his glorious body whose members are made of love to enemies living stones elect and precious though rejected by men of all Sects yet these are the true Church of God and Citie of our King who dwelleth ruleth and reigneth in them Hallelujah You see my dear friend and friends that in stead of coming out of your debt I still run farther therein which debt in the day of recompence which is not afar off my God I hope will repay you manifold into your bosomes even in this life and in the world to come peace and rest with us even that peace which this world can neither give nor take away viz. life eternal which is in the Son of Gods free grace and love shed abroad in our hearts a kingdom which remaineth to all the heirs of salvation from everlasting to everlasting Hallelujah Thus with my dear and hearty kinde respects to your self Mr. Blackbury Mr. Bacon and Mr. Rallinson I remain Yours obliged to love and serve you whilst Robert Rich. Barb. the 13 August 1668. POSTSCRIPT Sir I have three several times of late appeared in the Assembly of the Quakers where William Baily and his wife were chief in the Ministery The occasion that drew me thither as also the entertainment amongst them I have thought meet here to insert that the wise in heart may judge how much contrary to the spirit of love and truth they have appeared in all their dealings with me The first time I came amongst them was at William Plumlies on the 4 of June not having for a long time before been at any of their Meetings and understanding that W. B. was expected amongst them with whose Writings formerly I had great union I was therefore now desirous to see him also to behold their order and to know what manner of spirit moved upon the face of their deep After he had spoken a long while I took liberty to speak a few words the sum of which was That man lives not by words onely For which W. B. condemned me as a babler and told me that I made merry over the witness c. His wife also accused me saying I had blown a trumpet in printing my Letter and that I had therein called a woman Whore c. There did W. B. also revile me alleadging that I had ordered thirty pounds to be given to the poor of their people which he affirmed was not received by any of them and that they denied both me and my gift c. All which did fully manifest to me that the spirit of pride enmity disorder and falshood was amongst them which did occasion the writing of this enclosed Letter as to W. B. dated the 8 of June which I delivered him with my own hand expecting an account of their words and actions but have received not so much as one word in answer thereunto Now whether they have done well thus to condemn me for speaking the truth and for my gift of love to the poor of their people I appeal to the witness of God in all men to judge The second time I went amongst them was at William Pearse house on the 18 June at which time I produced their Receipt under the hands of John Bolton Amos Stoddart and Ger. Roberts for the thirty pounds they received of you by which it might appear that the said money was by them received with a clear intent to be disposed of to the poor amongst them even as I had before declared to W. B. Which thing he could not then deny when I had shewn the Receipt under the hands of those persons though with much obstinacie and in the face of his people he had formerly asserted the contrary Now as touching the return of the money to my hand which they said was then in the hands of Tho. Hart to repay unto me I have this onely to offer to the honest and simple-hearted viz whether those three persons who say they received this money as from me to bestow amongst their poor and yet notwithstanding decline their engagements in the distribution will not onely render themselves ill Stewards for their poor but also justly fall under the imputation of the same deceit and falshood which W. B. hath done in alleadging that they never received it from me to that end and purpose yee upon this very ground onely that the money was sent to be returned me W. B. and others of his disciples especially John Tod more bold and stoâ—â— then his fellows would violently urge and by false reasoning defend and maintain W. B. in the truth and me the onely lyer whereas all that I said was that they had received money and given their Receipt for the same both which W. B. formerly denied and the Receipt then shewn fully proved And I never had so much as one word in controversie with them about the return of the said money but always when they spake thereof declared my readiness to receive the same as may appear in the Postscript of my Letter to W. B. In which dispute I did not onely see the Serpents subtilty in turning and twining to save his head from being found the lyer but also plainly discerned the Scripture fulfilled upon them which saith Ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte and when he is made he is twofold more the childe of hell then themselves or when they were one amongst the Profane not caring whom they slander or what lyes they tell so they may advance strengthen and increase their Party and Sect whose deceit will the more fully appear by the following instance for I lately spake with Tho. Hart since W. B. went off and asked him whether he would pay me the thirty pounds which W. B. declared openly was in his hands for that purpose unto which T. H. made me answer that in truth he had no such money sent him nor had he order to pay the same neither could he then inform me of any other person that would pay me that money By all which it will evidently appear that the spirit of deceit and falshood is crept in and doth inhabit amongst this people and that the pretence of this money being remitted on which they grounded all their latter exaltations and accusations was in it self a most eminent and notorious falshood The third and last time I came into their Assembly was on the 25 of June at William Marshals The cause of my coming then amongst them was to carry a printed paper written by William Baily and intituled A Testimony of Truth against all sowers of dissention strife and discord c. in which Paper I perceived his spirit chiefly busied in bitter exclamations against John Perrot and all that owned him in which Work I could see no other intent then what G. F. had in writing so bitterly and contrary to truth against J. P's Book called Vnity and Amity viz. then to sow the seeds of enmity strife and falshood to make parties and gather together such as
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