oven, and to quicken and encourage bloom, the flower, even the white your unbelieving heart, when ye and red of worldly joys, is for no droop and despond. Sir, to the hon- other end, but to buy out at the our of Christ be it said, my faith ground the reversion of your heart goeth with my pen now: I am pre- and love. Madam, subscribe to sently believing Christ shall bring the Almighty's will; put your hand you out. Truth in Scotland shall to the pen, and let the cross of your keep the crown of the causeway yet; Lord Jesus have your submissive the saints shall see religion go naked and resolute AMEN. If ye ask and at noon-day, free from shame and try whose this cross is? I dare say, fear of men: we shall divide She- it is not all your own, the best half chem, and ride upon the high places of it is Christ's; then your cross is of Jacob. Remember my obliged no born-bastard, but lawfully berespects and love to my Lady Ken-gotten, it sprang not out of the dust, mure and her sweet child. Your's ever in his sweet Lord Jesus, Anwoth, July. 6, 1636. LETTER XXV. To the Viscountess of KENMURE. Madam, S. R. Job v. 6. If Christ and ye be halvers of this suffering, and he say, half-mine, what should ail you ? And I am here right upon the stile of the word of God, Phil. iii. 10. The fellowship of Christ's sufferings, Col. i. 29. The remnant of the afflictions of Christ, Heb. xi. 28. reproach of Christ. It were but to shift the GRACE, mercy and peace be to you: comforts of God, to say, Christ had I know ye are near many comforters, never such a cross as mine, he had and that the promised Comforter is never a dead child, and so this is near hand also; yet because I found not his cross, neither can he in that your Ladyship comfortable to my meaning be the owner of this cross; self, in my sad days, that are not but I hope, Christ when he married yet over my head, it is my part, and you, married you and all the cros more in many respects (howbeit I ses and wo-hearts that follow you: can do little, God knoweth, in that and the word maketh no exception, kind) to speak to you in your wilder- Isa. lxiii. 9. In all their afflictions ness lot. I know, dear and noble he was afflicted; then Christ bore Lady, this loss of your dear child the first stroke of this cross, it recame upon you, one piece and part bounded off him upon you, and ye of it after another: and that ye were get it at the second hand, and ye looking for it, and that now the Al- and he are halvers in it and I shall mighty hath brought on you that believe, for my part, he mindeth to which ye feared; and that your Lord distill heaven out of this loss, and gave you lawful warning: and I hope, all others the like; for wisdom defor his sake, who brewed and mask-vised it, and love laid it on, and ed this cup in heaven, ye will glad-Christ owneth it as his own, and ly drink, and salute and welcome putteth your shoulder only beneath the cross. I am sure, it is not a piece of it. Take it with joy, as your Lord's mind to feed you with no bastard-cross, but as a visitation judgment and worm-wood, and to of God well-born; and spend the give you waters of gall to drink, rest of your appointed time, till Ezek. xxxiv. 16. Jer. ix. 15. I your change come, in the work of know your cup is sugared with mer-believing; and let faith, that never cy; and that the withering of the yet made a lie to you, speak for ་ : God's part of it, 'He will not, he Lord say, The bellows are burnt doth not make you a sea or a whale- the lead is consumed in the fire fish, that he keepeth you in ward,' the founder melteth in vain, Jer. Job vii. 12 It may be, ye think vi. 29. And I shall hope, that not many of the children of God in grief shall not so far smother your such a hard case as yourself; but light, as not to practise this so newhat would ye think of some, who cessary a duty, to concur with him would exchange afflictions, and give in this blessed design. I would you to the boot? but I know your's gladly plead for the Comforter's part must be your own alone, and Christ's of it, not against you Madam (for I together. I confess it seemed strange am sure ye are not his party) but to me, that your Lord should have against your grief, which will have done that which seemeth to ding its own violent incursions in your out the bottom of your comforts soul: and I think it be not in your worldly; but we see not the ground power to help it but I must say, of the Almighty's sovereignty; he there are comforts allowed upon goeth by on our right hand, and on you; and therefore want them not. our left hand and we see him not: When ye have gotten a runningwe see but pieces of the broken over soul, joy now, that joy will nelinks of the chains of his providence, ver be missed out of the infinite and he coggeth the wheels of his ocean of delight, which is not dimiown providence, that we see not. nished by drinking at it, or drawing O let the Former work his own clay out of it. It is a Christian art, to in what frame he pleaseth! Shall comfort yourself in the Lord; to any teach the Almighty knowledge? say, I was obliged to render back if he pursue dry stubble, who dare again this child to the Giver: and if say, what dost thou? do not won-I have had four years loan of him, der to see the Judge of the world and Christ eternity's possession of weave in one web, your mercies and him, the Lord hath kept condition the judgments of the house of Ken- with me: if my Lord would not have mure: he can make one web of con-him and me to tryst both in one traries. But my weak advice, with hour, at death's door-threshold toreverence and correction, were for gether, it is his wisdom so to do, I you, dear and worthy Lady, to see am satisfied: my tryst is suspended, how far mortification goeth on, and not broken off, nor given up. Mawhat scum the Lord's fire casteth dam, I would I could divide sorrow out of you. I know, ye see your with you, for your ease; but I am knottiness, since our Lord whyteth but a beholder, it is easy to me to and heweth and plaineth you; and speak; the God of comfort speak the glancing of the furnace is to let to you, and allure you with his feasts you see what scum or refuse ye of love. My removal from my flock, must want, and what froth is in na is so heavy to me, that it maketh ture, that must be boiled out, and my life a burden to me; I had netaken off in the fire of your trials. ver such a longing for death: the I do not say, heavier afflictions Lord help and hold up sad clay. I prophesy heavier guiltiness; a cross fear ye sin in drawing Mr. William is often but a false prophet in Dalgleish from this country where this kind: but I am sure our Lord the labourers are few, and the har would have the tin, and the bastard vest great. Madam, desire my Lord metal in you removed; lest the Argyle to see for provision to a pas tor for this poor people. Grace be Your Ladyship's at all obedience in Christ, LETTER XXVI. S. R. To the persecuted church in IRELAND. Much honoured, revered and dearly beloved in our Lord, peace, and your exactors righteousness, Isa. lx. ver. 17, 18. Your old fallen walls shall get a new name, and the gates of your Jerusalem shall get a new stile; they shall call your walls salvation, and your gates, praise. I know that Deputy-Prelates, Papists, temporizing Lords, and proud mockers of our Lord, crucifiers of Christ for his coat, and all your enemies, have neither fingers GRACE, mercy and peace be to you nor instruments of war to pick out all. I know there are many in this one stone out of your wall; for each nation more able than I to speak stone of your wall is salvation. I to the sufferers for, and witnesses of dare give you my royal and prince. Jesus Christ; yet pardon me to ly Master's word for it, that Ireland speak a little to you, who are call- shall be a fair bride to Jesus, and ed in question for the gospel once Christ shall build on her a palace of committed to you. I hope ye are silver, Cant. viii. 9. Therefore weep not ignorant, that as peace was left not, as if there were no hope; fear to you in Christ's testament, so the not, put on strength, put on your other half of the testament was a beautiful garments, Isa. lii. 1. your legacy of Christ's sufferings, John foundation shall be sapphires, Isa. xvi. 35. These things have I spok- liv. 11, 12. your windows and gates en, that in me ye might have peace; precious stones. Look over the watin the world ye shall have trouble.' er, and behold and see, who is on Because then ye are made assigns the dry-land waiting for your landand heirs to a life-rent of Christ's ing: your deliverance is concluded, cross, think that fiery trial no strange subscribed and sealed in heaven; thing for the Lord Jesus shall be your goods that are taken from you, no loser by purging the dross and for Christ and his truth's sake, are tin out of his church in Ireland; his but arrested and laid in pawn, and wine press is but squeezing out the not taken away: there is much laid dregs, the scum, the froth and re-up for you in his store-house, whose fuse of that church. I had once the the earth and the fulness thereof is ? proof of the sweet smell, and the your garments are spun, and your honest and honourable peace, of that slandered thing the cross of our Lord Jesus: but though alas that these golden days that then I had, be now in a great part gone; yet I dare say, that the issue and outgate of your sufferings shall be the advantage, the golden reign and dominion of the gospel, and the high glory of deputy-prelates and officers keep but the never-enough-praised Prince of the iron keys of the prison, wherein the kings of the earth, and the they put you: but he that hath crechanging of the brass of the Lord's ated the smith, hath other keys in temple among you into gold, and heaven; therefore ye shall not die in the iron into silver, and the wood the prison: other men's ploughs are into brass: your officers shall yet be 'labouring for your bread, your ene : flocks are feeding in the fields, your bread is laid up for you, your drink is brewn, your gold and silver is at the bank, and the interest goeth on and groweth; and yet I hear, that your task-masters do rob and spoil you, and fine you. Your prisons (my brethren) have two keys; the mies are gathering in your rents. the Lord. We do welcome Ireland He that is kissing his bride on this and England to our Well-beloved : side of the sea in Scotland, is beat we invite you, O daughters of Jeruing her beyond the sea in Ireland, salem, to come down to our Lord's and feeding her with the bread of garden, and seek our Well-beloved adversity and the water of affliction; with us; for his love will suffice both and yet he is the same Lord to both you and us: we do send you loveAlas! I fear that Scotland be un- letters over the sea, to request you done and slain with this great mer- to come and to marry our King, and cy of reformation, because there is to take part of our bed; and we trust not here that life of religion, answer- our Lord is fetching a blow upon able to the huge greatness of the the beast and the scarlet coloured work, that dazzleth our eyes; for whore, to the end he may bring in the Lord is rejoicing over us in this his ancient widow-wife, our dear sisland, as the bridegroom rejoiceth ter, the church of the Jews. O what over the bride; and the Lord hath a heavenly heaven were it to see changed the name of Scotland; they them come in by this mean, and call us now no more forsaken nor de- suck the breasts of their little sister, solate, but our land is called Heph- and renew their old love with their zibah and Beulah. Isa. lxii. 4. for the first husband, Christ our Lord! Lord delighteth in us, and this land They are booked in God's word, as is married to himself: there is now a bride contracted upon Jesus! O an high way made through our Zion, for a sight, in this flesh of mine, of and it is called the way of holiness; the prophesied marriage between the unclean shall not pass over it: Christ and them! 