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A57214 The epistles of Mr. Robert Rich to the seven churches (so called by him) viz. 1. To the Roman Catholick, 2. the Episcopal Protestant, 3. the Presbyterian, 4. the Independent, 5. the Anabaptist, 6. the Quaker, 7. the Church of the First-Born : containing his testimony to God's approbation of the good and aversion to the evil in all persuasions : together with an abstract of a letter of the authors, declaring his gift, or benevolence, sent to each of the said churches. Rich, Robert, d. 1679. 1680 (1680) Wing R1356; ESTC R28477 92,478 137

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Reason in the Letter beget and bring Men into a Sect and into an Opinion so strong that he may come to die for it as we see in the Quakers and Papists c. yet for the sake of Christ and his Leadings will not forsake their Lusts nor their own Self-Wills This is as Dr. Taylor saith false Martyrdom Also I know you Three are all One in many other Opinions You agree with Calvin viz. That the Scriptures are the Word of God and a sufficient Rule of Life to measure and try Doctrines and Spirits by under the Gospel and the only Judg of Controversies And as is printed before the Bible with Marginal Notes Here is the Spring where Waters flow to quench the heat of Sin c. Here is the Bread that feeds the Life that Death cannot assail c. The Fortress of our Faith is here and Shield of our Defence c. Whereas in truth the Scriptures without the Spirit are but a dead Letter put in the place of Christ who is the only true Bread and Water of Life But instead of Christ in us the New Creature the Word in the Heart and only Rule of Life that ends all Controversies and leads into Love and Union even all that walk therein you place the Dead Letter which increaseth but never endeth Strife and Controversies amongst Christians And indeed how can it be that the Scriptures should ever end Controversies seeing there are so many false Copies and every one differing from each other that no Man knows the True nor do I think there is any without Error nor any so false but that there is much Truth in it St. Hierom saith That the Hebrew and Greek Copies were much perverted by Jews and Hereticks so that he rather chose the Vulgar Latin though many Faults were committed by Writers in that also which having amended he laid aside all other Latin Versions which he saith in his Time were almost innumerable So that I see in those Primitive Times there were no True Copies to be found and that if you make the Written Scriptures your full Rule it will be but a crooked one such as every Man by his private Interpretation makes as a Nose of Wax to turn every way and putting that Authority upon the Scriptures by making them the Rule of Christian Life and End of Controversies is so far from working this End that it hath broched more Heresies and false Opinions than ever were known in the World before these last and perilous Times And there can be no recovery out of this Gulph of Misery but as Men come to forsake this great Idol the Letter and putting no more stress and confidence in it than in a Declaration of Truth when first written and uncorrupted and that Men return to the Word of God the Volumn of God's Book the Word in the Heart which never can be corrupted nor changed the sure Word of Prophecy which if a Man obey will surely lead into Life Eternal Allelujah And this setting up the Letter above the Spirit and Man by Carnal Force making himself Judg thereof hath bin the cause of all the Innocent Blood shed upon the account of Religion from Abel to this day Dr. Gell a pious Man and well read in the Oriental Tongues hath writ a Book in Folio printed Anno 1659 entituled An Essay towards an amendment of the last English Translation of the Bible wherein many Faults are found and amended by him And the Makers of the last Translation say in their Preface They had amended many thousand Words that were amiss in the former Translation Wherefore my Advice is That all accounted Christians do avoid vain Jangling and Disputing about Religion and the Letter which eats as a Canker and is as a Pest in the Church and destroys all true Religion which consists in brotherly Love and Kindness which Love edifies and is the Sum and Substance both of Law and Gospel Rather learn to judg and condemn your selves than your Brethren this is the way to have Peace with God and Unity and Amity one with another though of different Opinions and Perswasions Allelujah Likewise with Calvin ye agree That Predestination to Life and Death depends not on Man's Obedience or Disobedience but on God's Choice and that God from all Eternity elected a certain number to Salvation and reprobated the residue to Eternal Damnation Which Opinion I take to be greatly inconsistent with the Nature of God and most unprofitable to maintain as Doctrinal amongst Men for God would have all Men saved by coming to the Knowledg of the Truth and by obeying the same To which end our most gracious Lord God hath so loved the World as to send his only begotten Son into the World the Word in the Heart that was in the beginning with God and is God his Covenant of Light to the World and his Salvation to the ends of the Earth to enlighten every one that cometh into the World that all Men of all Opinions and Religions might believe in him that was before Abraham was and by following and obeying him who is the Truth in every one all might come to see their Souls redeemed out of Death and so come to enjoy Life Eternal which Life is in his Son Immanuel Allelujah Ye also believe with Calvin That by Christ's outward Life and Sufferings in his fleshly Testimony God's Justice was satisfied for Sins and Justification compleatly wrought for the Elect not only by forgiving sins past but reputing really just whilst actually sinful I apprehend them more sound in the Faith who believe that Christ cannot so properly be said to be the Cause as the Effect of the Father's Love for God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son c. And although such are forgiven who truly repent and that Remission is sealed by Christ's Blood the Sacrifice and Blood of Sprinkling on our Consciences yet Men are not made Righteous within by any Imputation from another's Righteousness without whilst they are really unrighteous within themselves Ye also deny the Light the Word in the Heart to be Christ that shines in his Spiritual Appearance in his People which is certainly a great Error and contrary to Scripture and the Saints Experience read John 1.4 9. 12.46 2 Cor. 4.4 6. Isa 42.6 49.6 51.4 John 3.19 Ye also deny that Christ's Light can lead Men that obey it unto Salvation which also is contrary to Scripture and the Saints Experience read Job 29.3 Psal 36.9 43.3 119.105 Joh. 8.12 12.36 Rev. 21.23 Ye also deny the Spirit to be poured out in these Days as in former Ages or that Men ought to wait for the Motions of it to Preach Pray or praise God which is also contrary to the Scriptures and the Saints Experience read Joel 2.28 29. Isa 25.9 30.18 40.31 Acts 1.4 Luke 2.25 2 Thess 3.5 Thus far all Three agree in one as concerning the main Points of your Faith