A57970:17
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.
there it was where he found the truth of that saying of Augustin, Tanta est dulcedo caelestis gaudii, ut si una guttula difflueret in infernum; totam amaritudinem infer•i absorberet: If one drop of heavenly joy should fall into hell, it would swallow up, or sweeten, all th• ⟨image 5⟩bitterness of that place of torment: The love of God and the joy of the Holy Ghost, was so abundantly shed abroad in his heart, while he was in the furnace, that his cross was not only made there by light & easy, & his life pleasant; but ye have him often saying (because he found by these foretasts what inconceivable consolation must be, in the immediate vision and full fruition of God) that if there were no other way, to come at the possession of that blessedness, he would, not only choose to swim through a sea of outward troubles; but he would wade through the lake of fire & brimstone, to be possessed of God himself: and there is none, who knew the gracious sobriety of this holy man, that will judge he complemented in saying so: nay, there are none, who have found what a cool refreshing shade & abundant consolation the soul finds, in the company of the son of man, while they walk with him amidst the flames of the most scorching fiery trials; but they would think strange, if he spake otherwise. Let us then be ashamed, to scare at the cross, or at Christ's company, because of it; since it bears the man, who bears it: Let us resolve to take joyfully the •os of all things, life it self not being excepted, in the service of such a Master, who makes us gainers by our loses, and then in a special way makes up all our wants, according to his riches in glory, when we have forsaken all to follow him: Let us study to carry in the sight of Adversaries, as men who cannot be made miserable by affliction; for if we be but indeed faithful to him, we are more happy at our worst, then we know; or rather we are only in so far miserable, as we know not how happy we are: he who is admitted to know that he hath a place in the heart of God, needs but care little what he meet with from the hand of man: this may wipe all tears from his eyes, even while he sighs out that sad word, I am poor and needy, that he knoweth, and is in case to add that other, yet the Lord thinketh upon me, & doth earnestly remember me still:
there it was where he found the truth of that saying of Augustin, Tanta est dulcedo caelestis gaudii, ut si una guttula difflueret in infernum; totam amaritudinem inferi absorberet: If one drop of heavenly joy should fall into hell, it would swallow up, or sweeten, all th