sprinkled from evil Works to serve the Living God are with faithful Abraham happy and blessed Allelujah Notwithstanding the Disciples had received the first Fruits of the Spirit yet they were to go to Jerusalem and there wait in that Spirit till they were indued with a fuller measure of the same Spirit from on High then they went forth converting many thousand Souls turning them from Darkness to Light from the power of Satan to the Power of God his Spirit in themselves and as they had received the Spirit freely so they gave the Spirit read Act. 2.1 2 3 4. 33.37 38 39 41. 19.3 4 5 6. 1 Tim. 4.14 6.20 2 Tim. 1.9 10 14. Tit. 3.5 6. In the Power of which Spirit the Disciples did not only do the Works and Miracles Jesus did but greater when as Dr. Jeremy Taylor saith Christ was risen in them Thus by the foolishness of the Spirit 's Preaching it pleased God to save those that believe and obey the Word in the Heart as Doctor Taylor saith which Word Incarnate is God's Preacher to all the World and God's Salvation to the ends of the Earth Allelujah Singing Psalms Likewise be pleased to consider Whether the Psalms now sung in Parish-Churches for Matter and Form be the same sung by the Saints in the Primitive Times who sung that they witnessed to be true with understanding of the Spirit making melody in their Hearts to the Lord And whether those that sing what they cannot witness true in themselves do not sing lies in hypocrisy yea or nay And whether any can in Truth sing the 131 Psalm that is not born of the same humble and meek Spirit that was in Christ Jesus O Lord I am not puft in mind I have no scornful eye I do not exercise my self in things that are too high But as a Child that weaned is even from his Mothers Breast So have I Lord behav'ed my self in silence and in rest And whether any that have not entred into or gone through the New Birth can sing the 17th Psalm verse 3. Thou hast well tri'd me in the night and yet could'st nothing find That I have spoken with my tongue that was not in my mind And for the works of wicked Men and paths perverse and ill For love of thy most holy Name I have refrained still Psal 42. vers 3 4. The tears always are my repast which from mine eyes do slide When wicked Men cry out so fast where now is God thy Guide Psal 102.4 5 6 7 8. And as an hearth my bones are burnt my heart is smitten dead And withers like the grass that I forget to eat my bread c. Thus was David Crucified with Christ and buried with him in Baptism which none can truly sing but those that are partakers with Christ in his Death and Sufferings Allelujah Also Psal 6.2 c. For I am weak therefore O Lord of mercy me forbear And heal me Lord for why thou know'st my bones do quake for fear Psal 22.14 15. But I drop down like water shed my joints in sunder break My heart doth in my body melt like wax against the heat c. Psal 31.1 4 5. O Lord I put my trust in thee let nothing work me shame As thou art just deliver me and set me quite from blame The Psalms following can no Man truly sing but those that are born of the Spirit and have Christ the New Birth in them Such only as are risen with Christ can sing the triumphant new Song of Moses and the Lamb and of Simeon and Mary the Virgin Allelujah Psal 18.4 6. The pangs of death did compass me and bound me every where The flowing waves of wickedness did put me in great fear I thus beset with pain and grief did pray to God for grace And he forthwith did hear my plaint out of his holy place Vers 18 19 20 21 22. He brought me forth in open place whereas I might be free And kept me safe because he had a favour unto me For that I walked in his way and in his paths have trod And have not sinned wickedly against the Lord my God c. Verse 22. But pure and clean and uncorrupt appear'd before his face And did restrain from wickedness and sin in any case Vers 28 29. For by thy help an host of Men discomfit Lord I shall By thee I scale and over-leap the strength of any Wall c. Vers 31 32 33 34. The God that girdeth me with strength is he that I do mean That all the ways wherein I walk did ever-more keep clean c. He did in order put my hands to battel and to fight To break in sunder bars of brass he gave mine arms the might Thou teachest me thy saving health thy right hand is my tower Thy love and familiarity doth still increase my power And Verse 38. For thou didst gird me with thy strength to war in such a wise That they be all scatter'd abroad that up against me rise Vers 41 42 43 44 45 46. And still like dust before the wind I drive them under feet And sweep them out like filthy clay that sticketh in the street Thou keep'st me from seditious Folk that still in strife are led And thou dost of the Heathen Folk appoint me to be Head c. Vers 48 49. And for this cause O Lord my God to thee give thanks I shall And sing out praises to thy Name amongst the Gentiles all c. Allelujah Psalm 23. to the end My Shepherd is the living Lord nothing therefore I need In pastures fair and waters calm he sets me forth to feed c. Psal 4.1 7 8 9. O God that art my Righteousness Lord hear me when I call Thou hast set me at liberty when I was bound in thrall c. Psal 42.7 8. One grief another in doth call as Clouds burst forth their voice The floods of evil that do fall run over me with noise Yet I by day felt thy goodness and help at all assays Likewise by night I did not cease the living God to praise Verse 9. I am perswaded thus to say to him with pure pretence O Lord thou art my guide and stay my rock and sure defence Allelujah Psal 59.16 17. But I will shew thy strength abroad thy goodness I will praise For thou art my defence and God at need in all assays c. Psal 119.11 Within my heart and secret thoughts thy words I have hid still That I may not at any time offend thy Godly Will Vers 13 14 15 16. My lips have never fear'd to preach and publish day and night The judgments all that did proceed from thy mouth full of might Vers 22 55 56 57 67. Lord turn from me rebuke and shame which wicked men conspire For I have kept thy Covenant with zeal as hot as fire Vers 105 167 168. Even as a Lanthorn to my feet so doth thy Word shine bright And to my paths where-ever I
free-will to Goodness in us that we may here fulfil the Law of God if we walk in the Grace given us to profit with as Rom. 8.13 Tit. 2.11 that the Causes of Predestination are not in God but in our selves who obey or disobey the Grace of God given as a Talent to every one to work out his own Salvation that Christ did not satisfy for us but gives power by his Grace to satisfy for our Selves that there is not a Trinity of Persons in one God he denies that God hath elected a certain number to Salvation and reprobated the residue to eternal Damnation he denies that God's Justice was satisfied by Christ's Sufferings and that God needed no such rigid Satisfaction that Men are not made really Righteous by any imputation from another's Righteousness without whilst they are really unrighteous within he doth not believe that Christ ascended into Heaven with his humane Body of Flesh Blood and Bones but that Body which he hath is more Spiritual and Glorious he owns the Spirit of Grace in every Man sufficient to all that obey and follow it to lead into Life Eternal Arminius his Doctrines I find chiefly to be these First That God hath not elected some and reprobated others that God is just in saving those that believe and obey his Gospel and in condemning those only that reject and disobey it Which I take to be according to Truth read John 3.19 Deut. 30.14 15 19. That Men are not made just by Imputative Righteousness only but Inherent that Man is not made Righteous within by any imputation from another's Righteousness from without whilst he is really unrighteous within which I take to be sound Doctrine read Rom. 8.9 10 11 13 14. 2 Cor. 5.17 10.5 13.5 Gal. 2.20 Col. 1.27 2.6 He affirms That the Grace of God is sufficient to lead Men that obey and follow it into Eternal Life This I take also to be sound Doctrine agreeable to Truth read Tit. 2.11 He says Christ's Carnal Flesh Blood and Bones is not ascended into Heaven read 1 Cor. 15.50 2 Cor. 5.16 John 3.13 6.63 Eph. 4.10 That God hath not decreed to leave any Man in the state of Damnation This also agrees with the Scriptures read Prov. 21.15 28.18 Isa 59.2 Jer. 4.14 Ephes 2.5 1 Tim. 2.4 That God affordeth sufficient means to bring to the knowledg of Christ by his Light and Spirit of Grace within every one read John 1.4 9. 1 Cor. 12.7 Tit. 2.11 That Christ did not die for the Elect only but tasted death for every Man even his Enemies by giving his Light and Life unto every one as John 1.4 9. Which Spirit of Grace if any resist or despise such crucify to themselves the Lord of Life afresh That Original Sin of it self is not sufficient to condemn Mankind to eternal punishment This also is a Truth read Jer. 31.30 Ezek. 18.2 3 4. That an unregenerate Man is not totally and finally dead to Sin and destitute of spiritual Strength but that he may by God's Grace hunger and thirst after Righteousness and live this also agrees with Ephes 2.1.5 5.14 That Grace and Free-Will are cooperating Causes in our Conversion and that Perseverance is not the effect of Election but is attained by virtue of the New Covenant read Jer. 31.33 c. Rom. 10.6 8. 2 Cor. 4.6 7. Heb. 8.8 13.5 That there is no Original Sin conveyed from Adam to his Posterity read Gen. 4.7 Ezek. 18.2 3 4. 33.11 18. Rom. 6.22 23. That there is free Will to Goodness in us by God's free Grace read Tit. 2.11 That God could justly pardon our Sins when by his Grace we repent without any other satisfaction than his own free Mercy and Grace That God doth not predestinate any to Damnation but as they obey or disobey his Laws read Gen. 22.18 Deut. 4.30 13.4 Job 36.11 Isa 1.19 Acts 5.32 Heb. 5.9 1 Pet. 1.2 22. I humbly beg pardon that I have presumed to illustrate the Sentiments of the Arminian Doctrines with Scriptures it is because they have bin much cried out against as errant Hereticks although upon examination I find them more sound in the True Faith than those that call them so And by that small experience I have obtained both by reading and otherwise I find and observe that those that are indeed the greatest Hereticks cry Hereticks first Thus the blessed Apostle St. Paul was estemed an Heretick when he said After that way you call Heresy do I worship the God of my Fathers And how was Holy Jesus cried out against as a Blasphemer and otherwise only for preaching the New Covenant the Gospel of Christ Jesus which the Scribes and Pharisees would not receive because against their Traditions and outward observation of the old Law which made void the New And I have known one of late Years much cried out against as a notorious Heretick and Blasphemer for preaching up Christ in the Saints God's New Covenant and the Way to Life Eternal Allelujah And certainly there is no greater mark of a false persecuting Church as learned Mr. Joseph Glanvil observes than to give evil Names to Dissenters in Matters of Opinion in Religien Lastly I humbly beseech and intreat all that undertake the Cure of Souls that they preach nothing save Christ and him Crucified that is to say His Spirit of Light crucifying and killing of Sin in us and Him risen that is to say That we seek in the Heavenly Spirit those things that are Heavenly And as by God's especial Grace he puts into our Minds those things that be Holy Just and Good so by his continual help we may bring the same to good effect through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Allelujah And my truly devout and hearty Prayer to thee O God of my Salvation is That thou wouldst be pleased to send down upon our Bishops and Curats and all Congregations committed to their Charge the healthful Spirit of thy Grace And that they may truly please tâ—â—e pour upon them the continual Dâ—â— of thy Blessing and so replenish them with thy Heavenly Grace that both by their Life and Doctriâ—â— they may set forth thy Glory and sit forward the Salvation of all Men through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Allelujah Finally my Brethren all you of the Clergy that are the Inheritance of God how-ever you are externally dignified or qualified that have Christ Jesus God's High Priest in you his blessed and holy Spirit to guide you 't is You that are truly Reverend in my esteem and are certainly precious in the sight of God Ye are his Chosen Generation a Royal Priesthood a Holy Nation a Peculiar People able to offer up Spiritual Sacrifices acceptable to God the Word of God dwells plentifully in You whereby you are made able Ministers of the New Testament not of the Letter which kills but of the Spirit which gives Life and ministers Grace to the Hearers 'T is You reverend and worthy Sirs that
raising of my dear Friend Lazarus viz. The Love of God which hath bin long pining away through a tedious famine of Contention and Strife even unto Death and invite to this Entertainment of Joseph's Love and as his Passover from the Death of Enmity to the Life of Love unfained such as they shall apprehend to be born again into the new Life of Love so as to have peace with God therein and good Will towards each other which is a Life and a World as yet to come to many who with one Heart and one Soul can meet and break Bread in the singleness of their hearts and behold my Spirit is with you from the beginning to the end even with all or as many as shall meet together in the Name or Power of Love the Father and of Love the Son and in the pure Innocent powerful loving Spirit thereof even with all that feel the Joy of the Lord their Strength or that have Christ Jesus the Love of God shed abroad in their Hearts all such are but one Bread which the Father giveth for the Light and Life of the World O eat and drink abundantly thereof my beloved Friends Allelujah After the Receipt of the forenamed Letter and the Mony disposed as was therein directed this attempt was made by R. B. towards the Feast of Divine Love an Invitation was sent by him to several Persons to afford their presence at his House in order to the end aforesaid Accordingly several of the said Persons on the first of September in the Year 1668 did there meet where after he had spoke something suitable to the occasion some Entertainment was made according to the directions of the foresaid Letter One of the Persons invited being necessarily absent made his Apology to the said R. B. in the ensuing Letter SIR THough Providence had otherwise ordained it that I could not be present at the Feast to which you so friendly and solemnly invited me yet this is to let you know I no way slighted it though it was but a Type for I am in my very Soul a real Friend to all that have a good will to that Catholick Love which was in the beginning and will be when all middle walls that are come in through Man's fall are removed The Lord prepare us all for that Feast of fat things that in the Mount of Sion is made ready that is the Mount in which the Lord will destroy the Covering cast over all flesh into which we enter after the Consummation of all Types in celebrating the Passover with our Lord Jesus in the like death to which we must be conformed that so the Vail being rent we may enjoy the most holy Things and inherit the essential Love for ever But this is a great Work and the attaining it the greatest Wonder To which the Lord bring us all Your true Friend in the Love of God T. B. The several and respective Acquittances given for the Receipt of each Thirty Pounds 1. By the Roman-Catholicks REceived the 23d day of December of John Raynes by the Appointment and Order of Mr. Robert Rich Senior of Barbadoes the Sum of 30 l. Sterling which we promise to dispose of to such as are in Need Sickness or any other Adversity We say received by us Tho. Godden Treasurer of her Majesty's Chappel G. Stapylton D.D. Chaplain in Ordinary to her Majesty Hen. Latham Chapl. in Ord. to her Majesty at St. James's 2. By the Episcopal-Protestants REceived the 14th day of January 1667 of John Rayns by the Appointment and Order of Mr. Robert Rich Senior of Barbadoes the Sum of 30 l. Sterling which we promise to dispose of to such as are in Need Sickness or any other Adversity Benjamin Whichcot John Wells Thomas Grigg 3. By the Presbyterians REceived the 8th day of January 1667 of John Raynes by the Appointment and Order of Mr. Robert Rich Senior of Barbadoes the Sum of 30 l. Sterling which we promise to dispose of to such as are in Need Sickness or any other Adversity Lazarus Seaman Tho. Manton Robert Francklin 4. By the Independents REceived the 13th day of January 1667 of John Raynes by the Appointment and Order of Mr. Robert Rich Senior of Barbadoes the Sum of 30 l. Sterling which we promise to dispose of according to his Order to the Poor and such as are in Adversity amongst us We say received by us Thomas Brooks Matthew Barker Corn. Helme 5. By the Anabaptists REceived the 15th of January 1667 of Mr. John Raynes by Order of Mr. Robert Rich Senior of Barbadoes the full Sum of 30 l. which he ordered unto us for to dispose amongst the Poor and Distressed of the Baptized People We say received as before per Thomas Lamb Hanserd Knollys Tho. Cooper 6. By the Quakers REceived the 9th of the 11th month call'd January 1667 of John Raynes of London Merchant the Sum of 30 l. by the Order and Appointment of Robert Rich of Barbadoes Senior which he ordered to be disposed of to the Poor amongst us We say received by us John Bolton Amos Stoddart Gerard Roberts 7. By the Church of the First-Born REceived the 9th day of December 1667 of John Raynes by the Appointment and Order of Mr. Robert Rich Senior of Barbadoes the Sum of 30 l. which we promise to endeavour to dispose of according to his Order We say received by us Robert Bacon Will. Rollinson William Blackbororow Memorandum The several Sums above-mentioned were not all received by the particular Persons mentioned by the Author in his Order of Directions aforegoing partly because the said Persons could not conveniently be spoken with and partly also because liberty was left by him to dispose of it to any other three of each Class respectively A Salutation to the Seven Churches assembled by Order of Mr. Robert Rich at his Feast of Love As also a Descant on his Gift to the said Churches By J. S. Doctor of Physick WHen in Professing Europe Lust and Pride Conceiv'd and brought forth then Religion di'd Whence sprang a viperous Brood amongst the rest Strife War Division Falshood Interest All which our peevish Church-men did imbibe Picking for Self and not for God a Tribe Thus strung like Beads Men on their Centers move But the true Center of Religion's LOVE 'T is pure and undefiled to Do well All beside That is only Husk and Shell Wherein America now supplies our Lacks The fairest Preacher dwells amongst the Blacks Thus Jonah found both Priests and Confessors In a dead time ' mongst Heathen Mariners Thus Abr'ham Sarah Heads o' th Faithful Sect Were taught reproved by Abimelech His Love is greatest now when we have none Like Gideon's Fleece bedew'd from Heaven alone And as Heaven's Blessings Light and Rain do fall So is his bounteous Kindness general From Head to Feet the Oil of Aaron came The Skirts of 's Garment did partake the same Thus Holy Jacob on the Tribes let fall His Goodness round he blest
them one and all Accept I pray this tender Father's Will Who sees your Good and oversees your ill 1. His general Love you Cath'licks first doth bless Who shew but little and deserve much less His Bounty makes some ' mends for burning Troy His Minerals save where yours do all destroy He treats you well where others wish a Rope He sees with you God's Image in the Pope 2. The next a-kin he deals with as with th' others And what doth hinder but they may be Brothers His Love intends that compleat Union be Instead of compell'd Uniformitie And kindly doth all Cath'lick Christians bring Not to Christ's Vicar but to Christ their King 3. Smec smites with Horns and Hoofs and proves unkind To Priests before and Sectaries behind He blames all others and all likewise blame him Except this Friend who takes this course to shame him Maugre his Wrath he will him mercy show Though he have courted his own overthrow 4. The Savoy Sages may behold a Brother Who loves them more than they love one another He shews to them his Love in earnest which They would accept were they as Poor as Rich. Pride that puffs up and doth reject Love's Power Which courts them highly in a golden Shower 5. You who make sure of Water for a sign Who make your Teachers Merchant or Divine Three 's a full number go on and approve The Seal of Faith and Baptism of true Love You young strong Men do much yet lack you more This Friend 's kind Heart to sell and give to th' Poor 6. The Northern rugged Nature he subdues His gentle temper would win on the Jews An Heart of Stone such sing'lar Love must own A Flint will break upon a Bed of Down Come take your Mony and hereafter say James Naylor's Friend directs you the right way The Alabaster Box disdain'd by all Was shed in order to Christ's Burial This precious Gift incurs like indignation Which doth forerun his Rule and Coronation This Soveraign Oil proclaims those general Passions Which will instal him King of Saints and Nations His Standard's now set up and is inscrib'd Peace on the Earth good Will to every Tribe He gains Mens Hearts and Conquers Sans controul A little Leaven leaveneth the whole That Rich endeavour'd Lazarus to raise Shall then be spoken to 's eternal praise When Men enlightned shall on Christ's Name call From the Sun rising even to his Fall When God shall bless anew His whole Creation And Heaven and Earth shall make but one Plantation 7. You God-like Men whom he First-Born doth call Whose mature Spirits can bear Love to all Y' are willing God should rule when he forbears You won't pluck up nor sever Wheat from Tares If he says Grow together You 'l brook this That Light and Darkness Day and Night are His. In Wine-bibbers and those possest with Devils You 'l cherish Good and disincourage Evils On Lazarus his Ghost appearing FRight not my Friends if Lazarus appear Dismal and ghastly at this Meeting here His Grave-Clothes yet are on He scarce hath Breath His Face is wrapt with Monuments of Death When he reviv'd shall have put on his Dress When Wine and Oil shall Heart and Face refresh Then shall God's Pow'r and Love through th' Earth be spread All will believe a Preacher from the Dead This dark obscure Appearance doth fore-run A far more glorious Dispensation The Chaos this on which God's Spirit will brood Producing Light and Beauty all that 's good 'T is yet rude Ore but when t' has past the Mint You 'l see its Glory the King's Image in 't ' Mongst all the Precious Stones this is the Gem Which cut and set makes New Jerusalem The Type whereof at this Solemnitie May all th' invited Guests together see When Angels would converse with Mortals then They take a Body talk and walk like Men. Deposit sence and lay aside your Clay If you 'd converse with Spirits be as they In mixing Souls which are immortal bred There 's no distinction 'twixt alive and dead They soon can meet what e're the distance be Who move much quicker than a twinkling eye Thus Spirits meet and greet that all may know Angelick Visions may be here below To you in whom 's conceiv'd this Seed of Love Let this be th' quickening Day and let it move Let Robert Rich your noble Pattern be In Hallelujahs be as thick as he Jan. 25. 1667 8. In Obitam perpetuam memoriam Domini Roberti Rich Evangelistae Acrostichon per R. B. Ph. R Report who can the Truth of this one Man O Of 's Birth his Life his Acts the Course he ran B Born from on High he must be and his Quill E Enobled too by God's most Holy Will R Rome he dealt justly with 't is not destroy'd T The way that some do think by Fire and Sword R Rais'd up he was to the Immortal Life I It in all Parties puts an end to Strife C Christ is the Universal Light and Love H He that from Heaven came comes as a Dove On the Memory of Mr. Robert Rich who arrived at London from the Barbadoes Sept. 9. last past and departed this life Novemb. 16. following 1679. R Reconciling what he might O Oblique things bending unto streight B Bounteous to the Indigent E Each Sect did taste his good intent R Rare Pattern of Humility T 'T were well if such were you and I. R Researches of the highest kind I Inquiries lofty rais'd his Mind C Charioted hence to Heaven Above H His Legacies Light Peace and Love Mar. 25. 1680. J. W. Upon the Departure of Mr. Robert Rich Nov. 16. 1679. CAn real Christian Love be dead ' Cause Rich filled therewith is buried No no it lives in Christ our Head From whence 't will all the World o'respread He slipt away in such an Age When all the Babels are in rage And left us yet behind to see Most things in great perplexity But yet we hope the day draws near When healing Love will more appear J. L. Errata Last Paragraph of the Preface read Proficientis Perfecti each State may herein find what is sutable to them to their Joy Page 105. line 13. for Stars read Stairs To the Chief Bishop of the Roman-Catholick Church his Cardinals Arch-Bishops Bishops Doctors Priests Deacons and all other Ecclesiastical Orders and Degrees To all Generals Provincials Abbats Priors Guardians Rectors and Prefects of whatsoever Religious Orders of the said Church ROBERT RICH sendeth Greeting in our Lord God Everlasting TO those of you that are Regenerate and born again of the Spirit who are Members of Christ Jesus through the sanctification of the Spirit Elect and Precious to you Grace Mercy and Peace be multiplied from God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ Amen Allelujah In the Year 1656 feeling the Birth of God in me by the overshadowing of the Holy Ghost wherein I was made a Member of Christ a Child of God and an Inheritor of
meerly Worldly and Carnal hath caused betwixt Prince and Prince And doth not this plainly shew that such a State or Church as hath brought so great a Curse over God's Creation where-ever it hath bin received is not Christ's Church whose Church and Kingdom is not of this World who loved his Enemies and came to save Mens Lives and not to destroy them So by their Fruits all Men may know the True Church from the False the Church of Christ from Antichrist's Church As I am a Priest of God after the Order of Melchisedeck who was of the Order of the Holy Ghost and born of the Spirit without Carnal Father or Carnal Mother I say as I am a Priest of God ordained by having Christ Jesus in me my Priest my Prophet my King I have something from God my Father to the high and mighty Men of the Earth in whose hands the Almighty God hath placed the Rule and Government of things Terrestrial as his Vicegerents in all the Earth to them I humbly make this Request First That they would look up unto him who bestowed on them this great Honour and Glory and acknowledg him God of Gods King of Kings and Lord over all Lords Allelujah Next that they would seek the Kingdom of God and the Righteousness thereof which having found I most humbly intreat them to adore worship and serve the Lord our God therein and therewith which Worship only stands in the Spirit of Truth the Spirit of Grace given to every one to profit withal which Worship the Omnipotent Lord God will accept and no other Service nor Worship but what proceeds from a pure sincere Heart to the Commands of Christ in Spirit the Word in the Heart And that none may be ignorant what this Kingdom of God is and wherein it doth consist and where it is to be found I most humbly offer and say The Kingdom of God stands not in any outward Observation of Man's prescription but is placed within every Man a Light to lighten the Gentiles and to be God's Salvation to the Ends of the Earth which Light is called the Word in the Heart Christ the Vnction the Messiah the Anointed of the Lord which God in his great Love to the World hath given to and in every Man a Talent to profit withal that so every Man in it might work out his own Salvation the which as it is received and obeyed giveth power to repent and forsake Sin and leadeth into Truth and Righteousness and thereby we become the Sons of God being led by his Spirit This Talent in Scripture is also called by divers Names viz. The Grace of God which appeareth to and in every one teaching those that love his appearance to deny Vngodliness and worldly Lusts c. It is also called A Measure of the Spirit given to every Man to profit with also Truth in the inward Parts the Word in the Heart Christ the New Birth and New Creature God's Covenant of Light and Life to all the World who is the Light of the World and doth enlighten every one that cometh into the World and so is God's Salvation to the Ends of the Earth the way to God and Godliness that whosoever believeth in him and followeth him faithfully shall have Life Everlasting Allelujah Read Deut. 30.11 c. with Rom. 10.6 c. Isa 42.6 49.6 57.10 54.13 60.3 Jer. 31.3 c. with Heb. 8.8 c. John 1.9 1 Cor. 12.7 Tit. 2.11 And this Light of Life the Kingdom of God within every Man is compared to many things in Scripture He is the Lamb of God not the Pope's Agnus Dei that taketh away the Sins of the World the Lord our Righteousness the Spirit of Truth that leads into all Truth and the one thing only needful is that we hear and obey the Spirit of Truth and our Souls shall live Allelujah This Kingdom of God is likewise compared to a grain of Mustard-Seed sown in the Heart of every Man by God the Seed of Abraham which Seed is Christ the Light of the World also the Kingdom of God is compared to Leaven placed in a Man's Heart sufficient to leaven the whole Lump from the leaven of Malice and Uncharitableness into a lump of Truth and Love to Righteousness which Leaven is the Bread from Heaven which nourisheth the Souls of true Believers into Eternal Life Allelujah Thus you see what the Kingdom of God is where it is to be found and the blessed Effects it produceth in all that receive God's Heavenly Gift and are found walking therein and when ye know and feel this Kingdom of God in the movings thereof to be within you in the next place my most humble request and advice is That you would thenceforth seek the Righteousness thereof and walk in the same all the days of your Life in which you will find Peace with God Joy in your own Spirits and good Will from and to all Men but as you do undervalue this Small Seed the true Light and Spirit of Grace the Gift of God and prefer this present evil World Man's Prescriptions Traditions and Impositions above it then a Woe and a Curse from God to your Souls and Bodies in your Basket and in your Store but walking in the Righteousness of God's Kingdom you will know how to give God his due and to please him in things Spiritual and Temporal If you leave the Conscience of your Subjects to God alone for him to rule and guide which is God's due then will God give to Caesar his due viz. the Hearts of his Subjects to obey their Soveraigns in all things Temporal Natural and Civil then will Unity and Concord spring up Righteousness Peace and Love will kiss each other And then God will give his Blessing bless us in our Bodies and in our Souls in our Basket and in our Store in our Wives and in our Children in what we eat and what we drink and in whatsoever we set our hands unto both Prince and People Rulers and Ruled all blessed and happy and so will all the ends of the Earth fear the Lord our God bless and magnify him for ever Allelujah The Contents hereof I most humbly and heartily recommend to your most holy Father the Pope of Rome and his Clergy as they will answer it at the Day of God's Tribunal that they communicate these Matters to the Emperor and to all other Kings Rulers and Princes over whose Souls God I hope by his blessed Spirit of Grace hath made them Overseers who being born of the Spirit and having Christ Jesus the new Man in you the only begotten Son of God the Father in you go and preach Him to and in all the World a Saviour to all that believe in him and that follow him who is the Light of the World and doth enlighten every one that comes into the World Yet know that no Man can preach truly to the converting of Souls neither can turn any from
Spirit of Grace they in him and he in them made perfect in one to them Grace Mercy and Peace be multiplied from God our Heavenly Father and our Lord Jesus Christ Amen Allelujah In the Year 1656 feeling the Birth of God in me by the overshadowing of the Holy Ghost wherein I was made a Member of Christ a Child of God and an Inheritor of the Kingdom of Heaven Which Spirit of Light begot Christ Jesus the New Man in me by whom I obtained Reconciliation and Peace with God and good will towards all his Creation Which Spirit of Love moved in me in the Year 1666 to send Thirty pounds to be distributed amongst the Poor of the Episcopal Protestant Church as a sign of my dear love and good will to them Not as Judas that betrayed his Master into the hands of Sinners for thirty pieces of Silver but as from one that witnessed the Resurrection of Christ who had bin dead in Trespasses and Sins whose Soul was raised out of the Grave of Sin and Death wherein it had long lain Thus by the Incarnation or Indwelling of the Life of Christ Jesus in my mortal Flesh I came to inherit Life Eternal by and through him that is the Regeneration the Resurrection and the Life Allelujah By which Spirit of Grace I came to see what St. Peter saw that of all Religions Those that feared God and acted Righteously towards Man are accepted with him as it is written Acts 10.34 35. Mat. 16.17 Through which Grace I came to understand the great Love of God to the World that in all Ages and Times he hath given and sent his only begotten Son his Spirit of Light and Grace into the World his Everlasting Covenant of Light and Life wherewith he doth enlighten every one Jew and Gentile that comes into the World that so all Men might be saved by believing in him and by following of him that is the Way the Truth and the Life of God who is God's Salvation to the ends of the Earth as you may read Isa 42.6 49.6 Deut. 38.11 to 15. Jer. 31.31 to 35. with Rom. 10.6 7 8 9. Heb. 8.8 c. 2 Cor. 4.4 6. By which Spirit of Light Life and Truth in the Inward Parts the Word in the Heart moving on the face of my Deep and shining on my Tabernacle which God pitched in me I say I in the same Light found freedom to look into all manner of Opinions and Religions even in that Light which shewed me Good from Evil Right from Wrong and Truth from Error In which Spirit of Light I read many Books writ by Episcopal Protestants viz. something of Bishop Andrews Bishop Hall but most of Dr. Jeremy Taylors Dr. Hammonds Dr. Stillingfleets Dr. Tillotsons with divers others of like kind Which Books I read with delight having unity with them feeling the Spirit of Love to Truth and Righteousness to be their Dictator which Spirit of Grace taught them to deny Ungodliness and worldly Lusts to live Soberly Righteously and Godly in this present World which made them honourable in this World and glorious in the World to come Allelujah In reading of which Books I took notice of many worthy and true Sayings viz. Dr. Jeremy Taylor in his Great Exampler saith That Christ Jesus is our Example in his Birth Life and Death Also what I have read in Ancient Fathers that Disputes amongst Christians is the scab of the Church and destroys Charity which only edifies That God's Will and Commandments are made known in all Mens Spirits that they may do them The Word Incarnate is God's Preacher to all the World That Christian Religion is nothing else but a Restorer of the perfect Law of Nature for God gave Man at first a reasonable intelligible Nature both to love and serve him That Man 's Original Sin was to leave God the Good and go to the Creature the Evil. Man may keep or break the Law of Nature so sin against God his Neighbour and Himself Well-being is when right Reason and the Law of Nature is satisfied and evil Doing is to transgress the Law of Nature or right Reason this brings guilt of Conscience and torments And in this Obedience to the Law of Nature consists Heaven and in Disobedience Hell Christian Religion is to worship God in Spirit and in Truth and so to serve our Neighbour Revelation is both Natural and Reasonable so is Self-denial Death and Martyrdom to those that have an Ear to hear the Spirit 's Reason Self-denial is but confining the Appetite within the Limits of Nature The Philosophers were commended of old for preserving Reason and Religion in Practice before the School-men that fight about Opions Jesus his Life was sweet and affable and for our Example to Life Eternal Christ who dwells within the limits of Love gives us boldness with God and not fear In Christ are two Natures the Body but the upper Garment of the Soul his Soul was of the same Nature and Substance with ours in this inferior to the Angels One Grace succeeds another well prest and sometimes running over till we come to the fulness and stature of Christ Jesus even filled with the Spirit which hath no measure but is Infinite and Eternal God crowns and accepts his Grace in all Sects even the most Heathenish and accepts that when in Conscience they worship Idols Original Sin or one Sin committed makes us more apt for another so we have no cause to charge Adam but our selves only every one of us is the Adam the Man of Sin Obedience unites to God and conforms to his Will the which sanctifies Isaac offered is our Heart and Will offered up to God which he accepts Nothing so able to do Miracles as Love nor so certainly acceptable All exteriour Acts of Religion to be guided by our Superior that is by God only for no Man in Religion is Superior No act of Corporal Austerity or External Religion acceptable to God unless commanded by him The first Baptism Appearance or Resurrection of Christ is to kill Sin or to put off Sin The second Resurrection is to put on Christ the New Man and to walk in him God requires no more of Man than to receive and entertain his Grace that appears to every Man Though the Son of Man hath no where to hide his Head yet many Houses to convey his Grace Grace works Miracles in Saints as in Christ When Faith and Charity meet then Christians indeed and in Truth all else false and Antichristians God's House is the sanctified Heart where he dwells and is a House of Prayer for all Nations Every graceless wicked Man is a Devil No Sin hath Guilt but when a Man hath Understanding and Abilities to do better By the help of the Spirit it is possible to please God in all things One may die for Christ's Name that will not love his Nature nor quit one evil Lust for him this is false Martyrdom The law of Love in our Spirits
