[110] Henry Burton, an able divine of the Church of England, wrote
several vigorous pieces against Popery, and against Montague's
"Appello Cæsarem."
XVIII.--_For_ MARION M'NAUGHT, _in the prospect of a Communion
season_.
(_PRAYER SOLICITED--THE CHURCH'S PROSPECTS._)
MISTRESS,--My love in Christ as remembered. Our Communion is on
Sabbath come[111] eight days. I will entreat you to recommend it to
God, and to pray for me in that work. I have more sins upon me now
than the last time. Therefore I will beseech you in Christ, seek this
petition to me from God, that the Lord would give me grace to vow and
perform new obedience. I have cause to suit this of you; and show it
to Thomas Carson, Fergus and Jean Brown, for I have been and am
exceedingly cast down, and am fighting against a malicious devil, of
whom I can win little ground. I would think a spoil plucked from him,
and his trusty servant sin, a lawful and just conquest. And it were no
sin to take from him, in the name of the Goodman of our house, our
King Jesus. I invite you to the banquet. He saith, ye shall be dearly
welcome to Him. And I desire to believe (howbeit not without great
fear) He shall be as hearty in His own house as He has been before.
For me, it is but small reckoning; but I would fain have our Father
and Lord to break the great fair loaf, Christ, and to distribute His
slain Son amongst the bairns of His house, and that if any were a
step-bairn, in respect of comfort and sense, it were rather myself
than His poor bairns. Therefore bid our Well-beloved come to His
garden and feed among the lilies.
[111] Sabbath that comes eight days after this.
And as concerning Zion, I hope our Lord, who sent His angel (Zech. ii.
1, 2) with a measuring line in his hand to measure the length and
breadth of Jerusalem, in token He would not want a foot length or inch
of His own free heritage, shall take order with those who have taken
away many acres of His own land from Him. And God will build Jerusalem
in the old sted and place where it was before. In this hope rejoice
and be glad. Christ's garment was not dipped in blood for nothing, but
for His Bride, whom He bought with strokes. I will desire you to
remember my old suits to God, God's glory and the increase of light,
that I dry not up. For your town, hope and believe that the Lord will
gather in His loose sheaves among you to His barn, and send one with a
well-toothed, sharp hook, and strong gardies, to reap His harvest. And
the Lord Jesus be Husbandman, and oversee the growing. Remember my
love to your husband and to Samuel. Grace upon you and your children.
Lord, make them corner-stones in Jerusalem, and give them grace in
their youth to take band with the fair Chief Corner-stone, who was
hewed out of the mountain without hands, and got many a knock with His
Father's forehammer, and endured them all, and the stone did neither
cleave nor break. Upon that stone make your soul to lie. King Jesus be
with your spirit.
Your friend in his well-beloved Lord Jesus,