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
viz. That 't is Folly and Hypocrisy to profess our selves Members of the True Church and yet not Believe thus as the True Church Believes Pag. 36. Sect. V. What we stand for viz. Truth and Righteousness and that Christ's Government may be exalted in every Heart under which we are Instructed not to depend on Man but on the sufficiency of Gods Grace Page 27. A Testimony against Tythes and for Meeting together in time of Persecution the neglect whereof may be the Fruit of Weakness or Disobedience Page 28. The Government of Christ and the Laws thereof are Inward some part of the Fruits brought forth under the said Government are Described Page 29. An Objection relating to the securing any part of a Mans Estate on a fore-Sight of a Premunire or Fines for Meeting Answered Page 31. Sect. VI. On the Occasion of an Objection raised touching the Sufficiciency of Gods Grace Unity is treated on from the words of Paul to the Corinthians that they should all speak one thing Page 36. Touching the Word Independency occasioned by a Publick Preacher Page 38. That leaving Friends to the Grace Light and Spirit of God is not the way to lead into Rantism Page 42 43. Sect. VII Touching Church Government and the meaning of the Word Church Government in the Sense of our Opposers as we on sufficient Ground take it layd down Page 44. Our denial of that meaning Page 46. Several Scriptures from whence a Proof for Church Government hath been pretended are treated on shewing that from thence no Pretence can be to claime a Power over Conscience or Outward Property Page 46 47. The Doctrine touching Power over Conscience and Outward Things relating to meum and tuum as R. B's Terms are which we therefore call Outward Property examined and testified against as contrary to the Principle of Truth and Liberty we have in Christ Jesus Page 47. Our Sense what ought to be done for the Decision of Controversy with Relation to Property between Brother and Brother Page 48. An Objection raised to this purpose that what is given forth by the Spirit through the Brethren ought to be obeyed and not accounted the Dictates of Fallible Men and that if thou see it not thy Duty to obey the reason is thy want of Diligence and not waiting in thy Measure and so no Plea for thy Disobedience is good Page 54. The said Objection Answered Page 54. An Examination from the Scriptures Whether Christ gave any Incouragement to his Disciples to become Rulers over one another Page 59. Sect. VIII A Manifestation that the variance hath originally Reason from a Different Sense touching George Fox the General Meeting or Womens Meeting Page 61. Sect. IX An Epistle evidencing the Qualifications of such whom Sathan makes use of to Rend and Divide the Church of Christ Page 68. A Paper given forth by Edward Burroughs Anno 1661. touching the Scattered in Israel wherein by a Parable is lively described a part of what hath happened amongst the Flock of God in these latter Days Pag. 78. The Conclusion manifesting several Passages very material and worthy Observation as a further Discovery of the Fruits and Cause of Division and in Particular what hath been the Bait whereby George Fox hath been Tempted and Ensnared Pag. 85. The FIRST PART OF THE Christian-Quaker Distinguished from the Apostate and Innovator c. SECTION I. The INTRODUCTION Wherein the Case is stated manifesting That there was an Union and the Wayes and Meanes by which it came to be broken TO all the faithfull People of God called Quakers throughout this Nation of England or else where we your Brethren do send greeting in the Lord breathing unto the God of our Lives that the same Everlasting Arm and Power whereby we have been gathered unto God and into an heavenly Fellowship and Vnion one with another in the Life of Righteousness may preserve us all to the End of our Days in the Bond of perfect Love each toward other establisht upon that sure Rock of Ages Christ Jesus against which the Gates of Hell never did can or shall prevail And in this Love our Desires are that the Faithful unto whom this Treatise is directed may communicate the same unto others as in the Wisdom and Love of God they may see a Service thereof Dear Friends and Bretheren WE are truly sensible that all those who keep their Place and Habitation in the unchangeable Truth have with us a Sence of the many Snares and Temptations whereby Satan hath endeavoured to betray the Innocent whose Faces have been Zion-ward And that his most subtil Invention hath been to appear as an Angel of Light thereby to turn those whose Hearts have been inclined to follow the Lord out of the way of Truth And now Friends that which in the Grief of our Hearts we have to signifie to you is this We are sensible that the Evil Seeds-man is crept in amongst many of those called Quakers who as we believe have in Days past walkt together in true Fellowship each with other and that in the sensible Feeling of that Immortal Life whereby we with them were knit and united together as Bone of one anothers Bone and Flesh of one anothers Flesh having the Evidence of such our heavenly Union springing from that which neither the Carnal Eye nor the Carnal Ear could be Witnesses of In order hereunto we have this following Observation to make That the day was wherein those very Persons amongst the People called Quakers who now are at great varience and out of Unity each with other were once in Unity and therefore we think necessary to lay down Viz. First Some part of those things touching which the Faithful were at VNITY Secondly By what Wayes and Means that VNITY came to be broken And so leave the Consideration thereof to the Consciences of all who profess the Truth that so in the Light of Christ Jesus they may weigh and consider Whether their Vnity stood in the unchangable Truth and which of these Parties now at variance deviated therefrom The Consideration of this Observation doth lead us in relation to the first perticular thus to testify Viz. That about Twenty Six Years past it pleased the Lord to send forth many faithful Labourers of the Gospel of Christ Jesus who in his Name Dread and Power testified that their CALL was not of MAN but of GOD and that their Message was both to the Professour and to the Prophane To the Prophane crying on this wise Turn from the Evil of your Wayes and Doings and meet the Lord by sudden Repentance of your open Transgressions To the Professours who were not in the Common Pollutions of the World on this wise Your Outward Forms your Outward Ordinances and Outward Church Fellowships they are even but as Rudiments of this World and the Lord hath no Regard thereto And to both of them Turn in your Minds to the Light of Christ Jesus that shines in your Consciences exalting the Measure
and Spirit of God may lead into Rantism and therefore 't is the Care of Faithful Brethren to appear as watch-men over the Flock that so none under pretence of being left to the Light may run into Loosness Lightness and Vanity saying The Light in my Conscience Condemns me not To this we say the Lord rebuke that Spirit that doth so much as Jealous that leaving People to the Light may lead into Rantism such a Sugestion is notoriously wicked since the Testimony of Truth hath been unto which we this day bear record that the Light is a Reprover of all Sin And as to the latter part of the Objection we say That those who are true Watchmen will as much as in them lyes use their Endeavours to bring the Flock to the Light to prove their Deeds whether they are wrought in God and not to Papers rather than to the Light as knowing this that every Work and Word brought forth by Man is but the Effect of what is first wrought in the Heart which nothing outward can be a Bond upon to alter and change and if we do but consider how Fruitless in daies and years that are past as well as in this present Age all Mans Outward endeavours under the notion of Church-Government hath been to preserve in a real true Heavenly Society it appears to us as a meer Badge of Apostacy for any to have a Dependency on any such meanes of Preservation And whereas it 's Jealous'd Some may run into loosness and say the Light in my Conscience condemns me not and therefore t is the care of Faithful Brethren to appear as Watchmen over the Flock We say so too and those who approve themselves Watchmen will endeavour to convince such who in very deed run into Loosness c. that though they may pretend the Light condemns them not yet that their deeds are Evil and that the Light doth condemn that same though they may be hardened and see it not and so endeavour to awaken the Conscience that Gods Witness may be heard for that nothing that is outward can be a Bond on such an one to forsake his Sin and imbrace the Truth SECT VII Touching Church-Government and the meaning of the word Church-Government in the sence of our Opposers as we on sufficient ground take it laid down Our denial of that meaning Several Scriptures from whence a Proof for Church-Government hath been pretended are treated on shewing that from thence no Pretence can be to claim a Power over Conscience or Outward Property The Doctrine touching Power over Conscience and outward things relating to Meum and Tuum as the Authors Terms are which we therefore call Outward Property Examined and testified against as contrary to the Principle of Truth and Liberty we have in Christ Jesus Our sense what ought to be done for the Decision of Controversy with relation to Property between Brother and Brother An Objection raised to this purpose That what is given forth by the Spirit through the Brethren ought to be obeyed and not accounted the Dictates of fallible Man and that if thou see it not thy Duty to obey the Reason is thy Want of Diligence and not waiting in thy Measure and so no Plea for thy Disobedience is Good The said Objection answered An Examination from the Scriptures Whether Christ gave any Incouragement to his Disciples to become Rulers over one another THis kind of Discourse we are ready to suppose may at length occasion from some such an Objection as this Object What are you not for Church-Government Answ To this we say We are for the Government of Christ knowing 't is his Right to Govern his Church Obj. This may some say is an evasive Answer to the Question and therefore may again reply Be plain and tell us Are you for Church-Government Answ For Answer then we say We ought to ask what is meant by the word Church-Government Since we find not the word in the Scriptures of Truth and it being a word mostly used under the profession of Christianity by such who have become Persecutors we are the more Jealous that Corruption Usurpation and Injustice may creep in by such who contend so much for Church-Government with respect to Outwards Forms of Government since the Form some take to Govern is in some respect worse than the Forms of Divers Apostate Christians take this for one instance amongst many more that might be given viz. Judging the Merit of a Cause without hearing both parties as may be sufficiently evidenced by the giving forth that Paper from Ellis Hookes his Chamber London the Twelfth of the Fourth Month 1677. and Subscribed by Charles Marshal and Sixty Five Persons more against two Antient and Honourable Brethren viz. John Wilkinson and John Story though not then present to speak for themselves nor yet ever spoken to by many of the said Sixty Six touching any Evil laid to their Charge Besides we do know that many of our Opposers who appear to us highly affected with Church-Government as in their account is established amongst us and that with respect to Outward Formes do in an high decree manifest a Spirit of Persecution by endeavouring to take away the good name of honest men by Lyes Slanders and False Accusations wherein our Opposers have been to our certain knowledge so industrious as that we have scarcily known their Peers in that evil Work which in many Sections of the Second Part of the first Manuscript made mention of in the Preface Particularly the 13th 18th 12th 22th is laregly evidenced and ready for the view of any Freind that may desire the perusal thereof though for the reasons mentioned in the Preface not herewith publisht And now as to the meaning of the word Church-Government in the sense of our Opposers we take it to be thus viz. That some who account themselves Members of the Body of Christ claime a Power to Rule over other some if not all the rest and to give forth Sentences Directions or Orders which they ought to own receive or obey though they may pretend they see it not their Duty If this be the meaning of the word Church-Government in the sense of our Opposers as we have cause to believe it is not only from R. B's Book of Government but also from what hath been said or propagated by others which we are Perswaded will appear to all impartial Readers who shall diligently and in an unprejudiced Spirit weigh the Second part of the said first Manuscript mentioned in the Preface which as we said before is ready for the perusal of any Friend desiring so to do though for the reason mentioned in the Preface not herewith publisht we then directly answer we are not for such a Church-Government This Subject whereof we are now treating being as some may comparatively say the very Hinge on which the present Controversy seems to depend we think it necessary to quote those Scriptures from whence so far as ever we
understood the most pertinent Arguments might be produced to prove Church-Government or a Government in some Member or Members over the rest Mat. 18.15 16 17. We find Christ thus saying Moreover if thy Brother shall trespass against thee go tell him his Fault if he will not hear thee take with thee one or two and if he shall neglect to hear them tell it to the Church but if he neglect to hear the Church let him be unto thee as an heathen man Verily I say unto you whatsoever ye shall bind in Earth shall be bound in Heaven Comparing this Scripture touching the Trespass of one Brother against another with what Paul Writes 1 Cor. 2.4 Dare any of you having a matter against another go to Law before the unjust do ye not know that the Saints shall Judge the World if then ye have Judgment of things pertaining to this Life set them to Judge who are least esteemed in the Church we reasonably conclude that the words of Christ and of the Apostle only hinted at either Personal Offences or Differences touching Worldly Matters and that therein the Duty of the Church was only to exhort to submit to their Counsel which If they did not they might Justly be esteemed as Heathen Men but this is nothing to the purpose of those who have approved a Plea for such a Church-Government as Claimes a Power of Deciding Matters relating to Conscience and outward things also on the occasion of Differences raised touching Worldly Estate and that others ought to obey such Decisions which in its natural Consequence hath as we take it no Less Tendency than to claim Power over our Properties as well as Consciences We are now sensible that many Friends who have not been acquainted with the secret Cause of all the Differences amongst Friends will be even startled at this and be ready to query Are there any such amongst the People called Quakers We Answer Yes Verily and that those who may be accounted Christians too viz. those who approved in the Second Dayes Meeting at London the before-cited Book of R. B. relating to Government in the Church We shall begin first with the Matter of Conscience the Title of the sixth Section thereof runs thus How far this Government doth extend in matters Spiritual and purely Conscientious and then treating thereon the Author thus saith in which the great Question is How far in such Cases the Church may give Positive Orders or Rules and so proceeds to ask this question viz. 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 and then goes on thus answering viz. I answer affirmatively She hath which being compared with what he writes Page 68. of his said Book on this wise viz. that their De facto giving a Positive Sentence in such Cases will not import Tyranny and Usurpation neither will the pretences of any contradicting them or refusing to submit on the account they see it not excuse them of being guilty of Disobeying God clearly shewes to us his meaning to be That in some Cases the Consciences of Believers ought to be bound by the Positive Sentence of Others without leaving any Liberty for a Believer to refuse to submit on account of not seeing it his Duty to submit This Meaning and Government over the Consciences of Believers we take to be contrary to the Principle of Truth and Liberty we have in Christ Jesus for that no Outward Sentence or Matter whatsoever can obliege the Conscience to be approving this or that Exercise or Practice or to be in the Belief of this or that Judgment Sentence or Decree until such time that the Conscience thorough the inshining of Christ's Light therein comes to be satisfied and thereby to be bound and obleiged and though we find the Author to the Hebrewes Chap. 13. Vers 7. saying on this wise Remember them which have the Rule over you yet he doth not say Such who had the Rule were the Church but discribes them in the next following words to be such who had Spoken unto them the Word of God so that if any Authority be given to any to Rule as Members of Christ's Body it appears from the Scriptures of Truth to be unto such who had Spoken the Word of God unto them over whom they had the Rule and therefore can be no President or Proof that mixt and uncertain Assemblies as to Number and Qualification may call themselvs the Church and under that Notion give forth Orders Rules and Sentences telling the rest of those whom they may account their Fellow-Members 'T is your Duty to Obey though you pretend YOU SEE IT NOT. Besides it doth not appear that those who spoke the Word of God did give forth any Sentence by vertue of their Authority that might become a Bond on the Conscience before Conviction by the Grace of God and Why Because it is by that Grace that the heart comes to be Established according as the Author to the Hebrews writes Vers 9. of the same Chapter For 't is a good thing that the Heart be established with Grace But Perhaps some may quote Paul 2 Thes 3.6 Who thus saith Now we Command you Brethren in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ that you with-draw your selves from every Brother that walketh disorderly and not after the Tradition which he received of us To this we say Paul in the following Verse gives the Reaon for the Urging Obedience to his Precept viz. For ye your selves know how ye ought to follow us hence we may conclude that their Hearts were so established in the Grace of God as that the Knowledge of their Duty became a greater Obligation upon them then Paul's Command Verse the 14th of the same Chap. 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 may some say seems very positive to imply that God hath given Authority to some to Rule in the Church Our Answer to this is Paul's words related to such of whom Vers 11 12 13. of the same Chapter he saith We heard that there were some amongst you that walked Inordinately and work not at all but are Busy-Bodyes 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 Brethren be not weary in well-doing and then he exhorts Vers 14th If any man obey not our Word by this Epistle note that Man and have no company with him This clearly shewes what the Apostle had relation unto viz. to that necessary and commandable Duty mentioned in Vers the 11th that such who were Busie-Bodies walking inordinately might not in their busie inordinate Spirit eat the Bread of others but work that they might eat their own Bread were this Command of the Apostle obeyed by many of those who run
Basis and Foundation To which I thus say This kind of Language with respect to divers Practices in Discipline amongst the People called Quakers or any outward Form and Order which is or hath been by any called the Order of the Gospel I do not understand to be rightly applicable to those amongst the said People who have retained their first Love to and Savour of the Truth and right Understanding of the Principle thereof not that I would hereby be understood that it s not necessary to be in the Exercise of Outward Order with respect to that Gospel-discipline which becomes the Church of Christ but that which I understand not to be rightly applicable unto them is manifested in what follows Though the principle of Truth in these latter dayes hath and may further lead into the Practice of Outward Order in Discipline with relation to the Church of Christ yet I affirm that part of that Outward Order in Discipline wherein divers of the People of the Lord called Quakers have been acted is such as that there is not the least Footsteps thereof to be found in the Scriptures as exhorted to or as practised by the Apostles I could give many Instances hereof but one shall suffice viz. The Form of Proceedings in Marriages wherein the Scriptures are wholly silent as to the Primitive Christians and tho the Papists pretend to Tradition yet the People of the Lord called Quakers do not Besides 't is evident by the Scriptures of Truth that the Apostles were found in the Practice of that which the People called Quakers do not only out of Conscience to God forbear but have had many Contests with others touching the same as esteeming it though permitted for a season by reason of the Weakness of the People amongst the number of those Outward Ordinances out of which the Lord hath at this day gathered his People witness Water-Baptism The word Order with respect to Outward Government Establish't by the Church of Christ over it self I remember not in the Scriptures of Truth yet much of late is spoken of the Order of the Gospel and of establishing the same and that with respect to Outward Prescriptions and Orders practised or endeavoured to be introduced amongst the People of the Lord called Quakers and in perticular R. B. Page 40. speaks of the Truth and Faith we have been and are in the Lords Hands building up To which I say The Consideration that Christ is the Truth and the great Power of God and that an Establishing in the Faith cannot Properly be termed A building up of Faith gives me occasion to treat a little touching the words establish and build up We know from the testimony of truth in our selves as well as from the Scriptures of Truth without us that we may be Instruments in the hands of the Lord to build up one another in the most Holy Faith in Christ the Truth the Power of God but 't is neither agreeable to the Testimony of Truth in us nor yet the Scriptures of Truth without us for any to account themselves of Ability to establish God's Power for its that by which the World was made Now the Order of the Gospel is the Power of God and nothing else according to the declared sence of our ancient Friends can properly be called the Order of the Gospel but the Power of God for though some outward Form or appearance may be according to the Order of the Gospel yet it can no more properly be called the very Order of the Gospel than the Fruit of a Tree can be called the Tree it self and therefore those who pretend to establish the Order of the Gospel may as well pretend to establish the Power of God it self 'T is true this Power is of Ability to establish Man in the Faith of God's Elect but Man is not of Ability to establish it those who understand the Nature and Tenours of the two Covenants may easily discern the Truth hereof Under the First Covenant which was outward the mind of God was manifested to the People from the Priests Lips which were to preserve Knowledge and this Covenant did consist in divers Outward Ordinances c. establisht and impos'd upon the People until the Time of Reformation Under the Second Covenant being the New Covenant or Gospel dispensation the Mind and Will of God is manifested in his People through the Revelation of his Spirit according to that of Paul Rom. 1.19 That which may be known of God is manifested in them Christ also said John 14.26 The Comforter which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my name he shall teach you all things The Law under this covenant is written in the heart Heb. 8.10 11. I will write my Law in their Hearts they shall not teach every man his neighbour and every man his brother saying Know the Lord for all shall Know me c. Here 's not the least ground of encouragement for any man under the New Covenant which was not to be like unto the Old to pretend that Gods Spirit doth or will lead any to establish Outward Orders relating to matters of Conscience as the Order of the Gospel for if that which is to be known of God is manifested in us then though it may be needfull to stir up according as the Lord shall move in his servants the pure Mind in us that so we may be in the Exercise of what God requires through the maifestation of himself in us there is no need to establish any thing without us to shew it If the Spirit of Truth is to lead into all truth those who would be leading us in another way will prove little better then Thieves and Robbers which Climb up another way to enter in than by the door If the Law be written in the heart and that no Obedience finds Acceptance with the Lord but Obedience to his Law from an inward Impulse and Drawing of his Spirit thereunto in our selves there 's no need of establishing Outward Indispensible Rules which may relate to the Conscience to walk by for were it possible so to do and any should yield Obedience on no better ground then because'tis so establish't by such a Man or Assembly of Men this sort of Obedience would find no more acceptance with the Lord than the offering of Swines flesh or the Halt and Blind for a Sacrifice under the First Covenant did For though many may be so Weak as not to know the difference between the two Covenants in some respects yet there are Few of the Lord's People called Quakers but have this undoubted Truth sealed in their hearts That none of their Outward Practices under the Exercise of Christ's Government find's acceptance with the Lord but as they have an Evidence in their Consciences that therein they Answer the measure of Truth in themselves Paul writing to the Colossians thus saith As ye have received Christ Jesus the Lord so walk in him Rooted and built up
part of the Glory of that Administration under which Thousands in these Nations were gathered unto God did consist in this that after they had been wandering from Mountain to Hill from under one form and outward Church-fellowship into another they came to be turned to the sure guide in themselves Christ's Light and warned not to look out neither to be in the Lo here 's and the Lo there 's but to be faithful to their Own Measures for that according to Pauls Testimony God's Grace was given to every one according to the Measure of the Gift of Christ But to return Let us examine how he proves his first Assertion viz. That there never will nor can be wanting in Case of Controversie the Spirit of God to give Judgment through some or other in the Church of God so long as any Assembly can properly or in any tolerable Supposition be so termed His Proof is on this wise For the first saith he To those who believe the Scriptures there will need no other Probation than that of the 28th of Matthew and the 20th And lo I am with you alway unto the End of the World And Vers 18. And the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against it How this proves the Matter to me appears not for these Scriptures do neither expresly nor by any natural Consequence say That any Assembly is the Church of Christ which may in any tolerable supposition be so termed nor yet speak any thing of Controversies arising amongst the Members of the Church of Christ Had he brought the first Scripture to prove that Christ would be with such whom he at this day makes use of to Teach all Nations as he did his Disciples at that day whilst they should teach to Observe the things that Christ to whom all Power is given commands not the Commands of Assemblies which may in any tolerable Supposition be termed the Church of Christ but the things that Christ Commands he had exactly hit the Mark But as to the Matter the aforesaid Author seems by his Words to drive at 't is far from being to the purpose And as to the second Scripture had he brought it to prove That the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against that Church which is built on the Rock Christ 't would have answered the End But alas 't is far remote from proving that God's Spirit will appear to decide Controversies in every Assembly that in any tolerable supposition can be termed Christs Church And so I cannot but conclude that these and several other Scriptures which he hath quoted as Proof of his Assertions seem rather strain'd to Vindicate what he asserts than that his Assertions are according to it on which hand he saith in his Epistle to the Reader That both Papists and Protestants have greatly gone aside which might have been a Caution to him not to have Erred in the same Path as now he hath done Let us a little further examine his Words Tolerable Supposition When we are not certain of the Truth of any thing and yet are apt to think it is or may be so we commonly say My Supposition is that it is or may be so and though the aforesaid Author adjoyns to the word Supposition Tolerable yet that ascertains nothing it only imports such a Supposition may be sufferable that is may be suffered to be a Supposition not a thing that 's Certain There are Assemblies Obvious to every Eye that knows any thing of Christianity which cannot on any Terms be supposed the Church of Christ There are other Assemblies which have several Marks and Tokens of the Church of Christ so far as several things outward profest and acted may be such and yet notwithstanding not owned by the Lord as the Church of Christ The present Age as well as Ages past yields many Presidents to prove the same for that 't is Obvious there have been many Assemblies under various Forms who profess Faith in Christ Works of Righteousness and divers Truths owned by the true Church of Christ Now whether such things profest and owned may not be ground for a tolerable supposition that such Assemblies are the Church of Christ I leave to the Judgment of the impartial and Judicious reader having this further Testimony to add that the World hath too much been troubled with the Sentences Decrees and Decisive Judgments of too many Assemblies supposed to be the Church of Christ or that on tolerable Supposition have been so termed who have rather increased than ended Controversies as History doth at large manifest And since R. B. undertakes by Reason to evidence the same I shall according to the Line of Right Reason and Truth take upon me further to discover the Fallacy of his so confident Assertion The Qualifications of a Member of Christ's Body is Sanctification through the Spirit Wheresoever any number of Persons so qualified are Assembled in Christs Name there is the Church of Christ though they are of that number who are of the lowest Degree or Rank in the Body Now an Assembly of such Members may be as Insensible and void of Understanding in many Divine Matters and Mysteries relating to the Kingdom of God as the Ear of the natural Body may be Insensible of what the Eye doth see and so may have Cases of Controversies brought before them whereof they are no more competent Judges not being Gifted thereunto by the Spirit than the Eye of the natural Body is capable to distinguish between the Diversities of Voices and Sounds or the Ear of Diversities of Colours and yet may be all Faithful in their Places walking according to their respective Measures of Grace which God hath given them so that none can in Truth say such an Assembly may not properly be called the Church of Christ being built upon him their Rock and having perfect Fellowship each with other in the Life of Righteousness Obj. And whereas some may be ready to Object and say Why dost thou seem to reflect on this Sort of Language We must Believe as the Church Believes * Note This Question is stated in a Printed Book and publish't by one called a Quaker whose name is omitted for the reason mentioned in the Preface to the First Part. Is not the true Church in the true Faith and must we not either Believe thus as the true Church Believes or else do we not manifest both Folly and Hypocrisy to profess ourselves Members thereof Answer To this Objection having in my foregoing Lines used such an Expression I thus say The General Assembly and Church of the First Born are written in Heaven Heb. 12.23 But I do not find that this General Assembly set forth their Creed recorded on Earth by that I thus mean I do not find any certain number of Articles of Faith written in the Scriptures of Truth which every Member of this General Assembly did Believe and which every one who should come to be gathered into the Fellowship of Christs Body
ought to Believe and though there have been so many Diversities of Creeds in the World according to the various Apprehensions of divers Assemblies assuming to themselves the Title of the Church of Christ yet to this day I find not amongst the People of the Lord called Quakers that any certain number of Articles of Faith are given forth from any General Assembly or Particular Congregation under the Notion of the Church of Christ as their Creed and as a Measuring-Line by which those who are either in or departed from the Faith may be known and the reason hereof is evident because 't is against the Fundamental Principle viz. the Light to exalt any other Measuring-Line than that by which we were Baptized into the one Body of Christ viz. the Spirit Having thus promised as a more particular Answer to the Question I thus say I confess the true Church is in the true Faith and every Member thereof is in some measure at least of the same Faith that all the Elect of God are of so that it may in Truth be said every Member of the Church doth in some measure Believe as the rest of the Members do I say in some Measure because as there were diversities of Gifts and Operations so also were there Differences in Measures of Faith and therefore doth the Apostle wisely say to this purpose Let him that Prophesieth Prophesy according to the Proportion of Faith Rom. 12.6 But should any arise to say 't is Folly and Hypocrisy to Professones self a Member of the true Church yet not Believe thus as the true Church Believes without any further Explanation of the words or of what is intended thereby such may subject themselves to censure for by the words True Church in this Sentence and yet not Believe thus as the true Church Believes will be understood the rest of the Members from whom one or more differs in Faith Now there may happen to be a weak Brother whose Faith in some particular Matters may be otherwise than the rest of his Brethren's is this Case happened amongst the Romans to whom Paul thus writ Rom. 14.3 4 22 23. Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not and let not him that eateth not Judge him that eateth for God hath received him Who art thou that condemnest another Mans Servant to his own Master he standeth or falleth Hast thou Faith have it to thy self He that doubteth is condemned if he eat because he eateth not of Faith and whatsoever is not of Faith is Sin Here a Diversity of Faith is Evident and that between Brethren and Members of the Church and yet neither appear to be Fools or Hypocrites he that did eat was not to be Judged because he was received of God and he that did not eat was so far from being Judged that the Apostle condemnes the very Eating whilest there was a Doubt though the Abstinence was the Fruit of Weakness These things considered I appeal to Gods Witness in all Consciences whether Truth can be served at this Day by asserting under the name of one called a Quaker such Principles as give occasion of Jealousie that this Doctrine is promoting amongst us We must Believe thus as the Church Believes without removing those Objections which for want of an Explanation may necessarily follow 'T is a true saying That the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against the Church that 's built upon the Rock Christ and that the Elect cannot be deceived but notwithstanding 't is thus said yet we know that particular Members of the Church of Christ have erred Objection Yet some may be ready to object and say * Note This Objection is so lay'd to â—n in the same Book wherein the last answered Query is written Though some particular Members may be liable to err 't is neither reasonable nor just to conclude the whole Body or Church of Christ is liable to err To this I say God forbid that the whole Church of Christ should err yet I say neither the Light within us nor the Scriptures of Truth without us do evidence that any Member one more than another is by any peculiar Election exempted from being liable to err no more than Particular Persons were from all Eternity Elected and others Reprobated and so it appears to me that the Promise was not with respect that some should continue still Faithful and not liable to err though others being liable thereto should err but with respect to every Member of the Church whilest establish'd on the Rock Christ so that not only a part of the Church but every Member thereof whilst built on the Rock Christ shall be so preserved as that the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against any one of them and this seems to me to be evident from the very Connection of the words of the Scripture Mat. 16.18 And upon this Rock I will Build my Church and the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against it that is against the Church built and whilest remaining on the Rock Christ But if any Assembly through Unwatchfulness and Disobedience depart from the Rock Christ whereon they were built then in that State they cannot properly be called the Church built and remaining on the Rock Christ and so having been liable to be overcome the Gates of Hell do prevail and therefore though 't is impossible that any one Member of Christ's Church whilest abiding in the Seed in which the Election stands and to which the Promise is can be deceived yet notwithstanding I affirm that every Member of Christ's Body and if every Member than the whole Church is liable to err if they wait not in and keep not unto that in which their Preservation stands Christ said Watch and Pray that ye enter not into Temptation this was spoken not with respect to some particular Members in the Church of Christ that were lyable to err and as if there were others that were not And therefore its reasonable to conclude that all may thorough Temptation be in danger to err if they watch not but yet my Faith is that a remnant will be preserved so watchful as that being built on the Rock Christ the Gates of Hell shall never prevail against them These things being duely weighed and considering what great Abuse hath been made of Scriptures that speak to this purpose That the Gates of Hell shall not prevaile against the Church of Christ and that what they bind or loose on Earth shall be bound or loos'd in Heaven and that also to maintain an Antichristian Yoak of Bondage under the pretence of Christ's Church saying That it cannot err it appears not much more like one call'd a Quaker if we consult the Writings of some of those antient and Honourable Labourers who were Instruments in the hands of the Lord to turn Thousands unto the Light within us as the unerring Guide to treat on such Scriptures if applyed to outward and settled Assemblies as such as are not
lyable to err than a treating on this Scripture Take eat this is my Body and apply it to outward bread would And though none amongst the People of the Lord called Quakers as ever I yet heard treated on the later Scripture in Approbation of the sense and application before recited yet I find the aforesaid Author treating on the former Scriptures and that as to me appears with respect to settled Assemblies who if they watch not may err which is easily to be savour'd if the whole scope of his Treatise be but duely weighed The service for God and his Truth in his so doing at this day is hard to be understood by many who have an Honourable esteem for Truth as preach't in the beginning especially since it may occasion many to stumble and fall through a Jealousy that those Scriptures in process of time may be used to enforce Obedience to Outward Sentences and Decrees relating to Conscience whether the Understanding be so illuminated as to see the service of such Obedience for God and his Truth yea or nay And since it is so that of late much is spoken touching the Authority of the Church and that the Church is not lyable to err and that the Apostacy shall never enter the Generality more it is at this time with me to treat a little further touching things of this nature And though I would not be understood to say that the Church of Christ is not invested with Power from on high for every Member thereof according to measure stands in the Power or that the Apostacy shall enter the Generallity again yet I have this certain sense that in Asserting the Authority of the Church and her infallibity c. time hath not been so well imployed as might have been in an inward exercise to be comprehended in the Power thereby to be preserved out of all Apostacies and error but to proceed We read that the Author to the Hebrews tells them They were come to the * Heb. 12.13 General Assembly and Church of the First-Born which are written in Heaven and to God the Judge of all we do not find that the Scripture speaks of the Authority of this General Assembly so that their Sentences and Decisive Judgments should be a Bond on Believers to obey though they see it not but saith God is Judge of all Neither do I find that the Scriptures make mention of any General Assembly of the Church of Christ other than in this place And since the word Church is mostly used in Scriptures with respect to particular Congregations or Assemblies what ground is there to exalt the Power of a General Assembly above any Particular one especially since no such Assemblies whether General or Particular as Assemblies of men have Power one above another further than the Power of God appears more eminent in Degree in one than another for God by his Spirit alone is Sole Judge which appearing though but through an Handmaid or meanest of the Flock in the least of Assemblies ought to be submitted to when God's Witness in the Conscience Answers whether an Assembly esteemed a General Assembly approve thereof or no. Where two or three are gathered together in Christs Name there is the Church of Christ * Matth. 18.19 20. Christ saith If two of such agree on Earth as touching any thing they shall ask the Father it shall be done for them of my Father which is in Heaven Can the Agreement of a General Assembly do more than this viz. than Prevail with the Father and therefore I may well query Why the agreement of Two in any Case who in Christ's Name agree ought not to have as great a Prevalency amongst their Brethren as the Agreement of an Assembly esteemed a General one ought And why the People of God at this day may not have an Eye as well to two Brethren who in Christ's Name agree and are at Unity in the Truth as unto an Assembly esteem'd a General One Though particular Societies of Men may constitute some Persons or Person to represent them and so may conferr a Power on them to negotiate Outward Worldly Affairs and by reason of such Constitutions there may be Assemblies which in that respect may be called General Assemblies yet I query Whether any Assembly of the People of the Lord can in a proper Sense be called a General Assembly of the Church of Christ unless such a one where every Member of Christ's Body is convinced because as they pretend to the Exercise of no Power in their Assemblies when negotiating the Affairs of Truth as Members of the Church of Christ and not barely as men but Gods Power so they do not profess that as such they have Power to confer Gods Power and Spirit on any for they account that only proper to Christ the Lord and therefore if any particular Congregation should attempt to send Persons as their Representatives to any particular Place in order to meet together as a General Assembly of the Church of Christ or that any part of the Church without such particular Election or Mission should Assemble together and call themselvs the General Assembly of the Church of Christ I Query Whether those so affirming would not therein manifestly erre Yet I would not hereby be understood to Judge it as an Evil for any whether Apostles or Elders or any else to meet together when where and as often as they in the Spirit shall find Freedom from the Lord so to do nor yet being met together to judge them for giving forth any thing by way of Recommendation to the Consciences of their Brethren when they find freedom from the Lord so to do Yet in this Case every one had need to wait in their Own Gift that so they may not exercise themselves in things beside their Gifts and then what such bring forth may have an Answer in the Consciences of their Fellow-Brethren But should such Assemblies take upon them to give forth Positive Sentences Decrees or Decisive Judgments in Matters of Conscience in order to become a Bond upon Believers to Obey though they see it not and in defect of Obedience to such their Sentences pronounce all such their brethren who may refuse to obey the same Rebellious against the Lord they would therein manifest themselves to be laying another Foundation than that which hath been already laid and so it might be Just with the Lord to withdraw his comforting Presence from them R. B. Page 63. treating of the Liberty of Conscience which may be exercised by the Members of the True Church diversly without Judging one another thus saith There is a certain Liberty and forbearance also that is more perticular and has a relation to the Circumstance of Times and Places which will not hold universally the first was in suffering Circumcision to the Jews the second was in Observation of certain dayes the third Abstaining from meats To which I say The aforesaid Author as in other things
