it For here is not only no Coherence between their Premises and Conclusion but a plain departing from the terms of the Proposition which was a Pleading this of being left to the Grace of God in themselves against Vnity Which word they wholly leave out and instead thereof put in to plead this against this or that thing bâ—ought in by this or that man c. This shews their shuffling and idle way of arguing However we deny that any thing believed or practised as a Religious Duty among us was brought in by any man oâ— men as men but by the Spirit of the Lord opening Counsel in the hearts of his Servants and throuâ—h them recommending the use of such things to the Church of Christ and opening the hearts of such as waited singly in the same Spirit of Truth to receive close and joyn with the same from an inward sense Conviction and Perswasion that the things so recommended were of God In which we have been and are abundantly confirmed by the sweet and powerful presence of the Lord with and amongst us in the use thereof evidencing to our Spirits his accepting us therein And if the Adversaries believe those things to be wrong that doth not prove they are wrong though it may prove their belief and themselves wrong In their 21th page They quote another passage out of the said Book in these words I must say unto thee Friend what if thou wilt not be left unto the Grace and Spirit of God in thy self Here they break off with an c. omitting the rest of the Sentence which in the said Book follows thus nor wait for its mind nor be watchful to its Revelations nor humble and quiet till thou hast received such necessary manifestations but pleadest against the Counsel of the Spirit of the Lord in other faithful Persons under the pretence of being left to his Spirit in thy self by which means thou opposest the Spirit to the Spirit and pleadest for disunity under the name of Liberty Their Answer is Then such do the thing that is extreamly Evil. Rep. No doubt of that But when they do so what is to be done in the case Are they to be left to their Liberty and Freedom in doing the thing that is extreamly Evil Is the Church bound to own them receive them acknowledge and admit them not only for Members but Ministers and Preachers while they are doing the thing that is so extreamly Evil Or in case they disturb her godly Care and Practice and grow Contentious and exalt their Judgment against her as the Adversaries have done hath she power from God to exhort admonish and reprove them and if they persevere therein in his Name to refuse any further fellowship with them till they repent of their Evil as in the 10. pag. of the Book they pretend to Answer is laid down but not taken up answered or taken notice of by them that I find Having nimbly answered to the former Quotation Then such do the thing that is extreamly evil they immediately add but on the other hand what if they are left with the Grace and Spirit of God which they may or at least some for any thing that he hath said Rep. May they so That 's strange They that will not wait for the mind of God's Spirit not be watchful to its Revelations nor humble and quiet till they have received such necessary Manifestations but plead against the Counsel of the Spirit of the Lord in other faithful Persons under the pretence of being left to his Spirit in themselves and so oppose the Spirit to the Spirit and plead for Disunity under the name of Liberty may they for any thing that he hath said who hath said all this here and more elsewhere be left with that is led by the Grace and Spirit of God in this But say they What care has he taken What remedy has he provided that true Liberty and Freedom of Speech may be maintained Rep. Let them shew if they can when or where true Liberty and Freedom of Speech hath been denied by Friends That it hath been indeed by the Adversaries may be proved if need require But it may well be supposed what sort of Liberty and Freedom of Speech they would maintain by the Licencious Liberty they have taken and used in speaking of and against such Persons and things as they dislike a Liberty to rail at and revile those whom they call their Brethren under the Names of Apostates Innovators Introducers of Popery Setters up of Imâ—ges Idolaters Idol Prophets a treacherous Company c. a Liberty to mock at scoff jear and deride the order and discipline of the Church of Christ under the contemptuous names of Canons Constitutions human-Prescriptions Mens-Inventions Edicts Bulls c. This is the Liberty and Freedom they have hitherto used both in speaking and writing how true and fit to be maintained let all that live in Truth judge To the Author's Question whether he may not exhort to the practice of what he is moved to press to the practice of they Answer We graunt he may c. Adding It 's not our Duty to obey him because he says it but because we know or at least are perswaded that what he says is true page 22. Rep. Neither that Author nor any Friend besides ever exhorted or desired much less pressed as a Duty on any to obey him or to do any thing of a Religious concern because he said it but have alwayes directed to that which would give every one a certain knowledge and Perswasion of the thing so exhorted to There