(_CHRIST'S BEAUTY AND EXCELLENCE._)
MISTRESS,--Grace, mercy, and peace be to you. I can bear witness in my
bonds, that Christ is still the longer the better; and no worse, yea,
inconceivably better than He is (or can be) called. I think it half a
heaven to have my fill of the smell of His sweet breath, and to sleep
in the arms of Christ my Lord, with His left hand under my head and
His right hand embracing me. There is no great reckoning to be made of
the withering of my flower, in comparison of the foul and manifest
wrongs done to Christ. Nay, let never the dew of God lie upon my
branches again, let the bloom fall from my joy, and let it wither, let
the Almighty blow out my candle, so being the Lord might be great
among Jews and Gentiles, and His oppressed church delivered. Let
Christ fare well, suppose I should eat ashes. I know that He must be
sweet Himself, when His cross is so sweet. And it is the part of us
all, if we marry Himself, to marry the crosses, losses, and reproaches
also, that follow Him. For mercy followeth Christ's cross. His prison,
for beauty, is made of marble and ivory; His chains, that are laid on
His prisoners, are golden chains; and the sighs of the prisoners of
hope are perfumed with comforts, the like whereof cannot be bred or
found on this side of sun and moon. Follow on after His love; tire not
of Christ, but come in, and see His beauty and excellency, and feed
your soul upon Christ's sweetness. This world is not yours, neither
would I have your heaven made of such metal as mire and clay. Ye have
the choice and wale of all lovers in heaven or out of heaven, when ye
have Christ, the only delight of God His Father. Climb up the mountain
with joy, and faint not; for time will cut off the men who pursue
Christ's followers. Our best things here have a worm in them; our
joys, besides God, in the inner half are but woes and sorrows. Christ,
Christ is that which our love and desires can sleep sweetly and rest
safely upon.
Now the very God of peace establish you in Christ. Help a prisoner
with your prayers, and entreat that our Lord would be pleased to visit
me with a sight of His beauty in His house, as He has sometimes done.
Grace be with you.
Yours, in his sweet Jesus,