a weighty Sense of his Service to spring among us Many were convinced by him We have not heard of any of his Travels but some became Seals of his Ministry in all this as he did so do we attribute the Glory to God whose chosen Vessel he was Thirdly As this our said Friend was called to Believe and to Receive a part of the Ministry so did he joyfully embrace Sufferings as a part of his Calling and on the account thereof we several of us having been his fellow-Prisoners can with much certainty Testifie that he never turned his back or gave ground to Truth 's Adversaries in his Testimony but chearfully suffered Bonds as well as Spoil of Goods as the Lord permitted him to be tryed therein We can further add that all his Sufferings he underwent with great Simplicity as well as Patience the Lord's hand alone without Carnal Contrivance being truly regarded eyed and depended on for his Enlargement so that he was made to Triumph in the Lord for his Deliverance Fourthly The next part in which he was evidently manifested to us to be a Workman who needed not to be ashamed was his singular Care and watchfulness over the Flock of God amongst whom he was not only a good Apostle a Minister of the Spirit but a careful Over-seer an Instrument to Prune Dress Fence in and keep Clean that the Church of God might be kept in its Beauty and wear its own Livery even even the White-Linnen without Spot or Wrinkle We are truly sensible his Care and Labour tended to this He was a very seasonable and constant Attender of these our Meetings as well as others oftentimes was he opened amongst us in a short Testimony in God's Wisdom suitable to the occasion Cautious that neither he nor any amongst us might obstruct the Days Service by enlarging therein Weighty and Clear he was in handling the Concerns of Truth yea studious to propagate its Interest with all his Strength very Zealous that nothing might remain in the Churches either to be a stumbling-Block or occasion our Posterity to enquire why these things were left All Superfluities of Meats Drinks Apparel and Furniture as well as Feastings at Births Marriages and Burials and other needless worldly Customs he lived to see put a stop to and which he in the Lord's hand was made an Instrument to effect He would with Gravity Clearness and Plainness go through weighty matters and in handling was very Righteous for though he was of an humble Condescention to hear the mind of the least Member yet would he not submit the justness of a Matter or lessen his Judgment or the Stroak of Truth upon it for the Interest of either Friend or Brother and as ready he was to submit himself where he either mis-apprehended or was mis-informed In this manner we cannot forbear to tell it was he conversant amongst us a good help in Government for which sake we truly honoured him and on behalf of the Concern the Lord had laid upon him relating to the Discipline of the Church we can say to the Praise of God that what he recommended to Friends Practice in places abroad as he fell in their Monthly and Quarterly-Meetings not taking effect to be complyed with in his Life-time hath since his departure from us been put in Practice by them and a Benefit found thereby so that being Dead he yet Spâ—aketh his Life and Spirit Bent and Inclination have still their Motion in the Minds of many Much more might be truly said to the Praise of that Vertue that dwelt richly in him but our design was Brevity in this Undertaking and our only Aim therein the Exaltation of that Grace by which he was what he was to God his Church and People Lastly As to his Death It was sudden and surprizing to us in that not above three Days before it he seemed in full Strength both of Body and Mind and bare amongst us a living Testimony to that Universal Grace and Sufficiency of it by which we were called and in which all have Life Salvation and Peace and exhorted Friends to avoid every thing that would gender to Bondage c. The Day following he fell Sick as was supposed of a malignant Fever which continued violent upon him for about two days and a half and then dyed in the Presence of many Friends His Body was accompanied by a great number to Friends Grave-Yard in Penketh after the interring of the Corps was a very large Meeting many more than the Meeting-House could contain several Testimonies were born and a solid Weight of Divine Goodness over-shadowed the Meeting so that we may say Precious in the Eyes of the Lord is the Death of his Saints And now tho' our loss of so faithful a Friend and Fellow labourer cannot but affect us very nearly yet in this we are satisfied that in the good Pleasure of God he is taken from us And tho' he might according to the Course of Nature have lived many more Years yet as to his Growth and Ripeness we can say of him He died in a good Old Age having lived to behold his Ministry and Services crowned with the Conversion of many to the Faith and Establishment therein And we are under a full satisfaction that his Rest is glorious amongst his Fathers even faithful Abraham Isaac and Jacob and the Followers of the Lamb there to Sing Praises to God on high who is Worthy for ever and ever Given forth from our Mens-Meeting at Hartshaw the 18th of the third Month 1697. Signed on behalf of the Meeting by Richard Cuttan William Barns George Burch Joshua Crosby John Bispham Robert Tompson Robert Haydock James Laithwait Henry Mollineux John Burch Joseph Coppock John Johnson Richard Tarbuck Gilbert Thompson A few Lines by way of Testimony from Friends in Cheshire concerning Dear Roger Haydock Deceased THough we believe that many Testimonies will be given from several Faithful Friends concerning that good Man yet we that have reaped so great a Benefit from his Labours in Testimonies and other ways cannot keep wholly Silent concerning him For soon after he had received a Gift for the Ministry he found himself concern'd to visit This County and where in his first appearance he was very gladly received for he proved very Serviceable to many that waited for the Redemption of Zion and greatly helpful in strengthening and incouraging those whose Faces were turned thither-ward Thus meeting with so pleasing a Reception in his early Visits found himself ingaged to come often amongst us and he greatly grew and was filled with the Life and Power of God and his Service was much inlarged and very many were awakened that had fallen asleep in a kind of Self-security who were ready to cry out What shall we do to be saved For they were prick'd to the very Heart So prevalent was his Testimony so powerful was Truth And indeed several were Convinced and with great gladness received the Testimony of the Word of
Word of Eternal Life of which this our faithful Friend was a Minister to which work the Lord by his Grace had called him and he freely gave up and devoted himself to that Service for which the Lord had well fitted and qualified him and made him of great Ability through the Spirit giving him sound Knowledge and deep Discerning to find out the Mysterious Workings of the Enemy of Mankind so that he was very skillful to divide the Word of Truth aright And at that time there was great Service to be done for the Lord for then many had tender Desires after the Knowledge of God and were Seeking and Enquiring after the way of Truth which leadeth to Eternal Life and to such he was an Helper and faithful Instructor in the Lord Jesus and being zealously Careful that he might compleat the Work and Service that the Lord had called him unto and promote the Interest and Honour of God and be Instrumental for the good of many of the Children of Men He went under a great Concern and Exercise of Spirit through great Travels Sufferings and Labour of Body preaching the Gospel of Christ freely that many might be turned to God and gain the Knowledge of him and be gathered into the one Fold and Pasture of Eternal Life out of the By-Ways and Dark Paths and Vain Religions of the worldly-minded and so might know a coming out of Darkness and a walking in the true Light and way of Life and Righteousness that they might please their Creator and answer the end of his Love revealed in his Son and manifested in the Light And the Lord who imployed him in his Service blessed his endeavours therein for many received his Testimony and thereby were turned from Darkness to Light and out of the Paths of Error into the Way of Righteousness His Labours and Travels are in part declared by his Journal which sheweth his Travels in several Countries and Nations and sometimes amongst People of a strange Language A blessed work he went through in faithfulness unto the End He was a great Helper and of great Service in the Church of Christ and his Labours and Ministry therein were very successful he was often prevalent to end Differences and Discord where the Enemy had sown any amongst Brethren His Doctrine received of the Lord was sound and deep Matters were often opened by him and it was his delight to do Service for God and to help the good Work forward in any he being earnestly concerned that all that knew God might Glorifie him as God And the Lord blessed him whilst here with such Mercies as appertain to the making of a Man's Life Comfortable in this World which the Lord saw no doubt he was worthy of who richlâ— recompenseth all those that Love him and Seek his Honour and the Welfare of his Church as this our faithful Friend did and his Memorial will be long upon the Earth amongst the Generations of the Righteous I might write much concerning him and his Vertuous Life which was Comely and Honourable and of a loving and friendly Behaviour amongst Men His Company was Pleasant and Profitable and many were sorry to part with him But though his Removal hence be a loss to many yet I am well assured that he hath gained thereby and is in the enjoyment of Peace and of an endless Treasure in Heaven amongst the number of the Blessed with Christ in his Kingdom and being at rest from his Labours his Works follow him And it is my earnest desire that we who are left behind which is but for a little space may so improve our Time and Gifts that in the end we may have a Share of the same Reward that is laid up for all the Faithful James Laithwait A Brief Account c. An EPISTLE to FRIENDS of Blackrod Meeting IN Love unfained do I Salute you and in the Fear of God Exhort you to Faithfulness and in the Word of the Lord Counsel you To be Watchful in your Meetings that the weighty Work and Service of God which he hath concerned you in be not slighted by any of you through Unfaithfulness and want of Watchfulness Friends The Seed which God hath sown is good if you be watchful it will grow and prosper and cover the Ground and the Earth will be blessed But if you sleep the Enemy will sow Tares which will grow up with it and choke it so the Ground that affords them nourishment will be cursed This is the Word of Truth unto you so as in Love to the Seed which is good and in Bowels of Compassion to your Immortal Souls which are of great Price in the sight of God desiring the Seed's Prosperity and your Souls Good in the sense of its Suffering and of the Deprivation of God's Love unto you who in this Incumbent Duty of Watchfulness have been negligent it hath been upon me many times in the Motion of God's Spirit to Reprove your Negligence and likewise Exhort and Admonish you to Faithfulness in that Duty whilst conversant with you even so since remote from you outwardly separated and under Bonds restrained the sence of the Non-performance of that so weighty a Duty on your behalf who are herein concerned whereby God's Righteous Soul hath been vexed and the Spirit of the Upright and Sincere-hearted to God amongst you have been made sad hath sometimes come before me to my grief and yet remaineth in my view to the saddening of my Spirit who am truly a well-wisher of Zion and one though outwardly confined yet travels for the Prosperity of Jerusalem in Spirit which is at liberty which Man cannot confine Therefore it entered my Heart in the Word of Truth to signifie God's Counsel unto you That ye be watchful that the good Seed which God hath sown may grow deeply having depth of Earth even room in the honest Heart that it may bring forth in some Thirty in some Sixty in some an Hundred fold but in all of you some to his Praise lest the Enemy sow his Seed and it grow and the Ground be nigh unto cursing whose end is to be burned And Friends another word hath often run thorough me when present with you That you Love one another and the same word is in me though I be from you whereby I know the Cause yet remains in you And truly I may take up a Lamentation for you who are concerned who will not be counselled How often hath the Lord striven with you How often hath his Word been spoken unto you And how often hath his Servants laboured amongst you And do you yet live in Strife and Contention Truly I am sorry for you and that the precious Truth is dishonoured by you it is a grief upon my Spirit and upon the Spirits of the Upright-hearted among you If therefore you have an Ear to hear hear put away Strife Envy and Contention and labour a Reconciliation in the Love if so be the Lord's Anger may be appealed
