Letters in Two Parts, Part 1 · LETTER 117 – LETTER 119
To Mr THOMAS GARVEN. (117)
Reverend and dear Brother.
I Blesse you for your letter: it was a shower to the new mowen grass: The Lord hath given you the tongue of the Learned: Be fruitfull & humble: It is possible ye come to my case, or the like; but the water is neither so deep, nor the stream so strong as it is called: I think my fire is not hot, my water dry land, my loss rich loss. O if the walls of my prison be high, wide & large, & the place sweet! No man knoweth it, no man I say knoweth it [my Dear Brother] so well, as he & I, no man can put it down in black & white as my Lord hath sealed it in my heart: My poor stock is growen since I came to Aberden: And if any had known the wrong I did in being jealous of such an honest lover as Christ, who witheld not his love from me, they would think the more of it; but I see he must be above me in mercy: I will never strive with him: To think to recompense him is folly: If I had as many Angel's tongues as there have fallen drops of rain since the creation, or as there are leaves of trees in all the forrests of the earth, or stars in the heaven to praise; yet my Lord Jesus would ever be behinde with me: We will never get our accounts sitted: A pardon must close the reckoning; for his comforts to me in this his honourable cause, have almost put me beyond the bounds of modesty; howbeit I will not let every one know what is betwixt us: Love, love [I mean Christ's love] is the hottest coal that ever I felt: O but the smoke of it be hot! Cast all the salt sea on it, it will flame, hell cannot quench it: Many, many waters will not quench love: Christ is turned over to his poor prisoner in a masse & globe of love: I wonder he should waste so much love upon such a waster as I am; but he is no waster but abundant in mercy: He hath no niggards almes when he is pleased to give. O that I could invite all the nation to love him! Free grace is an unknown thing: This world hath heard but a bare name of Christ & no more: There are infinite plyes in his love, that the saints will never win to unfold: I would it were better known & that Christ got more of his own due then de doeth. Brother, ye have chosen the good part who have taken part with Christ: Ye will see him win the field, & ye shall get part of the spoile when he divideth it: They are but fools who laugh at us; for they see but the backside of the moon; yet our moon-light it better th…n their twelve-hours-sun: We have gotten the new heavens & as a pledge of that the bridegroom's love-ring: The children of the wedding chamber have cause to skip & leap for joy, for the marriage supper is drawing nigh & we finde the fours-hours sweet & comfortable. O time be not slow! O sun move speedily, & hasten our banquet? O bridegroom be like a roe, or a young hart upon the mountains! O welbeloved run fast that we may once meet! Brother, I contain my self for want of time: Pray for me: I hope to remember you. The goodwill of him who dwelt in the bush, the tender mercies of God in Christ enrich you: Grace be with you.
Aberd. March 14. 1637. Yours in his sweet Lord Iesus, S. R.
To BETHAIA AIRD. [118]
Worthy Sister.
GRace, mercy & peace be unto you: I know ye desire news from my prison, & I shall shew you news. At my first entry hither, Christ & I agreed not well upon it: The devil made a plea in the house & I laid the blame upon Christ; for my heart was fraughted with challenges, & I feared that I was an outcast, & that I was but a withered tree in the vineyard, & but held the sun off the good plants with my idle shadow, & therefore my Master had given the evil servant …he fields to fend him: Old guiltiness said [as witness] all is true: My apprehensions were with childe of faithless fears, & unbelief put a seal & Amen to all. I thought my self in a hard case: Some said I had cause to rejoyce that Christ had honoured me to be a witness for him: & I said in my heart these are words of men who see but mine outside & cannot tell if I be a false witness or not. If Christ had in this matter been as wilfull & short as I was, my faith had gone over the brae & broken it's neck; But we were well met, a hastie fool & a wise patient & meek Saviour: he took no law-advantage of my folly, but waited on till my ill blood was fallen & my drumbled & troubled well began to clear: He was never a whit angry at the feverravings of a poor tempted sinner; but he mercifully forgave, & came (as it well becometh him) with grace & new comfort to a a sinner, who deserved the contrary: And now he is content to kiss my black mouth, to put his hand in mine, & to feed me with as many consolations as would feed ten hungry souls; Yet I dare not say he is a waster of comforts, for no less would have born me up, one grain weight less would have casten the ballance. Now, who is like to that royall king crowned in Zion? where will I get a seat for royall Majesty to set him on? If I could set him as far above the heavens as thousand thousands of heights devised by men & Angels, I would think him but too low. I pray you for God's sake, my dear Sister, help me to praise: His love hath neither brim nor bottom: His love is like himself, it pass…th all naturall understanding: I goe to fathom it with my arms, but it is, as if a childe would take the globe of sea & land in his two short arms: Blessed & holy is his name. This must be his truth I now suffer for, for he would not laugh upon a lye, nor be witness with his comforts to a night-dream. I entreat for your prayers, & the prayers & blessing of a prisoner of Christ be upon you. Grace be with you.
Aberd. March. 14. 1637. Yours in his s…eet Lord Iesus S. R.
To ALEXANDER GORDON Of Knockgray. (119)
Dear Brother.
I Have not leisure to write to you: Christ's wayes were known to you, long before I [who am but a childe] knew any thing of him. What wrong & violence the Prelats may by God's permission doe unto you for your trial, I know not; but this I know that your ten dayes tribulation will end: Contend to the last breath for Christ. Banishment out of these Kingdomes is determined against me as I hear; this land dow not bear me: I pray you, recommend my case & bonds to my brethren & sisters with you: I intrust more of my spirituall comfort to you & them that way, my dear Brother, then to many in this Kingdom besides. I hope, ye will not be wanting to Christ's prisoner. Fear nothing, for I assure you, Alexander Gordon of Knockgray shall win away & get his soul for a prey: And what can he then want that's worth the having? Your friends are cold [as ye write] & so are these in whom I trusted much: Our husband doeth well in breaking our idols in pieces: dry wells send us to the fountain. My life is not dear to me, sobeing I may fulfil my course with joy. I fear you must remove if your new hireling will not bear your discountenancing of him; for the Prelat is affraid Christ get you, & that he hath no will of. Grace be with you.
Aberd. 1637. Yours in his sweet Lord & Master, S. R.