strokes upon his secret ones come from the soft and heavenly hand of of the Mediator, and his rods are steeped and watered in that flood and river of love that cometh from

your children? I trust he shall make them famous in executing the writ ten judgments upon the enemies of the Lord: this honour have all his saints, Psal. cxlix 9. and that they shall bear stones on their shoulders the God-man's heart of our soulfor building that fair city, that is loving and soul-redeeming JESUS. I called, Ezek. xlvi. 35. The Lord is hope ye are content to frist the Cauthere. And happy shall they be tioner of mankind his own conquest, who have a hand in the sacking of heaven, till he pay it to you, and Babel, and come out in the year of bring you to a state of glory, where vengeance, for the controversy of he shall never crook a finger upon, Zion, against the land of graven nor lift a hand to you again; and be images. Therefore, Madam, let the content, and withal greedily covetLord make out of your father's ous of grace, the interest and pledge house any work, even of judgment, of glory. If I did not believe your that he pleaseth; what is wrath to crop to be on the ground, and your others, is mercy to you and your part of that heaven of the saints' house. It is faith's work, to claim heaven, white and ruddy, fair, fair and challenge loving kindness out of and beautiful Jesus were come to all the roughest strokes of God. Do the bloom and the flower, and near that for the Lord, which ye will do your hook, I would not write this: for time time will calm your heart but seeing time's thread is short, at that which God hath done and and ye are upon the entry of healet our Lord have it now. What ven's harvest, and Christ, the field love ye did bear to friends now of heaven's glory is white and ripe dead, seeing they stand now in no like, the losses that I wrote of to need of it, let it fall as just legacy to your Ladyship are but summerChrist. Oh, how sweet to put out showers, that will only wet your garmany strange lovers, and to put in ments for an hour or two, and the Christ! It is much for our half-slain sun of the New Jerusalem shall affections, to part with that which quickly dry the wet coat; especially we believe we have right unto: but seeing rains of affliction cannot stain the servant's will should be our will, the image of God, or cause grace to and he is the best servant who re- cast the colour. And since ye will taineth least of his own will, and not alter upon him, who will not most of his master's. That much wis- change upon you, I durst in weakdom must be ascribed to our Lord, ness think myself no spiritual seer, that he knoweth how to lead his own if I should not prophesy that dayin through and out-through the lit-light is near, when such a morningtle time-hells, and the pieces of time-darkness is upon you; and that this during wraths in this life; and yet trial of your Christian mind towards keep safe his love without any blur him, whom you dare not leave, how, upon the old and great seal of free beit he should slay you, shall close election; and seeing his mountains with a doubled mercy. It is time of brass, the mighty and strong de- for faith to hold fast as much of crees of free grace in Christ, stand Christ as ever ye had, and to make sure, and the covenant standeth fast the grip stronger, and to cleave for ever as the days of heaven, let closer to him; seeing Christ loveth him strike and nurture: his striking to be believed in, and trusted to, must be a very act of saving; seeing The glory of laying strength upon

Your's at all obedience in Christ Jesus. St. Andrews, Oct. 15, 1640.

LETTER XXXVII.

To AGNESS MACMATH. Dear Sister,

S. R.

One that is mighty to save, is more only in some few years, which wearthan we can think: that piece of eth every day shorter, and some service of believing in a smiting Re- short and soon-reckoned summers deemer is a precious part of obedi- will give you a meeting with him; ence. O what glory to him, to lay but what, with him? nay, with betover the burden of our heaven upon ter company, with the Chief and him that purchased for us an eternal Leader of the heavenly troops, that kingdom! O blessed soul, who can are riding on white horses, that are adore and kiss his lovely, free grace triumphing in glory. If death were The rich grace of Christ be with asleep that had no wakening, we your spirit. might sorrow: but our Husband shall quickly be at the bed-sides of all that lye sleeping in the grave, and shall raise their mortal bodies. Christ was death's Cautioner, who gave his word to come and loose all the clay-pawns, and set them at his own right-hand; and our Cautioner, Christ, hath an act of law-surety IF our Lord hath taken away your upon death, to render back his capchild, your lease of him is expired; tives: and that Lord Jesus, who and seeing Christ would want him knoweth the turnings aud windings no longer, it is your part to hold that are in that black trance of your peace, and worship and adore death, hath numbered all the steps the sovereignty and liberty that the of the stair up to heaven; he knowPotter hath over the clay, and pieces eth how long the turnpike is, or how of clay-nothings, that he gave life many pair of stairs high it is; for he unto: and what is man, to call and ascendeth that way himself, Rev. i. summon the Almighty to his lower 18. I was dead and am alive. And court down here? for he giveth ac- now he liveth at the right-hand of count of none of his doings. And God, and his garments have not so ye will take a loan of a child, and much as a smell of death. Your give him back again to our Lord, afflictions smell of the children's laughing, as his borrowed goods case; the children of the house are should return to him; believe, he so nurtured: and suffering is no is not gone away, but sent before; new life, it is but the rent of the and that the change of the country son's; bastards have not so much of should make you think, he is not the rent.. Take kindly and heartlost to you, who is found to Christ; somely with his cross, who never and that he is now before you, and yet slew a child with the cross. He that the dead in Christ shall be breweth your cup; therefore drink raised again. A going-down star it patiently, and with the better is not annihilate, but shall appear will, Stay and wait on till Christ again if he hath casten his bloom loose the knot that fasteneth his and flower, the bloom is fallen in cross on your back; for he is comheaven, in Christ's lap; and as he ing to deliver: and I pray you, siswas lent a while to time, so is he ter, learn to be worthy of his pains, given now to eternity, which will who correcteth; and let him wring, take yourself: and the difference of and be ye washen; for he hath a your shipping and his to heaven and Father's heart and a Father's hand, Christ's shore, the land of life, is who is training you up, and making

if

you meet for the high hall. This shape conceptions of my highest school of suffering is a preparation Lord? How broad, and how high, for the King's higher house; and and how deep he is, above and belet all your visitations speak all the yond what these conceptions are, I letters of your Lord's summons. cannot tell! but for my own weak They cry, 1. O vain world! 2. O practice (which, alas! can be no bitter sin ! 3. O short and uncer- rule to one so deep in love-sickness tain time! 4. O fair eternity, that with Christ as ye are) I would fain is above sickness and death! 5. O add to my thoughts and esteem of kingly and princely Bridegroom! him, and make him more high, and hasten glory's marriage, shorten would wish an heart and love ten time's short-spun and soon broken thousand times wider than the utthread, and conquer sin! 6. O hap-most circle and curtain that goeth py and blessed death, that golden about the heaven of heavens, to enbridge laid over by Christ my Lord, tertain him in that heart, and with betwixt time's clay-banks and hea- that love. But that which is your ven's shore! And the Spirit and pain, my dear brother, is mine also; the bride say, Come! and answer I am confounded with the thoughts ye with them, Even so, come, Lord Jesus, come quickly! Grace be with

you.

Your brother in his sweet Lord Jesus, St. Andrews, Oct. 15th, 1640.

ම

LETTER XXXVIII.

of him. I know God is casten (if I may speak so) in a sweet mould, and lovely image, in the Person of that heaven's Jewel, the Man Christ S. R. and that the steps of that steep ascent and stair to the God-head is the flesh of Christ, the new and liv. ing Way; and there is footing for faith in that curious ark of the huTo Mr. MATTHEW MOWAT. manity; therein dwelleth the GodReverend and dear Brother, head, married upon our humanity. WHAT am I to answer you! Alas! I would be in heaven, suppose I my books are all bare, and shew me had not another errand, but to see little of God: I would fain go be- that dainty golden ark, and God yond books into his house of love, personally looking out at ears and to himself. Dear brother, neither eyes and a body, such as we sinye nor I are parties worthy of his ners have, that I might wear my love or knowledge. Ah! how hath sinful mouth in kisses on him for sin bemisted and blinded us, that evermore; and I know, all the three we cannot see him? But for my poor blessed Persons should be well self, I am pained and like to burst, pleased that my piece of faint because he will not take down the and created love should first coast wall, and fetch his uncreated beau- upon the Man Christ; I should see ty, and bring his matchless, white them all through him. I am called and ruddy face out of heaven one's from writing by my great employ errand, that I may have heaven meet-ments in this town, and have said ing me ere I go to it, in such a won-nothing but what can I say of him? derful sight. Ye know that majes- Let us go and see. ty and love do humble, because homely love to sinners dwelleth in him with majesty: ye should give him all his own court-stiles, his high and heaven-names. What am I, to

Your's in his sweet Lord Jesus, St. Andrews, 1640,

S.

peace

be to

your

the obligation standeth to his free grace, who careth for your Ladyship in this gracious dispensation, and who is preparing and making ready the garments of salvation for you; and who calleth you with a new name, that the mouth of the

GRACE, mercy and Ladyship. I am heartily sorry that your Ladyship is deprived of such an husband, and the Lord's kirk of so active and faithful a friend. Lord hath named, and purposeth to know your Ladyship long ago made make you a crown of glory, and a acquaintance with that, wherein royal diadem in the hand of your Christ will have you joined in a fel- God, Isa Ixii. 2, 3. Ye are obliglowship with himself, even with his ed to frist him more than one heaown cross; and hath taught you to ven; and yet he craveth not a long stay your soul upon the Lord's good-day; it is fast coming and is sure will, who giveth not account of his payment. Though ye give no hire matters to any of us: when he hath for him, yet hath he given a great led you through this water, that was price and ransom for you: and if in your way to glory, there are few- the bargain were to make again, er behind; and his order in dismiss-Christ would give no less for you, ing us, and sending us out of the than what he hath already given; market, one before another, is to he is far from ruing. I shall wish be reverenced. One year's time of you no more till time be gone out of heaven shall swallow all sorrows, up the way, than the earnest of that even beyond all comparison: what which he hath purchased and prethen will not a duration of blessed-pared for you, which can never be ness so long as God shall live fully fully preached, written, or thought and abundantly recompense? It is of, since it hath not entered into good that our Lord hath given us a the heart to consider it. So, reDebitor, obliged by gracious pro. commendiug your Ladyship to the mises, for more in eternity than time rich grace of our Lord Jesus, I am, can take from you; and I believe and rest your Ladyship hath been now many years advising and thinking what that glory will be, which is abiding the pilgrims and strangers on the earth, when they come home, and which we may think of, love, and thirst for, but we cannot comprehend it, nor conceive of it as it is, far less can we over-think or over- GRACE, mercy and peace be to you, love it. O so long a Chapter, or Though I have no relation worldly rather so long à Volume as Christ is, or acquaintance with you, yet (upon in that divinity of glory! There is the testimony and importunity of no more of him let down now, to be your elder son now at London, seen and enjoyed by his children, where I am, but chiefly because I but as much as may feed hunger in esteem Jesus Christ in you to be in this life, but not satisfy it. Your place of all relations) I make bold Ladyship is a debitor to the Son of in Christ to speak my poor thoughts God's cross, that is wearing out to you concerning your son lately love and affiance in the creature of fallen asleep in the Lord (who was your heart by degrees; or rather some time under the ministry of the

Your Ladyship's at all respective observance, in Christ Jesus, St. Andrews.

Mistress,

LETTER XL.
To Mrs. TAYLOR.

S. R

worthy servant of Christ, my fellow and not of Christ's house, (because labourer, Mr. Blair, by whose min of the relation ye have to him in conistry, I hope, he reaped no small formity to his death and sufferings) advantage). I know, grace root-I should the more compassionate eth not out the affections of a mo- your condition; but kind and comther, but putteth them on his wheel, passionate Jesus, at every sigh you who maketh all things new, that give for the loss of your now glorified they may be refined; therefore sor child, (so I believe, as is meet) with row for a dead child is allowed to a man's heart crieth, Half-mine, I you, though by measure and ounce was not a witness to his death, beweights: the redeemed of the Lord ing called out of the kingdom, but hath not a dominion or lordship over ye shall credit those whom I do their sorrow and other affections, to credit, (and I dare not lie) he died lavish out Christ's goods at their comfortably. It is true, he died pleasure: for ye are not your own, before he did so much service to but bought with a price; and your Christ on earth, as I hope and heartsorrow is not your own, nor hath ily desire, your son Mr. Hugh (very he redeemed you by halves; and dear to me in Jesus Christ) shall do; therefore ye are not to make Christ's but that were a real matter of sor cross no cross. He commandeth you row: if this were not to counterbal. to weep: and that princely One, who ance it, that he hath changed ser took up to heaven with him a man's vice-houses, but hath not changed heart to be a compassionate High service or Master, Rev. xxii. 3.' And priest, became your Fellow and there shall be no more curse; but Companion on earth, by weeping the throne of God and of the Lamb for the dead, John xi. 35. And shall be in it, and his servants shall therefore ye are to love that cross, serve him.' What he could have because it was once on Christ's done in this lower house, he is now shoulders before you: so that by upon that same service, in the highhis own practice, he hath over-gilder house; and it is all one, it is the ed and covered your cross with the same service, and the same Master, Mediator's lustre; the cup ye drink only there is a change of conditions: was at the lip of sweet Jesus, and he and ye are not to think it a bad bardrank of it; and so it hath a smell gain for your beloved son, where of his breath and I conceive ye he hath gold for copper and love it not the worse that it is thus brass, eternity for time. I be sugared; therefore drink, and believe lieve Christ hath taught you (for the resurrection of your son's body. I give credit to such a witness If one coal of hell could fall off the of you, as your son Mr. Hugh) not exalted Head, Jesus; Jesus the Prince to sorrow because he died; all the of the kings of the earth, and burn knot must be, he died too soon, he me to ashes, knowing I were a part- died too young, he died in the morn ner with Christ, and a fellow-sharer ing of his life; this is all; but with him, (though the unworthiest sovereignty must silence your of men) I think I should die a lovely thoughts. I was in your condition; death in that fire with him. The I had but two children, and both are worst things of Christ, even his cross, dead since I came hither. The suhave much of heaven from himself; preme and absolute Former of all and so hath your Christian sorrow, things giveth not an account of any being of kin to Christ's in that of his matters; the good Husbandkind; if your sorrow were a bastard, man may pluck his roses, and gather