side in this stormy day, and a leak- a good cheap price to buy him at. ing ship a safe harbour, and a sea- Oh if all the three kingdoms were sick passenger a sound and soft bed witnesses to my pained, pained soul, ashore. Wrath, wrath, wrath from overcome and wounded with Christ's the Lord, is coming upon this land, love; I thank you most kindly, my that he hath left behind him: know dear sister, for your love to, and tentherefore, that your Lord Jesus his der care of my brother. I will wounds are the wounds of a lover, think myself obliged to you, if ye and that he will have compassion continue his friend: he is more to upon a sad-hearted servant; and me than a brother now, being enthat Christ hath said, he will have gaged to suffer for so honourable a the husband's room in your heart; Master and cause. Pray for Christ's he loved you in your first husband's prisoner; and grace, grace be with time, and he is but wooing you still: you. give him heart and chair, house Your's in his sweet Lord Jesus, and all; he will not be made com- Aberdeen, March, 7, 1637. S. R. LETTER CC. To his Reverend and dear Brother, panion with any other; love is full of jealousies; he will have all your love, and who should get it but he? I know ye allow it upon him; there are comforts, both sweet and satis- My Reverend and dear Brother, fying, laid up for you; wait on. GRACE, mercy and peace be to Frist Christ; he is an honest deb- you. I have exceeding many I tor. Now for mine own case, I write to, else I would be kinder in think some poor body would be paper. I rejoice that my sweet glad of a dawted prisoner's leavings. Master hath any to back him; thick, I have no scarcity of Christ's love: thick may my royal King's court he hath wasted more comforts upon be. O that his kingdom might his poor banished servant, than grow! it were my joy to have his would have refreshed many souls. house full of guests. Except that My burden was once so heavy, that I have some cloudy days, for the one ounce-weight would have casten most part I have a king's life with the balance, and broken my back; Christ; he is all perfumed with the but Christ said, hold, hold, to my powders of the merchant; hè hath sorrow, and hath wiped a bluthered a king's face and a king's smell; face, which was foul with weeping. his chariot, wherein he carrieth his I may joyfully go my Lord's er- poor prisoner, is of the wood of rands, with wages in my hands; de- Lebanon, it is paved with love; is ferred hopes need not make me not that soft ground to walk or lye dead-swier, (as we use to say,) my on? I think better of Christ than cross is both my cross and my re-ever I did; my thoughts of his love ward. O that men would sound grow and swell on me; I never write his high praises! I love Christ's to any of him so much as I have worst reproaches, his glooms, his felt. Oh if I could write a book cross, better than all this world's of Christ and of his love! Suppose plaistered glory; my heart is not I were made white ashes, and burnt longing to be back again from for this same truth, that men count Christ's country; it is a sweet soil but as knots of straws, it were my I am come to. I (if any in the gain, if my ashes could proclaim world) have good cause to speak the worth, excellency, and love of much good of him. O! hell were my Lord Jesus; there is much tell ing of Christ; I give over the fristing with Christ's presence is a weighing of him, heaven would matter of torment. I know a poor not be the beam of a balance to soul that would lay all oars in the weigh him in. What eyes be on water for a banquet or feast of me, or what wind of tongues be on Christ's love. I cannot think, but me, I care not: let me stand in this it must be up-taking and sweet, to stage in the fool's coat, and act a see the white and red of Christ's fool's part to the rest of this nation; fair face; for he is white and ruddy, if I can set my Well-beloved on and the chiefest among ten thouhigh, and witness fair for him, a fig sands, Cant. v. 10. I am sure, that for their hossana; if I can roll my must be a well made face of his, self in a lap of Christ's garment, I heaven must be in his visage; glory, will lye there, and laugh at the glory for evermore must sit on his thoughts of dying bits of clay. countenance. I dare not curse the Brother, we have cause to weep for mask and covering that is on his our harlot-mother, her husband is face; but O if there were a hole in sending her to Rome's brothel it! O if God would tear the mask! house, which is the gate she liketh Fy, fy upon us, we were never a well; yet I persuade you, there shamed till now that we do not shall be a fair after-growth for proclaim our pining and languishing Christ in Scotland, and this church for him. I am sure, never tongue shall sing the Bridegroom's wel- spake of Christ as he is. I am still come-home again to his own house; of that mind, and still will be, that the worms shall eat them first, ere we wrong and undervalue that holy, they cause Christ take good-night holy One, in having such short at Scotland. I am here assaulted and shallow thoughts of his weight with the doctor's gun, but I bless and worth. O if I could have but the Father of lights, they draw not leave to stand beside, and see the blood of truth. I find no lodging Father weigh Christ the Son, if it in the hearts