A57970:319
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 REID. (49)
My very Dear & worthy Si••er,
Grace, mercy, & peace be to you: Ye are truly blessed of the Lord, however a lower world gloom upon you, if ye continue in the faith, grounded & settled & be not moved away from the hope of the Gospel, it is good, there is a heaven, ⟨p. 110⟩& it is not a night dream or a fancy: It is a wonder that men deny not that there is a heaven, as they deny there is a way to it, but of mens making: You have learned of Christ that there is a heaven; contend for it, & contend for Christ; bear well & submissively the hard cross of this step-mother world, that God will not have to be yours. I confess, it is hard, & I would I were able to ease you of your burden; But believe me, this world, [which the Lord will not have to be yours] is but the dross, the refuse & scum of God's creation, the portion of the Lord's poor hired servants; the moveables, not the heritage; a hard bone cast to the dogs holden out of the new Jerusalem, whereupon they rather break their teeth then satisfy their appetite: It is your father's blessing, & Christ's birth-right, that our Lord is keeping for you; & I persuade you, your seed also shall inherit the earth (if that be good for them) for that i• promised to them, & God's bond is as good and better then if men would give every one of them a bond for thousand thousands. Ere ye was born, crosss in number, measure & weight were written for you, & your Lord will lead you through them: make Christ sure, & the blessings of the earth shall be at Christ's back. I see many professors for the fashion follow on, but they are professors of glass; I would cause a little knock of persecution ding them in twenty pieces, & so the world should laugh at the shards: Therefore make fast work, see that Christ lay the ground-stone of your profession, for wind & rain & speats will not wash away his building: his works have no shorter date then to stand for evermore. I should twenty times have perished in my affliction if I had not leaned my weak back & laid my pressing burden both upon the stone, the foundation-stone, the corner-stone laid in Zion: & I desire never to rise off this stone. Now the very God of peace confirm & establish you unto the day of the blessed appearance of Christ Jesus. God be with you.