the Spirit of Truth in the younger against the same Spirit in them that watched over their Souls and so to set Conscience against Conscience and the Spirit of God against it self Is not this the way to let in Liberty in the 〈◊〉 Atheism and the like amongst God's People that again would creep in on this wise under pretence of Want of Inward Conviction and the like and so under colour of Conscience draw back again out of the first Love Care and regard to God and the Spirit of 〈◊〉 in his People and lead into Rantertism and what not It 's a meer Slander in William Rogers to say and gather from hence That we would force a Blind Obedience without conviction Nay There is his mistake being gone from the Spirit 's Life and Sense of it's Motions and Requirings Exhortations Councel and Advice which in the Spirit of Truth we commend to that in all Consciences with whom we have to do in relation to Church-Rule 〈◊〉 der and Subjection Discipline and Judgment We deal with a people in this Matter not as blind but as having a measure of the Spirit which discerns the things of God The Apostle said What have we to do to Judge them that are without speaking in Relation to Church-power Discipline and Subjection in the Lord. It is a shame for William Rogers to talk on this wise and renders him a man that has lost his sight in the Spiritual concern of the Lamb 's Innocent life in which the exercise of the Church of God consists according to the manifestation of the Spirit as every one hath received in which the Rule the Government the Order the Counsel and the Judgment in the Saints in light standeth and in which the mutual Edification is the Helps the Governments in the Church the Unity the sweet Society the subjection one unto another to be each others Joy where the Lord is known to be One and his People one But William Rogers and they of his Party say That the Setling of the Churches in the Order and Discipline that we have amongst us is the way to introduce the Apostacy again yea we are proclaimed already and recorded to posterity to be the Apostates and 〈◊〉 and we see not yet upon what other ground then because we are a People in the Spirit of God Zealous in the matter of Discipline and Order in the Church to Answer the pure Religion in Body Soul and Spirit God requires of us For he hath confessed 〈◊〉 have not lost the Kernel of Christianity neither do we differ in that from them he accounts have kept the Life of it but in the Shell John 〈◊〉 sayes We hold the Truth 's Principles and the Doctrine of Christ and are in the Practice of those things that the Truth in the members of the Heavenly body leadeth into neither do we differ in those things but in Methods and Forms c. So then it must needs be in their Sense that the Church of God being Setled with the respect to the concerns of it relating to us as the visible Family of God under an outward Discipline and Order although the exercise therein be in the Spirit for we own none other i st he Mark and Badge of an 〈◊〉 and that thither we are gone as he Asserts Let us consider and take notice what was the Apostle's sense in his day with respect to that Gospel-order that he laboured for and was 〈◊〉 concerned that in all places it might be setled among the Churches He was of another mind then William Rogers and them of Party with him manifest themselves to be of For although he saw as 't is left upon Record that after his dayes grievous Woives would enter and that there would be a great departing from the Faith and that there would an Apostacy come over many Yet it may be observed what Care he used in the Churches as the opportunity served him that the Order Discipline and Government of the Spirit might visibly Demonstrate it self amongst them in the Tabernacle God had given them in it to be his praise the Godly fear that was upon him in Relation to an 〈◊〉 State was a departing from the Faith to fall among them And as he was desirous that if it was possible they might be kept there from for the Gospels sake and Glory of God it was his desire that every one in the exercise and Service of Truth according to the manifestation of it under a Gospelcare might be concerned and in it fastened and knit together to be each others help and directed them accordingly and that which they had heard and received from him with respect to Order in the Church they were to observe and hold fast and Answer the same in practice and writing to them on that wise with a 〈◊〉 of on such as were wilful and not subject to the Truth but caused Divisions amongst them which they were to beware of he said The rest will I set in Order when I come Much might be said with respect to this matter from the Charge he laid upon Titus and for which cause he left him in Crete to appoint Elders every where and to see that nothing was wanting amongst them Paul never feared the Apostacy to enter through a Setling the Churches by Instruments in Gods hand in that Order he was concerned in the matter of neither did the Churches that kept their first Love ever Brand them with the Character of Apostates for their Labour and Travel on this wise Neither do we read that the Faithful whether Elder or Younger did ever 〈◊〉 at their so doing nor ever slandred those Instruments in Gods hand for any Directions or Orders in Relation to discipline with the bringing in of mens Prescriptions Pauls Orders Lines made ready to their hands Innovations or the like as William Rogers presumes to do which will be his Burthen and 〈◊〉 shame in the end But in the Uuiversal Spirit which is one in all that believe was the Unity preserved and the Comfortable Society held under the Rule and Government of Christ 〈◊〉 and if any would have 〈◊〉 Dissension among them they were to be 〈◊〉 and withdrawn from according to Gospel-Order Hath not William Rogers shamed himself amongst all sober and Judicious people both as a Christian and as a Man to make all this Fluttering 〈◊〉 work against the Government of Christ Jesus in the Church of God which we do affirm is both immediate and Instrumental and that he Rules and Governs in his people the Church of God Immediatly and Instrumentally by his Faithful Servants as well as he instructs both Immediately and Instrumentally And as for this Cause he hath Ministers Pastors and Teachers Instrumentally to turn many from darkness to Light and from Sathan's Power to God to edifie and to build up in the most holy Faith So he hath Overseers Elders Helps and Governments in the Church Instrumentally to see that all things may be kept and
have presumed to place a belief upon our Spirits with respect to a Testimony bearing by you on G. Fox his account whom the Apostates that have risen at any time since we have been a People have ever ran upon with all the bitter Revilings that through malitious Accusations they could devise more impudently then many that never knew the Lord and his Power durst have adventured lest the hand of the Lord should have smitten them to their 〈◊〉 and Wo for evermore We are bold to put the matter to the test concerning him on this wise we have a concern upon us you must bear with us the honourable Truth Gospel Order and the repute of our elder Brethren whom God regards seems to many that are not settled in the power of Truth to lie at Sake through the Impeachment W. Rogers hath appeared in for whose sake we ask you Are you not sensible that as the Lord made him an Instrument in his hand early of the day to gather many to God out of Darkness and from under the power of Death and that since we have been a People in the Truth and gathered into a Society in this earthly Tabernacle that the care of the Churches have been upon him Hath not a Record dwelt upon your Hearts in in the Spirit of Life that the Lord hath been with him in this matter Have you not had an answer in your Consciences unto which he hath ever appealed for a Witness there that the Instructions and Directions with respect to Church order and the Discipline thereof hath been commended to you in the Spirit of Truth as the Lord might direct to be put in practice amongst you Have you not 〈◊〉 the Spirit of Truth in your selves sealing to that eternal power that hath been upon him and other dear Brethren in the matter thereof Have you felt any straitness upon your Spirits or want of freedom in the Lord when you kept to the power to be concerned in the Church of God according to the order growth and place in the Truth whereinto the Lord hath brought you Have you not felt the Blessings of the Eternal God with you in answering the Care the Advice the Counsel and Directions of the Brethren in the matters thereof Are you not comforted with respect to your own inward Advantage the furtherance of the Gospel amongst you and the Truths honourable esteem amongst men through your Exercise Labours and Travels therein so that you can say to Gods praise your Labour of Love hath not been in vain We are bold to appeal on this wise unto you in Truths behalf Have we not a Record in all your Hearts of you that are saithful to God and have received of his Spirit as a cloud of Witnesses in this matter for us who have set our Signets thereunto Deal ingeniously with us as in the Lords sight in this matter its integrity to God our Souls delights in and an evidence in that we crave of all whether with us or against us touching the same however W. Rogers renders us we abhor Flattery or having mens persons in Admiration any further then the honourable Image of God appears in them as their Habitation abides in that to which the honour is due We leave this matter with you and before all whom it may concern where-ever any exercise may fall in relation thereunto and as you Hear and Learn of the Eternal God so Judge and Speak We might in this place very fitly fall in hand with the many Accusations Reproaches and Slanders that William Rogers hath malitiously the matter of his Work gives it this Character devised and raised up against G. Fox through his perversions and inferences that he hath put on his innocent clear sence and Christian Exercise about matters he was concerned in from which he deduceth very wicked and horrid charges against him in that old Cainish Spirit in which he would utterly destroy his Repute if it were in his power before all the fallacy whereof we doubt not but detect in the considerable matters thereof to the satisfaction we hope of all the innocent where this may come Yet we chuse first to give a true and sincere Relation of the many grievous demonstrable Exercises that the Church of God in Mestmoreland hath met withall more or less for the space of six or seven Years or upwards through this Spirit which secretly hath wrought in too many to draw them from the first Love and ancient regard to God his Truth into a kind of libertine loose sort of Life animated and strengthened we dare boldly say though with grief by John Story and John Wilkinson who having declined their antient regard to that Eternal Power and Innocent Life in which once they were truly concerned for God amongst his People and leaning upon the Wisdom that is from below in the mans part and not rightly discerning the things of God became darkned in their Minds and in that state discouragers of the antient Zeal for Truth and the honorable Testimonies born therein amongst the Faithful to the gratifying a People backsliding from the Lord and the holy way of Truth whereupon we have livingly seen and some have warned them of it the Lord withdrawing of his good Spirit by little and little from them as he did from Israel of old whose Backslidings he would have healed but they regarded not but hardened their Hearts more and more to their Irrecoverable Ruin in which declining state they became the wounding of their own Souls and the piercing the sides of many of the weaker sort to the Churches grief We also together with the concern on this wise shall manifest to all what care was used in the Church of God and with several in particular for the preservation of these two men the principal abettors of the dividing Spirit with tenderness towards them with desires and travels both in Soul and Spirit and in many bodily labours in relation to them with many cntreaties for and patient waitings over them that if possible they might be saved The Contest and Exercise in relation to it broke forth first in the North through them William Rogers that we know of was not at first so early concerned in the matter of the aforesaid contentious Work but became an espouser of it to himself on their behalfs being a man of an arragant Spirit and appeared to love being popular and in the height and restlesness of his mind undertook the work that the Lord blessed him not in but being drawn aside from the simplicity of the Gospel to abet a wrong Spirit in himself and others of the loose sort is become the Evil-man and Seducer that grows worse and worse heaping up Damnation to himself that slumbers not Antichristian Treachery Discovexed AND Its Way Block'd up IN A clear Distinction betwixt the Christian Apostolica Spirit and the Spirit of the Antichristian Apostate BEING Something in Answer to a Book put forth by William Rogers falsely
of the Innocent to discourage the Testimonies born for God and his Truth so that they of the Meeting he belonged to had many of them almost lost all relating to Truth but the form of Words and outside Profession and in that also a grief to the Faithful which many of the simple hearted amongst them came off from them since with Joy in true brokenness do tenderly confess And in this shrinking work John Wilkinson also publickly appeared to stand by them to the grief of many for his sake On these occasions as that which was needful least the Life of Christianity as William Rogers applies to the Faithful 〈◊〉 be quite let fall and extinct amongst us the Lord stirred up Zeal and Care in the Church of God amongst the Faithful and the Spirit of the Lord strove in that day with a gainsaying backsliding People who would not be subject to him in the spirit of their own minds and many Exhortations and good Advice they had in Love and Mercy mixed with sound Judgment upon the Spirit that had prevailed over them and upon the works thereof and the Hearts of many in other Countries were touched with sorrow for the Glory of Gods sake which this perfideous Spirit was striking at and in an holy Zeal for God many Brethren that came amongst us were moved in a Testimony for him to clear their Consciences in Gods sight to the comfort and heart breaking gladness of the upright amongst us but to the grief and vexation of the other sort whereupon they cryed ou against 〈◊〉 over-driving and urging things with Severity And Margaret Fox and some other Friends being come to visit Friends at our Quarterly Meeting very tenderly signified to us That she heard there was Divisions amongst us and that she partly believed it and was sorry therefore she desired also That if there was dissatisfaction in any on any account relating to Church Care and Gospel Order that they would speak that things might be openly Discoursed and none go privately under hand to work Discontents in any on the account thereof or words to that purpose John Story was not then amongst us but John 〈◊〉 on the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 himself and them of party with him replied saying 〈◊〉 What 〈◊〉 have we to practice things imposed upon us by man or in the will of man that there is no Scripture Proof or Example for In reply whereunto M. Fox asked him If 〈◊〉 would say that our Meetings relating to Church Care was set up in the will of man or words directly to that purpose unto which he gave no direct Answer neither would plainly and openly declare what it was that he and they took occasion to stumble at yet that which principally was upon him to make an opposition to 〈◊〉 afterwards was observed was Womens Meetings on the account of Church concerns thinking thereby to undervalue lessen the esteem and authority of our whole concern in the Church of God which practice in the Church was vindicated by the honest hearted as a very proper concern for them according to the measure of the Spirit received in their Place Order and Sex It seemed strange also to many why John Wilkinson propounded such a Question in opposition to Women's Meetings seeing that he twenty three more at a former Quarterly Meeting in Kendal had subscribed a Paper signifying their consent to the Womans Meetings with several Expressions in it tending greatly to encourage the same And upon the occasion of a Paper from G. Fox read in the said Meeting to encourage Women Friends to meet together on the account aforesaid the Meeting with an unanimous consent as appears by the Subscriptions expresses themselves thus viz. It is further agreed upon that this Paper be read in every particular Meeting That the Women Friends who are faithful may be stirred up into a serious consideration in the Light of the Lord To answer the Lord with diligence c. And in the Womens assembling together to see and consider that all Women Young and Old who profess the Truth do walk therein in Order and in Modesty out of the Customs and Fashions of the World Herein Male and Female are serviceable in our Place and Calling in our Day and Generation c. So all Women Friends who feel secret desires in themselves to be Instruments of good unto others let them meet together as aforesaid and in this desire certainly the Lord will assist you in his Wisdom and Counsel c. And so all the faithful Women who are thus enclined and affected herewith may signifie their Minds and Intents to the Mens Meetings and so be encouraged by us whose Names are hereunto subscribed viz John Wilkinson 1st Henry Story John Clearkson R. Pinder and 20. more And yet notwithstanding the said Paper it did appear that it was Womens Meetings that they were dis-affected with and smote at in their minds in the same Spirit that disliked also our Mens Meetings but that they were afraid to appear so openly against them for afterwards they broke forth into more disdainful terms against the Womens Meetings calling them an Idol a 〈◊〉 Invention Imposition and the like yet contradictorily to their own approbation and well-liking thereof as the aforesaid Paper demonstrates That earthly loose 〈◊〉 Spirit that had been all along stirring in some of the Rich and wiser sort in the VVisdom that is from below against the Churches Care and Discipline thereof was offended with it because of the Inspection of it and limit thereby to their wrong Spirit yet durst not publickly appear in opposition to it but in a private 〈◊〉 manner was working Contempt and Dis-esteem thereof where it could prevail till on these occasions it was forced either submissively to bow and fall under which it was not willing to do or else to appear with its open Face to manifest it self and stand up in its own defence The Lord suffered these things to be that Esau's hidden Guile might be found out and the way thereof blocked up what ever it cost the Innocent to God to accomplish the same and blessed be God things have wrought well and will do to the Glory of that Name that is the Strength and Crown of the Righteous that shall never Rot For in the Exercise that the Faithful met withal through this Spirit which the Lord hath blessed to us Life sprung in the Hearts of the Righteous and many Souls was tenderly concerned 〈◊〉 God and his antient Truth which had been the Glory of the North where many living VVitnesses had been raised for God to the glading of many Thousands and from amongst whom faithful Labourers sprung for the publishing the everlasting Truth where the Lord hath called them And the Glory of the Eternal Truth appearing even to lie at stake the Lord put Courage into the Hearts of several younger Brethren that from Babes and 〈◊〉 the Lords Praise might be perfected And the more the Lord appeared amongst us the more
me many Months before and then I ask him whether he can say that it was any thing but a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Spirit in him that seeks occasion against the Innocent to render 〈◊〉 Paper a false Certificate on the score thereof with many other abusive 〈◊〉 upon me in Print to Posterity and whether he hath done in this case as he would have been done by For I know he is a Man of that understanding as to see and acknowledge that where a Word in a sentence happens accidentally to be on the account of 〈◊〉 or the like that causeth the sentence to carry another signification then the scope of the 〈◊〉 Discourse relates to or where the Speaker or Writer doth signifie that the 〈◊〉 or the intent of his mind therein was not according to the signification of the said Word but otherwise as he then expresseth himself Such an one on such an occasion according to Scripture Rule and the Charity that is to be extended to all is not to be made an Offender and a clear occasion William Rogers had given him by the scope I say of my whole Paper relating to that matter to know my mind therein as also I cannot but believe but that my Answer to this Charge he had received before he needed to have 〈◊〉 this matter in Charge against me in Print and yet for all this he hath made me and Published me to the whole World an Offender for a Word yea I may say for a Letter which is so far from the rule of Christianity Civil Society and Honesty amongst morral Men that its an absurd 〈◊〉 thing for a Man of his supposed Parts and very nausious in the sight of wise and 〈◊〉 Men. And further I may tell William Rogers that had he been a Charitable 〈◊〉 Man and not one that watched for an occasion for Evil or had he exercised the Parts which God gave him as a Man he might easily have gathered that seeing my Name was at the Conclusion of the said Certificate or Testimony then those Words from which he grounds the Charge were not properly like to be mine neither indeed were they any of them nor are they in the first Copy nor in any Copy that came from me but had been put in by the 〈◊〉 without my knowledge in that Copy which it seems came to him which I cannot but say was a little weakly placed there by whom I know not in 〈◊〉 much 〈◊〉 that the Letter 〈◊〉 is at the end of the word Aspertion which should not have been upon which occasion William Rogers very 〈◊〉 with respect to the material 〈◊〉 appertaining to the Case and unmanly hath done concerning me for as I had no Hand in that Word so 〈◊〉 had I any thoughts as my Paper demonstrateth to concern my self in any 〈◊〉 in relation to the clearing 〈◊〉 Fox from the Aspersions cast upon him any further then what the clearing of him from that charge and 〈◊〉 alledged against him might tend as to the invalidating of all 〈◊〉 rest which I must 〈◊〉 and as I believe many will conclude that it greatly tendeth unto And 〈◊〉 to speak as charitably of the Transcribet as in 〈◊〉 we ought to do I say that the little Prologue prefixed to my Paper by him might be very 〈◊〉 done and not worthy of any such occasion to be taken on the Score thereof for to 〈◊〉 at the beginning of the matter being annexed to another's Matter or Discourse was very properly to be done whereby more Intelligibly to distinguish between them for the Words expressed taken in the most charitable sence might not import that it was intended thereby to clear George Fox of all c. but that they tended to clear George Fox of the Aspersions cast against him that the following matter related to so all things every way considered in that Love that thinks no Evil it s clearly seen that for 〈◊〉 of matter William Rogers in the malice of his Mind catcheth at any thing to keep his restless turbulent discomposed smiting Spirit at Work with thereby manifesting that he runs himself into great mistakes touching the same not only perverting thereby the thing he aims at but gives occasion through that means to manifest his 〈◊〉 the more Several other abusive reflections William Rogers hath cast upon me in his Rejoynder or Answer to my Certificate about the matter in charge against George Fox spoken to in the Answer to his Rejoynder which touch me not nor do they hurt my Life and Peace with God viz. That I am puft up with Spiritual Pride my Zeal turned into Envy my Wisdom into Folly whereby I am now become as heretofore in another case relating to John Story so dexterous in giving forth a false Certificate Answer This is my Comfort in the midst of all God hath not made William Rogers Judge over me though he would intrude into the Prerogative of 〈◊〉 Jesus and take upon him that which the Lord hath not given him therefore never reacheth my Life and if for my Testimony for God and his Antient Truth and the Fellowship of Brethren and my Zeal for the propagating the Government of the Spirit and Gospel Order in Gods visible Family and for my tender concern in the holy Exercise thereof I am become 〈◊〉 I am resolved in the Strength of the Eternal God to keep fast my stedfastness therein to the end of my Days that I may lay down my Life in Peace although for my so doing I shall become more vile yet and I am livingly satisfied that all his and others Reproaches which the Lord suffers to be my lot tends to my Advantage in God and the knowledge of Truth and no way lessens my repute in the Hearts of Gods faithful People and let William Rogers and those of the 〈◊〉 Company do their worst the Burden in the end shall be their own And as for that smiting Charge of my giving forth false Certificates against John Story There is none I testifie that I have been concerned in in relation to him but the Substance thereof shall be stood to when William Rogers or any of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lets me see what they are and undertakes to convict me thereof 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 William Rogers mentions none here I take no notice of it any 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to manifest his unchristian Spirit that watcheth for Evil and smiteth 〈◊〉 the Back neither do I believe will it be of any credit with them that fear the 〈◊〉 and love Righteousness and desire to do unto all as they would be done 〈◊〉 And William Rogers hath no good cause to Impeach me thus with respect to John Story for many are Witnesses what Kindness and good-will I did bear with respect to his 〈◊〉 good and keeping his antient Repute in Truth amongst Gods People and that I stood by him in his Weakness so far as any way 〈◊〉 I could in excusing of him until he became my Shame through turning his Back of the Lords Kindness and the Brethrens too and became hardned in Evil till the Lord gave him up to a Reprobate Mind And I bless God that the good-will I bore to John Story and my care whilest his Day lasted and my Testimony born against a 〈◊〉 sort the reward thereof is returned into my Bosom having cleared my Conscience every way thus far concerning him and he rest of them let them consider of it in time as they will Answer the same 〈◊〉 the Lord in the great Day John Blaykling THE END Which wrong Spirit will never give them to see their duty nor lead them into it Printed by John Bring 〈◊〉 These Accusations are 〈◊〉 and his Eyes were evil John Story said He would have his Hand Cut off before he would take his Name from off the Paper for Separation This he said to R. B.
pretend to that they are gone from that they may the more cunningly deceive and lead back into a corrupt Fleshly Liberty again to satisfie the Lusts of it that 's the center it tends to and when it hath tired it self out there will its end be Impartial Reader When thou hast with an unprejudiced mind in sincerity of Heart looked over and weighed this William Rogers his Work the Champion of the backslided Ones and the Enemy to the Churches Peace and looks upon the Engine he would perfect his Work by thou mayest easily see of what Spirit he is and what his Work tends to and escape the Snare he would take thee in It s a false Spirit in which he would betray his Brother even unto Death its malicious bending it self with false Accusations and lying Slanders to defame such as have kept their Garments clean and whose Integrity is approved in Gods sight and in many Consciences its wicked in bringing the same to publick view having for the most part little evidence of any sort to produce but If Reports be true it s a treacherous Spirit that talks of the Light and would seem to vindicate Truth 's Principles with such a false malicious slanderous wicked Work as his Book is stuffed with and with seeming Imbraces and standing for the Truth and the appearance of it betrays it and would deliver it up and the servants of it into the hands of Sinners It s a false libertine Spirit tending to Ranterism that inveighs against Friends tender care in the Church of God according to Gospel Order and vilifies with slanderous reproachful terms the Government of the Power and Discipline therein Established in Gods visible Family terming it the bringing into the Churches Mens Prescriptions and lording it over Mens Consciences the introducing of the Apostacy again c. All which in Subjection to Gods Power we abominate and turn it back upon its own Head to receive the stroke of the Eternal God which will fall upon the Abbetters of this Spirit if in time they repent not as a burden too heavy to bear They of that Spirit also cry against the seasonable Exhortations and Reproofs of them whom God is pleased to concern on this wise as Imposing Over-driving and the like they are letting loose and gratifying a fleshly mind and to indulge the same claiming a right in a wrong spirit to be left to inward freedom till they see the Lords requirings or that it is their duty so to do This sort of abominable Work is clearly manifested to be the tendency of William Rogers's Spirit as his own Book demonstrates cleared to the understandings of the unprejudiced and honest Hearted to God and by the Answer thereunto called The Accuser of our Brethren cast down c. Subscribed by Ellis Hook in the name of the second Day of the Weeks Morning Meeting in London may be plainly seen That which demonstrates also the 〈◊〉 creeping Work of this Spirit is that although William Rogers in his Title Page pretends his Book to come forth in the 〈◊〉 of himself and many of his Brethren The Question being often put as Hundreds will Witness and required of him or any to Answer to Who would stand by it Or say they had Unity with its coming forth in Print We cannot yet find the Man that declares he owns it or that will say I am one that will stand by it And yet a creeping sort of Men backsliden of a certain Truth from God and turned from the Truth and work the Works of Darkness hands it out amongst the loose sort of Professors of Truth and many other as the 〈◊〉 serves them notwithstanding known Enemies to the Life of God and the Testimony of Truth and despisers of such as have received the same and holds their Integrity in it Reader It may be cause of Wonder that this People that came out together in the Light and Unity of the one Spirit and have stood together with Hand and Shoulder against the many Heads and Horns that have pushed at them and who have been struck at more or less under every Government that hath been since they were a People and none has been able to break them but all has tended to their Encrease and Stability in the way they have been led into and walked in that such should now when their outward Ease comes to be enlarged fall at Odds and Difference amongst themselves apparently as some may expect to the great damage if not the Ruin of them In the first place we would have all to know and take notice that in the Light and Life of Truth our antient Unity stands and in it all are established who keep Entire and Faithful to it In it we are the same in Love in Fellowship through the eternal Power against which the Gates of Hell shall not prevail that ever we were our Life grows in God our Testimony stands we are on our way the Lord is before us and there 's none shall be able to pluck us out of his Hand our Faces are still Sion wards and our Confidence through the Eternal Power that 's inlarged amongst us to have our Residence there in that good Land which God hath given us to taste the Fruits of and the earnest blessed be God we have with us of that Inheritance that never hath an end and we are comforted in our way who keep to Truths Life and if any turn out to the right Hand or to the left it s their own fault and will be their own loss the Lord will be clear and his People clear having discharged our Duty thus far concerning them It s confessed to the grief of our Souls there are a few that came out with us by an Eternal Arm that have not eyed the Lord and his Power for Safety but are gone out from us having betrayed the Life in which they were with us and are become not of us As it was said They went out from us because they were not of us for if they had been of us no doubt they would have continued with us It may in truth be told you that have read William Rogers's Book for your Satisfaction if you desire it what sort of Professors of Truth this Evil and Mischief of being led back again from the conduct of Gods Power to covet the Flesh-Pots of Aegypt's Land and satisfie the Lusts of a corrupt mind in opposition to the Churches Care in this Gospel day hath befallen First They are such as although the Openings of life and the hidden Wisdom of the pure God were in some measure Revealed in some of them and although in some measure they might have partaken of the Ministry of Christ Jesus as Judas did amongst the Twelve yet not giving God the praise nor singly attributing the Glory to him that Worthy deckt themselves therewith as it was of old the Lord said I gave them of my Jewels and they deckt themselves therewith c. So
Pride and Spiritual Ambition prevailing instead of Humility in the Lords 〈◊〉 the safe Habitation the Lord became grieved to the greatly withdrawing of his good Spirit from them so that their 〈◊〉 to others came to be in the Wisdom which is from below and is Earthly Sensual and Devillish of which some of the principal of them were told and warned of the Evil thereof many Years ago So that the mystery of Gods mind which is revealed to Babes in Christ they became shut up from and the concerns of the Kingdom in the life thereof they became strangers to and as to the concerns relating to the visible Family of God being at a loss in relation to they became partakers with the loose sort in the opposition thereunto till strife entered and to work Discord in the Church of God their Design broke forth of which more may be said afterwards Secondly This opposite Spirit to Church Care entred amongst such as became unfaithful in their 〈◊〉 Testimonies for God and the honorable Truth once born and suffered for to their Comsort and Peace and to Indulge a wrong Spirit that began to draw back pleading for a false Liberty calling it Christian therein to gratifie the Flesh and that Sufferings might be avoided thereby which the care in the Church of God could not but inspect and Friends be concerned therein Thirdly The opposition prevailed upon such as became in departing from Truth 's Life and the pure fear vain in their Minds and inclined to liberty in the Flesh again in the Worlds Spirit becoming Enemies to the Cross and casting off he Yoke of Christ to which Subjection is to be given and entering into the Worlds loose Spirit again a reproach to Truth which the godly care for God's Honour and Truths 〈◊〉 in the Faithful could not let pass unreproved which became the Torment of all such Fourthly This Spirit of opposition to Church care that whatever things were decent might be cherished and the contrary Judged hath wrought in such and drawn them into a Separation as through the Imaginations of a corrupt Mind and in an airy Spirit would have entertained things to be put in practice in relation to the honourable State of Marriage inconsistant with Truths sweet Savour with respect to Man and Womans duty therein or were inclined to inconsiderate 〈◊〉 undertaking to accomplish the same without bringing them twice before the Mens and Womans Meetings which for Inspections sake as to clearness therein we account a very necessary decent and comely thing a froward loose and fleshly Spirit would not be thus limited and under pretence of seeing no need of these things or not seeing it a duty c. Crys for Liberty of Conscience and let me be 〈◊〉 to freedom although in a wrong Mind which Gods Truth gives no liberty to and the care of the Church of God would limit that in all things we may be kept of the praise of Truth We desire that in every Country or Place where a knowledge of this Separation from the fellowship of the Church of God happens to be or where the aforementioned Book of William Rogers's comes to be seen all would take notice if they that are fled off through a backsliding Spirit into a distance as to the Antient fellowship of Brethren and become disconcerned in Church affairs amongst Gods antient People and labour to promote the Publishing of William Rogers's ungodly Book be not clearly manifested to be some of the fore-going sorts of Professors of Truth which as any finds them to be let that which is pure peaceable and easie to be entreated judge what they are and what this Spirit and Work would lead unto Thou needest not Reader think it a strange thing with respect to this backsliding People whose Reproach to all hastens on For Righteousness doth Establish a People or Nation when Ignominy is the Portion of Fools for the like hath happened concerning the Rebellious to Gods Mind and Will made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 amongst such as have known the Lord and the Work of his mighty Hand in Generations past and gone which holy Men of God have left upon Record to be a warning to such as may come after and may meet with like Temptations First Of them that came out of Egypt through the Arm of the eternal God under the conduct of Moses a Servant of the Lord and an Instrument in his Hands and of them that had seen the mighty Wonders God wrought for their Deliverance Two Hundred and fifty of the Princes of the People mighty Men Men of Renown Rebelled against the Lord and despised his Servant Moses confederated together to Work mischief in the Camp and stood in their opposition till the Righteous God caused the Earth to open and Swallow them up Amongst the Twelve of Christ's own choise one of them became an Enemy to him to the betraying him into the Hands of Sinners Some are made mention of to have tasted of the good Word of God and of the powers of the Life to come and yet afterwards might fall away and hard to be 〈◊〉 by Repentance It were well if these could yet find any place Paul made mention of the falling back of the Galatians from the Simplicity of the Gospel and lamented the case of their being Bewitched and he Travelled that the Seed Christ might be again formed in them He also made mention of false Brethren that had been his Exercise and Grief The Lord suffers these things to be and such to be over-taken on this wise whose Hearts do not abide upright to God who have known God in his Power and yet do not Honour him as God It is considerable and worth the notice taking to see what effects the Lord hath wrought and what he hath suffered to be through such Exercises as these are And First with respect to the Heretage of God the Family that does Believe through the exercise that is met withal from false Brethren whose backslidings and opposite Work and the tendency of it to Strife is the Churches Grief there is a tender concern in all such wrought upon the observation of it to have a more inward Eye to God by whose Grace all are saved that believe therein that they may be kept to him in the feeling of that Power which preserves every one upon the Rock for help and salvation So that the Lord being more eyed the more he comes to be feared and dependency comes to be laid on him and on this occasion all confidence in the 〈◊〉 comes to be laid down seeing the Mighty and the Wise amongst Men are overcome and a retirement to that antient Arm that brought Salvation in the beginning is wrought upon the Souls of them that believe that Spirit in Children of the Night that would divide being seen and in Gods Name resisted the Children of the Day are the more knit together in Soul and Spirit and the delight of the Lord comes to be with them and his Glory
over-shaddowing them to the encrease of Life and Faithfulness to God amongst them Love encreases and Life springs in the Assemblies of the Righteous a People saved by the Lord and all srinking creeping hidden Works of Darkness are judged down the snare 〈◊〉 laid therein being seen Deliverance is wrought to Gods praise and his Peoples joy and this is the effect God hath wrought to our Advantage glory to his Eternal name for evermore Secondly Through the workings of the Spirit that prevails on them whose Habitation is not in the Lord the Negligent the Careless the Rebellious that dwell in the dry Land and have wanted the vertuous Life of God through unbelief into whom Looseness is entered and the Works of the Flesh wrought antient Testimonies for God let fall by them to Truths dispraise and the wounding the Hearts of the Innocent whose Testimony abides sure and through whose unfaithfulness Afflictions are added to the Bonds of the Upright to God to the Churches Grief they having turned the many visitations of Gods Love behind the Back and grown worse and worse such as these comes to be shaken off and the Camp cleansed of them and they manifested to all and that they who are approved may be made manifest a Separation being wrought between them that truly serve the Lord and them that serve him not betwixt them that live in the Antient Power and in Life and Faithfulness glorifies the same and them that talk only of the Light and inward guidance of the Spirit of Jesus and yet in Works deny him Let but the Reader and the Innocent wait a little in the patience and you shall see the end of this Spirits Work to its utter Reproach its Memorial shall rot and never rise again Thirdly That although this appearing Difference amongst us may and hath caused a Flutter amongst the Gazers and Wonderers that would not believe and for the present might put a little discouragement for a time upon the unestablished in God and obstruct a little the gathering unto us such as the Lord will deliver and shall be saved and what an expectation hath there been through this occasion in our publick Enemies that have watched for it of our disadvantage thereby in the way of Truth if not our Ruin yet it were well if such would take notice that notwithstanding the worst of this Spirit 's Work how the Lord hath Blessed his People in every place even where the greatest Blunder hath been with the more Zeal and Integrity for him and that more is added to us since that day then for many Years before And lastly That which we observe and it were well if notice of it were truely taken this talk of Difference amongst us which we do affirm is not in the Camp of God but a Testimony is born by us against the Backslided and Apostate it doth tend to the hardning of a disobedient and gainsaying People that would not receive the Testimony of the Light and Life of Christ Jesus to believe in him for Salvation but have turned the visitations of Gods love behind their backs in their rebellion against the Lord and the Spirit of his Grace to their greater ruin and the more speedy execution thereof if in time they repent not and it were well if such yet would fear Almighty God and be subject to the Truth before it be too late to find Mercy In our Advice to the Reader and Introduction to the ensuing matter of what is before us to concern our selves with we cannot but first take notice that some may say If it were true that the Author af the aforesaid Book and those he seems so much to standby are in a backsliding state and seperated from you whom you seem to disown as out of fellowship with you What is the meaning of all this Writing against George Fox so vehemently and more principally then any others together with others also whom by name he makes mention of And what is the truth of the matters and things laid to his and others charge which if true bespeaks a backsliding in him and others he speaks of as well as in them you declare against Answer As for George Fox we say and Testifie that as he was an Instrument in Gods hand through the Demonstration of the Spirit being a Minister of the new Testament the everlasting Gospel through whom many were turned from Darkness to Light to behold the Glory of the everlasting Day and the Faces of many Thousands have been truely and livingly set Sion-wards and their Feet established in the way thither Let William Rogers say and do his worst he is one who hath kept his Integrity to the Lord and is honorable in Gods power amongst the Children of the Light that keep their habitation in it an Elder that hath ruled well and is worthy of honour for the gift of Gods sake that he hath been faithful in the concern of and is the same with an encrease of Life and pure Wisdom that ever he was notwithstanding the fury of wicked and lying Tongues And as it was in Christ and the Apostles days because of the testifying against the World by him and his Desciples that their deeds were evil the World hated them above all the Jews stumbled at him because of his Testimony against the Adulterous profession of the chiefest of them and their Righteousness which it was said must be exceeded or no coming into Gods Kingdom for which cause also they hated him and put him to Death The first and most Glorious appearance of the breaking forth of the more clearer Day after an Apostatized state was ever resisted with great Indignation by them upon whom the Apostacy from the Life and Power of God had prevailed and the publishers of the same Testimony from God the most hated and persecuted with the cry of Help Men and Brethren and withal the fury and might imaginable to obstruct the breakings forth thereof This Generation hath not forgot that in a resolved combined Covenant made with Death was the Testimony resisted that this Servant of the eternal God bore against the Sin self Righteousness and false Judgment that a wicked and a pervers Generation lived in and under the profession of to the total stopping and crushing of it by all means Imaginable if they could or that could be contrived and far contrary to the work of a professing Gospel Ministry and dispensation of a Gospel day to the shame of such as were the contrivers thereof and stirrers up of Persecution therefore It may be remembered what such an one he was rendered to be even as the worst of Men and yet nothing could be laid to his charge save for his crying against Sin c. and keeping a good Conscience to God recommending his Testimony to the Witness of God in all Consciences in the patience that possessed the Soul the Lyes the false Aspersions Calumnies and Reproaches raised against him and cast upon him with rage and fury and
tended to Friends Advantage in the Truth and the honour thereof by the Churches of Christ in this Nation and in other Nations which the practice of our Monthly and Quarterly Meetings demonstrate Fifthly That notwithstanding William Rogers's and others of Party with him their abusing George Fox and slandering him with lying accusations as one that would Introduce his own Prescriptions and Orders and invade Christs Prerogative c. And would exalt himself in a wrong Spirit in Rule and Government Lording it over the heritage of God His advice and directions in relation to the duty of Gods People in the Tabernacle God hath given us visibly to appear in hath been acceptably closed with and testified to by Word and Writings as shall be made appear in the Sequel of our concerns and as the Churches Records in our Quarterly Meetings doth declare Sixthly To prove that William Rogers's Charges and malicious Accusations exhibited in Print against George Fox and others of the Brethren are idle frivolus and fallacious and his exercise in that matter a Scandal to Christianity and ridiculous amongst Men and sober Societies which the said William Rogers hath framed and made up and brought to publick view through his perverting George Fox's Honest and Christian words and discourse and by his uncharitable deductions in a jealous prejudiced mind and putting his own perverted Constructions and Inferrences upon George Fox's sincere and Christian sence of matters his words related to otherwise then ever was intended by him as the plain and charitable construction thereof naturally deducible therefrom demonstrates and then places his own judgment upon him which is an horrid and abominable thing in the Lords 〈◊〉 and detestable amongst Men And through Gods help this is before us to manifest which we Question not to effect to the Satisfaction of all the unprejudiced and upright minded where this Book may come We have also a desire in sincerity of heart to demonstrate to all where the knowledge of any difference amongst this People hath come as the relation thereof may most properly fall in our way the Christian care that hath been amongst the truly established in God who have kept their first love and care for Gods glory and 〈◊〉 habitation upon the Rock abides sure to have preserved this scattered divided People within the Fold of the true Shepherd unto whom the gathering is whilst they were in any measure near unto us before they turned away from Gods Power and broke away as the Israel of old did unto whom the Lord had given of his good Spirit and yet they rebelled against him and therefore the Lord after many visitations and willingness to heal their backslidings which they regarded not withdrew from them and gave them up to a reprobate mind to harden themselves to their utter Ruin We would declare also as that which is material to our present concern and yet as briefly as we well can what exercises particularly and more generally after a more publick manner many dear Brethren have met withal through this Spirit what brotherly treating them that the Temptations of it was prevailed upon with Advice and Councel to remove that groundless ungodly jealousie that entred them in which the vail came over and there the temptation to Strife and Contention got place What care what tenderness and Gospel-Order hath been over them used towards them letting the honest hearted see some part of the honest labours and travels in Soul and Spirit and bodily endeavours that have been indured and used towards them for the Lord and his Truths sake and their Eternal good and how unwilling the Church of God was to have had them rent off from us What patience long-sufferings brotherly 〈◊〉 have been used towards them if possible they might live and find rest in God for their Souls how clear the Lord and his People are of their blood if they perish for evermore what pitty was it hath it been often said that a jealous prejudiced Spirit should prevail upon any who have known God to work them into such a wilful froward perverse state as to let nothing enter that might do them good having rejected that in themselves which God had made manifest in them not liking to retain the same in their knowledge as it was of old concerning such whom God gave up to a reprobate mind and unto great hardness of heart to the filling up the measures of their Iniquities for the Damnation that slumber'd not God Suffers these things to be that they who are approved may be made manifest Considerate Reader If these before recited particulars be made good which necessarily relates to our present work which we doubt not but to be able to do we hope that clearness of understanding concerning the matter in hand will be opened in thee as desires abides with thee to God on that wise as that thou wilt easily judge of the ground of the Controversie betwixt us and our present Adversary whom we treat not with now as a Brother or one of us but as a publick Enemy to the Life of our Principle and holy Profession a caster of Stumbling-Blocks in the way of many to fall upon which will prove a burden too heavy for him to bear And thou wilt plainly see what manner of man he is what Spirit he is of what his design and all his fluttering Work tends to and that upon this occasion if thou hast a Sence of Gods Truth thou wilt be the more confirmed in it and be the more concerned to keep thy Habitation in it for thy Salvation and peace sake or if thou beest one who has not hitherto given up thy self to serve the Truth though convinced by it nor our Lord Jesus Christ We hope as that which we truly 〈◊〉 thou wilt not find by this occasion any ground to continue in hardness of Heart against it but in subjection to Gods Light and Life in thy self thou wilt be given up in self-denial to close with that Principle thou hast the sence of and which we have believed in and testifie of and is our Life and Portion in God and cause of our rejoycing and that thou mayst come to have a share with us in the Inheritance of God amongst Gods sanctified ones which in the universal love God hath appeared in in these latter Days and in which we travel for the good of all we truly breath for as that which will be our Joy and a Recompence into our Bosoms for our Labours Sorrows and Travels manifold We further advise the Reader when this our ensuing Tratise shall happen to fall in the Hands of such as have not received the Principle of Light which we have testified to so as to believe therein or when it comes amongst such as have hurt themselves by too much adhering to a wrong Spirit which very probably it may somtimes do by reason of the endeavours that are used by the promoters of William Rogers's Book to hand it out to
other Nations and Countries beyond the Seas as by Christian correspondence through many Epistles from our Brethren is demonstrated By Joseph Bains John Pearson John Blayking Pure Religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this to visit the Fatherless and Widows in their Affliction and to keep 〈◊〉 from the World James 1. 27. But if we walk in the Light as he is in the Light we have Fellowship one with another and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son 〈◊〉 us from all Sin 1 John 1. 7. Antichristian Treachery DISCOVERED AND Its Way Block'd up c. MAny have been the Adversaries that the Children of Light have met withal and have had occasion to be concerned with in the Vindication of that pure Truth in which we have believed in the various Exercises which have fallen in our Lot since we have been a People and through all which the Lord hath been our Preservation and Deliverance for the Glory of his own Eternal Name and our lasting Peace Of all which William Rogers our present Adversary seems to be one that hath not had an equal to him apparent to all that weigh the concern which he hath appeared in with respect to the matter of it and the Circumstances that on many Accounts relate to it as shall be plainly manifested The matter he undertakes to be concerned in is to demonstrate as he pretends The Backfliding of them that are not of party with him from the Principle once Received and from the Life of Christianity alledging also what a concern of Conscience lay upon him to appear after the manner he doth least saith he The doctrine and life of Christianity should seem to be wholy extinct amongst the People called Quakers In his Title page he intimates under what Denomination he treats the body of the People of which we are to wit as Apostates and 〈◊〉 except of party with him which he Accounts his Title page and Book clearly shews Now let it be considered if this be the Characters of a true Christian or doth it demonstrate him to be in the Doctrine and life of Christianity or one under a Godly concern to promote the honour of Truth that Principle of Light and Life received and faithfully believed in amongst us in the vindication whereof the Lord hath engaged all that keep 's their Integrity to it unanimously to stand together and hath blessed them with dominion in the sight of their Foes or doth it appear that the Doctrine and Life of Christianity abides in him or that any regard to the Exaltation of Truth and the way of it remains with him Whilst he Publisheth in Print that the many Thousands that have believed in the Light and are not 〈◊〉 Party with him are become Apostates from God and the Life of their Profession setting up Forms instead thereof Mens Orders and Prescriptions and the like and as he renders them To have begun in the Spirit and seek to be made perfect 〈◊〉 the Flesh And yet in contradiction to himself and the Characters of Apostates that he gives us saith That a great part of the Contention amongst us seemes to 〈◊〉 about the Shell and not the Kernel that is to say about some outward Forms and not the Life of our Profession and John Wilkinson saith That the Concord we had 〈◊〉 seems much to be broken c. And the cause God hath manifested to 〈◊〉 saith he Is not in principle of Truth nor in Christ Doctrine nor in any practice which Truth in the members of the Heavenly Body leadeth into but about prescription c. Doth it then become the Christian Quaker As he calls himself or can it be the concern of a tender Conscience that hath regard to Truth and the Unity of Brethren to publish in Print and leave a Memorial of it to Posterity That the Body of Friends to Truth the Family which God hath chosen who still keeps their Integrity to it let William Rogers say what he can are 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 and as if the Life of Christianity were wholly extinct amongst them and them of his party the Christian Quakers only And yet himself saith That the difference is but about the Shell and not about the Kernel and according to John Wilkinson's affirming That its manifested to him to be not in Principles of Truth nor Christ Doctrine nor in any practice which the Truth in the members of the Heavenly Body leadeth into c. What confusion and silly work is this that William Rogers hath engaged himself in Or doth it not render him void of the pure Wisdom of God and Life of Christianity a Man departed from his first Love and regard to Truths Renown and the Unity therein Who can but say rather that he is a Man given to strife and one that sets himself to work Discord in the Church of God a Man also of a lofty Spirit in the work thereof that undertakes to set himself against the Heritage of God whom God hath stood by and been the defence of through all their Troubles and that thus renders many Thousands of God's dear People which he was once in unity with Apostates and Innovators and the like a state most contemptible in the Lords sight and odious amongst Men fearing God And that it is a malicious Spirit he is acted by that would under this Character of Apostates expose the Families of which we are to the Wrath and Indignation of all to our Exercise and Sufferings thereby For what is more dreadful to the Profession of Christianity under which the People of this Nation lives Then an Apostat estate from the Doctrine of Christ and the Apostles Life Under which the great Persecution hath befallen many that sincerely sought the Lord and obeyed him according to what was made manifest to them but our considence is in the Lord and in the integrity of our hearts and we are over his worst and the Inchantment that this Spirit is working in shall never prevail For the Lord is God and changeth not therefore are we not consumed It may be asked William Rogers what is become of the principle of Light he so much pretends to that gives an understanding to all that truly love it and the Christianity that he would be rendered to be in the Life of with them of party with him that he doth not see what a reproach he hath made himself to all the sober minded People of every Profession Surely if Aplause to himself and 〈◊〉 was in his eye he hath mised his aim Who can say that Reads his Book that this is a fit man to stands up for the life of Christianity in the defence of the Principle that so many Thousands have testified to and has a Record in many Consciences for a Sober Conscientious and well meaning People who hath been one in profession with them and now is become such an Accuser of his Brethern rendring them to be Apostates and Innovators exclaiming against their Profession their
much Confusion he seems to prosecute his opposite work One while against all outward Rule Order and Discipline c. another while as bringing in Prescriptions Innovations or Dictates of Fallible men Another while as being Imposed with too much Severity or imposed on Fellow-members without Conviction see the Treatise subscribed by Ellis Hookes c. Therein are even a Catalogue of the Confusions Contradictions and Mistakes he hath run himself into which we do impute to have happened 〈◊〉 him as said before under the Discomposure he is plunged in and 〈◊〉 Distractedness as to the weighty things of the Spirit of God that he is taken with otherwise with respect to his antient Love to Truth and Regard to the Unity of Brethren and the Qualifications in that day that accompanied him he would have trembled as before the Lord and have been ashamed as a Member of Christ to have appeared on such a Subject as this to wit Opposition to Truths Life and the Churches Care and the manner of his proceeding in the matter of it would have been unto him as a man an Horrid and Detestable Thing This then we may gather from the matter and manner of his discourse in relation to the good Order and Discipline in the Church and visible Family of God That it 's being established amongst us although in the Power of the Spirit which is the Torment of a Loose and Corrupt Mind is that which he is grieved with and having put the Odium upon it which by all means he can devise to marr the face and beauty thereof as if we were run into Forms without the Power and so gone from the inward teacher we were first directed to Then on the score thereof render us Apostates Innovators and what not And this leads us to the matter that the first part of our treatise relates to formerly made mention of as upon us a little to speak to Viz. That under the Gospel-Dispensation 〈◊〉 Order Discipline and Government in the exercise of the Spirit is necessary Justifiable and ought to be found in Subjection to Gods Power amongst Gods people that we may be Truths Praise in the Tabernacle God has given us as that which Answers the Doctrine of Christ the Apostles Care and the Practice of the Primitive Churches according to Scripture-record This is the plain and a positive Truth consistent with the pure Religion to visit the Widow and the Fatherless and to keep unspotted of the world and hath been the Constant practice of the Churches of Christ since there was a people that believed in him and gathered into a Society in the Profession of Truth which the primitive Churches were zealous in the matter of And the very 〈◊〉 Christians have been ashamed as men not to be found in the form thereof And the Reformers of Latter days according to more modern Records have been as incumbent upon them exercised therein in the several visible Societies they have been gathered into And until the Lord was pleased to establish this people W. Rogers inveighs against through the elder Brethren as Instruments in his hand in the matter and practice thereof which could not be till we became a people considerable in relation to it We were under a 〈◊〉 thereof in order to our more compleat mutual 〈◊〉 Strength and Comfort each to other so far as the matter thereof relates thereunto As also with respect to the honour of God Truth our Repute and the Churches Comfort and Ease All which in the Record we have to bear for God we can truly say hath Attended us in our Exercise and Concern in Relation to this matter So that in the sweet and comfortable Order in which the Lord hath placed us in a tender Care for Truth 's Praise we have the sense of God's Love and Delight with us in Blessings upon us and the Work we are concerned in as a Reward into our Bosom manifold and our esteem and good report in many Consciences both amongst them that are saved and amongst them that perish hath greatly been enlarged hereby So that we say as to the proof of this certain Truth and Justified Practice in which we are found although our Adversary William Rogers doth despise the same and reviles our Practice and concern therein much needed not be said it 's so plain and obvious to all Yet in short the tender Reader may take notice not knowing into what hands this may come that Christ Jesus our Lord and Law-giver confirms the Truth of this 〈◊〉 in that saying Matthew 18. If thy Brother Trespass against thee go and tell him his Fault betwixt him and thee alone If he hear thee then thou hast gained thy Brother If he hear thee not take with thee one or two more c. And if he shall neglect to hear them tell it to the Church But if he neglect to hear the Church let him be 〈◊〉 thee as an heathen-man This Implyes positively Church order 〈◊〉 yea Church-power and Government in the Spirit which he promised to give and the Determination and sentence thereof requireable The Offender for not hearing him was not to be unto him as an heathen-man till he had refused to hear the Church and until the Sentence given by it William Rogers one while sayes and so also John Wilkinson hath preached That the Church-power on that wise 〈◊〉 only to matters Criminal and in Difference about outward things And yet contradicts himself again and sayes on the same subject giving Judgment in the case of not hearing That every Case of one Brother's Trespassing against another according to right reason may be comprehended Again it 's said in 1 Cor. 6. 15. The Spiritual man Judgeth all things and it 's said That the Saints shall Judge the world And Paul said Know ye not that we shall Judge Angels how much more the things that appertain to this life Is not here Order and Discipline to be used in Relation to the Judgment that the Church was to give Paul again writing to the Hebrews said obey them that have the rule over you and submit your selves for they watch over your souls as they that must give an Account c. See what Care in the Church was used and what a 〈◊〉 conferred upon such whom the Lord in his Power made Overseers and what a Duty incumbent upon the younger of Submission in the Lord to the Brethren as those that watched over them and as for whom they must give an Account But William Rogers is of another Spirit then the Apostles and Overseers were in that day the Tendency of his Discourse is to undervalue to lessen and to make contemptible the Church's Power Paul said Obey them that have the Rule over you William Rogers sayes Nay this is an Imposing and resists on this account viz. We do not see it our duty nor a requiring upon us so to do we are not inwardly perswaded in our Conseiences concerning it This we say were indeed to set
in against our Brethren in their Exercise what greater reproach could he any way bring upon our Meetings and our Order and Care therein more vilifie with Derision the exercise and concern thereof the Advice the Counsel that may arise amongst us the Exhortations and Reproofs that any may be concerned in as the Lord instructs and leads accordingly as any occasion may offer it self What can he do or say more in Contempt of all when he hath done his worst and what Spirit this is and what its work tends to the Lord be Judge in all Consciences and give the knowledg thereof that the Snares of this wicked envious one may never on this wise prevail any more upon any For to let loose the Licentious Unclean Libertine Ranting Spirit is that which in the Ground he aims at wherein the Apostacy is entering the letting go the Bond of Truth the Authority of it in himself and in such as adhere to him and are taken with his Bait where the departing also from the Life of Christianity prevails which William Rogers would charge others with himself is detected to have the mannagement of the design thereof which he bends himself to perfect to his own disgrace and wo world without end And what blasphemous work also he is clearly detected to be concerned in who pretends what a concern of Conscience he and others of his Brethren had upon them to appear in Print lest the Life of Christianity should seem to be extinct amongst the People called 〈◊〉 and yet such absurd notoriously wicked and ungodly matter brought forth as his Book is stuffed with he himself might see if he would but let that in his own Conscience speak One other Instance out of many we think good to insert out of W. Roger's Book plainly demonstrating his condemning all visible Order and Discipline in the Church of Christ and so his opposition thereunto In the Title page to the 3d part of his Book called The Christian 〈◊〉 c. it is delivered by him thus Manifesting saith he that there is but two sorts of Governments owned by the Children of Light or the Christian 〈◊〉 one is the outward Government under which we Live unto the Laws whereof we owe either Active or Passive Obedience c. The other is the inward Government of Christ who alone is Lord over the Conscience which is not represented by Persons visible by carnal Eyes invested with power from Heaven to execute outward Laws Prescriptions Orders Edicts in any outward Form of Government visible as aforesaid Our Brethren of the Second days morning Meeting in London well observing as in the Treatise called The Accuser of our Brethren cast down is inserted that this assertion of W. Rogers directly contradicts the Paper therein made mention of and in this Treatise also hereafter inserted signed at Ann Travers House 1673. subscribed by him while he kept his first Love and Care for God amongst many other of his Brethren It contradicts also a Paper given forth in the Year 1672. relating to Godly Care Order and Government in the Church wherein advice is given to Friends who have a care and oversight committed to them in their respective places for good Order and eomfort in the Church as the Words therein are Which Epistle is signed by James Parke Jasper Batt John Story Thomas Curtis John Crooke Stephen Crisp and Fourteen more Friends the 3d of the 3d Month 1672. so here John Story when in Unity with his Brethren is Uindicating and Encouraging Church care and visible order and his Party have since expressly set themselves against it In the aforesaid Book viz. The Accuser of our Brethren cast down c. it is also expressed thus page 117. observe First That W. Rogers and his Party are by him accounted the Christian Quakers and Children of Light and that all those that are not of his Party nor in Unity with him them are accounted Apostates Innovators and why so but because they are for some outward Laws Orders c. in an outward form of Order and Government in the Church of Christ that 's visible Secondly That this outward Order and visible Form is such as by his sence and state of the Case is rendered obnoxions both to the outward Government under which we Live and against the inward Government of Christ Insomuch that all the People called Quakers that are for outward and visible Form and Order amongst them are Charactered Apostates and Innovators c. This is Malicious and tends to expose that People to Persecution and is unjustly rendered for our peaceable deportment on the account of the outward Government under which we Live hath been and is well known to be such as our Opposer is not able to disprove neither need we vindicate our selves therein c. This also is not only Malitions but Absurd As if because Christ's immediate Government and Kingdom is inward and spiritual in the Conscience therefore he must have no visible Ministers in his Kingdom no visible Order or Form of Government under his Dominion no visible Persons exercised in any outward Rule Orders Laws or Decrees under his Government as if all Christ's Ministers Apostles Elders Overseers Helps Governments which were appointed by him in his Church with all the Instructions Decrees and Commands of the Apostle setting in order all things that were lacking doing all things decently and in order were all Invisible and nothing outward Visible or Formal because Christ's inward and spiritual Government from whence all these proceeds is Invisible We can argue no better then on this kind in our Adversaries distinction of his Christian Quaker from the Apostate and Innovator Nor deduce a more natural Inference from his opposition against visible Persons being concerned in an outward Form of Government and Order in the Church of Christ How doth this kind of arguing also of his consist with that Paper signed in the North by his two honorable Friends John Story and John Wilkinson and them of Party with them which he says is accounted the Foundation of the seperate Meeting In which Paper are these Words We who are chosen by the Churches and in their behalf to Act Some of other Countries and some amongst our selves not chosen by the Churches have usurped Authority over us The Meetings by whom we were Imployed Our men who have their Authority given them by the Churches choise c. Are hindered by others c. To whom we gave no Power But deny that they have had Authority from us and again Our chosen men They who are not chosen by the Churches You who are righly chosen by the Churches With many other Passages intimating Power Authority and Government together with Records and Orders surely W. Rogers will not say that those Churches chusing and giving Power to others and the Persons chosen to be imployed in their Affairs were all invisible and their Affairs and Businesses invisible and their respective Meetings with the
Methods they intended therein invisible and their Records and Orders invisible Surely the said Paper of theirs with the limitted prescriptions therein was not invisible any more then the Persons that formed them Will his Correspondents and Abettors in the North be pleased that he should in Print lay open their Contradictions Confusion and Inconsistencies with themselves as well as with himself and his Arguings in such distraction as this we commend these things 〈◊〉 the wise in heart to consider of and judge as they see cause Now are we come to the 3 d and 4 th things formerly inserted material to our present concern to be treated on in this First Part of the Antichristian Treachery Discovered and its Way Block up viz. That Gorge Fox whom William Rogers so inveterately inveighs against and others of the Antient Brethren their Care and Exercise in the Church of God as Instruments in Gods 〈◊〉 to see the Churches of Christ every where in this our Age settled in the aforesaid Order and Discipline as the Apostle's was in his Day hath been justified embraced and freely closed with as that which hath tended to Friends Advantage in the Truth and the Honour thereof by the Churches of Christ throughout this Nation and in many other Nations And that notwithstanding W. Rogers and others of Party with him their abusing G. F. with Malicious Slanders and Lying Accusations as one that would Introduce his own Prescriptions and Orders and invade Christ's Prerogative and in a wrong Spirit exalt himself over the Heritage of God with many other Aspersions that are cast upon him as hereafter we shall make appear G. Fox ' s Advise and Directions in Relation to the Duty of Gods People in the Tabernacle God hath given us visible to appear in hath been acceptably closed with and Testified to both in Word and Writing amongst the Faithful and upright hearted to God as in the sequal of our Concern shall be made appear To which we say in as much Brevity as the Evidence and Proof thereof will admit without damage to it and the satisfaction that we desire all may receive that in any measure desire to be informed thereof seeing we are daily the more satisfied how this envious Spirit for that is the mark it deserves to bear labours to asperce him every where where his Book can get reception for into the hands of the publick Enemies of Truth of many sorts it s already gone the reward of which work shall be surely repaid We say we need no better proof in relation to the matter on Gorge Fox's account then the publick Records of our Monthly and Quarterly Meetings throughout the Nation and other Nations and the Testimonies of many Thousands of Gods People every where where the Lord hath gathered them of which we having a Seal and Evidence in the Spirit of Truth in which the Saints were when absent in Body yet present in Spirit and as living Epistles in one anothers Hearts we do believe will evidence to the truth of the aforesaid assertion concerning him And as to the proof of the publick Records in our Meeting Books on this wise we do affirm that the Order and Practice of Friends every where accordingly which we have the knowledg of Testifies thereunto and we also dare in the sence of the Fellowship that we are in through the power of God give W. Rogers leave to disprove us in this matter and vve see not but that if this he could effect he vvould be as diligent in the matter of it as the eagerness of his Spirit could vvork him to be And until W. Rogers hath effected this let all the 〈◊〉 minded conclude that the undertakers of the design against Church Government and Discipline thereof and against the Instruments in Gods hand are only a fevv broken shattered and separate sort that 's dravvn from the simplicity of the Gospel of Christ and the povver of their first Principle and have set themselves against the Dignity thereof unto which every Soul should be Subject as that which comes from God and is of him and that their designs tend to gratifie Youth in a false Liberty and to indulge the backsliding sort from the Life of Truth and his pretences to be abetted by such as in whom the Life of Christianity is not extinct and that he has undertaken things on a Consciencious Account on behalf of many Brethren is but a deceitful flourish and a false thing arising from his viz. W. Roger' s own corrupt Heart and a lying Spirit which the Lord will not bless but will become his shame let the Patient wait and mark the end of it We have been comforted in our Souls to have an Account from the Faithful Brethren of most of the Countries throughout the Nation and other Nations of the prosperity of Truth and the amicable peaceable fellowship therein and the sweet society amongst the Brethren notwithstanding the worst of W. Rogers and his Spirits Work and to hear of the good Order of the Churches every where settled therein and concerned in the Spirit of Truth in the exercise thereof to shew forth the pure Religion to all of visiting the Fatherless and Widow and to keep our selves unspotted of the World this is our Comfort and the cause of our Joy as that which is laboured for and the Lord supplicated in the behalf of We tread upon W. Roger's aspersions and clamorous work which is but a blast of Wind that will over our Redeemer Lives The stability of the Faithful in the Life of Truth and in their Antient Testimonies for the same and in it their tender Care in an Innocent Life in the Church of God their Order and Discipliue therein and the Blessings of God that will and do attend the upright in the concerns thereof to the encrease of Love to God and regard amongst us of his Glory through us in Body 〈◊〉 and Spirit will work through this Babilonish Apostate Work to Truths honour and the renown of the Government of Christ Jesus amongst the ransomed Ones and to the Confounding of all his Foes who alone shall Reign whose right it is Hath W. Rogers in this corrupt and detestable Work against the Churches Care Power and Government and against the Instruments in Gods hand in the matter thereof and most especially against George Fox whom he hath set himself against as a mischievous Person to work the worst he can We say has he forgot when he was of a better mind before the evil thus prevailed over him what he himself with many other Brethren Subscribed at London the 26th of the 3d Month 1673. on G. Fox's behalf as an Instrument in Gods hand and on the behalf of the tender care that was on the Brethren at that time in the Church of God in relation to the Order Discipline and Government thereof W. Rogers with above Thirty more Friends Testified on this wise Dear Friends Let the Authority of Gods Power heavenly and
peaceable Wisdom be eyed in all your Assemblies that the Government of Truth and Righteousness may be exalted over all and true Judgment and Mercy may have their place and though a general care be not laid on every Member touching good Order and Government in the Churches Affairs nor have many travelled therein yet the Lord hath laid it more on some in whom he hath opened Counsel for that end and particularly in our dear Brother and Gods faithful Labourer George Fox for the help of many and hath in his Wisdom afforded those Helps and Governments which are not to be despised being in subjection to Christ the Head and Law-giver answering his Witness in all and so all necessary Connsel Admonitions or Testimonies that have been given forth and received in the universal Spirit of Life and Unity have their Service for God in subjection to his Light and Subserviency to and in order to answer the great Rule and Law of the Spirit of Life as proceeding from it and they that are spiritual will acknowledg those things spoken or written from the Spirit and for this end to be the requirings of the Lord c. Ellis Hookes and the rest on the Words quoted out of the said Epistle observes thus and that very materially to the confuting of our Adversaries great Work and substance of his whole Book out of his own Mouth as that which his Heart sealed to and made his own subscription unless he hath been an old dissembler before the Lord which God will bring to Light let him clear himself one way or other if he can That W. Rogers and the rest have plainly confessed First To that care the Lord hath laid on some with respect to good Order and Government in the Church Secondly To the Counsel which the Lord hath opened for that end particularly in G. Fox And thirdly That G. Fox is therein owned as a dear Brother and faithful Labourer Fourthly That God hath afforded these Helps and Governments in the Church which are not to be despised c. We say what need W. Rogers grant more then what he hath there subscribed to to the consuting of the greatest part of his whole Book against Church Government and the Instruments in Gods hand concerned therein and against the outward Methods and Rules that he calls G. Fox's Orders in the 86 Page of his First Part. And if W. Roger's object and say as he seems to do in his 4th part page 93. That there are some new Prescriptions which he cannot imbrace for Conscience sake which G. Fox is accounted either the Author of or the Countenancer thereof Yet however W. Rogers produceth none of these new Prescriptions or Methods set up and imposed by G. Fox as the aforesaid Authors of the Book subscribed by Ellis Hooks well observed with other contradictions between W. Rogers and his Friend J. Story relating to this matter to which Book we refer the Reader as worth his observing John Wilkinson also confessed to a Friend in Westmoreland which we hope he hath not forgot if he have we can help his memory therein by the circumstances relating to the time and place where That he had read over George Fox ' s Paper of Directions meaning that which tended to Order and Discipline in the Church of God and Testified that they were all very honest and good things and useful to be put in practice or words to that very purpose So then in short this is the sum of this matter that there was a time when W. Rogers according to the aforesaid subscribed Paper amongst his Brethren owned Church Care and Government in subjection to the Power and the necessary Counsel and Advice therein as Helps and Governments subservient to the Rule and Law of the Spirit and that G. Fox was one in whom most especially the Lord had opened Counsel for that concern and that he was a dear Brother and saithful Labourer c. And John Story confesseth that Instructions and Rules may be given orth commending them to the Church and to Gods leading Grace to be made use of as God shall Direct And John Wilkinson consessed that the Instructions and Directions for that end given forth by George Fox were all very good and useful What is the matter then of all this clutter that 's made by W. R. against care in the Church G. Fox his Directions given forth owned by Friends in their Meetings throughout the whole Nation and what is the meaning of J. Stories and J. Wilkinsons silence under all this ado from shewing as publickly their dislike thereof as William Rogers appears to applaud them and take them in his quarrelsom contentious Work that he thus with his Inconsistances and Confusion gravels himself in May not any that has an unprejudiced mind and considers things conclude George Fox to be the same that ever he was when these men owned him and his concern in the Church of God and his Directions in relation thereunto as all the Churches in the Nation that ever we hard of will Testifie in his behalf And seeing that W. Rogers cannot produce one of the Churches amongst them all that will stand by him nor one single man that we can hear of that doth appear to vindicate his Spirit and Work saving 〈◊〉 Thomas Crispe whose works of Darkness will also be brought to Light of late putting forth the Venome and Sting of the Dragons Tail and those that creepingly abets his work are a few shaken ones who have mostly been the Truths shame and the Churches grief and where the Apostacy stands that W. Rogers makes the Subject of his large Discourse is plainly seen as the Sun at Noon by the matter he is concerned in and the way and work in which he doth 〈◊〉 and whether the Apostacy from the first Principle from his antient regard to Truths praise from his vindication of Church Government and respect to such as were Instruments therein concerned be not justly chargeable upon himself and them of Party with him to be turned back on their own Heads as just from God let the Lord and that which is pure in all Consciences judg who instead of dwelling in the peaceable Spirit and holding fast the unity therein in the bond of Peace in a regard to God and his tender People with all the concerns that belongs to them is become the Champion of a confederate sort in an ungodly Work and one on whom their dependency hangs as ever the Uncircumcised of old did on their great Goliah to make War in Death that 's come over them against the Lord and his tender People to Blaspheme that Name we were Redeemed by The great God that changeth not will visit for these things in the day of Torment that hastens on in which who shall be able to deliver And as to this matter we have yet this further to say to most of the Quarterly Meetings of Friends in Truth throughout the World on whose account we
called The Christian Quaker distinguished from the Apostate and Innovator The Second Part VVherein it is plainly demonstrated First That John Story and John Wilkinson in a dividing Spirit together with the aforesaid William Rogers who hath espoused their Cause with those of party with them have opposed the visible Rule Discipline and Order used in the Church of God the true Christian Quakers Wherein they have been the Exercise and Grief of the Faithful through the offence they have caused in the Church of Christ to the breach of its Peace Secondly A sincere account is given therein of the care and brotherly treating according to Gospel Order that hath been used in a Christian Spirit as the Exercise and Travels of many dear Brethren sustained do demonstrate concerning the aforesaid John Story and John Wilkinson and others of party with them before the Judgment of Truth according to Church Power and Order was given forth against them By Thomas Pearson John Pearson Robert Tompson Robert Battow Brian Lancaster Joseph Baines and John Blaykling on behalf of themsels and many other Brethren of the Quarterly Meeting in Westmerland Now I beseech you Brethren mark them which cause Divisions and Offences contrary to the Dectrine which ye have learned and avoid them Rom. 16. 17. Blessed are the Peace-Makers for they shall be called the Children of God Matth. 5. 9. Antichristian Treachery Discovexed AND Its Way Block'd up IN A clear Distinction betwixt the Christian Apostolical Spirit and the Spirit of the Antichristian Apostate BEING Something in Answer to a Book put forth by William Rogers falsely called The Christian Quaker distinguished from the Apostate and Innovator The Second Part THAT Eternal God by whom the World was made the Alpha and Omega the First and the Last with the blessed Message of Glad-tidings to our Immortal Souls appeared amongst us here aways in the North and in the glory of that eternal Word by which all things are upheld broke in upon us to the opening our Hearts and giving us the knowledge of the heavenly Light and Life in Christ Jesus through which by believing in it we were brought back again unto God from whom the Alienation was in the Sin and Unbelief and we became a People and were through the Truth which we had received gathered into a visible Society and Profession thereof the visible Character of the Family of God during the Tabernacle in this World we were settled through the power of our Principle and Spirit of Truth in the comely Discipline and Order in the Church of God and that no neglect might be in the concerns thereof in the Spirit of Jesus accompanying us as in the Apostles care in his day that Elders every where might be appointed faithful men were chosen to attend and inspect the matters thereof and the principal weight of matters about the concerns of the Churches affaires for a time lay upon them till Truth grew up in the Hearts of many so that many became meet in the power to appear in the service of Truth in a Gospel care and then our Meetings became more free for any of the Faithful to be concerned amongst us to the strengthening and encouraging in the way of Truth to Gods praise and while all kept to the first love and regard to Gods glory according as the Lord was pleased to concern us all things were well and we were comforted together in the obedience to the spirit and Truth received our Testimonies sincerely born and the Sufferings attending the same patiently undergone and we were each others help and encouragement and strength and the Unity and Concord that we mutually enjoyed was our refreshment glorying and our rejoycing yet in succeeding days the Temptation that ever was from the old Adversary of the Lambs 〈◊〉 and the Churches Peace begun to creep in and prevail upon some of the antient Professors and Sufferers for the Truth and set to work according to his kind to draw back from the antient Integrity formerly kept to and some that were to have been as Watchmen in Israel and Valiants for God and were appointed at the first or early of the day for that very end let the Standard of Gods power fall and gave their glory to the second Beast that arose out of the Earth and instead of keeping to the antient power in it to be as 〈◊〉 on Mount Sion Instrumentally in Gods hand for the glory of his People some became Instruments to lead several back from Truth 's Integrity by an evil Example laid before the weak and unskilful the ancient Record against all Antichristian Bondages being discouraged they became wofully to be let fall the nobility of Gods power being much departed from even in them that should have been as Pillers in the House of God the weaker and younger sort whose hearts were enclined to Liberty and Ease again looked out and took example at them they had esteemed of and became subject to a timerous distrustful Spirit of the earthly One shrunk in the day of Tryal and started aside like broken Bows in the suffering times to the causing our Enemies to Triumph and make their boast of a Conquest got upon us to the spreading our disparagement abroad in many parts of the Nation and amongst this unfaithful and shrinking sort was John Story concerned and overcome and led aside with them from the Integrity of the Lambs Life and Dominion these things grieved the Church of God in many parts of the Nation where the noise of them was gone through the Magistrates means or others that had taken notice thereof to Truths dispraise and the Churches exercise and grief for some 〈◊〉 ready to take example thereat to let the like Temptation prevail over them in suffering times because John Story was conversant amongst them and justified the same so also John Wilkinson encouraged the like things and gave his advice to others accordingly proved by a Certificate under the hand of a faithful Friend These things were the Exercise and Grief of the upright-hearted to God amongst us and of our neighbouring faithful Brethren of other Counties and the Churches concern was great because thereof in a tender desire that such as had been overcome with the Temptation on that wise might see it and in a tender acknowledgment thereof clear the Truth and the Nobility of the Principle we had received and the Testimony we had born in Doctrine and Practice accordingly at this the Disobedient started and the Rebellious to Truths ancient Power such as likes not sound Judgment were grieved thereat Then John Story of party with them in that creeping work appeared with his old slavish shrinking Spirit which he was generally known to be a man of and demonstrated the same upon several eminent occasions that the very principally concerned now in this Spirits work knew well enough and took example by him Now we say he appeared with a more open Face to vindicate the said shrinking work to the 〈◊〉
Authority or Invading Christs Prerogative and bringing in of mens Edicts Laws and Prescriptions and mens Inventions c. VVhat an Invention was this against the Prerogative of Christ Jesus by his Spirit in the Saints that none must sit or act in or about the Church affairs but their chosen men to whom they have given Power May not William Rogers be ashamed of clamouring so much against Church Government and applaud John Story and John Wilkinson at such an high rate when he considers what a Paper of Proposals Resolves and Covenants for Rule and Government John Story and John Wilkingson have subscribed and very probably invented and framed it up ready for the Subscription and upon not being closed with in the Bargain they would have made with us would Excommunicate us as not worthy of their Society and from whom they would with-draw and do their Business amongst themselves VVill not John Wilkinson and John Story blame their Correspondent and Agent in their VVork for manifesting in Print such a Paper as this destructive to the whole design he hath taken in hand and to the undermining the whole Fabrick of the Cause that he hath espoused to himself on their behalf For who can observe these things and not conclude that William Rogers must either let his work and design of Judging and Inveighing against Church Government quite fall or else judge John Story and John Wilkinson and all them of that Party in the North who subscribed the said Paper to be the Apostates also amongst them he brands with it on the account of Order and Discipline in the Church and no other thing and then who will William Rogers have to stand by him but Apostates Innovators and the like What Confusion is here and Inconsistencies with themselves amongst them it makes their work 〈◊〉 to all that takes notice of it But as to the matter before us in short to bargain with them on these terms it was far from us neither had their Company of late amongst us been so comfortable to us their contentious work was such that had their terms been far below that hight of Imposition they appeared in and Lording over the Consciences of the Upright yea the very Spirit of God as 〈◊〉 it was Their Spirit was such in the ground from whence this work sprung that no bargain we could be enclined to make with it So that our Answer was a positive denial on any such termes as those proposed by them as in a Paper given forth by us on the account of many particulars in theirs expressed is inserted at large ready for the service that it may be of if any desire to see it or if occasion be for publishing the same with many more in readiness by us relating to the Strife and Troubles they have occasioned in the Church of God during our many Exercises on this wise which will be their Burden one day And to further this contentious Work and seperate Design John Story' s great work when in the North was and much of his time taken up in going too and again from House to House to proselite to his Faction amongst such as he had hopes to get any entrance upon buzing into Peoples Minds the danger which the Churches were entering into on the account of our Church Government and Gospel Order for nothing else he had to accuse us of the danger of it he represented to such as were infected with a dislike thereof and enclined to reject it and like the unskilful Physicians of no value applyed deceitfully to work 〈◊〉 Gangreen to utter Ruin Had he been a man zealous in the matter of it as Paul was in his day and the Faithful still are and that he had seen some too eager in the concern of it then a word on that wise in Gods Name had been aptly spoken as the Aples of Gold spoken of in Pictures of Silver but he was not of that Spirit neither was it the Upright and the Entire to God that he dealt with in such a concern for they saw his Snare and in vain would he have laid it in their sight it was the profidious the looser sort he generally dealt with others would not take any notice of him he brought into our Meetings for the Contentions sake he was entered into such as had never appeared in the matter of Truth 's concerns to speak of in all their days before the Shrinkers in the suffering times the Tyth-payers were fit for his Faction they hung upon him as their God and the Artist for their concern cunning and nimble hath he been in the matter of the War and seperate Work he hath been in hand with but there is an Eye that hath seen him Poor John whether can he go for help or who can appear to do him good Many Hearts fail them and escape for their Lives and the Champion he hath had dependance upon and hath done what in him lay and as much as one could do with such a Spirit as he is of he Reels and Staggers and as a drunken man jumbles himself with his offs and on s one while yea and then nay the Contradictions the Impertinences the Inconsistances with himself and with them that have trusted their Cause in his hand that his Book abounds with manifested at large in Ellis Hook's on behalf of the 〈◊〉 days Morning Meeting in London demonstrates the Confusion the Lord suffers them to run into so that their way is block up let them struggle and 〈◊〉 whilst they have Breath backward must their Spirit and Work go into the Pit again from whence it came the Lord of Hosts that 's Israels God will work it down and none shall hinder We may tell the Reader that its true they got a List in the North to make a shew and clutter withal at a distance whence Trees look like Men for their confederate work to appear as popular as they could but were they searched into and known what they are many of them are such as their Cause would be disparaged by and none that truly love God and Sion's Welfare would 〈◊〉 to have any such concerned in the defence thereof to appear with them There are many come off from them that have condemned the work thereof and declares That the Paper they grounded their separate design upon scarcely any of them 〈◊〉 heard or read or 〈◊〉 privy to the matter of it but a few got it drawn and Agents they had to get it subscribed here and there mostly upon the 〈◊〉 that J. Story and J. Wilkinson and others had done it as hereafter may appear and of what pitious sort many of the Subscribers and some few others that joyns to them are since those whom God hath redeemed from amongst them came off as occasion may be seen an account thereof is ready to be given But to go on upon our denial to submit to their Terms they being as much as their word in that matter they with-drew
and came no more But for their occasional Meetings were designed and took one with all expedition wherein they made a disposal of Friends Monies in some of their hands without our Meetings privity or consent One other after a while we heard of in which they did admit the aforementioned Marriage to be accomplished within ten days after its being at all proposed and yet were told That the Man was under a promise of Marriage with another Woman which under several of our hands we did 〈◊〉 unto them That the Woman did so affirm desiring a respite in the case of their allowing the same till she had right done unto her but no notice was taken of that Peradventure they were afraid that Wickedness had been committed or might be in the mean time if any longer delay was made as one of the principal of them alledged and put the Query on the Meetings agreement according to an established order amongst Friends That Marriages should come twice to be examined and searched into in relation to clearness every way before they were allowed to be compleated saying in opposition to the order in that case What if Wickedness were committed in the mean time Mark the Spirit of which they are and when their occasional Meetings are and what concernes they have therein its best known to themselves we hear little of them This we have understood that what Books or Papers they have any way tending to Division and Strise in opposition to Church Order and Care they are diligent in handing them forth amongst the loose sort and William Rogers's Book in Print they busie themselves withal and most of them we perceive have each of them one and indeed they had need to do so to get them off the first Promoters hands for we hear not of a man in all these parts but them of party with John Story and John Wilkinson that will be at cost to buy one yet they are so kind open in this concern it were well if they had but an open mind to promote the pure Truth that they dispirce them either on Gift or Love to any of Truth 's open Enemies that will but hold out an hand for them as we understand and do in a great measure perfectly know it but if they think that best let them hold on we cannot kelp it neither are we troubled with respect to our own peace And what they intend to do let them do it quickly for their time grows short Vengeance is the Lords that takes notice of these things and he will repay it We have given a brief account with respect to what might be said touching the same of some of the Exercises that the Church of God in Westmerland met withal through the dividing Spirit that John Story and John Wilkinson were principally concerned in the work of in opposition to the Brethrens care therein by reason of which Spirit many Grievances were sustained by us to the grief of the Righteous Souls of all the sincere to God and to the breach of the Churches Peace And that which hath been said already concerning the same mostly relates to the time wherein the aforesaid Exercises and Troubles occasioned through the aforesaid Persons and them of party with them was most what the particular concern of Gods People of the Monthly and Quarterly Meeting in Westmerland aforesaid during the time of the aforesaid Persons continuing with us in those Meetings and upon the occasion of their breaking off from us into their separate Meeting amongst themselves upon out ward visible concerns with a touch of something done by them at such a Meeting after they had set it up And what the Churches of God any way in the South met withal where John Story' s and John Wilkinson's Travils have been we shall leave to what the Brethren in those parts have upon them to speak And from what hath been said we shall leave the Reader to Judge who they are that have been drawn back into the Apostate state and have declined their first Love to the ancient Truth and care for Gods Glory and who they are that may be justly called the true Christian Ouakers that retains the Life and Kernel of Christianity and keeps to the Exercise of the Power in the Churches concerns and who they are that have great swelling Words and fair Pretences of keeping to the ancient way of Truth and yet in Works deny it and as every one hath a sence thereof so let them speak VVe shall now also give a short Relation of the tender concern of the Church of God in these parts in true Love on the account of the aforesaid Persons in covering their Weaknesses for their reputes sake really desiring their deliverance therefrom 〈◊〉 any hopes remained with us Also we shall manifest the orderly and brotherly dealings with them all along since the Temptation was laid before them whilst it was only our concern with respect to dealings with them together with some Exercises and Travils that many dear Brethren of the Churches of God in other parts of the Nation sustained and were concerned in for the recovery of them if they had not hardened themselves against all as followeth It was not only our frqeuent course in the time of our Exercises with them after they began to set themselves against several Practices used amongst us to signifie our discontent for their so doing because of the obstruction they laid in our way in the service of Truth desiring their for bearance on that wise and compliance with us in the Churches concerns and God is our Witness it was in true respect in which we could have preferred them as such whom we once accounted our ancient Brethren their weaknesses we could have hid and looked over for their sakes and the Churches Peace and in that Exercise we have gone from our Meetings many of us very frequently with sorrowful bowed down Hearts considering what hurt to many simple Minds who had eyed them for their Gifts sake the prevailing of that Spirit over them would produce what dammage it would be to their own Souls to the loosing their Crown and perpetual Peace what a Feast it would be to our open Enemies and an occasion for them to clap their hands for Joy to hear of Divisions amongst us what a grateful thing it would be to the loose and earthly minded amongst us to the hardening of them against the Reproofs and Judgments of the Church of God in their Exercises in the affairs thereof and what a weakening of the feeble Knees of such as in a measure of true Love to God and his Truth were steping into the way thereof all these things and many more with sadness of heart entered our thoughts and consideration in many crys to God to block up the way of this dividing and soul devouring Spirit yea often we admired how Blindness entered them that they did not see how the Loose and Disobedient hung upon them for shelter
Monthly and Quarterly Meetings with reflecting words against them calling them Courts and Sessions and of our Citing into them and the like Secondly That they had discouraged Friends Testimonies against Tyshes with reflecting opposite loose Words Thirdly That they had opposed reflected upon and greatly discouraged Womens Meetings Fourthly That they had opposed recording Condemnations upon scandalous loose Practices in such as professed the Truth Fifthly That they had discouraged and weakned Friends in their Stability in the time of Persecution and had justified leaving their Houses and going into private places in the time thereof to keep their Meetings Sixthly That they had disorderly and irreverently judged Friends tender Exercises in breaking forth in Mellodious Singings and Soundings to Gods praise in their Meetings under the exercise of the power which breaks and fills the Heart out of the abundance whereof breaks forth Sighs and Groans and Spiritual Songs as the Lord is pleased to exercise them that waits upon him The Reader may observe that in the former part of the aforesaid Paper it is expressed That John Story and John Wilkinson not being there viz. at the said Meeting at Pow-Bank the Friends were enclined as also desired to hear what was writ in relation to charge against them which being 〈◊〉 and though good proof was made thereof accordingly yet they were 〈◊〉 to see John Story and John Wilkinson Face to Face before they gave their Judgment thereupon wherefore they took the pains that Night to go to find out John Story at Kendal six Miles off and perswaded him to go to John Wilkinson's House next Morning which accordingly he did where they meeting with them both together told them that they had heard read several matters alledged in charge against them relating to Friends disatisfaction desired them to go along with them to the Meeting at Milnethorpe which was that Day appointed again on purpose to hear what they had to say in their own Defence or to alledge against any proof made of things or against the Witnesses in order to any thing acted by them or any other Friends that might occasion their Discontent or Opposition as the charges seemed to import or words to that purpose but they refused to go on that score they proffered only to refer the hearing of the matter to two men chosen by each Party one and that in relation to that they might have a Coppy of the Charges but Friends seeing that it was not only a disorderly thing in them to absent themselves from the aforesaid Meeting appointed by the Quarterly Meeting but also to make such a motion as that in opposition to Friends care and endeavours amongst them for Peace as their travels and seeking of them did imply Friends refused as in all reason they ought to have done to take any notice thereof yet told them They should have a Coppy of the Charges at the Meeting if they would go if when they were read they desired the same to make their defence the better and they should have time also if there was need for it But go they would not as they had resolved and said That they would come at no more Meetings upon such matters But poor men they forgot that or else mattered not what they had said on that wise for they offered to refer the matter to two c. which is not Truth-like Orderly or Discreet in the case of Gods Truth many Brethrens Testimony and Concern and the Churches Peace The Friends proffered to read them the matters in charge against them if they pleased as in the aforesaid Paper is expressed but they refused to hear the same Now let all sober and discreet men that fear God consider what this Spirit is whether it be not the same as was said of it before not Pure not Peaceable nor easie to be Entreated but Wilful Stubborn and leading to Strife and to work Distractions in the Church of God it is evidently seen to have had a design But blessed be the Lord its way is blockt up it hath done its worst there it s turned out now too amongst the Gainsayers to get an entrance amongst them that are in the Unbelief and Rebellious to the Truth 's Life and there it makes a Clutter and Noise as the Wind which the Lord weighs as a little thing and its passing away that Truth may Reign and take the Dominion over all for evermore Here follows that part of the Paper given forth at Milnerhorp in relation to the opposite Spirit against Friends Practices in the Church of God which demonstrates the sence of the aforesaid Brethren viz. After all which Travel and Labour in the Love of God for no other end but that Differences might be ended Unity and Peace come into lived in we having used all endeavours that was in our power at this time to enform our selves of the truth of things relating to these Differences as before Written we judge it our Duty that in defence of our godly Order and holy Practices which by the Power of God we are led into owned and justified in to give our Judgment upon such Words and Passages as hath been charged upon the abovesaid John Story and John Wilkinson and evidenced before us by many Witnesses that whether from them or any other such have proceeded it is clear that they cannot come from any Spirit or Mind but such as is in real opposition to the Spirit of Truth and Power of God in his People in this Age manifested by which we have been led into the heavenly and holy Order of the blessed Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ and to bear a faithful Testimony unto him and of his coming and appearance to end all Types and Shadows and also into such Practices as is according to the Example of those good Men that were before us for we find that it expressly strikes against us in the ground in our godly order and proceedings which is for no other end but for the putting forward and keeping up of Rightcousness and a holy and unspotted Life amongst us and the maintaining of our Testimony without Violation as we received it from God in the beginning and this may all understand that do but read the Charges as they were evidenced unto us how that they tend to the weakening of Friends Faith in their Testimony against Tythes which by the Faithful hath been born from the beginning for which many have suffered deeply even unto Death and also what opposition doth appear against recording of Confessions and 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 and Transgressions which is no other but according to the former example of them that gave forth the Scriptures and how such Words and Passages doth shew forth opposition and a contrary mind to Gods Faithful Children in that profitable practice and godly order of Mens and Womens Meetings as now according to the Wisdom and in the Power of God is set up amongst us for the advancing of the honour of the
heavenly Truth of God in which we have believed which Words and Passages doth also tend to the weakening Friends in keeping up their Testimony according to the nobility of the heavenly Truth of God which we have received in which our Faith stands in that honourable practice of our open and publick Meetings in times of Persecutions as at other times as also to the quenching and stopping of such holy Breathings Groanings and Living Sounds which may arise and pass through one while another is Praying Preaching or Prophecying which is not inconsistant with the Truth but in unity with those that act therein and therefore in the love of God we entreat and beseech all Friends to beware of that Spirit where-ever it is that doth bring forth such things either in Words or Actions as have this tendency in them so much to undervalue and overthrow our heavenly Testimony that we have to bear for him and for the appearance of his blessed Son in our Age by which the evil one labours to weaken the hands of Gods faithful Witnesses that so he might bring back again into an Apostacy from the nobility of that Life by which all the Faithful must be upheld in their living Testimony for God which he hath raised them up unto as also the obstructing of the Lords faithful Children in their holy Zeal for God in the performance of their duty in the Mens and Womens Meetings and to the discouragment of any to be concerned therein which are for no other end but for putting forward and propagating of Truth Righteousness Mercy and Justice amongst us that so as the Lord hath called us to shew forth his Praise in all things we may endeavour the promotion of that which rends unto the same and surely we can say with the rest of the Faithful That the holy God doth own us with his Presence to our great Refreshment and Confirmation in this our holy Practice and heavenly Order and therefore we cannot but in the Power of God place Judgement upon the Head of that Spirit where and however it doth appear that would put stumbling Blocks in the way of Gods People to cause any to stumble or to weaken their Faith in those things that tends both to their comfort and growth and the Unity and the edification of the true Body and so as such who have had experience of the evil tendency of this Spirit and the sad effects it hath brought forth in all its appearances to the overthrowing of the Faith of some and to the making of Rents and Divisions in the Body we desire that all may keep to the Power of the Lord God who will preserve in the Unity of the Spirit and Bond of Peace where the Body will edifie it self in Love that there may be always a building up in the most holy Faith which Faith will forever give us the Victory over the World in which our Testimony standing we shall not be overcome So with our Love to you all we remain Your Friends and Brethren in the holy fellowship of the Gospel Milnethorpe the 24th of the 5th Month 1675. John Burnyeat Richard Robinson Robert Lodge John Grove and the rest It may be observed also that besides some Letters tending to Peace that George Fox writ to them from Swarthmoore where he was about this time weak in Body he sent to them also to desire them to come over to him there for he had a desiro to speak with them about the matter of Difference amongst Friends in Westmerland he was neither of ability to come to them nor to the Meeting at Pow-Bank but they did not take any notice thereof nor went to him though we are fully satisfied that what he did was in his tender care for their Preservation and the Churches Peace but this William Rogers our present Adversary accounts in George Fox Ambition in his sending for them but where the Stoutness and Ambition was its easily seen for the time was when they would have gone much further when they were Poor and Low in their own Eyes but now being Full and Rich in their own Esteem thinking they want for nothing will not step out of their way nor turn aside for Truth nor the unity therein because of the Ambition they are filled with and therefore will the Lord scatter them with all the Imaginations of their corrupt Hearts And instead of giving the Friends a Meeting as aforesaid they put an evading slighty Answer to the Charges against them and sent it abroad amongst those they hoped to make of party with them which with a large Answer thereunto is ready to be seen when a further occasion by William Rogers or any of them is given And not withstanding all this care and tender respect used and reached out towards them they still heardened their Hearts against the Lord and the fellowship of Brethren in the Churches concerns stuck to the loose and unfaithful ones as was said before and grew more and more opposite to Friends in their Exercise for Truth and sit in the Confederacy that was hatched amongst themselves and the design laid to break off from Friends into an open Seperation they betook themselves and up and down the Nation was the cry amongst those of party with them from an unchristian mis-representing of things by them here in the North That a Judgment was out against them without hearing upon the evidence of Persons being both the Accusers and Witnesses of which as the matter is in short truly stated according to the Circumstances relating to it we desire the honest and impartial Reader to judge Whether the Persons before mentioned are justified in the sight of God the order of the Gospel and amongst Gods People according to the rule of Truth in the aforesaid matter and transactions relating to them Or whether they are manifested by their doings to have the pure peaceable Spirit that is easily entreated and that they have upon them any design for the Churches Peace Or whether they are not the Self-Willed the Heady and High-Minded who have the Form of Words only without the Power that unites and knits together and whether to work Distractions in the peaceable Family of God their design be not laid And whether their plea for their not receiving dear Brethrens Advice and Care over them and orderly proceedings to have done them right every way if they could have manifested the contrary and their obstinately absenting themselves from the Meeting aforesaid on any such account be not a very ridiculous thing amongst men and not worth taking notice of For it is according to our Judgment that the just Law of Nature and Nations that gives an 〈◊〉 priviledge to be heard before Judgment be given if he will accept of it upon notice given according to the rule of it is contemned by an obstinate wilful and on purpose absenting himself and the want of his privile 〈◊〉 thereby of being heard is his own default and not imputable to
the Law nor the Executors thereof nor in the Kings Cause and the Nations Peace is the Witnesses Evidence although Complainers detectable nor the Sentence given accordingly to be Condemned and that this is the state of our Cause on the account of the God of Heaven and Earth the King of Saints his Peoples Peace and that our proceedings have been justifiable on the account thereof we do leave it before the Lord to be Judge and it s very clear that William Rogers has gained no credit to his Cause of Vilifying and Condemning the Discipline and Order used in the Church of God by his proclaiming these men in his Printed Book to be such as that he hath heard of none to exceed them in Doctrine and Life who are thus Stout and Ambitious Stuborn and Self-Willed And on what justifiable account before the Lord or amongst men he placeth the dreadful Judgment upon us of being Apostates from God and the Life of Christianity as he is pleased to do we yet see not let them appear boldly and 〈◊〉 themselves that do and give over this deceitful hidden Guile and creeping Work which the holy and just God abhors as an hateful thing and our first Principle condemns forever But to go on things running at this rate and they growing up to this height of Impudency in their opposit Work it now became the great concern of our Brethren at London and other parts of the Nation seeing what a Combination there was amongst John Story' s Adherents to rebel against the Lord and the ancient Truth that keeps in Unity such as abides in it and that it was the Practice of the Church of God throughout the whole Nation that with respect to our Monthly and Quarterly and General Meetings in order to the Discipline of the Church of God they were resolved to set themselves against with the might and force they could engage themselves into and that according to their former declared purpose they had set up a sign of defiance in a separate Meeting to be kept when they saw meet or as occasion offered as they themselves declared was intended by them to be done and they seeing that it was not the rafling loose sort that were readily drawn into their Snare that the Temptation only reached unto but that several also of the more Innocent to God that loved Righteousness were hurt thereby whose Names they had got into the List to subscribe amongst them to their Paper in their contentious Work many of whom blessed be the Lord to their Joy are comfortably come off again as hereafter may be more fully declared and they seeing also now how the design lay of gathering to them every where as the oppertunity served and knowing that their contentious Papers were sent abroad up and down the Nation where any reception could be obtained for them and that John Story principal in the whole design was very officious in the matter thereof in the Western parts where his Travels were wont to be and that in those parts he then was and had proselited into his factious Work several of the Earthly-wise and looser sort and that the Innocent also were in danger to be betrayed the Temptations being so guilefully laid whereupon at a Meeting on the account of suffering Friends held at the House of James Claypoole Merchant in London the 18th of the 8th Month 1675. It was agreed upon amongst the Brethren there and concluded as followeth Whereas there hath been depending an unhappy Difference between several Friends and Brethren in the North on the one Party and John Wilkinson and John Story on the other Part and that all the Endeavours hitherto have not prevailed to that healing composure desired and since the said Brethren in the North for the more effectual conclusion of the said matter have desired the Brethren of this Meeting to take it into their serious Consideration that if any thing can be further offered by them then what has been already done for the Service of the Truth and Peace of the Church of God It is from the deep sence of the thing and the sad consequences thereof unamimously desired by the 〈◊〉 Brethren that George Whitehead John Whitehead William Gibson and Alexander Parker or Gerard Roberts go from London and two from Bristol to be chosen by the Persons hereafter nominated either out of themselves or any other Friends of that City The Friends nominated to chuse two Friends as aforesaid are as followeth Dennis Hollister Thomas Gouldney Charles Hartford Richard Snead Richard Vickris 〈◊〉 Love William Ford Charles Jones William Rogers The said two Friends with the four before named to go into the North to give the Brethren a Meeting with John Wilkinson and John Story if they will be perswaded to return for the assisting the Church and Friends there to hear and determine the said Difference as in the Wisdom and Council of God they shall be directed for Peace and Unity in the Church Stephen Smith Stephen Crispe Thomas Green Ambrose Rigg and William Penn desired to meet together this Evening and draw up two Letters one to John Wilkinson and John Story and an other to Friends at Bristol aforesaid It may be taken notice of that Friends in the North although they were satisfied with the Labours and Travels of the Brethren concerned in the afore-mentioned Meetings from a true sence of the presence of Almighty God with them as also with the Testimony and Judgment aforesaid upon the afore-mentioned Spirit of Opposition and Strife and against all whomsoever that were found in the Works thereof being one and the same with that which had lived on their Hearts in relation to that Spirit as that which the pure God would never bless nor the Works thereof as also in a sence and knowledge of what a Noise was gone out through them of that Spirit against the aforesaid Proceedings of our Brethren and Judgment on the case to the leaving a jealousie upon the minds of some that probably things might not be so bad with respect to John Story and John Wilkinkinson as matters seemed to import and the Judgment given did imply We being also conscious to our selves of any deficiency on our parts whereby to invalidate the Judgment given or to have our selves detected in the matter of the occasion of the Difference amongst us having also a sincere desire that what dissatisfaction remained upon any with respect to the Judgment given without hearing c. although the default in that matter lay on John Story and John Wilkinson their part that our Innocence before the Lord which our Consciences bore record to might also the more appear and that whosoever had a mind might have the oppertunity of hearing matters relating to us on the score of being culpable as well as they as we had been rendred up and down the Nation by them of that Spirit and having also a sence of the continuation of the Exercise and Sorrow that we
hours a day as to the matter of the Articles in charge alledged and writ down against J. Story and John Wilkinson little was said of them the first day but some other Discourse the Friends of London had with them relating to the ground of the Controversie depending in relation whereunto there was two Queries proposed by J. Story and 〈◊〉 Wilkinson writ down desiring that the Friends there would give their Answer to them whereby it was supposed they expected to have an understanding given them of Friends 〈◊〉 and Aim with respect to Church Government and the Order and Practice of Friends in relation to it about which the Wrangling and 〈◊〉 by them had been made and against which the Opposition in them had stood to the Exercise and Grief of Gods Faithful People and upon the Brethrens-Resolve and Answer thereunto no Dissatisfaction from them appeared in any respect and John Story 〈◊〉 acknowledged his good Satisfaction therein After all this concerne Friends desired to come to the matters in charge John Story and John Wilkinson seemed unwilling on a jealousie that remained with them that the Friends concerned in the former Meetings intended with the six last nominated as 〈◊〉 c. to concern themselves in the present hearing of matters amongst us in order to a final determination and shewed the same by some words cast out by them now and then although the said Brethren did not at present appear to concern themselves in the matter of the tryal relating to them concerning which as the Friends in the North did not desire to put them thereinto neither did in their minds conclude it rational nor according to the order of 〈◊〉 to have them excepted against from any concern therein without their own desire or free consent thereunto being formerly chosen by the Quarterly Meeting for that affair and exercise therein and what had been done by them in that case not detectable in the Truth nor their Sence and Judgment impeached in the matter thereof or which to be cast out and our Brethren of London shewing also their desire that many weighty Friends being 〈◊〉 on that 〈◊〉 occasion which was the Churches 〈◊〉 ral concern they might in the exercise of the universal Spirit of Truth have a share with them So that as to that objection against any from being 〈◊〉 in measure with others in the case of hearing and giving Judgment 〈◊〉 matter was that Night letalone until the next Day On the Morrow Friends being assembled and the Lords Power with us to the breaking many Hearts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tender frame of Spirit and in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 desires that a sweet composure might be wrought to Friends 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Churches peace after a little time the hearing and Tryal of matters in 〈◊〉 as 〈◊〉 was fallen into and the 〈◊〉 concerned in the matter 〈◊〉 against John Story 〈◊〉 John Wilkinson and those of Party with them 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 of heart that if in any thing it could be made appear that they had 〈◊〉 just cause of 〈◊〉 to them from whom the opposition had arisen and 〈◊〉 on that occasion by them given they had appeared on that wise and that 〈◊〉 they also had been the cause of the Brethrens Trouble and the obstruction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Churches Peace they should freely acknowledg the same and give the Church and the Children of God that saisfaction which the Truth should require of 〈◊〉 that so no occasion of discord by them or disunion with the 〈◊〉 should remain on their part The first and second matter as with down in charge against them was read and heard amongst all there and proof made thereof to the satisfaction of them concerned whereupon William Rogers having a sence and as we may reasonably conclude afear and jealousie upon him how things would go on John Story' s and John Wilkinsons account withdrew himself into the Garden and sent for a Friend to come to speak to him who when the Friend came to him told him He was sencible that John Story and John Wilkinson were under a mistake thinking that none but 〈◊〉 six last named Friends would be concerned in the 〈◊〉 and giving judgment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and yet said he it was by them appearing against them 〈◊〉 that the other that formerly had the matter in hand should be now also equally concerned with them which was a 〈◊〉 needless evading scruple that John Story and John Wilkinson during the time of the proof aforesaid seemed not to take any notice of 〈◊〉 had any of those 〈◊〉 Brethren as yet given any cause for it that we know of William Rogers desired the Friend to come in and clear that point but the Friend 〈◊〉 to do it 〈◊〉 Let things go on all is quiet and cool or words to that purpose and said If this would not satisfie him he might go and speak himself Whereupon William Rogers 〈◊〉 for John Story and John Willkinson or at least they wanting him drew forth to see what the matter was or to consult with him and 〈◊〉 a little while came in again and one of them or both signified That 〈◊〉 they might be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beforehand that those nine formerly concerned should not meddle in the 〈◊〉 of examining matters concerning them c. they would for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 to it and also would with-draw and did not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into their places but they and their Company 〈◊〉 ready to go away and the most of Friends expected the same seeing what 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 in their Minds they were 〈◊〉 into as appeared by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 resolve about the matter for there was a secret Dread and Terror upon them which 〈◊〉 but sometimes surprize such more especially on such a 〈◊〉 as they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 come unto The Lords Power arose amongst Friends under 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 way of 〈◊〉 and Peace for them should be blockt 〈◊〉 this 〈◊〉 to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 if they 〈◊〉 not And it was 〈◊〉 of them in the Name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to give up themselves to the Exercise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon them in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 Good in which they had a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God to lay before them for their Souls sake and if they did so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same as 〈◊〉 Words and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to import it should 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Lamb Slain at their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 also that in the 〈◊〉 Love and 〈◊〉 of God the Brethren 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on that concern 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A 〈◊〉 of Christ Jesus and in the Authority of 〈◊〉 Spirit they required and 〈◊〉 that things might go on as to hearing and examination on all sides 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to a 〈◊〉 thereof or Words 〈◊〉 to that 〈◊〉 The 〈◊〉 of the Lord that subjects and none else was 〈◊〉 all Knees 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was given and that by 〈◊〉 Rogers to give all men their due 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his consent and free closure with that 〈◊〉 was proposed and then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 John Wilkinson acquiessing in it
settled down again in their minds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things were to go on to be heard and examined in order to Judgment on 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 matter and then to speak any more of 〈◊〉 and nine was at an end but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was to be the Brethrens the Church of God their assembled in the universal Spirit in which we are one through Christ Jesus who keeps their parts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Where the good Understanding is received 〈◊〉 Judgment is given which 〈◊〉 sure the matters in charge alledged being 〈◊〉 through that day and 〈◊〉 two next days also and spoken to on all hands 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was seen and as 〈◊〉 required in order to proof on the one hand and liberty of desence on the other for the 〈◊〉 up of 〈◊〉 to the Impartial 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and let it be remembred the days we have to Live and let 〈◊〉 memorial thereof never Rot when this Generation is 〈◊〉 for the Praise of the 〈◊〉 God for ever and the 〈◊〉 of his precious Truth and the value of the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 and the Comfort enjoyed therein for the cause whereof the Lord the God of the Spirits of all Flesh unto whom Reign and Dominion belongs forever did 〈◊〉 appear amongst us in those four days Exercise in relation to the work in hand and determined the matter depending amongst us in the Hearts and 〈◊〉 of the unright to him to their Comfort It cannot be forgot what 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 and rowling Bowels broke forth in those days Travels with 〈◊〉 to the 〈◊〉 the Wounded and the Scattered Ones who were once in Unity with the Lambs in the safe Fold for the healing recovering and gathering back again of them that they might find Pasture and feed therein and lie down with them the Power and Life that sprung up on this wise melted the Hearts of the Sincere with Joy in the sence of Gods preserving hand over them yet to their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the pity of their Souls in relation to them that had been hurt by a wrong Spirit for there did not appear in them that bowedness of Soul nor heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as with respect to the offence to God and his People that they had given through the Distractions they had wrought in the Church of God was desired and expected from them yet such was the wonderful melting Glory of Israel's God amongst us that at last John Story and John Wilkinson were a little bowed down in their Spirits to the causing of them in some measure to see their Weakness and make some acknowledgment thereof as in a Paper given forth by them and here inserted doth appear viz. We are sencible that in the hour of Temptation that hath appeared through us which hath given occasion of offence to the Charches of God unto whom the knowledg of the Northern Differences are come and since the inward sence of our Brethren who we are sencible have a travel on their 〈◊〉 for the 〈◊〉 of Peace and Unity in the Church of God concerning 〈◊〉 is such that Jealousies have entered us and that we have been at 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in things tending to oppose Friends in the practice of those things 〈◊〉 they 〈◊〉 are commendable in the Church of God We are sorry that any 〈◊〉 should appear in us to give occasion for any such Offence and as satisfaction to our travelling Brethren and the Church of God in general we do from the very 〈◊〉 of our Hearts condemn that very Spirit whether it hath appeared in us or any that hath given offence to the Church of God in general and that opposes the order of the Gospel or any faithful Brethren in the practice of those things they believe are their Duty John Story John Wilkinson This was publickly owned by the said John Story and John Wilkinson in the 〈◊〉 Meeting at Draw-well in Sedbergh After Friends unwearied Travels in the Love of God that 〈◊〉 all things and is not easily provoked but keeps in the Patience and 〈◊〉 not in which they were concerned the foregoing submission to Gods Power and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sence concerning them was all 〈◊〉 John Story and John Wilkinson were at 〈◊〉 inclined to demonstrate which said acknowledgment of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 had 〈◊〉 surprised with and their Condemnation of themselves because thereof Friends for their 〈◊〉 were in some 〈◊〉 glad of hoping that afterwards they vvould 〈◊〉 see hovv a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 had 〈◊〉 over them in which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Work had broken forth through them and that in time they would more manifest the same to Friends more full content and upon the product of all those four days concern on the morrow after Friends being again come together that they might demonstrate to all the honest hearted how things were in relation to the whole matter many of them that had heard of the aforesaid Divisions being under a concern and therefore desirous to hear what might be the Issue of this Meeting they unaminously agreed together William Rogers being gone and came no more to draw up this following Relation for Friends to make use of in the Wisdom of God as they saw meet viz. Dear Friends and Brethren In the universal Spirit of Life and Truth which from the God of Heaven is richly poured forth upon us and by which we have been quickned into a lively sence and hope and peaceable Fellowship is the endeared Greeting and Salutation of our pure and servent Love unto you all Whereas a long and lamentable Difference hath depended between several Antient Friends of the Quarterly Meeting of Westmerland on the one part and John Story and John Wilkinson of that County on the other part and that the said Division hath done great Mischief amongst the Friends of God in several parts of this Nation by filling their Minds with unprofitable Surmizings and dangerous Jelousies tending to absolute Rents and Divisions as too palpably appeareth in Westmerland to be the product thereof And after that the endeavours of the faithful Friends of the Quarterly Meeting of those parts both within themselves and by calling in to their assistance several faithful Men of adjacent Countries proved not so effectual as was desired by reason of the said John Story' s and John Welkinsons absenting themselves though in much tenderness sought to and entreated to appear by those chosen Brethren for the Churches Peace sake and their own real good in the Lord and though their refusal to meet those Brethren and denial of their Authority to examine the matter in difference and theirs that nominated and chose them to wit the faithful Friends of the Quarterly Meeting yet out of a deep sence of the Burden of honest Friends in those parts by reason of the Division and forefeeing the ill consequence to the Church of God of leaving such an example uncensured they passed a general Judgment upon that Spirit which led into Division and Separation leaving the said John Story and John Wilkinson to clear themselves if they could of such matters of fact as
they then stood charged with as they have plainly signified both by Word and Writing but since a dissatisfaction remaineth in the minds of several in some because of so proceeding against John Story and John Wilkinson and in others because of their going to offer their Gift abroad whilst unreconciled at home And forasmuch as the Friends formerly concerned against these men upon an Information given them of the said dislike of several Friends about these proceedings 〈◊〉 to a rehearing of the matters which being laid before the general Meeting at London for National Sufferings Assembled in the eighth Month 1675. a deep Concern and godly Care fell upon many Eminent Labourers in the Church of Christ then and there met together and they desired certain approved Brethren to go down and in the Wisdom and Counsel of God to assist the Churches and Brethren there in the rehearing and ending of the matter The Meeting for this purpose was at Lrawell in Sedbergh Parish in Yorkshire upon the 3d. of the 2d Month 1676. and continued until the 7th of the same whither resorted several antient and honourable Brethren not particularly nominated that had nevertheless a Concern in their Consciences a Travel in their Spirits and a Testimony to the antient Unity In which Assembly the Matters in Controversie were read and the Evidences of both Parties called and upon the whole Examination of their Allegations and Evidences we did find and therefore declare both from external Testimonies and our own inward Sence that John Story and John Wilkinson were really Faulty in the most material things exhibited in Charge against them to wit that they have been discouragers of and opposers to the present blessed Order and Practice of the Church of Christ with respect to monthly and quarterly Meetings Womens Meetings especially in the Country recording Condemnations weakening the Hands of Friends in their Testimonies about Tythes and justifying the manner of Friends Meeting about Preston in the time of the late Act And to us it plainly appeared that a wrong dividing Spirit hath entered and the Enemy of the Churches holy Union and Peace hath been at work in them by which they have grieved the Church of God especially in those Parts and encouraged the late Separation made in those Parts from the antient and faithful Friends and Brethren of the monthly and quarterly Meeting which Spirit wherever it appears or hath brancht forth it self in the Name and Power of Almighty God whose Councel was and is with us we do reprove condemn and judg But so it was that after four days deep Travel unwearied Patience tender Bowels of Mercy and a mighty and manifest Operation of the glorious Power of the Lord as in frequent Testimonies against that Spirit of Division and in the Visitation of true and tender Love to them so in many strong Cries and heart-breaking Supplications to the God of our bowed Spirits for a prosperous Issue It pleased the Lord to bow the said John Story and John Wilkinson into some degree of Submission So that at length they produced a Paper containing a Condemnation against themselves and that Spirit And as we do believe and therefore testify that the Door of Gods Mercy is not shut against them so we earnestly desire and are not without some Hope that they may give a more compleat Satisfaction in time as John Story said he would as the Lord should give him a further Understanding that Truth and Friends may be more effectually cleared and that it may be well with them for ever And for as much as the Friends and Brethren of Westmorland who have been concerned against John Story and John Wilkinson did formerly freely offer that if in any thing charged they had mistaken or exceeded they would endeavour to make them such Satisfaction as Truth required We finding two or three Particulars of lesser Moment wherein there appeared some Oversight and Shortness as to orderly Proceeding the two Friends concerned therein did freely acknowledg it according to Truth and more particularly as to that Passage alledged against John Story That Women had nothing to do with the Essential part of the Worship of God because it was charged but by one Witness and 〈◊〉 renounced and the Doctrine imported thereby plainly denyed and judged by John Story as contrary to his Judgment and Principle it 〈◊〉 Tenderness let fall and no further to be insisted upon And whereas it hath been suggested and reported that Margaret Fox was the cause of the Difference in Westmorland it was plainly disproved before us by many Witnesses who affirmed there were Differences about some of the aforementioned Practices of the Church of Christ long before she was concerned And further we hold our selves in Conscience obliged to commend the Care Travel and Zeal of the Friends of these Northern Parts in the Affairs of the Church for settlement of Godly Order We have a real Sence of their Good-will and labouring therein for the Lord his Truth and People And now Friends in Gods Love we desire you to suppress all Papers of Controversie relating to this Difference that the Minds of Friends be not farther troubled nor any defiled nor this Controversie kept any longer alive but that all may sink down into the simple Truth and in that feel the pure and sweet Union which being lived in preserves out of those Doubts Distrusts Jealousies carnal Reasonings and evil Watchings that harm the immortal Soul and in that pure Fellowship all are cheerful tender and open-hearted full of Love and Brotherly-kindness watching over one another for Good in which the Lord God Almighty establish us for ever And we do hereby warn all to have a care that they be not lifted up by reason of the Temptation and Hurt that 's come upon these Men nor yet insult over them for that Spirit is not of God but rather let all watch in the Fear and Dread of Almighty God against that Spirit that they enter not into Temptation Thus Friends have we given you a brief and faithful Narrative of what hath past in these four days of great Exercise in which the Lord gave us blessed Unity in the sensible Enjoyment of that Life which was before the World began pure Praises pure Honour and eternal Glory and Renown be to his own Right noble Arm that never failed his distressed bowed and travelling People through all Generations This we desire may be communicated so far only as the knowledg of this sad Difference hath been spread God Almighty keep us by his heavenly Power always near himself and in Unity one with another Amen says Your faithful loving Brethren Alexander Parker George Whitehead Iohn Whitehead William Gibson Robert Lodge Richard Robinson Peter Hardcastle Iohn Burnyeat Iohn Tiflin Iohn Bowren Richard Watson Thomas Taylor Iohn Banks Iohn Steel Hugh Tickell Thomas Laythes Iames Harrison William Whaley Leonard Fell. Iohn Moore Iohn Abrams Roger Haddock William Penn. And in this was the honest-hearted to God
truly comforted whatever the Issue of Matters would be with respect to those entangled in the Snare of a guileful Spirit that it was well with them in that they had a certain Knowledg of the Peace and Blessings of God into their Bosoms who had aceompanied them with his glorious Power and over-shaddowed their Exercise therewith to their Hearts Joy and to the causing of them to give God the Praise who is worthy for ever and in the Fellowship of the Holy Spirit upon the 5 th day of that Exercise Friends parted asunder being the 7 th day of the Week Several of our travelling Brethren stayed some days in the Country amongst Friends and had several blessed Meetings here-aways in a Travel upon their Spirits during their abode in the Country for the Churches Peace and the Return of the strayed ones and giving up the whole Concern to Almighty God and to the Word of his Power who alone gives the Encrease of all planting and watering and spiritual Exercises on every Account God over all in Heaven and Earth blessed for ever In many particular Exercises that the aforesaid Friends had with John Story and John Wilkinson and them of Party with them they were very desirous that they would break up again their separate Meeting as that which they testified against which also God would never bless There was that measure of Love and Tenderness raised up in John Story and John Wilkinson in the aforesaid Meeting that they took an Occasion to go to George Fox then at Swathmoore who we perceive by good Information was very loving to them and tender on their behalf letting them see the Danger they were in if they did not return to the antient Power in it to become one with Gods 〈◊〉 again in the Service and Labour of the Truth and for that end desired them to break up the separate Meeting c. But upon the matter thus it was that the separate Meeting they still continued and the Expectations of dear Brethren became frustrated on John Story' s and John Wilkinson's account for any thing that could be observed for they quickly trampled upon the whole Concern and Endeavours that had been had with them and used towards them John Wilkinson presently denyed that they had condemn'd any thing at Draw-well or that they knew of any thing of which they were guilty that was condemnable At the next yearly Meeting being about the 3 d. Month 1676. The Concerns of the Church of God throughout the whole Nation and of many Countries and Islands beyond the Seas being under Friends tender Care and great weight of Spirit the estate of the Church of God in Westmerland came before Friends as some of us were Ear-Witnesses and an Exercise of Mind was upon them in relation to the Grievances that Gods People in these Parts were still exposed to through the Spirit of Contention and Strife that had led into Separation from the antient Brethren in the Service of Truth and the deplorable State also of John Wilkinson and John Story with them of Party with them they were touched with In the Consideration of their trampling upon all the tender Endeavours used towards them at Draw-well in the 2 d. Month of the same Year and their obstinate and wilful rejecting the Admonition the Reproof the good Advice and Councel of their antient Brethren in order to a happy Return of them to God again and into the Unity of the Spirit with the Faithful in the practice of things relating to the Concerns of Truth and the Church of God amongst them And understanding that the separate Meeting continued still contrary to the general and particular Advice of the Friends when in the North more particularly on the account of their Souls Concern tenderly laid before them to the great danger of their utter undoing over and besides the Obstruction which that Spirit laboured to make in the way of Truth with respect to a gathering more unto God as also the Hurt its Design tended to produce amongst the young and tender not fully established upon the Rock the Habitation whereupon cannot be shaken The Brethren with respect to that secret Hope that sprung up in them at Draw-well when there concerning these two men in particular and on behalf of others greatly hurt by the same Spirit that the Lord might have wrought them into a further sight and sence of things as to their inward of late Years deplorable State and into a tender acknowledgment thereof under the hand and stroke of Gods Power to the working of them from the Bondage thereof that the liberty of the Power in the love 〈◊〉 God they might again come to partake of and so be brought into Fellowship with Gods People again to their Comfort and the Churches Ease and Peace On these Considerations it was yet upon their Spirits to visit them with a tender Epistle of Brotherly Advice from the yearly Meeting under the great Lamentation that the Souls of many were bowed in because thereof The Epistle from the yearly Meeting the 22d of the 3d. Month 1676. John Story and John Wilkinson FOR whom our Souls have travelled as for our own the God of Heaven is Record yea bitterness and anguish of Spirit hath overtaken us for your sakes that in the blessed Unity of the Life and Love of God with the Brethren you may come and dwell for ever And let us tell you in all plainess for we are bound yea we are bruised men for your sakes and deeply afflicted to hear by your Northern Brethren of the continuance of the Separation in those Parts for that Sp rit despiseth our Travels tramples upon our Labours sets our Life and Love at nought and with that Spirit hath God a Controversie and Will forever Ah! what do you mean to do Oh! our antient Friends Sorrow girds us to hear that you are got no nearer your antient Brethren nor receive our Councel while our Life strives with you least your Day go off and our Bowels be shut up against you Bow to that Power that visited you at Daw-well and let not up any Slights against it in your Minds For we are satisfied in our Souls 〈◊〉 it was the Day of your Visitation And in the Name of the Lord away with that Separation which to our great Grief we hear is not only continued but countenanced at least by one 〈◊〉 you for the Determination of the Lord is to blast it for ever Ah! you and they are sought in the Spirit of Meekness and in Love unseigned and in that Patience that was not provoked Oh! strive not against your own Mercies neither exclude your selves from the Fellowship of your Brethren but judge down all Strife Jealousies and Surmises in the name of the Living God that you may be made nigh and be Instruments to bring those nigh that are also with you at a manifest distance from us otherwise the Jealous God will stretch 〈◊〉 his Hand against you and you
and this Separation will apparently wither and come to nought And we must tell you that some of us hoped and expected that ere this you would in the Fear and Dread of the Lord have born a publick Testimony against that Spirit of Division and Meeting of Seperation in those Parts And we are livingly assured in the heavenly Counsel of God that is now with us that in all places where any hurt hath come and entered by this Spirit through you the Lord first requireth this at your Hands and in the Name Power and 〈◊〉 of the God of Truth and Peace we are constrained to press you to be first reconciled to your Brethren and in your Spirits and Practices be united to the Church of Christ before you offer your Gift or excercise your selves in publick Testimony among Gods People and so no more leave that Country in 〈◊〉 and Seperation for otherwise the Breach will become wider and you more discover your selves to be of that Spirit which would augment Contest and Division which we desire that God in Mercy may deliver you from for against that Spirit the sharp Sword of the Lord is drawn and thus far have we cleared our Consciences in his sight and presence whose ancient Power gloriously springs and reigns amongst us Eternal Praises to his his Name forever George Whitehead Iohn Burnyeate William Gibson Robert Lodge Alexander Parker Thomas Taylor Iohn Bowren Iohn Tiffen William Penn. We whose Names are here under Written being at London at this Yearly Meeting having heard the above written Letter twice read at a second days Meeting in the City being the 22d of the 3d Month 1676. do hereby declare that it contains the real sence of our Hearts as was expressed by several Testimonies there given to that purpose from Gods Truth in many of us and therefore are in unity with it Pattrick Livingstone George Hutchinson Richard Pinder Hector Allen William Fallowfield Samuel Cater Iasper Batt Samuel Thornton Thomas Cooke Iohn Lanstaffe Edward Edwards Iames Claypoole Brayan Doyley William Peacke Richard Webster Francis Moore Iames Parke Richard Samble William Mead Leonard Fell Stephen Smith Iames Sikes Charles Floyd Daniel Smith Thomas Salthouse Stephen Crisp Anthony Thompkins Iohn Haywood Ellis Hooks Authur Cotton Let God be witness this Day betwixt the Church of God and these two Men and them of Party with them whether in the tender Love of God and of dear Brethren they have not been delt withal in Compassionateness through great long Suffering and Patience beseeching them in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ and Gods manifold Mercies and Forbearances towards them that they would be reconciled to God that they might find acceptance with him as that which was a Soul Concern yea the concern of eternal Recompence World without end and that which hath been testified in many Labours and Travels Night and Day on their accounts and how unwilling Friends were that they should be rejected and cast aside and their Names blotted out from the remembrance of the Righteous and out of the Number of the Worthies of Israel whom the Lord Blesseth and makes as Saviours on Mount Sion to his Eternal Praise and the Comfort of the Church of Christ and the Peace of the Immortal Soul forever So that we have a Record from God upon our Spirits in true satisfaction that we have discharged a good Conscience in the Lords sight with respect to them and that if any of them Perish it shall lie at their Doors the Lord is clear and his People thus far clear let them look to it as they will answer at the dreadful Day Yet after all these Labours and Travels in the Love of God and Spirit of Grace and Supplication towards and in behalf of them they still continued in the Alienation from Truths Life in their separate contentious Work and the more the Lord and his People strove with them the more obstinate and hardned they grew and where the Apostacy which William Rogers is pleased to charge us with will be seen to center a little time will declare further So it was that as the evil Men and Seducers that grows worse and worse they put on resolution and Courage to stand it out John Story betook himself into the South-West to keep the Design on Foot there and to muster up all whom he could draw after him with the Pollicy and Might he had he set himself William Rogers ratled about with a dishonest Narrative that he himself had drawn up of the Transactions of the Meeting at Draw-well as his prejudiced jealous Mind acted him and sent it abroad up and down the Country where any would take notice of it took off the beliefe or hopes where any in kindness to John Story and John Wilkinson had been begot of any submission given by them or any real acknowledgement made by them there notwithstanding the paper they had given forth and at that time under an exercise if they had stood to it which William Rogers set at naught accounting it but a Rattle to please Children with John Wilkinson also as he had before denied that they had Condemned any thing writ to some of the Brethren at London very comtemptibly in a slight of all their Love Labours and Travels concerning them in the North inveighing against the Relation given and subscribed there of matters transacted amongst us and the product thereof calling it a lying Narrative c. And that Courage they took to themselves and cambined Resolution to stand to their Work that he together with about eleaven more subcribed a Book written by them and sent it abroad in Manuscript up down the Nation amongst those that had entertained Jealousies and let in Prejudice against the Antient Brethren who kept true to God and had let in Murmuring and Discontent against the Order and Discipline used in the Church of Christ. The said Book called or at least rendred to be their Remonstrance or Declaration pretending therein to stand to the antient Principle of Truth and Faith therein as also speaking of certain Practices used amongst them Directed to Monthly Quarterly Yearly and Second Days Meetings in a bold and open Contest with the whole Church of God throughout the whole Nation in which they possitively declare themselves and those of party with them to be that part of the whole Family of the Children of Light that keeps their antient Integrity and Stability in the Truth and for that cause say they are they called by the rest Separates meaning by the Monthly Quarterly Yearly and Second Days Meetings they are also bold to say that we that is to say all those that are in faithfulness to God careful with respect to Church Order and the Discipline thereof unto which the aforesaid Meetings relate and not of party with them are departed from our first Principle of Light and Life in Christ Jesus and setting up Forms and outward Methods in the Church and the like And for no
Brethren Judge Had you not an equal priviledge in and use thereof whilst you kept in Unity with us c Are you not broken off and separated from us and your Seperation judged by many faithful Brethren as many of you know Are you owned of any one Church of God in the whole Nation in this your Seperation c Is it a just thing in you thus to foment Strife in standing by and encouraging a Separation by such Demands Have you not in Gods sight and according to equity forfeited your former right in the Churches Priviledges by separating from her Might not the worst of Hereticks and Apostates from God the False Church that may keep up Meetings make the same demand as you do because that once they had been concerned in the true Church Affairs Were it a just thing in them to say Let the Churches Books in which the weighty Concerns of Truth were Recorded be where we may have the use of them as well as you What an Expedient were this to prevent the great Inconveniences you talk of Is it a right thing that Apostates and Hereticks should be concerned in and privie to the true Church Cocerns we would know what 〈◊〉 would acrew to the Church thereby as to let in such Defilements and 〈◊〉 things upon her or what Inconveniences are they you talk on may be avoided by this your Expedient as you call it we can truly say they 〈◊〉 Blessed that keeps their Garments clear from the Defilements of this dividing Spirit and their Advantage in the Lord is great by reason thereof and we 〈◊〉 you the 〈◊〉 are great you are run into you are catch'd in a Snare the more you strugle the faster your Feet are hel'd it were well for you to be still and so you may get out again least you perish 〈◊〉 evermore And as to your demand which you call Just in a few Words we tell you we deny it to be so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we countenance your division thus we say as we said before to you the 〈◊〉 Church is but one led by one Spirit its Unity stands in the Power that knits 〈◊〉 and is honour in unity it cannot be divided its Covering is without 〈◊〉 or Rent no division can be admitted of in it either are we broken off and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 share in the Churches Priviledges and if you judge so of us why do you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 us plainly that we may plead that with you and if you had demanded things on that account and could prove it against us then your demands of the Books from us were just and otherwise you may as well say nothing or 〈◊〉 its you that are broken off from us and this is plainly evident by your 〈◊〉 from us and the Testimony of many faithful 〈◊〉 is and hath been against you and not one of the Church of Christ in the whole Nation do 〈◊〉 you in this your Work nor any of them that will own you in this your Demands But you say We grant you to have right in the Books why because we say if you bring us a Bill of what Mony you laid out for them or your share came to you should have it repaid we say what right soever we have granted you in that it had been more commendable for you as Men to have made that your demand then to have demanded the use of the Books c. to be abused by that Spirit as 〈◊〉 they were or if you say we grant you a continuing right in them by this our profer you are under a mistake and do abuse our good will to you if you say we grant you a Title in profering you Coppys of the Record of any Birth or Marriage if you desired it In this also you wrong the Case and abuse us to strengthen your Cause by and neither of both wil answer the thing you aim at or justify your Demands that no Age past that we know of can paralel and succeeding Ages wil be ashamed of it In their Paper they have very abusively clamored against us in saying we retain their just Right from them To which we answer thus We challing the Right to them and use of them in the Churches Right assembling together monthly and quarterly as our Words plainly imparts for the Service of Truth and for which Services in such Assemblies they were with an unanimous Consent procured and for the said Use and none other are they stil kept And notwithstanding this in that we cannot grant you the use of them at your Will in your Separation and Strife you exclaim and say by the same Rule and in as much Justice we may take away any other thing due to you if we can but secure it into our Possession To which we also said Is not this great Darkness c. Have you not only lost the sence of the Churches Priviledges and Power over Dissenters c. But your Words savers of great Prejudice and Envy and want of common reason c. Dare you say when you consider again That we as the quarterly Meeting in the Sense that our Words and Actions carries along with them have no more right to keep the said Books having the Possession of them for the Uses aforesaid from you so separated and broken from us and out of Unity with us then to keep any other thing justly due to you if we had but the Possession of it c. We do commit the Judgment in this case to that in all Consciences as such an absurd thing as no more need be said to it by us And as for the great Injustice you say we do you in not answering your Demand We say notwithstanding your reproachful Words we are not ashamed of the Proposals tendered you in this matter and are willing to refer it to the Consideration of the most antient and faithful Brethren to judg of And if these things will not satisfy you it 's a Shame to trouble us any more with your Papers we shall take little notice of them for the streess of the matter lies 〈◊〉 The Right you quarrel about is in the particular Church of Christ in Westmerland assembling Monthly and Quarterly for the publick Service of Truth as cannot justly be 〈◊〉 if you say they belong to you as the Church tho in the Separation we 〈◊〉 it who shall hear and give Judgment in the case of Difference in any particular Church but the Spirt of the Lord in the grave and faithful Members of the Churches general Assemblies for the general Service of Truth and Concerns of the whole Body and this we have lovingly profered you which argues no Guilt upon our Spirits but this you dare not submit to but in a Disrespect in a slightful scornful manner puts it off not Truth like c. It 's a shameful thing even amongst Men to cry out of Injustice and yet will not come to Tryal in God's Way Christ said if thy Brother trespass againct thee
c. at last tell it to the Church This is such a clear Case that even Children in the Truth are not Strangers to it If we have done you Wrong why do you not tell it to the Church according to Christs Rule but exclaims thus and nothing will satisfy you but your own Demands in your own Case c. We tell you for Conscience Sake the Authority of Gods Power and the true Churches Right we cannot do it we cannot give away its Priviledg at the request of a dissenting Spirit This is our Answer and is the second or third time we have told you so if this will not satisfy you tell it to the Church if the Spirit of Jesus be in you and give over this wrangling If the Church judg us in this matter and we hear it not let us bear the Burthen of the Wrong done unto you there you may have Right done unto you This we grant you for your Satisfaction and to remove the Prejudice you have begot in some of the simple-minded against us through your crying Injustice which is very abusive seeing you will not come to Tryal c. And if none of these Proposals will finde an Entrance upon you and work in you Satisfaction then will it be plainly manifest to all that knows these things that you are not onely separated from us in the Exercise of Truth 's publick Concern but also gon from the Nobility of the Power some of you were once honourable in in the Day whereof this detestable Work would have been cause of Lamentation to you and the Advice and Unity of Brethren precious in your Eye which you now detest and for your reflecting Postscript in which you shew a Discontent that we returned to you your unsubscribed Paper You may say we delt sivily with you that did not return it with the Name of idam flet that the Author therof were either ashamed of or timerous to stand by and doth argue a secret Guilt upon the Spirits of such as were principally concerned in it and good Cause had we to desire to know whose they were as thereby manifested to be the great Fomentors of the woful Strife and Division you are entered into and the principal Leaders of the Separation you persist in that such may be marked and taken heed of by the simple amongst you and by all every where that loves Sion s Peace and its Welfare in the Lord whose Blessing will attend such for ever more c. From our quarterly Meeting the sixth of the Eighth Month. Thomas Pearson Thomas Langhorn John Blayklinge Joseph Baines and Thirty more on behalf of the said Meeting It may be observed that the aforesaid Paper being delivered to them they returned no Answer to it to this day neither heard we any more of that 〈◊〉 Work they had before made about the demanding the Books as aforesaid 〈◊〉 for the Reasons we gave them as expressed so that what they do with respect to Business or when they keep their 〈◊〉 we are Strangers to them and with respect to our Meetings we can say of a Truth the Glory of Israel's God is with us and the shout of aking and in Dominion through God's Eternal Power our Life reigns over all dissenting backsliding 〈◊〉 and evil surmising Spirits and the Works thereof and in the Exercise of the Spirit in our men and womens Meetings a Care is amongst us for God's Glory and one anothers Advantage and Comfort to the Joy and rejoycing of our Hearts in the Unity of that Life and Fellowship of that blessed Spirit in which our Hearts are made right glad and have cause to bless the Lord the Days we have to live and now having cleared our Consciences in the Lord's Sight thus far concerning them of the separating wrong Spirit who will not hear and return to God that they may finde Mercy we are in perfect Peace in the Spirit of our Minds And they being gon out from us because they are not of us c. their Contentious troublesom Spirit and their Strife we being quit of the Children of God the Church of the First born injoys their Peace sitting under their Vines and Figtrees in that sweet Repose that does our 〈◊〉 good and with respect to the Churches Concerns and Care in the Exercise and Practice therein we do injoy that inward Satisfaction and that outward Quiet and Peace that we have long waited for Glory to God on high for ever more Several of the Innocent that loves Righteousness and waits for God's Salvation comes off again from that Spirits Work and from touching any more in the Defilements of it acknowledging the Weakness they gave up themselves into in which they became the Churches Grief and in a signal Testimony of their Repentance condemned the Spirit that betrayed them and the Fellowship of the Spirit with God's People are come again to injoy to their unspeakable 〈◊〉 and Joy beyond what can be uttered Our Meetings are become quiet and we are unanimously and 〈◊〉 Sociable in our Work the rending troublesom Spirit being gon out never to return And if any who have been of it should desire to come again it must be through Judgment and the Spirit of burning through which whosoever of them draws near again it will be our Joy and the Answer of our Souls Desires and that 's the Exercise we are now concerned in in relation to them being thus far Clear in the Lord's Sight Little more Occasion on the account of the outward Concerns of the Church of Christ have Friends with them but that as to Meetings on the account of Worship They of the Separation and other Friends continued yet together Friends 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all the Bowels that possiblely could be on the account of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gods People Ministers and Messengers of 〈◊〉 out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 had it on their Spirits to visit the Church of God in 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 Advice to all and in a Reproof upon the Spirit of 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Advice to them in a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the antient 〈◊〉 and the comfortable Society and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therein 〈◊〉 hearty 〈◊〉 for reuniting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 several wholsome Admonitions Counsel and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by such as came amongst us besides the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet 〈◊〉 with us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Parts concerning them Several printed Books came amongst us in relation to the matter occacioning the starting aside in Vindication of 〈◊〉 Care and Government amongst Gods People for the 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 and tender of them that were led aside particularly Roburt 〈◊〉 Book of Government and Georg Fox's Book in 〈◊〉 to Womens Meetings in order to the 〈◊〉 of their Service in the Church of Christ in the Capacity under which they 〈◊〉 having 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 Spirit in which to be prositable as the Lord should instruct 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 of the Gospel of Christ
