A57970:308
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 MARGARET BALANTINE. (47)
MISTRESS.
Grace, mercy & peace be unto you: It is more then time that I should have written to you, but it is yet good time, if I could help your soul to mend your pace, & to go more swiftly to your heavenly country; for truly ye have need to make all haste, because the inch of your day that remaineth will quickly slip away, for whether we sleep or wake our glass runneth, the tide bideth no man: Beware of a beguile in the matter of your salvation: woe, woe for evermore to them that lose that prize, for what is behind when the soul is once lost; but that sinners warm their bits of clay-houses at a fire of their own kindling for a day or two, which doeth rather suffocate with it's smoke then warm them, & at length they lie down in sorrow & are clothed with everlasting shame. I would seek no further measure of faith to begin withal, then to believe really, & steadfastly the doctrine of God's Justice, his all-devouring wrath & everlasting burning, where sinners are burnt soul & body in a river & great lake of fire & brimstone: Then they would wish no more goods but the thousand part of a cold fountain well to cool their tongue, they would then buy death with enduring of pain & torment for as many years, as God hath created drops of rain since the creation: but there is no market in buying or selling life or death there. Oh alas the greatest part of this world run to the place of that torment rejoicing & dancing, eating, drinking & sleeping! my counsel to you is, that ye start in time to be after Christ; for if ye go quickly, Christ is not far before you: Ye shall overtake him. O Lord God, what is so needful as this, salvation, salvation: Fie upon this condemned & foolish world that will give so little for salvation. Oh, if there were a free market of salvation proclaimed in that day when the trumpet of God shall awake the dead, how many buyers would be then? God send me no more happiness but that salvation which the blind world [to their eternal woe] letteth slip through their fingers: Therefore look if ye can give