Justice is a sea of trouble caused by crafty foxes
Sunday, May 14, 2006
I understand that you are still under the Lord's visitation in your former business with your enemies, which is God's dealing. For, till He take His children out of the furance that knoweth how long they should be tried, there is no deliverance; but after God's highest and fullest tide, that the sea of trouble is gone over the souls of His children, then comes the gracious long-hoped-for ebbing and drying up of the waters. Dear sister, do not faint; the wicked may hold the bitter cup to your head, but God mixeth it, and there is no poison in it. they strike, but God moves the rod; shimei curseth, but it is because the Lord bids him. I tell you, and I h ave it from Him before whom I stand for God's people, that there is a decreet given out, in the great court of the highest heavens, that your present troubles shall be dispersed as the morning cloud, and god shall bring forth your righteousness, as the light of the noontide of the day. Let me intreat you, in Christ's name, to keep a good conscience: yourself is a more dangerous enemy than I, or any without you. Innocence and an upright cause is a good advocate before God, and shall plead for you, and win your cause. And count much of your Master's approbation and His smiling. He is now as the king that is gone to a far country. God seems to be from home (if I may say so) yet, He sees the ill servants who say, "Our Master deferreth His cometh," and so strike their fellow servants. But, patience, my beloved; Christ the King is coming home; the evening is at hand and He will ask an account of His servants. Make a fair clean count to Him. So carry yourself as at night you may say, Master, I have wronged none; behold you have your own with advantadge. O! your soul then will esteem much of God's kisses and embracements in the testimony of a good conscience. The wicked, howbeit, they be casting many evil thoughts, bitter words and sinful deeds behind their back, yet they are in so doing clerks to their own process and doing nothing all their life but gathering dittayes against themselves; for God is angry at the wicked every day of their lives. And I hope your present process shall be sighted one day by crafty foxes, double, ingrained hypocrites shall appear as they are before His majesty, when He shall take the masks off their faces. And O! thrice happy shall your soul be then, when God finds you covered with nothing but the white robes of the saints innocence, and the righteousness of Jesus Christ. [Samuel Rutherford]|
