[123] Μόνας.
XXVIII.--_To my_ LADY KENMURE, _after the death of a child_.
(_THE STATE OF THE CHURCH, CAUSE FOR GOD'S DISPLEASURE--HIS CARE OF
HIS CHURCH--THE JEWS--AFFLICTED SAINTS._)
MADAM,--I am afraid now (as many others are) that, at the sitting down
of our Parliament, our Lord Jesus and His spouse shall be roughly
handled. And it must be so, since false and declining Scotland, whom
our Lord took off the dunghill and out of hell, and made a fair bride
to Himself, hath broken her faith to her sweet Husband, and hath put
on the forehead of a whore. And therefore He saith He will remove.
Would God we could stir up ourselves to lay hold upon Him, who, being
highly provoked with the handling He hath met with, is ready to
depart! Alas! we do not importune Him by prayer and supplication to
abide amongst us! If we could but weep upon Him, and in the holy
pertinacity of faith wrestle with Him, and say, "We will not let Thee
go," it may be that then, He, who is easy to be intreated, would yet,
notwithstanding of our high provocations, condescend to stay and feed
among the lilies, till that fair and desirable day break, and the
shadows flee away. Ah! what cause of mourning is there, when our gold
is become dim, and the visage of our Nazarites, sometime whiter than
snow, is now become blacker than a coal, and Levi's house, once
comparable to fine gold, is now changed, and become like vessels in
whom He hath no pleasure! Madam, think upon this, that when our Lord,
who hath His handkerchief to wipe the face of the mourners in Zion,
shall come to wipe away all tears from their eyes, He may wipe yours
also, in the passing, amongst others. I am confident, Madam, that our
Lord will yet build a new house to Himself, of our rejected and
scattered stones, for our Bridegroom cannot want a wife. Can He live a
widower? Nay, He will embrace both us, the little young sister, and
the elder sister, the Church of the Jews; and there will yet be a day
of it. And therefore we have cause to rejoice, yea, to sing and shout
for joy. The Church hath been, since the world began, ever hanging by
a small thread, and all the hands of hell and of the wicked have been
drawing at the thread. But, God be thanked, they only break their arms
by pulling, but the thread is not broken; for the sweet fingers of
Christ our Lord have spun and twisted it. Lord, hold the thread whole!
Madam, stir up your husband to lay hold upon the covenant, and to do
good. What hath he to do with the world? It is not his inheritance.
Desire him to make home-over, and put to his hand to lay one stone or
two upon the wall of God's house before he go hence. I have heard
also, Madam, that your child is removed; but to have or want is best,
as He pleaseth. Whether she be with you, or in God's keeping, think it
all one; nay, think it the better of the two by far that she is with
Him. I trust in our Lord that there is something laid up and kept for
you; for our kind Lord, who hath wounded you, will not be so cruel as
not to allay the pain of your green wound; and, therefore, claim
Christ still as your own, and own Him as your One thing. So resting, I
recommend your Ladyship, your soul and spirit, in pawn to Him who
keepeth His Father's pawns, and will make an account of them
faithfully, even to that fairest amongst the sons of men, our sweet
Lord Jesus, the fairest, the sweetest, the most delicious Rose of all
His Father's great field. The smell of that Rose perfume your soul!
Your Ladyship's, in his sweetest Lord Jesus,