soberly secretly and frequently dealt withall his Condition represented his Danger shewn and a Station of Safety pointed to him It was the daily Travel of many who sought his Wel-fare and the Churche's Peace to bring him to a Sence of his own Condition But no Argument or Entreaties could prevail no Sighs or Tears could soften him but resolved he was for a Sect-Master and his Mark must be the Hat on in time of Publick Prayer That which yet whetted many simple Hearts to follow his Example was with his Sufferings his Pharisaical Pretences to a higher Dispensation but instead of shewing them a readier Way to an higher State of Holiness he diverted their Minds from the more weighty things of the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus to contend for that rude and unprofitable Practice of the Hat on in time of publick Prayer an Invention to no Edification but to the great Disturbance of the Church Thus began what rent he sought to make amongst us Before this we were at Peace our Sion prosperous and those Apostate Adversaries allowed us to be God's Church his chosen People I appeal now to the whole World of moderate and impartial People whether we acted herein unlike Christian sober and prudent Men And if any of our publick Enemies who pretend to own a Church-Authority some of them also being Members and Leaders would not have done the like Must we suffer for that which they justifie We rejected a Practice we had no Authority for neither without nor within We saw Who brought it in and What acted him with the bent and tendency of it And it was as much our Duty to withstand the Entrance of that wich was Wrong as to continue in the Practice of that which was Right and setled in the Power of God long before among us We might invert their Plea much more truly The Light within enjoyned us to disown them had we not then sinned to have declined Or is our Light Darkness because they call their Darkness Light In short the Church never knew it when so much admired by her present Enemies And because when it came she rejected it therefore are they become her Enemies which proves Them and not the Church to be changed But supposing we had nothing of this to our Defence What is become of the once acknowledged Blessed Church and her Powerful Ministry If we have lost both who has found them If due to any Body in case our Adversaries be in the Right it must be to them But I know of no Church nor do I hear of any Ministry they have nor the Power of God manifest among them either for the Building up of themselves or the Gathering of others What! Is the Church already returned into the Wilderness and is the Power lost which they acknowledge was once amongst us and to God's Eternal Praise we daily witness in the City and Country to attend our Travels But as they were not of God in their Dissensions so neither have they stood We suffer as we did The World loves them more then it did They are Friends but both Enemies to us Their Sect Master returned with the Dog to the Vomit to Swearing Fighting fine Cloathes Cap and Knee to Men who could sit on his B with his Hat on his Head when he prayed to the most high God Some of his Followers run into Looseness and Rantism others into Enmity and Earthly-Mindedness but far the more considerable returned to their first Love and Workes whom God hath since frequently blest with his heavenly Presence and sealed to them the Comfort of the holy Communion of the Brethren To sum up what we have been saying First The True Church of Christ by the Gift of the holy Spirit from Christ the Head is enabled to try savour and relish Wrong Spirits under never such Right Appearances as that without which she could never be preserved from the Wolves that are in Sheep's Cloathing nor the Deceivers that come with Christ's Words out of Christ's Power and Life Secondly That this Church hath as well Power to reject the false Spirit as to try it Thirdly That men may be in the Words and not the Spirit of Truth that notwithstanding it is the Duty of all Men to act by the Light and Spirit within that hinders not that such as walk not according to the Light within though they may pretend to do it should be known and judged of them that really do so Fourthly That we were this True Church of God by our Apostate Adversaries own Confession And we have proved that not we but our Adversaries have altered since the time that large Confession mentions by giving the Offence and making the first Breach of Vnity notwithstanding the many Christian Courses that were taken to restore them and preserve Concord among Brethren Therefore our Judgment of them is not that of a Dark Dead Body but a Living Spiritual Society and in the Gift Discerning and Authority of God's holy and unerring Spirit which they acknowledge we once had and cannot prove when and by what we lost it And blessed be the Lord God of Heaven and Earth his Living Power is with us be owns our Ministry and Fellowship in the Hearts of Thousands yea Ten Thousands have bowed to the Righteousness of his Scepter since the day that perverse Core first troubled our Israel No Tryals have scattered us nor Sufferings worn us out but to the Honour of the blessed Name of the Lord we have been by it kept to this day whose Goodness renews with the Morning and whose Mercies endures forever Blessed are they that fear him such will he alwayes keep in perfect Peace But the Author of the Spirit of the Hat and his Tyrannical and Hypocritical Defender in his Libel called Tyranny and Hypocrisie Detected cry out This is arrant Popery But I will tell such Licentious Spirits That it is plainly Scriptural What if a False Church assume the Priviledge of a True one does that make the True Church a False one for pleading that Priviledge The Papists say God ought to be worshipped must we not therefore worship him because they say so 'T is just as good as to say That because one Man cheatingly calls himself by another Man's Name therefore that other Man must renounce his own Name Prove Discerning and Judgment by the Holy Ghost in any Body or Society to be the Mark of a False Church and ye do your Business otherwise you must acknowledge it to be the Priviledge of a True Church but deny it to be ours as we do that it is the Church of Rome's But we have proved out of your own Pamphlets thâ—t you acknowledge us to have been the True Church and in our own Discourse that we have continued that which we ever were And that God's powerful convincinâ—â—nd converting Ministry remains amongst us Therefore thâ—â— Priviledge upon their own Principles does belong to us But perhaps they will both endeavour
not very many which we that have kept the Power of God and our Habitations in the Truth of Christ did judge it the Ranters that would have imposed the same thing upon us so we have been kept as we were all along from the first and because we could not own such and J. P. carrying his Books to burn them at the Exchange because we coâ—ld not be conformable to them therefore come these Out-rages Nick Names Jeers and Mockeries against us who have kept in the same Power of God that we were first convinced by which they malitiously call Tyrannical so they are gone out from us and it is manifest they were not of us for if they had been of us they would have continued with us But as it was it is Deceitful Workers and False Apostles there are and the true Prophecy is come upon some of them The Dog is turned to his Vomit and the Sow to the Wallowing in the Mire that they thus bite and cast their Vomit out against us and who cannot tell how to worry us themselves but have others that consent and Confederates with them and these are their Abilities and Endowments they boast of but to all the Godly and sober People it savoureth that their Books are but as a Raging Wave of the Sea wherein they foam out their own Shame And as for the People of God called Quakers Conformity It is to be made conformable to the Son of God and as for the Vniformity it is in the Gospel the Power of God And whereas you say in pag. 12. the Papists say They believe as the Church believes so likewise sayes G. F. but the Spirit of the Hat sayes Nay This is known to all the People of God called Quakers to be a Lye against G. F. for G. F. his Words are and have been to believe in the Light as Christ commands who is the Head of the Church and as for the Hat-Man's Nay we dare not believe him who puts Darkness for Light and Light for Darkness But these Hat-Men are now turned into the Spirit of Wars and Fightings against the Believers in the Light and our Vncovering our Heads when we pray to God c. is by the same Spirit and Power as the Apostles did who commanded Men to pray Vncovered And whereas the Spirit of the Hat enviously saith The Spirit of Anti-Christ in G. F. would wrest from me what I am not willing to part withal to wit my Conscience What is not that concerning Wearing thy Hat in time of Praâ—er which I said before is contrary to the Apostles Order And yet this is the Hat-Man's Conscience who going from the Apostles Order and Excommunicates thy felf and casts out thy felf and your selves for Our Fellowship is in the Power of God the Gospel and we cast out none for they cast out themselves when they go from the Power of God and our Work was and is to seek to bring in again from under the Power of Antichrist by the Power Spirit of Christ as is sufficiently made manifest and not to wrest the Spirit of the Hats Conscience from him but that his Conscience and all others might have Liberty in the Gospel the Power of God and I leave it to the Lord to Reward thee according to thy Words which will be thy Burden for terming G. F. as a Pope and as the Spirit of Antichrist with such like Malitious Words for we nor he own no Head but Christ Jesus over our Church who exerciseth his Office amongst us and the Law that G. F. and others the People of God called Quakers own and are bounded with in which they have Liberty in the Order of the Gospel is the Law of the Spirit of Life which is in Christ Jesus in which we have been kept from the beginning though you have a Liberty to speak and write what you please and complain and murmur against such that cannot bow and have Fellowship with you who will have a Liberty for your Conscience but not in the Power of God And the Hat Spirit sayes He is informed of a Meeting appointed by G. F. and other Elders to Judge and Condemn several Men and Women of Good Report and to Shelter and Cover the Wanton Practices of others and to Discourage Persons from Discovering the Wanton and Vnclean Ministers Answ This is another Forgery of the Hat-Spirit for Uncleanness and Wantonness blessed be the Lord they are strange things among us but if any Unseemly thing hath at any time been done such were dealt with according to the Order of the Gospel without Respect to Persons And this we have further to say That none have been more Notorious then some of the Hat-Spirit but we shall not run into such Trash nor have we any such Ministers And whereas the Spirit of the Hat speaks of giving Nick-Names and they put themselves We were called Quakers But do these of the hat-Hat-Spirit now Tremble at the Word Nay if they did they durst not utter forth or speak forth such Nick-Names against the People of God called Quakers nor father such Envious Malitious Language against the Power of Christ and his Spirit in the Quakers as they do And another Filthy Lying Scandal the Spirit of the Hat and his Company casts upon G. F. and sayes He was in such a Rage that W. G. thought he would have struck S. N. Which thing is false there was no Appearance of any such thing as the Meeting can testifie and I am a Witness who was at that Meeting And thus with your Lyes and Slanders you think to feed the Airy Minds and make them a Feast And as for W. G. he hath been heartily Sorry for Unadvisedly Speaking such words And G. F's Books to the Lawyers and Judges did not contradict what was then acted or spoken in the Meeting and therefore the 46th page of the Spirit of the Hat 's Tyranny and Hypocrisie is full of Lyes And also the same Slander and Lye is mentioned in page 42. of the Spirit of the Hat That some there present thought that G. F. would have struck S. N. and thus you add Lye unto Lye to stuff up your Paper which as is said before there was no such thing but the Man that did report it is heartily Sorry for it But it seems you Hat-Spirits torment your selves and are vext about G. F's Marriage but why did not the Hat-Spirit reprove J. P. for his Voluptuous Marriage with his Venison Pasties which were pulled about to the spoiling of the Creature and making a Scramble for the Multitude Oh Shameful Doings In pag. 19 20. of the Spirit of the Hat 's Tyranny and Hypecrisie and in page 32. in all those pages is mentioned John Whitehead's Paper and G. F. is charged with opening J. Whitehead's Letter which was writ by him which is a Lye and a Forgery for G. F. did not open the Letter but it was sent Open only Enclosed to another and left to G.
F. and other Friends to dispose of as J. W's Testimony under his own Hand before going doth testifie And therefore here you may see what sort of Men these are that forge such Lyes upon G. F. And that which he left to G. F. and others to alter was the Matter concerning Wearing the Hat in Prayer for that was the Matter then in Controversie and not Other things which he wrote to you For the Spirit of the Prophets is to be subject to the Prophets And as for George Bishop's Paper mentioned in your Tyranny and Hypocrisie about the time that you would have thrust your Spirit of the Hat in amongst us he did give it a sufficient Blow in Bristol which you might have done well to have printed with his Paper but it is like that made against you who feed upon Condemned Stuff Actions which many have been sorry for running into in the time of their Ignorance wherein they beguiled the Simplicity but now returned to Christ their Shepherd and feed amongst the Flocks of his Pasture but God's Words are true The Serpent must feed on Dust who is out of Truth Dust is the Serpent's Meat Your Sting Venum and Poison is felt and savoured And as for John Bolton's Reproving the Slit in the Woman's Coat which you stuff up your Book with and G. F's Paper against Fashion and Images c. You may feed on such Stuff who live in the Vain Fashions which therein are declared against and which shall stand over you and your Images And as for all your Aggravations and Nick Names which proceed from your bitter Gaul and Envy Simon Magus like we shall leave to God to judge of for there are few sober People but see your Books are a piece of Envy Malice Hatred and Spight and to be a Spirit that seeks Blood and you would not have been so served your selves And you make a great Clamour against our Law Government or Order I say as before Our Order is the Gospel Order and our Law is the Spirit of Life which we received which is in Christ Jesus the Heavenly Man by which the Old Adam's Actions are judged And further The Spirit of the Hat saith That G. F. and some others the Elders had a Meeting to Judge and Condemn several Men and Women of Good Report Answ Why might not William Mucklow have said That he was one of them that had reported that Slander to a Lass upon a Woman that was Innocent who was judged for it And this is another Lye in your saying That G. F. and others endeavour to subvert the Royal Law of Liberty pag. 38. For had you owned it and kept in it you would not have done that unto us as you have done Neither did God or Christ ever teach you to utter forth those Scoffing Expressions against G. F. and the People of God as may be seen in the 40th Page of the Hat-Spirit and it is the Hat-Spirit indeed for it is not the Spirit of God And in pag. 3 4. of your Tyranny and Hypocrisie there it is said Our Principles are far different from what we profess openly and that we act upon the same Principles as the Court of Rome Oh Lyes and Malitious Men All these are your invented Lyes for you and the Court of Rome we deny your Spirit and Power who are of the same Spirit that would murder us as the Papists did formerly your Spirit is favoured How we invite People to Christ both in publick and private the Lord knows to whom we leave you for him to deal with you according to your Works And in the 7th page of your Hypocrisie and Tyranny it is said For if every Man upon pain of Sin walk according to the Light in his own particular then he cannot without Sin walk according to the Light in G. F. or others when that is diverse or contrary from his own As for your Light as Christ said It is Darkness your Works and Words do manifest it who are condemned with the Light which G. F. and we and others walk in which is the Light of Christ Jesus which makes you to Rage and then we know that you cannot bear our Judgment nor G. F's and therefore such as pretend the Light of Christ and are Haters and Persecutors with your Tongues of them that walk in the Light we have no Unity with you as before But you often with Aggravations and Malice quote G. F. and scoffingly say your Elders throwing Dirt at them to make them Odious amongst such as your selves putting your Bear-Skins upon them that you may set the Dogs upon them And we and G. F. do know the things of God by the Spirit of God and the Scripture doth not reveal the Scripture but the Spirit of God is it that leads into all Truth and it is the same that is revealing the Father to us And whereas you make a great Complaint in the 16th page of the Quakers not letting some of you Bury in their Burying-Ground Indeed when some of you Hat-Men have come with Railing and Abusive Terms against us with Abusive Language and called us worse then the Priests and when his Child has dyed then the Father of such a Child has come to us to have a Grave not out of any Conscience but to save his Money we have bid him then go to the Priest whom he counted better then we with whom he had Fellowship And such Loose Persons that live not in the Truth We cannot be Witnesses of their Marriages for we Marry none but are Witnesses and well might J. B. deny William Mucklow who Ranter-like kept on his Hat in Prayer we have no Unity with such Uncomely Practices And J. Osgood and others may praise God that they see your Folly and have given a Sufficient Testimony concerning your Spirit It seems you are tormented because G. F. sent for two Kings and the Emperor which came to hear him in America and were tender you wanted something to stuff up your Book withal had they been Malitious it would have pleased you And whereas you Scoff at our Order of Marriage page 21 22. and call it G. F's Order We must tell you It is the Order and Practice of the Holy Men of God mentioned in Scriptures who took one another before Witnesses And whereas you Wickedly say We Contradict one another in the Light and Spirit This is all like the rest for such as you we can savour You Hat-Men who have pretended to lean upon the Lord but have and some have had a Bitter Cup for it And G. F's words were true in time of J. P's Wearing his Hat in Prayer if all be left to the Free Spirit of God there had been no such Reasoning about the Hat in Prayer which you should have printed the rest of G. F's words how that we denyed the Wearing the Hat in Prayer in the Ranters in the time of J. N. and also in the time of J. P. and did