was therefore no need for the Adversaries to fence themselves against that which was never offered them But they delight by such suggestions to insinuate evil surmises into the minds of their beguiled Proselites In their 22. pag. They quibble upon the words Common and Universal for citing these words out of the Book they pretend to Answer viz. But therefore are not the Members of one mind and Iudgement in common and universal matters relating to the Church of God They answer There is not much doubt in this when truly understood but we are to mind say they that we be not deceived and imposed upon as to what is or ought to be accounted common and universal matters Hereupon they give us their notion thereof both affirmatively and negatively thus By common and universal matters we understand and we hope say they according to Truth what has been commonly and universally received and not new and novel things that have not been so received Rep. This is not according to Truth which is free and illimitable whereas this would lay a Limit and Restraint upon God from opening the way of Truth and Righteousness further and further and from adding such helps and means for the Propagation thereof and preservation of his People therein as he in his unsearchable Wisdom shall see need of For every fresh Discovery may on this pretence be slighted
Oneness of Iudgment with God's People in the things of God than have puzzled their brains about Identity of Opinion and made themselves ridiculous by Cracking of their Converse with School-men But leaving them to their thoughts and the School-men to themselves they might have learnt from the Author of the Book they are so angry with if it had pleased them to have taken notice of it that there is a difference between Sameness of mind and Contrariness of mind between Oneness of Judgment and Opposition of Judgments But if I may tell them so without offending them too much the word Opinion with respect to Religious matters is fitter for the School-men thâ—n for any that would be taken for a Quaker Nor is it aptly or properly expounded by the word Iudgment For Iudgment implies Certainty and should be Positive whereas Opinion is but Suppositive importing uncertain or doubtful Thought They complain pag. 16. that the Author of the Book they would Answer hath not made a difference between Circumstantial things and such as are truly Essential Yet they themselves have not yet told us what things they account truly Essential They said indeed once pag. 5 There are some Outward things so far Essential to true Religion as those that do contrary to them may be detected of Error But they have not particularlized what those outward things are nor whether they intend them for absolute Essentials But they are in the dark and in Confusion and no wonder having kickt against the Light and that wholsome Order which the Children of the Light have in the Light received They say Though all that fear God must and will agree in things truly Essential yet there is no necessity that they must agree in Circumstantial things Rep. This seems to me as if they should say All must agree in things Essential but they may differ disagree wrangle jangle contend and fall to pieces as much as they will about Circumstantial things There is no necessity that they must agree in them Strange But whence should this Liberty of disagreeing proceed Are not all to be led by the One Spirit of Truth into all Truth into Circumstantials as well as into Essentials Or will the Adversaries say that in Essentials indeed the Spirits Guidance is to be expected but for Circumstantials every one may choose for himself and please his own humour If they will grant which methinks they should scarce care to deny that into Circumstantial things all ought to expect and may receive the Spirits guidance and leading as well as into those things which they call Essential will they then find any room for the Disagreement they contend for Can any one of a sound mind think that the one holy Spirit of Truth will lead his Followers to contradict one another in Practice any more than to contradict one another in Words If all are led by the Holy Spirit he will undoubtedly lead them to agree not to disagree in whatsoever he leads into Of the Primitive Christians it is written The Multitude of them that believed were of one Heart and of one Soul Acts 4.32 Was it only in such things as are accounted Essential Or was it in all things then relating to Religion amongst them even in those things that were rather Circumstantial than Essential It may seem to be spoken more immediatly of those things for it follows in the Text Neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own but they had all things Common Yet none I suppose will affirm that the Community they had of Goods and outward Substance was Essential to Religion for then they that hold not that Community of Goods would want an Essential part of Religion In their 17th page having surmised before that some Circumstantial things have been over-valued they say On the other hand some seeing this as a certain wrong the Enemy hath aggravated the matter to make both wrong c. Here they seem willing to own themselves faulty provided they may fix some fault too upon those they design to asperss But they may be supposed to understand their own Guilt better than anothers If they are truly sensible that the Enemy hath made them wrong let them return to that which can make them Right They add It is our danger and will continue until the Spirit of the Son of God be more plentifully poured forth upon us that can say Father forgive them they know not what they do This say they is that which we want and should truly wait for that the great Deceiver the Occasion of all Strife and Trouble among such as fear God might be cast out c. Rep. That saying Father forgive them they know not what they do if it be spoken according to Truth and in the Spirit of the Son can be spoken only of such as know not what they do The Iews of whom the Son of God so spake Luke 23.34 knew not what they did in Crucifying him that came to save them Paul bears them that witness 1 Cor. 2.8 Now it is one thing not to be able to say of Opposers Father forgive them they know not what they do from a belief or perswasion that they do know what they do And another thing not to be able to say of Opposers Father forgive them they know not what they do from a want of the Spirit of the Son which alone can inable in Truth to say so though there be a perswasion that the Opposers do not know what they do Now this it seems is the state of the Adversaries the want of the Spirit of the Son of God plentifully poured forth upon them that can say of such as oppose them Father forgive them they know not what they do This say they is that which we want and should truly wait for that the great Deceiver might be cast out c. That this relates to themselves appears by the Advertisement which they give at the end of their Preface where they say the word We may be understood in respect to those of the same mind with the Author of their Book Their want of this shews their Condition to be bad their not truly waiting for it shews it to be worse And since they acknowledge the great Deceiver the Occasion of all Strife and Trouble among such as fear God is not yet cast out it is no wonder that he hath thus long deceived them and yet doth deceive them out of whom he is not yet cast and through them occasions so much strife and trouble to those that truly fear God But as if they had already forgot what they have here acknowledged they in the next page say As we can truly say Father forgive them they know not what they do we are not without hope But they deceive themselves if they think they can truly say that while they want the pouring forth of the Spirit of the Son of God upon them in and by which alone that
can be truly said But blessed be God Friends whom these Adversaries oppose have received the pourings forth of the Spirit of the Son of God so plentifully as that they can therein say of many whom the great Deceiver hath through the Adversaries deceived and by Deceit drawn into the Separation with them Father forgive them they know not what they do But though they here acknowledge the great Deceiver is not cast out yet they say they hope his casting out is near for say they there seems but one grand Remove to know the Mystery of Iniquity finished and that is say they to know our habitation in God who we have professed hath appeared in us by his Light and Spirit Rep. It seems then they do not know their Habitation to be in God now But if they know not their Habitation in God in what do they know their Habitation to be Or do they not know where or in what their Habitation is Oh uncertain and sad estate Our Saviour Christ said Ioh. 65.6 He that eateth my Flesh and drinketh my Blood dwelleth in me and I in him If the Adversaries object that this is an high state let them know that all short of this is too low the same Mouth having expresly said vers 53. Verily verily I say unto you except ye eat the Flesh of the Son of man and drink his Blood ye have no Life in you The beloved Disciple said God is Love and he that dwelleth in Love dwelleth in God 1 John 4.16 Again He that keepeth his Commandments dwelleth in him chap. 3.24 And hereby says the same Apostle know we that we dwell in him and he in us because he hath given us of his Spirit chap. 4.13 The Apostle Paul dedicated two Epistles to the Church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Iesus Christ. By all which it appears that it is the proper state of God's People to have their Habitation in God and that God's People then had and did know their Habitation in him And surely I cannot but in Charity believe that some of those that are in the Separation have formerly known in some measure an Habitation in God also But not keeping in the true Love but going out of that into the Enmity not keeping his Commandments but rejecting opposing scorning slighting despising reviling and vilifying them and instead of Teaching others to keep them discouraging and diswading others from keeping them have like the Angels which kept not their first Estate or Principality Iude 6. left their Habitation in God and now by their own Acknowledgement do not know their Habitation in him who they have professed hath appeared in them by his Light and Spirit but must have one grand Remove more before they can come