rejoyce in death Oh for a yeer's lease of the sense of his love without a cloud to try what Christ is Oh for the coming of the bridegroom Oh when will I see the bridegroom the bride meet in the clouds kisse each other Oh when will we get our day our hearts full of that love Oh is it were lawfull to complain of the fâ—mine want of that love of the immediat vision of God! O time time how doest thou torment the souls of these that would be swallowed up of Christ's love because thou movest so slowly Oh if he would pity a poor prisoner blow love upon me give a prisoner a taste or draught of that surpassing sweetness which is glory as it were begun to be a confirmation that Christ I shall have our fill of other for ever Come hither O love of Christ that I may once kisse thee before I die what would I not give to have time that lieth betwixt Christ me taken out of the way that we might once meet I cannot think but â—t the first sight I shall see of that most lovely fairest face love shall come out of his two eyes fill me with astonishment I would but desire to stand at the utter side of the gates of the new Jerusalem look thorow a hole of the door see Christ's face a borrowed vision in this life would be my borrowed begun heaven while the long long-looked for day dawn It is not for nothing that it is said Colos. 1. 27. Christ in you the hope of glory I will be content of no pawne of heaven but Christ himself for Christ possessed by faith here is young heaven glory in the bud If I had that pawne I would bide horning hell both ere I gave it again All we have here is scarce the picture of glory Should not we young bairns long look for the expiring of our minority It were good to be daily begging propines love-gifts the bridegroom's favours if we can doe no more seek Crumbs hungry dinners of Christ's love to keep the taste of heaven in our mouth while supper time I know it is far afternoon and nigh the marriage-supper of the Lamb the table is covered already O welbeloved run run fast O fair day when wil't thou dawn O shaddows flee away I think hope love woven thorow other make our absence from Christ spirituall torment It is a pain to wait on but hope that maketh not a hamed swalloweth up that pain It is not unkindness that keepeth Christ us so long asunder What can I say to Christ's love I think more then I can say To consider that when my Lord Jesus may take the air if I may so speak goe abroad yet he will be confined keep the prison with me but in all this sweet communion with him what am I to be thanked for I am but a sufferer whether I will or not he will be kind to me as if he had defied my guiltiness to make him unkind so he beareth in his love on me Here I die with wondering that justice hindereth not love for there are none in hell nor out of hell more unworthy of Christ's love Shame may confound and scar me once to hold up my black mouth to receive one of Christ's undeserved kisses If my inner-side were turned out all men saw my vileness they would say to me It is a shame for thee to stand still while Christ kiss thee embrace thee It would seem to become me rather to run away from hi love as ashamed at my own unworthiness Nay I may think shame to take heaven who have so higly provoked my Lord Jesus But seeing Christ's love will shame me I am content to be shamed My desire is that my Lord would give me broader deeper thoughts to feed my self with wondering at his love I would I could weigh it but I have no ballance for it When I have worn my tongue to the stump in praising of Christ I have done nothing to him I must let him alone for my withered armes will not goe about his high wide long and broad love What remaineth then but that my debt to the love of Christ lie unpaid for all eternity All that are in heaven are black sham'd with his love as well as I we must all be Dyvours together the blessing of that house-full or heaven-full of Dyvours shall rest for ever upon him Off this Land Nation would come stand beside his inconceivable glorious perfections look in love wonder adore would to God I could bring in many lovers to Christ's house But this Nation hath forsaken the fountain of living waters Lord cast not water on Scotland's coal Woe woe will be to this Land because of the day of the Lord 's fierce anger that is so fast coming Grace be with you Aberd. Your affectionat Brother in our Lord Iesus S. R. To JOHN KENNEDY Bailiffe of Ayr. 46 Worthy Dear Brother GRace mercy peace be to you I long to see you in this Northerne world in paper I know it is not forgetfulness that ye write not I am every way in good case both in soul body all honour glory be to my Lord I want nothing but a further revelation of the beauty of the unknown Son of God Either I know not what Christianity is or we have stinted a measure of so many ounce weights no more upon holiness there we are at a stay drawing our breath all our life a moderation in God's way now is much in request I profess I have never taken pains to finde out him whom my soul loveth there is a gate yet of finding out Christ that I have never lighted upon Oh if I could finde it out Alas how soon are we pleased with our own shaddow in a glass It were good to be beginning in sad earnest to finde out God to seek the right tread of Christ time custome a good opinion of our selves our good meaning our lazie desires our fair showes the world's glistering lustres these broad passements buskings of religion that bear bulk in the Kirk is that wherewith most satisfie themselves but a watered bed with tears a dry throat with praying eyes a fountain of tears for the sins of the land is rare to be found among us Oh if we could know the power of godliness This is one part of my case an other is that I like a fool once summoned Christ for unkindness complained of his sickelness unconstaney because he would have no more of my service nor preaching had casten me out of the inheritance of the Lord And I confess now this was but a bought plea I was a fool yet he hath born with me I gave him a fair advantage against me but love mercy would not let him take it
RIGGE of Atherny 68 Worthy much honoured Sir GRace mercy peace be to you How sad a prisoner would I be if I knew not that my Lord Jesus had the keys of the prison himself that his death blood hath bought a blessing to our crosses aswell as to our selves I am sure troubles have no prevailing right over us if they be but our Lord's Serjeants to keep us in ward while we are in this side of heaven I am perswaded also that they shall not goe over the bound-road nor enter in to heaven with us for they finde no welcome there where there is no more death neither sorrow nor crying neither any more pain therefore we shall leave them behinde us Oh if I could get as good a gate of sin even this wofull wretched body of sin as I get of Christ's cross Nay indeed I think the cross beared bâ—th me it self rather then I it in comparison of the tyranny of the lawless flesh wicked nighbour that dwelleth beside Christ's new creature But Oh this is that which presseth me down paiâ—eth me Jesus Christ in his saints sitteth neighbour with an ill second corruption deadness coldness pride lust worldliness self-love security falshood a world of â—oâ— the like which I finde in me that are daily doing violence to the new man O but we have cause to carry low sails to cleave fast to free grace free free grace Blessed be our Lord that ever that way was found out If my one foot were in heaven my soul half in if free-will corruption were absolute Lords of me I should never win wholly in O but the sweet new living way that Christ hath stroke up to our home be a safe way I finde now presence accâ—ss a greater dainty then bâ—fore but yet the bridegroom looketh through the lattes thorow the hole of the door O if he I were in fair dry land together in the other side of the water Grace be with you Aberd. Sept. 30. 1637 Yours in his sweet Lord Iesus S R. To the Lady KILCONQUHAIR 69 MISTRESS GRace mercy peace be to you I received your letter I am heartily content ye love own this oppâ—essed and wronged cause of Christ that now whâ—n so many are miscarried ye are in any measure taken with the love of Jesuâ— weary not but come in see if there be not more in Christ then the tongue of men Angels can express If ye seek a gate to heaven the way is in him or he is it What ye want is treasured up in Jesus he saith all his are yours even his Kingdom he is content to divide it betwixt him you yea his throne his glory Luk. 21. 29. Ioh. 17. 24. Rov 3. 21. Therefore take pains to climb up to that besâ—eged house to Christ for devils men armies of temptations are lying about the house to hold out all that are out it is taken with violence It is not a smooth easie way neitâ—er will your weather be fair pleasant but whosoever saw the invisible God the fair city make no reckoning of lossâ—s or crosses in ye must be cost you what it will stand not for a price for all that ye have to win the castle the rights to it are won to you it is disponed to you in your Lord Jesus's testament see what a fair legacy your dying friend Christ hath left you And there wanteth nothing but possession Then get up in the strength of the Lord get over the water to possâ—ss that good land It is better then a land of olives wine-trees for the tree of life that beareth twelve manner of fruits every moneth is there before you a pure river of life clear as crystal proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb is there Your time is short therefore lose no time Gracious faithfull is he who hath called you to his Kingdom glory The city is yours by free conquest by promise therefore let no uncouth Lord-idol put you from your own The devil hath cheated the simple heir of his Paradise by enticing us to taste of the forbidden fruit hath as it were bought us out of our kindly heritage But our Lord Christ Jesus hath done more then bought the devil by for he hath redeemed the wodset made the poor heir free to the inheritaÌ„ce If we knew the glory of our elder brother in heaven we would long to be there to see him to get our fill of heaven We children think the earth a fair garden but it is but God's out-field wilde cold barren ground All things are fading that are here It is our happiness to make sure Christ to our selves Thus remembring my love to your husband wiâ—king to him what I write to you I commit you to God's tender mercy Aberd. Sepr 13. 1637. Yours in his sweet Lord Iesus S. R. To the Lady CRAIGHALL 70 Honourable and Christian Lady GRace mercy peace be to you I cannot but write to your La of the sweet glorious termes I am in with the most joyful King that ever was under this well thrifing prosperous cross it is my Lord's salvation wrought by his own right hand that the water doeth not suffocat the breath of â—â—pe joyfull courage in the Loâ—d Jesus For his own person is still in the camp with his poor souldier I see the cross is tied with Christ's hand to the end of an honest profession We are but fools to endeavour to loose Christ's knot When I consider the comforts of God I durst not consent to sell or wod-set my short life-rent of the cross of the Lord Jesus I know that Christ bought with his own blood a right to sanctified blessed crosses in as far as they blow me over the water to my long desired home it were not good that Christ should be the buyer I the seller I know time death shall take sufferings fairly off my hand I hope we shall have an honest parting at night when this piece cold frosty afternoon-tide of my evil rough day shall be over Well is my soul of either sweet or sowre that Christ hath any part or portion in if he be at the one end of it it hall be well with me I shall die ere I libell faults against Christ's cross it hall have my testimonial under my hand as an honest saving mean of Christ for mortification faith's growth I have a stronger assurance since I came over Forth of the excellency of Jesus then I had before I am rather about him then in him while I am absent from him in this house of clay But I would be in heaven for no other cause but to essay try what boundies joy it must be to be over head ears in my welbeloved Christ's love O that fair one
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
low sail I would I had desires with wings running upon wheels swift active speedy in longing for Christ's honour But I know my Lord is as wise here as I dow be thirsty infinitely more zealous of his honour then I can be hungered for the manifestation of it to men angels But Oh that my Lord would take my desires off my hand adde a thousand-fold more unto them and sowe spiritual inclinations upon them for the coming of Christ's Kingdom to the sons of men that they might be higher and deeper longer broader For my longest measures are too short for Christ my depth is ebbe the breadth of my affections to Christ narrow pinched Oh for an ingine a wit to prescribe wayes to men how Christ might be all in all the world Wit is here behinde affection affection behinde obligation Oh how little dow I give to Christ and how much hath he given me Oh that I could sing grace's praises love's praises Seeing I was like a fool solisting the Law making moyen to the Law 's court for mercy found challenges that way but now I deny that Judge's power for I am Grace's man I hold not worth a drink of water of the Law or of any Lord but Jesus And till I bethought me of this I was slain with doubtings and fears terrours I praise the new court the new Land-lord the new Salvation purchased in Jesus his name at his instance Let the old man if he please goe make his moan to the Law seek acquaintance thereaway because he is condemned in that Court I hope the new man I Christ together shall not be heard and this is the more soft and the more easie way for me for my cross together Seeing Christ singeth my welcome-home and taketh me in maketh short counts short work of reckoning betwixt me my Judge I must be Christ's man his Tennant subject to his Court I am sure suffering for Christ could not be born otherwise But I give my hand my faith to all who would suffer for Christ they shall be well handled fare well in the same way that I have found the cross easie light Grace be with you Aberd. July 8. 1637. Yours in his sweet Lord Iesus S. R. To ALEXANDER GORDON Of Garlock 184 Dear Brother GRace mercy peace be to you If Christ were as I am that time could work upon him to alter him or that the morrow could be a new day to him or bring a new minde upon him as it is to me a new day I could not keep a house or a covenant with him But I finde Christ to be Christ that he is far far even infinite heavens height above man And that is all our happiness Sinners can doe nothing but make wounds that Christ may heal them and make debts that he may pay them and make falls that he may raise them make deaths that he may quicken them spin out dig hells to themselves that he may ransom them Now I will bless the Lord that ever there was such a thing as the free Grace of God a free ransom given for sold souls Onely alas guiltiuess maketh me ashamed to apply Christ to think it pride in me to put out my unclean withered hand to such a Saviour but it is neither shame nor pride for a drowning man to swim to a rock nor for a ship-broken soul to run himself a shore upon Christ Suppose once I be guilty need force I cannot I dow not goe by Christ We take in good part that pride that beggers beg from the richer who is so poor as we who is so rich as he who selleth fine gold Rev. 3 18. I see then it is our best let guiltiness plead what it listeth that we have no mean under the covering of heaven but to creep in lowly submissively with our wants to Christ I have also cause to give his cross as good name report O how worthy is Christ of my feckless light suffering how hath he deserved it at my hands that for his honour glory I should lay my back under seven hells pain in one if he call me to that but alas my soul is like a ship run on ground through ebbeness of water I am sanded and and my love is sanded I finde not how to bring it on float again it is so cold and dead that I see not how to bring it to a flame Fy fy upon the meeting that my love hath given Christ woe woe is me I have a lover Christ yet I want love for him I have a lovely desirable Lord who is love-worthy who beggeth my love heart I have nothing to give him Dear Brother come further in on Christ see a new treasure in him come in look down see Angels wonder heaven earth's wonder of love sweetness majesty excellency in him I forget you not pray for me that our Lord would be pleased to send me among you again fraughted full of Christ. Grace grace be with you Aberd. 1637. Yours in his sweet Lord Iesus S. R. To JOHN BELL Elder 185 My very loving friend GRace mercy peace be to you I have very often long expected your letter but if ye be well in soul body I am the less solicitous I beseech you in the Lord Jesus to minde your country above now when old age the twilight going before the darkness of the grave the falling low of your sun before your night is now come upon you advise with Christ ere ye put your foot in the ship turn your back on this life Many are beguiled with this that they are tree of scandalous crying abominations but the tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is for the fire the man that is not born again cannot enter into the kingdom of God common honesty will not take men to heaven Alas that men should think they ever met with Christ who had never a sick night through the terrours of God in their soul or a sore heart for sin I know the Lord hath given you light the knowledge of his will but that is not all neither will that doe your turn I wish you an awakned soul that ye beguile not your self in the matter of your salvation My dear Brother search your self with the candle of God try if the life of God Christ be in you Salvation is not casten to every man's door Many are carried over see land to a far countrey in a ship whileas they sleep much of all the way but men are not landed at heaven sleeping The righteous are scarcily saved and many run as fast as either ye or I who miss the prize and the crown God send me salvation and save me from a disappointment
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
servant know the well-head for all that learn the way to the well it self Thank God that Christ came to your house in your absence took with him some of your children He presumed that much on your love that ye would not offend howbeit he should take the rest he cannot come upon your wrong side I question not if they were children of gold but ye think them well bestowed upon him Expound well two rods on you one in your house at home another on your own person abroad Love thinketh no evil If ve were not Christ's wheat appointed to be bread in his house he would not grind you thus But keep the middle line neither despise nor faint Hebr 12. 6. Ye see your father is homely with you Strokes of a father evidence kindness care take them so I hope your Lord hath manifâ—sted himself to you and suggested these or more choice thoughts about his dealing with you we are using our weak moyen credit for you up at our own court as we dow we pray the King to hear us the Son of man to goe side for side with you hand in hand in the fiery oven to quicken encourage your unbeleeving heart when ye droop despond Sir to the honour of Christ be it said my faith goeth with my pen now I am presently beleeving Christ shall bring you out Truth in Scotland shall keep the crown of the causey yet the saints shall see Religion goe naked at noonday free from shame fear of men We shall yet divide Sechem ride upon the high places of Iacob Remember my obliged respects love to my lady Kenmure her sweet childe Anwoth July 6. 1636. Yours ever in his sweet Lord Iesus S R. To the Vicountess of KENMURE 26 MADAM GRace mercy peace be to you I know ye are near many comforters that the promised comforter is near hand also yet because I found your La comfortable to my self in my sad dayes that are not yet over my head it is my part and more in many respects howbeit I can doe little God knoweth in that kinde to speak to you in your wilderness-lot I know Dear Noble Lady this loss of your dear childe came upon you one piece part of it after another that ye was looking for it that now the Almighty hath brought on you that which ye feared that your Lord gave you lawfull warning I hope for his sake who brewed masked this cup in heaven ye will gladly drink and salute welcome the cross I am sure it is not your Lord's minde to fâ—ed you with judgement worm wood to give you waters of gall to drink Ezek. 34. 16. Ier. 9. 15. I know your cup is sugared with mercy that the withering of the bloom the flower even the white red of worldly joyes is for no other end but to buy out at the ground the reversion of your heart and love Madam subscribe the Almightie's will put your hand to the pen let the crosse of your Lord Jesus have your submissive and resolute AMEN If ye ask and try whose this cross is I dare say it is not all your own the best half of it is Christ's then your cross is no born bastard but lawfully begotten It sprang not out of the dust Iob. 5. 6. if Christ ye be halvers of this suffering he say half mine what should aile you I am sure I am here right upon the stile of the word of God Phil. 3. 10. The fellowship of Christ's sufferings Col. 1. 29. The remnant of the afflictions of Christ. Heb. 11. 28. The reproach of Christ. It were but to shiâ—t the comforts of God to say Christ had never such a cross as mine he had never a dead childe so this is not his crosse neither can he in that meaning be the owner of this cross but I hope Christ when he married you married you and all the crosses woâ—-hearts that follow you the word maketh no exception Isa. 63. 9. In all their afflictions he was afflicted Then Christ bore the first stroke of this cross it rebounded off him on upon you ye got it at the second hand ye and he are halvers in it And I shall beleeve for my part he mindeth to destill heaven out of this loss and all others the like for wisdom devised it and love laid it on and Christ owneth it as his own and putteth your shoulder onely beneath a piece of it take it with joy as no bastard cross but as a vintation of God well born and spend the rest of your appointed time till your change come in the work of beleeving and let faith that never yet made a lye to you speak for God's part of it he will not he doth not make you a sea or a whalefish that he keepeth you inward lob 7. 12. It may be ye think not many of the children of God in such a hard case as your self but what would ye think of some who would exchange afflictions give you to the boot but I know yours must be your own alone and Christ's together I confess it seemed strange to me that your Lord should have done that which seemeth to ding out the bottom of your comforts worldly but we see not to the ground of the Almightie's soveraignity he goeth by on our right hand on our left hand we see him not We see but pieces of the broken links of the chain of his providence and he coggeth the wheels of his own providence that we see not O let the former work his own clay in what frame he pleaseth Shall any teach the Almighty knowledge If he pursue dry stubble who dare say what doest thou doe not wonder to see the Judge of the world weave in one web your mercies the judgements of the house of the Kenmure he can make one web of contraries But my weak advice with reverence correction were for you Dear worthy Lady to see how far mortification goeth on what scum the Lord's fire casteth out of you I know ye see your knottiness since our Lord whyteth heweth plaineth you the glanceing of the furnace is to let you see what scum or refuse ye must want what froath is in nature that must be boiled out taken off in the fire of your trials I doe not say heavier afflictions prophesie heavier guiltiness a cross is often but a false prophet in this kinde but I am sure our Lord would have the tin the bastard mettall in you removed least the Lord say the bellowes are burnt the lead is consumed in the fare the founder melteth in vain Ier. 6 29 And I shall hope that grief shall not so far smother your light as not to practize this so necessary a duty to concur with him in this blessed design I would gladly plead for the
few yea non that dare make any point that toucheth the worship honour of our king lawgiver to be indifferent O that this mislead blindfolded world would see that Christ doeth not rise fall stand or lie by mens apprehensions what is Christ the lighter that men doe with him by open proclamation as men doe with clipped light money they are now crying down Christ some grain weights some pounds or shillings they will have him lie for a penny or a pound for one or for ane hundreth according as the wind bloweth from the east or from the west but the Lord hes weighed him ballanced him already This is my welbeloved Son in whom I am well pleased â—ear ye him his worth his weight standeth still It is our part to cry up up with Christ down down with all created glory before him O that I could highten him highten his name highten his throne I know am perswaded that Christ shall again be high great in this poor withered sun-burnt Kirk of Scotland that the sparks of our fire shall flee over sea round about to warme you other sister-churches that this tabernacle of Davids house that is faâ—len even the Son of David his waste places shall be built again I know the prison crosses persecutions trials of the two slain witnesses that are novv dead buried Rev. 11. of the faithfull professors have a back-door back entrie of escape that death hell and the vvorld tortures shall all cleave split in tvvain give us free passage libertie to goe through them toll-free vve shall bring all Gods good metall out of the furnace again and leave behinde us but our drosse our scumme we may then before hand proclaim Christ to be victorious He is crowned King in mount Sion God did put the crown upon his head Psal. 2. And who dare take it off again out of question he hath sore grievous quarrells against his church and therefore He is called Is. 39. 10. He whose fire is in Sion whose furnace is in Ierusalem But when he hath performed his work on mount Sion all Sions haters shall be as the hungry and thirstie man that dreams he is eating and drinking and behold when he awaketh he is faint and his soul empty and this advantage we have also that he will not bring before sun moon all the infirmities of his wife it is the modesty of marriage-anger or husband-wrath that our sweet Lord Jesus will not come with chiding to the streets to let all the world hear what is betwixt him us his sweet gloomes stay under roofe and that because he is God Two speciall things ye are to minde 1. Try make sure your profession that ye cary not empty lamps alace security security is the bane the wrack of the most part of the world Oh how many professors goe with a golden lustre gold-like before men who are but witnesses to our white skin yet are but bastard base metall consider how fair before the wind some doe ply with up sailes and white even to the nick of illumination Heb. 6 5 And tasting of the heavenly gift a share and part of the holy Ghost the tasting of the good word of God the powers of the world to come yet this is but a false nick of renovation and in a short time such are quickly broken upon the rocks and never fetch the harbour but are sanded in the bottome of hell O make your heaven sure and try how ye come by conversion that it be not stolen goods in a white wel-lustred profession a white skin over old wounds maketh an under-cotting conscience false under-under-water not seen is dangerous that is a lek and rift in the bottome of an enlightened conscience often falling sinning against light Woe woe is me that the holy profession of Christ is made a stage garment by many to bring home a vain fame Christ is made to serve mens ends this is as it were to stop an oven with a Kings robes Know 2. except men martyre slay the body of sin in sanctified self-denial they shall never be Christs martyrs and faithfull witnesses Oh if I could be master of that house-idol my self my own mine my own will wit credit ease how blessed were I O but we have need to be redeemed from our selves rather then from the Devil the vvorld learn to put out your selves to put in Christ for your selves I should make a sweet bâ—rtering niffering give old for new if I could shuffle out self substitute Christ my Lord in place of my felf to say not I but Christ not my will but Christs not my ease not my lust not my fecklâ—ss Credit but Christ Christ. But alace in leaving our selves in sâ—tâ—ng Christ before our Idol self we have yet a glaikâ—d back-look to our old Idol O wretched Idol my self when shall I see thee wholly decourted Christ wholly put in thy room Oh if Christ Christ had the full place room of my self that all my aimes purposes thoughts desires would coast and land upon Christ not upon my self yâ—t howbeit we can not attain to this denial of me mine that we can say I am not my self my self is not my self mine own is no longer mine own yet our aiming at this in all we doe shall be accepted for alace I think I shall diâ— but minting aiming to be a Christan Is it not our comfort that Christ the mediator of the new covenant is come betwixt us oâ—od in the bussinesse so that green young heirs the like 〈◊〉 sinners have now a Tutour that is God now God be thanked our salvation is bottomed on Christ sure I am the he bottome shall never fall out of heaven happinesse to us I would give over the bargain a thousand times were it not that Christ his free grace hath taken our salvation in hand Pray pray contend with the Lord for your sister-Church for it would appear the Lord is about to spier for his scattered sheep in the dark and cloudy day O that it would please our Lord to set up again Davids old wasted and fallen tabernacle in Scotland that we might see the glory of the second temple in this land O that my little heaven were wodset to redeem the honour of my Lord Jesus among Jews Gentils let never dew lie upon my branches and let my poor flower wither at the root so being Christ were enthroned and his glory advanced in all the world especially in these three Kingdomes but I know he hath no need of me what can I adde to him but oh that he would cause his high pure glory run through such a foul channel as I am howbeit he hath caused the blossome fall off my
set rent O how many rich off-fallings are in my Kings house I am perswaded dare pawnd my salvation on it that it is Christs truth I now suffet for I know his comforts are no dreams he would not put his seal on blank paper nor deceive his afflicted ones that trust in him Your La wrote to me that ye are yet an ill scholler Madam ye must goe in at heavens gates and your book in your hand still learning you have had your own large share of troubls a double portion but iâ— saith your Father counteth you not a baâ—tard fuâ—-begotten bairns are nurtured Heb. 12. 8. I long to hear of the childe I write the blessings of Christs prisoner the mercies of God to him let him be Christs yours betwixt you but let Christ â—e whole play-maker let him be the lender ye the borrower not an owner Madam it is not long since I did write to your La that Christ is keeping mercy for you I bide by it still now I write it under my hand love him dearly win in to see him there is in him that which you never saw he is aâ—â—igh he is a tree of life green blossoming both summer and winter there is a nick in Christianity to the which whosoever cometh they see and feel more then others can doe I invite you of new to come to him Come See will speak better things of him then I can doe come neerer come neerer wil say much God thought never this world a portion worthy of you he would not even you to a gift of dirt clay nay he will not give you Esaâ—'s portion but reserves the inheritance of Jacob for you are ye not well married now have you not a good husband now my heart cannot expresse what sad nights I have for the virgin daughter of my people woe is me for our time is coming Ezek. 7 10. behold the day behold it is come the morning hath gone forth the rod hath blossomed pride hath buâ—ded violence is risen up in a rod of wickedness the sun is gone down upon our prophets A drie wind upon Scotland but neither to fan nor to cleanse but out of all question when the Lord hath cut down his forrest the after-growth of Lebanon shall flourish they shall plant vines in our mountains and a cloud shall yet fill the Temple Now the blessing of our dearest Lord Jesus the blessing of him that is seperat from his brethren come upon you Yours at Aberden the prisoner of Christ S. R. To the honourable truly noble lady the VICOUNTESSE of KENMURE 7 MADAM GRace mercy peace be to your La I long to hear from you I am here waiting if a good wind long-looked for shaâ—â— at length blow in Christs sailes in this land But I wonder if Jesus be not content to suffer more yet in his members cause beauty of his house rather then he should not be avenged upon this land I hear many worthy men who see more in the Lords dealing then I can take up with my dim sight are of a contrait minde doe beleeve the Lord is coming home again to his house in Scotland I hope he is on his journey that way yet I look not but that he shall feed this land with their own blood before he establish his throne amongst us I know your Honour is not looking after things here-away ye have no great cause to think that your stock principall is under the roof of these visible heavens I hope ye would think your self a beguiled and coâ—sened Soul if it were so I would be sorry to counsell your La to make a covenant with time this life but rather desire you to hold in fair generals far off from this ill founded heaven that is on this side of the water It speaketh some what when our Lord bloweth the bloome off our daft hopes in this life loppeth the branches of our worldly joyes well nigh the root on purpose that they should not thrive Lord spill my fools heaven in this life that I may be saved for ever A forfeiture of the saints part of the yolke and marrow of short-laughing happinesse worldly is not such a real evil as our blinded eyes doe conceive I am thinking long now for some deliverance more then before but I know I am in an errour It is possible I am not come to that measure of triall that the Lord is seeking in his work If my friends in Galloway would effectualy doe for my deliverance I would exceedingly rejoyce but I know not but the Lord hath a way whereof he will be the only reaper of praises Let me know with the bearer how the childe is the Lord be his Father Tutour your onely comforter There is nothing here where I am but profanitie atheisme Grace grace be with your La. Aberd. Feb. 13. 1637. Your La at all oblidged obedience in Christ S. R. To the noble Christian lady the VICOUNTESSE of KENMURE 8 MADAM GRace mercy peace be to you I would not omit the occasion to write to your La with the bearer I am glad the childe is well Gods favour even in the eyes of men be seen upon him I hope your La is thinking upon these sad woefull dayes wherein we now live when our Lord in his righteous judgment is sending the kirk the gate she is going to Romes brothell house to seek a lover of her own seeing she hath given up with Christ her husband O what sweet comfort what rich salvation is laid up for these who had rather wash and roll their garments in their own blood then break out from Christ by Apostasie keep your self in the love of Christ stand far aback from the pollutions of the vvorld side not with these times and hold off from coming nigh the signs of a conspiracie with these that are now come out against Christ that ye may be One keept for Christ onely I know your La thinketh upon this and how ye may be humbled for your self this backsliding land for Iavouch that wrath from the Lord is gone out against Scotland I think ay the longer the better of my Royall and worthy master he is become a new welbeloved to me now in renewed consolations by the presence of the spirit of grace and glory Christs garments smell of the powder of the marchant when he cometh out of his Ivory chambers O his perfumed face his fair face his lovely kindly kisses have made me a poor prisoner see there iâ— more to be had of Christ in this life then I beleeved we think all is but a little earnest a four hours a small tasting we have or is to be had in this life which is true compared with the inheritance but yet I know it is more It is the Kingdom of God within us Woe woe is me that I have not ten loves for that one
me now so as God maketh an honest cross my daily sorrow and for fear of scandal and stumbling I must hide this day of the law 's pleading I know not if this court kept within my soul be fenced in Christ's name If certainty of salvation were to be bought God knoweth if I had ten earths I would not prig with God like a fool I beleeved under suffering for Christ that I my self should keep the key of Christ's treasures and take out comforts when I listed and eat and be fat But I see now a sufferer for Christ will be made to know himself and will be holden at the door as well as another poor sinner and will be fain to eat with the bairns and to take the by-board and glad so my blessing on the cross of Christ that hath made me see this Oh if we could take pains for the Kingdom of heaven but we sit down upon some ordinary markes of God's children thinking we have as much as will seperat us from a Reprobat and thereupon we tak the play and cry Holy-day thus the devil casteth water on our fire blunteth our zeal and care but I see heaven is not at the next door I see howbeit my challenges be many I suffer for Christ dare hazard my salvation upon it for some times my Lord cometh with a fair hour O but his love be sweet delightfull comfortable half a kiss is sweet but our doting love will not be content of a right to Christ unless we get posfession like the man who will not be content of rights to bought land except he get also the ridges and acers laid upon his back to carry home with him However it be Christ is wise and we are fools to be browden and fond of a pawne in the loof of our hand living on trust by faith may well content us Madam I know your La knoweth this and that made me bold to write of it that others might reap some what by my bonds for the truth for I should desire and I aime at this to have my lord well spoken of and honoured howbeit he should make nothing of me but a bridge over a water Thus recommending your La your son and children to his grace who hath honoured you with a name and room among the living in Jerusalem and wishing Grace to be with your La I rest Aberd. Your La in his sweetest Lord Iesus S. R. To Mr. DAVID DICKSON 21 Reverend Dear Brother GRace mercy and peace be unto you I finde great men especially old friends skar to speak for me but my kingly Royall Master biddeth me try his moyen to the uttermost I shall finde a friend at hand I still depend on him his court is as before the prisoner is welcome to him the black crabbed tree of my Lord's cross hath made Christ and my soul very entire he is my song in the night I am often laid in the dust with challenges and apprehensions of his anger and then if a mountain of iron were laid upon me I cannot be heavier and with much wrestling I win in to the Kings house of wine and for the most part my life is joy and such joy through his comforts as I have been afraid to shame my self and to cry out for I can scarce bear what I get Christ giveth me a measure heaped up pressed down and running over and beleeve it his love paineth me more then prison and banishment I cannot get a gate of Christ's love had I known what he was keeping for me I would never have been so faint-hearted In my heaviest times when all is lost the memory of his love maketh me think Christ's gloomes are but for the fashion I seek no more but a vent to my wine I am smothered and ready to burst for want of a vent Think not much of persecution it is before you but it is not as men conceive of it my suggared-cross forceth me to say this to you ye shall have wailed meat the sick bairn is often times the spilt baâ—rn ye shall command all the house I hope ye help a tired prisoner to pray and praise had I but the annuell of annuell to give to my Lord Jesus it should ease my pain but Alace I have nothing to pay he will get nothing of poor me but I am woe I have not room enough in my heart for such a stranger I am not cast down to goe further North I have good cause to work for my Master for I am well paid before the hand I am not behinde howbeit I should not get one smile more till my feet be up within the Kings dining-hall I have gone through yours upon the Covenant it hath edified my soul and refreshed an hungry man I judge it sharp sweet quick and profound take me at my word I fear it get no lodging in Scotland The Brethren of Ireland write not to me chide with them for that I am sure that I may give you and them a commission and I will bide by it that you tell my beloved I am sick of love I hope in God to leave some of my rust and superfluites in Aberd I cannot get an house in this town wherein to leave drink-silver in my Master's name save one onely there is no sale for Christ in the North he is like to lie long on my hand ere any accept him Grace be with you Aberd. Yours in his sweet Lord Iesus S. R. To Mr MATHEW MOWAT 22 REverend and dear brother I am a very far misstaken man if others knew how poor my stock were they would not think upon the like of me but with compassion for I am as one kept under a strict Tutour I would have more then my Tutour alloweth upon me but it is good that a bairns wit is not the rule which regulateth my Lord Jesus let him give what he will it shall ay be above merit my ability to gain therewith I would not wish a better stock while heaven be my stock then to live upon credit at Christs hands daily borrowing surely running over love that vast hudge boundlesse love of Christ that there is telling in for man and Angel is the onely thing I fainest would be in hands with He knoweth I have little but the love of that love that I shall be happy suppose I never get another heaven but onely an eternall lasting feast of that love but suppose my wishes were poor He is not poor Christ all the seasons of the yeer is dropping sweetnesse if I had vessels I might fill them but my old riven holly and running out dish even when I am at the well can bring little away Nothing but Glory will make tight and fast our looking and rifty vessels Alace I have skailed more of Christs Grace love faith humility and godly sorrow then I have brought with me How little of the sea can a childe carry in his hand as little
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
heavens gates it is a castle taken by force many shall strive to enter in shall not be able I beseech obtest you in the Lord make conscience of rash passionat oathes of raging sudden revenging anger of night-drinking of needless companionry of Sabbath-breaking of hurting any under you by word or deed of hating your very enemies Except ye receive the Kingdom of God as a little childe be as meek sober-minded as a babe ye cannot enter into the Kingdom of God That is a word which should touch you near and make you stoop cast your self down and make your great spirit fall I know this will not be easily done but I recommend it to you as you tender your part of the Kingdom of heaven Brother I may from new experience speak of Christ to you Oh if ye saw in him what I see a river of God's unseen joyes hath flowed from bank to brae over my soul since I parted with you I wish I wanted part so being ye might have that your soul might be sick of love for Christ or rather satiat with him this clay-idol the world would seem to you then not worth a fig time will eat you out of possession of it when the eye strings break the breath groweth cold the imprisoned soul looketh out at the windowes of the clay house ready to leap out into eternity what would ye then give for a lamp full of oyl Oh seek it now I desire you to correct curb banning swearing lying drinking sabbath-breaking idle spending of the Lords day in absence from the Kirk as far as your Authority reacheth in that Parish I hear a man is to be thrust in to that place to the which I have God's right I know ye should have a voice by God's word in that Act. 1 15 16. to the end and Act. 6 3 5. Ye would be loath that any Prelat should put you out of your possession earthly this is your right What I write to you I write to your wife Grace be with you Aberd. March 14 1637. Your loving Pastor S. R. To the Lady HALHILL 37. DEar Christian Lady Grace mercy peace be to you I longed much to write to your La But now the Lord offering a fit occasion I would not omit to doe it I cannot but acquaint your Lae with the Kind dealing of Christ to my soul in this house of my pilgrimage that your La May know Christ is as good as he is called For at my first entry into this triall being easten down troubled with challenges jealousies of his love whose name testimony I now bear in my bonds I feared nothing more then that I was casten over the dike of the vineyard as a dry tree but blessed be his great name the dry tree was in the fire was not burnt his dew came down quickned the root of a withered plant now he is come again with joy hath been pleased to feast his exiled afflicted prisoner with the joy of his consolations now I weep but am not sad I am chastned but I die not I have losse but I want nothing this water cannot drown me this fire cannot burn me because of the goodwill of him that dwelt in the bush The worst things of Christ his reproaches his crosse is better then Egypt's treasures He hath opened his door taken into his house of wine a poor sinner hath leâ—t me so sick of love for my Lord Jesus that if heaven were at my disposing I would give it for Christ would not be content to goe to heaven except I were perswaded Christ were there I would not give nor exchange my bonds for the I'relats velvets nor my prison for their coaches nor my sighs for all the world's laughter this clay idol the world hath no great court in my soul Christ hath come run away to heaven with my heart my love so that neither heart nor love is mine I pray God Christ may keep both without reversion In my estimation as I am now disposed if my part of this world's clay were rooped sold I would think it dear of a drink of water I see Christ's love is so Kingly that it will not abide a marrow it must have a throne all alone in the soul I see apples beguile bairns howbeit they be worm-eaten the moth-eaten pleasures of this present world make bairns beleeve ten is a hundred yet all that are here are but shaddowes if they would draw by the curtain that is hanged betwixt them Christ they should think themselves fools who have so long miskenned the Son of God I seek no more next to heaven but that he may be glorified in a prisoner of Christ that in my behalf many would praise his high glorious name who heareth the sighing of the prisoner Remember my service to the Laird your husband to your son my aquaintance I wish Christ had his young love that in the morning he would start to the gate to seek that which this world knoweth not therefore doeth not seek it The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you Aberd. March 14. 1637. Yours in his sweet Lord Iesus S. R. To the right honourable my Lord LINDSAY 38 Right honourable my very good Lord. GRace mercy peace be to your Lo Pardon my boldness to express my self to your Lo At this so needful a time when your wearied friendless mother-kirk is looking round about her to see if any of her sons doeth really bemoan her desolation Therefore my dear worthy Lord I beseech you in the bowels of Christ pity that widow-like sister spouse of Christ. I know her husband iâ— not dead but he seemeth to be in another countrey seeth well beholdeth who are his true tender hearted friends who dare venture under the water to bring out to dry land sinking truth who of the Nobles will cast up their arm to warde a blow off the crowned head of our Royal law-giver who reigneth in Zion who will plead contend for â—acob in the day of his controversie It iâ— now time my worthy noble Lord for you who are the little nurse-fathers under our Soveraign Prince to put on courage for the Lord Jesus to take up a fallen orphan speaking out of the dust to embrace in your arms Christ's Bride he hath no more in Scotland that is the delight of his eyes but that one little sister whose breasts were once well fashioned She once ravished her welbeloved with her eyes and overcame him with her beauty She looked forth as the morning fair as the moon clear as the sun terrible as an army with banners Her stature was like the palm-tree and her breasts like clusters of grapes she held the King in his galleries Cant. 4 9. 6 10. 7 5 7. But now the crown is fallen
