A Loving & Friendly Invitation TO ALL SINNERS TO REPENT, AND A WARNING to all Backsliders to Return unto the Lord, while they have Time and Space given them, With a brief Account of the Latter Part of the Life of Iohn Perrot, And his END, &c.
Also, a Testimony against Robt. Rich and Iohn Perrot their filthy Books lately printed against God's People in Scorn called QUAKERS.
With a Postscript by Another Hand.
LONDON, Printed by Iohn Bringhurst, at the Sign of the Book in Grace-Church-street, 1683.
A Loving and Friendly Invitation to all Sinners to Repent. And a warning to all Back-sliders to Return unto the Lord while they have time and space given them; Lest they Persh from the Right way forever. With a Brief account of the latter part of the Life of J. Perrot, and his End, &c.
WHEREAS it is very plain and evident unto all whose Eyes are clearly open, that this is a day of great Brightness and Glory, wherein the Great and Invisible God hath appeared in a most Glorious, and Heavenly manner: And the Light of Heaven hath so shined that it exceedeth the very Light of the Sun, and all other natural lights whatever: And great and Glorious Revelations from the Great and Almighty God, is seen and witnessed through the Glorious appearance and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: Whose coming to as many as Faithfull are, have experienced to be in Power and great Glory; which gives us the true knowledge of God the Father, whom to know is life eternal: And thus we come to the true understanding of the great Mystery of Godliness: Through the inspiration of the Almighty. So that now we being as men awakened out of the great sleep of sin, wherein we were in times past, with many more, held in great Captivity and darkness; but being turned to the light, in it we come to see our way to God: And so come to wait upon him, [Page 4] to be taught by him; who is the best teacher that ever man had for by his teachings, who is pure and holy: we that were unlearned, come truly to learn and know the great Mysteries of Godliness: and such as were ignorant, and knew not the things of God, comes to be made wise unto Salvation; and thus we come to have good and sound experience of the good work of God upon our Hearts and Soules; for it's the Lord alone that works the Change in us; and that fits and prepars us for his own Service, and for the performing that duty that he requires of us; for the Lord God is the good Husband-man, and we are of his Husbandry; and he is the good and perfect workman, and we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works: So that here is the Effects of the Husbandry and workmanship of this good and perfect workman; which is no other then the most Holy God, working in us through his beloved Son Christ Jesus the works of Salvation, Sanctification and Redemption; all which are the good and perfect works of God in his Son Christ Jesus: And all these good and perfect works they are wrought in the light (where the Devil, the imperfect worker cannot come, nor his Ministers, without tnrning from sin) and by walking in the light as Christ our Lord is in the light, we come to see more light, by which the Thief, this wicked one, the Devil, that would steal our Hearts & minds away from the pure God who is light; he comes to be seen over and to before he was: and by Christ the Light, the works of the Devil are destroyed; and so he is discovered in all his wiles, although he appears never so fairly and speciously in what disguise transforming or pretence soever; yet in the light by which we see, discover and distinguish, all Colours and things whatever he is seen and discovered in all his Ministers and Messengers to be as he is, Anti-christ, against Christ Jesus, opposing and gain-saying his coming & appearance in all his Servants, Ministers and Messengers; for how hath he risen up in all sorts of Professors and people in [Page 5] whom (he) this wicked and imperfect worker had any power and rule against the Blessed appearance and second coming of our Lord Jesus, whose coming is without sin unto Salvation: And with what Bitterness, Cruelty and Enmity hath all Nations, Tongues and People who are crying out against perfection, (and who have not the mark of God in their fore-heads) how have they been stirred up and inflamed with Rage and madness against the Saints of the most high, and against the coming and Raign of the Lamb who takes away the sins of the World, and whose Right it is to Raign: And he must and will Raign, until he hath put down all Rule and Authority under his feet; and he alone must be Exalted, who is King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, and Head of his Church through all the World: I say his coming hath been and is as with thunderings and lightenings and terible Earthquakes, not onely to shake the Earth, but the Heavens also, and he caused the Firmament to melt before him and pass away as a scrole; and so his coming is in Light, in Power & in great Glory: by whom all the wicked, the disobedient and Rebellious ones must be called to an account, and must answer before him the great and Just Judge of all the Earth; who will Judge both Quick & Dead: I say, before his great Tribunal Seat of Judgment, must all the scoffers and scorners, with all the rest of the whole rable of the wicked, the Rebellious and gain-sayers too, to give an account for all the hard, wicked and ungodly speeches that they have wickedly spoken, and for all the cruel wicked and ungodly deeds that they have wickedly done against the Lamb and his followers: and amongst the many opposers of the Gospel and gain-sayers of the Truth and Power of Godliness, I find not one more ripe in envy, and that wicked work of the Serpent, then Iohn Pennyman, who once was convinced in some measure of the pure Truth of God; but finding the way too straight, and not being willing to bear the yoke of Christ; nor yet liked to retain God in his knowledge, so he is given [Page 6] over to a Reprobate mind, and is led away with many strange delusions; that the Evil Spirit that went out of him, and walked in dry places is returned to his house again; and finding it swept and garnished hath taken with himself seven other Spirits worse than the former, and the last Estate of that man is worse then the first; and in this bad State and Condition, he is fretting, labouring and scribling against the pure and Blessed Truth, speaking evil of things he knows not, Revileing the Saints of the most high, uttering many Blasphemies against them that dwell in Heaven; and this doth not satisfie him neither; but he must Rake into the Ashes of the dead; and gather together the old Letters and papers of strife and contention which Rob. Rich and John Perrot gave forth in a time when great darkness was over them both: for they went from the Light into darkness; having been once convinced of the way of Life and Truth they like Hipocrites (turned from the grace by which they were called) into wantonness, and so went out from us, that it might be known they were not of us, and turned again with the dog to his vomit, joyning with the Rotten Principles of the Ranters.
And as for Iohn Perrot who had once tasted more then the other of the good work of God, and of the Powers of the World to come: Yet he with Corah and his Company gainsayd and withstood the Spiritual appearance of Christ among the Saints and people of God, and with his strange Principles and whimsies, (as the keeping on his Hat in his Prayers to God and the like) he grieved the People of God, and prov'd a great trouble amongst the Faithfull, because with his flattery & faigned humility he deceived the hearts of the simple; the which I can speak by experience. So when he saw that he was seen through here in England, then he would needs go over into Barbadoes contrary to the good Counsel and advice of Friends; he having been a long time, yea several years from his Wife and family before, and then had but been a little time with her; And not having sufficient of his own to maintain his Wife and Family, and bear his own Charge & great Expence in travelling, some Moneys he borrowed [Page 7] here in England, & when come to Barbadoes he got into the affections of some Friends there, who gave him very Liberally and bought him a Sloop, which came down to Iamaica sull Fraighted with the Gifts of Friends from the Barbados, (for him and Robert Mailins, who was too much tainted with the Rotten Principles of the Ranters, and proved a Castaway as well as he) and thus from time to time he was even Loaded with the Love and Kindness of Friends, in hopes he would become a Reformed Man again but he like an unhappy and unworthy Man abused all the kindness of Friends and the very Mercies of God unto him (for I was at Iamaica when he came there, and while he lived and dyed there and when he came down thither first, he made a great show of love to us, and of Humillity and self-deniall, and the like: but it was soon manifest what his Heart run after: for he loved and delighted in the Company of the Loose, Debaucht & Prophane People of the World more then ours. Ah! many a night have I and others sate up with aking hearts waiting for him, being desirous to a had his Company from amongst such a Lewd Crew, which would be so loud with Singing, Leaping and Danceing, &c. that we could hear them at a great distance off; so then he having gotten several hundred pounds worth of goods that Friends from other parts had given him and trusted him with together, Poor Man! he Bragged and Swaggered too much what great matters he would do for the Island and Planters, &c. and went to them into the Fields of a Generall Muster day, when that part of the Country was generally met together in arms, and there at the Head of the regiment he made a Large Speech, What he would do for the Country, and withal gave them directions, How they should Plant their Tobacco for him, Note, The Tobacco of that Country was generally Bad, and a great Drugg. and he would take it off their Hands: but alas! alas! all came to nothing, or worse in the End; although whilst he let them have Goods [Page 8] a Trust, and to Receive pay for it when the Tobacco was Ripe, and fit for Sale, Oh! they Cryed him up for a Brave Man, and none like him; and he loved it as well: but when the time of payment came, then it proved quite another thing; then their Tobacco was Bad, and not done according to His order: And their pay was bad: and indeed the people were many of them bad too; Insomuch that he Entred Sixty or Seventy Actions against them at one Court, of which he was the Clerke; it being a small petty Court for the business of that part of the Country; but could determine nothing of above 20 l. value: well, but many of these Debts which he sued for were proved there in the Court to be paid, so he was put by all the Rest for that time: And then he that was so Brave a man before with them, was now accounted as the very worst of men; And so having this great occasion given them, they Raild on him exceedingly, and the whole Country Cryed out against him very much: and so like an unstable man that had lost his guide, and as its said of the wicked, grew worse and worse every way: for one while he would have a Plantation and be a Planter: Another while he would Build a house, and talk as if he would have a Fish Pond a top on it, although it was about three miles from any springs or wells of water, and he would go and live there: but that when it was almost built, was all CONSUMED BY FIRE IN ONE NIGHT ALTHOUGH NO OTHER HOUSE WAS NEER IT, OR ANY WAYS JOYNED TO IT. And so the Hand of the Lord turned against him Every way in every thing he took in hand. And then he went and got liberty of the Governour to turn Lawyer and plead in the Courts, which he did; and as a Justice told me,Note his place to give the Oath to men was as he was Clerks of the Court. If a man would go to the Devil, my Friend John Perrot would send them headlong; for he never saw one swear men so closely as he did in all his life: but I answered, he [Page 9] was not my Friend in that for we d [...]d disowne him and his practices. And thus he Run into the Worlds ways of swearing men and Drinking and Riding about of any day: without regard either to worship or fear either of the Form or Power of Godliness; and so ended his unity and amity: Many other strange Fancies and delusions which he Run into might be mentioned, but I [...]udge these may be sufficient to manifest and discover unto all what a fearfull thing it is for any to oppose the Lord God in the Order of his working, in and among his people, and break out from the unity of the Faith and bond of Peace, who died as he lived, without manifesting a return by repentance, as this poor miserable man died; for as he went from the Truth in himself, and became a troubler and an opposer of them that lived in it; so he going from the Light into the darkness, proved a withered branch, and so was cut off from the true Vine (Christ Jesus) and lost the unity of them that kept their first Love: and of all Friends in General indeed who had done so much for him; and not onely so but he lost his Credit and repute among men: And the very world spewed him out, and so he ended his dayes miserably, for soon after he was dead and buried in an old Popish Mass-house all that he had left (which was not much) was seized on for Debt, yea the very Bed that was under his wife when she lay sick upon it; and as this gain-sayer did so did Robert Rich before mentioned, if not much worse, as to his life and Conversation; for he turned with the sow after she was washed to the wallowing in the mire again; who Demus-like imbraced this present world, and went out from us, and so became a Man-pleaser and a time-server: And these are Iohn Pennyman's Innocent men: But these and he too; Considering their ungodly Life and Death, may be a warning to him and all back-sliders and gain-sayers to repent and return unto the Lord while they have a day and time afforded unto them, lest they be cut off in their sins as these two men [Page 10] with R. Ma [...]lins were, and their blood be upon them: For I can say, by the experience that I have had in my Travels, that wo from the Lord is to them that do oppose the good Order that is settled and established by the Power of the Lord among Friends in several Countrys: for my Soul well remembers how it was hurt and in some measure betrayed by this I. Perrot's spirit and writings: But this was before I had any acquaintance with him, but afterwards, when I came to know him, I soon see (through the great love of God unto my Soul) that he was not the man I took him for; And then I sent a paper to Friends in England to testifie against his spirit; and that he was not Really in that unity and true love that he had talkt so much off, but was out of the possession of it, as his fruits before mentioned did soon make it manifest: And then I was moved of the Lord to bear my testimony against his Spirit, Principle and Practices many times; yea I have been made to go many miles to places where he was, to reprove, exhort, and admonish him to repent and return to the Lord, and to be reconciled to the Brethren; but all would not prevail with him; for he grew past feeling, the Lord having Left him, and he was past feeling even as Trees twice dead pluckt up by the Roots: And thus like a withered branch, he as well as R.M. and R.R. Ended their days: Oh! That it may be a warning to all that are living, who are Couvinced of the pure Truth, and have any desires after the Lord: that they may follow after Peace, Love and unity therein, which is very Comly amongst Brethren: & the God of Peace and Love Bless all such in all things that you take in hand Uprising and Downlying, in your goings out and commings in, in the Basket and in the store: that so ye may be Holiness to the Lord, is the hearty desire of your Real Friend and Brother in the Truth.
A Testimony against Robert Rich and Iohn Perrot, and their filthy Books lately printed against God's People in Scorn called QUAKERS.
IS it not an Unworthy thing for R. Rich to publish in print the private Discourse that G.F. F.H. E.B. and others had with Iohn Perrot, in which Friends did admonish him about his Extravagant Expences, and Wearing of his Hat in time of Prayer, and other private Discourses, and he to publish the same many Years after? And did not I.P. manifest in the End, that he had great Need of such Admonition?
And as for I.P. and R.R. laying his and their Keeping on their Hats in Prayer (Ranter-like) upon the Lord, in time of Prayer; was it not known in Iamaica and Barbadoes, how I.P. could afterwards follow the Complements of the World, and put off his Hat, as others did, to Men, and R. Rich also in Barbadoes? Who made a great Pudder because we judged I.P. for not being Uncovered in time of Prayer to the Lord. And did not Iohn Perrot keep on his Hat in Prayer; and then did not he turn again to the World, and put off his Hat to the World? And therefore such unstable Spirits we never could have Unity and Fellowship withal in the Light of Christ, when they go from it.
And it is well known, that it was not only the Paper concerning the Hat, which Friends desired I. Perrot to call in, but also another Paper, which for Modesty's sake we cannot mention. And whereas he sayes, We denyed him a Meeting: That's False; for we had a Meeting with him at Wm. Travers [Page 12] his House, and other Places. And a many Lyes hath I. Perrot uttered, which are not worth speaking of: And he said, It was contrary to his Conscience to put off his Hat in the Sight of God; and then presently after, he alter'd his Conscience, and could put it off to Men.
And as for I. Perrot's Iustifying himself; and Boasting of his Dispute with the Papists, and Challenge to the Pope; the End of that did manifest it self, which was not for his Credit; and he needed not to have boasted of it.
And did not I. Perrot undo himself, his Wife and Children, and run out, so that Friends were fain to Keep his Children; who boasted of Restoring Friends the Money laid out for him? And Friends had more Compassion and Tenderness to his Wife and Children, than he had; who were fain to take Care for them because of his Extravagancy. And did not the Prophecy become true upon him in the End? For did not he turn like the Worst of Men? And because we dealt Plainly, Honestly and Truly with I.P. he falsly calls us Persecuting Spirits; for he saith, G.F. waited to see pure Fruit in the Life: But what was his Fruit and his Life in the End?