Shepherd and a Stranger will they not hear Who is this Stranger Not alwayes False Doctrine but a False Spirit covered with True Doctrine They shall come in my Name that is pretending Authority from me and speaking my Words not having my Spirit Christ's Spirit within is his Voice within and 't is that alone gives to discern the Strange Voice let it come with never such True Words Had Christ left his Churches destitute of this Touch-Stone they had been imposed upon by every False Spirit and his Flock devoured by every Wolf in Sheeps Cloathing Sheep know Sheep not only by Sight but Instinct and Wolves too For if Shepherds be of Authority they tell us that if a Wolf be near though out of Sight the Sheep will bleat their Antipathy So do the Sheep of Christ know each other by the Instinct of that Divine Nature they are mutually Partakers of and by it do they discern the Wolf within notwithstanding the Sheep's Cloathing without It was for this end they were to have Salt in themselves the Anointing and Spirit in themselves that they might see relish and discern thereby who were so Salted Anointed and Spirited which in the ground could never be visibly discerned 2ly The second Question I also take in the Affirmative and for which there is both express Scripture and Unanswerable Reason This is seen in the very case of Alexander the Copper-Smith who was denyed and rejected notwithstanding that he made Profession of Christianity And there is cause to believe that the Difference began from his emulous Spirit 's taking Occasion against the Apostles Authority and the Power of the Elders in the Church It was doubtless for something not unlike to this that Paul complained of him to Timothy Alexander the Copper-Smith did me much wrong of whom be thou ware also for he hath greatly withstood our Words Which is the very State and Character of the present Apostates Who pretend with Alexander not to withstand Truth or Christianity but a Lordly Paul Timothy or such like eminent Labourers They pretend to own the Churches but deny some of their Leading Ministers That this was Alexander's Disease the next Verse proves At my first Answer no Man stood with me but all Men forsooke me I pray God it may not be laid to their Charge Who was this People but the Church for of the Heathen it could not be said And what was Alexander's aim besides Ambition I mean to discredit the Apostle that he might gain the Repute and being him down from that Authority God had given him in the Church that he might usurp it to himself What did the Apostle do in the like case shrink No Hear him For though I should boast somewhat more of our Authority which the Lord hath given us for Edification and not for your Destruction I should not be ashamed 2 Cor. 10 8. But no more of this at present That Christ as well gave his Church Power to reject as to try Spirits is not hard to prove That notable Passage Go tell the Church does it to our hand For if in case of private Offence betwixt Brethren the Church is made absolute Judge from whom there is no Appeal in this World how much more in any the least Case that concerns the Nature Being Faith and Worship of the Church her self The Judgment Christ passeth in the matter is sufficient to the Resolution of our Question But if he neglect to hear the Church let him be unto thee as a Heathen and a Publican This I say on the Account of those Apostates who pretend to be the Men they ever were For this Man that works with their Tooles is upon his own Principle as much an Heathen and a Publican as any thing else and tells us to boot that it is dangerous to be of any one Party Therefore not of the true Churche's Party I omit any particular recital of the Apostle Paul's frequent earnest Dehortations from so much as keeping company with perverse Disputers about needless Questions or any that infested the Church and disturbed her Peace and that Practice in which she was at first setled with unprofitable Novelties under what Pretence soever They that can read may find in his Epistles enough to this purpose 'T is true They used no corporal Violence or any civil Power to punish such obstinate Dissenters nor is that Unchristian Practice so much as any part of the Question But first to reprove and admonish and in case of Persistance then to disown and reject which is a part of the Question and a part of the Scripture too And indeed it is most reasonable that as a Civil so a Christian Society should have this Power to preserve it self from the Taints Infections of hurtful Spirits for such tend not to further Knowledge Increase in Holiness or Peace but Strifes and Divisions Animosities and Rents Backbitings and Revenge to the laying waste of God's holy Heritage 3ly The third Question we also accept in the affirmative That men may believe confess and subscribe to the Truth of the Doctrine of the Vniversality Sufficiency and immediate Teachings of the Light as to Faith and Worship and yet be declined from the living Sense Power and Ordering of it so as to be acted by a wrong Spirit to Divisions and notwithstanding plead his Following of the Light within against the Judgment of the Church who reproves him for so doing In short that a man may follow a Wrong Spirit when he thinks he follows the Right and though he ought to follow the Light and Spirit yet is to be judged when he does not act thereby though he may think he doth by such as walk thereby In this the Scriptures of Truth are very positive The Jews owned the Law at what time they rebelled against it and thought they acted according to Scripture when by their Traditions they made it of none Effect There was a certain Generation that were pure in their own Eyes That is believed themselves to be of a Right Spirit whom the holy Ghost reproved for being guided by a Wrong one It was no other State then this that Christ spoke of when he said If therefore the Light that is in thee be Darkness how great is that Darkness Some doubtless acted by Virtue of this Darkness not as Darkness but as Light Was it therefore Light because they thought so When it is manifest that they were against Christ the true Light as you are now Or would the Plea of such an one be so valid against the Body of a Church walking in the true Light as to disengage any from her judgment Or must we therefore conclude that the Light is not a Rule for Men to walk by because some mistake or swarve from it Or that he who calls his dark Imagination a Motion of Light is therefore not to be condemned because it is every Man's Duty to follow the True Light Shall this Position I say
Moderate and basely Treacherous to their Ancient Friends If being Base to God and Men can render Men Christian then they deserve to be so accounted of But till Religion cometh to be read Backwards let them go for Enemies to Christianity and Murderers of Natural Affection To conclude OUr Ministry is of God it stands in the Power of the Living Spiritual Gift of God to testifie against all Ungodliness And if any Particular has ever slipt and brought Dishonour to the Truth such hath been Reproved in Righteousness and only Received upon Unfeigned Repentance which is God's Way But to Publish Proclaim and Aggravate Miscarriages of Any to the World who profess Religion committed many years ago Examin'd Judg'd and they Forgiven upon Repentance by the Lord and therefore Received again by us and all this done with Design to Blast our Credit Disgrace the Way we profess though they were no way concerned to meddle or interpose To do all this I say is not to be acted by the Spirit of God but That of an Accursed Ham and Treacherous Judas and the Lord will avenge our Cause we doubt not in due time But an Hainous Blasphemy is laid to the Memory of Josiah Coale by this Angry Agent in behalf of these Apostates and that is a Passage in a Letter writ anciently by him in his Life-time to G. Fox viz. That G. F. was the Father of many Nations But what Blasphemy is in this Is it any more then to say That by him as an Instrument in the Hand of God People of many Nations have been by him begotten to God Was not Paul a Father of many Nations who begot the Corinthians that were Greeks and the Romans that were Latins But further Whose Life hath reached through us thy Children even to the Isles afar off to the begetting of many again unto a lively Hope for which Generations to come shall call thee Blessed Very well And what Blasphemy lodges in these Words Is not that which is the Life of one Good Man the Life of another Were not the Christians of old by One Spirit baptized into One Body What Life G. F. had was from Christ Jesus and it was no other Life J. Coale writ of And I hope The Life of Christ is one in All and who can limit it And Josiah Coals with others were Children in the Sense afore-mentioned and that Life through those Children by him instrumentally begotten did reach to those Isles afar off unto which he and others went to preach the Everlasting Gospel Paul reached to the Churches though afar off 2 Cor. 13 10. He was Present in Spirit though Absent in Body for I verily as Absent in Body BUT PRESENT IN SPIRIT have judged already as though I were present In the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ when ye are gathered and MY SPIRIT in the Power of the Lord Jesus Christ cast forth and taken in too upon Repentance without going to the Lord Major and Aldermen 1 Cor. 5.3 4. His Life and Hope was through Timothy Titus and others extended unto many And why shall not Generations to come call an Apostle Blessed and bless the Name of the Lord for him respecting the Benefit any such one might be in God's Power to a People Is not the Memory of the Just Blessed Prov. 10.7 And did not the Lord by his Prophet say of Israel his People I will make thee an Eternal Excellency and the Joy of many Generations Isa 60.57 What if J. Coale had so spoak of G. F. and God's Israel now Would it have been Blasphemy But these Err not knowing the Scriptures nor the Power of God like the Jews of old But yet again whose Being and Habitation is in the Power of the Highest And so is the Being and Habitation of every Child of God or else he is in the Power of the Lowest the God of the World whose Habitation is in Darkness Are we not to turn away from such as stand not in the Power of Godliness And did not the Apostle go to turn People from the Power of Satan unto the Power of God which is the Power of the Highest And is it notwithstanding Blasphemy to stand in it or testifie of one that doth stand in it that he doth so stand Oh the Idle Opposition but great Envy of our Enemies They seek nothing less then the Blood of this Upright Man as the next Words and their Aggravation of them prove In which Thou Rulest Governest in Righteousness and thy Kingdom is establisht in Peace and the Increase thereof is without End Upon this our Adversary takes frequent Occasion scoffingly to call him King George suggesting him to be so vile an Impostor as to assume unto himself the Compleat and Peculiar Dignity Dominion and Authority due to Christ See Pag. 53 54 55. Which Blasphemy I am of the Mind our Adversary thinks deservedly Punishable after the Severest Sort of Death But he unworthily traduceth that Good Man and layes the Harmless Scripture-Expressions of a departed Servant of the Lord upon the Tenters or Rack that he may stretch them to his own Vile and Bloody Purposes Hath this Man forgot that there were ever such Passages writ as these The Good Seed are the Children of the KINGDOM Mat. 13.28 The KINGDOM of God is within Luke 17.20 The Saints shall JUDGE the World 1 Cor. 6.2 3. But ye are a ROYAL Priesthood 1 Pet. 9.2 And thou the Lamb hast made us unto our God KINGS and PRIESTS and we shall RAIGN on the Earth Rev. 5.10 And I appoint unto you a KINGDOM as my Father hath appointed unto me that ye may Eat and Drink at my Table in the Kingdom and JUDGE on Thrones the Twelve Tribes of Israel Luke 22.29 30. It is the Father's good Pleasure to give you a KINGDOM Luke 12.23 who hath translated us into the KINGDOM of his dear Son 1 Col. 13. the Untranslated therefore Rage Wherefore we have received a KINGDOM that cannot be shaken Hebr. 12.28 they then had it I beheld and the same Horn made War with the Saints and prevailed against them untill the Ancient of Dayes came and JUDGMENT was given to the SAINTS of the Most High and Time came that the SAINTS POSSESSED THE KINGDOM WHOSE KINGDOM IS AN EVERLASTING KINGDOM Dan. 7.21 22 27. By all which it is manifest that it is the Priviledge of every Saint and Child of God to be a King a Royal Priest to bave a Kingdom and to Rule Govern and Raign in Righteousness and Peace without End So that Josiah Coale and every Heir and Co heir with Christ Rom. 8.17 doth as well Raign in an Everlasting Kingdom of Righteousness as G. F. doth or shall do for we have One Faith One Baptism One Power One Lord One Kingdom Where let it be noted that by all these Titles and Priviledges we only mean and understand Dominion over Not Bodies nor Souls Not Flesh nor Blood but in the Sense of the Apostle Ephes 6.12
against the True Israel and are publishing the condemned Stuff in their Garth that the Gartbites might boast for mark the words in page 70. of those that Consent with the Hat-Men It seems that they have got a Feast of that Condemned Stuff of which some had done Wrong and were heartily Sorry and Condemned and these Vagabond Quakers the Hat-Men have presented them a Dish of it which they make Musick of but the sober Reader may see there is no Concord in it but Mischief and Envy And as for Benj. Furley's Paper which you Hat-Men and others feed upon who formerly were in that Practice amongst you Has not he Condemned it So that which he hath Condemned is Meat for you Vagabond Quakers And That which Isaac Penington when he was with you Hat-Men favouring you gave forth concerning it Hath not he Condemned it and his Motion therein And That which G. F. gave forth in his Book to the Jews which you Elimas-like bring to pervert the Way of Truth was it not given forth concerning the Hat to Magistrates and not concerning the Wearing the Hat in Prayer to God for which he was fined Forty Pound in Oliver's dayes Nay are not some of those Men Offended at it now that pervert G. F's words which were only putting off the Hat to Magistrates and not concerning putting off it to God at Prayer as before said as the Apostle câ—mmands who was in the True Light and the Holy Ghost who said That Men should Pray Vncovered therefore sayes this Hat-Spirit and those that Consent with them That the Quakers are fallen from their Principles No they are the Hat-Men that are fallen And perhaps some of them are offended at our Hats for not giving them the Hat-Honour for we know their Ambition in other Pâ—wers dayes And we have suffered more in other Powers dayes about not putting off our Hats to Magistrates then we have in these Powers dayes and it may be some of them are ashamed of their Names and dare not bring them forth to Light that have been of that old Persecuting Party But William Penn has answered sufficiently to the Rational concerning this But it may be the Workers in the Dark will murmur and therefore they put their Work upon a Baptist a Stationer to Name it and to get it Licensed and in the mean time they lurk in the Dark But if we should gather up all the Failings of particular Persons among the Baptists and Fifth Monarchy-Men and others in this City and Country and beyond the Seas we might make a Book big enough and we might make a Book of the Hat-Mens Failings which they know well enough but all those things we leave to God and all Good Men to judge as knowing among us the Members of Christ who is the Head of our Body that we do not admit of any Uncleanness amongst our selves nor that which cometh publick to the World but in the Power of Christ Jesus and in his Light and Spirit we do judge such things amongst our selves let them be private or publick to clear the Truth and that no Scandals may lye upon it and the Name of God and Christ may not be Blasphemed God and all good Men know this and according to Gospel-Order they are and have been dealt withal which admits of no Impurity And it is much these Hat-Men and their Companions and those that consented with them did not Clamour against Moses and the Law of God because that so many amongst the Israelites ran into Fornication but these are of Core's Spirit and Dathan and Abiram's Spirit that offered a Strange Fire who will be consumed with it that gainsayes And it was much they did not Rail against Peter and Paul and tell that to the World when Paul withstood Peter concerning Circumcision and yet he circumcised Timothy And it is much that these Clamourers did not clamour against Christ concerning Peter his Cursing and Swearing But these Confederates with the Hat-Men that are those that plead for Wearing the Hat in Prayer Ranter-like seem very much to Commend J. Pennyman and his Wife as though we did not know them but they and their Spirit is known witness his Action at the Exchange and their Voluptuous Doings at Merchant-Tailers Hall which we leave to the Law of God and all good Men to judge And this Spirit of the Hat saith how did the Lord raise many to go forth to preach the Everlasting Gospel in his Power c. pag. 10 70 71. and then these Hat-Men with their Confederates are angry because G. F. speaks of no Liberty but in the Power and pervert his Words as though Conscience should not have Liberty in the Power and now it s clearly manifâ—st to all People what Spirit these Hat-Men are of with their Confederates that they would have a Liberty out of the Power for were not G. F's Words that People's Liberty should be in the Gospel Liberty in the Power of God because G. F stands for the Power of God which was first received and their Liberty therein and the â—iberty in Christ that made them free whâ—ch were his Words and these Hat-Men and their Confederates who are out of the Power of God would have Liberty of their Consciences out of Christ the Power of God therefore you may see from what these Peoples Motions are and in what their Consciences have Liberty for them that plead for Liberty of Conscience and plead for Sin as long as they live and a Purgatory when they are dead and such and these Hat-Men and them that consent to them would have a Liberty out of the Power of God and yet go under the Name of Christians And is not this a plain Contradiction in these Hat-Men and them that consent with them who confess that we the People of God called Quakers went forth in the Power of God in pag. 10. and in pag. the 12. he terms G. F. a Papist because he saith There is no Liberty out of the Power of God But you should have put it in your Book true Liberty in the Gospel and the Liberty in Christ Jesus according to G. F's Words But I must tell you All your Liberty of Conscience out of Christ Jesus the Power of God is Bondage both to the Soul Body Spirit and Conscience Where note that by Liberty of Conscience G. F. did not speak of Outward Exercise in Worship for with such Libertines we have no Unity and all your Liberty out of Truth out of the Power of God the Gospel and out of Christ Jesus with all your Motions is in the Power of Darkness And your Hat-Liberty keeping on your Hats in time of Prayer which you much speak of which was imposed upon us as being Heathenish Romish and in the Curse and â—ursed by J. P. as his printed Paper manifests printed by one of your Company who would have thrust it among us as a higher Glory as some Vagabond Quakers stand for it to this Day and
