would assist him in the war against the Lamb. The consideration of which made me cry out within my self Oh how is the faithful citie become a harlot in it was once the seat of judgement and righteousness but now oppressers and murtherers bear sway and rule For in truth such is the nature of his violent proceedings against John Perrot proclaiming him worse then Cain and Judas vilifying him with the opprobrious attributes of Atheism and Ranterism c. yet hath not so much as manifested the least evil J. P. hath said or done for which he might deserve this his severe judgement and condemnation In which practice of cruelty I have considered W. B. as one standing in the Serpentine subtilty of the Scribes and Pharisees yea those bloudy persecutors of the Primitive times who used to put the Christians into Bears skins that the dogs might tear them with the greater violence and fury And whether this Paper being written against a man that is dead and not in a capacity of vindicating his own innocencie hath not wrought the same effect upon those that are one with W. B. I leave to the light of Right Reason in every man to judge Certainly I have spoken with those that have boldly censured J. P. for a wicked person yet could render no other reason thereof but that W. B. of whose honesty and integrity they had a very great esteem had so judged and condemned him After long enquiry what the evil contents were of that Paper which J. P. is said to have written at length I was given to understand that it was a Letter written to Jeane Stocks whilst he was a prisoner in Rome the purport of which discourse is obedience to God in all things though he should now command what once he did to his servant * Hos 1. Hosea And because formerly there hath been much ado in words and writing between G. F. and J. P. concerning this Paper and other matters in difference betwixt them which though yet lie hid in secret possibly may shortly come abroad to publick view that the truth of things may be seen and fully understood whereat many have stumbled yet know not at what therefore shall say little more at present concerning that matter onely that I have observed that such as J. P. J. N. c. especially those that forsake father and mother the Sect that nourished and brought them forth to follow the Lord fully and wholly as did Caleb Joshua and * Luk 2.49 Mat. 9 34. Jesus c. not minding their own reputation or fame nor loving their lives unto the death such I say have been accounted in all ages by this hypocritical proud self-righteous generation as the worst of men whom they call Ranters Atheists Blasphemers Devils any thing even all manner of evil so they may wound the truth and slay the innocent defenders thereof whose harmless souls I see lying under the altar of truth sorely oppressed for their testimony thereunto and crying out How long Lord God holy and true ere thou dost judge and revenge our bloud For whose elect sake the God of my salvation will suddenly arise and then behold enmity lyes and falshood c. even all that one spirit of wickedness will surely flie hide it self and sink again into the bottomless pit from whence it came Even so let all thine enemies perish O Lord God everlasting At my first coming into this last meeting W. B. as at other times did much judge and condemn me in general terms And when I was ready to depart he called me saying Rich 〈…〉 thou art a whoremonger and hast an adulterous whoremongers spirit and farther said Although I neither know nor yet have heard any such thing concerning thee yet nevertheless I am assured it is truth forasmuch as I have not been deceived in others in such like cases To which accusation judgement and condemnation of W. B. I say even what himself saith in his Paper against J. P. and I am perswaded with much more truth viz. that the worst of men that ever I heard or read of did never publish a sentence more unjust and more unreasonable then this yea the very Heathen that know not God would surely blush to utter such a judgement of condemnation against any man without the least knowledge or other proof of evil And in case the Civil Magistrate should follow this example of W. B. and take up such a principle or way of judgement who is there though never so innocent that could be secure in life limb or estate And if the Lord should stir up and harden the hearts of Magistrates to deal with Quakers as W. B. hath done by me to judge and condemn them as the worst of evil doers without more proof or evidence then evil surmise or imagination onely would it not be most just upon them All which I return as their own money into their own sacks that they may see and consider how unlike the spirit of the Quakers is to that which was in Christ Jesus who refused to interfere or meddle with the Magistrates work whose kingdom is more spiritual and of another nature then to have to do with such carnal matters though the greatest evidence did appear that could be Read Joh. 8.3 to 11. Luke 12.13 And Oh how blessed a thing it were if all sorts of men in their several stations both as Magistrates and Ministers were true followers of Christ Jesus in this particular how would it ease and refresh the whole creation which groans under the unnatural yoke of that bondage which the hard impositions of men have put upon them Let therefore Caesar have what properly belongs to him viz. the right of rule and government in things Civil in which as good and wholesom Laws shall direct he may and ought to be a terrour to the evil doer and a praise honourer and advancer of them that do well And let them that would be accounted the Ministers of Christ under all sorts of Professions not mingle with the Magistrates Rule and Authority nor call for his assistance for that is Antichrist whose weapons are * Joh. 18.36 Luk. 9.55 56. Rom. 8.6 7. 2 Cor. 10.4 c. Eph 6.12 carnal in matters spiritual but shew forth their works in the spirit of love meekness long-suffering and patience the best and onely motives to convince the judgements and consciences of men and having freely received of the grace of God let them freely give and not for filthy lucre dispense the same to others knowing that as necessity in the Love is laid upon them from the Lord so their reward is likewise to them from him for their continual supply and satisfaction without any dependancie either for honour or maintenance upon secular Powers and Governments But on the contrary while the Civil Magistrate shall render himself so far subject to the commands of those who while they be esteemed Ministers of Christ do yet notwithstanding aim at worldly
