but when man leaves and forsakes Gods grace in himself the which is sufficient to lead into the love of all truth and by his own industry partakes of the stoln waters of the harlot viz. mans inventions and teachings in things spiritual he will then with all the bitterness and violence of man endeavour to defend this Idol read Ezek. 8.12 as more affecting the work of his own hands then respecting the * Jer. 31.33 34 Ezek. 36.27 Mic 6.8 Joh. 19. 16. Acts 20.32 1 Cor. 12.7 Eph. 2.5 to 11. 4.7 Tit. 2.11 2 Cor. 5.16 Joh. 6.63 Rule which God hath given him to walk by And hence it is that one saith I am of Paul another of Apollo and a third of Peter or of Christ after the flesh or after this or that mans opinion or interpretation of the letter of the Scripture as if Christianity stood in the names and persons of men and not in the power of the new birth and spirit that was in Christ Jesus Read Rom. 8.9 c. 2 Cor. 13.5 Behold thus do National Churches and spiritless professors gather together into outward visible carnal assemblies heaping up to themselves Doctors and Teachers the best of whom are but Briers and the most upright among them but as a thorn-hedge whose proper work is to vilifie others to rend tear and devour all who in the naked simplicity of their hearts endeavour to follow the Lord that spirit of Love as their onely Shepherd Guide and Leader For this cause the Lord is coming out of his place to punish the earthly inhabitants of all formal Religion and will surely divide the spoil with the strong and scatter the proud persecutors in their own imaginations And because he hath made his grave with the wicked and his witnesses for truth and righteousness have been long trodden under foot and numbred amongst transgressors have been smitten and slain not onely at Jerusalem by the religious and self-righteous but have been also crucified by the profane in Sodom and Egypt Read Rev. 11.8 Therefore is he now arising to dash the potsherds of the earth one against another brother against brother one against two and two against three till the earth have disclosed the bloud she hath drunk and the seed of God be recovered out of that reproach and shame under which it hath layn buried by the inveterate and implacable spirit of a carnal formal Profession yea redeemed to walk in Gods way which he by his Spirit shall direct in every heart and conscience For this I know and do declare that my God will not leave overturning overturning overturning till he comes who brings along with him truth and love to equity and righteousness whose right it is thus to rule and reign in the hearts and consciences of his people whose way shall be prosperous upon the earth and unto whom is given the heathen for his inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession he will save his people from their sins and guide their feet into the way of truth peace and rest Selah Behold the * Pro. 1.23 Isa 59.21 Jo. 16. â—â— Lamb of God and King of Saints Hallelujah Now whilst these vessels of wrath are pouring out and this dispensation of vengeance lasteth I do not intend to send what I have written to the seven Churches of Christendom but rather shall wait the Fathers pleasure which I account the full measure of time and fittest season for every purpose And because I see the Son of God in man is coming forth to bruise as with a rod of Iron the unrighteous Nations not to bring peace but a sword I also in obedience to the Fathers commands have sold my Coat made of good-will to all both persons and things that I might purchase a Sword with which contrary to my nature I am constrained to plead like a man of contention against this proud Pharisaical and perverse generation this Leviathan and crooked Serpent in whose nostrils unless a hook be put would swallow not onely the Rivers but also the very Sea into himself viz. receive all though never so unclean in heart and spirit if outwardly they will but own him receive his mark and number of his name that is the chief in every Sect and walk in outward observation and shew conformable to them who whilst they profess themselves free from sin and boast of having Abraham to their father and being the only children of God are notwithstanding found bitter persecutors of the truth and enemies to the Unction the Anointed One in whomsoever he doth appear thereby rendring themselves guilty of all that innocent bloud which hath been spilt from the bloud of righteous Abel even unto this day all which bloud cryeth aloud for vengeance upon the welfavoured harlot Mystery Babylon who in the golded cupe and goodly shew of an outward profession hath inwardly with a bitter ravening devouring spirit made her self drunk with the bloud of the Saints and Martyrs of Jesus Even so Lord God Almighty as she hath done give her bloud to drink for she is worthy Amen Hallelujah Now what concerns the distribution of the thirty pounds to the seventh Church if not already disposed of my friend Mr. Bacon hath remembred me of a way formerly the intent of my heart which I hope will please you all viz. to give that money to those who belong not to any of the first six Congregations but to such as are redeemed out of the evil of all Sects Kindreds Nations Tongues and People who have no visible Church or people to shelter under who have trodden the wine-press of Gods wrath alone and patiently suffered much evil for their work of well-doing who worship God in the sincere spirit of love to truth and righteousness and can call no man Father nor Master of their faith light and spirit neither own any man their Minister or Teacher save