that ye write to of that Oh light findeth not that reverence fear as a plant of God's setting should finde in our soul How doe we by nature as others detain captivat the truth of God in unrighteousness so make God's light a bound prisoner even when the prisoner breaketh the jayle cometh out in belief of a Godhead in some practice of holy obedience how often doe we of new lay hâ—nds on the prisoner and put our light again in fetters Certainly there cometh great mist clouds from the lower part of our soul our earthly affections to the higher part which is our conscience either naturall or renewed as smoke in a lower house breaketh up defileth the house above If we had more practice of obedience we should have more sound light I think lay aside all other guiltiness this one the violence done to God's candle in our soul were a sufficient dittay against us for there is no helping of this but by striving to stand in aw of God's light lest light tell tales of us we deâ—re little to hear but since it is not without God that light sitteth neighbour to will a lawless Lord no marvel that such a neighbour should lâ—aven our Judgement darken our light I see there is a necessity that we protest against the doings of the old man raise up a party against our worst half to accuse condemn sentence with sorrow bemoan the dominion of sin's Kingdom withall make Law in the new Covenant against our guiltness for Christ once condemned sin in the flesh we are to condemn it over again if there had not been such a thing as the grace of Jesus I should have long since given up with heaven with the expectation to see God But grace grace free grace the merits of Christ for nothing white fair large Saviour-mercy which is another sort of thing then creature-mercy or law-mercy yea a thousand degrees above Angel-mercy hath been and must be the rock that we drowned souls must swim to New washing renewed application of purchased redemption by that sacred blood that sealeth the free Covenant is a thing of daily and hourly use to a poor sinner Till we be in heaven our issue of blood will not be quite dryed up therefore we must resolve to apply peace to our soul from the new living way Jesus who cleanseth cureth the leprousâ—â—oul lovely Jesus must be our song on this side of heavens gates even when we have won the castle then must we eternally sing Worthy worthy is the Lamb who hath saved us washed us in his own blood I would counsel all the ransomed ones to learn this song to drink be drunk with the love of Jesus O fairest O highest O loveliest one open the well O water the burnt withered travellers with this love of thine I think it 's possible on earth to build a young new Jerusalem a little new heaven of this surpassing love God either send mâ— more of this love or take me quickly over the water where I may be filled with his love My softness cannot take with want I profess I bear not hunger of Christ's love fair I know not if I play foul play with Christ but I would have a link of that chain of his providence mended in pining delaying the hungry on-waiters For my self I could wish that Christ would let out upon me more of that love Yet to say Christ is a niggard to me I dare not if I say I have abundance of his love I should lye I am half straitned to complain cry Lord Iesus hold thy hand no longer Worthy Sir let me have your prayers in my bonds Grace be with you Aberd. 7 Septr 1637. Yours in his sweet Lord. Iesus S. R. To JAMES LINDSAY 62. Dear Brother THe constant daily observing of God's going alongst with you in his coming going ebbing flowing embracing kissing glooming striking giveth me a witless lazie observer of the Lord's way working an heavie stroke could I keep sight of him know when I want carry as became me in that condition I would blesse my case But. 1. For desertions I think them like lying-lay of lean weak land for some yeers while it gather sap for a better crope It is possible to gather gold where it may be had with moon light Oh if I could but creep one foot or half a foot neerer in to Jesus in such a dismal night as that when he is away I should think it an happy absence 2. If I knew the beloved were onely gone away for triall for further humiliation not smoked out of the house with new provocations I would forgive desertions hold my peace at his absence but Christ's bought absence that I bought with my sin is two running boils at once one upon either side what side then can I lie on 3. I know as night shaddows are good for flowers moonlight dews are better then a continuall sun so is Christ's absence of speciall use it hath some nourishing vertue in it giveth sap to humility putteth an edge on hunger furnisheth a fair field to faith to put forth it self to exercise it's fingers in gripping it seeth not what 4. It is mercy's wonder grace's wonder that Christ will lend a piece of the lodging a back-chamber beside himself to our lusts that he such swine should keep house together in our soul For suppose they couch contract themselves into little room when Christ cometh in seem to lie as dead under his feet yet they often break out again And that a foot of the old man or a leg or arm nailed to Christ's cross looseth the naile or breaketh out again yet Christ beside this unruly misnurtured neighbour can still be making heaven in the saints one way or other may not I say Lord Iesus what doest thou here Yet here he must be but I will but lose my feet to goe on into this depth wonder for free mercy infinite merits took a lodging to Christ us beside such a loath some guest as sin 5. Sanctification mortification of our lusts are the hardest part of Christianity It is in a manner as naturall to us to leap when we see the new Jerusalem as to laugh when we are tickled joy is not under command or at our nod when Christ kisseth but O how many of us would have Christ divided in two halves that we might take the half of him onely take his office Iesus salvation but Lord is a cumbersome word to obey work out our own salvation to perfect holyness is the cumbersome stormy north-side of Christ that we eshew shift 6. For your question the accesse that reprobats have to Christ which is none at all for to the Father in
see Christ can borrow a cross for some hours set his servants beside it rather then under it win the plea too yea make glory to himself shame to his enemies comfort to his children out of it But whether Christ buy or borrow crosses he is King of crosses King of Devils King over hell King over malice When he was in the grave he came out brought the keys with him he is Lord-Jaylor nay what say I he is Captain of the castle he hath the keys of deaths hell what are our troubles but little deaths he who commandeth the great castle commandeth the little also 2. I see a hardned face two skins upon our browes against the winter hail stormy wind is meetest for a poor traveller in a winter journey to heaven O what art is it to learn to endure hardness to learn to goe bare footed either through the devil's fiery coals or his frozen waters 3. I am perswaded a sea-venture with Christ maketh great riches Is not our King Jesus his ship coming home shall not we get part of the gold Alas we fools miscount our gain when we seem losers Beleeve me I have no challenges against this well-born cross for it is come of Christ's house is honourable his propine To you it is given to suffer O what fools are we to undervalue his gifts to lightlie that which is true honour For if we could be faithfull our tackling shall not loose nor our mast break nor our sails blow into the sea The bastard crosses the kinless base-born crosses of worldlings for evil doing must be heavie grievous but our afflictions are light momentany 4. I think my self happy that I have lost credit with Christ that in this bargain I am Christ's sworn dyvour to whom he will lippen nothing no not one pin in the work of my salvation Let me stand in black and white in the Dyvourbook be ore Christ I am happy that my salvation is concredited to Christ's mediation Christ oweth no faith to me to lippen any thing to me but O what faith credit I ow to him Let my name fall let Christ's name stand in honour with man angel Alas I have no room to spread out my affection before God's people I see not how I can shout out cry out the loveliness the high honour the glory of my fairest Lord Jesus Oh that he would let me have a bed to lie in to be delivered of my birth that I might paint him out in his beauty to men as I dow 5. I wondered once at providence called white providence black unjust that I should be smothered in a town where no soul will take Christ off my hand But providence hath another lustre with God then with my bliered eyes I proclaim my self a blinde body who know not black white in the uncouth course of God's providence Suppose Christ would set hell where heaven is devils up in glory beside the elect Angels which yet cannot be I would I had a heart to acquiesce in his way without further dispute I see infinite wisdom is the mother of his judgements his wayes pass finding out 6. I cannot learn but I desire to learn to bring my thoughts will lusts in under Christ's feet that he may trample upon them But alas I am still upon Christ's wrong side Grace be with you Aberd. Sept. 12. 1637. Yours in his sweet Lord Iesus S. R. To ROBERT LENNOX Of Disdove 83 Worthy dear Brother I Forget you not in my bonds I know ye are looking to Christ I beseech you follow your look I can say more of Christ now by experience though he be infinitly above beyond all that can be said of him then when I saw you I am drowned over head ears in his love Sell sell sell all things for Christ. If this whole world were the balk of a ballance it should not be able to bear the weight of Christ's love man angels have short arms to fathom it Set your feet upon this piece blew base clay of an over-guilded fair plaistered world an hours kissing of Christ is worth a world of worlds Sir make sure work or your salvation build not upon sand lay the foundation upon the rock in Zion strive to be dead to this world to your will lusts Let Christ have a commanding power a King throne in you Walk with Christ howbeit the wind should take the hide off your face I promise you Christ will win the field Your pastors cause you to erre except you see Christ's word goe not one foot with them Countenance not the reading of that Romish Service-book Keep your garments clean as ye would walk with the Lamb clothed in white The wrongs I suffer are upon record in heaven our great Master Judge will be upon us all bring us before the sun in our black 's white 's Blessed are they who watch keep themselves in God's love Learn to discern the Bridegroom's tongue to give your self to prayer reading Ye was often a hearer of me I would put my heart blood upon the doctrine I taught as the onely way to salvation goe not from it my dear Brother What I write to your self I write to your wife also Minde heaven Christ keep the spunk of the love of Christ you have gotten Christ shall blow on it if ye entertain it your end shall be peace There is a fire in our Zion but our Lord is but seeking a new Bride refined purified out of the furnace I assure you howbeit we be nick-named Puritans all the powers of the world shall not prevail against us Remember though a sinfull man write it to you these people shall yet be in Scotland as a green olive-tree a field blessed of the Lord it shall be proclaimed up up with Christ down down with all contrary powers Sir pray for me I name you to the Lord for further evil is determined against me Remember my love to Christian Murray her daughter I desire her in the edge of her evening to wait a little the King is coming he hath something that she never saw with him heaven is no dream Come see will teach her best Grace grace be with you Aberd. Sept. 13. 1637. Yours in his sweet Lord Iesus S. R. To MARION McKNAUGHT 84 Dearest in our Lord Iesus COunt it your honour that Christ hath begun at you to fine you first Fear not saith the Amen the true faithfull witness I write to you as my Master liveth upon the word of my royal King continue in prayer in watching your glorious deliverance is coming Christ is not far off a fig a straw for all the bits of clay that are risen against us Ye shall thresh the mountains fan then like
vessel again to bear Christ's name to the world I am sure that love bottomed seated upon the faith of his love to me would desire endure this would even claim thriep kindness upon Christ's strokes kiss his lovely glooms both spell read salvation upon the wounds made by Christ's sweet hands Oh that I had but a promise from the mouth of Christ of his love to me then howbeit my faith were as tender as paper I think longing dwining griening of sick desires would cause it bide out the siege till the Lord came to fill the soul with his love I know also in that case faith should abide green sappy at the root even at mid winter and stand out against all stormes However it be I know Christ winneth heaven in dispite of hell But I ow as many praises thanks to free grace as would lie betwixt me the utmost border of the highest heaven suppose ten thousand heavens were all laid above other But oh I have nothing that can hire or bud grace for if grace would take hire it were no more grace but all our stability the strength of our salvation is anchored fastened upon free grace and I am sure Christ hath by his death blood casten the knot so fast that the fingers of devils hel-fuls of sins cannot loose it that bond of Christ that never yet was nor never shall nor can be registrated standeth surer then heaven or the dayes of heaven as that sweet pillar of the covenant whereupon we all hang Christ and all his little ones under his two wings in the compasse or circle of his arms is so sure that cast him and them in the ground of the sea he shall come up again not loose one An odde one cannot nor shall not be lost in the telling This was alwayes God's aime since Christ came in the play betwixt him us to make men dependent creatures and in the work of our salvation to put created strength arms legs of clay quit out of play out of office court now God hath substituted in our room accepted his Son the mediator for us all that we can make If this had not been I would have skinked over foregone my part of paradise salvation for a break-fast of dead moth-eaten earth but now I would not give it nor let it go for more then I can tell truly they are silly fools and ignorant of Christ's worth so full ill trained and tutoured who tell heaven Christ over the board for two feathers or two straws of the devil's painted pleasures onely lustred in the utter side This is our happiness now that our reckonings at night when eternity shall come upon us cannot be told we shall be so far gainers so far from being super expended as the poor fools of this world are who give out their money get in but black hunger that Angels cannot lay our counts nor summe our advantage in-comes Who knoweth how far is it to the bottom of our Christ to the ground of our heaven Who ever weighed Christ in a pair of ballances Who hath seen the foldings plyes and the heights and depths of that glory which is in him and kept for us Oh for such a heaven as to stand afar off and see love and long for him while time 's threed be cut and this great work of creation dissolved at the coming of our Lord Now to his Grace I recommend you I beseech you also pray for a re-entry to me into the Lord's house if it be his good will Aberd. Jan. 6. 1637. Yours in his sweet Lord Iesus S. R. To ELIZABETH KENNEDY 90 MISTRESS GRace mercy and peace be unto you I have long had a purpose of writing to you but I have been hindred I heartily desire that ye would minde your journey consider to what airth your soul setteth it's face for all come not home at night who suppose they have set their face heaven-ward it is a woefull thing to die misse heaven to lose house-room with Christ at night It is an evil journey where travellers are benighted in the fields I perswade my self that thousands shall be deceived ashamed of their hope because they cast their anchor in sinking sands they must lose it Till now I knew not the pain labour nor difficulty that there is to win home nor did I understand so well before this what that meaneth The righteous shall scarcely be saved Oh how many a poor Professor's candle is blowen out never lighted again I see ordinary profession to be ranked amongst the children of God to have a name among men is now thought good enough to carry professors to heaven but certainly a name is but a name will never bide a blast of God's storm I counsell you not to give your soul or Christ rest nor your eyes sleep till ye have gotten something that will bide the fire stand out the storm I am sure if my one foot were in heaven then he would say fend thy self I will hold my grips of thee no longer I should goe no further but presently fall down in as many Pieces of dead nature They are happy for evermore who are over head ears in the love of Christ know no sickness but love-sickness for Christ feel no pain but the pain of an absent hidden welbeloved We run our souls out of breath tire them in coursing galloping after our own night-dreams such are the rovings of our miscarrying hearts to get some created good thing in this life on this side of death We would fain slay spin out a heaven to our solves in this side of the water but sorrow want changes crosses sin are both woof warp in that ill-spun web O how sweet dear are these thoughts that are still upon the things which are above how happy are they who are longing to have little sand in their glass to have time's threed cut can cry to Christ Lord Iesus have over come fetch the driry passenger I wish our thoughts were more frequently then they are on our countrey O but heaven casteth a sweet smell afar off to these who have spirituall smelling God hath made many fair flowers but the fairest of them all is heaven the flower of all flowers is Christ. O why doe we not flee up to that lovely one Alas that there is such scarcity of love lovers of Christ amongst us all Fy fy upon us who love fair things as fair gold fair houses fair lands fair pleasures fair honours fair persons and doe not pine melt away with love for Christ. O would to God I had more love for his sake O for as much love as would lie betwixt me heaven for his sake O for as much love
the gate contend for the crown leave all vanities make Christ your garland Let your soul put away your old lovers let Christ have your whole love I have some experience to write of this to you My witnesse is in heaven I would not exchange my chains bonds for Christ my sighs â—or ten worlds glory I judge this clay-idol that Adam's sons are rouping selling their souls for not worth a drink of cold water O if your soul were in my soul's stead how sick would ye be of love for that fairest one that fairest among the sons of men Mayflowers morning vapours summer mist posteth not so fast away as these worm-eaten pleasures that we follow We build castles in the air night dreams are our day idols that we dote on Salvation Salvation is our onely one necessarie thing Sir call home your thoughts to this work to inquire for your welbeloved This earth is the portion of bastards seek the sons inheritance let Christ's truth be dear to you I pawnd my salvation on it that this is the honour of Christ's Kingdom I now suffer for this world I hope shall not come between me my garland that this is the way to life When ye I shall lie lumps of pale clay upon the cold ground our pleasures that we now naturally love shall be lesse then nothing in that day dear Brother fulfill my joy betake you to Christ without further delay ye will be fain at length to seek to him or doe infinitly worse Remember my love to your wife grace be with you Aberd. March 13. 1637. Yours in his sweet Lord Iesus S. R. To WILLIAM GLENDINING 99 Welbeloved dear Brother GRace mercy and peace be to you I thank you most kindly for your care love to me in particular to my brother in hiâ— distresse in Edinburgh Goe on thorow your waters without wearying your guide knoweth the way follow him cast your caâ—es tentation upon him let not wormes the sons of men affright you they shall die the moth shall eat them keep your garland there is no lesse at the stake in this game betwixt us the world then our conscience salvation we have need to take heed to the game not to yield to them Let them take other things from us but here in matters of conscience we must hold draw with Kings set our selves in termes of opposition with the shields of the earth O the sweet communion for evermore that hath been between Christ his poor prisoner He wearieth not to be kinde He is the fairest sight I see in Aberd or any part that ever my feet were in Remember my hearty kindness to your wife I desire her to beleeve lay her cares on God make fast work of salvation Grace be with you Aberd. March 13. 1637. Yours in his onely Lord Iesus S. R. To JEAN BROWN 100 Welbeloved and dear Sister GRace mercy peace be to you I received your letter which I esteem an evidence of your Christian affection to me of your love to my honourable Lord Master My desire is that your communion with Christ may grow that your reckonings may be put by hand with your Lord ere ye come to the water side O who knoweth how sweet Christs ' kisses are who hath been more kindly embraced kissed then I his banished prisoner If the comparison could stand I would not exchange Christ with heaven it self He hath left a dart arrow of love in my soul it paineth me till he come take it out I finde pain of these wounds because I would have possession I know now this worm-eaten apple the plaistered rotten world that the silly Children of this world are beating buffetting pulling others ears for is a portion for bastards good enough that is all they have to look for I offend not that my adversaries stay at home at their own fire-side with more yearly rent then I should I be angry that the good-man of this house of the world casteth a dog a bone to hurt his teeth he hath taught me to be content with a borrowed fire-side an uncouth bed I think I have lost nothing the in come is so great O what telling is in Christ O how weighty is my fair garland my crown my fair supping-hall in glory where I shall be above the blowes and buffettings of Prelats Let this be your desire let your thoughts dwell much upon that blessednesse that abideth you in the other world The fair side of the world will be turned to you quickly when ye shall see the crown I hope ye are neer your lodging O but I would think my self blessed for my part to win the house before the shower come on For God hath a quiver full of arrowes to shoot at shower down upon Scotland Ye have the prayers of a prisoner of Christ. I desire Patrick to give Christ his young love even the flower of it and put it by all others it were good to start soon to the way He should thereby have a great advantage in the evil day Grace be with you Aberd. March 7. 1637. Yours in his onely Lord Iesus S. R. To Mr JOHN FERGUSHILL 101 Reverend and welbeloved in the Lord. I Was refreshed with your letter I am sorry for that lingering and long some visitation that is upon your wife but I know ye take it as a mark of a lawfully begotten childe not of a bastard to be under your father's rod till ye be in heaven it will be but foul weather one shower up another down The lintel-stones pillars of the new Jerusalem suffer moe knocks of God's hammer tool then the common side-wall stones if twenty crosses be written for you in God's book they will come to ninteen then at last to one after that nothing but your head betwixt Christ's breasts for evermore his own soft hand to dry your face wipe away your teares As for publike sufferings for his truth your Master also will see to these Let us put him in his own office to comfort deliver the gloom of Christ's crosse is worse then it self I cannot keep up what he hath done to my soul My dear Brother will I not get help of you to praise to lift Christ up on high He hath pained me with his love hath left a love arrow in my heart that hath made a wound swelled me up with desires so that I am to be pitied for want of reall possession love would have the company of the party loved my greatest pain is the want of him not of his joyes comforts but of a neer union communion This is his truth I am fully perswaded I now suffer for For Christ hath taken upon him to be witnesse to it by his sweet comforts to my soul
troubles I have received false reports of Christ's love misbeleeved him in his chastning whereas the event hath said all was in mercy 11. Nothing more moveth me weighteth my soul then that I could never for my heart in my prosperity so wrestle in prayer with God nor be so dead to the world so hungry sick of love for Christ so heavenly minded as when ten stone weight of a heavy cross was upon me 12. That the cross extorted vows of new obedience which ease hath blowen away as chaff before the wind 13. That practice was so short narrow light so long broad 14. That death hath not been often meditated upon 15. That I have not been carefull of gaining others to Christ. 16. That my grace gifts bring forth little or no thankfulness There are somethings also whereby I have been helped As 1. I have benefited by riding alone a long journey in giving that time to prayer 2. By abstinence giving dayes to God 3. By praying for others for by making an errand to God for them I have gotten something for my self 4. I have been really confirmed in many particulars that God heareth prayers and therefore I used to pray for any thing of how little importance soever 5. He enabled me to make no question that this mocked way which is nicknamed is the onely way to heaven Sir these many moe occurrences in your life would be looked unto 1. Thoughts of Atheisme would be watched over as If there be a God in heaven Which will trouble assault the best at some times 2. Growth in grace would be cared for above all things falling from our first love mourned for 3. Conscience made of praying for the enemies who are blinded Sir I thank you most kindly for your care of my brother me also I hope it is laid up for you and remembred in heaven I am still ashamed with Christ's kindness to such a sinner as I am He hath left a fire in my heart that hell cannot cast water on to quench or extinguish it Help me to praise and pray for me for ye have a prisoner's blessing prayers Remember my love to your wife Grace be with you Aberd. March 15. 1367. Yours in Christ Iesus S. R. To ROBERT GORDON of Knokbrex 121 My very dear Brother GRace mercy peace be unto you I thought to have answered your two letters upon this occasion though I cannot say all that I would Your timeous word not to delight in the cross but in him who sweetneth it came to me in due time I finde the consolations off-fallings that follow the cross of Christ so sweet that I almost forget my self my desire purpose is when Christ's honey combs drop neither to refuse to receive feed upon his comforts nor yet to make joy my bastard-god or my new found heaven But what shall I say Christ very often in his sweet comforts cometh unsent for it were a sin to close the door upon him It is not unlawfull to love delight in Christ's apples when I am not dottingly wooing nor eagerly begging kisses but when they come clean from the timber like kindness it self that cometh of it's own accord then I cannot but laugh upon him who laugheth upon me If joy comforts came single alone without Christ himself I think I would send them back again the gate they came and not make them welcome But when the King's train cometh and the King in the midst of the company O how am I overjoyed with floods of love I fear not that too great speats of love wash away the growing corn loose my plants at the roots Christ doeth no skaith where he cometh but certainly I would wish such spirituall wisdom as to love the bridegroom better then his gifts his propines or drink-money I would be further in upon Christ then at his joyes they but stand in the utter side of Christ I would wish to be in as a seal on his heart in where his love mercy lodgeth beside his heart My welbeloved hath ravished me but it is done with consent of parties it is allowable enough But my dear Brother ere I part with this subject I must tell you that ye may lift up my King in praises with me Christ hath been keeping something these fourteen years for me that I have now gotten in my heavy dayes that I am in for his name sake even an opened coffer of perfumed comforts fresh joyes coming new green powerfull from the fairest fairest face of Christ my Lord. Let the sowre law let crosses let hell be cryed down Love love hath shamed me from my old wayes Whether I have a race to run or some work adoe I see not but I think Christ seemeth to leave heaven to say so his court come down to laugh play sport with a daft bairn I am not this plain with many I write to It is possible I be misconstructed deemed to seek a name but my witness above knoweth I seek to have a good name raised upon Christ. I observe it to be our folly to seek little from Christ because our four-hours may not be our supper nor our propine sent by the Bridegroom our tocher-good nor our earnest our principal summe But I trow few of us know how much may be had of Christ for a four-hours a propine earnest We are like the young heir who knoweth not the whole bounds of his own Lordship Certainly it is more then my part to say O sweetest Lord Iesus what hoâ— beit I were split broken in five thousand sheards or bits of clay so being every sheard â—ad a heart to love thee every one as many tongues as there are stars in heaven to sing praises to thee before man angel for evermore Therefore if my sufferings cry goodness praise honour upon Christ my stipend is well payed Each one knoweth not what a life Christ's love is Scar not at suffering for Christ for Christ hath a chair a cushion sweet peace for a sufferer Christ's trencher from the first mess of the high-table is for a sinfull witness O then Brother who but Christ Who but Christ Hold your tongue of lovers where he cometh out O all flesh O dust ashes O Angels O glorified spirits O all the shields of the world be silent before him come hither behold our Bridegroom stand still wonder for evermore at him Why cease we to love wonder to kiss adore him It is a hard matter that dayes lie betwixt me him hold us asunder O how long how long O how many miles are there to my Bridegroom 's dwelling house It is a pain to frist Christ's love any longer But it may be a drunken man lose his feet miss a step Ye write to me hall biâ—ks are slippery I doe not think my dâting world
your La to grow as a palm-tree on God's mount Zion howbeit shaken with winds yet the root is fast This is all I can doe to recommend your case to your Lord who hath you written upon the palms of his hand if I were able to doe more your La may beleeve me that gladly I would I trust shortly to see your La Now he who hath called you confirm stablish your heart in grace unto the day of the liberty of the sons of God Ardwell April 29. 1634. Your La at all submissive obedience in his sweet Lord Iesus S. R. To my Lady KENMURE 20 My very Noble worthy Lady SO oft as I call to minde the comforts that I my self a poor friendless stranger received from your La here in a strange part of the countrey when my Lord took from me the delight of mine eyes as the word speaketh Ezek. 24. 16. which wound is not yet fully healed cured I trust your Lord shall remember that give you comfort now at such a time as this wherein your dearest Lord hath made you a widow that ye may be a free Woman for Christ who is now suteing for marriage-love of you therefore since you lie alone in your bed let Christ be as a bundle of myrrhe to sleep lie all the night betwixt your breasts Cant. 1 13. then your bed is better filled then before And seeing amongst all crosses spoken of in our Lord's word this giveth you a particular right to make God your husband which was not so yours while your husband was alive read God's mercy out of this visitation And albeit I must out of some experience say the mourning for the husband of your youth be by God's own mouth the heaviest wordly sorrow Ioel 1. 8. though this be the weightiest burden that ever lay upon your back Yet ye know when the fields are eâ—ptied your husband now asleep in the Lord if ye shall wait upon him who hideth his face for a while that it lieth upon God's honour truth to ful the field to be a husband to the widow See consider then what ye have lost how little it is Therefore Madam let me intreat you in the bowels of Christ Jesus by the comforts of his Spirit your appearance before him let God men Angels now see what is in you The Lord hath pâ—irced the vessel it will be known whether there be in it wine or water let your faith patience be seen that it may be known your onely beloved first and last hath been Christ And therefore now were your whole love upon him he alone is a sutable object for your love and all the affections of your soul God hath dried up one channel of your love by the removal of your husband let now that speat run upon Christ. Your Lord lover hath graciously taken out your husband's name your name out of the summonds that are raised at the instance of the terrible sin-revenging Judge of the world against the house of the Kenmure And I dare say that God's hammering of you from your youth is onely to make you a fair carved stone in the high upper temple of the new Ierusalem Your Lord never thought this world 's vain painted glory a gift worthy of you therefore would not bestow it on you because he is to propine you with a better portion Let the moveables goe the inheritance is yours Ye are a childe of the house joy is laid up for you it is long in coming but not the worse for that I am now expecting to see that with joy comfort that which I hoped of you since I knew you fully even that ye have laid such strength upon the Holy One of Israel that yed â—sie troubles that your soul is a castle that may be beâ—â—â—ged but cannot be taken What have ye to doe here This would never looked like a friend upon you ye ow it little love it looked ever sowre-like upon you Howbeit ye should wooe it it will not match with you therefore never seek warm fire under cold ice This is not a field where your happiness groweth it is up above where Rev. 7. 9. there are a great multitude which no man can number of all nations Kindreds people tongues standing before the throne before the Lamb clothed with wâ—â—te robes palms in their hands What ye could never get here ye shall finde there And withall consider how in all these trials truly they have been many your Lord hath been loosing you at the root from perishing things hunting after you to grip your soul Madam for the Son of God's sake let him not miss his grip but stay abide in the love of God as Iude saith ver 21 Now Madam I hope your La will take these lines in good part wherein I have fallen short failed to your La in not evidencing what I was obliged to your more then undeserved love respect I request for a full pardon for it Again my dear noble Lady let me beseech you to list up your head for the day of your redemption draweth near And remember that star that shined in Galloway is now shining in another world Now I pray that God may answer his own stile to your soul that he may be to you the God of all consolations Thus I remain Anwoth Sept. 14. 1634. Your La at all dutifull obedience in the Lord S. R. To my Lady KENMURE 21 MADAM ALl dutifull obedience in our Lord remembered I know ye are now near one of these strairs in which ye have been before But because your outward comforts are fewer I pray him whose ye are to supply what ye want an other way for howbeit we cannot win to the bottom of his wise Providence who ruleth all yet it is certain this is not onely good which the Almighty hath done but it is best he hath reckoned all your steps to heaven if your La were through this water there are the fewer behinde if this were the last I hope your La hath learned by on-waiting to make your acquaintance with Death which being to the Lord the woman's seed Iesus onely a bloody heel not a broken head Gen. 3 15. cannot be ill to his friends who get fâ—r less of Death then himself Therefore Madam seeing ye know not but the journey is ended ye are come to the water-side in God's wisdom look all your papers your counts whether ye be ready to receive the Kingdom of heaven as a little childe in whom there is little haughtiness much humility I would be far from discouraging your La but there is an absolute necessity that near eternity we look ere we leap seeing no man winneth back again to mend his leap I am confident your La thinketh often upon it that your old guide shall goe before you take
your hands His love to you will not grow sowre nor wear out of date as the love of men which groweth old gray haired often before themselves Ye have so much the more reason to love a better life then this because this world hath been to you a cold fire with little heat to the body as little light much smoke to hurt the eyes But Madam your Lord would have you thinking it but day breasts full of wind empty of food In this late visitation that hath befallen your Laâ—e â—e have seen God's love care in such a measure that I thought our Lord brake the sharp point off the cross made us and your La see Christ take possession and infestment upon earth of him who is now reigning triumphing with the hundred forty four thousand who stand with the Lamb on mount Zion I know the sweetest of it is bitter to you but your Lord will not give you painted crosses He paireth not all the bitterness from the cross neither taketh he the sharp â—dge quite from it then it should be of your wailing not of his which should have as little reason in it as it should have profit for us Onely Madam God commandeth you now to beleeve cast anchor in the dark night climb up the mountain He who hath called you establish you confirm you to the end I had a purpose to have visited your La but when I thought better upon it the truth is I cannot see what my company could profit you this hath broken off my purpose no other thing yknow many honourable friends worthy professours will see I our La that the Son of God is with you to whose love mercy from my soul I recommend your La remain Anwoth Nov. 29. 1634. Your La at all dutifull obedience in his sweet Lord Iesus S. R. To my Lady KENMURE 22 MADAM MY humble obedience in the Lord remembered Know it hath pleased the Lord to let me see by all appearance my labours in God's house here are at an end I 〈◊〉 now learn to suffer in the which I am a dull Scholar By a strange Providence some of my papers anent the corruptions of this time are come to our King's hand I know by the wise well affected I shall be censured as not wise nor circumspect enough but it is ordinary that that should be a part of the cross of these who suffer for him Yet I love pardon the instrument I would commit my life to him howbeit by him this hath befallen me but I look higher then to him I make no question of your La love car to doe what ye can for my help am perswaded that in my adversities our La will with me well I seek no other thing but that my Lord may be honoured by me in giving a â—…ony I was wiâ—ling to doe him more service but seeing he will have no more of my labours this land will thrust me out I pray for grace to learn to be acquaint with misery iâ—â— may give so rough a name to such a mark of these who shall be crowned with Christ And howbeit I will possibly prove a faint-hearted unwise man in that yet I dare say I intend otherwise And I desire not to goe on the lee-side or sunny-side of Religion to put Truth betwixt me a storm my Saviour did not so for me who in his suffering took the windy side of the hill No further but the Son of God be with you Anwoth Dec. 5. 1634. Your La in the Lord Iesus S. R. To my Lady KENMURE 23. MADAM I Received your La letter from I. G. I thank our Lord ye are as well at least as one may be who is not come home it is a mercy in this stormy sea to get a second wind for none of the saints get a first but they must take the winds as the Lord of the seas causeth them to blow the Inne as the Lord Master of the Innes hath ordered it if contentment were here heaven were not heaven Who ever seek the world to be their bed shall at best finde it short ill made a stone under their side to hold them waking rather then a soft pillow to sleep upon Ye ought to bless your Lord that it is not worse we live in a sea where many have suffered ship wrack and have need that Christ sit at the helm of the ship it is a mercy to win to heaven though with much hard toil heavy labour to take it by violence ill well as it may be better goe swimming wet through our waters then drown by the way especially now when Truth suffereth great men bid Christ sit lower contract himself in less bounds as if he took too much room I expect our new Prelate shall try my sitting I hang by a threed but it is if I may speak so of Christ's spinning there is no quarrel more honest or honourable then to suffer for truth but the worst is that this Kirk is like to sink all her lovers friends stand afar off none mourn with her none mourn for her But the Lord Jesus will not be put out of his conquest so soon in Scotland it will be seen the Kirk Truth will rise again within three dayes Christ again shall ride upon his white horse howbeit his horse seem now to stumble yet he cannot fall the fulness of Christ's harvest in the end of the earth is not yet come in I speak not this because I would have it so but upon better grounds then my naked liking but enough of this sad subject I long to be fully assured of your La welfare that your soul prospereth especially now in your solitary life when your comforts outward are few when Christ hath you for the very uptaking I know his love to you is still running over his love hath not so bad a memory as to forget you your dear childe who hath two fathers in heaven the one the Ancient of dayes I trust in his mercy he hath something laid up for him above however it may goe with him here I know it is long since your La saw this world turned your step-mother did forsake you Madam ye have reason to take in good part a lean dinner spare diet in this life seeing your large supper of the Lamb 's preparing will recompense all let it goe which was never yours but onely in sight not in property the time of your loan will wear shorter shorter time is measured to you by ounce-weights then I know your hope shall be a full ear of corn not blasted with wind it may be your joy that your anchor is up within the vail that the ground it is cast upon is not false but firm God hath done his part I hope ye will not deny to fish
of time be cloudy ye cannot but think your Lord can no more take your blood your band without the in-come reeompence of free grace hâ—…e would take the sufferings of Paul his other dear servants that were well paid home beyond all counting Rom. 8 18. If the wisdom of Christ hath made you Antichrist's eye-sore his envy ye are to thank God that such a piece of clay as ye are is made the field of glory to work upon it was the potter's aim that the clay should praise him I hope it satisfieth you that your clay is for his glory Oh who can suffer enough for such a Lord who can lay out in bank enough of pain shame losses tortures to receive in again the free interest of eternall glory 2 Cor. 4 17. O how advantagious a bargaining is it with such a rich Lord If your hand pen had been at leisure to gain glory in paper it had been but paper-glory but the bearing of a publike cross so long for the now controverted priviledges of the crown scepter of free King Jesus the Prince of the Kings of the earth is glory booked in heaven Worthy dear Erother if ye goe to weigh Jesus his sweetness excellency glory beauty say fore-against him your ounces or drams of Suffering for him ye shall be straitned two wayes 1. It will be a pain to make the comparison the disproportion being by no understanding imaginable nay if heaven's Arithmetick Angels were set to work they should never number the degrees of difference 2. It should straiten you to finde a scale for the ballance to lay that High Lofty One that overtranscending Prince of excellency into If your minde could fancy as many created heavens as time hath had minutes trees have had leaves clouds have had rain drops since the first stone of the creation was laid they should not make half a scale to bear weight boundless excellency it to And therefore the King whose marks ye are bearing whos 's dying ye carry about with you in your body is out of all cry consideration beyond above all our thoughts For my self I am content to feed upon wondering sometimes at the beholding but of the borders skirts of the incomparable glory which is in that exalted Prince I think ye could wiâ—h for more ears to give him then ye have since ye hope these ears ye now have give him shall be passages to take in the musick of his glorious voice I would fain both beleeve pray for a new Bride of Iews Gentiles to our Lord Jesus after the land of graven images shall be laid waste that our Lord Jesus is on horse-back hunting pursuing the beast that England Ireland shall be well sweeped chambers for Christ and his righteousness to dwell in for he hath opened our graves in Scotland the two dead buried witnesses are risen again are prophesying O that Princes would glory boast themselves in carrying the train of Christ's tobe royal in their arms Let me die within an half-hour after I have seen the Son of God his temple enlarged the cords of Iâ—rusalem's tent lengthned to take in a more numerous company for a Bride to the Son of God Oh if the corner or foundation-stone of that house that new house were laid above my grave O who can adde to him who is that great ALL If he would create suns moons new heavens thousand thousand degrees more perfect then these that now are again make a new creation ten thousand thousand degrees in perfection beyond that new creation again still for eternity multiplie new heavens they should never be a perfect resemblance of that infinite excellency order weight measure beauty sweetness that is in him O how little of him doe we see O how shallow are our thoughts of him Oh if I had pâ—in for him shame losses for him more clay spirits for him that I could goe upon earth without love desire hope because Christ hath taken away my love desire hope to heaven with him I know Worthy Sir your sufferings for him are your glory therefore weary not his salvation is near hand and shall not tarry Pray for me his grace be with you St Andrewes Nov. 22. 1639. Yours in his sweet Lorâ— Iesus S R. To Mr HENRY STUART his Wife two Daughters all Prisoners of Christ at Dublin Rev. 2 10. Fear none of these things which ye shall suffer c. 29. Truly Honoured Dearly beloved GRace mercy peace be to you from God our father our Lord Jesus Christ. Think it not strange beloved in our Lord Iesus that Satan can command keyes of prisons bolts chains this is a piece of the Devil's Princedom that he hath over the world interpret understand our Lord well in this be not jealous of his love though he make devils and men his under-servants to scour the rust off your faith purge you from your dross And let me charge you O prisoners of hope to open your window to look out by faith behold heavens post that speedy swift salvation of God that is coming to you it is a broad river that faith will not look over it is a mighty a broad sea that they of a lively hope cannot behold the furthest bank other shore thereof Look over the water your anchor is fixed within the vail the one end of the cable is about the prisoner of Christ the other is entred within the vail whither the forerunner is entred for you Heb. 6 19 20. It can goe straight thorow the flames of the fire of the wrath of men devils losses tortures death and not a threed of it be either singed or burnt men and devils have no teeth to bite it in two Hold fast till he come Your cross is of the colour of heaven Christ pasmented over with the faith comforts of the Lord 's faithfull Covenant with Scotland that dy colour will abide the foul weather neither be stained nor cast the colour yea it reflects a scad like the cross of Christ whose holy hands many a day lifted up to God praying for sinners were fettered and bound as if these blessed hands had stoln shed innocent blood When your lovely lovely Jesus had no better then the thief's doom it is no wonder that your process be lawless and turned upside down for he was taken fettered buffetted whipped spitted upon before he was convicted of any fault or sentenced Oh such a pair of sufferers and witnesses as high and royal Jesus and a poor piece guilty clay marrowed together under one yoke O how lovely is the cross with such a second I beleeve that your prison is enacted in God's court not to keep you till your hope breath out it's life last Your cross is under law
