A57970:973
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 MISTRESS STUART. [182]
MISTRESS.
Grace, mercy & peace be to you: I am sorry that ye take it so hardly that I have not written to you. I am judged to be that which I am not: I fear if I were put in the fire, I should melt away & fall down in shards of painted nature: For truly I have little stuff at home, that is worth the eye of God's servants: If there be any thing of Christ's in me (as I dare not deny some of his work) it is but a spunk of borrowed fire that can scarce warm my self & hath little heat for standers by: I would fain have that which ye and others believe I have, but ye are only witnesses to my utter side and to some words in paper. Oh that he would give me more then paper grace or tongue-grace! Were it not that want paineth me, I should have skailed house & gone a begging long since, but Christ hath left me with some hunger that is more hot then wise, & is ready often to say, If Christ longed for me as I do for him, we should not be long in meeting, and if he loved my company aswell as I do his, even while I am writing this letter to you, we should flee in other's arms: But I know there is more will then wit in this languor & pining love for Christ, & no marvel; for Christ's love would have hot harvest long ere mid-summer: But if I have any love to him, Christ hath both love to me & wit to guide his love: & I see, the best thing I have, hath as much dross beside it, as might curse me & it both; & if it were for no more, we have need of a Saviour to pardon the very faults and diseases & weakness of the new man, & to take away [to say so] our godly sins, or the sins of our sanctification & the dross & scum of spiritual love: woe, woe is me! O what need is there then of Christ's calling to scour & cleanse & wash away an ugly old body of sin, the very image of Satan! I know nothing surer then that there is an office for Christ among us: I wish for no other heaven in this side of the last sea, that I must cross, then this service of Christ, to make my blackness beauty, my deadness life, my guiltiness sanctification: I long much for that