and dare call God Father such are truly blessed and happy that can alway continually and ever-more pray God's Will be done here on Earth as it is in Heaven Allelujah O God make clean our Hearts within us and take not thy Holy Spirit from us And such only are true Christians that have God's Holy Spirit to wash and cleanse and to guide into Truth and Righteousness those that have gone astray YOu that are born of the Spirit Nune Dimittis and so have Christ Jesus in you may sing the Song of Old Simeon Lord now lettest thou thy Servant depart in peace according to thy Word Christ the Word in the Heart who speaketh Peace to all the sanctified People of God for mine eyes the Eye of the Spirit have seen thy Salvation Allelujah I have also perused the second Collect for Peace the third Collect for Grace the Prayer for the King and Royal Family the Prayer for the Clergie the Absolution Magnificat Deus Misereatur Cantate Domino Second Collect for Evening-Prayer the Litany the Collects for the second and third Sunday in Advent for the Nativity for St. Stephen 's St. John 's and Innocents days for the Circumcision for the first fifth and sixth Sunday after Epiphany for the first and second Sunday in Lent for the Sunday before Easter for Good Friday for Easter Even for Easter day for the third and fifth Sunday after for Ascension day for Whitfunday for the 7 9 11 16 17 18 19th Sundays after Trinity for Simon and Jude Philip and Jacob and All-Saints days In which foregoing Prayers Collects c. I take to be words of Truth and Soberness and do recommend them to all those that can pray them with a sincere Heart in the power and demonstration of the Spirit of Truth Allelujah Yet as I am a Priest of God by having Christ Jesus in me my Priest my Prophet my King I have somewhat to say and declare to the Heads and Governors of the Church of England That none amongst them presume to call or own themselves Ministers of Christ and his Gospel for not every one that crieth Lord Lord is a true Servant or Minister of Christ or fit to Teach Preach or Pray in his Name unless they first be called of God and baptized into the same Name and assisted by his Holy Spirit as Aaron was else none are fit Ministers of Christ read Exod. 4.30 6.13 26. 7.1 6. 28.30 Heb. 5.4 And that the Spirit of Christ be their Induction and Commission what to Preach and what to Pray Let such as are not regenerate and born anew take heed how they meddle with the Things of God that they touch not Holy Things with unclean and unsanctified Hearts and with polluted Hands and Lips lest they be smitten of God as Vzza was and lest a sorer Judgment attend them under the Gospel who run and are not sent than did those under the Law Thus declaring I have peace with God and am clear from the Blood of all Men that perish under such Teachers and Ministers as have not the Spirit of Christ to teach them and have no other Commission than from Man such cause the People to err and go astray and never can profit the Souls of their Hearers but like blind Guides they lead the Blind till both fall into Perdition I have observed in reading of our last English Translation of the Bible that many material Things might be amended and that it is better rendred out of the Vulgar Latin and Greek than we have it in English For which see some places in my Epistle to the Romanists And also Rom. 8.29 the Latin and Greek saith That he might be the first born in many Brethren The English The first born amongst many Brethren Which seems to deny Christ to be in the Saints Mat. 28.19 the Greek saith Baptising them into the Name The English Baptising them in the Name Which Name of God is a strong Tower whosoever is baptized thereinto puts on the Lord Jesus Christ a Saviour from Sin and Evil. Allelujah 2 Cor. 5.19 the Latin and Greek saith Hath put in us the Word of Reconciliation The English Hath committed to us the Word of Reconciliation This I conceive is for the setting up of Man to be the Preacher and not Christ the Word in the Heart Rom. 1.19 English Latin and Greek well translate all speaking one and the same thing viz. That which is to be known of God is manifest or made known in Man even his eternal Power and Godhead in the Heathen 2 Tim. 3.16 the Latin and old English Bible saith All Scripture inspired of God or given by inspiration is profitable c. The English saith All Scripture is given by inspiration c. The which seems not to be a Truth without a Comment for there is much written that is not inspired of God even in the Bible it self In the last Edition are said to be amended from the former many thousand words And how many Copies or rather Autographs of the New Testament are now in the Library at Oxford and all differing one from the other St. Hierom saith That in his time the Original Copies let the Learned pardon the Expression of the Hebrew and Greek were much corrupted by Jews and Hereticks therefore he chose the Vulgar Latin after he had purged it from Faults committed by Writers c. laying aside all other Latin Editions which St. Hierom saith were in his time almost innumerable Thus by reason of so many false Copies false Writers false Translators and false Interpreters arise so many different Sects and Opinions in Christendom every Master of a Sect taking his Rule from Scripture and his own private interpretation thereupon So that if you make the Letter of the Scripture the only Rule it must needs be crooked and uncertain But God be praised and ever magnified that hath not left Man without a Witness of himself in every one a Rule most true and certain Christ the Word in the Heart which shines in the dark Heart of every Man and is a sure Word of Prophecy even Truth in the Inward Parts to which we do well to take heed as to a Light that shines in a dark place till the Shadows flee away and the Day-star arise in our Hearts then shall we see that it is not any Scripture without us but the inspiration of the Almighty only that giveth to Man an understanding in the things of God what is Truth and what is Error as it is written Job 32.8 Joh. 1.4 2 Pet. 1.19 compared with Isa 55.4 54.13 1 John 5.10 2.27 So that if you have Christ the Word in you you need no other Teacher but as that Anointed one teacheth who is the Truth in every one both Male and Female Jew and Gentile they are all one in Christ Jesus the Truth Such as have not Christ Jesus God's true and faithful Witness in them are Reprobates and can
and all his Works the Pomps and Vanities of the World and all the sinful Lusts of the Flesh and that he shall keep God's Holy Will and Commandments and walk in the same all the days of his life I say it would be inquired into Whether those God-Fathers and God-Mothers do perform and keep this Oath Promise and Vow themselves If not then why should they undertake for another what they perform not themselves And if I mistake not it is a Tenent of the Church of Englands That we cannot live free from sin so long as we live in this World If so were it not far better never to Swear and Vow than afterwards to break them Is not this to add Sin unto Sin and so bring a greater condemnation on our selves As I am a Priest to God by having Christ Jesus in me I declare That Infant Baptism is no Ordinance of Christ's neither is John's Baptism with Water Christ's Baptism Christ's Baptism is to be baptized into the Name Nature and Spirit of God the Father Son and Holy Ghost which Baptism of the Spirit is the one Lord one Faith and one Baptism one God and Father of all who is above all through all and in us all that are born of and baptized with the Spirit of Grace This Baptism is that alone which saveth by the washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost and not by putting away the filth of the Flesh but the answer of a good Conscience towards God And this Baptism of the Spirit which followed John's Baptism of Repentance is that only which can initiate into the Church of God make a Child of God and give an entrance into and an inheritance in the Kingdom of Heaven Allelujah And I query Whether Infant Baptism were not the Invention of Man rather than the Command of God brought in by the false Church for advantage-sake in the long dark night of Apostacy after that the True Church was fled into the Wilderness there fed and preserved of God whilst the Whore the Beast and false Prophet ruled who set up Shadows instead of Christ the Substance the Letter above the Spirit Man's Baptism which is with Water instead of Christ's by Fire which is the Holy Ghost And instead of putting on the Lord Jesus Christ the New Man which is the Saints Righteousness they put on a white Linnen Surplice to make them seem outwardly Holy that inwardly were full of Sin and Uncleanness full of Self-love Hypocrisy and Pride full of Covetousness Hatred Malice and all Uncharitableness And instead of bowing at the Name of God which is the Command of God Isa 45.23 that every knee should bow to him you bow at the Name of a Man not greater than is Immanuel which is the Name God himself gave the Virgin 's Birth Isa 7.14 who is the only begotten Son of God in all the Sanctified that saves his People from their Sins And your bowing at the Name of Jesus rather than at the Name Immanuel doth it not demonstrate you to be worshippers of Angels rather than the true God And for you to bow down to any Letters or Syllables joined into a Name of God or Man is this think you to worship God in Spirit and in Truth as he requireth And for any to bow down and worship any Thing or Name that is not purely God alone is most certainly Idolatry and false Worship And be not ignorant that the Name of God is his Power his Love shed abroad in our Hearts his Immanuel a strong Tower whereinto the Righteous flee and are there in Peace Rest and Safety Allelujah Holy Days Holy Days both Fasting Days and Feasting Days were they brought in by the Command of God or prescribed and imposed by Man Was not St. Paul afraid of his Galatians that he had bestowed his labour on them in vain who instead of setting up and forming of Christ the Day-Star in their Hearts fell to the observation of Days and Months and Times and Years setting up of Meats and Drinks what to Eat and when to eat and what and when to forbear respecting of New Moons and Sabbath Days one day more holy than another all which in the first Covenant were but shadows of good Things to come which the Saints possess and enjoy in the second Covenant which is Christ in them the end of the first Covenant their Hope their Crown and Glory Allelujah In the fourth Commandment you pray That God would incline your hearts to keep this Law which is to keep holy the Seventh day according to God's Command to the Jews Thus by your Traditions ye make void the Law of God and change the Truth of God into a Lie and by bringing in the Old Covenant which stands in divers outward Observations which maketh nothing perfect ye have thrust out the New Covenant Christ the Word in the Heart the Saints Teacher which perfecteth for ever those that are sanctified Allelujah The Lord's Supper The Lord's Supper I humbly declare to be a great Mystery not rightly understood by Man in the Fall It is not Carnal Bread and Wine neither Carnal Flesh and Blood as unregenerate Men apprehend and imagine Christ's Words and Works are more Spiritual than for Carnal Men to understand them it is the Spirit that quickneth and the Inspiration of God alone that giveth to man understanding in the things of God The true Supper of our Lord is when Christ stands at the door of our Hearts and knocks that we then open to him and he comes in to us and sups with us This is the right Supper of our Lord and Saviour Christ Jesus who is the First and the Last the Alpha and Omega of all our Graces and Mercies Wherefore my dear Hearts Open O ye Gates and be lift up ye everlasting Doors that Christ the King of Glory may come in and sup with you Allelujah So the Flesh and Blood Bread and Wine that comes from Heaven is Christ's Spirit of Light his Body which he gives for the Life of the World this is Meat indeed and Drink indeed that feeds and nourisheth the Soul up to Eternal Life which Cup of the New Testament is the saving Health of all Nations that dwell upon the Face of the whole Earth O my dearly Beloved take and receive eat and drink abundantly of this Cup of Salvation it is the new Wine in our Father's Kingdom a Fountain of Life that can never be drawn dry Allelujah Behold I shew to you a Mystery the Word in the Heart the Love of God shed abroad in our Hearts is the Leaves of the Tree of Life St. John speaks of in the Revelations given for the healing of the Nations for the uniting of all Sects and Opinions in Religion into the one true Religion both Jews and Gentiles Barbarians and Scythians as well as Christians of all Sorts or Names whatsoever whether called Roman Catholicks Episcopal Protestants Presbyterians Independents Baptists Quakers Seekers Socinians Arminians or
can hold forth the blessing of Peace and Establishment to the World and I am perswaded God hath fitted you for such a Work as this therefore I beseech you suffer a word of Exhortation Be faithful to the Testimony of the Lord with which he hath inspired you stand forth in the Name and Power of that Spirit which dwells in you lay by all carnal Ends and self Interests and come forth in the nakedness and simplicity of the Love of God in which you will breath out the blessing of Peace amongst us O let not Sion be built up any longer with Blood nor her Mourners wander about in the Defarts to seek for shelter and safety let the searchings of your Hearts and the yearnings of your Bowels be for the Breaches and Divisions that are among the People of God 'T is You that the great expectation of many of the Lord's People in this Nation is now towards Our Wounds Breaches in the Circumstantials of Religion are too wide and extensive for a formal outward and literal Ministry to heal and cement We have languished in Divisions too long already under these Physicians 't is only a Spirit-Ministry with evidence demonstration and power that proceeds from an innate Principle of the Love of God shed abroad in our Hearts that can compose all our Differences satisfy all Parties and Interests and settle us upon a sure Foundation of Peace Rest and Happiness If there be therefore any Consolation in Christ if any Comfort of Love if any Fellowship of the Spirit if any Bowels and Mercies fulfil ye the Joy of the People of God in these Nations that ye come forth with the like Mind and Spirit in your Ministry amongst us and in the Power of the same Love preserve the Unity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace I know there is wisdom and largeness enough in the Love of God to accomplish these noble Ends and the witness of this upon your Hearts must necessarily strengthen your Faith in this Ministry for certainly that Love so ample that can redeem the World when and where 't is witnessed by the Spirit will appear large enough to cover all our Infirmities abate all our Contentions and quiet all the Clamours that abound among us If thus you can appear and stand forth this day as indeed Priests unto God and true Ministers of Christ Jesus you shall worthily be called The Healers of our Breaches and the Restorers of our Paths to dwell and walk in with love and pleasantness one towards another In which Spirit of Universal Love and good Will I Rest a Friend to you and the Souls of all whilst I am and when I am no more R. R. To all Teachers Preachers and Dispensers of the Word and Sacraments under the Dispensations of those called Presbyterians Independents and Anabaptists ROBERT RICH a Servant of Jesus Christ called to be an Apostle separated unto the Gospel of God which Gospel was promised and preached by the Holy Men of God ever since the Foundation of the World was Laid as in the Scriptures of Truth you may read Gen. 3.8 15. 12.1 3. with Gal. 3.8 Deut. 30.11 12 13 14 15. Rom. 10.6 8. Jer. 31.31 to 35. with Heb. 8.8 to the end Isa 52.7 with Rom. 10.15 Isa 61.1 with Luke 4.18 9.6 Mark 16.15 2 Cor. 4.4 6. 2 Tim. 1.10 1 Pet. 1.12 25. In the power and strength of which Gospel the Word in the Heart or Love of God shed abroad in our Hearts doth R. R. send Greeting in our Lord God Everlasting Allelujah TO you that are Regenerate and born again of the Spirit who have Christ Jesus the New Man in you and are Members of his Body Spiritual through Sanctification of the Holy Spirit of Grace you in him and he in you made perfect in one to you Grace Mercy and Peace be multiplied from God our Heavenly Father and our Lord Jesus Christ Amen Allelujah In the Year 1656 feeling the Birth of God in me by the overshadowing of the Holy Ghost wherein I was made a Member of Christ a Child of God and an Inheritor of the Kingdom of Heaven which Spirit of Light begat Christ Jesus the New Man in me by whom I obtained Reconciliation and Peace with God and good-will towards his Creation Which Spirit of Love moved me in the Year 1666 to send to the People called Presbyterians Thirty pounds to be distributed amongst their Poor that were in Need Sickness or any other kind of Adversity The like Sum I also sent to them called Independents As likewise to those called Anabaptists to be distributed to the Poor that were amongst them Not as Judas that betrayed his Master into the hands of Sinners for Thirty pieces of Silver but from one that witnessed the Resurrection from the Dead one who had long crucified the Lord of Life in my Self and by many and often Transgressions had slain the Witness of God his Holy Spirit of Grace and Light which oft cried in me Why wilt thou die Return to me the Light and Life of the Soul and thou shalt live At length I hearkened to the Voice of the Son of God in me in obedience to which Voice my Soul came to live in whose Life I have Rest Peace and Joy in the Lord my Saviour Allelujah Thus by the Incarnation or indwelling of the Life of Christ Jesus in my mortal Flesh I came to inherit Life Eternal by and through him that is the Regeneration the Resurrection and the Life Allelujah By which Spirit of Grace and Revelation of Christ in me I came to see what Peter saw Acts 10.34 35. Matth. 16.17 That of all Nations and Religions those that feared God and acted righteously towards Man are accepted with him Also by the same Revelation of God's Spirit I understood the great Love of God to the World that in all Ages and Times he hath sent and given his only begotten Son his Spirit of Light to be the Life of the World his Everlasting Covenant of Light and Life wherewith every one is enlightned both Jew and Gentile that cometh into the World that so all Men might be saved by believing in him and by following of him who is the Way the Truth the Life and God's Salvation to the ends of the Earth Allelujah As you may read Isa 42.6 49.6 Deut. 30.11 to 15. Jer. 31.31 c. with Rom. 10.6 8. Heb. 8.8 to the end John 1.4 9. 8.12 12.46 2 Cor. 4.4 6. Which Spirit of Light Life and Truth in the Inward Parts the Word incarnate in the Heart moved on the Face of my Deep and shining on my Tabernacle which Tabernacle God pitched in me in whose Light I saw Light which gave me freedom to look into all manner of Opinions and Religions which Light opened my Understanding so as to know Good from Evil Right from Wrong and Truth from Error In which Spirit of Light I read many Books writ by Presbyterians Independents
