a son, continuing it to me so long, and taking it from me so soon. All joined in desiring that I would decline preaching 'till the child was buried; but I remembered a saying of good Mr. Henry, "that weeping must not hinder sowing," and therefore preached twice the next day, and also the day following; on the evening of which, just as I was closing my sermon, the bell struck out for the funeral. At first, I must acknowledge, it gave nature a little shake, but looking up I recovered strength, and then concluded with saying, that this text on which I had been preaching, namely, "all things worked together for good to them that love God," made me as willing to go out to my son's funeral, as to hear of his birth. Our parting from him was solemn. We kneeled down, prayed, and shed many tears, but I hope tears of resignation: And then, as he died in the house wherein I was born, he was taken and laid in the church where I was baptized, first communicated, and first preached. All this you may easily guess threw me into very solemn and deep reflection, and I hope deep humiliation; but I was comforted from that passage in the book of Kings, where is recorded the death of the Shunamite's child, which the Prophet said, "The Lord had hid from him;" and the woman's answer likewise to the Prophet when he asked, "Is it well with thee? Is it well with thy husband? Is it well with thy child?" And she answered, "It is well." This gave me no small satisfaction. I immediately preached upon the text the day following at Gloucester, and then hastened up to London, preached upon the same there; and though disappointed of a living preacher by the death of my son; yet I hope what happened before his birth, and since at his death, hath taught me such lessons, as, if duly improved, may render his mistaken parent more cautious, more sober-minded, more experienced in satan's devices, and consequently more useful in his future labours to the church of God. Thus, "out of the eater comes forth meat, and out of the strong comes forth sweetness." Not doubting but our future life will be one continued explanation of this blessed riddle, I commend myself and you to the unerring guidance of God's word and spirit, and am
Yours, &c.
G. W.
