Letters in Two Parts, Part 1 · LETTER 4
To the truly noble & elect lady my lady VICOUNTESSE of KENMURE. (4)
Noble & elect Lady.
THat honour that I have prayed for these sixteen yeers, with submission to my Lords will, my kind Lord hath now bestowed upon me; even to suffer for my royall & princely King Jesus & for his Kingly crown, & the freedom of his Kingdom, that his father hath given him. The forbidden Lords have sentenced me with deprivation, & confinement within the town of Aberden. I am charged in the Kings name, to enter against the twentie day of August next, & there to remain during the Kings pleasure, as they have given it out. howbeit Christs green crosse newly laid upon me, be somewhat heavie, while I call to minde the many fair dayes, sweet & comfortable to my soul, & to the souls of many others, & how young ones in Christ; are plucked from the breast, and the inheritance of God laid waste: yet that sweet smelled & perfumed crosse of Christ, is accompanied with sweet refreshments, with the kisses of a King, with the joy of the holy Ghost, with faith that the Lord hears the sighing of a prisoner, with undoubted hope (as sure as my Lord liveth) after this night, to see day light, & Christs skie to clear up again upon me, & his poor Kirk, & that in a strange Land amongst strange faces he will give favour in the eyes of men, to his poor oppressed servant, who dow not but love that lovely one, that princely one, Jesus the comforter of his soul. All would be well if I were free of old challanges for guiltiness, & for neglect in my calling, and for speaking too little for my welbeloveds crown, honour, & Kingdom. Oh for a day in the assembly of the saints to advocate for King Jesus! If my Lord goe on now to quarrels also, I die, I cannot endure it: but I look for peace from him, because he knoweth I dow bear mens feud but I dow not bear his feud: this is my onelyonly exercise, that I fear I have done little good in my ministry: but I dare not but say, I loved the bai…s of the wedding chamber; and prayed for & desired the thriving of the marriage, & coming of his Kingdom. I apprehend no lesse then a judgement upon Galloway, & that the Lord shall visit this whole nation, for the quarrell of the covenant. But what can be laid upon me, or any the like of me, is too light for Christ: Christ dow …ear more & would bear death & burning quick, in his we…k servants, even for this honourable cause, that I now suffer for. Yet for all my complaints (& he knoweth that I dare not now dissemble) he was never sweeter, & Kinder then he is now; one kisse now, is sweeter then ten long since, sweet, sweet is his crosse; light, light & easie is his yoke. O what a sweet step were it, up to my fathers house thorow ten deaths, for the truth, and cause, of that unknown and so, not-halfe-wel-loved plant of renown, the man called the Branch, the chief among ten thousands, the fairest among the sons of men! O what unseen joyes, how many hidden heart-burnings of love, are in the remnants of the sufferings of Christ! my dear worthy Lady I give it to your La: under my own hand (my heart-writing as well as my hand) welcome, welcome, sweet, sweet, & glorious crosse of Christ, welcome sweet Jesus, with thy light crosse, thou hast now gained & gotten all my love from me, …eep what thou hast gotten. OnelyOnly, woe, woe is me, for my bereft-flock, for the Lambs of Jesus, that I fear shall be fed with dry breasts, but I sparenow. Madam, I dare not promise to see your La: because of the little time I have alloted me, & I purpose to obey the King, who hath power of my body, & rebellion to Kings is unbeseeming Christs Ministers. Be pleased to acquiant my Lady Marre with my case, I will look your La: & that good Lady will be mindfull to God of the Lords prisoner, not for my cause, but for the Gospels sake. Madam bind me more (if more can be) to your La: and write thanks to your brother my Lord of Lorne for what he hath done for me, a poor unknown stranger to his Lo: I shall pray for him, & his house, while I live, It is his honour, to open his mouth in the streets for his wronged, and oppressed master Christ Jesus. Now Madam commending your La: and the sweet childe to …he tender mercies of mine own Lord Jesus, and his good will who dwelt in the bush; I Rest.
Edinb: July 28. 1636. Yours in his own sweetest, Lord Iesus, S. R.