Bride the Lambs Wife and she hath no need of the Light of the Moon to shine in her because the Lord is the Light and the Lambs Spirit is the Light of the Church that is in him But your visible Churches make use of the Light of the Moon that is your Mens Meetings and also your Womens Meetings and the Orders which are set up by them they are to be Rules for your visible Churches to walk by For the Women have power to order the Affairs of your visible Church as well as your Men and this Practice of yours is altogether Antichristian and so also is your Church-Government because it is the Invisible man Christ who orders all things in his Church by his own Spirit Those who are Members of the Church in God among you in time will abhor your Government because it is Antichristian For you Elders do look upon your selves to be Judges and that you have Power to determine things in matter of Conscience c. p. 10 11. Answ. Christ's Government in his Church is both Invisible and Visible he governs by himself and by his Ministers all are not come to a ripe Age in him there are many Children and weak Ones who have need of helps in Government Our faithful Mens Meetings and Womens Meetings were set up by the Power of Christ Jesus and in his Light he governs and rules among them by his own Spirit And faithful grave and sober Women have power to be Teachers of good things and to teach the younger Women Christian-Church-Order and Spiritual Rule were exercised among the Primitive Christians both Men and Women who were Children of New Jerusalem the free Woman the Inhabitants of this City are not without Order or Ministers therein And therefore this Opposers Blow and Charge of altogether Antichristian against our Mens and Womens Meetings is both Silly Proofless Slanderous and altogether Antichristian against Christ's Work and appointment in Male and Female and as the Church-Government among us is Christ's Government both revealed set up and ordained by him none that are and continue true Members of his Church will ever abhor that Government nor reject slight or despise that promised Dominion and Judgment that he hath given to the Saints to determine matters of Difference but only Apostates false Brethren and deceitful Workers and loose Spirits these will be smiting and accusing the Brethren despising Dominion and speaking evil of Dignities yea speaking perverse things to draw Disciples after them crying against outward Rule and Government Forms and Order in the Church whilst they are seeking Mastery Dominion Rule and Government to themselves As for our visible Church and visible Church-Government or Order so much opposed by this Adversary he talks blindly and ignorantly for though the Church be Invisible as to the Spirits of Men who are Members of it and Christ's immediate Rule and Government in the Heart be Invisible yet there is a Visibility both of the true Christian Congregation and good Order and Rule therein proceeding from the Spirit of Christ within The People of God and their good Conversations and Order in Christ are not all shut up in an Invisibility being as Epistles to be read and seen of all and they as a City set upon a Hill c. J. B. You do prefer your selves and the Church in the first place before God who is Light And have set up themselves and their Church as Head instead of God and Christ p. 12. Their setting up themselves and their Government and are laying aside the Spirit 's Government and Authority p. 13. Those Elders who call themselves Ministers look upon themselves and their Image to be equal in Power and Glory both with the Father and the Son Testimony against the Quakers p. 3. Answ. These are notoriously false and slanderous We prefer the living God and his Son Christ Jesus before all and do not lay aside the Spirit 's Government or Authority but in humility reverence and desire ever to live under the same knowing Self abased and Images defaced and rejected by the Light of Christ Jesus § 4. J. B. If any of those called Teachers intend to speak a few words commonly called Prayer then the Women and the Men that are set in the Meeting shall rise up and the Men will uncover their Heads Their Teachers have judged those Quakers not to be real Members of their Church or Body that have not done it i. e. uncovered their Heads And herein the Quakers in general have given more Homage Reverence and Respect to the Words or Prayers of another wherein there was no Life at all than they have done to the Word of Life it self in their own Particulars And this is Anti-christ's work p. 14 15. Answ. His conclusion is false and slanderous herein We Reverence the Word of Life in our living Prayers and not Lifeless Words And why doth he thus judge any Reverent Posture among us in Prayer as that of Peoples Rising up and Mens Uncovering their Heads in our holy Duty of publick Prayer This is like John Perrot's prejudiced Party And how foully Contradictory to himself is he in thus uncharitably judging us for our Reverent Posture or serious Behaviour which is matter of Conscience to us when yet he 'l not allow any Members or Elders among us to judge or determine matters relating to Conscience And cautions us in Christ's words Judge not that ye be not judged p. 12. Oh blind harden'd Man how darest thou thus judge over our Consciences or falsly accuse us with leading People from the Power to worship and reverence the Form more than the Power And then most falsly to add That this is the work of Antichrist among the Quakers p. 17. Here thou hast slandered and shamefully belyed the People of God called Quakers and hast shewn thy self not worthy of so much as the Name of a Quaker Thou hast long been a Reproach unto them J. B. Postscript to his Antichrist's Transformations within viz. If any amongst you pretend to be moved by the Spirit to go to Prayer then both Men and Women they either stand up or else kneel down and the Men all pull off their Hats which own your Form of Prayer and herein you do both Worship Reverence and Adore the Form outwardly and the Words more than you do the Word of Life in your own Particulars Answ. An erronious Conclusion and no natural Consequence either of our standing up kneeling or putting off our Hats in Prayer for all these may be and are innocently and conscientiously performed with Respect and in a holy Reverence to Almighty God whom we breathe and pray unto by his own Spirit Besides both Kneeling and being Uncovered have been practised among God's People and true Christians in Prayer to him so that these Postures are not condemnable in themselves How blind and ignorant therefore is this Gain-sayer in his Opposition Read Psal. 95.6 O come let us Worship and Bow down Let us
Light within You Preachers do say in your Declaration that the Son of God is come and hath given you an understanding the which Doctrine I do deny ONE BLOW p. 20. Answ. Thou that canst not reconcile or see the consistency of Salvation by the Man Christ Jesus AND by his Light within art gone from his Light into Imaginations Why hast thou not better observed the Gospel preached by the Angel of the Lord to the Shepherds concerning Jesus Christ the Son of God Luke 2.11 For unto you is born this day in the City of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord see also Mat. 1.21 Read also good Old Simeon's Testimony which he gave of the Lord 's Christ Luke 2.26 27 28. And also read Verse 30 31 32. For mine Eyes have seen thy Salvation which thou hast prepared before the Face of all People a Light to lighten the Gentiles and the Glory of thy People Israel The true Christ of God is but one though he hath appeared in divers manners both in the Flesh and in the Spirit he is the Light he is the Way to the Father he is the Saviour he is the one Mediator betwixt God and Man even the Man Christ Jesus the heavenly glorious Man the Man that was promised to be for a hiding place who in the dayes of his Flesh said I am the Light of the World And He that is with you shall be in you As he was the eternal Word the Son of God the Life that was in him was the Light of men John 1. both before his coming in the Flesh and ever since and therefore he was that true Light that enlightens every man that cometh into the World he was given for Life and Salvation This our one Lord Jesus Christ is our Light Life and Salvation he is also Judge of quick and dead that MAN by whom God will judge the World in Righteousness he that believeth not in his Name is condemned already and This is the Condemnation that Light is come into the World i. e. the Light of the Son of God and Men love Darkness rather then Light John 3. see also 2 Thes. 1.7 8. When the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming Fire taking Vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel c. Then such shall know him their Judge and Condemner unto their deserved punishment see Verse 9. J. B. You Teachers do hold forth to us Gentiles Christ the Son of God to be our Way to the Father The which Doctrine I would have you to prove One Blow p. 20. Answ. What defidence and unbelief hath entred thee Christ the Son of God testied John 14.6 I am the Way the Truth and the Life No man cometh unto the Father but by me and no man cometh unto me except the Father which hath sent me draw him Wherefore in that no man cometh unto the Father but by the Son the Son is the way to the Father and the Father's drawing or teaching reacheth unto man before he come to the Son or Father that he may be drawn and come to both No mans knows the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son will reveal him Therefore Christ the Son of God is the way to the Father out of Adam in the fall if thou l't believe him and 'T is by one Spirit through Jesus Christ the Mediator that we have access to the Father § 8. J. B. In his gross Errors detected or many of the Doctrines of the leading Quakers disowned as coming from an Antichristian Spirit p. 1. he saith John Webb's Doctrine was That God's appearance in the Sons and Daughters of men is to beget and bring forth that innocent Birth and Babe immortal c. This Doctrine doth signifie that God's appearance is to his Son Christ Jesus and for the begetting and bringing of him forth in the Sons and Daughters of men the which Doctrine I do deny Answ. First God's appearance in the Sons and Daughters of men is not to bring forth a nocent Birth nor a Babe that 's mortal but an innocent Birth and a Babe immortal Except a man be Born of Water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God And whosoever is born of God doth not commit Sin for his Seed remaineth in him Secondly This innocent Birth which God by his Spirit brings forth in the Sons and Daughters of men who truly believe relates to them and their souls as begotten and born of the immortal seed by the living word so that this Birth is not Christ Jesus for he is that incorruptible Seed and Word of Life which begets forms and brings forth the Soul of man into his own Nature and Image and so he renews his own Image in man that believes in his Power and so Christ may be said to be formed in us as in a mysterious and elegant way of speaking the property and effect being put for the cause for Christ in himself hath all Power in Heaven and Earth given to him and it hath pleased the Father that all fulness should dwell in him J. B. That God's appearance is in and by his Son Christ Jesus to us and that all are to hear the Son in them by whom the Father speaketh to them and that the Son in us is our way to the Father The which Doctrine I do deny His gross Error p. 1. Answ. Here thou hast denyed sound Doctrine which is according to Christs own Doctrine i. e. He that seeth me seeth the Father also who hath shined in our Hearts to give us the Light of the Knowledge of his Glory in the face of Christ Jesus And my Sheep hear my Voice saith Christ And God hath spoken to us by his Son Thy denying God's appearing and speaking by his Son and his Son to be our way to the Father Herein thou hast not only denyed Christ's own Testimony but the blessed advantage we have by him as MEDIATOR J. B. Another of their Doctrines is That the Quakers ought so to wait upon God as that they may feel the Life in them to flow from Vessel to Vessel whenas they are met together to wait upon God This was Charles Marshalls Wife's Doctrine p. 2 ibid. Answ. This is neither false Doctrine nor gross Error as thou imaginest but sound Doctrine Hannah Marshall knew better than thy self herein for they that truly wait upon God both receive an encrease of Life from him who is the Fountain and feel Life to flow from Vessel to Vessel He that believes as the Scripture saith out of his Belly shall flow Rivers of living Waters This spake he of the Spirit which they that believe should receive And the true Believers all drink into One Spirit And there is among such a spiritual and effectual Communication of Faith and Virtue in the living Communion of the holy Spirit all which thy dark Imaginations have deprived thee of J. B. These Doctrines
of the Quakers are false Doctrines and Antichristian because that God's Appearance is not by his Son Christ Jesus to us p. 3. Answ. Thou art guilty of Antichristian Doctrine and Anti-scriptural also in denying God's Appearance to be by his Son Christ Jesus The Mediator for what God is to us for our Salvation and what good we receive from him for our Souls and what we are unto him in our Obedience as acceptable to him 't is all IN and Through our Lord Jesus Christ the Mediator J. B. That God who is a Spirit should be held in Bondage and Captivity by his Creation or by the Power of Darkness is contrary to Right Reason So that it must needs follow by plain Argument that not only the Creature but the Power of Darkness too hath had Dominion over God contrary to sound Doctrine and is Blasphemy pag. 5 6. GROSS ERRORS Answ. This thou hast often unjustly and slanderously repeated upon the Quakers and herein I testifie against thy Abuse and dare Challenge thee to prove out of any of our Writings that 't is the Quakers Doctrine That either God is held in Bondage or Captivity by his Creation or that the Power of Darkness hath Dominion over him We utterly deny the Assertion and Expressions as Blasphemous but do say the holy Spirit is grieved and the Seed of God burdened by the Iniquities of the World which suffering is in Condescention on Christ's part and not for want of Power or Dominion over the Devil or Wicked men for he bruiseth his Head hath Power to subdue condemn and punish them and his own Arm to bring Salvation to him J. B. Another of their Doctrines That all are to come to the Son of God Christ Jesus whom they say is in them and that he is the only Way to the Father which Doctrine I do deny because it is God who both was and is a Spirit which hath first appeared in and to the Sons and Daughters of men after sin c. Therefore every one is to be first turned to God in their own particulars and NOT to the Son of God p 8. Gross Errors Answ. This Erronious Denyal and Doctrine of thine against coming to the Son of God as the only Way to the Father is but the same reiterated over and over The Father and the Son are not divided in the work of Regeneration I and my Father are one saith Christ No man cometh to the Father but by me But 't is no marvel that thou hast denyed Christ the Mediator to be the way to the Father and so opposed his Mediatorship for thy Denyals and Oppositions appear more Gross Erronious and Antichristian against Christ himself and the holy Scriptures in thy Antichrist's Transformations 1st In thy not owning Justification or Condemnation by Christ that dyed without the Gates of Jerusalem which thou confessest to be the ground and main Difference that arose between some of the Quakers and thee p. 10. 2dly In thy asserting That Christ's Soul dyed p. 19. And so thy holding the the Mortality of the Soul in general 3dly Thy asserting That the Book of the Scriptures both was and is the fruit which the Tree of Knowledge bears p. 22. 4thly Thy affirming That there is Two Christs p. 23. Thus thou arguest § 9. J. B. It is no where written in the Scriptures that we shall either be justified or condemned by that Christ which dyed without the Gates of Jerusalem but it is written By Grace ye are saved and by Grace ye are justified and 't is also written By the Light of the World ye are condemned and not by Christ that dyed without the Gates of Jerusalem Antichr Transf p. 17. Answ. Here again thy erronious Blindness is apparent who seest not how consistent being saved and justified by that Christ who is the very Christ of God to whom all the Prophets gave witness AND being saved and justified by his Grace both which the holy Scripture testifie Isa. 53.11 By his Knowledge shall my Righteous Servant justifie many for he shall bear their Iniquities This was a Prophecy of the same Christ that suffered and Mat. 1.21 She shall bring forth a Son and thou shalt call his Name Jesus for he shall save his People from their Sins and verse 23. Behold a Virgin shall be with Child and shall bring forth a Son and his Name shall be called Emanuel which being interpreted is God with us And Luke 2.11 For unto you is born this day in the City of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord. And that Grace by which we are saved is that Grace of God which comes by Christ see also Tit. 2.11 12 13 14. Where the saving Grace of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all Iniquity c. are testified of and therefore Salvation by that Christ through his Grace are not Inconsistent J. B. Now if Salvation be by that Christ that dyed without the Gates at Jerusalem then are all the Gentiles perished that were in the World before that Body came into the World Antich Trans p. 18. Answ. Thy consequence is erronious for that very Christ the Son of God was and is Mediator and Saviour from the beginning his outgoings were from of Old he was spiritually in being by his Life Light Spirit and Grace before he took upon him that Body prepared of the Father to do his Will John bore witness of that Man Christ saying He that cometh after me is preferred before me for he was before me John 1.15 And again vers 30. After me cometh a man which is preferred before me for he was before me Therefore the Man Christ Jesus was before he came in the Body or Flesh He was that spiritual Rock which all Israel drank of his Life was the Light of men from the beginning and all the generations of the Righteous did spiritually pâ—rtake of the benefit of Christ as Mediator both before and after his Coming in the flesh they vertually pertook of the Sacrifice of the Lamb of the vertue of the Blood of the Covenant for Remission and were saved by the Life of this Mediator by Faith they pertook of the spiritual Advantage of his suffering and sacrifice who was as a Lamb slain from the Foundation of the World and as in the fullness of time his coming and suffering in the flesh and his tasting Death for every man and his giving himself a Ransom for all were for a Testimony in due time of God's great kindness to Mankind So Christ's coming in the flesh an eminent Dispensation from God ordained and decreed in great love to Mankind So that thereby a greater and more eminent discovery and breaking forth of his Light and Glory in the Gospel Day and Dispensation was manifest in due time which Glory the holy spirit of Christ in the holy Prophets testified of as that which should follow his sufferings and in him are all
