A57970:1319
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.
But howbeit Christ out of his own mouth should seem to say, I came not for thee, as he did Matth. 15: 24. yet let me say, The words of tempting Jesus are not to be stretched as Scripture beyond his intention, seeing his intention in speaking them is to strengthen, not to deceive: & therefore here Faith may contradict what Christ seemeth at first to say, and so may ye. I charge you by the mercies of God, be not that cruel to Grace and the ⟨p. 500⟩new birth as to cast water on your own coal by misbelief: If ye must die (as I know ye shall not) it were a folly to slay your self. 3. I hope ye love the new birth & a claim to Christ, howbeit ye dow not make it good: & if ye were in hell & saw the heavenly face of lovely, ten thousand times lovely Jesus, that hath God's hew and God's fair, fair and comely red and white wherewith it is beautified beyond comparison and imagination, ye could not forbear to say, Oh! if I could but blow a kiss from my sinful mouth, from hell up to heaven upon his cheeks, that are as a bed of spices as sweet flowers, Cant. 5: 13. I hope ye dare say, O fairest sight of heaven! O boundless mass of crucified & slain love for me, give me leave to wish to love thee! O flower and bloom of heaven & earth's love! O Angels wonder! O thou the Father's eternally sealed love! & O thou God's old delight! give me leave to stand beside thy love & look in & wonder, & give me leave to wish to love thee, if I can do no more. 2. We being born in atheism & bairns of the house that we are come off, it is no new thing, my dear Brother, for us to be under jealousies & mistakes about the love of God: what think ye of this that the man Christ was tempted to believe there were but two Persons in the blessed Godhead, & that the Son of God, the substantial, & coeternal Son, was not the lawful Son of God? Did not Satan say, If thou be the Son of God? 3. Ye say that ye know not what to do? Your Head said once that same word or not far from it, Joh. 12. 27. Now is my soul troubled, & what shall I say? & faith answered Christ's What shall I say? with these words, O tempted Saviour, askest thou What shall I say? say, pray, Father save me from this hour. What course can ye take but pray & first Christ his own comforts? He is no dyvour, take his word. Oh [say ye] I cannot pray! Ans. Honest sighing is faith breathing & whispering him in the ear: