Tried With Fire

The sands of time are sinking, The dawn of heaven breaks; The summer morn I’ve sighed for - The fair, sweet morn awakes: Dark, dark had been the midnight But dayspring is at hand, And glory, glory dwelleth In Emmanuel’s land. O Christ, He is the fountain, The deep, sweet well of love! The streams on earth I’ve taste More deep I’ll drink above: There to an ocean fullness His mercy doth expand, And glory, glory dwelleth In Emmanuel’s land. The bride eyes not her garment, But her dear Bridegroom’s face; I will not gaze at glory But on my King of grace. Not at the crown He giveth But on His pierced hand; The Lamb is all the glory Of Emmanuel’s land. O I am my Beloved’s And my Beloved is mine! He brings a poor vile sinner Into His house of wine I stand upon His merit - I know no other stand, ...

Excerpt from the letter to Earlston, younger ~ Aberdeen, 1637 O that we could breathe out new hope, and new submission every day, into Christ's lap! For certainly, a weight of glory well weighed, yea, increasing to a far more exceeding and eternal weight, shall recompense both weight and length of light and short-dated crosses. Our waters are but ebb, and come neither to our chin, nor to the stopping of our breath. I may see (if I would borrow eyes from Christ) dry land, and that near; why then should we not laugh at adversity, and scorn our short-born and soon-dying temptations! I rejoice in the hope of the glory to be revealed; for it is no uncertain glory we look for. Our hope is not hung upon an untwisted thread as, 'I imagine so,' or 'It is likely'; but the cable, the strong tow of our fastened anchor, is the oath and promise of Him who is eternal verity. Our salvation is fastened with God's own hand and with Christ's own strength to the strong stoup of...

To Lady Kenmure Anworth, 26, June 1630 Madam, Grace, mercy, and peace be multiplied upon you. I received your Ladyship's letter, in the which I perceive your case in this world savoureth of worship and communion with the Son of God, in his sufferings. You cannot, you must not have a more pleasant or more easy condition here, than he had, who 'through afflictions was made perfect ' [Heb 2.10]. We may indeed think, Cannot God bring us to heaven with ease and prosperity? Who doubteth but he can? But his infinite wisdom thinketh and decreeth the contrary; and though we cannot see a reason for it, yet he hath a most just reason. We never with our eyes saw our own soul, yet we have a soul; we see many rivers, but we know not their first spring and original fountain, yet they have a beginning. Madam, when you are come to the other side of the water and have set your foot on the shore of glorious eternity and look back again to the waters and to your wearisome journey, and shal...