Nations are not to be blamed for all their Idolatry Wickedness and Superstition for that they are not sensible of the Evil of it whereas Truth teaches us to believe that had they been Faithfull to the small measure of Light in things more obvious it would have further opened and manifested other things Then should not the Jews have been condemned for crucifying Christ since Peter says they did it ignorantly and Paul testifies that if they had known they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory Yea then all those that persecuted and burned the Protestant-Martyrs were not to be Judged for it because they supposed they did well in it even according to Christ's Testimony who says that in killing you they shall think they do God good Service shall men then never be condemned for doing evil or omitting their Duty because they see it not what absurdity would folthereupon may easily appear and yet it is strange that W. R. in his Papers should labour so much against this affirming very positively that nothing ought to be given forth in the Church of Christ but by way of recommendation not of command wherein he doth either greatly mistake the matter as affirmed by me or otherways run into a far greater inconveniency than he is aware for if he mean that no man of or from himself only or by vertue of any office or place he either hath or hath born in the Church of Christ ought to Command any things to be performed in the Church I freely agree to it and have asserted the same in very full and ample termes But if he will say that no man albeit really moved by the Spirit of God ought to go further than a meer reomendation it is a most insolent limiting of God under a false pretence of Liberty will necessarily conclude that God hath not Power to command any thing unless men be content to agree to it For the Controversy is here drawn to a narrow Compass for he that will allow that God hath Power to command things to be practised in the Church and that those Commands must be conveyed by immediate Revelation through some of the Members of the Church and that it may fall out that some of the Members of the Church may thorough weakness or unwatchfulness not be sensible they must either acknowledge that such are to be condemned or say that God hath not Power to Command or that there is no such Revelations now a Days as do the Priests and Truths Enemies or that Man is not Condemnable for Disobeying God if he believe it not to be his Duty which is as much as to say that Unbelief is no Sin Now let these things be seriously considered how this is or can be avoided without granting the things affirmed by me for what way the Truth can be asserted the Honour and just Authority of God acknowledged the necessity and continuance of immediate Revelation affirmed and the Iniquity of Unbelief not justified and the just Judgement of God upon the Rebellious and Disobedient vindicated without affirming what I have done And if any can do this in words more wary than I have done I shall very readily agree to it For that things may be proposed to the Church by way of Command and further than a meer Recommendation the whole Current of the Scriptures shews not only to the Church among the Jews where Moses and the Prophets do propose the Will of God to be performed very positively and peremtorily but even under the New-Covenant as appears in the 15th of the Acts and in many places of Pauls Epistles particularly that on 2 Thes 3.14 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 then being manifested with respect to those times I would know of W. R. whether Christ has now lost any of his Authority or has left off to rule his church immediately by his Spirit whether so to affirm be not grossely to contradict the Ancient and Primitive Doctrine of Friends W. R 's Tenth Observation [k] [k] This is not my Concern having given no Occasion in my Answer for this his Defence and therefore do make no reply thereto Fifthly Whereas some did suppose that I did make the Difference in the End but very small betwixt Decissive Judgement among Friends and among Papists and other Persons because I say they place the Decisive Judgement in the Plurality of an Assembly made up of their chief Teachers and Ministers and albeit I limit it not to that yet I seem to affirm That it most usually is so conveyed and so the difference only is that they make it always so and I most usually To this I answer that if in Charity I may suppose this insinuation comes not from malice at least it proceeds from great Ignorance of the Popish Principles and it were better for such to be silent than to Judge of things they do not understand for the Difference here is very Great and Fundamental in respect both Papists and others do affirm that men by vertue of an Outward succession or vocation may have true Right to sit and give Judgment in such Assemblies albeit they be void of true Holiness and have not the Grace of God which they say is no necessary qualification to the being of a Minister so that they Place the Power of Judgment not onely in the plurality of Votes absolutely in which we differ from them but also in the Judgment of such as may without any absurdity by their own Principles be supposed to be all and each of them void of the true Grace of God and whom even supposing them to be Gracious they Affirm not at all to be led by the immediate Spirit of Christ which they say is now ceased now can there be a greater difference than is betwixt these two to wit to affirm that the Power of decision is in an Assembly of men to being Members of which assembly the Grace of God is no necessary qualification and who deny any such thing as to be immediately led by the Spirit of Christ as a thing not attainable in these Dayes and yet that all Christians must be Subject to what the Plurality of such an Assembly so Constitute do determin And to Affirm that the Power of Decision is onely and alone in the Spirit not necessarily tied to a general assembly but if it please God to make use of such an assembly yet neither to the Plurality of them but in and thorough such of his Servants as he sees meet and that none are capable or can be supposed to be Members of such an assembly or esteemed such from whom such a Judgment can be expected or ought to be received unless they be men in whom the Grace of God not onely is but has truly wrought to mortify and regenerate them in a good Measure in whom the Judgment of Truth really
proceeding from the Spirit will be manifest to all who are Truly Faithful who will accordingly submit thereunto not with respect to the Men but the Authority of God manifested in and thorough them so that such as see not this Judgment aright will be Justly Condemnable of God for their not submitting Not as if they should be accepted of God if they did obey before conviction but because they brought this Blindness upon themselves thorough the unfaithfullness and unwatchfullness which renders them both guilty of the Blindness and of the Disobedience occasioned by it Now the vastness of the Difference that is here manifest cannot but be obvious to any that will read and consider this Impartially without prejudice Thus I have passed thorough all the things that I have understood any to scruple at there being nothing else that I remember which is not either Relative to some of the Particulars before mentioned or included in them but if any Wonder why I have closed this method and not rather made a formal Reply to W. R's Papers I hope these following reasons will satisfy all sober and truly Peaceable-minded Friends who Love Truth 's Prosperity more than Jangling as a sufficient reason for my so doing First forasmuch as the greater part of what W. R. has writ is wholly built upon the Particulars heretofore mentioned W. R's Eleventh Obsevation which Particulars being cleared and * his Mistakes therein removed [l] [l] To signify that I wrest his Words or put a Disadvantageous meaning contrary to the signification of his words is a false insinuation neither did I mistake nor yet so signifie by letter as anon from the Observations on that letter termed mine will be made appear for I put no meaning on his lines but what the very Express Grammatical sense thereof Compared one with the other would bear as will sufficiently appear to such as will be at the Paines to compare my answer to his Booke of Government with the Matters I pretend to answer and though he pretends to leave his case herein to the Readers Judgement yet he Impatiently records his own unjust Judgment first on this wise surely it is not Answerable to that candor and Justice that W. R. lays claim to meaning as his Express Words import because I doubted that from the words of the Apostle Rule Command Ordain c. R. B ' s. meaning was that some things others ought to obey whether they see it their Duty yea or nay Alas had R. B. but considered that in this his very Postscript he Renders it absurd to conclude that men should not be Condemned for ommiting their Duty because they see it not and that in his Book of Government he saith neither will the pretences of any contradicting them or refusing to submit on the account they see it not excuse them of being guilty of disobeying God Me thinks then he would have forborn to Judge me as aforesaid and though he signifies that I make a Digression concerning the Second Daies Meetings in London I say it cannot Properly be called a Digression since 't is Matter of Observation on such as were concerned in the Approbation of R. B 's Book of Government besides Robert Barclays Disingenuity is apparent in signifying that I Judge the Apostle Paul and yet sayeth not wherein I shall therefore cite the Matter occasioned him falsly to affirm that I Judge the Apostle my words are these The Scripture R. B. quotes is 1 Tim. 1.19 20. which thus sayeth Holding Faith and a good Conscience which some having put away concerning Faith have made Shipwrack of whom is Hymeneus and Alexander whom I have delivered to Satan that they may learn not to Blaspheme Having thus repeated Pauls words I then proceeded in these words What 's this to the Purpose to prove that the Positive Sentence and Decision of the Church in Matters of Conscience may bind Believers 't is so remote from it that it needs no Explanation to shew it so nay I may reasonably query whether this Scripture be to ordinary Capacities plaine to the purpose that Paul himself intends for if we counsult the Light it doth not tell us that a Delivery to Satan may be an Expedient whereby to learn not to Blasphem if by the Word Satan is meant the Devil as is usually understood I now query of R. B. whether the Delivery of a Transgressour to the Devil be according to his Light the way to learn not to Blasphame if not his Reflection on me that I Judge the Apostle is unjust and absurd as his own Letter signifies the Superstructure falls of it self as not touching my Intention nor yet reaching me but onely that Apprehension he supposed to be my meaning and to follow from my words for which end he oftentimes is so wary of as to affirm in his Papers that to his Understanding my words seemed to import and my meaning seems to be so in which things since himself saw and I have manifested his Mistake I am not so great a Lover of Centention as to busy either my self or mind of others with the Men of Straw of his Making but yet he was not so modest nor kind to his Old Friend but that sometimes he does seek to render my words Odious albeit the Mistake be his own by reiterate repetition repeating that of the tolerable Supposition of a Church at every turn above twenty times but also he very obviously wrests my Words and seeks to impose upon me a Disadvantagious Meaning that he may furnish himself on Occasion there-after the more liberally to smite at me as where from the Apostles Words saying And we have Confidence ye will do the things we Command you c. And in another place where he desires those to whom he writes to submit themselves to such as Rule over them did inferr that some did appoint and ordain some things and that there lay an Obligation in point of Duty on others to obey upon which W.R. very unfairly observes It is to be doubted his meaning is others ought to obey whether they see it their Duty yea or nay I leave such Dealing to the Readers Judgment surely it is not answerable to that Candor and Justice that W. R. lays claim to Secondly Because W. R. in these Papers hath taken Occasion to extend himself in long Digressions upon other Matters not treated upon in that Book and takes oft occasion to insinuate his Jealousies of Persons and Things that I meddled not with as where he makes a large Digression which takes up several Pages concerning the Constitution of the Second-Days Meeting at London endeavouring what he can to represent the hurt and abuse of it and where he divers times insinuates that some are usurping or seeking to usurp a Jurisdiction over the Consciences of the Brethren and that some do believe that God hath raised up some outward Person to be amongst the Children of Light at this day as Moses was of old among the
Part p. 7 8. See also the 3 d. Part p. 7 8. The General-Assembly of the Cburch of the First-Born 3 d. Part p. 74 78. Members of Christ's Body not certainly describable by Outward Marks and Tokens Outward Orders insufficient for their Conservation 3 d. Part p. 57 58. No Member of the Church of Christ one more than another is exempted from being lyable to err pag. 75 76 77 78. N Â O OBedience What kind of Obedience finds Acceptance what not 3 d. Part p. 26 33. See Church-Government Though the Obedience of Christ made many Righteous yet 't is no Proof that any were or can be made Partakers of that Righteousness whil'st Sin reigns in the Mortal Body 2 d. Part p. 67 68. Opposers From an Objection raised Occasion is taken to shew the Difference between Us and our Opposers though our Language relating to Principle and Practice in some things agree 1 st Part p. 30 31. Order of the Gospel is the Power of God and cannot be Establish't by Man 3 d. Part p. 25. Outward Orders The Establishers thereof under the Notion of Christ's Government Invaders of Christ's Prerogative 1 st Part p. 4. Reasons given why they are unsuitable to be accounted a Part of Christ's Government 3 d. prt p. 6 7 8 9 11 23 24. See 1 st Part p 6 7 8. See Church-Government P PErfection Every Gift of God is Perfect No such Perfect State attainable wherein 't is not needful for Man to Watch 2 d. Part p. 14. A Cessation from Sin attainable 2 d. Part p. 14 15 16 19 20. Persecution An Objection touching Securing Outward Estate in Time of Persecution Christ's Words to Peter and Saul's Action of saving Agag being instanced is Answered 1 st Part p. 30 to 36. Plain-Language On what Ground used 2 d. Part p. 34. Power of Decision of Differences by Robert Barclay's Words imports a Jurisdiction in such as he accounts the Church over Property 3. Part p. 35. Observations on the said Sence shewing the Inconsistency thereof with Truth 3 d. Part p. 35 to 41. Power to Bind and Loose is not from Christ's Words so far as from the Scripture we learn pleaded by the Apostles or any Assembly under the Notion of Christ's Church 3 d. Part p. 66 67. Principles Reputed by Robert Barclay the Bond by which we became Centered into One Body meaning Christ's Body the Church 3 d. Part p. 54. His Assertion and Argument refuted p. 54 to 59. The like he saith touching Practices and Doctrines p. 54. Professors of Christianity How they come to disagree touching some Religious Matters whenas whil'st they keep to Scripture-Language they agree in Principles termed Fundamental that are relative to the Matter wherein they differ 2 d. Part p. 69 70. Prophet Raised like unto Moses is Christ Jesus and no other is owned by us like unto Moses under the Second Covenant but Christ Jesus 1 st Part p. 10 11. Q Â R REign of Christ is by his Spirit in the Heart 3 d. Part p. 4. Robert Barclay An Answer to his Book of Government manifesting Erroneous Doctrines held forth by him 3 d. Part p. 15 to 88. The Chief Matters discours'd of in the said Answer p. 19 20 21 22 23. Robert Barclay's Postscript to the said Book by way of Epistle to Friends wherein he affirms That he never found Occasion to Repent or Retract any thing from the Matter and Principles there asserted by him And further also That though the Things chiefly scrupled at are as he saith cleared by Will m. Rogers his own Letter yet that all may be satisfyed by having them from his own Hand he was free to Write his Postscript William Rogers his Observations adjoyned to the said Postscript shew First That Robert Barclay Justifies his Book Secondly That the pretended Letter of William Rogers is by Robert Barclay acknowledged to contain Robert Barclay's Sence and Explication of the Matters scrupled in his Book Thirdly That his Postscript was writ that all might have his Sence of the Matters chiefly scrupled under his own Hand according to the Explications given in William Rogers his pretended Letter Fourthly That notwithstanding all this the Explications in the said Letter are not to be found in his Book nor yet all of them in his Postscript neither doth his Postscript and Book agree nor yet either of Them with Truth in many Things 3 d. Part p. 99 to 124. Rule See Church-Government S SAlvation of Mankind See Kingdom of God and Justification Sathan The Qualifications of such whom Sathan hath made use of to rend and divide the Church of Christ viz. such as have Zeal without Knowledge such as have Knowledge without Zeal and others that have abounded in Confidence without either Knowledge or Zeal 1 st Part p. 69 to 78. Schismes The Ground thereof and some Marks by which 't is known 3 d. Part p. 41 42. Scriptures may be an Instrument through the Spirit whereby Faith in Christ may be attained unto 2 d. Part p. 3 4. And albeit they have been owned by Us and our Antient Friends to be a Rule yet we have not owned them to be the Infallible Rule but instead thereof the Spirit And yet they have been of late streined by Robert Barclay to make them the Rule to rule over