A57970:272
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. (40.)
My Very Honourable & Christian Lady.
Grace, mercy & peace be to you: I received your letter & am well pleased that your thoughts of Christ stay with you, & that your purpose still is, by all means to take the Kingdom of heaven by Violence, which is no small conquest, and it is a degree of watchfulness & thankfulness also, to observe sleepiness & ⟨p. 93⟩unthankfulness: we have all good cause to complain of false light that playeth the thief, & stealeth away the lantern when it cometh to the practice of constant walking with God: our journey is ten times a day broken in ten pieces, Christ getteth but only broken & halved and tired work of us, & alas too often against the hair. I have been some what nearer the bridegroom, but when I draw nigh, & see my vileness, for shame I would be out of his presence again, but yet desire of his soul refreshing love, puteth blushing-me under an arrest. O what am I, so loathsome a burden of sin, to stand beside such a beautiful & holy Lord, such an high & lofty one who inhabiteth eternity: but since it pleaseth Christ to condescend to such an one as me, let shamefastness be laid aside, & lose it self in his condescending love. I would heartily be content to keep a corner of the Kings hall: Oh if I were at the yonder end of my weak desires, then should I be where Christ my Lord, & lover, lives & reigns, there I should be everlastingly solaced with the sight of his face, & satisfied with the surpassing sweetness of his matchless love: But truly now I stand in the nether side of my desires, & with a drooping head, & panting heart, I look up to fair Jesus standing a far off from us, while corruption & death shall scour & refine the body of clay, & rot out the bones of the old man of sin: In the mean time we are blessed in sending word to the beloved, that we love to love him, and till then there is joy in wooing, suiting, lying about his house, looking in at the windows & sending a poor souls groans & wishes through a hole of the door to Jesus, till God send a glad meeting: And blessed be God that after a low-ebb, & so sad a word Lord Jesus it is long since I saw thee, That even then, our wings are growing & the absence of sweet Jesus breedeth a new fleece of desires & longings for him: I know no man hath a velvet cross, but the cross is made of that which God will have it. But verily howbeit it be no warrantable market, to buy a cross;