A57970:679
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 123: To his Reverend & loving Brother. Mr JOHN NEVAY. (123)
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.
& that Christ will give us nothing here but tears, sadness, crosses: & that we shall never feel the smell of the flowers of that high ⟨p. 237⟩garden of Paradise above, till we come there: Nay, but I find it is possible to find young glory & a young green Paradise of joy even here: I know Christ's kisses will cast a more strong & refreshful smell of incomparable glory & joy in heaven; then they do here: Because a drink of the well of life up at the wel•'s head, is more sweet & fresh by far, then that which we get in our borrowed, old, running-out vessels & our wooden dishes here; yet I am now persuaded it is our folly to f••st all, till the term day; seeing abundance of earnest, will not diminish any thing of our principal sum: We dream of hunger in Christ's house while we are here, although he alloweth feasts upon all the bairns within God's household: It were good then to store our selves with moe borrowed kisses of Christ, & with moe borrowed visits till we enter Heirs to our new inheritance, & our Tutor put us in possession of our own, when we are past minority. Oh that all the young heirs would seek more & a greater & a nearer communion with my Lord-tutor, the prime heir of all, Christ! I wish for my part I could send you & that gentleman, who wrote his commendations to me, in to the kings innermost cellar & house of wine, to be filled with love: A drink of this love is worth the having indeed: We carry our selves but too too nicely with Christ our Lord, & our Lord loveth not niceness & dryness & uncouthness in friends: Since need force we must be in Christ's common, then let us be in his common; for it will be no otherwayes. Now for my present case in my imprisonment, deliverance [for any appearance I see] looketh cold like: My hope if it looked to or leaned upon men, should wither soon at the root like a May-flower: Yet I resolve to ease my self with on-waiting on my Lord, & to let my faith swim where it looseth ground: I am under a necessity either of fainting [which I hope my master of whom boast all the day shall avert] or then to •ay my faith upon omnipotency, & to wink & stick by my grip: And I hope my ship shall ride it out, seeing Christ is willing to blow his sweet wind in my sails & mendeth & closeth the leaks in my ship, & ruleth all: It will be strange if a believing passenger be cast •ver beard.