as it was said Neither Circumcision nor Vncircumcision availeth but a New Creature Now where this New Creature is known the Old Man with his Deeds is put off the Old Man and Old Creature put off and changed the New Man is put on and the New Creature which bears the Image of the Heavenly comes up Now where any have a foolish pity to the First Birth being bent to save its Life there is in them an averseness to the cutting off of the fore-skin of the Heart for the sake of your Blood these are like him that pitied Agag whose Life God had required they spare that which God would have cut off Therefore let no ones Eye pity not Hand spare but let the fore skin of all Hearts be cut off that all filthiness of Flesh and Spirit may be done away and that not only in the Fathers Elders young Men Brethren but in them of younger Years and less growth And concerning this let the Elders Fathers and Brethren be careful that all the fore-skins of the Hearts of Abraham's House-hold of his Children who are of the House-hold of Faith be cut off that they may all know the Circumcision And in Heart and Ear being circumcised may all keep the Law of God in keeping of which Law there is a great Reward And the more set them be careful that all be Circumcised and that the Circumcision be kept lest it becoming Uncircumcision in any and being winked at it becomes like a spreading Leprosie upon them that have been Circumcised drawing a fore-skin over their Hearts again as a covering to their Filthiness whereby their Circumcision is made Uncircumcision and their latter end worse than the beginning For it had been better saith the Apostle they had never known the way of Truth than after they had known to turn from it And Dear Friends provoke you one another and be provoked one by another to Love and to good Works Be all stedfast in the Faith speak all by one Spirit and you will speak one thing be Encouragers in what is Good a Praise to them that do Well but a Terror to Evil Doers If there be Tatlers Busy-bodies amongst you Mark such and reprove them Let none strengthen Evil Doers but appear in Judgment against their Evil Deeds for that is the way to do them Good If any hath done Evil let such Repent and do so no more but come and do their first Work lest God smite them with a Curse If any Friend be overtaken with Weakness restore such an one in the Spirit of Meekness and Love and let such a one be easie to be entreated for why should any Man despise his own Mercies It 's a Mercy from God to Offenders that Men fearing God come to them in the Love of God to tell them their Sin This Mercy David though a King rejected not when Nathan said Thou hast slain Uriah the Hittite and taken his Wife but acknowledged saying I have Sinned Nathan replied God hath taken away thy Sin thou shalt not Dye But Alas how few are of David's Mind when for their Offences they are spoken to Let all Dear Friends be Watchful and let your Light shine put not your Candle under either Bed or Bushel let not your Sleep be over it nor your Merchandizing be above it but let your Candle stand in the Candlestick and Shine giving Light over all You are Light in that part of the World so Shine that Men seeing your good Works may be occasioned to bless God on your behalf You are a City upon that Continent you cannot be hid you are the Salt of that Earth therefore season you that part of the Creation They have Eyes upon you looking for good from you their Ears are sometimes attentive to you to reap of the Good proceeding from you Good is with you for God is with you and for the Good proceeding from you they shall glorifie God Preach you Righteousness to them in a holy Life and be before them Patterns of Piety in a Godly Conversation Christ your Life your Light shining in you and through you being both your Righteousness and exceeding great Reward so do that you may convince them of their Righteousness which is a Righteousness of their own which they are going about to establish which is but as filthy Rags and as a menstruous Cloth in Comparison of Christ's Righteousness which they have rejected that so they may see and be ashamed Repent and find Mercy with the Lord that they may be healed Finally my Brethren and all Dear Friends live in Love that God who is Love may dwell in you that Grace Peace and all spiritual Blessings in heavenly things may be multiplied upon you from God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Amen As opportunity offers give the Salutation of my Dear Love to all Dear Friends in Frizeland at Frederickstadt Hambrough and other places upon your Continent where I have travelled and the God of my Life who is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ preserve the Gathered every where in Faithfulness and of his Infinite Love build them all up in the most holy Faith which gives Victory over the World that they may be a People to his Praise And I pray God encrease his chosen amongst you and add to your small number every where even daily such as shall be saved My love flows to the Seed in those parts my life tenderly greets God's Off-spring the Blessing of Jacob of Jesus of God the Father of Christ be upon you all and upon God's Heritage every where Amen I am your Brother Roger Haydock Warrington the 25th of the 11th Month 1686. Concerning Roger Haydock's two Imprisonments in Lancaster Goal ROgen Haydock of Coppal three Miles from Wigan in the County of Lancaster Yeoman was sued in the Bishop's Court at Chester by Ralph Briddock Priest of Standish and Bishop of Chichester He was cited as they say in the Steeple-House at Standish to appear at Chester because he appeared not having not certain knowledge of it he was judged a Contemner of the Law was apprehended the 3d day of the 3d Month 1674. committed to the Goal at Lancaster remained Prisoner until the 12th of the 11th Month following then released through an Appeal to York grounded upon the unlawfulness of their Proceedings but for want of appearing in the said Court personally when he had appealed thither was again committed to the common Goal at Lancaster and was apprehended the 2d of the 8th Month 1675. by James Worthington Constable of Coppal where he remains a Prisoner still The name of the Judge for the Bishop's Court was John Wainwright The pretended Cause was for 10 Thrave of Oates not of his own but of his Brother's John Haydock worth about 30 s. by them valued to 3 l. and something for smoak-Penny and Tithe of Hen and Geese which they pretend to be due for his Brother's Estate The said Roger Haydock is an unmarried Man and as a
