Joshua Redivivus, or Mr. Rutherford's Letters

I thank you for your letter: I cannot but show you that as I never expected any thing from Christ but much good & kindness, so he hath made me to find it in the house of my pilgrimage? And believe me, Brother, I give it to you under mine own hand-writ, that who so looketh to the white side of Christ's cross and can take it up handsomely with faith and courage ⟨p. 320⟩shall find it such a burden as […] are to a ship or wings to a bird. I find my Lord hath overgilded that black tree & hath perfumed it & oiled it, with joy & consolation. Like a fool once I would chide & plead with Christ & slander him to others of unkindness, but I trust in God not to call his glooms unkind again, for he hath taken from me my sackcloth, & I verily cannot tell you what a poor sold Joseph & prisoner [with whom my mother's children were angry] doeth now think of kind Christ: I will chide no more, providing he will quite me all by-goings; for I am poor. I am taught in this ill weather to go on the lee-side of Christ & to put him in between me and the storm, & I thank God I walk on the sunny side of the brae. I write it, that ye may speak in my behalf the praises of my Lord to others, that my bonds may preach. O if all Scotland knew the feasts & love-blinks & visits that the Prelates have sent me unto! I will verily give my Lord Jesus a free discharge of all that I like a fool, laid to his charge, & beg him pardon to the mends. God grant that in my temptations I come not on his wrong side again, and never again fall a raving against my Physician in my fever. Brother, plead with your mother while ye have time: A pulpit would be a high feast to me, but I dare not say one word against him who hath done it, I am not out of the house as yet, my sweet Master saith, I shall have house-room at his own elbow, albeit their synagogues will need force cast me out. A letter were a work of charity to me. Grace be with you. Pray for me.