also deny the Practice and Principle and directed People to keep in the Power and Spirit that the Apostle was in who said Men should Pray Vncovered as they did in the Apostles dayes And whereas you liken us to the Church of Rome pag. 25. scoffingly It is no matter to us if the Pope profess God and Christ and put off his Hat when he prayes we shall not deny God nor Christ nor keep on our Hats when we pray because of that And in pag. 29. you make a great Out-Cry because we said in our Declaration We alwayes paid our Taxes and then you say An Honest-hearted Woman paid none We know she was a Whimsical Woman and whither her Whimsies carried her viz. Mary Boreman now called Mary Pennyman And whereas you say they are not afraid to speak evil of Dignities G. F. and his Adherents and such as exalt themselves This is Spight and Malice and much such Stuff is in the 30 th page not worth taking notice of for Dignity is the Power of God which G. F. and we own and they are the Body of Christ that are in it You cannot exalt your selves above it nor the Doctrine of Truth that is in Ancient Friends which the Devil is out of who are made God's Free Men and Women by it and God has given us Power and Spirit to judge such Envious Spirits as this Book comes from and so we have no Unity with such that be out of the Truth neither can we have any hand in publishing their Books and we have a care of them that are printed on the Truth 's Account And whereas you say that none may be permitted to publick Business but these that seek the Good of all that is submit to the Body of G. F. and his Party Here is Envy and Lyes again Where were there ever such Words spoken to submit to the Body of George Fox and his Party may not the least feel the Devilish Spirit in these Words for we would have all to submit to the Body which Christ is the head of and such in Christ's Power and Spirit are fit to do Business in the Church that seek the Good of all and we limit not the Lord but would have all obey him in his true Light in which there is Fellowship And whereas you say some of our Hearers have been weary of our long Preaching Answ It is like they were such as John Pennyman and othe Apostatet who come crying against us in a publick Meeting like the World And as for John Perrot who is gone we do very well know what he was and what Imaginations he went into though he and you lay it falsly upon the Lord and we contradicting him and his Practice in Wearing his Hat and Covering his Head in Prayer was not only from G. F. but the Apostles and if J. Perrot and his Party did speak against G. F. and us because we could not own your keeping on your Hats when you prayed upon his or your pretended Motion but then and now make these Out-cryes against us who have kept our Habitation and you are found in another Spirit then the Apostles were in who said Men should be Vncovered c. And you scoffingly say if J. Perrot he condemned Fox cannot stand Why because Perrot pretended a Revelation to do that which the Apostle forbids but poor People you have manifested your selves and thus you are angry because G. F. and others cannot change like you to your Hat-Spirit And whereas thou speaks to a Declaration and Scurrilous Paper pag. 37. thou shouldst have printed the whole Declaration that People might have seen what it was which Declaration was against Wickedness Uncleanness and Scandalous Books and Papers against us And for John Pennyman I never heard any one say otherwise of him but that it was a mad and wicked Action to which the Devil lead him when he followed his Motions to the Exchange to burn his Books and what did he carry the Bible and the Book of Martyrs there for think you And whereas you make a great Business of Tho. Ibbit of Huntingtonshire Friends were tender to him and though he had a true Prophecy and a Sight of the Fire yet he afterwards confest the exceeded and saw himself And why do you mention G. F. who was above 100. Miles off at that time this doth shew the Venom of your Tongues And you say you have seen the Forgery of G. F. in the Name of the Lord contradicted the Elders but this is like the rest And though J. Pennyman and his Company have been scraping up this many Years these things which they have published in Print where did they ever go to admonish any one or to speak by one or two or three to them according to Christ's Doctine but this are the Doings of False Brethren and as for John Swinton he saw his Errors when he leaned towards you which his condemned Stuff is Meat for such Envious Spirits as you are And in their 43. pag. they jeer and scoff and call a Meeting at Bull and Mouth G. F's Court or Murderously call it King Fox's Court when G. F. never had been at Bull and Mouth Meeting since it was burned down and many Scoffing Words are in the said 43. page scarce worth mentioning And in page 44. you say that J. Pennyman complains and tells the World in his refusing to sign a Certificate of Wm. Sparrorow's he received a Check from G. F. and for advising that others should not subscribe to that which they were ignorant of We never put any to subscribe that which they were not willing to for that was but a civil thing concerning Wm. Sparrow's Certificate and this is many Years since that J. Pennyman has kept this in store in his malicious Heart And in Pag 46. the Paper which R. D. sent up of R. Wâ—iâ—'s to advise Friends upon his Death-Bed was not contrary to G. F's Doctrine and Practice he was not advised to any thing beyond his Freedom and therefore G. F. is clear of that Aspersion For the Man was advised by me and nothing was imposed upon him but the matter was declared unto him and left to his Freedom to do as he would and he was well satisfied till Mary Boreman and such as she put Doubts and Fears into his Mind and made him question that he had done and Judge himself to have done wrong which indeed it was not so And whereas you say in your Tyranny and Hypocrisie He will not count himself Obliged to keep off his Hat by Vertue of G.F. his Law Answ Here is more of your Wickedness for we do it from an Inward Principle of Truth and from the Power Spirit of God as the Apostle laid down in Reverence to God and thou mayest call it the Apostles Law yet some of the Hat-Men have pretended Motion and some in Opposition in their Wills and there are many Lyes in that page which are not worth mentioning And
in the Holy Ghost Is not it established in Peace in the Heart and are not the Saints Heirs of the Kingdom and of the Life that hath no End and is not the Power of God Spiritual and Divine And because it is said G. F. has reached through his Children afar off to the begetting of many to a lively Hope And what then doth not the Apostle say many Members yet one Body they were baptized by one Spirit into one Body and though they were absent in the Body yet present in the Spirit and that it did reach one unto another mark reach which was the Spirit and Power of Christ in which was their Fellowship and Union Do you not manifest your dark hat-Hat-Spirit here And the Life of Christ that has begotten G. F. the same it is that doth reach and beget others to God and that Spirit is blest which begets and brings out of the Curse he was blest and is blest in all Generations and who are of Faith are of Abraham who was the Father of many Nations And a great deal of malitious Stuff is in your Book which all that are sober can savour it from what a Blood-thirsty Spirit it is come who would fain stir up the People against us and the Powers but your Envy is seen And if any have gone out into any Uncleanness or Looseness it hath been a Grief to our Souls and a Wounding to our Spirits to see Goâ— his Truth and his People dishonoured and they have not been received amongst us again but by Repentance which is according to the Mind of the Lord and Practice of Christ his Apostles And why are these Apostates so mad that G. F. should inherit the Kingdom of God that is Everlasting Are not Christ's Words Seek the Kingdom of God first and all things shall follow and because he and thousands more have found the Kingdom of God this torments you that are in the Kingdom of Darkness and whosoever will receive the Kingdom must receive it as a little Child but you are too big for it and you that trust your own Riches Inward and Outward cannot enter the Kingdom Luke 18. and was not the Kingdom of God to be preached but you do not love to hear talk of it but you that once set your Hand to the Plough and look back are not fit for the Kingdom of God And is it not said the Kingdom of God is come to you Luke 10. and was it not said to the Backsliding Pharisees like you that the Kingdom was taken from them Is nâ—t this your Condition has not the little Flock a Kingdom but you shall weep and gnash your Teeth when you see Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom and your selves shut out for the Kingdom stands not in Word but in Power and are not the good Seed the Children of the Kingdom and will not God establish his Seed for ever And now John Pennyman and William Mucklow I have a few words to you who like Brethren in Iniquity have joyned together to betray the Innocent It had been better for you that A Milstone had been hanged about your Necks and you cast into the Sea then that you should have done what you have done And as for thee J. Pennyman Thou hast long been full of Envy and though Friends sought to preserve thee if it might be and to keep thee out of the Evil yet I feared this would come upon thee knowing that there was a Murderous Spirit in thee and now thou hast fully manifested it against G. F. and others of the Saints but Wo and Misery will be thy Portion if thou dost not Repent for thou hast set thy self against the Truth and art joyned with the Enemies of Christ to Persecute his Followers And thou hast been a long time a Persecutor of me as thou knowest and now thou vents thy Malice against my Brethren but I can say God forgive thee if it be his Will but I fear thou are wholely shut up in Darkness and so for Destruction And this was upon my Heart to write unto thee who am and alwayes desire to be a Servant to the Truth which thou despisest called Ellis Hooks THus Reader hast thou the Testimonies of several Persons named in that Libel some of whom are more obscure others more known their Truth and Honesty shall speak for them I will not But most of them are too Noted for Worth and Integrity to be doubted upon a Libel stuffed with that Rage Treachery Slander and Scoff We might also produce the Condemnations of three Persons against themselves the first Letters of whose Names are unworthily mentioned by the Libeller but the Truth is sufficiently cleared and their Addition would give the Book too great a Bulk we rather wish It had been many Sheets less knowing that great Books are seldom read in this Careless and Impatient Age only Reader be pleased to Consider the Deceit of this Adversary and how ready he is to stretch any thing to slander and defame both Particulars and a Society The Spirit of the Hat charg'd our Ministry with Whoredoms and Strumpets in the present tense This Apologizer tells the World our Answer was Evasion because we took it so for sayes he the Book meant it of time past that the Book meant no such thing unless a thing means quite otherwise then it sayes read the Passage Next what is that to us if a Judas or Demas that received part of the Ministry fall into the Evil of this World again can we do any more then Condemn it and we did nothing less Is that to prove our Ministry Vitious to tell a Story perhaps seven or ten Years since of any one or two that have at times opened their Mouth in our Assemblies Oh! God the Righteous and Terrible Judge will reckon with this Ungodly Libeller and those Base Murdering Judasses that have furnisht him with this dirty Trash God will clear our Innocency and detect their Envy and Hypocrisie more convincingly to all the World and that dreadful black and Stormy Day that hastens to try and win now the Nations will scatter them and their Mischievous Designs when God will preserve us in his Fear and Counsel by his Power to his Eternal Praise and our Consolation World without End W. P. A Postscript To the READER Concerning the Vnity of our Adversaries against us amidst the great Discord they are at amongst themselves HOw hearty these Men are in their Envy against us and Hatred to the Way we profess is very discernable from their close Confederacy and strict Union who are as remote and differing from and absolutely contradictory to one another in their Faith Worship and Discipline as to the Quakers themselves against whom they have combined They are made up of some Presbyterians Independents Anabaptists Socinians and Apostates from us A strange Medley of Adversaries and stranger that there should be such Union to Mischief But let us view some of their Principles
Judas and the Jews Combined against Christ and his Followers BEING A Re-joynder to the late Nameless Reply called Tyranny and Hypocrisie Detected made against a Book entituled The Spirit of Alexander the Copper-Smith Rebuked c. which was an Answer to a Pamphlet called The Spirit of the Hat In which Truth is cleared from Scandals and the Church of Christ in her Faith Doctrine and just Power and Authority in Discipline is clearly and fully vindicated against the malicious Endeavours of a Confederacy of some Envious Professors and Vagabond Apostate Quakers By a Member and Servant of the Church of Christ William Penn. To which are added several Testimonies of Persons concern'd He that Dippeth his Hand with me in the Dish the same shall betray me Mat. 26.23 They went out from us but were not of us 1 Joh. 2.19 In Perils among false Brethren 2 Cor. 11.26 Nevertheless the Foundation of God stands sure 2 Tim. 2.19 Printed in the Year 1673. Judas and the Jews Combined against Christ and his Followers The Introduction THe Just Defence of our so much Reviled Principles and Persons is so ill resented by our Enemies that instead of publickly Recanting their Injustice They repute us more Criminal for so doing then themselves in first Traducing us It is become a sort of Petty Treason to Reprove them they are grown almost incorrigible and to Controle them though in a Lye is hateful so much more do they prefer our Destruction then the Truth it self or their own Reputation Strange That it should be reputed Innocency to Accuse the Guiltless and Guilt to Defend them Are we of God then shall we stand maugre your Assaults if not we shall fall without them What need this Clubbing for Mischief and Caballing to our Ruin The Jews I believe never studied the Crucifying of Christ more vehemently then you vigorously combine and plot the Massacring of our Names Credit and Principles out of the World yea and we have Cause to suspect our Persons too or else this Socinian-Defender of the Hat-Spirit would never have told the World in almost so many words that Blasphemers were to dye by the Law of God and the Quakers are Blasphemers every Man can make the Conclusion that understands what a Conclusion is see pag. 23. It s a Work becomes Darkness for such I call your Nameless Pamphlet in which you have abused Vertuous and Good People by Name not daring to stand the Test of putting your Names to your Abuses against which can be no Fence but Innocency and that remains Unshaken by all your Blustering Epithetes That rests with God who will quell your swelling Rage and speedily Rebuke that great Herricane your Envy has raised to over-set us in our Voyage to Eternal Rest But he that said to Moses in an Hour of Straight Stand still and thou shalt see my Salvation has once and again Comforted us under all these Discouragements Neither are your Combinations Terrible No though Evil Spyes have been your Informers Our greatest Trouble is your own Hardening and we are sorry to see you make so much haste to old Jerusalem's Portion For us we know in whom we have believed And as he that feedeth the Fowls of the Air and clotheth the Lillies of the Field preserves us so that your Buffettings may prove our Tryals but in the End your own Judgments For however you buoy your selves up by the Acceptance you find with some Airy or Prejudiced Spirits God will certainly enter into Judgment with you for your Envious Proceeding who not being able to carry on your own Controversies now list your selves Combatants for a few stragling Apostates not out of Love to true Quakers but Hatred to such as are so What Sense is there in believing you only intend a False Quaker who have writ and abetted those Writings that are against us as Quakers at all But what shall I say It is an Age grown to that Degree of Impiety that there is no Friendship so Strait no Relation so Near no Truth so Evident nor Life so Innocent that some Men are not hardy and wicked enough to Break Violate and Slander to Avenge some supposed Wrong or gratifie an Emulous Spirit Controversie End upon Socinian Principles c. is risen now in one about the Hat on in Prayer What Variety of Shapes do our Adversaries put on to compass their Ends It has been their Practice first to Abuse our Principles and then Rail at our Defences and for Vindicating our Religion to fall foul upon our Persons and those chiefly who are most active in that Service There needs no other Demonstration of this then the Scurrilous Libel now to be considered which with me carries so Mischievous an Aspect that the Parties concerned in these Undertakings do by it proclaim they only want as much Power as Will to send us and our Principles to New-England for a Venture God deliver us from those Magistrates that are as Angry in Government as these Men are in Religion But this is our Joy That these Enemies speak all manner of Evil against us falsly for our Lord and Saviour's sake We maintain our Principles that angers them Miscarriages joy them whatever they pretend And if they can bring some Writers and Preachers out of Request they think they do their Business But we cannot believe that Sober and Judicious Persons will think the worse of us or our Cause for these Malicious Endeavours against it We have only to do with some old Adversaries new Vampt with the Slanderous Stories of some modern Apostates Had not Judas helpt the Jews had been to seek A few Vagabond Quakers are their Intelligencers it s all but a piece of Treachery and Envy And truly 't is fit we should be tryed as well by False Friends as Professed Enemies that in all things we may approve our selves compleat Conquerors through the Invincibe Power and to the alone Honour of that Eternal Truth professed by us And so we enter upon the Libel it self VVE are told in the Title Page of the Libel That it was writ in Defence of a Letter entituled The Spirit of the Hat and against the Deceitful Defective and Railing Answer called The Spirit of Alexander c. Indeed it is wonderful strange that to Reprove an Apostate should be reputed Railing and that this Secretary to this New-founded Cabal should Practiâ—e it in censuring it He cannot forbear it in his Title Page He begins with â—YRANNY AND HYPOCRISIE DETECâ—ED which Four Words he explains to us thus Or a furtheâ— Discovery of the Tyrannical Government Popish Principles and Vile Practices of the now Leading Quakers In all which if there be no Reviling there is no such thing in the World for these Words reach to the End of all Villany Meek Man that he would be thought who seems to engross Railing into a Company and seems not so Angry at it in us as that we use it Unlicenced of his Cabal for he exerciseth it at such a rate in
Checking it as if he might do it cum Privilegio But it right-well agrees with the Advocate of an Apostate Cause I complain of nothing in this kind more then that we must not Rebuke Ill-Language without being guilty of it Nay such is the Peevishness of our Adversaries that to mention theirs is Criminal But we shall run the hazard of their Frowns rather then be false to the Truth or wanting to our selves in its proper place Let it suffice that the Title manifestly speaks what the Libel vainly condemns This Secretary I suppose in the Name of the Cabal begins his Libel thus How dangerous a thing it is for a Man to engage himself publickly for any singular Party upon the Account of Religion is greatly manifest in the Leading Quakers and especially in W. Penn from whose Parts and Education one would expect more then ordinary Candor and Ingennity By which I perceive he is from a Rageing Socinian become an Vniversalian But why then so bitter against us Sure he is a Party in that and how Dangerous a thing it is Time will more fully shew However he declares himself of no Party by which I suppose he excludes the Christian for the Prophane of that Time reputed him a Sectary and all must acknowledge him to be of a Party How I came to be of this Way is best known to God But thus much I must say that nothing short of the Divine Word of Life and Power has worked that Alteration upon me from what I once was to what I now am The Tryals Travels Tribulations and Exercises that from Fourteen Years of Age have attended me but more especially since I was brought to own and abet this Holy Way I now profess are too many to be related And from the Hour I was first convinced of this Eternal Truth to this of Writing this Discourse I can with Boldness declare to all the World I have had no other Aim nor End then God's Honour the Good of others and my own Salvation in the Day of the Lord. In short I have learned to turn my Back to the Smiter and my Cheek to the Plucker off of the Hair And it is not for any Adversary at this time a day under any Pretence of Parts and Education to Dis-ingage my Affection from this Right Way o◠the Lord Remembring my Lord made himself of no Reputation and that the Prophet was accounted Mad and the Apostles Drunk But he sayes I having imbarked my self amongst those People and having obtained a high Repute among them I betook my self to such pittiful Shifts Scurrilities and Bravings he is pincht to uphold their Detected Cause and Tottering Kingdom 't will stand forever as one would think could not proceed from any Man professing Christianity witness my late Controversal Writings especially my Winding-Sheet and Spirit of Alexander c. ibid. But I cannot expect to be Well-spoken of by mine Enemies especially when they declare themselves to be such because of that Way I so earnestly defend But this Man is not so Ignorant surely as to imagine I imbarkt my self among this People to obtain Repute or Grandeur who lost all with Men when first I came amongst them I would have my Implacable Enemies know that had no more Durable and Eternal Things been in my Eye I might have had my Share where more was to be got then amongst this Despised People but Envy is Blind and Rage Foolish For my Controversal Writings they stand Unanswered among the rest my Winding-Sheet and Spirit of Alexander c. the former being Unmedled with and the Strength of the latter fouly over-looked as we shall anon have occasion to shew perhaps it might have concerned him to clear himself of the Former before he had so weakly engaged himself in the Latter still Controversie is not Ended though Changed He tells the World That notwithstanding we call the Spirit of the Hat Lyes Forgery Defamation with abundance of Terms of the like Foxonian Leaven a scornful Nick Namer yet when we come to Particulars we either first confess what we deny with an idle Distinction except some few things or secondly acknowledge them by Silence or thirdly use some Deceitful Terms of Denyal which the Reader cannot discover or fourthly take an Occasion from some Circumstances perhaps not rightly set down to deny the whole Matter which doubtless are very bad things if true He has hereby rendred us not only no Christians but the worst of Men. All I can say at present is this It has never been my Practice to palliate that which cannot be justified or to treat any Adversary so deceitfully But 't is expected he should prove what he sayes or else we must invert the Character upon himself He tells us I suppose in order to prove what he hath said That W. P. doth in the Name of the Quakers acknowledge That the Complaint made in the Spirit of the Hat is true namely That we required him to yield to our Determination against his Conscience because the Body would have it so saying that was yielding to the Power And that I undertake in Opposition to the Author That his not so yielding but persisting is Dissension but our Disowning Excommunicating and Depriving of a Liberty of Marrying Burying c. any Person for that Cause is no Breach of the great Gospel-Charter This he sayes I Labour to do with the same Arguments Papists use against Protestants who pretend to no such Power and that they may be found every-where answered in Protestant Writings A mean Answer bu◠a notable Go-by in case I had so exprest my self but most forgedly does he deliver my words and tendency of them Was this Man chosen for your prime Tool of Controversie who can only tell one big Lye and then run away My Arguments forsooth are Popish there 's Confutation enough but with whom Ignorance and Prejudice An easie way to brand Reason and render the clearest Truth suspected in a Nation as abhorrent of Popery as this we live in a shameful Injustice that Sectaries should traduce us with that which was once their own suffering from others But what if I had us 〈◊〉 any Argument for the True Church which is employed by the Papist in Defence of a False one must Truth not be Truth in it self because Misappled And suppose the Protestant has answered the Papist Is that any Answer to me How great an Untruth has he told in his Title Page when he calls his Pamphlet A Defence of the Spirit of the Hat against the Spirit of Alexander who in four Pages after tells us he intends not to medle with the Arguments of it But Perhaps he will fault me for these People are very full of finding Fault though they mend none in themselves in that he has referred us to Protestant Writers A Defence boldly begged but never to be accepted of by me Does he think I must turn over Melanchton Chemnitius Oecolampadius Jewell Whitaker Reinolds and others
that all Men ought to follow the Light in themsâ—lves deprive the Church of the Power of Judging that for a dark Imagination which from the Savour and Sense of God's Light and Truth she feels to be so because some Person or Persons plead that they therein follow the Light This opens a Door to all Licentiousness and furnisheth every Libertine with a Plea What might have been said in this Case against the ancient Christians Every Man ought to walk in the Spirit and to be led by the Spirit Shall therefore any Man's Pretence to be led by the Spirit that is not secure him from the Judgment of those that are really led by the Spirit Or shall the Judgment of those who are led by the Spirit against him that pretends to be so led be reputed Tyranny and a going from the Leadings and Judgment of the Spirit to the Leadings and Judgment of Men Or because of granting the Light to be obeyed in all its Leadings and its Leadings to be waited for in order to Faith and Worship that therefore there is no way left to judge which are in the Wrong of the Two that equally say they are led by the same Light For if Men would come to the Salt Grace Truth and faithful Witness in themselves which only gives to discern and savour True Spirits from False ones they would hereby arrive at certain Knowledge in the Matter but where People stand they can never distinguish because they are from under the Conduct of that Spirit which alone reveals the deep things of God In short as no Man's saying he is in the Right ought to conclude him to be in the Right so neither can that hinder that he should not be found out by such as are in the Right Spirit to be in the Wrong if in it He that sayes he is ruled by the Scripture may err as well as he that sayes he is led by the Light therefore is he not to be censured Or is there no certain Way of knowing him to be in the Wrong It is the Spirit of Truth that opens the Truth of Scripture much more can it only give to relish Spirits Which leads to the last Question Whether the People called Quakers or those few stragling Followers of John Perrot are this True Church and acted by this Divine Light and Spirit yea or nay To answer this Question I shall keep very close to the Concessions of these present Apostates For it is not so much my Business at this time to prove us a True Church to them that never had any Relation to us as against those who acknowledge themselves once to have been of us but now decline us That God sent forth a Spiritual Ministry that many were gathered by it and setled in the Way of Everlasting Peace and called by the World Quakers the Author of the Spirit of the Hat fully confesseth pag. 9. That it was then the Church of God four lines after undeniably prove And the Lord did daily add â—nto the Church and raised up many to go forth in the Power to preach the Everlasting Gospel whereby the Church multiplyed and increased to the Astonishment of the Nations By this we see it was then the Church in their Opinion without dispute I would fain know it comes now to be no Church Has Her Refusing to conform to John Perrot's Innovation of the Hat on in time of publick Prayer unchurched Her I have hitherto thought that a Society's going from or adding to what it was when truly called a Church was that which only did Unchurch it and not its continuing as it was And if this be good Arguing The People called Quakers remain still the same Chruch but their Adversaries not the same Members In short where the first Occasion of Offence was given there was the first Breach of Unity Had the Church imposed upon them there would be some reason for varying of her Character and condemning her as Fallen But the Innovation being their own she is not accountable unto them but they to her for such unwarrantable Novelties so that the Question is not Whether the Quakers impose but Whether they did not innovate All was well till this Imagination was hatched The Spirit of Judgment and Burning had its course Their Vessells were filled with Refreshment Springs of Life broke out in their Bellies and Bread of Life dwelt within them They wanted no good thing as that Letter of the Hat relates If this may be credited How comes so sudden a Revolution that in a Years time the Mighty should be fallen the Stars ceased to give their Light the Poor distressed the Young Ones bruised and Conscience imposed upon by a Law Which wretched Deciet me-thinks should be obvious to every impartial Reader There is no Wisdom to believe Men so inconstant to their own Apprehensions and who of all times in which to prove this great Alteration should make Choice of that in which was so great a Persecution and so Noble a Testimony born for the Truth viz. 1662. But the Truth of the matter is this John Perrot who if he had been as faithful as his Companion might with him have been hanged at Rome as we have been informed to his own Comfort the Truth 's Honour and the Churches Peace came home as filled with Conceit as he pretended his Body had been oppressed with Sufferings which kindling so great a Love in the Hearts of some Tender Friends as they unwarily became Incouragers of his Ambition in their too high exilting and lamenting his Sufferings Which having rendered him Master of their Affections they most of them easily became Embracers of his Invention We had reason to believe it had almost been impossible for him ever to have made one Proselyte had not the noise of his Forreign Tryals disposed the Hearts of some affectionate People to receive his Impression He that will please to consider the improbable Account he vainly gave of his own Sufferings saying that since Adam's Day none had ever undergone the like his singular Style Proverbial Chapters in imitation of Solomon his Toyish conceited Rhymes his Title page of the Wren in the burning Bush waving her Wings of Contraction c. his peculiar Subscription which was generally JOHN and could not be so because there was no more of that Name amongst us but because he would be the JOHN of JOHNS and which is yet more ridiculous in a Letter to several grave Women your dear SISTER JOHN with his absurd new fangled bodily Greetings his most Papal Salutations to G. Fox E. Burroughs others by them rejected himself reproved as if he had spent his time in Learning all the Superlative Complements of Rome I say he that pleases to consider these things must needs think that the Man had lost his Guide and was dangerously elevated above the holy Fear of God and heavenly Life of the Truth and his Standing being soon discerned by several Weighty Friends he was
Spirit and committing of Disorder in Christian Assemblies as in Matter of Doctrine or any other essential part of Worship V. The generality of the Friends in the Nation renounced it where I cannot but take an Opportunity to defend a Passage in a private Letter writ by me upon the Entreaty of one of John Perrot's Disciples in much Kindness to satisfie and reclaim him and cited by the envious Author of Tyranny and Hypocrisie Detected pag. 25. W. P. saith that God hath given greater Judgment to his Church then to the individual Members of it is a true Position and the Church of Rome errs not in that but in accounting themselves a True Church These are not my very words a Disingenuity if I am not mistaken this Author wrote once almost a whole Book against however I abide by the Passage For if Christ bid individuals tell the Church yet the Church has no more Discerning or Judgements then they had themselves before such Appeal which can't be better'd by it away with Reason If in the multitude of Counsellors there be safety respecting Worldly Matters why not respecting Spiritual Matters supposing as we ever did that Gods Power Spirit presence preside in any such Church Body or Assembly This is more then the Cavil deserves but I was willing to express my mind more fully for the Readers Satisfaction VI. This Innovation brought with it Division instead of Unity Confusion instead of Order Heart-burnings instead of Love and diverted the minds of some from the more weighty things of God's living and spiritual Law VII Had it been never so Innocent it cost more then it was worth and their insisting so much upon it to the Disturbance of the Church's Concord was no small Evidence of the Wrongness of that Spirit which introduced and maintained it This shall sufficiently rebuke and judge both it and them that it added nothing to Life and SalvaÌ„tion nor to the Edification of the Body of Christ which is the End of every true Motion for it carryed neither interiour nor exteriour Homage Service or Benefit in the least either to Persons in their own Particulars or to the Church in general And whereas they frequently have accused the Body of our Friends which still remains as they once confest the Body of Christ of being guilty of Popish Customs in not being guilty of their Irreverence and that the Minds of People were not yet inwardly and spiritually exercised in Worship it is evident that their new-fangled Practice Dissent about it and continual Defence of it did more draw out the Minds of some people and exercise and perplex them about Postures and Gestures then ever they were before so that what they falsly charge upon the Church is their own proper Character Our Friends prudent Stop to this troublesome and endless sort of Innovation deserves none of those Hard Names these scurrilous Libels give both them and their Proceedings But they object something G. F. and my self have writ against Hat-Honour as that we should repute it an Earthly vain and mean thing minded only of Men in the Fall that if pulling off the Hat were true Honouring or Respecting Vile Persons would be the most Civil Real Respect is a more substantial Thing manifested by Obedience This our Adversary quotes out of G. F's Book called True Honour among the Jews and mine intituled No Cross no Crown But they forgot to be so ingenuous or on purpose would not be so just as to tell People that we writ against the fallen Honour of the Hat to Men. Because we deny it to Men must we therefore deny it to God No but we therefore deny it to Men because we give it only to God as one of those Gestures which outwardly distinguishes Worship to God from Ministry to Man But this is their Drift Ground of their citing those Passages that if it be so Mean and Earthly a thing to pull off the Hat to Man how comes it so Eminent a Gesture in Worship and why not esteemed as earthly and empty a thing in respect to Worship as Civil Honour I think I give the Force of their Objection and shall as easily answer it That which gives Weight to any Gesture is the Reason inducing to it and both the End and Frame of the Mind in using of it God's Spirit has required this before ever J. Perrot was born into so much as the Profession of our Living Way as a Testimony against the Ranting Spirit that was then very rise in this Nation and hath continued it amongst us as a Gospel Decent and Reverent Expression or Token of the Vnvailing of our Spirits to God in Prayer Now strip this Gesture or rather empty it of this solid Reason inducing and both take away that End and remove that Frame of Spirit in which that Gesture is used and truly we may then very well repute it a mean and beggarly thing for the Sons of Men to bluster about To have it in the Sence it is given to God they can not To have it without that Sence is to have an empty insignificant Gesture And should we allow of it what Distinction could be found to save us from performing that to Man which we do to God since the Gesture denotes none neither can and our Adversary denyes a Way to judge the Meanings of an Inward Spirit by Besides Man's requiring it upon an earnest Thirst after Honour that Posture which we only give to God in his own pure Worship makes the Doing of it Sinful if there were nothing else in it and therefore we deny it to Men at what time in the Reverence and deep Humility of our Spirits we give it to God out of which Sence it is nothing but in it acceptable and requisite We also â—now that Men in the Fall can give but Fallen Honour an◠〈◊〉 Gestures are invented or practised by a Fallen and Earthly Spirit the Respect they set upon them is not the true Honour and Respect but Fallen and Earthly In this Sence it is we call it Fallen Earthly and Vain More Substantial things may be so reputed as Prayer c. when not proceeding from a right Ground much more a Gesture relating to it Our Adversaries do ill to conclude so general They should have weighed that as we can give it to God only in the Restoration out of the fallen Wayes and Worships of Men so the Use of it in that Estate must needs render it a Fallen Mean Earthly and Empty Thing as indeed are all their Worships who stand not in the Power and Spirit of God much more when any the like Practice is used to Mortal Man But they further object a Passage in a Letter to Je Perrot from R. Hubberthorn Then no such Reasonings had we had if so be the Free Spirit of the Lord had been minded which is not to be limited neither to the keeping on the Hat nor off the Hat in time of
Prayer But what adds this to their Cause in Defence of which they brought it Who go about to limit the Spirit and not we as R. H. also sayes for our Business is to be limited by the Spirit and not to limit it or to out-run it I hope none will infer from thence that Men ought to keep their Hats on Or that the same Spirit would lead to those contrary Gestures as say some of J. Perrot's Followers For R. H. meant nothing less but he was sure if they had kept to that free Spirit that had already limited to and confirmed the pulling it off there would not have been such Reasonings about keeping of it on or off and why because they would have felt a Pre-conclusion which would have setled them out of the Reach of the Bondage that Spirit of Delusion had brought them into For the Liberty of the Spirit stands not in being moved to contrary things that is Ranterism but in being freed from every high Thought and exalted Imagination to abide in the Order of the Gospel But our Adversary who can at times and for his own Ends engage for any Cause tells us J. Perrot's Defence that he did not enjoyn the Practice for he left all to the Free Vniversal Spirit pag. 24. But after this our Adversary if he would have defended J. P. to Purpose he should not have told us pag. 32 33. that J. Perrot had received Command against it from the Lord God of Heaven and Earth in his Captivity at Rome to testify against the Custom and Tradition of Taking off the Hat by Men when they go to pray to God And the Truth is he did at other times call it a Romish Tradition But what follows from these two Passages that so greatly justle at one another Does not the first imply that a Man may Lawfully pull off the Hat in Prayer and the latter expresly judge it as a Tradition of Men Either his Command was False or he was Deceitful in his Answer to our Friends For that a Man may be left to his Liberty whether he should practise the Traditions of Men in the Worship of God upon J. Perrot's Pretences to Divine Motions altogether in Worship is the height of all Contradiction yet this is the Doctrine of J. Perrot as we have it delivered to us by his Apologizer To give Liberty to pull it off or put it on as it was with People to do and yet that he was commanded of God to testifie against it positively and generally as a Tradition of Man As if People might use nay be moved of God to perform in his Worship any of the Traditions of Men which God himself had given express Sentence against It is not short of Blasphemy it self And for Our Friends that is G. F. G. W. and others which this Man sayes owned J. Perrot's Motion for Rome and counted him a good Friend p. 32. They do aver that they denyed that Motion and never so reputed him However it be this Apologist vowed to our Disgrace bestirs him self not a little in Defence of J. Perrot and his Followers as if first he loved the Hat on in Time of Prayer which he denyes in it self Secondly as if he believed and allowed of Motions which he both denyes and scorns Thirdly as if he liked a true Quaker and was not so much displeased at the Light as at Peoples Leaving or Confining it in its Leadings and Requirings Who by his great Envy to our Persons shows his Hate to True Quakers and by his base Conclusion from the Pretences of both Parties to have been led to a Contrary thing by the Light within That the Light is a kind of Miserable Uncertain Thing and waiting to be ordered by it a very Dubious piece of Business to the Disgrace of Christ's Light Reviling then as well the one Sort as the other and bringing his Blow well nigh as hard upon the Hat-Men as upon us see pag. 23 24 25 71 and ult In which the Drift of his Business is to drive People off from the Leadings of the Light instead of Pleading on the behalf of these Apostates being led into that Practice by it as he vainly doth p. 32 33. Let Disingenuous W. Mucklow and Furious J. Pennyman see to what pass they have brought their Affairs who under the Pretence of proving the Quakers Apostacy from the Teachings of the Light have furnisht a Man with Complaints against us who could so little dissemble his Dis-like against the Principle it self as to conclude Vncertainty Confusion and Blasphemy to attend that very Assertion about the Light 's Teaching which the People called Quakers in the beginning made and is by this Adversary in other places on these Apostates account seemingly pleaded for Let them glory in this Man's Endeavours if they will Their wicked Hypocrisy and great Trachery are herein manifest beyond what may at this time be said by us They loved the Motions of the Principle at an odd rate that set a Man to defend them that is an Enemy to them His Conclusions prove what I said in mine Introductoction that it was against the True Quakers and their ancient confest Principle he chiefly levelled his Scoffs Nick-Names Reflections and gross Perversions and not meerly against us as False Quakers or Persons gone from our first Principle To prove this behold how and why he triumphs That our Principle admits of no Means whereby to discern one immediate Teaching from another Perrot sayes one thing and Fox another Who is in the right or to that Purpose It would have done well if W. M. and J. P. had answered this Objection before they furnisht him to plead their Cause and defend them to be in the Right from those Motions their own Apologist denyes any Certainty to and I may now take Occasion to ask him why he is so peremptory in his Censures of us to be in the Wrong who denyes any Certainty of Judgment of either side How comes he so Certain in Condemning and Justifying Partial Man But no greater Evidence can well be given of the Wrongness of J. Perrot's Spirit then has been already related viz. The Disturbance of the Church The Vnprofitableness of the Thing The Scandalous Laps and Apostasy of himself and several of his Followers and the Judgment others Zealously past against themselves whose Simplicity had been betrayed The Fruits testifie what Spirit it was though upon our Adversary's saying That there is no inward Test or Tryal of Spirits at least implying so much he contradicts Scripture and undervalues the Gift of God For he had as good to say That a Wrong Spirit covered with fair and undeniable Pretences is not discernable by the Light and Spirit of God within A Man may be Wrong within and Right without have the exact Form but not the Power of Godliness What can try Spirits but the Spirit No Writing can tell me a Wrong from a Right Spirit in the ground though it may
describe good and bad Fruits and from such Actions Men may by a Writing describe the Right from the Wrong But what gives to relish tast or savour a Wrong Spirit in Sheeps Cloathing beside the Heavenly Instinct of the Divine Nature As People are turned to that they can discern as saith the Apostle The Spiritual Man judgeth all things that is of right he may and is judged of no Man that is not discerningly of the meer Natural Men And as the Spiritual Man's Discerning is from the Spirit that searcheth out the deep things of God so is God the Judge and Law giver to his People under this Dispensation If the Gospel-Fellowship be in Spirit True Christians must have an Inward Tast and Sense of one anothers Spirits and what gives to savour aright at the same time gives to relish a Wrong Spirit The same Objection he makes against the Light may be made against the Spirit which is but another Name for the same Principle and I hope he will not dare to say that any Confusion can follow upon holding that Men under the Gospel ought to be led by it Yet this granted suppose Men pretending to be led by the Spirit to be gone from the Spirit or that two equally pretending to be guided by it differ as Paul and Barnabas and Peter what should determine No Writings of the Old Testament could at least without Meanings and the same Difficulty lyes about the Meanings of Scripture as about being led by the Spirit In this Case what shall be done Surely the Spirit must not be upbraided nor branded Neither will it follow That there is no Judge for Christ is the great Judge appointed of God the Spiritual great Prophet that speaks from Heaven and in his own time will give Judgment to the View of all Men. In the mean while he satisfies the Minds of those who are truly led by his Spirit and Withering Decay Murmuring Complaining and finally Apostasy will follow upon the Pretenders as is fulfilled in the present Judasses This hath been largely argued elsewhere yet I was not willing to let this Passage of our Enemies pass unconsidered which indeed is the Strength of his Book and what the ablest of our Adversaries can say against us an this account I have proceeded thus far more particularly in Defence of the Church against the Apostate Adversaries and their Apologist about the Argument by them made about the Hat and those Discords that issued In which I hope I have not exceeded the Bounds of Truth and Moderation For the latter Objection which is directed not so much against the Body of our Friends as a select Number of Ministers and Elders devoted as he falsly and scoffingly suggests to the Promotion of G. F's Authority and Interest I can with all Clearness and Sincerity and that in the Name of many Brethren give this following Testimony G. F. I would have all to know seeks not Himself but Christ and as becomes a true Apostle and Servant of his Lord and Master Jesus Christ Early and Late in Season and out of Season with incessant Pains and Care not being Burthensom unto any endeavours to promote the Work of God in the Earth and is so far from Lording it over any that he daily serves all for the Truth 's sake thinking no Labour too great nor Condescension too mean whereby he may be Serviceable to any in what concerns their Eternal Well-fare and this some of these Apostates must needs know He has approved himself and still doth among us to be a Man of God and a True Prophet of the Lord and as such we do Value him and the Rage of Men shall not Dis-settle us from our Sense and Regard of him who seeks not himself nor his own things but the Things of God that Christ and his Power alone may be exalted in the Hearts of all People and all Flesh humbled and for this alone are all publick Labourers of Value with our Friends and no otherwise Respected or Regarded then in the Lord which is not Tyranny but Duty Wherefore those Terms of Foxonian King George Fox Foxonian Leaven G. Fox and his Party or Adherents are with many more Words of Scorn and Abuse he has no such intended Lordship nor are we of his Party buâ— God's Free-Men and True Christians being with him Baptized by One Spirit into One Body the Unity of which these smiting Apostates and their abusive Libeller can never break I shall touch upon their Aggravations about not Marrying Burying c. before I come to those other Reflections made against G.F. our Ministry and My self and all before I end my Share in this Re-joynder First He is pleased to say That we deny them Trading Marrying Burying and all Ecclesiastical Civil Priviledges to those that dissent from us p. 7. These were the Aggravations I before promised to observe But alas What shall we say to a Man thus Hardy and resolved to be Wicked that he may render us so Did we even forbid Men Trading or endeavour to take People off from Trading with them J. Pennyman can say no such thing without Lying for several have lovingly frequented his Shop since he Enviously visited and disturbed our Meetings And how many do we daily trade with that are not of us in Love and full Assurance of their Honesty For Marrying I referred the Author of the Spirit of the Hat to the Apostle's Dehortation Be ye not Vnequally Yoaked together It seems if we cannot own Persons to be of us that are not of us we must be abused This made the present Apologizer if I am not out of my Guess Angry and Enraged with us at first 'T is not meer Talking of Christ and hammering out a few Notions in the meer Strength of Man's Will and Wisdom that makes a True Christian therefore we could not receive him for our Sect-Master that angers him And for Marriage we cannot have Unity with any in that solemn Performance of Marrying who are acted by a Wrong Spirit and so gone out of the Union of the Body of Friends We do not deny them that are so Married to be Married at all as this Enemy would conclude though to be Married in the Unity we can never own them As to our denying of Burial unto such Apostates my words in the Book called The Spirit of Alexander the Copper-Smith Rebuked carry no such unnatural Sense Two things I denyed 1. That we therefore denyed them a Burial because we should alwayes refuse it as of us whilst they continued in that Dissenting Spirit from us 2. That we Vsurped their Property To the first sayes our Adversary The Quakers would not suffer such to stink above Ground but he should be buried not among the Catholicks but as Hereticks in Spaine or Italy p. 19. Behold the Candor of this Interpreter What a strange Improvement has he made of my Saying much more resembling the Carriage of that sort of Catholicks he likens us to against
