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
wisdom made choice of it for me it must be best because it was his choice O that I may wait for him till the morning of this benighted Kirk break out This poor afflicted Kirk had a fair morning but her night came upon her before her noon-day she was like a traveller forced to take house in the morning of his journey now her adversaries are the chief men in the land her wayes mourn her gates languish her children sigh for bread and there is none to be instant with the Lord that he would come again to his house dry the face of his weeping spouse comfort Zion's mourners who are waiting for him I know he shall make corn to grow upon the top of his withered mount Zion again Remember my bonds forget me not Oh that my Lord would bring me again amongst you with abundance of the Gospel of Christ But O that I may set down my desires where my Lord biddeth me Remember my love in the Lord to your husband God make him faithfull to Christ my blessing to your three children Faint not in prayer for this Kirk Desire my people not to receive a stranger intruder upon my ministery let me stand in that right station that my Lord Jesus gave me Grace grace be with you Aberd. 1637. Yours in his sweet Lord and Master S. R. To JOHN GORDON At Risco 127 Dear Brother I Earnestly desire to know the case of your soul to understand that ye have made sure work of heaven salvation 1. Remember Salvation is one of Christ's dainties he giveth but to a few 2. That it is violent sweating striving that taketh heaven 3. That it cost Christ blood to purchase that house to sinners to set mankinde down the King 's free tenants free-holders 4. That many make a start toward heaven who fall on their back win not up to the top of the mount it plucketh heart legs from them they sit down give it over because the devil setteth a sweet smelled flower to their nose this fair busked World wherewith they are bewitched so forget or refuse to goe forward 5. Remember many goe far on reform many things can finde tears as Esau did suffer hunger for the truth as Iudas did wish desire the end of the righteous as Balaam did profess fair fight for the Lord as Saul did desire the saints of God to pray for them as Pharaoh Simon Magus did prophesie speak of Christ as Caiaphas did walk softly mourn for fear of judgement as Ahab did put away gross sins idolatry as Iehu did hear the word of God gladly reform their life in many things according to the word as Herod did say Master to Christ I will follow thee whither soever thou goest as the man who offered to be Christ's servant Math. 8. may taste of the vertues of the life to come be partaker of the wonderfull gifts of the holy spirit taste of the good word of God as the Apostates who sin against the Holy Ghost Heb 6. yet all these are but like gold in clink colour watered brass base mettall These are written that we should try our selves not rest till we be a step nearer Christ then sun-burnt withering professors can come 6. Consider it is impossible that your Idol-sins ye can goe to heaven together that they who will not part with these can indeed love Christ at the bottom but onely in word shew which will not doe the business 7. Remember how swiftly God's post time flieth away that your forenoon is already spent your afternoon will come then your evening at last night When ye cannot see to work let your heart be set upon finishing of your journey summing laying your accounts with your Lord. O how blessed shall ye be to have a joyfull welcome of your Lord at night How blessed are they who in time take sure course with their soul Bless his great name for what ye possess in goods children ease worldly contentment that he hath given you seek to be like Christ in humility lowliness of minde be not great intire with the world make it not your God nor your lover that ye trust into for it will deceive you I recommend Christ his love to you in all things let him have the flower of your heart your love set a low price upon all things but Christ cry down in your thoughts clay dirt that will not comfort you when ye get summonds to remove compear before your Judge to answer for all the deeds done in the body The Lord give you wisdom in all things I beseech you sanctifie God in your speaking for holy and reverend is his name be temperate sober companionry as it is called is a sin that holdeth men out of heaven I will not beleeve that ye will receive the ministry of a stranger who will preach a new uncouth doctrine to you Let my salvation stand for it if I delivered not the plain whole counsel of God to you in his word Read this letter to your wife remember my love to her request her to take heed to doe what I write to you I pray for you yours Remember me in your prayers to our Lord that he would be pleased to send me amongst you again Grace be with you Aberd. 1637. Your lawfull loving Pastor S. R. To Mr HUGH HENDERSON 128 Reverend and dear Brother WHo knoweth but the wind may turn in to the West again upon Christ his desolate bride in this land And that Christ may get his summer by course again for he hath had ill weather this long time could not finde law or justice for himself his truth these many years I am sure the wheels of this crazed broken Kirk run all upon no other axel-tree nor is there any other to roll them cogge them drive them but the wisdom good pleasure of our Lord And it were a just trick glorious of never-sleeping providence to bring our brethrens darts they have shot at us back upon their own heads Suppose they have two strings in their bow can take one as another saileth them yet there are moe then three strings upon our Lord's bowe and besides he cannot miss the white that he shooteth at I know he shuffleth up down in his hand the great body of heaven earth that Kirk Commonwealth are in his hand like a stock of Cards that he dealeth â—he play to the mourners in Zion and these that say lye down that we may goe over you at his own soveraign pleasure And I am sure Zion's adversaries in this play shall not take up their own stakes again O how sweet a thing it is
