Joshua Redivivus, or Mr. Rutherford's Letters

If ye will be content to take heaven by violence, & the wind on your face for Christ and his cross, I am here one, who hath some trial of Christs cross, I can say, that Christ was ever kind to me, but he overcometh himself (if I may speak so) in kindness while I suffer for him, I give you my word for it, Christs cross is not so evil as they call it, it is sweet, light, and comfortable, I would not want the visitations of love, and the very breathings of Christs mouth, when he kisseth, and my Lords delightsome smiles, and love-embracements, under my sufferings for him, for a mountain of fine gold, nor for all the honours, court, and grandeur of velvet-kirk-men: Christ hath the yolk and heart of my love, I am my beloveds, and my well beloved is mine. O that ye were all handfasted to Christ! o my Dearly beloved in the Lord, I would I could change my voice, and had a tongue tuned with the hand of my Lord, and had the art of speaking of Christ, that I might paint out unto you, the worth, and highness, and greatness, and excellency, of that fairest, and renowned bridegroom! I beseech you by the mercies of the Lord, by the sighs, tears, & heart blood, of our Lord Jesus, by the salvation of your poor and precious souls, set up the mountain, that ye and I may meet before the Lambs throne, amongst the congregation of the first borne: Lord grant, that, that may be the trysting place, that ye and I may put up our hands together, and pluck, and eat the apples, o• the tree of life, and we may feast together, and drink together, of that pure river of the water of life, that cometh out from under the throne of God, and from the ⟨p. 11⟩Lamb: O how little is your hand-breadth, and span length of days here, your inch of time is Less, then when ye and I parted, eternity, eternity, is coming posting on with wings, then shall every mans black's, and whit's; be brought to light. O how low will your thoughts be of this fair-skinned but heart rotten apple, the vain, vain, feckless world, when the worms shall make their houses, in your eye holes, and shall eat a•• the flesh, from the ball of your cheeks, and shall make that body a number of dry bones! think not the common gate of serving God, as neighbour and others do, will bring you to heaven; few, few are saved, the Devils court, is thick and many, he hath the greatest number of mankind for his vassals:

If ye will be content to take heaven by violence, & the wind on your face for Christ and his crosse, I am here one, who hath some tryall of Christs crosse, I can say, that Christ was ever kind to me, but he overcometh himself (if I may speak so) in kindness vvhile I suffer for him, I give you my word for it, Christs crosse is not so evil as they call it, it is sweet, light, and comfortable, I would not want the visitations of love, and the very breathings of Christs mouth, when he kisseth, and my Lords delightsome smiles, and love-embracements, under my sufferings for him, for a mountain of fine gold, nor for all the honours, court, and grandour of velvet-kirk-men: Christ hath the yolke and heart of my love, I am my beloveds, and my welbeloved is mine. O that ye were all handfasted to Christ! o my Dearly beloved in the Lord, I would I could change my voice, and had a tongue tuned with the hand of my Lord, and had the art of speaking of Christ, that I might paint out unto you, the worth, and highnesse, and greatnesse, and excellencie, of that fairest, and renowned bridegroom! I beseech you by the mercies of the Lord, by the sighes, tears, & heart blood, of our Lord Jesus, by the salvation of your poor and precious souls, set up the mountain, that ye and I may meet before the Lambs throne, amongst the congregation of the first borne: Lord grant, that, that may be the trysting place, that ye and I may put up our hands together, and pluck, and eat the apples, o the tree of life, and we may feast together, and drink together, of that pure river of the water of life, that cometh out from under the throne of God, and from the