over head ears in Christ's love Alas I cannot cause paper speak the height breadth depth of it I have not a ballance to weigh my Lord Jesus's worth heaven ten heavens would not be the beam of a ballance to weigh him in I must give over praising of him Angels see but little of him O if that fair one would take off the mask off his fair face that I might see him a kiss of him through his mask is half a heaven O day dawn O time run fast O Bridegroom post post fast that we may meet O hea vens cleave in two that that bright face head may set it self through the clouds O that the corn were ripe this world prepared for his hook Sir be pleased to remember a prisoner's bonds Grace be with you Aberd. July 10. 1637 Yours in his sweet Lord Iesus S. R. To Mr HUGH M C KAILL 196 My very dear Brother YE know that men may take their sweet fill of the sowre Law in Grace's ground betwixt the Mediator's breasts and this is sinners safest way for there is a bed for wearied sinners to rest them in in the new Covenant though no bed of Christ's making to sleep in The Law shall never be my doomster by Christ's grace if I get no more good of it I shall finde a sore enough doom in the Gospel to humble to cast me down It is I grant a good rough friend to follow a traitour to the bar to back him till he come to Christ We may blame our selves who cause the Law to crave well paid debt to scar us away from Jesus dispute about a righteousness of our own a world in the moon a chimâ—rd a night-dream that pride is Father mother to There cannot be a more humble soul then a beleever it is no pride for a drowning man to catch hold of a rock I rejoyce that the wheels of this confused world are rolled cogged driven according as our Lord will Out of whatever aiâ—th the wind blow it will blow us on our Lord No wind can blow our sailes over-board because Christ's skill the honour of his wisdom are empawned laid down at the stake for the sea-passengers that he shall put them safe off his hand on the shore in his father's known bounds our native homeground My dear Brother scar not at the cross of Christ It is not seen yet what Christ will doe for you when it cometh to the worst He will keep his grace till ye be at a strait then bring forth the decreed birth for your salvation Ye are an arrow of his own making let him shoot you against a wall of brass your point shall keep whole I cannot for multitude of letters distractions of friends prepare what I would for the times I have not one hour of spare time suppose the day were fourtie hours long Remember me in prayer Grace be with you Aberd. Sept. 5. 1637. Your in his sweet Lord Iesus S. R To his Reverend Dear Brother Mr DAVID DICKSON 197 My Reverend
his besieged city for you Aberd. Feb. 7. 1637. Your brother fellow sufferer S. R. To Mr EPHRAIM MELVIN 199 Reverend dear Brother I Received your letter am contented with all my heart that our acquaintance in our Lord continue I am wrestling as I dow up the mount with Christ's cross My second is kinde able to help As for your questions because of my manifold distractions letters to multitudes I have not time to answer them What shall be said in common for that shall be imparted to you for I am upon these questions therefore spare me a little for the Service-book would take a great timeâ— but I think Sicut deosculatio religio sà imaginis aut etiam elâ—mentorum est in se idololatria externa etsi intentio deosculandi tota quanta in actu est feratur in Deum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it a geniculatio coram pane quando nempe ex instituto totus homo externus internus ver sarâ— debeat circa elementaria signa est adoratio relativa adoratioâ— sius panis Ratio Intentio adorandi objectum materiale non est de essentiâ externae adorationis ut pateâ— iâ— deosculatione religio sà Sic geniculatio coram imagine Babylonicâ est externa adoratio imaginis etsitrâ—s pueri mente intendissent adorare Iehovam Sic qui ex metu solo aut spe pretij aut inanis gloria geniculatur coram aureo vitulo Ieroboami quod ab ipso rege qui nullà religione inductâ—s sed libidine dominâ—ndi tantum vitulumerexit factitatum esse textus satis luculenter clamat adorat vitulum externâ adoratione esto quod putaret vitulum esse meram creaturam honore nullo dignum quia geniculatio sive nos nolumâ—s sive volumus ex instituto Dei naturae in actu religioso est symbolum religiosae adorationis Ergo sicut panis signat corpus Christi etsi absit actus omnis nostrae intentionis sic religiosae geniculatio sublatâ omni intentione humanâ est externae adoratio paniscoram quo adoramus ut coram signo vicario repraesentativo Dei Thus recommending you to God's tender mercy I desire that ye would remember me to God sanctification shall settle you most in the truth Grace be with you Aberd. 1637. Your Brother in Christ Iesus S. R. To a Gentle woman upon the death of her husband 200 MISTRESS GRace mercy peace be to you I cannot but rejoyce and withall be grieved at your case It hath pleased the Lord to remove your husband my friend this Kirk's faithfull professor soon to his rest but shall we be sorry that our losse is his gain seeing his Lord would want his company no longer think not much of short summonds for seeing he walked with his Lord in his life desired that Christ should be magnified in him at his death ye ought to be silent and satisfied When Christ cometh for his own he runneth fast mercy mercy to the saints goeth not at leisure love love in our Redeemer is not slow withall he is homely with you who cometh at his own hand to your house and intrometeth as a friend with any thing that is yours I think he would fain borrow lend with you Now he shall meet with the solacious company the fair flock and blessed bairn-time of the first-born banquetting at the marriage-supper of the Lamb. It is mercy that the poor wand iâ—g sheep get a dike-fide in this storn iâ— day and a lecking ship a safe harbrie a sea-sick passenger a sound and soft bed a shore Wrath wrath wrath from the Lord iâ— coming upon this land that he hath left behinde him know therefore that your Lord Jesus his wounds are the wounds of a lover and that he will have compassion upon a sad hearted servant and that Christ hath said he will have the husband's room in your heart he loved you in your first husband's time and he is but wooeing you still give him heart and chair house and all he will not be made companion with any other love is full of Jealousies he will have all your love and who should get it but He I know ye allow it upon