Joshua Redivivus, or Mr. Rutherford's Letters

To ALEXANDER GORDON. Of Knockgray. (110)

Dear. Brother.

Grace, mercy & peace, be to you: I long to hear how your soul prospereth: I expected letters from you ere now. As for my self I am here in good case, well feasted with a great King: At my first coming here, I was that bold as to to take up a jealousy of Christ's love: I said I was cast over the dike of the Lord's vineyard as a dry tree; but I see if I had been a withered branch, the fire would have burnt me long ere now: blessed be his high name who hath kept sap in the dry tree: & now as if Christ had done the wrong, he hath made the mends, & hath miskent my ravings [for a man under the water cannot well command his wit, far less his faith & love] because it was a fever, my Lord Jesus forgave me that among the rest: He knoweth, in our afflictions we can find a spot in the fairest face that ever was, even in Christ's face: I would not have believed that a gloom should have made me to misken my old Master; But we must be whiles sick: Sickness is but kindly to both faith & Love. But O how exceedingly is a poor dawted prisoner obliged to sweet Jesus! My tears are sweeter to me, then the laughter of the fourteen Prelates to them: The worst of Christ, even his chaff, is better then the world's corn. Dear Brother, I beseech you, I charge you in the name & authority of the Son of God, help me to praise his highness, & I charge you also to tell all your acquaintance, that my Master may get many thanks. O if my hairs, all my members and all my bones, were well tuned tongues to sing the high praises of my great & glorious King! Help me to lift Christ up upon his throne, & to lift him up above all the thrones of the clay Kings, the dying sceptre-bearers of this world. The prisoner's blessing, the blessing of him that is separated from his brethren, be upon them all who will lend me a lift in this work: Show this to that people with you to whom sometimes I preached. Brother, my ⟨p. 216⟩