our Brethren p. 48 49 50 51. See Church-Government Sentences or Degrees of any Assembly though pretending themselves the Church in Matters relating to Conscience no Bond upon Believers without inward Conviction 3 d. Part p. 58 61 62. See Believers Sin See Perfection Spirit What is meant by this kind of our Opposer's Language viz. Dark Leaven'd Rending Dividing Separate Spirit 1 st Part p. 6. Spiritual Matters Cognizable by the Government held forth by Robert Barclay 3 d. Part p. 53. Swearing under the Gospel-Dispensation not Lawful in any Case 2 d. Part 37 38 39. Submission to any Assembly that in any tollerable Supposition may be termed the Church of Christ is so pleaded for by Robert Barclay as that Want of Sight shall not excuse being Guilty of Disobeying God 3 d. Pare p. 69. That Sence refuted his Perversion of the Scriptures cited discovered 3 d. Part p. 69 to 80. Supper of the Lord the Night before he was Betrayed p. 51. The Doctrine of Christ at that Supper Owned p. 51 52. Scripture reputed to relate to that Practice Explained p. 52 to 61. T TEstimonies In what Case these words Let th'Testimonies of Friends arise have been notoriously abused 1 st Part p. 18 19. Traditions See Church-Government Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil cannot properly be a Comparison to represent Knowledge that is Devilish or the Thing that is Evil 2 d. Part p. 28 29. Tythes no Gospel-Maintenance to a Gospel-Ministry 2 d. Part p. 40 to 44. U VNity Divers Things laid down wherein the Faithful were at Unity 1 st Part p. 2 3 4. In what Sence the Apostle exhorted thereto 1 st Part p. 36 37. Inconveniences attending this Doctrine no Unity but in Conformity 1 st Part p. 72 73. An Universal Establish't Unity with respect to Faith and Discipline relating to Believers in Christ by Outward Instruments is inconsisting with Gospel-Liberty 3 d. Part p. 82 to 86. See Believers The Mark of a Member of Christ's Church in Unity with the Body is an Inward Invisible Mark 3 d. Part p. 83 84. W VVArs not Lawful to be entred into by Us to work our own Deliverance from under Oppressive Laws and Magistrates 2 d. Part p. 30 31 32. Weak Believers may be Received to doubtful Disputations by assigning the Decision of Controversy to the Church since Contention may arise who or where they are 3 d. Part p. 59 60. Wisdom from Above and that which is not from Above is deseribed Wisdom which we have as Creatures is not that Wisdom which by the Apostle is termed Sensual and Devilish but is given us of God 2 d. Part p. 21 to 25. Women having received a Revelation to Utter in the Church may Speak Unruly Disorderly Women may be warned to be Silent even as it is their Duty so to be in the Church 3 d. Part p. 52. Works What sort are Necessary to Salvation and what not Works spoken of by the Apostle James are the same sort of Works spoken of by the Apostle Paul 2 d. Part p. 16 17 18 19. Writings for Publick View By whom Approved or else not to be Printed 3 d. Part p. 29 30 Reasons against the Method of such Approbation and Limitation 3 d. Part p. 29 30 31 32. X Â Y Â Z ZEal without Knowledge Some Parts of the Fruit thereof described 1 st Part pag. 70 71 72 73. Zeal according to Knowledge accepted by God 1 st Part p. 70. A Part of the Qualifications of such as are endued with it 1 st Part p. 77. THE Postscript following the Preface is added to clear the Truth as well as my self from this pretended Argument against my Printing viz. That I came up to London to read a Charge behind George Fox 's Back and That though I pretended a Readiness to Meet him I had no Desire thereto Which gives me Occasion to lay down several Observations and Reasons invalidating the pretended Argument together with a Letter written by Me to James Claypoole and Three other Friends in London to cover a Remonstrance to the Friends of London All on purpose that they might use their Interest to cause George Fox to submit to a Hearing that so if possible some Expedient might have been found to satisfy my Conscience otherwise than by Printing Which I acquainted them of as well as George Fox and that I intended to proceed therein unless so much Notice should be taken of my Call for Justice against the Reproachful Actions and Trespasses of George Fox as that he might be brought to a Hearing before Friends to the end that if Guilty he might give Satisfaction if not he might be Quitted There are also signified in the said Postscript several Things which are clear Evidences that George Fox would not assent to any Meeting for the aforesaid End Which coming to my Knowledge I was then free of all Concern to sollicite him more either by Word or Writing for a Meeting and had no further Bond upon me to forbear proceeding to Print as Expeditious as I could William Rogers
lest you be found fighters against that which the Lord by a Constrant of his Power leads into And Builders again of the things that you have destroyed For as the Principle of Truth never led us to respect Persons in Judgement so hath it not led us to refuse to call upon the Highest as well as the Lowest to stoop to a just hearing when Matters of Errour and Evil Fact shall be laid at the Door of such an one That I may as much as in me lies be eased in my Spirit with Relation to you I cannot but in Bowels of true Love warn you that these my few Lines may be read in the Fear and Dread of the Living God that so if it may be with you to Answer or Act any thing in Relation hereunto you may not Add to my Burthens by grieving that which the Lord never grieved Having thus far cleared my Conscience to you as it was with me on my Bed this very Morning I have Peace herein and remain Your Friend William Rogers A Postscript That which hath dropt from one or some of your Lips since my coming to London hath occasioned me to add this Postscript MY End in communicating unto you what is with me on this Occasion is not that either you or any should take upon you to Judge the Cause without assent or hearing both of George Fox and my self and if any hath or shall endeavour to insinuate the contrary from any thing which I have either Spoken or Written the God of Heaven will blast that Spirit from whence it hath or may come as that which seeks Occasion against me undeservedly The like Practice is that Crying Sin which my Conscience hath been concerned to cry against knowing that it hath entered many under the Profession of Truth and for which their Names lye on Record to their Shame but yet I am not without this secret hope that the Day will come wherein many of them may repent of the same I cannot also but inform you that it is the Fruit of Gross Darkness to compare such as are at Unity with John Wilkinson and John Story on a Religious Score and that on the Foot of such Unity to John Parrot and his Followers in the Practice of keeping on their hats in Prayer because John Perrot's Practice therein might properly be termed such Innovation in the Church as tended to Schism contrary to the approved Practice of the Church of God and so was worthily Judged and Condemned but as to John Wilkinson and John Story I remember not that ever any accused them for introducing any Practice into the Church of God contrary to the Scriptures of Truth Light of Christ Jesus or the approved Practice of Friends when at Vnity in the Truth and not only so but I am well satisfyed in my Conscience and that on sufficient ground too large here to insert that the very secret reason wherefore John Story and John Wilkinson have been Judged by many though unheard by such to speak for themselves and that Certificates against them have been either sent or approved to be sent abroad by George Fox with direction to send them both to Enemies and Friends is because they cannot stoop and bow to Innovation not practised by Friends when in Unity in the Truth nor yet justifyable from the Scriptures of Truth or the Light of Christ in their Consciences And if any to whom these Lines may come have or may think me too Zealous I earnestly desire that such may Watch against a Luke-warm Spirit and that which is inclinable to Respect Persons in Judgement and not only so but against that Spirit that hath been ready to proclaim the supposed Infirmities of some on the House-top whilest Endeavours are made to cover the Sins of the High and Lofty one George Fox though the so doing hath tended to the stumbling of many amongst the Flock of God whoever may so do and for the Accomplishment thereof shall pervert the Counsel and Intent of the Apostle when he exhorted to bear all things as if that Scripture might be produced to cover the Notorious Sins of One that may pretend himself Infallible I then say It is the ready way to introduce a Justification of Rantism it self I now am further to acquaint you that if either of you or any Friend unto whom this may come being written for publick View amongst Friends shall within twenty dayes time after the date hereof write unto George Fox and therein signify to this Purpose That since I call for Justice and Satisfaction for Wrongs done and Things acted by him reproachful to the Truth he then ought to submit to a Hearing thereof before Friends in Truth that so if guilty he may Condemn it and if not he may be Justifed I then shall freely forbear printing against him until such time he either sendeth Answer to such a Letter or else sendeth no Answer when it may be desired of him but yet with this proviso that such so to be concerned send the said Letter to me to be sent unto him and if he shall Answer and propose such a Method for a Hearing as may be approved in my Conscience I may then submit thereto William Rogers To this Letter I never received any Answer Here follows William Rogers his Remonstrance to which his aforesaid Letter gave cover to the Friends of London in relation to G. F. to the intent that some Expedient might be found to prevent Printing against him Friends IT is not unknown unto many of you that I have been concerned touching the Differences arisen amongst Friends and whatever Censures some may pass upon me yet I have this Evidence in my Conscience That my Concern hath been for the Cause of God his Truth and People and so through his Mercy am inwardly mad Partaker of his Peace though many under the Profession of Truth have endeavoured to give me Outward Trouble and were it so that with Peace of Conscience I could have forborn to come up unto this City of London on the Occasion I now am here I should much rather have stayed at home about my outward Business than have taken this Journey which I have done and that through a Constraint upon my Spirit to lay before Friends in several Parts of the Nation a part of those things which have been and are my burthen to the end that as much as in me lyes I may endeavour that an Expedient may be found whereby they may be removed and laid at the Proper Door and that so the guilty after serious Examination by an equal Consent of Parties may be by those who retain their Integrity to the Lord and his Truth visited exhorted and warned to repent and turn from that Spirit which hath beguiled so may the Judgments of the Lord be witnessed to the renewing of the Spirit of the Mind unto God again Amongst Friends in general the Friends at London were before me to visit on this Occasion but to be very
He never advised to the Erecting the same The Sixty Six Subscribers in their Paper are found Accusing John Wilkinson and John Story to this Effect viz. That they have Evil Designs and persevere in them by Word Writing and Practice That they despise Heavenly Dignities That they set up continue and promote False and Pernicious Iealousies Murmurings and Secret Smitings and that thereby they are Darkned in their Vnderfrandings That through the Power of the Enemy of the King of Righteousness His Peace they set up a kind of Standard of Separation from that blessed Fellowship and Communion that the Churches of Christ sweetly possest together to the Dishonour of God His Truth and People That they go on in Opposition Evil Smiting against the Faithful Brethren and Practice of the Church of Christ That the offering of their Gifts is not a Peace but a Division-Offering That they are Obstinate and Obdurate and gone into Self-wil That they cast Tender Love behind their Backs Amongst the said Sixty Six Subscribers we Read the Names of four Persons Inhabiting the City of Bristol by which they became Accusers since John Story and John Wilkinson were not before them at any time as Judges in their Cause and so having been Persons who at some times have Assembled with us in the aforesaid Meetings held for Relief of the Poor c. within the said City of Bristol where John Story and John Wilkinson have often published the Gospel of Christ for above twenty Years to our knowledge they have been desired to appoint a Meeting to make forth their Accusations to Iohn Story 's Face that so if the Accused be Guilty it may be sufficient Proof of Matter of Fact be manifest to us who in that Case shall then account it our Duty To Disown the Accused also But if they cannot prove Matter of Fact to render them so Guilty we may then justly expect the said Persons to own the Wrong they have done them by their False Accusation and give Satisfaction for the same But they will not as yet Admit a Meeting for that end before such Friends of Truth whereof one half may be Chosen by Vs and others Dissatisfied though they have liberty to Choose the other half themselves Neither will they as yet Admit a Hearing before any Meeting wherein the Witnesses to these Accusations shall be Excluded from being Iudges with other Friends And so what Issue this Matter may Admit amongst us is at present uncertain and whether this be Christian-like We Appeal to Gods Witness in all Consciences We Observe that in the said Paper the Subscribers Exhort Friends To be Zealous for the Lord and to stand up in his Spirit and Power for the Peace of his Church which Exhortation in it self is sound and wholesome But we are very Jealous that the said Paper hath notwithstanding given Life to a Contentious Spirit For on the Fifteenth Instant being the first Day of the Week John Story came to our Meeting and almost immediately after he had sate down there was one stood up who as we can prove declared Unity with the said Paper given forth against John Wilkinson and John Story and testified to this Effect The Trumpet of the Lord is sounded to Battle and the War is begun and so Exhorted on this Wise Come up to Battle and help the Lord against the Mighty using also these Scripture Words Curse ye Meroz And in the afternoon of the same day in our publick Assembly Francis Lea whilst John Story was declaring the Word of Truth stood up and thus began If any thing he Revealed to another that sitteth by let the First hold his Peace which was a clear Demonstration of his Hypocrisy for that 't is publickly known he Judges John Story out of Unity with the Church and so 't was altogether wrong in Fr. Lea to introduce his Discourse by a Scripture which if proper to be spoken in Order to the silencing of one declaring yet it ought to have been with Respect to one in Unity with the Church But as we said he ownes not John Story so to be and so it may reasonably be concluded that his Hipocrisy was not only thereby made Manifest but also his Discourse being Considered that he had no Revelation to Declare from God on that Occasion to the People But yet John Story observing how he introduced his Discourse not as an open Opposer of his VVords did for the People's sakes and that he might Administer no occasion of Discord give way and in a few words after drew to a Conclusion but Francis Lea's Discourse was such both Morning and Afternoon as gave occasion both to Professors and Prophane publickly to Manifest that we are now Divided Now whether this be a standing up in the Power and Spirit of God for the Peace of the Church of Christ or a Peace-Offering Let those who are Wise in Heart Judge But that which further Manifested Francis Lea's Rudeness is this After Francis Lea in the Morning-Meeting had ended his Declaration wherein he laid down seeming contradictory Assertions viz. That Two Hundred and Fifty Princes and Renowned Men in Israel were Revels and wicked Men and yet also said to this Effect as if they were Blameless and Harmless VVilliam Rogers stood up and took up his Words and spoke thereon in the Words of Truth and Sound Doctrine that so the People might not go away with a Misunderstanding and not as an Opposer of any Truth that Day Delivered nor yet as an Opposer of Francis Lea further than Francis Lea's own words Opposed himself And yet after VVilliam Rogers had ended Francis Lea in a Rude manner poured out Iudgments against VVilliam Rogers calling him Rebel and using that very Language as was used to Elimas the Sorcerer and this is become a Common talk amongst Professors and Prophane in Country as well as City which we and many Friends more do Account the Fruit of great Malice and Un-Christian-like Dealing for we know not any thing wherein VVilliam Rogers hath forfeited his Reputation as a Man or a Christian These things Considered and that also it is not made Appear to our Consciences that John Story and John VVilkinson are guilty of such Crimes and Offences as are laid to their Charge which if they were we also should disown them we dare not as we said before own the said judgment to be Righteous nor yet deny the said John VVilkinson and John Story lest we sin against God and despise those unto whom a Dispensation of the Gospel of Christ is committed And now our Counsel to the sixty six Subscribers is that they mind the Peace of the Churches of Christ by Calling in their Paper for we are well satisfyed that their Paper is not given forth from the Motion of Gods Spirit and if any of the sixty six Subscribers as men leaning upon others have asserted in the Name of the Lord when the Lord hath not spoken by them and that to Defame the
Member or Members of the Church may be Witnesses thereof in their Own Hearts we are sorry for such weakness However it gives us occasion to add this Testimony That if we consult the Scriptures of Truth and Light of Christ we have no Ground to believe that under the dispensation of the second Covenant God hath or ever will move by his Spirit in any Mortal Man or Men to take upon him or them so to appoint certain dayes for others to meet upon to manage the outward Affairs of a Christian Society as that if any of that Society assent not thereto or endeavour to alter them to another day then such may be Justly censured as men of loose Spirits or led by a corrupt Spirit of Darkness for every Member of such a Society ought first to be fully perswaded in their own minds in all things relating to Faith or Discipline and not to be Judging one another about any thing wherein they may differ when the matter it self springs from a Conscientious Scruple and not Obstinacy contrary to Knowledge for from the Holy Scriptures we learn that that which is not of faith is sin and that there was the Day of Ignorance accompanyed some at which the Lord Winked And yet to our Greif we may say that such a Day of gloominess and thick Darkness hath overtaken some amongst the People called Quakers who appear zealous for some Outward Forms of Discipline which they as we take it foollishly imagin are establish't as by a Decree from Heaven that they seem to make void the Law of Charity and humane Society and as if their Religion were most Effectually demonstrated by appearing in such a kind of Spirit that Christ reproved in his Disciples when they asked him on this wise Wilt thou that we Command Fire to come down from Heaven and consume them meaning the Samaritans that did not receive Christ because his Face was as though he would go to Jerusalem To return again we farther say That whoever hath given Occasion for such an Objection to be raised as aforesaid 't is to be doubted it sprange from one that aspires to give Rules to others whilest he will not be subject to the same himself for if it were not so it s very probable we might have escaped the severe judgment of being guilty of Corahs sin and that only because we have endeavoured to convince some that that * Namely G. F. one Person intended in the Objection See the fourth and fifth Parts of the Christian-Quaker hath acted contrary to the outward Rules and Orders that he himself hath prescribed for others to walk by As to the word Establish't we further add That the word as used in the Objection is disowned by us for though the Children of God may be Instruments in the hand of the Lord to establish one another in the Faith of God's Elect yet 't is not in their power or of any one of them positively and without exception to establish what ought to be believed and practiced whether it respect Doctrine or Discipline and if any one or more have atempted so to do it may Justly be said of such that he or they have endeavoured to invade Christ's Prerogative Besides we observe That the Objection is made with respect to one man which to us seems as if in the Objectors sense that one man amongst the People called Quakers had Power given him of God to establish an Outward Form wherein all God's People ought to walk or else severely to be censured for Rebellion whether they see it their Christian Duty or not but this we deny as that which may Justly be termed an Abomination either so to endeavour or so to submit Secondly If we enquire what is establish't we know if any Answer be given to what by the Question we intend it will be on this wise Certain Meetings to be held by the People called Quakers or at least some of them on certain prefixt dayes But if we ask Who are the Meeters that are to make up the establish't Meetings none can give such a certain Discription as that the Meeters may be certainly known and therefore the use of the word Establish't applicable to outward Societies of People so uncertain to be known or outwardly describable seems to us vain and ridiculous By this discourse the Reader may gather that we are remote from owning those Meetings mentioned in the last Objection to be establish'd as a part of Christ's Government and as to their having any share as a Church in Church Government 't will be time enough for us to answer when any shall pretend that they have manifested that those uncertain qualifyed Persons usually Assembled in such Meetings were then Members of the Church of Christ and that as Members thereof they had right to stile themselves Church-Governours However we think it needful to signify That the chief Ends as we understood wherefore the said Meetings were assented to by many Friends were to relieve the Poor and to perform other necessary Services relating to the Truth and Friends concerned therein in which we thought our selves and doubtless all the Faithful with us Servants one unto another and not Masters Governours or Rulers over one another for that did not so much as enter into our Hearts But when we perceived that some Upstarts that to us seemed to love Preheminence as Diotrephes did lookt upon themselves as Somebody from their appearing and being encouraged to appear Members in such Meetings and to lay a stress on the prefixt Dayes for Meeting affirming that they were Established by the Power of God that Friends who were Heirs of the Power might come and take their Possessions therein a sort of Language not well understood by such as are Indued with Wisdom from above then many Friends began to startle thereat fearing that some through Weakness and Blind Zeal would Idolize the same and run into an indispensable Form and endeavour to bite and devour one another about Outward Things and so at length some Friends in Truth moved to alter the Days of Meeting in some places but others not assenting thereto Contention arose and a Fire hath been kindled about Church-Government at so high a rate as that Publick Meeting Places for the Worship of God have sometimes become meer Stages of Contention and other times the keeping on of Hats in Prayer by some whilest others have been uncovered hath become as an Ensign of divisions the knowledge whereof being no longer to be hid hath more vigorously occasioned the bringing forth of our Treatise Intituled the Christian-Quaker distinguished from the Apostate and Innovator in five Parts whereof this Treatise touching Government is one that so all may now know that Darkness is not so overshadowed but that the Lord hath preserved a Remnant amongst the People called Quakers that cannot bow their Knee to any Image or Image-Maker nor yet to acknowledge that Salvation is attainable through Faith in any other Name than
the Name of Jesus who is given of the Father to be Salvation to the Ends of the Earth I now come to give the Reader a perticular Account of some Assertions and Scripture Quotations relating to Government amongst one part of the People called Quakers published in Print by Robert Barclay together with Answers thereto contained in a Manuscript given forth by my self who was concerned in my Conscience so to do for the sakes of such as being weak are apt to be precipitated into a Zealous Observation of other mens Lines made ready to their hands when not led thereinto by a Measure of Gods Gift and Grace in themselves and so may justly be termed like unto those who render for Doctrine the Traditions of Men. The aforesaid Assertions Quotations and particular Answers thereto some Years past sent to Steven Crisp and another publick Person as well as the Author of the said Book doth follow as proper in relation to this Treatise touching Government and if the Reader shall find any thing therein which hath been herein already treated upon or in the first part of the Christian-Quaker distinguish'd from the Apostate and Innovator I hope he will not be offended thereat since the ensuing Lines were written on a Particular Occasion though of a General Concern relating to the People called Quakers and that also before it was designed that the said first part should be prepared much less committed to the Press However that which may well plead my Excuse for the Readers Expence of Time on such an Occasion is this There is very little Discourse of which hath been mentioned before and that which is is very material to be observed as a proper Looking-Glass in some respect to distinguish the true Christian termed in Derision Quaker from the Apostate and Innovator The Innovations AND Scripture-Misapplications of R. B. Detected BEING Part of some Observations on his small Treatise Intituled The ANARCHY of the RANTERS c. Wherein he saith The Antient Apostolick Order of the Church of Christ is Re-establisht amongst them meaning the People of the Lord called in Derision Quakers This small Treatise being weighed in the equal Ballance this ensuing Discourse is become a two-fold Defence for those of the People of God called Quakers who have retained their First Love and Integrity for the Truth and Right Understanding of the only Fundamental Principle thereof viz. the Light Wherein they are vindicated from the Aspersions of those who may accuse them of despising of Christ's Government and indulging that Liberty which Truth condemns on the one hand and from such who may calumniate them for endeavouring to establish the outward Orders and Prescriptions of Men under the Notion of the Orders of the Church of Christ to become a Bond on others to obey though they see it not their Duty on the other hand Shewing that the Place where Christs Government hath been is and ought to be exalted is in the Heart and that 't is not in the Power and so cannot be the Duty of man to establish that Government which is already on Christs Shoulders Given forth in the Year 1676. By WILLIAM ROGERS 1 Cor. 3.11.21 For other Foundation can no man lay than that which is already laid Let no man Rejoyce in Men. To the READER THE afore-mentioned Treatise of R. B. is the first that to my Remembrance or Knowledge is under the Name of one called a Quaker extant in Print whereby the Adversaries to that Antient Truth whereof they have been Witnesses may have Cause to be Jealous First That that People who have been so great Contenders against that Spirit which would have enforced Outward Forms and Orders of Men relating to Conscience though under the Notion of Assemblies calling themselves the Church of Christ should now be more exercised to encourage their Brethren to follow the Orders Traditions Examples or Commandments of any relating to Matters of Conscience and the Things of God though under the most plausible Pretences whatsoever than that never-erring and infallible Guide which hath been so often exalted amongst them viz. Christ's Light in the Conscience Secondly That though the People called Quakers have pleaded much for the Exercise of their Consciences and for the Liberty thereof which one Eminent amongst them hath described to be a meer Liberty of the Mind in believing or dis-believing c. Yet there is amongst them who hath endeavoured to insinuate a Belief that the Church in matters of Conscience may not only give positive Sentences which may be Obligatory upon Believers but also that the Pretences of any refusing to submit on account they see it not will not excuse them from being really guilty of disobeying God and yet doth not manifest by any outward Description Where or What Assembly is the Church of Christ Now though I cannot vindicate the Author of the said Treatise from giving occasion of these and such like Jealousies yet I know there are many of those People yet in being whose Integrity to God is so great whose Steadfastness in the Unchangable Truth is so sure and whose Understanddings in the pure Principle thereof are so clear that they give not occasion for such Jealousies but have a Testimony in their Hearts against all such that do knowing this that whosoever builds on any other Foundation than that which hath been already laid viz. Christ the Lord to whom all Power is given to Rule and Reign and who alone is Lord over the Conscience and the only Law-giver shall be confounded and brought to nought W. R. The matters occasionally discourst in this ensuing Treatise are in some measure described in what followes First I Affirm that though there hath been and ought to be a Government in the Church of Christ unto which every Member of the said Church ought to be subject yet it doth not appear that the Outward Form thereof and all Matters cognizable thereby are so exactly described in the Scriptures or else where as that the Members thereof by any such outward Description as a sufficient meanes may so exactly be exercised therein as to find acceptance with the Lord of Life That at this day nothing can be truly called the Exact and perfect Order of this Government but the Power of God and so hath it often been testifyed by the People of the Lord called Quakers which power is of Ability to establish Man but Man not of Ability to establish it and that the Power brings forth its own Form in every Member according to the measure of God's Grace inwardly given received and obeyed and yet I am abundantly satisfyed that Set and Appointed Meetings on certain Prefixt Days being with the joynt concurrence of those Members assembling and from time to time to be assembled to take care of the Poor and discharge other charitable Duties to inspect Marriages that none come together disorderly and to take care that Truth may not be Scandlized through the Backslidings of such who have been in
