A57970:998
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 my Lady BOYD. (187)
MADAM.
Grace, mercy & peace from God our father & from our Lord Jesus Christ, be multiplied upon you. I have reasoned with your son at large, I rejoice to see him set his face in the right airth, now when the Nobles love the sunny side of the Gospel best, and are afraid that Christ want soldiers and shall not be able to do for himself. Madam, our debts of obligation to Christ are not small, the freedom of grace & salvation is the wonder of man and Angels, but mercy in our Lord scorneth hire: Ye are bound to lift Christ on high, who hath given you eyes to discern the Devil now coming out in in his white's, & the Idolatry and Apostasy of the time well washen with fair pretences, but the skin is black & the water foul: It were art, I confess, to wash a black Devil and make him white. I am in strange up's & down's, & seven times a day I lose ground, I am put often to swimming, and again my feet are set on the rock that is higher then my self: He hath now let me see 4 Things I never saw before 1. The supper will be great cheer that is up in the great hall with the royal King of glory, when the four-hours, the standing drink in this dreary wilderness is so sweet: When he bloweth a kiss a far off to his poor heart broken mourners in Zion, and sendeth me but his hearty commendations till we meet, I am confounded with wonder to think what it shall be, when the fairest among the sons of men shall lay a King's sweet soft cheek to the sinful cheeks of poor sinners. ⟨p. 362⟩O time, time, go swiftly & hasten that day! Sweet Lord Jesus post, come flying like a young Hart or a Roe upon the mountains of separation. I think we should tell the hours carefully & look often how low the sun is: For love hath no ho, it is pained, pained in it self, till it come in grips with the party beloved. 2. I find Christ's absence love's sickness & love's death: The wind that bloweth out of the airth where my Lord Jesus reigneth, is sweet-smelled, soft, joyful, & heartsome to a soul burnt with absence. It is a painful battle for a soul sick of love to fight with absence & delays: Christ's not yet, is a stounding of all the joints & liths of the soul: a nod of his head when he is under a mask would be half a pawn: to say, fool, what aileth thee? He is coming, would be life to a dead man. I am often in my dumb sabbaths seeking a new plea with my Lord Jesus, God forgive me: