A57970:604
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.
My very worthy & dear Friend.
Grace, mercy & peace be unto you: Though all Galloway should have forgotten me I would have expected a letter from you ere now: But I will not expound it to be forgetfulness of me. Now, My dear Brother, I cannot show you how matters go betwixt Christ and me: I find my Lord going and coming seven times a day: His visits are short, but they are both frequent & sweet. I dare not for my life think of a challenge of my Lord: I hear ill tales, & hard reports of Christ from the Tempter and my flesh; but love believeth no evil: I may swear that they are liars, and that apprehensions make lies of Christ's honest and unalterable love to me. I dare not say that I am a dry tree, or that I have no room at all in the vineyard; but yet I often think that the sparrows are blessed who may resort to the house of God in Anwoth, from which I am banished. Temptations that I supposed to be stricken dead and laid upon their back, rise again and revive upon me; yea. I see that while I live temptations will not die: The devil seemeth to brag & boast as much, as if he had more court with Christ then I have, & as if he had charmed & blasted my ministry that I shall do no more good in public; but his wind shaketh no corn: I will not believe Christ would have made such a mint to have me to himself, and have taken so much pains upon me as he hath done, and then slip so easily from possession, and lose the glory of what he had done; Nay, since I came to Aberdeen I have been taken up to see the new land, the fair palace ⟨p. 212⟩of the Lamb: And will Christ let me see heaven to break my heart, & never give it to me? I shall not think my Lord Jesus giveth a dumb earnest, or putteth his seal• to blank paper, or intendeth to put me off with fair and false promises: I see that now, which I never saw well before. 1. I see faith's necessity in a fair day is never known aright; but now I miss nothing so much as faith: Hunger in me runneth to fair and sweet promises, but when I come, I am like a hungry man that wanteth teeth, or a weak stomach having a sharp appetite that is filled with the very sight of meat; or like one stupefied with cold under the water that would fain come to land, but cannot grip any thing cast to him: I can let Christ grip me, but I cannot grip him: I love to be kissed and to sit on Christ's knee;