Page:Strange and wonderful predictions of the Reverend martyr, Mr Christopher Love.pdf/6



Efore I write further, I beſeech you to think not that it is your wife that now writeth to you: I hope thou haſt freely given up thy wife and children to the Lord God, that ſaid. Jer. xlix; II: 'Leave thy fatherleſs children, I will preſerve them alive, and let thy widows truſt in me.' O that the Lord would keep thee from having one troubled thought about thy relations. I deſire to give thee freely up into the Father's hands and not only look upon it as a crown of glory for thee to die for Chriſt, but as an honour to me, that I ſhould have a huſband to leave for Chriſt. I dare not ſpeak to thee, nor have a thought within myſelf of my unſpeakable loſs, but wholly keep my eye fixed upon thy unspeakable and inconceivable gain. Thou leaveſt but a ſinful mortal wife, to be everlaſtingly married to the King of glory: thou leaveſt but children, and brethern, and ſiſters, to go to the Lord Jeſus thy eldeſt brother thou leaveſt friends to go to the enjoyment of holy angels, and to the ſpirits of juſt men made perfect; thou doſt but leave earth for heaven; and if natural affections begin to riſe I hope that ſpirit of grace that is within thee will quell them, and knowing that all things here below are but 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 for 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 cloaths that morning, think thou art putting on thy wedding cloaths, 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 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