the Spirit of the Father the Christ of God onely who have the Fathers * Acts 10.34 35. Mat 5.44 c. Luk. 6.35 mark in their forehead can own all that fear God and love righteousness amongst Jews or Gentiles Barbarians or Scychians under any Sect or sort of people whatsoever To these and such as these I desire Mr. Blackbury Mr. Rallinson and Mr. Bacon to distribute that money in their hands Also to this Tribe of Joseph I give a double portion this and that likewise which is promised to be returned me from the Quakers which last thirty pounds when received I desire may also be disposed of by Mr. Bacon Mr. Rallinson and Mr. Blackbury according to a List here enclosed the which contains as I am informed the names of some few outcasts from amongst the people called Quakers whom I dearly salute and own as my brother Benjamin bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh whose body is not carnal but mighty through grace to the pulling down of sin and wickedness in themselves like unto
Whore in that Letter I suppose every understanding Reader free from prejudice and the Letter the same printed which I writ for as yet I have not seen the printed one will soon see that I intended her no evil in what I writ concerning her husband whom I compared to Rahab the harlot for that likewise he did readily with much hazard and danger receive hide and publish the spiers out of Truth and new Light And I farther declare to all how that I never saw nor knew worse or more evil by Mris Calvert then by a childe that is newly born into the world To the truth of which I say with St. Paul Behold before God I lye not which oath asseveration or protestation I hope will perswade all rational men and women that I intended her no evil in what I writ but rather love and kindness to him and his whom though dead and absent in body yet I remember the spirit and principle that so acted him with much respect and loving kindness And seeing that Letter I writ to you in private is made publike I have thus much to signifie to the Quakers as I have to all others that wonder at and despise the same That it is to them a call out of Egypt inviting them and intreating them to forsake the Garlick and Onions thereof even all those dark paths of enmity falshood and persecution that they would forbear any longer to give the Innocent of their wormwood and gall to drink rather let them studie peace and quietness and learn to love their enemies yea if possible turn that which some account evil into good or at the least reward evil with that which is good and not pervert the words and actions of others which are honestly and innocently intended to an evil and wrong sense And I dare assure them that to follow this way and spirit of harmless love and kindness will sooner bring them into the land of Canaan viz. into peace and rest with that of God in all his creation then their high talk of infallibility and self-perfect on shall do or their saying with the Pharisees of old that God is their father whilst they are doing the devils work and sound smiting tearing and devouring the innocent their fellow-servants Assuredly these their high notions and lofty imaginations will no longer serve to hide them from the wrath of the Lamb who is now arising to take vengeance of all that have had a hand in slaying him for a separation is making between the pretions and the vile between him that serveth God in newness of heart in the upright spirit of love in well doing and those that serve and please themselves a Sect a Party or an Opinion onely And were not persecutors blinde in heart and hardened they would soon discern how that love that thinks none ill gives no evil wrathful names especially to those they knew no evil by as Ranters Whoremongers Devils c. And that this is not the spirit of the Lamb but the Dragon that casts out his flouds of enmity after the man-child the son of love who surely must and will take the kingdom and get the victory over enmity the worst and greatest enemy of mankinde I also give you to understand that lately I have received a Letter from Mr. Rallinson and one from Mr. Bacon wherein I perceive there is somewhat of disagreement concerning the dispose of the thirty pounds to the seventh Church of the first-born For my own particular I call God for a witness upon my soul that I intended nothing in my heart which might make the least division amongst the people of God therein it being a work which in truth tended in it self to the gathering and uniting of all the seed of Jacob dispersed and scattered amongst the various constitutions of all outward Forms into the new Jerusalem viz. the free grace and love of God which appears to all men and comes down out of heaven adorned as a bride to woo and win the souls and spirits of men to entertain and embrace him who was now is and for ever the universal spirit of Love and Right Reason the true Elixir and Philosophers Stone that which turns all into its self cements unites and reconciles all the people of God into one principle of love the original centre of all peace and order though in names never so much divided in the vast circumference of all worldly and carnal Conformities However I know and have long seen that offences must and will be and that the wo is to them who are offended with what is just and innocent For surely this is the day of Jacobs troubles wherein for the division of Reuben the first birth which stands in uniformity to man in the things of God there will be great thoughts of heart Insomuch that if any offence arise in this particular the Lord knowing my innocencie therein makes me to say Blessed are ye that are not offended in me or rather in what the * Matth. 