A57970:1247
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
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 my Lady KENMURE. (20)
My very Noble & worthy Lady.
SO oft as I call to mind the comforts that I my self, a poor friendless stranger, received from your La: here in a strange part of the country, when my Lord took from me the delight of mine eyes, as the word speaketh, Ezek. 24. 16. [which wound is not yet fully healed & cured] I trust your Lord shall remember that & give you comfort now at such a time as this, wherein your dearest Lord hath made you a widow that ye may be a free Woman for Christ who is now suiting for marriage-love of you; & therefore since you lie alone in your bed, let Christ be as a bundle of myrrh to sleep & lie all the night betwixt your breasts, Cant. 1, 13. & then your bed is better filled then before: And seeing amongst all crosses spoken of in our Lord's word, this giveth you a particular right to make God your husband, [which was not so yours while your husband ⟨p. 467⟩was alive] read God's mercy out of this visitation: And albeit I must out of some experience say, the mourning for the husband of your youth, be, by God's own mouth the heaviest worldly sorrow, Joel 1. 8. & though this be the weightiest burden that ever lay upon your back; Yet ye know [when the fields are emptied & your husband now asleep in the Lord] if ye shall wait upon him who hideth his face for a while, that it lieth upon God's honour & truth to full the field & to be a husband to the widow: See & consider then what ye have lost & how little it is. Therefore, Madam, let me entreat you in the bowels of Christ Jesus & by the comforts of his Spirit & your appearance before him, let God & men & Angels now see what is in you: The Lord hath pierced the vessel, it will be known whether there be in it wine or water: let your faith & patience be seen, that it may be known, your only beloved first and last hath been Christ: And therefore now were your whole love upon him, he alone is a suitable object for your love and all the affections of your soul: God hath dried up one channel of your love by the removal of your husband, let now that spate run upon Christ. Your Lord & lover hath graciously taken out your husband's name & your name out of the summons that are raised at the instance of the terrible sin-revenging Judge of the world against the house of the Kenmure: And I dare say that God's hammering of you from your youth is only to make you a fair carved stone in the high upper temple of the new Jerusalem: