A57970:648
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.
To BETHAIA AIRD. [118]
Worthy Sister.
Grace, mercy & peace be unto you: I know ye desire news from my prison, & I shall show you news. At my first entry hither, Christ & I agreed not well upon it: The devil made a plea in the house & I laid the blame upon Christ; for my heart was fraughted with challenges, & I feared that I was an outcast, & that I was but a withered tree in the vineyard, & but held the sun off the good plants with my idle ⟨p. 225⟩shadow, & therefore my Master had given the evil servant •he fields to fend him: Old guiltiness said [as witness] all is true: My apprehensions were with child of faithless fears, & unbelief put a seal & Amen to all. I thought my self in a hard case: Some said I had cause to rejoice that Christ had honoured me to be a witness for him: & I said in my heart these are words of men who see but mine outside & cannot tell if I be a false witness or not. If Christ had in this matter been as wilful & short as I was, my faith had gone over the brae & broken it's neck; But we were well met, a hasty fool & a wise patient & meek Saviour: he took no law-advantage of my folly, but waited on till my ill blood was fallen & my drumbled & troubled well began to clear: He was never a whit angry at the fever ravings of a poor tempted sinner; but he mercifully forgave, & came (as it well becometh him) with grace & new comfort to a a sinner, who deserved the contrary: And now he is content to kiss my black mouth, to put his hand in mine, & to feed me with as many consolations as would feed ten hungry souls; Yet I dare not say he is a waster of comforts, for no less would have born me up, one grain weight less would have cast the balance. Now, who is like to that royal king crowned in Zion? where will I get a seat for royal Majesty to set him on? If I could set him as far above the heavens as thousand thousands of heights devised by men & Angels, I would think him but too low. I pray you for God's sake, my dear Sister, help me to praise: His love hath neither brim nor bottom: His love is like himself, it passeth all natural understanding: I go to fathom it with my arms, but it is, as if a child would take the globe of sea & land in his two short arms: Blessed & holy is his name. This must be his truth I now suffer for, for he would not laugh upon a lye, nor be witness with his comforts to a night-dream.