of natural men, who were possible! but how every one are cold friends to my Master. I of them comprehendeth another, pray you, remember my love to we, who have eyes of clay, cannot that gentleman, A. C. My heart comprehend; but it is pity for everis knit to him, because he and I have one master. Remember my bonds, and present my service to my Lord and my Lady; I wish Christ may be dearer to them than to many in their place. Grace be with you. more, and more than shame, that such an one as Christ should sit in heaven his alone for us to go up thither anes errand, and on purpose to see, were no small glory. O that he would strike out windows, and fair and great lights in this old house, this fallen down soul, and then set the soul near-hand Christ, that the rays and beams of light, and the soul-delighting glances of the fair, fair Godhead, might shine in at the windows, and fill the house! a fairer and more near and direct sight of Christ would make room for his love; for we are but pinched and straitened in his love. Alas, it were easy to measure and weigh crown upon his head again, and cry Your Ladyship's at all obedience in Christ, LETTER CCII. To Mr. ALEXANDER COLVIL of Blair. the love that we have for Christ, how happy were I to see the corby inches and ounces! Alas, that ronation-day of Christ; to see his we should love by measure and mother, who bare him, put the weight, and not rather have floods and feast's of Christ's love! O that Christ would break down the old narrow vessels of these narrow and ebb souls; and make fair, deep, wide, and broad souls, to hold a sea and a full tide, flowing over all its 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, and, it is like, minding to do, and if the land were humbled: the judgments threatened are with GRACE, mercy and peace be to you. this reservation, I know, if ye shall I would desire to know how my turn and repent.' O what a heaven Lord took my letter I sent him, and should we have on earth, to see how he is; I desire nothing, but Scotland's noon, like the light of that he may be fast and honest to the sun, and Scotland's sun-light my royal Master and King. I am seven-fold like the light of seven well every way, all praise to him, days, in the day that the Lord in whose books I must stand for bindeth up the breach of his peo-ever as his debtor! only my silence ple, and healeth the stroke of their paineth me. I had one joy out of wound! Isa. xxx. 26. Alas! that heaven, next to Christ my Lord, we will not pull and draw Christ to and that was to preach him to this his old tents again, to come and faithless generation; and they have feed among the lilies, till the day taken that from me; it was to me break, and the shadows flee away! as the poor man's one eye, and they O that the nobles would go on, in have put out that eye. I know the the strength and courage of the violence done to me and his poor Lord, to bring our lawful King bereft bride is come up before the Jesus home again! I am persuaded Lord; and suppose I see not the he shall return again in glory to other side of my cross, or what my this land; but happy were they, Lord will bring out of it; yet I bewho could help to convoy him to lieve the vision shall not tarry, and sanctuary, and set him again up that Christ is on his journey for my upon the mercy seat betwixt the deliverance; he goeth not slowly, cherubims. O sun, return to dark-but passeth over ten mountains at ened Britain! O fairest among all one stride; in the mean time, I the sons of men, Q most excellent am pained with his love, because I One, come home again, come home, and win the praises and blessings of the mourners in Zion, the pris oners of hope, that wait for thee! I know he can also triumph in suf. fering, and weep and reign, and die and triumph, and remain in prison, and yet subdue his enemies; but want real possession. When Christ cometh, he stayeth not long; but certainly the blowing of his breath, upon a poor soul is heaven upon earth; and when the wind turneth into the North, and he goeth away, I die, till the wind change into the West, and he visit his prisoner; but he holdeth me not and great name, I like my sweet often at his door. I am richly re- Master still the longer the better; paid for suffering for him. O if all a sight of his cross is more awsome Scotland were as I am, except than the weight of it, think the my bonds! O what pain I ha, worst things of Christ, even his rebecause I cannot get him praised proaches and his cross, when I look by my sufferings! O that heaven, on these not with bleared eyes, far within and without, and the earth rather to be chosen than the laugh. were paper, and all the rivers, foun- ter and worm eaten joys of my adtains, and seas were ink, and I able versaries. O that they were as I to write all the paper within and am, except my bonds! My witness without, full of his praises, and love is above, my ministry, next to Christ, and exellency, to be read by man is dearest to me of any thing: but and angel! Nay this is little; I owe I lay it down at Christ's feet, for my heaven to Christ; and to desire his glory and his honour as supreme howbeit I should never enter in at Law-giver, which is dearer to me. the gates of the new Jerusalem, to My dear brother, if ye will receive send my love and my praises over the the testimony of a poor prisoner of wall to Christ Alas that time and Christ, who dare not now dissemble days lye betwixt him and me, and for the world, I believe certainly, adjourn our meeting; it is my part and expect thanks from the Prince to cry, 'O when will the night be of the kings of the earth, for my past and the day dawn, that we poor hazards, such as they are, for shall see one another!' Be pleased his honourable cause, whom I can to remember my service to my never enough extol, for his runninglord, to whom I wrote; and shew- over love to my sad soul, since I ed him that, for his affection to me, came hither. O that I could get I cannot but pray for him and earn-him set on high and praised! I seek estly desire that Christ miss him no more, as the top and root of my not out of the roll of those who are desires, but that Christ may make his witnesses, now when his kingly glory to himself, and edification to honour is called in question; it is the weaker, out of my sufferings. his honour to hold up Christ's royal | I desire ye would help me both to train, and to be an instrument to pray and praise. Grace be with hold the crown upon Christ's head. you. Shew him because I love his true honour and standing, that this is my earnest desire for him. Now I bless you; and the prayers of Christ's prisoner come upon you; and his sweetest presence, whom ye serve in the Spirit, accompany you. Your's at all obedience in Christ, Aberdeen, 23 June, 1637. මම LETTER CCHI, To Mr. JOHN ROW. Reverend and Dear Brother, S. R. Your's in his sweet Lord Jesus, Aberdeen, July 8th, 1637. LETTER CCIV. S. R. be to you. Madam, GRACE, mercy and peace I am much refreshed with your letter, now at length come to me. I find 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 ways above my I RECEIVED yours. I bless his high ways! I see but little of him; it is man. best not to offer to learn him a les-bill lie in heaven, till the day of my son, but to give him absolutely his departure, providing I had assur own will, in coming, going, ebbing, ance, that mercy shall be written flowing, and in the manner of his on the back of it. I would not care gracious working. I want nothing for on-waiting; but when I draw-in but a back burden of Christ's love; a tired arm, and an empty hand I would go through hell, and the withal, it is much to me to keep my > thick of the damned devils, to have thoughts in order; but I will not a hearty feast of Christ's love; for get a gate for Christ's love, when I he hath fettered me with his love, have done all I can. I would fain and run away and left me a chained yield to his stream, and row with Woe is me, that I was so Christ, and not against him. But loose, rash, vain, and graceless, in while I live, I see that Christ's kingmy unbelieving thoughts of Christ's dom in me will not be peaceable, love; but what can a soul under a so many thoughts in me rise up non entry, when my rights were against his honour and kingly power. wadset and lost, do else, but make Surely, I have not expressed all his a false libel against Christ's love! sweet kindness to me; I spare to I know yourself madam, and many do it, lest I be deemed to seek my. more, will be witnesses against me, self; but his breath hath smelled of if I repent not of my unbelief; for the powders of the merchant and of I have been seeking the pope's the king's spikenard. I think I wares, some hire for grace within conceive new thoughts of heaven, myself. I have not learned, as I because the card and the map of should do, to put my stock, and all heaven, that he letteth me now see, my treasure in Christ's hand; but is so fair, and so sweet; I am sure, I would have a stock of mine own; we are niggards, and sparing bodies and ere I was aware, I was taking in seeking. I verily judge, we hire to be the law's advocate, to know not how much may be had in seek justification by works. I for- this life; there is yet something got, that grace is the only garland beyond all we see, that seeking that is worn in heaven, upon the would light upon. O that my loveheads of the glorified. And now I sickness would put me to a business, half rejoice, that I have sickness when all the world are found sleepfor Christ to work upon; since I ing, to cry and knock! but the must have wounds, well's my soul, truth is, since I came hither, I have I have a day's work for my Physi-been wondering, that after my imcian Christ; I hope to give Christ portunity to have my fill of Christ's his own calling, it setteth him full love, I have not gotten a real sign, well to cure diseases. My ebbings but have come from him, crying, are very low, and the tide is far hunger, hunger, I think Christ letout when my Beloved goeth away; teth me see meat, in my extremity and then I cry, Oh cruelty! to put of hunger, and giveth me none of it; out the poor man's one eye; and when I am near the apple, he drawthat was my joy, next to Christ, eth back his hand, and goeth away to preach my Well beloved: then 1 to cause me follow; and again when make a noise about Christ's house, I am within an arm length to the looking uncouth-like in at his win-apple, he maketh a new break to the dow, and casting my love and my gate, and I have him to seek of desires over the wall, till God send new; he seeketh not to pity my better. I am often content, my dwining and my swooning for his |