part of payment of God's principal summe ye have to rejoyce for our Lord will not lose his earnest neither will he goe back or repent him of the bargain If ye finde at some time a longing to see God joy in the assurance of that sight howbeit that feast be but like the Passover that cometh about onely once a year peace of conscience liberty of prayer the doors of God's treasure casten up to the soul a clear sight of himself looking out saying with a smiling countenance Welcome in to me afflicted soul this is the earnest that he giveth sometimes which maketh glad the heart is an evidence that the bargain will hold But to the end ye may get this earnest it were good to come oft in terms of speech with God both in prayer hearing of the word For this is the house of wine where ye meet with your Welbeloved here it is where he kisseth you with the kisses of his mouth and where ye feel the smell of his garments and they have indeed a most fragrant glorious smell Ye must I say wait upon him be often communing with him whose lips are as lilies dropping sweet smelling myrrhe by the moving thereof he will asswage your grief for the Christ that saveth you is a speaking Christ the Church knoweth him Cant. 2. By his voice she can discern his tongue amongst a thousand I say this to the end ye should not love thâ—se dumb masks of Antichristian Ceremonies that the Church where ye are for a time hath casten over the Christ whom your soul loveth This is to set before you a dumb Christ â—ut when our Lord cometh â—e speaketh to the heart in the simplicity of the Gospel I have neither tongue nor pen to express to you the happiness of such as are in Christ When ye have sold all that ye have bought the field wherein this pearl is ye will think it no bad market for if ye be in him all his is yours ye are in him therefore because he liveth ye shall live also Ioh. 14. 19. And what is that else But as if the Son had said I will not have heaven except my redeemed ones be with me they I cannot live asunder Abide in me I in you Ioh. 15. 5. O sweet communion when Christ we are through other are no longer two Father I will that these whom thou hast given me be with me where I am to behold my glory that thou hast given me Ioh. 17. 24. Amen dear Jesus let it be according to that word I wonder that ever your heart should be casten down if ye beleeve this truth they are not worthy of Jesus Christ who will not suffer forty years troubles for him since they have such glorious promises But we fools beleeve these promises as the man that read Plato's writings concerning the immortality of the soul so long as the book was in his hand he beleeved all was true that the Soul could not die but so soon as he laid by the book presently he began to imagine that the Soul is but a smoke or airy vapour that perisheth with the expiring of the breath So we at starts doe assent to the sweet precious promises but laying aside God's book we begin to call all in question It is faith indeed to beleeve without a pledge to hold the heart constant at this work when we doubt to run to the Law to the Testimony stay there Madam hold you here here is your father's Testament read it in it he hath left to you Remission of sins life everlasting If all that ye have here be crosses troubles down-castings frequent desertions departure of the Lord who is suiting you in marriage courage he who is wooer and suiter should not be an houshold-man with you till ye and He come up to his father's house together He purposeth to doe you good at your latter end Deut. 8 16. to give you rest from the dayes of adversity Psal. 94 13. It is good to bear the yoke of God in your youth Lam. 3 27. Turn in to your strong hold as a prisoner of hope Zech. 9 12. For the vision is for an appointed time but at the end it shall speak not lye though it tarry wait for it because it will surely come it will not tarry Hab 2 3. Hear himself saying Isa 26 20. Come my people rejoyce he calleth on you enter thou into thy chambers shut thy doors about thee hide thy self as it were for a little moment till the indignation be past Beleeve then beleeve be saved think not hard â—f â—e get not your will nor your delights in this life God will have you to rejoyce in nothing but himself God forbid that ye should rejoyce in any thing but in the cross of Christ Gal 4. 16. Our Church Madam is decaying she is like Ephraim's cake gray hairs are here there upon her she knoweth it not Hos. 7 9. She is old gray haired near the grave no man taketh it to heart her wine is sowre is corrupted Now if Phinehas wife did live she might travel in birth die to see the Ark of God taken the glory departing from our Israel The power and life of religion is away Woe be to us for the day goeth away for the shadows of the evening are stretched out Ier 6 4. Madam Zion is the ship wherein ye are carried to Canaan if she suffer shâ—p-wrack ye will be casten over-board upon death life to swim to land upon broken boards It were time for us by prayer to put upon our Master-pilot Iesus to cry Master save us we perish Grace grace â—e with you We would think it a blessing to our Kirk to see you here but our sins withold good things from us The great Messenger of the covenant preserve you in body spirit Anwoth Feb. 1. 1630. Yours in the Lord S. R. To my Lady KENMURE 8 MADAM GRace mercy peace be multiplied upon you I received your La letter in the which I perceive your case in this world smelleth of a fellowship communion with the Son of God in his sufferings Ye cannot ye must not have a more pleasant or more easie condition here then he had who through afflictions was made perfect Heb. 2 10 We may indeed think Cannot God bring us to heaven with ease prosperity Who doubteth but he can But his infinite wisdom thinketh decreeth the contrary and we cannot see a reason of it yet he hath a most just reason We never with our eyes saw our own soul yet we have a soul we see many rivers but we know not their first spring original fountain yet they have a beginning Madam when ye are come to the other side of the water have set down your foot on the shore of glorious Eternity look
our cup in which there is no taste of hell My dear Brother ye know all these better then I I send water to the sea to speak of these things to you But it easeth me to desire you to help me to pay tribute of praise to Jesus O what praises I ow him I would I were in my free heritage that I might begin to pay my debts to Jesus I entreat for your prayers praises I forget not you Aberd. Sept. 17. 1637 Your brother and fellow sufferer in and for Christ. S. R. To Mr DAVID DICKSON 73 Reverend and welbeloved brother in the Lord. I Bless the Lord who hath so wonderfully stopped the on-going of that lawless process against you The Lord reigneth hath a saving eye upon you your ministery therefore fear not what men can doe I bless the Lord that the Irish ministers finde employment the professors comfort of their ministery Beleeve me I durst not as I am now disposed hold an honest brother out of the pulpit I trust the Lord shall guard you hide you in the shadow of his hand I am not pleased with any that are against you in that I see this in prosperity mens conscience will not start at small sins But if some had been where I have been since I came from you a little more would have caused their eye water troubled their peace O how ready are we to incline to the world's-hand Our arguments being well examined are often drawn from our skin the whole skin a peaceable tabernacle is a topick maxime in great request in our Logick I finde a little breirding of God's seed in this town for the which the Doctors have told me their minde that they cannot bear with it and have examined and threatned the people that haunt my company I fear I get not leave to winter here and whether I goe I know not I am ready at the Lord's call I would I could make acquaintance with Christ's cross for I finde comforts lie to follow upon the cross I suffer in my name by them I take it as a part of the crucifying of the old man Let them cut the throat of my credit doe as they like best with it when the wind of their calumnies hath blown away my good name from me in the way to heaven I know Christ will take my name out of the mire wash it restore it to me again I would have a minde if the Lord would be pleased to give me it to be a fool for Christ's sake Sometimes while I have Christ in my arms I fall asleep with the sweetness of his presence he in my sleep stealeth away out of my arms when I awake I misâ— him I am much comforted with my Lady Piâ—sligo a good woman acquainted with God's wayes Grace be with you Aberd. Sept. 11. 1637. Yours in his sweet Lord. Iesus S. R. To the right honourable my Lord LOWDOUN 75. Right honourable GRace mercy peace be to your Lo I rejoyce exceedingly that I hear your Lo hath a good minde to Christ his now-born-down truth My very dear Lord goe on in the strength of the Lord to carry your honour worldly glory to the new Ierusalem For this cause your Lo received these of the Lord this is a sure way for the establishment of your house if ye be of these who are willing in your place to build Zion's old waste places in Scotland Your Lo wanteth not God's man's law both now to come to the streets for Christ suppose the bastard laws of man were against you it is an honest zealous errour if here ye slip against a point or punctilio of standing policy when your foot slippeth in such known ground as is the royal prerogative of our high most truly dread â—overaign who hath many crowns on his head the liberties of his house he will hold you up Blessed shall they be who take Babel's little ones dash their heads against stones I wish your Lo have a share of that blessing with other worthy Nobles in our land It is true it is now accounted wisdom for men to be partners in pullin up the stakes looâ—ng the cords of the tent of Christ but I am peswaded that that wisdom is cried down in heaven shall never passe for true wisdom itâ— the Lord whose word crieth shame upon wit against Christ truth accordingly it shall prove shame confusion of face in the end Our Lord hath given your Lo 〈◊〉 of a better stamp learning also wherein yeare not behinde th disputer and the sâ—â—be O what a blessâ—d thing iâ— it to see Noâ—ility Learning Sanctification all co curre in one For these ye ow your sel to Christ his â—ingdom God hath be-wildered bâ—-misted the wit the learning of the scribes disputer of this time they look asquint to the Bible This blinding be-â—…ing world blindfoldeth mens light that they are affraid to se straight out bâ—fore them nay their very light playeth the knave or woâ—s to truth Your Lo knoweth within a little while Policy against trutâ— will bluâ—h the works of men shall burn even their spider-wâ—b who spin out many hundred ells webs of indifferencie in the Lord's worship moe then ever â—oses who would have anâ—oof mâ—â—t rial Daniel who would have a look out at a wiâ—dow a matter of life death then ever I say these men of God dreamed of Alas that men dare shape carve cut clippe our King 's princâ—ly Testament in length and breadth and in all dimensions answerable to the conceptions of such policy as a h ad-of-wit thinketh a safe and trim way of serving God How have men forgotten the Lord that they dà re goe against even that truth which once they preached themselves howbeit their sermons now be as thin sown as strav-berriâ—s in a wood or wilderness Certainly the sâ—eetest safest course is for this short time of the afternoon of this olâ— declining world to stand for Jesus he hath said it it is our part to beleeve it that ere is be long Time shall be no more and the heaven shall wax old as a garment 〈◊〉 Doe we not see it already an old hollie threed-bare garment doeth not or ple laâ—e ature tâ—â—l us that the Lord will fold up the old garment 〈◊〉 and lay it aside that the heavens shall be folded together as a scroll this pest-house shall be burnt with fire that both plenishing walls shall melt with fervent heat for at the Lord 's coming he will doe with this earth as men doe with a leper house he wil burn the walls with fire the plenishing of the house also 2 Pet. 3 10 11 12. My very Daer Lord how shall ye rejoyce in that day to have Christ Angels heaven your own conscience to smile upon you I am perswaded one
sick night through the terrors of the Almighty would make men whose conscience hath such a wide throat as an image like a Chathedral Church would goe down it have other thoughts of Christ and his worship then now they please themselves with The scarcity of faith in the earth saith We are hard upon the last nick of time Blessed are these who keep their garments clean against the bridegroom's coming There shall be spotted clothes many defiled garments at his last coming therefore few found worthy to walk with him in white I am perswaded my Lord this poor travelling woman our pained Church is with childe of victory shall bring forth a man-childe that shall be caught up to God his throne howbeit the Dragon in his followers be attending the childe-birth-pain as an Egyptian midwife to receive the birth strangle it Isa. 29 8. But they shall be disappointed who thirst for the destruction of Zion they shall be as when a hungry man dreameth that he eateth but behold he awaketh his soul is empty or when a thirsty man dreameth that he drinketh but behold he awaketh is faint his soul is not satisfied so shall it be I say with the multitude of all the nations that fight against mount Zion Therefore the weak feeble these that are as signes wonders in Israel have chosen the best side even the side that victory is upon I think this is no evil policy Verily for my self I am so well pleased with Christ his noble honest-born cross this cross that is come of Christ's house is of kin to himself that I should weep if it should come to niffering barâ—â—ring of lots condition with these that are at ease in Zion I hold still my choice blesse my self in it I see I beleeve there is salvation in this way that is every where spoken against I hope to goe to eternity to venture upon the last evil to the saints even upon death fully perswaded that this onely even this is the saving way for rackel consciences for weary laden sinners to finde ease peace for evermore into indeed it is not for any worldly respect that I speak so of it the weather is not so hot that I have great cause to startle in my prison or to boast of that â—ntertainment that my good friends the Prelats intend for me which is banishment if they shall obtain their desire effectu at what they design but let it come I rue not that I made Christ my waile my choice I think him ay the longer the better My Lord It shall be good service to God to hold your noble friend Chief upon a good course for the truth of Christ. Now the very God of peace establish your Lo in Christ Jesuâ— unto the end Aberd. Sept 10. 1637. Your Lo in his sweet Lord Iesus S. R. To the Laird of GAITGIRTH 76 Much honoured Sir GRace mercy peace be to you I can doe no more but thank you in paper remember you to him whom I serve for your kindness care of a prisoner I bleâ—s the Lord the cause I suffer for needeth not to bluâ—h before Kings Christs white honest fair truth needeth neither wax pale for fear nor blush for shame I bless the Lord who hath graced you to own Christ now when so many are affraid to profess him hide him for fear they suffer loss by avouching him Alas that so many in these dayes are carried with the times As if their conscience rolled upon oyled wheels so doe they goe any way the wind bloweth them because Christ is not market-sweet men put him away from them Worthy much honoured Sir goe on to own Christ his oppressed truth The end of sufferings for the Gospel is rest and gladness light joy is sown for the mourners in Zion and the harvest which is of God's making for time manner is neer Crosses have right claim to Christ in hs members till legs arms whole mystical-Christ be in heaven There will be rain hail stormâ—â—n the saints clouds ever till God cleanse with fire the works of creation till he burn the botch-house of heaven earth that mens sin hath subjected unto vanity They are blessed who suffer sin not for suffering is the badge that Christ hath put upon his followers Take what way we can to heaven the way is hedged up with crosses there is no way but to break through them wit wiles shifts laws will not finde out a way about the cross of Christ but we must through one thing by experience my Lord hath taught me that the waters betwixt this heaven may all be ridden if â—e be well hors'd I mean if we be in Christ not one shall drown by the way but such as love their own destruction Oh if we could wait on for a time beleeve in the dark the salvation of God! At least we are to beleeve good of Christ till he give us the slip which is impossible to take his word for caution that he shall fill up all the blanks in his promises give us what we want but to the unbeleever Christ's Testament is white blank unwritten paper worthy and dear Sir set your face to heaven make you to stoop at all the low entries in the way that ye may receive the Kingdom as a childe without this he that knew the way said there is no entry in O but Christ be willing to lead a poor sinner O what love my poor soul hath found in him in the house of my pilgrimage Suppose love in heaven and earth were lost I dare swear it may be found in Christ. Now the very God of peace establish you till the day of the glorious appearance of Christ. Aberd. Sept. 7. 1637. Yours in his sweet Lord Iesus S. R. To the Lady GAITGIRTH 77 Much honoured Christian Lady GRace mercy peace be to you I long to hear how it goeth with you your children I exhort you not to lose breath nor to faint in your journey The way is not so long to your home as it was it will wear to one step or an inch at length ye shall come ere long to be within your arm-length of the glorious crown Your Lord Jesus did sweat pant ere he got up that mount he was at father save me with it it was he who Psal. 22 14. said I am poured out like water all my bones are out of joynt Christ waâ— as if they had broken him upon the wheel my heart is like wax it is melted in the midst of my bowels v. 15. My strength is dried up like a poâ—sheard I am sure ye love the way the better that his holy feet trod it before you Crosses have a smell of crossed pained Christ. I beleeve your Lord will not leave you to
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
