A57970:553
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.
Honoured & Dear Brother.
Grace, mercy & peace be to you: I received your letter which refreshed my soul. I thank God the court is closed, I think shame of my part of it: I pass now from my unjust summons of unkindness libelled against Christ my Lord: He is not such a Lord & Master as I took him to be, verily he is God, & I am dust & ashes: I took Christ's glooms to be as good as Scripture speaking wrath, but I have seen the other side of Christ & the white side of his cross now. I behooved to come to Aberdeen to learn a new mystery in Christ, that his promise is better to be believed then his looks, & that the devil can cause Christ's glooms speak a lie to a weak man: Nay, verily I was a child before, all by-goings are but b•irns play: I would I could begin to be a Christian in sad earnest: I need not blame Christ if I be not one, for he hath showed me heaven & hell in Aberdeen: But the truth is, for all my sorrow, Christ is nothing in my debt; for his comforts have refreshed my soul: I have heard & seen him in his sweetness, so, as I am almost saying, it is not he that I was wont to meet with: He laugheth more cheerfully, his kisses are more sweet & soul-refreshing then the kisses of the Christ I saw before were [though he be the same] or rather, the King hath led me up to a measure of joy & communion with my Bridegroom, that I never attained to before; so that often I think, I will neither borrow nor lend with this world, I will not strike sail to crosses nor flatter them, to be quite of them as I have done. Come all crosses, welcome, welcome! So I may get my heartfull of my Lord Jesus. I have been so near him as I have said, I take instruments ⟨p. 196⟩this is the Lord, leave a token behind thee that I may never forget this. Now what can Christ do more to dawt one of his poor prisoners? Therefore, Sir, I charge you in the name of my Lord Jesus, praise with me & show to others what he hath done unto my soul. This is the fruit of my sufferings that I desire Christ's name may be spread abroad in this Kingdom in my behalf. I hope in God not to slander him again; yet in all this I get not my feasts without some mixture of gall; neither am I free of old jealousies, for he hath removed my lovers & friends far from me, he hath made my congregation desolate & taken away my crown: & my dumb sabbaths are like a stone tied to a bird's foot that wanteth not wings, they seem to hinder me to flee: