AN EPISTLE To the PEOPLE called QUAKERS, Emitted by Mr. ROBERT RICH, Who arrived at LONDON from the BARBADOSS the Ninth day of September, 1679, and departed this Life the Sixteenth of November following.  
LONDON, Printed in the Year 1680, to be sold by Francis Smith at the Elephant and Castle in Cornhill, a little below the Royal Exchange.   

An Epistle for the most pure Amity and Unity in the Spirit 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 enlightened, 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 a broad 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, Gerard Roberts, and Amos Stoddard) and given under their hands accordingly, 'twas denied to be received; and about a Year after returned to me again, with many 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 clothed 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 knowledge 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 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 myself, so that I needed no Man to teach me; but as the Unction, that small grain of Mustardseed 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, filled 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, Rending, 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 Unity 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 alleging, 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 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 Lie, etc. plainly shows, 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 Partridge on the Mountains, from Country to Country, from Region to Region, and from City to City, whithersoever he went, these venomous, 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, entitled, Judas and his Treachery, etc. 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 Contend 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. entitled, Impudence and Ranterism rebuked; in which they call the Spirit of R. R. which sent Thirty pounds to their Poor, A drunken ranting Spirit, a feigned Love; and the Gift they call Cain's Sacrifice, Balack's Reward, and Balaam's Wages, Judas' Oblation, and a Superstitious Idolatrous Gift. Also that R. R. is a wand'ring 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 saith in his Heart, there is no God; and bray a Fool in a Mortar, and he will never be the wiser; and that this folly hath been with him ever since the days of J. N. All this, and much more, for nought else than for R. R. his Gift to the Poor of their People. Which Language let G. F. and his Friends well consider whether it proceeded from the Spirit of the Lamb, that loves Enemies, or from the Dragon, that casts his Floods after the Manchild to devour Him, who is the only begotten of God in the Saints; He must rule and reign, though G. F. and his Men of War never so much rave and rage's: I say, that the only begotten of God, by the overshadowing of the Holy Ghost in the Saints, the Virgin Daughter of Zion, whose Name is Immanuel, must surely rule and reign. Even so, Amen. Allelujah.  
What had you against J. N. more than that God had taken away his Judgement from him, and then led him into the Wilderness, to be tried and tempted by G. F. and others, and to suffer by that Spirit that then ruled in the Children of disobedience? who in all meekness and patience did bear and suffer the enmity and cruelty of all his Persecutors, as a good Example.  
And what had you against R. R. more than that he stood by J. N. in his Sufferings, and for pulling off his Hat at the Command of the Lord, as a sign of Love to them that understood that sign better, than if he had saluted after your mode and fashion in giving the Hand? Also that he pulled off his Hat, which was to testify that the Hat might be made an Idol, both in keeping it on, and in pulling it off?  
And what had you against J. P. more than for owning the Light of Christ in Presbyterians, Independents, Baptists, Seekers, and others, even in all that believed in it, and followed it? And is not the Light of Christ in every one, the Ensign, to gather together all of every Sect and Nation, those that follow it, into Unity with the Lord, and Amity one with another? And why was G. F. so bitter against J. P. for declaring, that no such beggarly Element as the Hat off or on, is any part of God's Worship? And if G. F. must be obeyed in these things, rather than the Light of Christ in ourselves; whether then G. F. and his prescribed and imposed Forms, be not the greatest Idol that ever was set up by a Professing People? let the Witness of God in every one be Judg.  
I have lately read a Manuscript, subscribed George Fox, writ to all that would know what those People called Quakers are, and showing their Experiences which they have seen, and gone through, to Priests and Professors: Which Paper contains fifty Paragraphs.  
In the first and second G. F. saith, We thought it a hard thing for Cain to kill Righteous Abel; but when we looked within ourselves, we saw that envious wrathful Man that slew every appearance of God within, and ready to slay the Righteous without. Then G. F. goes on, speaks against Adam's Fall, and against Joseph's Brethren, for selling of him into Egypt etc. and tells Priests and Professors, That if they look within, they shall find this Nature in themselves. And I tell G. F. that he need not go so far to seek this evil Nature in Priests and Professors. Let him look but within himself, and consider his own Actings against his Innocent Brethren, and he will find Cain's Nature there, and Cain's Sin to lie at his own Door, and will know him that sold Joseph into Egypt, etc. And this Spirit was the cause of G. F's own Fall, who was once an Angel of Light, and had a place in Heaven, but is fallen from thence like Lightning, and is now become an Angel of the Bottomless Pit, where he rules and governs over all that have not their Names written in the Lamb's Book of Life, continuing their forms of Godliness, their long Preach and long Prayers from the Comprehension of Truth, but not with the Life and Power thereof. Thus ye suffer that Woman Jezebel, which calls herself a Prophetess, (by good words and fair Speeches) to seduce and deceive the Innocent among you, keeping them always learning, but can never come to the Knowledge of the Truth as it is in Jesus, unless they cease from Man's Teachings, and come to the Teachings of God in themselves, which alone truly teacheth the way to Life and Salvation. Allelujah.  
I have also read a Testimony from the Brethren, met at London the third Month 1666, subscribed by eleven of your Ministry. Also from a Meeting at Bristol, the 27th day of the 7th Month 1669, subscribed by 36 Persons. Also from a Meeting at Ellis Hooks, the 12th of the 4th Month 1677, against John Wilkinson and John Story, subscribed by 66, most of the Ministry. All which in general contain, very bitter Censures, and high Condemnations against many of your own People, who have divided from the Body of Friends, (so called by yourselves) wherein you testify, That those engaged in the Spirit of Separation, ought not to have any Rule or Dominion in the Church of God, whereof the Holy Spirit that was poured forth upon you, (as you say) hath made you Overseers. But your Fruits will make you more manifest than your Words. Also, That all that are joined to that Spirit of Separation, who stand not in Unity with your Ministry, their Judgements ought not to be regarded amongst Friends. And further, You declare yourselves the Witnesses and Ambassadors of the Unchangeable Truth, and the Elders of the Church of God, who of right (having kept your Habitations in the Truth) ought to judge of things which differ, and this your Judgement to stand good and valid amongst Friends against all that oppose it. Also, that if any pretending to be of your Membership, will not admit to be tried, in case of Controversy, by the Elders and Members of this your Body, but oppose it, (as the Judgement of Man) you then testify in the Name of the Lord against them, that he or she, with all those that countenance these Refusers, are to be rejected, as joined in one with Infidels and Heathens. These (together with G. F's Paper in vindication of Prescriptions, dated the 4th Month 1678) imposing upon the Consciences of Men; as also the particular Invectives against John Wilkinson and John Story, both importing the same Spirit of Dominion and Rule over the Conscience, (which is the proper Heritage of God) I have both seen, wellweighed, and considered; and while I contemplate your present State, by comparing it with the Principles with which you were first inspired, I cannot but take up that Lamentation concerning you, which the Prophet of old did concerning Israel, How is the Mighty fallen? How is the Gold become dim? the fine Gold how is it changed? Even the Sea-Monsters draw out the Breasts, and give suck to their young Ones, but the Daughters of my People are become cruel, like 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 Knowledge and discerning in the Things of God, and all Spiritual Judgement 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 Dispensation, (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 none of your Membership? Is the Body of Christ now shrunk and narrowed into G. F's Tribe of Members and Ministers? are these the Lips only that preserve Knowledge? 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 itself with greater horror and amazement to the minds of all rational and sober Men, and all that truly fear God, that 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  yourselves 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 judge of all Differences, prescribing Rules and Orders, and putting Yokes upon the Necks of your Disciplles, 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 Sovereignty 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 been your Predecessors. Now (all this considered) can you in soberness conceive that this frame of Spirit (in that absolute Dominion which you claim to yourselves 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, with 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, etc. 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 toward 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 yoked and burdened 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, etc.) 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 search of Heart; God is now pleading in Judgement with the People that have been called by his Name, searching Jerusalem with Candles, (Zeph. 1.12, etc.) and Judgement is already begun at the House of God; He is about to judge the Spiritual Pride and Exaltation, the Cruelty and Oppression, the Hypocrisy and Formality that hath mingled itself with all the fair and beautiful Professions of those that have been 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, etc.) 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 lulled into a formal Security, must needs acknowledge); Can you yet be so vainly confident, as to persuade yourselves that nothing of this Evil shall come near your Borders, whilst the Arrows of God's Judgements 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 Judgement? Or, is this a time for you to build (and raise a Name to yourselves) when God is destroying? to contend for outward Rule and Dominion over others, when God is pleading his own Royal Prerogative? to fit in judgement over the Consciences of your Brethren, when the Judge 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 you 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 Husbandmen) 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 judge and condemn yourselves: 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. Fellow 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 challenge it. Thus if you can commend yourselves 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.   

ADVERTISEMENT of some BOOKS lately published of Mr. ROBERT RICH's.  
I. Hidden Things brought to light, etc.  
II. His Epistles to the Seven Churches, viz. 1. to the Roman Catholic; 2. the Episcopal Protestant; 3. the Presbyterian, 4. the Independent, 5. the Anabaptist; 6. the Quaker; 7. the Church of the Firstborn. Containing his Testimony to God's Approbation of the Good, and Aversation to the Evil in all Persuasions. Sold by Fr. Smith, at the Elephant and Castle in Cornhill near the Royal Exchange.  
III. Abstracts of several Letters, treating most of Spiritual Matters, transmitted to Posterity, and recommended to the sober and serious Enquirer, for promoting of Universal Love amongst all sorts of People, without respect of Persons, Parties, or Sects. Together with a friendly Letter of Dr. Jer. Taylor's too R. R. in Answer to one of his. Sold by Benjamin Billingsly at the Printing-Press in Cornhill under the Royal Exchange.