Letters in Two Parts, Part 2 · LETTER 10
To my Lady KENMURE. (10.)
MADAM.
I Am grieved exceedingly that your La: should think, or have cause to think that such as love you in God, in this countrey, are forgetfull of you: For my self, Madam, I ow to your La; all evidences of my high respect (in the sight of my Lord, whose truth I preach, I am bold to say it) for his rich grace in you: My Communion put off till the end of a longsom & rainny harvest & the Presbyteriall exercise [as the bearer can inform your La:] hindered me to see you: And for my people's sake [finding them like hot iron, that cooleth being out of the fire, and that is pliable to no work] I doe not stir abroad, neither have I left them at all since your La: was in this countrey, save at one time onelyonly, about two years agoe; yet I dare not say but it is a fault, howbeit no defect in my affection: and I trust to make it up again, so soon as possibly I am able, to wait upon you. Madam, I have no new purpose to write unto you, but of that which I think, nay, which our Lord thinketh needfull, that one thing, Marie's good part, which ye have chosen, Luk: 10, 42. Madam, all that God hath, both himself and the creatures, he is dealing and parting amongst the sons of Adam: There are none so poor as that they can say in his face, He hath given them nothing; But thereis no small ods betwixt the gifts given to lawfull bairns and to bastards: And the more greedy ye are in suiting, the more willing he is to give, delighting to be called open handed: I hope your La: laboureth to get assurance of the surest patrimony, even God himself; ye will finde in Christianity, that God aimeth in all his dealings with his children, to bring them to a high contempt, of and deadly feud with the world, and to set an high price upon Christ, & to think him one who cannot be bought for gold, & well-worthy the fighting for: And for no other cause, Madam, doeth the Lord withdraw from you the childish toyes & the earthly delights that he giveth unto others; but that he may have you wholly to himself: Think therefore of the Lord, as of one who cometh to wooe you in marriage, when ye are in the furnace; He seeketh his answer of you in affliction, to see if ye will say even so I take him: Madam, give him this answer pleasantly, & in your minde doe not secretly grudge nor murmure: When he is striking you in love, beware to st…e again: That is dangerous, for these who strike again, shall get the last blow: If I hit not upon the right string, it is because I am not acquainted with your La: present condition; But I beleeve your La: goeth on foot laughing & putting on a good countenance before the world, & yet ye carry heaviness about with you: Ye doe well, Madam, not to make them witnesses of your grief who cannot be curer… of it: But be exceeding charitable of your dear Lord: As there be some friends worldly of whom ye will not entertain an ill thought, far more ought ye to beleeve good evermore of your dear friend, that lovely fair person Iesus Christ. The thorn is one of the most cursed & angry & crabbed weeds, that the earth yeeldeth, & yet out of it springeth the Rose, one of the sweetest smelled flowers & most delightfull to the eye, that the earth hath: Your Lord shall make joy & gladness out of your afflictions, for all his roses have a fragrant smell: wait for the time when his own holy hand shall hold them to your nose, & if ye would have present comfort under the cross, be much in prayer, for at that time your faith kisseth Christ & he kisseth the soul, & O if the breath of his holy mouth be sweet! I dare be caution, out of some small experience, that ye shall not be beguiled; for the world [yea, not a few number of God's children] know not well what that is, which they call a Godhead: But Madam, come near to the Godhead & look down to the bottom of the well, there is much in him, & sweet were that death to drown in such a well: Your grief taketh liberty to work upon your minde, when ye are not busied in the meditation of the eveedelighting & all-blessed Godhead. If ye would lay the price ye give out [which is but some few years pain & trouble] beside the commodities ye are to receive, ye would see they are not worthy to be laid in the ballance together; but it is Nature that maketh you look what ye give out, & weakness of Faith that hindereth you to see what ye shall take in. Amend your hope & frist your faithfull Lord a while, he maketh himself your debter in the new Covenant, he is honest, take his word, Na…um. 1. 9. Affliction …hail not spr…g up the second time. Rev. 21. 7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things. Of all thing. then which ye want in this life, Madam, I am able to say nothing, if that be not beleeved which ye have, Rev. 2, 7. & Rev. 3. 5. the overcomer shall be clothed in white raiment, &c. & ver: 8. … the overcomer I will give to sit …ite me … my throne … I overcame & am set down with my father in his throne. Consider, Madam, if ye are not high up now, & far ben in the palace of our Lord, when ye are upon a throne in white raiment at lovely Christ's elbow. O th ice fools are we, who like new born Princes weeping in the cradle, know not that there is a Kingdom before them! Then let our Lord's sweet hand square us and hammer us, & strike off the knots of pride, self-love, & world-worship & infidelity, that he may make us stones and pillars in his father's house. Rev. 3, 12. Madam, what think ye to take binding with the fair corner-stone Iesus? The Lord give you wisdom to beleeve & hope, your day is coming: I hope to be a witness of your joy, as I have been a hearer & beholder of your grief. Think ye much to follow the heir of the crown, who had experience of sorrows & was acquainted with grief, Isa 53. It were pride to aime to be above the King's son: It is more then we deserve that we are equals in glory, in a manner. Now commending you to the dearest grace & mercy of God, I rest.
Anwoth. Jan. 4. 1632. Your La: at all obedience in Christ, S. R.