him there are comforts both sweet satisfying laid up for you wait on first Christ he is an honest debter Now for mine own case I think some poor body would be glad of a dâted prisoner's leavings I have no scarcitie of Christ's love he hath wasted moe comforts upon his poor banished servant then would have refreshed many souls my burden was once so heavie that one cunce weight would have casten the ballance broken my back but Christ said hold hold to my sorrow hath wiped a bluchered face which was foul with weeping I may joyfully goâ— my Lord's errands with wages in my hands deferred hopes need not to make me dead swier as we use to say my crosse is both my crosse my reward Oh that men would sound his high praises I love Christ's worst reproaches his glooms his crosse better then all this world 's plastered glory my heart is not longing to be back again from Christ's countrey it ' a sweet soil I aâ— coâ—e to I if any in the world have good cause to speak much good of him O Hell were a good cheap price to buy him aâ— Oh if all the three Kingdoms were witnesses to â—y pained pained soul overcome wounded with Christ's love I thank you most kindly my dear Sister for your love render care to my brother I will think my self obliged to you if ye continue his friend he is more to me then a brother now being engaged to suffer for so honourable a master and cause pray for Christ's prisoner and Grace grace be with you Aberd. March 7. 16â—6 Yours in his sweet Lord Iesus S. R. To His reverend dear Brother Mr JOHN NEVAY 201 My reverend dear Brother GRace mercy peace be to you I have exceeding many â—wâ—ite to else I would be kinder in paper I rejoyce that my sweet Master hath any to oack him Thick thick may my royal Kings Court be O that his Kingdom might grow It were my joy to have his house full of guests Except that I have some cloudy dayes for the most part I have a King's life with Christ he is all perfumed with the powders of thâ— marchant he hath a King's face a King'â— smell his chariot wherein be carrieth his poor prisoneri of the wood of Lebanon it is paved with love is not that soft ground to walk or lie on I think better of Christ then ever I did my thoughts of his love grow swell on me I never write to any of him so much as I have felt Oh if If could write a book of Christ of his love Suppose I were made white ashes burnt for this same truth that men count but as knots of straws it were my gain if
when the wind turneth into the North he goeth away I die till the wind change in the West he visite his prisoner But he holdeth me not often at his door I am richly repayed for suffering for him O if all Scotland were as I am except my bonds O what pain I have because I cannot get him praised by my sufferings O that heaven within and without the earth were paper all the rivers fountains sâ—as were ink I able to write all the paper within without full of his praises love excellency to be read by man Angel Nay this is little I ow my heaven for Christ to desire howbeit I should never enter in at the gates of the new Ierusalem to send my love my praises over the wall to Christ. Alas that Time Days lie betwixt him me adjourn our meeting It is my part to cry O when will the night be past the day dawn that we shall see one another Be pleased to remember my service to my Lord to whom I wrote shew him that for his affection to me I cannot but pray for him earnestly desire that Christ miss him not out of the roll of these who are his witnesses now when his kingly honour is called in question It is his honour to hold up Christ's royal train to be an instrument to hold the crown upon Christ's head Shew him because I love his true honour standing that this is my earnest desire for him Now I bless you the prayers of Christ's prisoner come upon you his sweetest presence whom ye serve in the spirit accompany you Aberd. June 23. 1637. Yours at all obliged obedâ—ince in Christ S. R. To Mr JOHN ROW 204 Reverend dear Brother I Received yours I bless his high great name I like my sweet Master still the longer the better A sight of his cross is more awsom then the weight of it I think the worst things of Christ even his reproaches his cross when I look on these not with bleared eyes far rather to be chosen then the laughter worm-eaten joys of my adversaries Oh that they were as I am except my bonds My witness is above my Ministery next to Christ is dearest to me of any thing but I lay it down at Christ's feet for his glory his honour as supreme Law-giver which is dearer to me My dear Brother if ye will receive the testimony of a poor prisoner of Christ who dare not now dissemble for the world I beleeve certainly expect thanks from the Prince of the Kings of the earth for my poor hazards such as they are for his honourable cause whom I can ever enough extoll for his running-over love to my sad soul since I came hither O that I could get him set on high praised I seek no more as the top root of my desires but that Christ may make glory to himself edification to the weaker out of my sufferings I desire ye would help me both to pray praise Grace be with you Aberd. July 8. 1637. Yours in his sweet Lord Iesus S. R. To the Lady CULROSS 205 MADAM GRace mercy peace be to you I am much refreshed with your letter now at length come to me I finde my Lord Jesus cometh not in that precise way that I lay wait for him he hath a gate of his own O how high are his wayes above my wayes I see but little of him It is best not to offer to learn him a lesson but to give him absolutely his own will in coming going ebbing flowing in the manner of his gracious working I want nothing but a back burtheâ— of Christ's love I would goe through hell the thick of the damned Devils to have a hearty feast of Christ's love for he hath fettered me with his love run away left me a chained man Woe is me that I was so loose rash vain graceless in my unbeleeving thoughts of Christ's love But what can a soul under a non-entry when my rights were wod-set and lost doe else but make a false libel against Christ's love I know your self Madam and many moe will be witnesses against me if I repent not of my unbelief for I have been seeking the Pope's wares some hire for grace within my self I have not learned as I should doe to put my stock all my treasure in Christ's hand but I would have a stock of mine own ere I was aware I was taking hire to be the Law 's advocate to seek Justification by works I forgot that grace is the onely garland that is worn in heaven upon the heads of the glorified And now I half rejoyce that I have sickness for Christ to work upon since I must have wounds well's my soul I have a day's work for my Physician Christ I hope to give Christ his own calling it setteth him full well to cure diseases My ebbings are very low the tide is far out when my Beloved goeth away then I cry Oh cruelty to put out the poor man's one eye that that was my joy next to Christ to preach my welbeloved then I make a noise about Christ's house looking uncouth-like in at his window casting my love my desires over the wall till God send better I am often content my bill lie in heaven till the day of my departure providing I had assurance that mercy shall be written on the back of it I would not care for on-waiting but when I draw in a tired arm empty hand withall it is much to me to keep my thoughts in order but I will not get a gate for Christ's love When I have done all I can I would fain yeeld to his stream row with Christ not against him But while I live I see that Christ's Kingdom in me will not be peaceable so many thoughts in me rise up against his honour kingly power Surely I have not expressed all his sweet kindness to me I spare to doe it lest I â—e deemed to seek my self but his breath hath sinelled of the powder of the merchants of the King's spikenard I think I conceive new thoughts of heaven because the Carde the Mappe of Haven that he letteth me now see is so fair so sweet I am sure we are niggards sparing bodies in seeking I verily judge we know not how much may be had in this life there is yet something beyond all we see that seeking would light upon O that my love-sickness would put me to a business when all the world are sound sleeping to cry knock But the truth is since I came hither I have been wondering that after my importunity to have my fill of Christ's love I have not gotten a reall sign but have come from him crying hunger hunger I think Christ letteth me see meat in my extremity of hunger giveth me
the dear saints of God! This before my compearance which was three several dayes did trouble me burdeneth me more now howbeit Christ in him God reconciled met me with open arms trysted me precisely at the entry of the door of the Chancellour's hall assisted me to answer so as the advantage that is is not their's but Christ's Alas There is no cause of wondering that I am thus born down with challenges for the world hath mistaken me no man knoweth what guiltiness is in me so well as these two who keep my eyes now waking my heart heavie I mean my Heart Conscience my Lord who is greater then my Heart Shew your brother that I desire him while he is on the watch-tower to plead with his mother to plead with thiâ—land spare not to cry for my sweet Lord Jesus his fair crown that the interdited forbidden Lords are plucking off his royal head If I were free of challenges a High Commission within my soul. I would not give a straw to goe to my father's house through ten deaths for the truth cause of my lovely lovely one Iesus But I walk in heaviness now If ye love me Christ in me my dear Lady pray pray for this onely that by-gones betwixt my Lord me may be by-gones that he would pass from the summonds of his High Commission seek nothing from me but what he will doe for me work in me If your La knew me as I doe my self ve would say Poor soul no marvel It is not my apprehension that createth this cross to me it is too real hath sad certain grounds But I will not beleeve that God will take this advantage of me when my back is at the wall He who forbiddeth to adde affliction to affliction will he doe it himself Why should â—e pursue a dry leaâ— stubble Desire him to spare me now Also the memory of the fair feast-dayes that Christ I had in his banquetting house of wine the scattered flock once committed to me now taken off my hand by himself because I was not so faithfull in the end as I was in the first two years of my entry when sleep departed from my eyes because my soul was taken up with a care for Christ's lambs even these adde sorrow to my sorrow Now my Lord hath onely given me this to say I write it under mine own hand be ye the Lord's servant's witness Welcome welcome sweet sweet cross of Christ welcome fair fair lovely royal King with thine own cross Let us all three goe to heaven together Neither care I much to goe from the South of Scotland to the North to be Christ's prisoner amongst 〈◊〉 couth faces a place of this Kingdom which I have little reason to be in love with I know Christ shall make Abâ—rdeen my garden of delights I am fully perswaded that Scotland shall â—at Ezâ—kiel's book that is written within without Lamenâ—… mourniâ—g â—oe Ezek. 2 10. But the saints shall get a drink of the well that goeth through the streets of the nâ—w Ierusalem to put it down Thus hoping ye will think upon the poor prisoner of Christ I pray Grace grace be with you Edinb July 30. 1636. Your La in his sweet Lord Iesus S. 〈◊〉 To ALEXANDER GORDON of Earlestovvn 212 Much honoured Sir I Finde small hopes of Qs. business I intend after the Councel-day to goe on to Aberdeen The Lord is with me I care not what man can doe I burden no man I want nothing No King is better provided then I am Sweet sweet easie is the cross of my Lord All men I look in the face of whatsoever rank Nobles poor acquaintance strangers are friendly to me My welbeloved is some kinder more warmly then ordinary cometh and visiteth my soul My chains are overguilded with gold Onely the remembrance of my fair dayes with Christ in Anwoth of my dear floâ—â— whose case is my heart's sorrow is vinegar to my sugared wine yet both sweet sowre feed my soul No pen no words no ingine can express to you the loveliness of my onely onely Lord Jesus Thus in haste making for my palace at Aberdeen I bless you your wife your eldest son other children Grace grace be with you Edinb Sept. 5. 1636. Your in his onely onely Lord Iesus S. R. To ROBERT GORDON of Knockbrex 213. My dearest Brother I See Christ thinketh shame if I may speak so to be in such a poor man's common as mine I burden no man I want nothing no face hath gloomed upon me since I left you God's son fair weather conveyeth me to my time Paradise in Aberdeen Christ hath so handsomely fitted for my shoulders this â—â—ugh â—â—ee of the cross as that it hurteth me no wayes My treasure is up in Christ's â—â—ffers my comforts are greater then ye can beleeve my per shall ye for pâ—â—ury of words to write of them God knoweth I am filled with the joy of the Holy Ghost Onely the memory of you my dearest in the Lord my flock others keepeth me under from being exalted above measure Christ's sweet saâ—… hath this sowre mixed with it but O such a sweet pleasant taste I finde small hopes of Qs matter Thus in haste Remember me to your wife to William Gordon Grace be with you Edinb Sept. 5. 