who hath skill to melt his own mettall and knoweth well what to doe with his surnace let your heart be willing that God's fire have your tin and brass and dross to consent to want corruption is a greater mercy then many professors doe well know and to refer the manner of God's Physick to his own wisdom whither it be by drawing blood or giving sugared drinks that cure sick folks without pain it is a great point of faith and to beleeve Christ's cross to be a friend as he himself is a friend is also a special act of faith but when ye are over the water this case shall be a yesterday past an hundred years ere ye were born the cup of glory shall wash the memory of all this away and make it as nothing Onely now take Christ in with you under your yoke and let patience have her perfect work for this haste is your infimity The Lord is rising up to doe you good in the latter end put on the faith of his salvation see him posting hasting towards you Sir my employments being so great hinder me to write at more length excuse me I hope to be mindfull of you I shall be obliged to your if ye help me with your prayers for this people this College my own poor soul. Grace be with you Remember my love to your wife St Andrews Feb. 13. 1640. Yours in Christ Iesus S. R. To the much honoured PETER STIRLING 34 Much honoured worthy Sir I Received yours cannot but be ashamed that mistaking love hath brought me in court account in the heart of God's children especially of another nation I should not make a lye of the grace of God if I should think I have little share of it my self O how much better were it for me to stand in the counting table of many for a half-penny to be estemed a liker rather than a lover of Christ If I were weighed vanity should bear down the scale as having weight in the ballance above me except my lovely Saviour should cast in beside me some of his borrowed worth Oh if I were writing now sincerely in this extenuation which may be I fear is subtile coosening pride I would I could love something of heaven's worth in you all of your mettall O how happy were I if I could regain conquer back from the creature my sold lost love that I might lay it upon heaven's jewel that ever ever blooming flower of the highest garden even my soul-redeeming never-enoughprized Lord Jesus O that he would wash my love put it on the Mediator's wheel refine it from it's dross tin that I might propine gift that Lord so love-worthy with all my love Oh if I could set a lease of thousands of years a suspension of my part of heaven's glory frist till a long day my desired salvation sobeing I could in this lower kitchin under-vault of his creation be feasted with his love that I might be a footstool for his glory before men Angels Oh if he would let out heaven's fountain upon withered me dry sapless me If I were but sick of love for his love O how would that sickness delight me How sweet would that easing refreshing pain be to my soul I shall be glad to be a witness to behold the Kingdom of the world become Christ's I could stay out of heaven many years to see that victorious triumphing Lord act that prophesied part of his soul-conquering love in taking in to his Kingdom the greater Sister that Kirk of the Iews who sometimes courted our Welbeloved for her little Sister Cant. 8 8. to behold him set up as an ensign a banner of love to the ends of the world And truly we are to beleeve that his wrath is ripe for the land of graven images for the falling of that mill-stone in the midst of the sea Grace be with you St Andrews March 6. 1640. Yours in his sweet Lord Iesus S. R. To the Lady FINGASK 35. MADAM GRace mercy peace be to you Though not acquainted yet at the desire of a Christian I make bold to write a line or two unto you by way of counsel howbeit I be most unfit for that I hear and I blesse the father of lights for it that ye have a spirit set to seek God and that the posture of your heart is to look heaven-ward which is a work and cast of the Mediator Christ's right hand who putteth on the heart a new frame for the which I would have your La to see a tye bond of obedience laid upon you that all may be done not so much from obligation of Law as from the tye of free love that the law of ransom-paying by Christ may be the chief ground of all your obedience seeing that ye are not under the Law but under Grace withall know that unbeleef is a spiritual sin so not seen by nature's light that all that Conscience saith is not Scripture Suppose your heart bear witness against you for sins done long agoe yet because many have pardon with God that have not peace with themselves ye are to stand fall by Christ's esteem verdict of you not by that which your heart saith Suppose it may by accident be a good signe to be jealouse of your heavenly husband's love yet it is a sinful sign as there be some happy sins If may speak so not of themselves but because they are neighboured with faith and love and so worthy Lady I would have you hold by this that the ancient love of an old husband standeth firm and sure and let faith hing by this small threed that he loved you before he laid the corner-stone of the world therefore he cannot change his minde because he is God and rests in his love neither is sin in you a good reason wherefore ye should doubt of him or think because sin hath put you in the courtesie and reverence of justice that therefore he is wroth with you Neither is it presumption in you to lay the burden of your salvation upon one mighty to save so being ye lay aside all confidence in your self-worth righteousness True faith is humble seeth no way to escape but onely in Christ And I beleeve ye have put an esteem high price upon Christ they cannot but beleeve so be saved who love Christ and to whom he is precious for the love of Christ hath chosen Christ as a lover it were not like God if ye should chuse him as your liking he not chuse you again nay he hath prevented you in that for ye have not chosen him but he hath chosen you O consider his loveliness beauty that there is nothing which can commend make fair heaven or earth or the creature that is not in him in infinite perfection for fair sun and fair
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
put to exercise I kept low Worthy dear Brother in our Lord Jesus I write that from my heart which ye now read 1. I avouch that Christ sweating sighing under his cross is sweeter to me by far then all the Kingdoms in the world could possibly be 2. If you my dearest acquaintance in Christ reap any fruit by my sufferring let me be weighed in God's even ballance if my joy be not fulfilled What am I to carry the marks of such a great King But howbeit I am a sink sinfull mass a wretched captive of sin my Lord Jesus can hew heaven out of worse timber then I am if worse can be 3. I now rejoyce with joy unspeakable glorious that I never purposed posed to bring Christ noâ— the least hoof or hair-breadth of truth under 〈◊〉 I desired to have keep Christ all alone that he should never rub clothes with that black-skin'd harlot of Rome I am now fully payed home so that nothing aileth me for the present but love-sickness for a â—â—all possession of my faire â—t welbeloved I would give him my bond under my faith hand to frist heaven an hundred yeers longer so being he would lay his holy face to my sometimes wet cheeks Oh who would not pity me to know how fain I would have the King shaking the tree of life upon me or letting me in to the well of life with my old dish that I might be drunken with the fountain here in the house of my pilgrimage I cannot nay I would not be quite of Christs love Hâ— hath left the marke behinde him where he gripped He goeth away leaveth me his burning love to wrestle together I can scarce win my meat of his love because of absence My Lord giveth me but hungry half-kisses which serve to feed pain increase hunger but doe not satisfie my desires His dieting of my soul for this race maketh me lean I have gotten the waile choice of Christ's crosses even the â—ithe the flower of the gold of all crosses to bear witness to the truth herein finde I liberty joy access life comfort love â—aith submission patience resolution to take delight in on-waiting with all in my race he hath come near me let me see the gold crown What then want I but fruition reall enjoyment which is reserved to my countrey Let no man think he shall lose at Christs hands in suffering for him 4. For these present trials they are most dangerous for people shall be stolen off their feet with well washen white-skin'd pretences of indifferency but it is the power of the great Antichrist working in this land Woe woe woe be to Apostat Scotland there is wrath a cup of the red wine of the wrath of God Almighty in the Lords hand that they â—hall drink and spue and fall and not rise again The star called Wormwood Gall is fallen in the fountaines and rivers hath made them bitter the sword of the Lord is â—ourbished against the Idol-shepherds of the lâ—nd women shall bless the barren womb miscarrying breasts all hearts shall be faint and all knees shall tremble an end is coming the leopard and the lion shall watch over our cities houses great fair shall be desolate without an inhabitant the Lord hath said Pray not for this people for I have taken my pâ—ace from them yet the Lord's third part shall come through the fire as refined gold for the treasure of the Lord the out-casts of Scotland shall be gathered together again the wilderness shall blossome as the flower bud grow as the rose oâ— Sharon great shall be the glory of the Lord upon Scotland 5. 〈◊〉 am here asâ—aulted with the learned pregnant wits of this Kingdom but all honour be to my Lord truth but laugheth at beâ—isted blinded Scribes disputers of this world Gods wisdom confoundeth them Christ triumpheth in his own strong truth that speaketh for it self 6. I doubt not but my Lord is preparing me for heavier trialâ— I am most ready at the good pleasure of my Lord in the strength of his grace for any thing he shall be pleased to call me to neither shall the last black-faced messenger Death be holden at the door when it shall knock If my Lord will take honour of the like of me how glad joyâ—ull shall my soul be Let Christ come out with me to an hotter battell then this I shall fear no flesh I know that my master will win the day that he hath taken the ordering of my sufferings in his own hand 7. As for my deliverance that miscarrieth I am here by my Lords grace to lay my hand on my mouth to be silent wait on my Lord Jesus is on his Journey for my deliverance I will not grudge that he runneth not so fast as I would have him On-waiting till the swelling rivers fall till my Lord arise as a mighty man after strong wine shall be my best I have not yet resisted to blood 8. O how often am I laid in the dust and urged by the tempter who can ride his own errands upon our lying apprehensions to sin against the unchangeable love of my Lord. When I think upon the sparrowes swallowes that build their nests in the Kirk of Anwoth and of my dumb sabbaths my sorrowfull blâ—ired eyes look asquint upon Christ and present him as angry But in this triall all honour to our princely and â—oyall â—ing faith â—aileth â—â—ir before the wiâ—d with top â—aile up and carrieth the poor passâ—nger through I â—ay inhibitions upon my thoughts that they receive no slanders of my onely onely Beloved let him even â—ay out of his own mouth There is no hope yet I will die in that sweet beguile 〈◊〉 is not so Iâ— all see the Salvation of God Let me be deceived really and never win to dry land it is my joy to beleeve under the water to die with faith in my hand gripping Christ let my conceptions of Christs love goe to the grave with me to hell with me I may not I dare not quite them I hope to keep Christs pawne if he never come to loose it let him see to his own promise I know Presumption howbeit it be made of stoutness will not thus be wilfull in heavie trials Now my dearest in Christ the great messenger of the Covenant the onely wise alsufficient Iehovah establish you to the end I hear the Lord hath been at your house hath called home your 〈◊〉 to her rest I know Sir ye see the Lord loosing the pâ—â—s of your tabernacle wooing your love from this plaistered over-guilded world calling upon you to be making your self ready to goe to your fathers countrey which shall be a sweet fruit of that visitation Ye know to send the Comforter was a King word when he
ascended on high ye have claim to interest in that promise Remember my love in Christ to your father shew him it is late black might with him his long lying at the water-side is that he may look his papers eâ—â— he take shipping be at a point for his last answer before his judge Lord. All love all mercy all grace peace all multiplied saving consolations all joy faith in Christ all stability confirming strength of grace the good-will of him that dwelt in the bush be with you Aberd. 15. June 1637. Your unworthy brother is his sweet Lord Iesus S. R. To MARION M C KNAUGHT 35 Worthy dearest in the Lord. I Ever loved since I knew you that little vineyard of the Lord 's planting in Galloway But now much more since I have heard that he who hath his fire in Zion his furnace in Ierusalem hath been pleased to set up a furnace amongst you with the first in this Kingdom He who maketh old things new seeing Scotland an old drossie rusted Kirk is beginning to make a new clean bride of her to bring a young chast wife to him self out of the fire This fire shall be quenched so soon as Christ hath brought a clean spouse thorow the fire Therefore my dearly beloved in the Lord fear not a worm fear noâ— worm Iacob Christ iâ— iâ— that plea shall win the plea Charge an unbeleeving heart under the pain of treason against our great royall King Jesus to dependence by faith quiet on-waiting on our Lord Get you in to your chambers shut the doors about you In in with speed to your strong hold ye prisoners of hope ye doves flee in to Christ's windowes till the indignation be over the storme be past Glorifie the Lord in your sufferings take his banner of love spread over you others will follow you if they see you strong in the Lord their courage shall take life from your Christian carriage look up see who is coming lift up your head he is coming to save in garments died in blood travelling in the greatness of his strength I laugh I smile I leap for joy to see Christ coming to save you so quickly O such wide steps as Christ taketh Three or four hills are but a step to him he skippeth over the mountains Christ hath set a battell betwixt his poor weak saints his enemies he waileth the weapons for both parties saith to the enemies Take you a sword of steel Law Authority Parliaments Kings upon your side that is your armour he saith to his saints I give you a feckless tree-sword in your hand that is suffering receiving of strokes spoiling of your goods with your tree-sword ye shall get gain the Victory Was not Christ dragged through the ditches of deep distâ—esses great straits yet Christ who is your head hath win through with his life howbeit not with a whole skin Ye are Christs members 〈◊〉 is drawing his members thorow the thorny hedge up to heaven after him Chrisâ— one day will not have so much as a pained toe but there are great 〈◊〉 portions of Christ's mystical body not yet within the gates of the great high city the new Jerusalem the dragon will strike at Christ so long as there is one 〈◊〉 member of Christ's body out of heaven I tell you Christ 〈◊〉 make new work out of old fore-castâ—n Scotland gather 〈◊〉 old broken boards of his tabernacle pin them nail them togâ—ther our bills supplications are up in heaven Christ 〈◊〉 â—offers full of them there is mercy on the other 〈◊〉 of this hiâ—… a good answer to all our bills is agreed 〈◊〉 I must tell you what lovely Jesus fair Jesus King Jesus â—ath done to my soul sometimes he sendeth me out a standing drink whispereth a word thorow the wall I am well content of kindnessâ—t the second hand his bode is ever welcome to â—â—e be what it will but at other times he will be messenger himself I get the cup of salvation out of his own hand 〈◊〉 to me we cannot rest till we be in others armes and O how swèet is a fresh kiss from his holy mouth his â—…athing that goeth before a kiss upon my poor soul is sweet 〈◊〉 faultâ— but that it is too short I am careless stand not much on this howbeit â—oines back shoulders head â—ive in pieces in steping up to my fathers house I know my Lord can make long broad high deep glory to his name out of this bit feckless body for Christ looketh not what stuffe 〈◊〉 â—…eth glory ouâ— of My dearly beloved ye have often frâ—hed 〈◊〉 but that is put up in my Master's accounts â—e have him debter for me but if ye will doe any thing for me 〈◊〉 â—â—ow ye will now in my extremity tell all my dear friends that a prisoner is fettered chained in Christ's love Lord never loâ—… the fetters ye they together take 〈◊〉 hartiest commâ—…tions to my Lord Jesus thank him for a poor friend I desire your husband to read this letter I send him a prisoners blessing I will be obliged to him if he will be willing to suffer for my dear Master suffering is the professors golden garment there shall be no losses on Christ's side of it ye have been witnesses of much joy betwixt Christ me at communion-feasts the remembrance whereof howbeit I be feasted in secret holleth my heart for I am put from the board-head the kings first mess to his by-board his broken meat is sweet unto me I thank my Lord for borrowed crumbs no less then when I was feasted at the communion-table in Anwoth Kirkâ—udbright pray that I may get one day of Christ in publike as I have had long since before my eyes be closed Oh that my Master would take up house again lend me the keys of his wine-cellar again God send me borrowed drink till then Remember my love to Chist's kinsmen with you I pray for Christ's father's blessing to them all Grace be with you a prisoners blessing be with you I write it and I bide by it God shall be glorious in Marion M c Knaught when this stormy blast shall be over O woman beloved of God beleeve rejoyce be strong in the Lord Grace is thy portion Aberd. 15. June 1637. Your brother in his sweet Lord Iesus S. R. To JOHN GORDON At Risco in Galloway 36 My worthy dear Brother MIspend not your short sand-glass which runneth very fast seek your Lord in time let me obtain of you a letter under your hand for a promise to God by his grace to take a new course of walking with God heaven is not at the next door I finde it hard to be a Christian there is no little thrusting thronging to thrust in at
world I testifie give it under mine own hand that Christ is most worthy to be suffered for Our lazie flesh which would have Christ to cry down crosses by open proclamation hath but raised a slander upon the cross of Christ. My Lord I hope ye i will not forget what he hath done for your soul I think ye are n Christ's count-book as his obliged debter Grace grace be with your spirit Aberd. March 13. 1637. Your Lo obliged Servant S. R. To ALEXANDER GORDON Of Knockgray 110 Dear Brother GRace mercy peace be to you I long to hear how your soul prospereth I expected letters from you ere now As for my self I am here in good case well feasted with a great King At my first coming here I was that bold as to to take up a jealousie of Christ's love I said I was cast over the dike of the Lord's vineyard as a dry tree but I see if I had been a withered branch the fire would have burnt me long ere now blessed be his high name who hath kept sap in the dry tree now as if Christ had done the wrong he hath made the mends hath miskent my ravings for a man under the water cannot well command his wit far less his faith love because it was a fever my Lord Jesus forgave me that among the rest He knoweth in our afflictions we can finde a spot in the fairest face that ever was even in Christ's face I would not have beleeved that a gloom should have made me to misken my old Master But we must be whiles sick Sickness is but kindly to both faith Love But O how execedingly is a poor dâted prisoner obliged to sweet Jesus My tears are sweeter to me then the laughter of the fourteen Prelats to them The worst of Christ even his chaff is better then the world's corn Dear Brother I beseech you I charge you in the name authority of the Son of God help me to praise his highness I charge you also to tell all your acquaintance that my Master may get many thanks O if my hairs all my members and all my bones were well tuned tongues to sing the high praises of my great glorious King Help me to lift Christ up upon his throne to lift him up above all the thrones of the clay Kings the dying scepter-bearers of this world The prisoner's blessing the blessing of him that is separated from his brethren be upon them all who will lend me a lift in this work Shew this to that people with you to whom sometimes I preached Brother my Lord hath brought me to this that I will not flatter the world for a drink of water I am no debter to clay Christ hath made me dead to that I now wonder that ever I was such a Childe long since as to beg at such beggers Fy upon us who wooe such a black skinned harlot when we may get such a fair fair match up in heaven Oh that I could give up with this clay-idol this masked painted overguilded dirt that Adam's sons adore We make an idol of our Will as many iusts in us as many Gods We are all God-makers We are like to lose Christ the true God in the throng of these new false Gods Scotland hath cast her crown off her head The virgin Daughter hath lost her garland woe woe to our harlot mother Our day is coming a time when women shall wish they had been childless fathers shall bless miscarrying wombs dry breasts many houses great fair shall be desolate This Kirk shall sit on the ground all the night the tears shall run down her cheeks The sun hath gone down upon her Prophets Blessed are the prisoners of hope who can run in to their strong hold hide themselves for a little till the indignation be overpast Commend me to your Wife your Daughters your Son in law to A. T. write to me of the case of your Kirk Grace be with you I am much moved for my Brother I entreat for your kindness counsel to him Aberd. Feb. 23. 1637. Yours in his sweet Lord Iesus S. R. To my Lady MARRE Younger 111. My Very noble dear Lady GRace mercy peace be to you I received your La letter which hath comforted my soul. God give you to finde mercy in the day of Christ. I am in as good termes and court with Christ as an exiled oppressed prisoner of Christ can be I am still welcome to his house he knoweth my knock letteth in a poor friend Under this black rough tree of the cross of Christ he hath ravished me with his love taken my heart to heaven with him well long may he bruik it I would not niffer Christ with all the joyes that man or Angel can devise beside him Who hath such cause to speak honourably of Christ as I have Christ is King of all crosses he hath made his saints little Kings under him he can ride triumph upon weaker bodies then I am if any can be weaker his horse will neither fall nor stumble Madam your La hath much adoe with Christ for your soul husband children house Let him finde much employment for his calling with you for he is such a friend as delighteth to be burdened with sutes and employments and the more ye lay on him and the more homely ye be with him the more welcome O the depth of Christ's love It hath neither brim nor bottom O if this blinde world saw his beauty When I count with him for his mercies to me I must stand still wonder goe away as a poor dyvour who hath nothing to pay Free forgiveness is my payment I would I could get him set on high for his love hath made me sick I die except I get reall possession Grace grace be with you Aberd. March 13. 1367. Your La at all obedience in Christ. S. R. To JAMES Mc ADAM 112 My very dear worthyfriend GRace mercy peace be to you I long to hear of your growing in grace of your advancing in your journey to heaven It will be the joy of my heart to hear that ye hold your face up the brae wade through tentations without fearing what man can doe Christ shall when he ariseth mowe down his enemies lay bulks as they use to speak on the green fill the pits with dead bodies Psal. 110 6. they shall lie like handfulls of withered hay when he ariseth to the prey Salvation Salvation is the onely necessary thing this clay-idol the World is not to be sought it is a morsel not for you but for hunger-bitten bastards Contend for Salvation Your Master Christ won heaven with strokes It is a besieged castle it must be taken with violence Oh this world thinketh heaven but at the next door that godliness may sleep in a bed of downs till it come to heaven but
it must be a rueing a pitifull a melting-hearted love But suspension of that love I think it half a hell the want of it more then a whole hell When I look to my guiltiness I see my salvation one of our Saviour's greatest miracles either in heaven or earth I am sure I may defie any mâ—n to shew me a greater wonder but seeing I have no wares no hire no money for Christ he must either take me with want misery corruption or then want me O if he would be pleased to be compassionat and pitifull hearted to my pining fevers of longing for him oâ— then give me a reall pawne to keep out of his own hand till God send a meeting betwixt him me But I finde neither as yet howbeit he who is absent be not cruel nor unkinde yet his absence is cruel and unkinde His love is like it self his love is his love but the coveâ—ing the cloud the vail the mask of his love is more wise then kinde if I durst speak my apprehensions I lead no process now against the suspension delay of God's love I would with all my heart frist till a day ten heavens and the sweet manifestations of his love Certainly I think I could give Christ much on his word But my whole pleading is about intimated born-in assurance of his love O if he would perswade me of my heart's desire of his love at all he should have the term-day of payment at his own carving But I know raving unbeleef speaketh it's pleasure while it looketh upon guiltinesse and this body of corruption O how loathsom burdensom is it to carry about a dead corps this old carrion of corruption O how steadable a thing is a Saviour to make a sinner rid of his chains fetters I have now made a new question Whether Christ be more to be loved for giving Sanctification or for free Justification And I hold he is more most to be loved for Sâ—nâ—tification it is in some respect greater love in him to sanctifie then to justifie for he maketh us most like himself in his own essential pourtraiture image in sanctifying us Justification doth but make us happy which is to be like the Angels onely Neither is it such a misery to lie a condemned man under unforgiven guiltiness as to serve sin work the works of the Devil therefore I think Sanctification cannot be bought it 's above all price God be thanked for ever that Christ was a told down price for Sanctification Let a sinner if possible lie in hell for ever if he make him truly holy let him lie there burning in love to God rejoycing in the Holy Ghost hanging upon Christ by faith hope that is heaven in the heart and bottom of hell Alas I finde a very thin harvest here few to be saved Grace grace be with you Aberd. 1637. Yours in his lovely longed-for Lord â—â—sus S. R. To my Lord CRAIGHALL 209 My Lord. I Perswade my self notwithstanding of the greatness of this temptation ye will not let Christ want a witness of you to avow him before this evil generation And if ye advise with God's truth the perfect testament of Christ that forbiddeth all mens additions to his worship with the truly learned withall the sanctified in this land with that warner within you that will not fail to speak against you in God's time if ye be not now fast fixed for Christ I hope then your Lo will acquit your self as a man of courage for Christ refuse to bow your knee superstitiously idolatrously to wood or stone or any creature whatsoever I perswade my self when ye shall take good-night at this world ye shall think it God's truth I now write Some fear your Lo have obliged your self to his Maj by promise to satisfie his desire If it be so my dear worthy Lord hear me for your soul 's good Think upon swimming a shore after this ship wrack be pleased to write your humble Apologie to his Majestie it may be God give you favour in his eyes However it be far be it from you to think a promise made out of weakness extorted by the terrour of a King should binde you to wrong your Lord Jesus But for my self I give no faith to that report but I beleeve ye shall prove fast 〈◊〉 Christ To his grace I recommend you Aberd. July 8. 1637. Your Lo at all obedience in Christ. S. R. To my Lord CRAIGHALL 210. My Lord. GRace mercy peace be to you I am not onely content but I exceedingly rejoyce that I finde any of the Rulers of this Land especially your Lo so to affect Christ and his truth as ye dare for his name come to yea nay with Monarchs in their face I hope he who hath enabled you for that will give more if ye shew your self couragious as his word speaketh a man in the streets for the Lord But I pray your Lo give me leave to be plain with you as one who loveth both your honour your soul. I verily beleeve there was never Idolatry at Rome never Idolatry condemned in God's word by the Prophets if religious kneeling before a consecrate creature standing in room of Christ crucified in that very act that for reverence of the Elements as our Act cleareth be not Idolatry Neither will your intention help which is not of the essence of Worship for then Aaron saying To morrow shall be afeast for Iehovah that is for the golden Calf should not have been guilty of Idolatry for he intended onely to decline the lash of the people's fury not to honour the Calf Your intention to honour Christ is nothing seeing religious kneeling by God's institution doeth necessarily import religious divine adoration suppose our intention were both dead sleeping Otherwise kneeling before the Image of God directing prayer to God were lawfull if our intention goe right My Lord I cannot in this bounds dispute but if Cambridge Oxford the learning of Britain will answer this argument the argument from active scandal which your Lo seemeth to stand upon I will turn a formalist call my self an arrant fool by doing what I have done in my suffering for this truth I doe much reverence Mr Ls. learning but my Lo I will answer what he writes in that to pervert you from the truth else repute me beside an hypocrite an ass also I hope ye shall see something upon that subject if the Lord permit that no sophistry in Britain shall answer Courtiers arguments for the most part are drawn from their own skin are not worth a straw for your conscience A Marquess or a King's word when ye stand before Christ's tribunal shall be lighter then wind The Lord knoweth I love your true honour the standing of your house but I would not your honour or house were established upon sand
friend although ye should never see her again your care for her would be but small Oh now is she not with a dear friend gone higher upon a certain hope that ye shall in the Resurrection see her again when be ye sure she shall neither be hectick nor consumed in body Ye would be sorry either to be or to be esteeemed an Atheist yet not I but the Apostle 1 Thess. 4â— 13. thinketh these to be hopeless Atheists who mourn excessively for the dead but this is not a challenge on my part I doe speak this onely fearing your weakness for your daughter was a part of yourself therefore nature in you being as it were cut halved will indeed be grieved but ye have to rejoyce that when a part of you is on earth a great part of you is glorified in heaven Follow her but envy her not for indeed it is self-love in us that maketh us mourn for them that die in the Lord Why because for them we cannot mourn since they are never happy till they be dead therefore we mourn for our own private respect take heed then that in shewing your affection in mourning for your daughter ye be not out of self-affection mourning for your self Consider what the Lord is doing in it your daughter is plucked out of the fire she resteth from her labours your Lord in that is trying you casting you in the fire Goe through all fires to your rest now remember that the eye of God is upon you beholding your patience faith he delighteth to see you in the burning bush not consumed he is gladly content that such a weak woman as ye should send Satan away frustrate of his design Now honour God shame the strong roaring lion when ye seem weakest Should such a one as ye faint in the day of adversity Call to minde the dayes of old the Lord yet liveth trust in him although he should stay you faith iâ— exceeding charitable beleeveth no evil of God Now is the Lord laying in the one scale of the ballance your making conscience of submission to his gracious will in the other your affection love to your daughter which of the two will ye then chuse to satisfie Be wise then as I trust ye love Christ better then a sinfull woman pass by your daughter kiss the Lord's rod. Men doe lop the branches off their trees round about to the end they may grow up high tall The Lord hath this way lopped your branch in taking from you many children to the end ye should grow upward like one of the Lord's cedars setting your heart above where Christ is at the right hand of the father what is next but that your Lord cut down the stock after he hath cutted the branches Prepare your self ye are nearer your daughter this day then ye were yesterday while ye prodigally spend time in mourning for her ye are speedily posting after her Run your race with patieÌ„ce let God have his own ask of him in stead of your daughter which he hath taken from you the daughter of faith which is Patience in patience possess your soul. Lift up your head ye doe not know how near your redemption doeth draw Thus recommending you to the Lord who is able to establish you â—â—â—st Anwoth April 23. 1628. Your loving affects not fâ—… in the Lord Iesus S. R. To the elect noble Lady my Lady Kenmure 4 MADAM SAluting your La with grace mercy from God our father from om Lord Jesus Christ I was sorry at my departure leaving your La in grief would still be gâ—…d at it if I were not assured that ye have one with you in the â—urnace 〈◊〉 visage is like unto the Son of God I am glad that ye have been acquainted from your youth with the wrestlings of God that ye getscarce liberty to swallow down your spittle being casten from furnace to furnace knowing if ye were not dear to God and if your health did not require so much of him he would not spend so much Physick upon you All the brethren sisters of Christ must be conform to his image copy in suffering Rom 8 And some doe more vively resemble the copy then others Think Madam that it is a part of your glory to be enrolled among these whom one of the Elders Rev. 7 14. pointeth out to Iohn thâ—se are they which came out of great tribulation have washed their robes made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Behold your forerunner going out of the world all in a lake of blood it is not ill to die as he did Fulfill with joy the remnant of the grounds remainders of the afflictions of Christ in your body Ye have lost a childe Nay She is not lost to you who is found to Christ she is not sent away but onely sent before like unto a star which going out of our sight doeth not die evanish but shineth in another hemisphere ye see her not yet she doeth shine in another countrey If her glass was but a short hour what she wanteth of time that she hath gotten of eternity ye have to rejoyce that ye have now some plenishing up in heaven Build your nest upon no tree here for ye see God hath sold the forrest to death and every tree whereupon we would rest is ready to be cut down to the end we may flee mount up build upon the rock dwell in the holes of the rock What ye love besides Jesus your husband is an adulterous lover Now it is God's special blessing to Iudah that he will not let her finde her paths in following her strange lovers Hos. 2 6. Therefore behold I will hedge up her way with thorns make a wall that she shall not finde her paths v. 7. And she shall follow after her lovers but she shall not overtakè them O thrice happy Iudah when God buildeth a double stone-wall betwixt her the fire of hell The World the things of the World Madam is the lover ye naturally affect beside your own husband Christ The hedge of thorns the wall which God buildeth in your way to hinder you from this lover is the thorny hedge of daily grief loss of children weakness of body iniquity of the time uncertainty of estate lack of worldly comfort fear of God's anger for old unrepented of sins What lose ye if God twist â—let the hedge daily thicker God be blessed the Lord will not let you finde your paths Return to your first husband Doe not weary neither think that Death walketh towards you with a slow pace ye must be riper ere ye be shaken your daves are no longer then Iob's that were swifter then a post passed away as the ships of desire as the Eagle that hasteth for the prey Iob. 9 25 26. There is less sand in
hath an use for them aswell as for your service howbeit ye are to loath your self for these I hope ye fetch all the heaven ye have here in this life from that which is up above and that your anchor is casten as high and deep as Christ O but it 's far many a mile to his bottom If I had known long since as I doe now though still alas I am ignorant what was in Christ I would not have been so late in starting to the gate to seek him O what can I doe or say to him who hath made the North render me back again A grave is no sure prison to him for the keeping of dry bones Woe 's me that my foolish sorrow and unbelief being on horse-back did ride so produly witlesly over my Lord's Providence but when my Faith was asleep Christ was awake now when I am awake I say he did all things well O infinite wisdom O incomparable loving kindness Alas that the heart I have is so little worthless for such a Lord as Christ is O what oddes finde the saints in hard trials when they feel sap at their roots betwixt them and sun-burnt withered professors crosses and storms cause them to cast their blooms and leaves poor worldlings what will ye doe when the span-length of your forenoon's laughter is ended and when the weeping side of Providence is turned to you I put up all the favours ye have bestowed on my Brother upon Christ's score in whose book are many such counts who will requite them I wish you to be builded more and more upon the stone laid in Zion then ye shall be the more fit to have a hand in rebuilding our Lord 's fallen tabernacle in this land in which ye shall finde great peace when ye come to grips with Death the King of terrouis The God of peace be with your La and keep you blameless till the day of our Lord Jesus St Andrews Your La at all obedience in his sweet Lord Master S. R. To his very dear friend JOHN FENNICK 33 Much honoured dear friend GRace mercy peace be to you The necessary impediments of my calling have hitherto kept me from making a return to your letter the heads whereof I shall now briefly answer As. 1. I approve your going to the fountain when your own Cisterne is dry A difference there must be betwixt Christ's well your borrowed water why but ye have need of emptiness drving up aswell as ve have need of the well want a hole there must be in our vessel to leave room to Christ's art his well hath it's own need of thirsty drinkers to commend infinite love which from eternity did brew such a cellar of living waters for us Ye commend his free love it 's well done Oh if I could help you if I could be master-conveener to gather an earth-full an heaven-full of tongues dipped and steeped in my Lord 's well of love or his wine of love even tongues drunken with his love to raise a song of praises to him betwixt the East West-end furthest points of the broad heavens If I were in your case as alas my dry dead heart is not now in that garden I would borrow leave to come stand upon the banks coasts of that sea of love be a feasted soul to see Love's fair tide free Love's high and lofty waves each of them higher then ten earths flowing in upon pieces of lost clay O welcome welcome great sea O if I had as much love for wideness and breadth as twenty outmost shells and spheres of the heaven of heavens that I might receive in a little flood of his free love Come come dear Friend be pained that the King's wine-cellar of free love his banquetting house O so wide so stately O so God-like so glory-like should be so abundant so overflowing your shallow vessel so little to take in some part of that love but since it cannot come in you for want of room enter your self in this sea of love breath under these waters die of love live as one dead drowned of this Love But why doe ye complain of waters going over your soul that the smoke of the terrors of a wrathfull Lord doeth almost suffocate you bring you to death's brink I know the fault is in your eyes not in him it s not the rock that fleeth moveth but the green sailer if your sense apprehension be made judge of his love there is a graven image made presently even a changed God a foe-God who was once when ye washed your steps with butter the rock poured you out rivers of oyl Iob. 29. 6. a friend-God either now or never let God work ye had never since ye was a man such a fair field for faith for a painted hell an apprehension of wrath in your father is faith's opportunity to try what strength is in it now give God as large a measure of charity as ye have of sorrow now see faith to be faith indeed if ye can make your grave betwixt Christ's feet say Though he should flay me I will trust in him his beleeved love shall be my winding-sheet all my grave-cloaths I shall roll sowe in my soul my slain soul in that web his sweet free love let him write upon my grave Here lieth a beleeving dead man breathing out and making an hole in death's broad side the breath of faith cometh forth through the hole See now if ye can overcome prevail with God wrestle God's tempting to death quit out of breath as that renowned wrestler did Hos 12. 3. And by his strength he had power with God v. 4. Yea he had power over the Angel prevailed He is a strong man indeed who overmatcheth heaven's strength and the holy One of Israel the strong Lord which is done by a secret supply of divine strength within wherewith the weakest being strengthned overcome and conquer It shall be great victory to blow out the flame of that furnace yeare now in with the breath of faith when hell men malice cruelty falshood Devils the seeming glooms of a sweet Lord meet you in the teeth if ye then as a captive of Hope as one fettered in Hope's prison run to your strong hold even from God glooming to God glooming beleeve the salvation of the Lord in the dark which is your onely victory your enemies are but pieces of malitious clay they shall die as men be confounded But that your troubles are many at once arrows come in from all airths from countrey friends wife children foes estate right down from God who is the hope stay of your soul I confess is more very heavy to be born yet all these are not more then Grace all these bits of coals casten in your sea of
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
all the inhabitants have ever lasting joy upon their heads and where he will be put beyond hazard of sinning aswell as without the reach of suffering there is somtimes a felt emptiness I say that casts into a fever of desires That river of God that is full of water which did overflow refresh the soul running again into that sea whence it came in this low ebbe ye see how the patient is pained with absence what a panting there is for a sensible presence the soul as it were is evapourate in such wishes as these O when wilt thou come unto me Or O when shall I come appear before thee be put once for all for ever beyond the fear of the arising of any cloud to eclipse the light of thy countenance The soul in this absence is scorched with the fever flame of burning desires but to keep it from being burnt up there is hope this holds the soul in life that it expire not this saves from swooning perserves from sinking into despondency And though while hope is deferred the heart be sick yet there is ease in this very pain for an unerring expectation of a future good yeelds a present ease to the expectant maks the man give himself the Check thus why art thou cast down O my soul This sickness was never yet unto death but ever to the glory of God therefore hope thou in him for I shall yet praise him In a word that which is principally insisted upon in these short summaries of a communion with God is this on the one hand how a hungry longing soul is filled feasted with the Consolations of God when in that posture how pufled non-plus'd as to what to think or say of God It knowes not what to doe or how to lay out it self for him the satisfaction that it hath in him the obligation it sees it self under to him making it look one very thing it doth for him sayeth or thinketh of him with a kinde of regrate holy dissatisfaction It doth not please it self in pleasing him though he accept what love offers yet love desiderats so much in the offering that it presents all with a blush suitable to this amiable orderly confusion of spirit it 's greatest Oratory Eloquence is a kinde of abrupt concise broken discourse It is most desireous to speake but not knowing what to say which is not unworthy of him it falls into silent admiration yet some thing it must say wherein though it doe not please it self yet it maks good sense before him is a most pleasent melody in his ears it 's then when he seems to be so taken with that wherein the soul finds so many failings defects that he says speak on let me see that blushing countenance â—â—t me hear thy voice for sweet is thy voice thy countenance is comely And truely thou mayest perceive much of this kinde of discourse in these Epistles whereto the holy writter was so habituat in these soliloquies with God which were ordinary to him in his retirement that his pen preaching did ever after keep the tincture had the relish of that For while many preached notions soâ—e spake because they believed he was perceived oftimes not so much to speake as believing as seeing His being so long in the mount with God made his face to shine ever thereafter in his publike appearances And there was some peculiar sweetness in his Phrase especially in crying up and commending the love of Christ In mentioning the joy of the Holy Ghost or the Glory of the life to come beyond what was to be found even with other holy men Neither was it amongst the dry School-men nor at Arestotle his feet though there were few in the age so well acquaint with either that he learned this Nay nay flesh and blood did not could not reveale it unto him he was a student above the clouds there it was where he learned these Metaphysicks This I say i the thing upon the one hand which is insisted upon on the other thou hast the sad condition of a soul deprived of these sweet injoyments He who was just now taken in to the banquetting house had the banner of love for his canopy hath that spiced wine which his soul was drinking with delight snatcht out of his hand is panting for a drop of the rivers of his pleasure wherein not long agoe he was bathing himself Where upon followes a night of sorrow in the soul because the sun that did illuminat warme it with his rayes is set Then as if the soul would break forth at many passages togither for hast to be after him who hath withdrawn himself it runs out at the eyes in tears at the mouth in complaints because of his absence yet faith sets downe the fainter upon the brink of the river puts him under an arrest that he run not away till the sea flow again And desire maks him look out with a watery eye as impatient of delay the inward Echo of the heart in the mean time being still this how long wilt thou hide thy face from me How long while he is in thiâ— posture ye would not know him to be the mâ—n that a few minuts since he was a few minut hence he maâ— will be no wonder sincâ— that is wanting away which wa the health of his countenance that he look pale As the weeping man's eye being blinded with water cannot take up objects as they are especially if they be at any distance so ye have this holy man in these heavy hours venting his jealousies because of withdrawing giving way to his sorrow Now as the joy of injoying God is by the former made clear to be of all the greatest for under these full manifestations the soul may be transported to such an extasy of delight that for the time whether in the body or out of the body the man knowes not so the sorrow for being deprived of that the giver seeing it necessary to withold suspend these manifestations knowing that heaviness for a season through manifold temptations is fit for these who are sons of consolation who shall have a few dayes hence an everlasting year of Jubile is of all sorrowes seen to bee the sorest sharpest This is soul anguish so lâ—st of any supportable because it maks the very spirit which if it were sound would sustain a man's infirmities sink under it While it is thus with him ye may perceive that his bed cannot comfort him nor his couch ease his complaint And in this fever there are some expressions dropped which after the hight is over he doth retract as rash unadvised upon more mature deliberation iâ— madâ— to say this was my infirmity And truely he who intendeth the advantage of the whole in his way of dealing with every member
