us an Answer by the bearer hereof who comes on purpose to bring this and to receive an Answer from thee We are Thy Friends Thomas Gouldney William Ford. William Rogers As before is hinted no Answer is yet come which is ground of Jealousie that G. F. is Author of the said abusive Letter To conclude My Desire now is That every thing herein Treated of may be weighed in the Ballance of the Sanctuary and then I doubt not but that it will appear unto every Understanding Impartial Reader that George For hath been acted by an Erroneous Spirit and been Guilty of many Things reproachful to the Truth for which he ought to Humble himself if peradventure he may be made Partaker of the Mercies of the Lord and then no question but God's peculiar People will have a Sense thereof But until he appear Humbled through That Repentance that 's never to be Repented of his State and Condition is to be lamented of And though 't is not in the Power of any Mortal Man or any Assembly of Men on Earth whatsoever to Excommunicate from amongst the true Members of Christ's Body a Servant of the Living God unto whom through the Obedience of Faith in Christ is given an Earnest of the Great Salvation Yet if any one so outwardly pretending hath acted Erroneously and hath concerned himself Against his Brother at so large a rate as cannot be vindicated unless that Rule which Almighty God as by a Finger from Heaven through his Son Christ Jesus hath laid down viz. By their Fruits ye shall know them be to be esteemed as voyd 't is most just and reasonable to declare That such an one hath cutt him off from being a Member of the Body of Christ by departing from the Rock Christ on which Preservation and Help is laid On this Score I am now concerned in my Conscience thus to declare and conclude That for sometimes past G. F. hath stood in a state of Separation from many of the Lord's People May the God of Heaven give him a true Sight and Sense thereof unto Repentance that so before his Body be turned to Dust from whence it came he may be restored into Fellowship with them again saith my Soul Bristol 1 st Day of the 8 th Moneth 1680. William Rogers THE END AN INDEX Of some of the Chief Matters Treated on A APostacy A Discovery of several things which may be justly termed the Fruits of Apostacy and Innovation and in particular that Iohn Wilkinson and Iohn Story have been Judged and Condemned by Persons that have not heard them speak for themselves as doth appear in an Answer given by Thomas Gouldeny William Forde and William Rogers to a Paper subscribed by Charles Marshall and Sixty-Five more dated at Ellis Hooks his Chamber London the 12 th of the 4 th Month 1677. 2 d. Part p. 72 to 84. Apostolick-Order of the Church of Christ Robert Barclay asserts is Establish't amongst the People called Quakers and by the Scope of his Book of Government his Meaning is with respect to Outward Orders his Sense therein disproved 3 d. Part p. 23 to 33. Authority of the Church in Robert Barclay's Sense 3 d. Part p. 54. The Apostles assumed not Authority to give a Decisive Judgment in a Religious Conscientious Case without being chosen by the Parties differing and then they gave their Judgment according to the Faith both of Jew and Gentile unto whom it did relate 3 d. Part p. 65 66. See Church-Government B BAptisme of Water was the Ministration of Iohn not to continue to the End of the World 2 d. Part p. 45 to 50. The One Baptisme spoken of by Paul was the Baptisme of the Spirit 2 d. Part p. 50. Believers in Robert Barclay's Sense are bound by the positive Sentence and Decision of the Church in Matters of Conscience 3 d. Part p. 54. His Sense and Reasons examined and refuted 3 d. Part p. 54 to 61. Believers in opposite Practices and yet the Christian-Bond of their Fellowship not broken 3 d. Part p. 56. See Isaac Penington's Testimony touching that Authority which Christ excluded out of his Church 3 d. Part p. 89 to 98. This Sentence viz. We must believe as the Church believes Published by one called a Quaker examined and the Truth cleared from such Constructions as may be erroneously imported from thence 3 d. Part p. 73 74. See 1 st Part p. 23 to 27. C CHarity An Objection grounded thereon in favour of our Opposers Answered shewing Fruits of Weakness Presumption Danger of going beyond ones Gift excluding Reason eyeing Man and Things without instead of our inward Teacher The Reason why the Word of Life becomes to some the Savour of Death 1 st Part p. 17 to 22. Charles Marshall a Subscriber with Thirty-Six more of an Unrighteous Paper on the hearing of a Debate between Robert Barclay and William Rogers 3 d. Part p. 128 129. Observations thereon manifesting their Error and Partiality 3 d. Part p. 137 to 140. Christ by his Spirit a Law-giver like unto Moses 3 d. Part p. 9 10. Church-Government Our Sense of our Opposers Meaning touching Church-Government our Denyal of that Meaning and that no just Pretence be under the Notion of Church-Government to claim a Power over Property and Conscience The Doctrine of Robert Barclay importing Power over Property and Conscience refuted and our Sense touching the Method of deciding Controversies laid down An Objection Answered whereby 't is plain that Acceptable Obedience carryes with it Conviction of Conscience and that Christ encouraged not his Disciples to be Rulers over each other 1 st Part p. 44 to 61. See the 3 d. Part p. 35 to 41. Divers Sentences cited out of Robert Barclay's Book of Government importing an Approbation of such a Form of Outward Church-Government by some of the People called Quakers over others so termed wherein they undertake to Teach Traditions Exercise an Authority to Ordain Appoint Command and Rule over others whose Duty in Robert Barclay's Sense 't is to submit and that there lyes an Obligation on such as are gathered to Reverence Honour and Obey such as are set over them 3 d. Part p. 44 45. The said Sentences examined and that which is taken to be his Sense on the Scriptures quoted demonstrated to be a Perversion and that the words Order Rule Command Govern Government Traditions c. will not in the Apostles Sense import an Obligation on any Christian Believer to act any thing relating to Faith or Discipline on a Religious Score whereof by the Grace of God or Light in the Conscience he is not perswaded to be his Duty 3 d. Part p. 46 to 52. Christian-Quaker What he standeth for 1 st Part p. 27 to 30. Command Who are deemed by our Opposers to have Power to Command Ordain and Appoint 1 st Part p. 6 7 8. See Church-Government Confidence The Qualifications of such as abound in Confidence without either Knowledge or Zeal 1 st Part p. 76.
their Hunting Biting Devouring Spirit nor yet Weary themselves for meer Vanity lest the Eternal Decree of God should be sealed against them to their Destruction for ever more To conclude this first part we have yet to add that since 't is signified that the forty four Articles before cited relate to Church-Government and that we say they were drawn up against two Antient and Honourable Friends in the Truth viz. John Story and John Wilkinson we think it proper to cite one Passage as an evidence thereof out of the 4th Section of the Second part of the Historicall Manuscript Mentioned in the Preface to the Reader with the omission onely of the Names of Persons for the Reasons already given in the said Preface The Passage is as Followeth Before we shall make any Observation on the aforesaid Articles or Preamble thereto 't is needfull to Inform the Reader that nine Persons Concerned in Exhibiting the said Forty Four Articles against the two Friends spoken of before thus Declare concerning them in a Letter to nine others Chosen by the Accusers to be Judges over them viz. And Friends it is not any Personall Trespass against any of us that we Charge them with nor any Particular Concern of our own as Men that we are in the Defence but the Cause of Almighty God and in the sense of the Wrong they have done to him but yet notwithstanding in the same Letter they say that they have born a dear Love and Honourable respect unto them in the Holy Truth comparing his with what is Written in the third Article of the 44 Articles before cited viz. Slighting the Heavenly Motion on George Fox his Spirit in that Case in the Unity Pretiously felt and closed with meaning the Rule or Form of Church-Government set forth by George Fox pretending the motion of the Spirit as by the said Article appears 't is evident to us that in their sense a slighting of George Fox Rules Methods and Orders with Respect to Church-Government is a slighting of the Cause of God And though 't is said in the Unity Preciously felt and closed with yet that is Notoriously Erroneous if thereby is meant in the Unity of all Friends for that some of his Papers and Prescriptions in many Parts of the Nation amongst Friends have been little taken notice of as is well Known to us and credibly reported by many Moreover 't is evident to us that some have had so great esteem for the Prescriptions or Papers given forth by him as that they have concluded it to be no less than the Fruit of Confusion and Darkness to Believe that what he hath given forth was not intended by him to be urged with Severity which is no other than an inforcing and this doth thus appear John Story One of those two Brethren Articled against as aforesaid in their Answer to the said Forty Four Articles took occasion to give his sense touching such things which George Fox had given forth on this wise viz. That he did not Believe that George Fox intended any such thing that they Meaning his Papers Directed to the Churches should with Severity be urged upon any of Gods Faithfull People but as Instructions or Directions Commended them to the Churches Leaving the Effect thereof to God and his Leading Grace in his People to make use thereof as he should manifest a need of such Direction Counsel or Advice To this sense Robert Barrow and eight Persons Part of those who were Concerned in Exhibiting the said Forty Four Articles Replied a part whereof was on this wise Truly thy Darkness and Blindness is easy to be felt and they must be very dim of Sight that see thee not oh the confusion thy Dark Spirit is in To this we say This Answer seems so very Dark as if Blindness were the Lot of their Inheritance who so writ forwe well remember that the Testimonies of our ancient brethren who were skil'd in gathering and carefull not to scatter the Flock did not encourage any to follow any Outward Directions whatsoever without an inward Conviction from the Leadings of Gods All-sufficient Grace Freely given to Profit withall of the needfulness of the Direction Counsel or Advice contain'd therein and Why But Because an Observance not grounded on their Sufficiency of Gods Leading Grace in our selves of Outward Instructions or Directions in this Gospel Day may find no more Acceptance with the Lord of Life who is now to be worshiped obeyed and reverenced not otherwise than in and by the Spirit and Light thorough which he doth appear in Man than an offering of the Halt and the Blind which was forbidden in the time of the Law for a Sacrifice might and this our sense may well be vindicated from such like Testimonies as these frequently utter'd by our antient Brethren We Preach not our selves Let not your dependency be on us we are not neither desire to be Lords over your Consciences you ought to Be lieve for your selves and see for your selves and therefore we Counsel you to draw Water out of your own wells let it be your own and not anothers We now appeal to Gods Witness in all Consciences how this Kind of Language and Discourse can agree with such as render it the Fruit of Confusion and Darkness not to believe that the Outward Instructions or Directions of G. F. amongst the People called Quakers were Intended to be Urged with severity upon Gods Faithfull People Besides that which seemes to aggravate the Darkness is this That the Faithful must have Outward Precepts Directions or Instructions Imposed upon them Had the sense of those whose sense we cannot own been only with relation to the Unfaithfull it might have seem'd a little better The Consideration of these things is great cause of lamentation and mourning especially when we Consider that we have no Ground to believe either from the Scriptures of Truth given forth by Inspiration or from the Light of Christ in our Consciences that any man according to the motion of Gods Spirit in this Gospel-Day ought to take upon him the giving forth any Outward Rules or Prescriptions relating to Faith or Discipline in the Church with an intent that they should become a Bond upon others to submit thereto further than from a recommendation unto the Conscience a service may be seen therein according to the measure of Light given from him who is the fullness but whether this our sense is not by many others besides the aforesaid nine Persons amongst the People called Quakers slightly esteemed and a combined sort of Submission contrived as we suppose by a few though entered into by many at this Day we shall leave it to the unprejudiced understanding Reader to Judge on mature Consideration of what yet Follows Some few yeares past many Friends in the County of Westmoreland having been a long time burthened in monethly and quarterly Meetings by such as endeavoured to introduce the practice of some things under the Notion of Church-Government
designed to be treated upon is the Government of Christ which we do not believe to be represented by visible persons certainly known by outward Names distinguish'd by outward marks and tokens and invested with Power from him to execute Outward Laws in an Outward Form of Government visible by our Carnal Eyes as aforesaid That the Government of Christ is an Inward Government is evident from the words of the Prophet Jeremiah Jer. 31.31 32 33. I will make a New Covenant with the house of Israel c. not according to the Covenant that I made with your Fathers but this shall be the Covenant that I will make c. After those days I will put my Law in their Inward Parts and write it in their Hearts and will be their God and they shall be my People and they shall teach no more every man his Neighbour and every man his Brother saying know the Lord for they shall all know me from the least of them to the greatest of them saith the Lord. This we believe was spoken with respect to the Reign of Christ by his Spirit in the Hearts of the Sons and Daughters of Men and clearly shews that the Laws of Christ's Government under the new Covenant are written in the Hearts of his People and therefore an Inward Government Objection But if any shall object That the words of the Prophet relate not to those who are of the Gentile Stock of which Stock according to the Flesh it may be said that we are We thereto say That the words of Paul do effectually answer that Objection Rom. 10.12 There is no difference between the Jew and the Gentile for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him Col. 3.9 10 11. Lie not one to another seeing that you have put off the Old Man with his deeds and have put on the New Man which is renewed in Knowledge after the Image of him that created him where there is neither Gentile nor Jew Circumcision nor Uncircumcision Barbarian Scythian Bond nor Free but Christ is all and in all Many other Scriptures both out of the Prophets and Apostles Writings might be quoted to evidence the matter intended We are yet sensible that this further Objection may be raised Viz. Objection That neither the words of the Prophet nor of the Apostle cited by us make mention of Government over Jew or Gentile but doth shew as from the scope of the Scripture appears that the Apostle so writ to convince the Jews of the difference between the Righteousness of the Law and that of Faith and to shew unto Believers whether Jews or Gentiles that though some might appear in a Voluntary Humility Worship Angels intrude into those things they had not seen and be vainly puffed up in their fleshly minds and not give all Obedience unto the Head Christ through whom alone there is an increase in the increases of God yet they were therein reproveable as not being risen with Christ and further also to shew that those who were dead with Christ from the Rudiments of the world ought not to be subject to nor yet to touch taste or handle such Ordinances as were after the Commandments and Doctrines of Men. To this Objection we answer That though the word Government is not expressly mentioned yet there are words in what is cited out of the Prophet Jeremiah importing the three material Objects of Government viz. A Lawgiver the Place where the Law is to be found written and the People for whom it is given Besides from these words of Paul viz. The same Lord over all a Governour is implied viz. Christ Jesus our Lord and so consequently a Government over that All. And from what hereafter follows it will appear that the End of this Government is to lead into all Truth Moreover it leades us to observe That there are divers true Marks whereby the Opposers of Christ's Government may be distinguisht First They are such as are in a Voluntary Humility Secondly Such as Worship Angels which may reasonably be taken to be a Worshipping of some Messengers whom God hath sent because the signification of the word Angel is a Messenger Thirdly Such as intrude into those things they have not seen Fourthly Such as are puft up in their fleshly minds Fifthly Such as give not all obedience unto the head Christ And lastly Such as are Subject to Ordinances after the Commandments and Doctrines of Men. And to be very plain for the clearing the Truth we must give this our Testimony that we are really perswaded from what our Eyes Ears have been witnesses that many of those amongst the People called Quakers who have Zealously contended for the Observation of Outward Rules and Orders given forth by One Man bear all the aforesaid Marks for whosoever they are that pretend Zeal to promote submit unto and exercise themselves in other mens lines made ready to their hands and that on a pretended religious score when thorow the word of true Faith they see it not their duty or if they shall pretend they do and thereupon strive to enforce others to submit thereto there being no ground from the Scripture of Truth or Light of Christ so to strive it naturaly follows that the aforesaid Marks accompany such and this we confidently aver that thorough the whole Scriptures of Truth there is not one word from whence we may rationally expect and that according to the meaning of the Spirit that Christ hath or will Commissionate any One Man or Men to prescribe Outward Rules and Orders relating to Faith or Discipline in the Church to be binding on the Consciences of the Subjects of his Kingdom whether they should see it to be their duty from the Law written in their hearts or no. Besides if we consider the nature of Christ's Kingdom and Government it will appear to be such unto which outward written Laws visible by our carnal eyes and to be executed by perishing objects according to an outward Magistratical or Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction are wholly unsutable becaus Christs Kingdom is not of this world but is an Everlasting Kingdom and therefore 't is said That of the encrease of his Government there shall be no end and though John in the Revelations Chap. 11. V. 15. gives this Testimony That there were great voices in heaven saying the Kingdoms of this World are become the Kingdomes of our Lord and of his Christ And he shall Reign forever and ever Isa 61.11 yet there is nothing said to signify that the manner of his Reign was or should be otherwise then as before is described Moreover if any Man or Men have or may pretend him or themselves to be such on Earth on whom the weight of Christs Government which is Spiritual is laid it is not like to have any Evidence in our Consciences First Not only because we find no such Prophecy or Promise in the Scriptures of Truth but also for that we rather find the contrary for
neglect of their own Gifts And so such may become but little honour to the Brother who Ministred in his own Gift as the Oracle of God and not only so but little credit to the Truth if such by medling in things without their Line bring forth Confusion and Disorder For what can be the Off-spring of such who labour and travel in the things they understand not but the Brats of Babylon Besides those who are of such forwardly spirits as to pin their Faiths on other Mens Sleeves and say Amen to what other Men say before they have an Understanding opened to see the same may oft times approve notwithstanding this usual saying Can the Brethren Err of such things which are not ministred as the Oracles of God though pretended so to be And if any whose Understandings God hath opened to discern this kind of weakness in such who boasting in other Mens Lines of things made ready to their Hands in very deed take too much upon them do out of true Love endeavour to convince them that so they might wait on their own Gifts There are some ready to bring forth what befel Corah Dathan and Abiram because they said to Moses and Aaron Ye take too much upon you and what befel Miriam because she said Hath the Lord indeed spoken only by Moses hath he not spoken also by us and make such a use of these Scriptures as that they give occasion of Jealousy to some to conclude That there are some do believe that God hath raised up some Outward Person to be amongst the Children of Light at this Day like unto Moses and as he was in that Day amongst the Children of Israel Amongst the Children of Light in these our latter Dayes I never understood of any deserving an higher Title than an Elder or Ministring Friend But if such mean That God hath raised up any Outward Man or Men from whose Lips Gods People must at this day receive the Law of Christ and Record it in Books for Generations to come as his Law I know there are many of the Children of Light who retain their First Love and Integrity for the Truth to this day and Honour enough in their hearts for every Brother both Younger and Elder that keep faithful in their Place and in very deed take not too much upon them can receive no such Testimony not only because they know it to be against the Nature of the Second Covenant to expect such an appearance but also because they believe that Christ is that Prophet whom the Lord promised He would raise up like unto Moses whom we are to hear in all things and that his appearance is and will be in the heart where his Voice as a Law-giver is to be heard and accordingly to be obeyed Thirdly Though I pretend not to know the Occasions whereon the Apostles writ further than the Scripture manifests yet I do know how Truth was Preacht in the begining amongst those who through the Power thereof being gathered were called Quakers and that many would have undoubtedly fallen both on the right hand and on the left should the antient Labourers after they had been Instruments in the Lords hands to gather Thousands unto the Truth have thus said We are your Fathers who in Christ Jesus have begotten you through the Gospel and we have on that foot a certain Authority in the Power over you and to command such things as are needful for Order and Vnities sake and that there lyes an Obligation on you to Reverence Honour and Obey us And though you are our Witnesses that we have often Declared that our Commission from God was to turn People from Darkness to Light and from the Power of Satan to God that so they might all come to be Ordered and Governed by the Appearance of that Power in themselves Yet we did not mean but that when we had gathered any unto the Truth we should be those who ought to have the Rule over them and that such should observe our Traditions or follow us without giving them a Reason why And though they might in truth be submitting themselves one unto another in the Lord according to the Apostles Counsel yet all of them must submit to us and Reverence Honour and Obey us and not think it any Contradiction to the being led by the Measure of Gods Grace in themselves Should our antient Brethren Labourers in the Gospel have thus said I do not see that therein they would render themselves of another mind than R.B. is of if his Lines may be lookt upon as the product of his Mind but should they have so done doubtless as I have said before many would have fallen and Jealousies have enter'd the breasts of Thousands That though these our travelling Brethren exalted the Spirit of God in man as the only sufficient Rule for man and declared that the Scriptures were not a sufficient Rule to man yet in stead of leaving us to that Rule which they have declared to be sufficient they strain that which they have declared not sufficient to make it as much as in them lyes a Rule for them to Rule over their Brethren R. B. in his first Section which treats of the Ground and Cause of the Controversy speakes Page 15. of a sort of Persons that would needs be Innovators and given to change and introducting New Doctrines and Practices not only differing but contrary to what was delivered in the Beginning and Page 17. speaks of such who with swelling words talkt of and Preach'd up a higher Dispensation To which I say This Language leaves the Reader still Ignorant of what sort of Persons they are he hints at for that he tells not his Reader what was delivered in the Beginning and what is introduced contrary thereunto neither do I know how he well could unless by report from others since his Age would not admit him as a sufficient and sensible Witness thereof I shall therefore take the pains to do it for him The Doctrines delivered in the Beginning were chiefly these and such like viz. That a Measure of Christ's Light and Grace of God was given to every Man to profit withal that this Grace was sufficient that that which may be known of God was manifested in us that the Scriptures were not the Rule but the Spirit that that which was not of Faith was Sin that we should draw Water out of our own Wells let it be your own and not anothers that we should not boast in other Mens Lines of things made ready to our hands but that since every one must give account for himself we should see for our selves believe for our selves and savour for our selves and not pin our Faiths on the Sleeves of any lest we should become Will-worshippers But now there are a sort of Innovators given to change who introduce such Sayings and Doctrines as these are First That this Light will undo all or at least a Pretence to the Light which I
to Add. If Paul lookt on himself as one having Power to command to rule and govern over the Church of Christ and that 't was their Duty to Obey him whether they saw it so or no what 's the meaning that the same Paul testifies for himself and other his Brethren 2 Cor. 4.2 That they had not handled the Word of God deceitfully but by Manifestation of the Truth commending themselves to every Mans Conscience in the Sight of God comparing this with what Paul writes in the same Epistle 2 Cor. 10.15 Having Hope when your Faith is increased that we shall be enlarged by you according to our Rule abundantly it appears evidently to us that preaching up Obedience to that wherein the Conscience through Faith is not satisfied is a handling the Word of God deceitfully and therefore though we have been Informed that we are dark and blind even by such who tell us they do see publickly Preaching on this wise If you do not see your selves you must then follow us that do see yet we cannot on that foot embrace such Doctrine lest like blind men we fall all together into the Ditch and embrace that for the light of the Sun which is no other than the dark Body of the MOON We are now sensible another Objection may thus arise Object The Spirit of God which is but one in all hath moved in our Brethren to give forth certain Orders Commands and Prescriptions and therefore we ought accordingly to Obey and this cannot be called the Dictates of Fallible Man but of the Spirit given forth through Man and wast thou that pretendest thou seest it not thy Duty to Obey but Obedient to thy own Measure thou wouldest then see it so and be one with the Brethren and therefore we cannot but tell thee 't is thy Duty to Obey since the Reason thou seest it not thy Duty is thy want of Diligence and not waiting on thy own Measure besides we find that that very Person who hath travelled much for the settling of Mens Meetings hath lately given forth a Paper the import whereof is to Justifie Prescriptions Answ To this we say That if the Spirit of God moves in any Member of the Body of Christ to give forth certain Orders and Prescriptions with respect to the rest of the Members as that which though relating to their Consciences they ought to perform and practise whether they see it their Duty or no or whether they are free so to do or no then no doubt but they ought so to act and do because the Spirit of Truth hath so moved but this is to suppose that which under the Dispensation of the Second Covenant we have not the least ground from the Scriptures of Truth or Light of Christ to suppose For if the Blind was not to be accepted of for a sacrifice under the First Covenant much less can it be acceptable under the Second And therefore we do not believe that we ought to expect that any