A57970:1436
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 EARLESTOWN Elder. (54)
Sir.
I Know ye have learned long ago, ere I knew any thing of Christ, that if we had the Cross at our own election, we would either have law-surety for freedom from it, or then we would have it honeyed & sugared with comforts, so, as the sweet should over-master the gall & wormwood. Christ knoweth how to breed the sons of his house, & ye will give him leave to take his own way of dispensation with you, & though it be rough, forgive him: he defieth you to have as much patience to him, as he hath born to you. I am sure, there cannot a dram-weight ⟨p. 547⟩of gall be less in your cup, & ye would not desire, he sold both afflict you & hurt your soul. When his people cannot have a Providence of silk & roses, they must be content with such an one as he carveth out for them: ye would not go to heaven but with company, & ye may perceive that the way of these who went before you, was through blood, sufferings, & many afflictions: Nay, Christ, the Captain, went in over the door-threshold of Paradise, bleeding to death. I do not think but ye have learned to stoop, though ye (as others) be naturally stiff, & that ye have found that the apples & sweet fruits which grow on that crabbed tree of the Cross are as sweet as it is so •re to bear it; especially considering that Christ hath born the whole complete Cross, & his Saints bear but bits & chips, as the Apostle saith The remnants or leavings of the Cross. I Judge you ten thousand times happy that ever ye was Grace's debtor, for certainly Christ hath engaged you over head & ears to free Grace, & take the debt with you to Eternity, Immanuel's. highest land, where ye find before you a house-full of Christ's everlasting debtors; the less shame to you. Yea, & this lower Kingdom of Grace is but Christ's Hospital & Guest-house of sick folks, whom the brave & noble Physician Christ hath cured upon a venture of life & death. And if ye be near the waterside [as I know ye are] all that I can say is this, Sir, that I feel by the smell of that land which is before you, that it's a goodly Country, & it is well payed-for to your hand, & he is before you who will heartily welcome you. O to suck these breasts of full consolation above, & to drink Christ's new wine up in his father's house, is some greater matter then is believed! since it was brewed from eternity for the head of the house, & so many thousand crowned Kings: