pretending to discover Principles and Practices relating to George Fox and hiâ— Party as thou callest them that run paraleâ— with the Church of Rome And then to excuse this thy persecuting Cain-like and Judas-like work against us thou falsly placest it on the Will of the Lord saying The Will of the Lord be done p. 17. whilsâ— thou art doing the Will of the Devil thy Master and Father of Lyes and Lyars adding That 't is but just that Deceit and Idolatry should be discovered in whomsoever c. p. 18. But come on That thou dost do quickly Let 's see what exact Similitudes and eminent Discoveries thou hast shewn and made of our seeming Vnion and Paralel with the Church of Rome Thus thou attempts it viz. 1st 'T is affirmed of the Pope that he is Christ's Vicar on Earth Accounts himself invested with Power to execute outward Laws Edicts and Decrees Herein sayst thou I place not much difference between the Pope on the one part and the Pen-man and some of his the Brethren on the other And why so The Pen-man and his Brethren sayst thou account themselves the Representatives of Christ's inward Government over the Conscience p. 18. That 's an Untruth by the way and none of our words but a scornful Pervertion Where did we so account our selves 'T is improper and unsound to say That visible Men or finite Creatures are the Representatives of Christs inward spiritual Government over the Conscience which is endless and where Christ himself reigns Where did we ever assume a Government in Christ's stead over the Conscience But only as his Servants and Witnesses by his Spirit do commend our selves to every mans Conscience in the sight of God and thereby only represent or shew forth by sound Doctrine and good Conversation That Christ must rule and be obey'd as the Head of his Church which vastly differs from the Pope's false sence of his being Christ's Vicar or Representative on Earth Thou addest viz. And that they are invested with Power to execute outward Laws Edicts and Decrees And what follows on thy discovery and similitude Therefore the Pope and G. F. and his Party seem to be in Vnion and run Paralel with the Church of Rome That 's false The true Apostles and primitive Christians had outward Laws Commands Decrees c. which they practised So hath the Pope and the Church of Rome though not the same What follows Did they therefore seem to be in Union Thy Similitude and Inference are fallacious We differ in the Power and Manner of Execution and our Laws and Decrees which Christ hath given us differ from the Popes The Popes Power is Carnal and Coercive Ours Spiritual and Perswasive The Popes Ecclesiastical Laws Edicts Canons and Decrees are to promote a false Church Idolatrous Worship and Superstition Our Laws and Decrees c. are first written in our Hearts and taught us by Christ Jesus enjoyning us to eye believe and follow him as our Rock our Way and Leader in Holiness and Purity of Life and Conversation Therefore thy Comparison is silly and abusive here as well as Malicious The Pope claims a succession from Peter and Peter's Primacy as their term is as the Rock and Foundation of the Church So do not we but deny that Doctrine as false believing and owning Christ to be the Rock and Foundation nor yet do we assume or pretend any Priviledge Power or Authority over Christ's Church from an outward succession but only being Christ's Witnesses Ministers Servants and Ambassadours are assisted by his immediate Presence Power and Wisdom with us to assist order and govern us in his service and the service of one another in love Again thou proceedest in thy Similitudes viz. 2dly The Pope likewise affirms that the Church of Rome is the true Church and in the true Faith The Romish Clergy teach that we must believe as the Church believes Herein I cannot justly place much difference between the Popish Clergy and Pen-man if he approved this Doctrine viz. The true Church is in the true Faith that is in God and we must either believe thus as the true Church believes or else it were but both a Folly and Hypocrisie to profess our selves Members thereof pag. 18. Thus thou wouldst make me whom I presume thou intendest to resemble the Pope and his Clergy and to seem to be in union with them But dost thou not own the Doctrine to be true in it self viz. 1 st That the true Church is in the true Faith that is in God And darest thou deny this What sayest thou to it Speak out man and be plain to the Point 2 dly That we must either believe THUS i. e in God as the true Church believes or else 't were Hypocrisie to profess our selves Members thereof If thou canst not deny the Doctrine in it self why hast thou made this an Instance of our seeming to be in union with the Popish party For thou knowest in thy Conscience first That it was not spoken of the Church of Rome but in general of the true Church whose Faith is IN GOD which we neither believe of the Church of Rome nor does the Church of Rome believe so of us Where 's then our seeming Union secondly To believe in God as the true Church doth herein the true Church is made an instance and example of Faith in God not to make the Church's believing this or that the sole Reason and Cause of my or our believing the same this were Implicit 't is as not because for Christ who is God is the original efficient cause both of the Church's and my Faith which is in him which is the one living substantial Faith wherein is Unity Whilst thou canst not confute the said Doctrine behold thy Similitude what an empty FALSE SHEW it is What real Protestants in Europe could escape thy Censure of Resembling the Pope and his party nay how canst thou escape thy self upon such Fallacious Similitudes as thou hast invented against us The Pope and his party believe there there is a God a Christ a Heaven a Hell Immortality future states So do all true Protestants What follows according to thy Similitude Ergo all true Protestants seem to be at union with the Pope and his party The Pope and his party believe there is one true â—â—iversal Church and one true Faith So do the Protestants but not so of each other they are not in Union no more are we with the Pope or his party but with the best Reformed Protestants wherein they differ'd from and oppos'd the Church of Rome The Pope believes he is a true Christian and no Apostate So dost thou W. R. believe thou art a true Christian c. What follows Ergo thou dost Resemble the Pope and seemest to be at Union with the Papistical party Is not this argumentum ad hominem like thy Similitudes and more resembling them than thou hast resembled G. F. and his party to the Pope and Church of
then he judges this Inconsistent with that sense viz. That his way of writing is void of Conscience Reason and Religion From whence he infers upon the Pen-man as he calls him Is it not hence plain that such a sense renders those very things acknowledged to be interposed from the Light it self to be void of Conscience Reason and Religion And then crys out at an hideous rate as if he had wholly knock'd down his Respondent O notorious Blasphemy The Pen-man acted in the Dark shown himself unworthy of the name of a Man May without abuse be numbred amongst such sort of Beasts at Ephesus Vnreasonable men I have already prov'd the Pen-man Vnreasonable and Blasphemous yet he may be termed a man though a very Wicked one c. pag. 2 3. with more Aggravations This is the Person that complains of a great Bull against him but observe his furious Bull here and what a wild one and how outragiously mad and false in his Inference What 's the matter with him on which he is so furious It is that his way of writing is deemed void of Conscience Reason Religion c. because it has been confest That the Light sometimes interposeth and makes him concede to Truth But does it hence follow that these very things interposed by the Light are esteemed void of Reason or Religion in themselves No such matter The major part of this work appears such and he is measured by the major part thereof A man may justly be adjudged a Wicked Person when the greatest part of his life is such though he may both speak and act some right things when the Light comes over him and convicts him as Balaam did and some of the wicked Kings of Israel with many others Yea and the Devil himself though a Lyar from the beginning yet is made to grant and speak some Truths when over-powered though contrary to his Nature Besides we do not believe our Adversary to be Conscientious in what the Light interposeth through him any more than that Balaam was a good man when his heart was evil Nor can the Devil 's confessing to Truth at any time render him a good Devil nor of tender Conscience his Nature being contrary to Truth and Goodness § 5. But there lies another great Reflection in the case upon W. R. in his charging the Pen-man suppose my self or any other of our second day's Meeting with Notorious Blasphemy acting in the dark being unworthy the name of a Man numbering him among the Beasts at Ephesus with whom Paul fought having already proved him Vnreasonable and Blasphemous as boastingly and falsly he pretends comparing this also with what he saith of the said Treatise entituled The Accuser of our Brethren cast down viz. 'T is with me to take a little notice thereof I say again a little notice that so the Reader may not think me so Impertinent as to trouble the Press with so great a Volumn as a full Answer to every Impertinency c. Thus W. R. p. 14. chap. 2. See now at what a Villifying and Insulting rate this man writes and how Wicked and Despicable he has rendred the Pen-man as his term is Now W. R. supposing thou takest my self or any other of my Brethren to be the Person thou chiefly smites at how consistent art thou in thy work to spend so much Time Labour and Cost in writing and printing against such a mean inconsiderable and undeserving Person in thy account as unworthy the Name of a Man but rather to be numbred among unreasonable Beasts One would think it should be far beneath a Person of thy Hight Rank and Quality as thy flourishing Vaunts bespeak thee thus to abase thy self as to spend so much time and cost upon such an Inferior Irrational and Inconsiderable Person in thy high Thoughts But art not thou a great Defamer and Opposer in thy said Charge of Notorious Blasphemy and of being unworthy the Name of a Man c Is this thy Christianity Who will believe thee thinkest thou that are not of thy own Party And seeing thou art pleased to signifie what little notice 't is with thee to take of our Treatise we cannot but take notice of thy lofty and slighty way of writing However we have no reason to take this thy little Notice for an Answer for thou hast collected and replied to so little of the matter and hast so much given the GO-BY to the principal and greatest part of our said Treatise as one that has found out the craft of Evasion that 't is a little notice indeed thou hast taken and thy work deserves but little notice to be taken of by others unless to evince thy Envy and its Falshood c. Thy pretence of Vnreasonableness in thy Respondent will not hide thy Loftiness and Contempt nor excuse thy shifting Evasions from those things that are most material and weighty upon thee which every Ingenuous Reader may easily perceive in comparing our said Treatise against the Accuser of the Brethren and thy Seventh Part against ours together § 6. Thou writes much in thy own Justification and to clear thy self of giving judgment on Reports and Jealousies though frequent in thy great Book Thou on thy own behalf sayst I can in Truth delare that I have not at any time positively asserted any thing but what I either know or have had sufficient proof as may render my Pen blameless therein pag. 3. Upon which I would seriously ask thee What sufficient proof hast thou that that was E. Burrough's Epistle which thou hast cited for his Epistle and positively asserted it two or three times to be E. B's Epistle in thy first part of the Christian-Quaker falsly so called which I and many more do not believe it to be E. B's for divers causes having seen John Parrots Name only to a Transcript of it in a Persons Hand writing i. e. J. Batho's that was for a time an Admirer of J. P. How durst thou be so positive in asserting it to be E. B's I dare Challenge thee to produce it under E. B.'s own hand to any of us that knew his hand if thou tookest it not up upon an Implicit belief trust and report As we can prove thou hast written many things from thy own Jealousies and Reports only with this provision in some other things If Reports be true c. to save thee from the censure of drawing a positive Conclusion and then what weight or credit does this add to much of thy Work And I would know what sufficient proof thou hast of thy Story That a Friend of known credit did declare that twelve pence was paid in London on demand of so much for a Certificate in order to the Accomplishment of his Marriage which otherwise might have been obstructed p. 5. I pray thee produce thy Author and Informer for this Story and what Friend of known Credit did so declare for 't is not credited by many However thou art positive in
Light within You Preachers do say in your Declaration that the Son of God is come and hath given you an understanding the which Doctrine I do deny ONE BLOW p. 20. Answ. Thou that canst not reconcile or see the consistency of Salvation by the Man Christ Jesus AND by his Light within art gone from his Light into Imaginations Why hast thou not better observed the Gospel preached by the Angel of the Lord to the Shepherds concerning Jesus Christ the Son of God Luke 2.11 For unto you is born this day in the City of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord see also Mat. 1.21 Read also good Old Simeon's Testimony which he gave of the Lord 's Christ Luke 2.26 27 28. And also read Verse 30 31 32. For mine Eyes have seen thy Salvation which thou hast prepared before the Face of all People a Light to lighten the Gentiles and the Glory of thy People Israel The true Christ of God is but one though he hath appeared in divers manners both in the Flesh and in the Spirit he is the Light he is the Way to the Father he is the Saviour he is the one Mediator betwixt God and Man even the Man Christ Jesus the heavenly glorious Man the Man that was promised to be for a hiding place who in the dayes of his Flesh said I am the Light of the World And He that is with you shall be in you As he was the eternal Word the Son of God the Life that was in him was the Light of men John 1. both before his coming in the Flesh and ever since and therefore he was that true Light that enlightens every man that cometh into the World he was given for Life and Salvation This our one Lord Jesus Christ is our Light Life and Salvation he is also Judge of quick and dead that MAN by whom God will judge the World in Righteousness he that believeth not in his Name is condemned already and This is the Condemnation that Light is come into the World i. e. the Light of the Son of God and Men love Darkness rather then Light John 3. see also 2 Thes. 1.7 8. When the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming Fire taking Vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel c. Then such shall know him their Judge and Condemner unto their deserved punishment see Verse 9. J. B. You Teachers do hold forth to us Gentiles Christ the Son of God to be our Way to the Father The which Doctrine I would have you to prove One Blow p. 20. Answ. What defidence and unbelief hath entred thee Christ the Son of God testied John 14.6 I am the Way the Truth and the Life No man cometh unto the Father but by me and no man cometh unto me except the Father which hath sent me draw him Wherefore in that no man cometh unto the Father but by the Son the Son is the way to the Father and the Father's drawing or teaching reacheth unto man before he come to the Son or Father that he may be drawn and come to both No mans knows the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son will reveal him Therefore Christ the Son of God is the way to the Father out of Adam in the fall if thou l't believe him and 'T is by one Spirit through Jesus Christ the Mediator that we have access to the Father § 8. J. B. In his gross Errors detected or many of the Doctrines of the leading Quakers disowned as coming from an Antichristian Spirit p. 1. he saith John Webb's Doctrine was That God's appearance in the Sons and Daughters of men is to beget and bring forth that innocent Birth