A Letter to a sufferer, by the author of “How sweet the name of Jesus sounds.”
I SEE the necessity of having, if possible, my principles at my fingers’ ends, that I may apply them as occasions arise every hour. Certainly, if my ability was equal to my inclination, I would remove your tumor with a word or a touch; I would exempt you instantly and constantly from every inconvenience and pain; but you are in the hands of One Who could do all this and more, and Who loves you infinitely better than I can do, and yet He is pleased to permit you to suffer. What is the plain inference? Certainly, that at the present juncture, He to Whom all the combinations and consequences of events are present in one view, sees it better for you to have this tumor than to be without it; for I have no more idea of a tumor rising (or any other incidental trial befalling you) without a cause, without a need-be, without a designed advantage to result from it, than I have of a mountain or pyramid rising up of its own accord in the middle of Salisbury Plain. The promise is express, and literally true, that all things, universally and without exception, work together for good to them that love God.
I do not puzzle myself with second causes, while the first cause is at hand, which sufficiently accounts for every phenomenon in a believer’s experience. Your constitution, your situation, your temper, your distemper, all that is either comfortable or painful in your lot, is of His appointment. The hairs of your head are all numbered: the same power which produced the planet Jupiter is necessary to the production of a single hair, nor can one of them fall to the ground without His notice, any more than the stars can fall from their orbits. In providence, no less than in creation, He is Maximus in minimis (very great in trifling things). Therefore fear not; only believe. Our sea may sometimes be stormy, but we have an infallible Pilot, and shall infallibly gain our port.
In particular cases, the Lord opens and shuts for them, breaks down walls of difficulty which obstruct their path, or hedges up their way with thorns, when they are in danger of going wrong, by the dispensations of His providence. They know that their concernments are in His hands; they are willing to follow whither and when He leads; but are afraid of going before Him. Therefore they are not impatient; because they believe, they will not make haste, but wait daily upon Him in prayer; especially when they find their hearts most engaged in any purpose or pursuit, they are most jealous of being deceived by appearances, and dare not move farther or faster than they can perceive His light shining upon their paths. I express at least their desire, if not their attainment. Thus they would be. And though there are seasons when faith languishes, and self too much prevails, this is their general disposition; and the Lord, Whom they serve, does not disappoint their expectations. He leads them by a right way, preserves them from a thousand snares, and satisfies them that He is and will be their guide even unto death.
If people are satisfied of a surgeon’s skill and prudence, they will not only yield to be cut at his pleasure, without pretending to direct him where, or how long he shall make the incision, but will thank and pay him for putting them to pain, because they believe it for their advantage. I wish I could be more like them in my concerns. My body, as I said, is, through mercy, free from considerable ailments, but I have a soul that requires surgeon’s work continually; there is some tumor to be discussed or laid open, some dislocation to be reduced, some fracture to be healed, almost daily. It is my great mercy, that One Who is infallible in skill, Who exercises incessant care and boundless compassion towards all His patients, has undertaken my case: and, complicated as it is, I dare not doubt His making a perfect cure. Yet, alas! I too often discover such impatience, distrust, and complaining, when under His hand; am so apt to find fault with the instruments He is pleased to make use of, so ready to think the salutary wounds He makes unnecessary or too large; in a word, I show such a promptness to control, were I able, or to direct His operations, that, were not His patience beyond expression, He would before now have given me up. “We know that all things work together for good to them that love God” (Rom. 8:2929For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. (Romans 8:29)).
J. N.