A57970:477
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
Part 1 › Letter 82: To ALEXANDER GORDON Of Earlestoun. [82.)
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 ALEXANDER GORDON Of Earlestoun. [82.)
Much honoured Sir.
Howbeit I would have been glad to have seen you; yet seeing our Lord hath been pleased to break the snare of your adversaries, I heartily bless our Lord on your behalf. Our crosses for Christ are not made of iron, they are softer and of ⟨p. 169⟩more gentle metal: It is easy for God, to make a fool of the Devil the father of all fools. As for me, I but breath out what my Lord breatheth in: The scum & froth of my letters, I father upon my own unbelieving heart. I know your Lord hath something to do with you, because Satan & malice have shot sore at you; but your bow abideth in it's strength. Ye shall not by my advice be a halver with Christ, to divide the glory of your deliverance betwixt your self & him; or any other second mean whatsoever: Let Christ [as it setteth him well] have all the glory, & triumph his alone. The Lord set himself on high in you: I see Christ can borrow a cross for some hours, & set his servants beside it, rather then under it, & win the plea too, yea & make glory to himself & shame to his enemies & comfort to his children out of it: But whether Christ buy or borrow crosses, he is King of crosses, & King of Devils, & King over hell, & King over malice: When he was in the grave, he came out, & brought the keys with him: he is Lord-Jailer, nay what say I, he is Captain of the castle, & he hath the keys of deaths hell; & what are our troubles but little deaths: & he who commandeth the great castle commandeth the little also. 2. I see, a hardened face & two skins upon our brows, against the winter hail, & stormy wind, is meetest for a poor traveller in a winter journey to heaven. O what art is it to learn to endure hardness & to learn to go bare footed either through the devil's fiery coals or his frozen waters! 3. I am persuaded a sea-venture with Christ maketh great riches: Is not our King Jesus his ship coming home, & shall not we get part of the gold? Alas, we fools miscount our gain when we seem losers. Believe me, I have no challenges against this well-born cross, for it is come of Christ's house & is honourable & his propine, To you it is given to suffer. O what fools are we to undervalue his gifts, & to lightly that which is true honour! For if we could be faithful, our tackling shall not loose, nor our mast break, nor our sails blow into the sea.