to trust in him When Christ hath sleeped out his sleep if I may speak so of him who is the watch-man of Israel that neither slumbereth nor sleepeth and his own are tried he will arise as a strong man after wine and make bare his holy arm and put on vengeance as a cloak and deal vengeance thick double amongst the haters of Zion It may be we see him sow and send down maledictions vengeances as thick as drops of rain or hail upon his enemies For our Lord oweth them a black day he useth duely to pay his debts neither his friends followers nor his foes adversaries shall have it to say that he is not faithfull exact in keeping his word I know no bar in God's way but Scotland's guiltiness he can come over that impediment break that bar also then say to guilty Scotland as he said Ezek. 36. Not for your sakes c. On-waiting had ever yet a blessed issue to keep the word of God's patience keepeth still the saints dry in the water cold in the fire breathing blood-hot in the grave What are prisons of iron walls gates of brass to Christ Not so good as feal dikes fortifications of straw or old tottering walls If he give the word then the chains will fall off the arms legs of his prisoners God be thanked that our Lord Jesus hath the tutouring of King and Court and Nobles and that he can dry the gutters and the mires in Sion and lay causeys to the Temple with the carcases of bastard Lord-Prelats idol-shepherds The corn on the house-tops got never the husband-man's prayers so is seen on it for it filleth not the hand of mowers Christ truth innocency worketh even under the earth verily there is hope for the righteous We see not what conclusions pass in heaven anent all the affaris of God's house we need not give hire to God to take vengeance of his enemies for Justice worketh without hire O that the seed of hope would grow again and come to maturity And that we could importune Christ double our knocks at his gate cast our cries shouts over the wall that he might come out make our Ierusalem the praise of the whole earth give us Salvation for walls bulwarks If Christ bud grow green and bloom bear seed again in Scotland his father send him two summers again in one year bless his crop O what cause have we to rejoyce in the free salvation of our Lord to set up our banners in the name of our God! O that he would hasten the confusion of the leprous strumpet the mother mistress of abominations in the earth take graven images out of the way come in with the Iews in troops agree with his old out cast forsaken wife take them in again to his bed of love Grace be with you Aberd. 1637. Yours in our Master and Lord S. R. To the Lady LARGIRIE 129. MISTRESS GRace mercy peace be to you I exhort you in the Lord to goe on in your journey to heaven to be content of such fare by the way as Christ his followers have had before you for they had alwayes the wind on their faces our Lord hath not changed the way to us for our ease but will have us following our sweet guide Alas how doeth sin dog us in our journey retard us What fools are we to have a by-god or an other lover or match to our souls beside Christ It were best for us like ill bairns who are best heard at home to seek our own home to sell our hopes of this little clay Innes idol of the earth where we are neither well summered nor well wintered Oh that our souls would fall so at oddes with the love of this world as to think of it as a traveller doeth of a drink of water which is not any part of his treasure but goeth away with the using for ten miles journey maketh that drink to him as nothing O that we had as soon done with this world and could as quickly dispatch the love of it But as a childe cannot hold two apples in his little hand but the one putteth the other out of it's room so neither can we be masters and Lords of two loves Blessed were we if we could make our selves masters of that invaluable treasure the love of Christ or rather suffer our selves to be mastered and subdued to Christ's love so as Christ were our all things all other things our nothings the refuse of our delights O let us be ready for shipping against the time our Lord's wind tide call for us Death is the last thief that shall come without din or noise of feet take our souls away we shall take our leave at Time fâ—ce Eternity our Lord shall lay together the two sides of this earthly Tabernacle fold us lay us by as a man layeth by his clothes at night put the one half of us in a house of clay the dark grave the other half of us in heaven or hell Seek to be found of your Lord in peace gather in your flitting put your soul in order for Christ will not give a nail-breadth of Time to our little sand-glass Pray for Zion for me his prisoner that he would be pleased to bring me amongst you again full of Christ fraughted laden with the blessings of his Gospel Grace grace be with you Aberd. 1637. Yours in his onely Lord and Master S. R. To EARLESTOWN Younger 130 Worthy dearly beloved in the Lord. GRace mercy peace be to you I long to hear from you I remain still a prisoner of hope doe think it service to the Lord to wait on still with submission till the Lord's morning-skie break his summer day dawn for I am perswaded it is a piece of the chief errand of our life that God sent us for some years down to this earth among devils men the fire-brands of the devil temptations that we might suffer for a time here amongst our enemies otherwise he might have made heaven to wait on us at our coming out of the womb and have carried us home to our countrey without letting us set down our feet in this knotty and thorny life but seeing a piece of suffering is carved to every one of us less or more as infinite wisdom hath thought good our part is to harden and habituat our soft and thin skinned nature to endure fire and water devils lions men losses woe hearts as these that are looked upon by God Angels men devils O what folly is it to sit down weep upon a decree of God that is both dumb deaf at our tears must stand still as unmovable as God who made it for who can come behinde our Lord to
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
of their Adversaries are driven from their flocks which to a godly Minister is the greatest of afflictions such I say may see for strengthning of their hands while they are put to contend with these that are too strong for them how this noble witness who suffered for the same cause carried how he acquit himself overcame the Archers shot sore at him but his bow abod in it's strengthâ—… The armes of his hands were made so strong by the hand of the mighty God of Jacob that he was too hard for all that entered the lists with him when they thought they had done sufficient either to force him to a compliance or to make him faint under the effects of their fury by depriving him of his ministery which was dearer to him then his life he was not by all this so much put to suffering to speak properly as he was for a season a little removed from the noise distraction that is abroad in the world to be alone with God O blessed solitude O sweet societie he was taken out of the clamour confusion that is here below up to the mount where he was admitted to a neer familiarity experienced the sweetness of that fellowship with God which he had preached unto others Though he was not taken from the earth yet he was not onely keeped from the evill that was then and is now in the world but he injoyed such a heaven under his heavy pressurs that if the being about of his Master's business had not been prized by him as preferable to his own consolation he would have been in hazard of forgetting the troubles of Zion and of saying it 's good for me to be here but he was such a servant as made is his meat drink to doe his Masters will he had so learned Christ as to prefer his concernments to his Chief joy therefore ye will finde him often in these Epistles feasting upon the consolations of God with the tear in his eye while he remembers Zion calls to mind the desolat condition of the flocks of Christ particularly his own for whom nothing was prepared He found in his solitude such a measure of presence as could hardly have been expected out of the chamber of presence where there is fulnesse of joy pleasures for evermore he know more in this happy retirement of the excercise of them who are above who being made Kings unto God have crowns upon their head being made priests also sacrifice these to the giver then he could have learned by revolving all the volumes that are written in many ages amidst the greatest outward calme tranquillity This is the summer fruit which grew out of the hard tree of the cross of Christ that he was put to bear which was so sweet to his taste that it made him disdain the dainties of his Adversaries disrelish these sowre unsavoury delights of the sons of men which however they may at first seem to have some petty sweet in them yet they quickly set the teeth of the eater on edge are found bitter in the belly of a bad digestion These were the quiet fruits of ighteousness that his servant reaped by hi sufferings for Christ that in such plenty that out of his abundance he sends some baskets of these sweet fruits abroad amongst his friends both to bring up a good report upon his liberall Lord Master who allowes on his followers while they are pinched with penury of other comforts full measure heaped up running over shaken together And upon the cross of Christ also to the end it might appear that this burden is so far from imbittering the life of a suffering saint that by the contrary as the sufferings of Christ abound in him so his consolation also aboundeth by Jesus Christ. The publication then I say of these Epistles seems in providence to be trysted on purpose with the sufferings of his servants at this time that we may be encouraged by his example to a Zealous