1636. Yours in his onely onely Lord Iesus R. S. To my Lord LOWDOUN 214 Right honourable my very worthy Lord. GRace mercy peace be to you Hearing of your Lo zeal courage for Christ our Lord in owning his honourable cause I am bold I plead pardon sor it to speak in paper by a line or two to your Lo since I have not access any other way beseeching your Lo by the mercies of God by the everlasting peace of your soul by the tears prayers of our mother-Church to goe on as ye have worthily begun in purging of the Lord's house in this land plucking down the sticks of Antichrist's filthy nest this wretched Prelacy that black Kingdom whose wicked aims have ever been still are to make this fat world the onely Compass they would have Christ and Religion to sail by and to mount up the man of sin their god-father the Pope of Rome upon the highest stair of Christ's throne and to make a velvet-Church in regard of Parliament-grandour wordly pomp whereof alwayes their stinking breath smelleth to put Christ truth in sack-cloth prison to eat the bread of adversitie and drink the water of affliction Half an eye of any not misted with the darkness of Antichristian smoke may see it thus in this land now our Lord hath begun to awaken the Nobles others to plead for born-down Christ his weeping Gospel My dear noble Lord the eye of Christ is upon you the eyes
his face with joy my prayer to our Lord is that ye may be sick of love for him who died of love for you I mean your Saviour Jesus And O sweet were that sickness to be soul-sick for him And a living death it were to die in the fire of the love of that soul-lover Iesus And Madam if ye love him ye will keep his commandements this is not one of the least to lay your neck cheerfully willingly under the yoke of Jesus Christ For I trust your La did first contract and bargain with the Son of God to follow him upon these terms that by his grace ye should endure hardship suffer affliction as the souldier of Christ They are not worthy of Jesus who will not take a blow for their Master's sake For our glorious peace-maker when he came to make up the friendship betwixt God us God bruised him strooke him the sinfull world also did beat him and crucifie him yet he took buffets of both the parties and honour to our Lord Jesus he would not leave the field for all that till he had made peace betwixt the parties I perswade â—y self your sufferings are but like your Saviour's yea incomparably less lighter which are called but a bruising of his â—eel Gen. 3. 15 a wound far from the heart Your life is hid with Christ in God Col. 3. 3. And therefore ye cannot be robbed of it Our Lord handleth us as fathers doe their young children they lay up jewels in a place above the reach of the short arm of bairns else â—aiâ—ns would put up their hands take them down lose them soon So hath our Lord done with our spiritual life Jesus Christ is the high coffer in the which our Lord hath hid our life we children are not able to reach up our arm so high as to take down that life lose it it is in our Christ's hand O long long may Jesus be Lord-keeper of our life happy are they that can with the Apostle 2 Tim. 1. lay their soul in pawne in the hand of Jesus for he is able to keep that which is committed in pawne to him against that day Then Madam so long as this life is not hurt all ether troubles are but touches in the heel I trust ye will soon be cured Ye know Madam Kings have some servants in their court that receive not present wages in their hand but live upon their hopes The King of Kings also hath servants in his court that for the present get little or nothing but the heavie cross of Christ troubles without terrours within but they live upon hope when it cometh to the parting of the inheritance they remain in the house as heirs It is better to be so then to get present payment a portion in this life an inheritance in this world God forgive me that I should honour it with the name of an inheritance it is rather a farme-room then in the end to be casten out of God's house with this word Ye have received your consolation ye will get no more Alas What get they The rich glutton's heaven Oh but our Lord Luk. 16. maketh it a sillie heaven He fared well saith our Lord delicately every day Oh no more A sillie heaven Truly no more except that he was clothed in purple that is all I perswade my self Madam ye have joy when ye think that your Lord hath dealt more graciously with your soul. Ye have gotten little in this life It is true indeed Ye have then the more to crave yea ye have all to crave For except some tastings of the first fruits some kisses of his mouth whom your soul loveth ye get no more But I cannot tell you what is to come yet I may speak as our Lord doeth of it The foundation of the city is pure gold clear as crystall the twelve ports are set with precious stones If orchards rivers commend a soil upon earth there is a Paradise there wherein groweth the tree of life that beareth twelve manner of fruits every moneth which is seven score four harvests in the year there is there a pure river of water of life proceeding out of the throne of God of the Lamb the city hath no need of the light of the sun or moon or of a candle for the Lord God Almighty the Lamb is the light thereof Madam beleeve and hope for this till ye see enjoy Jesus is saying in the Gospel Come see he is come down in the chariot of Truth wherein he rideth through the world to conquer mens souls Psal. 45. 