to know their Habitation in God again O that all the Beguiled ones among them would weigh this well and see and consider what their Separation hath brought them to even to be destitute of an Habitation in God! Nay if according to what they deliver in their 7th page As man must be made a new Creature before he can come into Christ so must he travel through the whole Mystery of iniquity In the last step of which travel they say the Mystery is finished then since with them the Mystery of Iniquity is not yet finished but there is one grand Remove yet behind to know the Mystery of Iniquity finished they are not it seems yet come in to Christ. In their 17th page they say To make lesser things than Essential things Terms of Communion we have observed to be a great Evil in others and shall we cry it up as good in our selves And in pag. 18. They speak of making Nothing Terms of Communion but Essential things And something to like purpose they toucht before p. 6. Rep. This is first an evil Insinuation to prejudice Peoples minds against Friends as if Friends did set up this that or t'other thing as Terms of Communion with us Secondly it is a plain Indication that the Adversaries do not truly and rightly understand the Saints Communion and the terms thereof Amongst other Religious Societies as the Communions are outward and visible so the Terms of such Communions consist only in outward and visible things as an outward verbal acknowledgement of Creeds Doctrines c. and an outward or actual Observance or Performance of such things as are reputed Ordinances Duties Rights c. the confessing the former and doing the latter of which intitles any one to those Communions But the Communion or Fellowship of the Saints in Light is another thing For as the Dispensation of the Gospel is Spiritual so the Communion or Fellowship which stands in the Gospel Phil. 1.5 is Spiritual also The Apostles declares the Terms thereof to be walking in the Light when he says if we walk in the Light as he is in the Light we have Fellowship one with another c. 1 Iohn 1.7 As therefore the Communion of God's People is Spiritual so the Terms of that Communion are to receive the Holy Spirit to be led by the Spirit to walk in or after the Spirit to obey the motions and requirings of the Spirit So that it is not an acknowledgement of Doctrines or an Observation of outward Practices that can bring any one into the Fellowship or Communion of the People of God for the one may be in Words acknowledged and the other in Act performed by such as neither believe the one nor regard the other But it is a being truly subjected to and led by the Spirit of God both to believe and confess to the Doctrines of Truth and to take up and appear in those Practices which the Spirit of Truth leads into that are indeed the true Terms of the true Spiritual Communion And as a coming under the Government and Guidance of the Spirit of Christ brings into Communion or Fellowship with the Church of Christ So the departing from the Government and Guidance of that Holy Spirit the grieving the quenching or resisting of the holy Spirit in its requirings shuts out of the Communion or Fellowship of Christ's Church And as such a departure from the Guidance of the holy Spirit may be felt and known by those that keep under the Spirit 's Guidance by the holy Unction and that Spiritual Sense so much at this day by the Adversaries set at naught which the People of God do from thence receive as the Lord is pleased to dispense it so may it also be certainly and safely concluded from either an Abrenunciation and Denyal of any of the Doctrinal Principles of Truth or from an opposing rejecting slighting or reviling of any Practice which the Church of Christ is by the Spirit of Christ led into So that though no outward things whether Doctrines or Practices are or can be the Terms of true Spiritual Communion yet the rejecting opposing despising and slighting such outward things as the Church of Christ is by
the Light Life or Spirit of God through Instruments But the Apostle Peter who knew as much as they and is fitter to be believed than they saith If any Man speak let him speak as the Oracles of God c. 1 Pet. 4.11 So that the Apostle it seems understood no other but that the things of God when Ministred as of the ability which God giveth were as the Oracles of God though spoken by or through Man To make way yet for more wrangling they reason after this manner either say they all that do speak in our Assemblies or Meetings speak from the Light Life and Spirit or all do not if all do so speak prove it if all do not so speak then you must give us a certain Rule to know who do so speak and who do not Rep. At the end of their Preface they give an Advertisement that where the Term You is found in the following Discourse namely in their Book they intend the Author viz. of the Book they pretend to Answer and those of his mind And where the term We is also used in their Book it may be understood in respect to those of the same mind with the Author of that Book of theirs So that You and We are there set for Characteristical Notes or distinguishing Terms between Friends and them Friends being intended and denoted by the word You and themselves