Estate and Preferment yea Dominion and Supremacie over the Consciences of all others and shall by their instigations prescribe impose and enforce Rules of Worship in matters of Faith and Religion he doth herein not onely devest himself of that honour peace and happiness which God hath given him in worldly affairs but also becomes a prostitute to the end and services of those who would use his power to no other end but in promoting their own interest honour ease and plenty to the vexation grief and disturbance of the rest of Gods creation Oh how greatly for many generations hath this one Beast and this one False Prophet riding him disturbed vexed and cursed Gods creation out of which Antichristian thraldom and abyss of misery Good Lord deliver it Amen By what is written you may see how this high and Luciferian people the Quakers who for their shew and numbers have been as the Stars of heaven and who for their pride and enmity are now cast down behold what clouds they are without water even wandring stars to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever whose fall is the riches of the world insomuch that carnal Whoremongers and Adulterers over whom they have exalted themselves shall sooner repent finde mercy and enter Gods Kingdom of grace then this spiritually adulterous proud generation that account so highly or themselves and to be the onely children of the kingdom who shall be shâ—â— out For though many of them have been called yet but very few have been found that chosen generation and Royal Priesthood who offer up all their services in the movings of the love of God and who abide in that charity which neither seeth nor knoweth nor thinketh evil of another who 〈◊〉 judge and condemn themselves leaving all others to the righteous judgement of God who assuredly hath doth and will render to every man according to his work So that the first in profession are now become the last in possession of the Kingdom which standeth not in words nor yet in outward appearances but in humility and love unfeigned yea in righteousness peace and joy In which for ever we do sit and sing Eternal Hallelujahs to our King A Letter written by Rob. Rich to Will Baily and Mary Fisher called thy wife and to the rest of your hearers and followers that so much judged and condemned R. R. in your General assembly held the 4 June which ye call the 4 Month 1668. HErewith I present you the Receipt given under the hands of John Bolton Amos Stoddart and Gerrard Roberts for the thirty pounds received by them as from me which Receipt is exprest in these words following Received 9th 11th Month called January 1667. of Jo. Rayns of London Merchant the sum of thirty pounds by the order and appointment of Robert Rich of Barbadoes senior which he ordered to be dispised of to the poor amongst us We say Received by us John Bolton Amos Stoddart Gerrard Roberts That thou William Baily mayst see and call to minde how greatly ye reproached me for my love to you and with what boldness and confidence you defended a most notorious evident falshood affirming with others in the face of a great Congregation that the money was not received by you nor any whom ye owned for good Friends and Quakers for that they all denyed both me and my gift And notwithstanding I told thee the names of those persons that had received the money whom thou didst own then for good Friends yet still didst aver that thou wert sure they never received any money as from me to distribute amongst them And if I had any such Receipt that it was or might be counterfeit and forged adding that thou hadst spoken with those friends since my Letter was out in Print a little before thou leftest England and wert sure as thou sayest that then they had not received it neither would and yet it doth appear by the Receipt to be received the 9th January which was more then two months before Which confident assertion of thine was also seconded with this solemn declaration viz. that thou wouldst disown all such whosoever they were that should receive money from me to such an end forasmuch as long since I had been disowned amongst you But what evil have I done in this thing and were it not much more just and reasonable that they whom thou judgest should witness against thee and disown thee as an enemy to innocencie to truth and to the poor amongst you So see what spirit acts you herein and first learn to judge thy self before thou condemnest the innocent Now as touching the gift it self although thy wife did much reproach me saying I had blown a Trumpet in that I had printed my Letter and had therein called the wife of Giles Calvert Whore also Tho. Rouse the elder said he had known me do many mad actions yet none so foolish as this to give away so much money so vainly and divers others of your proselytes with the like or worse imputations which made me to cry out saying that many good works I had done amongst you and asked for which of them it was that you did now stone me All which I leave to the witness of God to judge between me and you concerning the truth of these things And although Ignorance may have so far blinded your judgement as to mistake my charity yet why your rash presumption or enmity should lead you so far as to make lyes your refuge I know no reason unless because the spirit of truth is departed from you and an evil spirit from the Lord is come upon you and then I know you must act accordingly As touching the receipt of the money by these three persons it is now verily believed by many of your own people to whom I have since shewed that Receipt that the money is received by them and the Receipt true and honest which makes me to wonder at what Tho. Hart declared amongst you viz. that he had grounds to believe the money was received by friends as he called them but did also believe they were surprised therein And how they came to be trappann'd into so great a snare as to give their Signal to a forgery as thou suggestest I cannot imagine but of this I am most certain that it hath discovered a great deal of deceit and falshood yea a bitter lying and persecuting proud spirit to inhabit your tents which Babylonish garment hath long been seen to lie hid amongst that tribe called the Ministry the Teachers and Leaders of the Quakers even such spiritual wickedness which if practised amongst the Presbyterians Independants or others whom ye disown and can see in them nothing that is good they would abhor themselves therein which you as with a whores forehead boldly maintain and defend You are in truth those which justifie your selves before men but God knoweth your hearts and the day is at hand even at your very door which will
discover reveal and preach as upon the house-tops many and great abominations which yet lie hid amongst you that so you may be judged according to your deeds In which day all your smooth and gilded words of light and love will not hide you neither yet your flourishing profession and high esteem you have of your selves and the low esteem you have of others will not cover you from being seen The golden head of that Image whereof others are the iron lead and clay yea the very name in which ye have prayed and prophesied when innocent and in which you have cast out devils and wrought wonders shall now reject you saying Depart from me c. Indeed I have long seen the abomination that makes desolate standing amongst the Quakers ever since that time wherein G. F. did judge J. N. and invited his friends so to do without shewing the least reason or ground of his Censure even as thou thy self hast lately done in a printed paper writ against J. P. Wherefore hear the word of the Lord ye rulers of Sodom and people of Gomorrha 't is this spirit that hath encompassed your Jerusalem about as with Armies and is now in bondage with her children by which we know that the destruction thereof draweth nigh Finally 't is that spirit of wickedness in the form of righteousness that hath already torn your crown from off your head and discovered your secret parts so that the scab of contention and strife is seen which will never leave nor cease to divide you till the name of Quaker become a hiss and a scorn amongst the Nations And you shall leave your name for a curse to my chosen whom you have cursed saith the Lord God everlasting who will slay thee and call his servants by another name it may be Hallelujah which you have so much defam'd And you that for the vast numbers of your Tribes have seemed to magnifie your selves in your increase of children Wo be to you that now give suck and take so much pains to adde to your Sect for behold in one day loss of children and widowhood shall come upon you yea a voice as that in Ramah shall be heard among you lamenting your children because they are not Thus am I clear from the bloud of all men in that I have not ceased both by words and writing to forewarn of the coming of this Antichrist among the Quakers who for more then ten years last past have been that poor Ass speaking as with mans voice reproving and withstanding the madness of this lying wrathful bitter persecuting spirit knowing right well when it entred and you thereby came to reject the Lord that he should not reign over you by his Spirit of light and love but rather chose to your selves a King like unto other Sects and Nations for to judge and rule you who was not the Unction nor the Anointed of the Lord nor yet the Olive Fig nor Vine that could heal rejoyce or binde you up but the * Read Judg. 9th and Rev. 9th chap. Bramble and King of the bottomless pit that shall so rend tear and devour you till not one stone shall be left upon another which thing tell G. F. that FOX your King Alas what are all your smoothe words of light love and truth whilst they spring from the root and spirit of Falshood envie and bitterness And what is it to speak with the tongue of men and angels to have the gift of prophecie to open mysteries or to have all faith that could remove mountains and have not love and charity what will all this avail you Are you better herein then Balaam was I tell you nay for he knew as much as you do and was more honest and sincere for he knew not onely the difference between the two seeds when his eyes were opened which was blessed and which accursed but was also well acquainted with the seed of God its beginning progress and end yea and more he did not curse it but owned it and would speak nothing but truth and what the Lord put in his mouth that onely would he say but ye utter lyes and falshood with great confidence against the innocent even what the devil suggesteth Thus having lost your first love and forsaken the faith once delivered to the Saints you are now like that evil spirit cast out running to and fro walking through the dry places of your Elders traditions following the footsteps of Amalek the first of Nations those you call Good old Friends seeking rest but never shall finde any so long as Balak and Balaam that bitter spirit leads to curse whom God will surely bless and bring over you for ye must fall and with Haman Saul and Herod be ensnared and taken even in the same pit of cruel deceit which you have digged for your innocent brethren and herein for some time will the faith and patience of the Saints be exercised You greatly cry out and call upon others to fear and dread the Lord yet your selves are so ignorant of that Lesson that ye blindly run on to judge the innocent and condemn the truth yea to smite the apple of Gods eye and irreverently reach at the Signet on his right hand by condemning and speaking evil of the things you know not which doth sufficiently demonstrate that you are out of the pure fear that keeps the heart clean from those abominations into which you so easily run For my part although my spirit is oftentimes seized with a powerful sweet and awful enjoyment of Gods presence yet I am not * Rom. 8.15 Gal. 4 6. afraid of him as when I was one with you for I have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear but the spirit of peace and love in which I receive him as a Father rejoycing at his approaches and do not fear him as an enemy that would take advantage against me I do well know the difference between the seed of the bond-woman and the free workings of grace and what it is to act towards God for fear of his wrath plagues and judgements which thou threatnest my death bed withal and what it is to do the will of my Father as my meat and drink and long have I known a difference between the first and second Covenant betwixt those that think they can keep themselves in the light and love of God which Peter presumed as ye do but fell most notoriously as ye have and those that feel the Lord their Shepherd and depend onely upon him for their daily food and sustenance who rightly see their own weakness and can deny themselves as not being able to watch one hour neither preserve themselves one minute in the love and favour of God these and such as these being horn again of the innocent seed of love and that abiding in them and not taken away from them as it was from * Read 2 Sam. 7.15 1 Joh. 3 9. Saul preserveth from sin and
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
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
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