Mr. CHRISTOPHER LOVE.
dung and dross in comparison of these things above: I know thou keepest thy eye fixed upon the hope of glory, which makes thee to trample upon the loss of earth.
My dear, I know that God hath not only prepared glory for thee, and thee fer it, but I am persuaded he will sweeten the way for thee to come to the enjoyment of it: and when thou art putting on thy clothes that morning, think thou art putting on thy wedding-clothes, to go to be married to thy Redeemer; when the messenger of death cometh to thee, let him not be dreadful, but look upon him as the messenger that bringeth thee good tidings of eternal life: when thou goest up to the scaffold, think what thou toldest me, it was but thy chariot to draw thee to thy Father’s house, and when thou layest down thy dear head to receive thy Father’s stroke, remember what thou saidst to me: That though thy head were severed from thy body, yet thy soul shall soon be united to Jesus Christ, thy head, in heaven. And though it may seem bitter, that by the hands of men we are parted a little sooner than otherwise we would have been, yet let us consider, ’tis the decree and will of the Father, and besides, we could not have lived much longer together, and it will not be long ere we shall enjoy one another in heaven. Oh ! let us comfort one another with these sayings. O be comforted, it is but a little stroke, ere long thou shalt be ‘where the weary are at rest, ‘and where the wicked shall cease from troubling thee.’ Oh! remember that though thou eat thy dinner with bitter herbs, yet thou shalt have a joyful supper with Jesus Christ at night. And, my dear, by what I write to thee I do not undertake to be a teacher of thee; for this comfort I have received of the Lord by thee. I hear a warrant is come to the lieutenant, I am ready to think it may be concerning thee, to send thee to thy journey’s end to-morrow, and that because they may possibly be hindered if they stay till the day appointed; but I am persuaded, thou art so far from being afraid of it, that thou dost long for the day, which (next under God) to hear of my willingness to die, will be the greatest comfort in the world. I can write no more, but commit thee to the hands of that God, with whom thou and I ere long shall be. Farewel, Farewel.
July 11, 1651.
P. S. One comfort I would have thee carry to thy grave, if ever God did good to my soul, thou wast the chief instrument of it, for I never looked after God till I saw thy face.
