Vol 16 - TO THE LADY HALHILL.

TO THE LADY HALHILL.
DEAR AND CHRISTIAN LADY,
GRACE, mercy, and peace, be to you! I cannot but ac-quaint your Ladyship with the kind dealing of CHRIST to my soul in this house of my pilgrimage; that your Lady-ship may know that CHRIST is as good as he is called. For, at my first entry into this trial, (being troubled with jealousies of his love, whose name and testimony I now bear in my bonds,) I feared nothing more, than that I was cast over the dike of the vineyard, as a dry tree; but blessed be his great name, the dry tree was in the fire, and was not burned; his dew came down and quickened the root of a withered plant; and now he is come again with joy, and has been pleased to feast his afflicted prisoner with the joys of his consolations. Now I weep, but am not sad: I am chastened, but I die not: I have loss, but I want nothing: this water cannot drown me, this fire cannot burn me, because of " the good-will of Him that dwelt in the bush." The worst things of CHRIST, his reproaches, or his cross, are better than Egypt's treasures. He has opened his door, and taken into his " banqueting house " a poor sinner, and has left me so a sick of love for my LORD JESUS, that if heaven were at my disposal, I would give it for CHRIST, and would not be content to go to heaven, except I were persuaded CHRIST were there. I would not give nor exchange my sighs for all the world's laughter. This clay-idol, the world, has no great court in my soul: CHRIST has come, and carried away with him to heaven my heart and my love, so that neither heart nor love is mine; I pray GOD, that CHRIST may keep both without reversion. If my part of this world's clay were sold, I would think it dear at the price of a drink of water. I see CHRIST'S love is so kingly, that it must have a throne all alone in the soul. I see apples beguile children, although they be worm-eaten; and so the moth-eaten pleasures of this present world make children believe that ten is a hundred: and yet all that are here are but shadows; if they would draw aside the curtain that hangs between them and CHRIST, they would think themselves fools, who have so long mistaken the * SON of GOD. I seek no more, next to heaven, but that he may be glorified in a prisoner of CHRIST; and that in my behalf many would praise his high and glorious name, who heareth the sighing of' the prisoner. CHRIST be with you!
Aberdeen,
March 14, 1637.