Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	faith_n	lord_n	soul_n	7,621	5	5.0274	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A50608	The Memory of that servant of God, John Story, revived shewing what manner of man he was from his youth to his grave, by the testimonies of several friends, to whom he was well known, and by whom, for his work sake in the truth, he was greatly beloved : to which is adjoyned something written by him, &c., in his latter years, wherein his judgment is shewn concerning some particular things, and his great desires for love, unity, concord, and peace in the church of Christ.	Wilkinson, John, d. ca. 1683. Brief relation concerning the life and death of John Story.	1688 (1688)	Wing M1702; ESTC R19789	42,298	47

would readily confess and we say the Truth in us would readily have condemned it even as it now doth and if it shall please the Lord to manifest unto us a Service in those Meetings in the Country as well as City the same Integrity towards God which hath dwelt in us these many years past we believe will become a Bond on us to joyn Hand and Heart with others our Brethren and Sisters therein but till then our desires are that this may not become an Occasion of straitness in Spirit each toward the other but that embracing the wholesome Counsel of the Apostle in another Case If in any thing ye are otherwise Minded wait till God reveal it we may walk together in that pure undefiled Love of our God which thinketh no Evil. 2dly That though many of our Brethren see a Service in Recording Condemnations and leaving them upon Record to Posterity yet from that inward Sence and Heavenly Understanding we have we see no necessity to leave them upon Record to Posterity or retain them when the Sin is blotted out and remitted by the Lord neither to be extended farther than the Offence is known nor yet to continue longer than the memory of the Offence abideth but if any see meet from an inward sense of the Truth in themselves to leave such a Testimony relating to themselves to Posterity we have therewith Unity That this our sense may be no occasion of straitness of Spirit each toward the other is the earnest desire of our Souls who desire the Prosperity of Truth and Peace amongst all the Churches of God 3dly As to Tythes we can in truth say 't was never so much as in our thoughts to speak any words whatsoever with the least intent to strengthen any in the Payment thereof nor yet to weaken the Faith of any having a testimony in our hearts that Tythes as at this Day paid are Antichristian 4thly That as Groanings Sighings Soundings and Singings may proceed from Deceitful Spirits so also we declare Groanings Sighings Soundings and Singing may be the Fruit of the Spirit of the Lord among Gods People and that as the first is discouraged the second ought to be incouraged and the earnest Desire of our soul is that as to these things nothing but the Spirit of Truth and Sound Judgment may appear either to reprove or Incourage and though we are accused as if we were Opposers of such Groanings c. which the Truth approved yet God is our Witness we know it not 5thly That though we have been represented as Persons incouraging Flying in time of Persecution We say we are not Conscious to our selves of so doing for we believe those who stand not to their Testimony but flyes therefrom in the Day of Persecution may truly be counted either weak in Faith or departed from the Faith And thus having given our Inward Sence according to the Uprightness and Integrity of our Hearts concerning these five General Heads from whence all the 44 Articles do arise We shall with this conclude That the God of Heaven is our Witness our Desires are to approve our selves Men of Peace in the Abhorrency of all Fleshly Liberty and Looseness to follow after Truth and Righteousness that the Reign of the Power of the Eternal God may be over all so will the Kingdoms of this World become the Kingdoms of the Lord and his Christ As to the two Questions answered by the Friends and Brethren met on this Occasion we in the Fear of the Lord say We in the proposing thereof had not the least thought to obtain your Yea and Nay with intent thereby to strengthen such who may be accounted our Party in any thing that is contrary to Truth nor to incourage Looseness or Bad Spirits but Conscientiously to remove the Scruples of some and further we say we are better satisfied with your Explication therein than with your bear Yea and Nay for we as well as you are sensible Apostates and Bad Spirits seekinga Fleshly Liberty have made use of Arguments deducible from such Principles of Truth to oppose the Power of God it self and the Practice af Gods People in the Power John Wilkinson John Story John Story 's Epistle to Friends in the North in which is signified his Desires for