I have been thinking since my departure from you, of the pride and malice of your adversaries; and ye may not (since ye have had the Book of Psalms so often) take hardly with this; for David's enemies snuffed at him, and through the pride of their heart said, "The Lord will not require it" (Ps x 13). I beseech you therefore, in the bowels of Jesus, set before your eyes the patience of your forerunner Jesus, who when He was reviled, reviled not again; when He suffered, He threatened not, but comitted Himself to Him who judgeth righteously (! Pet. ii 23). And since your Lord and Redeemer with patience received many a black stroke on His glorious back, and many a buffet of the unbelieving world, and says of Himself, "I g ave My back to the smiters, and My cheeks to them that plucked off the hair; I hid not my face from shame and spitting." (Isa iv 6); follow Him, and think it not hard that you receive a blow with your Lord. Take part with Jesus of His sufferings, and glory in the marks of Christ. If this storm were over, you must prepare yourself for a new wound; for five thousand years ago, our Lord proclaimed deadly war betwixt the Seed of the Woman the seed of the Serpent. And marvel not that one town cannot keep the children of God and the children of the devil, for one belly could not keep Jacob and Esau (Gen xxv. 22); one house could not keep peacably together Isaac, the son of the promise, and Ishmael, the son of the handmaid (Gen. xxi. 10). Be you upon Christ's side of it, and care not what flesh can do. Hold yourself fast by your Saviour, howbeit you be buffeted, and those that follow Him. Yet a little while and the wicked shall not be. "We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed" (2 Cor. iv, 8,9). If you can possess your soul in patience, their day is coming. Worthy and dear sister, know to carry yourself in trouble; and when you are hated and reproached, the Lord shows it to you-"All this is come upon us, yet have we not forgotten Thee, neither have we dealt falsely in Thy Covenant" (Ps. xliv 17). "Unless Thy law had been my delight, I had perished in mine affliction" (Ps cxix. 92). Keep God's covenant in your trials. Hold you by His blessed Word, and sin not. Flee, anger, wrath, grudging, envying, fretting. Forgive an hundred pence to your fellow-servant, because your Lord hath forgiven you ten thousand talents. For I assure you by the Lord, your adversaries shall get no advantage against you, except you sin and offend your Lord in your sufferings. But the way to overcome is by patience, forgiving and praying for your enemies, in doing whereof you heap coals upon their heads, and the Lord shall open a door to you in your troubles. Wait upon Him as the night watch waiteth on the morning. He will not tarry. Go up to your watch tower and come not down; but by prayer and faith and hope and wait on. When the sea is full it will ebb again; and so soon as the wicked are come to the top of their pride and are waxed high and mighty, then is their change approaching. They that believe make not haste.
Remember Zion, forget her not, for her enemies are many; for the nations are gathered together against her. "But they know not the thoughts of the Lord, neither understand they, His Counsel: for He shall gather them as sheaves into the floor. Arise and thresh O daughter of Zion" (Michah iv. 12. 13) Behold, God hath gathered His enemies together, as sheaves to the threshing. Let us stay and rest upon these promises." [Samuel Rutherford]
Labels: Samuel Rutherford
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