pour out a double Portion of his Spirit upon us lest behind and raise up many more that so his Work may become Prosperous in the Earth Amen Oh how Comfortable is the Remembrance of that perfect Love Nearness and Unity that we enjoyed together without the least Jarr which made our Service and Labour together very easie and pleasant and our Conversation together very sweet And know that he was Open-hearted Free and Faithful to his Friend a great Lover as well as Promoter of Love Peace and Concord amongst Brethren able in Advice sound in Judgment tender and kind to the Weak every way ready to serve and help the Needful in every respect of a truly Humble and Lowly Spirit giving Preference to others especially Elders although a Man that had a kind of Greatness or Presence in a Manly Carriage or Deportment from which some might mistake him that knew him not in the Root of Life and Truth Fervent in Spirit Zealous for the Promotion of the Interest of Truth in a Godly-Discipline and Gospel-Order amongst all Friends and his Care and Labour that all might be found in the Practice of the pure Religion professed That so Zion might become Glorious the Praise of the whole Earth and the Church and Family of God be kept Pure and Chaste to shine forth in her Splendor the Eclipsing whereof in any respect I know was ever his Exercise and under the Exercise thereof have simpathized with him in Sorrow and Mourning whom I knew esteemed of and preferred the Peace Prosperity Wellfare and Increase of the Glory of Zion God's People far above his own His Natural Parts were great and augmented by a good and liberal Education All which being Sanctified as well as Inlarged by the Power of Truth made him both Honourable and Serviceable in the Church of Christ in many respects And tho' he be Dead yet Lives and Speaks amongst us and is Enjoyed in that Life which never Ends. And as he has turned many to Righteousness he now shines as a bright Star in the Firmament of God's Power and his Name will be of Lasting Remembrance amongst the Living T. Camm H. M's Testimony concerning our dear and faithful Friend Roger Haydock Deceased AMongst many of the Lord's Worthies whom in this our Day Age and Generation he hath endued with Wisdom Courage Valour and Prevalency in Innocency and Righteousness to make War without Carnal Weapons against the Spiritual Enemies of God and of his Son Christ Jesus the Lamb without Blemish that taketh away the Sin of the World this our dear Friend Roger Haydock was not one of the least who before I knew him was at the Challenges of Priests that opposed the Truth to which he bore Testimony several times engaged in Disputations as Defendant for the Truth professed and lived in by him and the People called Quakers against the false Charges of the Priests One Passage whereof being related to me by one of the party adverse to him when I was a Stranger to the Truth and to Roger Haydock tended to my Convincement and in hopes it may likewise be of good effect to others I shall here insert it viz. My Neighbour told me he had been at a Dispute between Mr. Cheyney as he called him and a Quaker whom I have since known to be Roger Haydock and and that Cheyney among other things charged the Quakers for not using Baptism of Infants Then I asked him how the Quaker answered to that He said Indeed the Quaker behaved himself very moderately and civilly in his way and answered That there was no Proof in the Scriptures of Truth for it and that it was only Men's Invention and by Man's Tradition that they held it and considering how they used it who professed the Scriptures to be their Rule which did not warrant them therein it appeared in them to be ridiculous both before God and Man Then I asked him What Proof Cheyney brought for it He answered to this effect That he did not understand that Cheyney brought any Proof for it This Relation induced me to seek for what Proof could be found for it because I had been taught that my Infant-Baptism was the Foundation of my Christianity thereupon diligently searching the Scriptures and after that reasoning with my Teachers I plainly saw there was no Proof from the Scriptures nor Authority from Christ to be found for it and that therefore my Foundation was unsound and the Building upon it dangerous and ruinous Therefore in a deep Sense of my want of a Foundation that could not be moved I left the Builders upon Infant-Baptism and earnestly sought unto the Lord who in his own time Revealed in me that Foundation which standeth sure even the Rock of Ages the Foundation of all the Generations of the Righteous that great Mystery hid from many Professors which is Christ in Believers the Hope of their Glory who Baptizeth them with Spiritual Water and Fire a Manifestation of whose Spirit is given to every Man to profit withal which inwardly Reproveth the Disobedient but Comforteth the Faithful who in it have true Unity and Fellowship one with another And in this I was in the Lord's time acquainted with this my aforesaid dear Friend and faithful Servant of Christ whose Service the Lord made of good effect to me by the aforesaid Relation of one that was as an Adversary to him and that a considerable time before I knew him for about the time that I left the aforesaid Builders my Teachers he was concerned in the Lord's Service in Ireland in the Year 1680. He was Laborious in the Service to which the Lord by his Grace had called him and for which he had fitted him in giving him largely to know and understand the deep Mysteries of his Kingdom and filling his Treasure with the durable Riches and Righteousness thereof And as he plenteously and freely received of the Lord so it was his delight and great Concern in the Counsel of God freely to give and impart Spiritual Gifts to others that many might be enriched with the same And therefore through great Travels Sufferings and Exercises he cheerfully went in the Lord's Service who blessed his Labours so that he was Instrumental in the Lord's Hand for the turning of many from Darkness to Light and from Satan's Power to God He was neither sparing of Himself nor his Substance to serve the Lord the Giver who blessed him as well with Temporal as Spiritual Blessings of both which he was very free in the Love of God to communicate having an especial Care over the Poor that none might want and a tender respect to the least appearance of Good in any that it might be incouraged He was concerned for the general Good of all but especially Serviceable in the Church of Christ being as a Pillar in the House of God firm and stable supporting the Weak and edifying the Houshold in Love His Ministry attended by the Lord's Power hath often hit my Condition
aright to my benefit satisfaction and comfort He was a Skilful Labourer in God's Vineyard knowing as well how to refresh water and gather in due season as to prune and keep up the Fence He was a Skilful and Valiant Soldier of the Lamb in Innocency shooting God's Arrows aright against Babylon and his Bow abode in its Strength He was not afraid of the Archers that shot at him having on the Shield of Faith which repelled their envious Darts His Fighting was not with Carnal but Spiritual Weapons under the Banner of Christ his Captain which is Universal Love in which Love he was rooted and grounded and flourished like a fresh and fruitful Tree more and more to the end of his time I was with him at a Meeting the day next before his Sickness began being but three days before his departure in which Meeting the Lord's Wisdom and Power in a great measure appeared with him opening many excellent things by him and his Service therein was great treating very fully and clearly of the sundry Dispensations of God towards Mankind in the several Ages of the World according to the several States and Conditions thereof in order that Mankind that had been in a lost and estranged Estate in Transgression might come again to be reconciled unto and acquainted with God their Creator and with him enjoy Everlasting Peace and Happiness Shewing also That God who at sundry times and in divers manners by his Angels and Prophets spoke unto Mankind formerly hath in these last days spoken to his People by his Son whom he hath appointed Heir of all things by whom also he made the World who in the fulness of time came in the Body prepared for him Born of the Virgin Mary in which he spoke and did many excellent things and suffered many things yea even unto Death leaving to all that should believe in him an Example that they should follow his steps who laid down his Life for their Reconciliation to God and Redemption from all Iniquity And also according to the Scriptures he very clearly and largely declared and testified That the largest clearest and most general and excellent Dispensation of God's Love in his Son Christ Jesus is as it was in the Apostles time in this our Age and Generation in and by the Light and Spirit of Christ manifested in and unto his People who walk in Faithfulness and Obedience thereunto to which he Exhorted all and the Praise and Glory of all he ascribed to God whose Honour he sought and not his own The substance of which sound Declaration and living Testimony by the Lord's Power that attended it was so Imprinted in my Mind and Memory that day that I believe I shall never forget it So the Lord who had made him comely both outwardly and inwardly and adorned him with a meek low and quiet Spirit and with Wisdom clearly to discern the deep things of God in a great measure and to divide the Word of Truth aright in tender Love and sound Judgment was with him to the end of his time and when he had accomplished his great Service which the Lord called him unto and accompanied him in and blessed with success to the good of many he having fought the good Fight and kept the Faith and finished his Course laid down his Head in Peace and Died in the Lord the righteous Judge whose Cross in his time he having cheerfully born now enjoyeth the Crown of Everlasting Life and Righteousness and being at rest from his Labours his Works follow him and the Testimony of his Works Writings and Services may be of Benefit and Service in the Generations to come and his sweet Memorial will Live with the Just for ever He Departed the 11th Day of the 3d Month 1696. Henry Mollineux Given forth the 19th of the 8th Month 1697. Christopher Winn 's Testimony concerning Dear Roger Haydock Deceased AS touching this my dearly beloved Friend I cannot easily be silent but express something in Testimony concerning him for a three fold Reason First Because the Lord made him an Instrument to Preach the Word by which my hard and unbelieving Heart was reached and tender'd for although I had heard the Truth preached before by some Friends yet it was no more than a Wonder to me remaining still in gainsaying until it pleased God by his Ministry to open my Heart to receive the Word spoken by him by his explaination of that Prayer our Lord taught his Disciples and shewing who had right to call God Father was I convinced at which I often marvelled remembring my Zeal in my young Years for the repeating of it according to Tradition yet so it seemed good to the All wise God in whom I have believed and do reverently Bless his Name for sending his Messenger of Glad-tidings to Proclaim the acceptable Day and Preach the Gospel for which at that time he suffer'd Bonds and Imprisonment having only obtained Liberty for a little season which he bestowed in visiting the Churches I am through Mercy amongst others a Seal of his Ministry which he was careful as well as prudent to adorn in Conversation using sometimes in familiar Discourse to say He that Preaches abroad let him Preach at home He was self-denying for the Truth 's sake he was always in a Care and often in Admonition lest any should dishonour the Truth by out-going or disorderly walking whose Expression sometimes was To Walk in Truth was better than to Talk of it Secondly Because of my knowledge of him after my Convincement it falling to my lot of later time to be a Member of that particular Meeting he belonged to in which time he shewed that in him had God settled a Care as well to Build up in the Faith as to beget to it helpful to further and promote Vertue in us all and in no wise Censorious as to the Testimony of young Friends nor frowning whether they appeared before or after him Yea further without boasting I may say he was a Man greatly fearing the Lord apt to Teach prudent to Advise as well as able to do it I observed in difficult matters few too hard for him but by that Wisdom that was in him he had strength to go thâ—ow it So that his Death was a Surprisal as well as a felt and known Loss to the Churches amongst whom he frequently conversed and because thereof was their Hearts affected with Sorrow It may appear by his Journal he made use of his time leaving Wife and Children and Temporal Affairs to visit the Churches in these and other Nations My Third and Last Reason that hath been a motive to give this brief Relation is That near and true Respect I bore towards him in his Service amongst us in so much that with a tendered Mind I now remember him and a sence of his Spirit my Heart tenders And though to him to Dye is Gain yet to us Loss But who may say to God What dost Thou Or Why is it
