A57970:596
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 107: To the Lady ROWALAND. [107]Part 1 › Letter 107: To the Lady ROVVALAND. [107]
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 Lady ROWALAND. [107]
To the Lady ROVVALAND. [107]
MADAM.
Though not acquainted I am bold in Christ to speak to your La: in paper: I rejoice in our Lord Jesus on your behalf, that it hath pleased him [whose love to you is as old ⟨p. 210⟩as himself] to manifest the savour of his love in Christ Jesus to your soul; in the revelation of his will & mind to you, now, when so many are shut up in unbelief. O the sweet change ye have made, in leaving the black kingdom of this world & sin, & coming over to our bridegroom's new kingdom, to know & to be taken with the love of the beautiful Son of God. I beseech you, Madam, in the Lord make now sure work, & see that the old house be cast down, & razed from the foundation, and that the new building of your soul be of Christ's own laying; for then wind and storm shall neither loose it, nor shake it asunder. Many now take Christ by guess: Be sure that it be he, and only he whom ye have met with: His sweet smell, his lovely voice, his fair face, his sweet working in the soul will not lye, they will soon tell if it be Christ indeed [& I think your love to the saints speaketh that it is he] & therefore I say, be sure that ye take Christ himself, & take him with his father's blessing: his father alloweth him well upon, you, your lines are well fallen, it could not have been better, nor so well with you if they had not fallen in these places: In heaven or out of heaven there is nothing better, nothing so sweet & excellent as the thing ye have lighted on, & therefore hold you with Christ: Joy, much joy may ye have of him: But take his cross with himself cheerfully: Christ and his cross are not separable in this life; howbeit Christ & his cross part at heaven's door, for there is no house-room for crosses in heaven: one tear, one sigh, one sad heart, one fear, one loss, or thought of trouble cannot find lodging there: they are but the marks of our Lord Jesus down in this wide inns & stormy country on this side of death: Sorrow & the saints are not married together, of suppose it were so, heaven shall make a divorce. I find his sweet presence eateth out the bitterness of sorrow & suffering. I think it a sweet thing that Christ saith of my cross Half mine, & that he divideth these sufferings with me & taketh the largest share to himself; nay that I & my whole cross are wholly Christ's. O what a portion is Christ!