Vol 16 - TO THE LADY BUSBIE.

TO THE LADY BUSBIE.
I KNOW, ye are thinking sometimes what CHRIST is doing in Zion. O that this nation would be awakened, to cry mightily unto Go D for the setting up of a new tabernacle tO'CHR1ST! O that this kingdom knew how worthy CHRIST is of his room! His worth was ever above man's estimation of him. And, for myself, I am pained at the heart,' that I cannot find myself disposed to leave myself, and go wholly in to CHRIST. Alas that there should be one bit of me out of him, and that we leave too much liberty and latitude for ourselves, and our own ease, and credit, and pleasures, and so little room for CHRIST! O what. pains and charges it costs CHRIST before he gets us! And, when all is done, we are not worth the having: it is a wonder that he should seek th e like of us; but love overlooketh blackness; for, if it had not been so, CHRIST would never have made so fair and blessed a bargain with us as the covenant of grace is. Our LORD intends, in all our, sufferings, to bring grace into request amongst us. I should come short of heaven, if I had no more but my own strength to support me; and if CHRIST should say to me, " Either do or die," it were easy to determine what should become of me: The choice is very easy, for I behooved to die, if CHRIST should pass by with straitened bowels; and who then would take us up in our straits I know CHRIST is kindest in his love when we are at our weakest, else " the waters had gone over our soul." His mercy has a set period and appointed place, how far, and no farther, the sea of affliction shall flow, and where the waves thereof shall be stayed: He prescribeth how much pain and sorrow, both for weight and measure, we must have. Ye have then good cause to recall your love from all lovers, and give it to CHRIST: He who is afflicted in all your afflictions, looketh not on you, in your sad hours, with an insensible heart or dry eyes. All the LORD's children may see, that it is lost love which is bestowed upon this perishing world: Death and judgment will make men lament that ever their miscarrying hearts carried them to lavish their love upon false appearances. Alas that CHRIST should fare the worse, because of his own goodness in making peace and the Gospel ride together; and that we have never yet weighed the worth of CHRIST and his ordinances; and that we are like to be deprived of the well, before we have tasted the sweetness of the water! It may be that with watery eyes, and a wet face, and wearied feet, we may seek CHRIST, and shall not find him. O that this land were humbled in time; and, by prayers, cries, and humiliation, would bring CHRIST in at the church-door again, now when his back is turned towards us, and he is gone to the threshold, and his one foot (as it were) is out of the door! I am sure his departure is our deserving, we have bought it with our iniquities; for, alas! professors are made all of shows and fashions, and are not at pains to recover themselves again. Every one contenteth himself with a stinted measure of Godliness, as if that were. enough to bring them to heaven. We forget, that as our gifts and light grow, so GOD’s gain and the interest of his talents should grow also; and that we cannot pay GOD with the old use, which we gave him seven years ago; for this were to mock the LORD. O what difficulty is there in our Christian journey, and how often come we short of many thousand things that are CHRIST'S due!
I remember you unto the LORD, as I am able: I entreat you, think upon me his prisoner, and pray, that the Lon]) would be pleased to give me room to speak to his people in his name. Grace, grace be with you!
Aberdeen, 1636.
Yours in his LORD and Master,
S. R.