4. is now in the word saying Who will goe with me will ye goe my Father will make you welcome give you house-room for in my Father's house are many dwelling places Madam consent to goe with him Thus I rest commending you to God's dearest mercy Anwoth Yours in the Lord Iesus S. R. To my Lady KENMURE 16. MADAM I Am afraid now as many others are that at the sitting down of our Parliament our Lord Jesus his Spouse shall be roughly handled And it must be so since false deelining Scotland whom our Lord took off the dunghill out of hell made a fair Bride to himself hath broken her faith to her sweet husband hath put on the forehead of a whore therefore he saith he will remove would God we could stir up our selves to lay hold upon him who being highly provoked with the handling he hath met with is ready to depart Alas we doe not importune him by prayer supplication to abide amongst usâ— If we could but weâ—p upon â—â—m in the holy pertinacy of faith wrestle witâ—… say We will not let thee goe it may be that then he who is easy to be intreated would yet notwithstanding of our high provocations condescend to stay feed among the lilies till that fair desirable day break and the shadows flâ—e away Ah! What cause of mourning is there When our gold is become dim the visage of our Nazarites sometimes whiter then snow is now become blacker then a coal Levi's house once comparable to fine gold is now changed become like vessels in whom he hath no pleasure Madam think upon this that when our Lord who hath his handkerchief to wipe the face of the mourners in Zion shall come to wipe away all tears froÌ„ their eyes he may wipe yours also in the passing amongst others I am confident Madam that our Lord will yet build a new house to himself of our rejected and scattered stones for our bridegroom cannot want a wife Can he live a widow Nay he will embrace both Us the little young sister the elder sister The church of the Iews there will yet be a day of it therefore we have cause to rejoyce yea to sing shout for joy The Church hath been â—nce
the world began ever hanging by a small threed all the hands of hell of the wicked have been drawing at the threed but God be thanked they onely break their arms by pulling but the threed is not broken for the sweet fingers of Christ our Lord have spun and twisted it Lord hold the threed whole Madam stir up your husband to lay hold upon the Covenant to doe good What hath he to doe with the World It is not his inheritance Desire him to make him home over put to his hand to lay one stone or two upon the wall of God's house before he goe hence I have heard also Madam that your childe is removed But to have or want is best as he pleaseth Whether she be with you or in God's keeping think it all one nay think it the better of the two by far that she is with him I trust in our Lord that there is something laid up and kept for you for our kinde Lord who hath wounded you will not be so cruel as not to allay the pain of your green wound therefore claim Christ still as your own own him as your One thing So resting I recommend your La your soul spirit in pawne to him who keepeth all his father's pawnes will make an account of them faithfully even to that fairest amongst the sons of men our sweet Lord Jesus the fairest the sweetest the most delicious rose in all his father's great field The smell of that rose perfume your soul. Anwoth April 1. 1633. Your La in his sweetest Lord Iesus S. R. To my Lady KENMURE 17 MADAM I Determined was desirous also to have seen your La but because of a pain in my arm I could not I know ye will not impute it to any unsutable forgetfulness of your La from whom at my first entry to my calling in this countrey since also I received such comfort in my affliction as I trust in God never to forget it shall labour by his grace to recompense it the onely way possible to me that is by presenting your soul person house all your necessities in prayer to him whose I hope ye are who is able to keep you till that day of appearance to present you before his face with joy I am confident your La is going forward in the begun journey to your Lord father's home Kingdom howbeit ye want not temptations within without And who among the saints hath ever taken that castle without stroke of sword The chief of the house our elder brother our Lord Iesus not being excepted who won his own house home due to him by birth with much blood many blowes Your La hath the more need to look to your self because our Lord hath placed you higher then the rest and your way to heaven lieth through a more wilde and waste wilderness then the way of many of your fellow-travellers not onely through the midst of this wood of thorns The cumbersom world but also through these dangerous paths The vain glory of it The consideration whereof hath often moved me to pity your soul the soul of your worthy noble husband And it is more to you to win heaven being ships of greater burden and in the main sea then for little vessels that are not so much in the mercy and reverence of the storms because they may come quietly to their port by lanching alongst the coast For the which cause ye doe much if in the midst of such a tumult of business croud of temptations ye shall give Christ Jesus his own court his own due place in your soul. I know am perswaded that that lovely one Iesus is dearer to you then many Kingdome and that ye esteem him your welbeloved and the standard-bearer among ten thousand Cant. 5 10 And it becometh him full well to take the place and the board-head in your soul before all the world I knew saw him with you in the furnace of affliction for there he wooed you to himself chose you to be his now he craveth no other hire of you but your Love that he get no cause to be jealous of you And therefore Dear Worthy Lady be like to the fresh river that keepeth it's own fresh taste in the salt sea This world is not worthy of your soul Give it not a good-day when Christ cometh in competition with it Be like one of another countrey Home stay not for the sun is fallen low nigh the tops of the mountains the shadows are stretched out in great length linger not by the way The world and sin would train you on make you turn aside Leave not the way for them the Lord Jesus be at the voyage Madam many eyes are upon you many would be glad your La should spill a Christian and maâ— a good professour Lord Jesus mar their godless desires keep the conscience whole without a crack If there be a hole in it so that it take in water at a leck it will with difficulty mend again It is a dainty delicate creature a rare piece of the workmanship of your maker therefore deal gently with it keep it intire that amidâ—â— this world's glory your La may learn to entertain Christ whatsoever creature your La findeth not to smell of him it may have no better relish to you then the white of an egge Madam it is a part of the truth of your profession to drop words in the ears of your Noble husband continually of Eternity Judgement Death Hell Heaven The honourable Profession The sins of his Father's House He must reckon with God for his father's debt Forgetting of accounts payeth not debt Nay the interest of a forgotten bond runneth up with God to interest upon interest I know he looketh homeward loveth the truth but I pity him with my soul because of his many temptations Satan layeth upon men a burthen of cares above a load maketh a pack-horse of mens souls when they are wholly set upon this world We ow the Devil no such service It were wisdom to throw off that load into a mire to cast all our cares over upon God Madam think ye have no childe Subscribe a bond to your Lord That she shall be his if he take her thanks praise glory to his holy name shall be the interest for a year's loan of her Look for crosses while it is fair weather mend the sails of the ship Now hoping your La will pardon my tediousness I recommend your soul person to the grace mercy of our sweet Lord Jesus in whom I am Anwoth Nov. 15. 1633. Your La at all dutifull obedience in Christ S. R. To my Lady KENMURE 18 MADAM HAving received a letter from some of the worthiest of the Ministery in this Kingdom the contents where of I am â—â—nred to communicate to such
