A57970:631
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.
Worthy Sir.
Grace, mercy & peace be unto you: I long to hear from you: I am here the Lord's prisoner & patient, handled as softly by my Physician as if I were a sick man under cure. I was at hard terms with my Lord & pleaded with him; But I had the worst side: It is a wonder he should have suffered the like of me to have nicknamed the Son of his love Christ, & to call him a changed Lord who had forsaken me; but misbelief hath never a good word to speak of Christ. The dross of my cross, gathered a scum of fears in the fire, doubtings, impatience, unbelief, challenging of providence as sleeping, & not regarding my sorrow; but my gold smith Christ was pleased to take off the scum & burn it in the fire: And blessed be my finer he hath ⟨p. 220⟩made the metal better & furnished new supply of grace to cause me hold out weight & I hope hath not loosed one grain weight by burning his servant. Now his love in my heart casteth a mighty heat: He knoweth that the desire I have to be at himself paineth me: I have sick nights & frequent fits of love-fevers for my well-beloved: Nothing paineth me now but want of presence: I think it long till day: I challenge time as too slow in it's pace, that holdeth my only, only fair one, my love, my well-beloved from me: O if we were together once! I am like an old crazed ship that hath endured many storms & that would fain be in the lee of the shore, & feareth new storms: I would be that nigh heaven, that the shadow of it might break the force of the storm & the crazed ship might win to land. My Lord's s•n casteth a heat of love & beam of light on my soul. My blessing thrice every day upon the sweet cross of Christ: I am not ashamed of my garland The banished •inister. [which is the term of Aberdeen] Love, Love defieth reproaches: The love of Christ hath a croslet of proof on it, & arrows will not draw blood of it: We are more then conquerors through the blood of him that hath loved us, Rom. 8. The devil, & the world they cannot wound the love of Christ. I am further from yielding to the course of defection then when I came hither: sufferings blunt not the fiery edge of love: Cast love in the floods of hell it will swim above: it careth not for the world's busked and plastered offers.