ANWOTH, _Feb. 11, 1631_.
XIV.--_For_ MARION M'NAUGHT, _in the prospect of a Communion season_.
(_ABUNDANCE IN JESUS--THE RESTORATION OF THE JEWS--ENEMIES OF GOD._)
WELL-BELOVED IN THE LORD,--You are not unacquainted with the day of
our Communion. I entreat, therefore, the aid of your prayers for that
great work, which is one of our feast days, wherein our Well-beloved
Jesus rejoiceth, and is merry with His friends.
Good cause have we to wonder at His love, since the day of His death
was such a sorrowful day to Him, even the day when His mother, the
kirk, crowned Him with thorns, and He had many against Him, and
compeared His lone in the fields against them all; yet He delights
with us to remember that day. Let us love Him, and be glad and rejoice
in His salvation. I am confident that you shall see the Son of God
that day, and I dare in His name invite you to His banquet. Many a
time you have been well entertained in His house; and He changes not
upon His friends, nor chides them for too great kindness. Yet I speak
not this to make you leave off to pray for me, who have nothing of
myself, but in so far as daily I receive from Him, who is made of His
Father a running-over fountain, at which I and others may come with
thirsty souls, and fill our vessels. Long hath this well been standing
open to us. Lord Jesus, lock it not up again upon us. I am sorry for
our desolate kirk; yet I dare not but trust, so long as there be any
of God's lost money here He shall not blow out the candle. The Lord
make fair candlesticks in His house, and remove the blind lights.
I have been this time bypast thinking much of the incoming of the kirk
of the Jews.[104] Pray for them. When they were in their Lord's house,
at their Father's elbow, they were longing for the incoming of their
little sister, the kirk of the Gentiles. They said to their Lord, "We
have a little sister, and she hath no breasts: what shall we do for
our sister in the day when she shall be spoken for?" (Cant. viii. 8).
Let us give them a meeting. What shall we do for our elder sister, the
Jews? Lord Jesus, give them breasts. That were a glad day to see us
and them both sit down to one table, and Christ at the head of the
table. Then would our Lord come shortly with his fair guard to hold
His great court.
[104] So in his "Trial of Faith" p. 133 (published 1655).
Dear sister, be patient, for the Lord's sake, under the wrongs that
you suffer of the wicked. Your Lord shall make you see your desire on
your enemies. Some of them shall be cut off; "they shall shake off
their unripe grapes as the vine, and cast off their flower as the
olive" (Job. xv. 33): God shall make them like unripe sour grapes,
shaken off the tree with the blast of God's wrath; and therefore pity
them, and pray for them. Others of them must remain to exercise you.
God hath said of them, Let the tares grow up until harvest (Matt.
xiii. 30). It proves you to be your Lord's wheat. Be patient; Christ
went to heaven with many a wrong. His visage and countenance was all
marred more than the sons of men. You may not be above your Master;
many a black stroke received innocent Jesus, and He received no mends,
but referred them all to the great court-day, when all things shall be
righted. I desire to hear from you within a day or two, if Mr. Robert
remain in his purpose to come and help us. God shall give you joy of
your children. I pray for them by their names. I bless you from our
Lord, your husband and children. Grace, grace, and mercy be multiplied
upon you.
Yours in the Lord for ever,