(WRITTEN BY HER OWN HAND.)
(Continued from page 259.)
I HAD some reflections on the Queen of Sheba’s coming to King Solomon; the one half was not told her of what she felt. Where I was made to notice two things anent the Queen of Sheba: First, Wherein every believer resembles the Queen of Sheba. Secondly, Wherein every believer differs far from and excels the Queen of Sheba.
There are these five or six things wherein every believer resembles the Queen of Sheba:—
First, When the Queen of Sheba was in her own country she was a mere stranger to King Solomon; he was only a hearsay king to her, by report: so every believer, so long as they are in their own country of a natural state, are wholly strangers to this true King Solomon—Christ (Col. i. 21).
Secondly, The Queen of Sheba, when she heard the report of King Solomon, nothing would satisfy her till she came and saw whether these things were so or not: so likewise, a soul that hath truly heard the report of Christ, nothing will satisfy them till, with Nathaniel, they come and see the truth of these things.
Thirdly, The Queen of Sheba, when she came to King Solomon, communed with him of all that was in her heart: so believers, when they come to King Christ and have communion and fellowship with Him, O how do they then unbosom their heart and pour out all their secret requests before Him! They keep nothing back, either with respect to spiritual or temporal concerns. They can tell that to their God which they cannot tell to their nearest and dearest relations in the world. They will be communing with their God when the world neither sees them nor hears them.
Fourthly, The Queen of Sheba thought all her pains well wared, she did not grudge the cost she was at in coming to Solomon: so a believer that hath truly come to Christ, will think all his pains and cost in religion well spent time. They count no cost for Christ. Though they had been seeking Him with the peril of their lives and the spoiling of their goods, yet they will take it joyfully; and, with the Apostle Paul, think all afflictions for Christ but light afflictions.
Fifthly, When the Queen of Sheba came to Solomon she put strange questions to him, and was answered to satisfaction: so will the soul that hath real communion with Christ Jesus. This is very observable, that it is not only a time of their pouring out their hearts to Him, but it is also a time of asking questions, which they get answered to their souls’ satisfaction. This was the
practice of Scripture-saints—Abraham, Gen. xv. 2, Jacob, Gen. xxxii. 29, Moses, Exod. xxxii., David, Psalm xliii. 9. It might be appealed to the saints in all ages, when they are at the Throne of Grace, if there be not such questions as these put up by them: “O Lord, will ever I get such an idol and predominant overcome and mortified, there is such a love in my heart to it? O how will I win through the world without being a reproach to religion, I have such an untender walk and conversation? O how will I get Christ to be the only beloved of my soul, there being so much love in my heart to other things? O how will I carry with respect to afflictions and reproaches cast on me, I have such a proud and passionate nature?” Now, to these and the like questions, it doth please the Lord sometimes to give suitable and seasonable answers, such as, “I will put my fear in your heart, and ye shall never depart from me. My grace is sufficient for you. Sin shall not have dominion over you. I will guide you with my counsel while here, and afterwards bring you to glory.” Those who know most of these things can best tell the truth of them.
Sixthly, When the Queen of Sheba had been with Solomon, she could not conceal it, but speak to his praise and what excellent things she had heard and seen in that court: so a believer that comes to that true King Solomon (King Christ) neither will nor can conceal what royal and excellent things they have seen by the eye of faith. O, says David, “Come, hear all ye that fear God, and I will tell what he hath done for my soul.” The Samaritan woman tells those with whom she conversed, “I have found a man that hath told me all that ever I did.” O but a believer rejoiceth much, and hath great delight in setting forth the praises of their noble King! Yea, they could wish all the world knew what they felt, if it would set them on to praise Christ.
Now, as there is something wherein every believer resembles the Queen of Sheba, so there are other things wherein they very far excel and differ from the Queen of Sheba:—
First, When the Queen of Sheba came to Solomon she brought gifts and presents of great value to make her the more acceptable to him. But believers that come to King Jesus have no presents to bring, they come empty-handed, having nothing in them, or on them to make them acceptable! they cry out, “We are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousness is as filthy rags.”
Secondly, Though the Queen of Sheba brought great gifts to Solomon, yet she brought not all that she had: but the believer that comes to Christ excels her in this: have they little, have they meikle, they make a solemn surrender, resignation, and dedication of their all to Christ, to be disposed of by Him as He pleases; and when He, by His providence, calls them to leave all that they have to take up their cross and follow Him, then they, with Moses, choose suffering rather than sinning.
Thirdly, Every believer excels the Queen of Sheba in this, that though she thought Solomon’s servants happy, yet she did not
choose to be one of his servants herself: but a believer that comes to Christ not only thinks His servants happy, but presently engages himself in the service, with Paul, “Lord, what wouldst thou have me to do?” They are the servants that would have their ears bored to the post of His house, they like their Master so well, and think it their greatest honour and dignity to be among His servants, working out their salvation and generation-work with fear and trembling.
Fourthly, Every believer excels the Queen of Sheba in that she enjoyed her privilege with Solomon but for a short season, and then she returned again to her own land where she could have no more intimate converse, nor hear nor see his wisdom any more: but here is the great privilege of every believer; if once they have a real communion and fellowship with this true King Solomon, it is of a lasting and everlasting continuance: there is no possibility of a separation, they cannot return to their own land of a natural state again: once in Christ and ever in Christ: nothing can deprive them of this privilege, no place, no person, no affliction, no distress, nor death itself, for they shall be ever with the Lord, and follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth.
This duty of meditation was a very profitable duty to me, in which I really found much of the Lord’s presence with life and power; and when I was helped to keep at this duty, I found my spiritual enemies not so strong, but that I could debate with them; but I no sooner left this but my enemies grew strong again, and many times overcame me with a sluggish and careless disposition, which robbed me of my jewels and love-tokens, and then the sin that easily besets me was my master, who dealt very cruelly with me, and sent me back to my former prison and bondage, where my feet stuck fast in the mire, where there was no standing: then did I cry to the Lord for a delivery from this particular, which vexed me so excessively. While I was thus perplexed, not knowing what to do, then the promises appeared clearly to me that He would deliver me; but faith and patience were my present duty. About this time there was in the family with me a very godly person, with whom I had very intimate converse, and had frequently taken sweet counsel together in going to the house of God, in whose company I took great delight and satisfaction, and put much confidence in her because of her religious converse; yet even this person lifted up her heel against me. O this afflicted me, and bred a great many uneasinesses in my mind! I would fain have overlooked it so as not to let it vex me, but it would not do, for my proud spirit would not submit to this. I took this before the Lord and besought Him, that, as He had been my counsellor in all the former parts of my life, so He would also guide me in this, and let me know the language of this dispensation, for which I was answered with good words, “That he would hear my cry, and that, before I asked, he would answer.” O blessed refuge in time of trouble! and that my soul knows right
well. There was a Scripture the Lord answered me with concerning the person that thus treated me, “He that breaketh the hedge, a serpent shall bite him.” From these words I got some meditations, especially these: What the hedge was that should not be broken down; and what the serpent was that should bite them that brake down the hedge; which were all very suitable to the case in hand. This vexation continued a considerable time, from which I saw that I must have a full and personal experience of every trial, so that I may learn to sympathize with those that may be trusted with the same trials. And, as for this trial to myself, I was persuaded that a delivery I would get, but how or in what manner I knew not. There was one Sabbath day, being extremely assaulted with this temptation, I got leave to pour out my heart to the Lord anent it, as many times I did, where I saw clearly from the Word, that a delivery He would send me; and several places of Scripture were made over to me, such as this: “That it is a time of Jacob’s trouble, but he shall be delivered out of it: Hath he said it, and will he not do it? Hath he spoken it, and will he not bring it to pass?” and many other places. O it is easy to believe when the Spirit of God shines on the promises, but when promises are delayed and deferred, so as providence seems to contradict them, that I find it a difficult work to believe against hope. O the ups and downs that were in my lot! for sometime, when I could not see through, I said, I shall leave this altogether.
There was something in this case so mysterious that I cannot record it until time produce the event, which I entirely put as a blank in His hand—let Him dispose of me as He will. It becomes me to be taken up with other things than my own concerns, especially when there is so great a word of an Union betwixt the two nations, Scotland and England. O this afflicted me very much, knowing how treacherous England had always been to us in former times, especially in breach of covenant, which they have never yet seen to be their sin. And should we again join in a confederacy with such a deceitful and cunning people, who would, if it lay in their power, ruin all their neighbour nations to advance their own interests? But that which most of all troubled me was that this Union of theirs would prove a snare to our covenanted Church of Scotland, for they that would ruin our State would also ruin our Church.
In the family where I was there were some that appeared very much in the defence of this Union, and bragged that it would make us a rich and flourishing nation, and that they would defend us from all our enemies, and protect our Church and what not. But these were but vain words: it was really apparent to me that it would work our ruin. O but this lay weighty on my spirit! so that I could have been content almost to have been out of the world, my grief was such for what was coming on this poor Church and nation! For, when I was nearest to the throne
of grace in prayer, it was there that I saw the sad consequences of this transaction. There were many places of Scripture that appeared to me against it, but especially the 7th chapter of Hosea throughout, but particularly from the 8th verse, it was like a sermon from heaven against the Union. It was as clear as the sun that Ephraim, mixing himself with the people, was like our mixing ourselves with England. And in the 11th verse—that we are like a silly dove without heart. They call to Egypt, they go to Assyria—a black gate indeed; and so to the end of this chapter, every verse was more suitable than another.
At this time none knew what the articles of this Union were, they being kept so secret by all these noblemen and gentlemen that went up to treat about this black bargain; none was to know what they were till the Parliament met. O but this had a sad aspect to me! For I was persuaded, that had they been either good or honourable, they would not keep them so secret, it being a national concern.
When the Parliament met, those that were for the Union (Judas-like) seemed to be religiously concerned, and, therefore, a fast was appointed throughout the whole kingdom in order to seek light and direction anent the Union. O what mocking of God was this! to pretend to fast and seek counsel, whereas they were determined already to have it accomplished though it should be the ruin of the whole nation. My weight and concern grew more, and many errands it sent me to the throne of grace for my mother-Church in Scotland. The Sacrament was given at Leith, and I thought it a good opportunity to go there with all my grievances, in which place I communicated, and got that word for poor Scotland, “This is my rest, here will I stay, for I do love it well.” Psalm cxxxii. (To be Continued.)
Delivery of Letters on the Lord’s Day in Glasgow.—Mr. Walter Webber, Postmaster and Surveyor, has sent out the following communication:—”Dear Sir,—As you are aware, a proposal to restrict the ‘Sunday’ delivery of letters to callers in Glasgow, was recently referred to the Corporations of Glasgow, Govan, and Partick. It received the support of the two last-named Corporations, while the Glasgow Corporation replied that ‘they see no reason to interfere with the discretion of the Post-Office authorities’ in the matter. The Chamber of Commerce, of its own initiative, unanimously supported the proposal, and there does not appear to be any appreciable body of public opinion adverse to the change. Some objections were raised by the Trades Council, but these were based largely on a misapprehension of the facts. . . . It is not as yet possible to state with absolute certainty the effect of the change as regards ‘Sunday’ labour, but it is estimated that the number of postmen and others on duty each ‘Sunday’ will be reduced by more than one-half.—Yours, &c.”