'The kings of Tarthe way-faring men, though fools, shish and the Isles must bring preshall not err in it: the wilderness sents to our Lord Jesus, Psal. lxxii. doth rejoice and blossom as the rose; 10' And Britain is one of the chief• The ransomed of the Lord are re-est isles: why then but we may beturned back unto Zion, with songs lieve, that our kings of this island and everlasting joy upon their heads, shall come in, and bring their glory Isa. xxxv. 10. The Canaanite is to the New Jerusalem, wherein put out of our Lord's house; there Christ shall dwell in the latter days? is not a beast left to do hurt (at least It is our part to pray, That the kingprofessedly) in all the holy mountain doms of the earth may become of the Lord. Our Lord is fallen to Christ's. Now I exhort you in the wrestle with his enemies, and hath Lord Jesus, not to be dismayed nor brought us out of Egypt; we have afraid for the two tails of these smokthe strength of an unicorn, Num. ing fire brands, the fierce anger of xxiii. 22. The Lord hath eaten up the deputy with civil power, and of the sons of Babel, he hath broken the bastard prelates with the power their bones, and hath pierced them of the beast; for they shall be cut through with his arrows; we take off: they may well eat you and drink them captives whose captives we you, but they shall be forced to were, and we rule over our oppress- vomit you out again alive. If two ors, Isa. xiv. 2. It is not brick, nor things were firmly believed, sufferclay, nor Babel's cursed timber and ings would have no weight: if the stones, that is in our second temple; fellowship of Christ's sufferings were but our princely King Jesus is build- well known, who would not gladly ing his house all palace-work and take part with Jesus? for Christ and carved stones; it is the habitation of we are halvers and joint owners of one and the same cross: and there- Till I shall be in the hall floor of the fore he that knew well what suffer- highest palace, and get a draught of ings were, as he esteemed all things glory out of Christ's hand, above but loss for Christ, and did judge and beyond time and beyond death, them but dung, so did he also judge I will never (it is like) see fairer of them, that he might know the fel days, than I saw under that blessed lowship of his sufferings, Phil. iii. 10. tree of my Lord's cross: his kisses O how sweet a sight is it, to see a then were king's kisses, these kisses cross betwixt Christ and us; to hear were sweet and soul-reviving; one our Redeemer say, at every sigh, of them at the same time was worth and every blow, and every loss of a two and a half (if I may speak so) believer, half mine! so they are cal- of Christ's week-days kisses. Ó led. The sufferings of Christ, and sweet, sweet for evermore, to see a the reproach of Christ, Col. ii. 24. rose of heaven growing in as ill Heb. xi. 26. As when two are part-ground as hell; and to see Christ's ners and owners of a ship, the half love, his embracements, his dinners of the gain and half of the loss be- and suppers of joy, peace, faith, longeth to either of the two; so goodness, long-suffering and paChrist in our sufferings is half-gainer tience, growing and springing, like and half-loser with us; yea the hea- the flowers of God's garden, out of viest end of the black tree of the such stony and cursed ground as the cross lieth on your Lord, it falleth hatred of the prelates, and the malfirst upon him, and it but rebound-ice of their high commission, and eth off him upon you: The re- the Antichrist's bloody hand and proaches of them that reproached heart! Is not here art and wisdom? thee are fallen upon me, Psal. lxix. 9. Your sufferings are your treasure, and are greater riches than the treasures of Egypt, Heb. xi. 26 And if your cross come through Christ's fingers ere it come to you, it receiveth a fair lustre from him, it getteth a taste and relish of the King's spikenard, and of heaven's perfume; and the half of the gain, when Christ's ship full of gold cometh home, shall be yours: it is an augmenting of your treasure to be rich in sufferings, 'to be in labours abundant, in stripes above measure, 2 Cor. xi. ver. 23. and to have the sufferings of Christ abounding in you, 2 Cor. i. 5. is a part of heaven's stock. Your goods are not lost which they have plucked from you, for your Lord hath them in keeping; they are but arrested and seized up on, he shall loose the arrest: ye shall be fed with the heritage of Jacob your father, for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it, Isa. Iviii. 14. Is not here heaven indented in hell (if I may say so) like a jewel set with skill in a ring with the enamel of Christ's cross? the ruby and riches of glory, that groweth up out of the cross, is beyond telling. Now the blackest and hottest wrath and most fiery and all-devouring indignation of the Judge of men and angels, shall come upon them who deny our sweet Lord Jesus, and put their hand to that oath of wickedness now pressed. The Lord's coal at their heart shall burn them up both root and branch; the estates of great men that have done so, if they do not repent, shall consume away, and the ravens shall dwell in their houses and their glory shall be shame. Oh, for the Lord's sake, keep fast by Christ, and fear not man that shall die, and wither as the grass. The deputy's bloom shall fall, and the prelates shall cast their flower, and the east wind of the Lord, of the Lord strong and mighty, shall blast and break thèm: therefore |