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have_v my_o heart_n for_o evermore_o but_o alas_o it_o be_v over_o little_a for_o he_o o_o if_o it_o be_v better_a &_o more_o worthy_a for_o his_o sake_n o_o if_o i_o may_v meet_v with_o he_o face_n to_o face_n in_o this_o side_n of_o eternity_n &_o may_v have_v leave_n to_o plead_v with_o he_o that_o i_o be_o so_o hunger_v &_o famish_v here_o with_o the_o niggardly_a portion_n of_o his_o love_n that_o he_o give_v i_o o_o that_o i_o may_v be_v carver_n &_o steward_n my_o selâ—_n at_o my_o own_o will_n of_o christ_n love_n if_o i_o may_v lawful_o wish_v this_o then_o will_v i_o enlarge_v my_o vessel_n alas_o a_o narrow_a &_o ebb_v soul_n &_o take_v in_o a_o sea_n of_o i_o love_n my_o hunger_n for_o it_o be_v hungry_a &_o lean_a in_o believe_v that_o ever_o i_o shall_v be_v satisfy_v with_o that_o love_n so_o fain_o will_v i_o have_v what_o i_o know_v i_o can_v hold_v o_o lord_n jesus_n delight_v thou_o delight_v thou_o to_o pine_v &_o torment_v poor_a soul_n with_o the_o want_n of_o thy_o incomparable_a love_a o_o if_o i_o dare_v call_v thy_o dispensation_n cruel_a i_o know_v thou_o thyself_o aâ—t_z mercy_n without_o either_o brim_n or_o bottom_n i_o know_v thoâ—_n be_v a_o god_n bankfull_a of_o mercy_n &_o love_n but_o oh_o alas_o little_a of_o it_o come_v my_o way_n i_o die_v to_o look_v a_o far_o off_o to_o that_o love_n because_o i_o can_v get_v but_o little_a of_o it_o but_o hope_n say_v this_o providence_n shall_v ere_o long_o look_v more_o favourable_o upon_o poor_a body_n &_o i_o also_o grace_n be_v with_o your_o la_n spirit_n aberd._n sept._n 10._o 1637._o you_o la_o in_o his_o sweet_a lord_n jesus_n s._n r._n to_o mr_n james_n hamilton_n 71_o reverend_a &_o dear_a brother_n peace_n be_v to_o you_o from_o god_n our_o father_n and_o from_o our_o lord_n jesus_n i_o be_o lay_v low_a when_o i_o remember_v what_o i_o be_o and_o that_o my_o outside_n cast_v such_o a_o lustre_n when_o i_o find_v so_o little_o within_o it_o be_v a_o wonder_n that_o christ_n 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exchange_v their_o torment_n with_o our_o cross_n suppose_v they_o shall_v neuâ—r_o be_v deliver_v &_o give_v twenty_o thousand_o year_n torment_v to_o boot_v to_o be_v in_o our_o bond_n for_o ever_o &_o therefore_o we_o wrong_v christ_n who_o siâ—…h_v &_o fear_n &_o doubt_v &_o despond_v in_o they_o our_o suffâ—â—ings_n be_v washen_v in_o christ_n blood_n as_o well_o as_o our_o soul_n for_o christ_n merit_n buy_v a_o blessing_n to_o the_o cross_n of_o the_o son_n of_o god_n and_o jesus_n have_v a_o back-bond_n of_o all_o our_o temptation_n that_o the_o free_a warder_n shall_v come_v out_o by_o law_n and_o justice_n in_o respect_n of_o the_o infinite_a and_o great_a sum_n that_o the_o redeemer_n pay_v our_o trouble_n owe_v we_o a_o free_a passage_n through_o they_o devil_n and_o man_n and_o cross_n be_v our_o debtor_n and_o death_n and_o all_o storm_n be_v our_o debtor_n to_o blow_v our_o poor_a toss_a bark_n over_o the_o water_n fraught-frâ—e_a &_o to_o set_v the_o traveller_n in_o 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as_o die_v and_o behold_v we_o live_v i_o never_o hear_v before_o of_o a_o live_a death_n or_o a_o quick_a death_n but_o we_o our_o death_n iâ—_n not_o like_o the_o common_a death_n christ_n skill_n his_o handy_a work_n &_o a_o new_a cast_n of_o christ_n admirable_a art_n may_v be_v see_v in_o our_o quick_a death_n i_o bless_v the_o lord_n that_o all_o our_o trouble_n come_v through_o christ_n singer_n &_o that_o he_o cast_v sugar_n among_o they_o and_o cast_v in_o some_o ounce_n weight_v of_o heaven_n and_o of_o the_o spirit_n of_o glory_n that_o rest_v on_o suffer_a believer_n in_o
time_n i_o be_o sad_a for_o dwell_v in_o kedar_n tent_n there_o be_v none_o that_o i_o yet_o know_v of_o but_o two_o person_n in_o this_o town_n that_o i_o dare_v give_v my_o word_n for_o and_o the_o lord_n have_v remove_v my_o brethren_n &_o my_o acquaintance_n far_o from_o i_o &_o it_o may_v be_v i_o be_v forget_v in_o the_o place_n where_o the_o lord_n make_v i_o the_o instrument_n to_o do_v some_o good_a but_o i_o see_v this_o be_v vanity_n in_o i_o let_v he_o make_v of_o i_o what_o he_o please_v if_o he_o make_v salvation_n out_o of_o it_o to_o i_o i_o be_o tempt_v &_o trouble_v that_o all_o the_o fourteen_o prelate_n shall_v have_v be_v arm_v of_o god_n against_o i_o only_o while_o the_o rest_n of_o my_o brethren_n be_v still_o preach_v but_o i_o dare_v not_o say_v one_o word_n but_o this_o it_o be_v good_a lord_n jesus_n beacuse_v thou_o have_v do_v it_o woe_n be_v i_o for_o the_o virgin_n daughter_n woe_n be_v i_o for_o the_o desolation_n of_o the_o virgin_n daughter_n of_o scotland_n o_o if_o my_o eye_n be_v a_o fountain_n of_o tear_n to_o weep_v day_n &_o night_n for_o that_o poor_a widow_n kirk_n that_o poor_a miserable_a harlot_n alas_o that_o my_o father_n have_v put_v to_o the_o door_n my_o poor_a harlot_n mother_n oh_o for_o that_o cloud_n of_o black_a wrath_n &_o fury_n of_o the_o indignation_n of_o the_o lord_n that_o be_v hang_v over_o the_o land_n sir_n write_v to_o mell_v beseech_v you_o i_o pray_v you_o also_o be_v kind_a to_o my_o afflicted_a brother_n remember_v my_o love_n to_o your_o wife_n &_o the_o prayer_n &_o the_o blessing_n of_o the_o prisoner_n of_o christ_n be_v on_o you_o frequent_v your_o meeting_n for_o prayer_n &_o communion_n with_o god_n they_o will_v be_v sweet_a meering_n to_o i_o aberd._n 16._o febr._n 1637._o you_o in_o his_o sweet_a lord_n jesus_n s._n r._n to_o robert_n gordon_n of_o knockbrex_n 87_o my_o dear_a brother_n grace_n mercy_n &_o peace_n be_v multiply_v upon_o you_o i_o be_o almost_o weary_v yea_o wonder_a that_o you_o write_v not_o to_o i_o though_o i_o know_v it_o be_v not_o forgetfulness_n as_o for_o myself_o i_o be_o every_o way_n well_o all_o glory_n to_o god_n i_o be_v before_o at_o a_o plea_n with_o christ_n but_o it_o be_v buy_v by_o i_o &_o unlawful_a because_o his_o who_o providence_n be_v not_o yea_o &_o nay_o to_o my_o yea_o &_o nay_o &_o because_o i_o believe_v christ_n outward_a look_n better_o than_o his_o faithful_a promise_n yet_o he_o have_v in_o patience_n wait_v on_o while_o i'be_v come_v to_o myself_o &_o have_v not_o take_v advantage_n of_o my_o weak_a apprehension_n of_o his_o goodness_n great_a &_o holy_a be_v his_o name_n he_o look_v to_o what_o i_o desire_v to_o be_v &_o not_o to_o what_o i_o be_o one_o thing_n i_o have_v learn_v if_o i_o have_v be_v in_o christ_n by_o way_n of_o adhesion_n only_o as_o many_o branch_n be_v i_o shall_v have_v be_v burn_v to_o ash_n &_o this_o world_n shall_v have_v see_v a_o suffer_a minister_n of_o christ_n turn_v of_o 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your_o brother_n to_o your_o wife_n &_o g._n m._n desire_v he_o to_o be_v faithful_a &_o repent_v of_o his_o hypocrisy_n and_o say_v that_o i_o write_v it_o to_o you_o i_o wish_v he_o salvation_n write_v to_o i_o your_o mind_n anent_o c._n e._n and_o c._n y._n and_o their_o wife_n &_o i._n g._n or_o any_o other_o in_o my_o parish_n i_o fear_v i_o be_o forget_v among_o they_o but_o i_o can_v forget_v they_o the_o prisoner_n prayer_n and_o blessing_n come_v upon_o you_o grace_n grace_n be_v with_o you_o aberd._n feb_n 9_o 1637._o your_o brother_n in_o the_o lord_n jesus_n s._n r._n to_o my_o lord_n balmerinoch_n 109_o my_o very_a noble_a &_o true_o honourable_a lord_n i_o make_v bold_a to_o write_v news_n to_o your_o lo_o from_o my_o prison_n though_o your_o lo_o have_v experience_n more_o than_o i_o can_v have_v at_o my_o first_o entry_n here_o i_o be_v not_o a_o little_a casten_z down_z with_o challenge_n for_o old_a unrepented_a of_o sin_n &_o satan_n &_o my_o own_o apprehension_n 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in_o my_o throat_n but_o i_o forgive_v christ_n wisdom_n in_o that_o i_o dare_v not_o say_v one_o word_n he_o have_v do_v it_o &_o i_o will_v lay_v my_o hand_n upon_o my_o mouth_n if_o any_o other_o have_v do_v it_o to_o i_o i_o can_v not_o have_v bear_v it_o now_o my_o lord_n i_o must_v tell_v your_o lo_n that_o i_o will_v not_o give_v a_o drink_n of_o cold_a water_n for_o this_o clay_n idol_n this_o plastered_a
world_n i_o testify_v &_o give_v it_o under_o my_o own_o hand_n that_o christ_n be_v most_o worthy_a to_o be_v suffer_v for_o our_o lazy_a flesh_n which_o will_v have_v christ_n to_o cry_v down_o cross_n by_o open_a proclamation_n have_v but_o raise_v a_o slander_n upon_o the_o cross_n of_o christ._n my_o lord_n i_o hope_v you_o i_o will_v not_o forget_v what_o he_o have_v do_v for_o your_o soul_n i_o think_v you_o be_v n_o christ_n count-book_n as_o his_o oblige_a debtor_n grace_n grace_n be_v with_o your_o spirit_n aberd._n march_n 13._o 1637._o your_o lo_o oblige_a servant_n s._n r._n to_o alexander_n gordon_n of_o knockgray_n 110_o dear_a brother_n grace_n mercy_n &_o peace_n be_v to_o you_o i_o long_o to_o hear_v how_o your_o soul_n prosper_v i_o expect_v letter_n from_o you_o ere_o now_o as_o for_o myself_o i_o be_o here_o in_o good_a case_n well_o feast_v with_o a_o great_a king_n at_o my_o first_o come_v here_o i_o be_v that_o bold_a as_o to_o to_o take_v up_o a_o jealousy_n 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