Rutherford Revised (300)

300. ToAgnes Macmath, on the death of a child  From St. Andrews 15 Oct 1640

(The sister of SR's second wife)

Dear Sister, -If the Lord has take away your child, your lease on him has expired; and seeing Christ would want him no longer, it is your part to be silent, and worship and adore the sovereignty and liberty that the Potter has over the clay, and pieces of clay nothings, to which He gave life.And what is man to summon the Almighty to his lower court down here? 'for he does not give account of any of His doings.' And if you will take the loan of a child, and give him back again to our Lord laughing (as His borrowed goods should return to Him). believe he has not gone way, but sent before; and the change of the country should make you think, he is not lost to you who is found to Chris, and he is now before you; and the dead in Christ will be raised again. A going down star is not annihilated, but will appear again. If He has thrown His bloom and flower, the bloom has fallen in heaven, into Christ's lap. And as he was lent a while to time, so he is now given to eternity, which will take you. The difference of your shipping and his to heaven  and Christ's shore, the land of life. is only in some years, which were shorter every day; and some short and soon reckoned summers will give you a meeting with him. But what! With him? No, but with a better company; with the Chief and Leader of our heavenly troops, which are riding on white horses. They are triumphing in glory.
   If death was a sleep that has no waking, we might sorrow: but our Husband will be quickly at the bedsides of all who lie sleeping in the grave, and will raise their mortal bodies. Christ was death's Surety, who gave His word to come and loose all he clay pawns, and set them all at His own right hand; and our Surety, Christ, has an act of law surely on death. to give back His captives. And that Lord Jesus, who knows the turnings and windings that are in the black race of death, has numbered all the steps of he stairs up to heaven.He knows how long the road is, or how many pairs of stairs high it is; for He ascended the way Himself: 'I died, and behold I am alive forevermore'.(Rev 1:18) And now He lives at the right hand of God, and His clothes do no have even the smell of death.
   Your troubles smell of the children's case; the children of the house are so nurtured (Heb 12:6-8). And suffering is no new life, it is only he rent of the sons; bastards do no have so much of the rent. Take kindly and heartily with His cross, who never yet killed a child with the cross. He brews your cup: so drink it patiently and with good will. Stay and wait on, until Christ looses the knot which fastens His cross on your back; for He is coming to deliver. And I pray you sister, learn to be worthy of His pains who correct. And let Him wring, and be washed; for He has a Father's heart, and a Father's hand, who is trying you, and making you fit for His high hall, His school of suffering is a preparation for the King's higher house; and let all your visions speak all the letters of your Lord's summons. They cry -
1.'O vain world!'
2.'O bitter sin!'
3. 'O short and uncertain time!'
4. 'O fair eternity that is above sickness and death!'
5. 'O  kingly and princely Bridegroom, speed glory's marriage, shorten time's short spun and soon broken thread, and conquer sin!'
6. 'O happy and blessed death, that golden bridge laid now by Christ my Lord, between time's clay banks and heaven's shore!' And the Spirit and the Bride say,'Come!' and you answer with them,'Even so come Lord Jesus! Come quickly!'
   Grace be with you.
      Your Brother, in his sweet Lord Jesus, S.R.