Vol 16 - TO BARBARA HAMILTON

TO BARBARA HAMILTON
LOVING SISTER,
Grace, mercy, and peace, be to you! have heard with, grief, that, Newcastle has, taken one more in a bloody account, even your soninlaw, and my friend; but I hope ye have learned so much of CHRIST, as not to look to wheels rolled round about on earth. Earthen vessels are not to dispute with their Former; pieces of sinning day may, by reasoning and contending with the Potter, mark the work of Him who has his fire in Zion, and his furnace in Jerusalem; as bullocks, wrestling in the furrow, make their yoke more heavy. In quietness and rest ye shall be saved. If men do any thing, we may ask both who did it, and what is done, and why. When GOD has done any thing, we are to inquire who has done it, and to know that this cometh from the LORD, who is wonderful in counsel; but we axe not to ask what or why. If it be from the LORD, as certainly there is no evil in the city without him, (Amos 3:6,) it is enough. The fairest face of his spotless way is but coming; and ye are to believe his works as well as his word. Violent death is a sharer with CHRIST in his death, which was violent; It mattereth not much by what way we go to. heaven'; the "happy home is all, where the roughness of the way shall be forgotten. He is gone home to a friend's house, and made welcome. The race is ended; time is recompensed with eternity. GOD’s order is in wisdom; the husband goes home before the wife. The throng of the market shall be over, before it be' long, and another' generation where we now are; and, at length, an empty house, and not one of mankind shall be upon the earth: within the’sixth part of an hour after, the earth, and the works that are therein, will be burnt up with fire. ’We cannot teach the ALMIGHTY knowledge. When he was directing the bullet against his servant, to fetch out the soul, no wise man could cry to GOD, " Wrong, wrong, LORD; for he is thine own!" There is no mist over his eyes, who is wonderful in counsel. If Zion be built with your soninlaw's blood, the LORD (deep in counsel) can glew together the stones of Zion with blood, and with that blood which is precious in his eyes. CHRIST has fewer laborers in his vineyard than he had; but some more witnesses for his. cause. ’What' is CHRIST's gain, is not, your loss; let not that, which is his holy and wise will, be your unbelieving sorrow. Though I really judge that I had interest in his dead servant, yet because he now liveth to CHRIST, I quit the hopes I had of his successful laboring in the ministry; I know that be now praiseth' the: grace which he was to preach. Give glory therefore to CHRIST, as he now Both, and say, "Thy will be done." The grace and consolation of CHRIST be with, you!
London
Nov. 15, 1643.
Yours in his LORD JESUS,
S. R.