[This lady, it is highly probable, was Barbara Mein, the daughter
of Barbara Hamilton, noticed above, and the wife of Mr. William
Hume, minister, who had gone to England with the Covenanters'
army, and who died at Newcastle, probably from wounds inflicted
by the army. In the Index of the unprinted Acts of the General
Assembly of 1645, there is an Act entitled, "Recommendation of
Barbara Mein's Petition to the Parliament;" and in the Index of
the unprinted Acts of the General Assembly of 1646, there is an
Act entitled, "Act in favours of Barbara Mein, relict of umwhile
Mr. William Hume, minister." The object of this letter is to
comfort Mrs. Hume under that painful bereavement.]
(_GOD'S VOICE IN THE ROD._)
LOVING SISTER,--Grace, mercy, and peace be to you.--If ye have
anything 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 from 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 vi. 9). The name
and majesty of the Lord is written on the rod; read and be instructed.
Let Christ have the room of the husband. He hath 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 that it is a dear-bought
experience, to teach you to undervalue the creature; yet it is not too
dear if Christ think it so. I know that the disputing of your thoughts
against his going thither, the way and manner of his death, the
instruments, the place, the time, will not ease your spirits; except
ye rise higher than second causes, and be silent because the Lord hath
done it. If we measure the goings of the Almighty, and His ways (the
bottom whereof we see not), we quite mistake God. Oh, how little a
portion of God do we see! He is far above our ebb and narrow thoughts.
He ruled the world in wisdom, ere we, creatures of yesterday, were
born; and will rule it when we shall be lodging beside the worm and
corruption. Only learn heavenly wisdom, self-denial, and
mortification, by this sad loss. I know that it is not for nothing
(except ye deny God to be wise in all He doeth) that ye have lost one
on earth. There hath been too little of your love and heart in heaven,
and therefore the jealousy of Christ hath done this. It is a mercy
that He contendeth with you and all your lovers. I should desire no
greater favour for myself than that Christ laid a necessity, and took
on such bonds upon Himself: "Such a one I must have, and such a soul
I cannot live in heaven without" (John x. 16). And, believe it; it is
incomprehensible love that Christ saith, "If 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 a one
for ever and 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
will kiss and embrace this loss, and see much of Christ in it. Believe
and submit; and refer the income of the consolations of Jesus, and the
event of the trial, to your heavenly Father, who numbereth all your
hairs. And put Christ into His own room in your love; it may be He
hath either been out of His own place, or in a place of love inferior
to His worth. Repair Christ in all His wrongs done to Him, and love
Him for a Husband; and He that is a Husband to the widow will be that
to you which He hath taken from you.
Grace be with you.
Your sympathizing brother,