A57970:827
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.
MISTRESS.
I Beseech you in the Lord Jesus make every day more & more of Christ, & try your growth in the grace of God, & what new ground ye win daily on corruption; for travellers are day by day either advancing further on, & nearer home, or else they go not right about to compass their journey: I think still the better & better of Christ: Alas I know not where to set him, I would so fain have him high! I cannot set heavens above heavens till I were tired with numbering, & set him upon the highest step & story of the highest of them all: But I wish I could make him great through the world, suppose my loss & pain & shame were set under the soles of his feet, that he might stand upon me. I request you faint not because this world & ye are at yea & nay, & because this is not a home that laugheth upon you, The wise Lord who knoweth you will have it so, because he casteth a net for your love to catch it & gather it in to himself; therefore bear patiently the loss of children and burdens and other discontentments either within or without the house: Your Lord in them is seeking you, and seek ye him: Let none be your love & choice, & the flower of your delights but your Lord Jesus: Set not your heart upon the world, since God hath not made it your portion; for it will not fall you to get two portions, and to laugh twice, and to be happy twice, and to have an upper-heaven and an under-heaven too: Christ our Lord & his saints were not so; & therefore ⟨p. 301⟩let go your grip of this life & of the good things of it: I hope your heaven groweth not hereaway: Learn daily both to possess & miss Christ in his secret bridegroom-smiles: He must go & come because his infinite wisdom thinketh it best for you: we will be together one day: We shall not need to borrow light from sun, moon or candle: There shall be no complaints on either side in heaven: There shall be none there but He & we, the bridegroom & the bride; Devils, temptations, trials, desertions, losses, sad hearts, pain & death shall all be put out of play, & the Devil must give up his office of Tempting: O blessed is the soul whose hope hath a face looking straight out to that day! It is not our part to make a treasure here: Any thing under the covering of heaven we can build upon, is but ill ground, & a sandy foundation: Every good thing except God wanteth a bottom, & cannot stand it's alone;