but cold comfort in my sufferings I would not beguile others I would have told you plainly but the truth is Christs crown his scepter and the freedom of his Kingdom is that which is now called in question because we will not allow that Christ pay tribute and be a vassall to the shields of the earth therefore the sons of our mother are angry at us but it becometh not Christ to hold any mans stirâ—up It were a sweet and honourable death to die for the honour of that royall princely King Jesus his love is a mystery to the world I would not have beleeved that there was so much in Christ as there is Come see maketh Christ to be known in his excellency glory I wish all this Nation knew how sweet his breath is it is little to see Christ in a book as men doe the world in a card they talke of Christ by the book the tongue no more but to come nigh Christ and hausse him embrace him is another thing Madam I write to your Honour for your encouragement in that honourable profession Christ hath honoured you with Ye have gotten the Sunny side of the brae the best of Christs good things he hath not given you the bastard's portion howbeit ye get strokes sowre looks from your Lord yet beleeve his love more then your own feeling for this world can take nothing from you that is truly yours death can doe you no wrong your rock doeth not ebbe flow but your sea that which Christ hath said he will bide by it he will be your tutour you shall not get your charters of heaven to play you with It is good that ye have lost your credit with Christ that Lord frâ—ewill shall not be your tutour Christ will lippen the taking of you to heaven neither to your self nor any deputy but onely to him self blessed be your tutour When your head shall appear your bridegroom Lord your day shall then dawn it shall never have an afternoon nor an evening shadow Let your childe be Christs let him stay beside you as the lords pledge that you shall willingly render again if God will Madam I finde folks here kind to me but in the night under their breath my masters cause may not come to the crown of the causey others are kind according to their fashion many think me a strange man my cause not good but I care not much for mans thoughts or approbation I think no shame of the crosse The preachers of this town pretend great love but the Prelats have added to the rest this gentle cruelty for so they think of it to discharge me of the pulpits of this town the people murmur cry out against it and to speak truly howbeit Christ is most indulgeat to me otherwise yet my silence on the Lords day keeps me from being exalted above measure froÌ„â—â—artling in the heat of my Lords love Some people affect me for the which cause I hear the preachers here purpose to have my confinement changed to another place so cold is northern love but Christ and I will bear it I have vvrestled long with this sad silence I said what aileth Christ at my service and my soul hath been at a pleading with Christ at yea nay but I will yeeld to him providing my suffering may preach more then my tongue did for I gave not Christ an inch but for twice as good again in a word I am a fool he is God I will hold my peace hereafter Let me hear from your La your Dear Childe pray for a prisoner of Christ who is mindfull of your La Remember my obliged obedience to my good Lady Marre Grace Grace be with you I write pray blessings to your sweet childe Aberd. Nov. 22. 1636. Yours in all Dutiefull obedience in his onely Lord Iesus S. R. To the right honourable Christian Lady my Lady VICOUNTESSE of KENMURE 6 MADAM GRace Mercy peace be to you I received your La letter it refreshed me in my heavinesse the blessing prayers of a prisoner of Christs come upon you Since my coming hither Galloway sent me not a line except what my Brother Earlstoun his son did write I cannot get my papers transported but Madam I want not kindnesse of one who hath the gate of it Christ if he had never done more for me since I was borne hath ingaged my heart gained my blessing in this house of my pilgrimage It pleaseth my welbeloved to dine with a poor prisoner and the Kings spiknard casteth a fragrant smell nothing grieveth me but that I eat my feasts my alone and that I cannot edifie his saints O that this Nation knew what is betwixt him and me none would skar at the crosse of Christ my silence eates me up but he hath told me he thanketh me no lesse then if I were preaching daily he sees how gladly I would be at it therefore my wages are going to the fore up in heaven as if I were still preaching Christ. Captains pay duely bedfast souldiers howbeit they dow not march nor carry armour Though â—srael be not gathered yet shall 〈◊〉 be glorious in the eyes of my Lord my lord shall be my strength Ifâ—â— 49 5. my garland The Banished Minister the teâ—ne of Aberden ashameth me not I have seen the white side of Christs crosse lovely hath he been to his oppressed servant Psal. 146 7. The Lord executeth judgement for the oppressed he giveth food to the hungry the Lord looseth the prisoner the Lord raisetâ— them that are bowed down the Lord preserveth the stranger If it were come to exchanging of crosses I would not exchange my crosse with any I am wel-pleased with Christ he with me I hope none shall hear us It 's true for all this I get my meat with many stroks and am seven times a day up down am often anxious cast down for the case of my oppressed brother yet I hope the Lord will be surty for his servant But now upon some weak very weak experience I am come to love a rumbling and raging devil beit seeing we must have a devil to hold the saints waking I wish a cumbersome devil rather then a secure sleeping one At my first coming hither I took the dorts at Christ and took up a stomaâ—k against him I said he had cast me over the dike of the vineyard like a drie tree but it was his mercy I see that the fire did not burn the drie tree now as if my Lord Jesus had done the fault not I who belied my Lord he hath made the first mends he spake not one word against me but hath come again quickned my soul with his presence nay now I think the very aâ—â—uety and casualities of the crosse of Christ Jesus my Lord these comforts that accompany it better then the worlds
one And O what a fair one what an onely one what an excellent lovely ravishing one is Jesus Put the beauty of ten thousand thousand worlds of Paradises like the garden of Eden in one put all trees all flowers all smels all colours all tastes all joyes all sweetness all lovelyness is one O what a fair and excellent thing would that be yet it should be less to that fair dearest welbeloved Christ then one drop of rain to the whole seas rivers lakes fourtains of ten thousand earths O but Christ is heavens wonder earths wonder what marvel that his bride saith Cant 5 v. 16. He is altogether lovely Oh that black souls will not come fetch all then love to this fair one O if I could invite perswade thousands ten thousand times ten thousand of Adam's sons to flock about my Lord Jesus to come take their fill of love Oh pity for evermore that there should be such an one as Christ Jesus so boundless so bottomless so incomparable in infinite excellency sweetness and so few to take him Oh oh ye poor dry dead souls why will ye not come hither with your toom vessels your empty souls to this huge fair deep sweet well of life fill all your toom vessels Oh that Christ should be so large in sweetness worth we so narrow so pinched so ebbe so void of all happiness and yet men will not take him They lose their love miserably who will not bestow it upon this lovely one Alas these five thousand yeers Adam's fools his waster-heirs have been wasting lavishing out their love and their affections upon black lovers and black harlots upon bits of dead creatures and broken idols upon this that feckless creature have not brought their love and their heart to Jesus O pity that fairness hath so few lovers O woe woe to the fools of this world who run by Christ to other lovers Oh misery misery misery that comeliness can scarce get three or four hearts in a town or a countrey Oh that there is so much spoken so much written and so much thought of creature-vanity and so little spoken so little written so little thought of my great and incomprehensible and never-enough-wondered-at Lord Jesus Why should I not curse this forlorn and wretched world that suffereth my Lord Jesus to lie his alone O damned souls O miskenning world O blind O beggerly and poor souls O bewitched fools what aileth you at Christ that you run so from him I dare not challenge providence that there are so few buyers and so little sale for such an excellent one as Christ. O the depth and O the hight of my Lords wayes that passe finding out But oh if men would once be wise and not fall so in love with their own hell as to pass by Christ and misken him But let us come near and fill our selves with Christ and let his friends drink and be drunken and satisfie our hollow and deep desires with Jesus Oh come all and drink at this living well come drink live for ever more come drink welcome welcome saith our fairest Bridegroom no man getteth Christ with ill will no man cometh is not welcome no man cometh and rueth his voyage all men speak well of Christ who have been at him men and Angels who know him will say more then I dow doe think more of him then they can say O if I were misted and bewildered in my Lords love Oh if I were fettered chained to it O sweet pain to be pained for a sight of him O living death O good death O lovely death to die for love of Jesus Oh that I should have a sore heart a pained soul for the wanting of the love of this that idol woe woe to the mistakings of my miscarrying heart that gapeth cryeth for creatures is not pained cutted tortured in sorrow for the want of a souls-fill of Christ. Oh that thou would'st come near my Beloved O my fairest one why standest thou a far come hither that I may be satiat with thy excellent love O for an union O for a fellowship with Jesus O that I could buy with a price that lovely one suppose hells torments for a while were the price I cannot beleeve but Christ will ruâ— upon his pained lovers come ease sick hearts who sigh and swoond for the want of Christ who dow bide Christs love to be nice What heaven can there be liker to hell then to lust and grein and dwine and fall a swoon for Christs love and to want it is not this hell heaven woven thorow other Is not this pain and joy sweetness and sadness to be in one web the one the woft the other the warp Therefore I would Christ would let us meet and joyn together the soul Christ in others arms O what meeting is like this to see blackness and beauty contemptibleness and glory highness and baseness even a soul and Christ kiss one another Nay but when all is done I may be wearied in speaking and writing but O how far am I from the right expression of Christ oâ— his love I can neither speak nor write feeling nor â—alling nor smelingâ— come feel smel taste Christ his love 〈…〉 d ye shall call it more then can be spoken to write how sweet the honey-comb it is not so lovely as to eat suck the honey comb â—nd nights rest in a bed of love with Christ will say more then he 〈…〉 can think or tongue can utter Neither need we fear crosses or sigh or be sad for any thing that is on this side of heaven if we have Christ our crosses will never draw blood of the joy of the holy Ghost peace of conscience ouâ— joy iâ— laid up in such a high place as temptations cannot climb up to take it down this world may boast Christ but they dare not strike or if they strike they break their arm in fetching a stroke upon a rock O that we could put our treasure in Christ's hand give him our gold to keep our crown Stâ—ivâ— Mistress to throng thorow the thorns of this life to be at Christ â—inâ— not sight of him in this cloudy dark day Sleep with him in your heart in the night Learn not at the world to serve Christ but speir at himself the way the world is a false copy a lying guide to follow Remember my love to your husband I wish all to him I have written here The sweet presence the long lasting goodwill of our God the warmely lovely comforts of our Lord Jesus be with you Help me his prisoner in your prayers For I remember you Aberd. Agust 8. 1637. Yours iâ— his sweet Lord Iesus S. R. To the Lady Forreâ— 30 Worthy Mistress GRace mercy peace be to you I long
Christ breaketh all my idols in pieces it hath put a new edge upon my blunted love to Christ I see he is Jealouse of my love will have all to himself In a word these six things are my burden 1. I am not in the vineyard as others are it may be because Christ thinketh me a withered tree not worthy it's room but God forbid 2. Woe woe woe is coming upon my harlot-mother this Apostat-kirk the time is coming when we shall wish for doves wings to flee and hide us Oh for the desolation of this land 3. I see my dear master Christ going his alone as it were mourning in sackeloth his fainting friends fear that King Jesus shall lose the field but he must carry the day 4. My guiltiness and the sins of my youth are come up against me and they would come in the plea in my sufferings as deserving causes in God's justice but I pray God for Christ's sake he never give them that room woe 's me that I cannot get my Royall dreadfull mighty glorious Prince of the Kings of the earth set on high Sir ye may help me pity me in this and bow your knee blesse his name desire others to doe it that he hath been pleased in my sufferings to make Atheists Papists enemies about me say It is like God is with this prisoner Let hell the powers of hell I care not be let loose against me to doe their worst so being Christ my Father his Father be magnified in my sufferings 6. Christ's love hath pained me for howbeit his presence hath shamed me and drowned me in debt yet he often goeth away when my love to him is burning he seemeth to look like a proud wooer who will not look upon a poor match who is dying of love I will not say he is lordly but I know he is wise in hiding himself from a childe a fool who maketh an idol a God of one of Christ's kisses which is Idolatry I fear I adore his comforts more then himself and that I love the apples of life better then the tree of life Sir write to me Commend me to your wife mercy be her portion Grace be with you Aberd. 1637 Yours in his dearest Lord Iesus S. R. To JOHN STUART Provest of Ayr. 53 Worthy and dearly beloved in our Lord. GRace mercy peace be to you I was refreshed comforted with your letter what I wrote to you for your comfort I doe not remember but I beleeve love will prophesie home-ward as it would have it I wish I could help you to praise his great and holy name who keepeth the feet of his saints hath numbred all your goings I know our dearest Lord will pardon passe by our honest errours mistakes when we minde his honour yet I know none of you have seen the other half the hidden side of your wonderfull return home to us again I am confident ye shall yet say that God's mercy blew your sailes back to Ireland again Worthy dear Sir I cannot but give you an account of my present state that ye may goe an errand for me to my high royall master of whom I boast all the day I am as proud of his love nay I blesse my self boast more of my present lot as any poor man can be of an earthly Kings court or of a Kingdom First I am very often turning both the sides of my cross especially my dumb silent Sabbaths not because I desire to finde a crook or defect in my Lord's love but because love is sick with phansies fears whether or not the Lord hath a processe leading against my guiltiness that I have not yet well seen I know not my desire is to ride fair not to spark dirt if with reverence of him I may be permitted to make use of such a word in the face of my onely onely welbeloved but fear of guiltness iâ— a tale-bearer betwixt me Christ is still whispering ill tales of my Lord to weaken my faith I had rather a cloud went over my comforts by these messages then that my faith should be hurt for if my Lord get no wrong by me verily I desire grace not to care what become of me I desire to give no faith nor credit to my sorrow that can make a lye of my best friend Christ. Woe woe be to them all who speak ill of Christ. Hence these thoughts awake with me in the morning goe to bed with me Oh what service can a dumb body doe in Christ's house Oh I think the word of God is imprisoned also Oh I am a dry tree Alas I can neither plant nor water Oh if my Lord would make but dung of me to fatten and make fertile his own corn-ridges in mount Sion Oh if I might but speak to three or four herd-boyes of my worthy master I would be satisfied to be the meanest and most obscure of all the Pastors in this land to live in any place in any of Christ's basest out-housâ—s but he saith Sirra I â—ill not send you I have no errands for you there away My desire to serve him is sick of jealousie lest he be unwilling to employ me Secondly this is seconded with another Oh all that I have done in Anwoth the fair work that my Master began there is like a bird dying in the shell what will I then have to show of all my labour in the day of my compearance before him when the Master of the vineyard calleth the labourers giveth them their hire Thirdly but truly when Christ's sweet wind is in the right airth I repent I pray Christ to take law-borrows of my quarrelous unbeleeving sadness sorrow Lord rebuke them that put ill betwixt a poor servant like me his good master then I say whether the black cross will or not I must climb hands feet up to my Lord. I am now ruing from my heart that I pleasure the law my old dead husband so far as to apprehend wrath in my sweet Lord Jesus I had far rather take an hire to plead for the grace of God for I think my self Christ's sworn debter the truth is to speak of my Lord what I cannot deny I am over head ears drowned in many obligations to his love mercy he handleth me sometimes so that I am ashamed almost to seek more for a four-hours but to live content till the marriage-supper of the Lamb with that which he giveth but I know not how greedy how ill to please love is for either my Lord Jesus hath taught me ill manners not to be content of a seat except my head lie in his bosom except I be fed with the fattest of his house or else I am grown impatiently dainty ill to please as if Christ were obliged under this cross to doe no other thing but bear me in his armes
Beware of lying swearing uncleanness the rest of the works of the flesh because for these things the wrath of God cometh upon the children of disobedience how sweet soever they may seem for the present yet the end of these courses is the eternall wrath of God utter darkness where there is weeping gnashing of teeth Grace be with you Aberd. 1637. Your Loving Pastor S. R. To Mr THOMAS GARVEN 56 Reverend Dear Brother GRace mercy peace be unto you I am sorry that what joy sorrow drew from my imprisoned pen in my love-fits hath made you many of God's children beleeve that there is something in a broken reed the like of me except that Christ's grace hath bought such a sold body I know not what else any may think of me or expect from me my stock is less my Lord knoweth I speak truth then many beleeve my empty sounds have promised too much I would be glad to lie under Christ's feet keep receive the off-fallings or the old pieces of any grace that fall from his sweet fingers to forlorn sinners I lie often uncouth-like looking in at the King's windowes surely I am unworthy of a seat in the King's hall-floor I but often look afar off both feared and framed-like to that fairest face fearing he bid me look away from him my guiltiness riseth up upon me I have no answer for it I offered my tongue to Christ my pains in his house what know I what it meaneth when Christ will not receive my poor propine when love will not take we expone it will neither take nor give borrow nor lend Yet Christ hath another sea-compass he saileth by then my short raw thoughts I leave his part of it to himself I dare not expound his dealing as sorrow misbelief often dictateth to me I look often with bleared and blinde eyes to my Lords cross when I look to the wrong-side of his cross I know I miss a step slide surely I see I have not legs of my own for carrying me to heaven I must goe in at heavens gates borrowing strength from Christ. I am often thinking Oh if he would but give me leave to love him if Christ would but open up his wares the infinite infinite plyes windings corners of his soul-delighting-love let me see it back-side fore-side give me leave but to stand beside it like an hungry man beside meat to get my fill of wondering as a preface to my fill of enjoying but verily I think my foul eyes would defile his fair love to look to it Either my hunger is over humble if that may be said or else I consider not what honour it is to get leave to love Christ. O that he would pity a prisoner let out a flood upon the dry ground it is nothing to him to fill the like of me one of his looks would doe me meekle world's good him no ill I know I am not at a point yet with Christ's love I am not yet fitted for so much as I would have of it my hope sitteth neighbour with meekle black hunger certainly I dow not but think there is more of that love ordained for me then I yet comprehend I know not the weight of the pension the King will give me I shall be glad if my hungry bill get leave to lie beside Christ waiting on an answer now I would be full rejoyce if I got a poor man's almes of that sweetest love but I confidently beleeve there is a bal made for Christ me that we shall take our fill of love in it I often think when my joy is run out at the lowest ebbe that I would seek no more but my rights past the King 's great seal that these eyes of mine could see Christ's hand at the pen. If your Lord call you to suffering be not dismayed there shall be a new allowance of the King for you when ye come to it One of the softest pillowes Christ hath is laid under his witnesses head though often they must set down their bare feet among thorns He hath brought my poor soul to desire wish O that my ashes the powder I shall be dissolved into had well tuned tongues to praise him Thus in haste desiring your prayers praises I recommend you to my sweet sweet Master my honourable Lord of whom I hold all Grace be with you Aberd. 1637. Yours in his sweet Lord Iesus S. R. To JEAN BROWN 57. MISTRESS GRace mercy peace be to you I am glad that ye goe on at Christ's back in this dark cloudy time It were good to sell other things for him for when all these dayes are over we shall finde it our advantage that we have taken part with Christ. I confidently beleeve his enemies shall be his footstool that he shall make green flowers dead withered hay when the honour glory shall fall off them like the bloom or flower of a green herb shaken with the wind It were not wisdom for us to think that Christ the Gospel will come sit down at our fire side nay but we must goe out of our warm houses seek Christ his gospel It is not the sunny side of Christ that we must look to we must not forsake him for want of that but must set our face against what may befall us in following on till he we be through the briers buâ—hes on the dry ground Our soft nature would be born through the troubles of this miserable life in Christ's arms it is his wisdom who knoweth our mould that his bairns goe wet-shod cold-footed to heaven O how sweet a thing were it for us to learn to make our burdens light by framing our hearts to the burthen and making our Lord's will a law I finde Christ his cross not so ill to please nor yet such troublesom guests as men call them Nay I think patience should make Christ's water good wine this dross good mettall we have cause to wait on for ere it be long our Master will be at us bring this whole world out before the sun the day-light in their black 's white 's Happy are they who are found watching Our sand-glass is not so long as we need to weary time will eat away root out our woes sorrow our heaven is in the bud growing up to an harvest why then should we not follow on seeing our span length of time will come to an inch Therefore I commend Christ to you as your last living longest living husband the staff of your old age let him have now the rest of your dayes think not much of a storm upon the ship that Christ saileth in there shall no passenger fall over board but the craised ship the sea-sick passenger shall come to land safe I am
