(HIS EXPERIENCE OF CHRIST'S LOVE--STATE OF THE LAND AND CHURCH--CHRIST
NOT DULY ESTEEMED--DESIRES AFTER HIM, AND FOR A REVIVAL.)
MISTRESS,--Although not acquaint, yet because we are Father's
children, I thought good to write unto you. Howbeit my first discourse
and communing with you of Christ be in paper, yet I have cause, since
I came hither, to have no paper thoughts of Him. For, in my sad days,
He is become the flower of my joys; and I but lie here living upon His
love, but cannot get so much of it as fain I would have; not because
Christ's love is lordly, and looketh too high, but because I have a
narrow vessel to receive His love, and I look too low. But I give,
under my own hand-write, to you a testimonial of Christ and His cross,
that they are a sweet couple, and that Christ hath never yet been set
in His own due chair of honour amongst us all. Oh, I know not where to
set Him! Oh, for a high seat to that royal princely One! Oh that my
poor withered soul had once a running-over flood of that love to put
sap into my dry root, and that that flood would spring out to the
tongue and pen, to utter great things, to thehigh and due
commendation of such a fair One! O holy, holy, holy One! Alas, there
are too many dumb tongues in the world, and dry hearts, seeing there
is employment in Christ for them all, and ten thousand worlds of men
and angels more, to set on high and exalt the greatest Prince of the
kings of the earth! Woe is me that bits of living clay dare come out
to rush hard-heads with Him;[382] and that my unkind mother, this
harlot-kirk, hath given her sweet half-marrow such a meeting. For this
land hath given up with Christ, and the Lord is cutting Scotland in
two halves, and sending the worst half, the harlot-sister, over to
Rome's brothel-house, to get her fill of Egypt's love. I would my
sufferings (nay, suppose I were burnt quick to ashes) might buy an
agreement betwixt His fairest and sweetest love, and His gaddy (Jer.
ii. 36) lewd wife. Fain would I give Christ His welcome-home to
Scotland again, if He would return. This is a black day, a day of
clouds and darkness; for the roof-tree of the fair temple of my Lord
Jesus is fallen, and Christ's back is towards Scotland. Oh, thrice
blessed are they who would hold Christ with their tears and prayers! I
know ye will help to deal with Him; for He shall return again to this
land. The next day shall be Christ's, and there shall be a fair green
young garden for Christ in this land, and God's summer-dew shall lie
on it all the night, and we shall sing again our new marriage-song to
our Bridegroom, concerning His vineyard. But who knoweth whether we
shall live and see it?
[382] Perhaps referring to Job xv. 26, though some have referred to a
game wherein "_Hard-heads_," a small Scotch coin, was used. In his
"Christ Dying and Drawing," p. 178, he writes, "Is it wisdom to knock
hard-heads with God?" So in Sermon on Zech. xiii. 7, 8.
I hear the Lord hath taken pains to afflict and dress you, as a
fruitful vine for Himself. Grow and be green, and cast out your
branches, and bring forth fruit. Fat and green and fruitful may ye be,
in the true and sappy root. Grace, grace, free grace be your portion.
Remember my bonds with prayers and praises.
Yours, in his sweet Lord Jesus,