A57970:1379
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.
Worthy Friend.
Grace be to you: I do unwillingly write unto you of that which God hath done concerning your son in law; only, I believe ye look not below Christ and the highest and most supreme act of providence, which moveth all wheels: And certainly what came down enacted & concluded in the great book before the throne, & signed & subscribed with the hand which never did wrong, should be kissed & adored by us: we see God's decrees, when they bring forth their fruits, all actions, good & ill, sweet & sour in their time; But we see not presently the after-birth of God's decree, to wit, his blessed end & the good that he bringeth out of the womb of his holy & spotless counsel: we see his working, & we sorrow: The end of his counsel & working lieth hidden & underneath the ground, & therefore we cannot believe: Even amongst men, we see hewen stones, timber & an hundred scattered parcels & pieces of an house, all under-tools, hammers & axes & saws; yet the house, the beauty & ease of so many lodgings & ease-rooms, we neither see nor understand for the present: these are but in the mind & head of the builder as yet: we see red earth, unbroken clods, furrows & stones; but we see not summer-lilies, roses, & the beauty of a garden: If ye give the Lord time to work [as often he that believeth not, maketh haste, but not speed] his end is under the ground, & ye shall see it was your good that your Son hath changed dwelling-places, but not his Master: Christ thought good to have no more of his service here, yet Rev. 22: 3. His servants shall serve him: He needeth not us or our service, either in earth or in heaven: But ye are to look to him, who giveth the hireling both his leave & his wages for his naked aim & purpose to serve Christ, as well as for his labours: It is put up in Christ's account, such a labourer did sweat forty years in Christ's vineyard, howbeit he got not leave to labour so long, because he who accepteth of the will for the deed, counteth so: None can teach the Lord to lay an ⟨p. 527⟩account: He numbereth the drop of rain, & knoweth the stars by their names: It would take us much studying to give a name to every star in the firmament, great or small. See