father's house is good enough to die in It may be the living childe I speak not of Mr. Hugh is more grief to you then the dead Ye are to wait on if at any time God shall give him repentance Christ waited as long possibly on you me certainly longer on me if he should deny repentance to him I could say some thing to that but I hope better things of him It seemeth that Christ will have this world your step-dame I love not your condition the woâ—se it may be a proof that ye are not a childe of this lower house but a stranger Christ seeth it not good onely but your onely good to be lead thus to heaven think this a favour that he hath bestowed upon you Free free grace that is mercy without hire ye paid nothing for it And who can put a price upon any thing of Royal and Princely Jesus Christ And that God hath given to you to suffer for him the spoiling of your goods esteem it as an act of free grace also Ye are no loser having himself And I perswade my self if ye could prize Christ nothing could be bitter to you Grace grace be with you London 1645. Your Brother Well-wisher S. R. To BARBARA HAMILTON 42 Worthy Friend GRace be to you I doe unwillingly write unto you of that which God hath done concerning your son in law onely I beleeve ye look not below Christ and the higest and most supream act of providence which moveth all wheels And certainly what came down enacted concluded in the great book before the throne signed subscribed with the hand which never did wrong should be kissed adored by us we see God's decrees when they bring forth their fruits all actions good ill sweet sowre in their time But we see not presently the after-birth of God's decree to wit his blessed end the good that he bringeth out of the womb of his holy spotless counsel we see his working we sorrow The end of his counsel working lieth hidden underneath the ground therefore we cannot beleeve Even amongst men we see hewen stones timber an hundred scattered parcels pieces of an house all under-tools hammers axes saws yet the house the beauty ease of so many lodgings ease-rooms we neither see nor understand for the present these are but in the minde head of the builder as yet wee see red earth unbroken clods furrows stones but we see not summer-lilies roses the beauty of a garden If ye give the Lord time to work as often he that beleeveth not maketh haste but not speed his end is under the ground ye shall see it was your good that your Son hath changed dwelling-places but not his Master Christ thought good to have no more of his service here yet Rev. 22 3. His servants shall serve him He needeth not us or our service either in earth or in heaven But ye are to look to him who giveth the hireling both his leave his wages for his naked aim purpose to serve Christ as well as for his labours It is put up in Christ's account such a labourer did sweat fourty years in Christ's vineyard howbeit he got not leave to labour so long because he who accepteth of the will for the deed counteth so None can teach the Lord to lay an account He numbereth the drop of rain knoweth the stars by their names It would take us much studying to give a name to every star in the firmament great or small See Lev. 13 13. And Aaron held his peace Ye know his two Sons were â—â—ain whilst they offered strange fire to the Lord Command your thoughts to be silent If the souldiers of Newcasile had done this ye might have stomacked but the weapon wa in another hand Hear the rod what it preacheth see the name of God Mâ—… 6. 9. And know that there is somewhat of God Heaven in the â—od The Majesty of the unsearchable bottomless wayes judgements of God is not seen in the rod the seeing of them râ—quireth the eyes of the man of wisdom If the sufferings of some other with you in that loss could ease you ye want them not But He can doe no wrong he cannot halt his goings are equal who hath done it I know our Lord aimeth at more mortification let him not come in vain to your house lose the pâ—ins of a mercifull visite God the founder never melteth in vain howbeit to us he seemeth often to lose both fire mettall But I know yeare more in this work then I can be There is no cause to faint or weary Grace be with you the rich consolations of Jesus Christ sweeten your cross support you under it I rest London Octob. 15. 1645. Yours in his Lord Master S. R. To Misâ—ress HUME 43. Loving Sister GRace mercy peace be to you If ye have any thing better then the husband of your youth ye are Jesus Christ's deâ—ter for it Pay not then your debts with grudging Sorrow may diminish from the sweet fruit of righteousness but quietness silence submission faith put a crown upon your sad losses ye know whose voice the voice of a crying rod is Micah 6. 9. The name majesty of the Lord is written on the rod read be instructed Let Christ have the room of the husband he hath now no need of you or of your love for he enjoyeth asmuch of the love of Christ as his heart can be capable of I confess it is a dear-bought experience to teach you to undervalue the creature yet it is not too dear if Christ think it so I know that the disputing of your thoughts against his going thither the way manner of his death the instruments the place the time will not ease your spirit except ye rise higher then second causes be silent because the Lord hath done it If we measure the goings of the Almighty his wayes the bottom whereof we see not we quite mistake God O how little a portion of God see we He is far above our ebbe narrow thoughts He ruled the world in wisdom ere we creatures of yesterday were born shall rule it when we shall be lodging beside the worms corruption Onely learn heavenly wisdom self-deniall mortification by this sad loss I know that it is not for nothing except ye deny God to be wise in all he doeth that ye have loâ— one in earth There hath been too little of your love heart in heaven therefore the jealousie of Christ hath done this It is a mercy that he contendeth with you all your lovers I should dâ—sire no greater savour for my self then that Christ laid a necessity took on such bonds upon himself Such an one I must have such a soul I cannot live in heaven without Ioh. 10. 16. And beleeve it it
denie but it is made sure to you the want of these poor accidents of a living husband of many children of an healthfull body of a life of case in the world without one knot in the rush are nobly made up may be comfortably born Grace grace be with your La London October 16. 1645. Your La at all obedience in Christ. S. R. To a Christian friend upon the death of his wife 46 Worthy friend I Desire to suffer with you in the loss of a loving good wife now gone before according to the method order of him of whose understanding there is no searching out whither ye are to follow He that made yesterday to goe before this day the former generation in birth life to have been before this present generation hath made some flowers to grow and die wither in the moneth of May others in Iune cannot be challenged in the order he hath made of things without souls And some order he must keep also here that one might bury another Therefore I hope ye shall be dumb silent because the Lord hath done it what creatures or under-under-causes doe in sinfull mistakes are ordered in wisdom by your Father at whose feet your own soul your heaven lieth so the dayes of your wife If the place she hath left were any other then a prison of sin the home she is gone to any other then where her â—ead Saviour is King of the land your grief had been more rationall But I trust your faith of the resurrection of the dead in Christ to glory immortality will lead you to suspend your longing for her till the morning dawning of that day when the Archangel shall descend with a shout to gather all his prisoners out of the grave up to himself To beleeve this is best for you to be silent because he hath done it iâ— your wisdom It is much to come out of the Lord's School of trial wiser more experienced in the wayes of God And it is our happiness when Christ openeth a veine he taketh nothing but ill blood from his sick ones Christ hath skill to doe and if our corruption mar not the art of mercy in correcting we cannot of our selves take away the tin the lead the scum that remaineth in us And if Christ be not Master-of-work if the furnace goe it's alone he not standing nigh the melting of his own vessel the labour were lost the founder should melt in vaine God knoweth some of us have lost much fire sweating pains to our Lord Jesus the vessel is almost marred the furnace rod of God spilt day-light burnt the reprobat mettall not taken away so as some are to answer to the Majesty of God for the abuse of many good crosses rich afflictions lost without the quiet fruit of righteousness And it is a sad thing when the rod is cursed that never fruit shall grow on it except Christ's dâ—w fall down his summer-sunshine his grace follow afflictions to cause them bring fâ—rth fruit to God they are so fruitless to us that our evil ground rank fat enough for briers casteth up a crope of noisome weeds The rod as the prophet saith Ezek 7 10 11. blossometh pride buddeth forth violence riseth up into a rod of wickedness all this hath been my case under many rods since I saw you Grace be with you London 1645. Yours in his sweet Lord Iesus S. R. To a Christian Brother 47 Reverend beloved in the Lord. IT may be I have been too long silent but I hope ye will not impute it to forgetfulness of you As I have heard of the death of your daughter with heaviness of minde on your behalf so am I much comforted that she hath evidenced to your self other witnesses the hope of the resurrection of the dead as sown corn is not lost for there is more hope of that which is sown then of that which is eaten 1 Cor. 15. 42. so also is it in the resurrection of the dead the body is sown in corruption it is raised in incorruption it is sown in dishonour it is raised in glory I hope ye wait for the crope harvest 1 Thess. 4. 14. For if we beleeve that Iesus died rose again even so also them which sleep in Iesus will God bring with him then they are not lost who are gathered in to that Congregation of the first-born the General Assembly of the Saints though we cannot outrun nor overtake them that are gone before yet we shall quickly follow them the difference is that she hath the advantage of some moneths or years of the Crown before you her mother we doe not take it ill if our children outrun us in the life of grace why then are we sad if they outstrip us in the attainment of the life of glory It would seem that there is more reason to grieve that childreÌ„ live behinde us then that they are glorified die before us all the difference is in some poor hungry accidents of-time less or more sooner or later so the godly childe though young died of an hundred years old ye could not now have bestowed her better though the choise was Christ's not yours I am sure Sir ye cannot now say she is married against the will of her parents she might more readily if alive fall in the hand of a worse husband but can ye think that she could have fallen in the hands of one better and if Christ marry with your house it is your honour not any cause of grief that Jesus should portion any of yours ere she enjoy your portion is it not great love the patrimony is more then any other could give as good a husband is unpossible to say a better is blasphemy The King Prince of ages can keep them better then ye can doe while she was alive ye could intrust her to Christ recommend her to his keeping now by an after-faith ye have resigned her unto him in whose bosom doe sleep all that are dead in the Lord ye would havelent her to glorifie the Lord upon earth he hath borrowed her with promise to restore her again 1 Cor. 15 53. 1 Thess. 4 15. 16 to be an organ of the immediate glorifying of himself in heaven sinless glorifying of God is better then sinfull glorifying of him And sure your prayers concerning her are fulfilled I shall desire if the Lord shall be pleased the same way to dispose of her mother that ye have the same minde Christ cannot multiply injuries upon you if the fountain be the love of God as I hope it is ye are enriched with losses Ye know all I can say better before I was in Christ then I can express it Grace be with you London Jan. 6. 1646. Yours in Christ Iesus S. R. To a Christian Gentlewoman 48 MISTRESS GRace mercy
glory far above the air breathings of mouths the thin short poor applauses of men before you in God All the creatures all the swords all the hosts in Britain and in this poor glob of the habitable world are but under him single ciphers making no number the product being nothing but painted men painted swords in a brod without influence from him And O what of God is in Gideon's sword when it is the sword of the Lord I wish a sword from heaven to you orders from heaven to you to goe out as much peremptorinesse of a heavenly will as to say abide by it I will not I shall not goe out except thou goe with me I desire not to be rash in judging but I am a stranger to the minde of Christ If our Adversaries who have unjustly invaded us be not now in the camp of these that make war with the Lamb but the lamb shall overcome them at length for he is the Lord of Lords and King of Kings they who are with him are called chosen faithfull though ye I see but the dark side of God's dispensations this day towards Britain yet the fair beautifull desireable close of it must be the confederacie of the nations of the world with Britain's Lord of Armies let me die in the coÌ„forts of the faith of â—â—i that a throne shall be set up for Christ in this Island of great Britain which is shall be a garden more fruitfull of trees of righteousness payeth shall pay moe thousands to the Lord of the vineyard then is paid in thrice the bounds of great Britain upon the earth And then there can be neither Papist Prelate Cavalâ—er Malignant nor Sectarie who dare draw a sword against him that sitteth upon the throne Sir I shall wish a clean Army so far as may be that the shout of a King who hath many crowns may be among you that ye may fight in faith and prevail with God first Think it your glory to have a sword to act suffer and die if it please him so being ye may adde any thing to the declarative glory of Christ the plant of renown Immanuel God with us Happy thrice blessed are they by whose actings or blood or pain or loss the diadems rubies of his highest glorious crown whose ye are shall gliâ—ter and shine in this quarter of the habitable world Though he need not Gilbert Ker nor his sword yet this honour have ye with his redeemed souldiers to call Christ High Lord General of whom ye hope for pay and all areers well told Goe on worthy Sir in the courage of faith following the Lamb make not haste unbeleevingly but in hope silence keep the watch tower look out he will come in his own time his salvation shall not tarry he shall place salvation in Britain's Zion for Israel his glory His good will who dwelt in the bush it burnt not be yours with you I am St Andrews August 10. 1650. Yours in his sweet Lord Iesus S R. To the worthy much honoured Collonel G. KER 58 Much honoured worthy Sir WHat I wrote to you before I spake not upon any private warrant I am where I was Cromwell and his I shall not say but there may be are severall sober godly amongst them who have either joyned through misinformation or have gone alongst with the rest in the simplicitie of their hearts not knowing any thing fight in an unjust cause against the Lord's secret ones now to the trampling of the worship of God persecuting the people of God in England Ireland he hath brought upon his score the blood of the people of God in Scotland I intreat you Dear Sir as ye desire to be serviceable to Jesus Christ whose free grace prevented you when ye were his enemy goe on without fainting equally eschewing all mixture with Sectaries Malignants neither of the two shall ever be instrumentall to save the Lords people or build his house And without prophesying or speaking further then he whose I am whom I desire to serve in the Gospel of his son shall warrant I desire to hope doe beleeve there is a glory a majesty of the Prince of the Kings of the earth that shall shine appear in great Britain which shall Darken all the glory of men confound Sectaries Malignants rejoyce the spirits of the followers of the Lamb dazle the eyes of beholders Sir I suppose that God is to gather Malignants Sectaries ere all be done as sheaves in a barn-floor to bid the Daughter of Zion arise thresh I hope ye will mix with none of them I am aboundantly satisfied that our Armie through the sinfull miscarriage of men hath fallen dare say it is a better a more comfortable dispensation then if the Lord had given us the victory and the necks of the reproachers of the way of God because he hath done it For. 1. More blood blasphemies cruelty treachery must be upon the accounts of the men whose land the Lord forbade us to invade 2. Victory is such a burdening weighty mercy that we have not strength to bear it as yet 3. That was not the Army nor Gideon's three hinderth by whom he is to save us We must have one of the Lord's carving 4. Our enimies on both sides are not enough hardned nor we enough mortified to multitude valour Creatures Grace grace be with you St Andrews Sept. 5. 1650. Your friend servant in his sweet Lord Iesus S. R. To the worthy much honoured Collonel G. KER 59 Much honoured worthy Sir IT is considerable that the Lord may often doeth call to a work yet hide himself try the faith of his own If I conceive aright the Lord hath called you to act against that enemy the withdrawers of their sword in my weak apprehension adde their seale unto take upon them the guilt of that unjust invasion of this Land made by Cromwel's Army of the blood of the Lord's people in this Kingdom since the sword put into the hand of his Children is to execute wrath vengeance upon evil doers the Lord's time of appearing for his broken Land is reserved to the breathings of the Spirit of the Lord such as came upon Gideon Sampson that is an Act of princely royal soveraignity in God Ye are Sir to lay hold on opportunities of providence to wait for him As for your parcular treating by your selves with the invaders of our land I have no minde to it doe look upon their way as a carriyng on of the mystery of iniquity for Babylon is a seat of many names Sir let this controversie stand undecided till the second appearance of Jesus Christ our Appeal lye before the throne undiscussed till that day I hope to lie down in