true Unity and Reconciliation Friends IN the Love of God and our Lord Jesus Christ which is Holy and Unchangeable for ever do I Salute you The Occasion of my Writing at this time is to let you know that my Soul hath been deeply exercised from day to day in the inward Considerations that have been with me for some time how the Holy Name of God is Blasphemed and the Profession of his Truth dishonoured among Unbelievers by the Reports that are spread abroad amongst them of the Divisions that are amongst us who have in scorn been called Quakers and also for the hurt and havock that I perceive is at this day made amongst the Heritage of God through this secret and subtil working of the Antient Enemy of Mankind who at this day as in days past hunts to and fro seeking whom he may destroy Now forasmuch as there hath been great Discourses amongst Friends touching a Separate Spirit and Meeting in the North meaning thereby a Spirit and Meeting that is Separate from the Truth and that I have been a strength to such a Spirit and Meeting I have this to say that the Searcher of all hearts knows I own no such Spirit or Meeting that is Separate from the Truth neither have I ever been a Setter up or Actor in any such Meeting for though I am accused that the Subscription of my Name to a Paper amongst others entitules me to be a Setter up of a Separate Meeting yet I am not in my Conscience convinced there is any one Word therein which justly entitles me to be a Setter up of the Meeting called a Separate Meeting For the Paper of Proposals I Signed was intended to Re-unite that Meeting and I am perswaded all Understanding Men that Signed did it for that End and if any thing therein had seemed to them too strait why did not they to whom it was sent desire a loving Discourse about it that they might have understood our meaning before they had either replyed or sent it abroad in which we should have been ready to have given our sence more fully which several have already done and though I have been by some abusively called a Captain the Lord is my Witness my desire neither hath been nor is to be a Captain over any to the Praise of the Lord I speak it I have learned the Truth of our Lord Jesus better than so for I know him that is the Captain of our Salvation ought to be the alone Leader of his People and the earnest breathing of my Soul is that as for many years past I have approved my self to the Friends of Truth the Lords Servant so I may to the end of my days and

sought after When he heard such Doctrine Viz. Have an Eye to the Brethren it seemed strange and new not like Truth as the proceedings about Outward Orders did remembring the Doctrine before was Look unto the Lord and eye him and The Wisemans Eye is in his Head Spiritually meaning in Christ However what was meant by having an Eye to the Brethren they best know who have used it but John Story in his Life had a great Dislike of it doubting to what it would grow he profest not much discerning in making an outward shew with his Eyes but he had a pure discerning with the Light of the Spirit in the Elect Estate in Christ Satan transformed into an Angel of Light nor his Ministers appearing as the Ministers of Righteousness could not deceive him nor feigned Flattery nor Sheeps Cloathing hide the Ravening Wolf from his Sight nor make him conclude with Threatnings that false Accusations and unrighteous Judgment was of the Lamb's Nature truly the worth of such a Minister of Truth cannot be equalled with outward Treasure and such sent of God is a Blessing to a Kingdom or a Nation but being rejected and opposed will surely bring a Curse but no Disturbers could move him but in all his Sufferings God endued him with Patience though many times in great weakness of Body and often in appearance nigh unto Death But the Prophecy of the badness of his Life in 1676 is now proved as false as Solomon Eccles Prophecy is of the Time of his Death for some years after that God gave him Strength and carryed him hundreds of Miles in his Service afterwards he was very weak at which time a Friend a Doctor George Walker came to visit him and I heard him say He was near gone to all outward Appearance unless God had some further Work for him to do And indeed the Almighty into whose Hand he was committed raised him up again and carryed him South and West Strengthening and Comforting the Brethren till his Testimony was finished in those Parts whose loss is great and Cause of sorrowing that they shall see his Face no more for the Lord brought him to Westmoreland his Native Country where he was received with great Gladness for the Lords Power and Presence was with him to the great Refreshment of the truly Righteous and on a First-day at a Meeting in Kendal cleared his Conscience in Testimony to the Antient Truth in which his Doctrine was wonderful weighty and his Experience very great He was but young as to number of years between fourty and fifty but he fulfilled a great time if Wisdom be Gray-hair and undefiled Life old Age he was weak of Body about two weeks not able to go abroad but little complained of Sickness the gentle Dealings of the Lord was wonderful to him and brought many to remember his meek Behaviour and Neighbours said he lived well and was like to dye well he was like an innocent Lamb opened not his mouth to complain the merciful Dealings of God unto him at all times filled him with a great sense of Joy and true content having assurance to rest with him the Fountain of Life and Fulness which through but a measure of his Spirit such Heavenly Joy and true Content cometh And he seeing his Testimony and Time on Earth was finished his great Love he signified to all Friends in Truth while he had Strength to speak desiring God to preserve them in it to the End and lay silent a pritty while moving his hands as I took it while with him in a sense of Rest and Heavenly Praise after that I had not been two hours from him which was on urgent occasion till word came to me he was Departed So much concerning his Innocent Life and part of Trouble he met with for his Testimony to Truth his Meekness and Content and Assurance of Eternal Felicity as duely observed about the manner of his Departure by John Wilkingson POSTSCRIPT I Have this farther to add that John Story is gone to his Rest whose Testimony when God Revealed his Son in him was given in Gods power and would have sitten in Silence without he Revealed the Word of Life and to all unprejudiced hearers that thirsted after Righteousness and that Knowledg and Power that leadeth to Happiness his Doctrine dropt as the Rain that Refresheth the tender Grass to all thristy and longing souls to their great refreshment and consolation and my Counsel to all opposers of the Ministers of Truth is that they cease for time to come and Repent and let no more slanderers have place to beget prejudice in you but let the Truth you profess be your defence against it And with your own measures savour for your selves least you be led in a false belief by men that love and lust to rule under pretence of Gods motion and unbrotherly proceedings under pretence of Church Power be slow in speaking without certain knowledge especially evil of anytill your own experence with Truth prove it to you through your exact tryal least you be lead by Men into a false Faith to speak evil of true Believers and condemn them to be of a wrong spirit whom God Justifieth and if this counsel had been followed and was the Doctrine of Truth in the begining to your own to your own the difference among Friends had been kept in a narrow compass and but a few concerned that caused difference and the things but Temporal which Spiritual Weapons would soon have conquered and overcome and Truth Peace and stablity would have abounded then high places with spiritual wickedness had not been assumed but when temporal things hath Religion placed in them which only springs form the Fountain of Life this dishonours God who is the Author of all true Religion And makes it a shelter for the greatest Hypocrites and even a Cage for all unclean Birds to Chatter against the Righteous that receive the Word of Truth and both live and practice as their Measures of God Requireth and agreeable to the Scriptures of holy Men who are gon to their Rest where neither false Witness nor unrighteous Judgment can take away their Inheritance I. W. Something taken out of a Letter from George Dodgson to a friend bearing date the twenty seventh of the ninth Month 1681. concerning the departure of John Story THat which I have to communicate to thee and Friends and which is to the Sadening and Sorrow of many hearts is the departure of our Dear Brother I. S. who in much peace and quiet departed this Life the last third day having no sense of Paine upon him to the apprehension of Friends but even as though he had Slumbered very Quietly breathed his last He had been out of health about fourteen dayes before but not very likely for Death till about four dayes before he dyed when the Distemper and Weakness seized more fully upon him He was Intrerred very honourably a great many People being there present both of Friends and of

for our Deceased Friend J. S. that he was one whom the Lord had endued with many Spiritual Gifts and pretious Christian Vertues which were as so many Ornaments unto him and if any should ask what those Gifts and Vertues were and how and which way they did appear and might be demonstrated to be in him To this we may answer First His Moderation and Temperance did much appear in the many Debates and Discourses had with him about Religious Matters wherein he did usually carry himself very moderate when reasoning about the Things of God and as to his Temperance it did much appear in his Life and Conversation Secondly He was endued with the Gift and Vertue of Patlence which did much appear in him by his patient bearing of those severe and bitter Reflections and Oppositions that of late years he met withal as also with many false and untrue Reports of him Thirdly Also he did very patiently bear that great and long Weakness and Infirmity of Body that he was very much attended withal and afflicted with very sore and grievous Pains as well as weakness in Body which he underwent with much Patience and Content Fourthly He had an excellent Gift of Christian Fortitude and Constancy in his Testimony so that notwithstanding he met with very much Opposition and sometimes with flattering Perswasions yet he persevered in the Way Work and Testimony that God had called him unto and in this respect it may in some measure be said of him as Jacob said of Joseph Gen. 49. 23 24. The Archers have sorely grieved him and shot at him and hated him but his Bow abode in Strength and the Arms of his Hands were made strong by the Hands of the Almighty God of Jacob from thence is the Shepherd the Stone of Israel Fifthly He was endued with a large portion of Christian Charity which the Apostle reckons as one of the most excellent Gifts And if any should ask how that did appear or was manifest in him We say it did not only appear in him in that he was not of a Rash and Rigid Spirit towards others that might differ from him in Things Indifferent but was also very Charitable towards such in whom he found any true tenderness towards God and was not apt to Judge so harshly and Censoriously of such as some have been too apt to do but was willing to inform the understanding when under mistake and also to perswade them that opposed themselves to imbrace the Truth If we consider the Fruit of true Charity spoken of by the Apostle 1 Cor. 13. we may indeed say that Charity did largely manifest it self in him because it brought forth or did manifest the same Fruits and Effects in and through him as is there spoken of by the Apostle And as these and other Christian Vertues did appear and were manifested in him while he was amongst us so we are credibly informed by some Friends of Westmoreland that were with him in the time of his last Sickness that he gave very good Counsel and Advice to Friends that were with him and that he being very weak in Body but not in much pain as was supposed by those who were about him he very gently breath'd his last and laid down his Head in much Peace and Quietness of Mind and Spirit Given forth at Sutton on the 1st Day of the 11th Month 1682. and Subscribed by us on the behalf of our selves and many more Friends of Wiltshire that are concerned and consented unto the Publishing hereof John Jennings John Fry Thomas Crabb Sen. John Sealy William Colman John Rogers Benjamin Lawrance The Testimony of John Metrevers A Short Testimony Concerning John Story that worthy Servant of the Living God though dead yet the Seal of his Ministry and Service for God in his Day and Age lives in the Remembrance and hath an Impression on the Hearts of many in these Parts and forasmuch as the Unchangeable Truth remains the same as ever we cannot forget those worthy Messengers who in the Days of our young and tender Years came amongst us in the Demonstration of the Spirit and Power of Almighty God not only to proclaim a Day of Vengence from God upon that Part or Nature in Man that hath transgressed his Law but also with a Message of Peace and Glad-tidings unto our Souls And now as for my Dear Friend John Story in particular concerning whom I have a few words which at this time rest upon my Spirit to treat about I have this to say and that not by here-say or to boast in another Mans Words but according to that true and Experimental Knowledge which I have had of him for these seven or eight and twenty years past it being about the Year 1654 or 1655 as near as I can remember that this worthy Servant of the Almighty God came amongst us into Wiltshire at which time for my own part I was about fourteen years of Age notwithstanding which what shall I say it is even with me at this time to signifie That had I the Tongue of an Orator or the Pen of a Ready Writer I could not demonstrate the Sense that now lives and remains upon my Spirit of the Mighty Power of God that appeared in and through that Man both in Life and Doctrine whereby I was at that time though but young in years often sweetly Refreshed and Comforted in his Company by that Eternal Power that dwelt with and ran through him Oh! What shall I say my Heart at this time is even melted in the Consideration thereof his Message then was to direct all to turn inward from the Lo here and the Lo there to the Grace Light or Spirit within which according to Measure was given to all assuring all unto whom he gave the Word of Exhortation that it being obeyed and followed in all its Requirings was that only means and that in which the sufficiency for Salvation of the Soul consisted this Doctrine was received by many by the Mighty Power of God which accompanyed and manifested it self through that Man many brought to the Faith and so as the Lord made way he travelled from Place to Place appointing Meetings up and down among Friends directing all as above mentioned and unfolding the Scriptures by way of Parables and opening to the Edification of the Hearer many hard Sayings both to the Convincing of those that receiv'd it and Admiration of many that receiv'd it not insomuch that my Ears have heard it acknowledged and confessed unto that the Doctrine so Preach't through the Power and Demonstration of the Spirit as then it was would never fail while the Water keeps its Course his Work was also very much among the Priests and Professors of that Age who then like Gog and Magog joyned together against the Lord and his Anointed but the Lords Power and Presence being with him and always giving of him both Mouth and Wisdom he was thereby furnished to speak a word in due season both

Man Nought but thy Lord give Satisfaction can Some things both Old and New they are but vain Truth ' gainst Tradition well thou didst maintain Of Innovation thou Prophetick saw Rules made by Men last turned into Law Yet Truth resist's hence Church Divisions grow Hence Persecutions flow Hence Gospel Teachings put a stop unto J. C. Charles Harris his Testimony AS for John Story he bore the Countenance of a Man of God and was a Preacher of Righteousness in his Day both in Doctrine and Conversation and as such was esteemed by thousands for many years yet he went not to his Grave under that Sentence Viz. Wo to you when all Men speak well of you For he met with such Exercise as Holy Paul did from some that could once have pull'd out their Eyes to Serve him afterwards became his Enemies saying his Speech was Centemptible seeking a Proof of Christ speaking in him and he had some share with that Beloved Disciple that saith in his Epistle to Gaius on this wise Viz. I wrote unto the Church but Diotrephes who loveth to have the Preheminence among them Receiveth us not prating against us with malitious Words and not content therewith neither doth he himself Receive the Brethren and forbiddeth them that would and casteth them out of the Church or declared out of Unity or thrust out of the Congregation I have known him for many years and never found but that he was a Man of Peace it hath been frequently reported he was a Tyth-Payer Let the Reader observe he never stood in such a Capacity all his Days never Keeping House or Occupying any Land being a Single Man and as to his Judgment concerning Tythes it may be seen in what follows under his own hand So whether it be better to Judge of a Man by his own Words and Deeds or by ones own Imaginations called Sense let the Charitable Reader Judge He has also been termed Of a Dividing Spirit Let his Epistle speak for himself some say his Ministry was dead which I say if they had lived in that time that the Disciple John was led to the Church and said not much more but Little Children love one another it may be they would have said he was Dead and Formal It is to be observed J. S. was much spent before his Departure having been a Preacher from his Youth so had not strength of Voice to utter himself as formerly but still what he said was of this tendency Viz. That if Friends did believe in and wait upon God in the Manifestation of our Lord Christ he would in due time answer all the Immortal Longings of their Souls and preserve them to his Glory and Kingdom And indeed to them that loved him he was in their Eye the same Man to his death that he had been all along still growing in the same Truth And as for the Divisions that sprang up both North and South it is well known that it was not he that caused them I well remember how it was Westward till some Persons went that way and stirred up the People into Parties one Day they will feel the Burthen of it In what follows there are two Queries proposed to Friends at Drawell with their Answers If all would but keep to it accordingly there would be no Strife and as for that way that is taken by some to defame every man by endeavouring to take away his Good Name both as a Man and Christian that is not Conformable to some new sort of Church-Government and Discipline so called Though for a time they may seem to Reign as Kings upon Earth they shall dye like Men and it shall be known in the end that the Peace of the Church and Love to Brethren is of more value than all Sounding Brass or Tincling Cymbals So blessed are all such true Preachers that look upwards for their Reward in that World that is to come Amen C. H. As to what follows if thou canst believe that Men mean as they speak Read on if not stay till thou hast Charity Two Questions proposed by J. W. and J. S. to Friends of the Meeting at Drawell and their Answers Viz. Question I. WHether or no we and all Gods People ought not to be left in all Matters of Faith and Discipline so far as Discipline may become Matter of Faith to the Manifestation of Gods Spirit and Truth in our own Hearts and to speak and act therein as we are thereby Instructed and Perswaded and not otherwise Question II. 2dly Since there are Diversities of Talents and Gifts given by the Spirit of God and received by Men Whether the Judgment of Truth it self given forth through a Part of the Members of Christ's Body can become a Bond upon any other Part of the said Body further than their Vnderstandings are illuminated thereby Answer To the first Question we say Yea and Nay to the second Question with that true and simple Sense that the Words import and Friends have been used to understand them but not to strengthen Prejudiced Spirits who have made that their Plea for their Separation and against Truths Authority in our Monthly and Quarterly Meetings nor yet to Justifie any that are Ignorant through their own Sloth and Unfaithfulness or to excuse them that would not be accounted Weak but Strong Wise and as Pillars The Judgment of J. W. and J. S. concerning the Five Heads on which the 44 Articles exhibited against them were grounded which was publickly read in the Meeting at Drawell as followeth ON the whole Matter in the Fear and Presence of the Almighty God we declare That we do approve of Monthly and Quarterly Meetings for the necessary Service of the Truth so we farther say that as those or any other Meetings of Friends in Truth shall be continued to answer those Services we believe that as it now is it also will become our Duty to be at Unity with our Brethren in the Services thereof and that though one of us Viz. J. W. did condescend to Subscribe to a Paper for the Erecting a Womans-Meeting in the Country to answer the ends the Paper proposed which he testifies he then did in singleness of Heart for Unity-Sake yet according to that inward sense we now have there appears to us no absolute necessity to continue Womens-Meetings in the Country distinct and separate from the Men and therefore do Conscientiously forbear to assent or Incourage any to lay the Intents of Marriages before them yet that Inward Sense and Heavenly Understanding we have received from God hath and yet doth confirm us in this Judgment that 't is not agreeable with the Line of Truth to oppose others in the Exercise and appointed Service of the said Meetings as heretofore and now are settled and agreed upon who being Conscientious therein are otherwise Minded than we are and if any of our Words or Actions have had any tendency to oppose c. which we are not Conscious of but if we were

that for Christ's sake and therefore can I with boldness appeal to Gods Witness in all Consciences whether an Insinuation into the Brests of any that I am a Strenth to such a Spirit and Meeting as aforesaid be not the Work of the Old Enemy And since 't is so that I have been credibly informed that you who formerly Assembled together in one Meeting to manage the Outward Concerns of Truth relating to the Poor c. have for some time past Assembled for the aforesaid Service in two distinct Meetings and that this is accounted an Occasion of Stubling to some I have a Concern on my Spirit thus to write unto you First I am satisfied in my Conscience from sufficent Knowledge or Evidence that the Day was wherein you met together in a Sweet Union and Fellowship to manage the Outward Concerns of Truth relating to the Poor c. Secondly That such your Union and Fellowship had acceptance with the Lord and was owned by his Presence amongst you Thirdly That during such your Fellowship every one concerned in that Service acted from a ready and willing Mind according to that Perswasion and Manifestation which was given of God without being Imposed upon by any Man or Men or endeavouring to Impose each on other contrary to what the Lord Evidenced by his Spirit in your Consciences Fourthly That though it was so that particular Persons in persuance of the Counsel of divers Antient and Honourable Brethren some of whom are fallen asleep were chosen for that Service of the Poor c. out of the particular Meetings held for the Worship of God yet I never understood that any designed to exclude any Member or Members of the Church of Christ who had or might have a Concern upon their Spirits from Sitting or Acting amongst them whil'st any such Member or Members though not chozen behaved themselves Men of Peace good Order and in Unity with the Faithful Friends chozen for the Management of the Affairs of the Truth relating to the Poor c. in such Meeting and as in Charity I dare not reflect on these Antient Brethren in whose Advice for the holding such Meetings there seems to be room for Cavelling Spirits to call them Narrow-Spirited in advising to those certain Persons for that Service which seems a kind of Limitation yet I am also satisfied that those Antient Brethren who first advised to choose Faithful Brethren for the aforesaid Service would have endeavoured an exclusion of all such if any such had then been who should from time to time have appeared as disorderly Troublers of Israel and Imposers on Tender Consciences Fifthly That though it hath been reported that those of you who are by some called a Separate Meeting have been so Narrow Spirited as that you will not joyn with the Brethren in the aforesaid Service c. unless they will assent that others not formerly chozen may be excluded from acting with you or if they have ought to offer to the Meeting then to be admitted to offer the same and so depart which Report as it is said is grounded on a Paper Subscribed by several of you and my self and is by some accounted the Foundation of the aforesaid Meeting called the Seprate Meeting yet I always understood that it was not intended by any of the Subscribers to exclude any from Sitting amongst you or Joyning with you in the Common Service of Truth usually transacted amongst you in the Spirit of Love and Unity who in the same Spirit of Love and Unity would accompany you and had a Concern to add a helping hand and this sense I do now solemnly declare to be my sense and that at the time I Signed the Paper aforesaid it was my sence neither am I yet convicted that if the Subscribers of the said Paper interpret for themselves which of right they have the liberty to do there is any thing therein contained which doth oppose the same sense Now Friends I have this further to say that I have more than ordinary ground either to know or at least believe that this my sense in the aforesaid five Particulars is the real true State of the Case but do certainly know that it contains in some measure the State of Truth as it ought to have been amongst you and therefore my Counsel and Exhortation to you is laying aside all vain Janglings and Repititions of former Things that have tended to Strife and Debate contrary to the Truth ye be Reconciled each unto the other in the Lord saying in your Hearts before the Lord and in his Fear Let the Time past be sufficient and for time to come let us study Peace and Assemble together in the Antient Christian Love Vnion and Fellowship which was amongst us before the Occasion or Offences were either given or taken and that you Unite and Meet together to manage the Outward Concerns of Truth relating to the Poor c. With this Godly Unanimous Intention of Heart that if for the future any shall come in amongst you and appear as disorderly Troublers of Israel contentious Persons in Matters not approved by you and the Assemblies of Gods People amongst you or Imposers upon tender Consciences contrary to what hath been Received Believed and Owned by you and the Assemblies of Gods People amongst you when you and they were preserved in a sweet Union and Fellowship in the Truth you then declare that such Persons are not worthy to sit among you to act in the Affairs of Truth and that upon a serious and godly acknowledgment unto this Sound and Certain Truth That all Gods People ought to be left in all Matters of Faith and Discipline so far as the Discipline becomes Matter of Faith to the Manifestation of Gods Spirit Truth in their own Hearts and to speak and act therein as they shall be thereby Instructed and Perswaded and not otherwise because since there are diversities of Talents and Gifts given by the Spirit of God and received by Men the Judgment of Truth it self given forth through a part of the Members of Christs Body cannot become a Bond upon any other part of the said Body further than their Vnderstandings come to be Illuminated thereby This Sound and Certain Truth unto which I exhort your serious and godly Acknowledgment I and many if not all of you do know was at the Meeting at Drawell fully assented to to be Truth and that by an Answer to two Questions wherein it was fully Stated and rightly Answered and therefore since I am truly sensible that the Cause of your Differences hath sprung from that which hath led from this Sound and certain Truth I may reasonably expect that my Counsel to Re-unite may have place with you Thus it is with me to write unto you and that the more freely too because there are some do apprehend that I am more capable to Re-unite you than some others are who now may see my Endeavours are not wanting and that