to restore you again safe to your brethren sisters in Christ take heaven and Christ's back-bond for a fair back-door out of your suffering The Saviour is on his journey with salvation and deliverance for mount Zion the sword of the Lord is drunk with blood and made fat with fatness his sword is bathed in heaven against Babylon for it is the day of the Lord's vengeance and the year of recompences for the comtroversie of Zion And perswade your selves the streams of the rivers of Babylon shall be pitch and the dust of the land brimstone and burning pitch Isa. 34 8. And if your deliverance be conjoyned with the deliverance of Zion it shall be two salvations to you It were good to be armed before hand for death or bodily tortures for Christ and to think what a crown of honour it is that God hath given you pieces of living clay to be tortured witnesses for saving truth and that ye are so happy as to have some pints of blood to give out for the crown of that royal Lord who hath caused you to avouch himself before men If ye can lend fines of three thousand pound sterling for Christ let heaven's register and Christ's count-book keep in reckoning your depursments for him It shall be engraven printed in great letters upon heaven's throne what you are willing to give for him Christ's papers of that kinde cannot be lost or fall by Doe not wonder to see clay boast the great potter to see blinced men to threaten the Gospel with death burial to raze out Truth 's name but where will they make a grace for the Gospel the Lord's bride Earth hell shall be but little bounds for their burial lay all the clay rubbish of this inch of the whole earth above our Lord's spouse yet it will not cover her nor hold her down she shall live not die she shall behold the salvation of God Let your faith frist God a little be not afraid for a smoking fire-brand there is more smoke in Babylon's furnace then there is fire till dooms-day shall come they shall never see the Kirk of Scotland our Covenant burnt to ashes or if it should be thrown in tho fire yet it cannot be so burnt or buried as not to have a resurrection angry clay 's wind shall shake none of Christ's corn he will gather in all his wheat into his barn onely let your fellowship with Christ be renewed ye are sibber to Christ now when you are imprisoned for him then before for now the stroakes laid on you doe come in remembrance before our Lord he can owne his own wounds a drink of Christ's love which is better then wine is the drink-silver which Suffering for his majesty leaves behinde it it is not your sins which they persecute in you but God's grace loyalty to King Jesus they see no treason in you to your Prince the King of Britain albeit they say so but it is heaven in your that earth is fighting against Christ is owning his own cause grace is a party that fire will not burn not water drown when they have eaten drunken you their stomack shall be sick they shall spue you out alive O what glory is it to be suffering abjects for the Lord's glory royalty Nay though his servants had a body to burn for ever for this Gospel so being that triumphing exalted Jesus his high glory did rise out of these flames out of that burning body Oh what a sweet fire O what soul-refreshing torment should that be What if the pickles of dust ashes of the burnt dissolved body were musicians to sing his praises the highness of that never-enough-exalted Prince of ages O what love is it in him that he will have such musicians as we are to tune that Psalm of his everlasting praises in heaven Oh what shining burning flames of love are these that Christ will divide his share of life of heaven glory with you Luk. 22. 29. Ioh. 17 24. Rev. 3 21. A part of his throne one draught of his wine his wine of glory life that comes from under the throne of God of the Lamb one apple of the tree of life will doe more then make up all the expences charges of clay lent out for heaven Oh! Oh but we have short narrow creeping thoughts of Jesus doe but shape Christ in our conceptions according to some created portraiture O Angels lend in your help to make love-books songs of our fair white ruddy standard-bearer amongst ten thousand O heavens O heaven of heavens O glorified tennants triumphing house-holders with the Lamb put in new Psalms love-sonnets of the excellency of our bridegroom help us to set him on high O indwellers of earth heaven sea air O all ye created beings within the bosom of the outmost circle of this great world O come help to set on high the praises of our Lord O fairness of creatures blush before his uncreated beauty O created strength be amazed to stand before your strong Lord of hosts O created love think shame of thy self before this unparalleled love of heaven O angel-wisdom hide thy self before our Lord whose understanding passeth finding out O sun in thy shining beauty for shame put on a web of darkness cover thy self before thy brightest master maker O who can adde glory by doing or suffering to this never-enough-admired and praised lover Oh we can but bring our drop to this sea and our candle dim and dark as it is to this clear and lightsom sun of heaven and earth Oh but we have cause to drink ten deaths in one cup dry to swim through ten seas to be at that land of praises where we shall see that wonder of wonders enjoy this jewel of heavens jewels O death doe thy outmost against us O torments O malice of men devils waste thy-strength on the witnesses of our Lord's testament O devils bring hell to help you in tormenting the followers of the Lamb we will defie you to make us too soon happy to waft us too soon over the water to the land where the noble plant the plant of venown groweth O cruel Time that torments us suspends our dearest enjoyments that we wait for when we shall be bathed steeped soul body down in the depths of this love of loves O Time I say run fast O motions mend your pace O Welbeloved be like a young Roe upon the mountains of Separations Post post hasten our desired hungered-for meeting love is sick to hear tell of to morrow And what then can come wrong to you O honourable witnesses of his Kingly truth Men have no more of you to work upon but some few inches and span-lengths of fick coughing and flegmatick clay your spirits are above their benches courts or High
me leave to wish to love thee O flower and bloom of heaven earth's love O Angels wonder O thou the Father 's eternally sealed love O thou God's old delight give me leave to stand beside thy love look in wonder give me leave to wish to love thee if I can doe no more 2. We being born in atheism bairns of the house that we are come off it is no new thing my dear Brother for us to be under jealousies mistakes about the love of God what think ye of this that the man Christ was tempted to beleeve there were but two Persons in the blessed Godhead that the Son of God the substantial coerernal Son was not the lawfull Son of God Did not Satan say If thou be the Son of God 3. Ye say that ye know not what to doe Your Head said once that same word or not far from it Ioh. 12. 27. Now is my soul troubled what shall I say faith answered Christ's What shall I say with these words O tempted Saviour askest thou What shall I say say pray Father save me from this hour What course can ye take but pray first Christ his own comforts He is no dyvour take his word Oh say ye I cannot pray Ans. Honest sighing is faith breathing whispering him in the ear the life is not out of faith where there is sighing looking up with the eyes breathing towards God Eam 3 36. Hide not thine ear at my breathing But what shall I doe in spiritual exercises say ye Ans. 1. If ye knew particularly what to doe it were not a spiritual exercise 2. In my weak judgement ye would first say I will lorifie God in beleeving David's Salvation the Bride's Marriage with the Lamb love the Church's stain husband although I cannot for the present beleeve mine own Salvation 3. Say I will not pass from my claim suppose Christ would pass from his claim to me it shall not goe back upon my side howbeit my love to him be not worth a drink of water yet Christ shall have it such as it is 4. Say I shall rather spill twenty prayers then not pray at all let my broken words goe up to heaven when they come up into the great Angel's golden censer that compassianat Advocate will put together my broken prayers perfume them Words are but Accidents of Prayer Oh say y I am slain with hardness of heart troubled with confused and melancholious thoughts Ans. My dear Brother What would ye conclude thence that ye know not well who ought you I grant Oh my heart is hard Oh my thoughts of faithless sorrow Ergo I know not who ought me were good Logick in heaven amongst Angels the glorified but down in Christ's Hospital where sick and distempered souls are under cure it is not worth a straw Give Christ time to end his work in your heart hold on in feeling bewailing your hardness for that is softness to feel hardness 2. I charge you to make Psalms of Christ's praises for his begun work of Grace make Christ your Musick your song for Complaining feeling of want doeth often swallow up your Praises What think ye of these who goe to hell never troubled with such thoughts If your exercise be the way to hell God help me I have a cold coal to blow at and a blank paper for heaven I give you Christ caution my heaven surety for your Salvation Lend Christ your Melancholy for Satan hath no right to make a chamber in your Melancholy borrow joy comfort from the Comforter bid the Spirit doe his office in you remember that faith is one thing and the feeling notice of faith another God forbid that feeling were Proprium quarto modo to all the Saints that this were good reasoning No feeling no grace I am sure ye were not alwayes these twenty years by-past actually knowing that ye live yet all this time ye are living so is it with the life of faith But Alas Dear Brother it is easie for me to speak words syllables of peace but Isa. 57. 19. telleth you I create peace there is but one Creator ye know O that ye may get a Letter of peace sent you from heaven Pray for me for grace to be faithfull gifts to be able with tongue pen to glorifie God I forget you not St. Andrewes Jan 8. 1640. Yours in his sweet Lord Iesus S. R. To my Lady BOYD. 32 MADAM I Received your La letter but because I was still going through the countrey for the affairs of the Church I have had no time to answer it I had never more cause to fear then I have now when my Lord hath restored me to my second created heaven on earth hath turned my apprehended fears into joyes and great deliverance to his Church whereof I have my share and part Alas that weeping prayers answered and sent back from heaven with joy should not have laughing praises O that this land would repent and lay burthens of praises upon the top of fair mount Zion Madam except this land be humbled a Reformation is rather my wonder then belief at this time but surely it must be a wonder and what is done already is a wonder our Lord must restore beauty to his Churches without hire for we were sold without money and now our buyers repent them of the bargain and would gladly give again better cheap then they bought us they devoured Iacob and eat up his people as bread now Iacob is grown a living childe in their womb and they would fain be delivered of the childe and render the birth Our Lord shall be midwife O that this land be not like Ephraim an unwise son that stayeth too long in the place of breaking forth of children Your La is blessed with children who are honoured to build up Christ's waste places again I beleeve your La will think them well bestowed on that work and that Zion's beauty is your joy this is a mark and evidence for heaven which helpeth weak ones to hold their grip when other marks fail them I hope your La is at a good understanding with Christ and that as becometh a Christian ye take him up aright for many mistake and misshape Christ in his comings and goings Your wants and falls proclaim ye have nothing of your own but what ye borrow nay your self is not your own but Christ hath given himself to you Put Christ to the bank and heaven shall be your interest and income Love him for ye cannot over-love him Take up your house in Christ let him dwell in you and abide ye in him then ye may look out of Christ and laugh at the clay-clay-heavens that the sons of men are seeking after in this side of the water Christ mindeth to make your losses grace's great advantage Christ will lose nothing of you nay not your sins for he
mercy cannot dry it up your troubles are many great yet not an ounce-weight beyond the measure of infinite wisdom I hope not beyond the measure of grace that he is to bestow for our Lord never yet brake the back of his childe nor spilt his own work nature's plastering counterfit work he doeth often break in sheards putteth out a candle not lighted at the Sun of righteousness but he must cherish his own reeds handle them softly never a reed getteth a thrust with the Mediator's hand to lay together the two ends of the reed O what bonds ligaments hath our Chirurgion of broken spirits to binde up all his lame bruised ones with cast your disjoynted spirit in his lap lay your burden upon one who is so willing to take your cares your fears off you to exchange niffer your crosses to give you new for old gold for iron even to give you garments of praise for the spirit of heaviness It 's true in a great part what ye write of this Kirk that the letter of Religion onely is reformed scarce that I doe not beleeve out Lord will build his Zion in this land upon this skin of Reformation so long as our scum remaineth our heart-idols are keeped this work must be at a stand and therefore our Lord must yet sift this land and search us with candles and I know he shall give and not sell us his Kingdom his Grace and our remaining guiltiness must be compared the one must be seen in the glory of it and the other in the sinfulness of it But I desire to beleeve and would gladly hope to see that the glancing and shining luster of glory coming from the diamonds and stones set in the crown of our Lord Jesus shall cast rayes and beams many thousand miles about I hope Christ is upon a great Marriage and that his wooing and suting of his excellent Bride doeth take it's beginning from us the ends of the earth O what joy and what glory would I judge it if my heaven should be suspended till I might have leave to run on foot to be a witness of that Marriage-glory see Christ put on the glory of his last married Bride and his last Marriage-love on earth when he shall enlarge his love-bed and set it upon the top of the mountains and take in the elder Sister the Iewes and the fulness of the Gentiles It were heaven's honour glory upon earth to be his lackey to run at his horse-foot and hold up the train of his Marriage-roberoyal in the day of our high aâ—d royal Solomon's espousals But O what glory to have a seat or â—eâ— in King Iesus his chariot that is bottomed with gold paved and lined over and floored within with Love fâ— the daughters of Ierusalem Cant. 3. 