Vol 16 - TO ALEXANDER GORDON, OF EARLSTOUN.

TO ALEXANDER GORDON, OF EARLSTOUN.
MUCH HONORED SIR,
SEEING our LORD has been pleased to break the snare of your adversaries, I heartily bless our LORD on your behalf. Our crosses for CHRIST are not made of iron; they are of more gentle metal. It is easy for God To make a fool of the Devil, the father of all fools. I know your Lord has something to do with you, because SATAN and malice have shot sore at you; but your bow abideth in its strength: let CHRIST have all the glory. I see that CHRIST can borrow a cross for some hours, and set his servants beside it, rather than under it, and make glory to himself, and shame to his enemies, and comfort to his children, out of it: But whether CHRIST buy or borrow crosses,: he is King of crosses, and King of devils,: and King over hell, and King over malice. When he was in the grave, he came out, and brought the keys with him. He is lordgaoler. Nay, what say I He is Captain of the castle, and he has the keys of death and hell. And what are our troubles but little deaths And He who commandeth the great castle, commandeth the little also. 2. I see that a hardened face, and two skins upon our brows, against the winterhail and stormy wind, are meetest for a poor traveler, in a winter journey to heaven. O what art is it to learn to endure hardness, and to learn to go barefooted, either through the Devil's fiery coals, or his frozen waters8. I am persuaded, that, a seaventure with CHRIST maketh great riches. Is not our King JESUS's ship coming home, and shall not we get part of the gold Alas, we fools miscount our gain, when we seem, losers. " To you it is given to suffer." O what fools are we, to undervalue his gifts! If we be faithful, our tackling shall not loose, nor our mast break, nor our sails blow into the sea., The bastard crosses, the baseborn crosses, of worldlings for evildoing, must be heavy and grievous; but our afflictions are light.—4. I am happy that my salvation is credited to CHRIST'S mediation. CHRIST oweth no faith to me; but O what faith and credit I owe to him! Let my name fall, and let CHRIST's name stand in honor with men and angels.—5. I wondered. once at Providence; and called white Providence black and unjust, that I should be smothered in a `town where no soul will. take CHRIST from my hand. But Providence has another lustre with God, than with my bleared eyes. I proclaim myself a blind body, who know not black and white in the uncouth course of GOD’s Providence. Suppose CHIRST would set hell where heaven is, and Devils up in glory, beside the elect Angels, (which yet cannot' be,) I would I had a heart to acquiesce in his way, without further dispute. I see that infinite wisdom is the Mother of his judgments, and his ways are past finding out.—6. I cannot learn, but I desire to learn, to bring my thoughts, will, and desires, under CHRIST'S feet, that he may trample upon them, but) alas! I am still upon CHRIST'S wrong side. Grace be with you
S.R.