Lxvii. to Barbara Hamilton

Barbara Hamilton was the wife of a merchant in Edinburgh. Her spirit

may be judged from the following incident. When the Rev. Robert Blair

and other ministers were deposed by the bishops in Ireland (see Letter

XVI), they came to Scotland in 1637. But the Scottish bishops then

threatened them with even more severe treatment. Barbara Hamilton

suggested that they should present a petition to the Privy Council for

permission to preach and undertook to get it into the hands of the

Treasurer. Mr Blair accordingly drew up the petition. Barbara Hamilton

gathered a number of like-minded Edinburgh matrons and ranged them in a

line from the street to the door of the Council House, putting the

petition into the hands of the oldest of the women. The treasurer,

suspecting that any petition would be troublesome, pushed past her. But

Barbara Hamilton then took the paper and gripped the Treasurer's arm

firmly, saying, 'Stand, my lord, in Christ's name I charge you, until I

speak with you.' The Treasurer halted. 'Here,' she said, 'is a

supplication of Mr Blair asking for liberty to preach the Gospel. I

charge you to befriend the matter, as you would expect God to befriend

you in your distress.' The Treasurer promised to do his best, and as a

result B1air's petition was granted. This letter was written on the

occasion of the death of her son-in-law.

WORTHY FRIEND, -- Grace be to you. I do unwillingly write unto you of

that which God has done concerning your son-in-law; only, I believe ye

look not below Christ, and the highest and most supreme act of

Providence, which moveth all wheels. And certainly, what came down

enacted and concluded in the great book below the throne, and signed

and subscribed with the hand which never did wrong, should be kissed

and adored by us.

We see God's decrees when they bring forth their fruits, all actions,

good and ill, sweet and sour, in their time; but we see not presently

the after-birth of God's decree, namely, His blessed end, and the good

that He bringeth out of the womb of His holy and spotless counsel. We

see His working, and we sorrow; the end of His counsel lieth hidden,

and underneath the ground, and therefore we cannot believe. Even

amongst men, we see hewn stones, timber, and an hundred scattered

parcels and pieces of an house, all under-tools, hammers, and axes, and

saws; yet the house, the beauty and use of so many lodgings and ease

rooms, we neither see nor understand for the present; these are but in

the mind and head of the builder, as yet. We see red earth, unbroken

clods, furrows, and stones; but we see not summer, lilies, roses, the

beauty of a garden.

If ye give the Lord time to work ye shall see it was your good, that

your son has changed dwelling-places, but not his Master. Christ

thought good to have no more of his service here; yet, 'His servants

shall serve Him' (Rev. 22.3). He needeth not us nor our service, either

on earth or in heaven. But ye are to look to Him who giveth the

hireling both his leave and his wages, for his naked aim and purpose to

serve Christ, as well as for his labours. It is put up in Christ's

account, that such a laborer did sweat forty years in Christ's

vineyard; howbeit he got not leave to labour so long, because He who

accepteth of the will for the deed counteth so. None can teach the Lord

to lay an account.

He numbereth the drops of rain, and knoweth the stars by their names;

it would take us much studying to give a name to every star in the

firmament, great or small.

If the sufferings of some other with you in that loss could ease you,

ye want them not. But He can do no wrong. He cannot halt; His goings

are equal who has done it. I know our Lord aimeth at more

mortification; let Him not come in vain to your house and lose the

pains of a merciful visit. God, the Founder, never melteth in vain;

howbeit to us He seemeth often to lose both fire and metal. But I know

ye are more in this work than I can be. There is no cause to faint or

be weary.

Grace be with you; and the rich consolations of Jesus Christ sweeten

your cross and support you under it.

LONDON, Oct 15, 1645