A57970:768
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 CARDONNESS Elder. (140)
Much honoured Sir.
Grace, mercy & peace be to you: I have longed to hear from you & to know the estate of your soul & the estate of that people with you: I beseech you Sir, by the salvation of your precious soul and the mercies of God, make good & sure work of your salvation & try upon what ground-stone ye have builded. Worthy & dear Sir, if ye be upon sinking sand, a storm of death & a blast will loose Christ & you and wash you close off the rock: O for the Lord's sake look narrowly to the work! read over your life with the light of God's day-light and sun; for Salvation is not cast down at every man's door: It is good to look to your compass & all ye have need of, ere ye take shipping; for no wind can blow you back again. Remember when the race is ended & the play either won or lost & ye are in the utmost circle & border of time & shall put your ⟨p. 275⟩foot within the march of eternity & all your good things of this short night-dream shall seem to you like the ashes of a blaze of thorns or straw, & your poor soul shall be crying, Lodging, lodging, for God's sake: Then shall your soul be more glad at one of your Lord's lovely & homely smiles; then if ye had the charters of three worlds for all eternity. Let pleasures & gain, will & desires of this world be put over in God's hands, as arrested and fenced goods that ye cannot intromet with: Now when ye are drinking the ground of your cup & ye are upon the utmost ends of the last link of time, & old age like death's long shadow is casting a covering upon your days, it is no time to court this vain life, & to set love & heart upon it: It is near after supper, seek rest & ease for your soul in God through Christ: Believe me I find it hard wrestling to play fair with Christ & to keep good quarters with him, & keep love to him in integrity & life, & to keep a constant course of sound & solid daily communion with Christ: temptations are daily breaking the thread of that course, & it is not easy to cast a knot again, & many knots make evil work. O how fair have many ships been plying before the wind, that in an hour's space have been lying in the sea bottom! How many professors cast a golden lustre, as if they were pure gold, & yet are under that skin & cover but base & reprobate metal! And how many keep breath in their race many miles, & yet come short of the prize & the garland!