examined J. C's Relation In this particular the substance whereof is The Quakers do hold Man's Soul to be God and that they had nothing they could object but only that Fox doth not expressly say The Soul is God As to the first the Impartial Reader may plainly see it is a false Accusation And as to the second It is a Lye which Lye doth stand deservedly upon J. C. who either was so buste pondering upon 〈◊〉 Notes and gathering up his Papers 〈…〉 he minded not what was said or 〈…〉 not that any more was spoken but what 〈◊〉 relates a thing scarce possible in a Drâ—â—utant if he was not distracted or else it is wilful Ignorance and desperate Wickedness in him to say Having nothing else that they could object c But he that is so impudent as not only to play the Hypocrite and Dissemble with God and utter Untruths unto him but publish it to the World as in his Book Call to Praâ— p. 141. I may not question but such a Man hath impudence enough to Lye against the Quakers and publish his Lyes to the World But God will judge the Lying Tongue Friendly Reader As for John Cheyney's Cavil against G. F. concerning the Soul it is already lately and soundly Answered by William Gibson in his Book entituled The Life of God which is the Light and Salvation of Men exalted which Answer take as followeth for thy further satisfaction It is judged meet to give thee the Advantage of seeing it here because when this Book comes to thy hand it may be thou may'st not have the opportunity of seeing his Concerning the Soul of Man JOhn Cheyney thou quarrellest at G. Fox's words where he saith something concerning the Soul in his Book entituled Great Mystery thou and some others of thy quarrelling Brethren would insinuate as tho' he did hold or affirm That the Soul is God but who reads his Treatise in the said Book upon that subject without Prejudice in the Fear and Love of God such may see that he distinguisheth plainly between Christ God and the Soul of Man see Great Mystery p. 91. where G. F. hath these words viz. The Soul being in the Death in Transgression so Man's spirit there is not sanctified And the Soul is in Death Again in the same Page after he hath uttered many words in answer to the Priest about the Soul he hath these words viz. So the living of the Soul and the Spirit sanctified that diligent hearkening is come to where the Counsel of God is stood in his Voice heard his Hand felt that the Soul is come up in that which comes from him from God that is Living and Immortal and gives a Creature its feeling and sensibleness through things and so the Covenant of God comes to be received wherein the Soul lives In the same Page he hath these words viz. Now where the Light is hated that of God within transgressed that doth pertain to the righteous Law of God and answers it there the spirit of Man is not sanctified and Man's understanding darkned the Higher Power is denied the Soul comes into Death transgressing of the Law is known the Witness buried which should guide the Mind whereby the Soul should live in the diligent Hearkening thereby comes Man to be defiled and his Spirit and Body and Mind whereby he glorifies Not God in his Body and Soul and Spirit Again in the same Page thus And every one that cometh into the World having a Light from Christ the Second Adam the Bishop of their Souls Christ the Power of God Again in the same Page thus So every Man that cometh in the World having a Light from Christ Jesus the Way out of the Fall the Second Adam Receiving the Light they receive their Redemption and Sanctification whereby their Spirits Bodies and Souls are sanctified J. C. Here G. F. speaks of the Soul of Man in several States and Conditions first in Death and Transgression It is very certain that G. F. doth not believe That God ever was or can be in Transgression And therefore it is certain that when he speaks of the Soul 's being in Transgression that therefore he doth not mean or intend that God's Essence or Being in any measure is in Transgression or ever can be to Again He speaks of the Living of the Soul and the Spirit Sanctified and saith That a ligent Hearkening is come to where the Counsel of God is stood in his Voice heard his Handâ—felt that the Soul comes up into where the Soul lives Note J. C. here he speaks of the Souls Living and of its Hearkening It is evident here That G. F. doth not mean â—nd or believe that God should hearken unto himself or that by not hearkening to himself that he should come into Transgression and Death or that by hearkening he should be Redeemed or Sanctified for G. F. 〈◊〉 that God is unchangeably 〈…〉 â—â—hout any Variation or Mutabilit◠〈…〉 G. F. speaks of receiving God's Counsel and standing in it by which the Soul comes to live Now it is certain that G. F. believes not that God could possibly go on act against his own Counsel and so come into Transgression and Death but it is 〈◊〉 that G. F. believes that when God's Counsel is not stood in by Many who was made a Living Soul that then he 〈◊〉 into Transgression and his Soul comes into Death and this was fulfilled in the first Adam who was made a Living Soul by his going out of the Counsel of God he became a Transgressor and his Soul was brought into Death thereby But as the Apostle saith The Second Adam has made Spirit which Second Adam is Christ the Promised Seed which bruiseth the Held of him that first led Man out of the Counsel of God whereby his Soul was brought into Death who believes in Him who lighteth every one that cometh into the World he raiseth the Soul out of Death being the Captain of its Salvation and the Bishop of it Again Soul being taken for Life as sometimes it is God is the Life of Lives or great Original Soul of Souls being that One Infinite Being by which all other Beings in the beginning of the Creation were brought forth and by whose Word Life and Power they eâ—ift and are upheld And G. F. speaking in answer to the Priests about the Soul saith God breathed into Man the Breath of Life and He became a living Soul for that which came out from God was the cause that Man became alive A Living Soul Upon the afore-cited words in Genesis G. F. p. 68. querieth of the Priest thus And is not this of God And God who bath all Souls in his Hand here and in this latter sense it doth appear that G. F. takes that word Soul for Life or that Breath by which Man lived or was made a living Soul and the Breath of Life by which Man lived or became a living Soul Is of God thus G. F. and the Quakers
is resisting the Holy Ghost Holy Spirit as they did called a Sect and no doubt but the Apostles were accounted Sect-Masters by J. C.'s Predecessors as well as R. H. is stilled a Sect-Master by him for the Truth 's sake which prospers and prevails R. H. can bear it and J. C. hath discovered Himself and manifested his Folly But perhaps he thinks whatever he says or writes whether Slander Lye or Scoff his Coat will bear him out but if so his thoughts will deceive him for there are many will not so take things upon trust neither from him nor any of his Brethren either because of their Black Coat or White Coat but him will reprehend and judge for his Slanders Lyes and Scoffing Sure I may say a lying spirit hath entered him and acts him and it is against that spirit my controversie is I have Love and Good will to the Creature for the Scriptures were that day owned by us in their place as they have ever been by us since we were a People to God's Praise J. C. had Will enough to have proved all he hath said but he wanted Power Truth being stronger than all Neither had he so much Skill as Baseness nor Honesty as Impudence He laboured by indirect means to accomplish his wicked End but fell short and instead of Glory reaped Shame And why may I not use his own Expression published to the World only instead of the word Foes put in Opponent and say In this J. C. came poorly off as when he prayed his Opponent being too hard for him There were several that Day his Baseness and Wickedness being discovered and laid open cried against him and one called aloud unto him and openly asserted J. C. to be a Lyar and offered to prove it to his Face and said He was No Quaker But when J. C. had produced the Baptist's Book which he would have made the People to have believed was one of our Books out of which he brought a Quotation I asked to see the Book he refused I pressed again to see it not so much questioning the Book as that he had wronged the words in reading them he again refused I promised if he would let me have our Friend 's Bood to read the Quotation my self I would do the like for him with any Book I produced if requested when he saw I would not be satisfied but pressed still to see the Book then he confessed It was the Baptists Book and impudently asserted the Quotation was right and that they had truly stated our Friends Assertion But his dis-ingenuity thereby appear'd he being laid open and many saw him baffled in his Undertaking He also gave other Forged Quotations which he would have had the People believe were our Friends Assertions yet all would not avail to prove the Quakers Religion was against the Scriptures A Second Branch of the afore-cited Charge which in order to prove he asserted That the Quakers made the Scriptures useless and utterly void alledging That if the Scriptures were not the Rule of Faith they were useless and utterly void quoting the Second of Timothy 3.16 To which I replied I deny the Quakers do make void the Scriptures but that they own them I affirm and that they are profitable to the Man of god But there is no Man of God without God's Spirit it is the Spirit of God that makes a Man of God and it is the Spirit of God which was the Rule to the Man of God before the Scriptures were written and that which was the Rule to the Man of God is the Rule to the Man of God that which gives Faith is the Rule of Faith and that is the Spirit of God which gave Faith and was the Rule of Faith before the Scriptures were written Yet this makes not the Scriptures useless for the Man of God who walks according to this Rule the Spirit lives the Life the Scriptures declare of And to such a Man the Scriptures are profitable though he cannot set the Scriptures above the Spirit which gave them forth yet owning them in their place hath a more real esteem for the Scriptures than that Man who cries them up for his Rule yet walks contrary thereunto and short of the Life the Scriptures testifie of John Cheyney saith in the same Page R. H. would not say that the Scriptures were no Rule at all But he affirmed that they were not the Rule Reply This grant of J. C's proveth I did not make the Scriptures useless and void I asserted as before That the Spirit is the Rule of Doctrinal Saving Faith for that which is more universal than the Scriptures which was the Rule of Faith before and ever since the Scriptures were written to wit of saving Faith is the Spirit which gave Faith and ruled it and gives Faith and rules it for what it was it is and what it is it will for ever remain because unchangeable And I further add That that which the Saints walked in was their Rule and that was the Spirit Gal. 5.16 Walk in the Spirit c. Yet is not the Scriptures made void but fulfilled This is but a false Suggestion of J. C. That Scriptures are either the Rule or useless for he that walks in Spirit comes in measure to know the Scriptures fulfilled It is the Spirit of God which gives saving Knowledge and that which gives saving Knowledge is the saving Rule One to all God's People throughout all Ages of the World since Adam was created his Rule before he fell his Rule as he came up again in the same Life from which he fell Enoch's Rule in which he walked with God before the Scriptures were written the Prophets Rule who spake forth Scriptures by God's Spirit who were Prophets before the Scriptures they spoke forth by God's Spirit were written the Evangelists Rule who set forth a Declaration of those things which were most surely believed amongst them having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first Luke 1.1 3. Mark they had perfect understanding of all things they writ before they writ them the Apostles Rule who were Apostles before their Epistles were written the Rule of all the Holy Men of God since the Apostles days for there is no Holy Man of God without God's Spirit He that hath not the Spirit of God is none of his Rom. 8.9 He that hath the Spirit is to walk in it Gal. 5.16 25. He that walks in the Spirit it is his Rule he asketh Counsel of God as by Vrim and Thummim hath an answer from God takes Counsel of God and is covered with a Covering of God's Spirit such have comfort in reading the Scriptures being come in measure to the fulfilling of them in measure witnessing what their Elder Brethren the Prophets and Apostles declared of their Experiences as they did tread in their Foot-steps for One is the Way for the Righteous in all Ages Christ the Way the Truth and the Life John 14.6 No Man
Peter alludes 2 Pet. 1.20 21. No Prophesie of the Scripture is of any private Interpretation Mark for the Prophesie came not in old time by the will of Man but holy Men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost The Apostle here speaks of the Prophesies of the Scripture what was spoken in the Motion of the Holy Ghost Now that all that was spoken and is written in the Bible was spoken in the Motion of the Holy Ghost there being something spoken by wicked Men in the Bible which was my assertion J. C. doth not affirm But J. C. will have it That every word in the whole Bible was given by the Inspiration of God to the Holy Pen-Men who were inspired to write them Reply This alters the state of the Controversie betwixt us which was about speaking forth what afterwards was Recorded in Scripture viz. what the Serpent and wicked Men spoke who called Christ Beelzebub a Samaritan and said He had a Devil c. It was not the Historical Relation that we were about but of its being spoken before Recorded we were arguing I said The Serpent the Devil and wicked Men spoke words which are recorded in Scriptures and none of them spoke those words in the Motion of God's Spirit But though it be a little beside the matter I query How J. C. will prove yet I deny not that the holy Pen Men of Scriptures had God's Spirit and were assisted by it in the recording the words of wicked Men that every Pen-Man that writ of the Scriptures writ not a word but what was opened in him by the Inspiration of God which he neither heard of Man nor received from Man but in the Immediate Revelation of God received it and by Inspiration writ it Or whether some of the Pen-Men saw not with their outward Eyes several things which they writ of and heard not with their outward Ears several words which are written in the Scripture which they heard of Men According to Luke 1.1 2 3 4. Acts 1.1 23.16 to 23.1 Cor. 1.10 11. Gal. 2.11 c. Gen. 42.29 45.9 to 28. Judges 16.17 18. 2 Sam. 1.5 to 17. 18.10 c. Esther 4. J. C. in page 21. saith R. H. in the Dispute did openly affirm That God did no where command us to walk according to the Scriptures and the Laws and Doctrines of the Scriptures but all are to walk in the Spirit and after the Spirit and according to the Spirit wickedly opposing the Spirit and his Holy Laws He was quickly silenced c. Reply In this I may truly say John Cheyney hath far exceeded not only the bounds of Truth but Honesty in forging Lyes and publishing a false Accusation and Slander against me to render me odious in the sight of good Men But sure I am notwithstanding J. C's wicked Lyes false Accusation and Slander which I hope will find no more acceptance with good Men than his Hypocritical Praying Dissembling and Lying hath with God as in his Prayer-Book p. 141. that I never so said neither ever so intended For first it is against my Principle the Spirit of Truth leads into all Truth such who stand in the counsel of it and are freely given up to be led by it This Spirit is in the inward parts and that is some-where and God by it in our inward parts commands us to walk Holily Righteously and Godlily in this World to observe his Precepts and keep his Commandments love God above all things and our Neighbours as our selves and to do to all Men as we would they should do to us this is the Law and the Prophets and to own the Precepts Doctrines Laws and Commandments contained in the Scriptures and fully to believe That God who by his Spirit gave them forth through his Prophets commanded that People should keep them and walk in his fear and be Witnesses of the fulfilling of them and walk and live in that Holy Life the Scriptures declare of and this walking is according to the Scriptures Secondly It is contrary to my Practice But lest J. C. or any other if I should speak what I might speak in the Truth concerning it should judge me to boast concerning my Practice I shall say thus much It is such as in measure becomes the Gospel fearing God eschewing Evil and this is according to Scripture And for my Conversation in the World to them who know me and know it also I shall leave it for them to speak further thereof as they find cause whether it be not in measure according to the Conversation of those who in times past walked not after the Flesh but after the Spirit Rom. 8.1 I did and I do assert as before That the Spirit of God is the Rule of Saving Faith and that the Apostles did not direct People to the Scriptures to be the Rule of Saving Faith or say Walk in the Scriptures they are the Rule For although the Apostle commended the Noble Bereans for searching the Scriptures c. so did he for receiving the Word with diligence but he did not direct the Bereans to the Scriptures to be the Rule of Saving Faith But the Apostle and Apostles directed People to the sure Word of Prophesie which was nigh in the Heart 2 Pet. 1.19 Rom. 10.8 And turned them from Darkness to Light from Satan's Power to the Power of God Acts 26.18 To the Vnction of the Holy One the Anointing within which teacheth all things 1 John 2.27 To the Spirit thereby to mortifie the Deeds of the Body that they might live Rom. 8.13 To walk in the Spirit Gal. 4.16 Walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfil the Lusts of the Flesh I say because I thus asserted and also proved the Spirit to be the Rule of Saving Faith and not the Scriptures and the Apostles directed to the Spirit for the Rule and not to the Scriptures to be the Rule and that they did not say Walk in the Scriptures they are the Rule but Walk in the Spirit I say because I did prefer the Spirit to be the Rule of Faith before the Scriptures yet owned the Scriptures in their place Therefore J. C. hath impiously charged me that I said God did no where command us to walk according to the Scriptures yet in Contradiction to himself he grants I affirmed All things are to walk in the Spirit after the Spirit and according to the Spirit all this is very good and if I said it I own it But here is his Contradiction in allowing I said All mast walk in the Spirit and after the Spirit and according to the Spirit which are Scriptural Expressions he grants I affirmed All must walk according to the Laws and Dctrines in the Scriptures for the Spirit which he grants I affirmed all must walk in after and according to viz. the Spirit of Truth commands and leads to keep those Doctrines and observe those Laws and Precepts in Scripture which concern a Holy Life