And R. Rich publishes a Letter of I. Perrot's, and sayes, It was written a little before his Death. And are not these horrid Lyes? Was he not run into Drunkenness and Swearing of People long before he dyed? And why could not I. Perrot send his Letter to G.F. and others, as well as to R. Rich? much of which were Discourses of Friends, which they had in private with I. Perrot in London? where he hath added many Perversions and Lyes to their Words, and sent them to R.R. but never to them that were concerned; which R.R. hath basely done to print and publish them; for they never came to them that were concerned therein while I.P. was living.
Further, R.R. sayes, G.F. endeavours to Limit the Life [Page 13] of God in others: Which is a Horrid Lye, that we are sorry he should Dye unrepented of. For G.F. would have all People come to the Light of God and Christ in their Hearts. And many such Lyes are uttered in his Book, which are not worth the taking notice of.
And People may see, that I. Perrot was turned from the Truth the Quakers profess, when he had got Gorgeous Apparel and a Velvet Coat, a Staff tipt with Gold and a Carnal Sword, and was shooting off Gunns on Ship-board, and making of Feasts; which R.R. seems to justifie. And G. F. and others might very well send Papers after him to Reprove him, who at last ran into Swearing and Drunkenness; yet R.R. queries, Whether those were not the Floods of the Dragon, cast out of his Mouth to Devour the Manchild that must Rule? We say, Nay; for he that ran into Swearing and Drunkenness, vvas not like unto the Manchild, that must Rule.
And R.R. has manifest a great deal of Maliciousness and Enmity in his Papers, which is not according to the Government of Love, as he speaks of. And R.R. saith, Why should G.F. be Angry at I. Perrot's Velvet Coat, and wearing a Sword, and for his Gunns and Carnal Weapons? But I.P. pretended to go and preach the Gospel when he went to Barbadoes and Virginia; not to get Gunns, and Swords, and a Velvet Coat, and a Staff tipt with Gold, &c. and so he chang'd from his Gospel, as he deceitfully pretended to.
And it is utterly false both in R.R. and I.P. that G.F's Name was to any Papers for naming of Sober Iustices in the other Powers dayes, that would not Persecute us: For G.F. was out of London when the Parliament desired such a thing of Friends; and never was his Name to any such Papers. These are Forgeries of R.R. and I.P's. And those Ten Thousand and Fifteen Thousands Hands, presented to the Parliament, were the Sufferings of Friends, which R.R. prints, and [Page 14] makes an Ill Construction of. And as for I. Harwood, he hath manifested his End sufficiently, who Opposed Friends with his Hat on in Prayer, and manifested his Bad Life, Ranter-like, as I. Perrot did.
Again R.R. sayes, Seven of G.F's Friends were chosen for a Committee, &c. G.F. knows nothing of that; therefore he was not like to Exalt himself in that. And G.F. does not meddle with the Carnal Sword of the Civil Magistrate: In these things R.R. hath belied G.F. and Friends, besides many other Scoffing and Reproachful Words, which are not worth mentioning, are in his Book. And he sayes scoffingly, What is the Name Quaker thou givest to thy self? R. Rich knew, it is a Scornful Nick-Name given unto us: And Thee and Thou is the true Language, which he makes a pudder about, and he himself did once use it. And Swearing I.P. I.H. and R.R. once denyed it; but R.R. makes little of it now. And also I.P. did not he Swear, and tender the Oath to others at Iamaica? which G.F. and other Quakers alwayes denyed. And Christ and the Apostles forbid All Swearing: But Verily, Verily, and Calling God to record, as R.R. speaks of, is no Swearing. And the Quakers Sufferings are not as other Sects, as R.R. scoffingly speaks. And what have been the Forms and Figures of Good Things to come among the Quakers, that thou speakest of?
And over and over R.R. sayes, That G.F. exercised his Cruelty over J. Perrot and I. Nailor; which is false, the Lord knows; for he had nothing in his Heart but for their Good; and I.N. hath confest it, and given forth a Recantation of all his Runnings out; which R. Rich did feed upon. And I.N. never bowed down to G.F. its a horrid Lye for R.R. to say he did (p. 37.) neither did he ever desire it. So we are sorry that R.R. should dye before he had Repented of his Lyes. So as for Arrogancy, Pope, Lucifer, &c. are these [Page 15] R.R's Words of Love, as he calls it? And these words he had better applyed to himself.
Further, R.R. sayes, The Lord found him in Innocency, wherewith he had clothed him. But his Fruits in his Book from his Lying Spirit have not manifested it; neither are they the Fruits of a New Heart (as he speaks of in his Epistle printed 1680.) but the Fruits of a Railing Spirit against G.F. and others. As for Enmity, Self exaltation, Division, Rending, Tearing, and Bitter, Wrathful, Envious and Persecuting Spirits; with such like words he rails against G.F. and others; they were but the Fruits of his own Spirit, which he casts upon G.F. and others.
And R.R. saith, That J.N. was led into the Wilderness to be Tryed and Tempted by G.F. and others. This was horrible Enmity and Malice in R.R. for 'tis well known, that G.F. was in Prison in Cornwall when I.N. run out.
And R.R. sayes, (Epist. pag. 4.) The great Offence that G.F. takes at Iohn Perrot's Book, is, That I.P. own'd the Spirit of God's Grace and Light to be in the Presbyterians, Independents, Anabaptists, Seekers, and others; and also, that he hath Unity and Amity with all that walk therein. We are sorry that R.R. should Belye G.F. and others; for it is known, that G.F. and others own the true Light and declare it, which enlightens every man that cometh into the World, and haeve Unity with them that walk in it; yea, have Unity with the Light in them that hate it. But its known, that these before-mentioned have Printed against Friends, and both Anabaptists, Presbyterians and Independents have called the Light, which enlightens every man that comes into the World, a Natural Light: And so its clear, that R.R. Belyed G.F. and Friends.
And many other Books R.R. has given forth against the People of God called Quakers, which are stufft with known Lyes, Scoffs and Slanders, which are not worth mentioning; [Page 16] for he was well enough known what he vvas in his-Lifetime
Another writes against the People called Quakers, calling himself, Phil. Ang. who sayes, A man, &c. his Strength is to sit still, deny himself, and his own Life too, or else he cannot be Christ's Disciple. But he should have taken his Advice to himself, then he would not have brought forth his Confused Work. He makes a great pudder against Images, Forms and Shadows, which Delude men; but has not told us, what those Images, Forms and Shadows are. And he tells of Peoples pinning their Faith upon other mens Sleeves, and boasting of things without their measure: If he applies this to the Quakers, he is deceived; for Christ is the Author of our Faith; for our Faith stands in God and Christ: but he does not declare his own Faith, nor what it is pinn'd upon. And the Fruits of his Book are not the Fruits of the true Light; nor doth he manifest, that he stands in it, or that he is one that feareth and trembleth at the Word of God: For he saith, Let Men and all the Womanly Weakness in Man Decrease, &c. If the Author of this Epistle had done so, then his own Mouth would have been stopt; if he had taken that Counsel to himself, then he would not have manifest his Weakness, Enmity and Folly to the World.
And there is another Book printed by Ieffery Bullock (or some body for him) with his Epistle to it, wherein are published the Papers that some Friends writ to Iohn Wilkinson and Iohn Story, with their Answers: And I.B. writes a railing Epistle to those Friends, wherein he justifies I.S. and I.W. Some of his Railing Words are, viz. Antichrist's Teachers called Quakers, &c. and saith, Iudge not, and ye shall not be judged; yet in Contradiction to himself he [Page 17] hath falsly judged the Quakers, and so brought Iudgment upon himself. Moreover he saith, —such things as are of a Spiritual Concernment, which things alone do belong to the Light and Measure of the Spirit in every ones own particular to judge of, and it doth not belong to the Light in others to judge others in Matters of Conscience, &c. What! is the Light divided? Is it not the same in one as in the other? What a Contradiction and Confusion is this! Did not the Apostle see such as made Shipwrack of Faith and a Good Conscience? Were not They and the Children of Light able to judge who walk in the Light, and who walk contrary to it? And those Eleven Elders he speaks of, that did give forth a Testimony: if others did not own it, and gave a Testimony against it, what is that to the purpose? And what can I. Bullock tell, what those Eleven did say to them, that did not own their Testimony? They are not bound to give him an Account, nor Print it to the World, as he has foolishly done.
And I.B. sayes scoffingly, We should first have drawn a Bill of Indictment against I.S. and I.W. before we had judged them. But I.B. should have asked I.S. and I.W. in the North for those Articles that were given forth against them, and what part of them they condemned. But he goes over and over in his Book, and tells of Orders and Decrees Imposed by G.F. and other Teachers (as he calls them) but what these Orders and Decrees were, he hath not mention'd: So these are but his Calumnies.
And Iohn Pennyman has published several Pamphlets with a Reviling Language against several of God's People, as his Pamphlets declare his dark spirit, and what it is, though he doth pretend Love: but One Fountain does not send forth Sweet Water and Bitter. Neither does he shew, that he is of a Lowly and Meek Spirit, nor in the Love of God, that he much [Page 18] talks of; his Railing Language bewrays him. And as for his words, Hypocrisie, Falshoods, Temporizing Hypocrites, Babylonish Worship, Pride, Envy, and laying all his Railing Expressions upon God: his spirit and work does manifest, that they are not of God; and these Revilings of his are like his own spirit. And why is I.P. in such a Rage? because we cannot receive his false words. And he makes a great Noise against our Forms, Prescriptions, Laws, Orders, Moods, Impositions, &c. but tells not what they are. But all these he may apply at home, who stigmatizes God's People with Black Names.
And whereas he saith, G.F. betrayed his Trust concerning Abiah Trott: That's false; and its no great matter what he says. And R. Cannon denyes thy false Charge thou bring'st against G.F. and says, To his Knowledge he did not speak such words [Witness Tho. Tanton.] And here thou art a Busie-body in other Peoples Matters; and it seems thou wantedst something to Print against G.F. and others; but thou hadst better study to be quiet, and to mind thy own Condition.
And then I.P. sayes, If the publishing thereof (viz. of his Abusing Railing Pamphlet) be not according to the Will of God, &c. then let his Grey Hairs not go down to the Grave in Peace. Be sure the Lord will reward thee according to thy Works (thy Lyes) and thy Words, though thou may'st cry Peace, Peace; but take heed, lest sudden Destruction does not come upon thee unawares, for the spreading of all thy Lying Scandalous Pamphlets, both of thy own writing and of others, against God's People; for be sure what thou dost Sow, thou must Reap, and God will reward thee according to thy Works.
A Postscript by Another Hand.
I Having seen the aforegoing Account of I. Perrot & Robt. Rich, which is given by one that hath been conversant with them, and well knew them, the which I therefore Credit; and by this Account its Evident, that though they professed the Light of Christ: the Word, Spirit and Grace of God in the heart, in words, yet in their Life and Conversations, walked contrary thereunto, in a Spirit of LOOSNESS and RANTERISM, even the very Spirit that T. Crisp. F. Bugg, and them of that Company with them, in this Day are found in, and would bring into, who Nickname, Scoff at and Oppose Friends, and those things, and Practices that the Lord by his Eternall Spirit hath led them into the Practice of, in which they have & do find peace & acceptance with the Lord in the Performance of. Now observe T. Crisp, as a busy agent, and I. Pennyman have printed and reprinted R. Rich's rambling Testimony, and something of others that opposed Friends & T.C. calls them such weighty Truths, Testimonys, and sound Doctrins, that being kept, the Enemy had no opportunity to Enter by Divisions &c. and the same 24. page of severall Testimonys he saith, mind what is aforesaid by these Servant's of God, for they are such needfull things in this day that could not he let pass; for its believed many among them never read them, therefore in love they are here Imparted to you, and who Acts or Teaches contrary thereto may be said to bring in another Gospel, and are going into the Seperation, and gain saying Spirit, having a form of Godliness, but denying the Power thereof, &c. Now observe T.C's Directory, who opposeth and vehemently crys out against for writing or giving out that he Scoffingly calls Orders, Forms and Prescriptions; and yet is crying up his own, or R.R. I.S. and I.W's. And the man that is against Judging, at once passeth Sentence, Judges and Condemns them who act or teach contrary to his Directory, or R.R's Testimony, &c. as gone into Separation, and Gain-saying Spirit, and charges them with bringing in another Gospel, and denying the Power of God. Yet presently to manifest what he is, viz a Ba. Builder—He saith, The Kingdom of Heaven is within, and consists in Righteousness, &c.—and not in speaking one sort of Speech or Language, and conforming to Orders and Prescriptions from without: And yet all must be judged iu Separation, Gainsaying Spirit and Denying the Power of God that acts or teaches contrary to T.C's Directory, or R.R's prescribed Form, &c. Oh! what an exquisite Babel-Builder is here! and yet F. Bugg his Brother in that ungodly Work of Opposing Friends, &c. [Page 20] quotes him, as if his Babels were to be taken notice of, though the very Deeds and Works of Darkness, Enmity and Folly; but as the Proverb is it may be said, Like to Like, and Birds of a Feather Flock together: But seeing T.C. so highly cryes up this Directory, or R.R's Testimony or Prescription, let him examin and search whether it be according to Scripture; for I am of the mind, that there is not any danger or fear of incurring those Sensures aforesaid, if they be not complyed with (except from such who call Evil Good, and Good Evil) but rather an incurring of them, by acting or teaching according to it. Now R. Rich pretends (in his highly applauded little worth Testimony, printed by T.C.) to see that daily more and more will fall off from that Body [viz Friends] pag. 23.—and that some that separate from them, will with Daniel stand in their Lot: And though T.C. calls R.Rs, &c. Testimony, Weighty Truths, Sound Doctrines, and R.R. &c. Servants of God, and saith (as afore) that who acts or teaches contrary thereto, may be said to bring in another Gospel, and are going into a Gain-saying Spirit, and denying the Power of God: but notwithstanding all this, T.C. saith, pag. 26. (in his Testimony following R.R's) Take no Delight in the Greatness of your Number—because the Body Grows Great, and Number Increases. So I shall leave the Candid and Christian Reader to consider, whether T.C. hath not (after his great Applaud of R.R.) gain-sayed R.Rs Testimony; and whether, according unto his own Sentence, he is not gone into the Separation, Gain-saying Spirit, Denying the Power of God, &c. So having thus in brief hinted at these things, to shew the enquiring Reader, that T.C. I. Pennyman, W.R. F. Bugg, have received the same spirit them poor miserable Men I. Perrot and R.R. were of, notwithstanding their great Pretence and high Title they give themselves, who would be accounted Christian-Quakers, &c. though as certainly departed from the Power of God, and gone out of the Unity of Friends (whose unity is in the Light, Spirit and Power of God) as the aforesaid J.P. R.R. &c. And if they, viz. T.C. J.P. W.R. F.B. &c. do not return unto the Lord by unfeigned Repentance, they will certainly end their dayes in Misery. So heartily desiring the Lord by his Eternal Power may preserve all them, that in any measure truly fear him, from the Infectious Venom of that Spirit by which the aforesaid Persons have been acted to Oppose Truth, the Friends in it, and the Order it hath brought forth among the Lord's People, I conclude.