CCCXI.--_To_ BARBARA HAMILTON.
[BARBARA HAMILTON was the wife of Mr. John Mein, merchant, Edinburgh,
noticed before (see Letter CLI.), and sister to the first wife of the
famous Mr. Robert Blair. She was a woman of eminent piety, and also
distinguished for her public spirit. When Mr. Blair, and other
Presbyterian ministers, who had been deposed by the bishops in Ireland
for nonconformity, had come over to Scotland in 1637, she, finding
that they were threatened with still harsher treatment from the
Scottish prelates, suggested a petition to the Privy Council, for
liberty to these ministers to preach the Gospel publicly, engaging
that she and some other like-minded women would put it into the hands
of the Treasurer as he went into the Council. Blair drew it up; upon
which she convened a considerable number of the religious matrons of
Edinburgh, and ranged them in a line from the Council-house door to
the street. The oldest matron was appointed to present the petition to
the Treasurer. The Treasurer, suspecting that it was something which
would be disagreeable to the Council, put the aged petitioner aside,
and went quickly from her towards the Council-house door. Observing
this, Barbara Hamilton immediately stepped forward, and, taking the
paper out of the old feeble woman's hand, came up to the Treasurer,
and "did with her strong arm and big hand fast grip his gardie" (i.e.
arm), saying, "Stand, my Lord! in Christ's name, I charge you, till I
speak to you." His Lordship, looking back, replies, "Good woman, what
would you say to me?" "There is," said she, "a humble supplication of
Mr. Blair's. All that he petitions for, is that he may have liberty to
preach the Gospel. I charge you to befriend the matter, as you would
expect God to befriend you in your distress, and at your death!" He
replied, "I shall do my endeavour, and what I can in it." The result
was, that Blair's supplication was granted by the Council. The
following letter, which Rutherford addresses to this lady, was written
on the occasion of the death of her son-in-law, probably Mr. William
Hume, minister, who was married to her daughter Barbara Mein. (See
Letter CCCXII.)]
(_ON DEATH OF HER SON-IN-LAW--GOD'S PURPOSES._)
WORTHY FRIEND,--Grace be to you. I do unwillingly write unto you of
that which God hath 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 before 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 and working
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[453] 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.
[453] "_Ease_" in older editions.
If ye give the Lord time to work (as often[454] he that believeth
maketh haste, but not speed), His end is under ground, and ye shall
see it was your good, that your son hath 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. xxii. 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 labourer 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.
[454] _Q.d._, You need this advice, as too often even believers make
haste.
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.
See Lev. x. 3, "And Aaron held his peace." Ye know his two sons were
slain, whilst they offered strange fire to the Lord. Command your
thoughts to be silent. If the soldiers of Newcastle had done this, ye
might have stomached; but the weapon was in another hand. Hear the rod
what it preacheth, and see the name of God (Micah vi. 9), and know
that there is somewhat of God and heaven in the rod. The majesty of
the unsearchable and bottomless ways and judgments of God is not seen
in the rod; and the seeing of them requireth the eyes of the man of
wisdom. 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 hath 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. I rest,
Yours, in his Lord and Master,