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The Last Letter writ by R.R. to J.N. In the beginning of 1658.
Also dear Heart,
How (?) that I hear in thee a voice of weeping: Rachel mourning for her Children; wottest thou not that I must go about my Fathers business? and that for this end I came into the world to bear witness of the truth: and were we not one in our testimony when thou madest (?) at good confession before Pontius Pilate, where thou withnessed to Christ in the Saints, and saidst, (?) am I that I should condemn that which may be of God. And had we not rest and peace in this our work, though persecuted by the world, and evilly intreated by our Brethren, our names cast out as dung, and oft scourged in their Synagogues? And my self (and many more innocent ones) cast out from amongst them, and sold into Egypt, many dark things laid to our charge we never said nor did: this the Lord knoweth, though thou be ignorant of us. And if I (or any other) have been moved of the Lord to plead the cause of the innocent, and for to lay any mans sin before him, that he may repent and amend (O let nothing be counted a scattering with wind who have been gathered with blood) for why should they dye for whom the blood of Christ hath been shed, (his light, his life, his love shed in their heart) And this thou hast once owned to be love, for every one to be faithful to the Lord, and to the culs of their brethren that are seen to lie in death, though now thy eyes be dimmed in this manner, yet the Lord will not acquit the guilty, nor would I have thee one with them in their work, fighting their battels, either to justifie the wicked or condemn the innocent, lest they partake with them in their judgment, (as Jehosophat did in {Page 44} siding and making a confederacy with Ahab), who daily impose upon their brethren, and will not let them go free to act what the Lord requireth of them. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, how oft have I sought to find love in thee towards my brethren; and when it fled, how oft have I pursued after it, bearing all sin and evil on my own body (when innocent) that I might gain the love of my Brethren? I believe I might have been received again into fellowship amongst them, but then I must first have turned the truth of God into a lie, and speak evil of those things I know to be good, denying the testimony which I knew the Lord gave me to finish, and so have betrayed Jesus; which thing I shall never do, for long as the breath of the Almighy is in me; nor call any man Master of my light and Spirit, save God alone. And if now at length the Lord hath seen the oppression of his people, and is coming to plead their cause, or hath raised up any to be a Rod or a Scourge to whip (out of the Temple) those that have nought or sold the innocent for a thing of naught what am I that I should resist, or judg evil of them that do his will, or if any be commanded of the Lord to feast Haman, why should Mordecai be offended thereat; for my part, I have a long time seen wherein the freedom or liberty of the Son consisteth, and that this is he that loves his enemy, speaks evil of no man, that rewards evil with good, and doth not salute a Brother only. This is he that is heir of all things, and must reign (though at present his face be more marr’d than any mans) and blessed is he that is not offended in him, but is made conformable in all things to him, he must reign also. Hallelujah.
The Last Letter from James Naylor to R.R. writ about the latter end of Anno 1657 at the beginning of 1658.
Alas Dear Heart,
I know there is that amongst them which must be purged, and I have learned, yet are they the People of God, and bear his testimony against the Beast and his mark, and its their zeal for his name, and the weight of his cross that the world is not able to bear; and better it is to suffer with them for a little time than to be tormentors of them; and when every one comes to drink as they have filled their Vessels, then shall strife inherit wrath, and the tormentor be tormented; and he who now rejoyces to see those scattered with wind who have been gathered with blood and great suffering, shall receive his reward according to his work, and bear his own sin whoever it be; for now the Tares and Wheat is seen. Truly my table is spread, and my cup over-runs with love, and peace, and joy in the Spirit, wherein I am covered from the delights of the flesh, and not seen to the world: but truly my peace flows as a River, as my Father did me promise when I was in the Fire, glory for ever beyond expression, and I know nothing can take it away, only that all the scattered of my Fathers might come feed within, is all lies upon me; and truly, my soul hath fulness, indeed, of the best since I was stript of all: and exceeding great is my drawings towards you all, who were with me in the hour and power of Darkness, that ye all might drink abundantly of my joy, that we might be filled with unity. I know and feel the Lord hath not forgotten thy labour of love, in that day added to all thy former testimony, wherein thou hast born reproach, with me and with the despised stock, not can he forget it so long as there is a breathing of that seed to him ward, but truly it is a little one that gives the entrance into the reward, which from that is hid, which is high, and looks for great things. Dear Heart, do not hearken to that which would perswade thee that I would lay any evil upon thee, or burthen the innocent in thee, God knows I had rather suffer my self; its love, a love that moves in me daily to thee; let its own answer, and we are one, and the Lord God of Peace rebuke him that seeks occasion.
J.N.
But he that judgeth his Brother in meats or drinks, or any outward thing, that contends more for his own Traditions than the Commands of God, that will not let his Brother go free to worship God where and how he requireth. I say, this is the Son of the Bond-woman (though called of men Master, and having the uppermost seat at Feasts) which must be cast out, and shall not inherit.
I am not troubled to see the Lord coming to plead the cause of the innocent, and to make a separation between the two seeds who served the Lord and who served their own ends, and blessed are they who with joy can stand the tryal.
Dear heart, take heed of the outward ear, of whisperers, and backbiters, for I have seen many mighty men fallen, where the way to peace and rest is had from their eyes. Abide thou in that which thinks none ill, so wilt thou be safe when others their hearts shall fail them for fear, that have imagined mischief in their hearts against the innocent, and have climbed up into their Fathers bed and begotten Children in Adultery, usurping authority over the measure of God in their Brethren; and (with Herod) have slain the manchild begot in many, and would not hear his Testimony, nor suffer his voice to be uttered though it were but in a sigh, in a groan, in a himn, or in a song: So though their subtilty have betrayed many simple ones, even to death, whose blood lies hid under their shirts, who have plucked up the wheat with the Tares, so that there is little bread to be found in many families to keep alive in this time of famine.
O my dear heart, enter not thou into their secrets, nor say a confederacy with the blood-thirsty man. For as the Lord lives, their nakedness shall be no longer hid, and what hath long ben secret must now be preached upon the house-top. And herein the innocent can and will rejoyce. Hallelujah.
My dear Lamb, that I might once more see thee under the Fig-tree, not opposing Gods leadings in the Brethren, nor lending an ear to reports, neither letting thy own understanding lead thee in things of God; so shall we be in one love, and the Lord God of Peace rebuke him that seeks occasion. Amen, saith
R.R.
Finis
Errata
Page 3. l. 10. after the word saying, read I in the spirit of bearing did answer thee in these terms, saying viz. p.4 l.15. after cost insert and charge; p10 l.18. for were us, p. 12. L.35.t. bolded r. bolted, p.13. l. 10.r. name, p.17 l.34 after Paper. And, p.19 1.20. f salutation r. salvation, p.21.l.13.af. thee r. in the Lord; p 23.l.38 af. and r. of; p.25.1.18 f. the r. that; ib. L.31 r. Leopard. id.1.35.r.cast, p.26. 1.3 r. Harwood, l.5.af. of r. fallen, l.7.r. bitter, l.31.r. those; l/35.r. well doing; 1.37.r. well doing; l.37.r. matters temporal and spiritual, 1.38.r. reason, p.27.l.4. power; 1.5.r. as, tb.r. life; 12.r.are, 1.13.r. because the, l.15.f. lang r. long; 1.27.r. the l.31.f general r. John; p.28.l.1.r. that, p.31.l.14. your r.our, p.32.1.6.af. these words Magistrate in, inf his just, l.16.r. the, l.23.f. G.H. r. G.F. l.27.f. falling r. fallen; p.33.l.8.r. he; p.35.1.29.f. Jane r. James, ib.f. G.F. r. J.P.p.36.1.21.r. also, p.38.1.22.af. J.P. r. (?), p.39.l.1. after these inf. things; p.41.l.7.r. found; p.43.l.1.f. few r. five, 1.40.f. they r. thou, p.44.l.28.after fallen insert here.
LONDON, Printed for Francis Smith the Elephant and Castle in Cornhill. 1678
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