Light with Respect to Discipline according to the Order and Rule of Truth and their Practice accordingly Stands Fustified as consistent with the Doctrine of Christ the Aposties Command Scripture-example and the Primitive Practice amongst the Believers touching this Matter By that Eternal Word that was man's Life and Glory in the beginning before Sin and the separation from God was a Remnant that have believed and have been gathered home again unto God In which Word our Fellowship stands with the Father and with the Son according to Antient experience and through the Holy Spirit are we brought into Unity one with another in that Invincible life which they that believe not are strangers to and in the Tabernacle the Lord hath given us in this World as the Family of God we are in that Society wherein in the Love that we bear one unto another and in that Godly care we have amongst us for God's Glory and Truth 's Praise our desires are to be one anothers help and advantage every way so as that in all things we may be as becomes the Heritage of God And for this cause is it that we are a people Setled through the Power and Spirit of Truth in that good Order and Discipline as becomes the Family of him who hath chosen us That Love and Care none other we have laboured to preserve amongst us according to Christ's Doctrine and the Primitive Example as that we may Glorifie God in Body Soul and Spirit and by reason whereof all men may know that we are Christ's disciples and that we are in that Faith which works by Love And in the same eternal Power by which we are a People and in which we are made HelpGovernments in the Church of God an eye is open and an Inspection given us in which what ever is decent comely and of good report is cherished and approved of and what ever is contrary is seen whether in things appertaining to Doctrine or Practice Conversation and Life And in the same Power which is the Terrour to the evil-doer is the exercise of God's People in relation thereunto according to the Blessed Order Christ 〈◊〉 directed unto in the Case of Trespass of one Brother against another where the Church might come to be concerned as to hearing the Matter and giving judgment in the case as the Lord might direct according to the Power and Authority given in which the Sentence might be passed for want of the Church being heard by the offending Brother let him be unto thee as an heathen-man This Order and Discipline was directed to to be in the Church and this Government and Judgment by Christ Jesus given unto them who had received of his good Spirit in which Spirit of Truth that leads into all Truth it is and in none other that in our tender care in the Church of God we are concerned and have a Witness in the Consciences of all the tender-hearted before the Lord. And whatever William Rogers sayes in his Malicious Slandering Mind God is our Witness we have no care upon us in Relation to the Church of God but in that Love in which we were beloved of him and in which we are knit together We have no concern but in the Power our Eye is unto that There is no Rule Discipline or Government amongst us but in the power in which our Souls are Subjected unto God and in which we are Servants one to another In which power we do 〈◊〉 as given us of God for his Glory's sake Authority to hear Determine and give Judgment not only in matters relating to the outward man in cases of Difference brought before the Churches and upon the case of any not hearing the Church to declare him as not worthy of the Fellowship of God's people but to be unto us as an Heathon-man But also in matters relating to Conscience or the Inner man As the Apostle said A man that is an Heretick after the First and second times 〈◊〉 reject And as we have a concern upon us to stand approved in Gods sight and in all Consciences in the matter of Doctrine and Principles of Truth so also with respect to Conversation and Life to live void of offence towards God and Man in that Pure Religion we are brought into to visit the Fatherless and the Widdow and keep our selves unspotted of the World whose Care and Order relating thereunto is no way Inconsistent with the Apostle's Counsel and the Churches Practice in his day The Apostle said to the Corinthians Dare any of you having a Matter against another go to Law before the 〈◊〉 c. And that the Care of the Churches of Christ in this matter amongst this people whom William Rogers presumes to render as Apostates and Innovators and their Order and Practice is consistent with the Apostles advice let the Records of our Meeting-Books Testifie and let our disconcern with any other People save them of our Principle and Profession in any matters relating to 〈◊〉 amongst us speak in all men amongst whom our residence is The Care and Order we have in relation to the Widdow and Fatherless and them that are in necessity let our Practice touching that matter declare thereof Unto whom are we Burthensom in that case Unto what Magistrate have we complained or 〈◊〉 relief from in the case of any Brothers Indigency or want save in the case of laying before them the Oppressions and sufferings that we have been exposed to for our Testimonies sake that the cry of the Poor the Widow and the Fatherless on that Account may not enter the Lord's ears to bring his wrath upon them because thereof Or which of the Widows that are Widows indeed or of the Poor amongst us that keep faithful to Truth have found fault with us and complained of Neglect amongst us concerning them Wherein are We Inconsistent with the 〈◊〉 Practice in Relation to dealing with such as become any way Scandalous to Truth let our Records in that case speak for us in bearing a Testimony against the same and publishing of it according to the Merits thereof and the Knowledge of it abroad for the clearing of Truth and declaring our disowning of such as are led aside on that wise till Repentance be wrought and the Lord's Forgiveness be felt concerning them Let the Care and the Order we have and the Practice we are found in in Relation to the Inspecting Marriages as to clearness every way consistent with Truth 's Life and the Churches allowing or disallowing as matters are found in relation thereunto being twice brought before our Men and Womens Meetings and our decent comey and orderly proceeding with 〈◊〉 of Parents c. in the Accomplishment thereof before many of the Lord's People in publick Assemblies for the most part gathered for that very occasion that they may be Witnesses thereof We say let our practice in these matters Testifie to our consistency with the Care that 's incumbent upon us as God's
no Ill Where is the Charity without which all that 's done is accursed before the Lord in this Work of his William Rogers hath clearly manifested himself void thereof and to be one that watcheth for Evil to smite withal and when he wants matter of Fact against him he strikes at brings Accusations upon this Evidence If Reports be true or its likely so But let us see what the matter is on the account of the Charge that Robert Barrow and others have alledged against John Story and John Wilkinson that hath no matter of evil Fact in it and therefore Robert Barrow and others are Condemnable and consequently George Fox as concerned therein as William Rogers upon his unchristian supposition concludes The first Charge William Rogers inserts for that end out of the forty four Articles alledged against them is thus John Story speaking amongst many Friends of the danger of Forms because of the consequences thereof said That amongst the Christians of Old the Differences that did arise were about Froms which William Rogers saith seemeth to have no matter of evil Fact in it Answ. First We say the Words there are not stated as they were given in Evidence nor according to the first Copy but the Words were That great Differences did arise among the Christians about Forms And Secondly We say that although the Words be true in themselves and that they differed about Forms yet they were not seasonably spoken nor from a right Spirit by John Story as the scope of the Words in the Charge and the Reply inserted demonstrates We prove it thus Friends were in the Exercise of Church Care and Gospel Order in the Discipline in the Church of Christ Friends were zealous therein in opposition to a loose Spirit that did not like the Inspection nor Judgment thereof and it was an evil thing in John Story and matter of Fact chargeable upon him to lay stumbling blocks in the way thereof by presenting the danger of Forms and at this season and on such an occasion to tell of evil Consequence to arise out of the Order of the Gospel settled amongst us and on the account of the Government of Christ Jesus instrumentally in the Church for thereby he gratified a wrong Rebellious Mind and Evil Heart of 〈◊〉 against that justifiable Practice of the Faithful and upon which occasion all the loose sort stuck to him and became of Party with them and cryed against George Fox's Orders and against our Meetings as Formal and not Gospel-like c. And we do affirm that the ground of the Apostacy and Difference about Forms amongst the Christians of Old was the departing from the Power and Life of Truth and from their first Love and Care for God in which Church Government and Discipline was settled in Gods Visible Family 〈◊〉 an outward visible appearance as in the Apostles days from which Power and Faith they being departed the Form which the Life brought forth and they had been Blessed in only remained and then they strove about Methods and outward Forms having nothing else left where the Apostate Christians at this day are and are in their lo here 's and lo there 's and this Form and the other Form without the Life and Power where the Forcing and Compulsion stands that is Accursed before the Lord. But to come to the Matter we say because that in the Apostate State there hath been a false Church and a false Government and Rule exercising Lordship over the Conscience which is come up since the Apostles Days Must there therefore in the true Church come up again out of the Wilderness leaning on the Breasts of her Beloved be no visible Government in subjection to the Power and subservient thereunto Must there be no visible Form or outward Exercise relating to it no Order no Rule or Directions received or practiced therein but the tenderly concerned in it must be run upon as Apostates and Innovators and bringers in of a new Form of Government and of Impositions and Dictates of Fallible Men c. Oh abominable Wickedness that tends to Liberty in the Flesh and a leading back again into Death and the paths thereof Was it justifiable in John Story in this day of the true Churches concern on this wise to go creeping up and down from place to place and sometimes more openly buzing into the minds of the weak and carnal sort an opposition thereunto and telling People of the danger of Forms and the consequences of them to draw from subjection to Gods Power and into a contempt of the Church Care in the Gospel Day and Power thereof We say this was John Story' s Work as the scope of those Articles that belong to this Head tends to prove the same against him and if William Rogers had been sincere in the matter of his inserting the aforesaid Articles and the Reply to their Answer he might have manifested the same as clear as the Sun at Noon-Day to which Articles we refer the Reader together with the Reply at large to their Answer thereunto which we have in Manuscript ready to be produced if any do desire a sight thereof Now what Repute doth William Rogers gain to himself in the matter of his charging the Faithful for their Care in the Church of God or what Credit doth he bring to John Story that gives us cause to Publish on this wise his contentious opposite Work against the Life and Practice of the pure Religion which hath been the greatest part of his Concern these many Years or is Robert Barrow and others detectable on the score of the aforesaid Article against John Story or wherein is George Fox detectable of being an Apostate or one 〈◊〉 concerned in the Difference or wherein yet is he manifested to be one that would have all to submit to him as William Rogers maliciously would render him therefore brings up whatever he can get any way to detect him 〈◊〉 through perverting or 〈◊〉 inferring from his sincere and upright Intents Labour and Work in the Church of God let the Reader consider One other thing we take notice William Rogers hath taken out of the Reply to John Story and John Wilkinson their Answer to the Charges against them and in his Book hath Inserted the same to bring an Aspersion upon Robert Barrow and others concerned therein as also upon George Fox in that it relates to him against whom William Rogers principally in this and other things Smites William Rogers says John Story is accounted a man of a dark Spirit and in Confusion 〈◊〉 he did not believe that what was given forth by George Fox was by him intended to be urged with Severity upon any of Gods Faithful People but as Instructions and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Churches 〈◊〉 This is a wrong stating of the Matter and thereby made a malicious 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against Robert Barrow and others First we say John Story is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Spirit for his so saying but he is
gnashing of Teeth for grief they are far beyond expression To a gainsaying Rebellious Spirit the Testimony of Light that condemns for Sin is an hateful thing and the Ministers of Antichrist have bent themselves against it and against them the Testimony is born by And seeing that Early of this our day it was first and principally born by him how could he escape the wrath of Man that produceth evil things and avoid the fury of it Nay this was his Lot with others of Gods faithful Servants whom God hath upheld and delivered through all and he hath seen the travel of his Soul and the fruit of his labour into his bosome manifold in recompence for all to his hearts Joy whatever the worst of Men imagine against him The same enmity lodgeth still and venteth it self again and again through any new occasion given to it or that it can get hold of in the wilful resisters of our principle and lifes appearance and in all them that Backslides therefrom and enters again into the old Cainisn Murthering Spirit that crucifies the Lord of Life again and would put him to open shame Never a publick opposing Apostate from the life of Truth that hath risen up in Judgment against it since we have been a People but in the old Enmity of the cursed Serpents Image he hath run against George Fox Oh it s admirable to us and renders William Rogers in this cursed work of his to be a Man running on to Ruin that he does not take notice and that with Terror of the breakings forth of the eminent hand of the Lord against such to their misery and shame that thus tempts the Lord to deal with him as hath been dealt with his predecessors gone before whose footsteps he follows with all the haste and fury he can appear in let him take heed though his presumption be great in defying the Work of God in his Servants let him vapour with the Bulk of the Weapon his ungodly Book he hath formed in his stout and ambitious mind the Lord is risen to dash in peices and is upon the Throne who with the Antient though dispised Instrument of simplicity and the naked truth which he hath in his Hand will wound the head and glory of this uncircumcised One to its utter Ruin and the perpetual reproach of all them that lean upon it the Mouth of the Lord of hosts hath spoken it and it shall surely come to pass And as to the particular matters of Accusations by William Rogers cast upon George Fox we do testifie and in the Truth affirm and can commit the same to the tryal of the righteous principle of God and equal Law of doing as one would be done by that if many of the matters in charge against him were true which we believe are malicious and false the malice the rancour of his Spirit that appears in his perverting George Fox his words his misconstruing and putting his own corrupt sence upon them disingeniously and unlike a Man and then placing a Judgment thereupon his disorderly bringing them forth having not first examined the truth of matters and dealt with him face to face as in the sequel of our matter may be manifested he hath not done His publishing in Print and exposing the same to publick view by sale or allowing thereof in Shops so that it is come to the view of the great enemies of Truth and us and the applications he puts upon our tender care in the Church of God as Antichristian and Rome-like with the invectives and malicious Smitings he can invent renders him plainly to be an Apostate from Truth an enemy to God and the Principle we have believed in an accuser of the Brethren not fit for Christian Society but to be rejected as reproachful thereto and left to the righteous God of Heaven and Earth to reward him according to his works Friendly Reader our Testimony is for the sake of that principle of Light and Life in Christ Jesus our Lord and Law-giver in which we have believed and are bold to Testifie to and stand in the vindication of against all the opposers thereof as that which is our life and the comfort of our days through the Salvation that we have known thereby wherein we have peace and for the sake whereof reproaches are not hard for us to bear and for the removing of the Stumbling-blocks out of the way thereof that if it were possible all Men might walk therein and find mercy We say in a godly concern that lies upon us we intend through Gods assistance a little to discover the Face and Image of a Ungodly Backsliding Separate dividing Spirit by rending off the covering it hath got upon its head to hide its nakedness and shame withal in the departing of those it hath prevailed upon from the living God from the way of Truth and from the unity of the Brethren to the casting off the Subjection to Gods power which they once knew and unto which also Obedience should be given and giving way to a corrupt mind in themselves and to a false Liberty that Truth leads not to have set themselves being of that sort that loves not found Judgment against the rule and government of Christ Jesus whose right it is in the Spirits of their own minds and against the Discipline of the Church of God according to Gospel-order and the practice of the Church in the Apostles dayes and thereby encouraging a loose and licentious Spirit in others that would draw back into the liberty of the flesh again to satisfie the Lusts thereof and thereby bring a reproach upon that eternal name in which we have believed and testified Salvation to be thereby as if it were not Sufficient to compleat the work thereof by us expected and waited for which we Testifie against whoever otherwise say Reader If thou dost but duely consider as before the Lord of William Rogers's Book thou mayest easily see whatever he pretends to its liberty for the Flesh that the design of him and others in this their work tends to and for that cause is it that the Churches care is undervalued by them despised and maliciously reproached under the denomination of over-driving imposing lording over Mens Consciences setting up in the Church another Government then that of the Spirit which we testifie to be false and a malicious smiting accounting the wholsome directions according to Gospel-Order taken notice of and practized amongst us that in all things we may be of good report the bringing in of Ceremonies Mens Prescriptions and the like thereby to put a dis-esteem upon them in the minds of such as are unto liberty in the flesh inclined whence the opposition hath sprung and the dividing Spirit has sought to prevail to the exercise of rhe true and upright to God and the Churches grief the looseness also of this Spirit and its design to gratifie the Flesh which produceth contempt and opposition to the Churches care that the Author to
the aforesaid Book is charged with and its dis-regard to Truths praise and the glory thereof is plainly manifested by the Work William Rogers hath made to defame with all possible reproachful Speeches slanderous and lying accusations such as have kept their first love to Truth unchristian-like yea unhumanly and contrary to all Gospel-order and Rule of common Societies Printing and publishing the same against the Antient and Elder Brethren without hearing or convicting after any human or Gospel way such as have been made more particularly Instrumental in the matter of setling thereof in the Power and Spirit of Jesus in the Churches justified owned and practised amongst the upright-hearted to God to their unspeakable comfort for the Glory and blessings 〈◊〉 that attends the concerned therein particularly George Fox is the Man that his venomous Darts are shot at which his corrupt heart hath been filled with which through his Printed Book he hath let fly with all the eagerness and extravagancy of Spirit that he can work himself into to bring a reproach upon and make him contemptible to all to the undoing of him if it were in his power both as a Man and a Christian and supposing in his 〈◊〉 and fall to throw down the Discipline and the Order of Truth amongst the faithful to the letting go from the Bond of the Power such as would be from under the yoke thereof which the pure God blesseth the faithful with as Instruments in his hand for discouraging of Sin and Wickedness and incouragement of Christian Vertue Purity and Holliness The tendency of this our Adversaries Spirit to liberty in the Flesh and to gratifie the Backsliding 〈◊〉 that 's going thitherward Reader thou mayest be more fully satisfied thereof if thou do but take notice with what vigour and the might he hath he appears to stand by to applaud and to proclaim John Wilkinson and John Story for two Antient and honourable Labourers in the Gospel whose Conversation and Doctrin I have not known or understood saith he to be exceeded by any mortal man whatsoever Which by several passages relating to them in William Rogers's Printed Book inserted and explained in the Answer to it called The Accuser of our Brethren cast down thou mayest detect and plainly see it s but a meer flattering boast of his unbridled Tongue and that they are no such ones as he would render them to be And when through Gods help we shall have laid open the exercises and griefs we have met withal in the Church of God in Westmoreland through the opposition that these two Men have made to Friends tender Care amongst Gods People for the promoting the honour of his Truth in Righteousness and Holiness of Life and against our care that all might keep faithful in their Testimony for the Truth as received of God and the obstructions in our work and concerns relating thereunto wrought by them and others of a wrong and loose Spirit encouraged thereby to stand by them which by sad experience we have found and are able to demonstrate as in plainness and according to the naked Truth through Gods help we intend to do of this Spirit and of its work we shall then leave thee as more capable to judge and doubt not but to give thee also cause to say and conclude that the Author of the aforesaid Book hath been Malicious Partial and Fallacious in the work he hath had in hand and that it is no matter whom he Blesseth and whom he Curseth whom he Justifieth or whom he Condemneth Now as to 〈◊〉 off the Fig-leave covering of this Apostate Spirit which its fallen to be our Lot to be concerned with amongst the many perils we have been carried through by the Arm of Israels God and to manifest to all its nakedness and shame to be the more detestable because of the impudency it appears in the cause whereof William Rogers hath presumed principally to espouse and appear in the defence of to the utmost of the Breath and Force that he hath and that he is a man departed from the Faith and the good 〈◊〉 standing by a Rebellious loose sort despising the dignity of Gods Power and though talking of the Light and antient Truth yet out of the Life of it an Opposer of Gospel-Order and wholsom Discipline in the Church of God a discourager of the weak in their antient Living Testimonies for the Truth an encourager of the Backsliders from the Life of God and a separate faction from the Fellowship of Truth in the visible concerns of Gods People relating to the honour of Truth and that he is a false Accuser of the Brethren a malicious Slanderer of the Innocent and one that hath set himself to do the mischief he can to the defamation of our holy Principle and Profession and to bring an Odium upon all those that will not adhere to his Spirit and abet him in his contentious Work but 〈◊〉 against the same in their Testimony that stands sure and shall never be shaken by him and that he is a man rejected of the Lord for his works sake and shut out from the fellowship of the Saints in Light and his Works cast out as the unsavoury Salt good for nothing but to be troden under foot of men And for a further proof thereof several things are materially necessary to be made good reduced into these following heads First That under a Gospel dispensation visible Order Discipline and Government in the exercise of the Spirit is necessary justifiable and ought to be found in Subjection to Gods Power amongst Gods People according to Christs Doctrine Apostolical care and the practice of the Primitive Churches of Christ proved by Scripture Record Secondly That the care of the Churches of God in this our day amongst the Children of the Light with respect to Discipline according to the order and rule of Truth and their practice accordingly stands justified as consistant with the Apostles Doctrine with the command of Christ Scripture Example and the primitive practice touching this matter Thirdly That William Rogers in his Book though after a broken contradictory manner and very much inconsistant with himself hath denied the care discipline and order used amongst us in the Church of God and hath Judged the same And that John Wilkinson and John Story with them of the Separation in the North and of Party with him in an opposite Spirit thereunto have sleighted despised and laboured to put a dis-esteem thereupon and have laid Stumbling-blocks in the way of the weak in relation thereunto and have laboured to obstruct the care and exercise of Gods People in relation thereunto Fourthly That George Fox and others of the Antient Brethren their care and exercise as Instruments in the Lords hand to see the Churches of Christ every where in this our age setled in the aforesaid Order and Discipline as the Apostles care was in his day hath been Justified Embraced and freely closed with as that which has
other Nations and Countries beyond the Seas as by Christian correspondence through many Epistles from our Brethren is demonstrated By Joseph Bains John Pearson John Blayking Pure Religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this to visit the Fatherless and Widows in their Affliction and to keep 〈◊〉 from the World James 1. 27. But if we walk in the Light as he is in the Light we have Fellowship one with another and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son 〈◊〉 us from all Sin 1 John 1. 7. Antichristian Treachery DISCOVERED AND Its Way Block'd up c. MAny have been the Adversaries that the Children of Light have met withal and have had occasion to be concerned with in the Vindication of that pure Truth in which we have believed in the various Exercises which have fallen in our Lot since we have been a People and through all which the Lord hath been our Preservation and Deliverance for the Glory of his own Eternal Name and our lasting Peace Of all which William Rogers our present Adversary seems to be one that hath not had an equal to him apparent to all that weigh the concern which he hath appeared in with respect to the matter of it and the Circumstances that on many Accounts relate to it as shall be plainly manifested The matter he undertakes to be concerned in is to demonstrate as he pretends The Backfliding of them that are not of party with him from the Principle once Received and from the Life of Christianity alledging also what a concern of Conscience lay upon him to appear after the manner he doth least saith he The doctrine and life of Christianity should seem to be wholy extinct amongst the People called Quakers In his Title page he intimates under what Denomination he treats the body of the People of which we are to wit as Apostates and 〈◊〉 except of party with him which he Accounts his Title page and Book clearly shews Now let it be considered if this be the Characters of a true Christian or doth it demonstrate him to be in the Doctrine and life of Christianity or one under a Godly concern to promote the honour of Truth that Principle of Light and Life received and faithfully believed in amongst us in the vindication whereof the Lord hath engaged all that keep 's their Integrity to it unanimously to stand together and hath blessed them with dominion in the sight of their Foes or doth it appear that the Doctrine and Life of Christianity abides in him or that any regard to the Exaltation of Truth and the way of it remains with him Whilst he Publisheth in Print that the many Thousands that have believed in the Light and are not 〈◊〉 Party with him are become Apostates from God and the Life of their Profession setting up Forms instead thereof Mens Orders and Prescriptions and the like and as he renders them To have begun in the Spirit and seek to be made perfect 〈◊〉 the Flesh And yet in contradiction to himself and the Characters of Apostates that he gives us saith That a great part of the Contention amongst us seemes to 〈◊〉 about the Shell and not the Kernel that is to say about some outward Forms and not the Life of our Profession and John Wilkinson saith That the Concord we had 〈◊〉 seems much to be broken c. And the cause God hath manifested to 〈◊〉 saith he Is not in principle of Truth nor in Christ Doctrine nor in any practice which Truth in the members of the Heavenly Body leadeth into but about prescription c. Doth it then become the Christian Quaker As he calls himself or can it be the concern of a tender Conscience that hath regard to Truth and the Unity of Brethren to publish in Print and leave a Memorial of it to Posterity That the Body of Friends to Truth the Family which God hath chosen who still keeps their Integrity to it let William Rogers say what he can are 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 and as if the Life of Christianity were wholly extinct amongst them and them of his party the Christian Quakers only And yet himself saith That the difference is but about the Shell and not about the Kernel and according to John Wilkinson's affirming That its manifested to him to be not in Principles of Truth nor Christ Doctrine nor in any practice which the Truth in the members of the Heavenly Body leadeth into c. What confusion and silly work is this that William Rogers hath engaged himself in Or doth it not render him void of the pure Wisdom of God and Life of Christianity a Man departed from his first Love and regard to Truths Renown and the Unity therein Who can but say rather that he is a Man given to strife and one that sets himself to work Discord in the Church of God a Man also of a lofty Spirit in the work thereof that undertakes to set himself against the Heritage of God whom God hath stood by and been the defence of through all their Troubles and that thus renders many Thousands of God's dear People which he was once in unity with Apostates and Innovators and the like a state most contemptible in the Lords sight and odious amongst Men fearing God And that it is a malicious Spirit he is acted by that would under this Character of Apostates expose the Families of which we are to the Wrath and Indignation of all to our Exercise and Sufferings thereby For what is more dreadful to the Profession of Christianity under which the People of this Nation lives Then an Apostat estate from the Doctrine of Christ and the Apostles Life Under which the great Persecution hath befallen many that sincerely sought the Lord and obeyed him according to what was made manifest to them but our considence is in the Lord and in the integrity of our hearts and we are over his worst and the Inchantment that this Spirit is working in shall never prevail For the Lord is God and changeth not therefore are we not consumed It may be asked William Rogers what is become of the principle of Light he so much pretends to that gives an understanding to all that truly love it and the Christianity that he would be rendered to be in the Life of with them of party with him that he doth not see what a reproach he hath made himself to all the sober minded People of every Profession Surely if Aplause to himself and 〈◊〉 was in his eye he hath mised his aim Who can say that Reads his Book that this is a fit man to stands up for the life of Christianity in the defence of the Principle that so many Thousands have testified to and has a Record in many Consciences for a Sober Conscientious and well meaning People who hath been one in profession with them and now is become such an Accuser of his Brethern rendring them to be Apostates and Innovators exclaiming against their Profession their
the Spirit of Truth in the younger against the same Spirit in them that watched over their Souls and so to set Conscience against Conscience and the Spirit of God against it self Is not this the way to let in Liberty in the 〈◊〉 Atheism and the like amongst God's People that again would creep in on this wise under pretence of Want of Inward Conviction and the like and so under colour of Conscience draw back again out of the first Love Care and regard to God and the Spirit of 〈◊〉 in his People and lead into Rantertism and what not It 's a meer Slander in William Rogers to say and gather from hence That we would force a Blind Obedience without conviction Nay There is his mistake being gone from the Spirit 's Life and Sense of it's Motions and Requirings Exhortations Councel and Advice which in the Spirit of Truth we commend to that in all Consciences with whom we have to do in relation to Church-Rule 〈◊〉 der and Subjection Discipline and Judgment We deal with a people in this Matter not as blind but as having a measure of the Spirit which discerns the things of God The Apostle said What have we to do to Judge them that are without speaking in Relation to Church-power Discipline and Subjection in the Lord. It is a shame for William Rogers to talk on this wise and renders him a man that has lost his sight in the Spiritual concern of the Lamb 's Innocent life in which the exercise of the Church of God consists according to the manifestation of the Spirit as every one hath received in which the Rule the Government the Order the Counsel and the Judgment in the Saints in light standeth and in which the mutual Edification is the Helps the Governments in the Church the Unity the sweet Society the subjection one unto another to be each others Joy where the Lord is known to be One and his People one But William Rogers and they of his Party say That the Setling of the Churches in the Order and Discipline that we have amongst us is the way to introduce the Apostacy again yea we are proclaimed already and recorded to posterity to be the Apostates and 〈◊〉 and we see not yet upon what other ground then because we are a People in the Spirit of God Zealous in the matter of Discipline and Order in the Church to Answer the pure Religion in Body Soul and Spirit God requires of us For he hath confessed 〈◊〉 have not lost the Kernel of Christianity neither do we differ in that from them he accounts have kept the Life of it but in the Shell John 〈◊〉 sayes We hold the Truth 's Principles and the Doctrine of Christ and are in the Practice of those things that the Truth in the members of the Heavenly body leadeth into neither do we differ in those things but in Methods and Forms c. So then it must needs be in their Sense that the Church of God being Setled with the respect to the concerns of it relating to us as the visible Family of God under an outward Discipline and Order although the exercise therein be in the Spirit for we own none other i st he Mark and Badge of an 〈◊〉 and that thither we are gone as he Asserts Let us consider and take notice what was the Apostle's sense in his day with respect to that Gospel-order that he laboured for and was 〈◊〉 concerned that in all places it might be setled among the Churches He was of another mind then William Rogers and them of Party with him manifest themselves to be of For although he saw as 't is left upon Record that after his dayes grievous Woives would enter and that there would be a great departing from the Faith and that there would an Apostacy come over many Yet it may be observed what Care he used in the Churches as the opportunity served him that the Order Discipline and Government of the Spirit might visibly Demonstrate it self amongst them in the Tabernacle God had given them in it to be his praise the Godly fear that was upon him in Relation to an 〈◊〉 State was a departing from the Faith to fall among them And as he was desirous that if it was possible they might be kept there from for the Gospels sake and Glory of God it was his desire that every one in the exercise and Service of Truth according to the manifestation of it under a Gospelcare might be concerned and in it fastened and knit together to be each others help and directed them accordingly and that which they had heard and received from him with respect to Order in the Church they were to observe and hold fast and Answer the same in practice and writing to them on that wise with a 〈◊〉 of on such as were wilful and not subject to the Truth but caused Divisions amongst them which they were to beware of he said The rest will I set in Order when I come Much might be said with respect to this matter from the Charge he laid upon Titus and for which cause he left him in Crete to appoint Elders every where and to see that nothing was wanting amongst them Paul never feared the Apostacy to enter through a Setling the Churches by Instruments in Gods hand in that Order he was concerned in the matter of neither did the Churches that kept their first Love ever Brand them with the Character of Apostates for their Labour and Travel on this wise Neither do we read that the Faithful whether Elder or Younger did ever 〈◊〉 at their so doing nor ever slandred those Instruments in Gods hand for any Directions or Orders in Relation to discipline with the bringing in of mens Prescriptions Pauls Orders Lines made ready to their hands Innovations or the like as William Rogers presumes to do which will be his Burthen and 〈◊〉 shame in the end But in the Uuiversal Spirit which is one in all that believe was the Unity preserved and the Comfortable Society held under the Rule and Government of Christ 〈◊〉 and if any would have 〈◊〉 Dissension among them they were to be 〈◊〉 and withdrawn from according to Gospel-Order Hath not William Rogers shamed himself amongst all sober and Judicious people both as a Christian and as a Man to make all this Fluttering 〈◊〉 work against the Government of Christ Jesus in the Church of God which we do affirm is both immediate and Instrumental and that he Rules and Governs in his people the Church of God Immediatly and Instrumentally by his Faithful Servants as well as he instructs both Immediately and Instrumentally And as for this Cause he hath Ministers Pastors and Teachers Instrumentally to turn many from darkness to Light and from Sathan's Power to God to edifie and to build up in the most holy Faith So he hath Overseers Elders Helps and Governments in the Church Instrumentally to see that all things may be kept and
peaceable Wisdom be eyed in all your Assemblies that the Government of Truth and Righteousness may be exalted over all and true Judgment and Mercy may have their place and though a general care be not laid on every Member touching good Order and Government in the Churches Affairs nor have many travelled therein yet the Lord hath laid it more on some in whom he hath opened Counsel for that end and particularly in our dear Brother and Gods faithful Labourer George Fox for the help of many and hath in his Wisdom afforded those Helps and Governments which are not to be despised being in subjection to Christ the Head and Law-giver answering his Witness in all and so all necessary Connsel Admonitions or Testimonies that have been given forth and received in the universal Spirit of Life and Unity have their Service for God in subjection to his Light and Subserviency to and in order to answer the great Rule and Law of the Spirit of Life as proceeding from it and they that are spiritual will acknowledg those things spoken or written from the Spirit and for this end to be the requirings of the Lord c. Ellis Hookes and the rest on the Words quoted out of the said Epistle observes thus and that very materially to the confuting of our Adversaries great Work and substance of his whole Book out of his own Mouth as that which his Heart sealed to and made his own subscription unless he hath been an old dissembler before the Lord which God will bring to Light let him clear himself one way or other if he can That W. Rogers and the rest have plainly confessed First To that care the Lord hath laid on some with respect to good Order and Government in the Church Secondly To the Counsel which the Lord hath opened for that end particularly in G. Fox And thirdly That G. Fox is therein owned as a dear Brother and faithful Labourer Fourthly That God hath afforded these Helps and Governments in the Church which are not to be despised c. We say what need W. Rogers grant more then what he hath there subscribed to to the consuting of the greatest part of his whole Book against Church Government and the Instruments in Gods hand concerned therein and against the outward Methods and Rules that he calls G. Fox's Orders in the 86 Page of his First Part. And if W. Roger's object and say as he seems to do in his 4th part page 93. That there are some new Prescriptions which he cannot imbrace for Conscience sake which G. Fox is accounted either the Author of or the Countenancer thereof Yet however W. Rogers produceth none of these new Prescriptions or Methods set up and imposed by G. Fox as the aforesaid Authors of the Book subscribed by Ellis Hooks well observed with other contradictions between W. Rogers and his Friend J. Story relating to this matter to which Book we refer the Reader as worth his observing John Wilkinson also confessed to a Friend in Westmoreland which we hope he hath not forgot if he have we can help his memory therein by the circumstances relating to the time and place where That he had read over George Fox ' s Paper of Directions meaning that which tended to Order and Discipline in the Church of God and Testified that they were all very honest and good things and useful to be put in practice or words to that very purpose So then in short this is the sum of this matter that there was a time when W. Rogers according to the aforesaid subscribed Paper amongst his Brethren owned Church Care and Government in subjection to the Power and the necessary Counsel and Advice therein as Helps and Governments subservient to the Rule and Law of the Spirit and that G. Fox was one in whom most especially the Lord had opened Counsel for that concern and that he was a dear Brother and saithful Labourer c. And John Story confesseth that Instructions and Rules may be given orth commending them to the Church and to Gods leading Grace to be made use of as God shall Direct And John Wilkinson consessed that the Instructions and Directions for that end given forth by George Fox were all very good and useful What is the matter then of all this clutter that 's made by W. R. against care in the Church G. Fox his Directions given forth owned by Friends in their Meetings throughout the whole Nation and what is the meaning of J. Stories and J. Wilkinsons silence under all this ado from shewing as publickly their dislike thereof as William Rogers appears to applaud them and take them in his quarrelsom contentious Work that he thus with his Inconsistances and Confusion gravels himself in May not any that has an unprejudiced mind and considers things conclude George Fox to be the same that ever he was when these men owned him and his concern in the Church of God and his Directions in relation thereunto as all the Churches in the Nation that ever we hard of will Testifie in his behalf And seeing that W. Rogers cannot produce one of the Churches amongst them all that will stand by him nor one single man that we can hear of that doth appear to vindicate his Spirit and Work saving 〈◊〉 Thomas Crispe whose works of Darkness will also be brought to Light of late putting forth the Venome and Sting of the Dragons Tail and those that creepingly abets his work are a few shaken ones who have mostly been the Truths shame and the Churches grief and where the Apostacy stands that W. Rogers makes the Subject of his large Discourse is plainly seen as the Sun at Noon by the matter he is concerned in and the way and work in which he doth 〈◊〉 and whether the Apostacy from the first Principle from his antient regard to Truths praise from his vindication of Church Government and respect to such as were Instruments therein concerned be not justly chargeable upon himself and them of Party with him to be turned back on their own Heads as just from God let the Lord and that which is pure in all Consciences judg who instead of dwelling in the peaceable Spirit and holding fast the unity therein in the bond of Peace in a regard to God and his tender People with all the concerns that belongs to them is become the Champion of a confederate sort in an ungodly Work and one on whom their dependency hangs as ever the Uncircumcised of old did on their great Goliah to make War in Death that 's come over them against the Lord and his tender People to Blaspheme that Name we were Redeemed by The great God that changeth not will visit for these things in the day of Torment that hastens on in which who shall be able to deliver And as to this matter we have yet this further to say to most of the Quarterly Meetings of Friends in Truth throughout the World on whose account we
called The Christian Quaker distinguished from the Apostate and Innovator The Second Part VVherein it is plainly demonstrated First That John Story and John Wilkinson in a dividing Spirit together with the aforesaid William Rogers who hath espoused their Cause with those of party with them have opposed the visible Rule Discipline and Order used in the Church of God the true Christian Quakers Wherein they have been the Exercise and Grief of the Faithful through the offence they have caused in the Church of Christ to the breach of its Peace Secondly A sincere account is given therein of the care and brotherly treating according to Gospel Order that hath been used in a Christian Spirit as the Exercise and Travels of many dear Brethren sustained do demonstrate concerning the aforesaid John Story and John Wilkinson and others of party with them before the Judgment of Truth according to Church Power and Order was given forth against them By Thomas Pearson John Pearson Robert Tompson Robert Battow Brian Lancaster Joseph Baines and John Blaykling on behalf of themsels and many other Brethren of the Quarterly Meeting in Westmerland Now I beseech you Brethren mark them which cause Divisions and Offences contrary to the Dectrine which ye have learned and avoid them Rom. 16. 17. Blessed are the Peace-Makers for they shall be called the Children of God Matth. 5. 9. Antichristian Treachery Discovexed AND Its Way Block'd up IN A clear Distinction betwixt the Christian Apostolical Spirit and the Spirit of the Antichristian Apostate BEING Something in Answer to a Book put forth by William Rogers falsely called The Christian Quaker distinguished from the Apostate and Innovator The Second Part THAT Eternal God by whom the World was made the Alpha and Omega the First and the Last with the blessed Message of Glad-tidings to our Immortal Souls appeared amongst us here aways in the North and in the glory of that eternal Word by which all things are upheld broke in upon us to the opening our Hearts and giving us the knowledge of the heavenly Light and Life in Christ Jesus through which by believing in it we were brought back again unto God from whom the Alienation was in the Sin and Unbelief and we became a People and were through the Truth which we had received gathered into a visible Society and Profession thereof the visible Character of the Family of God during the Tabernacle in this World we were settled through the power of our Principle and Spirit of Truth in the comely Discipline and Order in the Church of God and that no neglect might be in the concerns thereof in the Spirit of Jesus accompanying us as in the Apostles care in his day that Elders every where might be appointed faithful men were chosen to attend and inspect the matters thereof and the principal weight of matters about the concerns of the Churches affaires for a time lay upon them till Truth grew up in the Hearts of many so that many became meet in the power to appear in the service of Truth in a Gospel care and then our Meetings became more free for any of the Faithful to be concerned amongst us to the strengthening and encouraging in the way of Truth to Gods praise and while all kept to the first love and regard to Gods glory according as the Lord was pleased to concern us all things were well and we were comforted together in the obedience to the spirit and Truth received our Testimonies sincerely born and the Sufferings attending the same patiently undergone and we were each others help and encouragement and strength and the Unity and Concord that we mutually enjoyed was our refreshment glorying and our rejoycing yet in succeeding days the Temptation that ever was from the old Adversary of the Lambs 〈◊〉 and the Churches Peace begun to creep in and prevail upon some of the antient Professors and Sufferers for the Truth and set to work according to his kind to draw back from the antient Integrity formerly kept to and some that were to have been as Watchmen in Israel and Valiants for God and were appointed at the first or early of the day for that very end let the Standard of Gods power fall and gave their glory to the second Beast that arose out of the Earth and instead of keeping to the antient power in it to be as 〈◊〉 on Mount Sion Instrumentally in Gods hand for the glory of his People some became Instruments to lead several back from Truth 's Integrity by an evil Example laid before the weak and unskilful the ancient Record against all Antichristian Bondages being discouraged they became wofully to be let fall the nobility of Gods power being much departed from even in them that should have been as Pillers in the House of God the weaker and younger sort whose hearts were enclined to Liberty and Ease again looked out and took example at them they had esteemed of and became subject to a timerous distrustful Spirit of the earthly One shrunk in the day of Tryal and started aside like broken Bows in the suffering times to the causing our Enemies to Triumph and make their boast of a Conquest got upon us to the spreading our disparagement abroad in many parts of the Nation and amongst this unfaithful and shrinking sort was John Story concerned and overcome and led aside with them from the Integrity of the Lambs Life and Dominion these things grieved the Church of God in many parts of the Nation where the noise of them was gone through the Magistrates means or others that had taken notice thereof to Truths dispraise and the Churches exercise and grief for some 〈◊〉 ready to take example thereat to let the like Temptation prevail over them in suffering times because John Story was conversant amongst them and justified the same so also John Wilkinson encouraged the like things and gave his advice to others accordingly proved by a Certificate under the hand of a faithful Friend These things were the Exercise and Grief of the upright-hearted to God amongst us and of our neighbouring faithful Brethren of other Counties and the Churches concern was great because thereof in a tender desire that such as had been overcome with the Temptation on that wise might see it and in a tender acknowledgment thereof clear the Truth and the Nobility of the Principle we had received and the Testimony we had born in Doctrine and Practice accordingly at this the Disobedient started and the Rebellious to Truths ancient Power such as likes not sound Judgment were grieved thereat Then John Story of party with them in that creeping work appeared with his old slavish shrinking Spirit which he was generally known to be a man of and demonstrated the same upon several eminent occasions that the very principally concerned now in this Spirits work knew well enough and took example by him Now we say he appeared with a more open Face to vindicate the said shrinking work to the 〈◊〉
of the Innocent to discourage the Testimonies born for God and his Truth so that they of the Meeting he belonged to had many of them almost lost all relating to Truth but the form of Words and outside Profession and in that also a grief to the Faithful which many of the simple hearted amongst them came off from them since with Joy in true brokenness do tenderly confess And in this shrinking work John Wilkinson also publickly appeared to stand by them to the grief of many for his sake On these occasions as that which was needful least the Life of Christianity as William Rogers applies to the Faithful 〈◊〉 be quite let fall and extinct amongst us the Lord stirred up Zeal and Care in the Church of God amongst the Faithful and the Spirit of the Lord strove in that day with a gainsaying backsliding People who would not be subject to him in the spirit of their own minds and many Exhortations and good Advice they had in Love and Mercy mixed with sound Judgment upon the Spirit that had prevailed over them and upon the works thereof and the Hearts of many in other Countries were touched with sorrow for the Glory of Gods sake which this perfideous Spirit was striking at and in an holy Zeal for God many Brethren that came amongst us were moved in a Testimony for him to clear their Consciences in Gods sight to the comfort and heart breaking gladness of the upright amongst us but to the grief and vexation of the other sort whereupon they cryed ou against 〈◊〉 over-driving and urging things with Severity And Margaret Fox and some other Friends being come to visit Friends at our Quarterly Meeting very tenderly signified to us That she heard there was Divisions amongst us and that she partly believed it and was sorry therefore she desired also That if there was dissatisfaction in any on any account relating to Church Care and Gospel Order that they would speak that things might be openly Discoursed and none go privately under hand to work Discontents in any on the account thereof or words to that purpose John Story was not then amongst us but John 〈◊〉 on the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 himself and them of party with him replied saying 〈◊〉 What 〈◊〉 have we to practice things imposed upon us by man or in the will of man that there is no Scripture Proof or Example for In reply whereunto M. Fox asked him If 〈◊〉 would say that our Meetings relating to Church Care was set up in the will of man or words directly to that purpose unto which he gave no direct Answer neither would plainly and openly declare what it was that he and they took occasion to stumble at yet that which principally was upon him to make an opposition to 〈◊〉 afterwards was observed was Womens Meetings on the account of Church concerns thinking thereby to undervalue lessen the esteem and authority of our whole concern in the Church of God which practice in the Church was vindicated by the honest hearted as a very proper concern for them according to the measure of the Spirit received in their Place Order and Sex It seemed strange also to many why John Wilkinson propounded such a Question in opposition to Women's Meetings seeing that he twenty three more at a former Quarterly Meeting in Kendal had subscribed a Paper signifying their consent to the Womans Meetings with several Expressions in it tending greatly to encourage the same And upon the occasion of a Paper from G. Fox read in the said Meeting to encourage Women Friends to meet together on the account aforesaid the Meeting with an unanimous consent as appears by the Subscriptions expresses themselves thus viz. It is further agreed upon that this Paper be read in every particular Meeting That the Women Friends who are faithful may be stirred up into a serious consideration in the Light of the Lord To answer the Lord with diligence c. And in the Womens assembling together to see and consider that all Women Young and Old who profess the Truth do walk therein in Order and in Modesty out of the Customs and Fashions of the World Herein Male and Female are serviceable in our Place and Calling in our Day and Generation c. So all Women Friends who feel secret desires in themselves to be Instruments of good unto others let them meet together as aforesaid and in this desire certainly the Lord will assist you in his Wisdom and Counsel c. And so all the faithful Women who are thus enclined and affected herewith may signifie their Minds and Intents to the Mens Meetings and so be encouraged by us whose Names are hereunto subscribed viz John Wilkinson 1st Henry Story John Clearkson R. Pinder and 20. more And yet notwithstanding the said Paper it did appear that it was Womens Meetings that they were dis-affected with and smote at in their minds in the same Spirit that disliked also our Mens Meetings but that they were afraid to appear so openly against them for afterwards they broke forth into more disdainful terms against the Womens Meetings calling them an Idol a 〈◊〉 Invention Imposition and the like yet contradictorily to their own approbation and well-liking thereof as the aforesaid Paper demonstrates That earthly loose 〈◊〉 Spirit that had been all along stirring in some of the Rich and wiser sort in the VVisdom that is from below against the Churches Care and Discipline thereof was offended with it because of the Inspection of it and limit thereby to their wrong Spirit yet durst not publickly appear in opposition to it but in a private 〈◊〉 manner was working Contempt and Dis-esteem thereof where it could prevail till on these occasions it was forced either submissively to bow and fall under which it was not willing to do or else to appear with its open Face to manifest it self and stand up in its own defence The Lord suffered these things to be that Esau's hidden Guile might be found out and the way thereof blocked up what ever it cost the Innocent to God to accomplish the same and blessed be God things have wrought well and will do to the Glory of that Name that is the Strength and Crown of the Righteous that shall never Rot For in the Exercise that the Faithful met withal through this Spirit which the Lord hath blessed to us Life sprung in the Hearts of the Righteous and many Souls was tenderly concerned 〈◊〉 God and his antient Truth which had been the Glory of the North where many living VVitnesses had been raised for God to the glading of many Thousands and from amongst whom faithful Labourers sprung for the publishing the everlasting Truth where the Lord hath called them And the Glory of the Eternal Truth appearing even to lie at stake the Lord put Courage into the Hearts of several younger Brethren that from Babes and 〈◊〉 the Lords Praise might be perfected And the more the Lord appeared amongst us the more
and came no more But for their occasional Meetings were designed and took one with all expedition wherein they made a disposal of Friends Monies in some of their hands without our Meetings privity or consent One other after a while we heard of in which they did admit the aforementioned Marriage to be accomplished within ten days after its being at all proposed and yet were told That the Man was under a promise of Marriage with another Woman which under several of our hands we did 〈◊〉 unto them That the Woman did so affirm desiring a respite in the case of their allowing the same till she had right done unto her but no notice was taken of that Peradventure they were afraid that Wickedness had been committed or might be in the mean time if any longer delay was made as one of the principal of them alledged and put the Query on the Meetings agreement according to an established order amongst Friends That Marriages should come twice to be examined and searched into in relation to clearness every way before they were allowed to be compleated saying in opposition to the order in that case What if Wickedness were committed in the mean time Mark the Spirit of which they are and when their occasional Meetings are and what concernes they have therein its best known to themselves we hear little of them This we have understood that what Books or Papers they have any way tending to Division and Strise in opposition to Church Order and Care they are diligent in handing them forth amongst the loose sort and William Rogers's Book in Print they busie themselves withal and most of them we perceive have each of them one and indeed they had need to do so to get them off the first Promoters hands for we hear not of a man in all these parts but them of party with John Story and John Wilkinson that will be at cost to buy one yet they are so kind open in this concern it were well if they had but an open mind to promote the pure Truth that they dispirce them either on Gift or Love to any of Truth 's open Enemies that will but hold out an hand for them as we understand and do in a great measure perfectly know it but if they think that best let them hold on we cannot kelp it neither are we troubled with respect to our own peace And what they intend to do let them do it quickly for their time grows short Vengeance is the Lords that takes notice of these things and he will repay it We have given a brief account with respect to what might be said touching the same of some of the Exercises that the Church of God in Westmerland met withal through the dividing Spirit that John Story and John Wilkinson were principally concerned in the work of in opposition to the Brethrens care therein by reason of which Spirit many Grievances were sustained by us to the grief of the Righteous Souls of all the sincere to God and to the breach of the Churches Peace And that which hath been said already concerning the same mostly relates to the time wherein the aforesaid Exercises and Troubles occasioned through the aforesaid Persons and them of party with them was most what the particular concern of Gods People of the Monthly and Quarterly Meeting in Westmerland aforesaid during the time of the aforesaid Persons continuing with us in those Meetings and upon the occasion of their breaking off from us into their separate Meeting amongst themselves upon out ward visible concerns with a touch of something done by them at such a Meeting after they had set it up And what the Churches of God any way in the South met withal where John Story' s and John Wilkinson's Travils have been we shall leave to what the Brethren in those parts have upon them to speak And from what hath been said we shall leave the Reader to Judge who they are that have been drawn back into the Apostate state and have declined their first Love to the ancient Truth and care for Gods Glory and who they are that may be justly called the true Christian Ouakers that retains the Life and Kernel of Christianity and keeps to the Exercise of the Power in the Churches concerns and who they are that have great swelling Words and fair Pretences of keeping to the ancient way of Truth and yet in Works deny it and as every one hath a sence thereof so let them speak VVe shall now also give a short Relation of the tender concern of the Church of God in these parts in true Love on the account of the aforesaid Persons in covering their Weaknesses for their reputes sake really desiring their deliverance therefrom 〈◊〉 any hopes remained with us Also we shall manifest the orderly and brotherly dealings with them all along since the Temptation was laid before them whilst it was only our concern with respect to dealings with them together with some Exercises and Travils that many dear Brethren of the Churches of God in other parts of the Nation sustained and were concerned in for the recovery of them if they had not hardened themselves against all as followeth It was not only our frqeuent course in the time of our Exercises with them after they began to set themselves against several Practices used amongst us to signifie our discontent for their so doing because of the obstruction they laid in our way in the service of Truth desiring their for bearance on that wise and compliance with us in the Churches concerns and God is our Witness it was in true respect in which we could have preferred them as such whom we once accounted our ancient Brethren their weaknesses we could have hid and looked over for their sakes and the Churches Peace and in that Exercise we have gone from our Meetings many of us very frequently with sorrowful bowed down Hearts considering what hurt to many simple Minds who had eyed them for their Gifts sake the prevailing of that Spirit over them would produce what dammage it would be to their own Souls to the loosing their Crown and perpetual Peace what a Feast it would be to our open Enemies and an occasion for them to clap their hands for Joy to hear of Divisions amongst us what a grateful thing it would be to the loose and earthly minded amongst us to the hardening of them against the Reproofs and Judgments of the Church of God in their Exercises in the affairs thereof and what a weakening of the feeble Knees of such as in a measure of true Love to God and his Truth were steping into the way thereof all these things and many more with sadness of heart entered our thoughts and consideration in many crys to God to block up the way of this dividing and soul devouring Spirit yea often we admired how Blindness entered them that they did not see how the Loose and Disobedient hung upon them for shelter
heavenly Truth of God in which we have believed which Words and Passages doth also tend to the weakening Friends in keeping up their Testimony according to the nobility of the heavenly Truth of God which we have received in which our Faith stands in that honourable practice of our open and publick Meetings in times of Persecutions as at other times as also to the quenching and stopping of such holy Breathings Groanings and Living Sounds which may arise and pass through one while another is Praying Preaching or Prophecying which is not inconsistant with the Truth but in unity with those that act therein and therefore in the love of God we entreat and beseech all Friends to beware of that Spirit where-ever it is that doth bring forth such things either in Words or Actions as have this tendency in them so much to undervalue and overthrow our heavenly Testimony that we have to bear for him and for the appearance of his blessed Son in our Age by which the evil one labours to weaken the hands of Gods faithful Witnesses that so he might bring back again into an Apostacy from the nobility of that Life by which all the Faithful must be upheld in their living Testimony for God which he hath raised them up unto as also the obstructing of the Lords faithful Children in their holy Zeal for God in the performance of their duty in the Mens and Womens Meetings and to the discouragment of any to be concerned therein which are for no other end but for putting forward and propagating of Truth Righteousness Mercy and Justice amongst us that so as the Lord hath called us to shew forth his Praise in all things we may endeavour the promotion of that which rends unto the same and surely we can say with the rest of the Faithful That the holy God doth own us with his Presence to our great Refreshment and Confirmation in this our holy Practice and heavenly Order and therefore we cannot but in the Power of God place Judgement upon the Head of that Spirit where and however it doth appear that would put stumbling Blocks in the way of Gods People to cause any to stumble or to weaken their Faith in those things that tends both to their comfort and growth and the Unity and the edification of the true Body and so as such who have had experience of the evil tendency of this Spirit and the sad effects it hath brought forth in all its appearances to the overthrowing of the Faith of some and to the making of Rents and Divisions in the Body we desire that all may keep to the Power of the Lord God who will preserve in the Unity of the Spirit and Bond of Peace where the Body will edifie it self in Love that there may be always a building up in the most holy Faith which Faith will forever give us the Victory over the World in which our Testimony standing we shall not be overcome So with our Love to you all we remain Your Friends and Brethren in the holy fellowship of the Gospel Milnethorpe the 24th of the 5th Month 1675. John Burnyeat Richard Robinson Robert Lodge John Grove and the rest It may be observed also that besides some Letters tending to Peace that George Fox writ to them from Swarthmoore where he was about this time weak in Body he sent to them also to desire them to come over to him there for he had a desiro to speak with them about the matter of Difference amongst Friends in Westmerland he was neither of ability to come to them nor to the Meeting at Pow-Bank but they did not take any notice thereof nor went to him though we are fully satisfied that what he did was in his tender care for their Preservation and the Churches Peace but this William Rogers our present Adversary accounts in George Fox Ambition in his sending for them but where the Stoutness and Ambition was its easily seen for the time was when they would have gone much further when they were Poor and Low in their own Eyes but now being Full and Rich in their own Esteem thinking they want for nothing will not step out of their way nor turn aside for Truth nor the unity therein because of the Ambition they are filled with and therefore will the Lord scatter them with all the Imaginations of their corrupt Hearts And instead of giving the Friends a Meeting as aforesaid they put an evading slighty Answer to the Charges against them and sent it abroad amongst those they hoped to make of party with them which with a large Answer thereunto is ready to be seen when a further occasion by William Rogers or any of them is given And not withstanding all this care and tender respect used and reached out towards them they still heardened their Hearts against the Lord and the fellowship of Brethren in the Churches concerns stuck to the loose and unfaithful ones as was said before and grew more and more opposite to Friends in their Exercise for Truth and sit in the Confederacy that was hatched amongst themselves and the design laid to break off from Friends into an open Seperation they betook themselves and up and down the Nation was the cry amongst those of party with them from an unchristian mis-representing of things by them here in the North That a Judgment was out against them without hearing upon the evidence of Persons being both the Accusers and Witnesses of which as the matter is in short truly stated according to the Circumstances relating to it we desire the honest and impartial Reader to judge Whether the Persons before mentioned are justified in the sight of God the order of the Gospel and amongst Gods People according to the rule of Truth in the aforesaid matter and transactions relating to them Or whether they are manifested by their doings to have the pure peaceable Spirit that is easily entreated and that they have upon them any design for the Churches Peace Or whether they are not the Self-Willed the Heady and High-Minded who have the Form of Words only without the Power that unites and knits together and whether to work Distractions in the peaceable Family of God their design be not laid And whether their plea for their not receiving dear Brethrens Advice and Care over them and orderly proceedings to have done them right every way if they could have manifested the contrary and their obstinately absenting themselves from the Meeting aforesaid on any such account be not a very ridiculous thing amongst men and not worth taking notice of For it is according to our Judgment that the just Law of Nature and Nations that gives an 〈◊〉 priviledge to be heard before Judgment be given if he will accept of it upon notice given according to the rule of it is contemned by an obstinate wilful and on purpose absenting himself and the want of his privile 〈◊〉 thereby of being heard is his own default and not imputable to
Jesus and many Papers and Epistles from several Brethren was the Assemblies 〈◊〉 Gods People 〈◊〉 with that all might fear and be 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 that was coming on upon the rebellious and self-willed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 might 〈◊〉 clear of the Blood of them that would not take Councel in their 〈◊〉 And altho some of the honest-minded of them was bettered thereby and the Testimonies of the Power became a Savor of Life unto Life unto them to the working 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 them yet with many of the old Subscribers against the Unity of 〈◊〉 in the concern of Church Affairs it was not so but they 〈◊〉 hard and seared as with an hot Iron and Incouragers still of the Separation John Wilkinson continued still in the Conspiracy with them manifested by his usually frequenting their occasioned separate Meetings as we have been credibly informed after their Meetings have been past And John Story being never willing that we could understand to shew any Dislike thereof and therefore a continuing 〈◊〉 of that Spirit and Work of it his Name and Spirit being in the 〈◊〉 Foundation thereof and Subscription to the agreement and resolve in relation to it But as to any publick or great matter of Work they of that Party in the North did or could do for the annimating or furthering the Design thereof in these Parts it was not much save what they did privately underhand with 〈◊〉 upon the Faithful to God and the Churches Care thereby to insinuate upon the Assections of the weak and loose sort whereby to keep their Confederacy on foot and their Design alive which with whisperings and watchings for Evil and making lies their Refuge they laboured to do and were as industrious in that matter and in spreading abroad any of their abusive 〈◊〉 Papers and Books where they would be received of them they could work themselves into But the Life of their Business and the ground of their Hopes in order to the carrying on and compleating the same now depended on the supposed Strength that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the West Parts of the Nation where John Story' s Time was mostly spent and of whose Cunning and Craft in the matter they in those parts were no 〈◊〉 to and the Aid that attended him through William Rogers Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the espoused Cause he had taken upon him and the politick furious and ambitious Minde he carried with him in the management of the Work they had in hand kept up their Heads here and their Eyes abroad to see what would become of the matter of it And now it became the Concern of them in those parts in a few Hands on whom the design hung and William Rogers buckled him to it with the pollicy and might he had he writ a Book in Answer to Robert Barkleys Book of Government which in this his Printed Book he often makes mention of and with clamorous 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sets himself against the Testimony by him born therein inserted for the Government and Dissipline of Christ Jesus Instrumentally and Visibly amongst his People yet as said before clearly detected William Rogers stands in the Hearts of all sober Consciences and humble minded Men who have seen his Book and Work and the Answer to it called The Accuser of the Brethren 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the satisfaction of them that love God and a Christian Life And he is plainly manifested to have had an evil Design in his Bosom against the Image of God and an unspotted Conversation and which Christ Jesus the head of the Church and the sirst born of many Brethren hath the concern of upon him as appointed of the Father for that end to bring a People into the enjoyment 〈◊〉 whom he hath ruled by his Grace and hath accounted worthy to be blest with the priviledg and unspeakable Gain that doth attend the same for evermore and that his said Book of Answer William Rogers hath sent abroad to and again to the great reflection on Robert Barklay very abusively and not according to any Gospel Order or the just Law of doing to all as one would be done unto nor as becomes Brethren and the true Christian Quaker on the account of this Spirit and its Work many Transactions in Words were had and Writings were sent to and fro in the South to the great Exercise of the Church of God there and the Grief of the Upright-hearted every where who hath the knowledge of it because of the Destractions that this William Rogers and John Story made there aways with Books and Papers labouring to Proselite into their Faction and make Parties against the Unity and Body of Friends where they could prevail and after this manner Passages were the latter end of the Year 1676. and the beginning of the Year following at the geneneral Meeting 1677. the Concerns of the blessed Truth and the Affairs of the Church of Christ every where through the hand of the Almighty an opportunity being given being under the Care and Exercise of Friends and amongst other things the State of the Church in general on the account of John Story and John Wilkinson was at several Meetings upon the Spirits of many dear Brethren with respect to the Grieveances and Pressure it lay under on the account of the disregard that had been upon them of all the bowed Exercises the Labours and Travels and unwearied Indeavours that had been used towards them and their obstinate resisting of Friends Advice and Counsel to them to do their Indeavours to break up the separate Meeting in the North greatly occasioned by them and themselves to be reconciled to the Brethren before they any more offer 〈◊〉 Gift as also under the sence of their obstinacy in refusing to take notice thereof but on the contrary did the utmost as it appeared to beget more and more into the minds of the Weak through their evil 〈◊〉 and ungodly Surmisings in relation to Order and Government in the Church of God comfortably settled amongst us with Whispering and open Reflections against the Instruments the Lord had made use of in the Work thereof whereby many dear Friends throughout the whole Nation as it was demonstrated by many living 〈◊〉 was griveously afflicted therewith for the sake of Gods People his Heritage which 〈◊〉 Soul destroying Spirit would have laid waste and in as much as that Friends Labours Exercises and Travels Counsel and Advice had been such in pure Love and Patience Long-suffering and Forbearance concerning them which they had trampled upon and took advantage thereby to prosecute the design of Evil and Mischief which they were filled with that Friends unanimiously signified their sence that the Lord and his People were clear of them and if that Indignation from Heaven as the just desert of a Stiffnecked and Rebellious People were reveiled from the hand of the just God upon them the Lord should be clear and his People clear and in as much as that it was fully declared by the Brethren that the Minds of the
had been the Cause of its being read against him But we further say in relation to the Matter and that which we do undertake to make good that John Story had concerned himself through a Spirit of Prejudice for some Years before with whispering Reflections and smiting Accusations against her behinde her Back and could not be got to speak thereof to her Face although she had a desire greatly to see him as she often signified and John Blaykling some time desired him to go over to her House and would have gone with him thither desiring him also that he would incline his Minde to a Reconciliation with her and one other time also when he came from Bristol and an eminent Friend of that City with him he was desired tenderly by John Blaykling that they would both go over to see her for Unities sake that is pretious amongst Brethren but his Reply was That he would not go over the Street to meet her And the other Friend that was with him may remember what an Exercise he had upon him from what John Blaykling said to him then in order to their going but the obstinate prejudiced Minde in John Story would not give way thereunto which to our Knowledge Margaret Fox was sorry for having a tender desire of the Mans good and of his being preserved in the antient Love and Power in which he once was an Instrument of Good in the Church of God the Prejudice and groundless jealous Discontent that he gave up himself into wrought in him as a Canker to the eating out of his antient first Love and Respect to the Fellowship of his Brethren and he adhered to the dark and earthly sort and became obnoxious to the pure Life amongst Friends in the Exercises of the Gospel amongst the Children of the Lord as he gave demonstrable Toakens of to the Grief of the tender-Hearted to God And afterward at a Meeting in Westmerland where Margaret Fox was in the exercise of Prayer amongst Gods People and many Hearts being under the Power of God according to the divers Opperations thereof as God pleaseth to minister sutable to every ones Age and Growth some being concerned in breathing out mellodious Soundings in Spirit to Gods Praise John Story during the said Exercises spake some Words in a dislike thereof and in a Judgment thereupon and being spoken to after the Meeting concerning the same amongst many Friends as is made mention of in this else-where said That whosoever did sing sound or make a noise whilest another was praying c. It was Confusion and Disorder and the Spirit of Delusion that led them to it and that he had born his Testimony against it and would do it and bring it down or else leave Preaching It may be further proved and hath been that several Accusations he cast out against her afterwards to blemish her withal both publick and private to the Disparagement of Truth and our Fellowship therein and to the hurting of several Friends and to their Grief concerning her and a Paper was writ against her and at two preceeding monthly Meetings it was urged by him and them of Party with him to be sent from that Meeting to her but that it was stopt by some that shewed a Dislike thereof who had been and was honourable in the 〈◊〉 of Christ for her Love and Lifes sake in the Truth and whose Integrity to God was approved in the Consciences of the Upright to God and of whose Care Labour and Service therein from the Beginning many were Witnesses of and were comforted in having turned her 〈◊〉 of the Pleasures and Glory of the World in self-denial for Christs sake and taken her part amongst the dispised and hated of the World for the same Cause and we testify it was below the Image of God and the Spirit of a Man for him to treat her as he was resolved to do as the Calumnies the Slanders the Aspersions cast up and down in Westmerland by him against her did demonstrate the same wherefore in her own Defence and for the Vindication of her Innocency as publickly as John Story' s Aspersions had been against her he never also being inclined to give her a Meeting on the Score thereof that ever we heard of but as said before evading several Opportunities in order thereunto She the aforesaid Margaret Fox not knowing otherwise how to have her Cause heard drew up a Paper of the true State thereof as we believe between him and her for the Friends amongst whom by him she had been wronged to take notice of in order to their Satisfaction touching the same and on the occasion of several publick Accusations in a quarterly Meeting cast out against her by John Story behinde her Back a Friend signified that he had Margaret Fox her aforesaid Paper and if the quarterly Meeting pleased it should be read to which John Story gave his Consent yea urged the reading of it and the quarterly Meeting also condescended thereunto and if that in the said Paper John Story' s Doings concerning her and the Truth of God were made manifest he thereupon had the Opportunity to have made his Defence and have proved the Matters against her which he had accused her of and this was manifold more excuseable in her yea justifiable too than John Story' s Whispering backbiting Work that he would not bring to her Face from which Occasion the Friends of the Meeting had the Opportunity to have concerned themselves touching the same with them both as they saw meet We come now to take notice that William Rogers in his Postcript makes a great deal ado to detect George Fox of being unwilling to give him a Meeting in relation to Matters and Things he had to lay to his Charge and without the obtaining of that threatned to publish in Print c. And pretends how desirous he was thereof and as if George Fox should evade the same and from thence would infer that he was not able to clear himself c. As also thereby reckons himself justifiable in his exposing to publick view the Work he hath made against him This we have cast upon us by Unbelievers and the worst of our Foes into whose Hands through them of Party with William Rogers the aforesaid Book hath been given in answer whereunto we do desire it may be 〈◊〉 although this is a base Reflection and very abusive how justifiable George Fox stands in the sight of God and his dear People in the matter of his some time denyal to answer William Rogers's wicked and ungodly Spirit detected and judged by the Testimony of many Brethren for the shameful Work he hath made with his abusing Friends Exercise and inward Travel at Drawell standing by and vindicating Persons upon Examination and 〈◊〉 found out of Unity with Gods People for the Strife and Contention made by them in the Church of God against its Peace William Rogers giving out an abusive Narrative of the Transactions of Affairs
there reflecting upon Friends notwithstanding the Godly Care they had upon them at that Meeting for Unity and Peace As if John Story John Wilkinson and himself had cheated Friends in pretending to condemn when it seems in reallity they did not But William Rogers said they had given them a Rattle to please Children with and John Wilkinson if not he also calling the Brethrens Relation given at 〈◊〉 a lying Narrative trampling upon all the Godly Endeavours that had been used towards them of that rebellious backsliding Spirit God and many dear Friends are Witness and that in their Consciences also what true and tender Care George Fox and others have had and also extended towards them which William Rogers hath some times confessed to before he became thus hardened to do Mischief so that in very deed his Treachery had been such that many may say he was not worth such Treating with William Rogers had Opportunity enough to have met with George Fox face to face on the account of the Accusations that he cast upon him and published them up and down the Nation in Manuscript before ever he dealt with him according to the Command of Christ and the Apostolical Order in relation to most of them some of his abusive Papers or Book out against George Fox amongst his Abettors before ever George Fox heard of them to the Shame of Christianity and the Rule of all Christian Societies as will be hereafter made manifest which he hath published in Print to Posterity and a Meeting was given him and others of Party with him at Bristoll John Story being there in relation to Matters in Difference betwixt them and the Church of God George Fox being there also with William Penn George Whithead William Gibson and others of George Fox's Friends and Brethren as in Manuscript hath been made mention of and in the discoursing of Matters at that time amongst them William Rogers was so abusively clamorous and extravagant and loud in Words and in his Concern and Exercise so burthensom amongst them in the heat of his Spirit as that Friends were astonished thereat and some of his own Party so dissatisfied at his running out of Doors to and again that some of them were glad for Moderations sake to go out to qualify him and get him in again of this we shall speak more afterwards as to Proof thereof if any should question the same such Confusion there was principally occasioned through him as that little effectually could be done William Rogers bringing in Accusations against George Fox in that publick Meeting which George Fox was a Stranger to neither knew he of any such Designe that William Rogers had upon him as to impeach him on that wise and not have dealt with him before according to the Order of Truth which was shameful in the sight of good Men that was privy to it William Rogers had the Opportunity often to have done with George Fox as became a Brother and a Man if he had been of a right Spirit as Hundreds will testify which he took no notice of he hath published in Print and exposed the same to Posterity most of the Accusations against George Fox upon Reports saying If Reports be true after a disingenious sort which manifesteth what a Spirit he hath and whether or no he be worth much taking notice of with respect to much he hath had in hand he pretends want of the Opportunity of a meeting with him was one great Occasion of his publishing in Print his horrid Work and yet he had a Meeting proffered him freely with George Fox which George Fox signified to stop his Mouth withal and sent him word if he would come in any confiderable time before he left the City of London as may be seen by William Meads Relation of the matter relating to it and for all William Rogers his 〈◊〉 now in a wicked excusive way he would not give consent to meet with George Fox on Notice given to him unless George Fox would give it under his hand which 〈◊〉 Fox was not willing to do neither did the Truth require him so far to follow such a false Spirit as his he believing also that he would make an evil use of it in Print and although William Mead proffered to 〈◊〉 God Willing that George Fox would meet him c. Yet he denyed to do it unless he would give it under his Hand though George Fox never desired that of him What a shameful wicked thing is it for William Rogers to put this detestable wicked Book in print stuffed with such abusive horrid clamouring Accusations and Aspersions to the shame of his Principle and Profession and the Fellowship of Brethren pretending George Fox would not give him a Meeting and yet did evade it thus pitifully and unlike a Man or the Concern it related to this surely is treacherous dealing with much such like he hath in hand but the great God the Judge of all will reckon with him in the end for all whose Damnation slumbers not he hath shamefully abused and wronged the Exercise that William Mead and Nicholas Lucus an Agent for William Rogers had about the matter and manner of George Fox's being willing to meet William Rogers c. as may be seen in the Relation William Mead gives of it incerted in the Treatise called The Accuser of the Brethren cast down to which we refer the Reader for more satisfaction about this matter And William Rogers in his Conscience to which we also refer the matter knows that he might have had a Meeting with George Fox if he would but take the Opportunity proffered him Yet his 〈◊〉 hath been such to watch for Advantage that many antient honourable Brethren were not willingly inclined that George Fox should take much Notice of him and some private Discourse that George Fox and he had at London at William Roger's earnest Request he hath made an evil use thereof in print against him which doth not become a Man of his supposed Parts 〈◊〉 Reputation to have done that he might publish abroad his printing thereof William Rogers reflects upon George Fox also in his Postscript because when Daniel Smith of Malborrow told him that William Rogers had propounded to have a meeting with him c. George Fox should say He judged it would but be a jangle as it was at Bristol Let the sober minded but consider whether George Fox had not ground to expect no better from him whose Iniquity was hastening to an height who had been so abusive to Friends with respect to former Meetings at Drawel with his false abusive Narrative and at Bristol manifesting such bauling clamorous Work as many were ashamed of And whether George Fox had any ground to take notice of the uncertainty of this mans tosticated Spirit as he manifestly appeared in and more especially seeing he might have had the Opportunity of meeting George Fox at London who was ready to come into the City when William Rogers was
for thou that dost art of Hams Family which is under the Curse c. Upon the consideration of this William Rogers saith the Objector may then say Object How comes it to pass that many of his Actions comes under the just censure of his own Words William Rogers says to this I know not how better to Answer then to testisie that Pride must have a Fall and God-suffered this Evil to come upon him c. To all which we Answer thus That which hath grieved William Rogers and John Story hath been the Judgment of the 〈◊〉 Truth upon the loose backsliding Work of the Spirit that they and them of Party with them have been led into This was William Rogers's Torment in which he hath let loose his angry malitious Tongue which venteth his smiting Accusations against the Faithful as may be hereafter manifested For because an Epistle of George Fox's reached him that had made away part of his personal Estate to his Servant to avoid Sufferings thereby as himself hath confessed not alledging any occasion of Payment of Debts or the like for his so doing therefore in his Torment would on this wise Revenge himself But let him be asked how it is that he now condemns George Fox for giving Judgment although against a wrong Spirit and yet he himself in his 〈◊〉 Quaker hath Judged the 〈◊〉 Family of God who have believed in the Light fave them of Party with him to be the Apostates and Innovators And how is it that George Fox must be so abusively rendred in Print to Posterity as he hath rendred him who says His 〈◊〉 must have a Fall and that this Evil is come upon him c. For Judging a wrong Spirit that is Accursed seeing George Fox formerly said Judge not one another nor lay open one anothers Weaknesses behind one anothers Backs c. And yet William Rogers notoriously guilty in that matter as said before who caused a Paper 〈◊〉 with malicious smiting and false Accusations against George Fox to be Published in a publick Meeting when George Fox was nigh two hundred Miles distant and knew nothing of any such thing neither was the Paper of Accusations sent to him till after it was behind the Back published on that wise whether this be not Hams Spirit let himself judge and with this same Spirit he 〈◊〉 the Heritage of the most high God to be Apostates and what not It s admirable that William Rogers cannot see the Envy and Pride of his Heart that he may take heed of the miserable Fall that he is nigh unto if with speed he Repent not and that he is not ashamed to make mention os these things that he would lay to 〈◊〉 charge when he is thus horredly guilty thereof himself and if the least 〈◊〉 were in any others Eye he would take notice of that and will not see the 〈◊〉 in his own It s too plainly manifest that God for the Wickedness 〈◊〉 hath appeared in on this wise hath given him up to a reprobate mind that he may fill up the measure thereof for the Damnation that slumbers not We further say Let William Rogers be also asked would not the Apostle Paul have come under his Judgment of Pride that must have a Fall because he gave the same Charge viz. Judge not one another and who art thou that Judgeth another Mans Servant he stands or falls to his own Master c. and yet said An Heretick after the first and second Admonition reject He bid them also cast out the Incestious Person He said Know ye not that the Saints shall Judge Angels how much more things that pertain to this Life William Rogers may 〈◊〉 How comes it to pass that Pauls Actions comes under the 〈◊〉 of his own Words and so consequently he knows not how better to answer then that Pride must have a Fall Oabominable Wickedness indeed Must not George Fox or any spiritual man unto whom the Lord committeth Judgment 〈◊〉 in his Hand as he also maketh Pastors and Teachers c. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 concern from God is on that wise place a Judgment upon such as backslide from the Life of Truth and the Practice of the pure Religion after tender and orderly dealing with such according to the Command of Christ and the Primitive Example in such Cases because they have admonished and charged the Children of the Lord to take heed of Judging one another or speaking Evil one of another c. What dark Confusion is this and great Ignorance of the Spirit and Power of God wresting things to their own Destruction We tell William Rogers he is not treated of us now as a Brother and one of us neither is he and them of his Spirit judged as those to whom Paul writ nor as those unto whom George Fox directed his Epistle of Advice on that wise to take heed of judging one another but they are dealt withal as Enemies to the Life of God and the Fellowship of Brethren as their separate Work and Strife demonstrates them to be and Judgment is set on the Head of the Spirit they are led by which also they cannot escape whilst in subjection to it and are doing its Work and in the Testimony from the Lord God unto them we are bold to say whether they will hear or forbear that the Indignation of God and Wrath from Heaven is to be revealed upon them and that with speed if Repentance they find not Another thing we take notice of relating to charge against George Fox by William Rogers Inserted in the 4 th Part of his Christian Quaker distinguished c. which he abusively Clamours against him withal is concerning Micha's Mother whom George Fox makes mention of in his Exhortation to and encouraging of Women to be Faithful to God according to the Gift received from the Lord to profit withal to the Praise of him who is the Giver And making mention of several honourable Women that were concerned in the Work of God both under the Law and in the Gospel Day shewing also that God is not strait in dispencing of his Grace to the Female as well as the Male that so every one might be doing for God in their Age and Day he makes mention also how the Lord was pleased by his Invisible Power and Vertue to reach the Hearts of Women in the very greatest Darkness and Idolatrous Times to manifest that the Lord is willing to work in all and through all to the Praise of his rich Grace on which occasion he instanced how the Lord reached the Heart of the said Micha's Mother with his living Power which caused her to confess to the Eternal God who had made her Son to confess That he was the man that had taken the 1100 Shekels of Silver which had been stolen from her and upon his being constrained by the Lords secret Power to confess and restore the same She replyed saying Blessed be thou of the Lord may Son c. The Virtue
contentious Papers of them that were given up to Jangle and Contend in a Spirit of Strife that hath a Life in Words and Writings thereby to Vent the corrupted matter that is contracted in the old filthy Bottle although somtimes for the Simples sake and to manifest their Confusion and 〈◊〉 Work and to wipe away the Refuge of Lyes some have sometimes felt it upon them to concern themselves a little therewith Yet we do affirm that after the many tender Entreaties Exhortations 〈◊〉 Cautions they were treated with whilst their day lasted and upon their Rebellion the Judgment of the pure Truth placed upon them in the motion and Unity of the Life of God it might have been consistant with the Counsel of God for his People to have been little more concerned with them on that 〈◊〉 but they being given up to a 〈◊〉 Mind through resisting the Grace of God and his good Spirit let them have gone on to do their Work which they had a design to do to the filling up of the measure of their Iniquities whose Damnation would not Slumber and it is our Belief and let William Rogers disprove it if he can that George Fox's Silence with respect to some of William Rogers his perverse and contemptible Letters was approved of and justified by the Faithful Brethren who had the 〈◊〉 thereof according to the saying of the Wise Man Answer not a Fool according to his Folly Bray him in a Morter and he will be a Fool still Now we come to take notice of the sad Work 〈◊〉 Rogers makes with himself in manifesting palpably to all where his Book may come what a venomous bitter Spirit hath lodged in him to the bringing forth such Mischiet and Iniquity as the like hath scarcely been heard of in any Age under the prosession of Christianity to have sprung from any that would be reckoned to be in the Life thereof as 〈◊〉 eafter God willing we shall Demonstrate and the object that is in his Eye 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon with his out-ragious clamorous Work and against whom his Malicious Design is laid is George Fox and the Prosecution thereof continuing with 〈◊〉 he hath sought an occasion to keep himself at Work on the score thereof 〈◊〉 a general Epistle that George Fox gave forth to be spread abroad amongst 〈◊〉 and William Rogers having inserted the same in his Book that thereby 〈◊〉 may make George Fox as Infamous as he can through the Work he hath made 〈◊〉 it we find it our Freedom to give the Reader the opportunity 〈◊〉 considering 〈◊〉 by inserting the same herein which is as followeth Friends ALL you that do make away or over your Estates to the World or your Servants for fear of 〈◊〉 Spoylers in time of Persecution for the sake of Christ and his Gospel and the Worship of God First do not you Distrust and Despair of God Almighty's Protecting and Delivering you with his Almighty Power Secondly Are you Sensible that the Earth is the Lords and the fulness thereof is the Lords and that he giveth the encrease and that how that he may try you whether your Minds are in the Creatures or with him the Creator And whether is it not a greater thing to give up the Life and Soul and to dye for the Lord Jesus then to give up the Goods and Estates and suffering the spoyl of the Goods 〈◊〉 Christs sake and Worshipping of God And whether or no they that cannot suffer the Spoyling of their Goods for God and Christs sake Worships sake can give up their Lives and Suffer for Christ who hath Died and 〈◊〉 for you And whether or no they that make away their Estates to the World 〈◊〉 they should loose them for the Worship of God do not they distrust God of keeping them whose they are indeed and have more Belief and Trust in the World then they have in God And whether this Spirit that doth so is not the Spirit of the World that doth lust to Envy and not the Spirit of God and his Wisdom but that which is Earthly Sensual and Devilish that would have its Libery and not the Wisdom that is from above that is Pure Peaceable and Easie to be Entreated And whether he that will save his Life and not loose it for Christs sake doth not he think to be his own Saviour and not Christs And whether he that will save his Estate and not loose it for Christs sake and the Worship of God by making it away to the World in time of Sufferings shall not loose it And so whether its safer in this case to make away your Estates to the World that cannot save its own or to make or commend it into the Hands of God the Creator of all and Jesus 〈◊〉 by whom all things were made who upholds all things by his Word and Power and the great Lord of Heaven and Earth and all things therein and which 〈◊〉 of his Hand a Sparrow shall not fall without the Will of him that made them George Fox This being Read in the Meeting at Bristol amongst Friends in William Roger's hearing who as it appears by his own Confession was Guilty in relation to the Contents thereof became so uneasie under it not liking sound Judgment and 〈◊〉 it to himself in a freting discontented Mind as the Work and Product of his 〈◊〉 doth declare although there was not the least Particularizing of any therein and instead of his quietly 〈◊〉 to it undertakes in a great Revenge with all expedition to give 〈◊〉 a Paper of Smiting Queries relating to Accusations and high Charges against George Fox at a very unreasonable and 〈◊〉 Rate and 〈◊〉 the same to be Read in a Publick Meeting at Bristol against him by Name tending as much as in him lay to his Desamation after a Dialogueing manner contrary to all Gospel Order and Rule of common Societies behind his Back the said George Fox being at that time nigh Two Hundred Miles off whom William Rogers had never dealt withal 〈◊〉 in Private about the same as he doth teach neither did George Fox know of any such thing from him till several Weeks after as hath been before in this Treatise sometimes hinted at Whereunto after a little while George Fox gave an Honest Plain and Upright Answer by way of Reply in the tenderness of that Spirit which many dear brethren had Unity with unto which Answer to William Roger's Smiting and Charging Queries a Postscript was annexed given forth by John Blaykling whom William Rogers seemed to bring in as a Witness to some of his Accusations against George Fox to which Reply and Postscript William Rogers undertakes to make a 〈◊〉 of which in his Printed Book he often makes mention wherein he sayes He hath detected George Fox of Lyes and Forgery c. Charging him also that no Answer was put to it that he knew of And requiring him to Transcribe for him such a Numberless Number of Coppies of his said Rojoynder
the same from a clear 〈◊〉 Conscience for it is denied by us affirming also that it is a smiting Accusation in Contempt of Gospel order and the Power of God But what is this in Vindication of their practizing in Opposition to Church Care and the Government of the Spirit instrumentally in the Church of God although they may say its their Principle so to do or they are not perswaded in their Consciences to Act otherwise Certain it is that this is a false application from the Apostles Practice and George Fox's instance in relation to the allowing of Circumcision amongst the Weak for a time in the Infancy of the Church of Christ in his day But William Rogers says for as much as George Fox instanceth the matter of Circumcision as if the practice or not 〈◊〉 of such things were grounded meerly on the Apostles Permission And so by that Example George Fox may do the like c. Answer This also is a 〈◊〉 perverting of George Fox's Application from the Apostles practice let him prove or else lay his Hand upon his Mouth with shame that George Fox hath charged the Apostle that the practising or not practising of Circumcision was grounded meerly as he expresseth it on his Permission We deny that that is chargeable on George Fox nor can it any way be deduced in any Christian sence from his Words as relating thereunto George Fox expresseth plainly on what Accounts or in what Cases the Lord let the Apostle see Circumcision was to be born with and in what Cases and when to be declared against William Rogers manifesteth great Ignorance sometimes as well as gross Wickedness And we say also its a false inference that William Rogers makes upon the 〈◊〉 of George Fox's bringing the instance of Pauls allowing or disallowing of Circumcision and out of all Christian Charity deduced viz. As if the practising or not practising of some things wherein Conscience also might be concerned were 〈◊〉 meerly on George Fox's permission These ungedly Reflections and groundless Accusations against George Fox or any of Gods faithful People we deny and judge in the Name of the Eternal God and they shall lye as false Malicious Charges grounded upon his false Applications and unchristian inferences and which the scope of George Fox's words in any charitable Construction bears not and they shall lye upon William Rogers's Head as marks of an Apostate spirit that others may be warned by him Several things more might be observed which we shall pass by from William Rogers's paraphrasing on George Fox's tender Discourse which he calls his Postscript whereby to manifest William Rogers to be given up to serve a quarrelling Spirit contending against the simplicity of the naked Truth and the Innocent to God who keep in the Power and 〈◊〉 his own Works already discovered and from what hath been observed and spoken to already 〈◊〉 of the matter that he hath in Words and Writing 〈◊〉 concerned in and exposed the same on publick Record to the view of all his Spirit and Work is so clearly discovered to be out of the Life of God that little more need be said for proof thereof Some other things there are in William Roger's aforesaid Book relating to charge against George Fox and other Brethren which do not come so much within the compass of our knowledge but that some others may have a more perfect knowledge thereof neither are we in that Capacity with respect to distance from the places where the Passages relating thereunto have been transacted and therefore uncapeable for the examination and finding out what matter of Fact can be chargeable on the score thereof against those whom in the matter of Charge William Rogers points at therefore we shall leave them to what may be said by 〈◊〉 more particularly on the score thereof according to the Capacity they 〈◊〉 not doubting from the knowledge that we have of William Rogers's Spirit detected by the Fruits thereof as manifestly appears through the Work he hath made as also from the undoubted knowledge and belief that we have of George Fox's Innocency as to the matter he hath impeached him upon which we have had the knowledge of or are easily capable to understand and from 〈◊〉 own Writings on the account thereof But that William Rogers as in this our 〈◊〉 upon the matters that have fallen to our lot to be concerned in is evident will be manifested after all is done to be the false Accuser of the 〈◊〉 and subjected to an Antichristian Power wherein he hath laboured to work Mischief in the Church of God to lay Stumbling Blocks in the way of the Simple and to cause the Name of the Lord to be evil spoken of and that George Fox and the other Brethren he Smites at will be manfested to have kept their first Love in their Integrity for God and his pure Truth and that the innocent tender care in the Church of God remains with them which God will bless them in and the Church of Christ is comforted because thereof The most of the Accusations against him and others by Name and against the Church of Christ in General which we have not herein spoken to are treated of by our Brethren of the Second Days Morning Meeting at London as in their Book called The Accuser of our Brethren cast down is demonstrated to the satisfaction of Gods tender People One thing more we cannot but take notice of which peradventure William Rogers aims at in his charging John Blaikling with giving forth a false Certificate against John Story which he hath inserted in some part of his Printed Book as also in several Manuscripts some Years ago relating to Charge against Robert Barrow John Blaykling and others particularly in a Paper which he sent to London from Bristol he writes thus viz. Robert Barrow and John Blaykling are Men of evil Lives because saith he they 〈◊〉 subscribed a false Certificate against John Story c. William Rogers to make good the Accusation against us saith thus John Story was said to be one that justified the separate Meeting and to prove it saith he a Certificate or Testimony in Writing was produced under the Hands of six Persons to prove that John Story had been at a separate Meeting at William Chambers's House Which saith William Rogers at first seemed to reach far meaning to prove 〈◊〉 Story to be one that justified the same but presently saith he it came to be of no credit to many because John Story solemnly affirmed that he never was at those Meetings in a separation from the Monthly and Quarterly Meetings To which we answer in Manuscript thus viz. When John Story hath said all that he can or dare say as to a denial of having an hand in or encourageing the Separation in the North before the Throne of God he shall stand detected and condemned as a false deceitful Man for in his Conscience he knows that it is so and his subscribing of his Name to
the Paper in the North against the Practice of our Monthly and Quarterly Meetings and intimating their purpose to withdraw and do their business amongst themselves with their chosen Men without us c. and their withdrawing upon it and setting up a Meeting amongst themselves to do business in as there might be occasion and keeping the same up occasionally to this Day demonstrates the Charge to be true against John Story of having a hand in the aforesaid separate Meeting how can it rationally be otherwise concluded John Stories Hand being at the Paper the principal Man of all the separate Company and according to their determination expressed in it withdrew John Wilkinson his fellow Companion and an Assistant in all the contentious Work constantly meeting with them neither of them ever that ever we could hear of shewing any dislike thereof but associating themselves with them of the Separation in their opposite Papers and Works as a Captain Leader and chief Agent amongst them at every turn surely there is not a rational Man that hath had knowledge of the transactings of matters amongst them here distinct from the Brethren and John Story the Man in their Eye for the carrying on their Work but he will conclude John Story is so far from being disconcerned in the separate Meeting that he is the Man upon whom the dependance in order to success in the Design hath hung And William Rogers confesseth That when they heard that John Story had been at a separate Meeting at VVilliam Chambers ' s House it went far with them c. But John Story denying that ever he had been at any made the Certificate of no credit to them Their Case is bad we say that makes Lyes their Refuge We are loath to say it though it hath been too usual with John Story so to do well then by William Rogers's own Words the proving John Story to have been at some of those separate Meetings might have much satisfied them that he had an Hand in the setting up thereof Then as we said in our former Paper given to them Three years ago and more let John Story be asked and 〈◊〉 his Conscience speak whether he was not at a Meeting amongst them of the Separation at 〈◊〉 upon business relating to Church Affairs and another time at Robert Atkinson's about the matter of the Separation separate Work let him deny it 〈◊〉 he hath a Face so to do Yea and that their Meeting was upon business as a Church as they esteemed themselves though distinct from the ancient Meeting in a capacity to do business as justifiable in their Eye though separated from us as they of the Quarterly Meeting could be c. We appeal to the honest Hearted whether this be not 〈◊〉 Scraffling the Work of John Story' s creeping Spirit Were it not more Manlike in him to confess and stand by it as the rest have done seeing they will not condemn it And do they not manifest a blind besotted Heart and Spirit that have chosen such a one as this for their Leader Well then the weight of the matter for Evidence against John Story as touching this Point of his Being concerned in the separate Meeting and a Leader therein hangs upon his being or not being at any such Meeting amongst them of the Separation as William Rogers's Words implys saying The Certificate under the Hands of six Friends proving that he had been at such a Meeting had some weight with them as to that matter till John Story had denied And it stands not upon John Stories having been or not been at the Meeting at William Chambers's House but upon his being at any of those Meetings with them yea or nay Then to determine this matter we require William Rogers or any of them that have been too much enclined to believe Lyes for their satisfaction if they desire any and will not wilfully shut their own Eyes to ask John Story once again and bid him let that in his Conscience speak whether he was not at one or both of these Meetings aforesaid we have yet hope that he hath not that impudence as to deny it although this be the third or fourth time in opposition to this Charge that we have required them to take John Stories Answer once more on this account and yet we never had any Word to the contrary of what we have said touching this Matter And as to our naming William Chambers's House for the Meeting that Day there was this Ground for it seeing several of them that Day met at William Chambers's House first an honest Friend seeing several of them going in thither not knowing but that it had been a Meeting upon the account of Worship had thought to have gone into the Meeting but they would not suffer him but said It was a Meeting of Business Yet afterwards it appeared they went to Robert Atkinson's House and kept the Meeting there for more conveniency as we judge and that John Story was with them let him deny it if he think meet and if there was a little mistake in the Relation touching the place that the weight of the matter hangs not upon that all this ado hath been made of proclaiming Robert Barrow and the rest Givers forth of a false Certificate we leave it to the Judgment of Judicious Men And William Rogers in his Conscience knows that this Information he hath been privy to three times once in the Answer from us to his Narrative and in another Book in Manuscript in Answer to one of theirs dated from John Ayrey's House in Kendal and Thomas Cam also by Words signifing the same to some of them in the South And yet after all this to put in Print to Posterity the said Accusations against us of giving forth false Certificates and never contradicts our Relation which proves the whole substance of the Charge as relating to evil Fact neither shews so much Humanity as to insert also our Answer to the Charge which clears the matter as in Conscience and according to the equal Law of doing as we would be done by he ought to have done We commit the consideration of these things with all the rest of his malicious evil Work to that in all Consciences to take notice of in relation to Tryal and Judgment Whether the Matter alledged in Charge against William Rogers be not certainly true to wit of An Antichristian Apostate A False Accuser of the Brethren An Enemy to the Life and Government of the Spirit instrumentally amongst Gods People the Church of Christ A Layer of Sumbling-Blocks as much as in him lies in the way of Truth the Principle he pretends to A Discourager of Christian Care in the Church of God An Encourager of the Rebellious and Lose Sort An Obstructer of Zion's Peace to the hardening of the Hearts of them that believe not against the way of Truth One that Gratifies the Common Enemy that hath watched for Evil against us and
on purpose to put Friends by their Testimonies in that matter he had almost over-run the Proposals for Peace William Penn stetp to the Table and writ down a 〈◊〉 to be read in the Meeting that if it Answered the sence of Friends there Assembled it might be 〈◊〉 by them and sent to John Story as their Christian offer towards the Reconciliation of those sad Differences but William Rogers notwithstanding he knew not the contents thereof judged it an unfit Paper to be read and as we conceive contrary to all Truth Justice and common Sobriety said I will oppose it it shall not be read again I say it shall not go as from the Meeting Which we took to be in high Arrogancy and Vsurpation upon the Meeting raising and continuing his voice when it was begun to be read so loud on purpose as to drown the reading of the Proposition his behaviour being so Rude that we never had the like in our Meeting before which rude practice we look upon to be condemnable in all sober and free Societies c. This is testisied to by Twenty Eight Friends of Bristol who were present at the Meeting before mentioned And therefore what credit can be given to William Rogers and them that gives forth such false Certificates to make People believe Lyes which they are glad to make their Refuge let the wise in Heart consider Again as we hinted before William Regers saith in his Narraitive That the Second Days Meeting at London have allowed that which they are not satisfied can stand justified c. The matter is something concerning Robert Barclay's Book In his Narrative he saith thus Robert Barclay speaking of the Order of Government thus saith c. In his Book Entituled the Anarchy of the Ranters in which Book it seemeth as he says is that which he and others are dissatisfied with This is mentioned in his Narrative written at Bristol the Eleventh Month 1677. This is a Passage that happened at London and not at Bristol and so contradicts the preamble to his Relation The Reader also may take notice that in the Third Month 1677. being Seven Months before his Narrative was writ William Rogers by a Paper under his own Hand acknowledgeth that touching Robert Barclay's Book a fair and Christian debate was had before many Friends at a Meeting in London to both Robert Barclay's and his Satisfaction and the things by him objected was fairly and Brotherlike and in much love discoursed and he saith that upon the whole matter he was satisfied that Robert Barclay was not principled as he and others took him to be And further William Rogers saith in his own Paper That it lies upon him to signifie on the behalf of Robert Barclay Since many have taken occasion of Offence against him for that cause and as may be doubted so far as to reject the Testimony and service for Truth it lieth upon me as my duty for his and the Truths sake to warn all to take heed not to entertain a prejudice against his Testimony on jealousies that may enter on score of my apprehensions or mistakes of his Book or that Answer that I have given thereto but rather in an unprejudiced Spirit to wait upon the Lord to feel and savour his Testimony even as if the occasion had never been And further saith William Rogers I freely confess in as much as I published my Book before I gave Robert Barclay notice of my Objections and Intentions therein I acted in that Respect not according to Gospel order but am justly worthy of Blame therein Thus far William Rogers Now let it be considered what a restless unsetled Spirit this Man hath void of Christian Behaviour and Humanity it self Who notwithstanding that under his own Hand he hath cleared Robert Barclay and the 〈◊〉 Days Meeting also and declares himself to be satisfied about Robert Barclay's Book and acknowledgeth his Unchristian carriage touching him c. Yet in his Narrative seven Months after in which he hath spread Robert Barclay's Name up and down the Nation and in his Printed Book thus reflects again upon the second Days Morning Meeting and upon Robert Barklay before he sent to them also concerning it that ever we heard of Now let all see whether these proceedings of William Rogers come from any Honesty or Conscientiousness or whether this restless unsetled 〈◊〉 Spirit of his doth manifest him to be one that can stand for the Kingdom of Christ Jesus as he would be looked upon to do which stands not in Words but in Unity and Peace And for the Readers further satisfaction concerning William Rogers's deceitful dealings with Robert Barclay and the second Days Meeting at London we refer him to William Rogers's own Paper which is a relation more at large of Robert Barclay and his discourse in the presence of near Forty Friends with their advice to him and the sence they had touching William Rogers Objections against Robert Barclay's 〈◊〉 which William Rogers at large confesseth his Errors in as his Paper under his own Hand dated the third Month 〈◊〉 demonstrateth And therefore what credit can ne give to or any confidence have in such an uncertain unsetled Man as this William R gers is Who also is the chief promoter of John Story and John Wilkinson their cause and what matter is it whom he stands for or whom he is against or what he says or Writes or any thing else he does as these things before-mentioned testifie for they have no Witness in the Consciences of the Faithful and that they are not Men of tender onsciences it plainly appeareth what ever they pretend to nor that William Rogers stands in the Gap as he pretends unless it be to turn People out of the right way nor 〈◊〉 the Kingdom of Christ its clear as these his Fruits with many more that might be instanced do manifest Hereby also is the badness of John Story' s and John Wilkinson's Work manifested to all the honest to God which 〈◊〉 Rogers so much quarrels about And further in the Narrative William Rogers saith as followeth viz. We cannot but tell you that we hae Sufficient cause to doubt that under pretence of this Proposition the Meeting will be entertained on your part with such Idle and vain Testimontes in the 〈◊〉 of the Lord as came out of Elizabeth Sturrige her Mouth in our publick Meeting c. Now let it be considered that this is one that cryes so much for Liberty of Conscience and against Imposition and yet see how these would limit the Consciences of Friends and not permit them to clear their Consciences and exercise their gift contrary to the tendency of his Paper of Queries in which Liberty of Conscience is so much cryed for when Elizabeth Sturridge must thus be struct at who spoke nothing that ever we heard of from honest Men then what she might be required of the Lord to do to the clearing of her conscience and yet William Rogers is
not ashamed to call it an Idle Vain Testimony in the Name of the Lord. And yet in another place of the Narrative and other of their Writings they of this Spirit said John Story and John Wilkinson must be left to Act as their Lord and Master shall lead them And yet would not allow Elizabeth Sturridge to clear her Conscience as her Lord and Master might require her Doth not this manifest a partial and byassed Spirit in judging thus partially as he hath done And yet contrary to their former Judgment as some of them of that Spirit have said to wit That we must not judge of Spiritual things And how answers this also that which they say That all must be left to the Witness of God in themselves And from what 〈◊〉 do we say doth that Jealousie and Fear arise of having the Meeting entertained with Testimonies being the same also with that which made all the Bawling in the Meeting at Bristol when Friends were waiting upon the Lord for the Testimony of Life to arise amongst them that William Rogers said His Soul abominated such 〈◊〉 which was to wait to see if any thing might arise in any to Write to John Story about the reconciling the sad Differences risen as the Certificate imports Is not this the Spirit that 's gone from the Truth and likes not sound Judgment being gone from the Command of God Cain after he had done evil concerning his Brothers Blood his countenance fell and he thought that every one that met him would slay him But it is not so with the Righteous for they are bold and makes no such provision for the Flesh And is not William Rogers's Testimony more Idle and Impertinent and John Story' s also and John Wilkinson then Hers was who saith God hath raised them up to stand in the Gap and yet are opening Gaps for the Loose and Fleshly to enter in at out of the Way of Truth and their Testimony for it to wit William Rogers's making away part of his Estate from the Spoylers and says It s his Principle and John Story creeping in suffering times and John Wilkinson standing to justifie it and what an idle Testimony was that in John Story that condemned Friends Soundings and making an noise in Heart-Melody to God in their Meetings whilst others were Preaching or Praying and said He had born his Testimony against it and he would do it and bring it down or leave Preaching And was not John Wilkinson's Testimony Idle and Prophane and charged it upon the Lord too that said God will break us when we were in the exercise of Truth according to Gospel Order and yet it fell on the neck of his own Spirit for many not long after broke off from them and came away with joy Again in the Narrative it is said by them That from henceforth there may be no occasion to say that they are Men of Strife c. We say Would they be look'd upon not to be Men of Strife we can confidently say that William Rogers's work of spreading abroad this Narrative and others his contentious Papers sufficiently gives himself the lye if he say so and the Fruits of John Story and John Wilkinson and their Company in their Subscriptions and Separation and Contentious Work sufficiently manifests that they are not Men of Peace We further observe that it is said in the Narrative That the consideration of the present Differences amongst Friends and the sence they have that the Name of the Lord is dishonoured amongst the Heathen who at this Day may clap their Hands for joy and cry Ha! Ha! They say They have cause to enter into the House of Mourning rather then Joy In Answer we say it may be seen what a deceitful Spirit this is thus to pretend and use a deal of smooth Words in Hypocrisie that have no Answer in the Consciences of the Faithful to God For hath not John Story and John Wilkinson and other Partakers with them in this contentious VVork been the only cause of dishonour to the peaceable Truth and the Name of God Doth not the Separation and such work of Strife and VVrangling as is brought forth amongst them and William Rogers's sending abroad his contentious Papers up and down the Nation contrary to Covenant and Agreement made and signed testifie of what Spirits they are Their Resistance to the tender Advise and Judgment of the most of Friends in the Nation sheweth them to have a stubborn Heart far from the House of Mourning VVhat Kindness and Care hath been extended and used towards this People VVhat tender Entreaties have been made to them to be reconciled to God and the Brethren and to come off from the Separation And John Story and John Wilkinson have been desired that they would be instrumental in breaking up the Separate Meeting or testifie against it and yet with an imperious Spirit do they despise and resist all and this Hyprocrisie atop of all causes the Lord the more to abominate their doings Hath William Rogers forgot the Crys and Tears to the Lord for them at the Draw-well when he and they stood in that heardness of Heart that many were made to admire Let them say what they will the House of Mourning they are Strangers too yet the Day of it will come from the Lord God who sees their VVorks and will judge accordingly for neither their Spirit nor their VVorks do answer the Light of Christ nor the Grace of God that hath followed them and the Strife that is begun and which they still maintain shall be laid at their Doors let them look to it as they will answer the Lord in the great Day VVe observe also that William Rogers in the Narrative recites two Questions that were put to the Brethren at Draw-well by John Wilkinson and John Story to be resolved although we shall not concern our selves here much to give any Answer to them then what was delivered amongst the Brethren then yet we desire that the said Queries may be compared with the Paper of Prescriptions subscribed by John Story and John Wilkinson and them of the Separation The first Question Whether or no we and all Gods People ought not to be left in all matters of Faith and Discipline c. to the manifestation of Gods Spirit and Truth in our Hearts to Speak and Act therein as we are thereby Instructed and Perswaded and not otherwise The Answer was given Affirmatively viz. They Ought And our Sence and Judgment in the Truth closed therewith as that which we stand for and have maintained against every contrary appearance And yet John Story and John Wilkinson in their Paper of Subscription the foundation of the Separation in the North say together with others of the Separation That none of their own Country or of other Countries must sit amongst them to concern themselves in the Business of their County although it be about matters relating to Discipline but their chosen Men to whom they give
said several Answers in Manuscript being given forth several Months since we refer the honest Reader for more full Satisfaction that none may say that we have dealt unfairly with William Rogers his Narrative as if we have taken notice only of something here and there and left the most material matters unspoken to which is below the sincerity of our Spirits and when the said Answers are seen and weighed in the equal Ballance it may be observed there is no cause given by us for any so to do We commend the consideration of these things with respect to the 〈◊〉 of William Rogers his Spirit and Work to that in all Consciences to take notice if they be not fully satisfied whether this William Rogers be not a Man that hath given up himself to a reprobate Minde And in the abbetting of his unrighteous ause he hath undertaken to stand by Whether he be not one that little matters often what he says or whereof he affirms and that little notice is to be taken of him or of what he says or does in things that may any way help his turn in the vindication of John Story' s Spirit and ungodly design the upright unprejudiced ones may clearly see John Blaykling Joseph Baines And seeing that mention is often made in the foregoing Treatise of John Story and he thereby manifested to be the chief Instrument in the Strife Division and Separation that hath happened in these Northren Parts for which cause he became an exceeding great Burden and Exercise to Honest Faithful and Sincere Hearted Friends at such times as he appeared in any of their Meetings either in North or South under the notion of a publick Preacher And especially after that he had been orderly dealt with according to Gospel Order by Counsel and Advice and warned not to offer his Gift till reconciled to his Brethren and the same by him wholly 〈◊〉 and he in a stubborn Spirit persevering he became the more Burthensome and could not be born to appear as a Minister in the Meetings of Friends of Truth who was found in so unrighteous and untruthlike Practices Wherefore many times of late Years as by many Epistles and Christian Correspondence hath been testified he was publickly judged and disowned in Meetings and many living Testimonies sprung sometimes out of the Mouths of Babes and Sucklings to the Confounding and stopping his Mouth and particularly at the last Meeting that ever he appeared in amongst any faithful Friends a little before his Death an account whereof we think of service to Truth to insert as it was drawn up by Thomas Cam and others concerned with him in that Meeting as followeth together with some short account of his Death and Burial THe fifthteenth Day of the eighth Month 1681. I was much pressed in Spirit all that Day to go on the Morrow to visit the meeting of Friends at Kendal and I can truly say it was much in the cross for me to go being that the Meeting at Preston was appointed at a place where I had not been at a Meeting with Friends since my Liberty out of Prison wherefore Friends not only desired but had some encouragement also to expect my being there yet notwithstanding the Lord moving so strongly upon my Spirit by his Word and Power that was as a Fire in my Bones On the First-Day Morning being the sixteenth of the said eighth Month I gave up in Obedience to the Cross and took my Horse and set forward alone but on the way I was under great Exercise and exceedingly bowed with a weight upon my Spirit so that I did secretly supplicate the Lord to know the cause of that my great Burthen and before I came half way to Kendal John Story and several of them of the Separation came within the view of my Spirit so that I was well satisfied of the cause of my present Exercise and after I had this sence of the cause thereof I felt some Ease and went on more Cheerfully having my Confidence in that Eternal Arm that had often girded me with Strength in my many Exercises with those perverse Spirits who had often appeared as Drunk with the Spirit of Enmity And as soon as I was come to the Town I went directly to the Meeting-Place where I found amongst Friends John Story with several others of his Companions in the Separation set in the Meeting-Place who were all surprised and exceedingly troubled as I apprehended at my unexpected appearance there and as appeared by their 〈◊〉 Behaviour and John Story' s standing up to Speak as soon or before I was set down upon my Seat whose Lifeless Dry and Dreaming Testimony became a Burden to the tender Life so that several sensible Ones amongst Friends did 〈◊〉 and Groan under the sence of their present Burden and Exercise which did not only Grieve but also much Confound John Story so that he cryed out because of those 〈◊〉 and Groans Disorder Disorder And the Lord appeared in his glorious Power to the Joy of the Upright and the Exercise of the Power together with several short Testimonies against him that sprang through several whose Mouths were never opened in Meetings before that I know of did so confound him that he lost his Matter and fell into Reflections against Friends all which time which was about a quarter of an hour or somewhat more i sate still in silence in much Peace and Contentedness being sweetly comforted in the sence of that Glorious Power of the Eternal God that filled many of the Hearts of the Faithful there and over-shaddowed the Meeting and the living Testimonies that sprung there-from to the confounding of that persumptuous separate Spirit that dreadeth not to tempt the Lord. Several of John Story his Party seeing him so stopt and confounded begun to be angry and some of them to Mutter Grumble Jangle and propose Questions though John Story was yet speaking And in as much as by experience that that Spirit of Discord and Separation and they that are acted by it have a life in jangling Discourse and would strive to get thither I was therefore under deep travel for the preservation of the Meeting there-from and in a little time I was moved to go to Prayer being well satisfied that the Lord would 〈◊〉 Friends minds in the exercise of his Eternal Power and confound the Spirit of Strife and Jangling thereby and also make way for that Testimony that lived upon my Spirit so having signified the same to Friends we kneeled down whereupon John Story cryed out It was in vain to think to stop him he could not be stopped for he was Commissionated by the great God and went on for a small time while we were Praying but in a little time he was stopped uttering these or other Words to the same effect I see it s in vain to strive I may as well be silent as speak Certainly the Lord did blessedly appear in his glorious Power to the unspeakable Joy Comfort