and highest Profession we were but as sounding Brass and as a tinkling Cymbal c. Holiness and Love to God are but two Names for one Thing Love to God and to Man are like Soul and Body that are separated no way but by death Sin is hardly known in its secret Root till Men have tasted the bitterness of the Fruit. In a word I have long seen that envious Wisdom what-ever it pretends is not from Above but is earthly sensual and devilish and that where envy and strife is upon a Religious Account there is Confusion and every evil Work That which killeth Love killeth all Grace and Holiness and killeth Souls that which quencheth Love quencheth the Spirit a thousand-fold more than the restraining of our Gifts of Utterance doth That which banisheth Love banisheth God that which is against Love is against the Design of Christ in our Redemption and therefore may well be called Antichristian the White Devil is a Love-killer as well as the Black he is as mortal an Enemy to Love who backbiteth another and saith he is prophane or he is an empty Formalist or he is a Lukewarm temporizing complying Man-pleaser as he that saith he is a peevish factious Hypocrite Believe it it is Apostacy to fall from Love your Souls die when Love dieth To preach without Love to any that differ from your Sect O what a loathsome Sacrifice is it to the Lord of Love When the Papists had murdered so many hundred thousands of the Albigenses and Waldenses who would have thought but that they had done their Work When the French Massacre had murdered thirty or forty thousand and dispatcht the Leaders of the Protestant Party who would have thought that they had but strengthened them When the Duke d' Alva had done so much to drown the Belgick Protestants in Blood he little thought he was but fortifying them Queen Mary's Bishops little thought that their English Bonefires were but to light Men to see the mischief and badness of their Cause and like firing of a Beacon to call the Land to take them for the Enemies of Mankind When the Irish had murdered two hundred thousand they little thought that they had but excited the Survivery to a terrible Revenge I will come no nearer but you may easily do it your selves If we bite and devour one another we shall be destroyed one of another c. These and the like faithful and true Sayings the Book is full of which are well worth the reading with due Consideration had thereon And as Mr. Baxter intimates That he which suffers for his Religion sheweth he hath the better Religion than those that cause Sufferings And our patient Martyrdom and Suffering by them may tend at last to open their Eyes and turn their Hearts and save their Souls for the Blood of Martyrs hath ever bin the Seed of the Church which Seed hath ever encreased the number of the Sufferers Many other good Instructions and Directions both to Ministers and People hath he in this Book set forth for uniting in Love and Amity different Perswasions into one Principle of Love well worth the taking notice of And now my dear Brethren as I am a Priest unto God by having Christ Jesus the Eternal Spirit of Truth in me I am thereby enabled to hold forth an Exhortation to all of you which in the Bowels of the extensive Love of God towards you I earnestly pray you may receive I know there is amongst you a Worthy Righteous and Sober People who I can bear you record have a Zeal of God according to the several Administrations of your outward Forms and Worships whereby you are distinguished Nevertheless I have a few things against you namely That you have the Faith of our Lord Jesus Christ amongst you with respect of particular Persons outward Forms and carnal Observations Hence arise all those Strifes and Contentions those bitter Revilings and evil Censures that have abounded amongst you both towards each other in your divided Forms and also toward all others that are not concerned with you as under your distinct Attainments But I testify and declare to you and to the whole World That if any Man be in Christ he is a New Creature and as many as walk according to this Rule of the New Creature Peace be upon them as upon the Israel of God and in every Nation Sect Form and Opinion He that feareth God and worketh Righteousness is accepted of him 'T is neither here nor there in this nor that neither in the Mountains of Form and Worship that you have raised to your selves nor at Jerusalem that God will be now worshipped but every where in Spirit and in Truth is the Worship that he accepts Give therefore the Spirit of God his due Scope and Latitude to blow where when and how it listeth in every Man 'T is the great Controversy that God hath with the World at this day That he alone may reign in the Consciences of Men by the just Measure of his own Light in every one And till this Royal Prerogative be setled upon Him there will never be Peace on the Earth but Men shall rend tear and devour one another and those that lead into Captivity must themselves go into Captivity herein will the Patience Love and Charity of the Saints be exercised and encreased Allelujah Wherefore let your Moderation be known to all Men the Lord is at hand Be not O be not found smiting your fellow Servants in the day of his Appearance The Spirit of God which hath sealed you to the day of Redemption is a tender Spirit O do not grieve it in your selves nor endeavour to quench it in others If thus you can come forth amongst Men you shall be a blessing in your Generation a Light to them that sit in darkness and a Refreshment to the Mourners of Zion who languish in the Breaches and Divisions that have bin made upon her Inhabitants In which Universal Spirit of Love to Truth and Righteousness I Rest a Friend to you and the Souls of all Men in any Sect or Opinion of Religion whatsoever whilst I am and when I am no more Robert Rich. An Epistle for the most pure Amity and Unity in the Spirit of Life and Love of God in all sincere-hearted Souls amongst the People called QUAKERS And as to them so unto all or any other Sort or Sect of People that own and follow the Light of Christ Jesus wherewith every one is enlightned ROBERT RICH sendeth Greeting in our Lord God Everlasting Allelujah IN the Year 1666 feeling the Babe of Grace the Word in the Heart to wax strong in the Love of God shed abroad in my Heart I sent to the Poor of your People Thirty pounds which after some of your Leaders had received to wit John Bolton Gerad Roberts and Amos Stoddard and given under their hands accordingly 't was denied to be received and about a Year after returned to me again with many
acknowledg Can you yet be so vainly confident as to perswade your selves that nothing of this Evil shall come near your Borders whilst the Arrows of God's Judgments fly so thick in the World and stick so deep in the Hearts and sides of all both Civil and Religious Interests Are you and your Imposing Tribe the only Men that must escape when the whole World is to be set on Fire yea the very Heavens of Professors are to be burnt up and nothing to be left alive in us but what can lie down in those Flames Is there nothing think ye in or amongst your People that is for Judgment Or is this a time for you to build and raise a Name to your selves when God is destroying to contend for outward Rule and Dominion over others when God is pleading his own Royal Prerogative to sit in judgment over the Consciences of your Brethren when the Judg stands at the Door Or are ye so regardless of the prints and footsteps of the Almighty in his present Providences that ye say in your Hearts with that Evil Servant The Lord delays his coming and fall to smiting your fellow Servants with the Tongue and Fist of Wickedness wounding and reproaching them with your bitter and severe Censures thinking with the evil Husbandman therewith to kill and slay the Heir the Seed of God in Man that must rule and reign Surely my Friends the tempestuous Storms of Wrath and Indignation that you see falling upon the World do earnestly call for a more mild and sober Spirit amongst you than this Let therefore your Moderation be known to all Men the Lord is at hand If you would be a blessing to the World in your Generation learn first to judg and condemn your selves Cast off your Judging Censuring and Imposing Spirit and give the Witness of God in every one its just Right its due Scope and Latitude and usurp not Authority over it Take not upon you to be Lords over God's Heritage let the Bowels of your Love and Tenderness be drawn out and extended towards the measure of God in all Men of every Religion in forbearance and forgiveness to the whole World follow Peace in the Spirit of Love with all Men and Holiness without which no Man shall see God Give Christ his Prerogative in Spirituals He must and will have it Give Caesar his due in Temporals who may of undoubted right challeng it Thus if you can commend your selves to God and the World ye shall be the Joy of this Generation all good Men will be drawn out in an earnest imitation of your Purity while the violent and wicked shall stand mute and be struck dumb at your modest Patience and Meekness you shall never want either inward Peace or outward Freedom but ye shall enter into Peace and Rest in your Beds each one walking in his Uprightness This my dear Friends is the Testimony in which I long to meet you and which will justly provoke the hearty embraces of Your true Friend in Love to serve you R. R. To the Birth of God in all the Sanctified the Church of the First-Born whose Names are written in Heaven who are born again not of the Will of the Flesh but of God's Holy Spirit You to whom is given the White Stone and the New Name that none knows but he that hath it who as living Stones are laid in the Walls not of the Jerusalem that now is and is in bondage with her Children but of the New Jerusalem that is Above in the Heart and Throne of God which is Free and is the Mother of us all To you however you are divided or where-ever ye are lodg'd and held in the Clifts of the Rocks in Dens and Caves of the Earth or secret places of the Stars under all your divided Tribes ROBERT RICH sendeth Greeting in our Lord God Everlasting Allelujah Dear Brethren BEing moved in my Spirit in the Year 1666 to salute the Seed of God the Seed of the Promise in all Men and in particular the Seven Churches of Christendom namely the Roman the Episcopal Protestant the Presbyterian the Independent the Baptist the Quaker and the Church of the First-Born to each of them I gave Thirty pounds to be distributed amongst the Poor of their People as a sign of my dear Love to the Seed of God in all which I saw lay crucified dead and buried in some and in others risen and reigning into Life that is Eternal That which principally moved me to this general Salutation was the sad and serious apprehension of the Straits and Limits by which I saw the Seed of God held in Bondage and these several sorts of Professors to value themselves and also condemn one another in reference to those Modes and Methods of Worship and Obedience in which they are divided and distinguished My Salutation intended a cheek to this unkind severity amongst them and according to the inward Testimony from God upon my Spirit if possible to let them understand that our gracious God is no respecter of Persons Sects or Opinions but of every Nation those that fear God and work Righteousness are accepted of him and that all those that walk in the Light of the Lord wherewith he hath enlightned them are saved Allelujah In the Heavenly Revelation of this Blessed Vision wherein I felt and found my self in a through Reconcilement to all Sorts and Sects of Men I have begun and now finished my Epistles to these Seven States of Christians which I recommend to the Children of Light to read and to consider what the Spirit saith to the Churches And because in the Travels of this Testimony upon the Soul I have met with several Celestial Pilgrims journying towards Sion with their Faces thitherward by whose sprinklings in many of their Books and Papers I have bin often refreshed and comforted I cannot but commend both their Names and Labours to the sober Enquirers after Truth as well knowing that though these Witnesses are dead and gone yet their Spirits and Testimony remain and still speak to us At this time I read many Books writ by the Divine Spirit in which I took great delight some few whereof I find freedom to expatiate on First Cebes the Theban Philosopher his Table writ in Greek since translated into English who lived Anno Mundi 3553 which Table was hung up in the Temple of Saturn This Table consisted of three Parks or Inclosures at the Gate of the first stood the shape of an Old Man called Life's Genius afterwards True Instruction which I understand by interpretation to represent the Light and Grace of God which appeareth to and in every one This Light or Life's Genius taught and instructed all how they should lead their Lives according to those Rules he directed both to avoid temptations to Vice and to imbrace all those Divine Vertues that lead to Beatitude I have read the Imitation of Christ writ by Thomas of Kempis Also Cardinal Cusanus his first
the Flock of God which is among you over which the Holy Ghost is Overseer not by constraint but willingly not for filthy Lucre-sake but voluntarily and not as Lords over God's Heritage but as Examples even as Christ was to his Followers who said Learn of me for I am meek and humble of Heart and ye shall find Rest to your Souls So Holy Jesus by his Doctrine and Example did not give Peter Lordly Supremacy over the rest of his Disciples but said otherwise to them that desired Supremacy and Lordship over the rest Be not called of Men Masters nor seek the uppermost Seats at Feasts nor greetings in the Market-place Seek not Supremacy nor Authority over your Brethren for he that would be greatest among you shall be Servant unto all Thus you see Christ gave no Supremacy to Peter for Supremacy and Lordship is what the Kings of the Gentiles exercise over one another and that which Phocas the Emperor of Rome who slew his Master Mauricius gave to Boniface the Third i.e. Supremacy for setting him up Emperor So you see Supremacy is not the Doctrine of Christ but the Gift of the Gentiles Emperors and Kings And though many Graces attended the Church yet the greatest and supreamest Gifts and Graces were Humility and Charity Allelujah As I am a Priest to God having Christ Jesus in me sent to try what Spirit governs the World my hearts desire to the Church of Rome is That they would try and examine themselves by the Rule of God's Spirit whether they stand upon Christ the Rock the Revelation of God to Peter the Foundation whereon all the Faithful stand and are built the Rock of Ages throughout all Generations Or whether they are built on Peter's Person in his Degeneration and Fall when he denied and left the Rock by savouring and setting up the Things of Man above the Revelation of God the only thing needful to make a true Christian Allelujah I humbly crave leave further to query and ask Whether the Church of Rome affirming Mary a Creature espoused to Joseph to be the Mother of God who is infinite whether this be not Blasphemy read Mat. 12.47 to 50. Luke 2.48 John 2.4 and to worship or adore her Image Similitude or Picture whether this be not a breach of the Second Commandment and the highest Idolatry seeing to worship or adore the Work of Man's hand is worse Idolatry than to worship and adore the meanest Creature that God hath made And you calling the Pope of Rome a Creature Head of Christ's Church is not this think you Blasphemy And for you to call Bread and Wine meer Creatures after Consecration the real Body and Blood of Christ our Creator and Redeemer who is the Bread of Life that came from Heaven is not this think you also Blasphemy and for you thus to adore and worship these Creatures is not this think you Idolatry Likewise to call a Crucifix of Man's making the Cross of Christ which is the Power of God that crucifies Sin and the Lust of the Flesh in the Saints is not this think you a high Crime of Blasphemy And to worship and adore this Creature of Man's making is not this think you the highest Idolatry feeing you own falling down adoring and worshiping to be all one and the same thing And for a Man to make an Altar and bow to it is not this the worst kind of Idolatry thus to worship a Creature of Man's making more than the Power of God Christ the Word revealed in the Heart Allelujah For you to set up Holy Dayes and observe Saints Days is not this think you a Prescription and Imposition of Man and not by God's Command and may not we call all these days of Man's making the Devil's Days as Jesus called Peter Satan when he savoured more the things of Man than the things of God rather than the Saints Days who served God in the Spirit of Truth every Day So he that keeps a Day holy to the Lord doth well but he that keeps a day in satisfaction of the Flesh in Chambering and Wantonness doth ill I have bin credibly informed that in Ireland the Roman Catholicks keep St. Patricks and St. Peters day with more Debauchery and Drunkenness than any other day in the Year and I am sure in England Holy-Days used to be kept and celebrated more to the honour of Venus and Bacchus than to the Service of the only holy true God Allelujah You say Christ's Church is Vniversal and always visible I say Christ's Church is and ever was invisible to Men unregenerate who are not born of the Spirit tho never so wise and prudent in natural Things I pray where was the Church visible when Peter denied Christ and the rest of his Disciples forsook him and fled Mat. 26.56 And do not you think that these things were written for our Example that we should not follow Man nor the things of Man in the Unregenerate Estate in the Worship of God but the gracious holy Spirit of God in our Selves which whosoever hath not is no true Christian Read Rom. 8.9 which Spirit is the Saints only Teacher Allelujah And I pray where was the Church of Christ visible when St. John saw her as on Eagles Wings flee into the Wilderness to save her self from the usurpation and tyranny of the false Church for a time times and half a time where she was seen and known only to God fed and nourished by him not with visible Bread but with Bread and Water of Life from Heaven the true Flesh and Blood of Christ of which the National Visible Church knoweth nothing which only feed upon outward carnal visible Things such as the Traditions Prescriptions and Impositions of Men prepare for them So that all this time the True Church and Spouse of Christ lay hid in the Wilderness as a mourning Widow a City unbuilt troden under-foot of the Gentiles cloathed in Sackcloth whilst the visible false Church sat as a Queen upon the many Waters Which Waters saith St. John were Peoples Multitudes Nations Tongues and Kindreds whereon the Whore and false Prophets sat cloathed in Purple and Scarlet and deckt with Gold and precious Stones in so much that all the World wondred and worshipped the Whore and false Prophet she having a golden Cup in her hand full of the abomination of Man's Inventions which she gave to drink to the Nations to the Tongues even to all the People that received the Mark of the Beast and Number of his Name what the Civil Magistrate imposed on whom the Whore and false Prophet sat To such she filled of her Cup and received them within the Pale of her Church but for those that refused to drink of her abominable Cup and to receive the Mark of the Beast and Number of his Name which Number stands in things of Man's imposing against such the Beast Whore and false Prophet proclaimed War and would neither Buy nor Sell with them but made Laws and
