A57970:928
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 172: To his Reverend & dear Brother Mr ROBERT BLAIR. (172).
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.
Reverend & dear Brother.
The reason ye gave for your not writing to me, affecteth me much & giveth me a dash, when such an one as ye conceive an opinion of me or any thing in me: The truth is, when I come home to my self, O what penury do I find, and how feckless is my supposed stock, & how little have I! He to whom I am as crystal & who seeth through me & perceiveth the least mote that is in me, knoweth that I speak what I think & am convinced of: But men cast me through a gross & wide sieve: my very dear Brother, the room of the least of all saints is too great for the like of me: But lest this should seem art to fetch home reputation I speak no more of it: It is my worth to be Christ's ransomed sinner & sick one: His relation to me, is, that I am sick & He is the physician of whom I stand in need: Alas, how often play I fast & loose with Christ: He bindeth I loose, he buildeth I cast down, he t•immeth up a salvation for me & I mar it, I cast out with Christ & he agreeth with me again twenty times a day, I forfeit my Kingdom & heritage, I lose what I had; but Christ is at my back, and following on to stoop & take up that falleth from me: Were I in heaven & had the crown on my head, if Freewill were my tutor I should lose heaven; seeing I lose my self, what wonder I should let go & lose Jesus my Lord: O well to me for evermore that I have cracked my credit with Christ, & cannot by law at all borrow from him upon my feckless & worthless bond & faith! for my faith & reputation with Christ, is, that I am a creature that God will not put any trust into; I was, & am bewildered with temptations, & wanted a guide to heaven. O what have I to say of that excellent, surpassing & supereminent thing they call The Grace of God, the way of free redemption in Christ! And when poor poor I, dead in law, was sold, fettered & imprisoned in Justice's closest ward, which is hell & damnation; ⟨p. 336⟩when I a wretched one lighted upon noble Jesus, eternally kind Jesus, tender hearted Jesus, nay, when he lighted upon me first & knew me, I found that he scorned to take a price or any thing like hire of Angels, or Seraphims, or any of his creatures; and therefore I would praise him for this, that the whole army of the redeemed ones sit rent-free in heaven: Our holding is better then Blench: