(_ON THE DEATH OF A CHILD--GOD AFFLICTS IN ORDER TO SAVE US FROM THE
WORLD._)
DEAR SISTER,--I have heard how the Lord hath visited you, in removing
the child Archibald. I hope ye see that the setting down of the weight
of your confidence and affection upon any created thing, whether
husband or child, is a deceiving thing; and that the creature is not
able to bear the weight, but sinketh down to very nothing under your
confidence. And, therefore, ye are Christ's debtor for all providences
of this kind, even in that He buildeth an hedge of thorns in your way:
for so ye see that His gracious intention is, to save you (if I may
say so) whether ye will or not.
It is a rich mercy that the Lord Christ will be Master of your will
and of your delights, and that His way is so fair, for landing of
husband and children before-hand in the country whitherto ye are
journeying. No matter how little ye be engaged to the world, since ye
have such experience of cross-dealing in it. Had ye been a child of
the house, the world would have dealt more warmly with its own. There
is less of you out of heaven, in that the child is there and the
husband is there; but much more that your Head, Kinsman, and Redeemer
doth fetch home such as are in danger to be lost. And from this time
forward, fetch not your comforts from such broken cisterns and dry
wells. If the Lord pull at the rest, ye must not be the creature that
will hold when He draweth.
Truly, to me your case is more comfortable than if the fireside were
well plenished with ten children. The Lord saw that ye were able, by
His grace, to bear the loss of husband and child; and that ye are that
weak and tender as not to be able to stand under the mercy of a
gracious husband, living and flourishing in esteem with authority, and
in reputation for godliness and learning. For He knoweth the weight of
these mercies would crush you and break you. And as there is no
searching out of His understanding, so He hath skill to know what
providence will make Christ dearest to you; and let not your heart
say, "It is an ill-waled dispensation." Sure Christ, who hath seven
eyes, had before Him the good of a living husband and children for
Margaret Murray, and the good of a removed husband and children
translated to glory. Now that He hath opened His decree to you, say,
"Christ hath made for me a wise and gracious choice, and I have not
one word to say to the contrary." Let not your heart charge anything,
nor unbelief libel injuries upon Christ because He will not let you
alone, nor give you leave to play the adulteress with such as have not
that right to your love that Christ hath. I should wish that, at the
reading of this, ye may fall down and make a surrender of those that
are gone, and of those that are yet alive, to Him. And for you, let
Him have all; and wait for Himself, for He will come, and will not
tarry. Live by faith, and the peace of God guard your heart. He cannot
die whose ye are.
My wife suffereth with you,[470] and remembereth her love to you.
Your brother in Christ,