such motion from the Spirit of God should appear through any one or more Members of the Body of Christ with respect to other Members of the same Body and our Faith is that all those who are Heirs of that Kingdom which is everlasting are entituled to a like Freedom not to be Imposed upon each by other contrary to the Divine sense and Heavenly Understanding which as Co-heires and Co-workers together they are made Partakers of And this in the ensuing discourse will evincingly be manifested from the Scriptures of Truth however we must confess he that is not diligent to wait upon God in the Exercise of his own Measure of Grace received is by the Light of Christ condemnable not for refusing to perform that which he sees not to be his Duty with respect to other mens Lines made ready to his hand wherein he is not satisfied but for his neglecting to wait upon God because 't is manifest in every one that hath been convinced of the Truth that 't is our Duty to wait upon God And this our sense and reason answers to the Testimony of the Scriptures of Truth where 't is said Rom. 1.18 19. The Wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all Ungodlyness and Unrighteousness of Men who hold the Truth in Unrighteousness because that which may be known of God is manifest in them for God hath shewed it unto them So 't is clear to us from the Scriptures of Truth without us as well as from the Light of Christ within us that the Wrath and Condemnation of God goes forth against such as Live not Answerable to what God hath manifested in them but 't is neither agreeable to the Scriptures of Truth or Light within for any to poure forth Judgments against any for not following or giving heed unto this or 'tother Prescription or Outward Observation wherein the Conscience is concerned when such are not convinced thereof to be their Duty from the manifestation of Gods Spirit in them The next thing to be considered is this that in all the last mentioned Objection there is no Plea for Obedience unto or following any thing but the Spirit in its Appearance whether through the Brethren or thy self From whence we observe First That there is no certain Description who are meant by the word Brethren Secondly That 't is the Appearance of the Spirit that we ought to follow Now should this Question be ask't of such who may so Object as aforesaid Would you have us follow we know not what we are ready to Believe that they would say Nay if they answered any thing to the Question and if so then the Force of the Objection falls for that we account it our Duty to follow the Appearance of the Spirit of God through the meanest Member when our Consciences are convinced that 't is the Appearance of that Spirit But before we cannot say in Truth though we should do as such an one would have us that we are Followers of and led by the Spirit of God no more than Jesus can in Truth be called Lord * 1 Cor. 12.13 and not by the Holy Ghost Besides we cannot on this occasion but testifie that as that Obedience which is of Faith in Christ finds Acceptance with the Lord * Rom. 14.23 so that Obedience which is not of Faith being Sin is but a dead Performance and not the Fruit of a living Member who through the Obedience of Faith unto Righteousness is made alive unto God And therefore it cannot be the Duty of any Member of Christ's Body to run before his Inward Guide but to wait upon the Lord that all his Actions may be regulated according to the Manifestation and Revelation of the Spirit of God in himself which seems clearly agreeable to the Testimony of the Apostle where he thus saith Phil. 3.15 16. If in any thing ye be otherwise minded God shall reveal even this unto you nevertheless whereunto we have already attained let us walk
in him stablished in the Faith Col. 2.6 7. And then the very next verse saith Beware lest any man spoyl you through the Traditions of men according to the Rudimnets of the World and not after Christ If the following outward Decrees Precepts Sentences Decisive Judgment or Traditions of any sort of the Church had been in Pauls ' Eye a real and certain Indication of being Establish't in the Faith or rooted in Christ or that 't was the Practice of the Church to be Establishing Outward Indispensible Orders relating to the Consciences of Believers I leave it to the Judicious Reader to savour whether Paul would have so immediately and as it were in one breath caution'd them to beware of being spoyled through the Traditions of Men c. without a further Caution to take heed lest they should account the Commands Sentences Decrees or Traditions of the Church such These things considered and compared with the Measure of Light in our selves I am satisfyed 't is not agreeable to Truth for any Man or Assembly of Men to atempt an Outward Indispensible Establishment of Outward Orders Rules and Decrees relating to Matters of Consciences under the New Covenant as the Orders Rules and Decrees of the Church of Christ Moreover if Christ did stand in need of Assistance to Establish his Government how is it possible that Man whose dayes are but as a span long should be capable to Establish that Government of whose increase there shall be no end but so it is that he doth not stand in need thereof For the Son that is given shall Order his Government and Establish it with Judgment and with Justice even from henceforth and forever read Isa 9.6 7. Besides if we do but consider where and after what manner the second appearance of Christ hath been and yet is to be expected and waited for those who know the Truth as preach't received and believed amongst the People of the Lord called Quakers in the Beginning do know That his Second Appearance hath been and yet is to be expected and waited for in the hearts of the Sons and Daughters of Men and the manner of his appearance hath been and is by his Spirit in us this hath often been testifyed and that in opposition to those who have been looking for his Second Coming in some Outward Bodily Appearance to reign as Lord and King I now appeal to Gods Witness in all Consciences Whether the Outward Establishment of Outward Government under the notion of Christ's Government doth not seem to square more with the Principles of such who look for his Second Coming in some Outward Bodily Appearance than with the Principles of those who conclude his Second Coming to be by his Spiritual Appearance in the heart and whether it be not inconsistent with Right Reason and Truth to conclude that Christ Jesus the Lord will Establish his Government otherwise than by his Spirit and in the heart where his Appearance hath been and is to be expected and waited for And since it is undoubtedly so that of the increase of Christ's Government there shall be no End I cannot understand to what End any Man should concern himself to consider how far it may extend yet R.B. hath so done Witness his 37 Page where he thus saith It is next to be considered in what Cases and how far it may extend To which I cannot but thus reply Those who are not Puft up with Spiritual Pride or Zeal without Knowledge may easily discern from such kind of language a Spirit that would Limit the Holy One of Israel by putting Bounds unto that Government of whose increase there shall be no end and though I speak of Man's inability to Establish Christ's Government yet I would not be understood as one accusing the aforesaid Author or any else to assert Man's Ability so to do For I know not any Men that will pretend themselves in that Case other than Instruments in God's Hands But yet this is to be Observed that since there is no Ground to believe that God everwill make use of Man under the New Covenant to Establish outward indespensible Orders Rules or Decrees to be as a measuring-line whereby those who are under Christ's Government shall be known therefore 't is reasonable to conclude That the endeavours of such who may exercise themselves therein may proceed from no better Power than that Ability which is of Man And notwithstanding he hath considered how far it extends yet I find not that he hath made any mention of the Business or at least a part of the business of one considerable Meeting which is a part of that Government or Order which he pretends to discribe and that is a Meeting held every second day of the week wherein writings treating of Divine Matters and which are intended by the authors for publick view are first viewed in Order to an approbation or the contrary * Witness the Paper at the latter end of this third part signed by Charles Marshal and thirty six more at which meeting his Treatise was past which gives occasion to treat a little of that Meeting since those of that Meeting are as well concerned in the said Treatises as he that writ it The Scriptures of Truth as far as I Remember are wholly silent as to any such Service acted in any Meetings amongst the primitive Christians and therefore I do not understand that there can be any real Ground or tolerable pretence that this is a part of the antient Apostolick Order of the Church of Christ We find the Apostle Acts 3. directed to chuse seven men full of the Holy Ghost to take Care that the Widdows should not be neglected in the dayly Ministration If the Holy Ghost in the Apostles days directed to chuse a certain select well qualifyed Number of men for such a Service as doubtless it did it s against right reason to suppose that the Apostles would in their day have left the consideration of such weighty matters as Treatises of things relating to the Kingdom of God and the salvation of mankind to the Approbation of an uncertain unselected Assembly for such I call that Meeting wherein many of the Writings of the People of the Lord called Quakers intended for publick View are approved or disapproved for that no Certain Select Number of Persons are chosen for that service but any Persons who have Publick Testimones for the Truth though but by way of Exhortation and are owned as Friends of Truth and come where that Meeting is appointed are the Persons by whom such Writings whether given forth by a Paul a Father or a Timothy a Son as are for publick service are approved or disapproved I now appeal to the impartial understanding Reader whether according to this form of Government one that is in the place of Paul a Father who according to the aforesaid Author hath right to rule over and command may not have the testimony which he hath through the motion
your Faith is Increased that we shall be enlarged by you according to our Rule abundantly not to boast in another mans Lines of things made ready to our Hands Hence t is evident those who keep to their own Measures follow Paul as they have him for an ensample and that those who hope and desire their Brethrens Conformity to their Lines before they have faith therein are of another Hope than Paul was who as is above recited thus said Having Hope when your faith is encreased that we shall be enlarg'd by your according to our Rule abundantly And so it plainly appears that Paul did not desire the Corinthians to walk by his Line until their faith was encreased otherwise they might become Proud Boasters of other mens Lines made ready to their Hands as many yea too to many at this day are I now come to consider of his 6th Section the Title whereof Page 47. is this viz. How far this Government doth extend in matters Spiritual and purely Conscientious in which the great question saith the afore-said Author is How far in such Cases the Church may give positive Orders or Rules How far her Authority reacheth or may be supposed to be binding and ought to be submitted to For the better clearing and examination of which he thus further saith It will be fit to consider First whether the Church of Christ have Power in any Cases that are Matters of Conscience to give a positive Sentence or Decision which may be Obligatory upon believers Secondly If so in what Cases and respect she may so do Thirdly Wherein consisteth the Freedom and Liberty of Conscience which may be exercised by the Members of the true Church diversly without Judging one another And lastly In whom the Power Decisive is in Case of Controversy and Contention in such Matters As to the first Whether the Church of Christ have Power in any Cases that are Matters of Conscience to give Positive Sentence or Decision which may be obligatory upon believers I answer affirmatively she hath And shall prove it from divers instances both from Scripture and Reason Thus far the aforesaid Author The force of R B's Reason I apprehend to be chiefly comprehended in or drawn from these his following words as by his writing Page 48 49. more at Large appears viz. That we being gathered together into the Belief of certain Principles and Doctrines through the force of Truth on our Understandings and Practices necessarily depending upon them these are as it were the Terms that have drawn us together and Bond by which we become center'd into one Body and Fellowship Yet saith he by a Marginal Note Not so the Bond but that we have also a more inward viz. the Life of Righteousness The Scripture proofs that he quotes are these Gal. 1.8 1 Tim. 1.19 20. 2 John 10. thus further adding These Scriptures are so plain and clear in themselves that they need no greater Exposition to the unbyased Reader My place now is to detect the impertinency of R. B's reason and to shew that he hath quoted Scriptures which are not to the purpose yet I cannot but first observe that since the main scop of his Treatise relating to this Matter both from Scripture and Reason tends as it were cheifly if not wholly to evidence that such Principles Doctrines and Practices necessarily depending thereon are the Bond by which we became centered into one Body and Fellowship is it not to be doubted that these kind of Termes have the greatest room on his Heart and the Marginal Description of a more inward Bond viz the life of Righteousness is but like the entertainment of Christ in the Manger But to proceed I do affirm the Belief of certain Principles and Doctrines though believed thorough the force of Truth on the Understanding and Practices necessarily depending upon them are not the very terms and Bond by which the Church of Christ at this day is become center'd into one Body though I do confess that Certain Principles Doctrines and Practices held and Practised in a pure Mind are the Fruit and Off-spring of that which is the Bond but the Very Bond they are not If they were how comes it to passe that to this day the Members of Christs Body which is his Church have not declared and agreed what and how many are those Principles and Doctrines and what are those Practices necessarily depending thereon that ought to be believed received and Practised by every member of the Church of Christ as that by which they are center'd into the Heavenly Fellowship of Christ's Body With confidence I may say that I never heard or understood of any such thing yet extant amongst the Church of Christ neither do I believe there is and doubtless if there was the aforesaid Author being a man to speak after the manner of men that is well read and not of a Mean capacity would have quoted it to free himself from the censure of such who may Justly say He hath left us in the dark how to know these Members who to use his own Language Page 49. cut themselves off from being Members by dissolving the very Bond by which they were linked to the Body Nay I may truly say That in the primitive dayes there were many believers who were found in Opposite Faiths and Practices witness those who Circumcised kept a Day abstain'd from flesh and others there were who believed and practised quite otherwise and yet we do not find that the Bond which Center'd them into the heavenly Fellowship of Christ's Body was broken for doubtless many of them under those Differing Faiths and Practices were of the number of such who were sanctifyed in Christ Jesus or at least in some measure sanctifying which is the description of a Member of Christ's Body according as the aforesaid Author himself doth in his Treatise signify and this is answerable to the Truth it self Read Rom. 14. 1 Cor. 8. For further Discovery of the Truth of what I have asserted 't is necessary to query What are the very Terms and Bond by which the Church of Christ is become centered into one Body The Answer is plain 'T is the Spirit according to Pauls Testimony 1 Cor. 12.13 For by one Spirit are we all Baptized into one Body Now the Baptism of the Spirit may be witnessed by such whose Integrity might lead them to Die for Truth but should they be Questioned by any one What are those Principles Doctrines and Practices you hold which were the very Terms by which you came to be Centered into Christs Body and which were the Cause that gathered you for so are his words Page 47. relating to Principles and Doctrines they would be ready thus to say What blind Questions dost thou bring forth in thy Carnal Sensual reasoning 'T was Gods Power and Spirit gathered us from amongst such as being out of the Life gloried in their owtward Fellowships Principles and Doctrines and by his Power Circumcised our Hearts
And whereas it may be said We assign not to men as Judges but to the Spirit of God in Men yet this doth not wholly mend the Matter whilest the Question remains unanswered Who or where are the Men thorough whom the Spirit appears to Judge or at least so unanswered as not to remove the reasonable Objections of such as may gainsay and so through these things the mind of the Weak may come to be entertain'd with doubtful Disputations rather then those things which tend to Edification contrary to the drift and bent of the Apostle's Spirit Rom. 14.1 1 Cor. 14.26 Secondly I cannot yet cease from a further Observation on the aforesaid Position viz. Which positive sentence and decision may become Obligatory on Believers 'T is true the aforesaid Author doth not here say it ought to become Obligatory upon Believers yet to me 't is evident that he intends that such a Sentence ought to become Obligatory on Believers seeing on one Instance as Proof to his Affirmation he thus saith And is not this Obligatory on all the Members c Further saying with relation thereto I cannot tell that any Man of Reason can well deny this That which R. B. in these things seemes to drive at hath as to me appears a plain tendency to draw from the Measure of Truth in our selves though I dare not be so uncharitable as to conclude he so intends and if any Line hath dropt from my Pen which may seem to import so much I declare that not to be my Meaning or at least to encourage the lending an Ear to the Sense and Judgment of others more than to that Sense and Savour which we have within our selves For first by Believers I take the aforesaid Author plainly to intend as well such Believers as are no way concerned in giving forth such Positive Sentence or Decision as those that are else what 's the meaning of these his words And is not this Obligatory on all the Members And so such unconcerned may have no better Ground to be at Unity therewith than the saying of others Now I cannot tell how any man of reason can make out that this seems any better than this sort of Language Ye must believe as the Church believes of which more anon that I may not be understood to reflect on any thing that may in any measure savour of Truth Thirdly It doth seem plainly to contradict this wholesome Testimony of and for the Truth viz. That the Sentence and Judgement of any Man or Men whatsoever relating to Matters of Conscience ought not at this day to be given forth but by way of Recommendation to the Conscience which to my knowledge hath been the Practice of the People called Quakers and when the Conscience is sensible that Gods Witness therein answers then the Conscience is or ought to be bound other Bonds may make Hypocrites and Busi-bodies but not good Christians Paul writing to the Corinthians tells them We recommend our selves to every Mans Conscience in the Sight of God 2 Cor. 4.2 Here Paul became not a Bond upon them further than they had a Sense that Gods Witness in the Conscience answered The same Paul tells the Corinthians as before is quoted thus Having hope that when your Faith is increased we shall be enlarged by you according to our Rule abundantly This doth not manifest Pauls Desire was that they should walk according to his Rule until their Faith was increased Let us now examine how R. B. by Scripture proves that the Positive Sentence and Decision of the Church in Matters of Conscience may be Obligatory upon Believers for that he saith I shall prove it from Divers Instances from Scripture and in order thereto I find him to quote only three Scriptures The First is Gal. 1.8 But though We or an Angel from Heaven Preach any other Doctrine unto you than that which we have Preached unto you let him be Accursed If this Scripture be a proper Proof of the Matter then by the Word we Paul must be understood to mean the Church and that in the aforesaid Authors Sense Now the aforesaid Authors Sense as appears Page 68. is That such Assemblies are the Church which in any tolerable Supposition may be so termed but doubtless Paul was so exact as not to deliver any thing as Doctrine but what he had seen and handled according to this Testimony recorded in the Scriptures What we have seen and handled of the Word of Life that declare we unto you Which being certain and infallible Tokens are more than tolerable Suppositions and therefore I cannot but conclude Paul never intended that such who refused to be bound in Matters of Conscience by the Sentences of every such Assembly which in any tolerable Supposition might be termed the Church of Christ should be pronounced Accurst much less if they shall pretend they see it not and yet the aforesaid Author saith as hereafter is manifest to this purpose That that shall not excuse such from Disobedience to God who submit not to the Sentences given forth by such Assemblies or some or other of them And likewise it ought to appear that a part of that Gospel which the Church and not only Paul who as he was moved of the Lord writ to the Churches by way of Exhortation and Doctrine Preached to the Galatians was That the positive Sentence or Decision of the Church either ought to be Obligatory on all the Members or at lest Obligatory on Believers or else that which by a natural Consequence might import the same but no such Doctrine nor the import thereof by any reasonable Consequence appears from the Church nor yet from Paul to the Galatians or any else And since Paul is thus quoted let us enquire how Paul did after it pleased God to reveal his Son in him for there were Apostles and Elders before him and yet he saith Gal. 1.16 17. I consulted not with Flesh and Blood neither came I again to Jerusalem to the Apostles and Elders before me and though 't was not in a Case of controversy touching Conscience yet 't was in a Case that to him was Matter of Conscience And when he perceived that Peter and other of the Jews would have constrain'd the Gentiles to do like the Jews he withstood Peter to the face Gal. 2.11 13. Now Peter and those other Jewes might have reason'd with Paul and said we are the Brethren and the Church and our Practice ought to be a Bond on thee and thou oughtest rather to submit to us than we to thee but had they so done doubtless Paul would still have withstood them and have been Justified therein The Second Scripture R. B. quotes is 1 Tim. 1.19 20. which thus saith Holding Faith and a Good Conscience which some having put away concerning Faith have made Shipwrack of whom is Hymeneus and Allexander whom I have delivered to Satan that they may learn not to Blaspheme What 's this to the purpose to prove that
cannot account Sound Language if Pauls Testimony Phil. 1.15 18. was Sound who said Some Preach Christ of Envy and Strife What then Notwithstanding every Way whether in Pretence or in Truth Christ is Preached and I therein Rejoyce yea and will rejoyce Secondly That to pretend want of clearness in Sight will not excuse any from Disobedience to God who submit not to the Sentence of an Assembly or some or other of them which may in any tolerable Supposition be termed the Church of Christ and so are ready to Judge their Brethren as Apostatized from the Truth if they walk not according to the Lines and Measures of others though they have no Faith therein contrary to that of Paul who to the Corinthians said 1 Cor. 10.15 Having Hope when your Faith is Increast that we shall be inlarged by you according to our Rule And whether these are not of that number who bring another Gospel than what we have already received and so subject themselves to the Curse whilest they are endeavouring to manifest others Accurst Let Gods Witness in all Judge There are at this Day who seem to make no Distinction between such as would have no Iniquity reproved and those who Conscientiously scruple to submit to the Dictates of others till their Vnderstandings are Illuminated these are of that number who divide not aright and seem so void of Charity as not to distinguish between the Precious and the Vile for though it was so that Paul in Thes 3.6 a Scripture quoted by R. B. thus saith Now we command you Brethren in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye withdraw your selves from every Brother that walketh disorderly and not after the Traditions which he received of us and then Comments upon it what more positive than this and yet the Apostle was not here an Imposer To which I thus say that this Scripture is no Warrant for any to follow the Commands or Traditions of others at this day until convinced of the Truth and real Service of Obedience to such Commands or Traditions which is evident by the reason that Paul in the following Verse gives for the urging Obedience to his Precept viz. for ye your selves KNOW how that ye ought to follow us So the Knowledge of their Duty was the Bond rather than Pauls Command Vers 14. of the same Chapter being another Scripture quoted by the aforesaid Author Page 27. Paul saith If any Man Obey not our word by this Epistle note that man and have no Company with him that he may be ashamed This related to such of whom Paul Vers 11 12 13 of the same Chapter saith we have heard that there were some among you that walked inordinately and work not at all but are Busi-Bodies therefore them that are such we command and Exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ that they work with Quietness and eat their own Bread and ye Bretheren be not weary in well doing and then he exhorts Vers 14. If any man obey not our Saying c. which plainly relates that to so undoubted necessary a Duty mentioned Vers 11. That such who were Busi-bodies walking inordinately might not in their busie inordinate Spirit eat the Bread of others but work that they might eat their own Bread but whosoever they are that shall bring such Scriptures as these to manifest that we ought to submit to the Outward Forms Prescriptions Ceremonial Dictates or decisive Sentences of others when they are or may be Matters of Conscience and that there lies an Obligation in point of Duty to Obey in every or any of such Things though we see it not shews themselves a sort of Busie-bodies wanting work Paul 1 Cor. 14.37 a Scripture quoted by the aforesaid Author thus saith If any man think himself to be a Prophet or Spiritual let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the Commandements of the Lord and Vers 34. of the same Chapter Paul saith Let your women keep silence in the Church c. Here 's a positive proof that women ought to be silent in the Church and that by the Command of Paul and therefore me thinks it should be a shame for such who plead for Womens speaking in the Church and not only so but for their Service with respect to Exercise in Discipline to pin so much as to me appears the aforesaid Author doth in his Treatise on the word Command us'd by Paul when according to the measure of Gods Grace and Truth which the Children of Light have received they have and do testify and that according to Truth notwithstanding what Paul saith and hath Commanded that * Note I would not hereby be understood to justify All Women that have spoken in our Meetings because many of them have of late been so rude in their Opposition to John Story as that I take it to be a meer Scandal to Religion and am perswaded that by Pauls Command the meaning of the Spirit was not positively according as his own words seem to intiate not only because the Prophet Joel 2.28 prophesied that the Lord would pour out of his Spirit upon Sons and Daughters and that they should Prophesy but also for that in the same Chapter 1 Cor. 14. he exhorts the Church who doubless consisted of Women as well as Men to Covet Spiritual Gifts but rather that they might Prophesy saying Ye may all Prophesy one by one all which considered t is rational to take the Mind of the Spirit to he that there were some unruly disorderly Women then in the Church as in these our Days are who then had need as some now have to be warned to keep silence though others that had received a Revelation from God might declare the same in the Church when met together Women as well as Men and Men as well as Women may speak in the Church of God according to their respective Measures when the Spirit of the Lord moves And since as the Apostle Paul himself testifies 1 Cor. 10.8 That his Authority was given him for Edification and not for Destruction I cannot but be more Charitable than to think Paul ever used the Words Command Ordain Traditions and such like on any other account but that the Churches should be followers of him according as in their own Measures they had a Sense or Savour that he was a Follower of Christ and not otherwise which comparing Phil. 3.17 with 2 Cor. 10.13 14 15 16. doth evidently appear The forementioned Scripture to the Philipians thus saith Brethren be Followers together of me and mark them that walk so as you have us for an Ensample that to the Corinths saith But we will not boast of Things without our Measures but according to the Measures of the Rule which God hath distributed to us a Measure to reach even unto you for we stretch not our selves beyond our Measure c. not boasting of things without our Measures that is other mens Labours but having hope when