A57970:970
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 Mr. JAMES HAMILTON. (181)
Reverend & dearly beloved in our Lord.
Grace, mercy & peace be to you: Our acquaintance is neither in bodily presence, nor in paper, but as sons of the same father & sufferers for the same truth. Let no man doubt but the state of our question we are now forced to stand to by suffering exile & imprisonment, is, If Jesus should reign over his Kirk or not? ⟨p. 350⟩Oh if my sinful arm could hold the crown on his head, howbeit it should be stricken off from the shoulder-blade. For your ensuing & feared trial, my very dearest in our Lord Jesus, Alas what am I to speak, to comfort a soldier of Christ, who hath done an hundred times more for that worthy & honourable cause then I can do? But I know these whom the world was not worthy of, wandered up & down in deserts & in mountains & in dens & caves of the earth, & that while there is one member of mystical Christ out of heaven, that member must suffer strokes till our Lord Jesus draw in that member within the gates of the new Jerusalem, which he will not fail to do at last; for not one toe or finger of that body but it shall be take in within the city. What can be our part in this pitched battle betwixt the Lamb & the Dragon? But to receive the darts in patience, that rebound off us on upon our sweet Master, or rather light first upon him & then rebound off him upon his servants. I think it a sweet North-wind that bloweth first upon the fair face of the chief among ten thousand & then lighteth upon our sinful & black faces: When once the wind bloweth off him upon me, I think it hath a sweet smell of Christ, & so must besom more then a single cross. I know ye have a guard about you, & your attendance & train for your safety, is far beyond your pursuers force or fraud: It is good under feud to be near our war-house & strong hold: We can do but little to resist them who persecute us & oppose him, but keep our blood & our wounds to the next Court-day, when our complaints will be read: If this day be not Christ's, I am sure the morrow shall be his. As for any thing I do in my bonds when now & then a word falleth from me, alas it is very little! I am exceedingly grieved that any should conceive any thing to be in such a broken, & empty reed, let no man impute it to me that the free & unbought wind [for I gave nothing for it] bloweth upon an empty reed: I am his overburdened debtor.