faithfulnesse a cheerfull suffering may wax bold by his bonds under in which he did experience much of the glorious liberty of the sons of God How oft doe we finde him preferring his confinement to all the sublunary contentments of his persecurers here did he feed upon these pure unmixed delights which put such gladness in the heart as expells all the Latent lurking griefs that are there and causeth the soul while surrounded with all outward trouble to sing while they feed upon ashes fill their belly with the east wind who feast upon the tears of the people of God and seem to have nothing else to interrupt their tranquillity but how they may trouble the children of peace It was under this restraint in this house of his bondage when being shut up from and spoiled of all creatur-comforts that he found the surpassing sweetness of the consolations of God which taste best when they are most free of the mud mixture of other injoyments there it was where he found the truth of that saying of Augustin Tanta est dulcedo caelestis gaudii ut si una guttula difflueret in infernum totam amaritudinem inferâ—…i absorberet If one drop of heavenly joy should fall into hell it would swallow up or sweeten all thâ— bitterness of that place of torment The love of God and the joy of the Holy Ghost was so abundantly shed abroad in his heart while he was in the furnace that his cross was not onely made there by light easie his life pleasant but ye have him often saying because he found by these foretasts what inconceivable consolation must be in the immediat vision and full fruition of God that if there were no other way to come at the possession of that blessedness he would not onely chuse to swime through a sea of outward troubles but he would wade through the lake of fire brimstone to be possessed of God himself and there is none who knew the gracious sobriety of this holy man that will judge he complemented in saying so nay there are none who have found what a cool refreshing shade aboundant consolation the soul finds in the company of the son of man while they walk with him amdist the flames of the most scorching fiery trials but they would think strange if he spake otherwise Let us then be ashamed to scare at the cross or at Christ's company because of it since it bears the man who bears it Let us resolve to take joyfully the â—os of all things life it self not being excepted in the service of such a Master who maks us gainers by our loses and then in a speciall way maks up all our wants according to his riches in glory when we have forsaken all to follow him Let us study to carry in the sight of Adversaries as men who cannot be made miserable by affliction for if we be but indeed
that it shall not be your wisdom to spier out another Christ another way of worshiping him then is now savingly revealed to you Therfore though I never saw your faces let me be pardoned to write to you ye honourable persons ye faithfull Pastors yet amongst the flocks and ye sincere professors of Christs truth or any weak tired strayers who cast but halfe an eye after the bridegroom if possibly I could by any weak experience confirme and strengthen you in this good way every where spoken against I can with greatest assurance to the honour of our highest greatest dearest Lord let it be spoken assert though I be but a child in Christ and scarce able to walk but by a hold the meanest and lesse then the least of Saints that we doe not come nigh by twentie degrees to the due love estimation of that fairest among the sons of men for if it were possible that heaven yea ten heavens were laid in the ballance with Christ I would think the smell of his breath above them all sure I am he is the far best halfe of heaven yea he is all heaven and more then all heaven my testimonie of him is that ten lives of black sorrow ten deaths ten hells of pain ten furnaces of brimstone and all exquisit torments were all too little for Christ if our suffering could be a hire to buy him and therefore faint not in your sufferings hasards for him I proclaim cry hell sorrow and shame upon all lusts upon all by-lovers that would take Christs room over his head in this little inch of love of these narrow souls of ours that is due to sweetest Jesus O highest O fairest O dearest Lord Jesus take thine ovvn from all bastard lovers O that vve could wodset sell all our part of times glory and times good things for a lease tack of Christ for all eternitie O how are we misted and mired with the love of things that are in this side of time and in this side of deaths water where can we finde a match to Christ or an equal or a better then he among created things Oh this world is out of all conceit all love with our welbeloved O that I could sell my laughter joy ease and all for him and be content of a straw-bed and btead by weight water by measure in the camp of our weeping Christ I knovv his sackcloth and ashes are better then the fools laughter which is like the crackling of thornes under a pot But alace we doe not harden our faces against the cold north stormes which blow upon Christs fair face we love well summer religion to be that which Sin hath made us even as thin skinned as if we were made of white paper would fain be carried to heaven in a clâ—sse covered chariot wishing from our hearts that Christ vvould give us suretie his hand vvrite his seal for nothing but a fair summer untill we be landed in at heavens gates hovv many of us have been here deceived fainted in the day of tryall amongst you there are some of this Stamp I shall be sorrie if my acquantance A. T. hath left you I vvill not beleeve he dare stay from Christs side I desire that ye shevv him this from me for I loved him once in Christ neither can I change my mind suddenly of him But the truth is that many both of you too many also of your neighbour church of Scotland have been like a rennent that sitteth mealfree knovveth not his holding while his rights be questioned and now I am persvvaded it vvil be asked at every one of us on what terms vve brooke Christ for we have sitten long meal-free vve found Christ vvithout a vvett foot and He and his gospel came upon small charges to our Doors but now we must wet our feet to seeke him our evil manners and the bad fashions of a people at ease from our youth and like Moab not casten from vessell to vessel Jer. 48 11. hes made us like standing waters to gather a foul scumme when we are jumbled our dregs come up are seen many take but halfe a grip of Christ the wind bloweth them Christ asunder indeed when the mast is broken blown in the sea it is ane art then to swim upon Christ to drie land 't is even possible that the children of God in a hard triall lay them selves down as hidden in the lea-side of a bush vvhile Christ their master be taken as Peter did lurke there while the storme be overpast all of us knovv the vvay to a vvhole skin the singlest heart that is hath a by-purse that vvill contian the deniall of Christ a fearâ—ull backslding O hovv rare a thing is it to be loyall honest to Christ vvhen he hath a controversie vvth the sheelds of the earth I vvish all of you would consider that this triall is from Christ it is come upon you unbought indeed when we buy a tentation with our own money no marvel that we be not easily free of it and that God be not at our elbow to take it off our hand this is Christs ordinarie house-fire that he maks use of to try all the vessells of his house Withall Christ now is about to bring his treasure out before sun moon to tell his money in the telling to try what vveight of gold vvhat vveight of vvatered copper is in his house Doe not novv jouke or bovv or yeeld to your adversaries in a hairbreadth Christ and his truth vvill not divide his truth hath not latitude breadth that ye may take some of it leave other some of it nay the gospel is like a small hair that hath no breadth vvil not cleave in tvvo it is not possible to tryste compound a matter betvvixt Christ Antichrist therefore ye must either be for Christ or ye must be against him It vvas but mans vvit the vvit of Prelats their god father the Pope that man without law to put Christ his prerogatives royall his truth or the smallest nail-breadth of his latter vvil in the nevv kalendar of Indifferencies to make a blank of un-inked paper in Christs Testament that men may fill up so shufle the truth maters they call indifferent thorovv other spin both together that the Antichrists vvares may sell the better this is but the device forged dream of men vvhose consciences are made of stoutnesse have a throat that a graven image greater then the bounds of the Kirk door vvould give free passage unto I am sure vvhen Christ shall bring us all out in our black 's vvhit's at that day when he shall cry down time and the world when the glory of it shall lie in white ashes like a may flower cut down having lost the blosome there shall be
with the want of what we are obliged to give him even the glory of his grace by beleeving yet a poor covenanted sinner wanteth not but if guiltiness were removed doubtings would find no friend nor life and yet faith is to beleeve the removal of guiltiness in Christ. A reason why ye get less now as ye think then before as I take it is because at our first conversion our Lord putteth the meat in young bairns mouthes with his own hand but when we grow to some further perfection we must take heaven by violence and take by violence from Christ what we get and he can and doeth hold because he will have us to draw Remenber now ye must live upon violent plucking laziness is a greater fault now then long since we love alwayes to have the pape put in our mouth No for my self alace I am not the man I goe for in this nation men have not just weights to weigh me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but I am a liâ—â—yâ—â—â—less Body and ove◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If Christ would refer the matter to 〈◊〉 in his presence I speak it I might think shame to vote my own salvation I think Christ might say thinkâ—â— thou not shame to claim heaven who does so 〈◊〉 for it I am very often so that I know not whether 〈◊〉 â—â—nk oâ— swine in the water I find my self a bag of light froth I would bear no weight but vanities nothing's weigh in Christs balance if my Lord cast not in borrowed weight metall even Christs righteousness to weigh for me the stock I have is not mine own I am but the merchand that traffiques with other folks goods if my creditor Christ would take from me what he hath lent I would not long keep the causey but Christ hath made it mâ—â—e his I think it manhood to play the coward jouke in the lee-side of Christ and thus I am not onely saved from my enemies but I obtain the victory I am so empty that I think it were an almes-deed in Christ if he would win a poor prisoners blessing for evermore and fill me with his love I complain when Christ cometh he cometh alwayes to fetch fire he is ever in haste he may not tarry poor 〈◊〉 a beggerly Dyvour get but a standing visit a standing kiss but how doest thou in the by-going I dare not say he is lordly because he is made a King now at the right hand of God or is grown miskenning dry to his poor freinds for he cannot make more of his kisses then they are worth but I think it my happiness to love the love of Christ when he goeth away the memory of his sweet presence is like a feast in a dear summer I have comfort in this that my soul desireth that every hour of my imprisonment were a company of heavenly tongues to praise him on my behalf howbeit my bonds were prolonged for many hundred yeers O that I could be the man who could procure my Lords glory to flow like a full sea blow like a mighty wind upon all the four Airths of Scotland England Ireland O if I could write a book of his praises O fairest among the sons of men why stayest thou so long away O heavens move fast O time run run hasten the marriage-day for love is tormented with delayes O Angels O Seraphims who stand before him O blessed Spirits who now see his face set him on high for when ye have worn your harps in his praises all is too little is nothing to cast the smel of the praise of that fair flower that fragrant rose of Sharon through many worlds Sir take my hearty commendations to him tell him that I am sick of love Grace be with you Aberd. June 16. 1637. Yours in his sweet L. Iesus S. R. To his Honoured Dear Brother ALEXAND GORDON of KNOCKGRAY 28 Dearest truly honoured Brother GRace mercy peace be to you I have seen no letter from you since I came to Aberdeen I will no tinterpret it to be forgetfulness I am here in a fair prison Christ is my sweet honourable fellow-prisoner I his sad joyful Lord-prisoner if I may speak so I think this cross becometh me well is suitable to me in respect of my duty to suffer for Christ howbeit not in regard of my deserving to be thus honoured However it be I see Christ is strong even lying in the dust in prison and in banishment Losses disgraces are the wheels of Christs triumphing chariot In the sufferings of his own saints as he intendeth their good so he intendeth his own glory that is the butte his arrowes shoot at Christ shooteth not at the tovers he hitteth what he purposeth to hit Therefore he doeth make his own feckless weak nothing's these who are the contempt of men a new sharp threshing instrument having teeth to thresh the mountains beat them small to make the hills as chaff to fan them Isa. 51 15 16. What harder stuff or harder grain for threshing out then high and rockie mountains But the Saints are Gods threshing instruments to beat them all in chaff are we not Gods leem vessels yet when they cast us over an house we are not broken in sheards we creep in under our Lords wings in the great shower the water cannot goe thorow these wings It is folly then for men to say this is not Christs plea he will lose the wed-fee men are like to beguile him that were indeed a strange play Nay I dare pledge my soul lay it in pawne on Christs side of it be half-tiner half-winner with my Master Let fools laugh the foolslaughter scorn Christ bid the weeping captives in Babylon sing us one of the songs of Zion play a spring to chear up your sad-hearted God We may sing upon lucks head before hand even in our winter-storme in the expectation of a summer-sun at the turn of the yeer no created powers in hell or out of hell can mar our L. Jesus his musick nor spill our song of joy let us then be glad rejoyce in the salvation of our Lord for faith had never yet cause to have wet cheeks hingingdown browes or to droup or die what can aile faith seeing Christ suffereth himself with reverence to him be it spoken to be commanded by it Christ commandeth all things faith may dance because Christ sings we may come in the Quite lift our hoarse rough voices chirp sing shout for joy with our Lord Jesus We see oxen goe to the shambles leaping startling We see Gods fed oxen prepared for the day of slaughter goe dancing singing down to the black chambers of hell why should we goe to heaven weeping as if we were like to fall down thorow the earth for sorrow If God were dead if I may speak so with
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
