the Law nor the Executors thereof nor in the Kings Cause and the Nations Peace is the Witnesses Evidence although Complainers detectable nor the Sentence given accordingly to be Condemned and that this is the state of our Cause on the account of the God of Heaven and Earth the King of Saints his Peoples Peace and that our proceedings have been justifiable on the account thereof we do leave it before the Lord to be Judge and it s very clear that William Rogers has gained no credit to his Cause of Vilifying and Condemning the Discipline and Order used in the Church of God by his proclaiming these men in his Printed Book to be such as that he hath heard of none to exceed them in Doctrine and Life who are thus Stout and Ambitious Stuborn and Self-Willed And on what justifiable account before the Lord or amongst men he placeth the dreadful Judgment upon us of being Apostates from God and the Life of Christianity as he is pleased to do we yet see not let them appear boldly and 〈◊〉 themselves that do and give over this deceitful hidden Guile and creeping Work which the holy and just God abhors as an hateful thing and our first Principle condemns forever But to go on things running at this rate and they growing up to this height of Impudency in their opposit Work it now became the great concern of our Brethren at London and other parts of the Nation seeing what a Combination there was amongst John Story' s Adherents to rebel against the Lord and the ancient Truth that keeps in Unity such as abides in it and that it was the Practice of the Church of God throughout the whole Nation that with respect to our Monthly and Quarterly and General Meetings in order to the Discipline of the Church of God they were resolved to set themselves against with the might and force they could engage themselves into and that according to their former declared purpose they had set up a sign of defiance in a separate Meeting to be kept when they saw meet or as occasion offered as they themselves declared was intended by them to be done and they seeing that it was not the rafling loose sort that were readily drawn into their Snare that the Temptation only reached unto but that several also of the more Innocent to God that loved Righteousness were hurt thereby whose Names they had got into the List to subscribe amongst them to their Paper in their contentious Work many of whom blessed be the Lord to their Joy are comfortably come off again as hereafter may be more fully declared and they seeing also now how the design lay of gathering to them every where as the oppertunity served and knowing that their contentious Papers were sent abroad up and down the Nation where any reception could be obtained for them and that John Story principal in the whole design was very officious in the matter thereof in the Western parts where his Travels were wont to be and that in those parts he then was and had proselited into his factious Work several of the Earthly-wise and looser sort and that the Innocent also were in danger to be betrayed the Temptations being so guilefully laid whereupon at a Meeting on the account of suffering Friends held at the House of James Claypoole Merchant in London the 18th of the 8th Month 1675. It was agreed upon amongst the Brethren there and concluded as followeth Whereas there hath been depending an unhappy Difference between several Friends and Brethren in the North on the one Party and John Wilkinson and John Story on the other Part and that all the Endeavours hitherto have not prevailed to that healing composure desired and since the said Brethren in the North for the more effectual conclusion of the said matter have desired the Brethren of this Meeting to take it into their serious Consideration that if any thing can be further offered by them then what has been already done for the Service of the Truth and Peace of the Church of God It is from the deep sence of the thing and the sad consequences thereof unamimously desired by the 〈◊〉 Brethren that George Whitehead John Whitehead William Gibson and Alexander Parker or Gerard Roberts go from London and two from Bristol to be chosen by the Persons hereafter nominated either out of themselves or any other Friends of that City The Friends nominated to chuse two Friends as aforesaid are as followeth Dennis Hollister Thomas Gouldney Charles Hartford Richard Snead Richard Vickris 〈◊〉 Love William Ford Charles Jones William Rogers The said two Friends with the four before named to go into the North to give the Brethren a Meeting with John Wilkinson and John Story if they will be perswaded to return for the assisting the Church and Friends there to hear and determine the said Difference as in the Wisdom and Council of God they shall be directed for Peace and Unity in the Church Stephen Smith Stephen Crispe Thomas Green Ambrose Rigg and William Penn desired to meet together this Evening and draw up two Letters one to John Wilkinson and John Story and an other to Friends at Bristol aforesaid It may be taken notice of that Friends in the North although they were satisfied with the Labours and Travels of the Brethren concerned in the afore-mentioned Meetings from a true sence of the presence of Almighty God with them as also with the Testimony and Judgment aforesaid upon the afore-mentioned Spirit of Opposition and Strife and against all whomsoever that were found in the Works thereof being one and the same with that which had lived on their Hearts in relation to that Spirit as that which the pure God would never bless nor the Works thereof as also in a sence and knowledge of what a Noise was gone out through them of that Spirit against the aforesaid Proceedings of our Brethren and Judgment on the case to the leaving a jealousie upon the minds of some that probably things might not be so bad with respect to John Story and John Wilkinkinson as matters seemed to import and the Judgment given did imply We being also conscious to our selves of any deficiency on our parts whereby to invalidate the Judgment given or to have our selves detected in the matter of the occasion of the Difference amongst us having also a sincere desire that what dissatisfaction remained upon any with respect to the Judgment given without hearing c. although the default in that matter lay on John Story and John Wilkinson their part that our Innocence before the Lord which our Consciences bore record to might also the more appear and that whosoever had a mind might have the oppertunity of hearing matters relating to us on the score of being culpable as well as they as we had been rendred up and down the Nation by them of that Spirit and having also a sence of the continuation of the Exercise and Sorrow that we
another Course as hereafter shall appear And thus much at present in short as a little of the Flood that broke forth upon us to have been our ruin from that Spirit of Enmity that has been at work against the appearance of Truth ever since God gave us to believe therein and would not have had the Lord Jesus to Reign nor the Government to be established upon him whose right it is which we are sufficiently able to demonstrate to all in relation to the Exercises we met withal thereby and through the partakers with it against our godly concerns for Truth and the Family of God to the unutterable Grief of many Hearts before they broke off from us and we desire in the Love of God that from what we have said and of which proof hath been already made as the occasion offered demonstrable to the upright that have been concerned therein and indeed we say it is but a little of what we have to say and publish as occasion may fall out which we may expect and are ready for it because of the restless state that this Spirit is in under the torment that is upon it that 's sooner come for its destructions sake then it looked for and will not cease to fret and some till amongst the Swine it make its end and be no more seen we desire that all the upright hearted to God we say would but consider and give 〈◊〉 Judgment in the Light of Christ Jesus whether these things hinted at in relation to the Troubles that have been met withal in the Church of God in 〈◊〉 through the Spirit that hath wrought in John Story and John Wilkinson with those encouraged by them to appear in the Quarrel and dividing Work against the Family and Heritage of God in the matter of their Order Discipline and Government amongst them as a visible People gathered into an heavenly Society therein to be Truths Praise do not manifest them to be in a backsliding 〈◊〉 from Truths Life and Love to Righteousness and against the Government of Truth in the Kingdom of Jesus and apparently concerned to Indulge and Gratifie the Spirit of Death and the Grave of Sin that would come over again if the Lord and his People in his hand were not zealously concerned in the defence of Truth and the holy way and practice of it against every contrary thing And whether William Rogers is not a man given up to great Delusion that stands so much in the vindication of these two men thus charactered according to the naked Truth as if none did exceed them in Doctrine and Life And whether he has not set himself with open face against the antient Truth and Life of Religion in the practice thereof that has espoused to himself the management of such a Cause as they of the separation in the North have been concerned in And whether he hath not as obvious to every Eye Blasphemed the Lord and the honourable way of Truth abused Gods People against whom he together with them of party with him have set themselves as to render them Apostates from God such as in whom the Life of Christianity is extinct yet for no other cause then that we are established through the Spirit of Truth and in subjection to it in a Christian care for Gods Glory in the practice of that Religion which is Justified of all that loves Righteousress that is to say to visit the Fatherless and the Widow and to keep our selves unspotted of the World Now we come to speak something of what more particularly relates to them of the seperate Spirit on the account of their opposite dividing Work in seperating from us as to concerns relating to us as a Family and visible Society gathered into Church 〈◊〉 to be each others Help Comfort and Joy The Authority of Gods Power continuing with us blessed be his Name with an encrease thereof to our unspeakeable Comfort and Strength so that many were knit together in the vindication of our Cause and Concern to the great Grief of the other Party and a disappointment to their Expectation to have driven down before them and to have made us subject The course they now consulted to take as appeared was a seperation from us and that they might do it upon some seemingly justifiable account some of them drew up a Paper and got what hands they could to it of any sort that had any shew of profession of Truth in them in which several Proposals was offered to us and Conditions upon which assented too by us they alledged an 〈◊〉 to abide with us otherwise to with-draw and do their Business amongst themselves By their Proposals unto us we were to covenant with them That none of our own Country should be 〈◊〉 in Church affairs but our chosen men to whom we had given Power This was to debar the fresh and living Witnesses of the younger sort to be concerned with us such as were grieved with the disturbance they had made and that the old backslided ones at first chosen of the Rich and Wiser sort in the Wisdom that is from below might over-rule and carry matters as they would We were to covenant with them according to their terms That none should come out of other Countries nor of our own Country not chosen by the Churches and sit amongst our chosen men c. But if they