have
resigned her. We must not choose for ourselves; and it is well we must
not, for we should often make a very bad choice, and therefore it is our
wisdom, as well as our duty, to leave all with a gracious God, who hath
promised that all things shall work together for good to them that love
him; and he is faithful that hath promised, who will infallibly perform
it, if our unbelief does not stand in the way."

The greatest trial of this kind that he ever bore, was in the removal of
his second son, who was one of the most amiable and promising children
that has been known. The dear little creature was the darling of all that
knew him; and promised very fair, so far as a child could be known by its
doings, to have been a great ornament to the family, and blessing to the
public. The suddenness of the stroke must, no doubt, render it the more
painful; for this beloved child was snatched away by an illness which
seized him but about fifteen hours before it carried him off. He died
in the month of October 1733, at near six years old. Their friends were
ready to fear that his affectionate parents would be almost overwhelmed
at such a loss; but the happy father had so firm a persuasion that God
had received the dear little one to the felicities of the celestial
world, and at the same time had so strong a sense of the divine goodness
in taking one of his children, and that, too, one who lay so near his
heart, so early to himself, that the sorrows of nature were quite
swallowed up in the sublime joy which these considerations administered.
When he reflected what human life is--how many its snares and temptations
are--and how frequently children who once promised very well are
insensibly corrupted, and at length undone, with Solomon he blessed the
dead already dead, more than the living who were yet alive, and felt
unspeakable pleasure in looking after the lovely infant, as safely and
delightfully lodged in the house of its Heavenly Father. Yea, he assured
me that his heart was at this time so entirely taken up with these views,
that he was afraid they who did not thoroughly know him might suspect
that he was deficient in the natural affections of a parent, while thus
borne above the anguish of them by the views which faith administered to
him, and which divine grace supported in his soul.

So much did he, on one of the most trying occasions of life, manifest of
the temper of a glorified saint, and to such happy purposes did he r