A SALUTATION OF LOVE, From the opening of the Springs of eternal Life, unto the Flock of God in bonds, or else where scattered upon the Earth, but are one in the endless life of God.  
From a friend to all the upright hearted people of God, that wait for the building of distressed zion; known by the Name of ROBERT LODGE.  
Printed in the Year, 1665.   

A Salutation of Love from the opening of the Springs of eternal life, unto the Flock of God in Bonds, or elsewhere scattered vpon the earth but are one in the endless life of God, Greeting.  
DEar Friends whom the Lord hath visited with the day spring from on high, and unto whom the Lord hath made known his Power, and the arms of his strength for your deliverance, from the deep captivity that your souls lay in, in times past, when there was none to help you, nor to comfort you; when you spent your dayes in mourning, for want of the presence of the Lord: and in that day did the Lord hear your groans, and the sighs of your spirits, and he appeared for your comfort, when you were comfortless; and in that day the Lord made known his judgements in you, for the purging of the dross out of you, that way might be made in you for the sweet dispensing forth of his mercies: And since the Lord prepared you for himself, by the work of his own spirit; How hath he let forth himself unto you, to the making of your hearts glad, and to the overcoming your souls with the strength of his love? that hath made you to say in secret, Who is like to the Lord? or what is to be compared with his love? and when your hearts were thus disposed of by him for whom you had waited, what was all the worlds glory to you, for this was more to you then all, in whose hearts were opened the sense of the want of him? And now, seeing the Lord hath done such great things for you, it is the pleasure of your God to try your love unto himself, whether you can follow him to the loss of all things in this world, yea or nay, for such a birth the life of God hath been long traveling for, and now they are blessed that can say, This birth is brought forth, in which they can give up all for the enjoyment of the Lord, who hath turned a wilderness into a fruitful Land, and a fruitful Land into barrenness in the inward; and he likewise is able to make it so outwardly, for them that believe and follow him in faithfulness unto the end. So my well-beloved in the Lord, who have felt his judgements and mercies in your hearts, who by the same are engaged to follow the Lord, and hold forth your testimonies for his righteous Name, blessed you are, as you abide in the overcoming love of God, by which your hearts have been drawn after the Lord, and after a further enjoyment of his life, who cannot be satisfied without the fresh breakings in of his love into your hearts. Oh blessed are you for ever, however the Lord may dispose of you as to the outward man, the Lord will be unto you as the shadow of a mighty Rock in a weary land unto you, the begotten of himself by the Word of his power, he will nourish you by the virtue of his own life, and by the sweetness of his own love, and this being felt, it makes all easy and delightsome whatsoever, for there is nothing to be compared with this love of our God. Therefore arise you Sons and Daughters of the Lord, and show forth the love that you bear to him, that all may know whose off-spring you are, and how highly you esteem of the goodness of God, that you can forsake all for him, and the light of his countenance, which is more to you then all the world. Oh Friends, it is for your sakes that the Lord hath done great things already, and yet will the Lord do greater things in the Earth for you, as in the heavenly life you abide, the Lord will arise for your help in the time of your distress and need; And therefore fear not you the wrath of man, nor the fury of the ungodly, but in the life look unto the Rock of your salvation, and he will beautify you with the Robes of Righteousness, and with the garments of praises, that all may see and confess, to the glory of him that hath shined forth of zion this day. And, dear Friends, you that have felt the love of God, in gathering you out of the world, and in preserving of you unto this day, let the kindness of the Lord, and the compassion that he hath shewed to you, be an engagement upon your hearts, to walk with the Lord in faithfulness, that as the Lord hath watered your souls with the streams of life, and pure love from day to day, and from time to time, he might still continue the same to you unto the end of your dayes, that your blossom thereby may not whither, but be kept beautiful in the Eyes of the Lord, that his delight may be in you to do you good, to rejoice over you in his love, as it hath been in times past, that by the same we might grow further in love with him, and be more and more affencted with his glory, that however it be permitted to fall out concerning these forms, we may be the Lords, and he the lot of our Inheritance; Then shall we be constrained to say, Our lot is fallen in good ground: And therefore you tender babes, be not discouraged nor amazed at the face of things, for mighty is the Lord who is with us, and glorious is his arm that doth compass us about this day, and pure is the food that the Lord is feeding the tender spirited withall, which makes us undervalue all the world, and it's glory, because our hearts are ravished with the love of God, which wonderfully is made manifest this day; glory be to the name of the Lord for ever, who breaks in upon us by the force of his love daily, so that our souls is become as watered gardens, through the shouring down of his blessings wherewith my soul is visited at this time, and in which I do visit you all in the life of God, in bonds, or else where who are called to bear witness for the Lord, in this trying, but not destroying day, that the purpose of our God may be fulfilled, and his determination completed, that the works of the Lord may bring him praise in the gates of the wicked, who alone is worthy of glory and honour for ever and for ever, saith my soul.  
From a friend to all the upright hearted people of God, that wait for the building of distressed zion, known by the name of Robert Lodge. Given forth at the house of Correction in Wakefield, the 9th. day, the third month, 1665.