12.31 13.47 Joh. 7.38 39. Isai 8.14 c. H s 5. Rom. 9 32. 1 Pet. 2.6 c. spirit of love worketh in man for I see the Spirits leading is that stone and rock of offence at which many in Israel have stumbled and falling headlong as Judas did Acts 1.18 are burst asunder and all their bowels of love are gushed out and nought left them save wrath and enmity against the innocent brethren This spurning and stumbling at the Corner-stone viz. Gods Spirit and Son in man is the onely ground of all these breakings and divisions which at this day are amongst all sorts of professors yea the son and heir of heaven the light and truth in the inward parts is become the gin and snare to Israel after the flesh who * Joh. 16.2 Isai 1.12 Mic. 6.8 Joh. 15.5 think they do God good service when they smite backbite and devour the innocent and upright in heart as if to follow other mens light would save the soul rather then to follow the light of true Reason and measure of God in themselves or as if any thing acted and done without the power of the Spirits leading in things spiritual were acceptable to God the Father Now the true cause of all that division strife and persecution in matters of Religion over all Christendom consisteth in this that every man or Sect who is not born again of the immortal seed of Love hath a way and work of their own * Joh. 8.12 5 43. 2 Cor. 3 18. 10.3 c. Gal. 2.10 contrary to Christ Jesus and the leadings of his Spirit the maintenance of which causeth all that enmity and persecution amongst the professors of Christianity for whilst man abideth in the light law and love of God writ in the heart the new and living way he groweth up into the same image and likeness and is filled with that humility joy and charity which worketh nor thinketh any evil of another
from falling away Also I have knowns dispensation of condemnation which indeed is glorious but there is a state of joâ—â—fication that exceeds in glory under the former is comprehended Mount Sinai at the foot whereof I have formerly seen the Quakers and their Leaders standing with Moses after the flesh filled with fear and trembling from the presence of the Lord which was a glorious administration but the later shews forth Mount Sion with its inhabitants even the whole number of One hundred fourty and four thousand those faithful chosen and sealed ones who stand before the Lord in his presence rejoycing and without fear singing the song of M ses and the Lamb Hallelujahs who witness full redemption by his bloud life and spirit out of all evil Kindreds Nations Tongues and People children that cannot lye neither faisly accuse and persecute the innocent In the first the heirs differ nothing from servants though lords of all while they lie under the hard imposition of tutors and governours such as thou thy self art which enjoyn to dread and fear the Lord to watch and to keep to the light a liâ—â—â— your selves are out of else why were ye so angry with me for saying the Lord was my keeper You are those that binde heavie burthens upon others which in the least you will not bear your selves Neither will ye judge condemn and deny your selves that you might so enter the kingdom of grace nor yet suffer others that would â—o enter who are poor and naked hungry and thirsty without money or desert But the second Covenant speaketh otherwise * Read Isai 55.1 Joh. 7.37 Rev. 22.17 Ho every one that will let him come and is established upon better promises He that knoweth the Spirits meaning let him read Jer. 31.33 c. 2 Sam. 7.15 Isa 54.10 11. and 59.21 Psal 89.33 1 Joh. 2.27 Rev. 21.3 c. to the 8. and hath a more sure foundation then mans self-righteousness viz. the eternal Word of grace faith and love shed abroad in our hearts the seal of our sonship having Christ Jesus in us our joy our crown and glory even the full assurance of that perfect love which casteth out fear and those that are here will need no other tutor nor teacher save Love onely and having passed from the voice of that trumpet and sound of words under which ye are held whether that of the letters teaching or that of mans preaching let Sinai therefore quake and the earth be removed let the mountains melt at his presence yet we will not fear for God is in the midst of us as a King and mighty man of arms that teacheth our hands to war and our fingers to fight the terrour of whose presence is our comfort and preservation Let the hypocrites in Sion fear and he afraid we are not come to that mountain that might not be touched where horror fear and trembling is felt but to the mountain of Gods love and free grace the new Jerusalem and Citie of joy peace and rest whose walls are salvation and whose gates are made of praises and Hallelujahs yea to God the Judge of all and to the spirits of just men made perfect and this I clearly see to be a state dispensation and a kingdom yet to come with thee and many more who are so hotly contending for the body of Moses striving about some carnal fleshly appearance some bodily exercise or outward observation that profiteth not and while you are busied about these things the evil is still over your hearts and the great and weighty matters of the Law neglected insomuch that the power of love which leads into peace unity and amity with God and all that is good in his creation ye are strang rs unto And all your meetings worships and services all your holiness knowledge and righteousness being void of charity and your hands full of the bloud of the innocent what is it all worth is it