it by the following words viz. This being done under the form of Government contended for c. Which I am sure is a positive Lye for we have no such Action under the form of Government contended for among us as to obstruct any Marriage for Non-payment of twelve Pence for a Certificate Such practice is so far from relating to Church Government among us that 't was never own'd by us as to obstruct any Marriage on that account And what positive Proof hast thou That the Manuscript of the Primmer subscribed by G. F. and E. H. was sold for thirty Pound Enquiry has been made about this Accusation and 't is positively deny'd by the Person concerned though these Stories thou hast instanced as tokens of Apostacy and Innovation p. 5. And what if E. H. was a Clark for his yearly Salary does that hinder his Credit in his signing our said Treatise on behalf of our Meeting Or was his yearly Salary to extend to pay for all the many Certificates relating to Marriages and the Expences thereupon who many times was known to be deprived of his natural Rest in writing to serve Truth and Friends And was 't not lawful for him to have a Livelihood for his great pains in Truth 's service who lost his place and livelihood for Truth and ended his dayes in Peace One would think that W. R. should be ashamed to asperce or cloud his Reputation after his Death § 7. His Reflection upon the Barbadoes Meeâ—ers as he calls them about a Subscription and upon G. F. my self and consequently on A. P. who also was concerned with us as seeming to sew Pillows under their Armholes p. 4. appears Malicious as well as Unjust being a Subscription from the first exploded by us and since seen in its defects and condemned by themselves on our Christian Advice and real Dislike shewn them in our Epistle which W. R. is so partial and unjust as to omit the words containing our Judgment and Dislike of it Hath not he and Francis Bugg and Tho. Crisp herein exactly resembled the Devil the old Accuser of the Brethren in accusing the Innocent and charging Persons after Repentance with that which they have repented of which is Satan's unjust Prosecution And W. R. unjustly also lays hold of these friendly and tender Expressions wherein we shewed regard to Friendship and answered that which was tender and good in them For instead of shewing himself impartial and just he minces and clouds the matter on our parts only telling the Reader We seem to dislike the latter part thereof And in other parts seem to dislike the wording thereof p. 4 28. But is not so honest as to give the Reader a particular Citation and Notice of our real judgment in our own words in that case As in dislike of their opposing the Judgment of the Spirit of God in the Meetings to any particular Measure We plainly signified That this would be the way to bring them all from the measure of the Spirit in their own partiâ—â—lars 〈…〉 all must be left to the universal Spirit in their own measures thereof Now this would make the Belief which is in the Light and the measure of the Spirit in their own particulars not one with the universal Spirit c. The universal Spirit of God has unity with the least measure now as it was in the Apostles days who kept every one to their own measure which was both the great Rule and Line of the New Creature in the Believers and Saints then And in dislike of their subscription we signified That all are to give up to the Universal Spirit of God in their own particulars in which spirit they have unity and fellowship without outward subscription And further Now as for your Subscription to an outward Tye be above such things Now let the serious and impartial judge Is not here a manifest Dislike shown and Judgment given And therefore the greater Injustice in our Adversary to cite the Paper from Barbadoes either to prove us guilty of Aiming at Dominion and Lordship over Faith Conscience and Property pag. 4. or that the said Paper is one part of the fruits of the pretended establisht Government as he most falsly saith p. 27. And the Lordship over Estates and Consciences he infers thence He would deceitfully insinuate and charge upon us sewing Pillows under their Armholes calling them dear Friends with other tender Expressions which when he has cited without the words containing our Judgment as to Fact he then says THIS shews no dislike to the said Paper Which is a very deceitful and unjust way of writing in Controversie I would not deal thus by the worst Adversary in the World to entitle him to that which he has disowned and to leave out the words of Dislike and Judgment on the Mistake or Error so disown'd and to pick and take up those other words which are tender relating to the Persons and not to the Fact and then to cry This shews no dislike thereof c. What if THIS shews it not when enough besides shews it But is it indeed a Crime to call any dear Friends who do commit an Error or Mistake No sure that will not hold Did not Paul call the Corinthians DEARLY BELOVED 1 Cor 10.14 see James 1.16 compar'd with cap. 5. and yet some among them did Err were in Divisions c. 1 Cor. 3. And did he not call the Galatians BRETHREN Gal. 6.18 yet charges them with being Foolish Were not the seven Churches of Asia commended in many things when yet there were a few things against divers of them Rev 2 3 chapters O Dis-ingenious Person W.R. I am ashamed of thy Partial Unconscionable Unjust dealing Is this thy best way to prove us guilty of aiming at Dominion and Lordship over Faith Estates and Consciences How miserably comest thou off in thy Evil Attempts § 8. That We have given occasion to be rendred in some things as bad as Papists or as having a Papistical Countenance p. 5. is a notorious Slander And that in some other things we have given occasion to be rendred MUCH WORSE in our Practices and Treatments than the very Papists themselves p. 6. is also a foul Reproach And his excusing Pope Leo his Bull against Martin Luther rather than our Friends is no Proof but rather shews himself more on the Popes side than on our Friends having spoken more for Pope Leo the tenth than our Friends on the instance he gives to wit That in the Popes Bull forty two Articles of Doctrine held by the said Martin were mentioned and declar'd Erronious by which the World was notified of the reputed Crimes laid to his Charge But in the Papers subscribed by Charles Marshall Sixty five more against J. W. and J. S. nothing that may properly be termed particular matter of Fact or Erronious Doctrine is therein laid down unless their general words now following may be termed such to wit That they
Quakers so called as encouraged the publication of his persecuting Books and Pamphlets against us nor of such as either oppose our Womens Meetings or laying Marriages before them or are disaffected there-with nor in the Names of the several Scores he tells of who gave Testimony in Writing against Charles Marshall and Sixty five more The greatest part whereof being known to be Faithful men of Sincerity and service in the Lord's work Nor in the Names of such as he saith appear Neutral in the present Controversie and yet own the same Principles which he and his party do Where is then their Neutrallity is it in having no concern of Conscience outwarly to appear on either party as W. R. saith Then they are only Neutrals in appearance but secretly of his party and Principles some whereof are very perverse and unpeaceable as well as unsound Now I say we grant that we of the Second day's Meeting did not represent such kind of Quakers as those of W. R. his party nor could they impower us in our writing for and representing the peaceable People called Quakers or that peaceable sort of Quakers who are for Unity Love Concord and Peace in the Church of Christ among us nor was it our intention to represent personate or vindicate such pretended Quakers as are in a Spirit of discord and strife causing and making Divisions Rents and Schismes in the Church first disturbing and troubling then reproaching the Society they sometime owned but only those of a peaceable Mind and Spirit and therefore his not knowing that we can represent any under that Name more than our own Second day's Meeting is a false insinuation for there are many Thousands of the People called Quakers yea of the most sincere and peaceable minded besides our said Meeting whose real sense and judgment in the matters treated on in our Book against W. R's great Book we have represented and who really do and will own the same Where now hath W. R. shown the Pen-man guilty of great Impudence in writing in behalf of the peaceable People called Quakers The word Peaceable in our Advertisement left out by him doth really distinguish it with respect only to the peaceable sort which are they that live in Love and Unity who may properly be termed The PEOPLE called Quakers as united in one Society and become one People and not dividing separate Spirits who are gone out from us And though in our Introduction we say the terms We and Vs are used sometimes in the Name of the People called Quakers when vindicated from his Scandals I say so still And this intends no other than the Peaceable People as before explain'd in our Advertisement and not any such pretended Quakers as W. R. his party and Abettors who are unpeaceable and turbulent to the Society and People among whom they sometime walked And therefore his roaring and clamouring out great Impudence Pride and height of such towring lofty spirited Persons as the Pen-man c. are but empty Clamours and Abuses as is also his Jealousie That the Pen-man counts himself one of the Representatives of Christ's inward Government who alone is Lord over the Conscience Whereas the Pen-man never so accounted of himself nor ever assumed to himself any such Government or Lordship over the Conscience as is peculiar to Christ alone but only accounts himself a Servant of Christ and a Subject under his spiritual Government And therefore W. R's still proceeding in his roaring and bitter Exclamation against him as That he would represent in Print as if the People called Quakers without râ—â—triction a Lye still were Persons impowering such an imperious Map of Pride and Drollery as the Pen-man shews himself to write in their Names The matter is answered before but yet I may further add as the Envy and Malice of this Adversary appears swelling high so his confidently repeated Falshoods and Abuses are numerous for we would neither so represent in Print nor yet did the Pen-man so much as pretend to be impowered to write by the People in general or without restriction and yet both in Charity and Christian duty might vindicate all them as the peaceable People caâ—â—ed Quakers who are really peaceable in their Spirits and Conversations And though there be some called Quakers who are unpeaceable in both such as W.R. and his party yet that cannot unpeople the other who are truly peaceable but rather unpeople themselves who are unpeaceable from being of that People Such our vindication of a peaceable People from the unpeaceable proves none of us Impudent nor any imperious Map of Pride and Drollery notorious Falshood c. as most unjustly rendred by an imperious proud Adversary For hath it not been frequent with us to vindicate the People called Quakers intending all those that might properly be counted a People in Peace and Unity and that from the general Aspersions and Calumnies both of open and secret Enemies And in this Controversie we vindicate them as that peaceable People who are sincere and faithful to God lovers of Peace Unity and good Order and whom W. R. and his party in their dividing and perverse gain-sayings are not able to unpeople nor justly to render themselves that People As for him and those of his party who promote his malicious persecuting defaming Books c. We cannot look upon them worthy to bear so much as the Name Quakers muchless to be deemed that People under the Title of Christian-Quakers whilst in their Unchristian spirit of strife and discord And they will yet more manifest themselves to be further remote from that peaceable People called Quakers if they Repent not and the peaceable and faithful who love unity and peace in our Lord Jesus Christ shall remain a people and live when all such spirits as lust to envy and contention shall be confounded scattered wither be driven back and come to naught in their evil Designs and wicked Attempts the Breath of the Lord shall scatter them for no Weapon formed against his Heritage shall prosper But alas our Adversary is still in a great fude and fret for our writing in behalf or in the name of the People called Quakers reiterating his Falshood again without Restriction p. 24 25. he should have said Peaceable People called Quakers But he goes on at an outragious rate on this subject confessing He wants words to represent the Action in as ugly a dress as it deserves And therefore when he hath as falsly asperst the Pen-man and set him out in as Vgly a Dress as he can so that the Devil and William Rogers have done their worst hitherto he supposeth a Comparison in the case against him but very unjustly in these words viz. Suppose a company of men never chosen according to Law should meet at Westminster and call themselves the Representatives of the People of England and accordingly in the Name of the People of England proceed to act as such Wouldst thou not abhor and detest the Action
he interfers with himself in his plea for liberty of Conscience § 4. W. R's Confutation to himself apparent in confessing That God hath afforded those helps governments in the Church which are not to be despised in a Paper signed by him among Friends at London 1673. His instance of W. P against the Penman groundless We clear'd from imposing a bâ—ind Obedience and W. Penn's own words farther cited to clear his intention for liberty of Conscience and from what § 5. W. R's unfair dealing and mistaken opposition against R. Barclay's propositions concerning the Power positive Sentence and Judgment of the Church of Christ as being binding in SOME CASES of consequence upon Believers the Spirit of Christ being the only proper Judge c. The point at length granted by William Rogers himself § 6. Wherein W. Rogers's discourse tends to Libertism blind Opposition Confusion and Ranterism A blind Refusal of Submission to what the Lord in his Servants requires condemned as well as blind obedience A Medium between both proposed to prevent a blind Refusal and blind Obedience Of W R's wrong Measures false Judgment and Suppositions Envy and Scorn Laughter hypocritical Lamentation Praying Cain's Sacrifice his lofty conceited and contemning way of writing § 1. IT is true and I am still of the same mind that having the great ends of true Religion and Christian Society in our Eye viz. An unspotted Life Love and good Works c. as the very intent of our care and proceedings in the Church of Christ we can the more easily concur and accord as to Circumstances and outward Methods and in the Wisdom of God so condescend one to another and accomodate matters as not to divide about them c. And I do not find that our Opposer produceth any seeming Contradiction to this Citation out of our Book as he endeavours upon our following words viz. We would be understood that those things commended among us as necessary for good Order and Holiness of Conversation are not recommended doubtfully or upon meer Supposition nor as matters of indifferency to be practised or rejected but in faith full assurance as answering Gods Witness and Truth in the Consciences and that such will meet with a tender Reception and not Opposition in all tender and upright hearts Where 's now the seeming Contradiction in this to the precedent Passage See what observation our Opposer makes upon them He observes That the Penman seems thereby to look three ways at once p. 36. though his sight and observation has greatly fail'd him herein as first In commending things necessary for good Order and Holiness of Conversation NOT as matters of Indifferency To this W. R. thus saith viz. Wherein I take the truest sense of his mind to be and that the first citation importing his readiness to condescend was to cover himself and others from the guilt of Apostacy and Innovation He is mistaken in his observation here there was no such intent nor necessity for the Pen-man to cover himself or others from that guilt for to commend things necessary for good Order and Holiness of Conversation not as Indifferent but Essential to such Order c. and a Condescention in circumstances and accomodating matters so as not to divide c. may very well stand together especially where there 's unity of spirit and affection for if there be true love and unity in the greater matters essential to good Order c. 't is more easie for such as are tender and upright-hearted to find out accomodation and concurrence in lesser circumstances So that still 't is to be understood they must settle in an union and concurrence at last otherwise how should they joyntly do business or service for the Truth or each other There 's no concurrence nor joynt-service where there 's confusion and contradiction But W. R. proceeds in his observation against the Pen-men viz. 2dly By his readiness to condescend to his Brethren which doubtless in that place he intends such as are upright hearted and mean well for 't is not fit to condescend to others and therein the indifferency before excluded is implyed He 's mistaken again in 's observation for there may be a tender and Christian condescention of the upright hearted among themselves in two respects 1 st In the stronger bearing with and helping the weak bearing the burden of the weak and not laying more upon the weak than what they are able to bear 2 dly In the wisdom of God finding out such accomodation in some lesser matters circumstances not so essential and indispensible so that there may be a general concurrence ease and peace of spirit in such lesser circumstances implying or including that indifferency before which is excluded the greater more weighty and necessary things relating to good Order holiness of Life c. For there may be such an indifferency in some circumstances wherein we may condescend to weak Brethren so far as the spirit of Christ will admit they being such as may not alter the property from being good and lawful nor disturbing to our Christian-society Yet there are other material things and circumstances relating our Christian society good order and holy living that cannot be made Indifferent And we plead not at all for empty Ceremonies in Church order or discipline but such as have a real service and good end in them nor are we for a Church whose ornaments are superstitious but for a Church which is gravely and purely adorned with Righteousness the fruits and services of pure Religion I confess W. R. has writ one remarkable Truth i. e. That 't is not fit to condescend to others viz. That are not upright hearted that do not mean well Very true And we have cause to keep to that Doctrine in reference to such as are turbulent and contentious Troublers of and scandalous to our society and profession See his third Observation on the same subject before as shallow as the rest viz. 3dly By the Pen-man's last cited Lines 't is plain that in his sence things recommended for good Order will have a reception with all upright Hearts Which compared with his readiness to condescend c. as before shews as if his condescention was intended to Brethren that were not upright hearted Here his sight fails him and he 's greatly mistaken again perverting the Pen-mans sense for though I affirm that those things recommended among us by Divine Authority and Evidence either as duty to God or Man or as necessary for good Order and Holiness of Conversation will have reception with all upright Hearts Yet it follows not that the condescention was intended to Brethren that were Not upright hearted or false For first Here 's not a limitation of time when all things necessary as before will have reception with all upright hearts So that there is a time and cause for condescention to them of low degree in regard of their weakness not insincerity Secondly Many upright ones
thy own Book making thy self thy own Authority proof for thy self and then thy saying 'T is as naturally deduced from R. B 's discourse in his Book of Government and then quotest thy self again for Proof bidding us see pages 41 to 49. in thy said 3 d Part. But still we deny thy Credit in the case thou art no sufficient Proof for thy self against us 't is a meer begging of the Question The Pride and Insolency thou wouldst now fix upon R.B. he utterly denyes as also That those whom we have gathered to the Truth should observe our Traditions Without giving a Reason why He also denys that this is either naturally deduced or justly deducible from any discourse of his in his said Book And I must tell thee William this looks like one of Tho. Hicks's Abuses and gross Forgeries in his Dialogues seeing it has always been our Principle to give convincing Reason where scruples or doubts are first to remove them and clear Peoples understandings so far as the Lord enables us before they proceed to act in any Religious Performances and we being the Servants of our Lord Jesus Christ we utterly abhor and detest setting up our selves as Lords over God's Heritage or seeking to have the Rule and Dominion over them or their Faith and we may each of us conclude and say with his Servant Gideon I will not Rule over you the Lord shall Rule over you Judges 8.22 23. 'T is not Man but the Lord we must exalt § 5. Thou W. R. still proceedest falsly and perversly in saying viz. That Jealousies have entred the breasts of thousands that though these our travelling Brethren exalted the Spirit of God in man as the only sufficient Rule for man and declared that the Scriptures were not a sufficient Rule to man yet instead of leaving us to the Rule which they have declared to be sufficient they strain that which they have declared not sufficient to make it as much as in them lies a Rule for them to rule over their Brethren p. 51. To all which I say 1 st We have no cause to believe thy story that such Jealousies have entred thousands 2 dly All travelling Brethren approved among us exalt the Spirit of God in man as much as ever 3 dly Such do not make the holy Scriptures however truly own'd in their place any such Rule as for them to rule over their Brethren such being called to feed the flock and not be as Lords over Gods Heritage nor as seeking Dominion over their Brethrens Faith but to walk in the Humility of Jesus Christ as Ensamples to the flock Thy thoughts therefore to the contrary concerning those who gave forth our Treatise entituled The Accuser c. are utterly wrong and thy quoting thy self in thy said third Part is as feeble and impertinent as before in thy Forgery against R. B. c. § 6. About the Tree of Knowledge again thou W. R. again proceedest thus viz. p. 51. The Pen-man thus saith By all this opposition to the Doctrine That the Tree of Knowledge is not good for Food William Rogers seems to account it good for Food Nothing said by me or cited as my words by themselves shews either opposition or assent to such Doctrine p. 51. That 's a manifest untruth again and before detected Many of thy own words cited in our said Treatise do plainly shew thy assent to such Doctrine and that thou accountedst the Tree of Knowledge good for Food especially in thy opposing the contrary Doctrine Review the Passage in thy own Christian-Quaker part 2. p. 27 28 29. with our Answer Accuser c. pag. 109 110 111 112 113 114. and pag. 222 223 224. If nothing said by thee or cited as thy words shew either opposition or assent to the said Doctrine and that thou hast not written any thing to shew thy sence either way as thou hast declared how hast thou pursued thy charge of Apostacy and Innovation Didst thou not bring in that Doctrine That the Tree of Knowledge was not good for Food among other things to prove thy charge of Apostacy and Innovation against us and this as to Doctrine opposed by thee But now wilt not own either opposition or assent in any thing said or written by thee to shew thy own sence either way Oh William where 's thy Conscience in writing not only thus insignificantly but thus evasively and prevaricatingly And how hast thou by such Impertinency distinguished or proved thy self and party The Christian-Quaker and those against whom thou writest The Apostate and Innovator either in Doctrine or Practice when thou hast attempted it in Doctrine Thy attempts and opposition signifie nothing thou hast not written any thing to shew thy sence either way Then thou hast produced nothing to prove nothing To thy saying viz. If we had learned from the Scriptures that the Serpent had said 'T was good for food yet it would not have shewn me erronious in my Assertion unless the words as in it self had been added which are not pag. 51. Thy Assertion What Assertion hast thou made in the case when thou hast not written any thing to shew thy sence either way either of opposition or assent to such Doctrine if therein we may believe thee But how inconsistent with thy self art thou as between shewing no sence and thy Assertion in the same case And what if the word as in it self are not added for the Tree of Knowledge being good for Food as in it self as thou hast plainly enough implyed What would that have added to the verity of thy Assertion or to the weight of the Doctrine whilst the Controversie relates to the Tree of Knowledge whether or no it be good for food it relates to it self and not to another for that Tree is it self However thou mayst intend as in it self to be in its own Nature without respect to the Command The matter in Question is not Whether the Tree of Knowledge be good in it self but whether it be good for such an end and purpose as for Food i. e. for the Soul of man either before the Fall or in the Restoration Both God's Prohibition and Experience teach the contrary viz. That 't is not good for Food though otherwise Knowledge rightly so called be good as in its own Nature But the Knowledge of Good and Evil is a mixt Knowledge not Food for an innocent Soul 't is the pure unmixt Knowledge of the good only which springs from divine Life that is its Food The words Tree of Knowledge are an allusion and is Mysteriously to be understood only in the Light of Christ. To thy saying 'T is hard to know with what sort of Spirit the Pen-man most immediately concerned in the Accuser c. is at unity with For 't is evident he doth not give the Devil his due neither doth he give God or good Men their due pag. 52. Is it hard to know How camest thou then so severely to censure and judge
him and his Spirit as Impious Wicked c But in humility and fear of the Lord he is at Unity and daily converseth with the Spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ which is a Spirit of true Understanding and Judgment whereby he clearly discerns and hath Power to judge thy dark confused Spirit of Enmity and its unfruitful Works of Darkness and Division against Christ and his true followers § 7. Concerning Tythes thou pretendest to except against the Payment of them That they are as at this day paid under pretence of being Due JVRE DIVINO Antichristian and also against the Humane Institution and constraint to pay them And thus far we do not oppose thee nor have shewn disaffection But thou hast found out another and more easie way to pay them Thus viz. Yet if any Person will FREELY of himself give a Tenth part of his Estate or of the Increase thereof TO ANY VSE WHATSOEVER having no regard to any Humane Institution or Claim by vertue of any pretended Divine Law it can no more be called Antichristian then c. p. 52. No! not as given to any use whatsoever That 's large and loose and as strange Suppose some do freely pay Tythes to maintain an Antichristian Ministry without regard to the plea of Jure Divino or humane Institution or Constraint but voluntarily and freely which needs no constraint nor coertion Were not this Antichristian And did not the Christian-Quaker bear Testimony from the beginning against the Antichristian Ministry and Tythes paid to maintain them whether by some paid freely or not the labour was to bring People from them to Christ the great Shepherd and end of the first Priesthood Tythes and the Law that upheld them Art not thou now evading and shifting from our first Testimony that was absolute against the payment of Tythes in these Gospel dayes And doth not these thy evasive Apostatizing shifts tend to draw others into Looseness and Apostacy to decline the Cross and cast off the Yoke of our Lord Jesus Christ Again thou givest a recital of thy Answer to the Objection or Question of thy own framing in the case of Tythes but now craftily leavest out thy Objection which concern'd Tythes as given to the National Ministry thus viz. But what if it please the Supream Power to bestow on the National Ministry Tythes How prove you from Scripture that those who freely pay it do ill or that 't is not lawful for them to receive it from such These are thy own Words William to which thou madest the following Answer mentioned in our 40 th Disaffection and recited in these words viz. We are so far from condemning those who freely pay them i. e. Tythes and not as by Constraint that we look upon it to be the Duty of all professing Christianity to contribute towards the outward Maintenance of such whom they usually hear and account to be the true Ministers of Christ though not obliged thereto by Law in case they have need p. 52. We remain still Disaffected with thy Doctrine it this point William so far as it relates to the paying of Tythes Thy granting an uncondemned Liberty therein for them who can freely pay them to those they account the true Ministers of Christ though they be the National Ministry I am sure is contrary to the antient Testimony of the true Christian-Quaker and all faithful travelling Brethren in the Gospel and Work of Christ To contribute towards the outward Maintenance c. is not the matter under debate But the Question immediately relating to the Payment