fellowship with the Children of Light are not inconsistant with that form that the Power of God may lead into For I am a Witness for many years past even to this day that such Meetings have been serviceable to answer those Righteous Ends. But if the Members of any such Meetings shall by their Practices therein not only assume as some there are who to my Knowledge have too manifestly so done but continue to assume another place in the Body than that wherein God hath placed them or shall endeavour so to establish Outward Indispensible Rules and Orders therein relating to Conscience as that such of the Brethren who submit not thereunto shall be accounted not of the Body though they see it not their Duty it may be Just with the Lord as a token of his Indignation and Displeasure to withdraw his refreshing Presence from such Assemblies and then their Meetings may become as useless as a Body without a Spirit is But yet Robert Barclay undertakes to describe the Order of the Government and how far it extends and also testifies the Antient Apostolick Order of the Church of Christ is Re-establisht amongst the People of the Lord called Quakers Notwithstanding which his saying I Affirm they are in the Practice of many things with respect to Church-discipline wherein the Scriptures treating of those things given forth by Christ and his Apostles are silent and are not found in the Practice of some other things which were either practised exhorted to or commanded by the Apostle Secondly I Affirm that as Christ's Kingdom is not of this World so the Members of Christ's Church have not Power in Cases of Difference arising amongst themselves touching outward things to assume Jurisdiction over the Properties and Worldly Concerns each of other when not chosen for that Service by the Consent of the Members Differing and yet I do say 't is the duty of fellow-members that are at variance to refer by mutual choice their Cause unto other Brethren But Yet R. B. saith As a People gathered together by the Lord unto the same Faith c. that we have Power and Authority to decide and remove these things Thirdly I Affirm That nothing can become a Right and Christian Bond upon Believers to be Exercised in any practical duty relating to the things of God and Matters of Conscience until convinced by the Witness of God in their Consciences of the service thereof Fourthly That the Belief of Certain Principles and Doctines though believed through the force of Truth on the understanding and Practices depending thereon are not the very Bond by which the People of the Lord called Quakers are become centered into the Fellowship of Christ's Body nor yet the Cause that gather'd them but the Spirit is the Bond and in the best sense such Principles c. are but the Fruit of the Bond and the Cause that gathered them was Gods Love That the Sentence and Judgment of any man or men whatsoever relating to Matters of Conscience ought not at this day to be given forth but by way of Recomendation to every mans conscience in the Sight of God and that when the Conscience is sensible that Gods Witness therein doth Answer thereto then the Conscience is bound and not before But Yet R. B. tells us That Principles and Doctrines believed thorough the Force of Truth on the Understanding and Practices necessarily depending thereon are the Terms that have drawn us together and the very Bond by which we became centered into one Body and Fellowship or are linked to the Body and the Cause that gathered us as in his Treatise Page 48 49 may appear And whether in R. B's Sense the Centure of a part of Christ's Body ought not to become a Bond on all the Members and that in Cases of Conscience too I refer the Reader to peruse his sixth Section Fiftly I Affirm That the Qualification of a Member of Christ's Body is Sanctification through the Spirit that where any number of such are assembled together in Christ's name though but of the lesser Rank in the Body there is the Church of Christ that before such an Assembly Cases of Differences may be brought which may be besides the Gift or Capacity of such to determin and Judge and therefore infallible Judgment which is unalterably seated in the Spirit in some cases may be wanting to appear through any one Member in such Assemblies as properly may be called the Church of Christ But yet R. B. saith in his Treatise Page 68. That there never will nor can be wanting in Case of Controversy the Spirit of God to give Judgment thorow some or other in the Church of Christ so long as any Assembly can properly or in any tollerable supposition be so termed Sixthly Since 't is commonly reputed that none but Papists pretend Tradition to Justify their Actions wherein the Scripture is silent and that we have no President in the Scriptures that the Apostles and Elders under the Notion of the Church of Christ did take upon them to determin Controversies arising amongst the Apostles and Elders in the Church of Christ touching Cases of Conscience without the assent of the Differing Parties who especially if Equals and once at Unity and their Cases Matters of Conscience arising from occasional differing Sense and Judgment have by the Law of Divine Nature Equal Right to nominate a part of those who shall have the hearing of such Cases Therefore I affirm if any shall without the assent of such Partyes differing take upon them to be a bond that the differing Partyes must subject such their Case to their dicisive sentence and accordingly submit and be subject though they are not clear in Conscience so to do such do Justly subject themselves to the censure of being Imposers and Usurpers Seventhly That submission to the positive sentences of others touching matters of conscience though supposing themselves the Church of Christ before the conscience is convinc'd by God's Witness therein is an abuse to the Profession of Truth an antient mark of Apostacy and an infallible token that such who so submit have no inward sense that they are led thereunto by the Spirit of the Lord but notwithstanding these two last particulars are evidently true yet whosoever reads what R. B. hath asserted in Page 68. may find that according to his Lines and Assertions this short ensuing sentence may be collected without the least abuse of his words viz. That any ones not submitting to the positive Judgment touching Controversy given by any Assembly or at least by some or other of them which may in any tollerable supposition be termed the Church of Christ is disobedience to God though the persons refusing pretend they refuse on the account they see it not The Innovations and Scripture-Misapplications of R. B. Detected I Shall begin with the Title Page wherein R. B. thus saith So is also the Antient Apostolick Order of the Church of Christ Re-established and settled on its right
first publish't amongst us is become our only Teacher and Lawgiver by the in shining of his Light in our consciences and therefore his reflection seemes unsavoury But that which to me renders it the more Unsavoury is this when I consider the whole scope of his Treatise 't is to be doubted 't is used so far as in him lyes with respect to the Advancement of some Outward Government by Man or Men else what 's the Meaning that the aforesaid Author hath made such a dilligent search amongst the Apostles Writings after the words Order Rule Command Govern Government Traditions and such like and whether he doth not apply them to the Authority of any assembly which in any tolerable suposition may be term'd the Church of Christ let the impartial Reader dilligently peruse his Treatise and then Judge for so it s plainly to be discovered as to me appears by every impartiall Eye that shall seriously observe the scope of his Treatise and therefore I do conclude that his Reflection on such sound and savoury Language denotes a wrong Spirit and not the Spirit which appear'd amongst those antient Labourers who were Instruments in Gods Hands to gather many and who in the Approbation of such Language were accounted Honourable This puts me in mind to inform the Reader that R. B. in his third Section quotes divers Testimonies in the Scripture where these sentences are viz Know them that are over you hold the Traditions ye have been taught Though I should boast somewhat more of our Authority and we have confidence that ye will do the things which we command now we command you Brethren c. and then the aforesaid Author comments thereon what more positive then this And yet the Apostle was not here an Imposer And further If any obey not our word remember them which have the rule over you and submit your selves These filthy Dreamers despise Dominion And then thus saith There can nothing be more plain from these Testimones than that some did appoint and ordain certain things that there lay an Obligation in point of duty on others to * 'T is to be doubted his meaning is others ought to obey whether they see it their Duty or no as his 68. Page seems to import obey That this was no Incroachment nor Imposition on their Christian-Liberty nor any ways Contradictory to their being inwardly led by the Spirit of God in their Hearts And lastly that such as are in the true Feeling and Sense will find it their places to Obey and be one with the Church of Christ in such like Cases and that it 's such as have lost their Sense and Feeling of the Life of the Body that Dissent and are Disobedient under the false Pretence of Liberty Thirdly I Judge there will need no great Argument to prove the People of God may and do well to Exercise the like Government upon the very like Occasion Thus much may be collected out of R. B's 26 27 and 28. Pages Moreover in Pages 23. 24. 25. He quotes these Scriptures sayings viz In Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the Gospel wherefore I beseech you be followers of me As absent in Body but present in Spirit have Judged already c. From all which I shall observe saith the aforesaid author that it seems it was Judged no Inconsistency nor contradiction to be Followers of the Grace in our selves and also to be Followers of the Apostle Paul and his waies because his Waies and Example was no other than the Spirit of God in themselves would have led them to if they had been obedient and therefore he found it needfull to charge them Positively to follow him without adding this Reason Next the great Argument the Apostle useth to perswade them hereunto upon which he mainly insists because he had begotten them into the Truth Ye have not many Fathers for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the Gospel wherefore I beseech you be ye followers of me So he makes that as the cause c. We see then that the Lord hath and doth give such whom he hath sent forth to gather a People unto himself a certain authority in the Power over them and to bring them back to their Duty when they stray at any time and to appoint yea and command such things as are needful for Peace Order and Unity sake and that there lies an Obligation on such as are so gathered to Reverence Honour yea and Obey such as are set over them in the Lord. Thus far the aforesaid Author From all which I Observe First That here is nothing spoken in these Scriptures of the Commands of the Church and that if God hath at any time moved an Apostle on some Occasion to write unto a Peculiar Church and that perhaps with relation to perticular Members only by way of Command yet this according to right reason is no Ground for any Assembly of Persons under the Notion of the Church of Christ to give forth positive Commands in expectation that all the Members of Christs Church must obey the same whether they have a Sense thereof from the Measure of Truth in themselves or no. Secondly R. B. quoting this Scripture of the Apostle Paul viz. In Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the Gospel concludes that Paul did mainly insist upon his begetting them unto the Truth as an Argument to perswade them to obey his positive Charge to follow him by this then those who have begotten any to the Truth are the fittest to rule over such whom they have begotten If this be worthy Observation at this Day I then may well query Whether those who would Rule over such whom they have not gathered are not Intruders and Busy-Bodies medling with that which concerns others more than themselves Moreover I query Whether any of these fore-going Scriptures give the least Countenance for whole Assemblies to Minister by their Writings that which may be Matter of Faith and relative to the Conscience and to be a Bond thereon before their Vnderstanding is illuminated especially when what they do Minister first springs from the Gift either but of one or at most but a very few of them For since every man ought to Minister according as he hath received the Gift and that if any speak they ought to speak as the Oracles of God and that if any Minister it ought to be done of the ability which God giveth according to that of Peter 1 Pet. 4.10 11. I cannot but again query Whether the endeavouring to obtain a Multitude of Hands to confirm and approve that which is given forth by one or at least a very few may not become a Temptation to many to run beyond their own Lines and when they have so done instead of waiting on their own Gift make it their Business to stand by what they have done though it may prove no better in the best sence than a standing by the Gifts of others out of and in the
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
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
the Positive Sentence and dicision of the Church in Matters of Conscience may bind Believers 'T is so remote from it that it needs no explanation to shew it so Nay I may reasonably query Whether this Scripture be to ordinary capacities plain to the purpose that Paul himself intends For if we consult the Light it doth not tell us that a Delivery to Satan may be an Expedient whereby to learn not to Blaspheme if by the word Satan is meant the Devil as is usually understood The last Scripture he quotes for proof is Joh. 2.10 If there come any unto you and bring not this Doctrine receive him not into your house neither bid him rejoyce for so saith the aforesaid Author the Greek hath it Here also no mention is made of any positive Sentence or decision of the Church nor yet the import thereof by any natural Consequence and therefore we will consider what the word Doctrine is relative to The foregoing verse tells us thus whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the Doctrine of Christ hath not God It s now necessary to consider what was Christ's Doctrine 't is well described by his Sermon in the Mount Mat. 5.6 Chapters wherein there is not the least title to countenance this Sentence That the positive Sentence or decision of the Church in Matters of Conscience may be Obligatory on Believers Nay in that very case Mat. 18.15 16. Where 't is said If thy Brother Trespass against thee go tell him his faults if he hear thee not take with thee one or two if he hear not them tell it to the Church if he refuse to hear the Church let him be unto thee as an Heathen Man The Scripture doth not say that Sentence ought to be Obligatory on all other Members of the Church of Christ who might be no way concern'd either in the Admonition or Sentence to look upon him as an Heathen Man but it saith Let him be unto thee as an Heathen Man Christ's Doctrine also was that when he should depart hence the Father would send the Comforter the Holy Ghost which saith he shall teach you all things he doth not say the Judgment of the Church must be Obligatory on all believers nor yet that the Church shall teach them all things for 't is evident by the Apostles writings that they themselves had need of teaching These things duely weighed I do according to Truth conclude that the three foregoing Scriptures which he hath quoted do no way import to prove the Matter he intends Besides I remember only one Example of Decisive Judgment or Sentence given in the Scriptures by the Apostles and Elders who did it not as assuming Authority so to do saying We are the Church of Christ and we have Power to Decide without your Assent but what they did was by assent of the Differing Parties which assent is worthy to be noted by such who say as R. B. hath we boldly aver we have Power to decide and that speaks nothing in favour of what the aforesaid Author seemed to drive at when he said And is not this Obligatory on all the Members but rather the Contrary and that is in the 15th of the Acts where a Dissention is Signified between Paul and Barnabas on the one hand and certain of the Sect of the Pharisees who Believed and Taught Unless ye be Circumcised after the manner of Moses ye cannot be saved on the other hand In Answer to this Question the Apostles and Elders agree that Circumcision was not fit to be laid on the Gentiles which were Believers who never