A57970:535
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 93: To the Much honoured WILLIAM RIGGE of Athernie. (93)
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 the Much honoured WILLIAM RIGGE of Athernie. (93)
Much honoured Sir.
Grace, mercy & peace be to you: I received your long-looked-for & short letter; I would ye had spoken more to me who stand in need: I find Christ as ye write ay the longer the better, & therefore cannot but rejoice in his salvation, who hath made my chains my wings, & hath made me a King over my crosses & over my adversaries: glory, glory, glory to his high, high & holy name: Not one ounce, not one grain-weight more is laid on me, then he hath enabled me to bear: And I am not so much wearied to suffer as Zion's haters are to persecute. Oh if I could find a way in any measure to strive to be even with Christ's love, but that I must give over! Oh who would help a dyvour to pay praises to the King of saints, who triumpheth in his weak servants? I see if Christ but ride upon a worm, or a feather, his horse will neither stumble nor fall: The worm Jacob is made by him a new sharp threshing instrument having teeth to thresh the mountains, & beat them small, & to make the hills as chaff & to fan them, so as the wind shall carry them away, & the whirlwind shall scatter them. Isa. 41: 14, 15, 16. Christ's enemies are but breaking their own heads in pieces upon the rock laid in Zion, & the stone is not removed out of it's place: Faith hath cause, to take courage from our very afflictions, the devil is but a whet-stone to sharpen the faith & patience of the saints: I know he but heweth & polisheth stones all this time for the new Jerusalem: But in all this, three things have much moved me, since it hath pleased my Lord to turn my moon light into day-light. First, he hath yoked me to work, to wrestle with Christ's love of longing, wherewith I am sick, pained, fainting & like to die, because I cannot get himself, which I think a strange sort of desertion; for I have