such pretended Hereticks as the poor Waldenses then we do in the Case of Burial I say again That as our Friends intended upon their first Purchase of a Burying Place that their Dead Bodies should â—ie together from the People of distinct Wayes which is warranted from Abraham's Practice in Genesis so do they not desire that such as have been of them and have afterwards run out should lie among them unless it be the Desire of the Deceasing Parties or that they declare their Unity with Friends yet we would not by any means be thought to deny any Person whatever a Buring-Place though we could never allow it to them as one of us since that were most unnatural I would fain know if this Adversary would observe no Distinction in this Case or what Injury there is done in making that Difference when Dead which was observed by the deceast Party himself when alive For the Property that he sayes some of them have 't is true and was never denyed but that we usurpt it we did and do reject as a Slander They never desired their part of the Collection that bought it nor did we ever refuse to repay it but are ready to be quit with them when they will a Perverse Apostatized Generation For Ecclesiastical Priviledges I know not what he means and those Scoffs ill become a Man that pretends to Religion Such Priviledges as are the peculiar Right of every true Member of Christ's Church it must be confest that such Starters aside from the Primitive Fellowship of it do deprive themselves of Church-Priviledges we don't But this sayes he is more then any beside the Papist dare pretend to the Protestant or Church of England challenges no such Power p. 5. But he that has ventured to tell so many False Things of us may dare to bestow one upon her especially when it is considered that he is a Concealed Person and may be False and Base with Security Does not the Church of England both Excommunicate and stir up the Civil Magistrate against such as dissent from her in meer Circumstances Does not the long Difference between her and the ancient Puritans Presbyterians and Independents Baptists and Us more particularly sufficiently Disprove that Bold Assertion But we pretend not to Imitate any but really act according to that Understanding and Sense which God given us in these things and in which we commend our selves to him being herein willing to abide his Judgment To the Rest of those Cruelties he makes us guilty of he doth with the Author of the Spirit of the Hat charge us with Pulling down Haling out of our Meetings and consequently wanted only Power to punish them adding That my Appeal to God's Witness in all Consciences for our Vindication shows me greatly to be lamented as either Blind or Impudent That we have also Pusht Pincht Kickt and Trod upon Feet and Toes sending us to Francis Chadwell for Proof thereof But to say nothing of his Ill-Language my Appeal stands as it did and as before so now I will put it between Impartial and Moderate Men if ever we so used any Conscientious Inquirer or Opposer No nor any else after that manner represented by our Adversary and God will plead our Innocency against him in the Hour of his Rigteous Judgments he shall not go Uncondemned down to his Grave For Francis Chadwell he is a Man of no Conscience nor Credit in what relates to us I my self have known him grosly guilty both of Lying and Tipling No frothy Stager is less to be regarded in Religion then this Man's Witness a Light Scoffing Taunting Tumultuous Person who after an Hundred Solid Confutations One of which had been enough to strike an Ingenuous Man to the Heart has continued to Bawl and Disquiet our Meetings time after time His Aim hath been to raise up an Envious and Scoffing Spirit in People against us Jeering Laughing Houting with such Unseemly Carriages as wholely unbefit him for a Witness against us He had as good as confest that he has been Hired by some Professors to Disturb us and told me If I would give him Five Hundred Pounds he would be a Quaker too yet this is our Socinian Adversary's Serious Conscientious Inquirer or Opposer He also brings in one William King whom he sayes We Haled out of our Gallery in Grace-Church Street with such Violence that he hath scarce felt the Stairs but that he hath often felt our Cruel Hands witness G. Whitehead 's Pinching him in the Arm at Jer. Clark 's House and that We would not suffer him a Prisoner among us though for the same Cause and all this for some Disagreement in Judgment I confess I have no great Acquaintance with the Man but first deny that ever he was Haled out of Grace-Church Street or any where else but it may so happen that he offering to keep the Meeting when ended by our Friends the People pressing out and he speaking might bear him away with a Croud which hath fallen out to many that have been Speakers and not Opposers perhaps some disturbed and hindred of Hearing may on their own Account have shoven him or put him by what 's that to us For G. Whitehead's Pinching him it is like the rest full of Slander He is known to be a Man of more Temperance and Command of himself if he had been provoked 'T is true He took him by the Sleeve to turn him to a Looking-Glass that he might behold his Envious and Passionate Countenance as G. W. avers and others present But had it been true how one Pinch can prove that he had OFTEN felt our Cruel Hands Unbyassed Readers may best judge That he was a Prisoner is confessed that we Refused him to be among us is denyed But that we were not in Unity with him we are not afraid to own I know not that I ever spoak to him but once and that was in New-Gate being a Prisoner my self and if he will speak Truth he can say nothing hard of me For G. Whitehead's Charging Henry â—awson not to entertain him is false For what is it but to suggest that we would Refuse him common Hospitality 'T is true that G. W. as in Conscience-bound warned them of him as one of the Ancient Creepers into Houses Disaffected to the Brethren and Prone to Discords as by his frequent Disturbances in our Meetings is evident therefore not to entertain him as one in Unity with us but if he or any of them want supposing first their Lawful Endeavours to procure sufficient Maintenance I know not one among us who would not readily Administer to their Nceessities But we gave out a Paper against John Pennyman when he was in Prison and would not spare that grave ancient Gentle-Woman Ann Mud who being MOVED to speak a few Words T. Matthews pulled her away by Violence and that we were the People in former Dayes that vexed and disquieted all Sorts of Religious Assemblies and clamoured
against those as Persecutors that obtained their Peace by Thrusting and Carrying us out But I will tell him first that our Paper against John Pennyman was as necessary to clear us from that Instigation of the Devil that led him to give up to burn the Scriptures of Truth and the Writings of Friends which were some of those Papers this Apologizer fitted for all turns of Deceitful Evasion calleth Wast pag. 37. under the Pretence of the Motion of God's Spirit as for an Innocent Man in Sight of a Murder to clear himself from being guilty of so heinous a Fact We delighted not at his Imprisonment for we were wounded by the Cause of it and had great Reason to deny that Action which brought a Reproach upon our Principle and Practice that never belonged to either God's Spirit hath hitherto lead us to Read Believe Obey and Witness the Scriptures and not to tare them as did our Adversaryes Orthodox Elizabeth Bâ—rens p. 52. in the height of Rage before mine Eyes and offer to burn them as did his so much Commended and Defended John Pennynman I perceive this Socinian Author denyes our Testimony by his Dislike of it and consequently owns that Wicked Position that the Spirit of God may lead a Man to burn the Scriptures of God against which our Testimony was mainly directed For his ancient grave Gentle-Woman as he calls her she hath been so Unhappy as through her Excess of Affection to J. Pennyman to be a Sharer with him in his perverse Out-Cryes against us yet I can scarcely think that she will attest any such thing But if it were true as I believe it to be false it can be no Valid Argument against the Faith Worship or Actions of the Body of the Quakers But why MOVED me-thinks here and in J. P's Case he hath learned to pronounce Moved as if he believed the Spirit in these Dayes used any such thing Is he angry with us for resisting Ann Mud's MOTION who himself p. 32 33 71. denyes the Certainty of any such thing but Envy blinds Men. We shall also grant that we are the Men whom the Eternal God from time to time raised to testifie against the Hireling Teachers that took Money for that which was not Bread but were like Wolves in Sheeps Cloathing devoured the Flock and made a Prey of the People and God hath blessed us in that Service for before a Gathering there was to be a Scattering And God made us Instrumental to turn People from Darkness to Light from the Power of Satan unto God by directing their Minds to the Gift of his Holy Light and Spirit which discovers the Deeds of Darkness convinceth the World of Sin revealeth the Mind and Will of God and gives Power to the Creature that believes in it to obey and do it For this Testimony in the â—irelings Synagogues did the False Jew or Christian Hale Tere Beat Bruise Knock down Stock Whip Imprison with many such like Horrid and Inhuman Actions which became not our Adversaries Interest though an Impartial Historian to mention But have we been no otherwise disturbed or have we so used our Disturbers Our Faithful Chronicles of the Bloody Tragedies of that Professing Generation will tell future Ages other things O the Partiality of this Socinian Apologizer for our Disturbers But to close this Either our Adversary condemns our former Testimonies against the Priests in their Steeple-Houses or he does not if he does he cannot justifie the Senseless Bawlings of Proud and Envious J. Pennyman Francis Chadwel and the like Disturbers of our Assemblies upon his own Comparison If he justifies their Disturbances of us especially those given by his Prime and Singular Witness F. Chadwel with what Face can he censure our Serious Solemn Admonitions or Reproofs in the National Synagogues Let it be as it will with him we expect an higher Judgment and to that shall we gladly yield And for those two or three Stories of the Wantonness Uncleanness of some particutar Persons among us though it is spoken to in some following Testimonies yet I have thus much to say J. W's Name is Basely and Falsly used by the Libeller though he could not have mentioned it but upon Information from some of these Defaming Apostates whom God will judge for endeavouring to Murder the Reputation of an Ancient Solid Faithful Labourer in God's Work Shall Ifs and may be 's conclude Men Guilty It is not the first Mistake W. M. if he be their Informer hath committed whose Jealous Surmising Soul can scarce do any thing else in Cases relating unto us as I have experienced His Worth is lighter to the Man his Name is brought in t to slander then the Chaff to the Wheat For the Two Young Women concerning whom M. Y's Information is cited they were examined Childish Toyish and Unseemly Carriages were with much Contrition confest but for any such gross Wickedness as was and is suggested by these Men they said it was false if there was a God in Heaven For M. Y. we shall say no more till we have a more express Account of his Concernment in that Libel or Information mentioned therein We see no Name to it and might as well suspect that with other things however our Friends behaved themselves in that Matter as became God's People to do For T. M One Story is cleared by the Woman's Testimony and W. M's Malice discovered For his common Uncleanness under Pretence of Physick c. We know not how to allow it for several Years since dealt withal by our Friends and in particular by a Physician about it and what there was any just Ground to Condemn him for he was judged his other Unwatchful Carriages denyed and his Conversation turned form by our Friends Lastly Suppose these Enemies of God and his Work and People could Say and Prove Ten Times as much shall those Miscarriages bring many Thousands of People out of Request and go for an utter Blast upon their Faith or Way Vain Men Should we tell the Stories of the Abominable Practices of both such Apostates and some Envious Professors what of Sin could we not find several that have profest their Way guilty of But we will make no Musick for the Atheist Has not every Miscarriage as Known been Reproved Yes Every Unfruitful Work of Darkness as by the Light within when known only to the Party Offending so by the Light in our Friends as a Church when known to them Is not this Gospel-Order Or must some raw Slips of Unwatchful Persons Antichrist our whole Society Reader These Things and Persons objected have been several Years since examined who were Innocent Acquitted and who were Guilty Condemned according to the Righteous Law of God And upon this old Condemned Stuff it is our Enemies feed with this they Arm themselves against us and upon this Quagmire as their best Foundation they stand In short They have been False to God Abusive to his People Hurtful to the
Principalities and Powers the Rulers of the Darkness of this World and Spiritual Wickednesses in High Places which center in the Invisible Dark Power of the God of the World that since the Beginning hath drawn and acted Man out of God's Counsel and Power in which the Kingdom stands For though we walk in the Flesh or Body we do not War after the Flesh for the Weapons of our Warfare are not Carnal but Mighty through God to the pulling down Strong Holds casting down Imaginations and every high Thing that exalts it self against the Knowledge of God 1 Cor. 10.4 5. And as our War and Weapons so our Kingdom is not Carnal but Spiritual not of this World but that which is without End and of this we are not ashamed It may not be unseasonable to take Notice of that Passage in his Book so often mentioned eagerly insisted upon and aggravated to the height of Ananias's Belying the Holy Ghost viz That G. Fox this Great Prophet as he in Abuse calls him should break open and alter the Contents of John Whitehead 's Letter which as he said was writ in the Name of the Lord and that to a quite contrary Sense making the Letter to judge those that kept the Hat on whereas J W. therein justified both those that kept it off or on Thus saith our Adversary doth G. Fox belye both John Whitehead and the Holy Spirit of God and that knowingly He proceeds Oh Prodigious Impudence He that counterfeits any Man's Name in a Matter of any Concernment deserves to be exposed on the PILLARY AND TO LOSE HIS EARS HOW MUCH GREATER PUNISHMENT DOTH HE DESERVE that Counterfeits both the Name of God and Man in a Matter of Religious Concern This sayes he is the Course that G. F. took to make his Injunctions to be observed But this is the Course more truly to make the Impiety of this Adversary more Notorious For first G. Fox never opened his Letter nor made any Alteration in it at all that I dare affirm in so many Words much less that he belyed the Holy Spirit and least of all that he did it willingly I perceive by his Conclusion he acknowledges that the Holy Ghost as really moved in J. Whitehead as in Peter contrary to his own Principle Any thing will they All grant that they may Slander or Injure us in the Minds of the People How knows he it was a True Motion Doth he not deny it may be known If so then how dare he be so positive in the Censure of G. Fox Will he make the Motion Uncertain and yet certainly judge G. F. for a Forger who was yet Innocent I leave it to the Reader what to call this part of his Tale. Secondly J. Whitehead gave Power by Letter at that time to the Brethren of London to supervise and alter it as they should see convenient and no otherwise was G. F. concerned in it then as one assenting with other of our Friends that according to Power given and their best Understanding did alter it for the better and herein did J. W. testifie his Unity and Fellowship for the Spirits of the Prophets are subject to the Prophets So that what was done was no more then what J. Whitehead left Power to do and which the Scripture justifies Wherefore Prodigious Impudence belongs not to G. F. but this hardy Adversary and Prodigious Cruelty Persecution if not Murder too is he guilty of that would have him not only Pillary'd and lose his Ears but his Life too or something very near a kin to it This is confirmed page 33. where he charges us to be Blasphemers and that such ought to Dye by the Law of God in former times The Consequence is plainer then his Power to execute it Oh the Mercies Oh the Forgiveness of these exceeding Meek Suffering Bruised Little Ones as they would have as think But Oh Deceitful and Blood thirsty Generation who have endeavoured what in you lies to betray with your Treacherous Kiss of pretended Love to our Souls our Faith Reputations and Lives too into the Hands of some Bloody-minded Jews who are not of the Circumcision in Spirit but lust against those that are that they may be stirred up against us But God will reckon with you and them too for these things This Adversary takes an Occasion to fasten a Lye upon a Paper set forth in the Name of the Quakers but he sayes writ chiefly by G. F. and G. W. in saying That we have paid our Taxes and other Dues more then any People according to our Abilities When sayes our Adversary their Neighbours know all over England there are at least some Taxes or Assessments which they have peremptorily refused But why must we be branded for Lyars because of that Saying or our Adversaries base Aggravation I do affirm That we have been oversest more then any and Paying those Extream Assessments gives good Ground for Saying what we did But indeed some Hat-Spirits perhaps could not say so but why Because some of them are so leavened into another Spirit that they almost question the Payment of any as M. Boreman now called M. Pennyman did I must not be plainer least the Cabal further represent me one that exposes Person to the Lash of Government Wherein we can pay we do what ever they come for and in some Cases wherein we cannot answer their Demands for Christ's Peaceable GOSPEL sake They commonly Take three times the Value seldom if ever Returning any again But this our Adversary calls no Paying Sure I am it is Loosing more then our Adversary dare adventure for if I mistake not he can send out all those things rather then suffer though perhaps against his Conscience also Well but if we will believe him there is such an Arrogant Imperious and Audacious Paper given forth by R. Farnsworth A. Parker G. Whitehead J. Coale J. Whitehead T. Loe S. Crisp T. Green T. Moon T. Brigs and J. Parks as he thinks was ever given forth by Mortals A Charge too great and a Reflection so sharp that it had need be one of the worst Papers that was ever writ Now let us hear what it is 1. They allow not such to have Dominion in the Church who exalt themselves above the Body of Good and Ancient Friends Now what hateful thing did they deliver in this wholesome Christian Saying It seems this Enemy of God and true Righteousness would have liked us better if Bad Friends had been suffered to exercise the Dominion over the Body of Good and Ancient Friends But he starts out thus That by the Body of Good and Ancient Friends is meant G. Fox and his Adherents which sort of Interpretation well becomes such a Caballistick Writer for after those Allowances I will misrender the best Cause Pretences or Actions in the World It is an arrant Falshood He was then far from them Neither had they him in their Eye in doing it but God's Honour and the
Man There is little Reason that I should believe that this Man hath Courage enough to question my Honesty to my Face who was afraid to put his Name to his Slander I Envy not M. Pennyman her Honesty and am very well contented with mine own however it may be represented by mine Enemies who are too Partial to be Judges and instead of Confuting can only Revile me which shows no great store of Honesty in this Slanderer My Reflection upon M. Pennyman's Apparel was Just and Righteous I knockt her own Spirit with her own Weapon Were our Ministers Degenerated because they wore better Cloathes and was M. Pennyman more Regenerated in leaving off her mean ones Yes for she sayes that having come through her Sorrow the Out-side is little to her Would not the same Excuse serve us It seems it is no hard Matter for her to endure Richer Apparel that is of her own Back but not upon another's Ranterism is lodged under this Liberty which leads to what she once judged as unbecoming Truth But me thinks her higher Attainments might allow her Equals and Betters to wear Camelit whilst she wears Silk they are all I know good in their Places but Hypocritical Self-Righteous Pretences are not to pass without Rebuke But I cannot imagine what should induce this Libeller to reflect upon my Intimacy with Gulielma Mar. and that in such suspected Terms as if she were another then the Party he represented me to be married to a little before for he presently reflects Dishonesty upon that said Intimacy telling us at the Tale of it That M. P. is better known for Honesty then I am as if that Intimacy rendered me as culpable as if it had happened between M. Pennyman and my self It were well if he had been so cautious else-where in telling of Lyes as he is here in speaking the Truth But do what we can the Folks of this Man's Strain will make that a Ground of Reflection upon a Quaker which is very allowable in themselves He tells you above I was married and had a Child and a little below that I WAS SAID to be INTIMATE with G. M. that is with the Person that is my Wife as if it were to render a Man suspect to be intimate with one's own Wife Whether there be most of Folly exprest or Slander intended in this way of Writing let the Moderate Reader judge But because the Reflection as well extends it self to her as to me I will only say thus much in her Defence She needs none and to be questioned from so foul a Mouth is a great Addition to her Credit but his own Guilt His Comparison of her with M. Pennyman that formal Piece of Hypocrisie giveth but such as know both the better Mean to judge of either The well known Innocence Meekness and Faithfulness of the one more lively setting out the Deceitfulness Pride and Treacherous Apostasy of the other In short Who would be well spoken of by such that choose Vertuous Persons to speak Evil of and Apostates to Commend But all this and many more Rude Defaming Speeches must I and mine expect from this Perverse Generation who have rewarded us Evil for Good What Scurrility Railing Nick-Names Mocks and Jeers are vented against us with other Servants of the Lord But in all these things our Eye is to him for whose sake alone he is Record we are become Marks for Furious Men to shoot their Arrows at But the Lord is our Pavilion and his Strength our Fortress He covers our Heads in these and all other Battels at what time these Creeping Judasses and Envious Libellers lurk and hide so that we are not moved We recommend our selves to his peculiar Care and Providence that in his Holy Truth we may live and rather then relaps for it constantly dye that whether we Live or whether we Dye God may be Magnified in the Eâ—â—th and that shall be our exceeding great Recompence of Reward And for these Apostates who once dipt with us into the same Dish and fed at the same Table who have tasted of the Word of God and the Power of the World to come but have betrayed the Spirit of Truth to the Spirit of Delusion in themselves and given him his Motions into the Hands of the False Christian of this day to Deride and Scorn and who have had so little Regard to the Profession as to bring it under Reproach and to the Common Law of Friendship as Treacherously to divulge the Secrets of some of their ancient Acqaintants and finally who have endeavoured the Disgrace and Hazard of the Lives and Liberties of some of the Servants of God because of their Faithful Testimony against their Apostasy I must tell tkem and do in the Counsel of God Their Bands shall be made strong and that Eternal Power at which they strike reigns over their Dark Dividing Envious Spirit in the Hearts of that Peoplâ— they have called by so many Scoffing Names and more then a Mill-stone will it be about their Necks and the Weight of all these Wicked and Treacherous Doings will God bring upon them in a Day and an Hour when they shall not be able to escape the Rod of his Fury Ah! Poor Men What have ye been doing Verily your Damnation slumbers not and the God whose Name you have caused to be blaspheamed amongst the Heathen will one Day require these things at your Hands and Recompense Vengeance in Flames of Fire for all your Hard Speeches and Sinful Contradictions against the Holy Spirit of Truth and those who are led by it I am not in any Rage God knows but I am grieved for you I could wish a Place of Repentance might be found if the Lord saw good though I rather fear your many and grievous Provocations have shut the Door against you For as Core and his Associates were outwardly swallowed up of the Earth so hath the Earthly Sensual and Devilish Spirit of the World received you into the Bowels of it and you are become as really One against our Lord and his Anointed in this Generation as ever Pilat Herod Judas and the Jews were combined against Him and His in the Dayes of his Flesh Who have strengthened the Hands of the Mocker and Scoffer greatened the Envy of Professors and made the Atheist glad But may this Lamentable Course your Disobedient Watching-for-Evil Slippery Backbiting and Exalted Spirit hath brought you into with the sad Consequence of being hardened therein be a perpetual Warning upon the Minds of all who make Profession of God's Eternal Truth that they be not high-minded but fear minding their own Conditions and their Growth and Increase in the Work of the Lord that so Love and Unity may be preserved and all Watchings for Evil Distrusts Surmisings Emulations and whatever makes for Discord or Dis-affection may be judged out and the Sowers of that Spirit that leads thereunto turned from and rebukt in the Power and Authority of God who
this in the inwards of my Spirit I smote upon my Thigh and said What have I done and was willing to take Shame upon my self and to give Glory to the Lord. How hard it went with me inwardly none knows And he that knows how easie it is to let in a Snare and Temptation and to have the inward Eye blinded thereby will not wonder nor think too hardly of me but his Bowels will rather rowl in the Sense of the Misery I underwent God knows I did not mistake willingly Nay truly The Power was upon me when I wrote those Queries but I did not understand the Signification thereof which would rather have led me then as it hath since against that Spirit which brought up that new Vnprofitable and Vnseemly Practice of keeping on the Hat in time of Publick Prayer in the Assemblies of God's People Now the making use of this against the Infallible Teachings of God's Spirit and the Infallible Way in which he leads his People is not Just True and Equal What! Was I never Infallibly led because the Enemy once blinded my Eâ—e and deceived me Did not the Apostle Peter receive the Infallible Spirit and was not he led thereby And did he not walk in the infallible Way because once he did that which was justly to be blamed and doubtless erred in Judgment concerning the Practice Gal. 2.11 I do not desire that Men should judge me Infallible or hearken to me as to one Infallible but this I desire that I may alwayes understand and follow the Voice and Guidings of God's Holy Spirit and then I am sure I shall alwayes walk in the Certain Vnerring Infallible Way besides which indeed there is no safe Way And I desire also that others with Ears and Eyes opened by the Lord may hear that Living Sound and Testimony which cometh from the Spirit of the Lord in those whom he sends that the Gathering may be to him and the Walking with him in the Spirit of his Son in the Light which is Eternal which ever was and ever will be Infallible which is the Path of the Living in this Day of the Breaking forth of God's Pure Power and Love in the Heats of many Oh Glory Oh fresh living Praises to his Name forever Isaac Penington John Crook's Testimony Having seen a Pamphlet intituled Tyranny and Hypocrisie Detected in which is printed a Paper of mine writ by me about Eleaven or Twelve Years since about Gestures and Postures c. it is thus in my Heart to write MY Desires and Breathings from my tender years have been after the Living God and since I have tasted of his Goodness and Mercy I have had a Love for and Longing after the Eternal Welfare of all that in any Measure sought after him in Truth and Righteousness knowing the Enemy's Devices to be many and various seeking by all Means to devour them And from a deep Sense of the same I writ the Paper about Gestures and Postures c. many years since knowing how busie the great Enemy of Man's Soul was at that juncture of time to draw out the Minds of some into the Observation and Innovation of Keeping their Hats upon their Heads in the time of Prayer in the publick Assemblies of God's People hoping that those Lines at that time might have been Successful to stop that Practice in some of them at least and also have allayed any thing in any others which might be of tendency to hinder their Information and Recovery But it was never in the least in my Heart or Intention to Encourage or Strengthen that Spirit and Practice which my own Judgment and Practice was against Neither did I intend any other Liberty then what was in the Lord and the Maintaining Love and Vnity amongst Brethren And truly in these various or contrary Practices of some keeping on their Hats and others putting off their Hats my Heart was affected desiring that the Lord would put a Stop to whatever tended to Discord which since hath appeared manifestly to arise from that Spirit which first brought in that Innovation Therefore in Good Conscience I cannot but bear my Testimony against the Author of this scurrilous Pamphlet for endeavouring not only to fasten such a Sense and Imputation upon me but also for his Attempt and Industry what in him lies to render God's People Odious and his ever-blessed Truth Contemptible to the World and thereby himself becomes a Murderer of Souls in perverting the Right Way of the Lord for which the God of Heaven will undoubtedly rebuke both him and all his Confederates in this wicked Vndertaking and in his time bring them to open Shame if they Repent not of this their Wickedness and Sin For the Epistle subscribed by Edw. Burroughs John Perrot and My Self it was writ when we were Prisoners together in New-Gate where John Perrot forbore the Wearing his Hat on purpose as we supposed to avoid Offence and also at that time be writ a Paper which was Satisfactory concerning the Matter of the Hat and had he made it publick at that time it might have prevented what afterwards befel him At this very juncture when there was such a Compliance and Hopes of his Recovery was the fore-mentioned Epistle writ Now let the Impatrtial Reader judge whether the Author of this Envious Libel hath shewed either Ingenuity or Humanity in his recital of the fore-mentioned Papers to the End for which he hath made them publick John Crook Solomon Eccle's Testimony FRIENDS I Give my Testimony for the Lord and for this blessed Truth this Day The Lord is amongst us and through the Riches of his Love towards us hath he made himself known unto us by his Eternal Light which shines in our Hearts And this Light is exceeding pretious to all that receive it in the Love of it for it is Pure and Divine and to be admired in all that do believe The Life is the Light of Men Jo. 1.4 and to know this is the excelent Knowledge And by believivg in this Light and walking in the same We have Fellowship one with an other 1 Jo. 1.7 and Peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ But some are gone out from us and gone from their own Mercies and are turned against the Truth yet pretend to follow the Lamb They would Exclude us that the World might Affect them Of this sort is John Pennyman who hath sought Occasion against me and G. F. and hath printed and caused to be printed three times against me that never did him hurt first in his own Pamphlet next the Baptists called the Spirit of the Hat 3lY the Tyranny and Hypocrisy detected But in this he hath not done any wayes like a Servant of the Lord as he stiles himself nor a Follower of the Lamb for he never came to me in a Brotherly Way according to Gospel Order Mat. 18.15 first in secret by my self to shew me wherein I had done amiss if I had done amiss Nor was he so
in a former Book and it might have been sufficient to Reasonable Men For as I then said I did not Deny what I had spoke at the former Meeting but being Mis-understood I Explained it which gave Satisfaction We pretend not to be above Mis-hearings and Mis-apprehensions though above Wilful Evils It s well they have no greater Crime to accuse me of who are so Envious as to make use of such Trifling Inconsiderable Matters as this to Discredit us Well this I have further to say concerning the siad book That Hell hath opened her Mouth and the Dragon hath cast out Floods against the Church that is coming out of the Wilderness which the Lord our God is building upon the Rock Christ Jesus and the Gates of Hell shall never prevail against it And many hath the Lord established upon this Rock who are Inhabitants thereof and can sing for Joy in the midst of all Tryals and Excersises Storms and Tempests knowing that our Foundation stands sure and as there we abide we can never be moved having Salvation for Walls and Bulworks and being kept as in the Munition of Rocks where our Bread is sure and our Waters never fall Praises to the Lord forever James Claypoole John Osgood's Testimony I Having seen a Pamphlet called Tyranny and Hypocrisie Detected in which my Name is inferred in pag. 17. saying That whilst I in general terms deny all I do in particular deny nothing at all I say My Answer stated the Matter truly as it was and many are the yet Witnesses that know it to be so and to J. P. at his House it was so proved to be since the said Answer was printed And as to his Query in pag. 28. What is become of the Integrity of J. O. that he should put his Name among such Men as these I answer As for these Men I believe they would not affirm a thing with Pen or Toungue that they knew to be Untrue as this Pamphlet basely insinuates nor did I so much as in the least know of their Answer till I saw it printed And as for my Integrity it is known unto the Lord and to him have I approv'd my self in faithfulness even in Reproving the Extravagancies of him that I believe was the Grand Informer to him or them that made this Pamphlet and Sorrows many the Lord knows I have and had for him and oh that he had not been above Counsel then had he not been found Running the Race of Core nor Furnishing with Spears the Goliahs of Gath that this day Defie the Host of the Living God How have they made the Haerts of the Uncircumcised Glad How doth Askalon Rejoyce and Atheism say Ah! ha thus would we have it How is this Pamphlet furnished with Scoffs as Foxonians King Fox and Ironically Oh Innocent Holy Harmless People Well the Righteous Terrible Dreadful God will Avenge for these things What thought the Apostle said There where those things amongst the Corinthians that were not so much as to be named among the Heathens what must be their Portion that unto the Heathens made known this and thereby the God of the Christians Blaspheamed and the Way of Truth Reproached as it is at this day But with this sad Difference some of them that now are Agents in this Work have Tasted of and Witnessed unto theat Immortal and heavenly Power that was and is manifest amongst us and have gone from it and given heed to Fables Being Heady and High-minded they have stumbled and caused others to stumble they have Offended and treasured up the Offences of others unto their own Hurt John Osgood William Gosnell 's Testimony This is my Faithful Testimony for God his Truth and People and the Clearing of mine own Conscience As also given forth for Information of the Sober Enquirer and for'Condemnation of J. P. and his Confederates against whose Works I am and hope shall terminate my dayes in Judgment against that Spirit they serve Warning all to take heed of them who tender the Good of their Souls knowing their Ways and Works lead unto Death by Means whereof the Way of Truth is Evil-spoken to the Dishonour of God and Strengthening of the Wicked in their Doings FOr that my Soul loves the Truth and such who are the Faithful Servants thereof I do therefore reckon my self concerned with my Brethren as also for their sakes who have any Desires in their Hearts after the Way of Truth as it is by a Remnant Despised of Men in this our Day made known and testified unto to write something in Answer to what is charged against me in a Libel called TYRANNY AND HYPOCRISIE DETECTED which to the truly Sober and Unprejudiced Reader can be accounted nothing less then impious Railing and from an Ishmaelitish Spirit and from the Enemy of all Good in his Instruments manifested against such who are Resisters of Tyrrany and in the Uprightness of their Hearts Denyers of Hypocrise and in that give my Testimony against the said Pamphlet believing that whosoever is the Author thereof or Contributory thereto shall receive of the Lord our God the Just Judge of all who hath pleaded and will plead the Cause of his Truth and People the just Recompence of Reward according as their Work hath been which unto them who walk in the Light are seen to be Evil and They the Workers thereof bound in Chains of Darkness reserved to the Judgment of the Great Day nevertheless my Soul's Desire is if possible the may find a place for Repentance In Pag. 45. called Tyranny and Hypocrisie Detected are these words When I first saw Gosnell ' s Name in the Spirit of Alexander I expected nothing less then a Denyal of what is related to have been said by G. F. viz. Friends Although I have not told it you I do now declare That I have Power to Bind and to Loose whom I please In that thou didst nothing less then expect a Denyal c. doth manifest what Spirit thou art of viz. That which watcheth and waiteth for Evil and expecteth nothing less Why didst thou not set thy Name to that which thou hast heaped up that so we might have known ther and made some Enquiry after thee It s written That Fear surprizeth the Hypocrite Were thy Works such as would bring Honour to thee it may be we might have had thy Name at large but thy Works are manifest to be Evil and of the Flesh as are Railings Envious and Scoffing Speeches Slanders and Evil Suggestions So though thou concealest thy Name yet by thy Fruits thou art manifested to be an Evil Tree For an Evil Tree bringeth forth Evil Fruit. And why thou shouldst Expect a Denyal whilst sayest thou it seems is true let the Sober judge And so thou goest on as one of Ishmael's Brood with a Scoff saying How can it be otherwise that so Great a King and Prophet as G. F. should not have Power to Bind and Loose That there is a Power to Bind and
hindred the Growth of Truth in his own particular which he signified caused the Love of Brethreng to wax cold and a manifes Decay of that that was good in which our Joy Rest and Peace daily abound In solemn Meetings with Tears I believe unfeigned and true Contrition of Spirit as many are Witnesses gave Judgment against that Spirit which led into Separation through means of which he as well as others had suffered loss as with respect to the Good Presence of the Lord in the daily Sence thereof as before that Spirit entred was enjoyed and with what Openness of Heart did we even in the first Love raised by the Power of the Lord in which alone doth our Unity stand did we embrace one another and met oft with one another to our mutual Joy and Refreshment But now is he not found beating of those with whom he was a Fellow-Servant and taking of them by the Throat and as I may say speaking all manner of Evil against them even them who in a Sense have laid down and can their Lives to save him Surely he who rewards Evil for Good Evil will not whilst in that Spirit depart from his House And how hath Enmity entred him in that that which is a Strength a Joy and a Comfort to us Vexations to him to wit to see Brethren together in the pure Truth in that which neither speaketh nor thinketh Evil to dwell and so seek one another's Good are kindly affectioned one to the other serving one another with Love And so though by Complying with G. F. as the Author of or Assistent to that Wicked Heap of Stuff which is for the Fire scoffingly saith He is now become a Preacher To Comply with Truth and such whose Labour and Service is for its Promotion is my Joy and true Satisfaction and Quiet to my Soul and therein as the Lord shall open my Mouth and minister Occasion I shall preach down their Pernicious and Soul-hurting Practices desiring to be found to the End of my Dayes a Lover of that which is Good and in it a Witness against that which is Evil though found in those who have been my Familiars for whose sake I have not suffered a little William Gosnell Henry Stout's Testimony FIrst They Excuse me with the other two Friends and within few lines Contradict their own Excuse in saying H. S. being rebuked he Acknowledged the Paper but there was no such in it Why could they not as well have said by whom he was rebuked But this is like some of the rest of their Matter and would fain cover it if any could So that the Answer already is over their Heads as to the Paper To this I further answer That to the best of my Remembrance I never saw that Paper signed by the Eleâ—ven at Hartford in my Life about two Moneths since I saw it at London and I do affirm there is no such Tendency in it as asserted in the Spirit of the Hat That there is any Admission in it for any Men or Body to oppose the Light but 't is possible to this purpose may be found in it That if any have any thing upon them or are moved to write that they lay it before the Body that so the Body may be satisfied that they are indeed moved by the Light or Spirit which is one and then the Body cannot but have Unity because all that are in the Light are in Unity and One in All and this for the Prevention of all False Motions and those that say they are Jews and are not for Greater is the Wisdom of him who is amongst his People then the Wisdom of Solomon who give the true Bearer her Child though the Harlot would have had it divided But what is the Matter with you Professors that you are working in such Muddle so many years old as confessed in the Pamphlet Is the Spirit of your Brethren the Pharisees so far entred you that you are acting your part as they of old did who joyned with an Apostate a Traytor a Judas endeavouring if it had been possible to have destroyed the Heir Christ Jesus Root and Branch who did outwardly put him to Death Read your selves Are not you joyned with an Apostate or Apostates in all manner of Lyes and Slanders as instance John Faldo and Thomas Hicks which I fear have done it against their grow Knowledg especially Thou T. H. who sayest in thy first Dialogue That our Sufferings may be to satisfie our Lust Will any one but who are filled with Enmity like thy self thus conclude that Lying in Nasty Holes and Prisons and Losing our Estates and Lives Limbs and Banishment is to satisfie our Lust Well Thomas my Judgment of these is Thou wilt never satisfie thine in that manner but these are both answered already who I desire may come to Repentance and find Mercy But what are you doing Professors if you should with your Assistents the Apostates accomplish your Brethren Cruelty from New-England Our Blood would be upon you and your Children For your Works which you have lately done have the very Tendency though I am perswaded there are some amongst you hate the very Thoughts of such a thing yet I question not but some of your Leaders do very much desire it or else they would never hazard the very Loss of their own Souls in Lyes and Slanders against us if they believe them to be Sins Now consider what is the Cause of this Great Difference between us and the Professors Certainly it is about Worshipping of God and the Occasion of the Enmity is the same as was in dayes past for the first Worshippers that we read of the Enmity arose in him whose Sacrifice was not accepted with God Professors read your selves and the Cause of your Enmity for those who are accepted with the Lord there is no Cause of Enmity but Pitty arises in their Hearts towards those who are not accepted and so Christ when he came it was not to destroy Men's Lives but his Gospel was Peace on Earth and Good-will towards all Men but Enmity is from the Devil and he the Father of it So for your whole Work let it return from whence it came even the Bottomless Pit And whether the Matter in it be True or False I am a Stranger to it The Intent is Wicked and I do not much look what those have been who are chiefly named in Your Pamphlets by reason of Tender Age in the Truth or otherwise but now I know them to be Men of Integrity and Fearing God which is Satisfation to me and so it s a Sign that when Men grow in Grace and are better they are the Beloved of God to such Grace is not in Vain but when Men grow Worse and Worse and lose their Tenderness once they had and abound in Pride and Envy this is an Evident Token of Perditon notwithstanding their pretended Election for it is not Words only God looks for but Fruit from a Clean
each other and the Presence and Power of the Lord sealed to it and she was a Blessing to him to whom the Lord gave her all her days And I was so far from the Exercise of Authority in that Matter that I know not that I Invited one to the Marriage much less Commanded and J. O. used no Interest in that Matter that I know then what he gained by Love and had these Accusers come to and kept in this Love they had been kept out of that Spirit of the Accuser that now from time to time acts them to seek Occasion against the Brethren and the Truth and then whether False or True as those that Rejoyce in Iniquity they publish it that they may Murder in the Way And if any Righteous Soul grieved and burdened with their Bringings forth in Mischief Write or Answer them sharply they imagine they get Strength by it and shew it to Adversaries of Truth as if the People of the Lord did Amiss in Clearing the Truth and throwing back the Dirt on them from whence it comes but let all take notice that the Prophet Elijah was Justified in his Reproaching of Baal's Priests in their Blind Worships and Mad Fury for the True God appeared to him for his Justification as be doth unto us that abide in his Power unto this day But for the Taunts and Mockings of Samballat Tobiah they are recorded for their Infamy forever For what is the Chaff to the Wheat saith the Lord And I did not nor do not intend to Controvert or Answer the Writings of these Enemies of Truth having not so much as read them through only a few Lines which being False Truth required to come over and upon the Head of the False Worker is it set and I did not then cry out as they say in my own Concern nor do I now write to serve my selfe but the Truth and the End hath and shall declare the Ground of all Actions And as the Fighters against God have and do scatter from him and gather into the World with the Vain Customs thereof so those that have and do contend earnestly for the Truth have no other End or Aim but to preserve in and gather to the Grace of God which Teacheth to Deny all Vngodliness and Worldly Lusts and many Thousands they are that to this day are preserved thereby out of the Net that these Subtil and Deceitful Ones have laid and are laying But Sufficient is the Grace in which we have believed and thereby we receive Power over all Spirits which are gone out and hatch Mischief and bring forth Lyes But Praises be to the Power that hath brought many into the One Mind that above and before all they seek the Encrease and Enlargement of Truth and these have the Mind of God and know he is on their side and laughs to Scorn all his Enemies And our Communion and Fellowship is Holy and within the Holy Place where the Unclean and Inventers of Evil could never come for the Unfeigned Brotherly Love gives an Enterance thereunto but they out of it not seeking after this grow in Envy by lusting thereto and offering Despight to the Spirit of Grace in themselves they bring forth the same against all us that are guided thereby And I am bold in that Spirit that cannot Lye to say to all in this Gainsaying Spirit as I did many Years since to some in the same Spirit and some of these Evil-Workers did hear it and are Witnesses it is fulfilled on them of whom it was then testified J. P. and C. B. and others if they return not they are and shall assuredly be swallowed up of the Earth and link into it cast again into the Sea from whence they were taken as bad Fish indeed out of the Net But Holy is the Lord and his Name shall be Magnified of all the Upright Ones for their Redemption is sure and these are daily coming forth with Songs of Thanksgiving and the High Praises of the Lord are in their Hearts and Mouths forever and for evermore Amen Friends that are plain-hearted and love Righteousness and though but turned Sion-ward and you that for the Truth have sold All you are all very dear unto me as I know I am and must be to you for as we are all of one Begetting and are come to the one Hope and are nourished at the one Breast where the Milk of the Word causeth to grow into the Oneness of that Spirit which sets free from Sin and Death here we have Unity and bear one another's Burdens and in the Life of the Head are affected with the Suffering of every Member that hath Life therein and with his Compâ—ssions come to be filled and having Fellowship in his Suffering are grieved and oppressed with the Works of the Adversaries every where and at all times that ever since the Entrance of the Night of Apostasy to this time are as truly Persecuting Christ Jesus in his Members and Slaying him in the Streets of the great City spiritually called Sodom and Aegypt as Paul persecuted â—â—m when he got Letters from the high Priests to take Men or Women that were of that Way and bring them bound to Jerusalem And as sure as the Apostle John saw his Crucifying in the Spirit of Prophecy so certainly with all the Contenders and Gain-sayers and Resisters of the Testimony of Jesus which Testimony is the Spirit of Prophecy be found Fighters against God who mischievously have taken up all Miscarriages and Mistakes and with their Misunderstandings and own dark Imaginations adding Lyes of their own making whereby some have been weakened and others turned out of the Way and the Truth come to be questioned by the Ignorant whereby the End of these Revolters is made manifest And though I have not so much as said in my Heart I would they were cut off from the Lord yet sure I am they have gone about as much as in them lies to pervert the good Way of the Lord by making the People believe the Quakers allow Vcleanness or Vnrighteousness in that some professing it have gone out as they and practised those things that the Light testifieth against and yet when in good Order by Men loving Holiness there is a Meeting to reform or divide such far from us in the outward this offends them also So may not all see the Restlesness of this Spirit that would throw the Guilt of those that have offended on those Innocent ones that are travelling for the Removal of all Evils But there are many Thousands to the Praise of the Power of God be it spoken that are kept not only out of Uncleanness and all Unrighteousnes but are in the true Religion which keeps from the Spots of the World and their Communion stands where the Blind could never see Another Stumbling-Block that these that are making the Offences lay in the Way of the Simple is as if we honour and set up Man in the Place of God or
and setting some on Fire in order to burn them was prevented in this his Work of Darkness and being by me and others dealt with for this and other Mad Actions intreating him to come to Repentance and no more follow the Imaginations of his own Brain but he being too high for Counsel or Intreaty returns us Hatred for Love and goes on in Impenitency and Malitious Practices unto this time as all the High-minded and Despisers of Counsel ever did and therefore no marvel that he presents me as one doing Amiss in saying I should subject to one in Christ before me in any Case So all the Honest and Plain-hearted will come to see their End and Spirit and beware thereof And I have Justification with God in giving Honour to whom Honour is due and have no Man's Person in Admiration and know G. F. did never seek for Honour nor hath been trusted in or bowed to as a Man but who seeth him that is sent of God must hear and obey him and if any have or do exalt or worship any but the Seed Christ to whom all Honour Worship and Obedience is due they have another God and practise another Doctrine then G. F. hath been the Messenger of for unto him the only Begotten of the Father he came to gather and as he hath received hath given unto us that in the one Everlasting Covenant testified of by him and all sent of God we may know the Father and the Son whom he hath sent And many through believing can say He is ascended and lives for evermore But such as are out of the Faith Reprobate from God could never see the Descendings not the Ascendings of the Son of God who is to be Honoured as the Father And they that are without Guile may see the Heavens open and the Angels ascending and descending on the Son of Man But all out of the Spirit of Truth are Wonderers and Despisers thinking and speaking Evil of those things they know not We read of one that came to Christ in the outward and said unto him Good Master What may I do to have Eternal Life Christ answered him with a Question Why callest thou me Good None saith he is Good but God This was a Parable to me when out of the Faith but in the Faith it is given to know the Deep Things of God And I only mention this Scripture to throw back the many Accusations that these Carping Spirits do cast on us as if we Idolize Man or Men when all in the Faith know all Power all Good is of God manifest and revealed in the Son by that Eternal Light and Spirit in which we worship And none ever come unto the Father but by the Son nor none ever come unto the Son but whom the Father draweth And all those that are in the Dark prophane that Name whereby we are saved but our Peace they cannot Break nor the Purpose of our God Hinder for it must be accomplished The full Time is come and coming in which all things shall be put under his Feet in whom we believe And so I shall Conclude with minding J. Pennyman and that though I have Cause to believe He Tauntingly calleth me A Great Prophetess yet I would have him call to Mind what I writ to him when he was a Prisoner at Bishops-Gate and as it hath in part been fulfilled the full Truth thereof shall come upon him and be made manifest to many and if not the Lord hath not spoken by me Rebecca Traverse Ellis Hooks's Testimony OF late there have been two Scurrilous Books published against the People of God called Quakers one entituled The Spirit of the Hat and the other called Tyranny and Hypocrisie Detected or a further Discovery of the Tyrannical Government Popish Principles and the Vile Practices of the now Leading Quakers Which Books are full of Taunts Jeers Lyes Scoffs and Scorns which indeed are scarce worth answering for God and all sober Men know us to be otherwise and our Neighbours that are not prejudiced But some thing has been answered and is answered for the sake of the Moderate and Simple that they may not feed with them upon Lyes Scoffs and Jeers and their Condemned Stuff and such that have been amongst them and have seen their Errors and have Condemned and been heartily Sorry of and for those things while they were amongst them that is Meat now for the Vagabond Quakers like the Vagabond Jews which they publish to the World to help them that deny the Principle of Truth it self and have made them a Feast with Lyes and nevertheless they boast of the Parts of the Hat-Men as in page 71. and those that Consent with them of the Abilities and Endowments and then Scoff and Jeer at the People of God and call them Foxonians Will this be taking think you with People that love Peace and Quietness But truly their Endowments and your Abilities are manifest to all the Peaceable People and Sober-minded The Hat-Men have been Raking and Watching these many years for Evil and Failings and give it you to publish which manifesteth your two Parties opposite one against another for one pretends to stand for the Principle of Truth but the other clearly denies it But Pilate and Herod were agreed against Christ and so here is Pilate Herod and Judas agreed against Christ's Members and so against him the Head And these Vagabond Quakers that have been Watching for Evil Corrupt Members these many years and you that Consented with them say The People of God called Quakers are fallen in their Principles But they are the Hat-Men that are fallen for the True Quakers ever stood against the Hat-Men as they call them in the time of them and the Ranters and we say They are fallen And you that take their Part and Consent with them should publish your Names and be ashamed of your Doings in the Dark but bring forth your Names to the Light and not work in the Dark nor challenge in the Dark without Name and great Boasts for we can appear before the King and the King of Heaven concerning our Actions And as for the Hypocrisie and Tyranny of the Hat Spirit which would thrust it self in among us which never was of us from the beginning we alwayes judged it by the Power of God to be of the Ranters who would have thrust in amongst us before it was born And as for Popish Practices we deny and Tyrannical Government but own the Order of the Gospel the Power of God And there is none of all them that are mentioned in these Books that hath done any Uncivil thing but hath been dealt withal according to the Order of the Gospel and what has been Amiss they have acknowledg'd and been heartily Sorry for and have Turned from the Evil of their Doings but these Hat-Men or the Spirit of the Hat that have not Repented and Some did make Confessions like Pharaoh and in Words seem'd to Repent are now turned