were in the Practice nor yet had any Faith touching the same yet do not say that their Sentence shall or ought to be Obligatory on all the Members of the Church of Christ nor yet that those Jews who practized Circumcision after they believed should desist the same for then it might have been lookt upon as Obligatory on such Believing Jews and the reason of that Sentence doth plainly agree with the Testimony of Truth received amongst the People of the Lord called Quakers in the Beginning viz. To walk according to the Measure received For the Apostles and Elders well knew that according as Paul said to the Romans Chap. 14.5 23. It was necessary for every one to be fully perswaded in their own Minds and that whatsoever was not of Faith was Sin and so could not suffer their Sentence had they had Power so to do to be a Bond on those Jews who made Conscience of practising Circumcision after they had believed to forbear the same and as to the Gentiles it doth plainly appear that the Decisive Judgment of the Apostles c. with respect to that Controversy touching Circumcision was not a Bond upon them contrary but according to their Faith and therefore this Example can be no President or Warrant for any to submit to the Sentence or Decisive Judgment of any whatsoever wherein there is no Faith much less to conclude that the Conscience ought to be bound For it is no more in the Powers of Believers or any else to force an assent of their own Consciences to the Sentences and Decisive Judgments of others though pretending themselves the Church of Christ without an Invisible Operation and Conviction thereon through which alone it's capable to be bound than it is in our Powers so to alter the outward Shapes of our Faces as to make them like unto other Mens from whose they vary Moreover when I consider how Innumerable Controversies have a risen touching the Authority of the Church and the Decrees that have been brought forth touching Matters of Conscience under the Notion of the Church of Christ in Ages past and that the like Controversies in probability may arise at this Day should any number of Persons whatsoever Assemble and not only say we are the Church of Christ but also thus we have power to bind and lose and upon that foot give forth Positive Sentences and Decesive Judgments in Cases that are Matters of Conscience in order to be Obligatory upon Believers I cannot but query especially since the People of the Lord called Quakers have not Preached up this Doctrine ye must Believe as the Church Believes but have commended their Testimonies on the behalf of Truth to every Mans Conscience in the Sight of God that therein they might be manifested I say I cannot but query Where lies the Service to God and his Truth for any to concern themselves to treat on such Subjects as may give Occasion to receive the weak to Doutbfnl Disputations For though Christ said What you bind in Earth shall be bound in Heaven Yet we do not find in the Scriptures of Truth that the Apostles or any Assembly under the Notion of the Church of Christ ever made use of that Expression to shew their Authority as Christs Church but rather laboured to beget People unto God that so they might become Members of Christs Body which is the Church and be in
reached the Consciences of many I now come to take notice of these R. B's words And yet 't is strange that W. R in his Papers should labour so much against this affirming very positively that nothing ought to be given forth in the Church of Christ but by way of Recommendation and not of Command On this I Observe First the said sentence is made up of a Part of one sentence of mine and with the addition to that sentence of these R. B's own Words and not of Command and all this as by his discourse to me appeares to insinuate a belief that I hold a Principle so large as that the very Murtherers of Christ those that persecuted and burned the protestant Martyes and all Idolotry wickedness and superstition were to be thereby Justified which my Soul abhors and blessed be the Lord he hath given me a better Understanding than to assert any thing from which such horrid conclusions may be drawn and indeed his language seems to favour of that Spirit which opposed the Children of Light in the beginning saying The Jewes acted from the Light in them when they crucified Christ And since R. B. is so disingenious as not to lay down all my words nor yet the occasion which if he had his present discourse hereon would have seemed more impertinent I shall therefore on this subject further add R B. in his book of Government asketh this question Whether the Church of Christ hath Power in any cases that are matters of Conscience to give positive sentence and decision which may be Obligatory upon believers and then proceeds to Answer the said Question thus I Answer affirmatively she hath on this occasion treating amongst other things I say that it doth seem plainly to contradict this Wholsome Testimony of and for the Truth viz. That the sentence and Judgment 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 Hipocrites and busie Bodies but not good Christians 'T is now to be Considered how from these my aforesaid words spoken on the aforesaid occasion with respect to a dislikâ— of oâ—â— Believer or Disciple of Christ his imposing upon another Contrary to his Conscience R. B. can draw a conclusion that my my Language in that Sentence hath a Tendency to Justifie the Jews in crucifying Christ and those that persecuted and burned the protestant Martyrs and not only so but Idolatry Wickedness and Superstition c. And whereas after he hath made his aforesaid insinuation he freely agrees to my words if as R. B. saith his meaning be that no man of or from himself only or by Vertue of any office c. Ought to command any thing to be performed in the Church but saith R. B if he will say that no man albeit really moved by the Spirit c. ought to go further than a recommendation it is a most insolent limiting of God Under a false pretence of Liberty These foregoing words of R. B. gives me occasion thus to Answer that since my words would admit of a Construction allowable by himself for Truth his secret Evil Insinuations fall to the Ground and as to the latter part of his Construction thereon I thus say That what God moves to ought to be Obeyed that his power is unlimmitable that all his actions motions and commands are just because they are his But yet though I so grant I do Affirm that there is not the least Ground in the Scripture of Truth nor yet from the Light of Christ to believe that in this our day God hath or by his Spirit will move any member of the Church 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 Practice whether they see if their duty or whether tehy are or no free so so do for if the Blind was not to be accepted for a sacrifice under the First Covenant much less can it be acceptable under the Second unless God should so command which we have no Ground to suppose and foarsmuch as this Subject is largly treated on in the 7th Section of the First Part of the Christian Quaker which is given forrh by me on the behalfe of my selfe and others concerned I shall referr the Reader thereto for the further Mani festation of the Truth relating to this this matter And whereas R. B. sayeth that things may be proposed to the Church by way of Command I shall refer the Reader to the seventh Section of the First Part of the Christian-Quaker and also to my Answer to his Book of Government contain'd in this Treatise in both which the Scriptures urged by him relating to the word Command and such like are treated on and the meaning thereof according to the Truth discovered Fourthly If any did suppose that by my asserting the Ancient Apostolick Order was Established among us upon the Right Basis and Foundation I intended that these particular Orders relating to Outward Things that were among the Apostles either were or were to be Established among us they did much mistake me for I never purposed any such thing but only to signifie that by Establishing the Government and Authority in and upon the Spirit only and such as are led by it we did Establish it upon the same Basis and Foundation whereupon that Exercise in the Church in the Days of the Apostles was built for I am far from Believing that the most exact Conformity to the Order and Method of the Church in the Apostles Days or even to what may be now appointed by the same Spirit without the Inward Life and Virtue go along signifies any thing for I know that nothing done by meer Imitation will any thing avail in the Worship and Service of God and therefore that no Act done without Conviction will any ways be profitable to the Doer yet that hindereth not but that such as forbear to do what by the Testimony of God in his Servants is commanded to be performed in the Church are justly to be blamed and be Judge dtherefore in respect that through Disobedience and unwatchfullness they have blinded themselves from the sight and knowledge of their duty for if it should be said no man were to be condemned for not doing that which he yet sees not to be his duty then no man were to be condemned who had by Iniquity and Unwatchfullness brought hardness and blindness upon himself for all the Iniquities be commits afterwards and how would this tend to Establish Rantism the Substance of which is to bring their Consciences to that pass as not to be sensible of any Checks then the
Children of Israel c. And that some do lead many into a temptation to run beyond their Line by procuring a multitude of hands to confirm what is given forth by one or at least by a very few with divers other things of this kind which takes up no small part of his Papers Now these things are not pertinently brought in against me nor would I judge my self less impertinent to enlarge in a Contest concerning these things which do not immediately concern the thing under Debate since the Person or Persons aimed at by him in these Reflections may take Occasion as they find it their Place to Answer and perhaps may have had Opportnity to have discoursed with him divers of these things ere this time upon other occasions Thirdly since a considerable part of W. R's Papers is taken up to Evidence as he pretends impertinent Application I make of the several Passages of the Apostles which he thinks I have been too curious to collect that make mention of these words Order Rule Command and Government how he evinces that I leave to the serious Reader being the more willing to bear his Reflections in that respect that he is so bold when he cannot Compass his matter otherwise not only to censure me but the Apostle Paul saying of 1 Tim. 1.19 20. mentioned by me that it is not only to the Purpose intended by me but that it is not plain to the purpose Paul himself intended at least to ordinary Capacities adding that the Method there proposed by the Apostle answers not that which the Light within tells us since since then the Light he follows is such as finds fault with the Apostles Assertions I may the more patiently bear his affirming mine to be Erronious and whereas W. R. labours to make it appear that the Scriptures brought by me to prove a Power of Decision in the Church do not affirm any such thing because in these Scriptures there is no mention made of the Churches Division yet if he consider that those places do speak of the Seperating from and Cutting off of Divers Persons Forsaking their Fellowship to the Saints who make up the Church of Christ it necessarily presupposes a Judgement of the Church or Saints concerning these Persons for which they are so cut off from the Fellowship of the Body of Christ which is his Church Fourthly W. R's Twelsth Observation a great Part of W. R's work [m] [m] R. P. now seems very confident that a great part of my work is a Building up and then a Pulling down but gives no Substantial Reason to prove his Assertion For 't is one thing to discover for the Sakes of others the Weakness or Errour both in Principle and Practice of one professing Christianity 't is another thing to make ones self a Judge over the Consciences of such so as to Condemn them for not walking according to anothers perswasion though contrary to their own This First is Commendable and the only thing aimed at and performed by me in that Part of my Work which he pretends is a Building up and then a pulling down The other I Affirm R. B. is not Capable to render me guilty of if he were Doubtless he would have done it and then I should have Readily acknowledged my Errour therein For Examples-sake I shall Cite one Instance I positively affirm that this Judgment touching the Authority of the Churchs in relation to the decision of Difference Tonching Outward things is erronious and have writen somewhat large to manifest it so This I did for the clearing of Truth And Perhaps he may terme it as an evidence that I therein built that which I destroyed when I said we find the Apostles Exhorting the Churches not to he Judging one another with respect to things relating to Conscience But an Inference will not hold unless I had also declared that if he or any Believer like minded with him should Practice according to such a Judgment they were then to be condemned but that I have not done for should I so have done his construction of my Building up and Pulling Down might have held but I am so far from being of such a Censorious Spirit as that I think 't is rather his Duty whilest so principled to referre any such Difference arising between him and another Friend unto the Decision of the Church This I hope will suffice to shew the Fallaciousness of his Inference and the abuse and Perversion not only of my Intent but my Words themselves And if his Inference to my Words be good than 't is Plain that Paul might Justly be blamed when he withstood Peter Gal. 2.11 to the face Because Peters was to be blamed is but a building up and then a pulling down wherein he apparently contradicts himself yea the whole scope of his Book implyes a manifest Contradiction for whereas he plainly declares his writing to be a Plea for Christian Liberty against judging and Censuring one another holding forth the diversity of Opinions or Judgement in matters of Conscience but especially in such matters as relate to Discipline and Government is not nor ought not to be a Breach of Unity which he understands may be supposed to be the Diversities of Gifts and Administrations mentioned in Scriptures which he Expreses in these words upon Paul in Rom. 14. So then every one of us shall give an account of himself unto God let us not therefore Judge one another any more And again he sayth upon Chap. 14.34 which evidently shewes that inasmuch as every one must Answer for himself it is fit every one should believe for himself and so Practice without being imposed upon by others and this is the Ground of all Christians forbearance And again in another Place he sayth These things Considered and that also we find the Apostle Exhorting the Churches Not to be Judging one another with respect to things relating to Conscience there is great need to watch against this Censorious Judging Spirit lest while any are Judging their Brethren themselves become cast-aways He hath many more Expressions of this kind Now since this is the whole Scope of W. R's Papers and that he did yea hath since he wrote those Papers acknowledged me to be his Christian Brother and many more at least then he did repute such whom he Censures Judges and Condems through his whole Treatise yea since his whole Papers are a Judging Censuring and Condemning of me and my Judgment in things Pertaining to Conscience and to my Judgment in Matters of Government and Outward Discipline does not the Work it self imply a manifest Contradiction so his very Writing Contradicts the matters that he writes of and pleads for especially since he not onely makes some General Censure of me and many others Professing the same fundamental Truths with him but is very partricular and Peremptory yea insinuating accusations as if I in Particular intended to make way for an Authority to Rule over at least some