[This may be a son of George Gordon, who is recorded as heir to
the estate of "Whytpark," March 20, 1628. It was not, in the
parish of Anwoth, but close to Castle Douglas.]
(_NOTHING LOST BY TRIALS--LONGING FOR CHRIST HIMSELF BECAUSE OF HIS
LOVE._)
WORTHY SIR,--Grace, mercy, and peace be unto you. I long to hear from
you. I am here the Lord's prisoner and patient, handled as softly by
my Physician as if I were a sick man under a cure. I was at hard terms
with my Lord, and pleaded with Him, but I had the worst side. It is a
wonder that He should have suffered the like of me to have nicknamed
the Son of His love, Christ, and to call Him a changed Lord, who hath
forsaken me. But misbelief hath never a good word to speak of Christ.
The dross of my cross gathered a scum of fears in the fire--doubtings,
impatience, unbelief, challenging of Providence as sleeping, and as
not regarding my sorrow; but my goldsmith, Christ, was pleased to take
off the scum, and burn it in the fire. And, blessed be my Refiner, He
hath made the metal better, and furnished new supply of grace, to
cause me hold out weight; and I hope that He hath not lost one
grain-weight by burning His servant. Now His love in my heart casteth
a mighty heat; He knoweth that the desire I have to be at Himself
paineth me. I have sick nights and frequent fits of love-fevers for
my Well-beloved. Nothing paineth me now but want of His presence. I
think it long till day. I challenge time as too slow in its pace, that
holdeth my only fair one, my love, my Well-beloved from me. Oh, if we
were together once! I am like an old crazed ship that hath endured
many storms, and that would fain be in the lee of the shore, and
feareth new storms; I would be that nigh heaven, that the shadow of it
might break the force of the storm, and the crazed ship might win to
land. My Lord's sun casteth a heat of love and beam of light on my
soul. My blessing thrice every day upon the sweet cross of Christ! I
am not ashamed of my garland, "the banished minister," which is the
term of Aberdeen. Love, love defieth reproaches. The love of Christ
hath a corslet of proof on it, and arrows will not draw blood of it.
We are more than conquerors through the blood of Him that loved us
(Rom. viii. 37). The devil and the world cannot wound the love of
Christ. I am further from yielding to the course of defection than
when I came hither. Sufferings blunt not the fiery edge of love. Cast
love into the floods of hell, it will swim above. It careth not for
the world's busked and plastered offers. It hath pleased my Lord so to
line my heart with the love of my Lord Jesus, that, as if the field
were already won, and I on the other side of time, I laugh at the
world's golden pleasures, and at this dirty idol which the sons of
Adam worship. This worm-eaten god is that which my soul hath fallen
out of love with.
Sir, ye were once my hearer: I desire now to hear from you and your
wife. I salute her and your children with blessings. I am glad that ye
are still handfasted with Christ. Go on in your journey, and take the
city by violence. Keep your garments clean. Be clean virgins to your
husband the Lamb. The world shall follow you to heaven's gates: and ye
would not wish it to go in with you. Keep fast Christ's love. Pray for
me, as I do for you.
The Lord Jesus be with your spirit.
Yours, in his sweet Lord Jesus,