persecuted the True Church and Members of Christ according to those Laws made by Man many a thousand even to death And this came to pass that the Prophecy of Daniel might be fulfilled who saw the Beast the Roman Monarch should have power to scatter to destroy and to make desolate the Holy City and Holy People for a time times and half a time which time is One thousand two hundred and sixty days and taking a Year for a day is One thousand two hundred and sixty Years He that is wise and standeth in his Lot as Daniel did in the measure of God's Holy Spirit the Lot of God's Heritage knoweth the meaning of the Spirit in those deep mysterious and hidden Things of God in which Spirit it is seen that the time times and half a time is accomplished that the Church of Christ is to stay in the Wilderness who is coming out of her Wilderness condition out of her mourning Sackcloth as a Woman cloathed with the Sun of Righteousness and a Crown of Stars upon her Head the Faithful Chosen and truly Sanctified and having the Moon all inferior and borrowed Lights under her Feet where the Citizens of Sion the New Jerusalem have no need of a Candle or any teaching of Man for the Lord God by his Inspiration is their Light and they need no other Light but as the Unction the anointing teacheth them and is the true Inward and Infallible Teaching in which Light of the Lord God the Nations that are saved walk Allelujah Thus you see when how and by whom the Apostacy from the true Faith and Church of Christ came in and wherein it still standeth even in savouring as Peter did the things of Man more than the things of God the inspiration of his blessed holy Spirit Allelujah And this Apostacy appeared in the Apostles days whereof Peter was the Ring-leader as may be seen Gal. 2.11 when Peter dissembled and forsook Christ his Spirit the Rock the True Church and Faith the Corner-Stone the sure Foundation of the True Church throughout all Generations God's Covenant of Light to all the World and his Salvation to the Ends of the Earth his Talent and Measure of his Holy Spirit of Grace given to every one to profit with in the which disobeying stands our Condemnation and in obeying of it standeth our eternal Salvation our Peace and Rest with God Allelujah Thus by Peter's bad Example the Church of Christ had like to have bin lost in the Apostacy had not St. Paul that great Apostle of the Gentiles stood in the Gap in withstanding Peter so boldly to his very Face for this his dissimulation which did not only draw away the Jews but Barnabas was also carried away by their dissimulation by their compelling the Gentiles to live as did the Jews they brought a great Schism into the Church and had like even at that time to have carried the whole Church into the Apostacy had not St. Paul withstood them Which Apostacy afterwards came in by observing the Old Law and other Heathenish Customs prescribed by Man rather than the Commands of God For did not the Apostacy come in by observing of Days Months Times and Years by observing Holy Days New-Moons and Sabbath-Days or Sundays so called from the Heathens read Gal. 4.10 Col. 2.8 16 17. Luke 17.20 What ado was there about the keeping of Easter-day of outward Circumcision Baptism and Supper all which were but Figures of the Inward What Quarreling and Disputes were there even in the Apostle's days about these Matters and soon afterwards between the Arrians and those of one Substance concerning the Nature and Being of Christ one Bishop thrusting out another and killing one another about these outward Things of Man's setting up such things wherein the Kingdom of God is not found nor the Church of Christ edified but much Blood spilt and Humility Love and Charity lost in these bitter Disputes and Contests and all about such beggarly Rudiments as these which no ways did benefit the Church but destroy it in so much that those called Christians were worse than the Heathens in Conversation and more like their Father the Devil than the Children of God or Brethren of Christ Jesus Allelujah And as the Apostacy increased and waxed strong by savouring the things of Man more than the things of God then came in the Abomination which made desolate the Observation of Christmass-day Whitsunday c. and other Saints days both Feasting and Fasting-days keeping of Lent prescribing what Meats should be eaten and what not About this time came in also Altars made with mens hands and brought into the Church to worship God withal which in the Old Law was but a shadow of Christ in the Saints the New Law which Altar and Tabernacle God pitched in Man and is God's Workmanship and not the Work of Man's hand And did not the Apostacy bring in the Seven Sacraments viz. John's Baptism which stood in the outward Element of Water in the place of Christ's Baptism which consisteth in the operation of the Holy Ghost in the Saints the which cleanseth from Sin and begets the New Man Christ in them their Hope and Glory Allelujah Did not also the Sacrament of the Altar come in with the Apostacy consisting of carnal Bread and Wine which are but Creatures turned you say by the Priest's Consecration into the Real Body and Blood of Christ whereas the Real Body of Christ is not Carnal nor Elementary but the true Blood that came from Heaven the Blood and Spirit of Christ the Vine and is the true Wine that chears the heart of God and Man Read Judges 9.13 Matth. 26.29 John 6 51 63. which Bread and Wine whosoever eateth and drinketh shall live for ever as it is written Behold I stand at the Door and knock if any Man hear my Voice and open the Door of the Heart I will saith Christ come in to him and Sup with him and he with me Which Supper is not an outward carnal eating and drinking as the false Church supposeth but is a Spiritual eating and drinking to receive Christ into our Hearts and feed on him there which nourisheth the Soul up into Eternal Life Allelujah Read John 6.27 33 48 51 57 63. Rev. 3.20 The other Five Sacraments as Confirmation Penance Orders Marriage Extream Vnction are these think you or the two former more a Sacrament Similitude or Representation of Christ than the meanest Animal that God hath made And where doth the Scripture call these or any one of them a Sacrament Is not Christ the Beginning and End of all God's Works figured out by a Lion a Lamb yea by every thing that hath Life Is he not the Rose of Sharon and the Lilly of the Valleys yea by things that have no Life For is not Christ the Door and Way to God And may not we as well bow down and worship God in these things as in any of these Seven Sacraments And to fall down and
worship by a Picture the Image or Likeness of God the Father God the Son and God the Holy Ghost whether thus bowing or worshiping God through the Work of Man's hands be not the highest kind of Idolatry and contrary to God's Commandment in the Old Law and much more contrary to the New which is to worship God in the Spirit of Truth only Allelujah I pray was it not after the Apostacy came in that Men built Churches calling them the House of God the Church and Temple of God and worshipping God in these Temples made with hands after the Old Law and in such outward Observations as Man invented prescribed and imposed in which God is not found nor is an outward thing made by Man the place of his Habitation read Acts 7.48 But it fareth with false Christians in the Apostacy as it did with false Jews in the Prophet Hosea's Time read Hos 8.14 when Israel had forgotten his Maker they built Temples thinking to please God in so doing as Christians do But God dwelleth not in Temples made with hands the true Temple wherein God is pleased to dwell is the sanctified Heart as you may read John 17.21 Isa 66.2 2 Cor. 6.16 Rev. 21.3 1 John 4.13 And as your Translation hath it John 1.14 The Word was made Flesh and dwelt in us Such are the only true Church of God in whom Christ dwelleth bodily who hath now as ever he had a Spiritual Body and makes the Saints by a new Birth even in this World such as he is in Heaven read 1 John 4.17 Allelujah And when came in Prayers in an unknown Tongue I confess a Zeal there may be in such Service but without knowledg of what men want or ask or feeling of God's Presence or Faith in what they ask nor can there be a hope of Return or Answer from God so that such Prayers are altogether vain and fruitless no better than what the Heathens make that know not God being prescribed as yours are by their Priests and Teachers A Worship invented by Man wanting the assistance of God's Spirit can never find acceptance with God for unless our Prayers proceed from a true repentant Heart from a new Heart and a right Spirit which God giveth every Man to profit with that truly desires to forsake Sin and to have Sin pardoned all other Prayers prevail nothing with God though never so many out of custom or never so good words prescribed by Man proceeding from an unregenerate Heart not born again of the Spirt of Love to Truth and Righteousness as Lord have Mercy upon us or Christ have Mercy upon us or never so many Pater Nosters or Ave Maries c. I say all such Prayers not proceeding from the Spirit are accounted by God vain Repetitions which he abhors and he accepts no other Prayers but what proceeds from his own Spirit of Grace such he accepts knowing the meaning of the Spirit though uttered by a Sigh or a Groan Allelujah And when came in Holy Water hallowing material Churches Baptizing of Bells with many other such-like Jewish and Heathenish Observations came not these in with the Apostacy for in the beginning when God's Holy Spirit was the Teacher Leader and Sanctifier of the Faithful it was not so And had not you these from the Jews or from the Heathens for among true Christians the Worship stood not in such outward beggarly Rudiments but in the Spirit of Truth the Law in the Heart the New Covenant which circumciseth and purifieth the Heart Allelujah Read John 4.21 23 24. And did not the Name of Most Holy Father the Pope Christ's Vicar Peter's Successor Vniversal Bishop and Peter's Person the Rook whereon you say Christ's Church is built came not these in with the Apostacy And did not the Apostacy create Lord-Bishops Priests and Deacons made by a carnal Ordinance of Man and not by the Holy Ghost as all the Ministers of Christ ever were And when came in forbidding to Marry and shutting up in Monasteries and Nunneries that they should not Marry And were it not better to marry and live chast with a Wife than to burn in Lust as I have bin credibly informed by some Merchants that lived in Portugal who had such devout Nuns to be their Mistresses as acted those abominable things both by way of writing and sending Signs and Tokens of their burning Lusts to their Lovers as is not fit to be once named among Christians And have you not read in Histories how that the Pope's Legat sent into England against married Priests was himself taken in Bed with a Harlot And is it not better and a less sin to marry than to live in Whoredom which destroys both Body and Soul as it is written Prov. 23.27 Ephes 5.5 Heb. 13.4 Rev. 21.8 22.15 Also that abundance of Sculls and Bones of new-born Children have bin found in the Motes and Ditches belonging to Nunneries when cleansed And is it not therefore as St. Paul saith the Doctrine of Devils that preacheth Marriage which is an Ordinance of God and one of your Sacraments to be sinful and are not such Doctors and Teachers think you guilty of the Abominations committed in those Nunneries and polluting of their Neighbour's Marriage-Bed by Monks and Friars c. And when came in the Infallibility of the Pope came it not in with the Apostacy And why may not the Pope be as fallible and fall as Peter did by savouring the Things of Man more than the Revelations of God And I have read in Histories that there have bin many wicked Popes and sometimes no Pope in Rome at all and at other times three Anti-Popes one against the other endeavouring to murther and destroy each other And did not St. Cyprian and Pope Stephen excommunicate each other And I pray was not the Church of Rome without a Head when there was no Pope as oft it hapned in several Intervals as in Anno 1243. Anno 1272. and Anno 1316. And a Church without a Head cannot be Christ's Church nor can any Man save the New Man that is born of the Spirit be Head of Christ's Church whose Members are made of Living Stones Elect and Pretious And how can that Body live and subsist that is without a Head And if the Church of Rome have a wicked Pope as oft it hapned for their Head that cannot be Christ's Church for the Head of Christ's Church and his Members the New Man in the Saints are all Pure Holy and Righteous even as God the Father is Pure Holy and Righteous and such a Head and Members as are not Holy and Pure is the False Church the Body of Antichrist the Synagogue of Satan and Children of their Father the Devil whose Works they do who is their Head and governs them And when came in Man's making of Saints visiting and worshipping their Tombs their Reliques and Shrines such as Thomas of Becket Arch-Bishop of Canterbury who was a great Champion for the Clergie the
Church of Rome and a great Rbel to his Prince I pray tell me Whether any comers to these things are made the more holy and perfect by the use of them as appearing to the Conscience Or do they take away the guilt of Sin in the Conscience whilst the Witness of God condemns I say nothing besides the Grace or Spirit of God in the Heart the Blood of Christ can give Repentance and sprinkle the Conscience from dead Works to serve the Living God Allelujah And who brought in pious Frauds setting forth false Miracles never truly wrought c. for pious Ends Is not this Man's Wisdom a Lie and contrary to the Wisdom and Truth of God And when came in your Index Expurgatorius wherein Books are purged or condemned that set forth the Prince's Right over the Clergy in Temporals also expunging out of Ancient Fathers and Decrees of Councils what you like not Who invented the Mass-Book Invocation and Prayers to the Saints departed for the Living and for the Dead Were these things brought into the Church from the beginning and by the Command of God or in the dark night of Apostacy by Man's prescription when the false Church the Whore and false Prophet ruled after the True Church was fled into the Wilderness out of the sight and reach of them that sought to devour her And can Prayers prevail with God that are invented by Man which do not proceed from the Spirit of God which Prayer is heard in all that it asketh But Prayers made by and proceeding from Man in the Fall in the unregenerate state are an abomination to the Lord for God heareth not Sinners but hears and answers them only who by Christ's mediation in our hearts truly repent hate and forsake their Sin and who are Regenerate and born again of his Spirit and that pray in the Power and Demonstration of this Spiritual Birth such and only such though in a Groan or Sigh God the Father hears answers and shews Mercy unto according as they desire Allelujah And when was Purgatory found out a Place to purge the Souls of Men that repent not but live and die in Trespasses and Sins Had ye not this from the Jews or from Man in the Fall I declare and say as I am a Priest of God in the New Covenant of Grace That there is no other Purgatory neither in this World nor in any other World to come save the Blood of Christ the Lamb of God slain by Sin ever since the Foundation of the World even when Cain killed innocent Abel then did Christ who was before Abraham was suffer in Abel which Blood of Christ the New Covenant cries for vengeance against and upon all that spill it and upon all that crucifie the Lord of Life and such as resist and quench God's Holy Spirit of Grace in themselves the only one Sacrificer and Mediator between God and Man the Saints only Redeemer Sanctifier and Saviour Allelujah And woe be to them from the Lord God under whose Skirts is found the Blood of the Souls of the poor Innocent the Church of Christ whom he hath purchased washed and cleansed with his own Blood his own Light and Life in themselves which the Faithful eat and drink and is the Blood of Sprinkling which speaketh better things than did the Blood of Abel whose Blood crieth for vengeance against them that spill it which Blood of Christ God's Spirit of Grace is that which washeth and cleanseth true Believers from all Sin and which Blood redeems up to God out of the Fall into Abraham's Bosom the Habitation of the Faithful where God's Honour and Glory dwelleth Thus God's Spirit only is that which purifieth and redeemeth the Soul from all pollution of Flesh and Spirit Amen Allelujah As it is written Isa 1.25 Psal 51.7 Mal. 3.3 Prov. 16.6 1 Pet. 1.22 23. 1 John 3.3 And this I have further to say to the Church of Rome both to the Clergie and Laity That whosoever amongst them hath not the Spirit of Christ to wash and cleanse and to lead them into Truth and Righteousness is no true Christian no true Member of Christ's Church nor can be saved or inherit the Kingdom of Heaven as it is written John 3.3 Rom. 8.9 11. 1 Cor. 2.10 and 12.13 2 Cor. 13.5 Who made Parish-Churches supplying them with Parish-Priests made by a carnal Ordinance of Man and set forth Tithes forcing the payment of them by carnal Weapons the Magistrate's Sword no Gospel-way of maintenance For as Christ's Ministers receive freely of his fulness Grace for Grace so they give and where only they sow Spiritual Things of them they reap Carnal without Hire or for filthy Lucre much less by force of Man's Law For most certainly this forced Maintenance was a thing of Man's Institution and brought in by the false Church the Whore the false Prophet riding the Beast the Civil Magistrate in the dark night of Apostacy after the True Church was fled into the Wilderness not seen of Man but well known of God and whose Life was hid in Christ with God Allelujah And when were Indulgences and Pardons brought in by the Pope's Bulls and when Limbus Patrum and Processions on Palm-Sunday c. Were these things the Command of God or the Command of Man known or practised by the Primitive Saints or came they in in the dark Night of Apostacy after the True Church was fled into the Wilderness yea or nay Who brought in or when came in the Inquisition that takes away Mens Lives for Opinion's sake Was this Christian like by God's Command or by Man's think you And was not the Jewish Jubile brought in by Boniface the third more to increase the Riches and to shew the outward Pomp of the Church of Rome than by any Command or Example of Christ for the same And did not Christ foretel That many should come in his Name but not in his Spirit false Christs and false Prophets and should deceive many and those were they that came in Sheeps cloathing outwardly seeming holy but inwardly were ravenous Wolves destroying all that differed from them or refused to receive their Mark their outward Superstitions and shews of Holiness and though roved from the Spirit of God yet spake good words of Truth by which they deceived the Hearts of the Simple and brought in the Old Covenant which was but a Type Figure and Shadow of the New standing in outward observations which shadow of the Old drove out the substance of the New Covenant Christ in Spirit which New Covenant stands in the inward Spiritual Grace the Word in the Heart And was not this bringing in the Old and setting up the Old a denying Christ the New to be come in the Flesh of the Saints the new and living Way So that whosoever comes to God must come by through and in him who is the Way the Truth and Life of God Allelujah And in this roving from the Spirit and setting up the Old Law of
