A57970:776
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.
Out of the honourable & good report that I hear of your Lo: goodwill & kindness in taking to heart the honourable cause of Christ & his afflicted Church & wronged truth in this land, I make bold to speak a word in paper to your Lo: at ⟨p. 278⟩this distance, which I trust your Lo: will take in good part. It is your Lo: honour & credit to put to your hand [as ye do, all honour to God] to the fa•ling & tottering tabernacle of Christ in this your mother-Church, & to own Christ's wrongs as your own wrongs. O blessed hand which shall wipe and dry the watery eyes of our weeping Lord Jesus, now going mourning in sackcloth in his members, in his spouse, in his truth & in the prerogative royal of his Kingly power! He needeth not service and help from men, but it pleaseth his wisdom to make the wants & losses, sores and wounds of his spouse, a •ield & an office-house for the zeal of his servants to exercise themselves in: Therefore, my noble & dear Lord, go on, go on in the strength of the Lord against all opposition to side with wronged Christ: The defending & warding of strokes off Christ; his Bride, the King's daughter, is like a piece of the rest of the way to heaven, knotty, rough, stormy & full of thorns: Many would follow Christ, but with a reservation, that by open proclamation Christ would cry down crosses, & cry up fair weather & a summer-sky & sun till we were all fairly landed at heaven. I know your Lo: hath not so learned Christ, but that ye intend to fetch heaven, suppose your father were standing in your way, & to take it with the wind on your face; for so both storm & wind was on the fair face of your lovely fore-runner Christ all his way. It is possible the success answer not your desire in this worthy cause: what then? Duties are ours but events are the Lord's: & I hope, if your Lo: & others with you shall go on, to dive to the lowest ground & bottom of the knavery & perfidious treachery to Christ, of the cursed & wretched Prelates, the Anti-Christ's first-born & the first fruit of his foul womb, & shall deal with our Sovereign [Law going before you] for the reasonable & impartial hearing of Christ's bill of complaints, & set your selves singly to seek the Lord & his face, your righteousness shall break through the clouds, that prejudice hath drawn over it:
OUt of the honourable & good report that I hear of your Lo: goodwill & kindness in taking to heart the honourable cause of Christ & his afflicted Church & wronged truth in this land, I make bold to speak a word in paper to your Lo: at