To the Noble and Christian Lady, the Viscountess of Kenmure — Letter 5

My very honorable and dear Lady.

Grace, mercy, and peace be to you. I cannot forget your ladyship and that sweet child; I desire to hear what the Lord is doing to you and him. To write to me were charity. I cannot but write to my friends that Christ has trysted me in Aberdeen, and my adversaries have sent me here to be feasted with love-banquets with my royal, high, high, and princely King Jesus. Madam, why should I smother Christ's honesty? I dare not conceal his goodness to my soul. He looked framed and uncouth upon me when I came first here, but I believe himself better than his looks. I shall not again quarrel Christ for a frown; now he has taken the mask off his face and says 'kiss your fill,' and what can I have more, while I get great heaven in my little arms. O how sweet are the sufferings of Christ, for Christ! God forgive them that raise an ill report upon the sweet cross of Christ; it is but our weak and dim eyes that look but to the black side that makes us mistake. Those who can take that crabbed tree handsomely upon their back and fasten it on carefully shall find it such a burden as wings to a bird, or sails to a ship. Madam, rue not of your having chosen the better part. Upon my salvation this is Christ's truth I now suffer for; if I found but cold comfort in my sufferings, I would not beguile others — I would have told you plainly. But the truth is Christ's crown, his scepter, and the freedom of his kingdom is that which is now called in question; because we will not allow that Christ pay tribute and be a vassal to the shields of the earth, therefore the sons of our mother are angry at us. But it becomes not Christ to hold any man's stirrup. It were a sweet and honorable death to die for the honor of that royal and princely King Jesus. His love is a mystery to the world. I would not have believed that there was so much in Christ as there is. 'Come and see' makes Christ to be known in his excellency and glory. I wish all this nation knew how sweet his breath is. It is little to see Christ in a book, as men do the world in a chart; they talk of Christ by the book and the tongue, and no more. But to come near Christ and embrace him is another thing. Madam, I write to your honor for your encouragement in that honorable profession Christ has honored you with. You have gotten the sunny side of the hill, and the best of Christ's good things; he has not given you the bastard's portion. And however you get strokes and sour looks from your Lord, yet believe his love more than your own feeling, for this world can take nothing from you that is truly yours, and death can do you no wrong. Your rock does not ebb and flow, but your sea. That which Christ has said he will abide by; he will be your tutor; you shall not get your charters of heaven to play with. It is good that you have lost your credit with Christ, and that Lord Freewill shall not be your tutor. Christ will not entrust the taking of you to heaven to yourself, nor any deputy, but only to himself. Blessed be your tutor! When your head shall appear, your bridegroom and Lord, your day shall then dawn and it shall never have an afternoon nor an evening shadow. Let your child be Christ's; let him stay beside you as the Lord's pledge, that you shall willingly render again if God will. Madam, I find folks here kind to me, but in the night and under their breath. My master's cause may not come to the crown of the causeway. Others are kind according to their fashion; many think me a strange man and my cause not good, but I care not much for man's thoughts or approbation. I think no shame of the cross. The preachers of this town pretend great love, but the prelates have added to the rest this gentle cruelty (for so they think of it) to discharge me of the pulpits of this town. The people murmur and cry out against it. And to speak truly, however Christ is most indulgent to me otherwise, yet my silence on the Lord's day keeps me from being exalted above measure, and from startling in the heat of my Lord's love. Some people affect me, for which cause I hear the preachers here purpose to have my confinement changed to another place; so cold is northern love. But Christ and I will bear it. I have wrestled long with this sad silence. I said, what ails Christ at my service? And my soul has been at a pleading with Christ, at yes and no. But I will yield to him, providing my suffering may preach more than my tongue did, for I gave not Christ an inch but for twice as good again. In a word, I am a fool, and he is God. I will hold my peace hereafter. Let me hear from your ladyship and your dear child. Pray for a prisoner of Christ who is mindful of your ladyship. Remember my obliged obedience to my good Lady Mar. Grace, grace be with you. I write and pray blessings to your sweet child.

Aberdeen, November 22, 1636. Yours in all dutiful obedience in his only Lord Jesus, S. R.