Darkness to Light save those only that are born of the Spirit and so have Christ the Word in their Hearts as Paul had and all true Ministers of Christ have Read Gal. 1.15 16. 2.20 Eph. 2.10 Col. 1.27 2.6 3.16 2 Cor. 13.5 Thus learn to know Christ as all the truly sanctified know him not after the Flesh as he was the Son of Man nor after the Letter which kills but after the Spirit which begetteth Christ the new Man in us who is the only true Agnus Dei that takes away the Sins of the World of all that believe in him and that saves his People from their Sins as he did the Virgin Mary Luke 1.47 giving and encreasing Grace in them working all their Works in them and for them perfecting Holiness in all that love his Appearance which Work of Grace in our Hearts is our Sanctification Justification and Salvation Allelujah Thus being faithful to God in administring the things of God as you receive them from him on God's Name and in his Strength go on and prosper convert all Nations to Christ the Word in the Heart God's Covenant of Light to all the World to Christ the Rock and Revelation of God to Peter on which his Church is built which Spirit of Grace guided the Church of Rome when she was so much renowned into Truth and Righteousness which Spirit of Truth gave St. Peter Repentance and led him out of his Fall where the Gates of Hell prevailed into all Truth and made him an able Minister of Christ not of the Letter but of the Spirit in which Spirit he faithfully served his Master in feeding his Sheep with Spiritual Food Christ the Bread and Water of Life from Heaven Allelujah And know that no Man can please God save Christ the new Man in the Saints who is created after the Image of God in Righteousness and true Holiness And the first Step towards Heaven and true Christianity is to be born of the Spirit for no Man can please God nor go to Heaven save he that came from Heaven even the Son of God in Man which always is in Heaven Read John 3.13 Also know that every Motion in Man's Heart to Good is the Inspiration and Revelation of God as every Motion to Evil proceeds from the World the Flesh and the Devil which Trinity is but one evil Spirit that rules in the Hearts of the Children of Disobedience for of our selves we cannot so much as think a good Thought and without Inspiration and Revelation we can never know God the Father nor God the Son but by the Inspiration of God the Holy Ghost Nor can we know or act aright in the things of God but by the Revelation of his own Spirit a measure whereof is given to every one to profit withal Nor can we please God nor attain Salvation but as we are born of his Spirit and led by his Spirit into Truth and Righteousness as it is written Mat. 11.27 John 3.3 6.44 1 Cor. 2.10 11. Gal. 1.15 16. 1 Pet. 1.13 1 John 3.24 with 1 Cor. 6.11 17. 12.7 2 Cor. 3.3 6. Gal. 5.16 Eph. 2.22 3.16 1 Pet. 12.11 For the natural unregenerate Man tho never so knowing in Literature and other worldly Knowledg as to please the Ear and Understanding of a Man knoweth nothing of the things of God nor understandeth the Scriptures meaning nor Gospel of Christ nor can he preach it because these things are only spiritually discerned And he that wanteth this Spirit of God in him to be his Prophet his Priest his King to reveal the things of God to offer Prayers and Praises to God and to lead into Truth and Righteousness is no Minister of Christ nor true Christian neither can such a one ever inherit the Kingdom of Heaven Read Luke 4.18 8.10 24 45. Rom. 10.8 1 Cor. 2.10 11. 2 Cor. 3.6 4.3 4 6 7. Gal. 1.11 12. 1 Thess 1.5 3.8 1 Pet. 1.11 12. With John 3.3 Rom. 8.9 2 Cor. 13.5 1 Joh. 3.3 After this manner you having Christ the Bread and Water of Life in you then may you feed Christ's Lambs otherwise not and your selves being converted and turned from Darkness to Christ the Light in your selves then you may convert others else not And all that profess themselves to be Ministers of Christ be sure you feel God's Spirit to be your Commission both to begin and carry on that Work else all Preaching and Praying will be but vain and you cannot profit the People at all but must lie down in sorrow under all your own Kingdlings and Conceivings either from the Letter or what you have learned from Man in the Schools c. Thus you having Christ the Truth in your selves being born of the Spirit he will teach you to preach Truth and lead you into all Truth to the saving not only of your own Souls but also of the Souls of those that hear you Even so Amen Allelujah And there is but one thing needful to make the Church of Rome as much renowned now as ever which is That all forsake the Wisdom of the Flesh and walk in the Wisdom of the Spirit of Grace the Word in the Heart given to every one of all Religions to be their Teacher and Leader into the Way of Truth and Righteousness Allelujah Thus there are and have bin in all Ages and of all Opinions and Religions Witnesses of Christ's Birth who are begotten and born again of the Spirit which crucifieth Sin in us and of his Resurrection which createth the New Man in us in which Body of Christ the Spirit of Light which came from Heaven the Sanctified arise and ascend into Heaven and there sit even whilst their Mortal Bodies are here on Earth at the right Hand of God the Father in the Unity and Fellowship of Christ the Son and Blessed Spirit where are Pleasures for ever-more Allelujah Read Ephes 1.3 2.6 Heb. 12.22 1 John 4.17 Psal 16.11 Job 36.12 In the Unity of which Spirit of Grace Love and Charity I most humbly take my leave and in it rest one with all the faithful Seed of Abraham who are begot and born again of the Seed and Spirit of God and led by the same Spirit into Truth and Righteousness Allelujah In which Spirit of Truth I remain a Friend to the Vniversal Catholick Church of Christ throughout all the whole World amongst Jews and Gentiles yea a true Friend to the Souls of all Men whilst I am and when I am no more ROBERT RICH. To the Episcopal Protestants the most Reverend Arch-Bishops the Right Reverend the Lord Bishops the Reverend the Priests Doctors and Deacons and all Degrees of the Clergy and Laity of the Church of England ROBERT RICH sendeth Greeting in our Lord God Everlasting Allelujah TO you that are Regenerate and born again of the Spirit and so are initiated into the Church of Christ made Members of his Body Spiritual through sanctification of the Holy
our dying to Sin is the truest conformity to Christ's Death and a living to God in Obedience to his Spirit of Grace is Man's Resurrection to Life Eternal and makes us true Subjects of his Kingdom and this Conformity to Christ's Resurrection consists in obeying an immortal Principle of Life Grace and Truth signifie the Gospel of Christ and is God's everlasting Covenant of Light and Life to Jew and Gentile as saith Isa 42.6 49.6 John 1.4 9. 16.17 Rom. 10.6 7 8. 2 Cor. 4.3 4 6. Tit. 2.11 Christ's Righteousness is not an Imputed Righteousness only but Inherent which begets the New Man in the Sanctified which is their Sanctification Justification and Salvation The Righteousness of the Law consists in an external conformity to the Moral Law but the Righteousness which is of Christ is an Inherent Righteousness which exceeds the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees and consisteth in the renovation of our Minds in governing the Thoughts and Passions and is therefore called our being born again We are not living Members of Christ till we sincerely obey him and that the only way to please God and save our Souls is to follow Christ through the Regeneration who is the Author of Eternal Salvation to them only that obey him Fellowship with God doth not consist in transient Acts but in a state of Light Spirit and Life in union with Christ conforming us into his Nature and Likeness which makes us the Temple of God wherein he delights to dwell Dr. Hammond in his Practical Catechism saith That Socrates was accounted the wisest of Men in his time because he applyed his Knowledg to the Moral part to the squaring and ordering Mens Lives Also he saith Gerson a very learned and pious Man defined Divinity to be an effective not only a speculative Knowledg And that the end of Christian Philosophy is to make Men better not more learned to edify not to instruct That the Law written by God in Man's Heart is divinely natural and teacheth the whole Duty of Man And Man walking in the Light of God's Law obtains more light and strength of Grace but in disobedience to that Light Man grows dim and weak The first Covenant saith the Doctor was writ on Stone which we break The second Covenant is writ in our Hearts to sanctify us and to lead us into Truth and Righteousness which Covenant of Grace Light and Truth is that which saves his People who walk therein from their Sins Which second Covenant is declared and proclaimed Isa 42.6 49.6 Deut. 30.11 to 15. with Rom. 10.6 8. Jer. 31.31 to 35. with Heb. 8.8 c. In this second Covenant of Grace saith the Doctor are contained two Promises First Of giving more Grace to them that make use of their former Talent Secondly Of crowning them with Glory that persevere in Grace Jews and Gentiles that is saith the Doctor every Man that walks in this second Covenant of Grace shall be saved for the Grace of God is that which is given to every Man as a Talent to profit with This Grace saith the Doctor obtains three things for us First It gives Repentance which obtains pardon of Sins past Secondly It enables them that love it to please God in every thing Thirdly At the end of our Obedience it crowns us with an eternal weight of Glory Dr. Fell in the Life of Dr. Hammond saith That exemplary Vertue must restore the Church That Obedience to God's requiring is the best practice That Unity of Mind in that which is good is the greatest happiness and that Sin is to be resisted and rejected in the first Motion By all which it doth manifestly appear That in the Church of England is both Vrim and Thummim not only in their Doctrines the Light of Truth but in their Conversation as appears to me an Innocent Harmless Courteous Charitable Holy Life for which I much honour them and the Church for their sakes and heartily pray That God will be pleased to send down upon our Bishops and Curats and all Congregations committed to their Charge the healthful Spirit of his Grace and pour upon them the continual Dew of his Blessing that all they undertake both in Praying and Preaching may be begun and ended in him to the praise and glory of God our Heavenly Father to their own Souls Health and the Salvation of those that hear them Even so Amen Allelujah As I have consulted several Doctors and Preachers of the Church of England so in like manner have I read and considered the Common-Prayer Book and the Administration of the Sacraments and other Rites and Ceremonies of the Church Concerning which I most humbly crave leave to make examination by the Scriptures of the Prophets and Apostles thereby intending what I find to proceed from God's Holy Spirit of Truth which are the Things of God to treasure them up in Joseph's Storehouses the rest that came in with the long dark Night of Apostacy from Man unregenerate in the Fall meerly Humane being the Prescriptions Traditions and Impositions of Men not proceeding from the Inspiration of the Spirit of Truth I intend to turn back as your own Mony in your own Sacks ALmighty and most Merciful Father Morning Prayer c. we have erred and strayed c. And grant for Christ his sake thou wilt give us true Repentance and thy Holy Spirit that we may hereafter live a sober and godly Life c. God pardoneth and absolveth all that truly repent c. To day if you will hear his Voice God's Word in your hearts and obey the same ye are the People of his Pasture and Sheep of his Hands c. Vouchsafe O Lord to keep us without sin c. All which are sound good words being prayed in the demonstration of the Spirit and in Sincerity and in Truth BLessed be the Lord God Benedictus Luke 1.68 c. who hath raised up a mighty Salvation speaking this of John the Baptist who was a burning and shining Light preaching Repentance and forgiveness of Sins to all them that truly repent Which Repentance prepares the Way for Christ the Word in the Heart which Word begets in the Sanctified Christ the New Man in us which saves his People from their Sins and leads them into Life Everlasting Allelujah And this wonderful Child the Birth of God in John the Baptist shall he called the Prophet of the Highest to give Light to them that sit in Darkness and in the shadow of Death and to guide our Feet into the Way of Truth the Way to Peace and true Happiness So this Child the Birth of God in John as in Jesus grew and waxed strong in Spirit being filled with the Holy Ghost as saith Luke 1.15 67 to the end and 2.40 with Luke 1.80 OVr Father The Lord's Prayer c. is a most excellent form of words to those that can in Truth pray it Such only that are born of God's Spirit are God's Children
by what other name known or distinguished even all that fear God and work Righteousness are accepted of him and dearly Beloved by me even all that in sincerity and uprightness of Heart walk in the Light of Christ Jesus wherewith they are enlightned even so Amen Allelujah Most Reverend Arch-Bishops right Reverend the Bishops with others the Reverend Doctors and Fathers of our Church I humbly beg leave of you to enquire Whether setling Ministers in Parish Churches and compelling all to hear them to Preach and to Pray first came in by the Command of Christ and by his Command so continue or came this in in the dark Night of Apostacy by Man's command whilst the false Church the Whore and false Prophet ruled after the True Church of Christ was fled into the Wilderness Tithes Also I query Whether Tithes set out in every Parish Church were done by a Command or Law of God or by a Law of Man And if you receive them as from a Command of God to the Levitical Priesthood then are you to maintain all the Poor the Fatherless and Widows out of them that there may not be a Beggar in England as there was not in Israel And if you receive them as from a Law of Man then Whether a forced Maintenance by Man's Law be a suitable and proper Maintenance for the Ministers of Christ Jesus who receive freely from him the Things of God and so they give and dispense freely those Things without Mony and without Price not for filthy Lucre-sake but of a ready Mind and only to them they sow Spiritual Things of them they reap Carnal and not by a Law of Compulsion but by the Law of Love only which is Christ's Law and Command to his Disciples and Followers Allelujah Preaching in Churches And whether all the Ministry placed in every Parish to Preach and to Pray are sent of God as Aaron was read Exod. 4.5 12.15 Deut. 4.5 And as all Christ's Ministers are and ever were Commissionated Assisted and Instructed by his Holy Spirit when and what they shall Preach and when and what they shall Pray but 't is not so with Ministers made by a Carnal Commandment of Man that receive their Commission from Man only Such run with Balaam after Gifts and Rewards who preach for Hire and seek for Gain from their quarters such I declare are no true Ministers of Christ neither can ever any such as have not Christ in them profit the Souls of People at all for all God's People are taught of him and great is their Peace Allelujah Doth not David say O God thou hast taught me from my Youth up And the Meek God doth teach And Job who was no Israelite but an Edomite saith He did teach from the Hand of the Lord and that he was taught by immediate Revelation and Inspiration of the Almighty And Isaiah saith That in God's Mountain which is his Spirit he teacheth of his ways and that all God's Children are taught of him and that God had anointed him to Preach which Unction is Truth in the Inward Parts and no Lie and teacheth the Way of God truly which teaching of God's Spirit is the way to God wherein no Man can err though a Fool. And Jeremiah saith In those days of the Spirits teaching I will make a New Covenant saith the Lord for I will write my Law in their Hearts and put my Spirit in their inward parts and they shall teach no more every Man their Neighbour for they shall all know me from the least to the greatest Allelujah And Jonah preached what he received from the Mouth of the Lord and what the Lord taught him And Micah a true Prophet of the Lord saith That in the time of the Spirit 's Reign and Government the Mountain of the Lord shall be established on the top of the Mountains and many People shall flow to it and shall say of God He will there teach us of his Ways and we will walk in his Paths for the Law shall go out of Zion and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem which Jerusalem and Zion is no earthly Building made of Wood and Stone but the New Jerusalem is the sanctified Heart the new Heart and right Spirit a City whose Maker and Builder is God Father and Mother Sister and Brother of all God's Children Allelujah And did not John the Baptist whose Baptism was from Heaven teach his Disciples how and what to Preach and how and what to Pray saying As ye go preach the Kingdom of God is at hand And God the Father taught Holy Jesus his Son to preach deliverance to the Captives all those that truly repent the acceptable Year of the Lord. And as his Father taught him so taught he his Disciples saying Go ye into the High-ways and Hedges and tell the Blind the Lame and the Halt even all that are small and little in their own eyes all that are heavy laden with Sin let such come and buy Eye-salve buy the sincere Milk of the Word without Mony and without Price And did not Holy Jesus preach often in the Temple and Synagogues of the Jews and did he not weep over them who were so hard-hearted towards him that when he would have gathered them together as a Hen gathereth her Chickens under her Wings yet they would not be healed nor covered under the Wings of the Cherubims that attend the Mercy Seat of God from under whose Wings of Grace and Love ariseth healing to all that are weary of their Sins And Holy Jesus also saith As my Father taught me I speak and do and as his Father taught him so taught he his Disciples the New and Everlasting Covenant How that by his Light and Spirit all God's People should be taught of the Lord and that great should be their Peace and that those who would be his Disciples must learn of him to be low and meek in Heart and to take up the daily Cross to their own Wills which made him to deny his own Will to do the Will of the Father as you may read Luke 22.42 John 4.34 5.30 6.38 Heb. 2.4 10.10 Phil. 2.13 And this Obedience to the Will of the Father Christ the Word in the Heart is our Sanctification Justification Redemption and Glorification Allelujah And all such alone as are taught of God Speak and Preach as Men having Authority and not as do the Scribes and Pharisees that have nothing else to teach them save the dead Letter and their own Interpretations thereupon Thus when Jesus had breathed on his Disciples and given them the Holy Ghost he saith Go ye and teach all Nations baptising them into the Name Nature and Power of Christ's Spirit not with material Water for that is John's Baptism but with Fire which is the Holy Ghost the only one true Baptism which washeth and cleanseth the Soul Regenerates and begets the New Man Christ in us all such who have their Hearts and Consciences washed and
go it is a flaming light c. Psal 130.5 6. In God I put my whole trust my soul waits on his will For his promise is most just and I hope therein still c. Psal 146.1 My soul praise thou the Lord always my God I will confess While breath and life prolong my days my tongue no time shall cease Allelujah These and the rest of David's Psalms are good and excellent to those that can sing them with David's Spirit that have within them a clean Heart and right Spirit as David had Allelujah But to those that sing them with an impure unclean and unrepenting Heart all things performed by them in the Worship and Service of God are impure even their very Prayers and Praises are Sin Thus to the Pure all things are pure to all such as sing in the movings and joy of God's Spirit with understanding making melody in their hearts to the Lord. So let Christ the Word dwell in you richly in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another in Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs singing with Grace in your Hearts to the Lord Blessed are the People that are in such a case who have Christ the Lord for their God working all their Works in them and for them both to will and to do of his good Pleasure Allelujah I do believe the Church of England the best constituted National Church in the World and adorned with many of her Worthies the best Learned and most sound in Doctrine and for integrity of Life and Conversation most Sweet most Humble Meek and Charitable whose Plat-forms of Religion of all the National Professions I judg the most large and likely to gather together and build up into Love and good Works which is the Sum of all true Christian Religion and the End both of the Law and Gospel Yet as I know there may be many things amended some left out and some added in the Nine and thirty Articles and Common-Prayer Book so I well know there is that Wisdom and Understanding in the Church of England if called together to weigh and consider of these Matters as will not only correct and amend what is amiss but also add those things that may much illustrate Truth to the Edification and Salvation of Souls and to the building up and uniting several different perswasions in the Truth and in Love towards each other who now at present are much divided I do also know that there are and ever were Operations and Administrations of God in the World all wrought by one and the same Spirit The first Dispensation is from Adam to Moses under which Administration Men were taught to serve and worship God by the seven Precepts of Noah taught from Father to Son and such as were sincere and upright hearted in that Worship pleased God and were accepted of him who requires no more of any than what they have and not what they have not The second Administration was from Moses through the Prophets unto John the Baptist and such are taught by wise Rules taken out of the Law and Prophets and need a learned National Ministry such as are well read in Natural Philosophy and in Divinity to expound and preach to the People those things that tend to Peace and Godliness to love God the Light and Life of our Souls above all things Terrestrial and our Neighbour which is all mankind as our selves In these two consist the Sum and Substance of all true Religion but by no means to preach those things that are Doubtful or Controversal all that tends to the dividing of Christ's seamless Coat and not to unite in the Truth but to destroy it Truth in the inward Parts is that which all Men of all Religions agree to without Dispute Which Dispute ever was and is as saith Dr. Taylor the Scab of the Church and Bane of all true Religion The third and last Administration is from John the greatest of all Prophets born of a Woman or that stick in Form or outward ward Observations unto Christ the Word in the Heart who is without form or comliness the eternal and only begotten Son of God before Abraham he was and is and is to come without Carnal Father or Carnal Mother without beginning of Days or end of Life God's High Priest for ever after the Order Melchisedeck which is the Order of the Holy Ghost and all such born of God's Spirit of Grace having Christ Jesus in them are the only Sons and Daughters of God and need no other Teacher save God alone Allelujah I likewise know there are dividings of Names and Opinions in the Church of England some receive the Doctrines and Interpretations of Luther and Calvin others rather chuse Socinus and Arminius for their Guides Thus is Christ divided when in Truth Christ is but one Eternal Universal Spirit of Love Light and Life in all Men of all Religions in the World and God's Salvation through Him is to the ends of the Earth For the sake of those that thus disagree I have looked into and considered the Grounds and Causes of their Divisions Luther's Doctrine I find chiefly to consist first Against Indulgences and that they were unlawful against Free-will against the Pope's Supremacy and his Excommunication against Temporal Possessions of the Clergy against Merit of Works and Monastick Life against Canonical Obedience and distinction of Meats against Transubstantiation and Communion under one kind against the Mass and Aurigular Confession against Absolution and Purgatory against extream Unction and five of the Sacraments He also held That General Councils might err that Antichrist was not a particular Person but a Spirit contrary and against Christ's Spirit that Faith only justifieth yet Man is not saved without good Works that a faithful Man might have assurance of his Salvation that the Sacrament did not convey Grace but was a sign of it that to the Faithful Sin is not imputed And some of his Followers say That we are not justified by Faith or Works but by the essential Righteousness of Christ dwelling in us And by Luther's protesting against the Church of Rome in these Things first began the Name Protestant Calvin's Doctrine I find to consist herein First he saith The Scriptures are a sufficient Rule to Life the only Judg of Controversies that the Elect only have saving Faith that Predestination to Life and Death depends not in Man's Obedience or Disobedience but on God's Choice that the true Church of God consisteth only of the Elect that the Church and Magistrate may not make Laws to bind the Conscience in Matters Religious and Divine that Sins are inherent in us though not imputed to us that Faith is a more excellent Vertue than Charity that there is no merit in us that there is but two Sacraments and these can neither justify nor confer Grace Socinus's Doctrines I find chiefly to consist in this First That there is no Origninal Sin in us derived from Adam that there is a
evil opprobrious Names which makes me say That I went to my Own but my Own would not receive me but sold me into Egypt by their many false Reports And poor Joseph found no greater Enemies than his Brethren were Nevertheless the Lord my God did not forsake me but found me out in the Innocency wherewith he had cloathed me and appeared to me in all my straits and was my Strength my Joy and Crown of Glory and at length brought me forth of Prison to stand before Princes assisting and carrying me with much Courage and through great Opposition to bear and finish my Testimony to Christ in the Saints And being cast out from my Brethren the Lord my God took me up and became my Teacher under whose Teachings I felt more of the Love of God and increased more in knowledg of the Things of God than when I sat under the Teachings of Men by whose Teachings I grew in Wisdom and in Stature unto the Measure of a perfect Man in Christ Jesus then I came to know that out of Egypt God hath called his Son to whom he hath given not only the Heathen but the whole World for his Possession and Inheritance In which Spirit of the Son I call to mind the sweet Union and Communion I had with the Quakers when they preached Christ the Light in every one that cometh into the World the Way to God the Father of Lights which Light sprang up so strongly in my Heart that with St. Paul it struck me down to the Ground where I felt the Root of the Matter in my Self so that I needed no Man to teach me but as the Unction that small grain of Mustard-Seed grew to a great Tree on whose body did hang all my Sins my Weaknesses and Infirmities which Seed of the Kingdom begot in me a new Heart and placed within me a right Spirit the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding fill'd with the Love of God Allelujah In the day when the People called Quakers were small in their own Eyes I dearly loved them who did not only preach Christ the Truth and Light in every one but with much boldness and courage and through great Persecutions defended the same living in much Love and Amity one with another which to me was a most lovely sight to see till there came to be a difference between J. N. and George Fox then G. F. by reason of his Enmity and Self-exaltation envied and persecuted J. N. and begat a most bitter wrathful Spirit in all his Friends against J. N. and all that stood by him in his Sufferings Thus G. F. was the Father that begat all those Divisions Rendings and Tearings that were then amongst the Quakers and since to this very day which with great violence lasted till J. N. took all the blame on himself and made himself of no reputation who was circumcised in Heart and Soul in which Circumcision he lived and died a true Israelite indeed But G. F. and his Party continued acting in another manner of Spirit for I have seen those pull hale and carry out of their Synagogue at the Bull and Mouth one Richard Freeman and the chief in this work was John Bolton with divers others At this time I perfectly saw that God had divided in Jacob and scattered in Israel and that a separation was making betwixt the Precious and the Vile amongst the Quakers And was it not the same bitter persecuting Spirit in G. F. that writ against J. Perrot's Book called Vnity and Amity For did not G. F. say This Book was writ with Cain 's Spirit Crying against his Sottishness and Ignorance affirming That a Cloud had compassed him that he went in the way of the false Prophets that his Spirit would give up the Children of God to Persecution Further alleaging That J. P. is one of Ham's Stock and that his gross Lies proceeded from a devilish hellish Spirit and that none that are in the least Truth will believe him and that he is a Liar and a Deceiver And the great Offence G. F. takes at this Book is that J. P. owns the Spirit of God's Grace and Light to be in Presbyterians Independents Anabaptists Seekers and others also that he hath Unity and Amity with all that walk therein the which G. F. denying and calling it a Lye c. plainly shews he is an Enemy to all that will not bow down to him and call him Master or Father of their Spirits and that he is turned from the Faith once delivered to the Saints and that he is removed to another Gospel than what at first himself had preached and also writ against J. P. that he was like a Dog snarling and biting such as are in the Life of Truth and so like a Dog thinks he will die This and much more hath G. F. writ against J. P. pursuing and hunting him as Saul did David like a Partridg on the Mountains from Country to Country from Region to Region and from City to City whithersoever he went these venemous Arrows were shot against him At this time I perfectly saw a Star fall from Heaven called Wormwood or the Dragon's Tail with which he drew to the Ground a third part of the Stars of Heaven then I saw a War in Heaven a Religious War the Dragon against the Lamb Michael and his Angels fought against the Dragon and his Angels Which bitter Spirit of the Dragon did write or indite John Bolton's Book printed 1670 intituled Judas and his Treachery c. In which Book he saith The thirty pounds Robert Rich sent to the Poor amongst the Quakers was the price of Blood and Judas his Treachery That Robert Rich is a Vagabond on the Earth one that hath not an Habitation in the Living God That he is a Contender against God's Blessed and Holy Way the Way of Life with whom Robert Bacon is joined That they were Idolaters and judged them to be the Whorish Spirit and that the Mystery of Iniquity in R. R. and R. B. was brought forth to open view And all along his Book is full of the like Expressions not only against R. R. and R. B. but the same Railing Accusations are also against Innocent J. N. and J. P. and for no Evil said or done against any one of them as in their own Consciences they well know To all which Railing Accusations R. R. saith The Lord rebuke thee About the same time another Book was writ against R. R. and R. B. by Ger. Roberts Geo. Whitehead and E. H. intituled Impudency and Ranterism rebuked in which they call the Spirit of R. R. which sent thirty pounds to their Poor A drunken ranting Spirit a fained Love and the Gift they call Cain's Sacrifice Balack's Reward and Balaam's Wages Judas's Oblation and a Superstitious Idolatrous Gift Also that R. R. is a wandring Star a raging Wave of the Sea that he is a Sow wallowing in the Mire a Dog casting up his Vomit that he is that Fool which
the Ostrich in the Wilderness O let it be timely considered by you how degenerate you are grown from that Love Meekness and Simplicity to which you at first pretended Are not you the Men that have in your Doctrine exalted the Measure of God in all Men as the only Guide and Director in that to abide and by it to be led and not by any outward Prescriptions or Impositions whatsoever And are not you the Men that now not only impose and prescribe on others but also condemn and censure your Innocent Brethren as Heathens and Infidels because in Conscience they cannot subject themselves under the Yoke of your Prescriptions Are you so presumptuous as to conclude all knowledg and discerning in the Things of God and all Spiritual Judgment is given into your Hands that you usurp the Keys of the Kingdom and will let none in but those who stand in conformity to your carnal and literal Impositions Is G. F. and the Body of his Friends of greater Authority than Peter who was an Elder and Pillar of the Church whom nevertheless Paul withstood because he did not walk uprightly according to the Truth of the Gospel but endeavoured to compel the Gentiles who had their Law within themselves to live after the manner and form of the Jews whose Law stood much in outward Observation from the Letter as doth G. F's Comely Order And are G. F. and his Friends so bold and daring as to condemn the Generation of the Just that went before you in other past Ages under their various Dispensations and all those Worthies in our present Time who cannot own your Practices or submit to your Precepts by concluding them none of the Body of Christ because noneof your Membership Is the Body of Christ now shrunk and narrow'd into G. F's Tribe of Members and Ministry are these the Lips only that preserve Knowledg are you the only Men that fear God and work Righteousness and must we forsake the inward Testimony to ask the Law from your Mouths Can any thing be more prodigious and destructive to the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus than this Doctrine or present it self with greater horror and amazement to the minds of all rational and sober Men and all that truly fear God than the injunction of a necessary submission to G. F. and his Tribe of Proselytes under the penalty of being no otherwise esteemed than Heathens and Infidels Do not you in these things apparently cloath your selves with the Livery and Character of Him who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God or worshipped by creating a Dominion over your Brethren and the movings of God in them and claiming a Power to judg of all Differences prescribing Rules and Orders and putting Yokes upon the Necks of your Disciples to the stifling of their Consciences wounding their Peace and destroying that Liberty wherewith Christ hath made them free If this be the Spirit which you at present stand in as your several forementioned Papers do plainly import I dare boldly challenge all that have gone before you from the Pope himself downward to all Sects and Opinions extant in the World to produce if they can a greater Instance of swelling Soveraignty over the Minds and Consciences of Men than you have erected And certainly had you a Secular Power but framed and fitted to your Rule Ecclesiastical Supremacy the World would soon feel that the Finger of your Church-Censures would bear an equal weight at least with the Loins of those Persecutors which have bin your Predecessors Now all this considered can you in soberness conceive that this frame of Spirit in that absolute Dominion which you claim to your selves over all others will render you the Healers of our Breaches and the Restorers of our Paths of Peace Can you think that this Arbitrary and Haughty Government will invite the Nations and Languages of all Sects and Opinions to lay hold on your Skirts which desire to be led by you because the Lord is with you Or do they not rather with dread and horror behold you while you so heavily impose upon others in such Circumstances and Indifferencies wherein the Kingdom of God doth not consist and make those Rules and Prescriptions of equal value with Divine Institutions Witness the Hat c. the outward Garb imposed upon your Proselytes Your Set-times when to begin and when to end your Religious Exercises notwithstanding your pretence of the immediate guidance of the Spirit Your manner of greeting one another with many things of the like Nature To all which an exact conformity is required upon the penalty of a Censure from G. F. and his Eldership Now dear Friends can you in the cool of the Day of God upon your Spirits believe that this violent and rigid sort of Practice will render your Feet beautiful upon the Mountains or will attract the Hearts of any wise or ingenuous People towards you No surely your experience may otherwise inform you that since this violence of Esau against his Brother Jacob hath appeared amongst you the Curse of Babylon hath overtaken you Isa 47.9 to the end even the loss of Children and Widowhood which will certainly come upon you in their perfection as the Witness of God ariseth amongst those that you have so heavily yok'd and burthen'd with your own invented Prescriptions I have done with you when I have told you That the Dispensations in which God administers Himself to the World at this day do most naturally call for a more sober moderate tender and loving Spirit amongst Christians than this wherein you are exercised You cannot but observe how the Lord of Hosts is pleading with the World in the dreadful Manifestations of his Power by Plague Fire Sword c. how He turns the Earth up-side down and makes it reel to and fro like a Drunkard and the Foundations of the World are out of Course divided and broken both in their Civil Policies and Religious Practices Fear the Pit and a Snare have laid hold on the Inhabitants of the Earth there is no Establishment in their Paths and the way of Peace they know not Yea this is the day of Jacob's Troubles and for the Divisions of Reuben there are great searchings of Heart God is now pleading in Judgment with the People that have bin called by his Name searching Jerusalem with Candles Zeph. 1.12 c. and Judgment is already begun at the house of God He is about to judg the Spiritual Pride and Exaltation the Cruelty and Oppression the Hypocrisy and Formality that hath mingled it self with all the fair and beautiful Professions of those that have bin called Christians And what will you say my Friends if in Israel's Skirts be found the Blood of the Souls of the poor Innocent Jer. 2.34 c. Now if this be the proper Work of the Almighty at this day as certainly all that are not either blinded with Carnal Interest or lull'd into a formal Security must needs