had any thing to offer there they might declare their Messuage and with-draw and such as did otherwise come amongst us though in the Spirit of the Lord Jesus which is but one in all and is not to be limited by mens Laws and Prescriptions were to be looked upon as usurpers of Authority having no Power given them by the Churches as they alledged and several other things as in the said Paper at large is inserted tending to the limiting of the Spirit and Power of God and to bring in such Prescriptions indeed as the like has not been heard of among a People professing the 〈◊〉 and universal Spirit and to be in the Life of Christianity as is pretended too It s a shame to think what Tyes and Bondages they would have brought in contrary to the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 in the universal concern of the whole Family of God which is but one if ten Thousand and contrary to the Rules of Common Societies and the Liberty granted in places of Judicature What a Jurisdiction would this have been and a Lording it to purpose over the Exercise of the Spirit in the Conscience By this rule Paul might not have come although the care of the 〈◊〉 was upon him into any Church but his own to see the order that was among them and sit amongst them but have been accounted an usurper of Authority as one to whom the Churches had not given power so to do Was there ever the like of this Prescription and yet these are the men that crys down Church Government and Church Order under the name of usurping
were yet likely to be exposed to through the separate Meeting to the blemish of Truth and our holy Profession It s true we did signifie our inclination yea our desires that on some or all the aforesaid accounts our dear and respected Brethren might have under their tender consideration our continuing Exercises through the hardness and obstinacy of that wrong Spirit amongst us which as yet was likely further to occasion the Churches Trouble and the want of its Peace and for that end we moved if they pleased that some might come down into the North for their and others further satisfaction if they desired or saw cause for a further examination and hearing of matters relating to the depending Difference In order unto which Meeting agreed upon at London amongst our Friends there they signified unto us what was intended God willing to be done by them if all concerned would signifie their free and acceptable complyance therewith in answer whereunto Friends in the North signified by a Paper under many Hands a free and ready closing therewith unto the Meetings satisfaction there as in an answer to ours from them was signified It may be noted also that the Brethrens tenderness towards John Story and John Wilkinson was such they being then both in the West parts as also that they might the more readily be perswaded to submit to an hearing of matters and things relating to the Difference with Friends here in the North Face to Face which formerly they had refused to do in a resolve to come at no more Meetings on that score but that they again a little retracted that resolve and proffered as aforesaid to refer the matter to two chosen by each party one We say the afore-mentioned Friends being iealous whether they would submit to a Meeting or not for condescention sake gave the Friends at Bristol liberty to chuse two c. where John Story s and John Wilkinson's great Interest as was then expected stood and in persuance of the aforesaid agreement amongst Friends at James Claypool's London two Letters were writ Coppies whereof we have not inserted here but are produceable with many more material Letters of Advice Answers and Replies in Papers and Books in Maniscript Material and Satisfactory in order to the concern of a more large Hystorical Relation of matters on the account of the unhappy Differences occasioned through this ungodly Spirit as the day will declare which aforesaid Papers and Books in Maniscript are preserved ready for the service of Truth against the coming forth in Print of William Rogers s Book in Maniscript so often made mention of by him or upon what other occasion as the Lord may direct shall be seen meet with respect to all which this our present Relation of things may be taken only as a small yet perfect and impartial Abstract Yet upon the matter of the two Letters being sent as aforesaid the one to John Wilkinson and John Story in the West and the other to the Friends at Bristol William Rogers happening to be one for the Journey into the North on the aforesaid account without whose Company and Assistance 't is likely John Story had not been prevailed upon to have come being a man of a Turbulent Boysterous Spirit and one that likes the Applause of men and loves Preheminence as in his quarrelling contentious Work in the Ambition and Stoutneses of his Mind in several Papers and Concerns observable he hath manifested himself to be as many Ear and Eye Witnesses will Evidence to which also some of us are not Strangers with respect to our particular knowledge he now buckled himself to carry on the espoused matter of f. Story' s and J. Wilkinson's Cause even with all the eagerness he could work himself into like a Champion for the Work and desparate Design contrived and taken in hand which in plain words tended if the Lord had not blockt up their way to have laid waste the whole Heritage of God and not have left his People a-name where by to be known So that many opposite wrangling Papers and Letters past from him with some few more of his Adherents tending to delay the Journey into the North as was desired on the Meetings account to be had there which together with John Story' s and John Wilkinson's aversness and perverse replies to the London Brethren that were tender and friendly to them-wards gave daily a more and more perfect knowledge of what sort they were and what their Work tended to many also of the truly conscientious sort who were of their Adherents once having been hurt by them in and about the City of Bristol and the Country adjacent became in measure satisfied that they were wrong and that their Work did to Strife 〈◊〉 and began to draw back in the Spirit of their Minds from any such complyance with them as formerly they were inclined to and many in those parts of the upright hearted to God and lovers of Righteousness are come away from touching with them any more and are truly and livingly concerned in a Testimony for God against them and the Work they are concerned in which hath been their Hearts Joy and the Comfort of the Ransomed Ones Much ado 〈◊〉 was before any solid hopes our Brethren could be wrought into that any Meeting with them would be got but at last about the first Month. in the Year 1676. George Whitehead on purpose coming by them with the influence 〈◊〉 had upon them got John Story perswaded to give up to the matter desired for their lakes and for the 〈◊〉 of all Differences whatsoever that the Church might again enjoy its Peace The four 〈◊〉 from London and William Rogers only from 〈◊〉 being come into the North 〈◊〉 Benson of Kendal in Westmerland was added to them to be concerned in the aforesaid matter John Story and John Wilkinson being now come into the North also a Meeting was agreed upon to be the third Day of the second Month 1676. at the House of John Blaykling at Draw-well in Sedbergh in York-shire and accordingly that day begun and many good Friends and Ministers of the blessed Truth out of several parts of the Nation were there together with 〈◊〉 of the nine Friends that had heard the matters alledged in charge against John Story and John Wilkinson at Pow-Bank asoresaid and had given their Judgment upon that Spirit from which the said matters and things had proceeded not leaving John Story and John 〈◊〉 uncapable of clearing themselves thereof if they were able to do it and many Friends to the Truth were also come from Westmerland to the Meeting Gods eternal Power evidently broke forth through many in Living Testimonies for God and his Truth and in Heavenly Supplications that the Presence of the Eternal God might be with his People in that Exercise for which that Assembly was gathered which to the Comfort of many there present was truly felt during four days Exercise for the space of ten or twelve
pretend to that they are gone from that they may the more cunningly deceive and lead back into a corrupt Fleshly Liberty again to satisfie the Lusts of it that 's the center it tends to and when it hath tired it self out there will its end be Impartial Reader When thou hast with an unprejudiced mind in sincerity of Heart looked over and weighed this William Rogers his Work the Champion of the backslided Ones and the Enemy to the Churches Peace and looks upon the Engine he would perfect his Work by thou mayest easily see of what Spirit he is and what his Work tends to and escape the Snare he would take thee in It s a false Spirit in which he would betray his Brother even unto Death its malicious bending it self with false Accusations and lying Slanders to defame such as have kept their Garments clean and whose Integrity is approved in Gods sight and in many Consciences its wicked in bringing the same to publick view having for the most part little evidence of any sort to produce but If Reports be true it s a treacherous Spirit that talks of the Light and would seem to vindicate Truth 's Principles with such a false malicious slanderous wicked Work as his Book is stuffed with and with seeming Imbraces and standing for the Truth and the appearance of it betrays it and would deliver it up and the servants of it into the hands of Sinners It s a false libertine Spirit tending to Ranterism that inveighs against Friends tender care in the Church of God according to Gospel Order and vilifies with slanderous reproachful terms the Government of the Power and Discipline therein Established in Gods visible Family terming it the bringing into the Churches Mens Prescriptions and lording it over Mens Consciences the introducing of the Apostacy again c. All which in Subjection to Gods Power we abominate and turn it back upon its own Head to receive the stroke of the Eternal God which will fall upon the Abbetters of this Spirit if in time they repent not as a burden too heavy to bear They of that Spirit also cry against the seasonable Exhortations and Reproofs of them whom God is pleased to concern on this wise as Imposing Over-driving and the like they are letting loose and gratifying a fleshly mind and to indulge the same claiming a right in a wrong spirit to be left to inward freedom till they see the Lords requirings or that it is their duty so to do This sort of abominable Work is clearly manifested to be the tendency of William Rogers's Spirit as his own Book demonstrates cleared to the understandings of the unprejudiced and honest Hearted to God and by the Answer thereunto called The Accuser of our Brethren cast down c. Subscribed by Ellis Hook in the name of the second Day of the Weeks Morning Meeting in London may be plainly seen That which demonstrates also the 〈◊〉 creeping Work of this Spirit is that although William Rogers in his Title Page pretends his Book to come forth in the 〈◊〉 of himself and many of his Brethren The Question being often put as Hundreds will Witness and required of him or any to Answer to Who would stand by it Or say they had Unity with its coming forth in Print We cannot yet find the Man that declares he owns it or that will say I am one that will stand by it And yet a creeping sort of Men backsliden of a certain Truth from God and turned from the Truth and work the Works of Darkness hands it out amongst the loose sort of Professors of Truth and many other as the 〈◊〉 serves them notwithstanding known Enemies to the Life of God and the Testimony of Truth and despisers of such as have received the same and holds their Integrity in it Reader It may be cause of Wonder that this People that came out together in the Light and Unity of the one Spirit and have stood together with Hand and Shoulder against the many Heads and Horns that have pushed at them and who have been struck at more or less under every Government that hath been since they were a People and none has been able to break them but all has tended to their Encrease and Stability in the way they have been led into and walked in that such should now when their outward Ease comes to be enlarged fall at Odds and Difference amongst themselves apparently as some may expect to the great damage if not the Ruin of them In the first place we would have all to know and take notice that in the Light and Life of Truth our antient Unity stands and in it all are established who keep Entire and Faithful to it In it we are the same in Love in Fellowship through the eternal Power against which the Gates of Hell shall not prevail that ever we were our Life grows in God our Testimony stands we are on our way the Lord is before us and there 's none shall be able to pluck us out of his Hand our Faces are still Sion wards and our Confidence through the Eternal Power that 's inlarged amongst us to have our Residence there in that good Land which God hath given us to taste the Fruits of and the earnest blessed be God we have with us of that Inheritance that never hath an end and we are comforted in our way who keep to Truths Life and if any turn out to the right Hand or to the left it s their own fault and will be their own loss the Lord will be clear and his People clear having discharged our Duty thus far concerning them It s confessed to the grief of our Souls there are a few that came out with us by an Eternal Arm that have not eyed the Lord and his Power for Safety but are gone out from us having betrayed the Life in which they were with us and are become not of us As it was said They went out from us because they were not of us for if they had been of us no doubt they would have continued with us It may in truth be told you that have read William Rogers's Book for your Satisfaction if you desire it what sort of Professors of Truth this Evil and Mischief of being led back again from the conduct of Gods Power to covet the Flesh-Pots of Aegypt's Land and satisfie the Lusts of a corrupt mind in opposition to the Churches Care in this Gospel day hath befallen First They are such as although the Openings of life and the hidden Wisdom of the pure God were in some measure Revealed in some of them and although in some measure they might have partaken of the Ministry of Christ Jesus as Judas did amongst the Twelve yet not giving God the praise nor singly attributing the Glory to him that Worthy deckt themselves therewith as it was of old the Lord said I gave them of my Jewels and they deckt themselves therewith c. So
Light with Respect to Discipline according to the Order and Rule of Truth and their Practice accordingly Stands Fustified as consistent with the Doctrine of Christ the Aposties Command Scripture-example and the Primitive Practice amongst the Believers touching this Matter By that Eternal Word that was man's Life and Glory in the beginning before Sin and the separation from God was a Remnant that have believed and have been gathered home again unto God In which Word our Fellowship stands with the Father and with the Son according to Antient experience and through the Holy Spirit are we brought into Unity one with another in that Invincible life which they that believe not are strangers to and in the Tabernacle the Lord hath given us in this World as the Family of God we are in that Society wherein in the Love that we bear one unto another and in that Godly care we have amongst us for God's Glory and Truth 's Praise our desires are to be one anothers help and advantage every way so as that in all things we may be as becomes the Heritage of God And for this cause is it that we are a people Setled through the Power and Spirit of Truth in that good Order and Discipline as becomes the Family of him who hath chosen us That Love and Care none other we have laboured to preserve amongst us according to Christ's Doctrine and the Primitive Example as that we may Glorifie God in Body Soul and Spirit and by reason whereof all men may know that we are Christ's disciples and that we are in that Faith which works by Love And in the same eternal Power by which we are a People and in which we are made HelpGovernments in the Church of God an eye is open and an Inspection given us in which what ever is decent comely and of good report is cherished and approved of and what ever is contrary is seen whether in things appertaining to Doctrine or Practice Conversation and Life And in the same Power which is the Terrour to the evil-doer is the exercise of God's People in relation thereunto according to the Blessed Order Christ 〈◊〉 directed unto in the Case of Trespass of one Brother against another where the Church might come to be concerned as to hearing the Matter and giving judgment in the case as the Lord might direct according to the Power and Authority given in which the Sentence might be passed for want of the Church being heard by the offending Brother let him be unto thee as an heathen-man This Order and Discipline was directed to to be in the Church and this Government and Judgment by Christ Jesus given unto them who had received of his good Spirit in which Spirit of Truth that leads into all Truth it is and in none other that in our tender care in the Church of God we are concerned and have a Witness in the Consciences of all the tender-hearted before the Lord. And whatever William Rogers sayes in his Malicious Slandering Mind God is our Witness we have no care upon us in Relation to the Church of God but in that Love in which we were beloved of him and in which we are knit together We have no concern but in the Power our Eye is unto that There is no Rule Discipline or Government amongst us but in the power in which our Souls are Subjected unto God and in which we are Servants one to another In which power we do 〈◊〉 as given us of God for his Glory's sake Authority to hear Determine and give Judgment not only in matters relating to the outward man in cases of Difference brought before the Churches and upon the case of any not hearing the Church to declare him as not worthy of the Fellowship of God's people but to be unto us as an Heathon-man But also in matters relating to Conscience or the Inner man As the Apostle said A man that is an Heretick after the First and second times 〈◊〉 reject And as we have a concern upon us to stand approved in Gods sight and in all Consciences in the matter of Doctrine and Principles of Truth so also with respect to Conversation and Life to live void of offence towards God and Man in that Pure Religion we are brought into to visit the Fatherless and the Widdow and keep our selves unspotted of the World whose Care and Order relating thereunto is no way Inconsistent with the Apostle's Counsel and the Churches Practice in his day The Apostle said to the Corinthians Dare any of you having a Matter against another go to Law before the 〈◊〉 c. And that the Care of the Churches of Christ in this matter amongst this people whom William Rogers presumes to render as Apostates and Innovators and their Order and Practice is consistent with the Apostles advice let the Records of our Meeting-Books Testifie and let our disconcern with any other People save them of our Principle and Profession in any matters relating to 〈◊〉 amongst us speak in all men amongst whom our residence is The Care and Order we have in relation to the Widdow and Fatherless and them that are in necessity let our Practice touching that matter declare thereof Unto whom are we Burthensom in that case Unto what Magistrate have we complained or 〈◊〉 relief from in the case of any Brothers Indigency or want save in the case of laying before them the Oppressions and sufferings that we have been exposed to for our Testimonies sake that the cry of the Poor the Widow and the Fatherless on that Account may not enter the Lord's ears to bring his wrath upon them because thereof Or which of the Widows that are Widows indeed or of the Poor amongst us that keep faithful to Truth have found fault with us and complained of Neglect amongst us concerning them Wherein are We Inconsistent with the 〈◊〉 Practice in Relation to dealing with such as become any way Scandalous to Truth let our Records in that case speak for us in bearing a Testimony against the same and publishing of it according to the Merits thereof and the Knowledge of it abroad for the clearing of Truth and declaring our disowning of such as are led aside on that wise till Repentance be wrought and the Lord's Forgiveness be felt concerning them Let the Care and the Order we have and the Practice we are found in in Relation to the Inspecting Marriages as to clearness every way consistent with Truth 's Life and the Churches allowing or disallowing as matters are found in relation thereunto being twice brought before our Men and Womens Meetings and our decent comey and orderly proceeding with 〈◊〉 of Parents c. in the Accomplishment thereof before many of the Lord's People in publick Assemblies for the most part gathered for that very occasion that they may be Witnesses thereof We say let our practice in these matters Testifie to our consistency with the Care that 's incumbent upon us as God's
other cause we say it is that they thus render us but because we are a People orderly setled as becomes the Family of God under a Government and Dissipline relating to us as Men in the Tabernacle God has given us wherein to be his Praise In their Book it is Inserted No Authority to be used in the Church but the Power Nothing to be set up there but the Spirit of Jesus Must there then in the Power and Spirit of Jesus be no visible Order or Authority used or placed amongst us as the visible Family of God This is clear contrary to the Command of Christ with respect to the Churches dealing with the offending Brother and Sentence upon him if he hear not the Church This is contrary also to what the Apostle Paul said who said Submit your selves one unto another and unto them that have the Rule over you as they that must give account to God that watcheth over your Souls They say in their Book The Gospel that brings 〈◊〉 is inward and its Order must be inward And must there therefore be no Care visible No visible Inspection No Discipline visible amongst us No care over the Weak Nothing to do visible with the Loose and Scandalous Nothing to do with the Heretick Paul said otherwise Cast out the Incestuous person The Heretick after the first and second Admonition Reject What will this Doctrine of theirs lead to in the end but to Stubbornness and Obstinate Rejection of the Care the Admonition the Advise Counsel Reproof and Judgment yea the Authority of the Spirit and Gospel of Christ in the Saints to whom Judgment is given and so lead at last unto Loosness and Ranterisme Yet when they have made all this Clutter and Bauling against Church Order and Care c. like our present Adversary William Rogers they consider better again or else forgets clearly what they said and tells us what Orders they have had amongst them these twenty Years and says they use the same still And so gives a Relation what they do about the Poor about Marriages about Condemnations and the like though wonderfully deceitful and dishonest in the matter thereof and talks of things after such a rate and manner not at all consistant with their Practice as in the Answer to it is manifested it would make the Heart sad to see it and also what abuses they put upon the Church of God and the tender Practices of Gods People used and practiced amongst us as our Quarterly Meeting Books will demonstrate and it may be noted that all this Clamour that 's made against the Order Discipline and Government used in the Power of God in all the Churches and Assemblies to which their Book of Remonstrance is directed to wit monthly quaterly yearly and second days morning Meeting whom also they place a Judgment upon as departed from their first Principle and this Cluttering and Exclaming we say against these things as setting up Forms and outward Rules and Orders and the like and says the Gospel is inward and the Order of it must be so and as much as to say no way else is made by the very Persons that listed a number of pittiful unfaithful Men many of them in a Subscription to such Orders Rules and Prescriptions as the like we have not heard of amongst the Children of God to wit that none must come and 〈◊〉 amongst them about the Concerns of the Curch but such as they chuse and those to whom they have given Power and complains of some coming amongst them not 〈◊〉 by the Churches in Westmerland and unto whom they had not given Power in that they allow none to come but those chosen by them though never so undetectible in every respect out of other Countries nor of their own Country to sit amongst their chosen Men but if they have a 〈◊〉 they must declare the same and with draw The most 〈◊〉 Impositions tending to limit the Spirit of God in his People that have been heard of amongst Men in a profession of Truth and amoust such as pretend a keeping to the first Love and Life of the Principle believed in and besides such Contradicting Confused Distracted and Jumbling Work as is made by them from their offs and on s confessing and denying in and out so that it is admirable to think whither they are gone or what it is they would be at The aforesaid Manuscript of their Remonstrance we have by us and the Answer at large given to it ready for the view of such as may desire the same or otherwise to be made use of as William Rogers or any of party with him gives us occasion Yet before we altogether leave making mention of the aforesaid Manuscript we would give the Reader a little notice of one or two material Pasiages therein relating to somthing that their great outcry hath been against the Church of God in the Practice of and for which the Character of Apostates is given us First The Recording of Condemnations for publick Transgressions which John Wilkinson says Renders a Man a Knave to Prosterity Which Practice we do grant we use together with the Repentance of such as comes to it to out live the Memory of the Sin and thereby to take the Blemish from off the Truth that was cast upon it thereby The Subscribers of the said Book of Remonstrance say most slanderously of us That when any have done a publick scandalous Evil upon a few Words writ of their confessing their Fault though they be not in any measure by Sorrow and Repentance brought to God and restored to him again they are right enough again for our Society Which we say is an impudent false Aspersion which they can never prove against us but we say we deny no Papers given forth whereby to clear the Truth and our holy Profession although the Sin be not repented of nor Remission come to and let that go after the Transgression and remain on Record as a Testimony for the pure Truth and the justness of the Judgment of the Lord thereupon which may also be of Service as a Caution to others in Generations to come and if the Transgressors do not thus the Church of God is concerned therein in a clear denial of any such Transgressions with a Judgment thereupon as also of any Fellowship with them found therein till true Repentance be wrought and a signal Testimony thereof manifested and our Records Practice and Fellowship will and doth demonstrate the truth hereof Now a few Words to what they say is their Practice in this matter inserted in the aforesaid Manuscript They mention there what a care they have if any run into Sin to stir up the Witness of Life in them and that when any upon Repentance finds the Mercy of God again arise to them and that they find the Lords requierings to renew their Peace with him and clear the Truth and give out a Paper to tell of his Judgments and Mercies and leave
me many Months before and then I ask him whether he can say that it was any thing but a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Spirit in him that seeks occasion against the Innocent to render 〈◊〉 Paper a false Certificate on the score thereof with many other abusive 〈◊〉 upon me in Print to Posterity and whether he hath done in this case as he would have been done by For I know he is a Man of that understanding as to see and acknowledge that where a Word in a sentence happens accidentally to be on the account of 〈◊〉 or the like that causeth the sentence to carry another signification then the scope of the 〈◊〉 Discourse relates to or where the Speaker or Writer doth signifie that the 〈◊〉 or the intent of his mind therein was not according to the signification of the said Word but otherwise as he then expresseth himself Such an one on such an occasion according to Scripture Rule and the Charity that is to be extended to all is not to be made an Offender and a clear occasion William Rogers had given him by the scope I say of my whole Paper relating to that matter to know my mind therein as also I cannot but believe but that my Answer to this Charge he had received before he needed to have 〈◊〉 this matter in Charge against me in Print and yet for all this he hath made me and Published me to the whole World an Offender for a Word yea I may say for a Letter which is so far from the rule of Christianity Civil Society and Honesty amongst morral Men that its an absurd 〈◊〉 thing for a Man of his supposed Parts and very nausious in the sight of wise and 〈◊〉 Men. And further I may tell William Rogers that had he been a Charitable 〈◊〉 Man and not one that watched for an occasion for Evil or had he exercised the Parts which God gave him as a Man he might easily have gathered that seeing my Name was at the Conclusion of the said Certificate or Testimony then those Words from which he grounds the Charge were not properly like to be mine neither indeed were they any of them nor are they in the first Copy nor in any Copy that came from me but had been put in by the 〈◊〉 without my knowledge in that Copy which it seems came to him which I cannot but say was a little weakly placed there by whom I know not in 〈◊〉 much 〈◊〉 that the Letter 〈◊〉 is at the end of the word Aspertion which should not have been upon which occasion William Rogers very 〈◊〉 with respect to the material 〈◊〉 appertaining to the Case and unmanly hath done concerning me for as I had no Hand in that Word so 〈◊〉 had I any thoughts as my Paper demonstrateth to concern my self in any 〈◊〉 in relation to the clearing 〈◊〉 Fox from the Aspersions cast upon him any further then what the clearing of him from that charge and 〈◊〉 alledged against him might tend as to the invalidating of all 〈◊〉 rest which I must 〈◊〉 and as I believe many will conclude that it greatly tendeth unto And 〈◊〉 to speak as charitably of the Transcribet as in 〈◊〉 we ought to do I say that the little Prologue prefixed to my Paper by him might be very 〈◊〉 done and not worthy of any such occasion to be taken on the Score thereof for to 〈◊〉 at the beginning of the matter being annexed to another's Matter or Discourse was very properly to be done whereby more Intelligibly to distinguish between them for the Words expressed taken in the most charitable sence might not import that it was intended thereby to clear George Fox of all c. but that they tended to clear George Fox of the Aspersions cast against him that the following matter related to so all things every way considered in that Love that thinks no Evil it s clearly seen that for 〈◊〉 of matter William Rogers in the malice of his Mind catcheth at any thing to keep his restless turbulent discomposed smiting Spirit at Work with thereby manifesting that he runs himself into great mistakes touching the same not only perverting thereby the thing he aims at but gives occasion through that means to manifest his 〈◊〉 the more Several other abusive reflections William Rogers hath cast upon me in his Rejoynder or Answer to my Certificate about the matter in charge against George Fox spoken to in the Answer to his Rejoynder which touch me not nor do they hurt my Life and Peace with God viz. That I am puft up with Spiritual Pride my Zeal turned into Envy my Wisdom into Folly whereby I am now become as heretofore in another case relating to John Story so dexterous in giving forth a false Certificate Answer This is my Comfort in the midst of all God hath not made William Rogers Judge over me though he would intrude into the Prerogative of 〈◊〉 Jesus and take upon him that which the Lord hath not given him therefore never reacheth my Life and if for my Testimony for God and his Antient Truth and the Fellowship of Brethren and my Zeal for the propagating the Government of the Spirit and Gospel Order in Gods visible Family and for my tender concern in the holy Exercise thereof I am become 〈◊〉 I am resolved in the Strength of the Eternal God to keep fast my stedfastness therein to the end of my Days that I may lay down my Life in Peace although for my so doing I shall become more vile yet and I am livingly satisfied that all his and others Reproaches which the Lord suffers to be my lot tends to my Advantage in God and the knowledge of Truth and no way lessens my repute in the Hearts of Gods faithful People and let William Rogers and those of the 〈◊〉 Company do their worst the Burden in the end shall be their own And as for that smiting Charge of my giving forth false Certificates against John Story There is none I testifie that I have been concerned in in relation to him but the Substance thereof shall be stood to when William Rogers or any of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lets me see what they are and undertakes to convict me thereof 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 William Rogers mentions none here I take no notice of it any 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to manifest his unchristian Spirit that watcheth for Evil and smiteth 〈◊〉 the Back neither do I believe will it be of any credit with them that fear the 〈◊〉 and love Righteousness and desire to do unto all as they would be done 〈◊〉 And William Rogers hath no good cause to Impeach me thus with respect to John Story for many are Witnesses what Kindness and good-will I did bear with respect to his 〈◊〉 good and keeping his antient Repute in Truth amongst Gods People and that I stood by him in his Weakness so far as any way 〈◊〉 I could in excusing of him until he became my Shame through turning his Back of the Lords Kindness and the Brethrens too and became hardned in Evil till the Lord gave him up to a Reprobate Mind And I bless God that the good-will I bore to John Story and my care whilest his Day lasted and my Testimony born against a 〈◊〉 sort the reward thereof is returned into my Bosom having cleared my Conscience every way thus far concerning him and he rest of them let them consider of it in time as they will Answer the same 〈◊〉 the Lord in the great Day John Blaykling THE END Which wrong Spirit will never give them to see their duty nor lead them into it Printed by John Bring 〈◊〉 These Accusations are 〈◊〉 and his Eyes were evil John Story said He would have his Hand Cut off before he would take his Name from off the Paper for Separation This he said to R. B.