A57970:288
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.
My very Noble & honourable Lord.
I make bold (out of the honourable & Christian report I hear of your Lo: having no other thing to say, but that which concerneth the honourable cause, which the Lord hath enabled your Lo: to profess) to write this, that it is your Lo: crown, your glory, & your honour to set your shoulder under the Lords glory, now falling to the ground; & to back Christ now, when so many think it wisdom to let him send for himself: the shields of the earth ever did, & do still believe, that Christ is a cumbersome neighbour, & that it is a pain to hold up his yea's, & nay's: They fear he take their chariots, & their crowns, & their honour, from them; but my Lord standeth in need of none of them all: But it is your glory to own Christ & his buried truth, for let men say what they please, the plea with Zion's enemies in this day of Jacob's trouble, is, If Christ should be King, & no mouth steak laws but his? It concerneth the apple of Christ's eye, & his royal privileges, what now is debated: & Christ's Kingly honour is come to yea, & nay: But let me be pardoned my, my dear & Noble Lord, to beseech you by the mercies of God, by the comforts of the Spirit, by the wounds of your dear Saviour, by your compearance before the Judge of quick & dead; to stand for Christ, and to back him. Oh if the Nobles had done their part, & been zealous for the Lord it had not been as it is now; but men think it wisdom to stand beside Christ, till his head be broken, & sing dumb. there is a time coming when Christ will have a thick court & he will be the glory of Scotland, & he shall make a diadem, a garland, a seal upon his heart & ⟨p. 99⟩a ring on his finger, of these, who have avouched him before this faithless generation: Howbeit ere that come, wrath from the Lord is ordained for this land. My Lord, I have cause to write this to your Lo: for I dare not conceal his kindness to the soul of an afflicted, exiled prisoner: Who hath more cause to boast in the Lord then such a sinner as I? Who am feasted with the consolations of Christ, & have no pain in my sufferings, but the pain of soul-sickness of love for Christ, & sorrow that I cannot get help to sound aloud the high praises of him who hath heard the sighing of the prisoner, & is content to lay the head of his oppressed servant in his bosom, under his chin, & let him feel the smell of his garments. This I behooved to write that your Lo: