A57970:216
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 the Lady Kilconqhuair. (29.)
MISTRESS.
Grace, mercy & peace be to you: I am glad to hear that you have your face home-ward towards your fathers house, now when so many are for a home nearer hand: but your Lord calleth you to another life & glory, then is to be found hereaway: & therefore I would counsel you to make sure the charters, & rights, which ye have to Salvation. You came to this life about a necessary & weighty business, to tryst with Christ anent your precious soul, & the eternal salvation of it: this is the most necessary business ye have in this life, & your other adoés beside this, are but toys & feathers, & dreams, & fancies: this is the greatest haste & should be done first. Means are used in the Gospel to draw on a meeting betwixt Christ & you: if ye neglect your part of it, it is, as if you would tear the contract before Christ's eyes, & give up the match, that there shall be no more communing of that business. I know other lovers beside Christ are in suit of you, & your soul wanteth not many wooers, but I pray you make a chaste virgin of your soul, & let it love but one: most worthy ⟨p. 69⟩is Christ alone of all your souls love, howbeit your love were higher then the heaven & deeper then the lowest of this earth, & broader then this world: many, alas too many, make a common strumpet of their soul, for every lover that cometh to the house. Marriage with Christ would put your love, & your heart by the gate, out of the way, & out of the eyes of all other unlawful suitors; & then you had a ready answer for all others, I am already promised away to Christ, the match is concluded, my soul hath a husband already, & it cannot have two husbands. Oh if the world did but know what a smell the ointments of Christ cast, and how ravishing his beauty, even the beauty of the fairest of the sons of men is, & how sweet & powerful his voice is, the voice of that one well beloved! Certainly where Christ cometh, he runneth away with the souls love, so that they cannot command it. I would far rather look but through the hole of Christs door, to see but the one half of his fairest, & most comely face [for he looketh like heaven] suppose I should never win in to see his excellency & glory to the full; then to enjoy the flower, the bloom, & chiefest excellency of the glory, & riches, of ten worlds.