A57970:1351
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 BOYD. (37)
MADAM.
Grace, mercy & peace be to you: Impute it not to a disrespective forgetfulness of your La: who ministered to me in my bonds, that I write not to you: I wish I could speak or write what might do good to your La: especially now, when I think ye cannot but have deep thoughts of the deep & bottomless ways of our Lord, in taking away, with a sudden & wonderful stroke your brethren & friends. Ye may know, all that die for sin, die not in sin, & that none can teach the Almighty knowledge, he answereth none of our Courts, & no man can say, What doest thou? It's true, your brethren saw not many summers; but adore & fear the sovereignty of the great Potter, who maketh & marreth his clay-vessels when & how it pleaseth him. This under-garden is absolutely his own & all that groweth in it, his absolute liberty is law-biding, the flowers are his own, if some be but summer-apples he may pluck them down before others. O what wisdom is it to believe & not to dispute, to subject the thoughts to his Court & not to repine at any act of his justice! He hath done it, all flesh be silent: it is impossible to be submissive & religiously patient if ye stay your thoughts down among the confused rollings & wheels of second causes, as, Oh the place! Oh the time! Oh if this had been, this had not followed! Oh the linking of this accident with this time & place! Look up to the Master-motion & the first wheel, see & read the decree of heaven & the Creator of men, who breweth death to his children & the manner of it: & they see far in a mill-stone, & have eyes that make a hole to see through the one side of a mountain to the other, who can take up his ways: How unsearchable are his judgements, & his ways past finding out! His Providence halteth not, but goeth with even & equal legs: yet are they not the greatest sinners, upon ⟨p. 516⟩