hand of God Stir up your husband to minde his own countrey at home Counsel him to deal mercifully with the poor people of God under him They are Christ's not his therefore desire him to shew them mercifull dealing kindness to be good to their souls I desire you to write to me It may be that my Parish forget me but my witness is in heaven I dow not I doe not forget them They' are my sighes in the night my tears in the day I think my self like an husband plucked from the wife of his youth O Lord be my Judge what joy it would be to my soul to hear that my ministery hath left the Son of God among them that they are walking in Christ Remember my love to your Son and Daughtre Desire them from me to seek the Lord in their youth and to give him the morning of their dayes Acquaint them with the word of God prayer Grace be with you Pray for the prisoner of Christ In my heart I forget you not Aberd. March 6. 1637. Your lawfull loving Pastor in his onely Lord Iesus S. R. To Mr. JAMES HAMILTON 181 Reverend dearly beloved in our Lord. GRace mercy peace be to you Our acquaintance is neither in bodily presence nor in paper but as sons of the same father sufferers for the same truth Let no man doubt but the state of our question we are now forced to stand to by suffering exile imprisonment is If Iesus should reign over his Kirk or not Oh if my sinfull arm could hold the crown on his head howbeit it should be striken off from the shoulder-blade For your ensuing feared trial my very dearest in our Lord Iesus Alas what am I to speak to comfort a souldier of Christ who hath done an hundred times more for that worthy honourable cause then I can doe But I know these whom the world was not worthy of wandered up down in deserts in mountains in dens caves of the earth that while there is one member of mystical Christ out of heaven that member must suffer strokes till our Lord Jesus draw in that member within the gates of the new Ierusalem which he will not fail to doe at last for not one toe or finger of that body but it shall be take in within the city What can be our part in this pitched battel betwixt the Lamb the Dragon But to receive the darts in patience that rebound off us on upon our sweet Master or rather light first upon him then rebound off him upon his servants I think it a sweet North-wind that bloweth first upon the fair face of the chief among ten thousand then lighteth upon our sinfull black faces When once the wind bloweth off him upon me I think it hath a sweet smell of Christ so must besome more then a single cross I know ye have a guard about you your attendance train for your safety is far beyond your pursuers force or fraud It is good under feud to be near our war-house strong hold We can doe but little to resist them who persecut us oppose him but keep our blood our wounds to the next Court-day when our complaints will be read If this day be not Christ's I am sure the morrow shall be his As for any thing I doe in my bonds when now then a word falleth from me alas it is very little I am exceedingly grieved that any should conceive any thing to be in such a broken emptie reed let no man impute it to me that the free unbought wind for I gave nothing for it bloweth upon an empty reed I am his overburdened debter I cry down with me down down with all the excellency of the world up up with Christ Long long may that fair One that holy One be on high My curse be upon them that love him not O how glad would I be if his glory would grow out spring up out of my bonds sufferings Certainly since I became his prisoner he hath won the yolk heart of my soul Christ is even become a new Christ to me his love greener then it was now I strive no more with him his love shall carry it away I lay down my self under his love I desire to sing to cry to proclaim my self even under the water in his common eternally indebted to his kindness I will not offer to quite commons with him as we use to say for that will not be All all for evermore be Christ's What further trials are before me I know not but I know Christ will have a saved soul of me over on the other side of the water in the yonder side of crosses beyond mens wrongs I had but one eye that they have put out My one joy next to the flower of my joyes Christ was to preach my sweetest sweetest Master and the glory of his Kingdom and it seemed no cruelty to them to put out the poor man's one eye And now I am seeking about to see if suffering will speak my fair One's praises I am trying if a dumb man's tongue can raise one note or one of Zion's springs to advance my Welbeloved's glory Oh if he would make some glory to himself out of a dumb prisoner I goe with childe of his word I cannot be delivered none here will have my Master Alas What aileth them at him I bless you for your prayers adde to them praises As I am able I pay you home I commend your diving in Christ's Testament I would I could set out the dead man's goodwill to his friends in his sweet Testament Speak a prisoner 's hearty commendations to Christ fear not your ten dayes will over These that are gathered against mount Zion their eyes shall melt away in their eye-holes and their tongues consume away in their mouthes Christ's withered garden shall grow green again in Scotland My Lord Jesus hath a word hid in heaven for Scotland not yet brought out Grace be with you Aberd. July 7. 1637. Yours in his sweet Lord Iesus S. R. To MISTRESS STUART 182 MISTRESS GRace mercy peace be to you I am sorry that ye take it so hardly that I have not written to you I am judged to be that which I am not I fear if I were put in the fire I should melt away fall down in sheards of painted nature For truly I have little stuff at home that is worth the eye of God's servants If there be any thing of Christ's in me as I dare not deny some of his work it is but a spunk of borrowed fire that can scarce warm my self hath little heat for standers by I would sain have that which ye and others beleeve I have but ye are onely witnesses to my utter side and to some words in paper Oh that he would give me