A57970:1114
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.
But let me, my very dear & worthy Lord, most humbly beseech you by the mercies of God, by the consolations of his Spirit, by the dear blood & wounds of your lovely Redeemer, by the salvation of your soul, by your compearance before the awful face of a sin-revenging & dreadful Judge, not to set in comparison together your soul's peace, Christ's love & his Kingly honour now called in question, with your place, honour, house, or ease, that an inch of time will make out of the way. I verily believe, Christ is now begging a testimony of you, & is saying, And will ye also leave me. It is possible the wind shall not blow so fair for you all your life, for coming out & appearing before others to back & countenance Christ the fairest among the sons of men, the Prince of the Kings of the earth. Isa. 51. 7. Fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be afraid of their revilings. v. 8. For the moth shall eat them up like a garment, & the worm shall eat them like wool. When the Lord shall begin, he shall make an end, & mow down his adversaries, and they shall lie before him like withered hay, & their bloom shaken off them. Consider how many thousands in this Kingdom ye shall cause to fall & stumble, if ye go with them, & that ye shall be out of the prayers of many who do stand before the Lord for you & your house: & further, when the time of your accounts cometh, & your one foot shall be within the border of eternity, & the eye-strings shall break, & the face wax pale, & the ⟨p. 405⟩soul shall look out at the windows of the house of clay, longing to be out, & ye shall find your self arraigned before the Judge of quick & dead to answer for the putting to your hand with the rest, confederate against Christ, to the overturning of his Ark & the loosing of the pins of Christ's tabernacle in this land, & shall certainly s•e your self mired in a course of Apostasy, then, then a King's favour & your worm-eaten honour shall be miserable comforters to you. The Lord hath enlightened you with the knowledge of his will: & as the Lord liveth, they lead you and others to a communion with great Babel, the mother of fornications: & God said of old, & continueth to say the same to you, Come out of her my people, lest ye be partakers of her plagues: will ye then go with them, & set your lip to the whore's golden cup, & drink of the wine of the wrath of God Almighty with them?