Jesus and many Papers and Epistles from several Brethren was the Assemblies 〈◊〉 Gods People 〈◊〉 with that all might fear and be 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 that was coming on upon the rebellious and self-willed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 might 〈◊〉 clear of the Blood of them that would not take Councel in their 〈◊〉 And altho some of the honest-minded of them was bettered thereby and the Testimonies of the Power became a Savor of Life unto Life unto them to the working 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 them yet with many of the old Subscribers against the Unity of 〈◊〉 in the concern of Church Affairs it was not so but they 〈◊〉 hard and seared as with an hot Iron and Incouragers still of the Separation John Wilkinson continued still in the Conspiracy with them manifested by his usually frequenting their occasioned separate Meetings as we have been credibly informed after their Meetings have been past And John Story being never willing that we could understand to shew any Dislike thereof and therefore a continuing 〈◊〉 of that Spirit and Work of it his Name and Spirit being in the 〈◊〉 Foundation thereof and Subscription to the agreement and resolve in relation to it But as to any publick or great matter of Work they of that Party in the North did or could do for the annimating or furthering the Design thereof in these Parts it was not much save what they did privately underhand with 〈◊〉 upon the Faithful to God and the Churches Care thereby to insinuate upon the Assections of the weak and loose sort whereby to keep their Confederacy on foot and their Design alive which with whisperings and watchings for Evil and making lies their Refuge they laboured to do and were as industrious in that matter and in spreading abroad any of their abusive 〈◊〉 Papers and Books where they would be received of them they could work themselves into But the Life of their Business and the ground of their Hopes in order to the carrying on and compleating the same now depended on the supposed Strength that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the West Parts of the Nation where John Story' s Time was mostly spent and of whose Cunning and Craft in the matter they in those parts were no 〈◊〉 to and the Aid that attended him through William Rogers Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the espoused Cause he had taken upon him and the politick furious and ambitious Minde he carried with him in the management of the Work they had in hand kept up their Heads here and their Eyes abroad to see what would become of the matter of it And now it became the Concern of them in those parts in a few Hands on whom the design hung and William Rogers buckled him to it with the pollicy and might he had he writ a Book in Answer to Robert Barkleys Book of Government which in this his Printed Book he often makes mention of and with clamorous 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sets himself against the Testimony by him born therein inserted for the Government and Dissipline of Christ Jesus Instrumentally and Visibly amongst his People yet as said before clearly detected William Rogers stands in the Hearts of all sober Consciences and humble minded Men who have seen his Book and Work and the Answer to it called The Accuser of the Brethren 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the satisfaction of them that love God and a Christian Life And he is plainly manifested to have had an evil Design in his Bosom against the Image of God and an unspotted Conversation and which Christ Jesus the head of the Church and the sirst born of many Brethren hath the concern of upon him as appointed of the Father for that end to bring a People into the enjoyment 〈◊〉 whom he hath ruled by his Grace and hath accounted worthy to be blest with the priviledg and unspeakable Gain that doth attend the same for evermore and that his said Book of Answer William Rogers hath sent abroad to and again to the great reflection on Robert Barklay very abusively and not according to any Gospel Order or the just Law of doing to all as one would be done unto nor as becomes Brethren and the true Christian Quaker on the account of this Spirit and its Work many Transactions in Words were had and Writings were sent to and fro in the South to the great Exercise of the Church of God there and the Grief of the Upright-hearted every where who hath the knowledge of it because of the Destractions that this William Rogers and John Story made there aways with Books and Papers labouring to Proselite into their Faction and make Parties against the Unity and Body of Friends where they could prevail and after this manner Passages were the latter end of the Year 1676. and the beginning of the Year following at the geneneral Meeting 1677. the Concerns of the blessed Truth and the Affairs of the Church of Christ every where through the hand of the Almighty an opportunity being given being under the Care and Exercise of Friends and amongst other things the State of the Church in general on the account of John Story and John Wilkinson was at several Meetings upon the Spirits of many dear Brethren with respect to the Grieveances and Pressure it lay under on the account of the disregard that had been upon them of all the bowed Exercises the Labours and Travels and unwearied Indeavours that had been used towards them and their obstinate resisting of Friends Advice and Counsel to them to do their Indeavours to break up the separate Meeting in the North greatly occasioned by them and themselves to be reconciled to the Brethren before they any more offer 〈◊〉 Gift as also under the sence of their obstinacy in refusing to take notice thereof but on the contrary did the utmost as it appeared to beget more and more into the minds of the Weak through their evil 〈◊〉 and ungodly Surmisings in relation to Order and Government in the Church of God comfortably settled amongst us with Whispering and open Reflections against the Instruments the Lord had made use of in the Work thereof whereby many dear Friends throughout the whole Nation as it was demonstrated by many living 〈◊〉 was griveously afflicted therewith for the sake of Gods People his Heritage which 〈◊〉 Soul destroying Spirit would have laid waste and in as much as that Friends Labours Exercises and Travels Counsel and Advice had been such in pure Love and Patience Long-suffering and Forbearance concerning them which they had trampled upon and took advantage thereby to prosecute the design of Evil and Mischief which they were filled with that Friends unanimiously signified their sence that the Lord and his People were clear of them and if that Indignation from Heaven as the just desert of a Stiffnecked and Rebellious People were reveiled from the hand of the just God upon them the Lord should be clear and his People clear and in as much as that it was fully declared by the Brethren that the Minds of the
Simple in many places where reports of this Spirits Work came were filled with various thoughts concerning them with respect to the real state of matters not knowing well how things were in relation to them on which account many might become hurt and darkned in themselves and an occasion thereby given for a Vail to come over under which those Temptations might enter which might produce the hurt of many wherefore in persuance of the many blessed and living Testimonies that arise among Friends in the breaking 〈◊〉 of the Glory of the Lord upon Friends in relation to a Testimony to go 〈◊〉 in the Name of the Eternal God against the ungodly backsliding rending Spirit that had prevailed over many to draw them out of the Fellowship of the Spirit in the Church of Christ into Strife and Contention and into a Separation from the Antient Brethren together with the Abettors every where perticularly against John Wilkinson and John Story as the great Fomenters thereof and the Pillers of the 〈◊〉 Destracted Work that had been occasioned and brought forth amongst the Lords People unto which Friends there present unniamiously agreed together with a joynt consent that this follwing Paper should be given forth and signed to go abroad throughout the Nation as in the Wisdom of God might be seen meet Our dear Friends and Brethren THE Lord who is the Antient of Days the Unchangable and Holy One of Israel that was and is and is to come our Rock and Strength for ever hath graciously brought us together by his own Power and is with us yea and hath covered us with his Love and Spirit and filled our Hearts with his undeclarable Kindness the sence of his Mercies hath exceedingly over come us and the remembrance of his ancient Goodness hath even melted us and semented us together and Blessed and Sweet and very Precious to our Souls is the Heavenly Unity of Life amongst us wherein at this Meeting the Lord our God hath Crowned us with Glory Dominion and Peace Blessed forever be his pure Name Oh how good is it for all to keep in the living sence of God and his Truth where plentious Redemption and Preservation is known where the Murmurer and Repiner c. can never come therefore all that are in the Muttering Dissatisfied and Jealous Nature full of Doubts Reasonings and Objectings goe from the pure Eye and out of Truths Habitation in themselves and so come to suffer Loss Dear Brethren at this time as on the like occasions has been frequent with us the care of the Peace and Welfare of the Churches of Christ came upon us and blessed be the Lord things are generally well and florishing and Truth grows Famous though Sufferings abound in several places yet it is well with Friends and the Lords Power reigns and great hath been the concern of Friends about the Sufferings of our Brethren and other things and blessed Meetings have we had wherein things have been clearly opened sweetly and tenderly treated on and in much Love and Brotherly Kindness concluded for which blessed be the Name of the Lord whose living antient fresh Power and Presence was with us but truly with bowed Spirits and grife of Heart have we perceived the obstinacy and obdurateness of some that have gone into the Self-will and dispising heavenly Dignities and casting tender Love and Intreaties behind their Backs setting up contriving and promoting false and pernitious Jealousies Murmurings and Smitings whereby they are darkned in their Understandings and so have through the Power of the Enemy against the King of Righteousness and his Peace set up a kind of Standerd of Separation from the blessed Fellowship and Communion that the Churches of Christ sweetly possest together to the dishonour of God his Truth and People more especially John Story and John Wilkinson notwithstanding the many Visitations and Admonitions of Love and Life even in deepest Travels and that from time to time and from year to year particularly the Sence and Admonition of the last Yearly Meeting writ in great Love that they might return and be reconsiled before they offered their Gift which they have Rejected And forasmuch as it appears to us that they will not come at us nor near us in the peaceable Truth which we have frequently and truly desired for their good but that they go on in their Opposition and evil Surmisings against the faithful Brethren and practice of the Church of Christ refusing to desolve their separate Company in the North or clear their hands of them by a faithful Testimony against them or so much as blot their Names out of their Paper of Separation and because we are sencible they have made evil use of our Forbearance even to strengthen themselves in their Separation and cover their evil designs the more amongst some simple-hearted Friends preserving therein by Word Writing and Practice we are constrained after this continued Waiting and Exhortation thus slighted by them for the Glory of the Name of the Lord the Sake of the Peace of the Churches of Christ and that we may stand clear in the Power of God of the Blood of all in the great and notable day of account more publickly to reprove them in those things and we do hereby reprove and judg that jelous rending and separating Spirit and them and their separate Company as being in that Spirit of Separation and that by the Power and Spirit of our God and we do warn all to whom this comes to beware of the said John Story and John Wilkinson whose ways at present is not the way of Peace and Christian Concord for if it were they would not offer their Gift till reconciled to their Brethren therefore Brethren every where stand up in the Power and Wisdom of God for the Testimony of Truth against that wrong jealous murmuring and dividing Spirit and when they come warn them in the Name of the Lord to go home and be reconciled to their Brethren and not go thus up and down to offer up their Gift which in their State is not a Peace but a Division Offering contrary to the Precepts of Jesus our Lord of being first reconsiled whatever their pretence be and therein will you acquit your selves in Gods sight and shew true Love and Friendship unto them and those that may be hurt by them which our Souls most earnestly desire yea that it may be truly well with them both here and forever and from the Lord we say had they loved the Prosperity of Sion and the Peace of Jerusalem more than their own Self-will and Separation and had they sought the Unity that is in the Truth and sweet Communion of Brethren which stands in that Love which thinks no Evil and that Wisdom that is gentle and very easie to be intreated by the Brethren sweet and precious had our Fellowship been together at this day and it is our godly Exhortation to you Friends and Brethren of the Monthly and Quarterly Meetings that you watch
in the Light and Power of God against this separating Spirit that smites at the blessed Fellowship of the Churches of Christ and where it enters any in Gods Love to Admonish Exhort and Warn such to take heed of that ravenous Spirit and to keep in the Peace and Unity of the Family of the Lord the Househould of Christ which we are and if notwithstanding your tender Christian dealing and forbearance such Persons persever and go on in their seperate Spirit and Practice let Gods Truth be cleared of them and Truth set over their Heads according to the order of the Gospel of Christ setled amongst you and dear Brethren be careful not to suffer your Meetings which were gathered up not by the will of Man but by the Power and Wisdom of the Lord God to be disturbed over-ruled and spoyled by heady obstinate and contentious Persons that disturb the Peace of the Church of Christ neither fear Man but eye the Lord and wait in his Power and Wisdom to be guided and ordered and so go on to your Work in the Name of the Lord for the Seed of Life and not the wisdom that 's below must rule and have the Dominion for ever but for as much as the way of the working of this subtil Enemy hath been to suggest that it is the design of some to make themselves Lords over Gods Heritage and to set up a Worldly and Arbitaray Power in the Church of Christ and then to run out into severe Exclamations against Impositions crying up Liberty of Conscience thereby casting a Mist before the Eyes of the Simple and Stumblingblocks in the way of the Weak Thus we feel our selves concerned in the Love of the Lord for the good of all to declare and the Lord hath gathered us and preserved us to this day and his Spirit is our Record that we deny and abhor any such thing for we have our Lord Judge King Lawgiver in the Church and that is Christ Jesus unto whose Light Power Spirit we have been turned in that have Worshiped him and had Fellowship together to this very day and are your Servants for his sake and we are assured in the Lord that they that keep in the Light Life and Power of Jesus will have Fellowship with us and truly our Fellowship is with the Father and the Son and though it is far from us to bruise or hurt the poorest or least Member in the Church of Christ who may not have that clearness of Sight and strength of Faith which the Lord hath brought us to but that they may be Cherished Yet by that Salt which we have in our selves from the Lord are we enabled to savour between the Transformations of the Enemy and the Scruples of the Innocent and as to be tender of the one so to give Judgment against the other and our Day and Age hath lamentably shewn us the effects of that Spirit that under pretence of crying down Imposition and pleading for Liberty and doing nothiug but what it is free to hath endeavoured to lay waste the blessed Unity of the Brethren and to ove-rrun the Heritage of the Lord that lived together as an orderly Family under the Law of Life and living order of the Gospel with a loose and unsubsetled Conversation which would bring Confusion in the Church and make us a Derision to the Heathen and to the end that these very 〈◊〉 concerned in this Separation may appear to be no true Lovers of Christian Liberty and Gospel Priviledges as they pretend let their own Paper which is a Declaration of the Reasons of their Separating be read and weighed in the universal Love and Life of Christ Jesus and therein we will suppose will be found the true Nature of Imposition in that none of their own Country are allowed to be of the Monthly and Quarterly Meeting but such as are appointed and chosen by the perticular Meeting Next That none of their own or other Countries though publick Labourers in the Gospel are to be admitted to be in their Meetings unless it be to tell their Message and immediately to depart And these with such like things Eighty seven subscribed as the Reason of their Separation and Foundation of a new Government themselves which is a plain Independensie from the Life and Practice of the Church of Christ throughout the World Oh Friends watch in the Power of God against this Spirit that would make them twain that God hath made one and separate that which God hath joyned together And you that have any Interest in them and to whom their Regard is Oh have a care that you give them no Strength in their manifest Separation but stand upon your Watch-Tower Dear Friends in God s Love touch not with that Spirit the Enemies of Sion's Glory and their Peace give not your Strength to them but deal faithfully with them and seek them in God's Way and Wisdom that whatever becomes of them in the End you may be clear of their Blood in the Sight of the Lord and they may not say but that they have had a Day of Love and Visitation And truly that which hath incouraged in this Epistle is that good Success that God hath blessed our like Endeavours in his Power with For many deceived by them and confederate with them having seen their Snare in tenderness of Spirit have honestly consessed their Fault and are come from them and have testified both against the separate Company and themselves for having been of it and now live in Unity with their Brethren and feel the Joy and quiet Habitation that in the Communion of Saints and Fellowship of the Churches of Jesus is enjoyed praises to the Lord for ever and as we desire so we hope that more will be brought to the same blessed Sence So be jealous for the Lord dear Brethren and stand up in his Spirit and Power for the Peace of his Church and in his precious peacible Life dwell that keeps in soundness of Mind then will you shew Mercy to that which Mercy is due and Judgment to that which Judgment is due without respect of Persons and herein our pure true Love is shewn to them and all mankinde and the God of our Heavenly Love Peace and pretious Fellowship be with usall and bless us and keep us to the Glory of his Eternal Name who over all Spirits Angels and Men Thrones Dignities and Dominions reigns and is worthy and blessed for ever We are unanimously Your dear and faithful Brethren in the Labour Travail Tribulation Patience Hope and Rejoycing of the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Thomas Taylor Thomas Briggs Ambros Rigg William Edmonsor H nry Jackson James Harrison Thomas Zachry John Burnyeat 〈◊〉 Blaykling William Gibson John Abram Samuel Cater Morgan 〈◊〉 John Bowran 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 John Whithead Thomas Atkins Rudger Longworth Luke Howard Richard Pinder Joseph Hill Richard Davis Nicholas Gaitts Bray Dayla Stephen Smith Thomas Holmes James Halliday John Moone Thomas
Robertson 〈◊〉 Fell. William 〈◊〉 Samuel Genings Finias Bell. Cudbert Hayhurst James Fletcher Thomas Brasey John Tiffin Thomas Burr Gyles Barnardison William Fallowfield Jonathan Jonson James Claypoole Richard Snead John Wyford John Elson John Due Francis Finsher William Whatey Thomas Elwood Anthony Tomkins John Bure Charles Marshall William Penn. Francis Moore John Higgins Ezakiel Wolly Oliver Samson Christopher Taylor Benjamin Antrobuss With several others From a Meeting held at Elis Hookes Chamber in London the 12 th of the 4 th Month 1677. And there were several Brethren that had left the City before this Meeting wherein this Epistle was subscribed who at other Meetings had testified against this separate Spirit in the Power of the Lord and so are one with us herein and some there were who have already cleared their Consciences at the last Years Meeting and since at other Meetings both by Epistles and other Manuscripts in a full and saithful Testimony against this Spirit of Separation and Opposition of his heavenly Truth After all these Exercises of Soul and Spirit amongst the Lord's People even the afficted ones with respect to Sion's Troubles that attended them through the Spirit of Strife though the Upright to God were comforted in the midst of all in him in whom Salvation is The Separation in the North still continued amongst the backsliding sort and as the Mercies of the Lord and the former great Forbearances of God's People towards them was made ill use of and the Concern of Friends despised thereby taking Opportunity the more quietly to abet and strengthen their Work Even so was the pure and sound Judgment of Truth through God's People and the Sentance now given against them in the Spirit of Christ Jesus trampled upon by them hardening themselves against all as the evil Men and Seducers that grows worse and worse And all Hopes concerning them being much dispaired of Friends here in the North who had kept their Habitarions in God and in it their Fellowship one with another in their Quarterly 〈◊〉 when together and the Care for Truth upon them under the weight of this opposit Spirits Work and their Division with them therein In relation to the things of God did agree together to send some saithful Brethren to the Meetings which they of the Separation did frequent to let them know that unless they that were led aside into the Temptations and the Snares of that dividing Spirit whereby they were led from us into a Disconcern on that account of the Affairs of the Church of Chrict into a slight thereof would condemn their Weakness therein and break up the separate Meeting which was become the stumbling and the Hurt of many and tended to the Reproach of Truth Friends were inclined and resolved as agreed upon amongst us to withdraw Meetings from the Houses of such as were in the Strife and Separation and the Upholders thereof as that which was not consistent with Unity of Brethren nor the Repute of our uniting healing Spirit and principle of Life which we had 〈◊〉 to and made a good Confession of before all with whom we had to do 〈◊〉 that believed and kept Faithful to God had their Communion and 〈◊〉 in to the Comfort of our Souls and the honour of that one Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Life our Support and the Comsort of our Days and that it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for them to expect our 〈◊〉 in that Joperdy with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 meet at their Houses on the account of worshiping God which 〈◊〉 we did so granted greater Fellowship with them than in the Truth 〈◊〉 be allowed seeing they had withdrawn themselves from the Brethren of the monthly 〈◊〉 quarterly Meetings in the visible Exercises relating to the visible Concern in the Church of God and that the Order Desipline and Government used amongst us in subjection to God's Power and Rule they had despised and slandered and reproachfully abused us besides their Disconcern amongst us And as it was the Agreement of the Meeting aforesaid they who had that Service upon them went amongst them with the Testimony that they had upon their Spirits touching that matter many of the most tender-Hearted of them signified their Unwillingness to be parted from Friends on that wise but chused and moved in the Meeting accordingly the rather to go after the other and meet at their Houses than break off from them and meet among themselves At that Meeting that John Story belonged to John Wilkinson was that Day and he knows in his Conscience if he did not put a total stop to those Desires and the Motion on that wise which most of the Meeting closed with but himself and if he did not say That if Friends missed that Opportunity take heed when they meet with such another so that was it which prevailed upon that sort of them that were the Leaders and Sticklers in the contentious separate Work For from that time they drew to themselves into a distinct Meeting which they of that loose backsliding sort from their first Testimonies and from the Life of Truth keeps the Form of to this Day But upon that Occasion several of the honest and tender-Minded to God that loved Righteousness and them that kept true to the Life of it came away from them separated and condemned in a seasonable time their former adhering to them of the Subscription to their confederate Design the ground of the separate Meeting and in the Power of God were renewed into Love and Care for Truth and God s Glory and manifested their Sorrow and Grief of Heart for their former Weakness and were received again into Unity with the Faithful to their Comfort and Hearts-Joy as some of them under their own Hands have given a Testimony of to the glading of the Hearts of the Faithful every where who have the Knowledg thereof and poor Men are they that remains behinde with respect to the Riches of God's Kingdom and how they are scattered and divided and broken asunder they might see if they did not 〈◊〉 their Eyes and how many of them are taken away of the greatest of them by Death and others become loose and gon back so their Number decays apace and the Generation of them is passing away that their Memorial may rot and never rise again After this it was presently noised abroad up and down the Nation amongst this sort of Professors of Truth upon a Letter sent out of the North with no Name to it That we had excommunicated them of that Party in the North and that we had forbiden them to come to our Houses and such like Discourse they had amongst them to make our Care and Exercise for Truth God's Glory and the Honour of our holy Fellowship hateful if possibly they could The Relation of our Concern in this Matter from which they grounded these lying Reports we thought meet a little here to insert for the satisfaction of the honest unprejudiced People that in sincerity of Soul every one may
the one when the Lords secret Hand smote the Hearts of the other so that to another kinde of working in the fame Spirit they betook themselves as 〈◊〉 shall be made appear But first we defire that on the Consideration of what hath been said at large and yet things but hinted at with respect to the multitude of Exercises that have been met withal in relation to the Sorrows Grievances various Troubles and great Afflictions that hath attended the peaceable People of God these several Years through the Spirit of Opposition 〈◊〉 and Mischief that hath wrought amongst them by a sort that hath been acted thereby having let in an evil Heart of Unbelief in departing from Gods eternal Power and with respect to the Care long-Suffering Forbearance and great Patience that hath been used towards them with Exhortations Cautions Counsel and Advice in the day of their declining Age and with Reproofs of Instruction and the pure Judgment that hath been ministred in unto them with Line upon Line Precept upon Precept here a little and there a little as it was in the Prophets days in the case of the rebellious and backsliding People We say it s our Desire that these things being tenderly weighed in sincerity of Heart amongst all where-ever this may come and Occasion may be given to inspect the same may speak whether William Rogers whom we are 〈◊〉 with have justifiable Cause to render this Family in the Church of God and tenderly bowed down and broken with respect to them of his Party whilst a Door was seen to be set open to them the Apostates from God and such as in whom the Doctrin and Life of Christianity is extent and to publish the same in Print and leave the infamous Badg thereof upon us to Posterity or that the Witness of God in all your Consciences do not testify that he is a man of a corrupt Minde and hath set himself to work Mischief amongst the People he was once in Unity with and to work Destractions amongst them and expose a People more justified in Gods sight and amongst the honest hearted than 〈◊〉 to as much Infamy and Disgrace as he can any way do and to bring an Odium upon their Principle and Practice as much as in him lies and that he appears to be in the Enmity of his Minde against them he hath turned his Back of and the just Principle also in himself that would rejoyce to see Evil of any sort befall them and therefore hath set himself to render them the worst 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 devise we leave it also for them to judge whether the Apostate and turning back from the Doctrine and Life of Christianity be not truly applicable to him and them of that Party with him which in the Sequil of this our Concern we shall further demonstrate as the Lord shall be pleased to give us Leave Now to go on and that which is before us further to do is to manifest What other Course William Rogers hath betaken himself unto in the matter of his proving this People whose Testimony and Practice stands to maintain that 〈◊〉 a Gospel Dispensation through Gods invisible Power Church Order and Government visiblely and instrumentally is justificable and commendable amongst Gods People during their Abode in this World as a visible Family to shew forth Gods Praise The Course he takes to effect this matter if he could is to asperse and caluminate with malitious Accusations with all the Eagerness he can devise and work himself into such as the Lord hath been pleased to make most instrumental in the matter of setling the Churches in the aforesaid Order of the Gospel and Government of Christ Jesus many whom he names not yet palpably known to many of Gods People who they are he smites at and several whom he by Name makes mention of and for the cause of his looking upon them to be such as there are no Hopes of any Recovery for meaning out of the apostate State he declares and publishes in Print they are gone into and particularly George Fox he hath very abusively and not like a Christian or a sober Man inveighed against and cast very odious Aspersions upon him to his 〈◊〉 as he intends thereby and indeed if true did very much leave him under the aforesaid Character that he hath given him and many Thousands more It is our Purpose God willing to insert herein the principal Accusations which in his printed Book he hath published against George Fox and to demonstrate by Answer thereunto to all conscientious sober People the Fallacy thereof together with his ungodly perverting George Fox his honest and Christian Sence and Intents in relation to Matters and Words upon which William Rogers grounds his Accusation which his aforesaid Sence and sineere Intents in any charitable and Christian Construction is naturally deducible from 〈◊〉 Fox's Words and Exercises 〈◊〉 thereunto from which William Rogers having perverted them draws his 〈◊〉 Inference whereupon he often makes an Occasion against him It may be observed also how unbrotherly and unchristianly he hath appeared in the matter of the aforesaid Charging of him contrary to all Gospel-Order for the most part and the rule of all profest Christian Societies yea beyond all Bounds of humane Sobriety and Moderation so that if he could but get any colourable Occasion from whence to ground his open and implicit Reflections and malicious smiting Charges against him that as much as in him lies he may bring a Defamation upon his Christian Repute and also a Blemish upon him as a Man thereby also to invalidate the Esteem that remains in the Hearts and Consciences of many Thousands of Gods faithful People of the Christian Care that lives upon his Heart in an innocent Life in relation to Church Government and Order and Discipline thereof setled amongit Gods People in this Gospel Day It is also with us to manifest what malicious smiting Accusations he hath cast upon several others of our Friends that tenderly and yet in a godly Zeal for God the ancient Truth and Unity for Brethren have stood in the Vindication and in behalf of the Government of Christ Jesus instrumentally and visibly amongst Gods People relating to the Tabernacle in which we have a Day therein to shew forth the Glory and Praise of him that created us against the ungodly Workings of a wrong Spirit in Opposition 〈◊〉 And more particularly have shamefully abused 〈◊〉 of our Brethren in the North on the account thereof In relation to which also through Gods Help we doubt not but give the unprejudiced Reader that Satisfaction by a plain and honest Relation of Matters which he grounds his Accusations upon that an Understanding will be opened in them rightly to judge and testify that there is abundantly more Malice against the Particulars he is set against in his Clamouring Work than any real Matter upon which to ground the base Reflections and abusive Accusations that he hath treated them with which declares
before the Lord he will be the more unable to appear when all his daubing and slubbering-over 〈◊〉 and covering such guileful Work as John Story and John Wilkinson for several Years were concerned will not be to his Repute amongst the Innocent to God nor hide the Head of an opposite contentious Spirit under which John Story and John Wilkinson were brought in Subjection and notwithstanding the evading deceitful Answers John Story had made to those things queried of him whether they were true concerning him or no several of them 〈◊〉 to matters of Faith which he hath denyed he stands convicted of as 〈◊〉 at large in the Reply in Manuscript to their Answer to the Articles in 〈◊〉 alledged against them which they never yet made Answer unto And 〈◊〉 was also proved at the Meeting at Drawell before many Brethren against 〈◊〉 which Reply is ready by us for the Service that it may be allotted for And further we say we are willing to put it to the Evidence of Gods Witness in all Consciences to declare if these fatherly and brotherly Exercises upon George Fox and others thus concerned on John Story and John Wilkinson their Behalf do declare them Apostates for the Life of God or the Occasioners of the Strise and Division in the North Or that George Fox hath been as William Rogers abusively renders erroniously concerned in the matter thereof And further William Rogers says 〈◊〉 appears that George Fox hath been principally concerned in the aforesaid Difference because in a 〈◊〉 writ by John Blaykling Note That the said Postscript was writ by John Blaykling and annexed to a Reply to a salfe 〈◊〉 smiting Accusation exhibited by William Rogers against George Fox in which he would unjustly have brought John Blaykling as a Witness for him against George Fox which John Blaykling solemnly denying queried of William Rogers if that was the 〈◊〉 they were put to to make good John Wilkinson's lying Prophesy viz. That God would break us because of the Testimony born against their opposite Spirit as to set us at Variance one against another if they could from which Passage in the 〈◊〉 William Rogers saith John 〈◊〉 who appeared in the 44 Articles against John Story and John Wilkinson rechoned George Fox one of those unto whom John Wilkinson's 〈◊〉 reached and therefore by Consequence he argues that George Fox was principally concerned in the Difference To all which we answer thus There hath been an eternal Sence in George Fox John Blaykling and Thousands more of a wrong contentious dividing Spirit entering John Story and John Wilkinson tending to divide and scatter the Lambs of God And that George Fox and many 〈◊〉 have been concerned in Care over and Regard to them In which many Exhortations and Cautions hath been given and laid before them many tender Papers writ to them by George Fox and John Blaykling and others yea Councel from God ministred to them by many dear Brethren whilest the Day of their Visitation continued unto them and the Lord waited to have healed them Many Reproofs have been upon them for their disorderly contentious Work in many Exercises and Concerns relating to them and orderly Dealings have been with them and upon their not hearing the Judgment of the eternal Truth through Gods People placed upon them satisfactory to the Life and eternal Sence of George Fox and of the Church of God every where who have been concerned in the Knowledg and Exercise thereof We 〈◊〉 not ashamed with respect to the tender brotherly Dealings with them as before is 〈◊〉 nor of the Testimony that has been born against them and that stands over the head of the Spirit they have been led and acted by to the Churches Grief and the Breach of its Peace On this wise we have been concerned in relation to this Spirit and its dividing Work and have been unanimously knit together in such our Concern in the Fellowship of Gods Power in which we are one in the Service of Truth for the Churches Peace against every Appearance to the contrary And God hath blessed us therein with an Increase of Life and 〈◊〉 to the establishing the Feet of the Innocent in God in the Mountain of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 House on the top of all the Hills and mountanous Imaginations that 〈◊〉 Rogers hath a spired unto in his ambitious Mind and proud Attempts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eternal God with the Stone cut out of the Mountain without Hands is 〈◊〉 at and will dash in pieces and be the Confusion of all them who take 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 him And the Prophesie vainly and blasphemoufly delivered by John Wilkinson against the Innocent and upright to God will be found true as daily Experience manifests upon themselves whose Breach and downfal perpetually cometh on apace and there is none found able to deliver And as for the Matters in charge against John Story and John Wilkinson alledged in Writing on the 〈◊〉 aforesaid they who were concerned in the Exercise thereof are vindicated by the Witness of the Eternal God in their own Consciences and justified before many Faithful Brethren And the matters thereof was sufficiently proved at Drawel against 〈◊〉 in the order of Truth and presence of the Almighty God whose righteous Judgment accordingly stands upon the Head of them being convicted thereof which shall never fall to the Ground and this 〈◊〉 Work which William Rogers hath made in this matter against George Fox 〈◊〉 him not For God we say again hath not made William Rogers Judg over him And we do affirm That if George Fox be detectable in the matter of the 〈◊〉 which John Story and John Wilkinson have occasioned in the Church of Christ then was the Prophets of the Lord detectable in the matter of Israel's 〈◊〉 from God who were sent early and late in the Lords willingness to heal them to forwarn them of the Evil that would come upon them if they repented not The like Testimony whereof in relation to John Story and John Wilkinson and the backsliding sort George Fox and many more of Gods People and Messengers of Truth in the Dominion of Gods Power have been concerned in in a Warning to them from the Lord by reason whereof God and his People are clear of them Let those of them unto whom God as yet giveth time look to it as they will answer him in the dreadful Day In his Fourth Part page 36. and so on William Rogers surther goes on in the matter of charging George Fox with an erroneous Concern in the Difference amongst the Quakers in the North implying thereby That John Story and John Wilkinson have been falsly reputed the principal Occasioners thereof c. For which cause William Rogers hath inserted a Paper given forth by them and 〈◊〉 he saith at the Meeting at Drawell as their Judgment in relation to the Five Heads that the 44 Articles alledged there against them related to viz. I Their Opposition to Monthly and Quarterly Meetings II. Opposition to Womens Meetings
III. Opposition to the Recording of Condemnations IV. Their discouraging the antient Testimonies against Ty hes V. Their judging 〈◊〉 Singings and Soundings c. And First Their Opposition to Monthly and Quarterly Meetings c. To which they say That they do approve of Monthly and Quarterly Meetings for the necessary Service of the Truth c. Answer Then why did John Wilkinson say It was more Gospel-like to have these Meetings as there was Occasion and not so formally And why did John Story in contempt call such our Meetings Courts and Sessions and our general Meeting the High Court of Judicature and in disdain spoke of citing into our Courts such as did 〈◊〉 c These things were proved against them at Drawell to the stopping of their Mouths And why then did they of the Separation in Westmerland according to the revolting Paper of Subscription withdraw from our said Meetings and contemn the very Name of our Quarterly Meetings And why did they meet but now and then when they had a mind without any Regard toour monthly or quarterly Meetings These things are so true against the 〈◊〉 that we are perswaded they have not the Force to deny them And how durst John Story and John Wilkinson say as in the Presence of Almighty God That it becomes them to be in Unity with their Brethren in the Serviees thereof When as such the aforesaid Slight and 〈◊〉 was put upon them during the time of their being with us and seeing their Separation from them out of the Unity is continued by them unto this Day Secondly They say as to Womens Meetings That though they see no Necessity for them in the Country but as much as to say in the Cities there may as they have sometimes confessed yet they say it s not agreeable with the Line of Truth to oppose others in those Meetings Answer 〈◊〉 then were they called by them an Idol and a new Invention and a Ceremony Why did John Wilkinson ask Margaret Fox what Ground they had to observe things imposed upon them in the Will of 〈◊〉 meaning the Women Meetings although he himself had once subscribed a Paper for the Incouragement of them as is before inserted And why did John Story say He would have been in the River to the Middle before he had subscribed such a Paper And why did they say That such Meetings would cause Women to usurp Authority over their Husbands These things and others such like were proved against them at Drawell And why did they of Party with them say The Women were more fit to wash the Dishes And such like contemptible Terms they put upon them And seeing they say Although they see no need of bringing Marriages before the Womens Meetings yet they ought not to oppose others who are conscientious therein Why then did they and those of Party with them upon the Occasions of some bringing their Marriages before the Mens Meetings being desired to lay them before the Women say What need is there for that Saying also Are all Marriages that have not been before the Womens Meetings imperfect or must they be married over again This Dissembling the just God abhors Thirdly As to Condemnations they say as inserted in William Rogers Book Part 4. page 39. That although it be according to their inward Sence that there is no need of such Records to Posterity c. Yet say they that this our inward Sence may be no straitness to others c. Ans. Then why would John Wilkinson say in a Straitness in such Cases which we use for the clearing of the precious Truth That such Recording renders a Man a Knave to Posterity And why did John Story move to alter our Meeting-Books and to put all Papers of Condemnation out of them And after John Story had been so concern'd one of the Preachers amongst them of that Party who had been married with a Priest tore his Condemnation out of the Book Was not this as great an Obstruction with respect to those Records as possibly could have been These things also were possitively proved against them at the aforesaid Meeting at Drawell before many Brethren Fourthly As to Discouragement of the Testimony against Tythes they say It was never on their Hearts to speak any Words relating thereunto Ans. Then why did John Wilkinson and John Story put a clear stop to the Exercise amongst Friends relating to an Help and Incouragement in the matter thereof And John Story in a quarterly Meeting did bring in an Instance That some faithful Men in the Truth had paid them all their 〈◊〉 and said They never saw Evil in so doing and that they had paid them and would pay them Was not this enough to discourage the Testimony and weaken Friends in the Sufferings that attends the same Fifthly As to their judging Groanings Sighings and Soundings which was charged against them William Rogers inserts their Paper in which they say That they are only against them where they proceed from deceitful Spirits and not the other c. Ans. Why then did John Story judg by some Words he spoke during the same such Exercises which in Gods heavenly Power broke forth in a Meeting where the Presence of the Lord was felt to the breaking of many Hearts and the Spirit of Life sprung up in the Meeting amongst many tender People And being spoken to and asked why he would discourage such melodious Exercises as the Lord was pleased to concern some in did say That whosoever did sing sound or make a Noise whilst another was preaching or praying it was Confusion and Disorder and it was a Spirit of Division that led them to it and that he had born his Testimony against it and he would do it and bring it down or leave Preaching And why did he compare it to the Catter-wauling of Cats or Belching of Calves or at least as he himself confest spoke in derision we say 〈◊〉 some that did so compare it These things we do declare were proved against them at Drawwell aforesaid to their Shame and Confusion before many Brethren according to the Testimony born there and the Relation given by Friends of the Passages in the said Meeting and the Sence and Judgment of Gods People 〈◊〉 upon them on the hearing and trying the matters relating thereunto Now this we observe that some may object and say That although John Story and John Wilkinson had been thus concerned formerly before the said Meeting had with them at Drawwell for their Restoration sake into Unity with their 〈◊〉 again in the Spirit of Life and into a clearer Vnderstanding then formerly they were 〈◊〉 in which State such and such opposite loose Words might come from them or such Opposition 〈◊〉 have been made by them Yet may it be said they may now be of a better mind and that what they now declare seemes to be consistent with your Practice and they also gave forth a Paper some may say against themselves acknowledging
no Ill Where is the Charity without which all that 's done is accursed before the Lord in this Work of his William Rogers hath clearly manifested himself void thereof and to be one that watcheth for Evil to smite withal and when he wants matter of Fact against him he strikes at brings Accusations upon this Evidence If Reports be true or its likely so But let us see what the matter is on the account of the Charge that Robert Barrow and others have alledged against John Story and John Wilkinson that hath no matter of evil Fact in it and therefore Robert Barrow and others are Condemnable and consequently George Fox as concerned therein as William Rogers upon his unchristian supposition concludes The first Charge William Rogers inserts for that end out of the forty four Articles alledged against them is thus John Story speaking amongst many Friends of the danger of Forms because of the consequences thereof said That amongst the Christians of Old the Differences that did arise were about Froms which William Rogers saith seemeth to have no matter of evil Fact in it Answ. First We say the Words there are not stated as they were given in Evidence nor according to the first Copy but the Words were That great Differences did arise among the Christians about Forms And Secondly We say that although the Words be true in themselves and that they differed about Forms yet they were not seasonably spoken nor from a right Spirit by John Story as the scope of the Words in the Charge and the Reply inserted demonstrates We prove it thus Friends were in the Exercise of Church Care and Gospel Order in the Discipline in the Church of Christ Friends were zealous therein in opposition to a loose Spirit that did not like the Inspection nor Judgment thereof and it was an evil thing in John Story and matter of Fact chargeable upon him to lay stumbling blocks in the way thereof by presenting the danger of Forms and at this season and on such an occasion to tell of evil Consequence to arise out of the Order of the Gospel settled amongst us and on the account of the Government of Christ Jesus instrumentally in the Church for thereby he gratified a wrong Rebellious Mind and Evil Heart of 〈◊〉 against that justifiable Practice of the Faithful and upon which occasion all the loose sort stuck to him and became of Party with them and cryed against George Fox's Orders and against our Meetings as Formal and not Gospel-like c. And we do affirm that the ground of the Apostacy and Difference about Forms amongst the Christians of Old was the departing from the Power and Life of Truth and from their first Love and Care for God in which Church Government and Discipline was settled in Gods Visible Family 〈◊〉 an outward visible appearance as in the Apostles days from which Power and Faith they being departed the Form which the Life brought forth and they had been Blessed in only remained and then they strove about Methods and outward Forms having nothing else left where the Apostate Christians at this day are and are in their lo here 's and lo there 's and this Form and the other Form without the Life and Power where the Forcing and Compulsion stands that is Accursed before the Lord. But to come to the Matter we say because that in the Apostate State there hath been a false Church and a false Government and Rule exercising Lordship over the Conscience which is come up since the Apostles Days Must there therefore in the true Church come up again out of the Wilderness leaning on the Breasts of her Beloved be no visible Government in subjection to the Power and subservient thereunto Must there be no visible Form or outward Exercise relating to it no Order no Rule or Directions received or practiced therein but the tenderly concerned in it must be run upon as Apostates and Innovators and bringers in of a new Form of Government and of Impositions and Dictates of Fallible Men c. Oh abominable Wickedness that tends to Liberty in the Flesh and a leading back again into Death and the paths thereof Was it justifiable in John Story in this day of the true Churches concern on this wise to go creeping up and down from place to place and sometimes more openly buzing into the minds of the weak and carnal sort an opposition thereunto and telling People of the danger of Forms and the consequences of them to draw from subjection to Gods Power and into a contempt of the Church Care in the Gospel Day and Power thereof We say this was John Story' s Work as the scope of those Articles that belong to this Head tends to prove the same against him and if William Rogers had been sincere in the matter of his inserting the aforesaid Articles and the Reply to their Answer he might have manifested the same as clear as the Sun at Noon-Day to which Articles we refer the Reader together with the Reply at large to their Answer thereunto which we have in Manuscript ready to be produced if any do desire a sight thereof Now what Repute doth William Rogers gain to himself in the matter of his charging the Faithful for their Care in the Church of God or what Credit doth he bring to John Story that gives us cause to Publish on this wise his contentious opposite Work against the Life and Practice of the pure Religion which hath been the greatest part of his Concern these many Years or is Robert Barrow and others detectable on the score of the aforesaid Article against John Story or wherein is George Fox detectable of being an Apostate or one 〈◊〉 concerned in the Difference or wherein yet is he manifested to be one that would have all to submit to him as William Rogers maliciously would render him therefore brings up whatever he can get any way to detect him 〈◊〉 through perverting or 〈◊〉 inferring from his sincere and upright Intents Labour and Work in the Church of God let the Reader consider One other thing we take notice William Rogers hath taken out of the Reply to John Story and John Wilkinson their Answer to the Charges against them and in his Book hath Inserted the same to bring an Aspersion upon Robert Barrow and others concerned therein as also upon George Fox in that it relates to him against whom William Rogers principally in this and other things Smites William Rogers says John Story is accounted a man of a dark Spirit and in Confusion 〈◊〉 he did not believe that what was given forth by George Fox was by him intended to be urged with Severity upon any of Gods Faithful People but as Instructions and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Churches 〈◊〉 This is a wrong stating of the Matter and thereby made a malicious 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against Robert Barrow and others First we say John Story is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Spirit for his so saying but he is
for thou that dost art of Hams Family which is under the Curse c. Upon the consideration of this William Rogers saith the Objector may then say Object How comes it to pass that many of his Actions comes under the just censure of his own Words William Rogers says to this I know not how better to Answer then to testisie that Pride must have a Fall and God-suffered this Evil to come upon him c. To all which we Answer thus That which hath grieved William Rogers and John Story hath been the Judgment of the 〈◊〉 Truth upon the loose backsliding Work of the Spirit that they and them of Party with them have been led into This was William Rogers's Torment in which he hath let loose his angry malitious Tongue which venteth his smiting Accusations against the Faithful as may be hereafter manifested For because an Epistle of George Fox's reached him that had made away part of his personal Estate to his Servant to avoid Sufferings thereby as himself hath confessed not alledging any occasion of Payment of Debts or the like for his so doing therefore in his Torment would on this wise Revenge himself But let him be asked how it is that he now condemns George Fox for giving Judgment although against a wrong Spirit and yet he himself in his 〈◊〉 Quaker hath Judged the 〈◊〉 Family of God who have believed in the Light fave them of Party with him to be the Apostates and Innovators And how is it that George Fox must be so abusively rendred in Print to Posterity as he hath rendred him who says His 〈◊〉 must have a Fall and that this Evil is come upon him c. For Judging a wrong Spirit that is Accursed seeing George Fox formerly said Judge not one another nor lay open one anothers Weaknesses behind one anothers Backs c. And yet William Rogers notoriously guilty in that matter as said before who caused a Paper 〈◊〉 with malicious smiting and false Accusations against George Fox to be Published in a publick Meeting when George Fox was nigh two hundred Miles distant and knew nothing of any such thing neither was the Paper of Accusations sent to him till after it was behind the Back published on that wise whether this be not Hams Spirit let himself judge and with this same Spirit he 〈◊〉 the Heritage of the most high God to be Apostates and what not It s admirable that William Rogers cannot see the Envy and Pride of his Heart that he may take heed of the miserable Fall that he is nigh unto if with speed he Repent not and that he is not ashamed to make mention os these things that he would lay to 〈◊〉 charge when he is thus horredly guilty thereof himself and if the least 〈◊〉 were in any others Eye he would take notice of that and will not see the 〈◊〉 in his own It s too plainly manifest that God for the Wickedness 〈◊〉 hath appeared in on this wise hath given him up to a reprobate mind that he may fill up the measure thereof for the Damnation that slumbers not We further say Let William Rogers be also asked would not the Apostle Paul have come under his Judgment of Pride that must have a Fall because he gave the same Charge viz. Judge not one another and who art thou that Judgeth another Mans Servant he stands or falls to his own Master c. and yet said An Heretick after the first and second Admonition reject He bid them also cast out the Incestious Person He said Know ye not that the Saints shall Judge Angels how much more things that pertain to this Life William Rogers may 〈◊〉 How comes it to pass that Pauls Actions comes under the 〈◊〉 of his own Words and so consequently he knows not how better to answer then that Pride must have a Fall Oabominable Wickedness indeed Must not George Fox or any spiritual man unto whom the Lord committeth Judgment 〈◊〉 in his Hand as he also maketh Pastors and Teachers c. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 concern from God is on that wise place a Judgment upon such as backslide from the Life of Truth and the Practice of the pure Religion after tender and orderly dealing with such according to the Command of Christ and the Primitive Example in such Cases because they have admonished and charged the Children of the Lord to take heed of Judging one another or speaking Evil one of another c. What dark Confusion is this and great Ignorance of the Spirit and Power of God wresting things to their own Destruction We tell William Rogers he is not treated of us now as a Brother and one of us neither is he and them of his Spirit judged as those to whom Paul writ nor as those unto whom George Fox directed his Epistle of Advice on that wise to take heed of judging one another but they are dealt withal as Enemies to the Life of God and the Fellowship of Brethren as their separate Work and Strife demonstrates them to be and Judgment is set on the Head of the Spirit they are led by which also they cannot escape whilst in subjection to it and are doing its Work and in the Testimony from the Lord God unto them we are bold to say whether they will hear or forbear that the Indignation of God and Wrath from Heaven is to be revealed upon them and that with speed if Repentance they find not Another thing we take notice of relating to charge against George Fox by William Rogers Inserted in the 4 th Part of his Christian Quaker distinguished c. which he abusively Clamours against him withal is concerning Micha's Mother whom George Fox makes mention of in his Exhortation to and encouraging of Women to be Faithful to God according to the Gift received from the Lord to profit withal to the Praise of him who is the Giver And making mention of several honourable Women that were concerned in the Work of God both under the Law and in the Gospel Day shewing also that God is not strait in dispencing of his Grace to the Female as well as the Male that so every one might be doing for God in their Age and Day he makes mention also how the Lord was pleased by his Invisible Power and Vertue to reach the Hearts of Women in the very greatest Darkness and Idolatrous Times to manifest that the Lord is willing to work in all and through all to the Praise of his rich Grace on which occasion he instanced how the Lord reached the Heart of the said Micha's Mother with his living Power which caused her to confess to the Eternal God who had made her Son to confess That he was the man that had taken the 1100 Shekels of Silver which had been stolen from her and upon his being constrained by the Lords secret Power to confess and restore the same She replyed saying Blessed be thou of the Lord may Son c. The Virtue
may be seen for it amongst such as may feed themselves in the wrong Spirit by the said Subscription and we desire our good Friends to take occasion to read the same to such as opportunity serves as also amongst the more simple minded that have been any way hurt thereby that the ancient Truth and sweet Society in the Gospel of Peace all who have ever known the same may be restored into again and blessedly kept therein to the Honour of God's Name and the Delight of Him who hath Loved us which to the breaking of our Hearts in the sence of Gods free Love we can say in the humility of our Souls the Lord hath given us the enjoyment of beyond what we can declare and in the Testimony of the Spirit we do really say that next unto our sweet and comfortable Peace with God which is blessedly renewed in our happy return unto him and hath rested with us since that day that the holy Fellowship and Unity of Spirit with our dear Brethren in the Life and Service of Truth which God hath given us again to pertake of is that which we highly Prize and do desire to Live in whilst we have a Beeing Subscribed by sincerity of souls and in true fear by William Ellery Richard Tompson Thomas Moore Richard Cadeson Simon Tompsou Charles Story Myles Bateman Thomas Pearsou Richard Atkinson Thomas Scaeife ' Authur Barrow Edward Sutton John Prestson Henry Skyring Edward Cragge We desire also that it may be further taken notice of that many more who were not concerned in puting their Hands to the said Paper that did adhere to them of the same Spirit in the hour of Temptation are clearly come off from them in their Hearts and Souls to their own great Satisfaction and Friends Refreshment as several of our Families and others for which thing we our selves have cause to Magnifie the Lord while we have a Beeing And also some there are who have declared that though their Hands were put to the said Paper yet they knew nothing of it neither had they ever seen or heard of the said Paper till long afterwards Here follows divers particular Heads taken out of the aforesaid Paper of Subscription and Ground of Separation And whereas it is said in the aforesaid Paper of Subsciption thus we whose Names are hereunto Subscribed do declare our utter dislike of the Late Proceedings in the Monthly and Quarterly Meetings c. And for that reason we met together to consider what was to be done in that Case c. And for the time to come do resolve that neither they so appointed by us nor we do trouble our selves any further c. And if things must continue thus we hope to do our Business our selves in our Respective Meetings c. We desire that all may take notice that as upon this Resolve inserted in the said Paper the Separation begun it may be seen what Dissimulation and Guile was in the Foundation of this ungodly Design thus to belie their own Consciences in saying That they whose names were underwritten met together on that Occasion or resolved together on that Wise as is therein expressed For we who have hereafter put to our Names do declare that although our Names were in the said subscription yet we never were at any such Meeting nor knew any thing of it as is made mention of in the said Paper neither were any of us ever acquainted with any such Meeting nor had we the opportunity to consider or discourse of matters of that Nature with them but were unadvisedly Surprized with it as the principal Actors therein met with us here and there on the high way or when we were upon some outward Business or coming from a Meeting c. and by their Subtil Allegations and pretences perswaded us to put our Hands to it William Ellery Richard Candeson Myles Bateman Thomas Scaife Authur Barrow John Preston Simon Thompson Edward Cragge Thomas Preston Henry Skyring Richard Sleddale The particular account of the manner of the 〈◊〉 Friends Subscribings was annexed to this Paper when first given forth in Manuscript which for Brevity sake we have forborn to insert here William Rogers in his Book also makes mention of a Letter from John Wilkinson to George Fox with George Fox's Answer to it upon which 〈◊〉 he hath abusively 〈◊〉 which we take no notice of as not worth regarding not questioning but that George Fox's aforesaid sincere and tender Letter unto John Wilkinson will have an Influence upon the Consciences of all the upright and tender Hearted to God where it may come with a Judgment also upon William Rogers his wicked and surmizing Spirit as his pervertions false Inferences and hellish Jealousies therein plainly observable fully demonstrate unto which we can freely refer the honest Reader for his Satisfaction William Rogers also Inserts in his Book two Letters of his own to George Fox and sayes George Fox would not Answer them and a great clamour he and those of party with him makes about that Matter We hope the honest Hearted Reader will excuse this if he doth but consider what care had been used concerning W. Rogers John Wilkinson and John Story and them of party with them from time to time as in this Treatise is declared what abuse William Rogers put upon the Brethrens Care and bowed Exercise in the North concerning them What a Seorn he put upon the Labours and Travels of Friends at Draw-well rendring them though the Antient and grown in the 〈◊〉 Truth like Children pleased with a Rattle that John Story and John Wilkinson with his assistance had given them and an abusive Narrative of the Transacting of the Affairs there himself gave out John Wilkinson if not he also calling the Relation given by all the 〈◊〉 Friends there a Lying Narrative his abusing the Brethren at London and others for their Exercise there in Relation to them and their separate 〈◊〉 with Bowels of Love and Life extended towards them manifested in a tender Epistle of Caution and Advice to them Yea if the honest Hearted do but take notice as is inserted in this Treatise how the Life of God in all the Churches throughout the whole Nation had a Testimony in Life and Practice against their opposite contentious work of Strife and 〈◊〉 and never a Church to stand by them as they have been often required to bring forth one of all the Monthly or Quarterly Meetings throughout the World that would own them considering also how the Testimony and Judgment of the eternal Truth was gone out against them through many Brethren Subscribed at Ellis Hooks ' his Chamber in London which William Rogers clamours against and would tread upon And minding also that they were cast out of the Fellowship of Brethren for their Works sake We can appeal to that in the Consciences of all sober People what Cause had George Fox or what necessity was there for the Brethren to take notice any more of the
the rest doth that he may charge George Fox with a Lye on that score eight times over as he hath done now it is clear in the sight of the Upright-Hearted that may have occasion to see the aforesaid Epistle that the tendency of it is to Reproof to Exhortation and Caution instrumentally in Gods hand for the helping 〈◊〉 the Man of God in his perfect State and the Innocent Minded are bettered thereby though the Rebellious dvvell in a dry Land and knovv not vvhen good cometh and if William Rogers had been of a good Spirit he vvould not have been otherwise Minded and it is too probable that this scraffling he hath made about this matter hath been only to get advantage thereby and as he would mis-construe George Fox's plain Words let him take heed that he does not pervert his own sence and wrong his Conscience touching the same which the Lord will take notice of when he reckons with him for all and his charging George Fox with telling a Lye eight times over about this matter will not help in that Day nor will it gain him any repute amongst Sober Unprejudiced Men during the 〈◊〉 God hath given him to bear unto whom we commit the determination of this matter Whether George Fox on this occasion doth deserve to be rendered such a one as William Rogers hath rendred him with many base and unchristian Expressions as in his Book may be seen and whether his observation on William Rogers's Paper do deserve to be called a False Assertion and he a Lyer because thereof and whether these doings be consistant with the first Love and Life of Truth that he with John Story and John Wilkinson have so much pretended too reckoning all but those of party with themselves to be the Apostates and the like we can leave this matter we say to such to judg of and to that in all Conseiences to which we commit our cause And as concerning the other Observation that George Fox makes on William Rogers's Queries to wit It appears thy Queries are Charges against me which William Rogers calls a False Assertion and on the score thereof with the other before mentioned and spoken too William Rogers reckons all or most part of George Fox's Answer to his Queries Impertinent Idle and Nauseous Discourse Answ. Who that truly fears God and hath the good understanding can believe that William Rogers had any other Design in 〈◊〉 bringing sorth of the aforesaid Queries but 〈◊〉 to accuse and abusively in a revengful mind to Charge If it be but considered that upon the 〈◊〉 of George Fox's Epistle by way of Query to Friends 〈◊〉 Friends to take 〈◊〉 of distrusting the Lord in the time of 〈◊〉 so as to make a way their Estates 〈◊〉 avoiding Sufferings thereby and the rather because some antiently prosessing the 〈◊〉 were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for such a thing and William Rogers in his own Heart knowing himself 〈◊〉 that matter presently to fall to work so extravigantly as he hath done 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Considering also the manner of William Rogers's bringing the same to 〈◊〉 view causing them to be Read in the Mens-Meeting before ever George Fox received them or had been dealt withal according to Gospel Order and 〈◊〉 of high Charges against him sent into Westmoreland amongst them of the Separation before they came into his Hands scattered up and down amongst the Discontented and Loose sort who have watched for Evil against the care in the Church of God and against George Fox for its sake and all these things transacted by him and them of Party with him before George Fox could get any 〈◊〉 to clear himself thereof by any defence he could any way make in the capacity he stood and now to publish the same in Print to be left to posterity against him and never taking notice of the Reply given to his Rejoynder though 〈◊〉 Rogers was in a Capacity so to have done if he had not on purpose evaded the 〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 speaking of the receit thereof long before his Book was at the Press as before is evidently proved 〈◊〉 as clear as the Sun at noon day is to our visible Eyes that it s no other Spirit then that which would have aspersed him and made him as Contemptible as he could any way do or durst presume upon and several things in the said Paper are as fully laid to his Charge as could be spoken by Words and although several things 〈◊〉 are delivered by him in a Dialogueing manner in that also it is the same in the Ground and a false Spirit to the Life of Jesus it sprung from that hunted 〈◊〉 his precious Life his peace with God and repute amongst Gods People Let him say what he will to cover the Head of his treacherous Spirit so shall it be laid to his Charge and he must bear the Burden of it in the day in which the Lord pleads with him unto whom Vengence belongs If it had not been the Spirit that hunted after the Life of Jesus and therefore 〈◊〉 occasion against 〈◊〉 and dispised the Gospel of Christ he would have had regard to Gospel Order and given him that in the first place and according to Pauls Advice have received no Accusation against him but before Two or Three Witnesses after a Christian and Gospel manner and have given him the priviledg of an Elder as becomes the Gospel-Day but he has Received Printed and Published against him upon the Evidence of If Reports be true or I firmly belive c. They that run may Read and Fathom his Spirit and what his purpose was and is in all his Design his Works manifest him to all that are single to God and have occasion to trace his Doings Its a shame to Christianity for him to say 〈◊〉 to Charge and that at an high rate too was not in his Eyes and but for advantage sake against him as he thought that he might charge him with 〈◊〉 Lyes all at once for saying It appears thy Queries are 〈◊〉 against me It s probable he would have stood to all and faced it out had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in part feared his Proof in the matters thereof And we say again If to 〈◊〉 was not upon his Spirit in this undertaking why did he once say If thou 〈◊〉 it I will 〈◊〉 proof thereof or Words to that purpose And why did he say to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with many more were Witnesses And why did he say I 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 art the Man that hath 〈◊〉 Guilty of all these 〈◊〉 c But William Rogers says That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 matter in a distinct Paragraph after he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and therefore charges George Fox with utterring Thirteen Lyes because he says to William Rogers Thou 〈◊〉 many Queries but it appears they are Charges against me We desire the Reader to consider whether this be not Unchristian and Undecent treating of an Elder as also Indiscreet and full of Confusion he charges
before expressed and after Printed it which action is unchristan and absurd amongst Men and manifests his Spirit to be false to the Life of Jesus and malicious Secondly he is detected clearly to be out of the Apostles Council and the Primitive practice amongst Believers who advised to receive no Accusation against an Elder but before two or three Witnesses William Rogers saith to each particular part of the Smiting Query and down-right Charge thus If thou deny speaking to George Fox I will prove it or bring it under the Hand of a Friend in Truth to whom Mary Penington did signifie so much as is contained in the first part of the Query and also said he I will bring it under the Hand of a credible Friend in Truth to signifie according as is Queried in the latter part The Reader may take notice that there is but one single Witness spoken of by him to prove each particular distinct part of the Charge against him he pretendeth to no more which is also like the other antichristian and disorderly doing and this is not the worst part neither of the Case in relation to William Rogers's absurd Work for the Charge being denied as stated and William Rogers in his Rejoynder in order to the proof of matters of fact charged hath made none at all touching this matter nor produced any Certificates under the Hands of these credible Friends in Truth as he calls them to prove this Charge against him And now as to the matter it self which William Rogers would make an Accusation upon against George Fox and the distressed Woman which was her Exercise about Twenty Years ago which he now rakes up in his Apostatizing State who would make others as bad as himself if any way he could do it we understand this was the case on Mary Pennington's account her Husband being in Prison and liable to a Premunire according to the outward Law the Discourse betwixt George Fox and her related to those Lands that were her Joynture made to her by her former Husband to have those Lands distinguished from her latter Husbands real Estate that so the Premunire might not reach them which in Conscience it ought not to have done being her Joynture as aforesaid and to deseend to her first Husbands Child after her decease and touching that which might tend to distinguish in this matter that the Executors of the Law might have the knowledge thereof and the Issue to be left to the Lord We say where is the Evil that 's imputable to the Woman that all this ado is made about or wherein is George Fox detectable for leaving her to her freedom touching it which is all that George Fox consesseth to and more then William Rogers for all his cluttering Work hath yet proved against him And as touching Mary Pennington's Integrity to God and the Testimony of Truth in this suffering afflicted State she was in let the Sincerity which is void of Prejudice not watching for Evil speak in her behalf for whom it is testified that she said That she durst not remove any part of the Personal Estate which was her then Husbands more proper Goods and liable to the spoyl according to the Law but it was freely given up for the Testimonies sake that her Husband was in Prison for although as to an opertunity for it she wanted not Surely Malice is the ground for this Work much more then any real matter And William Rogers making away some of his personal Estate out of the danger of the Spoylers which he confessed to is a Crime manifold more then any thing he hath yet proved against Mary Pennington touching this matter or against George Fox in relation to it and for William Rogers to be told of his own shrinking doings is his Torment and Grief as his revengeful Work demonstrates And to conclude this matter when William Rogers brings Certificates under the Hands of those credible Friends he speaks of relating to evil fact against George Fox as he pretends to do we shall take notice thereof and be concerned as the case may require Some other reproachful smiting Speeches which we shall pass by William Rogers hath uttered in his Paraphrasing upon George Fox's innocent plain Answer to William Rogers's Charge against him touching this matter which we should be glad the honest hearted had the opportunity to see which is in Manuscript producible as occasion may offer it self which hath been formerly spoken to in the Answer to William Rogers's Rejoynder more fully manifesting the notorious baseness of William Rogers's Spirit and indeed we doubt not but that William Rogers's own Writings and exposing to publick view in Print to Posterity with what is already said herein touching this matter will sufficiently manifest the same without any other proof let him beware the Lord takes notice of his Doings and evil Speeches who will repay But to go on to the fourth Query of his thirteen or smiting Charge against George Fox viz. Doth it not evidently appear that thy reflecting Queries meaning the aforesaid Epistle are the Fruit of that Spirit that lusteth unto Envy and appeareth with two Faces Answ. This plainly appeareth to be a smiting Accusation and high Charge and no Lye in George Fox to reckon it so although William Rogers numbers this amongst the thirteen Lyes which he saith George Fox is detected of and in all reasonableness William Rogers is concerned to prove it against him or else confess himself to be the false Accuser because George Fox totally denieth the same as that which toucheth him not But as to this Query or smiting Accusation as William Rogers saith himself Queries may be he passeth by it without taking any notice thereof and in whom the Spirit lusteth to 〈◊〉 and appeareth with two Faces is manifested to lodge it s spoken to at large by George Fox in his Reply in Manuscript unto which the Reader is referred leaving the Charge at William Rogers's Door till he makes proof thereof against him The fifth Query or smiting Charge against George Fox which in his Reply George Fox denieth as a malicious Suggestion and false Inference from the concern which George Fox had with him in Gloucestersbire on which occasion William Rogers grounds the matter and in his Rejoynder wherein his proof should be produced he concerneth himself on this wife The Query being large the substance of it we shall insert as we have occasion to speak to it part whereof is thus viz. Dost thou not remember that at a Quarterly Meeting in Gloucestershire there was a Person that judged me not sit to jugde in the Meeting because I had secured part of my Goods without Doors c And dost thou not remember that none of the said Meeting declared any approbation of his so doing and that 〈◊〉 thy self then present manifested a dislike thereof after thine usual manner Whisht Whisht c William Rogers says George Fox in Answer thereunto denies not but in effect consesfeth it by
pound might descend to him as his Birth-right when as Simplicity will conclude his words could have no such tendency in them nor bear any such Construction as this he nakedly saying I might have had something that descended to me as my Birth-right this could not imply much nor shew forth any ambition in him as William Rogers would charge him with And when he cannot avenge himself by bluring his Repute as a Christian he bends himself to abase him as a Man by undervaluing the parentage he sprung of speaking hightly and scornfully of his Kindred and falsely too For we are satisfied that for all his sleight of his Relations c. that his Parents lived comfortably and commendably too amongst Men in the Tabernacle God gave them to reside in and left to each of their Children something to live upon when the Lord took them and they were never a shame one to another Ask William Rogers to stop his boasting Mind whether some of his best and nearest Relations be not a shamed of him and have turned their Backs of him as the Lord doth the Rebellious not expecting a Blessing for him The Occupation also and 〈◊〉 calling he had in which as we well understand he was a good savour amongst People that 〈◊〉 God William Rogers speaks sleightly of it but in Discretion he might have been sparing in that for concerning his Descent and Relations George Fox hath not concerned himself therewith William Rogers might have be-thought himself of what 〈◊〉 some of them were he knows best in relation to that matter himself he might have forborn also on this wise for his Companions John Story 's sake whom he so highly applauds who was no less respected of Gods People for all that whilest he kept to Gods Power Oh the shame the Man exposes himself unto and the Madness that he is detested of by which he makes himself ridiculous amongst Men and so makes People call to memory what W R's Relations were for if he himself were not a puffed up Fool he would be ashamed to upbraid any one about Relations we are perswaded many of his own Adherents cannot but dislike his work it gains no Repute to them nor Credit to their Cause they have in hand having no better Spirit to mannage their Design then such as this William Rogers Reflects upon George Fox for not labouring with his Hands as he says the primitive Apostles did or otherwise being Industrious in some outward calling whilest Ability and Leisure would permit that the Gospel of Christ might not be chargeable These are his words in the fifth part of his Christian Quaker c. page 49 Implicitly charging him thereby as his work is We say let the man come forth that can lay Idleness or Sloth to his charge and prove it against him William Rogers's Aspersion toucheth him not the calling that he was of as a Man he was diligent in from his Youth we are bold to say whilest leisure permitted let this stop William Rogers's Mouth yea after the Lord made him in measure a Minister of the everlasting Truth we are able to Evidence the same against William Rogers false charge till the Lord brought him more to serve the Gospel and the concern thereof became his Work and might not serve Tables and for the sake whereof let the daily Exercise he hath had upon him his many unwearied Travels his Imprisonments in Dungeons and nasty Places his tedious and long Journeys beyond the Seas watchings and lying out of doors in the Night season make William Rogers Blush to charge him with being not Industrious when Health and Oppertunity served him and his Travels of late Years since bodily Weakness attended him and much what upon his own charge Testifies to his Zeal for the Gospel and Care over the Churches of Christ and clears the matter against all that William Rogers or any whosoever with respect to Sloth or making the Gospel chargeable would lay to his charge It were well if William Rogers could justly say that John Story whom he speaks so highly of as none to exceed John Wilkinson and him in Doctrine and life that ever he heard of in true diligence with respect to Testimony and Service for Truth which he had committed to his Charge had cleared his Conscience in Gods Sight as George Fox hath done or that he had kept the like Record and Interest in the Hearts of Gods Faithful Children as George Fox at this Day pretionsly retains then would John Story never have been such an Exercise and occasion of Grief in the Church of Christ as he and William Rogers have been in heading a Separate Faction and backsliding sort that a Spirit of strife and separation hath prevailed upon and then would their account have been more easie to have been given in the Day of the Great God when the Books will be opened and things laid to Charge and the Lord will reckon with William Rogers sor his hard speeches and the evil Deeds he hath done against the Lord and his Faithful People Our Hearts tremble to think of that Day with respect to them of that Spirit for the sad work they have made as Thousands of the Children of God know and their own Consciences too although William Rogers desperately hardens over all yet Vengeance is the Lords and in the end he will repay It had been well for William Rogers that he had forborn this Work long ago it weighs him down and will be his Torment too hard to endure and for all William Rogers's reflecting on this 〈◊〉 upon George Fox let him bring forth the Man that will say that George Fox hath made the Gospel charge able to him let him bring an Account thereof and he shall have repayed double William Rogers goes on and says It hath been reported that John Story was Judged by George Fox or by some of his party for giving his Mother the Rent of his Land that was given him and said he should have kept it to have born a Testimony against Tythes 〈◊〉 and he says also Whether it ought not as well to have been George Fox's duty to have kept his that descended to him by Birth-right to have kept up his Testimony against Tythes as well as John Story In Answer we say as to the first part of the Charge against George Fox or them 〈◊〉 party with him relating to John Story that William Rogers brings no Proof or Certificate from any concerning that which he would charge upon George Fox or those others he speaks of that John Story should be blamed by for giving his Mother the Rent of the Land that was his or that John Story did give it to her which when William Rogers doth we shall further concern our selves in Relation thereunto neither did we ever hear of any such thing and George Fox doth deny it and therefore it is a false charge that shall lye as his door amongst the rest but this we have heard that the same
and the last of William Rogers's thirteen Queries and smiting Accusations both of them being much what of the same Import viz. Whether it be not better to secure ones outward Substance from the Spoylers then to let it lye open to be taken for Fines imposed for the Preaching of such false Prophets c. And whether it be not the Fruit of an enlightened 〈◊〉 in those who are called Dark Spirits to secure what they have from being taken away for Fines imposed for the Babling of such whose great Work is to rail against Faithful Friends c. Answer This is an Accusation against George Fox charging him as beforesaid with encouraging Solomon Eccles the false Prophet as he calleth him and others whom in effect he calls Bablers and yet not any proof hath he made of these Charges otherwise then to say If thou deny it this denial saith he its good to be plain shall have no place in me which indeed is far from any proof at all and therefore shall the Accusation lye at his door till he hath confessed or made better proof of the same and who those are whose Preaching he calls Babling he tells us not or who those Faithful he spakes of are that they cry against in this also he is silent and therefore the Accusations by way of Query or otherwise we tread upon as not touching those he would smite at But however these things tend to manifest his spirit and fully to demonstrate the bottom of the whole Design let his discourse and the tendency of this Spirits Work be considered by judicious Men with respect to our Principle our Testimony for it and our Practice accordingly and by those who love the Truth and would have the Testimony for it faithfully kept unto such may easily discover what is in the Mans Heart by what may be gathered out of his discourse on this wise and his Practice of securing from the Spoylers being thus pleaded for doth he not clearly now demonstrate thereby that he is opening a gap for a Backsliding shirking spirit to follow him in at to let their Testimony for the Antient Truth fall He manifests plainly that it s his Grief which hath occasioned all this smiting Work that he cannot be let alone in his shrinking Work The tendency of the design he hath in hand i to 〈◊〉 and let loose an earthly Mind that would say Pitty and save thy self which hath been attempting to creep our from under Truths Yoke these many Years in some Professors of the Truth both in the North and in the South which the Lord is manifesting and casting out of the Camp that the approved may remain to enjoy Blessings which the Lord gives William Rogers for his Advantage in this matter hath laboured to make others as bas as himself with what false Accusations he can under any tollerable colour devise and when the course he takes on that wise fails him his spirit he cannot hide nor the corrupted matter in the Bottle hold but at lest opens himself plainly and thereby bewrays their whole Cause and the Design they have in Hand It appears now there was need enough for the Caution Admonition and Reproof which George Fox's Paper related to in relation to such as were thus enclined which hath been a Grief to William Rogers and others too and the Wisdom of God hath been greatly seen therein for it hath occasioned the venting of the old Bottle and given a discovery of the Spirit and Design of this Backsliding sort and manifested it to every single Eyes that may have occasion to take notice thereof what they aim at and where they would be it will hedge up their way Blessed be the Lord and be a means to scatter them and their devises too that would have scattered and laid waste the Heritage of God Let the honest Reader weigh his Words and he may see his Height and his Bottom Fathom He asketh now Whether it be not better to Secure then suffer on such or such Accounts as aforesaid It may be seen securing is in his Eye being scated in his heart and in the Hearts of others his Consederates too their Works manifest it We say it is our belief having the Reward of Peace therein and we have a Record in the Hearts of Gods People It s best to be Faithful to the Testimony received of God and make no provision for the Flesh to satisfie its Lusts and trust him without whose Providence not a Sparrow falls to the Ground and suffer joyfully the Spoying of our Goods if the Lord see meet as the Faithful of old did If Friends should secure aforehand least a false Prophet should come or some Bablers as William Rogers calls some but he tells us not who he means of that he is making provision against should come amongst us who might cause Fines to be imposed and produce Sufferings thereby If this be justifiable as his Practice and talk implys then William Rogers instead of asking the Query might positively assert that it may be done and consequently by this Argument Friends are to do it because it s not unlike as there were false Prophets under the Law in the dayes of Christ and the Apostles dayes and that they saw such would come but that false Prophets probably may be in our day and in Generations to come and then instead of taking notice of Christs saying Take no care he cloathes the Lilies and feedech the Ravens c. And of the Apostle's saying Make no provision for the 〈◊〉 by William Rogers Argument it might have been said it s better to secure And if the matter be thus why was it not intimated to the Saints in Christ and the Apostles dayes to secure from the spoylers lest such should come yea seeing they saw they would come and why did they or had they occasion to suffer the spoyling of their Goods joyfully And that Spirit in William Rogers which because that accidentally a false Prophet may come amongst us would secure outward Estates lest Sufferings should come by reason of such c. is the same that hath wrought in those Apostates from Truth that have absented from the Assemblies of Gods People who have commonly made a plea for their so doing because such or such came amongst us that they liked not and W. R. saith its better to secure because such there are whose Preaching he calls Babling by reason of whom it may fall out that Sufferings might come This is the Spirit that said Master pitty thy self and is shut out behind the Vail that they have drawn over their Eyes and under which the Temptation enters that leads back into the flesh through Unbelief which the Lake is for that burns forever Oh let them who love the Truth and the Peace that hath no end and desire the Riches that corrupt not laid up for the Faithful to God where Spoylers cannot come nor Thieves break through and steal beware of this Spirit which is
