Vol 16 - TO ALEXANDER GORDON, OF KNOCKGRAY.

TO ALEXANDER GORDON, OF KNOCKGRAY.
Dearest and truly honored Brother,
GRACE, mercy, and, peace, be to you! I have seen no. letter front. you since I came to Aberdeen; 1 will not interpret it to be forgetfulness. 1: am here in a, fair prison; CHRIST is my sweet and honorable fellow prisoner, and I his sad and. joyful LORD prisoner, if 1: may speak so. I think this cross becometh me well, and is suitable to me, in respect of my duty. to suffer for CHRIST, although not in regard of my deserving to be thus honored. However. it be, I see CHRIST is strong, even lying in the dust, in prison, and in banishment. Losses and disgraces are the wheels of his triumphing chariot. In the sufferings of his saints, as he intends their good, so he intends his own glory; and CHRIST shooteth not at random, he hitteth what he purposeth to hit: therefore he does make his own weak nothings, who are the contempt of men, " a new sharp threshing instrument, having teeth, to thresh the mountains, and beat them small, and to make the hills as chaff, and to fan them! " (Isa. )li. 15, 16.) What harder stuff, or harder grain for threshing out, than high and rocky mountains But the saints are GOD’s threshing instruments to beat them all into chaff. Let fools laugh the fools' laughter, and SCORN CHRIST, and bid the weeping captives in Babylon " sing one of the songs of Zion; " no created powers in hell, or out of hell, can mar our LORD JESUS's music, nor spoil our song of joy. Let us then be glad and rejoice in the salvation of our LORD; for faith had never yet cause to have wet cheeks, or to droop and die. What can ail faith, seeing CHRIST suffereth himself (with reverence to Him be it spoken) to be commanded by it, and CHRIST commandeth all things Faith may dance, because CHRIST sings; and we may come in the choir, and lift our hoarse and rough voices, and sing, and shout for joy with our LORD JESUS. If God were dead, (if I may speak so, with reverence of Him who liveth for ever and ever,) and CHRIST buried, and laid among the worms, we might have cause to look like dead folks. But, " the LORD liveth, and blessed be the rock of our salvation." (Psal. 18:46.) None have right to joy but we; for joy is sown for us, and an ill summer or harvest will not spoil the crop. I cannot but speak what I have felt; my LORD JESUS has broken a box of spikenard upon the head of his poor prisoner, and it is a pain to smother CHRIST'S love; it will be out, whether we will or not. If we did but speak according to the matter, a cross for CHRIST should have another name; yea, a cross, especially when he cometh with his arms full of joys, is the happiest hard tree that ever was laid upon my weak shoulder. CHRIST and his cross together are sweet company, and a blessed couple. My prison is my palace; my sorrow is pregnant with joy; my losses are rich losses; my pain is easy pain; my heavy days are holy and happy days. I may tell a new tale of CHRIST to my friends. O that I could make a song of him, and could commend CHRIST, and tune his praises aright! Is it not great art in my LORD, that he can bring forth such fair apples out of this crabbed tree of the cross Grace be with you!
Aberdeen, June 16, 1637.
Yours in his LORD JESUS,
S.R.