border of time shall put your foot within the march of eternity all your good things of this short night-dream shall seem to you like the ashes of a bleaze of thorns or straw your poor soul shall be crying Lodging lodging for God's sake Then shall your soul be more glad at one of your Lord 's lovely homely smiles then if ye had the charters of three worlds for all eternity Let pleasures gain will desires of this world be put over in God's hands as arrested and fenced goods that ye cannot intromet with Now when ye are drinking the ground of your cup ye are upon the utmost ends of the last link of time old age like death's long shadow is casting a covering upon your days it is no time to court this vain life to set love heart upon it It is near after supper seek rest ease for your soul in God through Christ Beleeve me I finde it hard wrestling to play fair with Christ to keep good quarters with him keep love to him in integrity life to keep a constant course of sound solid daily communion with Christ temptatations are daily breaking the threed of that course it is not easie to cast a knot again many knots make evil work O how fair have many ships been plying before the wind that in an hour's space have been lying in the sea bottom How many professours cast a golden lustre as if they were pure gold yet are under that skin cover but base reprobate mettall And how many keep breath in their race many miles yet come short of the prize the garland Dear Sir my soul would mourn in secret for you if I knew your case with God to be but false work Love to have you anchored upon Christ maketh me fear your tottering slips False under-water not seen in the ground of an enlightned conscience is dangerous so is often failing sinning against light Know this that these who never had sick nights nor days in conscience for sin cannot have but such a peace with God as will undercot break the flesh again and end in a sad war at death O how fearfully are thousands beguiled with false hide growen over old sins as if the soul were cured and healed Dear Sir I saw ever nature mighty lofty heady strong in you it was more for you to be mortified dead to the world then another common man Ye will take a low ebbe a deep cut a long lancâ— to goe to the bottom of your wounds in saving humiliation to make you a won prey for Christ Be humbled walk softly down down for God's sake my dear worthy Brother with your topsail Stoop Stoop it is a low entry to goe in at heaven's gates There is infinite Justice in the party ye have to doe with it is his nature not to acquit the guilty the sinner The Law of God will not want one farthing of the sinner God forgetteth not both the Cautioner the sinner every man must pay either in his own person O Lord save you from that payment or in his cautioner Christ. It is violence to corrupt nature for a man to be holy to lie down under Christ's feet to quite will pleasure wordly love earthly hope an itching of heart after this fairded overguilded world to be content that Christ trample upon all Come in come in to Christ and see what ye want finde it in him He is the short cut as we use to say and the nearest way to an outgate of all your burdens I dare avouch ye shall be dearly welcome to him my soul would be glad to take part of the joy ye should have in him I daresay Angels pens Angels tongues nay as many worlds of Angels as there are drops of water in all the seas fountains and rivers of the earth cannot paint him out to you I think his sweetness since I was a prisoner hath swelled upon me to the greatness of two heavens O for a soul as wide as the outmost circle of the highest heaven that containeth all to contain his love And yet I could hold little of it O world's wonder O if my soul might but lie within the smell of his love suppose I could get no more but the smell of it O but it is long to that day when I shall have a free world of Christ's love O what a sight to be up in heaven in that fair orchard of the new Paradise to see and smell and touch and kiss that fair field-flower that ever green tree of life His bare shadow were enough for me a sight of him would be the earnest of heaven to me Fy sy upon us that we have love lying rusting beside us or which is worse wasted away upon loathsom objects Christ should lie his alone Woe woe is me that Sin hath made so many mad men seeking the fool's Paradise fire under ice some good and desireable thing without and apart from Christ Christ Christ nothing but Christ can cool our love's burning languor O thirsty love wilt thou set Christ the well of life to thy head drink thy fill drink and spare not drink love be drunken with Christ Nay alas the distance betwixt us and Christ is a death O if we were clasped in other's arms We should never twin again except heaven twinned and sundered us that cannot be I desire your children to seek this Lord Desire them from me to be requested for Christ's sake to be blessed happy and come take Christ all things with him Let them beware of glassy slippery youth of foolish young motions of worldly lusts of deceivable gain of wicked company of cursing lying blaspheming and foolish talking Let them be filled with the Spirit acquaint themselves with daily praying with the store-house of wisdom and comfort the good word of God Help the souls of the poor people O that my Lord would bring me again among them that I might tell uncouth great tales of Christ to them Receive not a stranger to preach any other doctrine to them Pray for me his prisoner of hope I pray for you without ceasing I write my blessing earnest prayers the love of God the sweet presence of Christ to you and yours and them Grace grace grace be with you Aberd. 1637. Your lawful and loving Pastor S. R. To the Earle of LOTHIAN 141 Right honourable my very worthy and Noble Lord. OUt of the honourable good report that I hear of your Lo goodwill kindness in taking to heart the honourable cause of Christ his afflicted Church wronged truth in this land I make bold to speak a word in paper to your Lo at this distance which I trust your Lo will take in good part It is your Lo honour credit to put to
but too lazie and careless in seeking of it It is all our riches we have here glory in the bud I wish I could set out â—ree Grace I was the Law 's man under the Law under a curse but Grace brought me from under that hard Lord I rejoyce that I am Grace's Free-holder I pay tribute to none for heaven seeing my land heritage holdeth of Christ my new King Infinite wisdom hath devised this excellent way of Free-holding for sinners It is a better way to heaven then the old way that was in Adam's dayes It hath this fair advantage that no man's emptiness want layeth an inhibition upon Christ or hindereth his salvation that is far best for me but our new Land-Lord putteth the names of Dyvours Adam's forlorn Heirs beggers crooked blinde in the free charters Heaven Angels may wonder that we have gotten such a gate of sin hell Such a back-entry out of hell as Christ made brought out the captives by is more then my poor shallow thoughts can comprehend I would think sufferings glory I am sometimes not far from it if my Lord would give me a new almes of free grace I hear that the Prelats are intending banishment for me but for more grace no other hire I would make it welcome The bits of this clay-house the earth the other side of the sea are my father's If my sweet Lord Jesus would bud my sufferings with a new measure of grace I were a rich man But I have not now of a long time found such high spring-tides as formerly The sea is out the wind of his Spirit calm I cannot buy a wind or by requesting the sea cause it to flow again onely I wait on upon the banks shore-side till the Lord send a full sea that with up-sailes I may lift up Christ Yet sorrow for his absence is sweet sighes with Saw ye him whom my soul loveth have their own delights Oh that I might gather hunger against his long-looked for return Well were my soul if Christ were the element mine own element that I loved breathed in him if I could not live without him I allow not laughter upon my self when He is away yet He never leaveth the house but the leaveth drink-money behinde him a pawne that he will return Woe woe to me if he should goe away take all his flitting with him Even to dream of him is sweet To build a house of pining wishes for his return to spin out a web of sorrow care languishing sighes either dry or wet as they may be because he hath no leisure if I may spâ—aâ— so to make a visite or to see a poor friend sweetneth refreâ—heth the thoughts of the heart A mistie dew will stand for rain doe some good keep some greenness in the herbs till our Lord's clouds â—ue upon the earth send down a watering of rain Truly I think Christ's mistie dew a welcome message from heaven till my Lorâ—'s rain fall Woe woe is me for the Lord's vineyard in Scotland Howbeit the Father of the house embrace a childe feed him kiss him yet it is sorrow and sadness to the children that our poor mother hath gotten her leave that our Father hath given up house It is an unheartsom thing to see our Father mother agree so ill yet the Bastards if they be fed care not O Lord cait not water on Scotland's smoking coal It is a strange gate the saints goe to heaven our enemies often eat drink us we goe to heaven through their bellies stomacks they vomit the church of God undigested among their hands even while we are shut up in prisons by them we advance in our jâ—urney Remember my service to my Lord your kinde Son who was kinde to me in my bonds was not ashamed to own me I would be glad that Christ got the morning-service of his life now in his young years It would sute him well to give Christ his young green love Christ's stamp and seal would goe far down in a young soul If he would receive the thrust of Christ's stamp I would desire him to make search for Christ for Nobles now are but dry friends to Christ. The Grace of God our Father the goodwill of him who dwelt in the bush be with your La. Aberd. 1637. Yours in his sweet Lord Iesus S. R. To the Lady CARDONNESS ELDER 180. Worthy welbeloved in the Lord GRace mercy peace be to you I long to hear from you in paper that I may know how your soul prospereth My desire longing in to hear that ye walk in the truth that ye are content to follow the despised but most lovely Son of God I cannot but recommend him unto you as your husband your welbeloved your portion your comfort your joy I speak this of that lovely one because I praise commend the foord as we use to speak as I finde it He hath watered with his sweet comforts an oppressed prisoner He was alwayes kinde to my soul but never so kinde as now in my greatest extremittes I dine sup with Christ He visiteth my soul with the visitations of love in the night-watches I perswade my soul that this is the way to heaven his own Truth I now suffer for I exhort you in the name of Christ to continue in the truth which I delivered to you Make Christ sure to your soul for your day draweth nigh to an end Many slide back now who seemed to be Christ's friends prove dishonest to him But be ye faithfull to the death ye shall have the crown of life This span-length of your dayes whereof the Spirit of God speaketh Psal. 39. will within a short time come to a finger-breadth at length to nothing O how sweet comfortable shall the feast of a good conscience be to you when your eye-strings shall break your face wax pale the breath turn cold your poor soul come sighing to the windows of the house of clay of your dying body shall long to be out to have the jaylor to open the door that the prisoner may be set at liberty Ye draw nigh the water-side look your accounts Ask for your guide to take you to the other side Let not the world be your portion What have ye to doe with dead clay Ye are not a bastard but a lawfull begotten childe therefore set your heart on the inheritance Goe up before hand and see your lodging Look through all your father's rooms in heaven in your father's house are many dwelling-places Men take a sight of lands ere they buy them I know Christ hath made the bargain already But be kinde to the house ye are going to see it often Set your heart on things that are above where Christ is at the right
of many noble many holy many learned worthy ones in our neighbour Churches about are upon you This poor Church your mother Christ's spouse is holding up her hands heart to God for you and doeth beseech you with tears to plead for her husband his Kingly Scepter for the liberties that her Lord King hath given to her as to a free Kingdom that oweth spiritual tribute to none on earth as being the free-born Princess daughter to the King of Kings This is a Cause that before God his Angels the World before Sun Moon needeth not to blush O what glory true honour is it to lend Christ your hand service to be amongst the repairers of the breaches of Sion's walls to help to â—uild the old waste places and stretch forth the curtains strengthen the stakes of Christ's tent in this land O blessed are they who when Christ is driven away will bring him back again lend him lodging And blessed are ye of the Lord your name honour shall never rot or wither in heaven at least if ye deliver the Lord's sheep that have been scattered in the dark cloudy day out of the hands of strange Lords hirelings who with rigour cruelty have caused them to eat the pastures troden upon with their foul feet to drink muddy water who have spun out such a world of yards of â—ndifferencies in God's Worship to make weave a web for the Antichrist that shall not keep any from the cold as they minde nothing else but that by the bringing in of the Pope's foul tail first upon us their wretched and beggerly Ceremonies they may thrust in after them the Antichrist's legs thighs his belly head shoulders then cry down Christ the Gospel up the merchandise wares of the great whore Fear not my worthy Lord to give your self all ye have out for Christ his Gospel No man dare say who ever did thus hazard for Christ that Christ payed him not his hundred fold in this life duely in the life to come life everlasting This is his own truth ye now plead for for God and man cannot but commend you to beg justice from a just Prince for oppressed Christ to plead that Christ who is the King's Lord may be heard in a free court to speak for himself when the standing established laws of our nation can strongly plead for Christ's crown in the pulpits his chair as Law-giver in the free Government of his own house But Christ shall never be content pleased with this land neither shall his hot fiery indignation be turned away so long as the Prelate the man that lâ—y in Antichrist's foul womb the Antichrist's Lord Bailiffe shall sit Lord-carver in the Lord Jesus his courts The Prelate is both the egge the nest to cleck bring forth Popery Plead therefore in Christ's behalf for the plucking down of the nest crushing of the egge let Christ's Kingly Office suffer no more unworthy indignities Be valiant for your royal King Jesus contend for him your adversaries shall be moth-eaten worms and shall die as men Christ and his honour now lieth upon your shoulders let him not fall to the ground Cast your eye upon him who is quickly coming to decide all the controversies in Zion remember the sand in your night-glass will run out Time with wings will flye away Eternity is hard upon you what will Christ's love-smiles the light of his lovely soul delighting countenance be to you in that day when God shall take up in his right hand this little lodge of heaven like as a shepherd lifteth up his little tent sold together the two leaves of his tent put the earth all the plenishing of it into a fire turn this clay-Idol the god of Adam's sons in to smoke white ashes O what hire how many worlds would many then give to have a favourable decreet of the Judge Or what moneyes would they not give to buy a mountain to be a grave above both soul body to hide them from the awsom looks of an angry Lord Judge I hope your Lo thinketh upon this that ye minde loyalty to Christ to the King both Now the very God of peace the onely wise God establish strengthen you upon the rock laid in Zion Aberd. Jan. 4. 1638. Your Lo at all obedience in Christ S. R. To a Christian Gentlewoman 2â—5 MISTRESS GRace mercy peace be to you Though not acquainted yet at the desire of a Christian brother I thought good to write a line unto you intreating you in the Lord Jesus under your trials to keep an ear open to Christ who can speak for himself howbeit your visitations and your own sense should dream hard things of his love and favour Our Lord never getteth so kinde a look of us nor our love in such a degree nor our faith in such a measure of stedfastness as he getteth out of the furnace of our tempting fears sharp trials I verily beleeve too sad proofs in me say no less that if our Lord would grind our whorish lust in powder the very old ashes of our corruption should take life again and live and hold us under so much bondage that may humble us make us sad till we be in that countrey where we shall need no Physick at all O what violent means doth our Lord use to gain us to him as if indeed we were a prize worthy his fighting for And be sure if leading would doe the turn he would not use pulling of hair and drawing But the best of us will bide a strong pull of our Lord 's right arm ere we follow him Yet I say not this as if our Lord alwayes measured afflictions by so many ounce weights answerable to the grain weights of our guiltiness I know he doeth in many and possibly in you seek nothing so much as faith that can endure summer and winter in their extremity O how precious to the Lord is faith and love that when threshed beaten and chased away and boasted as it were by God himself doeth yet look warm-like love-like kindlike and life-like home-over to Christ would be in at him ill well as it may be Think not much that your husband or the dearest to you in the world proveth to have the bowels mercy of the Ostrich hard rigourous cruel For Psal. 27. 10. The Lord taketh up such fallen ones as these I could not wish a more sweet life nor more satisfying expressions of kindness till I be up at that Prince of kindness then the Lord's saints finde when the Lord taketh up mens refuse lodgeth this world's out-lawes whom no man seeketh after His breath is never so hot his love casteth never such a flame as when this world and these who should be the helpers of our
The supper will be great chear that is up in the great hall with the royal King of glory when the four-hours the standing drink in this driery wilderness is so sweet When he bloweth a kiss a far off to his poor heart broken mourners in Zion and sendeth me but his hearty commendations till we meet I am confounded with wonder to think what it shall be when the fairest among the sons of men shall lay a King 's sweet soft cheek to the sinfull cheeks of poor sinners O time time goe swiftly hasten that day Sweet Lord Jesus post come flying like a young Hart or a Roe upon the mountains of separation I think we should tell the hours carefully look often how low the sun is For love hath no ho it is pained pained in it self till it come in grips with the party beloved 2. I finde Christ's absence love's sickness love's death The wind that bloweth out of the airth where my Lord Jesus reigneth is sweet-smelled soft joyfull heartsom to a soul burnt with absence It is a painfull battel for a soul sick of love to fight with absence delayes Christ's not yet is a stounding of all the joynts liths of the soul a nod of his head when he is under a mask would be half a pawne to say fool what aileth thee He is coming would be life to a dead man I am often in my dumb sabbaths seeking a new plea with my Lord Jesus God forgive me I care not if there be not two or three ounce weight of black wrath in my cup. For the 3 Thing I have seen my abominable vileness If I were well known there would none in this Kingdom ask how I doe Men take my ten to be an hundred but I am a deeper hypocrite shallower professour then every one beleeveth God knoweth I feigne not But I think my reckonings on the one page written in great letters his mercy to such a forlorn wretched Dyvour on the other more then a miracle If I could get my finger ends upon a full assurance I trow I should grip fast But my cup wanteth not gall upon my part despair might be almost excused if every one in this land saw my inner side But I know I am one of them who have made great sale a free market to free grace If I could be saved as I would fain beleeve sure I am I have given Christ's blood his free grace the bowels of his mercy a large field to work upon Christ hath manifested his art I dare not say to the uttermost for he can if he would forgive all the Devils damned reprobates in respect of the wideness of his mercy I say to an admirable degree 4. I am striken with fear of unthankfulness This Apostate Kirk hath played the harlot with many lovers they are spitting in the face of my lovely King and mocking him and I dow not mend it they are running away from Christ in troops and I dow not mourn be grieved for it I think Christ lieth like an old forecasten castle forsaken of the inhabitants all men run away now from him Truth innocent Truth goeth mourning wringing her hands in sackcloth ashes Woe woe woe is me for the virgin-daughter of Scotland Woe woe to the inhabitants of this land for they are gone back with a perpetual backsliding These things take me so up that a borrowed bed another man's fire-side the wind upon my face I being driven from my lovers dear acquaintance my poor flock finde no room in my sorrow I have no spare of odde sorrow for these Onely I think the sparrows and swallows that build their nests in the Kirk of Anwoth blessed birds Nothing hath given my faith a harder back-set till it crack again then my closed mouth But let me be miserable my self alone God keep my dear brethren from it But still I keep breath when my royal and never never-enough praised King returneth to his sinfull prisoner I ride upon the high places of Iacob I divide Shechem I triumph in his strength If this Kingdom would glorifie the Lord in my behalf I desire to be weighed in God's even ballance in this point if I think not my wages payed to the full I shall crave no more hire of Christ. Madam pity me in this help me to praise him For what ever I be the chief of sinners a devil a most guilty devil yet it is the apple of Christ's eye his honour glory as the head of the church that I suffer for now that I will goe to eternity with I am greatly in love with Mr M. M. I see him stamped with the image of God I hope well of your son my Lord Boyd Your La and your children have a prisoner's prayers Grace grace be with you Aberd. May. 1. 1637. Your La at all obedience in Christ S. R. To Mr THOMAS GARVEN 188. Dear Brother GRace mercy peace be to you I rejoyce that ye cannot be quite of Christ if I may speak so but he must he will have you Betake your self to Christ my dear Brother It is a great business to make quite of superfluities of these things which Christ cannot dwell with I am content with my own cross that Christ hath made mine by an eternal lot because it is Christ's mine together I marvel not that winter is without heaven for there is no winter within it All the saints therefore have their own measure of winter before their eternal summer Oh for the long day the high sun the fair garden the King 's great citie up above these visible heavens What God layeth on let us suffer For some have one cross some seven some ten some half a cross yet all the saints have whole full ioy seven crosses have seven ioyes Christ is cumbred with me to speak so my cross but he falleth not off me we are not at variance I finde the very glooms of Christ's wooing a soul sweet lovely I had rather have Christ's buffet and love-stroke then another King's kiss Speak evil of Christ who will I hope to die with love-thoughts of him Oh that there are so few tongues in heaven and earth to extoll him I wish his praises goe not down amongst us Let not Christ be low lightly esteemed in the midst of us but let all hearts all tongues cast in their portion contribute something to make him great in mount Zion Thus recommending you to his grace remembring my love to your wife mother your kinde brother R. entreating you to remember my bonds I rest Aberd. Sept. 8. 1637. Yours in his sweet Lord Iesus S. R. To the Laird of MONCRIEFE 189 Much honoured Sir GRace mercy peace be to you Although not acquaint yet at the desire of your worthy sister the Lady Ley's upon the report of your kindness
to Christ his oppressed truth I am bold to write to you earnestly desiring you to joyn with us so many as in these bounds profess Christ to wrestle with God one day of the week especially the Wedensday for mercy to this fallen decayed Kirk and to such as suffer for Christ's name for your own necessities the necessities of others who are by covenant engaged in that business For we have no other armour in these evil times but prayers now when wrath from the Lord is gone out against this back-sliding land for ye know we can have no true publike fasts neither are the true causes of our humiliation ever laid before the people Now very worthy Sir I am glad in the Lord that the Lord reserveth any of your place or of note in this time of common Apostacy to come forth in publike to bear Christ's name before men when the great men think Christ a cumbersom neighbour and that religion carrieth hazards trials persecutions with it I perswade my self it is your glory your garland shall be your joy in the day of Christ the standing of your house seed to inherit the earth that ye truly sincerely profess Christ Neither is our King whom the father hath crowned in mount Zion so weak that he cannot doe for himself his own cause I verily beleeve they are blessed who can hold the crown upon his head and carry up the train of his robe royal and that he shall yet be victorious and triumph in this land It is our part to back our royal King howbeit there were not six in all the land to follow him It is wisdom now to take up and discern the devil the Antichrist coming out in their whites the Apostacy Idolatry of this land washen with foul water I confess it is art to wash the Devil till his skin be white For my self Sir I have bought a plea against Christ since I came hither in judging my princely Master angry at me because I was cast out of the vineyard as a withered tree my dumb sabbaths working me much sorrow But I see now sorrow hath not eyes to read love written upon the cross of Christ therefore I pass from my rash plea Woe woe is me that I should have received a slander of Christ's love to my soul for all this my Lord Jesus hath forgiven all as not willing to be heard with such a fool is content to be as it were confined with me to bear me company to feast a poor oppressed prisoner And now I write it under my hand Worthy Sir that I think well honourably of this cross of Christ I wonder that he will take any glory from the like of me I finde that when he but sendeth his hearty commendations to me but bloweth a kiss afar off I am confounded with wondering what the supper of the Lamb will be up in our father's dining-palace of glory since the four-hours in his dismall wilderness when in prisons in our sad dayes a kiss of Christ is so comfortable O how sweet glorious shall our case be when that fairest among the sons of men shall lay his fair face to our now sinfull faces wipe away all tears from our eyes O Time Time run swiftly hasten that day O sweet Lord Jesus come flying like a roe or a young hart Alas that we blinde fools are fallen in love with moon-shine shadows how sweet is the wind that bloweth out of the airth where Christ is Every day we may see some new thing in Christ his love hath neither brim nor bottom Oh if I had help to praise him He knoweth if my sufferings glorifie his name encourage others to stand fast for the honour of our supream Law-giver Christ my wages then are payed to the full Sir help me to love that never-enough praised Lord. I finde now that the faith of the saints under suffering for Christ is fair before the wind with full sails carried upon Christ I hope to lose nothing in this furnace but dross for Christ can triumph in a weaker man then I am if there be any such And when all is done his love paineth me leaveth me under such debt to Christ as I can neither pay principal nor interest Oh if he would comprize my self if I were sold to him as a bond-man that he would take me home to his house fire-side for I have nothing to render to him Then after me let no man think hard of Christ's sweet cross for I would not change my sighs with the painted laughter of all my adversaries I desire grace in patience to wait on to lie upon the brink till the water fill flow I know he is fast coming Sir ye will excuse my boldness till it please God I see you ye have the prayers of a prisoner of Christ to whom I recommend you in whom I rest Aberd. May 14. 1637. Yours at all obedience in Christ S. R. To JOHN CLARK 190. Loving Brother HOld fast Christ without wavering contend for the faith because Christ is not easily gotten nor kept The lazie professour hath put heaven as it were at the very next door thinketh to flye up to heaven in his bed and in a night-dream but truly that is not so easie a thing as most men beleeve Christ himself did sweat ere he won this city howbeit he was the free-born Heir It is Christianity My heart to be sincere unfeigned honest upright-hearted before God to live serve God suppose there were not one man or woman in all the world dwelling beside you to eye you Any little grace that ye have see that it be sound true Ye may put a difference betwixt you and reprobats if ye have these markes 1. If ye prize Christ his truth so as ye will sell all buy him suffer for it 2. If the love of Christ keepeth you back from sinning more then the Law or fear of hell 3. If ye be humble deny your own will wit credit ease honour the world the vainity glory of it 4. Your profession must not be barren void of good works 5. Ye must in all things aime at God's honour ye must eat drink sleep buy sell sit stand speak pray read and hear the word with a heart-purpose that God may be honoured 6. Ye must shew your self an enemy to sin and reprove the works of darkness such as drunkenness swearing lying albeit the company should hate you for doing so 7. Keep in minde the truth of God that ye heard me teach and have nothing to doe with the corruptions and new guises entred into the house of God 8. Make conscience of your calling in covenants in buying selling 9. Acquaint your self with daily praying commit all your wayes actions to God by prayer supplication thank