intended that the said Meeting should have continued longer for being spoken in the plural Number it must not relate to that particular Meeting at that time but to Friends Meetings more generally and many Hnndreds we believe will testifie that George Fox hath said on that wise at the breaking up of many Meetings when no Persecution hath attended them in an Exhortation that many have been comforted in and much more occasion might he then have for such an Advise as is frequent with him to give because that Persecution in those days attended Friends Meetings and surely if this Man had been of a right Spirit and single to God and had had regard to Truth and the Repute of the Church of Christ he would not have aggravated the force of his Evidence against an Elder and an arraigned innocent Person through William Rogers's wicked murtherous Spirit with what Circumstances relating to Charge he could any way do it let him beware least the Lord lay that to his Charge that he will be much less able to acquit himself of then he whom William Rogers and he too have set themselves against Here follows another Certificate to prove William Rogers's malicious Charge against George Fox I Do remember on this occasion that George Fox did depart out of the Meeting aforesaid before the Meeting broke up or Friends departed and at that time Friends were attended with Persecution and as he was departing he said to Friends to this effect Keep your Meetings and I do believe his so departing was to save himself from being taken by the Persecutors 〈◊〉 Day To this we say It s observable that this Evidence is no proof answerable to William Rogers's Charge and doth bespeak abundantly more Prejudice and Malice then any Christian Love or Charity and doth produce no repute to the Author thereof amongst Gods faithful People or amongst sober Men and 〈◊〉 is no Evidence at all to the matter in Charge for he saith not a word of any Persecutors coming up the Stairs whilst George Fox was speaking or of George Fox's leaving of speaking on a sudden and hastening away c. But it is matter of Charge from himself grounded upon his own belief like William Rogers's Evidence viz. If Reports be ture or I firmly believe or It s probable so And as to George Fox's saying Friends keep your Meetings that 's Answered before in the Answer to the other Certificate satisfactorily to such as are of an honest Mind and William Rogers as to proof to his Charge against the Innocent is yet in the foyl and makes his Works and theirs also of Party with him ridiculous in the Eyes of the wise in Heart who cannot but be ashamed of him and his Work too Here is yet one more that appears to his shame in abetting William Rogers in his malicious detestable Work his Words are as followeth I Do on the occasion aforesaid declare that I remember that George Fox did depart out of the Meeting aforementioned a considerable time before the Meeting broke up and at that time Friends were attended with Persecution I do also remember that mine Vnele Dennis Hollister did acquaint me that George Fox did advise him to absent himself from Meetings in the time of Persecution Samuel Hollister Answer This Evidence also is short like the rest and is not answerable to the Charge no mention being made of any Persecutors coming up the Stairs whilst George Fox was speaking or that he left speaking on a sudden and hastened down c. and manifests William Rogers's Charges suspicious if not altogether false which however afterwards we doubt not but to do Who said That the Officers came up one paire of Stairs whilst George Fox was speaking and that George Fox on a sudden left off speaking and hastened down another pair of Stairs c. which manifests either dimness of sight in William Rogers or that his prejudice and jumbling restless Work he hath made in the Envy that lodgeth in him hath infatuated his Understanding and Memory that he forgets himself or otherwise we may conclude that his Wickedness is such that he often matters not what he saith to the running down of such as he sets himself against the Lord doth take notice of these things And it is not proper discreet nor evidential for Samuel Hollister to bring up the Words of his deceased Uncle to make an Accusation thereof against the Innocent who was a Man of that Gravity Wisdom and tenderness of Spirit as some of us can testifie that we believe that he would have abhorred to have appeared on this wise against an Elder but have given him more Gospel Order if true then either William Rogers or he hath done Did Samuel Holister ever acquaint George Fox with what he hard his Uncle say touching this matter that he has brought in Charge against him and put it into the Hands of an open Enemy to Truth and George Fox's Foe to be put in Print on Record to Posterity against him Where is the Christian Dealing and Gospel Order which William Rogers hath blamed others for being deficient in on John Stories and John Wilkinsons account Who in order to get a Judgment against them saith he 〈◊〉 forth Charges behind their Backs that Judgment might be brought forth against them unhard VVe can tell William Rogers that his and his Certificers Case is far remote from that in relation to us whom he hath placed a Judgment upon in Print to Posterity on the account of our dealings with John Story and John Wilkinson as hath been evidently manifested in 〈◊〉 Treatise already for we say John Wilkinson and John Story were acquainted with proceedings intended concerning them by the Advice and Order of the Quarterly Meeting in persuance also of Advice from Grave and Ancient Friends from London a Meeting was appointed that they might be heard and they had liberty granted to make their Defence and to make their Objections against the Witnesses if they pleased and that all things might be examined Face to Face betwixt them and those appearing on the Truth and on the Churches behalf against them which they were acquainted with yet they contemptuously refused to appear in the ambition of their Hearts and shut themselves from the priviledge of being heard and justly therefore exposed themselves to the sentence of Truth through Gods People against them Let these Certificers and Accusers also be asked whether ever they acquainted George Fox with what they intended to do in relation to Charge and Evidence touching this matter Did they give the priviledge of a Friend and Brother in Truth according to Gospel Order Did they give him liberty to be heard and make his Defence Face to Face according to judicial proceedings that he might have the liberty to have cleared himself or given that satisfaction which the Truth and the Gospel of Christ required before they published him in Print to Posterity If they have been deficient in this matter they have
be concerned in We say his Charges being False and Malicious according to George Fox's Words he weighs them as a little thing they touch him not and all he can say against him when he hath said his worse he treadeth up on without notice taken of them as to hurt his Life or break his Peace with God or lesten his Repute amongst the Faithful he may go on and what he hath to do do it quickly for his time is far spent and the Damnation slumbers not But doth he say That George Fox and his Party are in Confusion because notwithstanding some say his Papers are not worth Answering yet they are Answered he says Answer We say it again and will stand to it that his Papers were not worth taking any notice of with respect to himself and the baseness of his Spirit as a Man given up of God and hardned for Ruin neither are his smiting Queries that his Paper is filled with worth regarding being manifestly seen to come from a wicked prejudiced malicious Mind that discovers themselves and the Spirit from whence they come to the wise in Heart who sees beyond all and in as much as that the Lord and his People were clear of him if no more had been said nor he and his Papers taken notice of yet for the more clearer manifesting his Spirit to all and his unchristian doings that all might beware thereof as also for the removing the stumbling Blocks out of the way of the weaker sort that are laid thereby and that they that are yet without may not harden themselves because thereof and for the 〈◊〉 him see his own Confusion Contradictions and Inconsistances therein that he might take notice and fear otherwise that Coals of Fire may be heaped upon him if he repent not that upon these Considerations George Fox should find it with him in his freedom to put an Answer to it where is the Confusion he speaks of let him consider and speak But William Rogers saith This is one thing he taketh notice of to be a sign that John Wilkinson ' s Prophesie is fulfilling Poor Man Is this the shift they are glad of to hide John Wilkinsons false Prophesie withal viz. That those who were not of Party with John Story and him in opposition to Church Care but testified thereunto in the Name of God should be broke to pieces A poor shift indeed which John Wilkinson can never thank him for for it brings his Testimony and Prophesie into the Dust if the fulfilling of it must center in this But what doth William Rogers say in relation to the dealings of Almighty God concerning the Rebellious that are not worthy of the Lords forbearance and long suffering towards them nor their Works worth taking notice of and yet the Lord waits to be Gracious and would heal their Backslidings as was testified of from him in relation to the backsliding Jews Let him take heed of bringing the Power and Kindness of the Lord under his Judgment for the Lord will not hold him Guiltless in so doing Dare William Rogers say That the Lord was divided against himself in the exercise he had with them far beyond their deserts or any worthiness in them of the Mercies that waited over them What absurdity is this to attribute the fulfilling of John Wilkinsons Prophesie to such a matter as this that is so common with the Lord and his dear People also William Rogers may know that its their own Case and is coming on their own Heads they are in a divided Spirit broken off from the Life of God and Unity of Brethren in the Spirit of Truth and many of their own Pertakers comes away with joy their Kingdom totters whose fall will be great its Foundation is rotten it cannot stand several of the few of them that remain are beholding with fear the Structure which they have framed are making a way to escape with their Lives They who love the Lord and Righteousness will quit their Hands of this ungodly Work that William Rogers is so disperate in let him look about and those few that yet sticks to it many are cut off on every Hand and the Hearts of the great Ones begin to fail them for they can find no Hands in the day of Battel God of a Truth will blast their Design forever let them go whither they will for help it s all in vain the Desolation of their Spirits Work is determined of God and they 'l perish forever if they repent not The wise in Heart sees how they are looking about them for help any way and bemoan them for the ancient Glories sake that some of them were covered with Let William Rogers be asked what he says of his great Confederates at Chippenham in Wiltshire the place of John Stories great Interest and what he says of their Letter sent to Jeofrey Bullock in Suffock the old Apostate that was publickly denied of Friends for denying that Christ that dyed at Jerusalem and hath been a publick opposer of Truth in Friends Meetings several Years In which Letter they applaud him and his Blasphemous Books being as they say affected therewith and desires Correspondency with him and to have some of his Books in opposition to the Foxman Party and Orders as they contemptuously speak of him and the Churches Care we may have occasion hereafter to insert the aforesaid Letter to Jeofrey Bullock and discover his Spirit by the Works thereof William Rogers and them of Party with him may think their Case sad and disparate when Jeofrey Bullock and the Apostate John Pennyman who spreads abroad Jeofrey Bullock's Books against Truth and the Friends of it becomes William Rogers's and his Confederates Friend to associate with and they are glad to solicit him to their aid as their letter to him plainly imports surely it may be said their case is bad and their Design can never be blessed that 's upheld by such a spirit as this Oh it were well if any of them would yet truely be turned to God that they might yet be healed William Rogers further goes on his smiting Work against George Fox which he takes occasion to appear in from some of George Fox's Words and saith he Now I come to take notice of a Postscript written by George Fox in these words viz. Here follows mine Epistle that hath touched thee meaning the Epistle to Friends formerly inserted relating to faithfulness in the time of Persecution which saith George Fox to William Rogers thou makest all this Work and Writing about who would make me Inconsistant with my self and so mightst thou have done the Apostle who one while Circumcised and afterward forbad it who one while said they should not judge one another about dayes and Meats and Drinks and afterward judged them for it who made it their Principle so to do These few Lines saith William Rogers do manifest that George Fox doth not divide and distinguish as he ought to do if he be not Ignorant
the pure Truth and One that would expose the Heritage of God whom he is gone from to Persecution and what not if the Lord were not in his way to block him up whose Impudence hath been such in raking up false and slanderous Accusations bringing them sorth contrary to all Gospel Order and Rules of Christianity or Common Societies as hath 〈◊〉 plainly demonstrated against a People he hath been in Unity with as the like of him hath scarcely been ever heard of in Age or Day And as upon a deliberate weighing of matters and things relating to him and the Work he hath in Hand the Honest Unprejudiced Sincere-Hearted exercised in a Christian Spirit comes to find things before the Lord and their own Consciences let them speak and give their Judgment upon the whole Matter and it is our sincere disire in that Love that 's born by us to all Men that the Consideration and Sence of this Spirits Work may cause many to fear and beware lest the like Temptation should overtake them to their perpetual Ruin World without end And forasmuch as that William Rogers in the last Lines of his aforesaid Rejoynder which he often Mentions in the first part of his Christian Quaker intimates that He together with John Story and John Wilkinson and their separating Party reckons themselves to be the Heritage of God and that they cannot leave the way of the Spirit of Life wherein they have begun in expectation to be made perfect through Conformity to outward Ordinances knowing that those who have begun in the Spirit cannot be made perfect in the Flesh We think meet for the further satisfaction of the Honest Unprejudiced People as formerly we hinted to insert here a Letter which during the time of the great exercise that the Church of God met withal through the dividing seperate Spirit that William Rogers John Story and John Wilkinson gave themselves up to serve to the Churches grief was subscribed by four Men of Chippingham in Wilshire one of whom as we understanding is a Preacher amongst the aforesaid turbulent sort of Professors of Truth in the said Country and John Story' s great Correspondents and Abettors in the confederate contentious Work which said Letter was directed and sent to one Jeofery Bullock of Sudberry in Suffolke whose horrid Tenets and Practices Discovering the Wickedness of his Spirit being manifested by some few Quotations out of one of his Books Printed and spread abroad by Apostates together with the aforesaid letter subscribed by those of Chippingham and sent to him whereby it will be plainly demonstrated to all the honest Hearted that the aforesaid William Rogers and them of party with him are in a backslided State and are not such as they would have themselves rendred to be viz. such as have begun in the Spirit and look not to be made perfect by the Flesh or that they are the Heritage of God or a People that keeps to their First Principle and the way of the Spirit of Life to be made perfect therein as they would be looked upon to be rendring others to be departed there from and to be such as would be made perfect through outward Ordinances c. The Reader may take notice that this Jeofery Bullock is one that Apostatized from the Truth several Years ago and became an open Opposer of Friends in their Meetings Friends gave forth a Paper of Judgment against him several Years since for denying That Christ that dyed at Jerusalem to be the Judge and Saviour In his Book also Entituled Antichrist's Transformations discovered c. These following Assertions are laid down First That the Woman is the Soul Heart and Mind of every visible Man 〈◊〉 It is said therein That there is an Iavisible Woman which God did make and place in every visible Man Thirdly It is said in his Book That its plain in Scripture that there are two Christs Fourthly Ieofery 〈◊〉 querieth What is the Fruit of the Tree of Knowledge and he again gives the Answer in his Book saying It is the Scriptures Fifthly He saith in his Book It was the Man in the Mistery that dyed which was one with the Mistery which was the Christ of God he saith Sixthly Again he saith in his Book It was the Womans part that died which was the Soul and Body for he says Eve was in the 〈◊〉 thus far Ieofery Bullock We say What Horrible Darkness Blasphemy and Confusion is this Now here followeth the aforementioned Letter sent to him Friend Jeofery Bullock Chippingham the 4th of 4th month 1679. FRiends here have seen two Books of thine one Entituled One blow more at Antichrist another Entitled which several Friends have good Unity with But here are also a Company of called Friends which are very much for Foxmans Order which may be called Mens Invention that do make it their Work to 〈◊〉 and Calumniate all them as do not conform thereunto some of which thee and 〈◊〉 of which we are perswaded in our Hearts are the Servants of the Living God amongst whom thou hast a share of being Vilified to be a bad Man although to us it 's no manner of Invitation for us to give credit thereunto but rather to the contrary as well knowing it is one of their stratagems they always use by them they cannot proselite to their faction but as it was once said And my Soul enter not thou into their secrets If thou please to send a few Lines direct it to William Dyer we shall take it very friendll only for a little Satisfaction Barnadiston and another have been here and besides their envious Darts flyes very secretly and swiftly Also if thou please to send half a Dozen of thy Books and deliver them to William Wescott at the Green Man without Aldgate and take Mony of him for them and the Charge of them putting it to John Jones's Account and advise William Wescott to send to him They say of thee that none of thy Neighbours Friends or others can speak well of thee I have forgot the Title of the other Book which defect I believe thou canst make out William Dyer John Jones William Jones Francis Browne It may be noted that since Jeofery Bullock hath received this Letter above written he was so lifted up that he should be so much taken notice of that he hath shewed the Letter to some of the Worlds People and by that means Friends came to get a Copy of it These are of the sort that promote John Story' s and John Wilkinson's Interest in that County of Wilts where their Travels have been and are they that cry down Man and yet what sorry Men even one of the worst of Apostates they set up and are glad of him to side with them in their backsliding and opposite Work against the Truth which manifests plainly of what sort they are and what their Spirit is The Reader also may remember what a boast William Rogers hath made of his standing for the
not ashamed to call it an Idle Vain Testimony in the Name of the Lord. And yet in another place of the Narrative and other of their Writings they of this Spirit said John Story and John Wilkinson must be left to Act as their Lord and Master shall lead them And yet would not allow Elizabeth Sturridge to clear her Conscience as her Lord and Master might require her Doth not this manifest a partial and byassed Spirit in judging thus partially as he hath done And yet contrary to their former Judgment as some of them of that Spirit have said to wit That we must not judge of Spiritual things And how answers this also that which they say That all must be left to the Witness of God in themselves And from what 〈◊〉 do we say doth that Jealousie and Fear arise of having the Meeting entertained with Testimonies being the same also with that which made all the Bawling in the Meeting at Bristol when Friends were waiting upon the Lord for the Testimony of Life to arise amongst them that William Rogers said His Soul abominated such 〈◊〉 which was to wait to see if any thing might arise in any to Write to John Story about the reconciling the sad Differences risen as the Certificate imports Is not this the Spirit that 's gone from the Truth and likes not sound Judgment being gone from the Command of God Cain after he had done evil concerning his Brothers Blood his countenance fell and he thought that every one that met him would slay him But it is not so with the Righteous for they are bold and makes no such provision for the Flesh And is not William Rogers's Testimony more Idle and Impertinent and John Story' s also and John Wilkinson then Hers was who saith God hath raised them up to stand in the Gap and yet are opening Gaps for the Loose and Fleshly to enter in at out of the Way of Truth and their Testimony for it to wit William Rogers's making away part of his Estate from the Spoylers and says It s his Principle and John Story creeping in suffering times and John Wilkinson standing to justifie it and what an idle Testimony was that in John Story that condemned Friends Soundings and making an noise in Heart-Melody to God in their Meetings whilst others were Preaching or Praying and said He had born his Testimony against it and he would do it and bring it down or leave Preaching And was not John Wilkinson's Testimony Idle and Prophane and charged it upon the Lord too that said God will break us when we were in the exercise of Truth according to Gospel Order and yet it fell on the neck of his own Spirit for many not long after broke off from them and came away with joy Again in the Narrative it is said by them That from henceforth there may be no occasion to say that they are Men of Strife c. We say Would they be look'd upon not to be Men of Strife we can confidently say that William Rogers's work of spreading abroad this Narrative and others his contentious Papers sufficiently gives himself the lye if he say so and the Fruits of John Story and John Wilkinson and their Company in their Subscriptions and Separation and Contentious Work sufficiently manifests that they are not Men of Peace We further observe that it is said in the Narrative That the consideration of the present Differences amongst Friends and the sence they have that the Name of the Lord is dishonoured amongst the Heathen who at this Day may clap their Hands for joy and cry Ha! Ha! They say They have cause to enter into the House of Mourning rather then Joy In Answer we say it may be seen what a deceitful Spirit this is thus to pretend and use a deal of smooth Words in Hypocrisie that have no Answer in the Consciences of the Faithful to God For hath not John Story and John Wilkinson and other Partakers with them in this contentious VVork been the only cause of dishonour to the peaceable Truth and the Name of God Doth not the Separation and such work of Strife and VVrangling as is brought forth amongst them and William Rogers's sending abroad his contentious Papers up and down the Nation contrary to Covenant and Agreement made and signed testifie of what Spirits they are Their Resistance to the tender Advise and Judgment of the most of Friends in the Nation sheweth them to have a stubborn Heart far from the House of Mourning VVhat Kindness and Care hath been extended and used towards this People VVhat tender Entreaties have been made to them to be reconciled to God and the Brethren and to come off from the Separation And John Story and John Wilkinson have been desired that they would be instrumental in breaking up the Separate Meeting or testifie against it and yet with an imperious Spirit do they despise and resist all and this Hyprocrisie atop of all causes the Lord the more to abominate their doings Hath William Rogers forgot the Crys and Tears to the Lord for them at the Draw-well when he and they stood in that heardness of Heart that many were made to admire Let them say what they will the House of Mourning they are Strangers too yet the Day of it will come from the Lord God who sees their VVorks and will judge accordingly for neither their Spirit nor their VVorks do answer the Light of Christ nor the Grace of God that hath followed them and the Strife that is begun and which they still maintain shall be laid at their Doors let them look to it as they will answer the Lord in the great Day VVe observe also that William Rogers in the Narrative recites two Questions that were put to the Brethren at Draw-well by John Wilkinson and John Story to be resolved although we shall not concern our selves here much to give any Answer to them then what was delivered amongst the Brethren then yet we desire that the said Queries may be compared with the Paper of Prescriptions subscribed by John Story and John Wilkinson and them of the Separation The first Question Whether or no we and all Gods People ought not to be left in all matters of Faith and Discipline c. to the manifestation of Gods Spirit and Truth in our Hearts to Speak and Act therein as we are thereby Instructed and Perswaded and not otherwise The Answer was given Affirmatively viz. They Ought And our Sence and Judgment in the Truth closed therewith as that which we stand for and have maintained against every contrary appearance And yet John Story and John Wilkinson in their Paper of Subscription the foundation of the Separation in the North say together with others of the Separation That none of their own Country or of other Countries must sit amongst them to concern themselves in the Business of their County although it be about matters relating to Discipline but their chosen Men to whom they give
Power and if any do they are usurpers of Authority they say yea it was moved also by them That no Ministers of Truth should be any of those chosen Men only they come in afterwards with a proviso That if any had a Message from God to deliver amongst them they must declare their Message and withdraw Now let the wise in Heart see What Darkness and Contradiction is this For doth this Proposition and Practice of theirs answer their Conclusion in this Cuestion That all must be left to the manifestation of Gods Spirit and Truth in their own Hearts to Speak and Act therein as ' they are Instructed and Perswaded that would thus limit the Spirit of the 〈◊〉 in his People by shuting out such as might be moved of the Lord to come and sit amongst them to be concerned as the Lord might instruct them And how doth this answer the Liberty and Motion upon Peoples Consciences they so much cry for And how doth this answer those Words in the Narrative That John Story must be left to Act as his Lord and Master should 〈◊〉 him And yet John Story and John Wilkinson by their Order and Prescription will not allow others the like priviledge but says That none must came and sit amongst their chosen Men but such as they have chosen and to whom they have given Power although their Lord and Master by his Spirit should lead them Is not here exercising Lordship over Mens Consciences to purpose even over the Heritage of God And is not this Order and Prescription of theirs which they would have had Gods People to have submitted to worse then the Worlds Courts either such as are called Spiritual or any of the 〈◊〉 Courts or Sessions The second Question proposed at Draw-well aforesaid inserted in William Rogers's Narrative is as followeth viz. Since there are diversities of Talents and Gifts 〈◊〉 ven by the Spirit of God and received by Men whether the judgment of Truth given forth through a part of the Members of Christs Body can become any bond upon any other part of the same Body further then their Vnderstands are enlightened thereby This Question was answered in the Negative and in the Spirit of Truth we have Unity therewith but we do further affirm that whatsoever is given forth in the Judgment of Truth and from the Gift of the Spirit by any of the Members of the Body of Christ that the rest of the Members of the same Body which keep their Eye in Christ their Head have Unity in the Spirit of Christ therewith and if any slight thereof or opposition thereunto do arise in any Members of the 〈◊〉 it is because they are become benumbed Members and have lost the spiritual lively sence of the Truth in themselves and are become thereby Strangers to the mind of God communicated to such as keeps alive in the Body to be distributed by such as Instruments in his Hand for the good of the Body as the Lord sees meet But how doth this Question of theirs answer their Order and Prescription subscribed by them that would have all to submit to what they give out as their Judgment and Order to be condescended to and covenanted in or else they would withdraw from such as would not and do their business themselves amongst their chosen Men and the Order such as would limit the 〈◊〉 of the Lord in the Members of Christs Body and to cause subjection to such their Inventions as Christianity would be ashamed of And yet these are the Men that cry against Orders and for Liberty but that it is the Order of the Gospel the Power of God that they cry against not loving sound Judgment and that the Liberty they would be at and which they are 〈◊〉 after is the Liberty of the Flesh its clear to all that love Righteousness and trace the Path that this unclean Spirit of theirs is treading in Here was no allowing the Tryal of their Prescription and Order by the Spirit of the Lord nor time given to those they presented their Propositions to to have their Understands enlightened touching their Order but a full and positive Conclusion was determined by them on this wise If they were not closed with and covenanted withal they would without any more ado with-draw and accordingly they did and some of them do continue in the Separation to this Day What horrible Confusion Contradiction and Hypocrisie is this In crying against Orders and none scarce ever heard of like theirs and to cry for Liberty of Conscience and yet would exercise Lordship over Mens Consciences on this wise It s a shame for any professing Truth and the Spirit of the Lord to touch with such a Spirit as this Much more might be observed upon William Rogers's Narrative whereby to manifest his Contradiction and the dishonest unchristian yea inhumane Work he hath made in the matter of his relation of the Passages which he saith happened at Bristol at the Meeting aforesaid and how opposite to the Covenants and Agreements subscribed by himself he hath concerned himself therein as cannot but be taken notice of by the Impartial Reader as ridiculous and below morral Honesty and how he together with John Story and John Wilkinson do render themselves inconsistant with themselves in crying out against Orders and outward Ordinances which they say Have been the cause of all the Differences and yet the Order and Prescription that they made and presented to be submitted to being denyed by the Brethren who kept to the Order of the Gospel in the Power of God occasioned the further manifestation of their own disorderly Spirit of Strife which led them into a Separation from the ancient Unity and Bond of Peace to the working Truth 's Blemish and the breach of the Churches Peace to their shame We say much more might be taken notice of as to this matter but that as to the substance of the most material things touched upon in the Narrative it hath been already Satisfactorily writ to by the several Parties principally concerned therein viz. one part thereof by George Fox and another part by Robert Barclay as also considerably spoken to by the Brethren at Bristol and that part of it that concerns the Brethren in Westmoreland answered by them viz. about some of the Articles alledged in charge against John Story and John Wilkinson which William Rogers by his perversions and unfairly dealing therewith would annihilate as relating to matter of Charge against them whose craft in taking out pieces here and there in the Charges and the Reply to John Story and John Wllkinson their Answer and his leaving out the most material Words being discovered in the sight of the single-hearted to God we say they are found still detected of opposition to Church Care and Disesteem of Gospel Order and in a Backsliding state in themselves discouraging the Antient Testimony for Truth in others that the Articles in charge principally against them relate to Unto which
said several Answers in Manuscript being given forth several Months since we refer the honest Reader for more full Satisfaction that none may say that we have dealt unfairly with William Rogers his Narrative as if we have taken notice only of something here and there and left the most material matters unspoken to which is below the sincerity of our Spirits and when the said Answers are seen and weighed in the equal Ballance it may be observed there is no cause given by us for any so to do We commend the consideration of these things with respect to the 〈◊〉 of William Rogers his Spirit and Work to that in all Consciences to take notice if they be not fully satisfied whether this William Rogers be not a Man that hath given up himself to a reprobate Minde And in the abbetting of his unrighteous ause he hath undertaken to stand by Whether he be not one that little matters often what he says or whereof he affirms and that little notice is to be taken of him or of what he says or does in things that may any way help his turn in the vindication of John Story' s Spirit and ungodly design the upright unprejudiced ones may clearly see John Blaykling Joseph Baines And seeing that mention is often made in the foregoing Treatise of John Story and he thereby manifested to be the chief Instrument in the Strife Division and Separation that hath happened in these Northren Parts for which cause he became an exceeding great Burden and Exercise to Honest Faithful and Sincere Hearted Friends at such times as he appeared in any of their Meetings either in North or South under the notion of a publick Preacher And especially after that he had been orderly dealt with according to Gospel Order by Counsel and Advice and warned not to offer his Gift till reconciled to his Brethren and the same by him wholly 〈◊〉 and he in a stubborn Spirit persevering he became the more Burthensome and could not be born to appear as a Minister in the Meetings of Friends of Truth who was found in so unrighteous and untruthlike Practices Wherefore many times of late Years as by many Epistles and Christian Correspondence hath been testified he was publickly judged and disowned in Meetings and many living Testimonies sprung sometimes out of the Mouths of Babes and Sucklings to the Confounding and stopping his Mouth and particularly at the last Meeting that ever he appeared in amongst any faithful Friends a little before his Death an account whereof we think of service to Truth to insert as it was drawn up by Thomas Cam and others concerned with him in that Meeting as followeth together with some short account of his Death and Burial THe fifthteenth Day of the eighth Month 1681. I was much pressed in Spirit all that Day to go on the Morrow to visit the meeting of Friends at Kendal and I can truly say it was much in the cross for me to go being that the Meeting at Preston was appointed at a place where I had not been at a Meeting with Friends since my Liberty out of Prison wherefore Friends not only desired but had some encouragement also to expect my being there yet notwithstanding the Lord moving so strongly upon my Spirit by his Word and Power that was as a Fire in my Bones On the First-Day Morning being the sixteenth of the said eighth Month I gave up in Obedience to the Cross and took my Horse and set forward alone but on the way I was under great Exercise and exceedingly bowed with a weight upon my Spirit so that I did secretly supplicate the Lord to know the cause of that my great Burthen and before I came half way to Kendal John Story and several of them of the Separation came within the view of my Spirit so that I was well satisfied of the cause of my present Exercise and after I had this sence of the cause thereof I felt some Ease and went on more Cheerfully having my Confidence in that Eternal Arm that had often girded me with Strength in my many Exercises with those perverse Spirits who had often appeared as Drunk with the Spirit of Enmity And as soon as I was come to the Town I went directly to the Meeting-Place where I found amongst Friends John Story with several others of his Companions in the Separation set in the Meeting-Place who were all surprised and exceedingly troubled as I apprehended at my unexpected appearance there and as appeared by their 〈◊〉 Behaviour and John Story' s standing up to Speak as soon or before I was set down upon my Seat whose Lifeless Dry and Dreaming Testimony became a Burden to the tender Life so that several sensible Ones amongst Friends did 〈◊〉 and Groan under the sence of their present Burden and Exercise which did not only Grieve but also much Confound John Story so that he cryed out because of those 〈◊〉 and Groans Disorder Disorder And the Lord appeared in his glorious Power to the Joy of the Upright and the Exercise of the Power together with several short Testimonies against him that sprang through several whose Mouths were never opened in Meetings before that I know of did so confound him that he lost his Matter and fell into Reflections against Friends all which time which was about a quarter of an hour or somewhat more i sate still in silence in much Peace and Contentedness being sweetly comforted in the sence of that Glorious Power of the Eternal God that filled many of the Hearts of the Faithful there and over-shaddowed the Meeting and the living Testimonies that sprung there-from to the confounding of that persumptuous separate Spirit that dreadeth not to tempt the Lord. Several of John Story his Party seeing him so stopt and confounded begun to be angry and some of them to Mutter Grumble Jangle and propose Questions though John Story was yet speaking And in as much as by experience that that Spirit of Discord and Separation and they that are acted by it have a life in jangling Discourse and would strive to get thither I was therefore under deep travel for the preservation of the Meeting there-from and in a little time I was moved to go to Prayer being well satisfied that the Lord would 〈◊〉 Friends minds in the exercise of his Eternal Power and confound the Spirit of Strife and Jangling thereby and also make way for that Testimony that lived upon my Spirit so having signified the same to Friends we kneeled down whereupon John Story cryed out It was in vain to think to stop him he could not be stopped for he was Commissionated by the great God and went on for a small time while we were Praying but in a little time he was stopped uttering these or other Words to the same effect I see it s in vain to strive I may as well be silent as speak Certainly the Lord did blessedly appear in his glorious Power to the unspeakable Joy Comfort
