"Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle,
separated to the gospel of God" Rom 1:1
"Giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be
partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light."
— Col 1:12
That is to say, the devil would not trouble you if you were
not Christ's.
In other words, it is our natural inclination to wish that,
having become Christians, we could just go to heaven with no more
effort than lying in bed.
"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time
are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed
in us." — Rom 8:18
"A bundle of myrrh is my beloved to me, that lies all night
between my breasts." — Song 1:13
For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working
for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. 2 Cor
4:17
"But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross
of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified
to me, and I to the world." — Gal 6:14
Offer a gratuity in return for a service.)
Often in our sense of loss, we feel that there is a proportionality
between our suffering and Christ's grace to us. Rutherford reminds
us that we tend to think too much of ourselves and too little
of Christ.
"Ho! Everyone who thirsts, Come to the waters; And you
who have no money, Come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and
milk without money and without price." — Isa 55:1
"And this shall be the plague with which the Lord will
strike all the people who fought against Jerusalem: their flesh
shall dissolve while they stand on their feet, their eyes shall
dissolve in their sockets, and their tongues shall dissolve in
their mouths." — Zec 14:12
He is referring to the Episcopal party, who to his mind were
content to have Christ reign, so long as they could rule.
This sort of abrupt transition from rhapsodising about Christ
to legal distinctions is typical Rutherford.