and Babe immortal c. This Doctrine doth signifie that God's appearance is to his Son Christ Jesus and for the begetting and bringing of him forth in the Sons and Daughters of men the which Doctrine I do deny Answ. First God's appearance in the Sons and Daughters of men is not to bring forth a nocent Birth nor a Babe that 's mortal but an innocent Birth and a Babe immortal Except a man be Born of Water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God And whosoever is born of God doth not commit Sin for his Seed remaineth in him Secondly This innocent Birth which God by his Spirit brings forth in the Sons and Daughters of men who truly believe relates to them and their souls as begotten and born of the immortal seed by the living word so that this Birth is not Christ Jesus for he is that incorruptible Seed and Word of Life which begets forms and brings forth the Soul of man into his own Nature and Image and so he renews his own Image in man that believes in his Power and so Christ may be said to be formed in us as in a mysterious and elegant way of speaking the property and effect being put for the cause for Christ in himself hath all Power in Heaven and Earth given to him and it hath pleased the Father that all fulness should dwell in him J. B. That God's appearance is in and by his Son Christ Jesus to us and that all are to hear the Son in them by whom the Father speaketh to them and that the Son in us is our way to the Father The which Doctrine I do deny His gross Error p. 1. Answ. Here thou hast denyed sound Doctrine which is according to Christs own Doctrine i. e. He that seeth me seeth the Father also who hath shined in our Hearts to give us the Light of the Knowledge of his Glory in the face of Christ Jesus And my Sheep hear my Voice saith Christ And God hath spoken to us by his Son Thy denying God's appearing and speaking by his Son and his Son to be our way to the Father Herein thou hast not only denyed Christ's own Testimony but the blessed advantage we have by him as MEDIATOR J. B. Another of their Doctrines is That the Quakers ought so to wait upon God as that they may feel the Life in them to flow from Vessel to Vessel whenas they are met together to wait upon God This was Charles Marshalls Wife's Doctrine p. 2 ibid. Answ. This is neither false Doctrine nor gross Error as thou imaginest but sound Doctrine Hannah Marshall knew better than thy self herein for they that truly wait upon God both receive an encrease of Life from him who is the Fountain and feel Life to flow from Vessel to Vessel He that believes as the Scripture saith out of his Belly shall flow Rivers of living Waters This spake he of the Spirit which they that believe should receive And the true Believers all drink into One Spirit And there is among such a spiritual and effectual Communication of Faith and Virtue in the living Communion of the holy Spirit all which thy dark Imaginations have deprived thee of J. B. These Doctrines
he interfers with himself in his plea for liberty of Conscience § 4. W. R's Confutation to himself apparent in confessing That God hath afforded those helps governments in the Church which are not to be despised in a Paper signed by him among Friends at London 1673. His instance of W. P against the Penman groundless We clear'd from imposing a bâ—ind Obedience and W. Penn's own words farther cited to clear his intention for liberty of Conscience and from what § 5. W. R's unfair dealing and mistaken opposition against R. Barclay's propositions concerning the Power positive Sentence and Judgment of the Church of Christ as being binding in SOME CASES of consequence upon Believers the Spirit of Christ being the only proper Judge c. The point at length granted by William Rogers himself § 6. Wherein W. Rogers's discourse tends to Libertism blind Opposition Confusion and Ranterism A blind Refusal of Submission to what the Lord in his Servants requires condemned as well as blind obedience A Medium between both proposed to prevent a blind Refusal and blind Obedience Of W R's wrong Measures false Judgment and Suppositions Envy and Scorn Laughter hypocritical Lamentation Praying Cain's Sacrifice his lofty conceited and contemning way of writing § 1. IT is true and I am still of the same mind that having the great ends of true Religion and Christian Society in our Eye viz. An unspotted Life Love and good Works c. as the very intent of our care and proceedings in the Church of Christ we can the more easily concur and accord as to Circumstances and outward Methods and in the Wisdom of God so condescend one to another and accomodate matters as not to divide about them c. And I do not find that our Opposer produceth any seeming Contradiction to this Citation out of our Book as he endeavours upon our following words viz. We would be understood that those things commended among us as necessary for good Order and Holiness of Conversation are not recommended doubtfully or upon meer Supposition nor as matters of indifferency to be practised or rejected but in faith full assurance as answering Gods Witness and Truth in the Consciences and that such will meet with a tender Reception and not Opposition in all tender and upright hearts Where 's now the seeming Contradiction in this to the precedent Passage See what observation our Opposer makes upon them He observes That the Penman seems thereby to look three ways at once p. 36. though his sight and observation has greatly fail'd him herein as first In commending things necessary for good Order and Holiness of Conversation NOT as matters of Indifferency To this W. R. thus saith viz. Wherein I take the truest sense of his mind to be and that the first citation importing his readiness to condescend was to cover himself and others from the guilt of Apostacy and Innovation He is mistaken in his observation here there was no such intent nor necessity for the Pen-man to cover himself or others from that guilt for to commend things necessary for good Order and Holiness of Conversation not as Indifferent but Essential to such Order c. and a Condescention in circumstances and accomodating matters so as not to divide c. may very well stand together especially where there 's unity of spirit and affection for if there be true love and unity in the greater matters essential to good Order c. 't is more easie for such as are tender and upright-hearted to find out accomodation and concurrence in lesser circumstances So that still 't is to be understood they must settle in an union and concurrence at last otherwise how should they joyntly do business or service for the Truth or each other There 's no concurrence nor joynt-service where there 's confusion and contradiction But W. R. proceeds in his observation against the Pen-men viz. 2dly By his readiness to condescend to his Brethren which doubtless in that place he intends such as are upright hearted and mean well for 't is not fit to condescend to others and therein the indifferency before excluded is implyed He 's mistaken again in 's observation for there may be a tender and Christian condescention of the upright hearted among themselves in two respects 1 st In the stronger bearing with and helping the weak bearing the burden of the weak and not laying more upon the weak than what they are able to bear 2 dly In the wisdom of God finding out such accomodation in some lesser matters circumstances not so essential and indispensible so that there may be a general concurrence ease and peace of spirit in such lesser circumstances implying or including that indifferency before which is excluded the greater more weighty and necessary things relating to good Order holiness of Life c. For there may be such an indifferency in some circumstances wherein we may condescend to weak Brethren so far as the spirit of Christ will admit they being such as may not alter the property from being good and lawful nor disturbing to our Christian-society Yet there are other material things and circumstances relating our Christian society good order and holy living that cannot be made Indifferent And we plead not at all for empty Ceremonies in Church order or discipline but such as have a real service and good end in them nor are we for a Church whose ornaments are superstitious but for a Church which is gravely and purely adorned with Righteousness the fruits and services of pure Religion I confess W. R. has writ one remarkable Truth i. e. That 't is not fit to condescend to others viz. That are not upright hearted that do not mean well Very true And we have cause to keep to that Doctrine in reference to such as are turbulent and contentious Troublers of and scandalous to our society and profession See his third Observation on the same subject before as shallow as the rest viz. 3dly By the Pen-man's last cited Lines 't is plain that in his sence things recommended for good Order will have a reception with all upright Hearts Which compared with his readiness to condescend c. as before shews as if his condescention was intended to Brethren that were not upright hearted Here his sight fails him and he 's greatly mistaken again perverting the Pen-mans sense for though I affirm that those things recommended among us by Divine Authority and Evidence either as duty to God or Man or as necessary for good Order and Holiness of Conversation will have reception with all upright Hearts Yet it follows not that the condescention was intended to Brethren that were Not upright hearted or false For first Here 's not a limitation of time when all things necessary as before will have reception with all upright hearts So that there is a time and cause for condescention to them of low degree in regard of their weakness not insincerity Secondly Many upright ones
do not presently or immediatly see every thing that is recommended in the wisdom of God to be practised but must have time to weigh and consider matters before the Lord first in order to receive a clear understanding and judgment from him before they act therein So that in the mean time there must be a tender condescention patience and forbearance on all hands towards such not to look upon or judge their want of present clearness and their present fear to act because thereof an act of Refusal or Rebellion on their parts No no far be it from us knowing that such upright hearted ones even when but in a poor low and weak state will not oppose refuse or gain-say any thing they at present see not that 's either in it self good and honest or necessary for good order and society their uprightness tenderness honesty and fear towards God preserves them from contention and blind opposition in such cases whilst given up tenderly to wait till God reveal that unto them whether immediately or instrumentally which for a time they have not clearness in And be sure he will not be awanting in his divine counsel and openings to such § 2. To his charging the Pen-man with a groundness Complaint of Printing against G. F. without first proceeding judicially or hearing of matters face to face p. 39. Groundless Complaint is an untruth there was manifest ground for that complaint on W. R's own confession and principle viz. his enveighing against judging any man without hearing him Judging the merit of the cause without hearing the same Judging and Censuring a Person unheard in the defence of himself as being a grand Mark of Apostacy as in his Preface to his Christian-Quaker That W. R. has so ipso facto judged and condemned G. F. and others in divers things unheard in their own defence we have produced divers sufficient and unanswered Instances in our Treatise entituled The Accuser of our Brethren cast down and particularly his false construction on G. F's words viz. Do not make Bargains with that which is out of the Truth On which W. R. concludes a design of Imposition and so far as in G. F. lies to obstruct Friends from bargaining with such whom he condemns as having no right to bargain buy or sell until they answer by Condemnation or else that his meaning was that G. F. would not have Friends discourse with such nor yet to agree about any orderly Conference in order to a Reconciliation or Hearing of Differences c. concluding it must be one of these two meanings because a third he could not think of as the matter is fully treated on in our said Treatise Accuser p. 146 147 148 149 150 c. in which W. R's judgment and both his supposed Meanings are proved untrue But still to aggravate the matter against G. F. he saith He has used the utmost of his endeavours to obtain a Meeting with him for such an end that is for a hearing of matters face to face at several times since his last being in Bristol in the year 1677. and it will not be condescended to saith he p. 39 40. This still the more confirms the Complaint against him viz. his Printing against G. F. yea judging and condemning him without hearing the matters face to face for which he is condemned which is an extradicial and injurious proceedure and grand Mark of Apostacy so to do according to W. R's own judgment And his pretence That such a Meeting will not be condescended to will not excuse the fact that is his judging and censuring a Person unheard in his own defence c. as a grand Mark of Apostacy He might have had patience and rather waited an opportunity for meeting with G. F. than have condemned him in Print in divers things unheard in his own defence and that on his own false Suggestions Meanings and Constructions contrary to his own Doctrine which is become his own Self-condemnation § 3. Now wherein doth the Pen-man's false Suggestion and Vnchristian-like Treatment consist to prove him an Impious Prevaricator or down-right Forger as W. R. terms him p. 41. See how he attempts proof in these words viz. I shall at present cite only a few Instances thereof in his own words quoth he viz. p. 73. His main work is still to invalidate the Authority and Sentence of the true Church Pag. 87. Which answers and confutes W. R. in opposing outward Directions Methods and Forms relating to Church Government Pag. 88. His principal Objection against outward Orders Prescriptions Sentences Decrees Form of Church Government Discipline c. P. 91. His gain-saying and general Objections against us in relation to Church Government and Order amongst us the People called Quakers P. 261. Which answers his general opposition to outward Order Form and Discipline Thus hath W. R. cited our words by pieces Now if it be made appear that these things are justly laid to W. R's charge from his own words and sence thereof I hope he 'l see cause to be ashamed of his clamour of false Suggestion impious Prevaricator c. In order to which I thus directly proceed First That his work has been to invalidate the authority and sentence of the true Church On Mat. 5. and chap. 6. he saith Wherein there 's not the least tittle to countenance this sentence That the positive Sentence or Decision of the Church in matters of Conscience may be obligatory on Believers as in the third part of his Christian-Quaker p. 64. And his contest against those who he saith have approved a Plea for such a Church Government as claims a power of deciding matters relating to Conscience and outward things on occasion of Differences about worldly Estate and that others ought to obey such Decisions which says he in its natural consequence hath as we take it no less tendency than to claim Power over our Properties as well as Consciences as in the first part of his Christian-Quaker Note A sad but fallacious consequence detected in our Treatise Accuser from pag. 53 to p. 76. Is it not plain that W. R. has here endeavoured to invalidate the authority and sentence of the true Church by us pleaded if neither obligatory on Believers in matters of Conscience nor in outward things Or if the Church may not be allowed a Power of making decisions in matters of difference either relating to Conscience or outward Estate according to Mat. 18.17 and 1 Cor. 6. of what validity is the authority sentence or power of the Church with W. R What 's more plain against him than his own words before recited Secondly That he has opposed and objected against outward Orders Forms Discipline Prescriptions Sentences Decrees his Gain-saying and general Objections and Opposition to outward Order Form and Discipline relating to Church Government c. see how he argues the case against outward Orders Prescriptions Sentences Decrees c. under the new Covenant viz. because the Apostle's labour was to