Rutherford Revised (260)

260. To Alexander Gordon of Earlston                                         From  Aberdeen Sep 12 1637

(See letters 64,160,21)

Much honoured sir, - Though I would have been glad to have seen you; yet seeing our Lord has been pleased to break the snare of our enemies, I heartily bless our Lord on your behalf. Our crosses for Christ are not made of iron; they are softer and of more gentle metal. It is easy for Gd to make a fool of the devil, the father of all fools. As for me, I only breath out what my Lord breathes in, the scum and froth of my letters I father on my own unbelieving heart. I know your Lord has something to do with you, because Satan and malice have shot at you; but your bow stays strong. You will not by my advice go halves with Christ,  to divide the glory of our deliverance between yourself and Him, or any other second means what soever. Let Christ (as it sets Him well)have all the glory and triumph, His alone.The Lord set himself on high in you.
   1. I see that Christ can borrow a cross for some hours, and put His servants alongside it, rather than under it, and win the contest too, and make glory for Himself and shame for His enemies, and comforts to His children out of it. But whether Christ buys or borrows 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 Lord Jailer; no, what do I say? 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 commands the great castle commands the little also.
   2. I see that a hardened face, and two skins on our brows against the winter hail and stormy  wind, is fitting for a poor traveller in a winter journey to heaven. Oh what skill it is to learn to endure hardness, and to learn to go barefooted either through the devil's fiery coals, of his frozen waters!
  3. I am persuaded that sea journey with Christ makes great riches,: is not the ship of our King Jesus coming home and will we not get part of the gold? Alas, we fools miscount our gain when we seem losers. Believe me, I have no challenged against this well borne cross: for it comes from Christ's house, and is honourable and is a gift. 'Tto you it is given to suffer.' - Oh, what fools we are too undervalue His gifts, and lightly weigh what is true honour. For if we could be faithful, our tackle will not be loose, or our mast break, or our sails blow into the sea, the bastard crosses, the family less and low born crosses of worldlings for evil doing must be heavy and grievous; but our troubles are light and momentary.
   4, I think myself happy that I have lost credit with Christ, and in this bargain I am Christ's sworn bankrupt, to whom He will entrust nothing, no, not one pin in the work of my salvation. Let me stand in black and white in the debtor book before Christ. I am happy that my salvation is fully entrusted to Christ's mediation. Christ does not owe faith to me, to trust anything to me; but oh, what faith and credit I owe to Him.  Let my name fall, and Christ's name stand in honour with men and angels. Alas, I have no room to spread out my affection before God's people; and I do not see how I can shut out and try out the loveliness, the high honour, and the glory of my fairest Lord Jesus. Oh, the He would let me have a bed to lie on, to have my birth delivered, that I might paint Him out in His loyalty to men, as I desire.
   5. I once wondered at providence, and called white providence back and unjust, that I should be smothered in a town where no soul will take Chris off my hand. But providence has another luster with God than with my blurred eyes. I proclaim myself a blind body, who does not know black and white, in the unknown course of God's providence. Suppose the Christ should put hell where heaven is, and devils up in glory beside the elect angels (which yet cannot be), I wish I had a heart to agree with His way, without further dispute. I see the infinite wisdom is the mother of His judgements, and His ways pass finding out.
   I cannot learn but I want to learn, to bring my thoughts, will and lusts, in under Christ's feet, that He may trample on them. But alas, I am still on Christ's wrong side.
   Grace be with you.
      Yours, in his sweet Lord Jesus,  S.R.