of the upright in Heart and to the stopping confounding chaining down the Separate spirit and company so that my Mouth was opened and my Heart enlarged to bless the Lord for his present appearance and to Supplicate the Lord that he would be pleased to appear in that glorious manner amongst his Faithful Ones there in all their Exercises of the like nature occasioned by that spirit of Strife and Separation that had entered some amongst them to the confounding thereof and that for his Name Glory Truth and Peoples sake he would in a short time put an end to their Exercises on that account and dry up the Tongue of the Egyptian Sea and bruise Sathan shortly under their Feet with much more to the same effect as was then opened in me by the Power and Spirit of the Lord that then strongly appeared upon my Soul and Spirit so when I had cleared my Spirit before the Lord in Prayer we all sat down in silence for a considerable time and the power of the Lord was over all and thereby John Story and his Company were all bowed 〈◊〉 none of them could then open their Mouths After the time of silence I stood up being moved to declare the power of the Lord being upon me some time after several of the Separates and John Story his Companions begun to be filled with wrath so that they could not give place one to another but six or eight all at once clamoured against me with such confusion that but few of their reproachful Words and Terms could be exactly remembred yet over it all the Lord 〈◊〉 me by his power carrying me on in Testimony bearing till I was clear so that they all fell and their Mouths were stopped but seeing they could not effect what they designed viz. to stop my Testimony one of them viz. James Moor stood up not half of the time of the Meeting being expired and appointed them a Meeting on the fourth day following and then John Story and most of his Party went away yet after some time John Story and 〈◊〉 of them came in again but most of them was most-what silent after except somemuttering words so that I had a full time of clearing my Spirit to the resreshment of the Faithful whose Hearts were aboundently filled with the love of God and opened by his Power but a great part of the time after John Story came in again he turned himself aside upon the Bench he sat upon and in a Scorning Taunting manner muttered many Words as was observed and heard by some that sat near him some of which were in effect as followeth viz. Well said Tom Finely done Tom Thou dost notably Tom Thou binds up thy matter well Tom c. And when any thing hit close upon him he crycd Deceit Deceit Hypocrisy thy 〈◊〉 is no Slander or the like So when I had done Bryan Lancaster stood up to read an Epistle from a Friend whereat the Separates were again enraged having an expectation of John Story' s Declaring again whereupon the Wise of the said James Moor came Rushing over the Benches over a great 〈◊〉 of the Meeting House and tore the said Epistle the most part of it out of his Hands upon which John Story was softly spoken to to see the fruits of his Ministry and being ashamed with the out-rage of the Woman commanded her to give him it again so he took and read it as well as he could it being torn in pieces after which John Story stood up and spoke a little in a Railing Reflecting way and before he stood down from of the Bench kneeled down to offer his dead Sacrifice of Prayer of which none of the faithful took notice After he had done I had a few words more that sprung upon my Spirit to Friends to this effect but John Story and his Company rushed out viz. That the Lord permitted those things and exercises for tryal of Friends Faith Love and Patience for a little time and therefore desired Friends to center with the power where strength Sufficient is known to support and will be to the end of those exercises which I was moved to signifie would be in the Lords time yea shortly the Lord would crush and bruise down that dividing Separating spirit dry up the Tongue of the Egyptian Sea and bruise Sathan under their Feet and put an end to the Sufferings of the Lords People occasioned thereby c. So being again moved to go to 〈◊〉 yer we had a very sweet refreshing overcoming and heart-breaking time in the blessed springing and flowing of the Love and Life of God after they of the 〈◊〉 were gone so that there were few or none in the Meeting but were touched opened and melted by the power and their Hearts aboundantly hilled with the Love of God yea several were thereby enlarged and their Mouths opened to praise the Lord in the blessed Sence of which we parted our Meeting in the Love and Peace of God Glory Glory and Everlasting Praise be only to him for evermore Amen Camsgil the 26th of the 8th Month 1681. Thomas Camm WE whose Names are hereunto Subscribed being present at the aforesaid Meeting at Kendal Meeting House kept the said sixteenth Day of the eight Month 1681. and being Eye and Ear Witnesses of the Carriage and Behaviour of John Story and others 〈◊〉 the Separates his Companions there present and also the other Transactions of the said Meeting do bear Testimony to the Truth of the fore-going Relation relating thereto and do testific that what is before written is but a small part of the abusive Words and unchristian yea inhuman Carriage and Behaviour that was that Day brought forth and acted by the said John Story and his Company but the Lords Power was over it all blessed be his Name for 〈◊〉 Appearance and now it s the Travel of our Souls that those of them that yet remains alive may find Repentance to the obtaining of Mercy at the Hand of the Lord whom they have grievously offended by their backsliding Strife and Separation Kendal the 6th of the 3d Month 1682. Richard Sleddall Thomas Wilson Brian Lancaster Samuel Sands Israel Newby Richard Holme NOw about a Week after the said Meeting John Story began to be Sick or Ill growing worse and worse for about three Weeks time and about the Twenty fourth of the ninth Month next following he was taken out of the Body and being that there hath a great Noise and Talk of the End he made and how he Dyed in the Favour of God and in Peace with all Men and also of giving a Relation thereof in Print we therefore judge our selves engaged in the behalf of Truth and for the satisfaction of the simple minded to give a short account thereof as we received it from a Relation of his who was often with him in the time of his Sickness by whom we understand that several Days before he Dyed he was not very sensible or capable of Speaking
for the last Words he heard him speak were not sensible neither do we preceive during the time that his Understanding and his Speech continued with him that ever he demonsttated the least sence of Remorse or Repentance for the great Damage he had brought upon Truth Dishonour to our Holy Profession and Grief and Trouble to the Church of God but rather Dyed in the hardness of his Heart as appeared by his Presumption to say That he died in the Favour of God and Peace with all Men when it was manifest 〈◊〉 his own Words that it was false in part at least for when he gave order about his Burial he charged that Thomas Camm should not be invited to his Burial yea so far was he from being in Peace with the said Thomas Camm that when his Brother Charles Story desired him to put such things out of his 〈◊〉 praying him that he would suffer him the said Charles to invite Thomas Camm to his Burial he would by no means be perswaded so neither Thomas Camm his Wife nor any of his Family were Invited to the said Burial although Thomas Camm's near Neighbours that were Unbelievers and not of John Story' s Kindred were Invited to it Nay moreover scarce any one of Preston Meeting to which he formerly belonged and died within the compass thereof were Invited to his Burial except those of the Separation notwithstanding they invited the People of the World Friends Neighbours and left them out by all which it is evident that his pretending to die in peace with all Men was untrue and only a false pretence and his Heart being so hardened to assert such untruths how should he die in the Favour of the Lord let the understanding and wise in Heart judge But as he had in the time of his Life since he fell from Truth been the greatest Agent in the Hand of the Adversary in Sowing the evil Seeds of Strife Division and Separation and also the most Industrious to keep those in the Separation that he had led thereinto so was he not wanting as appears to confirm his Proselites at his Death by telling them That he died in the Favour of God and Peace with all Men yet notwithstanding all the subtil Sleights and cunning Craft of deceived Men the Lord hath confounded this Spirit of Strife and Separation and many of those who have been most eminently concerned in promoting its Interest and Work the Lord hath removed out of the way by Death therefore it were well if those that are yet left alive would fear and dread before him and none of them any longer be so hardy as to tempt the Lord lest his overflowing scourge sweep them away and they perish in his Wrath forever The 6th of the 3d Month 1682. William Walker Joseph Gregge Richard Sill Junior Here followeth a short Testimony for the Truth and against the envious Spirit of William Rogers given forth by an Antient Friend in Westmoreland whose name is Thomas Atkinson IN or about the Year 1652. It pleased the Lord God to raise up the seed of Life in some of his Servants in this Nation of England and called those and sent them abroad as Lambs amongst Wolves into this World by the same Spirit and Power by which he chose and sent the Apostles in the Primitive Times And the first that was so sent in our Age and Generation and appeared amongst us in the Demonstration of the Spirit with the joyfull Message of Life and Salvation in this Country of Westmoreland was George Fox who being raised from Death to Life I bear Record was anointed of God to Preach and publish glad tidings of Peace Life and Eternal Salvation in the name of Christ Jesus to lost Man and many in this County did gladly receive his Message and Testimony at that time and did joyn with it some of whom the Lord made Ministers of the Everlasting Truth early of the day as Gervis Benson John Camm John Audland Francis Howgil Edward Burrow with some others whose outward Bodies are laid in the Dust yet their Memorial lives and remains with us a sweet savour to God and will do to Ages and Generations to come for their Faithfulness and Works sake with many more who are yet alive in the Body to bear a faithful Testimony to Truths praise and the Comfort of the Flock of God And seeing that this true and faithful Servant of the Lord George Fox the first Publisher of Truth in our Age in this and many other Counties and places through this Nation yet remains in the Body and a Record living upon my my Soul and Spirit of his faithfulness to the Testimony born by him who in the hand of the Lord was made Instrumental to the turning me many Thousands more to the Lord as also of 〈◊〉 care over the Flock of God that they all might be established in the Truth and present Grace of God revealed in which he is a sweet favour to God and his Witness in all Hearts in which Work and service his Labours Watchings Travels and Sufferings have exceeded many if not all others both in this Nation and in many places beyond the Seas for the space of about Thirty Years and God hath blessed him in his Labours so that he hath seen the travel of his Soul in a great measure answered many Thousands being gathered to and established upon the Everlasting Foundation Christ Jesus that stands sure for ever I say this Record living upon my Soul and Spirit a concern of Conscience remained with me to bear a Testimony for the Lord his Truth and this dear Servant George Fox whom we count worthy of double Honour for his Work and Service sake as an Instrument and Servant in the Hand of Christ our Lord and also a Testimony lives with me in the behalf of Thousands of Faithful Friends and Brethren against that turbulent and wicked Spirit in William Rogers and others who came out with us and partaked of the Grace of God with us but have turned their Backs of it who have in their Printed Books and Papers gone about to calumniate him and bespatter his Innocent Life and Testimony for God that thereby they might make him a Sacrifice to the fury of the Wicked and we do in Gods presence testifie that its the same Spirit under another similitude or transformation that hath all along persecuted him for his Work and Testimonies sake by 〈◊〉 he hath often been cast into Prison cruelly used in nasty Holes grosly aspersed with being a Papist a Jesuit and Blasphemer and what not that 's bad and wicked Now peruse William Rogers's Book and compare his Work and Language with this of the common Enemies of Truth and they will bespeak themselves to be the children of one Father Satan the old Persecutor of the Saints and Accuser of Brethren which the Lord will cast out in his hot displeasure So let William Rogers and all other Opposers and Gainsayers be warned before
remember and my Answer in Sincerity implies the same that in 〈◊〉 Brotherly Discourse which George Fox and I had in the time of such his Weakness when I was with him one time I speaking of the Exercise the Church of God had in 〈◊〉 with them of the opposite contending Spirit against Church Care and Gospel Order and telling him that some of them had given out reflecting seornful Words against him on the occasion of his not being constantly at the Meeting and had rendered him to have lost his condition as to Truth c. And that they had presented the same to some that were more Honest and Simple then the rest to the hurting of them and to make the Care in the Church of God more contemptible which George Fox had been an Instrument in Gods Hand on the account of and yet neither John Story nor John Wilkinson would come to see him in that State although he had been to their own acknowledgement as a Father to them and many more nor any of them that so wickedly represented him behind his Back would so much as come to see how the matter was but in a base mind that watcheth for Evil smote against him behind his Back which the Lord will avenge Whercupon for the sake of the Simple and for the bringing Shame and Confusion on the other sort and for the sake of the Church of God in general it was desired in secret Cries to God that the Lord might if it was his Will again enable him so with Bodily strength as that the Innocent tender Lambs of God might enjoy his Bodily presence with them as formerly they were wont to do to their Refreshment and Comfort and the Lord blessed be his name heard his Cries and the Groans of the Righteous in that matter to the enlargement of the Churches comfort and great advantage thereby whatever William Rogers and they of that Spirit say in contempt thereof and during his exercise of Bodily weakness at that time I was with him one day in his Chamber during the Meeting in a lower Room and I do affirm if these were my last Words that the Power and glorious Presence of the eternal God was with us to the breaking of my Heart and an Exercise of travel in Spirit was upon him on the account of the Church of God in general its Unity and Peace and with respect to the Backsliding sort of John Storys Spirit that the Lord might forgive them and restore them into the first love and living sence again and if this be the recompence that they render the Lord and him for the Labour of love in long suffering and patience on this wise used towards them I am satisfied that he is truly content and that their Reproaches are not grievous to him in the love of God who hath enabled him to endure all for his and his Peoples sake whose reward is with him and none can take it away And I do declare in the presence of the God of Heaven before whom I stand 〈◊〉 on this 〈◊〉 was the concern bet wixt him and me in Relation to this matter on the score whereof William Rogers thus wickedly appears with his siniting Charges against him which touch him not neither doth it hurt my Life nor my Peace with God whatever William Rogers doth suggest or bring forth against me touching this matter and I do appeal to that in all Consciences whether William Rogers's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against George Fox in which also he hath made me concerned 〈◊〉 the same be not false and maliciously alledged against him without any 〈◊〉 Ground seeing that George Fox's Weakness was such as many will evidence if occasion were as that he was as likely in a short time to be taken out of the Body as otherwise and so faint often in his Spirit by reason thereof that the 〈◊〉 Breath of People near him he could very 〈◊〉 endure or what 〈◊〉 William Rogers hath so basely to smite him in his Queries with his 〈◊〉 and And 's or 〈◊〉 John Blaykling hath contradicted himself on this occasion and 〈◊〉 his confusion or that John 〈◊〉 's 〈◊〉 is any way fulfilled hereby the wise to God may consider And as to the latter part of the Charge in William Rogers's two Queries on this occasion viz. Wouldst not thou have accounted this in another the Fruit of a Carless Negligent Libertine dark Spirit that was departed or departing from the Truth Implicitly charging him thereby to be of such a Spirit In the answer thereunto it is denied that this state is applicable to George Fox as Thousands can testifie it is required also that the Man may come forth that can 〈◊〉 charge him ever to have been of such a Spirit from his Childhood nay let his Dilligence in the service of Truth ever since the Lord made him a Minister of it and in all self-denial his exposing of himself in his Testimony therein to the Displeasure of the whole World great and small Professors and Profain testifie to his readiness to Work and Labour in the Gospel let the many Reproaches Buffettings Knockings-down for Dead Stripes and Imprisonments in Dungcons and nasty Places and yet never shrinking nor growing weary of his Exercise notwithstanding all that his Travellings on 〈◊〉 and lyings out of door in the Night-time whilest the Lord was pleased so to concern him let his Travels beyond the Seas in many Countries and Islands yea even of late Years since Bodily Exercise in Pain and Weakness took hold upon him make William Rogers or any that takes his part ashamed to lay a Slothful Negligent Libertine dark Spirit to his Charge Yea let that in the Consciences of all the honest Hearted to God that have known him and his Spirit testifie and give a Record for his care in the Church of God Instrumentally in Gods Hand with many other dear Brethren in the settling the Churches and Family of God under a wholsom Discipline and Order wherein the Faithful have been comforted and made each others Help and Blessing in the Lord who is worthy of the Praise yea blessed be the Lord many have good cause to say for the Instruments that he was pleased to raise up for the publishing the glad tidings of the Gospel-day and for their Faithfulness according to their places the Lord hath set them in as the Elders that rule well and are accounted worthy of Honour yea that Honour which is Eternal that God gives and covers his People withal as it was said in the Scriptures of Truth He that Honoureth me him will I Honour and again This Honour hath all his Saints to bind Kings in Chains and Nobles in Fetters of Iron but saith he I will not give my Glory to another I will not give it to Graven Images Surely if the Lord be pleased to Honour his on this wise and give them his Glory it is not displeasing in the Lords sight to restifie on Gods behalf accordingly but this Honour
William Rogers is a Stranger to being gone from the Royal honourable Seed of Life and stumbles at the Testimony born on this wise these things with many more that might be said in relation to George Fox and others for which God hath the praise given together with the Testimony that lives upon the Spirits of many Thousands with respect to his continuing steadfast to God and his Truth as in the day of his first Love being given up to serve the Lord sufficiently evidenceth that William Rogers if he lay a careless libertine negligent dark Spirit to George Fox's Charge and as one that is either departed or departing from the Truth standeth detected as a malicious Slanderer of the Innocent and a false Accuser to receive the Reward that God sees meet to recompence such withal This is the Testimony I have not been 〈◊〉 to bear for this our Antient Friend with many Brethren more and it remains with me which in the Spirit of Truth in which we are known of God and one unto another at this day I stand by on his behalf though it be William Rogers torment and although for this cause and for the Testimony also that I have to bear against that Spirit in him that dispiseth the Government and Order of Truth in the Church of God and hath presumptuously exposed to public view his contempt thereof I be reproached amongst them my Life treads upon it as the Dung upon the Earth which toucheth me not Several unworthy Reflections and smiting Accusations he hath been pleased to treat me with in his Book Printed to Posterity but they touch me not I Bless God it s for mine Integrities sake which I pray God keep me to whilest I have a Day to Live and that my Testim 〈◊〉 may stand sure and steadfast to the End of my Days against his 〈◊〉 shrinking Spirit and them of party with him and his Reproaches 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my 〈◊〉 and I Bless God that he accounts me worthy and amongst my Antient and more Worthy Brethren I tread upon his worst in the strength of Almighty God to whom I can commit my Cause and that Peace I enjoy over all that none can take away But to go on to his Paraphiasing Discourse upon mine Answer to his Smiring Charge I am Charactered by him for my Testimony which I was in Conscience 〈◊〉 to bear for an Antient and Worthy in the Truth of Christ Jesus in the Sincerity of my Soul to be one that flatters for the Belly and saith and doth in all things to please the humor of another to have a repast or small Dinner so I understand his meaning may be upon the Tearm he gives me Answer In the first place I take this to be a Smiting Reflection on George Fox on whose Account I having been thus concerned against whom he thus appears for whom I am bold to say he is a Man of no such Spirit it s an abhorence to him to Correspond with such or to be gratified with such Dissembling as this If William Rogers's Spirit by which he judgeth others be such let him take it to himself and get such treating and flattering where he can have it he shall have none of it from me and therefore is he grieved and George Fox is known to be a Servant of Christ Jesus and for Christs sake to the least of Gods little Ones and there the honour that is from above attends him which William Rogers with all that Death and Hell can do cannot eclips nor he have a share in whilest such Works are done by him let that stand over his Head And as to the Reflection yea the Gross and Infamous Charge that relates to me as I have a Record in my own Soul over this foul Abuse I do appeal to the Testimony of Truth that lives in the Hearts of my Brethern Familiers and Acquaintance in the Truth who knows my Spirit and are out of this prejudiced malicious Work to speak on my behalf as they have felt and known my Life and Demeanour amongst them in relation to my plain-dealing with all with whom I have had to do I have cleared my Conscience in God sight in faithful dealing with all without flattery or fear though I have Suffered thereby I was never accused on the account of flattering or self-seeking or speaking any way in favour for a Repast or small Dinner till I met with William Rogers's Spirit which is the same which accused Christ Jesus to be a Friend to Publicans and Sinners and as John Wilkinson Impudently said to me and others because of our care in the Church of God That we had got an Office and were puffed up in it and acted therein to get favour of Persons or a piece of Bread and said also that our Office would but cloath us with Rags and Worms would breed in our gatherings and our Bread conjume I bless God as a Mercy I prise I never stood in need of treating any for any such Reward nor my Ancestors before me neither were they of such Spirits as my Country-Men and Neighbours knows from the relation that hath been given of them who have been known in Hospitality open and free and that to the best of People for Religions sake some Generations past and if I have been of another Spirit it s not well for God hath been no less kind to me in giving me of his Truth and the best of things and 〈◊〉 enough as to the World and a Spirit also I bless the Lord in which I-detest the the State he applyes to me and loaths the occasion for such a scandal as he would leave me under I have done something for the Trnth out of that 〈◊〉 God hath given me and it s my Gladness that I have thereof and an Heart prepared even as the Lord shall direct and my Exercise and Travels in my Testimony on Truths account have been a Burthen to none that I know of for I challeng the whole World to lay it to my charge and prove it against me that I have ever received one Penny from any one on the account thereof though I have met with a charge from a corrupt Spirit on that score which I deny If I have been a But then to any on the Gospels account any way let it be made appear and it shall be repaid double I desire to be excused on this wise I am 〈◊〉 as relating to the charge against me of which also I make no Boast but in the Lord and on the riches of his Grace alone by Which I am what I am and the Lord never made William Rogers nor the Spirit he is of in any judge over me I stand to God whose peace I have which comforts my Soul over all In the Answer to William Rogers's 〈◊〉 to George Fox's Reply and my Postscript it is Inserted by some Brethren thus Let William Rogers be asked whether he had not another Testimony in his Spirit for John Blaykling when
in Hand and their Letter to Jeofrey Bullock the old Blashphemous Apostate from Christ of which a little was spoken before mars the beauty of his pretended Zeal for Christ and his Kingdom which he so much talks of the Work he made with his Narrative that himself drew up on the Meeting at Draw-well which was spoken of before and his judging the Narrative given sorth by the Brethren there before they parted and subscribed with an unanimous consent John Wilkinson if not he also calling it a Lying Narrative the Work he made about Robert Barclay's Book of Church Government which at London he confessed his Weakness in and the Narrative he gave forth contrary to Covenant amongst the Brethren at the Meeting about John Story and John Wilkinson c. between George Fox William Penn George Whitehead and others on the behalf of the antient Unity of Brethren and the Churches Peace and William Rogers Thomas Goldney and others on John Story' s account also the Work that he and some of his Associates of the same Spirit made in Wiltshire against the Testimony and Judgment given forth against John Story and John Wilkinson at Ellis Hooks's Chamber in London at the general Meeting asoresaid his contemptible vilifying the good and wholsome Directions given forth to be practised in order to the keeping down fleshly raw and unseasoned works in all professing the pure Truth calling them Mens Inventions other Mens Lines made ready to our Hands dictates of fallible Men Mens Edicts and Laws George Fox ' s Orders and the like rendering in his Printed Book the Lords People yea all that profess the Light to be the way to God except those of Party with himself to reckon the Government of Christ Jesus to stand in outward conformity to other Mens Lines made ready to our Hands to the Reproach of Gods People and the Blemish of the Gospel of Christ and the Order thereof which we testifie against as a Reflection upon the the Heritage of God for its the Spirit of Jesus we would have all in the Spirit of Life 〈◊〉 to in it all to be 〈◊〉 as they have received of God in their 〈◊〉 and place Male and Female as Helps and Governments such as the Apostle spoke of that our Lights may shine and our good Works appear to the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 and the Renown of that Kingdom that never hath 〈◊〉 Let William Rogers be traced and the Footsteps he hath trod these several Years and the Work weighed which he hath been concerned in as his Writing and Printing demonstrates to all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and single to God and it may easily be concluded that it is the Kingdom of Sathan he hath been in the defence of for the upholding whereof he hath made all this blustering Work and hath been more dilligent in the concern of it then ever he was to promote the peaceable Truth and the Kingdom of Christ Jesus And this Testimony which I 〈◊〉 to bear in the name and on the behalf of the eternal God and his antient Truth and the Fellowship of the 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 against every 〈◊〉 Spirit I am bold to stand 〈◊〉 let William Rogers 〈◊〉 what he pleaseth and all who take his part and for the sake whereof William Rogers hath been pleased 〈◊〉 to render me as he hath done but I desire 〈◊〉 Lord may 〈◊〉 him 〈◊〉 under the vail of 〈◊〉 that he 〈◊〉 come over him the Meystry of Gods holy Spirit he hath made himself a Stranger to and often 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I 〈◊〉 take 〈◊〉 of a 〈◊〉 Accusation that William Rogers alledgeth against me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Spirit which he grounds upon some Words in the beginning of my 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 for George Fox in relation to the Charge against him in which he concerns me the words inserted in the beginning of 〈◊〉 Postscript are these Here follows the Testimony and Certificate of John Blaykling to the 〈◊〉 of George Fox of the Aspersions that William Rogers would 〈◊〉 upon him From this William Rogers concludes and publisheth the same in Print 〈◊〉 Posterity that I have 〈◊〉 to clear George Fox by this Certificate of all the Charges alledged against him suggesting 〈◊〉 and saying in these very Words That 〈◊〉 Fox can get an J. B. or T. B. to write or sign any thing right or wrong that in his sence may tend to his vindication c. as he saith Now whether this be not most 〈◊〉 and uncivil dealing let the Lord Judge who will repay and is 〈◊〉 only a particular smiting Accusation against George Fox who abhors such a Spirit and is 〈◊〉 to be William Rogers's own Spirit that he judgeth others by else would he have been more Charitable and Christian-like 〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 on this 〈◊〉 seeing that he hath nothing to ground it upon 〈◊〉 his own 〈◊〉 But also I say it is a general reflection upon the whole Heritage of God who are truely in Unity with George Fox's Spirit and are not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it it is also an absurd Reflection upon me and is that which my Soul abhors as not daring to Sign any thing whatsoever in relation to Truth or 〈◊〉 Children of God but what in the Spirit of Truth my Heart and Soul closeth with Neither did George Fox know any part of the matter of what I Writ nor that I was concerned so to do till it was clearly finished and sent away to a Friend to be annexed to George Fox's Answer which I knew he was in hand with 〈◊〉 do I know 〈◊〉 George Fox see it or no till it was sent away 〈◊〉 be given to William Rogers as most particularly concerned therein such surmising as this God will never bless let him look to it as he will be served And in Answer to the 〈◊〉 in the first place let William Rogers be asked whether in his Conscience he can believe that ever I intended to undertake by my 〈◊〉 to clear George Fox of all the Charges he had alledged against him as he says I have and by his so saying grants that his Queries are Charges which he was 〈◊〉 to do because of his charging George Fox so many times with a Lye for saying his Queries were Charges And Secondly seeing that in his 〈◊〉 by the scope of my whole Discourse which relates to the matter of those two 〈◊〉 about George Fox's staying from Meetings as the fruit of a careless libertine Spirit as he called it c. He cannot but 〈◊〉 as a 〈◊〉 mean capacity may easily gather that I did not intend to concern my self on that wife whether hath he acted like a Man of a Christian Spirit in rendering me if the fault in that word 〈◊〉 had been mine an 〈◊〉 for a word And Thirdly I would have him speak whether he did not see the Answer to his 〈◊〉 in which that point is 〈◊〉 cleared to any honest well-meaning person long before his Book was in Print which his Wife 〈◊〉 the receit of to
was the backsliding sort with grief concerned seeing their Spirit Judged and the way of it like to be blocked up Now was the time of their looking about and to speak after the manner of men to their Arms they betook them John Story making his boast what he could do when he put on his Sword in opposition to Church Care the Inspection the Discipline and the Judgment thereof for that was it that alone was in their way and now John Story and John Wilkinson buckled them to it and as leading men assumed a contest against the Faithful on behalf of the withering backsliding sort which the Lord did not bless them in but withdrew by little and little till he left them as to the 〈◊〉 Power and their Hosues desolate It cannot be expressed what work they begun to make and appear in against the Exercises that the upright were concerned in in the Church of God what finding fault therewith its admirable to think what Obstructions they lay in our way and instead of being 〈◊〉 and Governments amongst us became our Burden and 〈◊〉 Our Monthly and Quarterly Meetings was that which was their Grief and the very name of them therefore dispised 〈◊〉 Story calling them Courts and 〈◊〉 and our General Meeting the higher Court of Judicature to make the 〈◊〉 as being grieved therewith as that which was 〈◊〉 ready in their way to inspect miscarriage in Doctrine and Life and upon an orderly proceeding to 〈◊〉 Judgment thereupon this could not be digested of their foul corrupted Stomach of which the Hony-Comb is loathed They rendred our Meetings on 〈◊〉 wise for Friends concerns Formal and not Gospel-like and moved that we should not keep them so constantly but as occasion offered and if this loose Spirit had prevailed there when should an occasion have been seen and made use of let the upright Judge they 〈◊〉 not allow that Marriages should be twice published or 〈◊〉 of in our Meetings unless there happened to be occasion before the accomplishment thereof which sor clearness sake the Church of God judgeth a 〈◊〉 thing They allowed the accomplishment of a Marriage upon 〈◊〉 first times proposing it which within 〈◊〉 days was efsected and yet they were signified to that the Man was not clear of another Woman to whom he had promised Marriage and they were desired by many Friends to put a stop to that till things were clear on the 〈◊〉 account but they took no notice thereof They disliked our Womens Meetings and spoke 〈◊〉 of them though contrary to many of their own Subscriptions once as afterwards may be spoken to and would never allow Marriages to come before them which we account a decent thing that every one Male and Female who have received of the good Spirit may keep in the exercise of it to a profiting 〈◊〉 in their place in Gods House They would not allow that the Church of God should be concerned with any of the weaker sort when Temptations had prevailed upon them to draw back the Testimony for Truth once born but would have those things left to the publick Preaching or any ones particular motion They would not have any made mention of in the Church though in subjection to Gods Power for any such affair contrary to the Churches antient practice who said It seemed good to the holy Ghost and us to send chosen men c In a word to slubber over things and indulge Deceit was their design as their practice and their degeneration from 〈◊〉 Life and Testimonies demonstrates They would not admit of the recording Scandalous and Reproachful Transgressions of any and the Judgment of Truth upon them though with the Repentance of such as had found a place for it John Wilkinson alledging That it tended to render 〈◊〉 maen an Apostate in his day and an Knave to Posterity contrary to the sence of the holy men of God who gave forth the Scriptures and have recorded Noah David 〈◊〉 and Peter their Weaknesses and others with their acknowledgment thereof with Grief and their Repentance also who stand not recorded as Knaves to Prosperity nor is the Record 〈◊〉 to Truths dispraise but tends to 〈◊〉 the Righteousness of God in his Judgments and Mercies for the furtherance of the Gospel and the work of God among all both in our Day and in Generations to come and John Wilkinson yet in Contradiction again and Confusion 〈◊〉 like up and down off and on expresseth himself thus after his denial allowing it again saying He would have the Condemnation to go no further then 〈◊〉 Knowledge of the Transgression nor the Record of it to remain any longer then the Memory of the Offence Thus he confutes his own assertion in his denial in saying It renders a man a Knave to Posterity But we looking over this as the product of his inconsiderate haste in venting such Confusion and granting the other which indeed we do and is that 〈◊〉 we aim at We ask How will John Wilkinson without a Record of the Transgression Condemnation Repentance c. keep the knowledge of the Judgment and Repentance to go as far as the knowledge of the Offence or the memory of the one out-live the memory of the other when as the Envious one on the one hand will not cease to keep in remembrance that which may 〈◊〉 the Truth but to have that alive which may clear the Truth and give God the Praise will be his Grief and his utmost endeavours will be to obstruct the same let the Wise Judge whose work this Spirit of theirs is concerned in A large Catalogue might be here inserted of the contentious Works by them of this seperate Spirit wrought amongst us animated and strengthened by John Story and John Wilkinson as our Quarterly Meeting from sad experience 〈◊〉 Testifie an account whereof we have in readiness at large to publish as occasion may be seen plainly demonstrating the Slight the Contempt and Dis-esteem of that Gospel care we were concerned in for Truths Praise which produced in them the great Opposition that was made to our tender justifiable practice therein which occasioned great Content and Satisfaction to the loose backsliding sort from the holy Way and 〈◊〉 of God and the great sadness of Heart to the Innocent amongst us on theirs and the Truths account Resolved they seemed to be not to 〈◊〉 to the wholsom practices we were concerned in according to the example of the most of the Churches of Christ throughout the whole Nation and if they could not with open Face and with the Instruments they made use of stop our way but that Truths care Inspectision and sound Judgment must be placed in the Order and Discipline thereof and that they could by no means obstruct the same because of that Eternal Power that accompanied Friends care and courage therein to the causing of them when they could not prevail on that wise with conquest over it to bethink them how to betake themselves to
on purpose to put Friends by their Testimonies in that matter he had almost over-run the Proposals for Peace William Penn stetp to the Table and writ down a 〈◊〉 to be read in the Meeting that if it Answered the sence of Friends there Assembled it might be 〈◊〉 by them and sent to John Story as their Christian offer towards the Reconciliation of those sad Differences but William Rogers notwithstanding he knew not the contents thereof judged it an unfit Paper to be read and as we conceive contrary to all Truth Justice and common Sobriety said I will oppose it it shall not be read again I say it shall not go as from the Meeting Which we took to be in high Arrogancy and Vsurpation upon the Meeting raising and continuing his voice when it was begun to be read so loud on purpose as to drown the reading of the Proposition his behaviour being so Rude that we never had the like in our Meeting before which rude practice we look upon to be condemnable in all sober and free Societies c. This is testisied to by Twenty Eight Friends of Bristol who were present at the Meeting before mentioned And therefore what credit can be given to William Rogers and them that gives forth such false Certificates to make People believe Lyes which they are glad to make their Refuge let the wise in Heart consider Again as we hinted before William Regers saith in his Narraitive That the Second Days Meeting at London have allowed that which they are not satisfied can stand justified c. The matter is something concerning Robert Barclay's Book In his Narrative he saith thus Robert Barclay speaking of the Order of Government thus saith c. In his Book Entituled the Anarchy of the Ranters in which Book it seemeth as he says is that which he and others are dissatisfied with This is mentioned in his Narrative written at Bristol the Eleventh Month 1677. This is a Passage that happened at London and not at Bristol and so contradicts the preamble to his Relation The Reader also may take notice that in the Third Month 1677. being Seven Months before his Narrative was writ William Rogers by a Paper under his own Hand acknowledgeth that touching Robert Barclay's Book a fair and Christian debate was had before many Friends at a Meeting in London to both Robert Barclay's and his Satisfaction and the things by him objected was fairly and Brotherlike and in much love discoursed and he saith that upon the whole matter he was satisfied that Robert Barclay was not principled as he and others took him to be And further William Rogers saith in his own Paper That it lies upon him to signifie on the behalf of Robert Barclay Since many have taken occasion of Offence against him for that cause and as may be doubted so far as to reject the Testimony and service for Truth it lieth upon me as my duty for his and the Truths sake to warn all to take heed not to entertain a prejudice against his Testimony on jealousies that may enter on score of my apprehensions or mistakes of his Book or that Answer that I have given thereto but rather in an unprejudiced Spirit to wait upon the Lord to feel and savour his Testimony even as if the occasion had never been And further saith William Rogers I freely confess in as much as I published my Book before I gave Robert Barclay notice of my Objections and Intentions therein I acted in that Respect not according to Gospel order but am justly worthy of Blame therein Thus far William Rogers Now let it be considered what a restless unsetled Spirit this Man hath void of Christian Behaviour and Humanity it self Who notwithstanding that under his own Hand he hath cleared Robert Barclay and the 〈◊〉 Days Meeting also and declares himself to be satisfied about Robert Barclay's Book and acknowledgeth his Unchristian carriage touching him c. Yet in his Narrative seven Months after in which he hath spread Robert Barclay's Name up and down the Nation and in his Printed Book thus reflects again upon the second Days Morning Meeting and upon Robert Barklay before he sent to them also concerning it that ever we heard of Now let all see whether these proceedings of William Rogers come from any Honesty or Conscientiousness or whether this restless unsetled 〈◊〉 Spirit of his doth manifest him to be one that can stand for the Kingdom of Christ Jesus as he would be looked upon to do which stands not in Words but in Unity and Peace And for the Readers further satisfaction concerning William Rogers's deceitful dealings with Robert Barclay and the second Days Meeting at London we refer him to William Rogers's own Paper which is a relation more at large of Robert Barclay and his discourse in the presence of near Forty Friends with their advice to him and the sence they had touching William Rogers Objections against Robert Barclay's 〈◊〉 which William Rogers at large confesseth his Errors in as his Paper under his own Hand dated the third Month 〈◊〉 demonstrateth And therefore what credit can ne give to or any confidence have in such an uncertain unsetled Man as this William R gers is Who also is the chief promoter of John Story and John Wilkinson their cause and what matter is it whom he stands for or whom he is against or what he says or Writes or any thing else he does as these things before-mentioned testifie for they have no Witness in the Consciences of the Faithful and that they are not Men of tender onsciences it plainly appeareth what ever they pretend to nor that William Rogers stands in the Gap as he pretends unless it be to turn People out of the right way nor 〈◊〉 the Kingdom of Christ its clear as these his Fruits with many more that might be instanced do manifest Hereby also is the badness of John Story' s and John Wilkinson's Work manifested to all the honest to God which 〈◊〉 Rogers so much quarrels about And further in the Narrative William Rogers saith as followeth viz. We cannot but tell you that we hae Sufficient cause to doubt that under pretence of this Proposition the Meeting will be entertained on your part with such Idle and vain Testimontes in the 〈◊〉 of the Lord as came out of Elizabeth Sturrige her Mouth in our publick Meeting c. Now let it be considered that this is one that cryes so much for Liberty of Conscience and against Imposition and yet see how these would limit the Consciences of Friends and not permit them to clear their Consciences and exercise their gift contrary to the tendency of his Paper of Queries in which Liberty of Conscience is so much cryed for when Elizabeth Sturridge must thus be struct at who spoke nothing that ever we heard of from honest Men then what she might be required of the Lord to do to the clearing of her conscience and yet William Rogers is