better then the cutting off a dogs neck or slaying of a man By all this that hath been spoken 't is evident in what state you at present stand and that there is much more attainable which you are yet ignorant of for there are three estates or stages by which God doth lead his people into peace and rest besides the state of the Heathen that know not God notwithstanding he in them lives moves and is their being viz. Sinai and the Law Golgotha and the Cross Jerusalem above and the crown In the first you have been and still are exercised under fear dread and horrour being bound to strict observations thereby working out your salvation with fear and trembling all which the Son of man also fulfilled in the days of his flesh as being born under the Law and learning obedience by the things he suffered and thus far you stand with him in your earthly testimony The second is a state of death into which as yet you are not baptized not having learned to * Read Mark 10.18 21 22. Joh 5.30 8. 28. Phil. 2.7 Heb. 5.2 3. 1 Cor. 15.28 Rev. 22.3 4 5. deny and condemn your selves nor are you ceased from all your own works as he did from his not crucified with Christ nor dead with the Lord which is more then to put off the body of sin or to account our own righteousness as filthy and menstruous but even the innocencie and righteousness of the Son the seed of the promise must be offered up and nayled to the Cross for this onely God accepteth and in whom he is always well pleased Read Joh. 3.3 13. Eph. 2.14 16 c. and 4.24 Col. 3.10 Heb. 9.15 This mediation or middle state may truely be called Purgatory or Limbo Patrum through which self-denial and following Christ in us all that attain to blessedness must needs enter and pass so they come to receive the better resurrection Read Gen. 22.16 Mat. 19.21 29. Luke 14.14 1 Cor. 15.24 Heb. 11.35 This death self-denial and purgation but very few amongst you can witness who while ye exalt your selves in your outward carnal priviledges and the blamelesness of your Legal righteousness cannot * Read Mat. 19.20 22. Phil. 3.3 to the 11. resigne into death and account all your excellencie as loss and dung in comparison of the Spirit of Free grace and the leadings thereof Neither have I seen many amongst you besides J. N. and J. P. who by their fellowship with Christ in his death have denied themselves and made themselves of no reputation that so they might obtain the best resurrection amongst their innocent brethren whom ye have slain and buried as ye did them under great reproach and shame for their subjection and obedience to the Father of lights and spirits which resurrection having attained they shall receive a name better then that of sons and daughters Thus the first are become the last and the last the first Go humble your selves under the mighty hand of God that in due time he may exalt
you into the number of that Name of love the highest power to which every knee must bow The third last and most excellent estate is to be risen with Christ Jesus and to sit down in the new Jerusalem with him in the heavenly places the everlasting Sabbath of rest which is a kingdom that cannot be shaken eternally in the heavens the which remains when the old passeth away a fixt and sure habitation whose inhabitants are ever singing praises and drinking new wine in the Fathers kingdom where all old things are passed away and all things anew brautified with the Spirits leading and nothing represented in the oldness of the letter And such a people there are in this present world even as he is in heaven Read and understand Matth. 5.14 1 Pet. 2.9 Joh. 14 18. 1 Cor. 2.16 and 15.48 2 Cor. 5.17 and 6.16 Eph. 1.3 and 2.6 and 14. and 16.4 24. Phil. 2.5 Col. 2.12 and 3.1 Heb. 2 11. and 12.22 c. 1 Joh. 4 17. Behold we shut not our gates at all by day fearing no spirituals nor have we any night as the Prophets had for the Lord God is risen in us a shield and a sun which no more goeth down for Christ being once dead and risen again dies no more but leads captivity captive giving up all to the free grace and leadings of the Father where death and hell is swallowed up in victory that the eternal principle of love may be all in all Hallelujah Go ye and learn what this meaneth then will you come to see that to be a Christian indeed is a very high calling not made by a carnal commandment nor outward observation writ or ceremony of mans institution whatsoever no not by the washing away of the filth of the flesh nor yet by breaking of carnal bread nothing less makes a Christian then the power of an endless life the bread from heaven the indwelling of Gods most blessed spirit of grace his Son in whom Abraham Mary and all the faithful in every Nation Sect and People are blessed Read Gen. 22 3. Judg. 5.24 Psal 51.10 72 27. Isa 65.17 Mal. 3.12 Luk 1.42 48. Rom. 8 9 c. Gal. 3 9 16. creating in them new hearts and begetting the answer of a pure conscience towards God in a vertuous life and innocent harmless loving conversation towards men as well to a foe as to a friend and to the * Mat. 5.39.44 45. Luk. 6.35 c. Psal 68.18 evil as to the good this principle of Love onely is that which makes a true Christian and he that hath not this Spirit of Christ Jesus in him abiding to rule and guide is but a meer Heathen yea a Reprobate to every good work Read and understand Rom. 8.9 c. 2 Cor. 13 5. 