Vol 16 - TO MRS. HUME.

TO MRS. HUME.
LOVING SISTER,
Grace, mercy, and peace, be to you! If ye have any thing better than the husband of your youth, ye are JESUS CHRIST'S debtor for it; pay not then your debts with grudging. Sorrow may diminish the sweet fruit of righteousness; but quietness, silence, submission, and faith, put a crown upon your sad losses. Ye know whose voice the voice of a crying rod is. (Micah 6:9.) The name and majesty of the LORD are written on the rod; read and be instructed. Let CHRIST have the room of the husband. Re has now no need of you, or of your love; for he enjoyeth as much of the love of CHRIST as his heart can be capable of. I confess, it is a dearbought experience, to teach you to undervalue the creature; yet it is not too dear, if CHRIST think it so. I know that your thoughts against his going thither, the way and manner of his death, the instruments, the place, and, the time, will not ease your. spirits, except ye rise higher •than second causes, and be silent because the LORD has done it. If we measure the goings of the ALMIGHTY, and his ways, the bottom whereof we see not, we quite mistake GOD. O how little a portion of GOD see we! He is far above our narrow thoughts. He ruled the world in wisdom, before we, creatures of yesterday, were born; and shall rule it, when we, shall be lodging beside the worms and corruption. Only learn heavenly wisdom, selfdenial, and mortification by this sad loss. I know that it is not for nothing, (except ye deny, GOD to be wise in all he doth,) that ye have lost one on earth. There has been, too little of your heart in heaven, and therefore the jealousy of CHRIST has done this: it is a mercy that he contends with you and all your lovers. I should desire no greater favor for myself, than that CHRIST took such bonds: upon himself as these, " Such an one I have; and such a soul I cannot litre in heaven without." (See John 10:16.) And believe it, it is in incomprehensible love that CHRIST says, "Though I enjoy the glory of my FATHER, and the crown of heaven, far above men and angels, I must use all means, though ever so violent, to have the company of such an one for ever." If with the eyes of wisdom, as a child of wisdom, ye justify your mother, the wisdom of GOD, (whose child ye are) ye shall embrace this loss, and see much of CHRIST in it. Believe and submit; and refer the event of. the trial to your heavenly FATHER, who numbereth all your hairs. And put CHRIST in his own room in your love;it may be that he has either been out of his own place, or in a place of love inferior to his worth. Make reparation' to CHRIST for all his wrongs done to him, and love him for a husband; and he, who is, a husband to the widow, shall be that to you which he has taken from you. Grace. be with you!
London,
Your sympathizing Brother,
Oct. 15, 1645.
S.R.