second and third Rule of Perfection and his Idiot with others of the like Divine Nature all tending to a Holy Life by virtue of Christ's Holy Spirit in us the only way to Life and Salvation Allelujah I have also read many Divine Works writ by H. N. Jacob Behm John Saltmarsh Dr. Everard William Sedgwick William Erbery Dr. Gill Dr. Taylor with others that were inspired of God and spake of the second Coming of Chrit in the Sanctified and of that blessed Day which should attend his Appearance Allelujah I have also read with much delight two Books writ by J. N. called Love to the Lost and A Salutation to the Seed of God in all Also one small Book writ by John Perrot entituled An Epistle for the most pure Amity and Vnity in the Spirit and Life of God to all sincere-hearted Souls I have likewise lately read some Prophecies and Predictions of that Holy Learned Man James Vsher Lord Arch-Bishop of Armagh who through Inspiration of God's Spirit spake of many things which long after came to pass that which is to me most remarkable in that Sheet of Paper is that he being intreated to write in brief of Justification and Sanctification desired he might be excused notwithstanding the Person soliciting through importunity obtained a promise A while after his Promise being claimed he replied He had not writ yet could not charge himself with breach of Promise for said he I did begin to write but when I came to write of Sanctification that is of the New Creature which God formeth by his Spirit in every Soul which he doth truly regenerate I found so little wrought of it in my self that I could speak of it only as a Parrot by rote without knowledg and understanding and therefore durst not proceed any further upon it Adding I must tell you we do not well understand what Sanctification and the New Birth is It is no less than for a Man to be brought to an entire Resignation of his own Will to the Will of God and to live in the offering up of his Soul continually in the flames of Love as a holy burnt Offering to Christ And how little says he are many of those that profess Christianity experimentally acquainted with this Work of Regeneration in their Souls Moreover he desires his Friend to look he be not found a Worshipper in the outward Court which outward Court says he is the formal Christian whose Religion lies in performing the out-side Duties of Christianity without having an inward Life and Power of Faith and Love uniting them to Christ and these God will leave to be trodden down and swept away by the Gentiles the Prophane that call themselves Christians but are the Synagogue of Satan The Worshippers within the Temple and before the Altar are those that do worship God in Spirit and in Truth whose Souls are made his Temples and he is honoured and adored in the most inward Thoughts of their Hearts and they Sacrifice their Lusts and vile Affections yea and their own Wills to him and these God will hide in the hollow of his Hand and under the shadow of his Wings and shall be preserved as a Seed to partake of that Glory which shall immediately follow I have also lately read two Treatises writ by Sir Henry Vane First An Epistle General to the Mystical Body of Christ on Earth the Church Vniversal in Babylon The second The Face of the Times Wherein he well discovers the Rise Progress and Issue of the Enmity and Contest between the Seed of the Woman and the Seed of the Serpent He saith That till the Seventh Trump sound 1666 the Woman's Seed must suffer afterwards the Seed of the Woman being risen with Christ must reign with him and then the Head of the Serpent should be bruised He speaketh most excellently of the first and second Covenant and of a single and double Portion of the Spirit of Regeneration and Restoration into the first Estate in Paradise which may fall also of the New Creation or Second Birth the Seed of God in Man which endures and never will nor ever can fall Hallelujah He saith The Quakers Principle is To restore out of the Fall into the first State who though they are Angels yet may fall He shews how Angels fell who through pride oppose all higher Lights than themselves and that such fallen Angels become the greatest Enemies to the Birth of Christ in the Saints which Spirit is the great Antichrist the Old Serpent the Devil that is to be cast into the Bottomless-Pit with all his Angels who outwardly appear as Angels of Light but inwardly they devour the Innocent This I have seen to be a Truth in the bitter contests betwixt G. F. and his Angels and the self-denying humble meek Spirit that was in J. N. and J. P. and those that suffered with them for bearing their Testimony to Christ in the Saints which is the last the most glorious and highest Dispensation as saith Sir H. V. now at the very Doors a Truth which many can Witness He further saith The Lamb will overcome by Sufferings and that the first sign of Christ's second Coming is distress of Nations that the Potsherds of the Earth dashing one against the other wil lmake way for Christ's Reign in which War none but Hypocrites and Apostates which make the outward Court will suffer whilst God's People will be preserved in Peace and Safety Sir H. V. also saith The Holy City and Temple measured are Saints in Power That the Woman clothed with the Sun is Christ's dead Body raised Vrim and Thummim he saith are the two great Lights Righteousness and Truth when they meet in our Hearts It is he saith a fickle and foolish Religion that depends on the Magistrates Power either to set up or pull down That Believers Rewards in Sufferings is inward Peace and Joy in a serene quiet Mind He was also in his day a great Prophet he saith Israel's Captivity is near an end at which time the Sons of God shall be made manifest so soon as that is come there will need little other help than the Grave it self to cast them forth as the Womb doth the Fruit then shall you know the Lord is God when he hath opened and brought you up out of your Graves such will the Lord own visibly for his People by putting his wonderful Spirit in them and then will God's Indignation be poured out upon his Enemies That the Nation that hath kept the Seed of God in Bondage himself God will judg more signally than he did Pharaoh and the Egyptians in this day shall the Tabernacle of God in Men be visible He also saith Doubtless great and precious Promises are to be accomplished in and upon Believers here on Earth to the making of Christ admired in them That this dark Night and black Shade that God hath drawn over his work in the midst of us may be the Ground Colour to some beautiful Piece
that he is now exposing to the light That surely God hath a glorious Design to carry on in the World even the building of David's Throne to all Generations I know a Day of Deliverance for Sion will come not with confused noise of the Warrier and Garments rouling in Blood but with burning and fuel of Fire in the Consciences of Men. Men they may fight against but this they can never fight against The Day approaches wherein God will decide his Controversy with the World not by outward Might and Power but by the Spirit of the Living God 'T was an usual saying with him Come what would every thing was upon the right Wheel in the wise contrivement of God for the accomplishing of his Righteous Designs in the World And speaking to his Children saith Regard not the Reproaches that are fallen on your Father say or do Men what they will Abraham's Faith will find the Blessing Abraham found These and many more of His as of Others I take to be true and faithful Sayings meet to be considered by all that wait for and expect Redemption Consolation and Salvation from the God of Israel Allelujah You will not blame me that I have enlarged upon the Testimonies of these Holy Men that have finished their Course kept the Faith and are gone before us into the Eternal Mansions of Glory who having quitted their Mortal Fabricks are flown into the World of hidden Wonders The Spirits of these Just Men made perfect are now upon you ye are come up to them and in the harmonious Fellowship of that Spirit which is now one and the same amongst all the Sanctified I have a few words of my inward Breathings to communicate to your holy Experiences In a deep sense thereof of my endeared Love towards that Royal Seed that richly dwells in you I here salute you and give you to understand That my Soul is firmly knit and united to that Principle of Life in which you stand bearing your Testimony for the Truth before God and Man amongst a crooked and perverse Generation who only dwell upon the out-side talks and pretences to God Religion and Christianity but hate even to Blood and Violence all those that are the free-born Seed of the Promise whose Faith and Obedience stands not in the Will Work or Wisdom of Man but in the Power and Spirit of God mightily working in their Hearts and Consciences whereby they are indeed purified washed and cleansed from dead Works to serve the Living God And so much the more is my Heart inflamed towards you when I consider you in refeference First To the Nature of your present Station And secondly To those great Designs that God hath prepared you for First For the Nature of your present Station I behold you not as Moah Jer. 48.11 12 c. but as a People standing in a more inward nearness with God than the rest of the formal Tribes of Religious Proselytes in the World a People that have bin scattered from all your fleshly Comforts and Confidences in all those Joys Hopes Helps and Establishments wherein you have trusted below God You have bin led into the Deeps of God's Wonders while others have bin only wading in the shallow Streams of a literal and formal Profession Unto you it is given to know those Mysteries of the Kingdom of God which lie hid from others in dark and obscure Parables you know that the Son of God is come and hath given you an understanding to know him that is True and that ye are in Him that is True which is the very God and Eternal Life You cannot be deceived with the tinkling Noises or glittering Baits of Loe here or Loe there for the Kingdom of God is within you In a word there is nothing below Spirit Power and Substance that can either crown your longing Expectations or reward your holy Breathings after Truth with a plenary and full satisfaction Thus as the Lord's Lillies among Thorns so do you stand among the formal Daughters being preserved in your Station upheld in your Principles and as Beacons flaming with the holy Blazes of a free and universal Love serve to enlighten the World into the way of Truth and direct their Feet into the Paths of that Peace Amity Union Rest and Security to which as yet they are so much estranged And this leads me to the other Consideration of the Great Work and High Designs which God hath prepared you for And surely glorious Things are spoken of thee O thou City of God! You are not only as Mount Sion beautiful for Scituation but also the Joy of the whole Earth for those humble gentle lovely and pleasant Aspects by which you shine upon the whole World with the inviting and astonishing Charms of a divinely inspired Love and Affection You are a People fitted above all others to be a Blessing to the World the whole Creation seems to groan and travel in pain with a longing and languishing expectation to be delivered into the glorious Liberty wherein Ye stand O how hath the form and out-side of Religion mixed with Carnal Interest exposed the World to Extremities of Horror and Confusion as at this day What indignity and reproach doth indelebly stick upon the Skirts of Profession and Christianity through that fiery and mis-guided Zeal those Feuds and bitter Animosities that Strife and Debate that Blood and Violence which abounds amongst those that walk under the glorious Names of Gospel-Professors and True Christians How insipid lifeless and unsavory is the whole state of formal Profession grown who while they cry up a Christ that died for them and contend for an Historical Faith of his Death and Sufferings hoping to be saved by a bare Imputation of a Righteousness wrought without them and yet know nothing all this while of any inward change or renewedness of Mind and Heart but totally ignorant of the inward active and real Righteousness which should commend them to the World in an healing saving comforting and refreshing Spirit And certainly the higher People are advanced in a literal and carnal Knowledg of God and Christ the more rough bitter and severe will their temper be towards all others that differ from them in the least Circumstances of Religion it being natural to that Knowledg and Wisdom to swell and puff up the Mind in the lofty and high conceits of a self-Righteousness rather than sweeten and soften the Spirit in that Charity which edifies Behold this is the distracted Station wherein the Children of Form are truly presented as Pharaoh's lean Kine tearing and devouring each other in this day of Wrath for now is the Judgment of this World and what may quench these Flames what may quel these Disorders what may repair these Breaches or allay these Distempers is the main thing that would be most desirable to know We see that neither the Prudence of Princes nor the Policies of Government the Prescriptions of the wisest Reformers nor the best esteemed
Regularities of the most magnified Authors and reverend Fathers are capable to accomplish this Reconciling Work Nay the Sacred Oracle of the Scripture it self is so far short of obtaining this blessed End that all different Parties do endeavour with the greatest industry imaginable by warping and winding the Text not only to suit it to the occasion of their present Differences but also thereby to justify their mad blind and uncharitable Zeal towards each other What Remedy then is left us in this Distress Is there no Balm in Gilead Yes certainly for although the extent of our Wounds and Breaches are too wide and great for the most ample Wisdom and Righteousness of Man to heal and cement there is yet largeness enough in the eternal and universal Love of God to accomplish this great Work and to make his Jerusalem a Praise upon the Earth And 't is my dear Brethren by the ample and large manifestations of this Universal Love shed abroad in your Hearts that this great Design of God must be accomplished and oh how the Consideration of this Glorious Work in and by you to be brought forth doth draw out my Spirit towards you Awake awake then put on thy strength O Sion put on thy beautiful Garments O Jerusalem thou Holy City stand forth thou Virgin Daughter clothed with the strength of the Divine Majesty and proclaim the Glory of your Principles by the beauty of your Practices to the World There is Majesty enough in that Love which fills and feeds your Souls to confound the Cruelty of all your Opposers to shame and astonish the World into silence and stilness and of this let us be confident that how-ever the over-flowing Tides of common Calamities blown up by the raging breath of formal and carnal Interests may swell as a Flood upon the World yet no Weapon that is form'd against Love to Truth and Righteousness shall prosper the Heathen may rage and the People may imagine a vain Thing The Kings of the Earth may Plot Conspire and take Counsel together against the Lord and against his Anointed yet the Lord hath set his King upon his Holy Hill of Zion and he shall and doth Rule and Reign in the midst of his Enemies Let it therefore appear to the World whose Subjects ye are whose Banner ye are under and what Motto it bears which is Glory to God in the Highest on Earth Peace and good Will towards Men. O how beautiful will those feet be upon the Mountains which are shod with the preparation of the Gospel of Peace How beautiful are thy Feet with Shooes O Princes Daughter Cant. 7.1 How amiable and pleasant will your Lives and Testimonies be among Men when you come forth in the largeness of that Love Meekness and Humility in Forbearance and Forgiveness which are the proper Ornaments and most natural Instances of a true Gospel-Profession In the Name of God arise then and shew your selves in his strength to be that in Power and Life which the World are only in Pretence and Notion let it be known by the lively and active demonstrations of the Spirit of God in you That greater is He that is in you than he that is in the World Your Principles I am sure are more noble extensive and generous do but draw them forth and shew them to open view and you will be a Blessing in your Generation The several Tribes and Languages shall fasten on your Skirts and say We will go along with you for the Lord is amongst you Nay even the Kings of the Nations shall shut their Mouths at this appearance of God in you Isa 52.14 15. For that which had not bin told them they shall see and that which they had not heard they shall consider As Pharach said of Joseph Where is there a Man in whom the Spirit of God is Gen. 41.38 c. Finally my Brethren Be strong in the Lord and in the Power of his Might put on the whole Armour of God for your Work and your Warfare requires it and ye know that nothing below that can enable you to finish this your Testimony Ye wrestle not against Flesh and Blood neither are the Weapons of your Warfare Carnal but mighty through God to subdue every high Thought and vain Imagination All those Principalities and Powers and those spiritual Wickednesses in high Places which have captivated the Royal Seed of the Promise and exalted themselves against the free Breathings of the Spirit These my dear Friends are the powerful Enemies over which ye must be more than Conquerors through him that loves you and when in the strength of this Love you have subdued the World calm'd and quieted that wild and furious Spirit of Wrath that is let loose among Men and prepared the way for the Kingdom of God and of his Christ to be establish'd in us and amongst us what remains but that in a holy denial of your Selves and Services your Gifts and Graces your Love and Enlargements your Faith and Patience your Sufferings and Perseverances you offer up the Son of the Promise and cast down these your Crowns at the feet of Him that sits upon the Throne joining in Consort with the Celestial Quire of Saints and Angels in the Sacred Hymns of Divine Praises and Allelujahs Salvation and Glory and Honour and Power to the Lord our God Rev. 19.1 to 10. Not unto us Lord not unto us but unto thy Name be the glory of all thy wondrous Works Sing Zion shout O ye Inhabitants of the New Jerusalem Judges 5.1 to 14. Awake Deborah awake awake sing to the Lord Arise Barak take the Harps of God in your hands ye Heavenly Victors and in your most strenuous Notes sing aloud with Moses and the Lamb upon your Chrystal fiery Floods Rev. 15.2 3 4. Great and marvellous are thy Works Lord God Almighty Just and true are thy Ways thou King of Saints who will not fear thee O God and glorify thy Name for thou only art Holy all Nations shall come and worship before thee for thy Judgments are made manifest And again Allelujah for the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth and is manifest to be All in All all Vnity in all Variety Thus to ascribe to God All in all and to the Creature-Nothing is the top-Stone of God's Building to which we cry Grace Grace Allelujah For His is the Kingdom the Power and the Glory for ever and ever Amen Allelujah THE END