1 Joh. 2 6. For except Christ Jesus that Spirit work all our works in us and for us nothing we do without him will finde acceptation with God the Father no though we give our bodies to be burnt and all our goods to seed the poor from a spirit of self-endedness to exalt gratifie or please our selves or others not having in us love and charity the onely begotten of the Father and express image of his person all is nothing And doubtless many Heathens and Roman-like spirits have and may suffer from a wrathful principle as some preach Christ of envie and for to defend their own Way and Worship with as much boldness zeal and resolution as ye can do Wherefore look to the root that leads you either to do or to suffer and earnestly pray and seek for that best and most excellent love and charity that you may have enough thereof to serve in the time of need and to carry you thorow that wilderness and sore famine which is seen coming upon you and all flesh that if it be the will of God you must suffer you may so do as Christians with joy and patience for well doing and not as busie-bodies in other mens matters nor yet as smiters nor false accusers of the innocent neither as despisers and revilers of others more just and righteous then your selves Had you been baptized with this spirit of love that thinks none ill you would not have so much condemned me for an innocent word for calling as Geo Forster said one of my friends by way of salute long since at the Bridge Rascal at which he took no offence neither would G. F. have done had not he looked out with an evil eye For 't is a word I daily use to sucking children am not convinced of the least evil therein nor would I have you ignorant how that words and works are either good or bad from the principle or spirit from whence they flow and proceed He that from the root of * Read Mat. 5.20 22. 12.34 and 18.9 with 1 Joh. 3 5. Hos 1 2. enmity speaks a word against his brother mark is a manslayer yea a murtherer and is in danger of hell-fire Whereas Abraham offering to slay his innocent and onely begotten son from a principle of love and obedience had a great recompence of reward Wherefore look to the root and principle that leads you first make the tree good For after this manner is the ax now laid to the root of every rotten heart which will hew and cut you down ye whited walls ye painted sepulchres who thus make a man an offender for a word And when you had for a long time judged and condemned me as one guilty of all manner of evil in general but proving not so much as one particular indeed accusing me of many things as being a proud person a wine-bibber and a friend of publike sinners things wherein the witness of God did not at all condemn me which made me cry out that it was a small matter for me to be judged by man in those things wherein I was justified of the Lord. Thus your forefathers having called the good man of the house Mark 3.30 Joh. 7.38 39 viz. the Spirits leading Beelzebub it matters not what you call them of his houshold You are indeed those that judge according to outward appearance but I judge no man so neither in meat drink nor apparel For I am satisfied that one man may be much prouder in Sackcloth then another that weareth Velvet and Sattin and I know every creature of God to be good being received with humility and thanksgiving Which made me again cry out saying Judge your selves condemn your selves who so easily can see and espie out a moat in anothers eye but not the beam in your own This counsel also ye rejected against your selves calling it deceit and a lye which made me to say this Scripture was also fulfilled in your ears which saith The time shall come that they will not endure sound doctrine And why were ye so angry with me for saying that man did not live by words onely but by the Word of grace and love shed abroad in our hearts the bread of life which sustains the soul in peace and rest This likewise ye called deceipt and denied my voice therein after which I called you friends at the which you were exceeding wroth crying out against my deceit therein and asking me how I could call you friends To when I replied that in truth I had unitie with those that could love their enemies as with him that called Judas friend Thus I return you these things as your own money into your own sacks that you may see and consider what manner of spirit it is which leadeth you into these and such-like ways and practices and till I hear of thy and your publick repentance as you have publickly appeared against the truth and the innocent defenders thereof I shall esteem you no better then Judas or as infi els and heathens that have denied the truth and faith once delivered to the Saints which to maintain some have hazarded the loss of all things yea suffe ed great shame and reproach amongst you But blessed be God that which ye intended for evil against me that hath the Lord my God turned unto good for which my soul doth bless and magnifie his Name and for ever give thanks even whilst I am and when I am no more Robert Rich. 8 June 1668. POSTSCRIPT I Am told by some of your peope to whom I have shewed the Receipt that the 30 l. received by you from me is again returned but thou sayst it never was received at all and theâ—â— say If it be not returned it shall be Thus is Babel built amongst you and the citie of the Quakers become confusion For my part if it be not received kept and distributed amongst the poor of your people in and by the same spirit of saving kindness I gave it that you think good to return it to me I shall not refuse to receive it again and not doubt of finding those in â—e worthy then your selves though in the highways and hedges scratcht 〈◊〉 and cast out by you 〈◊〉 kindness will accept receive and make use of the same not so reproachfully despise me for my love as you have done