by the word We. Now since Your and Our are but Derivatives from You and We each ought to follow its own Primitive And since by the term We they would have themselves to be understood it is but reason that by the term Our Assemblies or Meetings their own Assemblies or Meetings should be understood not the Assemblies or Meetings of Friends especially seeing they have Meetings of their own properly their own set up themselves in their own wills and choice in a Spirit of separation from the Meetings of Friends and in opposition to them Now if we take them in this Sense when they say as before Either all that do speak in Our Assemblies or Meetings speak from the Light Life and Spirit or all do not I shall easily grant what they say they take for granted that all that speak in their Assemblies or Meetings do not speak from the Light Life and Spirit of God if any do But if they mistook themselves here and by Our Assemblies or Meetings intended the Assemblies or Meetings of Friends and so put the Question whether all that speak in the Meetings of Friends do speak from the Light Life and Spirit of God or not I Reply No For many of the Adversaries themselves who are gone into a wicked separation from Friends and instead of abideing in the Light Life and Spirit of God are got into an ungodly Spirit of Wrangling and Quarrelling Rayling and Reviling Envy Bitterness and Restless Contention do notwithstanding thrust into Friends Meetings and there take upon them to speak though they or their Party have openly denyed Friends in Print This is such a work of darkness and horrible Hypocrysie as manifests that such speak not from the Light Life or Spirit of God But whereas they say You must give us a certain Rule to know who do so speak and who do not or otherwise you must leave us to receive or refuse according to the best of our understanding which they repeat over and over biding us Observe either you must give us a Rule as above or you must leave us free c. I Reply Friends have always directed and left them and all others to that which makes free indeed the Truth Iohn 8.32 And their insinuating the contrary is a foul Slander and a wicked Design I would to God they who are run into Enmity to and separation from Friends would leave us free and not impose upon us their Preaching and Praying which they have been often told Friends cannot receive or own And whereas they say both here in page 24. and elsewhere We take it for granted that you can give no such Rule I Reply They mistake taking that for granted which they ought not That Light Life Spirit Grace or Truth which Friends have always directed them and all unto is a Rule a certain Rule to know who speak from it and who do not And they that abide in it and are attentive to it do know who speak from it and who do not who are acted by it and who are not and know accordingly what and whom to receive and what and whom to refuse For the true Sheep know the true Shepherd's Voice Iohn 10.4 and 27. which is more than words But there is a difference between being left to this Light Grace or Spirit of God in our selves to receive or refuse according to that and being left to our own understanding to receive or refuse according to the best of that as the Adversaries would be left For Man's understanding as it is a natural Faculty must be illuminated by this heavenly Light and Spirit of God before it can receive or know the things of God because they are Spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2.14 Well therefore did the Wise-man advise Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not to thine own understanding Prov. 3.5 In the close of their 24 page They say We may safely conclude where Conviction and Perswasion are disallowed that Government ceaseth to be true Rep. But where is that not amongst Friends I am sure This they have suggested over and over but without proof without colour The contrary has been asserted and proved over and over again and again and that by undenyable Evidences from that very Book they pretend to Answer As thou art not to conform to a thing ignorantly page 3. The People of God ought to be left to the Guidings of the Spirit of God in themselves page 9. It is a great Truth that all are to be left thereunto ibid. And again If thou dost not presently see that Service in a thing that the rest of thy Brethren agree in it is thy Duty what to do not to Conform without or against Conviction or Perswasion but to wait upon God in silence and patience out of all fleshly Consultations c. page 10. These plain Testimonies one would think were enough to stop the clamorous mouth of slanderous Envy They begin their 25th page with a Passage which they single out of the 6th page of the Book they pretend to Answer And they word it thus They that walk in the Light have Fellowship one with another 1 Iohn 1. Whence he saith 't is easy to conclude that those that go out of Fellowship go out of the Light c. Upon this they spend about four pages in meer Cavilling And to make the more way for their Cavilling they miscite the Passage leaving out a word of small sound but of great force in the present Case because a strong Emphasis lies upon it For whereas the Author's words were they that go out