(_CHRIST'S LOVE--THE THREE WONDERS--DESIRES FOR HIS SECOND COMING._)
GRACE, mercy, and peace be to you. Your not writing to me cannot bind
me up from remembering you now and then, that at least ye may be a
witness, and a third man, to behold on paper what is betwixt Christ
and me. I was in his eyes like a young orphan, wanting known parents,
casten out in the open fields; either Christ behoved to take me up,
and to bring me home to His house and fireside, else I had died in the
fields. And now I am homely with Christ's love, so that I think the
house mine own, and the Master of the house mine also. Christ inquired
not, when He began to love me, whether I was fair, or black, or
sun-burnt; love taketh what it may have. He loved me before this time,
I know; but now I have the flower of _His_ love; His love is come to a
fair bloom, like a young rose opened up out of the green leaves; and
it casteth a strong and fragrant smell. I want nothing but ways of
expressing Christ's love. A full vessel would have a vent. Oh, if I
could smoke out, and cast out coals, to make a fire in many breasts of
this land! Oh! it is a pity that there were not many imprisoned for
Christ, were it for no other purpose than to write books and
love-songs of the love of Christ. This love would keep all created
tongues of men and angels in exercise, and busy night and day, to
speak of it. Alas! I can speak nothing of it, but wonder at three
things in His love:--_First_, freedom. O that lumps of sin should get
such love for nothing! _Secondly_, the sweetness of His love. I give
over either to speak or write of it; but those that feel it, may
better bear witness what it is. But it is so sweet, that, next to
Christ Himself, nothing can match it. Nay, I think that a soul could
live eternally blessed only on Christ's love, and feed upon no other
thing. Yea, when Christ in love giveth a blow, it doeth a soul good;
and it is a kind of comfort and joy to it to get a cuff with the
lovely, sweet, and soft hand of Jesus. And, _thirdly_, what power and
strength are in His love! I am persuaded it can climb a steep hill,
with hell upon its back; and swim through water and not drown; and
sing in the fire, and find no pain; and triumph in losses, prisons,
sorrows, exile, disgrace, and laugh and rejoice in death. O for a
year's lease of the sense of His love without a cloud, to try what
Christ is! O for the coming of the Bridegroom! Oh, when shall I see
the Bridegroom and the Bride meet in the clouds, and kiss each other!
Oh, when will we get our day, and our heart's fill of that love! Oh,
if it were lawful to complain of the famine of that love, and want of
the immediate vision of God! O time, time! how dost thou torment the
souls of those that would be swallowed up of Christ's love, because
thou movest so slowly! Oh, if He would pity a poor prisoner, and blow
love upon me, and give a prisoner a taste or draught of that
sweetness, which is glory as it were begun, to be a confirmation that
Christ and I shall have our fill of each other for ever! Come hither,
O love of Christ, that I may once kiss thee before I die! What would I
not give to have time, that lieth betwixt Christ and me, taken out of
the way, that we might once meet! I cannot think but that, at the
first sight I shall see of that most lovely and fairest face, love
will come out of His two eyes, and fill me with astonishment. I would
but desire to stand at the outer side of the gates of the New
Jerusalem, and look through a hole of the door, and see Christ's face.
A borrowed vision in this life would be my borrowed and begun heaven,
whill the long, long-looked-for day dawn. It is not for nothing that
it is said, "Christ in you the hope of glory" (Col. i. 27). I will be
content of no pawn of heaven but Christ Himself; for Christ, possessed
by faith here, is young heaven, and glory in the bud. If I had that
pawn, I would bide horning and hell both, ere I gave it again. All
that we have here is scarce the picture of glory. Should not we young
bairns long and look for the expiring of our minority? It were good to
be daily begging propines and love-gifts, and the Bridegroom's
favours; and, if we can do no more, to seek crumbs, and hungry dinners
of Christ's love, to keep the taste of heaven in our mouth whill
supper-time. I know it is far after noon, and nigh the marriage-supper
of the Lamb; the table is covered already. O Well-beloved, run, run
fast! O fair day, when wilt thou dawn! O shadows, flee away! I think
hope and love, woven through other, make our absence from Christ
spiritual torment. It is a pain to wait on; but hope that maketh not
ashamed swalloweth up that pain. It is not unkindness that keepeth
Christ and us so long asunder. What can I say to Christ's love? I
think more than I can say. To consider, that when my Lord Jesus may
take the air (if I may so speak), and go abroad, yet He will be
confined and keep the prison with me! But, in all this sweet communion
with Him, what am I to be thanked for? I am but a sufferer. Whether I
will or not, He will be kind to me; as if He had defied my guiltiness
to make Him unkind, He so beareth His love in on me. Here I die with
wondering, that justice hindereth not love; for there are none in
hell, nor out of hell, more unworthy of Christ's love. Shame may
confound and scaur me once to hold up my black mouth to receive one of
Christ's undeserved kisses. If my innerside were turned out, and all
men saw my vileness, they would say to me, "It is a shame for thee to
stand still whill Christ kiss thee and embrace thee." It would seem
to become me rather to run away from His love, as ashamed at my own
unworthiness; nay, I may think shame to take heaven, who have so
highly provoked my Lord Jesus. But seeing Christ's love will shame me,
I am content to be shamed. My desire is, that my Lord would give me
broader and deeper thoughts, to feed myself with wondering at His
love. I would I could weigh it, but I have no balance for it. When I
have worn my tongue to the stump, in praising of Christ, I have done
nothing to Him. I must let Him alone, for my withered arms will not go
about His high, wide, long, and broad love. What remaineth, then, but
that my debt to the love of Christ lie unpaid for all eternity? All
that are in heaven are black-shamed with His love as well as I. We
must all be dyvours together; and the blessing of that houseful, or
heavenful, of dyvours shall rest for ever upon Him. Oh, if this land
and nation would come and stand beside His inconceivable and glorious
perfections, and look in, and love, and adore! Would to God I could
bring in many lovers to Christ's house! But this nation hath forsaken
the Fountain of living waters. Lord, cast not water on Scotland's
coal. Wo, wo will be to this land, because of the day of the Lord's
fierce anger that is so fast coming.
Grace be with you.
Your affectionate brother, in our Lord Jesus,