A57970:913
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 CARDONNESS. (169)
My dearly beloved & longed for in the Lord.
Grace, mercy & peace be to you: I long to hear how your soul Prospereth & how the Kingdom of Christ thriveth in ⟨p. 331⟩you. I exhort you & beseech you in the bowels of Christ faint not, weary not: There is a great necessity of heaven, ye must needs have it: All other things, as houses, lands, children, husband, friends, country, credit, health, wealth, honour, may be wanted; but Heaven is your one thing necessary, the good part that shall not be taken from you: See that ye buy the field where the pearl is, sell all & make a purchase of salvation: think it not easy, for it is a steep ascent to eternal glory: Many are lying dead by the way that are slain with security. I have now been led by my Lord Jesus to such a nick in Christianity as I think little of former things. Oh what I want! I want so many things, that I am almost asking if I had any thing at all: Every man thinketh he is rich enough in grace, till he take out his purse & tell his money, & then he findeth his pack but poor & light in the day of a heavy trial. I found I had not to bear my expenses, and should have fainted if want & penury had not chased me to the store-house of all. I beseech you, make conscience of your ways, deal kindly & with conscience with your Tenants: to fill a breach or a hole make not a greater breach in the conscience: I wish plenty of love to your soul: let the world be the portion of bastards, make it not yours: after the last trumpet is blown, the world & all its glory will be like an old house that is burnt to ashes, & like an old fallen castle without a roof. Fie, fie upon us fools who think our selves debtors to the world. My Lord hath brought me to this, that I would not give a drink of cold water for this world's kindness: I wonder that men long after, love, or care for these feathers: it is almost an uncouth world to me to think, that men are so mad as to block with dead earth: to give cut conscience & to get in clay again, is a strange bargain. I have written my mind at length to your husband, write to me again his case, I cannot forget him in my prayers, I am looking Christ hath some claim to him: My counsel is, that ye bear with him when passion overtaketh him, A soft answer putteth away wrath, answer him in what he speaketh & apply your self in the fear of God to him, & then ye will remove a pound weight of your heavy cross that way, &