of Tythes as 't is included in thy own Objection in the case which thou hast craftily forborn to recite and only recitest the Words of thy Answer both being compared together do more clearly evince thy Unchristian Liberty and Apostacy in justifying Mens freely paying Tythes to those they count Ministers of Christ c. yea though it be to the National Ministry by thy Objection and Answer before Thy varying the Terms from FREELY PAYING them i. e. Tythes TO a CONTRIBVTING towards their outward Maintenance appears but a Prevaricating shift and evading the terms of thy own Objection and Question Review the Point in thy own 2d Part Christian-Quaker in granting a Liberty of freely paying Tythes to the National Ministry without condemnation as before Thou hast contradicted J. W. and J. Story 's Testimony viz. As to Tythes we can in truth say 't was never so much as in our Hearts 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 Mark as at this day paid is to the National Ministry by some freely and by others by constraint As also thou shewest thy fallacious Insinuation and Prevarication from the terms under debate in concluding That the Pen-man would exclude such sort of Charity to any ministring Professor of Christianity besides such as he may account of his own Brotherhood whereby their outward Man might receive Sustenance else if they accounted it not Christian-like to give on a Charitable score TYTHES without Compulsion yet he might have shewn his assent that their Conscientious Hearers might without Condemnation have administred in another Method p. 53. How falsly hast thou insinuated against the Pen-man and daubed with the Professors as if now thou wouldst ingratiate thy self to come into favour with the Professors who are against the Quakers and as if thou wouldst please them by telling of giving on a Charitable score Tythes But William I am sorry thou shouldst thus wrong thy own Conscience by such false Insinuations for therein thou knowest the matter in question and our Observation was not about nor for excluding such sort of Charity as that of freely relieving or contributing towards the Sustenance of the outward Man of any of them in case of need for that Humanity allows much more Christianity But the matter in question was singly about the freely paying of Tythes and that to the National Ministry as thy Words were against which our 40 th Disaffection was directed And thy insinuating expressions about giving on a Charitable score Tythes will not excuse thee nor clear thee in this matter as also on this occasion thou fallaciously insinuatest in thy Prayer viz. The Lord preserve me and all true Christians from that Censorious Spirit as may conclude that there are no other Sheep than of the Pen-man's Fold p. 53. Whom dost thou herein accuse We deny any such Censorious Spirit with thy terms Pen-man's Fold for 't is Christ's Fold we own Thou art an uncharitable censorious Spirit We know there are other Sheep as Christ declared which he will fetch home into his Fold But thou appearest none of Christ's Sheep either in his Fold or out of his Fold whilst in such an Envious Wolfish and Scornful Spirit § 8. Whereas to our 44 th Disaffection about Circumcision being a Christian-Liberty according to thy own Words thou
been content with half of the 15 l. which G. Smith proffered thee but it seems thy end was so WHOLLY for Money that thou wouldst have the WHOLE Fifteen Pound according to thy own account Thus Selfish Arbitrary and Avaricious wast thou What a mean shift is it therefore for thee to say Thy end was not ONLY for Money We see what sorry shifts and slighty Subterfuges a bad Cause must have And as a person conscious to thy self disquieted and uneasie for a pretence thou now makest this Proposition namely S. Cater 's signing a Paper like this which follows of thy own forming and then thou wilt return the whole 15 l. Thy Paper is this viz. Memorandum That I S. Cater do hereby testifie that is my judgment That all Friends in the Ministry where they are Strangers ought to tell the Name and Habitation upon the apparent sight of the Informers coming into a meeting taking friends names in writing or otherwise in order to convict the Meeting that so we may all stand in a like suffering capacity Or if any have not freedom thus to do that then they ought to make satisfaction to such who suffer for them through their concealing their Names and Habitations and that such as refuse to perform his or their part in either of these two Propositions ought from thenceforth to be reputed blame-worthy and noted as such Witness my hand the day above-written per me Thus far thy Prescription Further adding viz. I say signe this Paper or one like it and I will return the said 15 l. for the reason aforesaid And this thou esteem'st a Condescention sufficient Thus art thou become a Dictator and Prescriber and Imposer upon others Here thou hast made a general Rule and Prescription as condition of thy returning the 15 l. to S. C. such an improbable condition as thou couldst not reasonably suppose would be complied with Thus insincere thou appearest Here 's a Canon an Edict of thy framing who hast made a great part of thy Book against Canons Prescriptions Rules Edicts Orders Excommunications c. How consistent art thou in thy work yea and if the Ministers will not observe this thy Canon to perform it then to be reputed Blame-worthy and noted as such and this thou wouldst have S. Cater subscribe But thy Canon or Prescription is illegal lame and defective yea it exceeds the severity and extent of the Conventicle Act which no where compels all Friends in the Ministry where thy are strangers to tell their Names and Habitations upon their apparent sight of Informers coming into a Meeting and taking Friends Names in writing or otherwise nor are any of the Meeters compelled by Law to tell their Names to Informers Thus Arbitrary Illegal and Foolish too art thou in thy Canon and Constitution thou wouldst enforce upon Friends of the Ministry where they are strangers who sometimes may be silent in a Meeting and sometimes ministring when Informers come in to take Names by thy Canon the Ministers in silence must tell their Names and Habitations to Informers and those that are ministring must stop to tell the Informers their Names and Habitations This illegal Imposition of thine I further except against in that it tends to gratifie the Informers and forward them in their designs and prosecution for a more speedy and easie Conviction for if they get their Names thus readily told aforehand as thy Canon and Prescription requires they go presently to the Justices swear the Offence and cause the Conviction in the absence of the party concerned In consideration of which divers of us even of late time in the Meetings at Westminster have not had freedom presently to tell our Names to Informers and Officers to leave them to inform the Justices what they please upon Oath without controul in our absence but rather we have chosen to go to the Justices that there we may tell our Names to them and have opportunity to object to their faces against any Mis-informations Thus thou hast failed and shewed thy shortness and shallowness in thy imperious and illegal Prescription and Imposition As for thy pressing for the Preachers who are Strangers to tell their Names as aforesaid and so to be in an Equal capacity with the Hearers in suffering 1 st We cannot make a Law to enjoyn them to tell their Names to Informers which the Law requires not I know none that refuse to tell their Names to the civil Magistrate We know the Preachers generally are most struck at and most liable to suffer and the Penalties are most severe upon them as 20 l. for a first and 40 l. for a second Offence so called and if Strangers they are not wholly free from Sufferings as thou sayest But all Preachers more lyable in the first place to suffer Imprisonment c. than others being most envyed and aimed at by the Persecutors 2 dly We cannot in point of Christianity Truth or good Conscience deem the Preacher an Offender if we own his Ministry So as to lay an Obligation upon him not only to tell his Name to Informers but to be the greatest Sufferer Truth 's interest and cause is but one in Minister and Hearer and Christian love leads us therein to sympathize and suffer one with another in Spirit yea and outwardly too if there be necessity and not to make preaching the Gospel an offence any more than meeting or hearing it Preacht seeing the Labour and Pains and greatest Hazard commonly is the Preachers the advantage thereof is the Hearers And if we have true Unity with the Gospel Preachers we shall not complain against them because of the Fines nor think our selves to be bound under thy Prescription or Canon who art both in Dis-union with them and Enmity against them much less to follow thy Crafty method to pay our selves out of their Estates when fined for them or for their not telling their Names to Informers on sight c. 3 dly If thou makest the Preachers such Offendors as that for want of telling their Names to Informers they must be Responsible to the full or wholly for the Fines laid upon Hearers on their account and thereupon thy Eye is so severe upon them as if they were the greatest Offendors This is but the same Spirit that 's in the Persecutors and Informers that 's not in unity with but in Enmity against the Gospel-Ministers This would not lay down its Life for the Brethren that will not suffer 5 l. or 10 l. for them And then I presume there 's no danger of thy suffering much on that account who couldst so craftily repay thy self the whole 15 l. from Samuel Cater In this very Action and thy malicious Book thou appearest a Person more ready to turn Informer against the true Ministers and Servants of Christ than to lose 10 l. on any of their account by thy offensive Characters and Popish Comparisons thou hast put upon them particularly upon George Fox William Penn
about Impositions Prescriptions c. The Spiritual Christian who hath the Power and Form of Godliness distinguished and vindicated both from the Formal Christian and Loose Apostate who deny both Power and Form § 4. The unsound Doctrine of Robert Rich espoused by T. C. tending to Ranterism About Forms Prescriptions Impositions c. R. R. a false Accuser like the rest of these Apostates His Authority made use of by T. C. and F. Bugg invalid J. Perrot's Spirit and Language appearing in these present Opposers § 5. About T. C's Marrying by a Priest and his Wife 's condemning it His rendring the holy Spirit contradictory to it self in the matter of Tythes His Answer to John Field dirty scurrilous and impertinent His abuse of his Wife and Friends in the case misrepresenting them in his Prejudice and Vncharitableness judging and defaming others contrary to his own warning He himself reprehended and warned § 6. His endeavouring to extenuate his Offence about Marrying by a Priest paying Tythes His Instance and Allegation in the case but slight covers And he proved Irreligious and Fallacious in his preceeding and arguing contrary to the Profession and Testimony of a real Christian-Quaker § 7. His Judgment about Tythes as it accords with W. R's still unsound loose they not excusable in the Declension and Apostacy § 8. His Reply to Stephen Crisp disingenious and fallacious A Catalogue of some of the notorious Falshoods and Slanders therein His Reviling and foul Detractions against Stephen Crisp. § 9. Concerning the Paper which W. R. and T. C. have published and printed in Edward Burroughs's Name To the scattered of Israel c. Their implicit Credulity and Confidence therein and abuse of Edward Burroughs with Reasons given by a Certificate and Testimony to shew it in most probability to be John Perrot's and not E. Burroughs's Paper All which is recommended to Serious Consideration § 1. WHereas Thomas Crisp hath of late time struck in with William Rogers and his party as a busie Agent in Division and as hot and violent in his abusive Language and Reflection as the most of them for want of better Argument and Reason he is also gotten into the same kind of stile and strain with W. R. and F. B. against promoting Government Orders Customs Forms Prescriptions c. as in several of his late Pamphlets called Testimonies I find also that these Opposers have recourse to one anothers Writings and quote each other and thereby show their own Authorities for themselves in the Controversie for want of better Proof as W. R. cites F. B. in his seventh Part from page 64 to page 75. and F. B. quotes W. R. and Tho. Crisp's Babels Builders in his 112 page of his said Book De Christ. Lib. and Thomas Crisp in his fifth part Babels Builders quotes something he calls Q. Vn. M. which I understand to be a pernicious Pamphlet of John Pennyman's which F. Bugg has threatned us with in several Papers so that these Opposers seem to be joyned together in one and the same Spirit of Division Opposition and Separation and therefore may well be linked together as Persons concerned in one and the same Interest and not only so but I find a Paper in T. Crisp's third Edition which he calls George Bishop's Testimony against a Paper of Orders which is the very same Paper that Jeffery Bullock some Years ago cited against us in his Pamphlet stiled Antichrist's Transformations and which the said Jeffery Bullock did so publish in Print against G. Whitehead J. Whitehead T. Green T. Briggs A. Parker J. Coule R. Farnsworth T. Loe S. Crisp J. Moon J. Parkes by Name who are struck at for no other cause but a Paper wherein we gave our Christian sense and seasonable advice which we see no cause to Repent of and therefore G. B's Paper cited by the said Jeffery Bullock and Thomas Crisp in opposition to that of ours proceeded from a mistaken Judgment and is Uncharitable against us as well as Erronious in divers parts of it But the Author is gone I shall say the less and charitably believe God took him away in Mercy and that if he had remained to this day he would not have stood by these Gain-sayers in the evil use they make of his Paper in Print against so many of the Servants of Christ. But I have not done with T. Crisp for his so often printing part of a Letter from B. F. to me when he was under a Cloud and mistake in the Controversie and Division occasioned by J. Perrot c. against Friends for putting off their Hats in Prayer in which Letter I and some others are reflected upon and charged That if ever any separation be it will be through mine and some lording rigid driving Spirits against which I have in humility appealed to the Lord to plead my Innocency in the Consciences of all concerned my labour having been and still is for Love and Unity among God's People and I take it not only unkindly from T. C. but as his Injustice and an Abuse so often to bring forth that piece of a Letter in Print against me which was before published and printed more fully by some malicious Adversaries in their Pamphlet stiled Tyranny and Hypocrisie printed in the year 1673. In answer to which I desire T. C. and the rest of the party concerned would now accept and consider B. F's own late Testimony seeing the Lord in mercy has reduced him to a better understanding and judgment than he was in when he writ the said Letter Benj. Furly's Testimony follows WHereas I understand that sundry persons to me unknown have divers times formerly and now again lately published in Print certain extracts of a Letter written by me as I take it about sixteen years ago to G. W. keeping up and feeding thereby a Spirit of Contention and Strife This is in brief to signifie That what has hitherto been done of this nature has been altogether without my order consent or privity for my soul hates that Spirit of Prejudice Enmity and Contention by which some men though perhaps poor men not knowing by what spirit influenc'd what spirit they gratifie and what spirit they grieve and wound in this their work so acted led and driven As for so many of them that are meerly under a mistake I do from my heart pity them and am touched with the sence of their Condition as having laboured under the same snares Wherefore my earnest desire for them is That they may be made sensible of that which they seem so earnestly to contend for yea even for them that are so tinctur'd and leaven'd with Prejudice that they do wittingly and with some degree of Malice foment Contention I cannot but desire if it be the will of God that they may through Judgment come to know Repentance and through Repentance receive Mercy and Remission in and by the Blood of Jesus Christ to whom all such do doe despight
I take notice of such confused muddled blind dark and mad Stuff as his appears to be To which I Answer First Because neither the Truth nor us as a Religious People and Christian Society may lie under any Dis-repute Blemish or Derision thereof in the Eyes of those that know not nor rightly understand the Christian Doctrine Discipline Church-Government and wholsom Order among us seeing the said J. B. has been for many Years conversant among the People called Quakers and born the Name of a Quaker he saith this twenty Years and more Though he IS NO QVAKER but turn'd an open Enemy to them Secondly Because the said Jeffery Bullock in a great measure runs parallel with and resembles William Rogers and his party in his opposition and gain-saying of that Order and Church-Government that is among us falsly accusing us with Men's Inventions Imitations Traditions laying aside the Spirits Government c. as in his ONE BLOW c. Thirdly Because four Persons of William Rogers's Party of Chippinham in Wiltsshire have given their approbation in a Letter to the said Jeffery Bullock of his Books particularly that called One Blow more against Antichrist's Ministers and have declared that several Friends have good Vnity therewith Which I do not believe And not only so but this in opposition and contempt to others whom they abusively revile in these Words viz. But here are also a company of called Friends which are very much for Foxonians Orders which may be called mens Inventions that do make it their work to Defame and Calumniate all them 〈◊〉 do not conform thereunto Some of which thou and most of which we are in our Hearts perswaded are Servants of the living God amongst which thou hast a share of being villified to be a bad man although to us it s no manner of Invitation for us to give Credit thereunto c Barnadiston and another hath been here their envious Darts fly very swiftly and secretly If thou pleasest to send half a Dozen of thy Books c. With other Aggravations in the said Chippinham Letter shewing not only their approbation and owning of Jeffery Bullock and his Books but also their bitterness of Spirit in villifying and reproaching others although I understand they have been a little ashamed of their approbation of his Books yet not that they have repented of the bitterness of their Spirits nor condemned those villifying Reproaches and bitter Expressions in their said Letter as Foxonians Orders Barnadiston and another their envious Darts fly very swiftly c. What scorn bitterness and rancor do such Expressions bespeak Christ never taught them to give such Names to Friends as Foxonians nor would they take it well to be so dealt by nay they would think much if they should but be called Johannites and their reviling Giles Barnardiston who was a peaceable innocent man and of good Report doth bespeak a great Prejudice and Enmity to have entred their Spirits which they should plainly have condemned their Letter is all perverse but I do not understand any sincere or tender Retractation or real Condemnation thereof given out by them Fourthly Notice is here taken of Jeffery Bullock's Pamphlets to manifest the great Absurdity that opposit dividing Spirit leads into and to warn others against it And why these Persons should so hastily approve of Jeffery Bullock's Books or say that several Friends have good Unity therewith I know no reason being in several things so Corrupt Erronious and Atheistical as they are except it be with respect to the Oppositions therein contained against the Church-Government Order and Methods among us in opposing whereof Jeffery Bullock was these men's Elder Brother Concerning which take a view of some Passages in his said Pamphlet viz. One Blow more in his own Words § 2. Jeffery Bullock saith And you my Brethren also ought to have Preached up God's invisible appearance by his Spirit in our dayes to be the end of mens Inventions Imitations and false Doctrines But instead thereof you have preached up false Doctrines and also set up your own Inventions among the Quakers so called p. 5. Answer His charge of false Doctrines and mens Inventions we utterly deny as slanderous God's invisible and spiritual Appearance and the Testimony thereof still lives among us in as high esteem as ever against false Doctrines and mens Inventions But herein J. B. resembles the rest of the Opposers in the work of the false Accuser of our Brethren Jeffery Bullock My Brethren I fear you are not past the Doctrine of the Church of Rome nor yet of the Priests and Professors of England a false Fear There is as great necessity of Preaching up Salvation to us Gentiles by God's invisible Appearance who is a Spirit and also his Spirit to be the end of all mens Inventions Imitations Traditions c. pag. 6. True but misapplied Therefore I would have G. Fox and the eleven Elders who are preaching up false Doctrines and also setting up their Inventions among the People called Quakers as Rules c. p. 7. Answer Herein he is a false Accuser still like the rest and he 's far louder in his Charges than in 's Proof False Doctrines and Inventions of men both of the Church of Rome and elsewhere we utterly deny J. B. My Brethren your visible Church-Government is altogether Antichristian because that every Member of the Church in God is to be both ruled and governed by the measure of Gods Spirit in them and it is none of George Fox 's nor yet the eleven Elders that is to be a Rule for the Quakers to walk by p. 9. Answ. His charge of Antichristian and Inventions we utterly deny and testifie against as Antichristian and he and the rest of his backsliding Spirit and approvers of him and his Books are never able to make his Charge good However here its plain that he opposes visible Church-Government because of the inward Rule by the measure of God's Spirit wherein he argues Erroniously and contrary to the Apostles Doctrine and Primitive Christians Practice Both the inward Rule and outward Order and due Methods among them all springing from God's Spirit within were not to draw them from a dependance on that Spirit but to shew forth Obedience in Practice and Example to the holy Spirit and pure Religion and therein to help one another for which purpose the Holy Ghost made Overseers and Elders The Elders that rule well are worthy c. He that ruleth with Diligence c. I left thee in Creet to set in order those things that are lacking c. But there were such Apostates then as despised Dominion and spoke Evil of Dignities even of those Instruments and Ministers Helps and Governments whom the Lord ordained and raised up and dignified in his Church and such are these Opposers now in the same Spirit of Opposition and Contempt § 3. J. B. And she i. e. the Church hath no need of your visible Government because she is the
Nations and Families of the Earth blessed and saved who believe and walk in his Light J. B. All the World was freed from their Offerings for sin by that one Offering reconciled to God by the death of his Son But we must be redeemed justified and also saved by a measure of the same Life that dwelt in the Son in which Life the Son of God offered up his Soul and Body to be crucified to the Death a Sacrifice once for all Then NO Salvation to the Souls of the Sons and Daughters of men by him that dyed without the Gates at Jerusalem p. 19. Anti. Transformations Answ. An erronious Inference still and most blindly reiterated for if we must be saved by that Life that was in the Son of God how darest thou deny Salvation to the souls of Mankind by him that so suffered and dyed seeing we are reconciled by his Death who dyed and rose again and Death has no more dominion over him And hast not thou confessed that we are reconciled by his Death so we shall be saved by his Life Well by whose Life by the Life of the very same Christ of God who as concerning the flesh was put to Death And was his Death then no ways conducing to our Salvation How are we then reconciled by it Is Reconciliation no degree of Salvation Surely thou art under great Contradiction and gross Mistakes in this matter To thy Objection That Mary saith her Soul did magnifie the Lord and her Spirit did rejoyce in God her Saviour p. 21. And that God said Look unto Me all ye Ends of the Earth and be saved p. 23. This is no proof that his Son Jesus Christ was No Saviour for God saves by his Son God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself God works by the Mediator and Jesus Christ who is the Saviour and the Redeemer is both truly God and Man Inseparable But how comest thou off in answer to the Objection made against thee viz. If no Salvation by that Christ that dyed without the Gates of Jerusalem then thy Doctrine implyeth two Christs which we do not profess nor preach nor own for in words thou over and over tellest us of that Christ that dyed without the Gates and that he was the Son of God the Christ of God c. What sayst thou to this Review thy following words J. B. viz. Now that there are two Christs it is plain according to the Scriptures for there is both the true Christ and Antichrist p. 23. Rep. Oh sad and lamentable How absurdly blindly and erroniously hast thou answered here The Objection or Question against thee was not about Antichrist but about the True Christ who is the very Christ of God who was crucified at Jerusalem and is in his Saints by his Light Life and Spirit whom thy Doctrine tends to render Two Christs and so to divide the True Christ but we testifie he is but One As to us there is but ONE GOD the Father of whom are all things and we in him and ONE Lord Jesus Christ by whom are all things and we by him 1 Cor. 8.6 And of this ONE Lord Jesus Christ the true Apostles testified as One and the same Christ though he variously appeared according to what is written of him 1 Cor. 15. 3 4 5 6 7 verses of his Death and Resurrection and how he was seen of many And last of all he was seen of me also saith Paul as of one born out of due time v. 8. This was ONE and the SAME CHRIST still § 10. J. B. Now Christ he neither came of David nor yet of Israel according to the Flesh not as to his outward appearance as he was a visible Man but he came of David and Israel both according to the Spirit And this is the Spirit whom God hath exalted both as a Prince and a Saviour Anti. Trans p. 23. Answ. This is a gross Mistake and Contradictory to plain Scripture see Rom. 1.3 4 5. Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord which was made of the seed of David according to the Flesh and declared to be the Son of God with Power according to the spirit of Holiness by the Resurrection from the dead by whom we have received GRACE and Apostleship for obedience to the Faith among all Nations for his Name see also Rom. 9.5 But thou sayst He neither came of David nor yet of Israel according to the flesh quite contrary to the Apostle's testimony Which shall People believe thee or the Apostle Surely not such a blind muddled confused dark and dull Soul as thou art I wish thee with the Light of Christ within on the holy Scriptures to recollect thy self better that thou mayst repent and condemn and call in thy muddled confused distracted whimsical and mad Pamphlets that would be the safest way for thee upon all accounts for thou hast no matter of Religion to suffer for thy hope being in this Life only according to thy Principle of the Soul's Mortality J. B. He that dyed without the Gates at Jerusalem he was the Christ of God being one with the Spirit of God but it was the Womans part that dyed that was his Soul and Body Now Christ as he was a visible Man and made of a visible Woman made under the Law he INTERNALLY DYED as to his SOUL and BODY Antichrist's Transformations pag. 19. Answ. Oh poor Jeffery Whither art thou run in thy whimsical Conceits and distracted Imaginations one while to DENY Jesus Christ the Son of God to be the Way to the Father another while to DENY Salvation by him another while to DENY the Immortality of his Soul and here most erroniously to AFFIRM That his Soul dyed and that he internally dyed as to his Soul Oh! Antichristian and Antiscriptural Doctrine For though he was put to death only as to his Body his Soul dyed not with it for he said Father into thy Hands I commend my Spirit Luke 23.46 see Acts 7.59 And to the penitent Thief To Day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Luke 23.43 Therefore his Soul or Spirit dyed not with the Body he did not internally dye he dyed only as to the Body being put to death as concerning the Flesh and rose again the third day according to the Scriptures and Death has no more dominion over him And although it be said He hath poured out his Soul unto Death This concerned the travail of soul and sorrows of death which he was under the sence of when he said My Soul is exceeding sorrowful even unto death Matth. 26.38 whilst yet his soul was living and immortal in its own being praying and making intercession unto the Father For pouring out the Soul or Heart sometimes in Scripture imports an earnest supplication to God and travail in Prayer Psal. 42.4 I pour out my Soul in me And Psal. 62.8 Pour out your Heart before him God is a Refuge for us The soul of Messiah was poured out