A57970:473
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 JOHN FLEEMING. Bailiff of Leith. (81)
To JOHN FLEEMING. Bailiffe of Leith. (81)
Much honoured in the Lord.
Grace, mercy & peace be to you: I am still in good terms with Christ, however my Lord's wind blow, I have the advantage of the calm & sunny side of Christ. Devils, & hell, & Devil's servants, are all blown blind in pursuing the Lord's little Bride: They shall be as a night-dream who fight against mount Zion. Worthy Sir, I hope ye take to heart the worth of your calling: This great fair & meeting of people will skaile, & the port is open for us: As fast as time weareth out, we flee away: Eternity is at our elbow. O how blessed ⟨p. 168⟩are they who in time make Christ sure for themselves; Salvation is a great errand; I find it hard to fetch heaven. Oh that we could take pains on our lamps for the Bridegroom's coming! the other side of this world will be turned up incontinent, & up shall down, & these that are weeping in sack-cloth shall triumph on white horses, with him whose name is The word of God. These dying idols, the fair: creatures that we whorishly love better then our Creator, will pass away like snow water. The Godhead, the Godhead, a communion with God in Christ, to be halvers with Christ of the purchased house & inheritance in heaven, should be your scope & aim. For my self, when I lay my counts, O what telling, O what weighing is in Christ! O how soft are his kisses! O love, love surpassing in Jesus! I have no fault to that love, but that it seemeth to deal niggardly with me: I have little of it. O that I had Christ's seen & read band, subscribed by himself, for my fill of it! What garland have I, or what crown, if I looked right on things, but Jesus? Oh there is no room in us on this side of the water for that love! This narrow bit earth & these ebb & narrow souls can hold little of it because we are full of rifts. I would glory, glory would enlarge us [as it will] & make us tight, & close up our seams & rifts, that we might be able to comprehend it, which yet is incomprehensible. Remember my love to your wife. Grace be with you.