10. To lie upon such a King's love were a bed next to the flower of heaven's glory I am sorry to hear you speak in your Letter of a God anâ—ry at you and of the sense of his indignation which onely ariseth from suffering for Jesus all that is now come upon you Indeed apprehended wrath flameth out of such ashes as apprehended sin but not from suffering for Christ But suppose ye were in hell for by-gones and for old debt I hope ye ow Christ a great summe of charity to beleeve the sweetness of his love I know what it is to sin in that kinde it is to sin our if it were possible the unchangeableness of a Godhead out of Christ to sin away a lovely unchangeable God Put more honest apprehensions upon Christ put on his own mask upon his face and not your vail made of unbelief which speaketh as if he borrowed love to you from you and your demerits sinfull deservings Oh no! Christ is man but he is not like man he hath man's love in heaven but it is lustered with God's love it is very God's love ye have to doe with When your wheels goe about he standeth still Let God be God and be ye a man and have ye the deserving of man the sin of one who hath suffered your Welbeloved to slip away nay hath refused him entrance when he was knocking till his head and locks were frozen Yet what is that to him his book keepeth your name and is not printed and reprinted and changed and corrected And why but he should goe to his place hide himself Howbeit his Departure be his own good work yet the belief of it in that manner is your sin But wait on till he return with Salvation and cause you rejoyce in the latter end It is not much to complain but rather beleeve then complain and sit in the dust and close your mouth till he make your sown light grow again for your afflictions are not eternal Time will end them so shall ye at length see the Lord's salvation his love sleepeth not but is still in working for you his Salvation will not tarry nor linger Suffering for him is the noblest cross that is out of heaven Your Lord had the waile choice of ten thousand other crosses beside this to exercise you withall but his wisdom his love wailed and choosed out this for you beside them all take it as a choice one make use of it so as ye look to this world as your step-mother in your borrowed prison For it is a love-look to heaven and the other side of the water that God seeketh this is the fruit the flower bloom growing out of your cross that ye be a dead man to time to clay to gold to countrey to friends wife children all pieces of created nothings for in them there is not a seat nor bottom for your soul's love O what room is for your Love if it were as broad as the sea up in heaven and in God! and what would not Christ give for your love God gave so much for your soul blessed are ye if ye have a love for him can call in your soul's love from all idols and can make a God of God a God of Christ draw a line betwixt your heart and him If your deliverance come not Christ's presence and his beleeved love must stand as caution and surety for your deliverance till your Lord send it in his blessed time for Christ hath many Salvations if we could see them and I would think it better born comfort and joy that cometh from the faith of deliverance and the faith of his love then that which cometh from deliverance it self It is not much matter if ye finde ease to your afflicted soul what be the means either of your own wishing or of God's choosing the latter I am sure is best and the comfort strongest and sweetest let the Lord absolutely have the ordering of your evils troubles and put them off you by recommending your cross and your furnace to him
peace be to you If Death which is before you us all were any other thing but a friendly dissolution a change not a destruction of Life it would seem a hard voyage to goe through such a sad dark trance so thorny a valley as is the wages of sin but I am confident the way ye know though your foot never trode in that black shadow the loss of life is gain to you if Christ Jesus be the period the end lodging-home at the end of your journey there is no fear ye goe to a friend since ye have had a communion with him in this life he hath a pawne pledge of yours even the largest share of your love heart ye may look Death in the face with joy If the heart be in heaven the remnant of you cannot be kept the prisoner of the second Death But though he be the same Christ in the other life ye found him to be here yet he is so far in his excellency beauty sweetness irradiations beams of Majesty above what he appeared here when he is seen as he is that ye shall misken him he shall appear a new Christ his kisses breathings embracements the perfume the oyntment of his name poured out on you shall appear to have more of God a stronger smell of heaven of eternity of a Godhead of Majesty glory there then here As water at the fountain apples in the orchard beside the tree have more of their native sweetness taste beauty then when transported to us some hundred miles I mean not that Christ can lose any of his sweetness in the carrying or that he in his Godhead and lovileness of presence can be changed to the worse betwixt the little spot of the earth ye are in and the right hand of the father far above all heavens but the change will be in you when ye shall have new senses and the soul shall be a more deep more capacious vessel to take in more of Christ and when means the chariot the Gospel that he is now carried in and ordinances that conveigh him shall be removed sure ye cannot now be said to see him face to face or to drink of the wine of the highest fountain or to take in seas and tides of fresh love immediately without vessels mids's or messengers at the fountain it self as ye shall doe a few dayes hence when ye shall be so near as to be with Christ Luk. 23 43 Ioh 17 24. Phil. 1 23. 1 Thess. 4 17. ye would no doubt bestow a dayes journey yea many dayes journey on earth to goe up to heaven and fetch down any thing of Christ how much more may ye be willing to make a journey to goe in person to heaven it is not lost time but gained eternity to enjoy the full Godhead then in such a manner as he is not there in his week-dayes apparel as he is here with us in a drop or the tenth part of a night's dewing of grace sweetness but he is there in his Marriage-robe of glory richer more costly more precious in one hem or button of that garment of fountain-majesty then a million of worlds O the well is deep ye shall then think that Preachers sinfull Ambassadors on earth did but spill mar his praises when they spoke of him and preached his beauty Alas we but make Christ black less lovely in making such insignificant dry cold low expressions of his highest and transcendent super-excellency to the daughters of Ierusalem Sure I have often for my own part sinned in this thing No doubt Angels doe not fulfill their task according to their obligation in that Christ kept their feet from falling with the lost Devils though I know they are not behinde in going to the utmost of created power but there is sin in our praising sin in the quantity besides other sins but I must leave this it is too deep for me Goe see we desire to goe with you But we are not masters of our own diet If in that last journey ye tread on a serpent in the way thereby wound your heel as Jesus Christ did before you the print of the wound shall not be known at the resurrection of the just Death is but an awâ—om step over Time Sin to sweet Jesus Christ who knew felt the worst of Death for Death's teeth hurt him We know Death hath no teeth now no jaws for they are broken it is a free prison Citizens pay nothing for the Grave the Jaylor who had the power of Death is destroyed praise glory be to the first begotten of the dead The worst possibly that may be is that ye leave behinde you children husband the Church of God in miseries but ye cannot get them to heaven with you for the present ye shall not miss them Christ cannot miscount one of the poorest of his lambs no lad no girle no poor one shall be a missing ere ye see them again in the day that the Son shall render up the Kingdom to his Father The evening the shadow of every poor hireling is coming the Church of Christ's Sun in this life is declining Low not a soul of the Militant company will be here within few Generations our Husband will send for them all It is a rich mercy we are not married to Time longer then the course be finished Ye may rejoyce that ye goe not to heaven till ye know that Jesus is there before you that when ye come thither at your first entry ye may finde the smell of his oyntments his Myrrhe AloeÌ„s Cassia and this first salutation of his will make you finde it is no uncomfortable thing to die Goe and enjoy your gain live on Christ's love while ye are here and all the way as for the Church ye leave behinde you the Government is upon Christ's shoulders and he will plead for the blood of his Saints The bush hath been burning above five thousand years we never yet saw the ashes of this fire yet a little while the vision shall not tarry it shall speak not lye I am more afraid of my duty then of the Head Christ's government he cannot fail to bring judgement to victory O that we could wait for our hidden life O that Christ would remove the covering draw aside the curtain of time and rent the heavens come down O that shadows night were gone that the day would break he that feedeth among the lilies would cry to his heavenly trumpetters marke ready let us goe down fold together the four corners of the world marry the Bride His grace be with you Now if I have found favour with you if ye judge me faithfull my last sute to you is that ye would leave me a legacy that is that my name be at the very last in your prayers as I desire
hath my heart for evermore but alas it is over little for him O if it were better more worthy for his sake O if I might meet with him face to face in this side of eternity might have leave to plead with him that I am so hungred famished here with the niggardly portion of his love that he giveth me O that I might be carver steward my selâ— at mine own will of Christ's love if I may lawfully wish this then would I enlarge my vessel alas a narrow ebbe soul take in a sea of i love My hunger for it is hungry lean in beleeving that ever I shall be satisfied with that love so fain would I have what I know I cannot hold O Lord Jesus delightest thou delightest thou to pine torment poor souls with the want of thy incomparable loved O if I durst call thy dispensation cruell I know thou thy self aâ—t mercy without either brim or bottom I know thoâ— art a God bankfull of mercy love but Oh alas little of it cometh my way I die to look a far off to that love because I can get but little of it But hope saith this providence shall ere long look more favourably upon poor bodies me also Grace be with your La Spirit Aberd. Sept. 10. 1637. Yours La in his sweet Lord Iesus S. R. To Mr JAMES HAMILTON 71 Reverend dear Brother PEace be to you from God our father and from our Lord Jesus I am laid low when I remember what I am and that my out-side casteth such a lustre when I finde so little within It is a wonder that Christ's glory is not defiled in running through such an unclean impure channel But I see Christ will be Christ in the dreg and refuse of men his art his shining wisdom his beauty speaketh loudest in blackness weakness deadness yea in nothing I see nothing no money no worth no good no life no deserving is the ground that omnipotency delighteth to draw glory out of O how sweet is the inner side of the walls of Christ's house and a room beside himself my distance from him maketh me sad O that we were in others arms O that the middle things betwixt us were removed I finde it a difficult matter to keep all stots with Christ when he laugheth I scarce beleeve it I would so fain have it true But I am like a low man looking up to a high mountain whom weariness and fainting overcometh I would climb up but I finde that I doe not advance in my journey as I would wish Yet I trust he shall take me home against night I marvel not that Antichrist in his slaves is so busie but our crowned King seeth and beholdeth and will arise for Zion's safety I am exceedingly distracted with letters and company that vilite me what I can doe or time will permit I shall not omit Excuse my brevity for I am straitned Remember the Lord's prisoner I desire to be mindfull of you Grace grace be with you Aberd. Sept. 7. 1637. Yours in his sweet Lord Iesus S. R. To Mr GEORGE DUMBAR 72 Reverend Dearly beloved in the Lord. GRace mercy peace be to you Because your words have strengthened many I was silent expecting some lines from you in my bonds this is the cause why I wrote not to you but now I am forced to break off and speak I never beleeved till now that there was so much to be found in Christ in this side of death and of heaven O the ravishments of heavenly joy that may be had here in the small gleanings of comforts that fall from Christ what fools are we who know not and consider not the weight and the telling that is in the very earnest-penny the first fruits of our hoped for harvest How sweet how sweet is our infeftment O what then must personal possession be I finde that my Lord Jesus hath not miscooked or spilt this sweet cross he hath an eye on the fire and the melting gold to separate the mettall and the dross O how much time would it take me to read my obligations to Jesus my Lord who will neither have the faith of his own to be burnt to ashes nor yet will have a poor beleever in the fire to be half raw like Ephraim's unturned cakeâ— this is the wisdom of him who hath his fiâ—elâ— Zion and his furâ—ace in Jerusaâ—em I need not either bud or flatter temptations crâ—sses nor strive to buy the Devil or this malicious world by or râ—deem their kindness with half a han-breadth of truth He who is surâ—ty for his servant for good doeth power fully over-rule all that I sâ—e my prison hath neither lock nor door I am free in my bonds and my chains are made of rotten straw they shall not bide one pull of faith I am sure they are in hell who would exchange their torments with our crosses suppose they should nevâ—r be delivered give twenty thousand years torment to boot to be in our bonds for ever therefore we wrong Christ who siâ—…h fear doubt despond in them Our suffâ—â—ings are washen in Christ's blood as well as our souls for Christ's merits bought a blessing to the crosses of the sons of God and Jesus hath a back-bond of all our temptations that the free warders shall come out by law and justice in respect of the infinite and great summe that the Redeemer paid Our troubles ow us a free passage through them devils and men and crosses are our debters and death and all storms are our debters to blow our poor tossed bark over the water fraught-frâ—e to set the travellers in their own known ground Therefore we shall die yet live we are over the water some way already we are married our tocher-good is payed we are already more then conquerours If the devil and the world knew how the court with our Lord shall goe I am sure they would hire death to take us off their hand our sufferings are the onely wâ—ack ruine of the black Kingdom and yet a little the Antichrist must play himself with the bones slain bodies of the Lamb's followers but withall we stand with the hundred fourty four thousand who are with the Lamb upon the top of â—ount Sion Antichrist his followers are down in the valley ground we have the advantage of the hill our temptation are alwayes beneath our waters are beneath our breath as dying and behold we live I never heard before of a living death or a quick death but ours our death iâ— not like the common death Christ's skill his handy work a new cast of Christ's admirable art may be seen in our quick death I bless the Lord that all our troubles come through Christ's singers that he casteth sugar among them and casteth in some ounce weights of heaven and of the spirit of glory that resteth on suffering beleevers in
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