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-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
am but withered dry bones But since ye desire me to write to you either help me to set Christ on high for his running-over love in that the heat of his sweet breath hath melted a frozen heart else I think ye doe nothing for a prisoner I am fully confirmed that it is the honour of our Law-giver I suffer for now I am not ashamed to give out letters of recommendation of Christ's love to as many as will extoll the Lord Jesus his cross If I had not sailed this sea-way to heaven but had taken the land-way as many doe I should not have known Christ's sweetness in such a measure But the truth is let no man thank me for I caused not Christ's wind to blow upon me His love came upon a withered creature whether I would or not yet by coming it procured from me a welcome A heart of iron iron doors will not hold Christ out I give him leave to break iron locks come in that is al now I know not whether pain of love for want of possâ—ssion or sorrow that I dow not thank him paineth me most but both work upon me For the First O that he would come satisfie the longing soul fill the hungry soul with these good things I know indeed my guiltiness may be a bar in his way but he is God ready to forgive And for the other woe woe is me that I cannot finde a heart to give back again my unworthy little love for his great sea-full of love to me O that he would learn me this piece of gratitude O that I could have leave to look in thorow the hole of the door to see his face sing his praises or could break up one of his chamber windows to look in upon his delighting beauty till my Lord send more any little communion with him one of his love-looks should be my begun heaven I know he is not Lordly neither is the bridegroom's love proud though I be black unlovely unworthy of him I would seek but leave withall grace to spend my love upon him I counsel you to think highly of Christ of free free grace more then ye did before for I know that Christ is not known amongst us I think I see more of Christ then ever I saw yet I see but little of what may be seen O that he would draw by the curtains that the King would come out of his gallerie his palace that I might see him Christ's love is young glory young heaven It would soften hell's pains to be filled with it What would I refuse to suffer if I could but get a draught of love at my hearts desire O what price can be given for him Angels cannot weigh him O his weight his worth his sweetness his overpassing beauty If men Angels would come look to that great Princely one their ebbeness would never take up his depth their narrowness would never comprehend his breadth height length If ten thousand thousand worlds of Angels were created they might all tire themselves in wondering at his beauty begin again to wonder of new O that I could win nigh him to kiss his feet to hear his voice to finde the smell of his ointments But Oh alas I have little little of him yet I long for more Remember my bonds help me with your prayers for I would not niffer or exchange my sad hours with the joy of my velvet-adversaries Grace be with you Aberd. June 10. 1637. Yours in his sweet Lord Iesus S. R. To Mr JAMES FLEMING 138 Reverend welbeloved in our Lord. GRace mercy peace be to you I received your letter which hath refreshed me in my bonds I cannot but testifie unto you my dear Brother what sweetness I finde in our Master's cross but alas what can I either doe or suffer for him If I my alone had as many lives as there have been drops of rain since the creation I would think them too little for that lovely one our welbeloved but my pain and my sorrow is above my sufferings that I finde not wayes how to set out the praises of his love to others I am not able by tongue pen or sufferings to provoke many to fall in love with him but he knoweth whom I love to serve in the spirit what I would doe suffer by his own strength sobeing I might make my Lord Jesus lovely sweet to many thousands in this land I think it amongst God's wonders that he will take any praise or glory or any testimony to his honourable cause from such a forlorn sinner as I am But when Christ worketh he needeth not ask the question by whom he will be glorious I know seeing his glory at the beginning did shine out of poor nothing to set up such a fair house for man Angels so many glorious creatures to proclaim his goodness power wisdom if I were burnt to ashes out of the smoke and powder of my dissolved body he could raise glory to himself His glory is his end Oh that I could joyn with him to make it my end I would think that fellowship with him sweet glorious But alas few know the guiltiness that is on my part it is a wonder that this good cause hath not been marred and spilt in my foul hands But I rejoyce in this that my sweet Lord Jesus hath found something adoe even a ready market for his free grace and incomparable and matchless mercy in my wants Onely my loathsom wretchedness and my wants have qualified me for Christ and the riches of his glorious grace he behooved to take me for nothing or else to want me Few know the unseen private reckonings betwixt Christ and me yet his love his boundless love would not bide away nor stay at home with himself yet I dow not make it welcome as I ought when it 's come unsent for and without hire How joyfull is my heart that ye write ye are desirous to joyn with me in praising for it is charity to help a Dyvour to pay his debts but when all have helped me my name shall stand in his count-book under ten thousand thousands of summes unpayed But it easeth my heart that â—is dear servants will but speak of my debts to such a sweet creditour I desire he may lay me in his own ballance weigh me if I would not fain have a feast of his boundless love made to my own soul and to many others One thing I know we shall not all be able to come neer his excellency with eye heart or tongue for he is above all created thoughts All nations before him are as nothing as less then nothing he â—itteth in the circuit of heaven and the inhabitants of the earth are as grashoppers before him O that men would praise him Ye complain of your private case Alas I am not the
ascended on high ye have claim to interest in that promise Remember my love in Christ to your father shew him it is late black might with him his long lying at the water-side is that he may look his papers eâ—â— he take shipping be at a point for his last answer before his judge Lord. All love all mercy all grace peace all multiplied saving consolations all joy faith in Christ all stability confirming strength of grace the good-will of him that dwelt in the bush be with you Aberd. 15. June 1637. Your unworthy brother is his sweet Lord Iesus S. R. To MARION M C KNAUGHT 35 Worthy dearest in the Lord. I Ever loved since I knew you that little vineyard of the Lord 's planting in Galloway But now much more since I have heard that he who hath his fire in Zion his furnace in Ierusalem hath been pleased to set up a furnace amongst you with the first in this Kingdom He who maketh old things new seeing Scotland an old drossie rusted Kirk is beginning to make a new clean bride of her to bring a young chast wife to him self out of the fire This fire shall be quenched so soon as Christ hath brought a clean spouse thorow the fire Therefore my dearly beloved in the Lord fear not a worm fear noâ— worm Iacob Christ iâ— iâ— that plea shall win the plea Charge an unbeleeving heart under the pain of treason against our great royall King Jesus to dependence by faith quiet on-waiting on our Lord Get you in to your chambers shut the doors about you In in with speed to your strong hold ye prisoners of hope ye doves flee in to Christ's windowes till the indignation be over the storme be past Glorifie the Lord in your sufferings take his banner of love spread over you others will follow you if they see you strong in the Lord their courage shall take life from your Christian carriage look up see who is coming lift up your head he is coming to save in garments died in blood travelling in the greatness of his strength I laugh I smile I leap for joy to see Christ coming to save you so quickly O such wide steps as Christ taketh Three or four hills are but a step to him he skippeth over the mountains Christ hath set a battell betwixt his poor weak saints his enemies he waileth the weapons for both parties saith to the enemies Take you a sword of steel Law Authority Parliaments Kings upon your side that is your armour he saith to his saints I give you a feckless tree-sword in your hand that is suffering receiving of strokes spoiling of your goods with your tree-sword ye shall get gain the Victory Was not Christ dragged through the ditches of deep distâ—esses great straits yet Christ who is your head hath win through with his life howbeit not with a whole skin Ye are Christs members 〈◊〉 is drawing his members thorow the thorny hedge up to heaven after him Chrisâ— one day will not have so much as a pained toe but there are great 〈◊〉 portions of Christ's mystical body not yet within the gates of the great high city the new Jerusalem the dragon will strike at Christ so long as there is one 〈◊〉 member of Christ's body out of heaven I tell you Christ 〈◊〉 make new work out of old fore-castâ—n Scotland gather 〈◊〉 old broken boards of his tabernacle pin them nail them togâ—ther our bills supplications are up in heaven Christ 〈◊〉 â—offers full of them there is mercy on the other 〈◊〉 of this hiâ—… a good answer to all our bills is agreed 〈◊〉 I must tell you what lovely Jesus fair Jesus King Jesus â—ath done to my soul sometimes he sendeth me out a standing drink whispereth a word thorow the wall I am well content of kindnessâ—t the second hand his bode is ever welcome to â—â—e be what it will but at other times he will be messenger himself I get the cup of salvation out of his own hand 〈◊〉 to me we cannot rest till we be in others armes and O how swèet is a fresh kiss from his holy mouth his â—…athing that goeth before a kiss upon my poor soul is sweet 〈◊〉 faultâ— but that it is too short I am careless stand not much on this howbeit â—oines back shoulders head â—ive in pieces in steping up to my fathers house I know my Lord can make long broad high deep glory to his name out of this bit feckless body for Christ looketh not what stuffe 〈◊〉 â—…eth glory ouâ— of My dearly beloved ye have often frâ—hed 〈◊〉 but that is put up in my Master's accounts â—e have him debter for me but if ye will doe any thing for me 〈◊〉 â—â—ow ye will now in my extremity tell all my dear friends that a prisoner is fettered chained in Christ's love Lord never loâ—… the fetters ye they together take 〈◊〉 hartiest commâ—…tions to my Lord Jesus thank him for a poor friend I desire your husband to read this letter I send him a prisoners blessing I will be obliged to him if he will be willing to suffer for my dear Master suffering is the professors golden garment there shall be no losses on Christ's side of it ye have been witnesses of much joy betwixt Christ me at communion-feasts the remembrance whereof howbeit I be feasted in secret holleth my heart for I am put from the board-head the kings first mess to his by-board his broken meat is sweet unto me I thank my Lord for borrowed crumbs no less then when I was feasted at the communion-table in Anwoth Kirkâ—udbright pray that I may get one day of Christ in publike as I have had long since before my eyes be closed Oh that my Master would take up house again lend me the keys of his wine-cellar again God send me borrowed drink till then Remember my love to Chist's kinsmen with you I pray for Christ's father's blessing to them all Grace be with you a prisoners blessing be with you I write it and I bide by it God shall be glorious in Marion M c Knaught when this stormy blast shall be over O woman beloved of God beleeve rejoyce be strong in the Lord Grace is thy portion Aberd. 15. June 1637. Your brother in his sweet Lord Iesus S. R. To JOHN GORDON At Risco in Galloway 36 My worthy dear Brother MIspend not your short sand-glass which runneth very fast seek your Lord in time let me obtain of you a letter under your hand for a promise to God by his grace to take a new course of walking with God heaven is not at the next door I finde it hard to be a Christian there is no little thrusting thronging to thrust in at
rejoyce in death Oh for a yeer's lease of the sense of his love without a cloud to try what Christ is Oh for the coming of the bridegroom Oh when will I see the bridegroom the bride meet in the clouds kisse each other Oh when will we get our day our hearts full of that love Oh is it were lawfull to complain of the fâ—mine want of that love of the immediat vision of God! O time time how doest thou torment the souls of these that would be swallowed up of Christ's love because thou movest so slowly Oh if he would pity a poor prisoner blow love upon me give a prisoner a taste or draught of that surpassing sweetness which is glory as it were begun to be a confirmation that Christ I shall have our fill of other for ever Come hither O love of Christ that I may once kisse thee before I die what would I not give to have time that lieth betwixt Christ me taken out of the way that we might once meet I cannot think but â—t the first sight I shall see of that most lovely fairest face love shall come out of his two eyes fill me with astonishment I would but desire to stand at the utter side of the gates of the new Jerusalem look thorow a hole of the door see Christ's face a borrowed vision in this life would be my borrowed begun heaven while the long long-looked for day dawn It is not for nothing that it is said Colos. 1. 27. Christ in you the hope of glory I will be content of no pawne of heaven but Christ himself for Christ possessed by faith here is young heaven glory in the bud If I had that pawne I would bide horning hell both ere I gave it again All we have here is scarce the picture of glory Should not we young bairns long look for the expiring of our minority It were good to be daily begging propines love-gifts the bridegroom's favours if we can doe no more seek Crumbs hungry dinners of Christ's love to keep the taste of heaven in our mouth while supper time I know it is far afternoon and nigh the marriage-supper of the Lamb the table is covered already O welbeloved run run fast O fair day when wil't thou dawn O shaddows flee away I think hope love woven thorow other make our absence from Christ spirituall torment It is a pain to wait on but hope that maketh not a hamed swalloweth up that pain It is not unkindness that keepeth Christ us so long asunder What can I say to Christ's love I think more then I can say To consider that when my Lord Jesus may take the air if I may so speak goe abroad yet he will be confined keep the prison with me but in all this sweet communion with him what am I to be thanked for I am but a sufferer whether I will or not he will be kind to me as if he had defied my guiltiness to make him unkind so he beareth in his love on me Here I die with wondering that justice hindereth not love for there are none in hell nor out of hell more unworthy of Christ's love Shame may confound and scar me once to hold up my black mouth to receive one of Christ's undeserved kisses If my inner-side were turned out all men saw my vileness they would say to me It is a shame for thee to stand still while Christ kiss thee embrace thee It would seem to become me rather to run away from hi love as ashamed at my own unworthiness Nay I may think shame to take heaven who have so higly provoked my Lord Jesus But seeing Christ's love will shame me I am content to be shamed My desire is that my Lord would give me broader deeper thoughts to feed my self with wondering at his love I would I could weigh it but I have no ballance for it When I have worn my tongue to the stump in praising of Christ I have done nothing to him I must let him alone for my withered armes will not goe about his high wide long and broad love What remaineth then but that my debt to the love of Christ lie unpaid for all eternity All that are in heaven are black sham'd with his love as well as I we must all be Dyvours together the blessing of that house-full or heaven-full of Dyvours shall rest for ever upon him Off this Land Nation would come stand beside his inconceivable glorious perfections look in love wonder adore would to God I could bring in many lovers to Christ's house But this Nation hath forsaken the fountain of living waters Lord cast not water on Scotland's coal Woe woe will be to this Land because of the day of the Lord 's fierce anger that is so fast coming Grace be with you Aberd. Your affectionat Brother in our Lord Iesus S. R. To JOHN KENNEDY Bailiffe of Ayr. 46 Worthy Dear Brother GRace mercy peace be to you I long to see you in this Northerne world in paper I know it is not forgetfulness that ye write not I am every way in good case both in soul body all honour glory be to my Lord I want nothing but a further revelation of the beauty of the unknown Son of God Either I know not what Christianity is or we have stinted a measure of so many ounce weights no more upon holiness there we are at a stay drawing our breath all our life a moderation in God's way now is much in request I profess I have never taken pains to finde out him whom my soul loveth there is a gate yet of finding out Christ that I have never lighted upon Oh if I could finde it out Alas how soon are we pleased with our own shaddow in a glass It were good to be beginning in sad earnest to finde out God to seek the right tread of Christ time custome a good opinion of our selves our good meaning our lazie desires our fair showes the world's glistering lustres these broad passements buskings of religion that bear bulk in the Kirk is that wherewith most satisfie themselves but a watered bed with tears a dry throat with praying eyes a fountain of tears for the sins of the land is rare to be found among us Oh if we could know the power of godliness This is one part of my case an other is that I like a fool once summoned Christ for unkindness complained of his sickelness unconstaney because he would have no more of my service nor preaching had casten me out of the inheritance of the Lord And I confess now this was but a bought plea I was a fool yet he hath born with me I gave him a fair advantage against me but love mercy would not let him take it
see Christ can borrow a cross for some hours set his servants beside it rather then under it win the plea too yea make glory to himself shame to his enemies comfort to his children out of it But whether Christ buy or borrow crosses he is King of crosses King of Devils King over hell King over malice When he was in the grave he came out brought the keys with him he is Lord-Jaylor nay what say I he is Captain of the castle he hath the keys of deaths hell what are our troubles but little deaths he who commandeth the great castle commandeth the little also 2. I see a hardned face two skins upon our browes against the winter hail stormy wind is meetest for a poor traveller in a winter journey to heaven O what art is it to learn to endure hardness to learn to goe bare footed either through the devil's fiery coals or his frozen waters 3. I am perswaded a sea-venture with Christ maketh great riches Is not our King Jesus his ship coming home shall not we get part of the gold Alas we fools miscount our gain when we seem losers Beleeve me I have no challenges against this well-born cross for it is come of Christ's house is honourable his propine To you it is given to suffer O what fools are we to undervalue his gifts to lightlie that which is true honour For if we could be faithfull our tackling shall not loose nor our mast break nor our sails blow into the sea The bastard crosses the kinless base-born crosses of worldlings for evil doing must be heavie grievous but our afflictions are light momentany 4. I think my self happy that I have lost credit with Christ that in this bargain I am Christ's sworn dyvour to whom he will lippen nothing no not one pin in the work of my salvation Let me stand in black and white in the Dyvourbook be ore Christ I am happy that my salvation is concredited to Christ's mediation Christ oweth no faith to me to lippen any thing to me but O what faith credit I ow to him Let my name fall let Christ's name stand in honour with man angel Alas I have no room to spread out my affection before God's people I see not how I can shout out cry out the loveliness the high honour the glory of my fairest Lord Jesus Oh that he would let me have a bed to lie in to be delivered of my birth that I might paint him out in his beauty to men as I dow 5. I wondered once at providence called white providence black unjust that I should be smothered in a town where no soul will take Christ off my hand But providence hath another lustre with God then with my bliered eyes I proclaim my self a blinde body who know not black white in the uncouth course of God's providence Suppose Christ would set hell where heaven is devils up in glory beside the elect Angels which yet cannot be I would I had a heart to acquiesce in his way without further dispute I see infinite wisdom is the mother of his judgements his wayes pass finding out 6. I cannot learn but I desire to learn to bring my thoughts will lusts in under Christ's feet that he may trample upon them But alas I am still upon Christ's wrong side Grace be with you Aberd. Sept. 12. 1637. Yours in his sweet Lord Iesus S. R. To ROBERT LENNOX Of Disdove 83 Worthy dear Brother I Forget you not in my bonds I know ye are looking to Christ I beseech you follow your look I can say more of Christ now by experience though he be infinitly above beyond all that can be said of him then when I saw you I am drowned over head ears in his love Sell sell sell all things for Christ. If this whole world were the balk of a ballance it should not be able to bear the weight of Christ's love man angels have short arms to fathom it Set your feet upon this piece blew base clay of an over-guilded fair plaistered world an hours kissing of Christ is worth a world of worlds Sir make sure work or your salvation build not upon sand lay the foundation upon the rock in Zion strive to be dead to this world to your will lusts Let Christ have a commanding power a King throne in you Walk with Christ howbeit the wind should take the hide off your face I promise you Christ will win the field Your pastors cause you to erre except you see Christ's word goe not one foot with them Countenance not the reading of that Romish Service-book Keep your garments clean as ye would walk with the Lamb clothed in white The wrongs I suffer are upon record in heaven our great Master Judge will be upon us all bring us before the sun in our black 's white 's Blessed are they who watch keep themselves in God's love Learn to discern the Bridegroom's tongue to give your self to prayer reading Ye was often a hearer of me I would put my heart blood upon the doctrine I taught as the onely way to salvation goe not from it my dear Brother What I write to your self I write to your wife also Minde heaven Christ keep the spunk of the love of Christ you have gotten Christ shall blow on it if ye entertain it your end shall be peace There is a fire in our Zion but our Lord is but seeking a new Bride refined purified out of the furnace I assure you howbeit we be nick-named Puritans all the powers of the world shall not prevail against us Remember though a sinfull man write it to you these people shall yet be in Scotland as a green olive-tree a field blessed of the Lord it shall be proclaimed up up with Christ down down with all contrary powers Sir pray for me I name you to the Lord for further evil is determined against me Remember my love to Christian Murray her daughter I desire her in the edge of her evening to wait a little the King is coming he hath something that she never saw with him heaven is no dream Come see will teach her best Grace grace be with you Aberd. Sept. 13. 1637. Yours in his sweet Lord Iesus S. R. To MARION McKNAUGHT 84 Dearest in our Lord Iesus COunt it your honour that Christ hath begun at you to fine you first Fear not saith the Amen the true faithfull witness I write to you as my Master liveth upon the word of my royal King continue in prayer in watching your glorious deliverance is coming Christ is not far off a fig a straw for all the bits of clay that are risen against us Ye shall thresh the mountains fan then like
of time be cloudy ye cannot but think your Lord can no more take your blood your band without the in-come reeompence of free grace hâ—…e would take the sufferings of Paul his other dear servants that were well paid home beyond all counting Rom. 8 18. If the wisdom of Christ hath made you Antichrist's eye-sore his envy ye are to thank God that such a piece of clay as ye are is made the field of glory to work upon it was the potter's aim that the clay should praise him I hope it satisfieth you that your clay is for his glory Oh who can suffer enough for such a Lord who can lay out in bank enough of pain shame losses tortures to receive in again the free interest of eternall glory 2 Cor. 4 17. O how advantagious a bargaining is it with such a rich Lord If your hand pen had been at leisure to gain glory in paper it had been but paper-glory but the bearing of a publike cross so long for the now controverted priviledges of the crown scepter of free King Jesus the Prince of the Kings of the earth is glory booked in heaven Worthy dear Erother if ye goe to weigh Jesus his sweetness excellency glory beauty say fore-against him your ounces or drams of Suffering for him ye shall be straitned two wayes 1. It will be a pain to make the comparison the disproportion being by no understanding imaginable nay if heaven's Arithmetick Angels were set to work they should never number the degrees of difference 2. It should straiten you to finde a scale for the ballance to lay that High Lofty One that overtranscending Prince of excellency into If your minde could fancy as many created heavens as time hath had minutes trees have had leaves clouds have had rain drops since the first stone of the creation was laid they should not make half a scale to bear weight boundless excellency it to And therefore the King whose marks ye are bearing whos 's dying ye carry about with you in your body is out of all cry consideration beyond above all our thoughts For my self I am content to feed upon wondering sometimes at the beholding but of the borders skirts of the incomparable glory which is in that exalted Prince I think ye could wiâ—h for more ears to give him then ye have since ye hope these ears ye now have give him shall be passages to take in the musick of his glorious voice I would fain both beleeve pray for a new Bride of Iews Gentiles to our Lord Jesus after the land of graven images shall be laid waste that our Lord Jesus is on horse-back hunting pursuing the beast that England Ireland shall be well sweeped chambers for Christ and his righteousness to dwell in for he hath opened our graves in Scotland the two dead buried witnesses are risen again are prophesying O that Princes would glory boast themselves in carrying the train of Christ's tobe royal in their arms Let me die within an half-hour after I have seen the Son of God his temple enlarged the cords of Iâ—rusalem's tent lengthned to take in a more numerous company for a Bride to the Son of God Oh if the corner or foundation-stone of that house that new house were laid above my grave O who can adde to him who is that great ALL If he would create suns moons new heavens thousand thousand degrees more perfect then these that now are again make a new creation ten thousand thousand degrees in perfection beyond that new creation again still for eternity multiplie new heavens they should never be a perfect resemblance of that infinite excellency order weight measure beauty sweetness that is in him O how little of him doe we see O how shallow are our thoughts of him Oh if I had pâ—in for him shame losses for him more clay spirits for him that I could goe upon earth without love desire hope because Christ hath taken away my love desire hope to heaven with him I know Worthy Sir your sufferings for him are your glory therefore weary not his salvation is near hand and shall not tarry Pray for me his grace be with you St Andrewes Nov. 22. 1639. Yours in his sweet Lorâ— Iesus S R. To Mr HENRY STUART his Wife two Daughters all Prisoners of Christ at Dublin Rev. 2 10. Fear none of these things which ye shall suffer c. 29. Truly Honoured Dearly beloved GRace mercy peace be to you from God our father our Lord Jesus Christ. Think it not strange beloved in our Lord Iesus that Satan can command keyes of prisons bolts chains this is a piece of the Devil's Princedom that he hath over the world interpret understand our Lord well in this be not jealous of his love though he make devils and men his under-servants to scour the rust off your faith purge you from your dross And let me charge you O prisoners of hope to open your window to look out by faith behold heavens post that speedy swift salvation of God that is coming to you it is a broad river that faith will not look over it is a mighty a broad sea that they of a lively hope cannot behold the furthest bank other shore thereof Look over the water your anchor is fixed within the vail the one end of the cable is about the prisoner of Christ the other is entred within the vail whither the forerunner is entred for you Heb. 6 19 20. It can goe straight thorow the flames of the fire of the wrath of men devils losses tortures death and not a threed of it be either singed or burnt men and devils have no teeth to bite it in two Hold fast till he come Your cross is of the colour of heaven Christ pasmented over with the faith comforts of the Lord 's faithfull Covenant with Scotland that dy colour will abide the foul weather neither be stained nor cast the colour yea it reflects a scad like the cross of Christ whose holy hands many a day lifted up to God praying for sinners were fettered and bound as if these blessed hands had stoln shed innocent blood When your lovely lovely Jesus had no better then the thief's doom it is no wonder that your process be lawless and turned upside down for he was taken fettered buffetted whipped spitted upon before he was convicted of any fault or sentenced Oh such a pair of sufferers and witnesses as high and royal Jesus and a poor piece guilty clay marrowed together under one yoke O how lovely is the cross with such a second I beleeve that your prison is enacted in God's court not to keep you till your hope breath out it's life last Your cross is under law
to restore you again safe to your brethren sisters in Christ take heaven and Christ's back-bond for a fair back-door out of your suffering The Saviour is on his journey with salvation and deliverance for mount Zion the sword of the Lord is drunk with blood and made fat with fatness his sword is bathed in heaven against Babylon for it is the day of the Lord's vengeance and the year of recompences for the comtroversie of Zion And perswade your selves the streams of the rivers of Babylon shall be pitch and the dust of the land brimstone and burning pitch Isa. 34 8. And if your deliverance be conjoyned with the deliverance of Zion it shall be two salvations to you It were good to be armed before hand for death or bodily tortures for Christ and to think what a crown of honour it is that God hath given you pieces of living clay to be tortured witnesses for saving truth and that ye are so happy as to have some pints of blood to give out for the crown of that royal Lord who hath caused you to avouch himself before men If ye can lend fines of three thousand pound sterling for Christ let heaven's register and Christ's count-book keep in reckoning your depursments for him It shall be engraven printed in great letters upon heaven's throne what you are willing to give for him Christ's papers of that kinde cannot be lost or fall by Doe not wonder to see clay boast the great potter to see blinced men to threaten the Gospel with death burial to raze out Truth 's name but where will they make a grace for the Gospel the Lord's bride Earth hell shall be but little bounds for their burial lay all the clay rubbish of this inch of the whole earth above our Lord's spouse yet it will not cover her nor hold her down she shall live not die she shall behold the salvation of God Let your faith frist God a little be not afraid for a smoking fire-brand there is more smoke in Babylon's furnace then there is fire till dooms-day shall come they shall never see the Kirk of Scotland our Covenant burnt to ashes or if it should be thrown in tho fire yet it cannot be so burnt or buried as not to have a resurrection angry clay 's wind shall shake none of Christ's corn he will gather in all his wheat into his barn onely let your fellowship with Christ be renewed ye are sibber to Christ now when you are imprisoned for him then before for now the stroakes laid on you doe come in remembrance before our Lord he can owne his own wounds a drink of Christ's love which is better then wine is the drink-silver which Suffering for his majesty leaves behinde it it is not your sins which they persecute in you but God's grace loyalty to King Jesus they see no treason in you to your Prince the King of Britain albeit they say so but it is heaven in your that earth is fighting against Christ is owning his own cause grace is a party that fire will not burn not water drown when they have eaten drunken you their stomack shall be sick they shall spue you out alive O what glory is it to be suffering abjects for the Lord's glory royalty Nay though his servants had a body to burn for ever for this Gospel so being that triumphing exalted Jesus his high glory did rise out of these flames out of that burning body Oh what a sweet fire O what soul-refreshing torment should that be What if the pickles of dust ashes of the burnt dissolved body were musicians to sing his praises the highness of that never-enough-exalted Prince of ages O what love is it in him that he will have such musicians as we are to tune that Psalm of his everlasting praises in heaven Oh what shining burning flames of love are these that Christ will divide his share of life of heaven glory with you Luk. 22. 29. Ioh. 17 24. Rev. 3 21. A part of his throne one draught of his wine his wine of glory life that comes from under the throne of God of the Lamb one apple of the tree of life will doe more then make up all the expences charges of clay lent out for heaven Oh! Oh but we have short narrow creeping thoughts of Jesus doe but shape Christ in our conceptions according to some created portraiture O Angels lend in your help to make love-books songs of our fair white ruddy standard-bearer amongst ten thousand O heavens O heaven of heavens O glorified tennants triumphing house-holders with the Lamb put in new Psalms love-sonnets of the excellency of our bridegroom help us to set him on high O indwellers of earth heaven sea air O all ye created beings within the bosom of the outmost circle of this great world O come help to set on high the praises of our Lord O fairness of creatures blush before his uncreated beauty O created strength be amazed to stand before your strong Lord of hosts O created love think shame of thy self before this unparalleled love of heaven O angel-wisdom hide thy self before our Lord whose understanding passeth finding out O sun in thy shining beauty for shame put on a web of darkness cover thy self before thy brightest master maker O who can adde glory by doing or suffering to this never-enough-admired and praised lover Oh we can but bring our drop to this sea and our candle dim and dark as it is to this clear and lightsom sun of heaven and earth Oh but we have cause to drink ten deaths in one cup dry to swim through ten seas to be at that land of praises where we shall see that wonder of wonders enjoy this jewel of heavens jewels O death doe thy outmost against us O torments O malice of men devils waste thy-strength on the witnesses of our Lord's testament O devils bring hell to help you in tormenting the followers of the Lamb we will defie you to make us too soon happy to waft us too soon over the water to the land where the noble plant the plant of venown groweth O cruel Time that torments us suspends our dearest enjoyments that we wait for when we shall be bathed steeped soul body down in the depths of this love of loves O Time I say run fast O motions mend your pace O Welbeloved be like a young Roe upon the mountains of Separations Post post hasten our desired hungered-for meeting love is sick to hear tell of to morrow And what then can come wrong to you O honourable witnesses of his Kingly truth Men have no more of you to work upon but some few inches and span-lengths of fick coughing and flegmatick clay your spirits are above their benches courts or High
life 1 Ioh. 1 2 3. hath been declared to you Thousands of thousands walking in that light that good old way have gone to heaven are now before the throne Truth is but one hath no numbers Christ Antichrist are both now in the camp are come to open blowes Christ's poor ship saileth in a sea of blood the passengers are so sea-sick of a high fever that they miscall one another Christ I hope shall bring the broken bark to land I had rather swim for life death on an old plank or a brokeÌ„ board to land with Christ then enjoy the rotten peace we have hitherto had It is like the Lord will take a severe course with us to cause the children of the family agree together I conceive that Christ hath a great designe of free grace to these Lands but his wheels must move over mountains rocks He never yet wooed a Bride on earth but in blood in fire in the wilderness A cross of our own chusing honeyed sugared with consolations we cannot have I think not much of a cross when all the children of the house weep with me for me to suffer when we enjoy the communion of Saints is not much but it is hard when Saints rejoyce in the suffering of Saints redeemed ones hurt yea even goe nigh to hate redeemed ones I confess I imagined there had no more been such an affliction on earth or in the world then that one elect Angel should fight against another but for contempt of the communion of Saints we have need of new-born crosses scarce ever heard of before the saints are not Christ there is no misjudging in him there is much in us a doubt it is if we shall have fully one heart till we enjoy one heaven our star-light hideth us from our selves hideth us one from another Christ from us all but he will not be hidden from us I shall wish that all the sons of our father in that Land be of one minde that they be not shaken nor moved from the Truth once received Christ was in that Gospel Christ is the same now that he was in the Prelates time That Gospel cannot sink it will make you free bear you out Christ the subject of it is the chosen of God cometh from Bozrah with garments dyed in blood Ireland Scotland both must be his field in which he shall feed gather lilies suppose which yet is impossible that some had an eternity of Christ in Ireland a sweet summer of the Gospel a feast of fat things for evermore in Ireland one should never come to heaven it should be a desirable life the King's spikenard Christ's perfume his apples of love his oyntments even down in this lower house of clay are a choice heaven O what then is the King in his own land where there is such a throne so many Kings palaces ten thousand thousands of crowns of glory that want heads yet to fill them O so much leisure as shall be there to sing O such a tree as groweth there in the midst of that paradise where the inhabitants sing eternally under it's branches To look in at a window see the branches burdened with the apples of life to be the last man that shall come in thither were too much for me I pray you remember me to the Christians there remember our private Covenant Grace be with you London April 17. 1646. Your friend in the Lord Iesus S. R. To EARLESTOWN Elder 54 Sir I Know ye have learned long agoe ere I knew any thing of Christ that if we had the Cross at our own election we would either have law-surety for freedom from it or then we would have it honeyed sugared with comforts so as the sweet should over-master the gall wormwood Christ knoweth how to breed the sons of his house ye will give him leave to take his own way of dispensation with you though it be rough forgive him he defieth you to have as much patience to him as he hath born to you I am sure there cannot a dram-weight of gall be less in your cup ye would not desire he sould both afflict you hurt your soul. When his people cannot have a Providence of silk roses they must be content with such an one as he carveth out for them ye would not goe to heaven but with company ye may perceive that the way of these who went before you was through blood sufferings many afflictions Nay Christ the Captain went in over the door-threshold of Paradise bleeding to death I doe not think but ye have learned to stoop though ye as others be naturally stiff that ye have found that the apples sweet fruits which grow on that crabbed tree of the Cross are as sweet as it is so â—re to bear it especially considering that Christ hath born the whole compleat Cross his Saints bear but bits chipes as the Apostle saith The remnants or leavings of the Cross. I Judge you ten thousand times happy that ever ye was Grace's debter for certainly Christ hath ingaged you over head ears to free Grace take the debt with you to Eternity Immanuel's highest land where ye finde before you a house-full of Christ's everlasting debters the less shame to you Yea this lower Kingdom of Grace is but Christ's Hospital Guest-house of sick folks whom the brave noble Physician Christ hath cured upon a venture of life death And if ye be near the water-side as I know ye are all that I can say is this Sir that I feel by the smell of that land which is before you that it 's a goodly Countrey it is well payed-for to your hand he is before you who will heartily welcome you O to suck these breasts of full consolation above to drink Christ's new wine up in his father's house is some greater matter then is beleeved since it was brewed from eternity for the head of the house so many thousand crowned Kings Rubs in the way where the lodging is so good are not much He that brought again from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep by the blood of the eternal Covenant establish you to the end London May 15. 1646. Your friend and servant in Christ Iesus S. R. To his reverend worthy Brother Mr G. GILLESPIE 55 Reverend dear Brother I Cannot speak to you the way ye know the passage is free not stopped the print of the footsteps of the fore-runner is clear manifest many have gone before you Ye will not sleep long in the dust before the day break it is a far shorter piece of the hinder-end of the night to you then to Abraham Moses beside all the time of their bodies resting under curruption it is as long yet to their day as to your morning light of awaking
to glory though their spirits having the advantage of yours have had now the fore-start of the shore before you I dare say nothing against his dispensation I hope to follow quickly The heirs that are not there before you are posting with haste after you none shall take your lodging over your head Be not heavy the life of faith is now called for doing was never reckoned in your accounts though Christ in by you hath done more then by twenty yea an hundred gray-haired godly Pastors beleeving now is your last Look to that word Gal. 2 v. 20. Nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me Ye know the I that liveth the I that liveth not It is not single Ye that liveth Christ by law liveth in the broken debter It is not a life by doing or holy walking but the living of Christ in you If ye look to your self as divided from Christ ye must be more then heavy All your wants dear Brother be upon him ye are his debter Grace must summe subscribe your accounts as paid stand not upon Items small or little Sanctification ye know inherent Holiness must stand by when imputed is all I fear the clay-house is a-taking down undermining but it is nigh the dawning look to the East the dawning of glory is near your Guide is good company knoweth all the miles the up's down's in the way the nearer the morning the darker Some traveller seeth the city 20 miles off at a distance yet within the eight part of a mile he cannot see it It is all keeping that ye would now have till ye need it if sense fruition come both at once it is not your loss let Christ tutour you as he thinks good ye cannot be marred nor miscarry in his hand Want is an excellent qualification no money no price to you who I know dare not glory in your own righteousness is ritness warrantable enough to cast your self upon him who justifieth the ungodly Some see the gold once never again till the race's end it is coming all in a summe together when ye are in a more gracious capacity to tell it then now Ye are not come to the mount that burneth with fire nor unto blackness darkness tempest but ye are come to mount Zion unto the city of the living God the heavenly Ierusalem to an innumerable company of Angels to the general Assembly Church of the first-born which are written in heaven to God the Iudge of all the Spirits of just men made perfect to Iesus the Mediator of the new Covenant to the blood of sprinkling c. Ye must leave the wife to a more choice husband the children to a better father If ye leave any testimony to the Lord's work Covenant against both Malignants Sectaries which I suppose may be needfull let it be under your hand subscribed before faithfull witnesses St Andrews Sept. 27. 1648. Your loving afflicted Brother S. R. To Mistress GILLESPIE 56 Dear Sister I have heard how the Lord hath visited you in removing the childe Archibald I hope ye see the setting down of the weight of your confidence affection upon any created thing whether husband or childe is a deceiving thing that the Creature is not able to bear your weight but sinketh down to very nothing under your confidence and therefore ye are Christ's debter for all providences of this kinde even in that he buildeth an hedge of thorns in your way for so ye see his gracious intention is to save you If I may say so whether ye will or not It is a rich mercy that the Lord Christ will be Master of your will and of all your delights and that his way is so fair for the landing of husband children before-hand in the countrey wherherto ye are journeying No matter how little ye be ingaged to the world since ye have such experience of cross-dealing in it had ye been a childe of the house the world would have dealt more warmly with it's own there is less of you out of heaven that the childe is there and the husband is there but much more that your Head and Kinsman Redeemer doeth fetch home such as are in danger to be lost from this time forward fetch not your comforts from such broken cisterns dry wells if the Lord pull at the rest ye must not be the creature that shall hold when he draweth Truly to me your case is more comfortable then if the fire-side were well plenished with ten children the Lord saw ye was able by his grace to bear the loss of husband and childe that ye are that weak and tender as not to be able to stand under the mercy of a gracious husband living flourishing in esteem with Authority and in reputation for Godliness and Learning for he knoweth the weight of these mercies would crush you and break you and a there is no searching out of his understanding so he hath skill to know what providence will make Christ dearest to you and let not your heart say it is an ill waâ—led dispensation sure Christ who hath seven eyes had before him the good of a living husband and children for Margaret Murray the good of a removed husband and children translated to gloâ—y now he hath opened his decree to you say Christ hath made for me a wise and gracious choice and I have not one word to say on the contrary Let not your heart charge any thing or Unbeleef libell injuries upon Christ because he will not let you alone nor give you leave to play the idolatress with such as have not that right to your love that Christ hath I should wish at the reading of this that ye may fall down and make a surrender of these that are gone and these that are yet alive to him and for you let him have all and wait for himself for he will come will not tarry live by faith and the peace of God guard your heart he cannot die whose ye are My wife suffers with you remembreth her love to you St Andrews August 14. 1649 Your brother in Christ S. R. To the worthy much honoured Collonel G. KER 57 Much honoured truely worthy I hope I shall not need to shew you that ye are in greater hazard from yourself and your own spirit which would be watched over that your actings for God may be clean spirituall purely for God for the Prince of the Kings of the earth then ye can be in danger from your enemies O how hard is it to get the intentions so cut off from and raised above the creature as to be without mixture of creature and carnall-interests to have the soul in heavenly actings onely onely eveing himself and acting from love to God revealed to us in Jesus Christ Ye will finde your self your delights your solid