(_THE KINGDOM TO BE TAKEN BY VIOLENCE._)
MISTRESS,--Grace, mercy, and peace be to you.--I received your letter.
I am heartily content, that ye love and own this oppressed and wronged
cause of Christ; and that now, when so many have miscarried, ye are in
any measure taken with the love of Jesus. Weary not, but come in and
see if there be not more in Christ than the tongue of men and angels
can express. If ye seek a gate to heaven, the way is in Him, or He is
it. What ye want is treasured up in Jesus; and He saith, all His are
yours. Even His kingdom, He is content to divide it betwixt Him and
you: yea, His throne and His glory (Luke xxii. 29, 30; John xvii. 21;
Rev. iii. 21). And, therefore, take pains to climb up to that besieged
house to Christ; for devils, men, and armies of temptations are lying
about the house, to hold out all that are out, and it is taken with
violence. It is not a smooth and easy way, neither will your weather
be fair and pleasant; but whosoever hath seen the invisible God, and
the fair City, makes no reckoning of losses or crosses. _In_ ye must
be, cost you what it will. Stand not for a price, and for all that ye
have, to win the castle. The rights to it are won to you, and it is
disponed to you in the testament of your Lord Jesus (and see what a
fair legacy your dying Friend, Christ, hath left you!), and there
wanteth nothing but possession. Then get up in the strength of the
Lord; get over the water to possess that good land. It is better than
a land of olives and wine-trees; for the Tree of Life, that beareth
twelve manner of fruits every month, is there before you; and a pure
river of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God
and of the Lamb, is there. Your time is short; therefore lose no time.
Gracious and faithful is He who hath called you to His kingdom and
glory. The city is yours by free conquest, and by promise; and,
therefore, let no unco lord-idol put you from your own. The devil hath
cheated the simple heir of his paradise, and, by enticing us to taste
of the forbidden fruit, hath as it were, bought us out of our kindly
heritage. But our Lord Christ Jesus hath done more than bought the
devil by;[377] for He hath redeemed the wadset, and made the poor heir
free to the inheritance. If we knew the glory of our Elder Brother in
heaven, we would long to be there to see Him, and to get our fill of
heaven. We children think the earth a fair garden; but it is but God's
outfield, and wild, cold, barren ground. All things are fading that
are here. It is our happiness to make sure of Christ to ourselves.
[377] Set aside.
Thus remembering my love to your husband, and wishing to him what I
write to you, I commit you to God's tender mercy.
Yours, in his sweet Lord Jesus,