to flee up to our blessed match our marrow our fellow-friend I think Misterss ye are looking there-away this is your second or third thought make forward your guide waiteth on you I cannot but bless you for your care kindness to the saints God give you to finde mercy in that day of our Lord Jesus to whose saving grace I recommend you Aberd. 1637. Yours in our Lord Iesus S. R. To WILLIAM RIGGE Of Athernie 60. Much honoured worthy Sir YOur letter full of complaints bemoaning your guiltiness hath humbled me but give me leave to say ye seem to be too far upon the law's side ye will not gain much to be the Law 's Advocat I thought ye had not been the law 's but grace's man Nevertheless I am sure ye desire to take God's part against your self what ever your guiltiness be yet when it falleth into the sea of God's mercy it is but like a drop of blood fallen in the great Ocean There is nothing here to be done but let Christ's doom light upon the old man let him bear his condemnation seeing in Christ he was condemned for the Law hath but power over your worst half let the blame therefore lie where the blame should be let the new man be sure to say I am comely as the tents of Kedar how beit I be black sun-burnt by sitting neighbour beside a body of sin I seek no more here but room for Grace's defence Christ's white throne wherto a sinner condemned by the law may appeal But the use that I make of â—t is I am sorry that I am not so tender thin skin'd though I am sure Christ may finde employment for his calling in me if in any living seeing from my youth upward I have been making up the blackest process that any minister in the world or any other can answer to when I had done this I painted a providence of my own wrote ease for my self a peaceable ministery the sun shining on me till I should be in at heaven's gates Such green raw thoughts had I of God I thought also of a sleeping Devil that would pass by the like of me lying in moores out-fields So I bigged the gook's nest dreamed of dying at ease living in a fools paradise but since I came hither I am often so as that they would have much Rhetorick that would perswade me that Christ hath not written wrath on my dumb silent Sabbaths which is a persecution of the latest edition being used against none in this land that I can learn of besides me often I lie under a non-entry would gladly sell all my joyes to be confirmed King Jesus's free tennent to have sealed assurances but I see often blank papers my greatest desires are these two 1. That Christ would take me in hand to cure me undertake for a sick man I know I should not die under his hand yet in this while I still doubt I beleeve through a cloud that sorrow which hath no eyes hath but put a vail on Christ's love 2. It pleaseth him often since I came hither to come with some short blenks of his sweet love then because I have none to help me to praise his love can doe him no service in my own person as I thought once I did in his temple then I die with wishes desires to take up house dwell at the well-side to have him praised set on high But alas what can the like of me doe to get a good name raised upon my welbeloved Lord Jesus suppose I could desire to be suspended for ever of my part of heaven for his glory I am sure If I could get my will of Christ's love could be once over head ears in the beleeved apprehended seen love of the Son of God it were the fulfilling of the desires of the onely happiness I would be at but the truth is I hinder my communion with him because of want of both faith repentance because I will make an idol of Christ's kisses I will neither lead nor drive except I see Christ's love run in my channel when I wait and look for him the upper way I see his wisdom is pleased to play me a slip come the lower way so that I have not the right art of guiding Christ for there is art wisdom required in guiding of Christ's love aright when we have gotten it O how far are his wayes above mine O how little of him doe I see when I am as dry as a burnt heath in a drouthy summer when my root is withered howbeit I think then that I would drink a sea-full of Christ ere ever I would let the cup goe from my head yet I get nothing but delayes as if he would make hunger my daily food I think my self also hungered of hunger The rich Lord Jesus satisfie a famished man Grace be with you Aberd. 10. Sept. 1637. Your own in his sweet Lord Iesus S. R. To his worthy much honoured friend FULK ELIES 61 Worthy much honoured in our Lord GRace mercy peace be to you I am glad of our more then paper-acquaintance Seeing we have one father it reckoneth the less though we never saw one anothers faces I profess my self most unworthy to follow the camp of such a worthy renowned captain as Christ. Oh alas I have cause to be grieved that men expect any thing of such a wretched man as I am It is a wonder to me if Christ can make any thing of my naughtie short narrow love to him surely it is not worth the up-taking 2. As for our lovely and beloved Church in Ireland my heart bleedeth for her desolation but I beleeve our Lord is onely lopping the vine-trees but not intending to cut them down or root them out It is true seeing we are heart-Atheists by nature cannot take providence aright because we halt crook ever since we fell we dream of an halting providence as if God's yard whereby he measureth joy sorrow to the sons of men were crooked unjust because servants are on horse-back Princes goe on foot but our Lord dealeth good evil some one portion or other to both by ounce-weights measureth them in a just and even ballance It is but folly to measure the Gospel by summer or winter-weather The summer-sun of the saints shineth not on them in this life how should we have complained if the Lord had turned the same providence that we now stomacke at up-side down had ordered matters thus that first the saints should have enjoyed heaven glory ease then Methusalem's dayes of sorrow daily miseries we should think a short heaven no heaven certainly his wayes pass finding out 3. Ye complain of the evil of heart-atheism but it is to a greater atheist then any man can be
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
Christ but his coat Oh how forlorn desolate is the Bride of Christ made to all passers by Who seeth not Christ buried in this land his prophets hidden in caves silenced banished imprisoned Truth weeping in sackcloth before the Judges Parliament the Rulers of the land But her bill is cast by them Holiness hideth it self fearing the streets for the reporoaches persecution of men Justice is fallen a swoon in the gate the long shadows of the evening are stretched out upon us Woe woe to us for our day flyeth away what remaineth but that the Antichrist set down his tent in the midst of us except your Lo others with you read Christ's supplication give him that which the most lewd and scandalous wretches in this land may have before a judge even the poor man's due law and justice for God's sake O therefore my noble dear Lord as ye have begun goe on in the mighty power and strength of the Lord to cause our Lord in his Gospel and afflicted members laugh to cause the Christian Churches whose eyes are all now upon you to sing for joy when Scotland's moon shall shine like the light of the sun the sun like the light of seven dayes in one ye can doe noless then run bear up the head of your dying swooning mother-Church plead for the production of her ancient charters They hold out and put out they hold in and bring in at their pleasure men in God's house they stole the keys from Christ and his Church and came in like the thief the robber not by the door Christ now their song is Authority Authority obedience to Church-Governours When such a bastard lawless pretended step-dame as our prelacy is gone mad it is your place who are the Nobles to rise binde them at least law should fetter such wilde bulls as they are who push all who oppose themselves to their domination Alas What have we lost since Prelats were made Master coiners to change our gold in brass and to mix the Lord's wine with their water Blessed for ever shall ye be of the Lord if ye help Christ against the mighty and shall deliver the flock of God scattered upon the mountains in the dark cloudy day out of the hands of these idol-shepherds Fear not men that shall be moth-eaten-clay that shall be rolled up in a chest casten under the earth Let the holy one of Israel be your fear be couragious for the Lord and his truth Remember your accounts coming upon you with wings as fast as time posteth away Remember what peace with God in Christ the presence of the Son of God in the revealed felt sweetness of his love will be to you when eternity shall put time to the door ye shall take good-night at Time this little shepherd's tent of clay this Innes of a borrowed earth I hope your Lo is now then sending out thoughts to view this world's naughtiness vanity the hoped-for glory of the life to come that ye resolve that Christ shall have your self all yours at command for him his honour Gospel Thus trusting your Lo Will pardon my boldness I pray that the onely wise God the very God of peace may preserve strengthen establish you to the end Aberd. 1637. Your Lo at all command obedience in Chrst. S. R. To the Lady ROVVALAND 107 MADAM THough not acquainted I am bold in Christ to speak to vour La in paper I rejoyce in our Lord Jesus on your behalf that it hath pleased him whose love to you is as old as himself to manifest the savour of his love in Christ Jesus to your soul in the revelation of his will minde to you now when so many are shut up in unbelief O the sweet change ye have made in leaving the black kingdom of this world sin coming over to our bridegroom 's new kingdom to know to be taken with the love of the beautifull Son of God I beseech you Madam in the Lord make now sure work see that the old house be casten down razed from the foundation and that the new building of your soul be of Christ's own laying for then wind and storm shall neither loose it nor shake it asunder Many now take Christ by guess Be sure that it be he and onely he whom ye have met with His sweet smell his lovely voyce his fair face his sweet working in the soul will not lye they will soon tell if it be Christ indeed I think your love to the saints speaketh that it is he therefore I say be sure that ye take Christ himself take him with his father's blessing his father alloweth him well upon you your lines are well fallen it could not have been better nor so well with you if they had not fallen in these places In heaven or out of heaven there is nothing better nothing so sweet excellent as the thing ye have lighted on therefore hold you with Christ Joy much joy may ye have of him But take his cross with himself cheerfully Christ and his cross are not separable in this life howbeit Christ his cross part at heaven's door for there is no house-room for crosses in heaven one tear one sigh one sad heart one fear one losse or thought of trouble cannot finde lodging there they are but the markes of our Lord Jesus down in this wide innes stormy countrey on this side of death Sorrow the saints are not married together of suppose it were so heaven shall make a divorce I finde his sweet presence eateth out the bitterness of sorrow suffering I think it a sweet thing that Christ saith of my cross Halfmine that he divideth these sufferings with me taketh the largest share to himself nay that I my whole cross are wholly Christ's O what a portion is Christ O that the saints would dig deeper in the treasures of his wisdom excellency Thus recommending your La to the goodwill tender mercies of our Lord I rest Aberd. Sept. 7. 1637 Yours La in his sweet Lord Iesus S. R. To ROBERT GORDON Of Knockbrex 108 My very worthy dear Friend GRace mercy peace be unto you Though all Galloway should have forgotten me I would have expected a letter from you ere now But I will not expound it to be forgetfulness of me Now My dear Brother I cannot shew you how matters goe betwixt Christ and me I finde my Lord going and coming seven times a day His visits are short but they are both frequent sweet I dare not for my life think of a challenge of my Lord I hear ill tales hard reports of Christ from the Tempter and my flesh but love beleeveth no evil I may swear that they are lyars and that apprehensions make lyes of Christ's honest and unalterable love to me
wisdom made choice of it for me it must be best because it was his choice O that I may wait for him till the morning of this benighted Kirk break out This poor afflicted Kirk had a fair morning but her night came upon her before her noon-day she was like a traveller forced to take house in the morning of his journey now her adversaries are the chief men in the land her wayes mourn her gates languish her children sigh for bread and there is none to be instant with the Lord that he would come again to his house dry the face of his weeping spouse comfort Zion's mourners who are waiting for him I know he shall make corn to grow upon the top of his withered mount Zion again Remember my bonds forget me not Oh that my Lord would bring me again amongst you with abundance of the Gospel of Christ But O that I may set down my desires where my Lord biddeth me Remember my love in the Lord to your husband God make him faithfull to Christ my blessing to your three children Faint not in prayer for this Kirk Desire my people not to receive a stranger intruder upon my ministery let me stand in that right station that my Lord Jesus gave me Grace grace be with you Aberd. 1637. Yours in his sweet Lord and Master S. R. To JOHN GORDON At Risco 127 Dear Brother I Earnestly desire to know the case of your soul to understand that ye have made sure work of heaven salvation 1. Remember Salvation is one of Christ's dainties he giveth but to a few 2. That it is violent sweating striving that taketh heaven 3. That it cost Christ blood to purchase that house to sinners to set mankinde down the King 's free tenants free-holders 4. That many make a start toward heaven who fall on their back win not up to the top of the mount it plucketh heart legs from them they sit down give it over because the devil setteth a sweet smelled flower to their nose this fair busked World wherewith they are bewitched so forget or refuse to goe forward 5. Remember many goe far on reform many things can finde tears as Esau did suffer hunger for the truth as Iudas did wish desire the end of the righteous as Balaam did profess fair fight for the Lord as Saul did desire the saints of God to pray for them as Pharaoh Simon Magus did prophesie speak of Christ as Caiaphas did walk softly mourn for fear of judgement as Ahab did put away gross sins idolatry as Iehu did hear the word of God gladly reform their life in many things according to the word as Herod did say Master to Christ I will follow thee whither soever thou goest as the man who offered to be Christ's servant Math. 8. may taste of the vertues of the life to come be partaker of the wonderfull gifts of the holy spirit taste of the good word of God as the Apostates who sin against the Holy Ghost Heb 6. yet all these are but like gold in clink colour watered brass base mettall These are written that we should try our selves not rest till we be a step nearer Christ then sun-burnt withering professors can come 6. Consider it is impossible that your Idol-sins ye can goe to heaven together that they who will not part with these can indeed love Christ at the bottom but onely in word shew which will not doe the business 7. Remember how swiftly God's post time flieth away that your forenoon is already spent your afternoon will come then your evening at last night When ye cannot see to work let your heart be set upon finishing of your journey summing laying your accounts with your Lord. O how blessed shall ye be to have a joyfull welcome of your Lord at night How blessed are they who in time take sure course with their soul Bless his great name for what ye possess in goods children ease worldly contentment that he hath given you seek to be like Christ in humility lowliness of minde be not great intire with the world make it not your God nor your lover that ye trust into for it will deceive you I recommend Christ his love to you in all things let him have the flower of your heart your love set a low price upon all things but Christ cry down in your thoughts clay dirt that will not comfort you when ye get summonds to remove compear before your Judge to answer for all the deeds done in the body The Lord give you wisdom in all things I beseech you sanctifie God in your speaking for holy and reverend is his name be temperate sober companionry as it is called is a sin that holdeth men out of heaven I will not beleeve that ye will receive the ministry of a stranger who will preach a new uncouth doctrine to you Let my salvation stand for it if I delivered not the plain whole counsel of God to you in his word Read this letter to your wife remember my love to her request her to take heed to doe what I write to you I pray for you yours Remember me in your prayers to our Lord that he would be pleased to send me amongst you again Grace be with you Aberd. 1637. Your lawfull loving Pastor S. R. To Mr HUGH HENDERSON 128 Reverend and dear Brother WHo knoweth but the wind may turn in to the West again upon Christ his desolate bride in this land And that Christ may get his summer by course again for he hath had ill weather this long time could not finde law or justice for himself his truth these many years I am sure the wheels of this crazed broken Kirk run all upon no other axel-tree nor is there any other to roll them cogge them drive them but the wisdom good pleasure of our Lord And it were a just trick glorious of never-sleeping providence to bring our brethrens darts they have shot at us back upon their own heads Suppose they have two strings in their bow can take one as another saileth them yet there are moe then three strings upon our Lord's bowe and besides he cannot miss the white that he shooteth at I know he shuffleth up down in his hand the great body of heaven earth that Kirk Commonwealth are in his hand like a stock of Cards that he dealeth â—he play to the mourners in Zion and these that say lye down that we may goe over you at his own soveraign pleasure And I am sure Zion's adversaries in this play shall not take up their own stakes again O how sweet a thing it is
border of time shall put your foot within the march of eternity all your good things of this short night-dream shall seem to you like the ashes of a bleaze of thorns or straw your poor soul shall be crying Lodging lodging for God's sake Then shall your soul be more glad at one of your Lord 's lovely homely smiles then if ye had the charters of three worlds for all eternity Let pleasures gain will desires of this world be put over in God's hands as arrested and fenced goods that ye cannot intromet with Now when ye are drinking the ground of your cup ye are upon the utmost ends of the last link of time old age like death's long shadow is casting a covering upon your days it is no time to court this vain life to set love heart upon it It is near after supper seek rest ease for your soul in God through Christ Beleeve me I finde it hard wrestling to play fair with Christ to keep good quarters with him keep love to him in integrity life to keep a constant course of sound solid daily communion with Christ temptatations are daily breaking the threed of that course it is not easie to cast a knot again many knots make evil work O how fair have many ships been plying before the wind that in an hour's space have been lying in the sea bottom How many professours cast a golden lustre as if they were pure gold yet are under that skin cover but base reprobate mettall And how many keep breath in their race many miles yet come short of the prize the garland Dear Sir my soul would mourn in secret for you if I knew your case with God to be but false work Love to have you anchored upon Christ maketh me fear your tottering slips False under-water not seen in the ground of an enlightned conscience is dangerous so is often failing sinning against light Know this that these who never had sick nights nor days in conscience for sin cannot have but such a peace with God as will undercot break the flesh again and end in a sad war at death O how fearfully are thousands beguiled with false hide growen over old sins as if the soul were cured and healed Dear Sir I saw ever nature mighty lofty heady strong in you it was more for you to be mortified dead to the world then another common man Ye will take a low ebbe a deep cut a long lancâ— to goe to the bottom of your wounds in saving humiliation to make you a won prey for Christ Be humbled walk softly down down for God's sake my dear worthy Brother with your topsail Stoop Stoop it is a low entry to goe in at heaven's gates There is infinite Justice in the party ye have to doe with it is his nature not to acquit the guilty the sinner The Law of God will not want one farthing of the sinner God forgetteth not both the Cautioner the sinner every man must pay either in his own person O Lord save you from that payment or in his cautioner Christ. It is violence to corrupt nature for a man to be holy to lie down under Christ's feet to quite will pleasure wordly love earthly hope an itching of heart after this fairded overguilded world to be content that Christ trample upon all Come in come in to Christ and see what ye want finde it in him He is the short cut as we use to say and the nearest way to an outgate of all your burdens I dare avouch ye shall be dearly welcome to him my soul would be glad to take part of the joy ye should have in him I daresay Angels pens Angels tongues nay as many worlds of Angels as there are drops of water in all the seas fountains and rivers of the earth cannot paint him out to you I think his sweetness since I was a prisoner hath swelled upon me to the greatness of two heavens O for a soul as wide as the outmost circle of the highest heaven that containeth all to contain his love And yet I could hold little of it O world's wonder O if my soul might but lie within the smell of his love suppose I could get no more but the smell of it O but it is long to that day when I shall have a free world of Christ's love O what a sight to be up in heaven in that fair orchard of the new Paradise to see and smell and touch and kiss that fair field-flower that ever green tree of life His bare shadow were enough for me a sight of him would be the earnest of heaven to me Fy sy upon us that we have love lying rusting beside us or which is worse wasted away upon loathsom objects Christ should lie his alone Woe woe is me that Sin hath made so many mad men seeking the fool's Paradise fire under ice some good and desireable thing without and apart from Christ Christ Christ nothing but Christ can cool our love's burning languor O thirsty love wilt thou set Christ the well of life to thy head drink thy fill drink and spare not drink love be drunken with Christ Nay alas the distance betwixt us and Christ is a death O if we were clasped in other's arms We should never twin again except heaven twinned and sundered us that cannot be I desire your children to seek this Lord Desire them from me to be requested for Christ's sake to be blessed happy and come take Christ all things with him Let them beware of glassy slippery youth of foolish young motions of worldly lusts of deceivable gain of wicked company of cursing lying blaspheming and foolish talking Let them be filled with the Spirit acquaint themselves with daily praying with the store-house of wisdom and comfort the good word of God Help the souls of the poor people O that my Lord would bring me again among them that I might tell uncouth great tales of Christ to them Receive not a stranger to preach any other doctrine to them Pray for me his prisoner of hope I pray for you without ceasing I write my blessing earnest prayers the love of God the sweet presence of Christ to you and yours and them Grace grace grace be with you Aberd. 1637. Your lawful and loving Pastor S. R. To the Earle of LOTHIAN 141 Right honourable my very worthy and Noble Lord. OUt of the honourable good report that I hear of your Lo goodwill kindness in taking to heart the honourable cause of Christ his afflicted Church wronged truth in this land I make bold to speak a word in paper to your Lo at this distance which I trust your Lo will take in good part It is your Lo honour credit to put to
130. But alas who hath a heart that will give Christ the last word in flyting will hear not speak again Oh contestations quarrelous replies as a soon sadled spirit I doe well to be angry even to the death Ion. 4 9. Smell of the stink of strong corruption O blessed soul that could sacrifice his will goe to heaven having lost his will made resignation of it to Christ I would seek no more but that Christ were absolute King over my will that my will were a sufferer in all crosses without meeting Christ with such a word why is it thus I wish still that my love had but leave to stand beside beautifull Jesus to get the mercy of looking to him burning for him suppose possession of him were suspended fristed till my Lord fold together the leaves two sides of the little shepherds tents of clay Oh what pain is in longing for Christ under an over-clouded and eclipsed assurance What is harder then to burn and dwine with longings and deaths of love then to have blanks uninked paper for assurance of Christ in real fruition or possession O how sweet were one line or half a letter of a written assurance under Christ's own hand But this is our exercise daily that guiltiness shall overmist and darken assurance It is a miracle to beleeve but for a sinner to beleeve is two miracles But O what obligations of love are we under to Christ who beareth with our wilde apprehensions in suffering them to nick-name sweet Jesus to put a lye upon his good name If he had not been God and if long-suffering in Christ were not like Christ himself we should long agoe have broken Christ's mercies in two pieces put an iron bar upon our own salvation that mercy should not have been able to break or overleap but long-suffering in God is God himself that is ouâ— salvation the stability of our heaven is in God He knew who said Christ in you the hope of glory Col. 1. 27. For our hope the bottom pillars of it is Christ-God sinners are anchor-fast made stable in God So that if God doe not change which is impossible then my hope shall not fluctuat O sweet stability of suâ—e-bottomed salvation Who could win heaven if this were not who could be saved if God were not God if he were not such a God as he is O God be thanked that our Salvation is coasted landed shored upon Christ who is master of winds storms what sea-winds can blow the coast or the land out of it's place Bulwarks are often casten down but coasts are not removed but suppose that were or might be yet God cannot reel nor remove Oh that we goe from this strong unmoveable Lord that we loose our selves if it were in our power from him Alas our green young love hath not taken with Christ as being unacquainted with him He is such a wide broad deep high surpassing sweetness that our love is too little for him But O if our love little as it is could take baâ—d with his great huge sweetness and transcendent excellency O thrice blessed eternally blessed are they who are out of themselves above themselves that they may be in love united to him I am often rolling up down the thoughts of my faint sick desires of expressing Christ's glory before his people but I see not through the throng of impediments cannot finde eyes to look higher and so I put many things in Christ's way to hinder him that I know he would but laugh at with one stride set his foot over them all I know not if my Lord will bring me to his sanctuary or not but I know he hath the placing of me either within or without the house that nothing will be done without him But I am often thinking saying within my self that my dayes flee away and I see no good neither yet Christ's work thriving and it is like the grave shall prevent the answer of my desires of saving souls as I would But alas I cannot make right work of his wayes I neither spell nor read my Lord's providence aright My thoughts goe a way that I fear they meet not God for it is like God will not come the way of my thoughts I cannot be taught to crucifie to him my wisdom desires to make him King over my thoughts for I would have a Princedom over my thoughts would boldly blindly prescribe to God guide my self in a way of my own making But I hold my peace here let him doe his will Grace grace be with you Aberd. 1637. Yours in his sweetest Lord and Master S. R. To CARSLUTH 147 Much honoured Sir I Long to hear how your soul prospereth I earnestly desire you to try how matters stand between your soul the Lord think it no easy matter to take heaven by violence Salvation cometh now to the most part of men in a night dream there is no scarcity of faith now such as it is for ye shall not now light upon the man who will not say he hath faith in Christ But alas dreams make no man's rights Worthy Sir I beseech you in the Lord give your soul no rest till ye have reall assurance Christ's rights confirmed sealed to your soul The common faith countrey-holiness week-day's zeal that is among people will never bring men to heaven Take pains for your salvation for in that day when ye shall see many mens labours conquests idol-riches lying in ashes when the earth all the works thereof shall be burnt with fire O how dear a price would your soul give for God's favour in Christ It is a blessed thing to seek Christ with up-sun to read over your papers soul-accounts with fair day-light It will not be time to cry for a lamp when the Bridegroom is entred into his chamber the door shut Fy fy upon blinded base souls who are committing whoredom with this idol-clay hunting a poor wretched hungry heaven a hungry break-fast a day's meat from this hungry world with the forfeiting of God's favour the drinking over their heaven over the board as men use to speak for the laughter sports of this short forenoon All that is under this vault of heaven betwixt us death in this side of sun moon are but toyes night-visions head-fancies poor shadows watery froth godless vanities at their best black hearts salt sowre miseries sugared over confected with an hour's laughter or two the conceit of riches honour vain vain Court lawless pleasures Sir if ye look both to the laughing side the weeping side of this world if ye look not onely upon the skin and colour of things but in to their inwards the heart of their
excellency ye shall see that one look of Christ's sweet lovely eye one kiss of his fairest face is worth ten thousand worlds of such rotten stuff as the foolish sons of men set their heart upon Oh Sir turn turn your heart to the other side of things get it once free of these entanglements to consider Eternity Death the clay-bed the Grave awsom Judgement everlasting burning quick in Hell where Death would give as great a price if there were a Market where Death might be bought sold as all the world Consider heaven glory But alas why speak I of considering these things which have not entered into the heart of man to consider Look into these depths without a bottom of loveliness sweetness beauty excellency glory goodness grace mercy that are in Christ ye shall then cry down the whole world all the glory of it even when it is come to the summer-bloom ye shall cry up with Christ up with Christ's father up with eternity of glory Sir there is a great deal of less sand in your glasâ— then when I saw you your afternoon is nearer even-tide now then it was As a flood carried back to the sea so doth the Lord's swiâ—t post Time carry you your life with wings to the grave Ye eat drink but Time standeth not still ye laugh but your day fleeth away yâ— sleep but your hours are reckoned put by hand O how soon will Time shut you out of the poor cold hungry Innes of this life then what will yesterday's short-born pleasures doe to you but be as a snow-ball melted away many years since or worse for the memorie of these pleasures useth to fill the soul witâ— bitternesse Time experience will prove thiâ— to be true dying men if they could speak would make this good Lay no more on the creatures then they are able to carry Lay your soul and your weights upon God Make him your onely onely best beloved Your errand to this life is to make sure an eternity of glory to your soul to match your soul with Christ your love if it were more then all the love of Angels in one is Christ's due Other things worthy in themselves in respect of Christ are not worth a windlestraw or a drink of cold water I doubt not but in death ye will see all things more distinctly and that then the world shall bear no more bulke then it is worth that then it shall couche be contracted into nothing ye shall see Christ longer higher broader deeper then ever he was O blessed conquest to lose all things to gain Christ I know not what ye have if ye want Christ Alas how poor is your gain if the earth were all yours in fâ—ee heritage holding it of no man of clay if Christ be not yours O seek all midses lay all oars in the water put forth all your power bend all your endeavours to put away part with all things that ye may gain enjoy Christ try search his word striâ—e to goe a step above beyond ordinary professours resolve to sweat more run faster then they doe for Salvation mens mid-way cold and wise courses in godliness and their neighbour-liâ—e cold wise pace to heaven will cause many a man want his lodging at night liâ— in the fields I recommend Christ his love to your seeking yourself to the tender mercy rich grace of our Lord. Remember my love in Christ to your wife I desire her to learn to make her soul's anchor fast upon Christ himself Few are saved Let hâ—r consider what joâ— the smiles of God in Christ will be what the love-kisses of sweet sweet Jesus a welcome home to the new Ierusalem from Christ's own mouth will be to her soul when Christ shall fold together the clay tent of her body and lay it by his hand for a time till the fair morning of the generall resurrection I avouch before God man and Angel that I have not seen nor can imagine a lover to be comparable to lovely Jesus I would not exchange or niffer him with ten heavens If heaven could be without him what could we doe there Grace grace be with you Aberd. 1637. Your soul 's eternal well-wisher S. R. To CASSINCARRIE 148. Much honoured Sir GRace mercy and peace be to you I have been too long in writing to you I am confident ye have learned to prize Christ his love favour more then ordinary professours who scarce see Christ with half an eye because their sight is taken up with eying liking the beauty of this over-guileded world that promiseth fair to all it's lovers but in the push of a trial when need is can give nothing but a fair beguile I know ye are not ignorant that men come not to this world as some doe to a market to see and be seen or as some come to behold a May-game and onely to behold and to goe home again Ye came hither to treat with God to tryst with him in his Christ for salvation to your soul to seek reconcilation with an angry and wrathful God in a covenant of peace made to you in Christ this is more then an ordinary sport or the play that the greatest part of the world give their heart unto And therefore Worthy Sir I pray you by the salvation of your soul and by the mercy of God your compearence before Christ doe this in sad earnest let not salvation be your by-work or your holy-day's task onely or a work by the way For men think that this may be done in three dayes space on a feather-bed when death they are fallen in hands together and that with a word or two they shall make their soul-matters right Alas this is to â—it loose and unsure in the matters of our salvation Nay the seeking of this world the glory of it is but an odde by-errand that we may slip sobeing we make salvation sure Oh when will men learn to be that heavenly wise as to divorce from free their soul of all Idol-lovers and make Christ the onely onely One and trim make ready their lamps while they have time and day How soon will this house skail and the Innes where the poor soul lodgeth fall to the earth How soon will some few years pass away then when the day is ended this life's lease expired what have men of world's glory but dreams thoughts O how blessed a thing is it to labour for Christ to make him sure Know and try in time your holding of him and the rights and charters of heaven and upon what terms ye have Christ and the Gospel and what Christ is worth in your estimation and how lightly ye esteem of other things and how dearly of Christ I am sure if ye see him in his beauty and
in his sweet Lord Iesus S. R. To WILLIAM GLENDINING 155. Dear Brother YE are heartily welcome to that honour that Christ hath made common to us both which is to suffer for his name Verily I think it my garland crown if the Lord should ask of me my blood life for this cause I would gladly in his strength pay due debt to Christ's honour glory in that kinde Acquaint your self with Christ's love ye shall not miss to finde new goldeÌ„ mines treasures in Christ Nay truly we but stand beside Christ we goe not in to him to take our fill of him But if he should doe two things 1. Draw the curtains make bare his holy face then 2. Clear our dim bleared eyes to see his beauty glory he should finde many lovers I would seek no more happiness but a sight of him so near hand as to see hear smell touch embrace him But oh closed doors vails curtains thick clouds hold me in pain while I finde the sweet burning of his love that many waters cannot quench O what sad hours have I when I think that love of Christ scarreth at me bloweth by me If my Lord Jesus would come to bargaining for his love I think he should make price himself I should not refuse ten thousand years in hell to have a wide soul enlarged made wider that I might be exceedingly even to the running over filled with his love O what am I to love such an one or to be loved by that high lofty One I think the Angels may blush to look upon him what am I to file such infinite brightness with my sinfull eyes O that Christ would come near stand still give me leave to look upon him For to look seemeth the poor man's priviledge since he may for nothing without hire behold the sun I should have a King's life if I had no other thing to doe but for evermore to behold eye my fair Lord Jesus Nay suppose I were holden out at heaven's fair entry I should be happy for evermore to look through an hole in the door see my dearest fairest Lord's face O great King why standest thou aloof Why remainest thou beyond the mountains O welbeloved why doest thou pain a poor soul with delayes a long time out of thy glorious presence is two deaths two hells to me We must meet I must see him I dow not want him hunger longing for Christ hath brought on such a necessity of enjoying Christ that cost me what it will I cannot but assure Christ I will not I dow not want him For I cannot master or command Christ's love nay hell as I now think all the pains in it laid on me alone would not put me from loving Yea suppose my Lord Jesus would not love me it is above my strength or power to keep back or imprison the weak love I have but it must be out to Christ I would set heaven's joy aside live upon Christ's love it 's alone Let me have no joy but the warmness fire of God's love I seek no other God knoweth if this love be taken from me the bottom is fallen out of all my happiness joy therefore I beleeve Christ will never doe me that as to bereave a poor prisoner of his love it were cruelty to take it from me he who is kindness it self cannot be cruel Dear Brother weary not of my sweet Master's chains we are so much the sibber to Christ that we suffer Lodge not a hard thought of my royal King rejoyce in his cross Your deliverance sleepeth not he that will come is not slack of his promise Wait on for God's timeous salvation ask not when or How long I hope he shall lose nothing of you in the furnace but dross Commit your cause in meekness forgiving your oppressours to God and your sentence shall come back from him laughing Our Bridegroom's day is posting fast on this world that seemeth to goe with a long and a short foot shall be put in two ranks Wait till your ten dayes be ended and hope for the crown Christ will not give you a blinde in the end Commend me to your wife and father to Bailiffe M. A. And send this letter to him The prayers of Christ's prisoner be upon you the Lord's presence accompany you Aberd. July 6. 1637. Yours in his sweet Lord Iesus S. R. To ROBERT LENNO X. of Disdove 156. Dear Brother GRace mercy peace be to you I beseech you in the Lord Jesus make fast and sure work of life eternall Sow not rotten seed every man's work will speak for it self what his seed hath been O how many see I who sow to the flesh Alas what a crop will that be when the Lord shall put in his hook to reap this world that is ripe white for judgement I recommend to you holiness sanctification that ye keep your self clean from this present evil world We delight to tell our own dreams to flatter our own flesh with the hope we have It were wisdom for us to be free plain honest sharp with our own souls and to charge them to brew better thâ—t they may drink well and fare well when time is melted away like snow in a hot summer O how hard a thing is it to get the soul to give up with all things on this side of death and doomsday We say we are removing and going from this world but our heart stirreth not one foot off it's seat Alas I see few heavenly minded souls that have nothing upon the earth but their body of clay going up and down this earth because their soul the powers of it are up in heaven there their hearts live desire enjoy rejoyce Oh mens souls have no wings and therefore night and day they keep their nest and are not acquaint with Christ Sir take you to your one thing to Christ that ye may be acquainted with the taste of his sweetness excellency charge your love not to dote upon this world for it will not doe your business in that day when nothing will come in good stead to you but God's favour Build upon Christ some good choice fast work for when your soul for many years hath taken the play hath posted wandered through the creatures ye will come home again with the wind They are not good at least not the souls good it is the infinite Godhead that must allay the sharpness of your hunger after happiness otherwise there shall still be a want of satisfaction to your desires And if he would cast in ten worlds in your desires all shall fall thorow your soul shall still cry red hunger black hunger But I am sure there is sufficient for you in Christ if ye had seven souls seven desires in you Oh if I could make my
mean time the least intimation of Christ's love is sweet and the hope of marriage with the Bridegroom holdeth me in some joyfull on-waiting that when Christ's summer-birds shall sing upon the branches of the tree of life I shall be tuned by God himself to help them to sing the home-coming of our welbeloved his Bride to their house together When I think of this I think winters summers years dayes time doe me a pleasure that they shorten this untwisted weak threed of my life that they put sin miseries by hand that they shall carry me to my Bridegroom within a clap Dear Brother pray for me that it would please the Lord of the vineyard to give me house-room to preach his righteousness again to the great congregation Grace grace be with you Remember me to your wife Aberd. 1637 Yours in his sweet Lord Iesus S. R. To the Lady CULROSS Rev. 7 14. These are they vvhich came out of great tribulation have vvashed their robes made them vvhite in the blood of the Lamb. 168 MADAM GRace mercy peace be multiplied upon you I greatly long to be refreshed with your letter I am now all honour glory to the King eternal immortal invisible in better terms with Christ then I was I like a fool summoned my husband Lord libelled unkindness against him but now I pass from that foolish pursuit I give over the plea he is God I am man I was loosing a fast stone digging at the ground-stone the love of my Lord to shake unsettle it but God be thanked it is fast all iâ— sure In my prison he hath showen me day-light he dought not hide his love any longer Christ was disguised masked I apprehended it was not he he hath said It is 〈…〉 be not afraid And now his love is better then wine Oh that all the virgins had part of the Bridegroom's love whereupon he maketh me to feed Help me to praise I charge you Madam help me to pay praises tell others the daughters of Jerusalem how kinde Christ is to a poor prisoner he hath payed me my hundred fold it is well told me one to the hundred I am nothing behinde with Christ Let not fools because of their lazie soft flesh raise a slander an ill report upon the cross of Christ it is sweeter then fair I see grace groweth best in winter This poor pâ—rsecuted Kirk this lilie amongst the thorns shall blossom and laugh upon the gardiner the husband-man's blessing shall light upon it Oh if I could be free of jealousies of Christ after this beleeve keep good quarters with my dearest husband for he hath been kinde to the stranger yet in all this fair hot summer-weather I am keeped from saying 〈◊〉 is good to be here with my silence with grief to see my mother wou ded her vail taken from her the fair Temple casten down my belly is pained my soul is heavy for the captivity of the daughter of my people because of the fury of the Lord his fierce indignation against Apostate Scotland I pray you Madam let me have that which is my prayer here that my sufferings may preach to the four quarters of this land and therefore tell others how open-handed Christ hath been to the prisoner and the oppressed stranger Why should I conceal it I know no other way how to glorifie Chriâ—t but to make an open proclamation of his love and of his his soft and sweet kisses to me in the furnace of his fidelity to such as suffer for him Give it me under your hand that ye will help me to pray praise but rather to praise rejoyce in the salvation of God Grace grace be with you Aberd. Dec. 30. 1636. Yours in his dearest onely onely Lord Iesus S. R To the Lady CARDONNESS 169 My dearly beloved longed for in the Lord. GRace mercy peace be to you I long to hear how your soul Prospereth how the Kingdom of Christ thriveth in you I exhort you beseech you in the bowels of Christ faint not weary not There is a great necessity of heaven ye must needs have it All other things as houses lands children husband friends countrey credit health wealth honour may be wanted but Heaven is your one thing necessary the good part that shall not be taken from you See that ye buy the field where the pearl is sell all make a purchase of salvation think it not easie for it is a steep ascent to eternal glory Many are lying dead by the way that are slain with security I have now been led by my Lord Jesus to such a nick in Christianity as I think little of former things Oh what I want I want so many things that I am almost asking if I had any thing at all Every man thinketh he is rich enough in grace till he take out his purse tell his money then he findeth his pack but poor light in the day of a heavy trial I found I had not to bear my expences and should have fainted if want penury had not chased me to the store-house of all I beseech you make couscience of your wayes deal kindly with conscience with your Tenants to fill a breach or a hole make not a greater breach in the conscience I wish plenty of love to your soul let the world be the portion of bastards make it not yours after the last trumpet is blowen the world all its glory will be like an old house that is burnt to ashes like an old fallen castle without a roof Fy fy upon us fools who think our selves debters to the world My Lord hath brought me to this that I would not give a drink of cold water for this world's kindness I wonder that men long after love or care for these feathers it is almost an uncouth world to me to think that men are so mad as to block with dead earth to give cut conscience to get in clay again is a strange bargain I have written my minde at length to your husband write to me again his case I cannot forget him in my prayers I am looking Christ hath some claim to him My counsel is that ye bear with him when passion overtaketh him A soft answer putteth away wrath answer him in what he speaketh apply your self in the fear of God to him then ye will remove a pound weight of your heavy cross that way so it shall become light When Christ hideth himself wait on make diâ— till he return it is not time then to be carelesly patient I love it to be grieved when he hideth his smiles yet beleeve his love in a patient on-waiting and beleeving in the dark Ye must learn to swim hold up your head above the water even when the sense of his presence
must be taken with violence Your afternoon's sun is wearing low Time will eat up your frail life like a worm gnawing at the root of a May-flower Lend Christ your heart Set him as a seal there Take him in within let the world and children stand at the door they are not yours make you and them for your proper owner Christ It is good He is your husband and their father What missing can there be of a dying man when God filleth his chair Give hours of the day to prayer Fash Christ If I may speak so and importune him be often at his gate give his door no rest I can tell you he will be found O what sweet fellowship is betwixt him and me I am imprisoned but he is not imprisoned He hath shamed me with his kindness He hath come to my pâ—ison run away with my heart all my love Well may he brooke it I wish my love get never an owner but Christ Fy fy upon old lovers that held us so long asunder We shall not parr now He I shall be heard before he win out of my grips I resolve to wrestle with Christ ere I quite him But my love to him hath casten my soul in a fever there is no cooling of my fever till I get râ—all possession of Christ O strong strong love of Jesus thou hast wounded my heart with thine arrows O pain O pain of love ioâ— Christ Who will help me to praise Let me have your prayers Grace be with you Aberd. March 13. 1637. Yours in his sweet Lord Iesus S. R. To GRISSAL FULLERTON 176 Dear Sister I Exhorr you in the Lord to seek your one thing Marie's good part that shall not be taken from you Set your heart soul on the Childrens inheritance This clay-idol the world is but for Bastards ye are his lawfull begotten childe Learn the way as your dear mother hath hath gone before you to knock at Christ's door Many an almes of mercy hath Christ given to Her hath abundance behinde to give to you Ye are the seed of the faithfull born within the Covenant claim your right I would not exchange Christ Jesus for ten worlds of glory I know now blessed be my teacher how to shut the lock unbolt my welbeloved's door he maketh a poor stanger welcome when he cometh to his house I am swelled up satisfied with the love of Christ that is better then wine It is a fire in my soul let hell the world cast water on it they will not mend themselves I have now gotten the right gate of Christ I recommend him to you above all things Come finde the smell of his breath See if his kisses be not sweet He desireth no better then to be much made of Be homely with him ye shall be the more welcome Ye know not how fain Christ would have all your love Think not this is imaginations bairns-play we make din for I would not suffer for it if it were so I dare pawnd my heaven for it that it is the way to glory Think much of truth abhorre these wayes devised by men in God's worship The Grace of Christ be with you Aberd. March 14. 1637. Yours in his sweet Lord Iesus S. R. To PATRICK CARSEN 177 Dear loving friend I Cannot but upon the opportunity of a bearer exhort you to reâ—gnâ— the love of your youth to Christ in this day while your sun is high and your youth serveth you to seek the Lord and his face for there is nothing out of heaven so necessary for you as Christ And ye cannot be ignorant but your day will end the night of death will call you from the pleasures of this life a doom given out in death standeth for ever as long as God liveth Youth ordinarily is a Post ready servant for Satan to run errands for it is a nest for lust cursing drunkenness blaspheming of God lying pride vanitie O that there were such an heart in you as to fear the Lord to dedicate your soul body to his service When the time cometh that your eye-strings shall break your face wax pale and legs arms tremâ—le your breath grow cold your poor soul look out at youâ— prison-housâ— of clay to be set at liberty then a good conscience your Lord's favour shall be worth all the world's glory Seek it as your garland crown Grace be with you Aberd. March 14. 1636. Yours in his sweet Lord Iesus S. R. To JOHN CARSEN 178 My welbeloved dear friend EVery one â—eeketh not God far fewer finde him because they seek amiss He is to be sought for above all things if men would finde what they seek Let feathers shadows alone to children goe seek your welbeloved Your onely errand to the world is to wooe Christ therefore put other lovers from about his house let Christ have all your love without miniching or dividing it It is little enough if there were more of it The serving of the world sin hath but a base reward smoke in stead of pleatures but a night-dream for true case to the soul Goe where ye will your soul shall not sleep sound but in Christ's bosom Come in to him lie down rest you on the slain Son of God enquire for him I sought him now a fig for all the worm-eaten pleasures moth-eaten glory out of heaven since I have found him in him all I can want or â—ish He hath made me a King over the world Princes cannot overcome me Christ hath given me the marriage-kiss he hath my maâ—â—ing love We have made up a full bargain that shall not goe back on either side O if ye and all in that countrey knew what sweet terms of mercy are betwixt him me Grace be with you Aberd. March 11. 1637 Yours in his sweet Lord Iesus S. R. To my Lady BOYD. 179 MADAM I Would have written to your La ere now but peoples beleeving there is in me that which I know there is not hath put me out of love with writing to any for it is easie to put religion to a market publick fair but alas it is not so soon made eye-sweet for Christ My Lord seeth me a tired man far behinde I have gotten much love from Christ but I give him little or none again My whiteside cometh out in paper to men but at home within I finde much black work great cause of a low sail of little boasting yet Howbeit I see challenges to be true the manner of the Tempter's pressing of them is unhonest in my own thoughts knavish-like My peace is that Christ may finde sale â—uting of his wares in the like of me I mean for saving grace I wish all professors to fall in love with Grace All ouâ— songs should be of his free-Grace We are
more then papergrace or tongue-grace Were it not that want paineth me I should have skailed house gone a begging long since but Christ hath left me with some hunger that is more hot then wise is ready often to say If Christ longed for me as I doe for him we should not be long in meeting and if he loved my company aswell as I doe his even while I am writing this letter to you we should flee in other's arms But I know there is more will then wit in this languor pining love for Christ no marvel for Christ's love would have hot harvest long ere mid-summer But if I have any love to him Christ hath both love to me wit to guide his love I see the best thing I have hath as much dross beside it as might curse me it both if it were for no more we have need of a Saviour to pardon the very faults and diseases weakness of the new man to take away to say so our godly sins or the sins of our sanctification the dross scum of spiritual love woe woe is me O what need is there then of Christ's calling to scour cleanse wash away an ugly old body of sin the very image of Satan I know nothing surer then that there is an office for Christ among us I wish for no other heaven in this side of the last sea that I must cross then this service of Christ to make my blackness beauty my deadness life my guiltiness sanctification I long much for that day when I will be holy O what spots are yet unwashen O that I could change the skin of the leopard and the Moor and niffer it with some of Christ's fairness Were my blackness Christ's beauty carded through other as we use to speak his beauty holiness would eat up my filthiness But Oh I have not casten old Adam's hew colour yet I trow the best of us hath a smell yet of the old loathsom body of sin guiltiness Happy are they for evermore who can employ Christ set his blood death on work to make clean work to God of foul souls I know it is our sin that we would have sanctification on the sunny side of the the hill holiness with nothing but summer no crosses at all Sin hath made us as tender as if were made of paper or glass I am often thinking what I would think of Christ burning quick together of Christ torturing hot melted lead poured in at mouth navel yet I have some weak experience but very weak indeed that suppose Christ hell's torments were married together if there were no finding of Christ at all except I went to hell's furnace that there in no other place I could meet with him I trow if I were as I have been since I was his prisoner I would beglodging for God's sake in hell hottest furnace that I might rub souls with Christ But God be thanked I shall finde him in a better lodging We get Christ better cheap then so when he is rouped to us we get him but with a shower of summertroubles in this life as sweet as soft to beleevers as a May-dew I would have you my self helping Christ mystical to weep for his wife O thatf we could mourn for Christ buried in Scotland for his two slain witnesses killed because they prophesied If we could so importune solicit God our buried Lord his two buried witnesses should rise again Earth clay and stone will nto bear down Christ the Gospel in Scotland I know not if I will see the second temple the glory of it but the Lord hath deceived me if it be not to be reared up again I would wish to give Christ his welcome-home again My blessing my joy my glory love be on the home-comer I finde no better use of suffering then that Christ's winnowing putteth chaff corn in the saints to sundry places and discovereth our dross from his gold so as corruption and grace are so seen that Christ saith in the furnace that is mine this is yours The scum the grounds thy stomack against the persecuters thy impatience thy unbelief thy quarreling these are thine And faith on-waiting love joy courage are mine Oh let me die one of Christ's on-waiters one of his attendants I know your heart Christ are married together it were not good to make a divorce Rue not of that meeting marriage with such a husband Pray for me his prisoner Grace grace be with you Aberd. 1637 Yours in his sweet Lord Iesus S. R. To Mr HUGH Mc KAILL 183 Reverend dear Brother GRace mercy peace be to you I received your letter I bless you for it My dry root would take more dew summer-rain then it getteth were it not Christ will have driness deadness in us to work upon If there were no timber to work upon art would die never be seen I see grace hath a field to play upon to course up down in our wants so that I am often thanking God not for guiltiness but for guiltiness for Christ to whet sharpen his grace upon I am half content to have boils for my Lord Jesus's plaisters sickness hath this advantage that it draweth our sweet Physician 's hand his holy soft fingers to touch our withered leper skins it is a blessed fever that fetcheth Christ to the bed-side I think my Lord's How doest thou with it sick body Is worth all my pained nights Surely I have no more for Christ but emptiness want take or leave he will get me no other wise I must sell my self my wants to him but I have no price to give for him If he would put a fair a real seal upon his love to me bestow upon me a larger share of Christ's love which I would fainest be in hands with of any thing I except not heaven it self I should goe on sighing singing under his cross But the worst is many take me for some-body because the wind bloweth upon a withered prisoner But the truth is I am both lean and thin in that wherein many beleeve I abound I would if bartering were in my power niffer joy with Christ's love faith in stead of the hot sun-shine becontent to walk under a cloudy shadow with more grief sadness to have more faith a fair occasion of setting forth commending Christ to make that lovely One that fair One that sweetest and dearest Lord Jesus market-sweet for many ears hearts in Scotland and if it were in my power to roup Christ to the three Kingdoms withall to perswade buyers to come and to take such sweet wares as Christ I would thinâ— to have many sweet bargains betwixt Christ the sons of men I would I could be humble goe with a
my ashes could proclaim the worth excellency love of my Lord Jesus There is much telling in Christ I give over the weighing of him Heaven would not be the beam of a ballance to weigh him in What eyes be on me or what wind of tongues be on me I care not Let me stand in this stage in the fools coat act a fools part to the rest of this nation If I can set my welbeloved on high witness fair for him a fig for their Hosanna If I can roll my self in a lap of Christ's garment I will â—e there laugh at the thoughts of dying bits of clay Brother we have cause to weep for our harlot-mother her husband is sending her to Rome's brothell-house which is the gate she liketh well Yet I perswade you there shall be a fair after-growth for Christ in Scotland this Church shall sing the Bridegroom's welcome-home again to his own house The worms shall eat them first ere they cause Christ take good-night at Scotland I am here assaulted with the Doctors gun but I bless the father of lights they draw not blood of truth I finde no lodging in the heart of natural men who are cold friends to my Master I pray you Remember my love to that Gentleman A. C. My heart is knit to him because he I have one Master Remember my bands present my service to my Lord my Lady I wish Christ may be dearer to them then to many of their place Grace be with you Aberd. July 5. 1637. Yours in his sweet Lord Iesus S. R. To my Lady BOYD. 202. GRace mercy peace be to you Few I beleeve knâ—w the pain torment of Christ's fristed love fristing of Christ's presence is a matter of torment I know a poor soul that would lay all oars in the water for a banquet or feast oâ—â— Christ's love I cannot think but it must be uptaking sweet to see the white red of Christ's fair face for he is white ruddy the chiefest among ten thousands Cant 5 10. I am sure that must be a well made face of his heaven must be in his visage glory glory for evermore must â—it on his countenance I dare not curse the mask covering that is on his face but O if there were a hole in it O if God would tear the mask Fy fy upon us we were never shamed till nowâ— that we doe not proclaim our pining languishing for him I am sure nevâ—r tongue spake of Christ as he is I am still of that minde and still will be that we wrong undervalue that holy holy One in having such short and shallow thoughts of his weight worth O if I could have but leave to stand beside see the Father weigh Christ the Son if it were possible But how every one of them comprehendeth another we who have eyes of clay cannot comprehend But it is pity for evermore more then shame that such an one as Christ should sit in heaven his alone for us To goe up thither one's errand and on purpose to see were no small glory O that he would strike out windows fair and great lights in this old house this fallen down soul and then set the soul near hand Christ that the rays beams of light th soul-delighting glances of the fair fair God-head might shine in at the windows fill the house A fairer more near direct sight of Christ would make room for his love for we are but pinched straitned in his love Alas it were easy to measure weigh all the love that we have for Christ by inches and ounces Alas that we should love by measure weight and not rather have floods feasts of Christ's love Oh that Christ would break down the old narrow vessels of these narrow ebbe souls make fair deep wide broad souls to hold a sea a full tide flowing over all it's banks of Christ's love Oh that the Almighty would give me my request That I might see Christ come to his temple again as he is minting it's like minding to doe if the land were humbled the judgements threatned are with this reservation I know if we shall turn and repent O what heaven should we want on earâ—h to see Scotland's moon like the light of the Sun Scotland's sun-light seven fold like the light of seven days in the day that the Lord bindeth up the breach of his people healeth the stroke of their wounds Isa. 30 26. Alas that we will not pull draw Christ to his old tents again to come feed among the lilies till the day break shadows flee away O that the Noblâ—s would goe on in the strength courage of the Lord to bring our lawfull King Jesus home again I am perswaded he shall return again in glory to this land but happy â—ere they who could help to convoy him to his sanctuary set him again up upon the mercy-seat betwixt the Cherâ—bâ—ms O Sun return to darkned Britain O fairest among all the sons of men O most excellent One come home again come home win the praises blessings of the mourners in Zion the prisoners of hope that wait for thee I know he can also triumph in suffering weep reign die triumph remain in prison yet subdue his enemies But how happy were I to sâ—e the coronation day of Christ to see his mother who bare him put the crown upon his head again cry with shouting till the earth should ring Let Iesus our King live reign for evermore Grace grace be with your La. Aberd. 1637. Your La at all obedience in Christ S. R. To Mr ALEXANDER COLVILL Of Blair 203. Much honoured Sir GRace mercy peace be to you I would desire to know how my Lord took my letter I sent him how he is I desire nothing but that he be fast and honest to my royal Master King I am well every way all praise to him in whose books I must stand for ever as his debter Onely my silence paineth me I had one joy out of heaven next to Christ my Lord that was to preach him to this faithless generation they have taken that from me It was to me as the poor man's one eye they have put out that eye I know the violence done to me his poor be-rest Bride is come up before the Lord suppose I see not the other side of my cross or what my Lord will bring out of it yet I beleeve the vision shall not tarry that Christ is on his journey for my deliverance he goeth not slowly but passeth over ten mountains at one stride In the mean time I am pained with his love because I want reall possession when Christ cometh he stayeth not long but certainly the blowing of his breath upon a poor soul is heaven upon earth
when the wind turneth into the North he goeth away I die till the wind change in the West he visite his prisoner But he holdeth me not often at his door I am richly repayed for suffering for him O if all Scotland were as I am except my bonds O what pain I have because I cannot get him praised by my sufferings O that heaven within and without the earth were paper all the rivers fountains sâ—as were ink I able to write all the paper within without full of his praises love excellency to be read by man Angel Nay this is little I ow my heaven for Christ to desire howbeit I should never enter in at the gates of the new Ierusalem to send my love my praises over the wall to Christ. Alas that Time Days lie betwixt him me adjourn our meeting It is my part to cry O when will the night be past the day dawn that we shall see one another Be pleased to remember my service to my Lord to whom I wrote shew him that for his affection to me I cannot but pray for him earnestly desire that Christ miss him not out of the roll of these who are his witnesses now when his kingly honour is called in question It is his honour to hold up Christ's royal train to be an instrument to hold the crown upon Christ's head Shew him because I love his true honour standing that this is my earnest desire for him Now I bless you the prayers of Christ's prisoner come upon you his sweetest presence whom ye serve in the spirit accompany you Aberd. June 23. 1637. Yours at all obliged obedâ—ince in Christ S. R. To Mr JOHN ROW 204 Reverend dear Brother I Received yours I bless his high great name I like my sweet Master still the longer the better A sight of his cross is more awsom then the weight of it I think the worst things of Christ even his reproaches his cross when I look on these not with bleared eyes far rather to be chosen then the laughter worm-eaten joys of my adversaries Oh that they were as I am except my bonds My witness is above my Ministery next to Christ is dearest to me of any thing but I lay it down at Christ's feet for his glory his honour as supreme Law-giver which is dearer to me My dear Brother if ye will receive the testimony of a poor prisoner of Christ who dare not now dissemble for the world I beleeve certainly expect thanks from the Prince of the Kings of the earth for my poor hazards such as they are for his honourable cause whom I can ever enough extoll for his running-over love to my sad soul since I came hither O that I could get him set on high praised I seek no more as the top root of my desires but that Christ may make glory to himself edification to the weaker out of my sufferings I desire ye would help me both to pray praise Grace be with you Aberd. July 8. 1637. Yours in his sweet Lord Iesus S. R. To the Lady CULROSS 205 MADAM GRace mercy peace be to you I am much refreshed with your letter now at length come to me I finde my Lord Jesus cometh not in that precise way that I lay wait for him he hath a gate of his own O how high are his wayes above my wayes I see but little of him It is best not to offer to learn him a lesson but to give him absolutely his own will in coming going ebbing flowing in the manner of his gracious working I want nothing but a back burtheâ— of Christ's love I would goe through hell the thick of the damned Devils to have a hearty feast of Christ's love for he hath fettered me with his love run away left me a chained man Woe is me that I was so loose rash vain graceless in my unbeleeving thoughts of Christ's love But what can a soul under a non-entry when my rights were wod-set and lost doe else but make a false libel against Christ's love I know your self Madam and many moe will be witnesses against me if I repent not of my unbelief for I have been seeking the Pope's wares some hire for grace within my self I have not learned as I should doe to put my stock all my treasure in Christ's hand but I would have a stock of mine own ere I was aware I was taking hire to be the Law 's advocate to seek Justification by works I forgot that grace is the onely garland that is worn in heaven upon the heads of the glorified And now I half rejoyce that I have sickness for Christ to work upon since I must have wounds well's my soul I have a day's work for my Physician Christ I hope to give Christ his own calling it setteth him full well to cure diseases My ebbings are very low the tide is far out when my Beloved goeth away then I cry Oh cruelty to put out the poor man's one eye that that was my joy next to Christ to preach my welbeloved then I make a noise about Christ's house looking uncouth-like in at his window casting my love my desires over the wall till God send better I am often content my bill lie in heaven till the day of my departure providing I had assurance that mercy shall be written on the back of it I would not care for on-waiting but when I draw in a tired arm empty hand withall it is much to me to keep my thoughts in order but I will not get a gate for Christ's love When I have done all I can I would fain yeeld to his stream row with Christ not against him But while I live I see that Christ's Kingdom in me will not be peaceable so many thoughts in me rise up against his honour kingly power Surely I have not expressed all his sweet kindness to me I spare to doe it lest I â—e deemed to seek my self but his breath hath sinelled of the powder of the merchants of the King's spikenard I think I conceive new thoughts of heaven because the Carde the Mappe of Haven that he letteth me now see is so fair so sweet I am sure we are niggards sparing bodies in seeking I verily judge we know not how much may be had in this life there is yet something beyond all we see that seeking would light upon O that my love-sickness would put me to a business when all the world are sound sleeping to cry knock But the truth is since I came hither I have been wondering that after my importunity to have my fill of Christ's love I have not gotten a reall sign but have come from him crying hunger hunger I think Christ letteth me see meat in my extremity of hunger giveth me
none of it When I am near the apple he draweth back his hand goeth away to cause me follow And again when I am within an arm-length to the apple he maketh a now break to the gate I have him to seek of new He seemeth not to pity my dwining my swooning for his love I dare sometimes put my hunger over to him to be judged if I would not buy him with a thousand years in the hottest furnace in hell sobeing I might enjoy him But my hunger is fed with want absence I hunger I have not but my comfort is to lie wait on to put my poor soul my sufferings in Christ's hand Let him make any thing out of me sobeing he be glorified in my salvation for I know I am made for him O that my Lord may win his own gracious end in me I will not be at ease while I but stand so far aback O if I were near him with him that this poor soul might be satisfied with himself Your son in law W. G. is now truly honoured for his Lord and Master's cause when the Lord is fanning Zion it is a good token that he is a true branch of the vine that the Lord beginneth first to dress him He is strong in his â—â—râ— as he hath written to me and his wife is his encourager which should make you rejoyce For your son who is your grief your Lord waited on you and me till we were â—ipe and brought us in It is your part to pray wait upon him When he iâ— ripe he will bâ— spoken for who can command our Lord's wind to blow I know it shall be your good in the latter end That is one of your waters to heaven ye could not goe about it there are the fewer behinde I remember you him yours as I am able But alas I am beleeved to be something I am nothing but an emptie reed Wants are my best riches because I have these suppâ—…ed by Christ Remember my dearest love to your brother I know he pleadeth with his harlot-mother for her Apostasie I know also ye are kinde to my worthy Lady Kenmure a woman beloved of the Lord who hath been very mindfull of my bonds The Lord give her to finde mercy her childe in the day of Christ. Great men are dry and cold in doing for me the tinckling of chains for Christ affrighteth them but let my Lord break all my idols I will yet bless him I am obliged to my Lord Lorâ— I wish him mercy Remember my bonds with praises and pray for me that my Lord my leaven the North by my bands sufferings Grace be with you Aberd. July 9. 1637 Yours â—his s swe Lord Iesus S. R. To ALEXANDER GORDON Of Knockgray 206. Dear Brother GRace mercy peace be to you There is no question but our mother-church hath a father that she shall not die withont an heir that her enemies hall not make mount Zion theâ— heritage We see whethersoever Zion's enemies goe suppose they dig many miles under the ground yet our Lord findeth them out and he hath vengeances laid up in â—orâ— for them the poor needy shall not alwayes be forgotten Our hope was drouping withering man was saying what can God make out of the old dry bones of this buried Kirk The Prelats their followers were a grave above us it is like our Lord is to open our graves purposeth to cause his two slain witnesses rise the third day O how long wait I to hear our weeping Lord Jesus sing again triumph rejoyce divide the spoil I finde it hard work to beleeve when the course of providence goeth cross-wayes to our faith when misted souls in a dark night cannot know East by West our sea Compass seemeth to fail us Every man is a beleever in day-light A fair day seemeth to be made all of faith hope What a trial of gold is it to smoke it a little above the fire But to keep gold perfect â—ellow-coloured amidst the flames to be turned from vessel to vessels yet to cause out furnace sound speak cry the praises of the Lord is another matter I know my Lord made me not for fire howbâ—it he hath fitted me in some measure for the fire I bless his high name that I wax not pale neither have I lost the colour of gold and that his fire hath made me somewhat thin that my Lord may pour me in any vessel he pleaseth For a small wager I may justly quite my part of this world's laughter give up with time cast out with the pleasures of this world I know a man who wondered to see any in this life laugh sport surely our Lord seeketh this of us as to any rejoycing in present perishing things I see above all things that we may sit down fold legs arms stretch our selves upon Christ laugh at the feathers that children are chasing here For I think the men of this world like children in a dangerous storm in the sea that play make sport with the white foam of the waves thereof coming in to sink drown them so are men making fool's sports with the white pleasures of a stormy world that will sink â—em But alas what have we to doe with their sports that they make If Solomon said of Laughter that it was madness what may we say of this world 's laughing sporting themselves with gold silver honours court broad large conquests but that they are poor souls in the height and rage of a fever gone mad Then a straw a fig for all created sports and rejoycing out of Christ Nay I think that this world at it's prime perfection when it is is come to the top of it's excellency and to the bloom might be bought with an half penny that it would scarce weigh the worth of a drink of water There is nothing better then to esteem it our crucified idol that is dead slain as Paul did â—al 6 14. Then let pleasures be crucified riches be crucified court honour be crucified since the Apostle faith the world is crucified to him we may put this world to the hanged man's doom and to the gallowes who will give much for a hanged man as little should we give for a hanged crucified world Yet what a sweet smell hath this dead carrion to many fools in the world and how many wooers and suiters findeth this hanged carrion Fools are pulling it off the gallowes and contending for it O when shall we learn to be mortified men to have our fill of these things that have but their short summer-quarter of this life If we saw our father's house and that great and fair citie the new Ierusalem which is up above sun moon we would cry to be over the water
to be carried in Christ's arms out of this borrowed prison Grace grace be with you Aberd. 1637. Yours in his sweet Lord Iesus S. R. To the â—aird of CARLETOUN 207 Worthy Six GRace mercy and peace be to you I received your letter am heartily glad that our Lord hath begun to work for the apparent delivery of this poor oppressed Kirk O that salvation would come for Zion I am for the present hanging by hope waiting what my Lord will doe with me if it will please my sweet Master to send me amongst you again keep out a hireling from my poor people flock It were my heaven till I come home even to spend this liâ—e in gathering in some to Christ. I have still great heaviness for my silence my forced standing idle in the market when this land hath such a plentifull thick harvest but I know his judgements who hath done it pass fiâ—…ding out I have no nowledge to take up the Lord in all his strange wayes 〈◊〉 pâ—ssages of deep unsearchable providences for the Lord is bâ—fore me I am so be-misted that I cannot follow him He is behinde me and following at the heels and I am not aware of him he is above me but his glory so 〈◊〉 my twilight of short knowledge that I cannot look up to him He is upon my right hand and I see him no He is upon my left hand and within me and goeth and comâ—th his going coming are a drâ—aâ—… to me He is round about me compâ—…th â—l my goingâ— aâ—d still I have him to eek He is every way higher dâ—eper broadâ—r then the shallow ebbe hand-breadth of my shoâ—t dâ—… light can take up therefore I would my heart could be silent sit down in the learnedly-ignorant wondering at that Lord whom m n Angâ—ls caâ—not comprehend I know the noon-day-light of the highest Angels who see him face to face seeth not the borders of his infiniteness They apprehend God near hand but they cannot comprehend him And therefore it is my happiness to look afar off and to come near to the Lord's back parts to light my dark candle at his brightness to have leave to sit content my self with a traveller's light without the clear vision of an enjoyer I would seek no more till I were in my countrey but a little watering sprinkling of a withered soul with some half out breakin gs half-outlookings of the beam and small raviâ—hing smiles of the fairest face of a revealed beleeved on Godhead A little of God would make my soul bank-full O that I had but Christ's odde off fallings that he would let but the meanest of his love-rayes love-beams fall from him so as I might gather carry them with me I would not be ill to please with Christ and vailed visions of Christ neither would I be dainty in seeing and enjoying of him A kiss of Christ blowen over his shoulder the parings and crumbs of glory that fall under his table in heaven a shower like a thin May-mist of his love would make me green and sappy joyfull till the summer-sun of an eternall glory break up O that I had any thing of Christ O that I had a sip or half a drop out of the hollow of Christ's hand of the sweetness excellency of that lovely One O that my Lord Jesus would â—ue upon me give me but the meanest almes of felt beleeved salvation O how little were it for that infinite sea that infinite fountain of love joy to fill as many thousand thousand little vessels the like of me as there are minutes of hours since the creation of God! I finde it true that a poor soul finding half a smell of the Godhead of Christ hath desires paining wounding the poor heart so with longings to be up at him that make it sometimes think were it not better never to have felt any thing of Christ then thus to lie dying twenty deaths under these felt wounds for the want of him O where is he O fairest Where dwellest thou O never enough admired Godhead how can clay win up to thee How can creatures of yesterday be able to enjoy thee O what pain is it that time sin should be as so many thousand miles betwixt a loved longed-for Lord a dwining love-sick soul who would rather then all the world have lodging with Christ O let this bit love of ours this inch half span-length of heavenly longging meet with thy infinite love O if the little I have were swallowed up with the infiniteness of that excellency which is in Christ O that we little ones were in at the greatest Lord Jesus our wants should soon be swallowed up with his fulness Grace grace be with you Aberd. May. 1. 1637. Yours in his sweet Lord Iesus S. R. To ROBERT GORDON Of Knockbrex 208 Dear Brother GRace mercy peace be to you I received your letter from Edinburgh I would not wish to see another heaven whâ—â—e I get mine own heaven but a new moon like the light of the sun a new sun like the light of seven days shining upon my poor self the Church of Iews Gentiles upon my withered sun-burnt mother the Church of Scotland upon her sister Churches England Ireland to have this done to to the setting on high our great King it maketh not howbeit I were separate from Christ had a sense of ten thousand years pain in hell if this were O blessed Nobility O glorious renouned Gentry O blessed were the tribes in this land to wipe my Lord Jesus's weeping face to take the sackcloth off Christ's loins to put his kingly robes upon him O if the Almighty would take no less wager of me then my heaven to have it done But my fears are still for wrath once upon Scotland But I know her day shall clear up glory shall be upon the top of the mountains and joy at the noise of the married wife once again O that our Lord would make us to contend plead wrestle by prayers tears for our husband's restoring of his forfeited heritage in Scotland Dear Brother I am for the present in no small battel betwixt felt guiltiness and pining longings high fevers for my welbeloved's love Alas I think Christ's love playeth the niggard to me I know it is not for scarcity of love there is enough in him but my hunger prophesieth of in-holding and sparingness in Christ for I have but little of him and little of his sweetness It is a dear summer with me yet there is such joy in the eagerness working of hunger for Christ that I am often at this that if I had no other heaven but a continuall hunger for Christ such a heaven of ever-working hunger were still a heaven to me I am sure Christ's love cannot be cruel
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-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
not but goeth with even equal legs yet are they not the greatest sinners upon whom tower of Siloam fell was not time's lease expired the sand of heaven's sand-glass set by our Lord run out Is not he an unjust debter who payeth due debt with chiding I beleeve Christian Lady your faith leaveth that much charity to our Lord's judgements as to beleeve how beit ye be in blood sib to that cross that yet ye are exempted freed from the gall wrath that is in it I dare not deny but Iob. 18 15. the King of terrors dwelleth in the wicked man's tabernacle brimstone shall be scattered on his habitation yet Madam it is safe for you to live upon the faith of his love whose arrows are over-watered pointed with love mercy to his own who knoweth how to take you yours out of the roll book of the dead Our Lord hath not the eyes of flesh in distributing wrath to the thousand generation without exception Seeing ye are not under the Law but under Grace married to another husband Wrath is not the Court that ye are liable to As I would not wish neither doe I beleeve your La doeth despise so neither faint read spell aright all the words syllabes in the visitation miscall neither letter nor syllabe in it Come along with the Lord see lay no more weight upon the Law then your Christ hath laid upon it If the Law 's bill get an answer from Christ the curses of it can doe no more And I hope ye have resolved that if he should grind you to powder your dust powder shall beleeve his salvation And who can tell what thoughts of love peace our Lord hath to your children I trust he shall make them famous in excuting the written judgements upon the enemies of the Lord this honour have all his saints Psal. 149 9. that they shall bear stones on their shoulders for building that city that is called Ezek. 46 35. The Lord is there happy shall they be who have a hand in the sacking of Babel come out in the year of vengeance for the controversy of Zion against the land of graven images Therefore Madam let the Lord make out of your father's house any work even of judgement that he pleaseth What iâ— wrath to others is mercy to you your house It is Faith's work to claim and challenge loving kindness out of all the roughest strokes of God Doe that for the Lord which ye will doe for time time will calme your heart at that which God hath done let our Lord have it now What love ye did bear to friends now dead seeing they stand now in no need of it let it fall as just legacy to Christ. O how sweet to put out many strange lovers to put in Christ It is much for our half-slain affections to part with that which we beleeve we have right unto but the servant's will should be our will he is the best servant who retaineth least of his own will most of his Master's That much wisdom must be ascribed to our Lord that he knoweth how to lead his own in-through and out-through the little time-hells and the pieces of time-during wraths in this life yet keep safe his love without any blurre upon the old great seal of free Election And seeing his mountains of brass the mighty strong decrees of free grace in Christ stand sure the Covenant standeth fast for ever as the dayes of heaven let him strike nurture his striking must be a very act of saving seeing strokes upon his secret ones come from the soft heavenly hand of the Mediatour his rods are steeped watered in that flood river of love that cometh from the God-man's heart of our soul-loving soul-redeeming JESUS I hope ye are content to frist the Cautioner of mankinde his own conquest heaven till he pay it you bring you to a state of glory where he shall never crook a finger upon nor lift a hand to you again And be content withall greedily covetous of Grace the interest pledge of Glory If I did not beleeve your crop to be on the ground your part of that heaven of the saints heaven white ruddy fair fair beautifull Jesus were come to the bloom the flower near your hook I would not write this but seeing time ' threed is short ye are upon the entry of heaven's harvest Christ the field of heaven's glory is white ripe-like the losses that I write of to your La are but summer-showers that will onely wet your garments for an hour or two and the Sun of the new Ierusalem shall quickly dry the wet coat especially seeing rains of Affliction cannot stain the image of God or cause Grace cast the colour And since ye will not alter upon him who will not change upon you I durst in weakness think my self no spiritual Seer if I should not prophesie that day-light is neer when such a morning-darkness is upon you that this trial of your Christian minde towards him whom ye dare not leave howbeit he should slay you shall close with a doubled mercy It is time for faith to hold fast as much of Christ as ever ye had to make the grip stronger to cleave closer to him seeing Christ loveth to be beleeved in trusted to The glory of laying strength upon one that is mighty to save is more then we can think That piece of service of beleeving in a smiting Redeemer is a precious part of obedience O what glory to him to lay over the burden of our heaven upon him that purchased for us an eternal Kingdom O blessed soul who can adore kiss his lovely free Grace The rich grace of Christ be with your spirit St. Andrews Octob. 15. 1640. Yours at all obedience in Christ Iesus S. R. To AGNES MCMATH 38 Dear Sister IF our Lord hath taken away your childe your lease of him is expired seeing Christ would want him no longer it is your part to hold your peace worship adore the soveraignty liberty that the potter hath over the clay pieces of clay-nothings that he gave life unto And what is man to call summond the Almighty to his lower Court down here For he giveth account of none of his doings And if ye will take a loan of a childe give him back again to our Lord laughing as his borrowed goods should return to him beleeve he is not gone away but sent before that the change of the countrey should make you think he is not lost to you who is found to Christ that he is now before you that the dead in Christ shall be raised again A going down star is not annihilat but shall appeare again If he have casten his bloom flower the bloom is fallen
in heaven in Christ's lap And as he was lent a while to Time so is he given now to Eternity which will take yourself And the difference of your shipping his to heaven Christ's shore the land of life is onely in some few years which weareth every day shorter some short soon-reckoned summers will give you a meeting with him but what with him â—â—y with better company with the chief leader of the heavenly troups that are riding on white horses that are triumphing in glory If Death were a sleep that had no wakening we might sorrow But our Husband shall quickly be at the bed-sides of all that lie sleeping in the grave shall raise their mortal bodies Christ was Death's Cautioner who gave his word to come loose all the clay-pawnes set them at his own right hand our Cautioner Christ hath an Act of Law-surety upon Death to render back his captives And that Lord Jesus who knoweth the turnings windings that is in that black trance of Death hath numbered all the steps of the stair up to heaven he knoweth how long the turnpike is or how many pair of stairs high it is for he ascended that way himself Rev. 1 18. I was dead am alive now he liveth at the right hand of God and his garments have not so much as a smell of death Your afflictions smell of the childrens case the bairns of the house are so nurtured Suffering is no new life it is but the rent of the sons bastards have not so much of the rent take kindly heartsomly with his cross who never yet slew a ehilde with the cross He breweth your cup therefore drink it patiently with the better will Stay wait on till Christ loose the knot that fasteneth his cross on your back for he is coming to deliver I pray you Sister learn to be worthy of his pains who correcteth let him wring be ye waâ—hen for he hath a father's heart a father's hand who is training you up making you meet for the high hall This School of Suffering is a preparation for the King 's higher house let all your visitations speak all the letters of your Lord summonds they cry 1. O vain World 2. O bitter Sin 3 O short uncertain Time 4. O fair Eternity that is above sickness Death 5. O Kingly Princely Bridegroom Hasten Glorie's Marriage shorten Time's short-spun soon-broken threed conquer Sin 6. O happy blessed Death that golden bridge laid over by Christ my Lord betwixt Time's clay-banks heaven's shore the Spirit the Bride say Come answer ye with them Even so come Lord â—esus Come quickly Grace be with you St Andrews Octob. 15. 1640. Your brother in his sweet Lord Iesus S. R. To Mr MATHEW MOWAT 39 Reverend dear Brother WHat am I to answer you Alas my books are all bare shew me little of God I would fain goe beyond books in to his house of love to see himself Dear Brother neither ye nor I are parties worthy of his love or knowledge Ah! how hath sin bemisted blinded us that we cannot see him But for my poor sâ—lf I am pained like to burst because he will not take down the wall fetch hiâ— uncreated beauty bring his matchless white ruddy face out of heaven one's errand that I may have heaven meeting me ere I goe to it in such a wonderfull sight ye know that Majesty Love doe humble because homely love to sinners dwelleth in him with Majesty Ye should give him all his own court-stiles his high heaven-names What am I to shape conceptions of my highest Lord How broad how high how deep he is above beyond what these conceptions are I cannot tell but for my own weak practice which alas can be no rule to one so deep in love-sickness with Christ as ye are I would fain adde to my thoughts esteem of him make him more high would wish an heart love ten thousand times wider then the outmost circle curtain that goeth about the heaven of heavens to entertain him in that heart with that love But that which is your pain my dear Brother is mine also I am confounded with the thoughts of him I know God is casten if I may speak so in a sweet mould lovely image in the person of that heaven's jewel the man Christ that the steps of that steep ascentâ— stair to the Godhead is the flesh of Christ the new living way there is footing for faith in that curious Ark of the humanity therein dwelleth the Godhead married upon our Humanity I would be in heaven suppose I had not another errand but to see that dainty golden Ark God personally looking out at ears eyes a body such as we sinners have that I might wear my sinfull mouth in kisses on him for evermore I know all the Three blessed Persons should be well pleased that my piece of faint created love should first coast upon the man Christ I should see them all through him I am called from writing by my great imployments in this town have said nothing but what can I say of him Let us goe see St Andrews 1640. Yours in his sweet Lord Iesus S. R. To my Lady KENMURE 40 MADAM GRace mercy peace be to your La I am heartily sorry that your La is deprived of such an husband the Lord's Kirk of so active faithfull a friend I know your La long agoe made acquaintance with that wherein Christ will have you joyned in a fellowship with himself even with his own Cross hath taught you to stay your soul upon the Lord's goodwill who giveth not account of his matters to any of us When he hath led you through this water that was in your way to glory there are fewer behinde his order in dismissing us sending us out of the market one before another is to be reverenced One year's time of heaven shall swallow up all sorrows even beyond all comparison What then will not a duration of blessedness so long as God shall live fully and abundantly recompense It is good that our Lord hath given a debter obliged by gracious promises for more in Eternity then Time can take from you I beleeve your La hath been now many years advising thinking what that Glory will be which is abiding the pilgrims strangers on the earth when they come home which we may think of love thirst for but we cannot comprehend it nor conceive of it as it is far less can we over-think or over-love it O so long a Chapter or rather so large a Volume as Christ is in that Divinity of Glory There is no more of him let down now to be seen enjoyed by his children but as much as may feed hunger in
is incomprehensible love that Christ saith If I enjoy the glory of my father the crown of heaven far above men Angels I must use all means though never so violent to have the company of such an One for ever ever If with the eyes of wisdom as a childe of wisdom ye justifie your mother The wisdom of God whose childe ye are ye shall kiss embrace this loss see much of Christ in it Beleeve submit referre the income of the consolations of Jesus the event of the trial to your heavenly father who numbereth all your hairs And put Christ in his own room in your Love It may be he hath either been out of his own place or in a place of love inferiour to his worth Repair Christ in all his wrongs done to him love him for a husband he is a husband to the widdow shall be that to you which he hath taken from you Grace be with you London Octob. 15. 1645. Your sympath Zing Brother S. R. To BARBARA HAMILTON 44 Loving Sister GRace mercy peace be to you I have heard with grief that Newcastle hath taken one more in a bloody account then before even your Son in Law my friend But I hope ye have learned that much of Christ as not to look to wheels rolled round about on earth Earthen vessels are not to dispute with their Former peices of sinning-clay may by reasoning contending with the Potter mar the work of him who hath his fire in Zion and his furnace in Jerusalem as bullocks sweating wrestling in the furrow make their yoke more heavie In quietness rest ye shall be saved If men doe any thing contrary to our heart we may ask both who did it And what is done And why When God hath done any such thing we are to enquire who hath done it And to know that this cometh from the Lord who is wonderfull in counsel but we are not to ask what or why If it be from the Lord as certainly their is no evil in the city without him Amos. 3. 6. it is enough the fairest face of his spotless way is but coming ye are to beleeve his works aswell as his word Violent death is a sharer with Christ in his death which was violent it maketh not much what way we goe to heaven the happie home is all where the roughness of the way shall be forgotten He is gone home to a friend's house and made welcome and the race is ended Time is recompensed with eternity and copper with gold God's order is in wisdom the husband goes home before the wife and the throng of the marker shall be over ere it be long and another generation where we now are and at length an emptie house and not one of mankinde shall be upon the earth within the sixth part of an hour after the earth and the works that are therein shall be burnt up with fire I fear more that Christ is about to remove when he carrieth home so much of his plenishing before hand we cannot teach the Almighty knowledge when he was directing the bullet against his servant to fetch out the soul no wise man could cry to God Wrong wrong Lord for he is thine own There is no mist over his eyes who is wonderfull in counsel If Zion be builded with your son in law's blood the Lord deep in counsel can glew together the stones of Zion with blood and with that blood which is precious in his eyes Christ hath fewer labourers in his vineyard then he had but some moe witnesses for his cause and the Lord's Covenant with the three Nations What is Christ's gain is not your loss Let not that which is his holy and wise will be your unbeleeving sorrow Though I really judge I had interest in his dead servant yet because he now liveth to Christ I quite the hops I had of his succesfull labouring in the ministery I know he now praiseth the grace that he was to preach And if there were a better thing on his head now in heaven then a crown or any thing more excellent then heaven he would cast it down before his feet who sitteth on the throne Give glory therefore to Christ as he now doeth and say Thy will be done The grace and consolation of Christ be with you London Nov 15. 1645. Yours in his sweet Lord Iesus S. R. To the vicountesse of KENMURE 45 MADAM GRace mercy peace be to your La though Christ lose no time yet when sinfull men drive his chariot the wheels of 〈◊〉 chariot move slowly The woman Zion as soon as she travelled brought forth her children yea Isa. 66 7. before she travelled she brought fâ—rth before her pain came she was delivered of a man-childe Yet the deliverance of the people was with the woman's going with childe seventy years that is more then nine moneths There be many oppositions in carrying on the work but I hope the Lord will build his own Zion evidence to us that it is done not by might not by power but by the Spirit of the Lord. Madam I have heard of your infirmities of body sickness I know the issue shall be mercy to you that God's purpose which lieth hidden underground to you is to commend the sweetness of his love care to you from your youth And if all the sad losses trials sicknesses infirmities griefs heaviness inconstancie of the creature be expounded as sure I am they are the rods of the jealousie of an husband in heaven contending with all your lovers on earth though there were millions of them for your love to fetch more of your love home to heaven to make it single unmixt chast to the fairest in heaven earth to Jesus the Prince of ages ye will forgive to borrow that word every rod of God not let the Sun goe down on your wrath against any messinger of your afflicting correcting Father Since your La cannot but see that the mark at which Christ hath aimed at these twenty four years and above is to have the company fellowship of such a sinfull creature in heaven with him for all eternity and because he will not such is the power of his love enjoy his father's glory and that crown due to him by eternall generation without you by name Ioh. 17 24. Ioh. 10 16. Ioh. 14 3. Therefore Madam beleeve no evil of Christ Listen to no hard reports that his rods make of him to you He hath loved you washed you from your sins what would ye have more Is that too little except he adjourne all crosses till ye be where ye shall be out of all capacity to sigh or to be crossed I hope ye can desire no more no greater nor more excellent sute then Christ the fellowship of the Lamb for evermore And if that desire be answered in heaven as I am sure it is ye cannot
's blessed will bloweth cross your desires it is best in humility to strike saile to him and to be willing to be led any way our Lord pleaseth it is a point of denial of your self to be as if ye had not a will but had made a free disposition of it to God had sold it over to him to make use of his will for your own is both true holiness your ease peace ye know not what the Lord is working out of this but ye shall know it hereafter what I write to you I write to your â—…ife I compassionat her case but intreat her not to fear or faint this journey is a part of her wilderness to heaven the promised land and there are sewer miles behinde it is neerer the dawning of the day to her then when she went out of Scotland I would be glad to hear that ye she have comfort courage in the Lord. Now as concerning our Kirk Our Service-book is ordained by open proclamation sound of trumpet to be read in all the Kirks of this Kingdom Our Prelats are to meet this moneth for It our Canons for a Reconciliation betwixt us the Lutherians The Professors of Aberden-Universitie are charged to draw up the Articles of an Uniform Confession But Reconciliation with Popery is intended this is the day of Jacob's Visitation the wayes of Zion mourn our gold is become dim the sun is gone down upon our Prophets a dry wind but neither to fan nor to cleanse is coming upon this land all our ill is coming from the multiplied transgressions of this land and from the friends lovers of Babel amongst us Jer 31 35. The violence done to me my flesh be upon thee Babylon shall the inhabitants of Zion say my blood upon the inhabitants of Caldea shall Ierusalem say Now for my self I was three dayes before the High Comission accused of treason preached against our King A Minister being witness went well nigh to swear it God hath saved me from their malice 1. They have deprived me of my Ministery 2. Silenced me that I exercise no part of the Ministeriall function within this Kingdom under the pain of Rebellion 3. Confined my person within the town of Aberden where I finde the Ministers working for my confine ment in Caithnesse or Orknay far from them because some people here willing to be edified resort to me At my first entry I had heavie challenges within me a court fenced but I hope not in Christ's name wherein it was asserted that my Lord would have no more of my service was tired of me And like a fool I summoned Christ also for unkindness my soul fainted I refused comfort said what ailed Christ at me for I desired to be faithfull in his house thus in my rovings mistakings my Lord Jesus bestowed mercy on me who am less then the least of all saints I lay upon the dust bought a plea from Satan against Christ he was content to sell it but at length Christ did show himself friends with me in mercy pardoned past my part of it onely complained that a court should be holden in his bounds without his own allowance now I passe from my compearance as if Christ had done the fault he hath made the mends returned to my soul so that now his poor prisoner feedeth on the feast of love my adversaries know not what a courtier I am now with my Royall King for whose crown I now suffer it iâ— but our soft lazie flesh that hath raised an ill report of the cross of Christ. O sweeet sweet is his yoke Christ's chains are of pure gold sufferings for him are perfumed I would not give my weeping for the laughing of all the fourteen Prelats I would not exchange my sadness with the world's joy O lovely lovely Jesus how sweet must thy kisses be when thy cross smelleth so sweetly O if all the three Kingdoms had part of my love-feasts of the comforts of a dated prisoner Dear Brother I charge you to praise for me seek help of our acquaintance there to help me to praise Why should I smother Christ's honesty to me my heart is taken up with this that my silence and sufferings may preach I beseech you in the bowels of Christ to help me to praise Remember my love in Christ to your wife to Mr Blair Mr Livingston Mr Cuninghame let me hear from you for I am anxious what to doe If I saw a call for New-England I would follow it Grace be with you Aberd. 1637. Yours in our Lord Iesus S. R. To JOHN STUART Provest of Ayr. 52. Much honoured Dearest in Christ. GRace mercy peace from God our father from our Lord Jesus Christ be upon you I expected the comfort of a letter to a prisoner from you ere now I am here Sir putting off a part of my inch of time when I awake first in the morning which is alwayes with great heaviness sadness this question is brought to my minde Am I serving God or not Not that I doubt of the truth of this honourable cause wherein I am engaged I dare venture in to eternity before my judge that I now suffer for the truth because that I cannot endure that my Master who is a free-born King should pay tribute to any of the shields or pot-sheards of the earth Oh that I could hold the crown upon my Princely King's head with my sinfull arm howbeit it should be stroke from me in that service from the shoulder blade but my closed mouth my dumb Sabbaths the memory of my communion with Christ in many fair fair dayes in Anwoth whereas now my master gotteth no service of my tongue as then hath almost broken my faith in two halves yet in my deepest apprehensions of his anger I see thorow a cloud that I am wrong he in love to my soul hath taken up the controversie betwixt faith apprehensions and a decret is past on Christ's side of it I subscribe the decret The Lord is equal in his wayes but my guiltiness often overmastereth my beleeving I have not been well known for except as to open out-breakings I want nothing of what Judas Cain had onely he hath been pleased to prevent me in mercy to cast me into a fever of love for himself his absence maketh my fever most painfull beside he hath visited my soul watered it with his comforts but yet I have not what I would the want of reall and felt possession is my onely death I know Christ pitieth me in this The great men my friends that did for me are dried up like winter brooks of water All say no dealing for that man â—is best will be to be gone out of the Kingdom so I see they tire of me but beleeve me I am most gladly content that
father's house is good enough to die in It may be the living childe I speak not of Mr. Hugh is more grief to you then the dead Ye are to wait on if at any time God shall give him repentance Christ waited as long possibly on you me certainly longer on me if he should deny repentance to him I could say some thing to that but I hope better things of him It seemeth that Christ will have this world your step-dame I love not your condition the woâ—se it may be a proof that ye are not a childe of this lower house but a stranger Christ seeth it not good onely but your onely good to be lead thus to heaven think this a favour that he hath bestowed upon you Free free grace that is mercy without hire ye paid nothing for it And who can put a price upon any thing of Royal and Princely Jesus Christ And that God hath given to you to suffer for him the spoiling of your goods esteem it as an act of free grace also Ye are no loser having himself And I perswade my self if ye could prize Christ nothing could be bitter to you Grace grace be with you London 1645. Your Brother Well-wisher S. R. To BARBARA HAMILTON 42 Worthy Friend GRace be to you I doe unwillingly write unto you of that which God hath done concerning your son in law onely I beleeve ye look not below Christ and the higest and most supream act of providence which moveth all wheels And certainly what came down enacted concluded in the great book before the throne signed subscribed with the hand which never did wrong should be kissed adored by us we see God's decrees when they bring forth their fruits all actions good ill sweet sowre in their time But we see not presently the after-birth of God's decree to wit his blessed end the good that he bringeth out of the womb of his holy spotless counsel we see his working we sorrow The end of his counsel working lieth hidden underneath the ground therefore we cannot beleeve Even amongst men we see hewen stones timber an hundred scattered parcels pieces of an house all under-tools hammers axes saws yet the house the beauty ease of so many lodgings ease-rooms we neither see nor understand for the present these are but in the minde head of the builder as yet wee see red earth unbroken clods furrows stones but we see not summer-lilies roses the beauty of a garden If ye give the Lord time to work as often he that beleeveth not maketh haste but not speed his end is under the ground ye shall see it was your good that your Son hath changed dwelling-places but not his Master Christ thought good to have no more of his service here yet Rev. 22 3. His servants shall serve him He needeth not us or our service either in earth or in heaven But ye are to look to him who giveth the hireling both his leave his wages for his naked aim purpose to serve Christ as well as for his labours It is put up in Christ's account such a labourer did sweat fourty years in Christ's vineyard howbeit he got not leave to labour so long because he who accepteth of the will for the deed counteth so None can teach the Lord to lay an account He numbereth the drop of rain knoweth the stars by their names It would take us much studying to give a name to every star in the firmament great or small See Lev. 13 13. And Aaron held his peace Ye know his two Sons were â—â—ain whilst they offered strange fire to the Lord Command your thoughts to be silent If the souldiers of Newcasile had done this ye might have stomacked but the weapon wa in another hand Hear the rod what it preacheth see the name of God Mâ—… 6. 9. And know that there is somewhat of God Heaven in the â—od The Majesty of the unsearchable bottomless wayes judgements of God is not seen in the rod the seeing of them râ—quireth the eyes of the man of wisdom If the sufferings of some other with you in that loss could ease you ye want them not But He can doe no wrong he cannot halt his goings are equal who hath done it I know our Lord aimeth at more mortification let him not come in vain to your house lose the pâ—ins of a mercifull visite God the founder never melteth in vain howbeit to us he seemeth often to lose both fire mettall But I know yeare more in this work then I can be There is no cause to faint or weary Grace be with you the rich consolations of Jesus Christ sweeten your cross support you under it I rest London Octob. 15. 1645. Yours in his Lord Master S. R. To Misâ—ress HUME 43. Loving Sister GRace mercy peace be to you If ye have any thing better then the husband of your youth ye are Jesus Christ's deâ—ter for it Pay not then your debts with grudging Sorrow may diminish from the sweet fruit of righteousness but quietness silence submission faith put a crown upon your sad losses ye know whose voice the voice of a crying rod is Micah 6. 9. The name majesty of the Lord is written on the rod read be instructed Let Christ have the room of the husband he hath now no need of you or of your love for he enjoyeth asmuch of the love of Christ as his heart can be capable of I confess it is a dear-bought experience to teach you to undervalue the creature yet it is not too dear if Christ think it so I know that the disputing of your thoughts against his going thither the way manner of his death the instruments the place the time will not ease your spirit except ye rise higher then second causes be silent because the Lord hath done it If we measure the goings of the Almighty his wayes the bottom whereof we see not we quite mistake God O how little a portion of God see we He is far above our ebbe narrow thoughts He ruled the world in wisdom ere we creatures of yesterday were born shall rule it when we shall be lodging beside the worms corruption Onely learn heavenly wisdom self-deniall mortification by this sad loss I know that it is not for nothing except ye deny God to be wise in all he doeth that ye have loâ— one in earth There hath been too little of your love heart in heaven therefore the jealousie of Christ hath done this It is a mercy that he contendeth with you all your lovers I should dâ—sire no greater savour for my self then that Christ laid a necessity took on such bonds upon himself Such an one I must have such a soul I cannot live in heaven without Ioh. 10. 16. And beleeve it it