A57970:1288
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
Part 2 › Letter 27: To the persecuted Church in Ireland. (27)
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.
Your goods that are taken from you for Christ & his truth's sake, are but arrested ⟨p. 481⟩& laid in pawn & not taken away: There is much laid up for you in his store-house, whose the earth & the fullness thereof is: your garments are spun, & your flocks are feeding in the fields, your bread is laid up for you, your drink is brown, your gold & silver is at the bank, & the interest goeth on & groweth, & yet I hear that your task-masters do robe & spoil you & fine you: your prisons [my brethren] have two keys, the Deputy, Prelates & Officers keep but the iron keys of the prison wherein they put you; but he that hath created the smith hath other keys in heaven, therefore ye shall not die in the prison: other mens ploughs are labouring for your bread, your enemies are gathering in your rents. He that is kissing his Bride on this side of the sea in Scotland, is beating her beyond the sea in Ireland, and feeding her with the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, and yet he is the same Lord to both. Alas! I fear that Scotland be undone and slain with this great mercy of Reformation, because there is not here that life of Religion, answerable to the huge greatness of the work that dazzleth our eyes: For the Lord is rejoicing over us in this land as the Bridegroom rejoiceth over the Bride, & the Lord hath changed the name of Scotland, they call us now no more Forsaken nor Desolate, but our land is called Heph Zibah & Beulah, Isa. 62: 4, for the Lord delighteth in us, & this land is married to himself: there is now an high way made through our Zion; & it is called the way of holiness, the unclean shall not pass over it, the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err in it: the wilderness doth rejoice & blossom as the rose: the ransomed of the Lord are returned back unto Zion, with songs & everlasting joy up on their heads, Isa. 35. The Canaanite is put out of our Lord's house, there is not a beast left to do hurt [at least professedly) in all the holy mountain of the Lord: our Lord is fallen to wrestle with his enemies, & hath brought us out of Egypt: we have the strength of an Unicorn. Numb. 23: 22. The Lord hath eaten up the sons of Babel, he hath broken their bones & hath pierced them through with his arrows: we take them captives whose captives we were, & we rule over our oppressors,