A57970:1075
Joshua Redivivus, or Mr. Rutherford's Letters
Joshua redivivus, or, Mr. Rutherford's letters divided into two parts, the first, containing these which were written from Aberdeen, where he was confined by a sentence of the high commission ... partly on account of his non-conformance : the second, containing some which were written from Anwoth ... / now published for the use of all the people of God ... by a well-wisher to the work & people of God.Joshua redivivus, or, Mr. Rutherfoord's letters divided into two parts, the first, containing these which were written from Aberdeen, where he was confined by a sentence of the high commission ... partly on account of his non-conformance : the second, containing some which were written from Anwoth ... / now published for the use of all the people of God ... by a wellwisher to the work & people of God.
Rotterdam? : s.n., 1664
Part 1 › Letter 203: To Mr ALEXANDER COLVILL. Of Blair. (203.)
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
To Mr ALEXANDER COLVILL. Of Blair. (203.)
Much honoured Sir.
Grace, mercy & peace be to you: I would desire to know how my Lord took my letter I sent him, & how he is: I desire nothing but that he be fast and honest to my royal Master & King. I am well every way, all praise to him in whose books I must stand for ever as his debtor: Only my silence paineth me: I had one joy out of heaven next to Christ my Lord, & that was to preach him to this faithless generation, & they have taken that from me: It was to me as the poor man's one eye & they have put out that eye. I know the violence done to me & his poor be-rest Bride, is come up before the Lord: ⟨p. 391⟩& suppose I see not the other side of my cross, or what my Lord will bring out of it; yet I believe the vision shall not tarry, & that Christ is on his journey for my deliverance, he goeth not slowly but passeth over ten mountains at one stride: In the mean time, I am pained with his love, because I want real possession, when Christ cometh he stayeth not long, but certainly the blowing of his breath upon a poor soul is heaven upon earth, & when the wind turneth into the North & he goeth away, I die till the wind change in the West & he visit his prisoner: But he holdeth me not often at his door. I am richly repaid for suffering for him. O if all Scotland were as I am, except my bonds! O what pain I have, because I cannot get him praised by my sufferings! O that heaven, within and without, & the earth were paper, & all the rivers, fountains & sas were ink, & I able to write all the paper within & without, full of his praises & love & excellency, to be read by man & Angel! Nay this is little, I owe my heaven for Christ, & to desire, howbeit I should never enter in at the gates of the new Jerusalem, to send my love & my praises over the wall to Christ. Alas that Time & Days lie betwixt him & me, & adjourn our meeting! It is my part to cry, O when will the night be past & the day dawn, that we shall see one another! Be pleased to remember my service to my Lord to whom I wrote, & show him, that for his affection to me, I cannot but pray for him & earnestly desire that Christ miss him not out of the roll of these who are his witnesses, now, when his kingly honour is called in question: It is his honour to hold up Christ's royal train & to be an instrument to hold the crown upon Christ's head: