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A57582 The Christian-Quaker distinguished from the apostate & innovator in five parts, wherein religious differences amongst the people termed in derision Quakers, are treated on : George Fox one (at least, if not the chief) reputed author thereof, is deducted : doctrines of truth owned by the children of light (and cleared from objections) are laid down according to Holy Scriptures and revelation of the Spirit / by William Rogers, on behalf of himself and other friends in truth concerned. Rogers, William, d. ca. 1709. 1680 (1680) Wing R1858; ESTC R17833 416,424 648

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they are though under ever so specious Pretences that have indeavoured to Establish Outward indispensible Rules and Orders in matters relating to Conscience for the Church of Christ in this Gospel Day to Walk by neglecting to commit and Commend every one unto the Word nigh in the heart that thereby they may be preserved from subjection to any thing outwardly ordained which they may either scruple in Conscience or are not led by the Word nigh in the Heart to Practise are such as in the best and most Fovourable Construction act from Zeale without Knowledge in which kind of Zeal Paul himself Phil. 3.6 though as to the Righteousness of the Law blameless yet Persecuted the Church This kind of Zeal is accompanied with that Ignorance which the chief amongst Apostatized Churches have accounted the Mother of Devotion by which Thousands in Ages past in the Dark Night of Apostacy have been led into the Observation of many Unsavoury Dictates Erroneous Decrees Unwarrantable Traditions and Superstitious Examples either of one Man or assemblies of men not knowing what they have either believed or Practised to be an incumbent duty upon them through an inward evidence from Gods Witness in their Consciences or Tryal thereof by the Light of Christ May not the same Cloud of Darkness overshadow any of the Children of Light in this our day saith our Souls Moreover 't is observable that if Report be true this doctrine hath of late been exalted NO UNITY BUT IN CONFORMITY which if applyed to the Outward Prescriptions of one Man or Assemblies of men assuming to themselves authority to act and determin in matters appertaining to the Gospel and its Order thereby to become a Bond upon the Consciences of those who have Believed in the Everlasting Light of Christ Jesus as the great Order and Ordinance of God in this Gospel Day may occasion the Continuation of Discord Distraction and Division contrary to the Gospel and Doctrine of Truth which hath been publisht received and believed amongst the Children of Light in these latter days who neither have nor can receive any Doctrine contrary to this Testimony of the Apostle 2 Cor. 3.6 The Letter Killeth but the Spirit giveth Life We now appeal unto every understanding ingenious and impartial Reader whether since the Labour of the Apostles of Christ in the primitive dayes was to draw the Outward Jew off from the observation of these ordinances which were realy established by the appointment of God himself having exalted instead thereof the word nigh in the heart and Law written therein as a fulfilling of that which according to the Word of the Lord by the mouth of his Prophet was to come to pass under the new Covenant which was not to be like unto the Old can consist with the tenour of the new Covenant for any to attempt the establishment or giving forth of Outward Orders Prescriptions Sentences or Decrees to be on that foot a Bond upon the Consciences of those who have believed in the Everlasting Light Especially if they are of the Gentile Stock according to the Flesh unto whom the Law appertained not for so the People of England are and if not whether those who are otherwise perswaded and according to such a perswasion may be found acting may not though under the Outward Profession of Truth it self justly be numbered amongst those of whom in the best sense it may be said They have Zeal without Knowledge and Ignorance is the Mother of their Devotion And now as to those who have Knowledge without Zeal Charity doth not Oblige us to conclude that such in that state chiefly design to live well that so they may dye well for as Christ said so may we Luk. 12.48 Unto whomsoever Much is given of him shall be Much required the want of Zeal in a known Good Cause is as we take it the neglect of a Known Incumbent Duty wherein God hath given Power else how could it have been said to the Luke-Warm Church of Laodicea after an understanding was given unto her how she might come to see viz. by anointing her eyes with Eye Salve Lev. 3.19 be Zealous amend for doubtless Power was given of God into her to amend as well as direction how to see but of the want of Knowledge it cannot be so said as of the want of Zeal Because 't is not equally in our Powers to attain unto Knowledge when we want it as it is Zealously to Practise what we know to be our duty we may therefore conclude that where Knowledge is not accompanyed with Zeal though requisite t is in the best sense a token of a Luke-warm Spirit and in some where it hath predominated we have clearly discerned that first they have been over-awed by the Frowns of man or men and then under the Pretence of bearing all things neglect to give their Testimony for the Truth without respect to any Person whatsoever more than the Truth might require and by this means some have undoubtedly been the occasion whereby many have been caught in the Snare of the Evil one not Knowing through a Neglect of their Inward Teacher which way to turn and that Loads and Burthens have been the Portions of others who whil'st they have kept Stedfast unto the antient Doctrine Exalting the appearance of Christ by his Light to be our Law Rule and Guide have beheld some of their Brethren not only captivated with a kind of a slavish Fear but also in their Practices receeded from what their first Principle would have led them to having used politick Contrivances to retain the Favour and Affections of some who perhaps in their View have appeared to be like unto the rising Sun and so have given more way to a Temporizing Spirit than to acquit themselves as Good Christians in the sight of God by which the Conscience comes to be kept voyd of offence towards God and Man and all this as with respect to some 't is doubted for fear lest they should be termed Sect-masters by such as in this Gospel-day have assumed a Pretended Authority to establish Outward Orders to be a Rule for and Bond upon the Children of Light to walk by without any exception thereby to avoid oppressing a tender Conscience But this is far wide of that Zeal which accompanyed the Apostle Paul in his Converted State who was termed a Ringleader of the Sect of the Nazerenes by the Unbelieving Jews that would have Judged him according to their Law which undoubtedly would then have inflicted Severe Punishment on him which being duly considered we may well say 't is far wide of Pauls Zeal to fear under this Gospel-day the Title of a Sect-Master on the score of refusing Outward Conformity to Outward Rules and Orders relating to the Conscience under the Notion of Gospel-Orders establisht amongst the People called Quakers not only Because they have no Law whereby corporally to Punish but also because we have no Ground either from the Word of the Lord by the
of the Eternal God who was with the Father before the Foundation of the World was laid is become the Horn of their Salvation and hath brought Immortality to Light in them and revealed that Teacher that can never be moved into a corner and therefore these cannot depend any longer on the teachings of man nor yet on outward Canonical Articles Creeds Directories or Church-Faiths prescribed by man but on the teachings of Christ alone by his Light and Spiritual appearance in themselves to lead and guide unto the Father of life The sound of this Alarm as many can yet witness became a joyful sound to that soul which was hungring after the Lord though piercing as a Dart through the liver to the man of sin so that astonishment and amazement seemed to take hold on many whereby they became a By-word a Mock and a Taunt unto such whose dependencies were on their outward Teachers c. as aforesaid I say again Oh Friends let the Remembrance of this Day come before you and consider further what was the voice of the Eternal Power unto such who were struck with amazement after they believed the appearance of that power whereby they were so struck to be the appearance of the Power of God I well remember the voice was on this wise To your own To your own To your own Meaning thereby that they should turn in their minds to the Light of Christ in their consciences which was declared to be that teacher which could never be removed into a corner that so they might witness the fulfilling of that loud voice uttered by the Angel flying through the midst of Heaven Having the everlasting Gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the Earth c. Fear God and give glory to him for the Hour of his judgment is come and worship him that made Heaven and Earth c. For no doubt but the Spirit of the Lord revealed unto those first labourers in the Gospel that there was a pronenesse in the Sons and Daughters of Men to admire to depend upon and sometimes through an affectionate part or blind Zeal to worship such are were instruments to give forth outward Directories or Church-Faiths For we find that the Apostle tells us of worshipping Angels which are Messengers whom God hath sent by him that intrudes into things which he hath not seen therefore I am perswaded that the voice of Truth through them was not only thus viz. To your own which being observed leads into an independency upon others but also frequently on this wise We preach not our selves look not unto us In the Consideration of these things I cannot but cry aloud in the aforesaid words of the Angel that had the everlasting Gospel to Preach Fear God and give Glory to him And then no doubt but every such one that hath concerned himself to condemn his Brother on no better ground than from the example and prescription of another will come to see that therein he hath not kept to his own and so hath been led into a By and Erring Path. Oh Friends let therefore this cry pass through every heart To our Own To our Own To our Own That is to say to every one 's own measure of Christ's Light or Grace of God Received which the Apostle saith is sufficient with this secret breathing of Spirit unto the God of our lives that all may be thereto retired For if that Counsel might but take place it seems to me that there could then be no room for any to impose or press the observation of other mens Lines upon any which no doubt is one great occasion of the religious differences treated on and not only so but it would mould all who retain the name of Christianity into the very nature thereof and so consequently a reconciliation in the everlasting Truth might quickly ensue For if that Door be but once shut through which variance and disunion entred there may then arise a hope of cessation to such contention and strife as is out of the Truth but if not I may then say how can the effect cease whilst the cause remains I well Remember and many with me that whil'st friends kept to their Own and concerned not themselves to promote a zealous observation of other mens Lines made ready to their hands we then heard not of so much contention strife and debate both publick and private as of late years hath been but since the promotion thereof Confusion Disorder Emulation Malice and Envy hath been its Offspring which hath been manifested by publick unjust revilings against some when zealously contending for the Faith of Gods Elect and though these are of that number that prefer obedience to their own measures of Grace received before obedience to the measures of others yet other some there are who have endeavoured to bring Friends into conformity to the pretended Dictates of the Spirit through others or at best through that one man G. F. before spoken of and that under the penalty of being accounted guilty of Corah's sin for scrupling to conform and thus the variance is like to continue unless the God of Heaven for his Names sake by the Arm of his own Power shall put a stop thereto And forasmuch as I could not but say in all seriousness of Spirit for the clearing of my conscience Let the remembrance of the dayes that are past come before you wherein the Servants of the living God sounded by his trumpet an Alarm to the Nations and that the Servant of the Lord Edward Burrough many years deceased is honourably spoken of by some if not by all of both parties of the People called Quakers at variance one that had the Trumpet of the Lord to sound and hath therewith sounded as a Son of thunder as well as of consolation many Alarm unto the Nations I shall conclude with the citation of a part of an Epistle written by him in the Year 1658. to the Friends of the City of London and so leave the consideration thereof to the Impartial Reader to savour whether according to the sense of his counsel we ought not to know the Spirit of God in our selves to be the ground of all our actions and if so then to practise from other mens Lines without an inward conviction by the Spirit in our selves can be no more accepted as indeed it is not than the offering of the halt and the blind for a Sacrifice under the first Covenant was Here follows the citation out of Edward Burrough's aforesaid Epistle YEa it is peace to the Soul and gladness to the Heart and refreshment to the Life to feel and witness the teaching of the Spirit of the Father leading into all Truth and preserving out of all transgressions wherefore I beseech you all let this be your whole desire and the full practice in your life and then shall the Countenance of the Lord shine upon you and his face shall make you glad if in all things you look unto
him for counsel and wait upon the teachings of his Spirit which dwelleth in you which the Father hath given unto you because you are his Children and this he requireth from you that his own Spirit in you which hath begotten you may be the root and moving cause of all your works and words and herein will you receive Acceptance with him and Peace from him and Righteousness in him and everlasting Joy by him continually and this is the inheritance unto which you were begotten heirs to possess for ever Bristol the first day of the eight Month. 1680. William Rogers 'T is thought meet to inform the Reader that though the five parts of this Treatise are now bound up together yet 't was once designed that they should also be published in single parts which hath occasioned the inserting of some things oftner than would have been and the wording of other things not so proper and concise as it might had it at first been so concluded Post-script UNderstanding that some among the People called Quakers within the City of London either from Knowledge or Jealousy that of late I have been concerned to publish in Print something against George For have already concerned themselves to Dislike and give pretended Reasons against my so doing which if past over in Silence and the Truth not cleared may have a Tendency to defile the Minds of some of the Friends of Truth and to establish the Opposers thereof in their present Evil and wrong Sentiments of those who encourage the bringing forth of this Treatise I am now in Conscience concerned to add this Postscript for this End First That all Friends may have a further Caution to hear see and savour for themselves and not too hastily censure any unheard in their own Defence Secondly That they may not be ensnared by the evil Insinuations false Suggestions or unreasonable Constructions whether of the Blind Zealot principled to Eye the Brethren in stead of the Light in himself or the Luke-warm Partial appearing Note I would not be hereby understood that all who appear Newters are either Luke-warm or Partial because I am satisfyed many honest-hearted Friends that know the Truth have not a Knowledge of all the Differencies and so may be accounted with Respect to some parts of the Controversy as Newters and others not being concerned in the Controversy may be termed Newters and set such as walk in the Antient Path of Truth in all Sincerity Newter that is sensible of the great falling away and yet either for Ease and Interest Sake or a slavish Fear stifles his own Knowledge For the time is come wherein a Discovery must be made of the Ignorance of the one the Hypocrisy of the other and the irreligious unchristian-like Deportments and Constructions of both To the Matter in hand on this Occasion I now proceed First The Vatter as I understand disliked is my proceeding to print against George Fox Secondly The Reasons pretended to be given behind my back without so much as First signifying any thing by Word or Writing to me so far as I know against my so doing are these First That though I pretended I had often sent to George Fox about giving me a Meeting and that I also came up to London to read a Charge against him behind his back at which time as 't is said I was then told by some that they understood Grorge Fox would be at the General Meeting yet when he did come to it although I had advice from James Claypoole of his being come I neither took any notice thereof nor yet sent to him and yet further also as I now am informed some do raise as a great Argument in their Esteem against me this also viz. That when I was last in the City of London since the General Meeting I was also informed by the said James Claypoole that George Fox was but a few Miles off and yet did neither go to him nor stay until he came to the City but instead thereof hasted out of Town with great Diligence which as some say shewed that whatever I had pretended to meet George Fox yet I had no desire thereto My Concern now is for the Sakes of such simple ones who may be apt to take Shadows for Substance and impertinent irrational as well as irreligious and unchristian-like Discourses for Oracles when dropping either from the Mouth or Pen of one unto whom according to their Principle they may think themselves oblieged to have an Eye to discover the Impertinency and Fallaciousness of the Reasons urged against my proceeding to print against George Fox In order thereto I first observe that from the aforesaid pretended Reasons this pretended Argument may be urged Iames Claypoole being at London informs William Rogers then at Lristol that George Fox was come to the City and afterwards informs William Rogers when at London that George Fox was but a few Miles from the City but William Rogers takes no notice thereof nor yet sent to him nor waited for George Fox's coming to the City therefore William Rogers had no desire to meet G. F. when he formerly so pretended Were this to come only to the View of Men of Understanding and impartial I might well stop my Pen from any further attempt to discover the weakness and fallacy of such idle sort of Discourses because such would first be apt to enquire For what End I desired a Meeting with G. F and when they should be Informed That 't was to prove him guilty of things reproachfull to the Truth and that he would by no means assent to such a Meeting they would be ready to conclude that 't was his best defence to cover his Guilt from the Knowledge of such whose Faith might be in him and so conclude that no Obligation in Truth might be upon me to take any further notice of him as to a Meeting had it so happened as that I had accidently meet him in the very Street much less ride 94 Miles upon bare report from the said J. C. that he was in London as if my Business were the Business of such a poor Pensioner that had nothing to do but to attend G. F's Motion but rather to endeavour to clear my Conscience otherwise as now I am about to do However for the Sakes of others I shall proceed to clear the matter objected somewhat more First Then I must tell those evil Insinuators who say That I had no desire to meet G. F. when I writ to him of my readiness so to do that therein they belye me Secondly The Argument pretended to be deducible from the aforesaid Reasons cannot be good unless this following Assertion ought to be owned by every one that hath desire to meet with George Fox on the like occasion as I had viz. First That on the said J. C's notice that George Fox is or will be at London then 't is the Duty of any Friend that hath a desire to meet G. F. to come