A57970:364
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 JEAN BROWN. (57.)
MISTRESS.
Grace, mercy & peace be to you: I am glad that ye go on at Christ's back in this dark & cloudy time: It were good to sell other things for him; for when all these days are over, we shall find it our advantage, that we have taken part with Christ. I confidently believe his enemies shall be his footstool, & that he shall make green flowers dead withered hay, when the honour & glory shall fall off them, like the bloom or flower of a green herb shaken with the wind. It were not wisdom for us to think that Christ & the Gospel will come & sit down at our fire side, nay, but we must go out of our warm houses & seek Christ & his gospel: It is not the sunny side of Christ that we must look to, & we must not forsake him for want of that, but must set our face against what may befall us in following on till he & we be through the briers & bushes on the dry ground: Our soft nature would be born through the troubles of this miserable life in Christ's arms: & it is his wisdom who knoweth our mould, that his bairns go wet-shod & cold-footed to heaven. O how sweet a thing were it for us, to learn to make our burdens light, by framing our hearts to the burden and making our Lord's will a law! I find Christ & his cross not so ill to please, nor yet such troublesome guests as men call them: Nay, I think patience should make Christ's water good wine; ⟨p. 130⟩& this dross good metal: & we have cause to wait on, for ere it be long, our Master will be at us, & bring this whole world out before the sun & the day-light in their black's & white's: Happy are they who are found watching: Our sand-glass is not so long as we need to weary; time will eat away & root out our woes, & sorrow: our heaven is in the bud & growing up to an harvest; why then should we not follow on seeing our span length of time will come to an inch: Therefore I commend Christ to you as your last living, & longest living husband, & the staff of your old age: let him have now the rest of your days; & think not much of a storm upon the ship that Christ saileth in, there shall no passenger fall over board, but the crazed ship & the sea-sick passenger shall come to land safe. I am in as sweet communion with Christ as a poor sinner can be, & am only pained that he hath much beauty and fairness, and I little love, he great power & mercy & I little faith, he much light & I bleared eyes.