A57970:709
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 LARGIRIE. [129.]
MISTRESS.
Grace, mercy & peace be to you: I exhort you in the Lord to go on in your journey to heaven, & to be content of such fare by the way as Christ & his followers have had before you; for they had always the wind on their faces, & our Lord hath not changed the way to us for our ease; but will have us following our sweet guide. Alas how doeth sin dog us in our journey & retard us! What fools are we to have a by-god or an other lover or match to our souls beside Christ? It were best for us like ill bairns [who are best heard at home] to seek our own home, & to sell our hopes of this little clay Inns & idol of the earth, where we are neither well summered nor well wintered. Oh that our souls would fall so at odds with the love of this world, as to think of it as a traveller doeth of a drink of water, which is not any part of his treasure, but goeth away with the using; for ten miles journey maketh that drink to him as nothing! O that we had as soon done with this world and could as quickly dispatch the love of it! But as a child cannot hold two apples in his little hand, but the one putteth the other out of it's room; so neither can we be masters and Lords of two loves: Blessed were we if we could make our selves masters of that invaluable treasure the love of Christ; or rather suffer our selves to be mastered and subdued to Christ's love, so as Christ were our all things, & all other things our nothings & the refuse of our delights. O let us be ready for shipping against the time our Lord's wind & tide call for us! Death is the last thief that shall come without din or noise of feet, & take our souls away, & we