Vol 16 - TO JOHN FLEMYIMING, BAILLIE OF LEITH.

TO JOHN FLEMYIMING, BAILLIE OF LEITH
Much honored in the LORD,
GRACE, mercy, and peace, be to you! I am still on good terms with CHRIST. However my LORD's wind blow, I have the advantage of a calm and sunny side of CHRIST. Devils, and hell, and devils' servants, are all blown blind, in pursuing the LORD's chosen. " They shall be as a nightdream, who fight against Mount Zion." Worthy: Sir, I hope ye take to heart the worth of your calling. The port is open for us: as fast as time weareth out, we flee away: eternity is at our elbow. O how blest are they, who in time make CHRIST sure for themselves! Salvation is a great errand; I find it hard to fetch heaven. O that we could take pains with our lamps, for the Bridegroom's coming! The other side of this world will be turned up incontinent; and up shall become down; and these that are weeping in sack does shall triumph on white horses, with him whose name is " THE WORD OF GOD." These dying idols, the fair creatures which we love better than our Creator, will pass away like snowwater. The GODhead, the GODhead,a communion with God in CHRIST, —to be halvers with CHRIST of. the purchased inheritance in heaven,—should be your, scope and aim. For myself, when 1 lay my accounts, O what weighing is in CHRIST! O love, surpassing love in JESUS! I have no fault to find with that love, but that it seems to deal niggardly with me; I have little of it. O that I had CHRIST'S hand, subscribed by himself, for my fill: of it! What garland have I, or what crown, if I looked right on things, but a JESUS. O there is no roomin us, on. this side of the water, for, that love! This narrow earth, and these narrow souls, can hold little of it. Glory would enlarge us, that we might he able to comprehend it, which yet is incomprehensible. Grace be with you!
Aberdeen,
Yours in his LORD JESUS,
Sept. 7, 1637.
S. R.
MADAM,
I REJOICE in our LORD JESUS on your behalf, that it hath pleased him to manifest the savor of his love in CHRIST JESUS to your soul, in the revelation of his will. And mind to you, now, when so many are shut up in unbelief. O the sweet change you have made, in leaving the black kingdom of this world and sin, and coming over to our SAVIOR'S new kingdom, so as to know, and to be captivated by, the love of the SON of GOD. I beseech you, Madam, in the LORD, make now sure work; and see that the old house based from the foundation, and that the new building of your soul be of CHRIST'S own laying; for then wind and storm shall neither loose it, nor shake it asunder. Many now take CHRIST by guess: be sure that it be he; and only he, whom ye have met with. His lovely voice,’his fair countenance, his sweet working in the soul, will not lie; they will soon tell if it be CHRIST indeed: therefore be sure that ye take' CHRIST himself, and take him with his FATHER's blessing. Your lines are well fallen; it could not have been better, nor so well with you, if they had not fallen in these places; in heaven, or out of heaven, there is nothing better, nothing so excellent as CHRIST. Much joy may ye have of Him! But take his cross with himself cheerfully: CHRIST and his cross are not separable in this life, although CHRIST and his cross part at heaven's door; for there is no room for crosses in heaven. One tear, one sigh, one sad heart, one fear, one loss, or thought of trouble, cannot find lodging there; they are but the marks of our LORD JESUS down in this stormy country, and on, this side of death. Sorrow and the saints are not married together; or, suppose it be so, heaven shall make a divorce. I find that his sweet presence eats out the bitterness of sorrow and suffering. I think it a sweet thing, that CHRIST says of my cross, " Halfmine; " and that he divideth these sufferings with me, and taketh the largest share to himself; nay, that I and my whole cross are wholly CHRIST'S. O what a portion is CHRIST! O that the saints would dig deeper in the treasures of his wisdom and excellency!
Thus, recommending your Ladyship to the goodwill and tender mercies of our LORD, I rest
Aberdeen,
Your Ladyship's,
S.R.