LONDON, _Oct. 15, 1645_.
CCCXIII.--_To the_ VISCOUNTESS KENMURE.
(_CHRIST'S DESIGNS IN SICKNESS AND SORROW._)
MADAM,--Grace, mercy, and peace be to your Ladyship.--Though Christ
lose no time, yet, when sinful men drive His chariot, the wheels of
His chariot move slowly. The woman, Zion, as soon as she travailed,
brought forth her children; yea, "before she travailed, she brought
forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man-child" (Isa.
lxvi. 7): yet the deliverance of the people was with the woman's going
with child seventy years. That is more than nine months. There be many
oppositions in carrying on the work; but I hope that the Lord will
build His own Zion, and evidence to us that it is done, "not by might
nor by power, but by the Spirit of the Lord."
Madam, I have heard of your infirmities of body, and sickness. I know
the issue shall be mercy to you, and that God's purpose, which lieth
hidden under ground to you, is to commend the sweetness of His love
and care to you from your youth. And if all the sad losses, trials,
sicknesses, infirmities, griefs, heaviness, and inconstancy of the
creature, be expounded (as sure I am they are) the rods of the
jealousy of an Husband in heaven, contending with all your lovers on
earth, though there were millions of them, for your love, to fetch
more of your love home to heaven, to make it single, unmixed, and
chaste, to the Fairest in heaven and earth, to Jesus the Prince of
ages, ye will forgive (to borrow that word) every rod of God, and "not
let the sun go down on your wrath" against any messenger of your
afflicting and correcting Father. Since your Ladyship cannot but see
that the mark at which Christ hath aimed these twenty-four years and
above, is, to have the company and fellowship of such a sinful
creature in heaven with Him for all eternity; and, because He will not
(such is the power of His love) enjoy His Father's glory, and that
crown due to Him by eternal generation, without you, by name (John
xvii. 24, x. 16, xiv. 3), therefore, Madam, believe no evil of Christ:
listen to no hard reports that His rods make of Him to you. He hath
loved you, and washed you from your sins; and what would ye have more?
Is that too little, except He adjourn all crosses, till ye be where ye
shall be out of all capacity to sigh or be crossed? I hope that ye can
desire no more, no greater, nor more excellent suit, than Christ and
the fellowship of the Lamb for evermore. And if that desire be
answered in heaven (as I am sure it is, and ye cannot deny but it is
made sure to you), the want of these poor accidents, of a living
husband, of many children, of an healthful body, of a life of ease in
the world, without one knot in the rush, are nobly made up, and may be
comfortably borne.
Grace, grace be with your Ladyship.
Your Ladyship's, at all obedience in Christ,