A57970:908
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 the Lady CULROSS. Rev. 7: 14. These are they which came out of great tribulation, & have washed their robes & made them white in the blood of the Lamb. [168]
To the Lady CULROSS. Rev. 7: 14. These are they vvhich came out of great tribulation, & have vvashed their robes & made them vvhite in the blood of the Lamb. [168]
MADAM.
Grace, mercy & peace be multiplied upon you: I greatly long to be refreshed with your letter: I am now [all honour & glory to the King eternal, immortal & invisible] in better terms with Christ then I was. I like a fool summoned my husband & Lord, & libelled unkindness against him, but now I pass from that foolish pursuit, I give over the plea, he is God & I am man: I was loosing a fast stone & digging at the ground-stone [the love of my Lord] to shake & unsettle it, but God be thanked, it is fast, all i• sure: In my prison he hath shown me daylight; he dought not hide his love any longer: Christ was disguised & masked, & I apprehended it was not he, & he hath said It is[…], be not afraid: And now his love is better then wine. Oh that all the virgins had part of the Bridegroom's love, whereupon he maketh me to feed! Help me to praise: I charge you, Madam, help me to pay praises, & tell others, the daughters of Jerusalem, how kind Christ is to a poor prisoner: he hath payed me my hundred ⟨p. 330⟩fold, it is well told me & one to the hundred: I am nothing behind with Christ: Let not fools, because of their lazy soft flesh, raise a slander & an ill report upon the cross of Christ, it is sweeter then fair: I see, grace groweth best in winter: This poor, persecuted Kirk, this lily amongst the thorns, shall blossom and laugh upon the gardiner, the husband-man's blessing shall light upon it. Oh if I could be free of jealousies of Christ after this, & believe & keep good quarters with my dearest husband! for he hath been kind to the stranger: & yet in all this fair hot summer-weather, I am kept from saying […] is good to be here, with my silence, & with grief to see my mother wou dead & her veil taken from her, & the fair Temple cast down: & my belly is pained, my soul is heavy for the captivity of the daughter of my people, & because of the fury of the Lord & his fierce indignation against Apostate Scotland. I pray you, Madam, let me have that which is my prayer here, that my sufferings may preach to the four quarters of this land, and therefore tell others how open-handed Christ hath been to the prisoner and the oppressed stranger: Why should I conceal it? I know no other way how to glorify Christ, but to make an open proclamation of his love, and of his his soft and sweet kisses to me in the furnace, & of his fidelity to such as suffer for him.